Distance education has always struck me as promising idea, especially at the post-secondary or tertiary level. Part of that appeal lies in the fact that it is flexible in timing, allowing students to hold full time employment while they study (no doubt this is stressful, but worthwhile). While I did all my degrees at traditional universities – the University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario, I still think there is merit and potential in distance programs. At the university level, there are a few places that I tend to think of as specializing in distance ed: Athabasca University (Alberta), the Open University in the UK or Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia. In addition to all of that, many professional associations offer courses on a distance basis to help professionals learn new skills and expand their competencies.

If the benefits in scheduling flexibility and geography are clear, what are the drawbacks? The affective aspect of learning – connecting with an instructor and fellow students – becomes more difficult. I would also surmise that making friends (and building networks) is likely more difficult. There’s something to be said for the experience of working on a campus newspaper or running the History Students’ Association (both of which I’ve done) that would appear to missing from distance education programs. That non-academic but fun and worthwhile aspect of education should not be discounted. For many, it will likely be one of the enduring merits of seeking a traditional university education. Arguments against distance education (e.g. a 2000 article against online MBAs or a blog post decrying the merits of online education generally) should prompt educators to think more deeply about their programs.

For librarians, the challenge is clear: how do you reach these students and offer them advice and support? These students are not going to walk in the door, after all. The first idea that comes to mind is very tight integration into online course systems such as Blackboard or Sakai would be valuable, as well as referrals from instructors. We need to ask questions like, “How can we make using the Library easier for distance students?” or “What keeps instructors up at night?”  On the latter count, it might be a combination of research skills and low engagement? Even if you are not in a distance education setting, these are questions that need to be grappled with. More and more users will be seeking service on a distance basis – the case of distance education may offer some ideas that others can use. Librarians serving distance education students may well be the canary in the mine for the rest of the profession.

Related posts:

1. Neuroscience and what it means for education, work and more
2. New iSchool Podcast episode is online: Open Education Round the World
3. What does DIY Education Mean for Libraries?
4. Skills Over Rules: there is no royal road to information literacy