Strengthening distance education: designing for participation and engagement

Citation

Forbes, D., Prestridge, S., & Wang, Y. (2025). Strengthening distance education: Designing for participation and engagement. Distance Education, 46(4), 547–549. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2025.2586459

Abstract

In this issue, the seven articles share a common focus on quality online learning in varying distance education contexts. Each paper explores factors that influence student learning with a view to determining how instructional designers and teachers can act to improve learning outcomes. There is a shared emphasis on determining how to enhance learners’ participation in active learning, how to engage and motivate, and overall, how to strengthen the design, teaching, and learning that can occur online.

The field of distance education has progressed through cycles of innovation, reflection, and refinement. We know how to foster interaction, scaffold challenge, and support diverse learners online because decades of practice have taught us so. Strengthening now is a matter of continuous development, grounded in respect for what educators already do well. By iterating on excellence we protect learner agency and belonging, and we future-proof our programmes against disruption. Put simply: we strengthen not because online and distance education is weak, but because learners deserve the very best opportunities for engaging, inter/active learning, and satisfaction.

Authors

• Forbes, Dianne
• Prestridge, Sarah
• Wang, Yang

Reference Type

Journal

Keywords

• Online course design
• Student engagement