RESEARCH PAPER TEMPLATE

North American University

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

Date: 11-01-2015

Topic Selected:

Topic 3: 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:

Historyofthedistanceeducationcanbetracedbacktolate1800s.Itstarted
inEuropefromusingpostalmailsystembydeliveringmaterialstostudents
andgettingtheirassignmentsandhomeworkbackagainwithmailsystem.It
developedfromusingradiosystem,TVbroadcasting,vhsvideolessonsto
nowadaysonlinelearning,elearning.Distanceeducationisaneducation
thatteachingoccursseparatedbytimeandspace.Bydevelopmentof
technologypopularityDistanceeducationalsoincreasing.Togivean
exampleisonlineeducations,openuniversities,teleconferencingandetc.
Withgettingmorepopular,distanceeducationhasbothadvantagesand
disadvantages.IfoundthisarticleonNAUsEBSCOdatabaseandinthis
articleC.DMaddux,J.ETaylor,D.LJohnson(2001)believethat,abilityto
reachlearnersinremotelocations,flexiblehours,workandlearninaplace
theylikeaspotentialadvantagesofdistanceeducation.Asdisadvantageof
distanceeducationtheybelievelackofattentiontoeducationalquality
controlissues.

Inanotherwebsite,IfoundarticlenamedAdvantagesanddisadvantagesof
DistanceLearning.AccordingtothisarticleAdvantagesarestatedas:
1. NoCommuting
2. Attendfromanywhereanytime
3. Gainextraknowledge
4. Selfpacedlearning
5. Accessibility
AndasDisadvantagesoflearning:
1. CostlyandComplextechnology
2. Advanceplanning
3. Hiddencosts
4. Noimmediatefeedback
5. SocialIsolation
OntheonlineeducationalmagazinestudyMagazine,Ifoundanarticleabout
ProsandConsofDistanceLearning.Inthisarticleconvenience,flexibility,
less Interruption of daily life, affordability as advantages of distance
learning.AndIsolation,indirectcontactwithprofessors,lackofthecollege
spirit, limited course options as disadvantages of distance learning. In
anotheracademicJournal,Fender,D.L.(1999)statesadvantagesofdistance
educationas:
1. Improvedaccesstoeducation
2. Knowledgeandskillsbeinglearnedcanbeapplieddirectlytostudents
currentjob
3. Convenienceandflexibility.
Disadvantagesofdistanceeducation:
1. SocialInteraction
2. Feedback
MylastbutnotleastarticlereviewisfromperiodicalTechDirectionsbyC.
Zirkle,(2002).C.ZirklestatesadvantagesofDistancelearningas:Noneed
toattendclassoncampus,noscheduledtime,andwebbaseddelivery,less
interaction and less discipline problems. And, disadvantages of Distance
learningas:
Isolation from other learners, frustration caused by poorly flowing
communication,andconfusionasaresultofunclearfeedback.
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:

IagreewithmostoftheopinionsstatedinthearticlesIfoundintermsof
advantagesanddisadvantagesofDistanceeducation.Asyoucanseefrom
thearticlereviews,mostoftheadvantagesanddisadvantagesstatedonthose
articlesareprettymuchcommon.MostofthearticlesIfounddidnot
mentionedaboutInternetandtechnologyavailabilityasdisadvantageandfor
methatisoneoftheimportantone.Formyopinionadvantagesand
disadvantagesoftheonlineeducationarefollows:
AdvantagesofDistanceEducation:
+FlexibilityofTime
+NoCommuting
+MoreOptionstochoose
+Cost
+LearningandWorking
+InvolvesMultimediaActivities
DisadvantagesofDistanceEducation:
+NoInteractionwithteacherandPeersorLackofFacetofaceinteraction
+LackofCompetition
+Formatofthelessoncannotbesuitableforeveryone
+InternetandTechnologyAvailability
+Timecommitmentforparents
TheschoolIamworkingistraditionalsmallcharterschool,andmyschool
isnotappropriatetoofferonlineeducation.ButourHighschoolstudentsare
takingonlineclassesfromstatecommunitycollegesandIseesome
advantagesanddisadvantagesfromtheirexperience.IfIwanttogive
example,NocommutingasanadvantageandInternetandTechnology
availabilityattheirhomecanbedisadvantageforsomestudents,butsince
theyaretakingthosecoursesatschooltheyareabletouseinternetand
computersatschooltocompletetheironlineclasses.
IfIamgoingtogiveanyonlineclassesinfutureIthinkIwillmakecourses
accordingtotheadvantagesanddisadvantagesIlearnedfromthisarticle
reviewresearch.

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:

Maddux,C.1.,EwingTaylor,J.,&Johnson,D.L.(2002).TheLightand
DarkSidesofDistanceEducation.ComputersInTheSchools,19(3/4),17.
AdvantagesandDisadvantagesofDistanceLearning.(2015,March30).
RetrievedNovember1,2015.
Staff,E.(2014,April15).DistanceLearningProsandCons|STUDY
Magazine.RetrievedNovember1,2015.
Fender,D.L.(1999).DistanceEducation.ProfessionalSafety,44(10),26.
Zirkle,C.(2002).DistanceEducationandtheTradeandIndustryEducator.
TechDirections,62(4),32.