Considerations for the instruction of research methodologies in graduate-level distance education degree progra

The field of distance education remains in an early stage of development. As recently as fourteen years ago, Shale (1988) suggested that distance education had asserted itself but could not define itself. Existing as a sub-field in education, distance education informs its practice from social science theory (education, psychology, sociology, anthropology) and the more recent professional field of education. The creation of a knowledge foundation all its own, based on sound empirical research leading to theory development, is now an imperative (Miller and Husman,1996; Garrison, 2000). Fostering the generation of original and innovative research in distance education requires redirection on several fronts, including research methods instruction of students in graduate distance education programs (Ramakrishna et al., 1999). The majority of graduate students in distance education come from a practitioner background (Monahan, 1994) and their focus has likely been on the critique and consumption of research findings rather than on the underpinnings and procedures for knowledge construction through research. In this short monograph, we argue that the best preparation for critiquing and assimilating the results of reported research is developed through an understanding of sound research design and methods, that an emphasis on basic research in graduate programs in distance education will encourage theory development in this maturing field and that a major emphasis during the period of graduate instruction in research methods must be placed on developing the intangible components of curiosity and intellectual excitement

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Distance education ,

E-learning ,

Education ,