**1. Introduction**

The chapter will be dealing with challenges and opportunities of distance learning in higher education. The author has worked closely with students on distance learning for many years and became interested on how students deal with the challenges compared with the opportunities provided by distance learning. The major objective of this chapter is to investigate the opportunities and challenges of distance learning. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in distance learning in higher education. In this chapter, the term information

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

communication technology (ICT) will be used and will include communication devises like radio, television, cellular phones, computers, and satellite system [1]. Again, all forms of learning/teaching through ICT will be referred to as e-learning. In distance learning, ICTs can be used in preparing and presenting lectures.

instruction can provide to higher education distinctive opportunities. Online instruction can direct learners through a framework that can also lead to the desired outcomes in a manner that

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Distance Learning in Higher Education

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.75702

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In the twenty-first century, technological learning is expected to include digital literacies, collaboration, complex communication, and systems-thinking skills, among others. In order to be in line with online learning, higher education institutions are expected to offer courses and platforms that support the use of multidimensional abilities and skills and the use of media and technology as supportive systems in higher education [9]. In general, there are three formats that ought to be followed in delivering courses, namely distance learning (DL), faceto-face (F2F), and hybrid (H) learning. There are seven principles for good practice that can be used in distance learning for higher education. These principles for good practice can be divided into the following, namely: encourages student-faculty contact; encourages cooperation among students; encourages active learning; gives prompt feedback; emphasizes time on task; communicates high expectations; and respects diverse talents and ways of learning [8]. These guidelines represent a philosophy of quality distance-learning education that can be

Distance learning can benefit universities because it can bring an element of flexibility in the learning process by the use of technologies, and interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning. The use of technologies and interdisciplinary approaches are key factors in distance education in higher education. The advantage of technology in distance learning is that students can watch lectures before coming to class and engage in more interactive activities in the class. They can also collaborate with other students and rely on the instructor as a facilitator rather than a lecturer. It also allows for a consistent delivery of content, because online videos can be prerecorded and shared with the rest of the class online [10] as in [9] and in [11]. e-Learning has the possibility to support learning processes, collaboration, flexibility, and the distribution of education and training, as well as evaluation of content and skill in distance learning. A key issue to the successful use of e-learning and blended learning is the combination of educational competence with contextual understanding into a strategy, of how to use digital educational methods [12]. For example, in Finland, previously, the open universities were more often used by young matriculated students who had not gained a study place at a "proper" university; but nowadays, students are more often adults in professional positions who want to enhance their qualifications, skills, and competences via e-learning by enrolling in web-based courses. Another example, in Greece, distance learning offers students the opportunity to combine family life and work with education. ICT-based distance education is good because it is flexible.

e-Learning, despite its virtual nature, its provision, if it is to be perceived as being of quality, it ought to ensure that it neither ignores the physical (i.e., the appearance of learning resources, personnel, and communication materials), or temporal student needs (i.e., a willingness to help learners and provide prompt service) [13]. It is good for the elimination of face-to-face training and development costs both in monetary terms as well as in terms of productivity loss, as learners spend time away from their daily activities and jobs in order to participate in the face-to-face training sessions. e-Learning courses are available 24/7, location independent, and provide effective and efficient training means for learners in geographically dispersed

it can encourage best practices [8].

areas and across time zones [11].

widely used for both face-to-face courses and online learning.

ICT is a tool that can be used in distance learning for addressing challenges in teaching and learning, a change agent, and a central force in economic competitiveness. Yusuf [2] view ICT as a change agent, when it catalyzes various other changes in the content, methods, and general quality of teaching and learning, thereby ensuring constructivist inquiry-oriented students. As a central force in economic competitiveness, it deals with economic and social shifts that have technology skills critical to future employment of today's distance students.

Previous studies have reported that students may use various technologies for e-learning in their chosen settings, while some of the assigned technologies may sometimes be neglected in favor of their own mobile technologies. Whereas technologies-in-practices are seen to be changeable over time as students' knowledge, experiences, contexts, and technology itself might undergo changes through human action [3]. Although extensive research has been carried out on open distance learning, no single study exists which deals about the good, the bad and the ugly of distance learning in higher education. The chapter is divided into seven parts. The first part deals with introduction; the second part deals with method; the third part deals with the good of distance learning in higher education; the fourth part deals with opportunities of distance learning; the fifth part deals with the bad and the ugly of distance learning in higher education; the sixth part deals with challenges facing distance learning; and the seventh part will be the conclusion.
