2.5 Distance teaching and learning
The research theme of teaching assessment was added to the base content of Table 1 for distance teaching and learning. Face-to-face tutorial was combined into “distance teaching” since the number of research topics for it was only 2. Psychology was combined into “learners” because the number of research topics for it was 0.
(1) Distance teaching focuses on the construction of teaching models, the strategies of teaching interaction, multimedia face-to-face tutorial, etc. Teaching models are constructed on the basis of teaching theories and focus on exploring new models of distance education driven by new technologies and new demands. Examples include people-centric teaching models, E-learning teaching models, M-learning education models, etc.
(2) Distance learning focuses on the construction of learning models. Learning theories are used to develop strategies to improve interaction and proactive learning to promote students’ autonomous, collaborative, mobile and virtual learning.
(3) Subject teaching refers to the distance teaching content, methods, processes, interaction and models of specific disciplines, and the organization and implementation of practical teaching of those disciplines. Subject teaching was further divided into the two research themes of subject teaching and practical teaching in Table 2 because it encompassed 51 research topics.
(4) Learning assessment mainly deals with the assessment of course-based learning results. Its content usually includes pluralistic assessment, formative assessment, online assessment and assessment management, etc.
The numbers of scholars and research topics for distance teaching and learning are 10.2% and 27.8%, respectively, indicating greater interest from distance education institutions. A comparison of the research themes shows that scholars are more concerned with distance teaching and distance learning, while distance education institutions are more concerned with subject teaching, with its research topics registering 18% of the total.
2.6 Learning support
The three research themes of environmental support, support guarantee and campus culture were added to the base content of Table 1 for learning support. In addition, “psychology” (from the sub-domain of distance teaching and learning) was added to “learners”.
(1) The “learners” research theme focuses on investigation of learners as a group and the analysis of the psychological characteristics of learners.
(2) Environmental support refers to learner support offered through the construction of network environments, including the “ecology” of online course study, the construction of learning environments and the construction of digital learning environments for distance education.
(3) Interactive support deals with the interaction between learners and support organisations, the construction of learning communities and the construction of distance call centers.
(4) Support guarantee explores the effectiveness of learner support, support institutions and mechanisms, and their implementation effectiveness
(5) Campus culture explores the construction of campus culture in a virtual learning environment, the construction of campus culture at base-level RTVUs and learning centers, and the role of campus culture in promoting students' balanced development, etc.
The numbers of scholars and research topics for learning support are very close at 8.5% and 8.7%, respectively. A comparison of the research themes shows that scholars pay more attention to interactive learning support, while distance education institutions pay more attention to learners.
2.7 Media technologies
The sub-domain of media technologies can be divided into the two research themes of development of media technologies and application of media technologies.
(1) Development of media technologies focuses on the development of systems and tools, especially the distance teaching and management platform and the design, development and application of each subsystem. Examples include the new generation e-learning system, graduation thesis guidance system, examination system, as well as design and development of platforms for community education, rural education, etc.
(2) Application of media technologies focuses on the application of new technologies in distance education, such as Web 2.0, streaming media, P2P, audio-visual media, cloud computing, etc.
The numbers of scholars and research topics for media technologies are 9.6% and 11.2%, respectively, showing slightly greater attention from distance education institutions. The research themes show that scholars are less interested in the development of media technologies.
V. Summary
This thesis makes a systematic analysis of the research domains of distance education proposed by domestic and international scholars based on the practical domains of distance education institutions, formulating a preliminary research content framework. It then checks, revises and refines the framework based on classification statistics of research topics of typical distance education institutions in China, ultimately formulating a content framework for distance education research that encompasses 7 sub-domains and 30 research themes.
This thesis is based on literature review and closely integrates research done by distance education institutions. It develops a content framework for distance education research from a practical perspective, and can provide distance education institutions with a basis for their research development plans and a reference for guidelines on selecting research topics. It can also serve as a reference case for domain division in China’s distance education research and helps promote the integration between research and practice.
Distance education research itself is a constantly developing process. This research content framework is merely the first step from practice to theory; it awaits verification and revision. To this end, the author will continue to analyse data from multiple rounds of RTVU system research topics as well as those from typical distance education institutions at home and abroad so as to successively refine and improve the framework. Moreover, 35 of the 312 topics of the RTVU system are research topics of pure disciplines that have nothing to do with distance education. However, as far as distance education institutions are concerned, pure discipline research related to improving subject teaching and raising the professional academic level of the teaching faculty, are worthy of in-depth discussion.
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About the Author:
YUAN Songhe, the OUC Research Institute of Open and Distance Education as a researcher specialising in distance education.