RESEARCH PAPER TEMPLATE

North American University

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

Date: 11/01/2015

Topic Selected:

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Teaching and Learning On-line

A Qualitative Study of One Rural Community College BY JOYCE HURT
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:

This article is based upon a qualitative study of on-line teaching and learning in a rural
community college setting from the instructors' points-of-view. Research questions
focused upon the instructors' views of the benefits and detriments of on-line teaching and
learning, their views of the effects of online learning, the nature of teaching on-line in a
rural community college, and the interaction present in on-line classes. Constructivist
learning theory served as the theoretical framework of this study. This article addresses
the specific benefits and detriments of on-line teaching and learning as cited by the
instructors who participated in this study.
Learning benefits are also numerous. Instructors believed that their students are forced to
read more, to write more and better, to learn more on their own, and to become problem
solvers. They also believed students develop good technology skills and learn time
management and self-discipline skills. Discussion threads and online assignments offer
students opportunities to reflect on the material and to revisit it more than they would in
the seated course. The content of an on-line course can be equal to that of a seated course
and, in some cases, better. Also, students who do not participate openly in a seated class
may feel less inhibited on the discussion board. Benefits to the teacher of the on-line
course are not as numerous as those to the students, but some benefits do exist. One
benefit is the flexibility and freedom from certain time constraints. For example, a

teacher is free to work on the on-line material on his own time and his own schedule just
as the student is. He may teach a class from anywhere that he finds an Internet
connection. There are also professional benefits for the instructors. Instructors learn to
change roles when they teach an on-line course; many move from lecturer and content
expert to facilitator and manager roles. Many become more creative in the ways they
present their material and in circumventing technology problems. Several of the
participating instructors believed that their on-line courses are more structured and better
organized than their seated courses.

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: The literature regarding on-line teaching and learning is growing but is

inconclusive. Much of the literature that does exist does not focus specifically on on-line
learning in rural community colleges, and many of the studies consider the impact of online learning from the students' points of view. A conflict concerning the effectiveness of
on-line instruction also exists within the literature, with some professors' asserting that
the on-line mode is superior, some asserting that on-line and traditional modes are
equivalent, and others concluding that on-line instruction is inferior and less satisfying
than the traditional mode.

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:
CNETNews.com Staff (1997). On-line students fare bitter. Retrieved January 10, 2004,
from http://news. com/com/2100-10230263035.htmi?legacy=cnet

Distance Learning Conference Presentations. (2000). College.com study shows positive

results for on-line 11 educations. Retrieved January 10. 2004, from http:// cdlponline.org/dl2000/positiverestilts.html
Florida State Board of Community Colleges. (2000). Distance learning in the community
colleges: A look at the on-line and tele class experience. A level 1 review. (ERIC
Document Reproduction Service No. ED439749)
Phipps, R., & Merisotis, J. (1999). What`s the difference? A review of contemporary
research on the effectiveness of distance learning in higher education. Retrieved March 2,
2005. From http://ihep. com/Pubs/PDF/Di fference.pdf
Russell, T. (2001). The no significant difference phenomenon. IDECC (The International
Distance Education Certification Center).