Research Reports, Summaries, and Notes

CIDER Survey Summary

We are publishing a summary of the results here as feedback to respondents, the CIDER membership, and ourselves.

Research Note: Distance Education Researchers - Collaborators or Lone Rangers?

Do Distance Education researchers collaborate or are we a lone ranger bunch?

Multi User Virtual Environment Education Evaluation Tool Project

Virtual worlds are an exciting new innovation with a direct application to learning. A large number of higher education institutions are using a Multi User Virtual Environment to conduct learning events for their students. How is this learning experience evaluated? Using the well regarded community of inquiry as an evaluation rubric, the goal of the MUVEEET project is to provide a rigorous framework to determine if the virtual environment is conducive to deep and meaningful learning. The first stage of research has been completed by Ross McKerlich and Terry Anderson and the results of this purposive observational study will be published in early 2008 by the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks. In the interest of space the complete set of observation schedules were not published in the paper and are posted here.

Transactional Distance and Masters of Distance Education Program

"The following article entitled "Measuring the link between technology and transactional distance in Distance Education" by Denis Tanguay, P.Eng. and Phillip Potts, graduate students in the MDE Program at Athabasca University was written in the context of an assignment during the MDDE 620 this winter 2007 under the tutelage of Dr. Colin Latchem. The article is the based on the results of a survey set in contrast with a review of the current literature on the subject of transactional distance." A spread sheet containing detailed survey results is available at http://cider.athabascau.ca/summary/Potts-Tanguay_AnnexB_Summary_Survey_Results.xls

Article review - Thirty-two Trends Affecting Distance Education

Article Review: Thirty-two Trends Affecting Distance Education: An Informed Foundation for Strategic Planning (S. Howell, P. Williams, N. Lindsay, 2003) Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 6 (3), 1-18. by Denis M. Tanguay, P.Eng. and Phillip Potts

Reviews of recent E-Learning Research

This Swiss site offers reviews of important new articles related to e-Learning. The reviews are organized by relevant topics including pedagogy, organization, technology, etc. One can also volunteer to provide reviews to this informative site.

Strategic Recommendations for e-learning

This pdf file summarizes a report by Morten Flate Paulsen from NKI in Norway. The eight key recommendations focus on long term strategies to insure that the development and support of e-learning activity is both cost and pedagogically effective and sustainable.

Research related resources from the UK's Higher Education Academy

The United Kingdom, with their federal funding and management of higher education, has developed a high quality source of funding and resources for research in higher education. This link provides access to a searchable database of resources. Searching on topics such as e-learning, quality, assessment etc. yields a list of current case studies, adminstration and teacher guides, reviews of the literature and results of various funded educational interventions.

Internet Research Tracings: Towards Non-Reductionist Methodology.

This summary by Heather Kanuka, the Canada Research Chair in e-Learning, explores Dahlberg's 2004 article, Internet Research Tracings: Towards Non-Reductionist Methodology. She notes the need to expand research in net-based learning beyond a unitary and often confining perspectives of use determinism, technological determinism, or social determinism.

Rourke & Anderson (2004). Validity in Quantitative Content Analysis

This paper was published in Educational Technology Research and Development, 52(1), 5-18, and has been summarized here by the CIDER Team.

Relevant Instructional Design Factors for an Internet Spelling Module for Kindergarten Students

This literature review, written by Linda Loring, overviews the application, advantages and challenges of CMC use as a primary distance education support and delivery medium. Reading is fundamental to success at school, and spelling is closely related to reading. An online spelling module for kindergarteners should be based on sound empirical evidence, could incorporate the latest technological and educationally sound advances, and make that available to the largest number of students. This would free the instructor’s time for more small group work that helps students better retain what they have learned. Then more students could be assured of a more successful school career. Guidelines for planning this project would be one step toward that direction.

The impact of computer-based technologies in Schools

I often get asked what does the research say about ....? - generally referring to some type of computer based intervention in education. This is a late 2002 literature done by Australian Vijendra Lal. It provides one line summaries of 5-10 articles under the following topic headings: Teachers perceptions of the technology • Learners perceptions of the technology, including their attitudes and motivations • Impact of computer technologies on learning outcomes • Impact of computer technologies on the learning environment of classrooms including the learning activities which take place in the classroom and the teaching and learning strategies used to facilitate them. • The technology infrastructure of schools and related issues like access • Professional development activities to support teachers • Factors influencing the integration of computer based technologies in the classroom. • Impact of computer technologies on different student groups. A useful starting place for a presentation, commentary or more in depth review.

Pathways Article overviewing Distance Education in Canada

This 2004 article by George Lorenzo attempts to provide a high level overview of distance education in Canada. Not strictly research, but surveying the context is an important first step in any research and this article paints the "big picture" of DE in Canada.

DISTANCE LEARNING: A SYNTHESIS

This rather dated (published in 1995) overview of research literature synthesis in distance education provides some annotations of many reviews done in the 80's and early 90's. It notes some of the seminal works and some interesting semi historical comment on DE Research. The work has an American bias, but does cover some international work - by M. G. Moore and M. M. Thompson, and C. A. Schlosser and M. L. Anderson.

e-Learning: A Programmatic Research Construct for the Future

This article proposes a rather extensive e-research agenda, a topic near to my heart these days. The American authors propse a 3 dimension matrix approach to identifying relevant variables - much like Biig's 3p Presage, process and product variables. The article isn't new (2002), but may be of value for researchers developing a theoretical rationalle for (or determining new variables) a proposed study. The danger of this approach though is that it attempts to simplify and decontextualize the very muddy world of real e-learning practice.

InfoBits

CIT Infobits is an electronic service of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ITS Center for Instructional Technology. Each month the CIT's Information Resources Consultant monitors and selects from a number of information and instructional technology sources and provides brief notes for electronic dissemination to educators.

Article Review ~ A Critical Study: Combining Live Video and Audio Broadcasting, Synchronous Chat, and Asynchronous Open Forum Discussions in Distance Education

Drs. Tain-Lih Teng and Marypat Taveras authored an article entitled "Combining Live Video and Audio Broadcasting, Synchronous Chat, and Asynchronous Open Form Discussions in Distance Education". This article reports on a Master Degree program that was forced to undergo significant changes to its format. Debbie Basey, MDE student at Athabasca University, provides a critical review of the Teng and Taveras article, which was published in 2004 in the Journal of Educational Technology Systems 33(2), 121-129.

Blinc - Blended Learning Institutions' Cooperative

This is a resource centre for those involved developing and delivering 'blended learning" The site also contains links to a collection of 73 papers dealing with various aspects of blended learning. (link from Stephen Downes)

Nice Collection of online learning articles

Portugese educator, Teresa Almeida D'Eca has assembled a nice list of annotated links to papers and other resources focusing on online learning environments- including blogs, wikis etc. A good starting point for background information or great quotes on these 'emerging media'

Transactional and MDE Survey- Detailed Results

 

CIDER Survey Summary v1

CIDER Survey Summary v1