Research in Distance Education 1. Revised Papers from the Research
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 342 383 IR 015 418 AUTHOR Evans, Terry, Ed. TITLE Research in Listance Education 1. Revised Papers from . the Research in Distance Education Seminar (1st, Geelong, Victoria, Australia, 1989). INSTITUTION Deakin Univ., Victoria (Australia). PUB DATE 90 NOTE 268p. PUB TYPE Collected Works - Conference Proceedings (021) EDRS PRICE MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS Developing Nations; *Distance Education; *Educational Research; Educational Technology; Educational Trends; Foreign Countries; Mathematics Education; Postsecondary Education; *Research Methodology; *Research Needs; Seminars; *Theory Practice Relationship ABSTRACT This collection of 16 papers grew out of a seminar held in 1989 on Research in Distance Education (RIDE). The participants in the seminar and those whose papers are included here were searching fcr new research methodologies, broadening their research agendas, and putting the practice of distance education under scrut;my. The following papers are provided: (1) "Introductory Comment" (Terry Evans); (2) What Ever Happened to the Silent Revolution? Research, Theory and Practice in Distance Education" (Alistair Morgan); (3) "Hermeneutic Theory in Research in Distance Education" (Margaret Grace); (4) "Putting Theory into Place: Developing a Theory-Based Comparative Research Project in Distance Education" (Terry Evans);(5) "Research and Distance Education in Third World Contexts" (Richard Guy); (6) "Post-Fordism and Research in Distance Education" (Mick Campion); (7) "Chaos and Educational Computing: Deconstructing Distance Education" (Chris Bigum; (8) "Reporting Research in Distance Education" (Daryl Nation); (9) "Action Research in Distance Education: Some Observations and Reflections" (Herbert Altrichter); (10) "A Case-Study of Research Methods Course Development for Masters Awards" (Ted Nunan); (11) "Before...and After: MBA Participants' First Year Experiences of Distance Learning" (Dale Holt, Stanley Petzall, and John Viljoen); (12) "Pedagogical Evaluation and Change: Teaching and Research in Mathematics Distance Education" (Judy Mousley and Mary Rlce); (13) "Culture, Curriculum and Mathematics Distance Education" (Merida Ellerton and Ken Clements); (14) "If It's Good For You Do You Have To Swallow It? Some Reflections on Interaction and Independence from Research into Teletutorials" (Diane Thompson); (15) "Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy...Roles and Challenges in Evaluative Studies of Technological Innovations" (Angela Castro); and (16) "At the End of the Line Is a Learner--Whom Is Distance Education Really For?" (Sue McNamara). A list of more than 400 references concludes the report. (DB) tOUCATRIN alma educations. Retimiien end trapeooinent EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER lERICI o Nue document nu fitm improdicad as mosned nom Ms Oi.$Or oc cpenicallon onprotine oMinot Changes Iwo open mad, to improve ragnidoctiOn Aly Points aline" of opinions tared'Indocu. mint do no* nocessenly nipent °Moe OERI Mania co policy a "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL IN MICROFICHE ONLY HAS BEEN GRANTED SY F. Warby TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." Research In Distance Education Revised papers from the first Research in Distance Education seminar, Deakin University1989 Edited by Terry Evans Deakin University Institute of Distance Education Published by the Institute of Distance Education, Deakin University Distributed by Deakin University Press, Deakin University, Geelong, Vic. 3217 First published 1990 © 1990 Deakin University Printed by Deakin University Printery ISBN 0 7300 1434 7 4 Contents 1 Introductory comment 5 Terry Evans Part 1: Issues 2 What ever happened to the silent revolution?Research, theory and practice in distance education 9 Alistair Morgan 3Hermeneutic theory in research in distance education 21 Margaret Grace 4Putting theory into place: developing a theory-based comparative research project in distance education 36 Terry Evans 5Research and distance education in third world contexts 48 Richard Guy 6Post-Fordism and research in distance education 59 Mick Carnpion 7 Chaos and educational computing: deconstructingdistance education 72 Chris Bigum 8Reporting research in distance education 83 Daryl Nation Part 2: Teaching and learning 9Action research in distance education: some observations and reflections 111 Herbert Attrichter 10 A case-study of research methods course development for Masters awards 126 Ted Nunan 11Before...and after: MBA participants' first year experiences of distance learning 157 Dale Holt, Stanley Petzall and John V!ljoen 12 Pedagogical evaluation and change: teaching and research in mathematics distance education 180 Judy