An Exploration of the Content Framework of Distance Education Research: A Practical Perspective
YUAN Songhe
(OUC Research Institute of Open and Distance Education Beijing 100039)
Abstract: One of the major issues concerning distance education in China is the disconnect between theory and practice. Through analysis of the typical practices of distance education institutions, this thesis refines the content framework of distance education research and strengthens the link between theory and practice. Based on theoretical divisions of distance education research by Chinese and international scholars, and combining statistical data from China's Radio and TV University system research projects in 2010, this thesis proposes seven research sub-domains and 30 research topics in the content framework of distance education research. The seven research sub-domains are: theoretical research, system construction and operation, teaching management and quality assurance, teaching resources, distance teaching and learning, learner support, and media technologies. Comparative analysis reveals that distance education research from a scholarly perspective focuses more on the two sub-domains of theoretical research and teaching management and quality assurance; practicing institutions focus more on the sub-domains of applied research: distance teaching and learning, and teaching resources. Both groups give equal attention to system construction and operation, learner support and media technologies.
Keywords: Distance Education; Research Domain; Content Framework; Practical Perspective; China’s Radio and TV University System
I. Background
Defining the research domains of distance education is an important task in building the theoretical framework and knowledge structure for the discipline. It is the prerequisite to ensuring effective research that facilitates practice, development and innovation. Domestic and international distance education scholars have proposed multiple ways to define distance education research domains and have obtained preliminary results. These studies mainly involve logical reasoning, analysis of experiences and literature review. Logical reasoning deals only with theory, while experience analysis and literature review derive theory from practice. However, none of these processes make a systematic investigation of distance education research domains from the perspective of typical distance education institutions. They are susceptible to separating distance education research from practice, making it difficult for distance education institutions to systematically plan their own scientific research.
Academic disciplines are the result of scholars’ research and classification of natural objects into categories[1]. Likewise, the research framework or discipline framework of distance education is the result of scholarly research and classification of the field of distance education. Therefore, it is necessary to build on existing research to clarify the practical domain of distance education institutions, to analyze and quantify research by typical distance education institutions, and to further explore improvement of the content framework of distance education research from the perspective of distance education practices.
China’s Radio and TV University system (hereinafter, “RTVU system”) is the largest scale distance education system in the world, and represents one of the major sources of scientific achievement in the field of distance education in China. In 2009, the author of this thesis participated in the retrieval and selection of essays relating to the Modern Distance Education Pilot Programme in China. A total of 720 top-tier essays from January 1998 to May 2009 were selected from 13 core periodicals and academic journals, including 57% articles written by education technology professionals and researchers from numerous institutions of higher education and 37% by RTVU system authors. Therefore, an exercise in systematic analysis and classification of the practices and research of the RTVU system would be greatly significant in improving the content framework of distance education research.
II. A review of the research on distance education domain division
Currently, the divisions of distance education research sub-domains by domestic and international distance education scholars can be grouped into three categories based on division starting point.
1. Division from a theoretical system construction
Formulating a stable structure for the theoretical system of the discipline is usually the major objective of sub-domain division starting from a theoretical system construction perspective. This category can be further divided into the following two types.
1.1 Domain division from a multi-discipline perspective
Domain division from a multi-discipline perspective is exemplified by Holmberg (1982)[2], Rumble (1986)[3], YUAN Yuming (2004)[4], DING Xingfu (2005)[5] and CHEN Geng (2006)[6]. A common feature of the divisions by these five scholars is the integration of other disciplines with distance education to formulate sub-domains. Holmberg proposed the two sub-domains for distance education economics and distance education history. Rumble listed distance education system theory. YUAN Yuming proposed sub-domains for distance education sociology, distance education curriculum theory and distance education teaching theory. DING Xingfu proposed distance education psychology and CHEN Geng proposed distance education philosophy theory.
1.2 Domain division from the perspective of the development of the discipline
Domain division from the perspective of the development of the discipline is exemplified by Rekkedal (1994)[7], DING Xin (2006)[8] and CHEN Li (2006)[9]. The common characteristic shared by the three is the emphasis of formulating the discipline’s theoretical system based on the advancement of research of the discipline. Accordingly, the major sub-domains of distance education cover the common practices of discipline construction, management and planning, teaching resources, teaching management, learning process, learner support, media technologies and quality assurance.
For example, Rekkedal (1994) summarised the research advancement of distance education in seven domains. They are: professional distance education research; survey and description of student characteristics, enrollment, dropout and graduation; media and technology; student support and consultation; distance education teaching and development of teaching materials; system, management, organisation and economics; evaluation and quality development.
2. Division starting from issues in research
Solving theoretical and practical problems is another major objective of sub-domain division. This division basis can be further divided into the following two types.
2.1 Domain division based on theoretical research issues
Domain division based on theoretical research issues is exemplified by Sherry (1996)[10] and ZHANG Weiyuan (2002)[11]. The common feature of the two studies is that they are very specific in their division of research issues. They pay special attention to issues in distance teaching and learning, and further divide them into multiple sub-domains. Sherry’s divisions are: ①improve interactiveness and proactive learning strategies (this division is closely related to design issues and focuses on learning models), ②and learner characteristics (focuses on using teaching theories to adapt to different learning styles). ZHANG Weiyuan’s divisions are: ①distance teaching, ②distance learning ③and learning models.
2.2 Domain division based on obstacles to developmentDomain division based on obstacles to development is exemplified by Cegles (1998)[12] and Muilenburg et al. (2001)[13]. The common feature of the two studies is also that they are very specific in their division of research issues, particularly in the macro-management and planning of distance education institutions, which are further divided into multiple sub-domains.
Cegles’ divisions are: ①issues related to cooperation with business, industry and education (within institutions and across different regions); ②issues of leadership and management in distance education; ③administration, policy and legal issues (such as copyright and intellectual property rights); ④costs, expenses, and funding resources and capital investment issues; ⑤issues related to sustained and formalised continuing education, i.e., lifelong education; ⑥distributed learning and education availability issues, etc.
Muilenburg and Berge's divisions are: ①administrative management structure, ②organisational change, ③legal issues, and ④availability (i.e., issues of education equality and learning opportunity).