This book explores the reasons for the trend towards dual and multi-mode provision of distance education, and the arising issues, opportunities, and challenges related to people, policy, and places of teaching and learning. The chapters in the book were originally published in Distance Education.

This book explores issues related to people, policy, and places of teaching and learning resulting from the trend towards dual and multi-mode provision of distance education. It explores reasons for the trend as well as some of the opportunities and challenges which may arise. In many developing countries, demand for higher education provision outstrips the supply of full-time places; while in many developed countries the cost of full-time provision means that distance and online provision may be more accessible than full-time provision. At the same time, the growing use of online learning platforms has generally resulted in more flexible forms of provision. Consequently, an increasing number of higher education institutions now offer dual (contact and distance or online) or multi-mode (contact and distance and online and other) forms of provision. This volume helps to navigate this changing distance education landscape. The chapters in this book were originally published in Distance Education.