Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Victoria Bilger
Table of Contents
Title Page………………………………………………………………………………………….1
Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………………….2
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………4
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………..5
Relevance………………………………………………………………………………….5
Hypothesis…………………………………………………………………………………6
Definition of Terms………………………………………………………………………..7
Literature Review………………………………………………………………………………….7
Defining Communication………………………………………………………………….7
Platforms of Communication……………………………………………………………...8
Summary………………………………………………………………………………....12
Methodology……………………………………………………………………………………..13
Hypothesis………………………………………………………………………………..13
Guiding Questions……………………………………………………………………….13
Participants……………………………………………………………………………….14
Instruments……………………………………………………………………………….15
Design…………………………………………………………………………………....16
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 3
Procedure………………………………………………………………………………...16
Interviews………………………………………………………………………………...18
Surveys…………………………………………………………………………………...19
Emails……………………………………………………………………………………19
Ethical Considerations…………………………………………………………………...19
Timeline………………………………………………………………………………….20
Budget……………………………………………………………………………………21
References………………………………………………………………………………………..23
Abstract
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 4
This qualitative research case study will seek to establish effective communication
platforms in distance education and learning. Data will be collected using interviews, surveys,
and anecdotal emails from students in a fourth grade enhanced online classroom, parents of these
fourth grade students, and teachers teaching in a traditional setting classroom. The researcher
will compare different platforms of education and the effectiveness for students. The researcher
believes that utilizing a common platform for communication and streamlining communication
Introduction
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 5
Education is an integral part of everyday life and success. It has followed essentially the
same pattern for the educator. When the COVID pandemic shifted the education system in a
world of unknowns, parents, students, and teachers were left with a lot of unanswered questions.
This created a constant need to not only communicate but to have different platforms of
communication. Many teachers altered their communication plans as best as they saw fit. While
educators have continued in this world of virtual learning, where does communication fit and
how does it fit? Educators, parents, and students all know it is necessary and essential, but how
does this alter the communication plans to fit the new needs of the parents, students, and
teachers?
communication with peers, students, and parents. When schools went virtual in March of 2020,
communication possibly became the biggest struggle for educators, and knowing what parents
and students needed while learning from home. Communication inhibited technology and
curriculum. Being thrown into so many unknown situations that people didn’t have answers for
Relevance
In Fall 2020, school districts are working in a hybrid system, traditional system, or a
virtual system. How does communication impact the students in these different environments
that schools are offering. While teachers know communication is important many saw a whole
different necessity for it. Does communicating on different platforms make a difference to
Hypothesis
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 6
Educators know that communication is important. Data will be collected to support both
students who are in an enhanced online learning environment and students who are face to face
or in person. Students who are communicated with often and parents who are receiving
communications will be a more successful learner than those students and parents who do not
participate in communications. Data will be derived from the amount of communications and on
what platforms parents and students are receiving, how they are interacting or communicating
with two-way communication, and how this may affect the success of a learner. This data will
be collected through interviews, surveys, and anecdotal notes and emails. Data will also be
looked at and analyzed on parent’s perceptions of school and teachers based on their
participation in the communications. The parents and students will be surveyed on their
The following questions will guide the research on communication in distance education
and learning. Teachers will begin with gathering information from teachers on how they
communicated when teaching virtually. The information to be gathered would also include
will be interviewed to gain insight from students on what communication needs to be had with
them and what type of needs they have as a student. Lastly, information will be gathered from
parents on communication in general from the teachers and district. If needed, educators can
confer their information collected with data provided from our district collection of information
from parents.
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 7
1. What are teachers communicating, how are they communicating, and at what rate are
they communicating?
3. In virtual learning are students working on their own, and if so, what communication do
Definition of Terms
Asynchronous: Forms of education, instruction, and learning that do not occur in the same place
Synchronous: Forms of education, instruction, and learning that occur at the same time, but not
Hybrid Learning: Any time a student learns part of the time in a brick and mortar school and
Distance Education: Teaching and planned learning in which teaching normally occurs in a
different place from learning, requiring communication through technologies as well as special
institutional organization.
