Diane+Burling

Diane Burling

First: In your wiki page, create a section titled Research Interest, where you describe an area of educational technology in which you would like to conduct research. Revisit those thoughts and ideas that pique your fascination and interest (or “keep you up at night”). Consider only those ideas that you might be willing to spend a year of your life researching. In this section, describe these ideas for your learning community, and begin to reflect on the kinds of questions you might want to research. At this point, your ideas may not be well-formulated or focused. That is to be expected.
 * Module 1 **

Second: Create a section in your wiki page titled Theoretical Foundations. Select two of the seven areas described in your course text, and share why these areas are most relevant to your research interest. Support your selection(s) with references and citations from the text. Once you determine the kind of theoretical foundation you need for your interest, it will be easier to locate the specific theory or theories you must explore for your study. Refining your ideas based on your own philosophical approach to research will help you gain a stronger focus for your own work.

Research Interest
The area of educational technology that is of interest to me include identifying the most successful kinds of technology in distance education; what technology maximizes learning outcomes? Research questions: 1. What kind of technology in distance education minimizes drawbacks? "Minimize drawbacks" is defined as a reduction of obstacles that impede success in the online environment. Drawbacks could be lack of interaction among students: An example of a technology that could minimize this drawback could include online chat forums such as Wiki, monitored and used to keep conversation on topics going and growing.

2. What kind of technology in distance education maximizes the potential of the online program? "Maximize potential" is defined as increasing the use of a technology that has proven success to enhance student learning and completion of a chosen degree.

According to Mancuso-Murphy (2007), there are many under-researched areas in the distance education and technology field. Research within this area can contribute to improved programs delivered via online (Mancuso-Murphy, 2007).

Theoretical Foundations
Instructional design and development facilitates learning as well as support the theory that different design methods likely increase successful learning under different circumstances, depending on the learning outcomes (Spector, Merrill, Merrienboer, & Driscoll, 2008). The instructional design and development fits well with the research interests I have listed, as I am looking to discover what technologies work best in distance education. Additionally, I believe the experiential learning theory has to be considered with the research interests, as the learner can be considered the gauge for what technologies are favored in distance education. The experiential learning theory in the technology-enhanced learning genre focuses on the various activities within course (Spector, et al, 2008).

References:

Mancuso-Murphy, J. (2007). Distance education in nursing: An integrated review of online nursing students' experiences with technology-delivered instruction. Journal of Nursing Education.46, 8. 252-259. Retrieved from Ebscohost databases

Spector, J. M., Merrill, M. D., Merrienboer, J. V., & Driscoll, M. P. (Eds.). (2008). //Handbook of research on educational communications and technology// (3rd ed.). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

In your wiki page, create a section titled **Literature Review**. Using the broad idea for your research, identify and justify five topics you must explore in order to completely review the current research on your topic. These topics may form the structure for the first section of Chapter 2 in your dissertation, the literature review. In your wiki page, complete the following steps:
 * Module 2 **


 * Identify five research areas of your literature review. (If you have problems finding five areas, read research on your broad topic, and then refine your topic.)
 * In one paragraph for each topic, write two to three sentences describing each area, the kind of studies you think you will find for this topic, and your justification for the inclusion of each of the five topics as sections for your literature review.
 * Post the topics in your wiki page, and then review the topics posted by your learning community. Ask critical questions of other learning community members to help identify the five most important sections they need for their literature review. As you discuss these topics, you should be able to focus and refine your own.

Literature Review
The five topics that must be explored in order to completely review the current research on the topic: 1. Types of technology used in distance education. I believe I will find studies identifying technologies used in distance education such as white boards, podcasts, blogs, wikis, Skype, etc. These are technologies that have been in place throughout my distance education experience.

2. Student perceptions of technologies in distance education. I believe I will find studies detailing student perceptions of certain technologies listed.

3. Faculty perceptions of technologies in distance education. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">I believe I will find studies on faculty perceptions of technologies listed.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">4. Success rates of online programs. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">I believe I will find studies detailing the pass rates of online students. Colleges and universities list the pass rates of the programs in the institution.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">5. Failure rates of online programs.

I believe I will find studies detailing the failure rates of online students. Colleges and universities list the pass/fail rates of the programs in the institution.

