E-learning is part of the new dynamic that characterises educational systems at the start of the 21st century. Like society, the concept of e-learning is subject to constant change. In addition, it is difficult to come up with a single definition of e-learning that would be accepted by the majority of the scientific community. More...

Effective educational leadership can make a difference in the resolution of complex issues that impact today’s demand-driven educational marketplace. The ongoing professional and skill development needs of human health resources may be best managed through distributed strategic leadership blended with servant leadership. More...

Table of Contents

Editorial

Research Articles

Field Notes

Notes from Leadership in Open and Distance Learning

Full Issue

IRRODL Volume 13, Number 2

PDF 1-252

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. A 2016 Look at the Future of Online Learning
Contact North, 2016/03/04

I suppose this two-page set of outlooks on the future of online learning (17 page PDF with both parts) is good so far as it goes, but I don't think it goes deep enough. This first part looks at technological and structural changes to online learning and is the stronger of the two. More...

By Stephen Downes - Stephen's Web. The 2016 Look At The Future Of Online Learning
Stephen Downes, Mar 04, 2016.

When I was in university the predominate ethos was that we the faculty are the university. The reference in this recommendation to 'the faculty' in the third person is telling. More...

Rapport has been recognized as important in learning in general but little is known about its importance in distance education (DE). The study we report on in this paper provides insights into the importance of rapport in DE as well as challenges to and indicators of rapport-building in DE. The study relied on interviews with 42 Canadian high-school DE teachers. More...

Virtual schooling is an increasing trend for secondary education. Research of the communication practices in virtual schools has provided a myriad of suggestions for virtual school policies. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the activities and processes involved in the daily rituals of virtual school teachers and learners with the goal of determining how regular phone calls by teachers contributed to the work habits of students. More...

A linear, sequential time conception based on in-person meetings and pedagogical activities is not enough for those who practice and hope to enhance contemporary education, particularly where online interactions are concerned. In this article, we propose a new model for understanding time in pedagogical contexts. Conceptual parts of the model will be employed as a “cultural technology” to help us relate to evolving phenomena, both physical and virtual. We label these constructs as pointillist, cyclical, and overlapping times. More...