Some Considerations In Investigating Synchronous Online Delivery OfEnglish Courses: Interfacing Qualitative And Quantitative Paradigms

E-learning is not just another add-on to the existing system of learning. It is a technologythat is transforming our educational institutions and how we conceptualise and experienceteaching and learning. Teaching online is becoming more flexible and innovative in itspreparation and delivery, as content and activities can be placed on websites for studentsboth as supplement to lectures or as replacement for them. This paper discusses how adoctoral dissertation was designed to gather information on three areas related to thesynchronous online delivery of English courses namely teaching and learning,technology, and management in a virtual institution of higher learning. It explains thedesign of the study and its rationale within the qualitative and quantitative paradigms.The discussion in this paper also attempts to highlight plausible issues that researchersmay encounter when conducting research in a technology enhanced context and suggestspractical way to consider.