**Module 3**
<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">What Questions Should We Be Asking? <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Begin your Learning Community Assignment for this module by creating four sections in your wiki, titled Gap in the Research, Research Questions, Problem Statement, and Theory.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">First, synthesize the information in your Research Review Table to identify the gap in the research you want to explore. Ask yourself what gap exists in the literature. What area needs to be researched or requires further study? Post your response under the heading Gap in the Research.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Then, focus your area of research and identify two to three specific researchable questions for your study. Post these under the heading Research Questions.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Next, write a one- to two-paragraph problem statement for your study, indicating the gap in the research and sharing the key findings of each study you reviewed. Indicate the places where the findings are in agreement and the places where the findings show discrepancies. Post this information under the heading Problem Statement.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Finally, under the Theory heading, identify the theories that served as a basis for your five studies. If one or more of these theories seems relevant to your study, explain why. If none of these theories seem relevant to your study, explain why. If you know the theory you want to use for your study, please identify it here, along with a one-sentence rationale for your choice.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Research Review Table **
 * **// Article //** || **// Question addressed //** || **// Author //** || **// Article Title //** || **// Theoretical framework //** || **// Questions/hypothesis //** || **// Method //** || **// Sample size //** || **// Analysis //** || **// Conclusions //** ||  ||
 * **// 1 //** || **// How can participation and collaboration online inspire creativity in young people? //** || **// Brennan, K. Monroy-Hernandez, A., & Resnik, M. (2010) //** || **// Making projects, making friends: //**
 * // Online community as a catalyst for interactive media creation. //** || **// Socializing-creating middle spaces //** || **// How does access to and participation in this online (SCRATCH)community support young people as media creators? //** || **// Narratives //** || **// 5-7 students/group. //**
 * // (# of groups not listed.) //**
 * // 500,000 registered members on SCRATCH //** ||  || **// The framework of the socializing-creating middle space provides a way of thinking about these narratives, both through the particular social configurations that are enacted and the units of creation supported by these configurations. Socially, we see that the Scratch online community has enabled multiple, diverse configurations. //** ||   ||
 * **// 2 //** || **// How to best ensure that, within practical limits, the learning resources for on-campus and distance students are comparable, and allow for a meaningful, engaged experience. //** || **// Jones, P. (2010). //** || **// Collaboration at a distance: Using a wiki to create a collaborative learning environment for distance education and on-campus students in a social work course. //** || **// Not noted //** || **// What issues are identified while using a wiki for online collaboration? //** || **// Assessment project of students //** || **// 68 students/separated into 12 groups of 6-7 //** || **// Review of student discussions //** || **// Considerable frustration with the technology and that, for some students at least, this seriously detracted from the overall experience of the assessment project //** ||  ||
 * **// 3 //** || **// Identify, discuss and analyze students’ collaborationfactors related to distributed leadership (DL), which correlates with interaction quality evident in idea generation. //** || **// Lambropoulos, N., Bakharia, A., & Gourdin, A. (2011). //** || **// Distributed leadership collaboration factors to support idea generation in computer-supported collaborative e-learning. //** || **// Vygotsky’s sociocultural learning. //** || **// What are DL factors that support group effectiveness in a global environment. //** || **// Single case study on A 2-day course on DL //** || **// 21 students, separated into 3 groups //** || **// Quantitative and qualitative data gathering methods //** || **// Results show that the use of the NNMF algorithm, a quantitative analysis tool, can provide evaluation of the macroscripts, whereas the qualitative analysis, avatars’ active participation levels representation, the HySynTag, and subgraphs of SNA can present a rich picture of interaction between and among the students. Peer support was also evident. //** ||  ||
 * **// 4 //** || **// Identifies several benefits of student online collaboration and describes a number of collaborative tools that can be used without charge. //** || **// Schoenberg, B. (2011). //** || **// Student collaboration online in a critical thinking course. //** || **// Not noted //** || **// What are different strategies for promoting collaboration? //** || **// Descriptive analysis of online tools used by the author. //** || **// Not noted //** || **// Descriptive analysis of online tools used by the author. //** || **// Collaboration creates a sense of belonging to an online community, promotes communication, encourages critical thinking and cooperation among students, and reduces or eliminates isolation. //** ||  ||
 * **// 5 //** || **// Describe/evaluate learner experiences to clarify what online education mediated by a social networking site used in conjunction with a SNS-oriented pedagogy might afford. //** || **// Veletsianos, G., & Navarrete, C. (2012) //** || **// Online social networks as formal learning environments: Learner experiences and activities. //** || // Vygotsky’s Social Contructivism // || **// • What are student experiences in an online course taught on a social networking platform? //**
 * // • How did students perceive the use of a social networking platform as the mechanism through which the online course was taught? //** || **// Case study method //** || **// 10 students //** || **// Interpretive research. //**
 * // Data collected from survey/interviews was analyzed independently. Researchers met to discuss findings //** || **// Results indicate the complexities of implementing social networking technologies in ecologically valid environments, highlighting the benefits and multifaceted tensions that may result when adopting such tools in online education. //** ||  ||

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Further research is needed among a broader range of online environments to identify the benefits and issues contained within the online collaborative relationships among students. Teacher perspectives were barely discussed within the articles, thus shedding light on the need for further research that will focus on the teacher perspective of online collaborations.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Gap in the Research **

1. How do teachers perceive the use of online collaboration tools, (such as Wikis) ? 2. How would teachers describe their level of self-efficacy in relation to utilizing online collaboration tools in education?
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Research Questions **

