Moore and Kearsley state that it is no longer necessary to ask the question whether distance education courses are as effective as traditional classroom courses. The authors provide many examples of studies that support this contention. Comparison studies have shown time and again no significant difference in learning outcomes in the two environments under study These studies have evaluated many variables including the nature of the content, educational level of the students, and the media involved with no significant difference reported for most studies The authors have therefore concluded that for any group of students, neither the learning environment nor the communication medium are predictors of achievement. Current thought based on the most recent research reported indicates that the medium plays only a minor role in affecting learning outcomes when the medium is functioning effectively and has been carefully chosen.

Comparison studies addressing the use of classroom versus distance education learning environments have focused primarily on student achievement based on pre- and post-test scores. Most of these studies show no significant differences and the few studies reported that do show some differences tend to favor distance learners. This research has been fairly comprehensive in comparing the use of many types of technologies with the traditional classroom approach. Overwhelmingly, these studies show that classroom instruction cannot be considered a superior method of course delivery. The technology has opened the door to new ways of delivering content that were not before possible. These new avenues are proving to be not only as effective for learning but also more cost effective when large numbers of students are served and the technology is appropriate and functions properly. The authors conclude that we have reached a point where the research clearly supports distance education as a viable alternative for educating students. The focus should now shift to more specific issues that address how students learn best in a distance environment.

Moore and Kearsley stress the importance of more valuable research in the areas of media effectiveness related to student learning characteristics, effective course design, and teaching strategies. The learning output depends to a large degree on the characteristics of the learners. Very little research has addressed the many dimensions of this issue. Course design techniques and teaching strategies are other areas of research very important to the learning outcome. Many relevant issues emerge on these topics and little research has been done to address these areas of interest.

Research in these areas is fragmented and lacks direction. Many of the studies are ad hoc and do not build on previous research in the field. There is clearly a need for a theoretical framework that provides the basis from which to build sound research studies that add to the body of knowledge in these areas of inquiry. I have identified two studies that report the results of substantial work to address some of these issues I will describe these studies below and discuss the findings and outcome of the work in the following paragraphs.

The first study can be found on-line at:  http://www.edc.org/CCT/ccthome/reports/CCTR9/CCTR9.html

This report is a distance learning evaluation for Duchess County, New York. The distance learning program for Duchess County schools called Infinet 2000 was implemented in the fall of 1992. The research for the study was conducted by the Education Development Center of Duchess County. The report provides comprehensive quantitative data analysis for various aspects of the program. To summarize, the school districts in the county contracted with NYNEX to provide the technological backbone, classroom technologies, and technical support for the project. Each school had one distance learning classroom, which was connected to the network providing two-way video and audio interaction with the other schools. Extensive data collection and analysis for this project took place during the 1994-95 school year. Extensive use of evaluation instruments and measurement tools were used to collect and analyze data. These instruments and data were tested during the previous academic year. Some of the major findings of the study include the following: 1). The distance learning experience was perceived as positive by administrators, teachers and students. It was a means for offering courses that the budget did not previously allow and it provided means for bringing together geographically dispersed students. 2). Persistent problems of schedules across schools remains a challenge. A commitment to partnership is necessary when outside institutions are involved. 3). Well functioning technology must be a priority and becomes a major factor in the success of the project. 4). The pedagogy in the distance learning classes was very similar to that of the typical classroom. The distance learning implementation was not being used to change the pedagogy. 5). Student achievement in the distance learning classes was not statistically different from the regular classroom experience. 6). Interaction analysis showed little difference between teacher and student participation in the different learning environments. 7). Self discipline and focus on the part of the student are necessary for success in the distance learning environment. This study addresses some of the learning characteristics of students and the influence of distance learning versus traditional classrooms.

The study is useful because of its wide scope and comprehensive analysis of a large number of participants across school environments. More studies are needed to address the concerns raised by the research in this study.

A second study evaluated a distance learning project linking groups of students and instructors at various Army installations around the United States. This study focuses on the issue of collaborative learning. The research description can be found at http://www.gist-inc.com/intech/files/TDMPEVAL.htm

This study is unique in its attempt to connect students remotely through use of audio, video, and interactive text while at the same time connecting an intelligent tutoring system within that remote network. Most of the collaborative learning research concludes that collaborative learning is more effective than individual learning environments. Research also shows that when collaborative learning is not highly structured the frequency of irrelevant discussion increases. The research for this project focuses on how collaborative interactions are mediated by the computer in terms of quantity and quality. Specifically, this research examines issues relevant to student achievement, components of technology that hinder or enhance learning, and the impact of technology on the interaction between team members and other teams. The distance learning environment for this research consists of interactive technology, electronic white boards, audio, video, and the internet. The subject matter being evaluated is a 15-week U.S. Army course on Tactical Decision-Making. This research evaluates the effectiveness, efficiency, and effect of students towards the use of distance learning technology as compared to current classroom instruction. In addition, the effectiveness of using a semi-intelligent assistant provides insight as to the potential role of these applications in future distance learning applications.

These studies are representative of many studies evaluating some aspect of distance learning effectiveness. The need for more research that builds on a theoretical foundation is needed.