Despite a growing body of work on understanding how students perceived the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects on existing distance learning universities have received less attention. This study aimed to understand changes in distance learning students' study habits (learning, assessment and social activities) and assess the factors…

Using the badged open course, "Taking your first steps into Higher Education", this case study examines how assessment on online open courses draws on concepts of assessment used within formal and informal learning. Our experience was that assessment used within open courses, such as massive open online courses, is primarily determined…

For students new to higher education, the task of developing their academic writing skills, and particularly the principles and practices of source-referencing, can be daunting. Although institutions and teachers can and do provide positive guidance on this score, all too often students veer into inadvertent plagiarism through lack of confidence…

First-year university students exhibit considerably different levels of proficiency, often lacking the necessary prerequisites to attend certain courses. This is especially true for mathematics courses. While motivation alone plays a role, by far the most significant challenge consists in harmonising the different (and often incompatible)…

Discusses the orientation of learners, which takes into account their environment and how they take control over their studies. Describes a study of Australian university distance education students that examined factors which influence distance students' orientations, and discusses results that show student independence and study environment were…

Presents the findings of an empirical research study into the academic self-concept, study habits, and attitude towards distance education of students at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and relates these to their academic performance. Discusses variables and implications for learner support and instructional design. (Author/LRW)

Discusses the results of interviews conducted with 20 women distance learners from community nursing disciplines at the University of Wolverhampton (United Kingdom) that investigated relationships between approaches to study, learning styles and strategies, and materials design, and how these impact on the need for support and guidance in distance…

Independent learners study in highly varied circumstances that impact upon the educational process. Media technologies can provide many new educational opportunities, but are context dependent. As educators, we need to develop a better understanding of learners by considering their attitudes and preferences for using media technologies in their…

Describes a study of students at the Open University of Hong Kong that investigated gender differences in factors that contributed to successful achievement in distance education. Considers previous experience; study habits; motivation; help-seeking and use of support services; family, social, and work context; self-perceptions and attitudes.…