Looking beyond definitions of open and distance education: A discipline that needs rethinking

Abstract

The practice of distance education is nearly 300 years old. As a field, it has grown in practical relevance and contributed to the needs of society. Due to its critical dependence on the technologies of the day, the pace of development is also breakneck, and the definitions and ideas around distance education keep moving in different directions. While the core definition of distance education is still relevant with appropriate contemporary interpretations, the field needs more discussion and focus on the characteristics of distance education as a discipline. In this paper, I critically analyse and reflect on the disciplinary characteristics of distance education that merit more professional training and opportunities at the pre-service level to build and strengthen the discipline’s future.