distance learning programs, investigations

Resource Box. Click on the phrases below to find more information about each topic
	distance education distance learning online degree

 lower than grades at the originating site.  In a survey, 64.2 percent of those 
at remote sites preferred traditional methods of instruction.

Russell, Thomas L. (2002).  The No Significant Difference Phenomenon,  Retrieved 
March 15, 2002 from the World Wide Web: 
http://teleeducation.nb.ca/nosignificantdifference.

This Web site provides access to studies published or discovered after the release 
of the book, The No Significant Difference Phenomenon, by Thomas Russell.
His book compiled 355 research reports, summaries, and papers on technology 
on distance education, and demonstrated that there is no significant difference 
distance education courses and traditional classroom instruction. Studies are 
constantly being solicited by encouraging submissions to 
tjrussell@mindspring.com.  A companion site is being constructed which 
features comparative studies that DO demonstrate significant differences 
between distance education courses and traditional classroom instruction.

Smith, Patricia, Connie L. Dillon, and Mary Boyce (1994, April).  A Critical Analysis of 
Comparative Research on Distance Learning Technologies.  In Ann Yakimovicz, ed. 
Distance Learning Research Conference Proceedings. San Antonio, Texas:  Texas A&M 
University.

This analysis asserts that studies comparing distance education and traditional 
classroom instruction are inconclusive because of research methodology issues. 
In short, differences other than the delivery system could not be ruled out as key 
causal agents.  Important factors include: (1) instructional task, (2) learners 
motivation and knowledge, (3) the design of instruction, and (4) the teaching 
effort unrelated to the medium of instruction.  The paper concludes by describing 
the ideal criteria for conducting comparative studies.





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Souder, William E. (1993).  The Effectiveness of Traditional vs. Satellite Delivery in
Three Management of Technology Masters Degree Programs, The American Journal of
Distance Education, 7(1).

This paper presents the results of a natural experiment that directly compared 
traditional classroom and distance learning settings.  The distance learners


	

	
		
			
				
					
						




						
							
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