Distance Education: Promise, performance and potential

Distance education has created enormous opportunities for the expansion of educational opportunities, especially at the higher education levels. This should be of great benefit to developed and in particular developing countries. However, in spite of the successes, there have been some conspicuous disappointments, including poor quality (often stemming from the lack of investment in institutions), and the failure to reach large parts of those communities that have traditionally been marginalised by the higher education sector. The article summarises some of the causes for the failures, and warns that the increasing commercialisation and technologisation of distance education risks the loss of 'our sense of equity and equality of opportunities'. For distance education to play a key part in the provision of educational opportunities, there must be a cultural change within the providing institutions in favour of appropriate technology and good practice. The article ends by highlighting 10 key issues that need to be addressed.