ABSTRACT

This study had three purposes: Firstly, to develop a categorization of research areas in distance education; secondly, to identify the most important research areas in distance education; and thirdly, to identify the most neglected research areas in distance education.

Keywords: Distance Education Research Areas; Literature Reviews.

INTRODUCTION

Distance learning is a superb methodology of teaching adult learners as a result of they have flexibility to agitate competitive priorities. Adult learning isn't without difficulty, however, like loss of motivation attributable to lack of face-to-face contact with academics and peers, doubtless prohibitory start-up prices, and lack of school support. additionally to those barriers to distance learning, a literature review found that learners concerned in distance education area unit a lot of seemingly to own insecurities regarding the following: learning, self-evaluation issues, lack of support services like tutors and technical help, feelings of isolation, and ignorance with this mode of learning, that results in tutorial issues. school barriers to distance learning embody lack of coaching in course development and technology, lack of support for distance learning, and inadequate school choice for distance learning courses. structure barriers embody infrastructure, lack of technology, course syllabus, and student analysis. analysis aimed toward countering these issues ought to be undertaken so distance learning, which may be a valuable learning methodology, is carried on a lot of effectively. Research on distance education has been subject to consistent critique (Bernard et al., 2004; Moore, 1985; Perraton, 2000; Saba, 2000). It's even been characterised as “atheoretical and preponderantly descriptive” (Perraton, 2000). Analysis queries ought to be display at intervals a theoretical framework and embedded during a holistic structure of analysis areas within a discipline. However, within the field of distance education, a valid meta-structure of analysis topics is lacking, i.e., a map of analysis areas that may facilitate to prepare the body of data within the field. what is more, the structure of an enquiry discipline forms the muse for distinguishing gaps and priority areas for researchers. With relation to distance education, Mishra (1998) makes a plea for “a comprehensive and cohesive structure internationally to produce a powerful foundation to the discipline”. Several reviews of the space education literature are conducted within which authors developed categorization schemes that were mapped onto publications underneath review. By and enormous, there's general agreement on the essential analysis topics in distance education, like student support, tutorial style, instructional technologies, or interactivity through media. However, the varied tries to explain the broad and knowledge domain field of distance education show a disparate image.

References

1. Mishra, S. (1997). A critical analysis of periodical literature in distance education. Indian Journal of Open Learning, 6(1), 39-54.
2. Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., Lou, Y., & Borokhovski, E. (2004). A methodological morass? How we can improve quantitative research in distance education. Distance Education, 25(2), 175-198.
3. Perraton, H. (2000). Rethinking the research agenda. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 1(1).