ontology for research in distance, open and online learning
TRANSCRIPT
Developing Ontology for Research in
Distance, Open and Online Learning
Sanjaya Mishra
Objectives of this Session
• After the session, it is expected that we will have a shared understanding of research areas in Distance, Open and Online Learning (DOOL); and you will articulate a research problem in DOOL.
What is Research?
Think and write down what you understand by the term ‘Research’.
It is a systematic investigation of a problem by collecting, organizing and analyzing data to increase our understanding of a given problem.
What is Evaluation?
It is systematic investigation of the worth or merit of some object.
Evaluation can be a form of research…
Why Research?
• To solve problems faced in practice
• To develop/ innovate new ways of doing
• To develop theories, models
• To add to new knowledge
KNOWLEDGE
Practice Research
Theory
Why Research in DOOL?
• To support decision-making
• To improve exiting practice
• To provide better learning experiences
• To understand learners' need and market demand
• Others?
What Research to Do?
ACTIVITY: Write a topic of your research interest in distance and online learning.
What Research has been done?
SOURCES:• Distance Education• Open Learning• American Journal of Distance Education• Journal of Distance Education• International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning• Indian Journal of Open Learning• Asian Journal of Distance Education• British Journal of Educational Technology• Educational Technology Research and Development• Quarterly Review of Distance Education• And many others …
Research in Distance Education
• Started in late 1950s in Germany• First systematic attempt to analyze:
Holmberg• German scholars dominated initially• Holmberg attempted to categorize
research in distance education into 13 groups but later reduced it to 8
Holmberg’s Taxonomy (1986)
• Philosophy and theory • Distance learners and their contexts• Subject matter presentation• Communication and interaction• Administration and organization• Economics• Systems (comparative studies, evaluations, etc)• History of distance education
Scriven’s Ananyis (1991)
• Analysis of 10 years of Distance Education
• 109 articles published
109Total
11Unclassified
2Tutors and staff development
3Counselling and student support
6Economics and management
7Course design and development
11Theory
12Specific countries – practices and procedures
13Telecommunications and media
20Specific programmes and courses
23Students and their characteristics
NumberTopics
Panda’s Stock-taking in Indian Context (1992)
• Published in Distance Education (also in Journal of Higher Education (1995))
• Analyzed 142 research reports covering Master’s, MPhil and PhD dissertations, institutional and private projects
142Total
4Staff development
25Evaluation/Programme evaluation
13Economics
4Institutional policy and management
31Learners and learning
4Media and technology
14Instruction/Teaching
3Curriculum/Course planning and development
44Concept, growth and development
NumberAreas
Shive and Jegede (1999)
• Pan-Commonwealth Forum presentation
• Reviewed papers presented at AAOU conferences in 1995,1997, 1998 with a total of 205 papers
205Total
11Research/meta-reflections on ODE
21Quality assurance/ evaluation
12Collaboration and international partnership
17Delivering support services
29Institutional roles and functions
25Characteristics of student population
14Curriculum/ materials development
29Teaching/learning processes at a distance
47Technology adoptions for ODE
NumberCategory
Priority Areas Identified by Jegede
3Design and development of study materials
5PD of distance educators
5Management and planning
4Interactive multimedia
3Role of DE in national dev
3Equity and Access
3Student support services
2Industrial and business training context
2Evaluation
1Instructional & communication technology
RankAreas
10Cost-benefit analysis
9Student support services
8Feedback to learners
7Role of DE in national dev
6Management and planning
5Instructional & communication technology
4Design and development of study materials
3PD of distance educators
2Students’ study skill dev
1Evaluation
RankAreas
Australian Priority (1994) Asian Priority (1999)
Koble & Bunker’s Analysis (1997)
• Analyzed AJDE papers from 1987-1995
• 129 articles published
129Total
3Student administration and Support
13Course Design and Development
14Faculty participation and instructional processes
19Student, psychology, Motivation and characteristics
20Institution, Staff, and Management
27Media and Delivery Systems
33Theory, Policy, and Development
NumberCategory
Mishra’s Analysis (1997)
• Analyzed paper published in American Journal of Distance Education, Distance Education, Open Learning and Indian Journal of Open Learning from 1991-1996
• Covered 49 issues with 361 papers
361Total
33Management issues
34Learning materials and related issues
42DE: Theory, Research and Training
51Technology issues
57Distance Education in practice
65Distance education in perspectives
79Students and their learning
NumberGroups
34 Subject headings were identified
Berge & Mrozowski Analysis (2001)
• Covered 890 research articles in American Journal of Distance Education, Distance Education, Journal of Distance Education, Open Learning, and Dissertation Abstract from 1990-1999.
