Slides for closing talk at UNISA conference. Topics, methods and publishing e-research.

1. E-Learning: Current Methods
and Results
Terry Anderson
September 2018
Attribution 4.0 International

2. Can you name one important research result
that has effected your online learning or
practice?

3. Talk Overview
• What is currently being researched?
– Specific Topics
– Focus areas
• Methodological paradigms
• Publishing
– Proprietary versus Open Access
– SSCI World of Science elitism

4. UOC elearn Centre 2017 Publications
in Scopius and SSCI (WoSc)

5. 5
Towards a research agenda
Why is a research agenda important?
 to embed research activities in a holistic structure
 to agree on gaps and priority research areas
 to support cooperations
 to communicate a clear research profile

6. Online Distance Education
– Towards a research agenda
edited by
Olaf Zawacki-Richter
and
Terry Anderson
Open Access or Purchase at
http://www.aupress.ca/index.php/books/120233

7. 7
Classification of Research Areas
Three broad research perspectives or levels with 15 research areas:
1.Macro level: Distance education systems and theories
→ global system level: 5 research areas
2.Meso level: Management, organisation and technology
→ institutional level: 7 research areas
3.Micro level: Teaching and learning in distance education
→ individual level: 3 research areas

8. 8
Classification of Research Areas
Macro level: Distance education systems
and theories
1. Access, equity and ethics
2. Globalization of education and cross-
cultural aspects
3. Distance teaching systems and
institutions
4. Theories and models
5. Research methods in distance education
and knowledge transfer
Micro level: Teaching and learning in DE
13. Instructional design
14. Interaction and communication in learning
communities
15. Learner characteristics
Meso level: Management, organisation
and technology
6. Management and organisation
7. Costs and benefits
8. Educational technology
9. Innovation and change
10. Professional development and faculty
support
11. Learner support services
12. Quality assurance

9. UOC elearn Centre 2017

10. UOC elearn Centre 2017

11. Research Paradigms
Positivism - Quantitative ~ discovery of the
laws that govern behavior
Constructivist - Qualitative ~
understandings from an insider perspective
Critical - Postmodern ~ Investigate and
expose the power relationships
Pragmatic - interventions, interactions and
their effect in multiple contexts

12. UOC elearn Centre 2017

13. Paradigm Ontology Epistemology Question Method
Positivism Hidden rules
govern teaching
and learning
process
Focus on reliable
and valid tools
to undercover
rules
What works? Quantitative
Interpretive/con
structivist
Reality is
created by
individuals in
groups
Discover the
underlying
meaning of
events and
activities
Why do you act
this way?
Qualitative
Critical Society is rife
with inequalities
and injustice
Helping uncover
injustice and
empowering
citizens
How can I
change this
situation?
Ideological
review,
Civil actions
Pragmatic Truth is what is
useful
The best method
is one that
solves problems
Will this
intervention
improve
learning?
Mixed Methods,
Design-Based
Research Paradigms Summary

14. The problem of Proprietary Journals

15. USC LibGuides - University of Southern
California

17. UOC elearn Centre 2017
Elearning Research 2017

19. Issues in DE Series – AUPress.ca
Open Access

20. Slides at http://slidesha.re/1kO7MIM
Terry Anderson
terrya@athabascau.ca
Your comments and questions
most welcomed!