With the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese higher education (HE) began the process of full digitalization in the academic year 2020. Considering that Japanese HE was previously dominated by face-to-face learning, the efforts of the stakeholders to implement digitalization deserve praise. However, digitalization has shown varying degrees…

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) aim at unlimited participation and open access via the web. There are concerns about the actual value of such courses. This is predominantly due to higher dropout rates. According to studies, only 7-13% go on to complete these courses. The high dropout rate in MOOCs is a challenge for education providers. This…

Purpose: To uncover age inequalities in participation in higher education (HE) in Spain, the socio-demographic profile of Spanish adult undergraduates is compared to that of the general population of the same age group (25-54). Specific attention is devoted to differentials between face-to-face and distance adult students.…

The active process of digitalisation of all spheres of human activity, defined as the Industrial Revolution 4.0, has a direct impact on the transformation of the education system and learning management in the direction of meeting the need for lifelong learning and adapting to the dynamically changing requirements of the global labour market. This…

This paper investigates the role of micro-credentials (MCs) in addressing educational challenges in the English-speaking Caribbean, with a focus on their potential to align with regional education policies and strategic development goals (SDGs), particularly SDG4: Education for All. Drawing on policy documents, strategic plans, and other resources…

The main goal of this research is to improve the personification of learning in higher education. The proposed flexible model for organizing blended and distance learning in higher education involves the creation of an individual learning path through testing students before the start of training. Based on the learning outcomes, the student is…

In the pre-pandemic world learning was most often onsite, in-person and co-located. This was turned upside down during the pandemic where online suddenly became the 'new normal'. To continue learning in a pandemic world, learning providers and institutions were required to rethink and reconfigure learning to more online and 'pandemic-friendly'…

The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent to which open, and distance education universities are fulfilling their stated purpose as higher education institutions in SubSaharan countries. The starting point of understanding the purpose of an institutions is to analyse the content of mission statements and the context in which the universities…

The new Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE), due to start in 2025, is a major and positive improvement to how the student support system in England enables lifelong participation in higher education. It also has the prospect of commanding cross-party support, at least in broad design if not in the detail. However, in this timely Policy Note, Rose…

Access to higher education is often limited to adults because of their location. This is particularly challenging for adults who live in rural communities and small towns and can lead to unmet expectations. While policy makers have long recognised the potential impact of lifelong education for adults, the educational needs of adults have received…

There is Individual variation in how people interact with videos presented in online distance education. Educational videos can be embedded with interactive content to increase engagement and make cognition more efficient. Accordingly, we predicted that embedding questions during videos (rather than after) would enhance the performance of…

Using multivariate linear regression models, this study estimates the relationship between graduates' self-reported skill improvements from attending a virtual university, the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), and their salaries after obtaining the degree. Our results show that graduates made considerable earnings gains and especially high rates…

Despite increasing demand in distance education, relatively little is known about the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics as well as basic skill levels of adult distance education participants at the national level in the US. This study analyzed the US data from the 2012/2014 and 2017 Program for International Assessment of Adult…

This paper explores the optimization of teacher education programs to meet the evolving demands of 21st-century classrooms. It examines key strategies to enhance teacher preparation, such as the integration of technology, fostering critical thinking, promoting inclusivity, and preparing educators to address global challenges. The paper also…

During COVID-19, distance learning has given students around the world unforeseen challenges, including the way their learning is being assessed. Assessment for learning (AfL) can contribute to the development of students' strategies to meet unknown challenges as lifelong learners. The purpose of AfL is to inform learning, and it can play a…