The use of technology has a profound influence in educational settings and has experienced significant paradigm shifts with the advents of e-learning and m-learning. As an expected consequence of the evolution of e-learning and m-learning and improvements in the capability of online networked technologies, educators from the fields of distance education and open and distance learning benefit from ubiquitous learning technologies and environments. With the rising import of flexibility and personalization of online learning programs, this new learning format is needed to accommodate shifting student needs. Managing and Designing Online Courses in Ubiquitous Learning Environments is a critical scholarly resource that provides empirical and theoretical research focused on the effective construction and management of advanced online educational environments. Highlighting a variety of topics such as heutagogy, technology integration, and educational resources, this book is essential for educators, curriculum developers, higher education staff, practitioners, academicians, instructional designers, administrators, policymakers, and researchers.

This book explores the ways in which technology is being used by various open universities in developing countries to extend learner support services to distance learners. It shares the best practices being followed by different open universities so that these may be replicated by other universities. It provides an overview of the use of various digital technologies, e-learning tools, eLearning platforms, virtual learning environments, and synchronous and asynchronous technologies in open and distance learning (ODL) systems. Moreover, it discusses the importance of ODL systems in providing inclusive education in developing countries through the use of ICT with a special focus on adult, rural and elderly learners, as well as the role of technology in science education through ODL system. A transformative model of sustainable collaborative learning is presented, integrating concepts based on theoretical frameworks to increase the flexibility and solve existing issues in developing countries, which may be used for policy changes in distance learning. It concludes by examining various challenges in successfully implementing technology for effective delivery of learner support services in distance education systems in developing countries and exploring the strategies required to overcome these challenges.

Distance learning is becoming an increasingly popular way of studying, and most universities now provide courses using these methods. Today's students, though, are demanding high quality, consumer-focused and flexible courses, as well as learning resources and active learner support. This means that providers of distance education need to reconsider key issues about their learner support systems, ensuring that this is delivered appropriately and effectively. Considering the changing needs and demands of distance education students, this book draws together contributions from the UK, USA, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, South Africa and Botswana, to offer an international perspective on: * the challenges and opportunities of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) * quality assurance, commercialisation and the learner as consumer * the impact on learners of cultural differences on internationalised curricula * the implications for learner support of a wider range of learners This book should be read by all those involved in developing and delivering distance education courses.

Online Distance Education: Towards a Research Agenda offers a systematic overview of the major issues, trends, and areas of priority in online distance education research. In each chapter, an international expert or team of experts provides an overview of one timely issue in online distance education, summarizing major research on the topic, discussing theoretical insights that guide the research, posing questions and directions for future research, and discussing the implications for distance education practice as a whole. Intended as a primary reference and guide for distance educators, researchers, and policymakers, Online Distance Education addresses aspects of distance education practice that have often been marginalized, including issues of cost and economics, concerns surrounding social justice, cultural bias, the need for faculty professional development, and the management and growth of learner communities. At once soundly empirical and thoughtfully reflective, yet also forward-looking and open to new approaches to online and distance teaching, this text is a solid resource for researchers in a rapidly expanding discipline.

This collection has pieces from all the key names in distance education worldwide