RESEARCH PAPER TEMPLATE

North American University

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

Date:_____10/31/2015_____________

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:

Distance education is formalized by King, Young, Richmond and Scrader ,(2004)
as an instructional learning where the time/geographic situation constrains
learning by not affording in-person contact between student and instructor. With
other words it refers to the students who are not physically present in a traditional
classroom setting and to the access to learning when the source of information
and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both.
With the development of the technology distance learning become an alternate
source for traditional education and the beneficiaries are increasing day by day
seeing the benefits of the uses. Abraham, B. (2015) points out the reality that
since the years passes, distance education in various forms - distance learning

programs from open universities, online programs and so forth, have helped
accomplished the educational needs of students who are not able to attend fulltime and campus-based classes. But it is important to decide whether this
programs really cover you needs and and the best choice for you. To make the
most suitable decision it is a must to know the advantages and the
disadvantages of distance education.
Jackson, M. (2007) listed the ten disadvantages as; it requires self-motivation;
you need good organization, planning and work to make it happen which requires
a high self discipline in all the distraction substances in the learning environment.
It does not give you direct access to your instructor: there is no human touch or
communication with an instruction but via emails or online interactions. Distance
learning is isolated: there is no opportunity to socialize with peers and the use of
social activities offered by schools such as clubs, sports activities, concerts etc.,
Distance learning requires you to have constant, reliable access to technology:
even in the US it is so normal to experience technical issues which prevent you
for example submit your assignment on time or due to a low quality internet
connection you may not be attend to a webinar. Distance learning does not offer
immediate feedback: in the classroom you have the chance to ask your questions
immediately or ask the instructor to explain again which in distance education
happens via emails and have to wait to be replied. Distance learning does not
always offer all the necessary courses online and no opportunities for lab courses
or it doesn't offer the practice based courses as the ones nurse school students
needs. Distance learning may not be acknowledged by a specific employer or
universities that's why you must be use about whether the distance learning
provider is fully accredited or not. There can be some hidden costs for instance

for handling and shipping costs for extra materials or supply. And lastly distance
learning does not give students the opportunity to work on oral communication
skills. Addition to all above students need to know their roles in distance learning
and how to use the technology to communicate with the teacher and with each
other. They not only need to know how to operate the microphone or how to post
to a bulletin board discussion, but they also need to understand communication
etiquette. The role of the teacher in an online learning environment is to assume
more responsibility for planning. The materials that students will need must be
prepared in advance, while students must also understand what is expected of
them in terms of their patterns of responses. O'Lawrence, H. (2007)
Flipping the coin to see the advantages of distance learning the list is not shorter
than the disadvantages. There is a wide range of choice provided by means of
subject selection and reach out programs for the users. Distance learning is
much more flexible than traditional styles of classroom education. Students can
choose part time or full time scheduled programs or design the lessons plans due
to their learning styles or needs. Students who enroll in classes with online
education obtain a wider range of networking opportunities. Instead of being
limited to networking in the local area, distance learning enables students to
make connections with a more diverse range of people. Distance education users
can set and work at their own pace without the strict schedules. Even the
scheduling is allowed to be done by the user considering own needs such as
working or childcare times. Distance education costs are likely to be less
comparing to an education in a classroom environment. There are no space,
accommodation, material or meal costs. Transportation is a big time and money
consumer which is not needed in distance learning. Students also may feel tired

even just traveling to school by bus in the traffic jam in the mornings. Distance
learning users do not need to sit in the classroom during the whole lesson which
may not be the best way for each learner.
Almost a third of academic leaders recently surveyed felt online education
outcomes were superior to those in traditional learning environments. However,
there are challenges to be overcome for anyone who opts to learn through
distance learning.