Literature Review
Defining Communication
for both top down and bottom to top. Debeljuh (2019) defines communication in the literal sense
as, “to make something general or common; it represents the act of transferring information from
one place to another” (p. 1076). Education acts on this literal sense of communication all the
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 8
time creating an environment where students, parents, teachers, and communities can be
successful.
Debaljuh (2019) states that communication is, “a fundamental life activity that meets the
basic human needs for exchange of information, knowledge, experience and learning, as a basic
model of social interaction, it allows people mutual understanding, co-ordination and co-
operation of their activities” (pg. 1076). Communication is imperative to all parties involved in
the educational system. Communication between teachers to parents and teachers to students is
the communication that happens most often in the educational system and the one that directly
Platforms of Communication
Social media has become intertwined into the daily lives of humans. Understanding the
platforms on which are communicated, will allow for school districts and teachers to be most
effective on those platforms. Within the education system and communicating with students, the
platforms are limited. There are a few common platforms for learning management systems
(LMS) in which schools engage in communication with students. Google classroom, Schoology,
and Desire to Learn (D2L) to name a few common platforms. Also used to communicate with
students, is email. When it comes to communication through email teachers need to understand
the level of complexity that coincides with this platform. There are a few concerns when it
face-to-face communication, new boundaries crossed, and future concerns” (Thompson, 2008).
Emailing students in an appropriate and logical manner with logical information, will play a role
These platforms in which are chosen can make a difference in perspective of both
communication and relationships. Berge (2013) mentions that “social media is changing the way
we communicate” (p. 374). These platforms of communication have become the preferred ways
to communicate, but do they have an appropriate place and need in education. With COVID 19
putting all schools across the country in a situation where teachers and students were learning
from home, these communication platforms received a real test of success for all systems of
education. It becomes a question of do these social media platforms and channels of new
communication create less or more barriers to communication, education, and student success.
Berge (2013) states, “this is true within the distance education environment, too, the future of
distance education will be determined in large part by the innovations made in communication,
and the ability the educators have to overcome the communication barriers associated” with
different cultural contexts (p. 374). To what extent are these barriers combatted and how is that
to be done. When working with distance education, not only does this communication make a
Distance education takes place away from the traditional classroom. In person education
allows for students to partake and participate in the classroom, feet away from their teacher.
They are the recipients of the direct instruction and communication from their teacher. Not only
is the student receiving this communication, but they also can participate in the conversation and
have two-way communication. The students can respond, create, infer, question, and challenge
their teacher’s communication within a second of the delivery when in person education takes
place. When working in a distance educational setting, Moore (2012) defined distance education
as, “teaching and planned learning in which teaching normally occurs in a different place from
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 10
important to notice the reception from students as well as their interaction with the
communication. It is not immediate interaction with their teacher’s communication because the
communication being received is through the distance education model. Being what the model
of distance education is, there are naturally barriers that are added to the difficulty of
communication within distance education. Berge (2013) categorizes the different barriers of
between a student and teacher, with respect to conceptual understanding. The more
cognitive distance there is, the more difficult it is for conceptual development through
between the abstract situation presented to the student versus that found in an authentic
- “cultural distance include persons have patterns of thought, action, and values that are
distinctive and that characterize members of a social group” (Winthrop, 1991, p. 50)
- “Emotional distance are person feelings at the moment regarding the learning experience
- “language distance is expressed in the use of second or third languages for teaching or
learning, accent, and the use of dialect, slang, jargon, colloquialisms, acronyms and
(Moore, 1993) during educational experiences” (Pereira, Lisbon, & Lohmus, 2005)
- “social distance referred to perceived differences in class and socio-economic status” (p.
