Research Proposal on "Online Learning"

Research Proposal 10 pages (3303 words) Sources: 10

[EXCERPT] . . . .

The individual differences among the students are also taken into consideration in the cognitive approach and such differences also need to be accommodated into online learning. Learning style is also important in this approach the student's learning style is determined by different tool and methods. The way students perceive and process information forms the basis for the Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI) (Kolb, 1984) whereas extroversion vs. introversion, sensing vs. intuition, thinking vs. feeling, and judging vs. perception is measured by dichotomous scales in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Myers, McCaulley & Most, 1985).

Adapting the above mentioned learning style into online learning should include various style of learning of students which allows students to select the best suited learning mediums for them individually. While specific examples where the students can get involved and can relate themselves to the peers through group work are styles that are generally preferred by concrete experience learners, careful observation is the preference of reflective observation learners. On the other hand working with theories and systematic analysis and learning from practical projects is the preferred style of abstract conceptualization learners (Stephenson, 2001). This theory was chosen to be studied for the hypothesis in order to be able to understand the ongoing mental approach to students and how they interpret knowledge and the degree to which they can assimilate knowledge imparted through the online medium.

The Constructivist School of Learning

Active learning rather than passive is the primary characteristic of constructivists approach to learning. In this approach, knowledge is created form the learner's interpretation and processing of the information that the learner receives through the senses rather than knowledge coming from someone else or from some other source (Phye, 1997). This is an important theory that can explain the qualitative qualities associated with the research hypothesis. The instructor or the teacher simply plays an advisory role in this approach while the student or the learners is at the center of the process. This approach or theory allows learners to create and gain knowledge themselves instead of such knowledge being imparted to them through instructions (Jonassen, 1996). Viewing learning as being contextual and situated is a major emphasis of constructivists.

Adapting this theory of learning into the online learning scenario requires designing of activities related to learning that allows the learners to contextualize the information that they receive online. In order to ensure that learners are able to apply the information to a wider range of subjects, multi-contextual learning should be used online if the information passed on to inline learners is to be applied in many contexts.

Tapscott (1998) says that shifting to construction and discovery of knowledge from one way instruction is learning (Tapscott, 1998). The transformation theory of learning put forward by Mezirow (1991) explains how people learn by using both the constructivism and cognitivism approaches (Mezirow, 1991). The process of using a prior interpretation to construe a new or revised interpretation of the meaning of one's experience in order to guide future action," (Mezirow, 1991, p 12).

Further explaining transformative learning Mezirow (1991) says: "reflectively transforming the beliefs, attitudes, opinions, and emotional reactions that constitute our meaning schemes or transforming our meaning perspectives" (Mezirow, 1991, p. 223). Five interacting contexts were claimed by Mezirow (1991) to be involved in learning. They are the frame of reference or meaning perspective in which the learning is embedded, the self-image of the learner the conditions of communication, the situation encountered during the learning process and the line of action (process) in which the learning occurs.

Attributes of Learning

Theorists like garrison and Shale (1990) say that since online learning is just an extension of general learning, the issues that are related to general learning would also be applicable for online learning and how students cope with various issues online (Schwier & Misanchuk, 1993). Bransford, Brown, and Cocking (1999), in their book "new science of learning," say that four converging overlapping issues or lenses are the bases that form an effective learning environment (Guan & Li, 2004). Learner centered, community centered, knowledge centered and assessment centered are the four lenses that they talked about for effective learning. Understanding the theoretical importance of these lenses or issues of learning in general would also help to understand the way it is applied to online learning.

The Learner Centered approach

Awareness of the unique cognitive structures and understandings of the learners that they bring to the learning context is the essence of the learner centered approach according to Bransford et al. However it should not be confused as an approach where the whims and peculiarities of each individual learner are taken care of. In this context theorists have included the teacher and the institution and a group of students in this approach. The pre-existing knowledge of the student which would include the misconceptions would be tried to be understood by the teacher before the students starts the learning for the producing new knowledge (Harrell, 2013). The languages and the particular forms of expressions that are used by a learner are respected and accommodated in the learning environments as the learner uses such expressions to express and understand knowledge.

