NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ1295931
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-May
Pages: 28
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1360-2357
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Transparency in Previous Literature Reviews about Blended Learning in Higher Education
Education and Information Technologies, v26 n3 p3399-3426 May 2021
Literature reviews as standalone papers serve various purposes; these include the development of new theories, the shaping of future research, the production or knowledge dissemination, and support of evidence-based practices. Review papers, as a foundational block of the research process, may promote further research with higher level of quality. However, in some cases, this methodological approach raises questions about their scientific rigor, trustworthiness, systematicity, and transparency. The main goal of this study is to assess transparency levels in previous review papers pertaining to blended learning in higher education. To complete this goal, this study collects and analyzes information about the report of methodological decisions and research activities in 40 review papers. As a result, in this "descriptive review paper," we identify some patterns about the type of reviews and their transparency levels. Findings also demonstrate that most efforts (80%) remain focused on describing a phenomenon in the formats of narrative reviews (65%) and descriptive reviews (15%). These types of papers show low levels of transparency in their reporting process. Nevertheless, trends indicate in the last 5 years an increase in other types of published review papers such as critical, meta-analysis, and qualitative systematic reviews. This represents an important shift in the research domain. Finally, we argue that, regardless of its type, each review paper should have a minimum level of transparency in order to ensure trustworthiness in the research process.
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2123/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Information Analyses; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A