377).
across various people throughout the world; it may also refer to difference individual
When thinking about all the possible barriers to communication is important to see how these are
administering the communication. The modes and models have become to look different than a
traditional classroom when applied to a distance education and learning environment. According
to Berge (2013) “there are several design elements” in which improve communication in
distance education and learning (p. 381). Some of these elements are:
- “providing clear statements about the foals of the course and the purpose of online
- “providing navigation assistance so students know where course activities and resources
are loaded and calendars so students know when, where, and how assignments are to be
submitted”
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 12
- “clearly linking content, activities, and assignments to assessment and the course goals”
- “using communication channels that students prefer when possible, to reduce cultural and
communication barriers”
- “provide summaries, additional resources, and feedback to help students evaluate their
learning”
- “design some elements of the online classroom that promote students gaining some
familiarity with one another, and having the opportunity to build trust, especially before
All of these are creating an atmosphere of what would typically take place in the classroom, but
Summary
Providing students with the appropriate communication during distance education and
learning can be challenging and difficult. As teachers, it is important to make sure to continue
the same level of education and communication with these students to continue to have student
achievement and success. The goal of this integration appropriately and successfully is to
decrease the amount of students dropping out and/or decreasing in achievement and success
(Bordalba & Bochaca, 2019). Understanding the communication implementations and the
effects on student achievement will ideally allow for greater success for educational institutions
Methodology
Hypothesis
The purpose of this case study is to investigate the effect of communication on student’s
success in the fourth grade enhanced online classroom. Traditionally, communication with
students takes place naturally in the classroom throughout the instructional lessons and
independent or collaborative learning and work. Students can advocate for themselves in
relation to their academics in the classroom. Parents are also a part of the communication circle
and are included in many different aspects of different levels of communication. The educator
will determine the current involvement of parents and students in communication that are
partaking in the enhanced online learning model at Governor Mifflin School District at the
elementary level. The research will seek to study or determine the importance of communication
and its role in the success of the student in education. The researcher hypothesizes that students
and parents who are more involved in the communication will have a more successful school
year. Furthermore, with the different platforms in which the teacher uses, the research
hypothesizes that parents and students who are involved on multiple platforms and interact on
those platforms will have more success in their academics. There is the expectation that students
and parents are partaking communication for the benefit of classroom basic knowledge, but will
further their knowledge base through these different communications and communication
Guiding Questions
The following questions will guide the research on communication in distance education
and learning. Teachers will begin with gathering information from teachers on how they
communicated when teaching virtually. The information to be gathered would also include
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 14
will be interviewed to gain insight from students on what communication needs to be had with
them and what type of needs they have as a student. Lastly, information will be gathered from
parents on communication in general from the teachers and district. If needed, educators can
confer their information collected with data provided from our district collection of information
from parents.
1. What are teachers communicating, how are they communicating, and at what rate are
they communicating?
3. In virtual learning are students working on their own, and if so, what communication do
Research Participants
The research participants for this study are the entire collection of students in both Mrs.
Bilger, fourth grade mathematics and science and social studies teacher, and Mrs. O’Connor’s,
fourth grade ELA teacher, homerooms. The number of participants will be 68 students.
Information will also be collected from their parents based off of communication that takes place
in both selected homerooms. The students make up a diverse group, consisting of different
cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. There are different representations from all three
elementary schools, Brecknock Elementary, Cumru Elementary, and Mifflin Park Elementary.
Being that there are equal numbers of students represented from all three elementary schools
between both of these homerooms, will ensure that an accurate makeup of the school district is
presented.
