Dear Editor,

MAJOR world events are often an inflection point for rapid innovation and social changes. Just reflect on a few events, such as for example, the change from agrarian economy forged by the industrial revolution; the post-911 world-wide travel restrictions and bans; and the rise of e-commerce post-2002-03 SARS outbreak and the picture should become clear. Now the COVID-19 outbreak sees similar transformations taking place due to its impact on individuals, communities and nations. One transformation in this prolonged COVID-19 applies to education with the sudden, but necessary, shift towards, and increasing growth of online or e-learning. One thing that has been clear through this pandemic thus far, is the importance of disseminating information and knowledge across all levels of society, institutions, companies, and borders. To such ends, online learning technology has begun to play a vital role, and many institutions and governments are exploring ways of cashing-in on its full potential.

The COVID-19 pandemic has, in reality, closed many sectors of the global economy. Isolation and social distance precaution meant that schools and other educational institutions have had to shut down entirely while contemplating and designing or adapting new forms of imparting knowledge. The education sectors and related institutions have since adapted, refocused and recast educational opportunities afforded the masses. To such ends, many governments and institutions have begun adopting and or strengthening online/distance mode of delivering classes.
The primary objective of distance education is to create educational opportunities for the under-represented and for those without access to a traditional educational institution. Online learning, as part of distance education, like other forms of education, should equip learners with the skills and knowledge needed to transform them into innovative and efficient individuals, with the capacity for a sustainable future.

Distance education is simply a teaching-learning experience where the student and teacher are physically separated. It utilises any of or a combination of technologies, including correspondence, audio, video, computer, and the Internet. Today’s version of distance education is online education or e-learning, which uses computers and the Internet as the delivery mechanism. Online learning can potentially be the catalyst to create a new, more effective method of educating students. The informed view holds that e-learning will become part of the ‘new normal’ as learners experience the benefits first-hand. It is ‘flexible learning’ with environments for learning that have the following characteristics: convergence of open and distance learning methods, media and classroom strategies; learner-centred philosophy; recognition of diversity in learning styles and learners’ needs; recognition of the importance of equity in curriculum and pedagogy; use of a variety of learning resources and media; and recognition of diversity in learning styles and learners’ needs that foster lifelong learning habits and skills in learners.

Flexible learning provides learners with increased choice, convenience, and personalisation, i.e, choices about where, when, and how learning occurs. Not many people have the opportunity to take time off from work to commit to a full-time university programme, and others often travel for work. For those who still need to juggle working and going back to school, the flexibility of an online programme provides them with the opportunity to learn while still working and growing professionally. That flexibility allows for a more easily balanced work, life, and school.
Distance learning, which traditionally had focused on non-traditional students, such as full-time workers, military personnel, and non-residents or individuals in remote regions who are unable to attend classroom lectures, has broadened in scope to include traditional students and academic disciplines. While a precise figure for the international enrollment in distance learning is unavailable, the enrollment at two of the largest public universities that heavily utilise distance learning methods gives some indication. For example, in the early 21st century, the Indira Gandhi National Open University in New Delhi, had an enrollment in excess of 1.5 million students, while the China Central Radio and TV University in Beijing, had more than 500,000 students. In 2018, there were over 6.9 million students enrolled in distance education at degree granting institutions in the U.S. This number reflected an increase from more than 5.6 million university students in the autumn of 2009, and up from 1.6 million in 2002.

Globally, enrollments in higher education have been growing faster than any other level of education. The drivers behind the fast growth of online learning are varied and include increased barriers, such as, familial obligations, financial, geographic, to attending a traditional university, increasing accessibility, advances in communication technologies, increasing student demand for online flexible learning, institutional need to maintain a competitive offering of diverse learning platforms, and positive financial gains to institutions and students. Further, from 1995 to 2014, enrollments have grown in primary education by 9.5 per cent, in secondary education by 34.3 per cent, and in higher education by a whopping 60.9 per cent. Such increases also reflected the millennium education goals which focused on increasing enrollments in primary education and gender equality.

Meanwhile, the boundaries between conventional higher education and distance education appear to be blurring. This reflects a common theme across many countries, i.e, the strong student-demand for more flexibility because an increasing number of students want more convenient and accessible education offerings.
Despite centuries between the first correspondence/distance learning course and today’s flexible online/e-learning format, and the numerous changes and innovations that have occurred, three characteristic qualities of distance education remain to this day: first, distance education is just as good, valid, and high-quality as in person/traditional learning; second, earning potential increases for anyone who takes a course/programme of study; and third, distance education is scalable to give access to students everywhere.
Yours sincerely,

Ronald Singh, LLM, MS (Barrister)

Deputy Director (Student Affairs),
Guyana Online Academy of Learning