Review of distance education research (2000 to 2008): Analysis of research areas, methods, and authorship patterns

This paper presents a review of distance education literature to describe the status thereof and to identify gaps and priority areas in distance education research based on a validated classification of research areas. The articles (N = 695) published in five prominent distance education journals be...

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Main Authors: Olaf Zawacki-Richter, Eva Maria Baecker, Sebastian Vogt
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Athabasca University Press 2009-12-01
Series:International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/741
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author Olaf Zawacki-Richter
Eva Maria Baecker
Sebastian Vogt
author_facet Olaf Zawacki-Richter
Eva Maria Baecker
Sebastian Vogt
author_sort Olaf Zawacki-Richter
collection DOAJ
description This paper presents a review of distance education literature to describe the status thereof and to identify gaps and priority areas in distance education research based on a validated classification of research areas. The articles (N = 695) published in five prominent distance education journals between 2000 and 2008 were reviewed for this study. The conclusion is that distance education research is strongly dominated by issues related to instructional design and individual learning processes; whereas, other important areas (e.g., innovation and change management or intercultural aspects of distance learning) are dreadfully neglected. There is a significant trend towards collaborative research and more qualitative studies. Over 80% of all articles originate from only five countries.
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spelling doaj.art-deb6d948aae54dd2aa1acccd70912b082022-12-21T18:00:37ZengAthabasca University PressInternational Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning1492-38312009-12-0110610.19173/irrodl.v10i6.741Review of distance education research (2000 to 2008): Analysis of research areas, methods, and authorship patternsOlaf Zawacki-Richter0Eva Maria Baecker1Sebastian Vogt2FernUniversität in HagenFernUniversität in HagenFernUniversität in HagenThis paper presents a review of distance education literature to describe the status thereof and to identify gaps and priority areas in distance education research based on a validated classification of research areas. The articles (N = 695) published in five prominent distance education journals between 2000 and 2008 were reviewed for this study. The conclusion is that distance education research is strongly dominated by issues related to instructional design and individual learning processes; whereas, other important areas (e.g., innovation and change management or intercultural aspects of distance learning) are dreadfully neglected. There is a significant trend towards collaborative research and more qualitative studies. Over 80% of all articles originate from only five countries.http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/741Review of distance education researchresearch areasresearch trendsDelphi study
spellingShingle Olaf Zawacki-Richter
Eva Maria Baecker
Sebastian Vogt
Review of distance education research (2000 to 2008): Analysis of research areas, methods, and authorship patterns
International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning
Review of distance education research
research areas
research trends
Delphi study
title Review of distance education research (2000 to 2008): Analysis of research areas, methods, and authorship patterns
title_full Review of distance education research (2000 to 2008): Analysis of research areas, methods, and authorship patterns
title_fullStr Review of distance education research (2000 to 2008): Analysis of research areas, methods, and authorship patterns
title_full_unstemmed Review of distance education research (2000 to 2008): Analysis of research areas, methods, and authorship patterns
title_short Review of distance education research (2000 to 2008): Analysis of research areas, methods, and authorship patterns
title_sort review of distance education research 2000 to 2008 analysis of research areas methods and authorship patterns
topic Review of distance education research
research areas
research trends
Delphi study
url http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/741
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AT sebastianvogt reviewofdistanceeducationresearch2000to2008analysisofresearchareasmethodsandauthorshippatterns