890Total
8Cost/benefit trade-offs
14Equity and access
95Policy and management
68Operational issues
49Learner support
151Learner characteristics
139Strategies to increase interactivity and active learning
192Design issues
97Technology selection and adoption
77Redefining the roles of key participants
NumberCategories
Mishra’s Analysis (2002)
• Review of 10 years of Indian Journal of Open learning
• Covered 203 papers
203Total
12Learning materials and related issues
22Management issues
23DE: Theory, Research and Training
30Distance Education in practice
32Distance education in perspectives
38Students and their learning
46Technology issues
NumberGroups
Rourke & Szabo’s Analysis (2002)
• Reviewed Journal of Distance Education from 1986-2000 covering more than 200 papers and 15 volumes
Others
1.3Student support services
4.3Evaluation
4.7Faculty characteristics
6International perspectives
9.8Learner characteristics
10.6Instructional design
12.3Administration
13.2Media/Technology
13.6Foundations
%Categories
Lee et al Analysis (2004)
• Analyzed paper published in American Journal of Distance Education, Distance Education, Open Learning and Journal of Distance Education from 2002
• Covered 383 papers383Total
33Development
38Institution and operation
45Management
47Evaluation
102Design
118Theory and research
NumberCategories
What these reviews and analyses say?
• Number of research papers has increased over the years• Research rigour is becoming evident through the use of
exiting literature and research methods• Major journals are not publishing descriptive papers• Trends towards qualitative research is also seen• More papers related to technology application, and
particularly on web-based learning in the last 10 years• Large number of media comparison studies to establish
‘no significant difference’• DE research is of low quality, particularly for not
controlling extraneous variables, and therefore cannot show cause and effect
• Most studies do not use randomly selected subjects• Validity and reliability of instruments used are
questionable
For a latest discussion on status of research in ODL, see Gaba (2007) published in University News.
Simplified Ontology
Learning
Face to face
- Counseling - Self-help Groups
Stand Alone Technology
Network &Satellite Technology
- Audio- Video-Computer (CAI)- Multimedia
Traditionalprint based media
- Self-Instructional Materials- Assignments
- Teleconference- Internet- Interactive Radio
Distance Learning Environment
Teacher
Content Learner
A D
M I
N I
S T
R A
T I
O N
A D
M I N
I S T R A
T I O N
A D M I N I S T R A T I O N
SOCIETY
SOCIETY
Important Areas for Research
Students• Why some students dropout, while others complete a
programme successfully?
• Learning outcomes through use of different media and technologies
• Learning styles of distance learners
• Self-directed learning and distance learning
• Learner access to technology and decision making
• Others
Important Areas for Research
Teachers• Faculty motivation to teach at a distance in dual mode institutes
• Faculty preparedness to use new technology
• What is optimum faculty workload in distance education?
• Faculty attitude towards distance education
• Any other?
Important Areas for Research
Content and Instruction• Which educational design is suitable to which subject?
• Models of course design, unit design and learning design
• How interactive is learning through distance education?
• Is counselling necessary?
• Is there any teaching in evaluated TMAs?
• Others?
Important Areas for Research
Management• Cost issues and economics
• Leadership styles in distance education
• Access, equity and social impact
• Copyright
• Programme evaluation
• Others?
Identify a Topic for Research
• Read more, and look for research issues
• Have a problem, articulate it in terms of research issue
• Do not re-invent the wheel• If you ask the right question, you get
the right answer• Clarify what you expect at the end of
the research
Characteristics of a Good Research Topic
• There is a significant need for research (high/low)
• Contribution to knowledge (high/low)• Feasibility on account of data access and
research methods required (high/low)• Topic can be justified according to availability
of time (high/low)• It has scope for professional development
(high/low)• It can attract funding (high/low)• Outcomes are visible (high/low)
A Good Research is...
• Based on already existing work (neither duplicated nor copied)
• Replicable• Doable• Generalizable• Apolitical• Scientific (follows the method of
science/ scientific method)• Intellectually challenging and
interrelated
Thank U
Your comments/ questions are welcome.• My contact e-mail: [email protected]• My Blog:
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