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Distance education and online collaboration will continue to evolve as the technologies change. The challenges noted by the authors range from correctable issues such as finding a class partner to equity and access. Limitations to utilizing online collaboration must be recognized. The problem is there has been little research found on the perspectives and level of self-efficacy of those that must implement such technologies.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Problem Statement **

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Vygotsky’s Social Contructivism is noted in several articles. I believe Albert Bandura's Perceived Self-Efficacy will serve as a proper theory for the research in teacher perceptions.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Theory **

**<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Module 5 **
In your wiki page, create a section titled **Significance of the Study**. In Walden’s rubric for a dissertation, there are three areas you must address in Chapter 1 to justify your study. Write one paragraph for each of the following questions: How will your study fill a gap in the current research? (You already answered this question previously in the course. If your work is still accurate, you can just copy and paste it here. You may want to modify what you wrote earlier.) How will your research advance the profession of educational technology? How will your research effect positive social change through the “improvement of human or social conditions by promoting the worth, dignity, and development of individuals, communities, organizations, institutions, cultures, or societies” (Walden Dissertation Rubric, Chapter 1, criteria 9)? In your wiki page, now create a section titled **Dissemination of Research**. After listening to the Faculty panel discuss the ways they disseminate their research, make a plan to disseminate your own research. Identify and justify your selection of three journals to which you would like to submit an article on this research. In one sentence, describe why you selected these journals. Identify and justify your selection of two professional conferences where you would like to present your research. In one sentence, explain why you selected these conferences. Post these sections to your wiki by **Day 3** of **Week 10**.

**Significance of the Study**
//<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">How will your study fill a gap in the current research? //

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Further research is needed among a broader range of online environments to identify the benefits and issues contained within the online collaborative relationships among students. Teacher perspectives were barely discussed within the articles, thus shedding light on the need for further research that will focus on the teacher perspective of online collaborations.

//<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">How will your research advance the profession of educational technology? //

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">My research interest is in online learning and the perspectives of faculty in regard to collaboration tools. Upon investigation of online collaboration, it became evident to me that there is little known about the self-efficacy of teachers in utilizing such tools. Perceived self-efficacy is defined as ”people’s beliefs about their capabilities to produce designated levels of performance” (Bandura, 1994, p.1) I believe my research will advance the profession of educational technology through discovery of the perspectives of teachers utilizing the collaboration tools online and gauge the level of self-efficacy among teachers, thus improving upon how collaboration tools are used in the online environment.

//<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">How will your research effect positive social change through the “improvement of human or social conditions by promoting the worth, dignity, and development of individuals, communities, organizations, institutions, cultures, or societies”? //

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">My research will effect positive social change by improving human conditions by promoting self-efficacy of teachers in the online environment. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">I believe my research demonstrates that I am acting as a steward of the discipline of education as understanding the level of self-efficacy of teachers is important in not only maintaining educators within the field but also attracting new educators into the ever-changing online environment.

**Dissemination of Research**
//<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">Identify and justify your selection of three journals to which you would like to submit an article on this research. In one sentence, describe why you selected these journals. // 1. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning This is a journal of peer-reviewed publications. The publishers stated: IJITDL is committed to publish significant writings of high academic stature for worldwide distributions to stakeholders in distance learning and technology.

2. The Journal of Distance Education This is a journal of peer-reviewed publications. The publishers stated: <span style="font-family: verdana,helvetica,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The Journal of Distance Education is an international publication of the Canadian Network for Innovation in Education (CNIE). Its aims are to promote and encourage Canadian scholarly work in distance education and provide a forum for the dissemination of international scholarship.

//3.// Journal of Educators Online This is a journal of peer-reviewed publications. The publishers stated: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Journal of Educators Online is an online double-blind peer review scholarly journal in the broad area of Computer Mediated Learning (CML) which includes distance, online, electronic, virtual, distributed, blended and mobile learning.

I selected the above listed journals because all are peer-reviewed and disseminate research within the discipline of distance education. In addition, the journals reach the audience selection that my research would be pertinent to.

//<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">Identify and justify your selection of two professional conferences where you would like to present your research. In one sentence, explain why you selected these conferences. //

1. ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) 2. GCE (Global Conference on Education)

I chose the two conferences because both allow for the opportunity to reach educators that will be impacted by my research and allow for immediate feedback on my presentation.

Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In V.S. Ramachaudran (Ed), Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 4, pp. 71-81). New York: Academic Press. (Reprinted in H. Friedman [Ed}, Encyclopedia of mental health. San Diego: Academic Press, 1998). Retrieved from []
 * References:**

GCE., (2012). Global Conference on Education. http://www.uofriverside.com/edconference.html

IJITDL.,(2012). Publishers Declaration. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning http://itdl.org/index.htm

ISTE., (2012). International Society for Technology in Education. http://www.iste.org/about-iste.aspx

JDE., (2012). The Journal of Distance Education. http://www.jofde.ca/index.php/jde/about/editorialPolicies#custom-0

JEO., (2012). Journal of Educators Online. http://www.thejeo.com/