RESEARCH PAPER TEMPLATE

North American University

Education Department
M.Ed. in EDLE & CUIN
EDUC 5324: INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO EDUCATION
Name: NAZOKAT YAKUBOVA

Date: 10/12/2016

Topic Selected:
What does the research say about advantages and disadvantages of
distance education?

1. LITERATURE REVIEW:
What does the literature/research say about this issue/topic? By
using NAU Library or Online Search engines, conduct a literature
review.

You need to include 5 different sources (book, journal article,

web article etc.) in your review. Try to use current sources as
much as possible.

You need to summarize and synthesize your sources by

discussing a common theme or issue.

You don't need to critique your sources

You don't need to evaluate your sources (if the sources are
trustworthy, weather the author has a bias or not)

You need to provide background information such as history

and definitions

Brief Literature Review:

Correspondence education, the earliest version of distance
education, developed in the mid-nineteenth century in Europe (Great
Britain, France, Germany), and the United States, and spread swiftly
(Nasseh, 1997). In the 1960s Wedemeyer broke from the concept of
correspondence study and focused instead on independent study or
learning. In doing so he noted that a particular philosophy of
teaching and learning usually lies behind the concepts of
independent study and learning". According to him, the major
advantage of distance education is promoting self-learning
(Wedemeyer, 1971). Distance education methodologies have come
into prominence during the last decades of the 20th century. It is

any type of instruction in which the student and instructor are

separated by physical distance which is flexible and cost efficient
(Garrison, 1999). Belanger and Jordan (2004), list several reasons
that play major roles in getting distance education: a) It opens up
new opportunities for students who might otherwise be excluded
from participation in the learning process; b) it allows institutions to
educate a larger number of students with relatively fewer
instructors, thus providing a cost-effective method of delivering
higher education; and c) learners have the opportunity to pursue
lifelong learning after graduation, regardless of lifestyle or location.
However, senior administrators in higher education have become
focused, not on educational issues, but the fiscal implications of
distance education, and technology companies see profits
(Feenberg, 1999). Findings indicate that only the self-motivated and
self-disciplined students are most likely to succeed in distance
education (Le, 2012). The major advantages of the distance
education is the flexibility and "no geographical boundaries". The
researchers list the lack of interaction as a major disadvantage of
the distance learning. Whereas technology dependency, self-directed
learning and the quality of distance education can have both,
advantages and disadvantages (Le, 2012).

2. REFLECTION:

What is your personal opinion on this issue? Do you agree with

the research? If you agree or disagree, please explain why?
Provide examples/experiences regarding this issue from school
perspective orIf you are not working in a school, from your
profession. Be specific with your examples. You can mention
software/hardware names, specific methods that you plan to
use, etc.
How would you implement this research in your career? (At
least 1 paragraph)

Reflection: Although the majority of the research concludes that

there is no significant difference between distance learning and
traditional learning, this is still open to debate. I personally believe
that the distance education has more pros than cons. With enough
faculty support and self-motivation the distance education programs
can be very successful. Flexibility, no commuting, cost efficiency and
being in charge of your schedule provides great opportunity for
majority of distance education students. Of course, lack of social
interactions, and adaptability to new technology like utilizing Google
hangouts, Prezi presentations and other web 2.0 online tools can be
overwhelming. The lack of experience and practice are the other
major bumps on the way of distance education. That's why I believe
that more practical majors like nursing, psychology, and most
undergraduate programs should not be entirely online, after all, part
of the degree is learning to work directly with human beings or
learning in the field.
Analyzing this research topic helped me realize the similarities of

the distance education with traditional method of learning. I always

praised the traditional learning style and missed asking live
questions and interactions. Now, after taking online courses for past
2 years, I can tell that our determination, motivation and hard work
determines the 90% of our success. So, the distance education
system will work with the combination of self-determination and
hard work.
The major disadvantage that I'm facing with distance education is
the lack of public speaking ability. The virtual classes, the virtual
friends on social networks will have dramatic negative impact in
recent future. So, I would continue the research further and compare
the public speaking ability and social interaction of distance
education students vs. traditional, on campus learners (by holding
the variables constant). If my hypothesis are valid, I would propose
the distance education system to require a public speaking course
and mandating class participation.
3. REFERENCES:

Cite at least 5References in APA.

You may use http://www.citationmachine.net/apa/cite-a-journal
for citing your sources in APA style.

References:
Belanger, F., & Jordan, D. H. (2004). Evaluation and implementation of
distance learning: Technologies, tools and techniques. Hershey, PA: Idea
Group.
Feenberg, A. (1999). Reflections on the distance learning controversy.
Canadian Journal of Communication, 24, 337 348. Retrieved from:
http://www.worldlibrary.org/articles/eng/Feenberg
Garrison, D. R., and Anderson, T. (1999). Avoiding the Industrialization of
Research Universities: Big and little distance education. The American Journal
of Distance Education, 13(2), 48 63.
Le, H. (n.d.). Distance Education: Pros, Cons, and the Future. Retrieved
October 10, 2016, from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED461903.pdf
Nasseh, B., (1997). A Brief History of Distance Education. SeniorNet:
Education and Empowerment. Retrieved October 17, 2016 from:
http://www.seniornet.org/edu/art/history.html
Wedemeyer, C. A. (1971). Independent study. In R. Deighton (Ed.),
Encyclopedia of Education IV (p. 548-557). New York: McMillan.