This review study examines the current research literature in distance education for the years 2005 to 2012. The author found 382 research articles published during that time in four prominent peer-reviewed research journals. The articles were classified and coded as quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods. Further analysis found another…

This study addressed the argument that online courses rarely use discussion strategies that are specifically designed and constructed for soliciting learners' cognitive presence and higher-order thinking. Prompted by this argument, the authors conducted a meta-analysis of the empirical studies that examined the effectiveness of discussion…

Open access dissemination resonates with many distance education researchers and practitioners because it aligns with their fundamental mission of extending access to learning opportunity. However, there remains lingering doubt whether this increase in access comes at a cost of reducing prestige, value (often determined in promotion and tenure…

Online learning is a descendant of distance education. Online education has a shared history with correspondence learning. In 1873, Anna Eliot Ticknor founded the Society to Encourage Studies at Home. Ticknor's Society established one of America's first correspondence schools, a distance learning option conducted through the mail. This…

The purpose of this paper is to present selected literature on learners and collaborative learning in virtual worlds. Research in virtual worlds on collaborative learners is gradually emerging and will gain in significance, particularly in online and distance education environments. It will be argued that the design and functionality of virtual…

To help researchers in building a knowledge foundation of their research fields which could be a time-consuming process, the authors have developed a Cross Tabulation Search Engine (CTSE). Its purpose is to assist researchers in 1) conducting research surveys, 2) efficiently and effectively retrieving information (such as important researchers,…

Today, in the era of open access to digital-based information and communication, one of the biggest challenges in higher education to realize moral education and to build academic culture and integrity is the emergence of academic dishonesty behaviors among academic members. The paper describes academic dishonesty behaviors in Distance Higher…

The purpose of this study was to investigate learning in communities of inquiry (CoI) as the terms are defined in Garrison, Anderson, and Archer's (2000) framework. We identified 252 reports from 2000-2008 that referenced the framework, and we reviewed them using Ogawan and Malen's (1991) strategy for synthesizing multi-vocal bodies of literature.…

This review examines "The Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education" (TOJDE) over a ten years period from 2000-2010. The study provides an opportunity to examine publishing activities such as number of published articles, authors, research topics and methods, and analyses of TOJDE's website such as time users stay on site and user profiles.…

One of the issues that have continued to attract the attention of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) educators, scholars and researchers at the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) is the question of quality in the assessment of students' research work. This study was part of a series of studies, into issues of quality, currently being conducted at the…

This article reviews content analysis studies aimed to assess critical thinking in computer-mediated communication. It also discusses theories and content analysis models that encourage critical thinking skills in asynchronous learning environments and reviews theories and factors that may foster critical thinking skills and new knowledge…

The pervasive popularity of the Internet in the past decade has changed the way many students live and learn, in part, because modern technology has made it possible for learners to access Real-Time Multimedia information on the Internet, or research any topic of interest to them from virtually any computer anywhere in the world. Students can also…

Literature published between 2000 and 2003 at the intersection between online learning and disability can be classified into didactic, descriptive, research, and opinion pieces. In this article, two research pieces surveying the literature are reviewed. The resounding theme throughout the literature is that improving accessibility of online…

Describes a meta-analysis that indicated a slight student preference for a traditional educational format over a distance education format in higher education, and little difference in satisfaction levels, even when considering presence and type of interaction. Discusses meta-analysis as a method for synthesizing literature. (Contains 53…

Examines the research literature in distance education over a 10-year period from 1990 to 1999 using four journals and dissertation abstracts that reported a research methodology. Discusses the preponderance of a descriptive methodology and considers gaps in what is being researched. (Author/LRW)