CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
4.1. Introduction
This research aims at evaluating the impact of the advent of the Open University of Mauritius towards creating adult and lifelong learning opportunities, support and success. The study also intends to examine the student perception about blended learning environments as well as determine whether or not there exists any difference in how students feel about blended learning environments based on generational differences. This chapter provides details regarding the population, instrumentation, data collection procedures, and treatment of data.
Though the literature review constitutes the necessary foundation for this research, a set of both deductive and inductive approaches are used therein.
The research methodology adopted in this study is mostly of quantitative nature.
This quantitative method utilised an objectivist epistemology with a post-positivist theoretical perspective. Objectivism claims that meaning is discovered, based on observed events, rather than being constructed or imposed
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The perceived experiences, satisfaction and benefits derived by OU students were addressed through ten closed-ended questions. These were designed to evaluate the learning process and outcomes with a view to examine the behaviour of adult learners within a learning environment comprising of fellow young learners, new technology and the blended system.
Section C deals with motivational factors and satisfaction level of the students. Six closed-ended questions relate to factors that have most influenced them in choosing the OU for higher studies and possible obstacles encountered and got over during their learning career. There was also one open-ended question allowing respondents to give their personal views on how any aspect of the service could be
Additionally, the online format has granted me the opportunity to connect with a diverse group of students from all around the world, fostering a global perspective and enhancing my cultural awareness. These aspects have undoubtedly reduced the stress associated with traditional institutions and provided me with a sense of autonomy over my
The Mission of University of Maryland, University College (UMUC) is to cultivate and improve the daily lives of adult learners (Miyares, 2006). Hence, Miyares indicates, that accomplishing the mission by operating as open worldwide institution
I never attended a university, but my expectation was high. Once I started, I realized the educational level was poor. Although every school is a business and designed to collect revenue. I felt this university did not care as long as they was getting paid. My major is criminal Justice, majority of the classes that is required to get a degree is repetitive.
The article examined three key points (a) broadening access for all students and providing opportunities for students to recover course credit, (b) the potential to motivate and engage students due to the flexible and self-paced nature of online learning, and (c) providing highly individualized and differentiated environments allowing for personalized learning. Several benefits are presented throughout the article such as offering students flexibility to learn at their own pace, accessibility to content and material that can individualized to meet learner needs, and developing effective improvement strategies to help schools turnaround (Watson & Gemin,
This does not exclude a quantitative approach being associated with a post-positivist approach. In contrast, for a researcher who favors interpretive, knowledge is a matter of interpretation (Schutt, 2009) so that the quest for understanding the complex world of lived experience demands that the researcher interact with the research objects/participants to get the viewpoint. The investigator favored a post-positivist approach since he believes that human knowledge can be challenged and modified in light of further investigation. Following is a description of the methodology that was followed for this
Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt’s new book, “The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America,” is without doubt one all told the foremost necessary industrial enterprise events at intervals the annals of american education at intervals the last a hundred years. John Dewey’s “School and Society,” published in 1899, set American education on its course to socialism. Rudolf Flesch’s “Why Johnny Can’t scan,” published in 1955, informed american of us that there was one factor very wrong with the technique the schools were teaching children to scan, and my own book, “NEA: Trojan Horse in American Education,” published in 1984, explained in great detail but and why the decline in public education was happening.
Introduction This report critically analyses the paper by Wang et al. (2011) with respect to the main ideology presented in the paper, the research methodology used, the data collection methodology used, the research strategy employed and briefly covers the strengths and limitations of this paper. The report further includes other literature within this topic which have tried to tackle the same research question but with a different strategy. The paper by Wang et al.
success. Tinto developed a theory to explain student retention called Tinto’s Theory of Student Departure. Tinto’s (1993) theory of student departure, will also serve as the theoretical framework of this study.
The rapid development of technology has made teaching outside the traditional classroom possible for teachers consequently providing learners with a broad range of access to course materials with 24/HR assists (Li & Irby, 2008, p. 1). Online education is a rapidly growing environment and has turned into a convenient way to participate in higher learning. Although some feel the lack of communication that is involved in online education is an issue, others notice that it is cheaper than going to school the traditional way. Problem Statement Is online education able to retain the interest of the students and educators to continue participate without diminishing the school's reputation? It is known that online education will not over exceed traditional schools because students typically wants to learn about the campus life and different cultures that attends higher education.
Under the Principle of Interaction, factors that affect student experience include those that are internal to the student, and those that are “objective” parts of the environment. The students’ perceptions of, and reactions to, the objective factors are influenced by their attitudes,
The beginning of knowledge emanates from metaphysics, theological and positivism. And these put much on a critical stance in the discourse of method. Little (2011), explains that method is a prescriptive body of doctrines to guide inquiry. The ideal of understanding social world underlies in whether to embrace and use principles and guiding procedures of the natural world where positivism dominates in the epistemological deliberation. Atkinson & Hammersley (2007), explain that this method has a considerable influence onto social scientist, in promoting the status of survey research and the quantitative analysis
Minghan Li Ms. Carmen Politics and International Relations 4B December 16, 2017 Is Online Education More Advantageous Than Traditional Education? As internet technologies advances, online courses rapidly grew in popularity. According a study of the Babson Survey Research Group, in 2014, there were more than 5.8 million students that are taking at least one online course in the US alone, which is approximately 28.4 percent of all enrolled students in the US (“Online Report Card: Tracking Online Education in the United States”). Although it is still in a quite early stage of development, online courses is said to offer the same, if not superior, education as on-campus courses. But is that really so?
INTRODUCTION The researchers are subjected to different theories, methods, and belief systems which are already existing to guide the investigation, inquiry or study. The research tradition or research paradigm is the system that a researcher needs to follow based on type of a research. Research Paradigm can be defined as a belief system which guides the researcher on how the study should be investigated and addressed. The focus of following paper will be on differentiating between three types of research traditions which are positivism, interpretivism and critical realism based on their positions on; reason for research, ontology, epistemology, axiology, and methodology.
As the online scene is rapidly prevailing in our everyday life, the traditional form of face to face learning is slowly shifting its practice towards online learning. Online courses are becoming a growing trend with a flexible way of functioning in respect to time, location and accessibility. However, even though it sounds appealing, students need to consider the advantages and features of face to face learning which cannot be found online. Traditional educationis based on and helps develop: communication skills through interaction, discipline and organization, as well as a distinct value that traditional degrees have for future career advancement. Those in favor of online learning would argue that communication online is possible and just as valuable of an interaction.