Open Learning: The Journal of Open and Distance Learning 

About: Open Learning: The Journal of Open and Distance Learning is an academic journal published by Taylor & Francis. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Distance education & Open learning. It has an ISSN identifier of 0268-0513. Over the lifetime, 735 publications have been published receiving 17129 citations.

Planning Student Support for Open and Distance Learning

Abstract: This paper examines the various factors that need to be taken into account in the planning of student support in open and distance learning systems. The factors discussed arise from the characteristics of the students, the demands of academic programmes and courses, the geographical environment, the technological infrastructure, the scale of the programme, and the requirements of management. These factors interact in complex ways, such that while none can be ignored, none can be given overall priority. The elements stand in tension with each other, requiring tradeoffs that between them represent the core management achievement in the design of such systems. Given the differences faced by planners in different settings, it is not surprising that there can be no universal blueprint for the design of student support services. The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the many factors that need to be taken into account.

Higher education's revolving door: confronting the problem of student drop out in US colleges and universities

Abstract: The high rate of student dropout between the first and second year of college is a major concern for the majority of US colleges and universities. But dropout (or stop out) from higher education affects students in different ways, depending upon a number of factors. Although for the last 30 years, educational researchers have studied the dropout phenomenon, research to date has tended to focus upon student characteristics or the impact of external environments. Little research exists that explores the role of the college or university environment—especially the classroom itself—on student persistence. And while college and university educators have employed a variety of programs to improve retention—for example, first‐year seminars, learning communities, and Supplemental Institution—retention rates remain disappointingly static. A final frontier yet to be explored in retention research is the basic structure of higher education, especially the way instruction is designed and delivered.

The impact of web-logs (blogs) on student perceptions of isolation and alienation in a web-based distance-learning environment

Abstract: In the rush to promote the use of computer-mediated technologies for both traditional and distance learning, relatively little research has been conducted about learner feelings of isolation, alienation and frustration. More recent technologies such as web-logs (blogs) may provide a wider range of tools for bridging learners' feelings of isolation. The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of using blogs in a web-based learning environment. This qualitative investigation presents an interpretive case study of student perceptions of using blogs in a web-based technology integration course for K-12 pre-service teacher education students. Findings indicate that the use of blogs helped prevent feelings of isolation and alienation for distance learners.

The impact on retention of interventions to support distance learning students

Abstract: There is increasing interest in student retention in open and distance learning. This article looks at the role of proactive interventions from the institution to its students and discusses concepts such as the maximum possible increases in retention and issues such as who to target for intervention, the different types of retention possible and which media to use. It surveys the evidence for the effectiveness of such interventions both in and outside the UK Open University (UKOU) and concludes that in the case of the UKOU there are clear financial benefits to the institution, the individual and the UKOU's funding agency, the UK Government.

Rethinking Learner Support: The challenge of collaborative online learning

Abstract: The use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) as an integral part of the design of distance taught courses raises interesting challenges to our thinking about course design and learner support. These have typically been conceptualised as two complementary but distinct systems in distance education, characterised by different practices often carried out by different groups of staff. Where CMC is designed as an integral part of the course, with collaborative learning as essential to assessment and study, this separation breaks down. The design of online activities is integral to both learner support and the course content, with new possibilities for open and distance learning as a result. Where the learning group itself is a resource for study and personal development, it also becomes feasible to orientate courses and programmes towards local teams and communities. Online tutors play a key role and need to develop 'the technology of conversation' and expertise in the design of activities, as part of thei...