Research Study

Philosophy of education

“Education sows not seeds in you, but makes your seeds grow”. Kahlil Gibran

My philosophy of education is my belief that education is the essence of our existence to go further in life. Through education, the human being can learn, explore, create, make actions and great achievements. When I was a child, I had this vision in my mind “your education will be your weapon that will make you wise, thoughtful, safe and successful woman”. Thanks to my mom and dad who didn’t have the chance to earn a college degree, however, they were able to teach me essential things which made me the person who I’m today: A human being first.

Not all educated people can thrive in life; Not all doctoral people are successful in life, not all CEO’s or the people with the highest position posses the highest knowledge level or can make significant actions. But the people with the deep inside of humanity, honesty, integrity, creativity, passion, motivation, positivity, dreaming for the better in them or others, are well-educated.
My understanding of education is that the dream to become a better person is already making you an educated person. Thus, it is all about the constancy, love, towards growing, learning and sharing success with others.

Many authors and philosophers had touched and inspired me, some of them:

Gibran Khalil Gibran (Kahlil Gibran)

Lebanese American, who is best known as Writer more than Philosopher. From his book, the prophet: “The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness. If he is indeed wise, he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.”

Kurt Lewin’s

A German-American psychologist, who distinguished three Behavioural styles between leaders.: Democratic, Authoritarian and Laissez-faire.

John Dewey

American Philosopher and psychologist, is best known as the most significant educational thinker who was the founder of pragmatism approach and experimental learning. The curriculum he supported was one of making and doing, and problem-solving.

Research Study Area

My research area is about The Effectiveness of Online Learning.
I want to prove that Online Learning is an essential need for the success of a college student if it is provided in affordable and healthy ways.
Among college students, the Nontraditional student population is becoming the norm. Students that do not fit the traditional profile, such as adult learners, worker students and parent students who have other obligations that could interfere with their academic success, online learning can be a solution to remain this student population at college, boost their success, and increase their graduation rates.

Educational Problem regarding my research area

However, there is an educational problem regarding Online Learning, which is cost and quality. This problem needs to be addressed to improve online education, as well as to serve the Nontraditional population better.

Cost

Among adult learner, majority of parents’ student with low income and single-parent students cannot afford the online learning, as research revealed that the fast growth of online education is over presented in the for-profit institutions.

Quality

Besides, I want to address the problem of fully online programs’ quality by addressing three main questions:

For what degrees can a fully online program replace the face to face education in terms of student-faculty interaction?
Does deliver more assignments guarantees effective teaching and learning to adult learners? As online courses required a more significant amount to complete reading and tasks compared to in-person classes.
What is the value of digital learning for a professor perspective? Does he have the same passion for teaching online courses as teaching in-person courses?

Links to references regarding my research:

Institute of Women’s Policy research website revealed that the parent students’ group among the Nontraditional student populations have the largest share for attending For-profit schools compared to other Universities type:https://iwpr.org/publications/parents-college-numbers/

A recent article discussed the unaffordability of fully online programs: https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2019/01/16/online-learning-fails-deliver-finds-report-aimed-discouraging

A report revealed the importance of digital learning https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2018/04/18/online-education-observers-see-glowing-report-intriguing

How My Research will improve education

At the end, by conducting a research about Online Learning, through studying all its aspect; the good and the bad, I want to implement new strategies that could improve the way of offering and the quality in delivering Online education to Nontraditional students which I think that Online learning is essential for this student population’s success in higher education. However, the need to make a change in the cost and quality to reach their needs.