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Research
and Distance Education
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Common Research Questions
The American Journal of Distance Education recently included research articles with the following titles in their November 2, 2002 volume:
- Persistence of Adult Learners in Distance Education
- Comparing Student Satisfaction with Distance Education to Traditional Classrooms in Higher Education: A Meta Analysis
- Learning Style and Effectiveness of Online and Face-to-Face Instruction
The No Significant Difference Phenomenon
One common question in many distance education research studies focuses on differences between classes delivered via distance learning compared to classes delivered in a traditional face-to-face classroom?
One well-known study on this issue is entitled, "The No Significant Difference Phenomenon." The purpose of this study is to dispute critics who argue that education delivered at a distance is inferior to classes delivered on-campus. The study explored 355 research reports, summaries and paper on technology for distance education.
This study cites several published research that suggest that supports the position that there is no significant difference in student satisfaction and learning outcomes in distance education courses compared to face-to-face courses.