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 15
Instruments
students and parents. Interviews will be conducted with teachers, students, and parents. Teacher
with students in class, communication with parents, and platforms used for communication. One
teacher from each grade level in enhanced online learning will be interviewed. For teachers in
the traditional setting, one teacher in the kindergarten to second grade will be chosen from each
school. One teacher in the traditional educational setting from the third to fourth grade level at
each school will also be interviewed. There will be six students interviewed. All students will be
from the fourth grade homerooms. Of the six students, two students from each of the three
elementary buildings will be selected. Interviews that are conducted with students will assess
their feelings on communication and their connection with their classmates and teachers based
on the communication. The students will also provide feedback to the research on the ways in
which they are comfortable with communicating with students and teachers in the enhanced
online learning environment. Both of the interviews will have a set of predetermined questions,
Surveys will also be used for collection of data. Surveys will be used for collecting data
on parent’s feelings about communication. Information will be gathered from parents on their
generalized feelings or concerns with communication and its connection to their student’s
success in the classroom. The parents will also be surveyed on their preferred method of
communication and platforms. The remaining students who have not been interviewed will
receive a survey. This survey will collect the same information the interviews do, but will
provide all students the opportunity to submit their responses. Lastly, any teachers who were not
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 16
interviewed will have the opportunity to fill out a survey as well. The survey will gather the
same information collected from the teacher interviews, but administered through this survey for
collection of data.
Anecdotal data will be collected through the forms of email communication. This
includes email communication from both parents and students. Also, the research will note any
Design
This case study will determine the importance of communication and its role in the
enhanced online learning environment as it relates to the student’s success. The study will
include quantitative data in the form of interviews. Quantitative data will supplement the
qualitative data by providing further insightful information through surveys and email
correspondence.
Procedure
1. The researcher will present the information to the school administrator and staff to
present the purpose of this study. During this meeting, faculty will be introduced to the
study and plan of the research. If any faculty member or the administrator has any
2. The researcher will gather parental consent for the study for each student participation in
the study. The researcher will also answer any parental questions or concerns at this
time. As the study continues, the researcher will address any questions or concerns as
3. Prior to the start of the study, the researcher will make appointments with all teachers and
classroom and the enhanced online learning classroom. Interviews will be conducted at
two different times throughout the year to gauge the effectiveness and perceptions of
communication throughout the learning process. The researcher will start with teacher
interviews. Student interviews will be conducted when parental consent was returned.
4. Once consent forms from the parents are returned, the researcher can send the surveys to
5. After collection of surveys, the researcher can assemble the data from students, parents,
and surveys.
6. The researcher will record findings and analysis from interviews, surveys, and anecdotal
7. The research report will be communicated to the school, families, and community (if
Primary data collection will be through interviews and surveys. The interviews will be
the first data collection set, with surveys to support the data. Anecdotal data will be collected
through emails from teachers, parents, and students. All students participating in the research
will have parent permission to take part. All students who are chosen will be randomly selected.
One teacher from each grade level in enhanced online learning will be interviewed. For teachers
in the traditional setting, one teacher in the kindergarten to second grade will be chosen from
each school. One teacher in the traditional educational setting from the third to fourth grade
level at each school will also be interviewed. There will be six students interviewed. All students
will be from the fourth grade homerooms. Of the six students, two students from each of the
three elementary buildings will be selected. Interviews that are conducted with students will
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 18
assess their feelings on communication and their connection with their classmates and teachers
Interviews
The researcher will interview the selected teachers. The interview will gather
class, communication with parents, and different platforms of communication that are used. The
researcher will ask specific scripted questions, and will follow up with unscripted questions if
appropriate. The researcher will record down the answers. One teacher from each grade level in
enhanced online learning will be interviewed. For teachers in the traditional setting, one teacher
in the kindergarten to second grade will be chosen from each school. One teacher in the
traditional educational setting from the third to fourth grade level at each school will also be
interviewed.
The researcher will interview the selected students. The interview will gather
information on student’s feelings on communication and their connection to their classmates and
teachers based on their communication. The students will also provide feedback to the
researcher on the ways in which they are comfortable with communicating with students and
teachers in the enhanced online learning environment. The questions will be asked by the
researcher. The questions will be scripted, and will follow up with unscripted questions if
appropriate. The researcher will record down the answers. There will be six students
interviewed. All students will be from the fourth grade homerooms. Of the six students, two
Surveys
The surveys will be sent out to students, parents, and teachers. The surveys will be
predetermined questions that align with the interview questions. Being that survey questions
should be straightforward to not cause confusion, the questions will vary slightly from the
interview questions. The researcher will strive to gather the same type of information from the
surveys as the researcher does from the interviews. This protocol for surveys will be for both
students and teachers, as they are the only participants being interviewed.