Mousley and Mary Rice ow* 13 Culture, curriculum and mathematics distance education 200 Nerlda Ellerton and Ken Clements 14 If it's good for you do you have to swallow it? Some reflections on interaction and independence from research into teletutorials 219 Diane Thompson Part 3: Ideas in progress 15 Tinker, taylor, soldier, spy...Roles and challenges in evaluative studies of tecimological innovations 233 Angela Castro 16 At the end of the line is a learner - whom is distance education really for? 241 Sue McNamara References 249 Chapter 1 Introductory comment MY PURPOSE IN organising the first Research in Distance Education (or RIDE as it became known) seminar was to create a venue in which people with an interest in distance education research could meet to discuss their work. My colleagues in the Institute of Dis- tance Education - especially the Director, Pmfessor Jocelyn Calvert- supported the idea, which they saw as consistent with the Institute's re- sponsibilities for teaching and research in distance education. When I mentioned the idea to other colleagues in the University and in the dis- tance education community more widely, there was even more encourage- ment for me to press ahead. My intention was to provide an inexpensive and 'open' seminar for people to participate in because of their interest in research in the field. The semi- nar was structured so that people could present their ideas andwork in whatever manner they saw as appropriate. Thus there were thematically organised paper presentation sessions, 'round table' discussions, 'work-in progress' sessions, in addition an open forum after dinner on the first night. Two days in November 1989 were set aside during what proved to be glorious spring weather in Geelong. The airline pilots had commenced their protracted dispute (it is still hart Ay what can be called 'settled') which meant that some people were unable to attend because of the lack of flights or their unreliability. Some people braved a Hercules flight withthe RAAF to arrive at RIDE, others made similar Herculean efforts by driving, bus- riding etc. hundreds, even thousands, of kilometres, to participate. A few people from overseas coordinated their trips to Australia to be at Deakin for the seminar. With such enthusiasm I knew that the seminar would be a success, but it is only now that I appreciate the quality of that success. What I did not know at the time was that the various contributions to the seminar reflected such an energy and concern for research, theory and practice in distance education. In fact, it is only since I have been editing the fmal drafts to this collection of revised papers presented at the seminar, that I realise just how privileged I was to be with such a stimulating group of people. These were not people who were merely interested in applying 'tried and tested' research methods to 'traditional' research problems in distance education. Many participants were searching for new methods and methodologies, broadening and envigorating their research agendas, and also putting the practice of distance education under critical scrutiny. As the organiser of the seminar I was often so busy making sure many of _S the housekeeping matters were in order - for which Lyn Sceney also de- serves thanks - that I did not really appreciate the true import and, in particular, the common threads between many of the contributions. In the organising of the chapters of this book I have tried to reflect the common threads which have emerged between them and also to place the chapters in a sequence which is useful for the reader. However, making your own way through the various chapters is likely to be just as fruitful.I should also point out that this is not a complete collection of everything which was presented at RIDE'89.Rather it is an edited collection of re- vised versions of most papers. The authors made their revisions in the light of comments they received at the seminar and from others they consulted.Part of the revision process involved changing their work from seminar papers with a presentation to an audience in mind, into book chapters with a readership in mind. In this sense, Research in Distance Education Iis not a collection of papers presented in November at RIDE'89, but a book collection written from that context in 1990. You will notice that the authors refer to each other's chapters and this is an example of how the writing process for the book was shaped by the ecperlence of RIDE89.I :tope that each contributor sees that Research in Distance Educa- Hon I is a suitable testimony to their efforts and to the comments and encouragement they received from all the RIDE`89 participants. Some of the RIDE'89 participants and the contributors to this book are postgraduate students in distance education; some are the supervisors and examiners of such