The digitalisation of education has accelerated the transition toward heutagogical approaches, particularly in postgraduate education, fostering learner autonomy and self-directed learning. This study investigates how Master's degree students perceived and engaged with the principles of Education 3.0 and Education 4.0, focusing on their awareness,…

Today, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has impact on every facet of our life including education, which has started an era of open online education. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are one of the major outcomes of open online education in the field of education. MOOCs have various dimensions, which open a wide scope for learning…

This study explores whether a range of socio-demographical factors predict adult learner self-directedness in the context of South African open and distance e-learning higher education (ODeLHE). We observe significant differences between socio-demographical groups in the sub-dimensions of the Adult Learner Self-Directedness Scale. The study…

In the wake of COVID-19, university students have experienced fundamental changes of their learning and their lives as a whole. The present research identifies psychological characteristics associated with students' well-being in this situation. We investigated relations of basic psychological need satisfaction (experienced competence, autonomy,…

This study aimed to investigate English language lecturers' perceptions on the transition of classroom teaching to online education because of the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of 15 lecturers who were teaching in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Turkey and UK volunteered to take part in the study between March and July 2020. Data were collected…

The COVID-19 pandemic period confronted schools with new challenges related to school closures and the transition to distance learning, which brought with it several problems and obstacles that schools had to overcome. The main objective of our study is to qualitatively explore the problems and obstacles of distance learning at the first level of…

In Distance education, learning depends on the ability of the learner to manage his/her learning process, both through the creation of appropriate objectives, and by adopting strategies to achieve them. The role of the teacher is to develop an efficient methodology with flexibility over the learners' special characteristics and to create…

Concerns about a lack of face-to-face contact with students, a focus on grading rather than teaching, and limited expertise with technology or needed pedagogical strategies, may contribute to instructor reluctance to teach online. The interaction between the instructor and learner and among learners affects the quality and success of online…

The Language Centre at the University of Padova provides language courses for students of all disciplines and with a wide range of needs. Over the years, the number of students having to deal with a language requirement has increased exponentially, while the teaching personnel and general resources have struggled to keep up. Catering to all of the…

Slowly but surely, open and distance learning (ODL) programmes are being regarded as one of the most practical ways that universities across the world are increasingly adopting in order to increase access to university education. Likewise, Mzuzu University (MZUNI) set up the Centre for Open and Distance Learning (CODL) to oversee the running of…

In 2013, the Student Centre at The University of Tasmania began researching the development of distance learning support. A survey was designed as part of this endeavour, which attracted 1002 responses. The survey's broad context focused on the primary drawbacks and benefits of distance education in general and sought to identify emergent themes…

In this volume researchers from Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North and South America employ a variety of theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches in their exploration of the links between identity, motivation, and autonomy in language learning. On a conceptual level the authors explore issues related to agency, metacognition,…

The role of learner autonomy and self-regulated learning in distance education has received much attention. The application of these concepts impacts course design and, potentially, learner achievement. In the case of distance language learning, course designers must consider not only how to help learners gain communicative competence but also…

Analyzes the concept of self-directed learning, focusing on the facilitation of self-directed learning in the noninstitutional setting. Clarifies self-directed learning and follows with an outline and discussion of the ability of distance education to facilitate such learning. (CH)

The integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) in course offerings in institutions of higher learning (IHLs) is the catalyst towards empowering learners to become autonomous lifelong learners. In an effort to produce quality and independent learners, Learning Management Systems (LMS) are seen as a means to assist educators in…