In this paper, we set out a collaborative autoethnographic account of our reflective journey to deeper understandings of open, distance and e-learning (ODeL) through enrolling, participating and completing the first module in a course on technology-enhanced learning (TEL). As authors, we both enrolled for the course for different reasons. The course was offered by an outside institution, as part of capacity building at our university. The course, conducted fully online, was highly interactive and participatory. Through our participation, collaboration, reflection and experiences in the first module of the course, we were encouraged to develop written definitions of 'distance education' (DE) and 'technology-enhanced learning' (TEL). Our approach to studying our definitions was analytic, even though we were both participants and researchers. The analysis was based on the Community of Inquiry framework. Our findings reveal that our definitions evolved to include deeper, more complex, more comprehensive notions of DE and TEL. The analysis also revealed an unfolding of the definitions within our own contexts. We recommend that professional development of ODeL practitioners and stakeholders take place through being a student in an active, collaborative ODeL environment to enhance take-up practices.