The Knowledge Centered approach

The advocates of this approach like McPeck (1990) argues that generalized thinking skills and techniques that are used in teaching needs to be grounded in some form of knowledge domain They argue that this is necessary for effective learning (Sarpong, 2009). Epistemology, context and language of thoughts define and bounds effective learning according to Bransford et al. (Jonassen, 1996). Unique ways of understanding and talking about knowledge are often provided by a world view of every discipline or field of study. Moreover expert thinking can be generated if students are allowed to have opportunities to ponder upon their own thoughts about various fields of study. But to develop new knowledge structures or to effectively transfer one's knowledge in a context that the student is not familiar about, reflective capacity is necessary. This is an opportunity that is given by the internet to the students who can dwell into the depths of knowledge that are essentially boundless. The students are able to move around and are able to seek knowledge in the internet.

The Assessment Centered

The requirement of effective environments for learning is the focus of assessment centered approach. The assessment of the students is done by formative evaluation instead of summative assessments. The aim of such assessment is done so that the results act as a force to motivate, inform and give feedback to the student. This allows the student to judge and make rectifications. A lot of such assessment opportunities can be got on the internet (Jordan, Carlile & Stack, 2008). For online students peer review, feedback, and expert opinion is also available in effective online learning.

Possible variations to the Theories

There are a few variations that one must keep in mind while undertaking these models. The research can have independent variables when assessing the hypothesis through the quantitative theory of learning. Such variables are essentially associated with the quantitative answers that students would tend to provide about the measure of reaction to stimulus. The dependent variable in the research work would include those that are associated with the various approaches to online learning styles of students and how they related to the various theories of education. This variable can also be found in quantitative analysis of the sensory and processing impact of various knowledge inputs in various forms from the internet. There is a definite relation between the variable as each one essentially would describe the effects or results of online education on the students. Therefore it can be said that all the variables are interrelated and would considered in union in the research.

Conclusion

The research question 'the affects of online learning on college students" would essentially be tested and evaluated by the theories and approaches to learning. The variables of the theories would be considered for the evaluation and measuring of the hypothesis. In this context it is pertinent to conclude form the above discussions the for the effective imparting of knowledge and learning trough the online medium a framework that is based on one or more of the learning theories needs to be developed. Such a framework or a number of frameworks can be made taking into consideration the various styles of learning of students and the three approaches to learning. Online courses need to designed to suit the various needs of students in general based on the assumptions in the theories.

The learning components mentioned in the theories of learning needs to be incorporated into the online learning framework and while designing of online study materials and courses. The use of the web to go through the sequence of direction with the aim of completing a learning objective and achieveing the desired and preset results… READ MORE

How to Reference "Online Learning" Research Proposal in a Bibliography

Related Research Proposals:

Online Learning vs. Traditional Essay

Online vs. Traditional Learning

Online Learning vs. Traditional Learning

With the advent of technology, the way learning is conducted, both in and out of school, has changed dramatically. There are… read more

Essay 3 pages (872 words) Sources: 4 Topic: Education / Teaching / Learning

---

Online Teaching Literature Review

Online Teaching

Technology advancements have made a lot of improvements in every walk of life. The field of education has also been blessed by the technology and the concept of… read more

Literature Review 4 pages (1241 words) Sources: 1 Topic: Education / Teaching / Learning

---

Historical and Socio Cultural Analysis of Online Learning Term Paper

Online Learning and Education

Technology can provide a valuable advantage for students in the classroom. The opportunities for teachers to enhance instruction using computer technology are tremendous. However, the literature… read more

Term Paper 3 pages (747 words) Sources: 1 Topic: Education / Teaching / Learning

---

Online Education Term Paper

Online Education

Online Learning vs. Traditional (in-Class) Learning

Whether students prefer online learning or in-class learning largely depends on many factors, including how much socialization a student is looking for… read more

Term Paper 28 pages (9159 words) Sources: 15 Topic: Education / Teaching / Learning

---

Designing Online Learning Management System Research Proposal

Designing Online Learning Management System

In defining an online learning management system framework, considerations of how to enable a very high level of collaboration between students themselves and between individual… read more

Research Proposal 3 pages (870 words) Sources: 10 Style: APA Topic: Education / Teaching / Learning

---

View 100+ more related papers  >>