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 or If 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:

Distance education providing the users an environment in which they can build
up a personalized, individual learning program according to own learning style or
strategies they already have. Flexible lesson programs, schedules and half time
or full time enrollment let the user fit the learning to own life instead of fitting
himself/herself to the program. It is good to make you own plan when to have a
lesson if you work or have kids to take care of. But this time you need or must be
well self disciplined to schedule you day. Otherwise even the most flexible due
date may not be helpful. You have the chance to pick up the lessons you want to
have first and do not need to have lessons which you may not need. You can
have your own learning environment whenever and wherever you want. You can
have your lesson in the comfort of your home without any other person disturb

but still distance education requires a good self motivation as it is all up to you to
schedule you lesson. I think at home it is a bit hard to fully concentrate on when
there are outer disturbing aspects may occur. The door bells, your friends can
come over, the neighbor decides to cut his tree with an electric chainsaw. You
may feel isolated as having almost no contact with your peers during the lesson
and this effect the oral communication skills. Here there is the other side of the
point that some students are not good at construction good relations with the
others and may prefer to be alone and also there is a reality that bullying issues
make the students having negative attitudes to school.
You can have access to you courses and ask questions to the instructors with no
time or place limitations. But it does not let you have direct or human touch
communication with the instructor. In a classroom you can immediately ask a
question at the time you need and get an answer or ask the instructor to explain it
again. All providers promises for 7/24 education indeed you can not get
immediate feedback when you need and have to wait your email to be replied.
About the disadvantages I think the most important fact is the accreditation.
Although they all say they are fully accredited they may not be accepted in some
countries because of invalid courses or credits. And even accreditation is a
problem for the work providers and some refuses to accept diplomas not to be as
accurate as the ones given by non distance universities.
Having been a distance education student since the last summer my experiences
show me that this program does not work for me. Because of being educated
traditionally for almost 20 years in a classroom environment I find it hard to be
self motivated or disciplined. I'm a stay home mom with three kids and give
private ESL lessons to adults voluntarily. At first the due dates seems flexible and

far from today but due to my lack of time management I always find myself doing
my assignment at the last minute neglecting my children and home duties. Not in
every course I have the opportunity to ask my questions or get immediate
feedback even though sometimes I really need to. It is so usual to have technical
problems they all turned back to me as more work and stress. Sometimes the
website is down or my internet connection is slow due to weather conditions and
this prevents me to attend the webinar. The costs are more affordable comparing
to non-distance ones and studying at home, in my most comfortable environment
without worrying about where to put my kids for childcare or transportation hours
or parking problems in a big city. But still I am not good at technology use and
internet based research and prefer face to face traditional education. I believe
distance education is a great and must be opportunity for the ones who can use
the benefits of it and who think it suits them the most. Researches show distance
education academically success is higher as based on the student self discipline,
motivation and good time management which sometimes can not be provided or
missed in the traditional one.

3. REFERENCES:

Cite at least 5 References in APA.

You may use http://www.citationmachine.net/apa/cite-a-journal for citing

your sources in APA style.

References:
Abraham Bijeesh, N. (2015, March 25). Advantages and Disadvantages of
Distance Learning. Retrieved October 31, 2015.

Boundless. Distance Learning and Teaching Online.Boundless Education.

Boundless, 21 Jul. 2015. Retrieved 01 Nov. 2015 from
https://www.boundless.com/education/textbooks/boundless-educationtextbook/types-of-teaching-2/teaching-online-courses-13/distance-learning-andteaching-online

Distance Learning Pros and Cons | STUDY Magazine. (2014, April 15). Retrieved
October 31, 2015, from http://studymagazine.com/2014/04/15/distance-learning/
Jackson, M. (n.d.) (2007). Top 10 Distance Learning Disadvantages. Retrieved
October 29, 2015, from
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/20432/education/top_10_distance_le
arning_disadvantages.html
King F. B., Young M. F. , Drivere-Richmond K., Schrader P. G.. (2004) Defining
Distance Learning and Distance Education
O'Lawrence, H. (2007). An overview of the influences of distance learning on
adult learners. Journal of Education and Human Development [On-line], 1(1).
Retrieved on August 5, 2008, from
http://www.scientificjournals.org/journals2007/articles/1041.htm