For parent surveys, the researcher will design questions that gather information on
parent’s feelings about communication. Information will be gathered from parents on their
generalized feelings or concerns with communication and its connection to their student’s
success in the classroom. The parents will also be surveyed on their preferred method of
communication and platforms. The researcher will collect and analyze this data.
Emails
email and there is a response that is connected to the research, there will be a note made. The
email will be filed and saved. Emails can be collected for analysis from both students and
parents.
Recorded interviews will be transcribed into a document, online. The survey data will be
input into a system that creates graphs and groupings of information from questions. The data
will be analyzed and coded by the researcher. The researcher will look for common themes that
emerge from the data collected. The researcher will be looking for information as it pertains to
Ethical Considerations
All persons being interviewed will have the opportunity to decline a recorded interview.
The interviewees will sign off on consent of being recorded. If they decline the recording, the
All students participating will have parent consent for research to collect information
Parents will also be made aware that their answers will be recorded for research purposes.
Teachers will be made aware that their answers will be recorded for research purposes. All
participants will also be made aware of that anecdotal record may be kept based on
appropriateness within email communication. Lastly, all pieces of data will be kept confidential.
Timeline
July-September
During the months of July through August the research plan will be presented to the
Governor Mifflin School District School Board. Once approved, the researcher will present the
research proposal to the elementary faculty, including traditional teachers in the in person setting
and the teachers in the enhanced online learning environment. From here, the researcher will
select randomly selected teachers who were chosen to participate in the interviews. The teachers
will also have the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns during this presentation. The
researcher will also have randomly selected the students based on their class list. The teacher
will mail home parental consent forms to selected participants for interviews. In the mailing,
there will be information regarding the research as well as contact information for the researcher
October-April
During these months the researcher will be collecting both qualitative and quantitative
data for the case study. The researcher will follow up as needed with participants. The
researcher will be taking anecdotal notes as needed throughout these months. During these
months the researcher will have scheduled and concluded interviews with both teachers and
students. The researcher will work to distinguish any important themes emerging throughout the
data collection. The researcher will also field any ongoing questions or concerns with teachers,
May
The researcher will use most of May to conclude the research and analyze the data. If
needed, the researcher can follow up with any participants. The researcher will work to
June
The researcher will conclude their research by presenting the information and analysis to
the schools and communities. The researcher will present the findings to the school teachers of
both in person traditional teachers and the enhanced online education teachers. This research
timeline will only be successful if the school district continues to be in person and offering an
Budget
The researcher will use google suite platforms for communication of surveys and data
collection. The researcher will use google meet for recording of interviews, being that they will
be held virtually. Because the researcher is an educator with a google educator account, these
services are available at no charge to the researcher. Google meets have the capability to record,
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 22
so no recording device will be needed. The researcher will use a school provided computer to
appropriate and collect information. The researcher will need basic office materials for
collection of data and analysis, costing about $100.00. The researcher will need to mail out
consent forms to parents for students to participate. The cost of mailing will be about $50. The
References
communication? Parents’ and teachers’ beliefs. Computers & Education, 132, 44-62.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.01.006
Carr, K., Gardner, F., Odell, M., Mumsch, T., & Wilson, B. (2003). The role of online
Debeljuh, A., Kadum S., & Carla-Emilliam D. (2019). Communication with parents
Moore, M.G., & Kearsley, G. (2012). Distance education: A systems view of online
Pereira, A. Lisbon, A., & Lohmus, K. (2005). Chapter 4: Pedagogical issues in ODL. IN
K. Depryck (Ed.), Getting started with open and distance learning. (pp: 43-55). Garant
Publishers. http://www.odlexpert.net/getstart/chapter4.pdf
Communication Association, 1.
Greenwood Press.
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING 24