World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Distance Education
H-index 10

Distance Education

0158-7919

Published by: Taylor & Francis

http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cdie20/current

Ranking & Metrics

Discipline name Position Best Scientists Publications D-Index
Social Sciences and Humanities 653 10 16 8

Additional Metrics

Number of Best Scientists*: 16
Documents by Best Scientists*: 20
Top 100 Ranked Scientists*: 0
SCIMAGO H-index: 74
SCIMAGO SJR: 1
Impact Factor: 3

Overview

Top Research Topics at Distance Education?

Distance Education focuses on Distance education, Pedagogy, Higher education, Mathematics education and Educational technology. While Distance education is the focus of Distance Education, it also provided insights into the studies of Computer-mediated communication, Knowledge management, Multimedia, Instructional design and Teaching method. The journal holds forums on Pedagogy that merges themes from other disciplines such as Quality (business), Context (language use), Qualitative research and Public relations.

The in-depth study on Mathematics education also explores topics in the intersecting field of Perception. While work presented in the journal provided substantial information on Educational technology, it also covered topics in Experiential learning and Synchronous learning. It addresses concerns in Experiential learning which are intertwined with other disciplines, such as Active learning and Open learning.

  • Distance education (95.27%)
  • Pedagogy (41.43%)
  • Higher education (27.76%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

  • Virtual interaction: Design factors affecting student satisfaction and perceived learning in asynchronous online courses (700 citations)
  • Distance Education Trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration (598 citations)
  • Student barriers to online learning: A factor analytic study (551 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Distance Education:

The journal publications explore disciplines such as Distance education, Pedagogy, Educational technology, Mathematics education and Computer-mediated communication. The journal publications explore topics in Distance education which can be helpful for research in disciplines like Context (language use), Technology integration, Knowledge management, Higher education and Instructional design. The journal publications address concerns in Pedagogy which are intertwined with other disciplines, such as Online teaching, Qualitative research, Perception and Language acquisition.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

  • Law
  • World War II
  • Social science

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

Distance Education mainly deals with areas of study such as Distance education, Mathematics education, Higher education, Online teaching and 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak. The work on Distance education tackled in the journal brings together disciplines like Instructional design, Formative assessment and Community of inquiry. The journal explores topics in Mathematics education which can be helpful for research in disciplines like Qualitative research and Open educational resources.

Topics in Higher education explored in it were investigated in conjunction with research in Taxonomy (general), Educational technology, Blended learning, Process (engineering) and Flexibility (engineering). While it focused on Educational technology, it was also able to explore topics like Social connectedness, Educational research and Engineering management. Learning engagement, Pedagogy and Cheating are some topics wherein Online teaching research discussed in the journal have an impact.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

  • Student learning during COVID-19: It was not as bad as we feared (9 citations)
  • Instructional designers’ roles in emergency remote teaching during COVID-19 (7 citations)
  • Community and connectedness in online higher education: a scoping review of the literature (5 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

The top authors publishing in Distance Education (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Som Naidu (29 papers) published 3 papers at the last edition the same number as at the previous edition,
  • Jon Baggaley (14 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Robert M. Bernard (9 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Peter J. Smith (9 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • David Kember (9 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in Distance Education (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Open University (35 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition, 2 less than at the previous edition,
  • Athabasca University (19 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Florida State University (16 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • University of South Africa (15 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Deakin University (14 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 30.30% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 21.74% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 17.39% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 26.09% of all publications and 34.78% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

  • Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
  • Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
  • Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
  • Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
  • Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

How to Start a Career in Distance Education

If you are intrigued by the field of Distance Education and considering a career in this multifaceted domain, it's important to understand what it entails. The field demands the blend of traditional pedagogical theories with the innovative use of technology. As a professional, you may find yourself designing effective instructional strategies, managing online learning platforms, or stimulating active learning in a virtual environment.

Positions you could pursue include instructional design, online tutoring, e-learning project management, and curriculum developing to name a few. The possibilities are expansive and continue to grow with the evolution of technology. A good place to start is by earning an educational degree that emphasizes the theories and applications of distance education and technology. Graduates can work in various environments, from colleges and universities to corporate training and development departments.

A rewarding subfield within Distance Education is specializing in Marriage and Family Therapy. By focusing on this concentration, your work could have a direct, positive impact on families and marriages struggling with various issues. For more insights on this, see How to become a marriage and family therapist in North.

Remember, the journey may be challenging, but acquiring skills and knowledge in Distance Education, a field at the intersection of education and technology, opens a world of opportunities. The future of education is here, and you could be part of shaping it.

Top Publications

  • Pandemic ponderings, 30 years to today: synchronous signals, saviors, or survivors?

    Curtis J. Bonk

    (2020)
    64 Citations
  • MOOC Instructor Motivation and Career Development.

    Min Young Doo;Ying Tang;Curtis J. Bonk;Meina Zhu

    (2020)
    53 Citations
  • Going over the cliff: MOOC dropout behavior at chapter transition

    Chen Chen;Gerhard Sonnert;Philip M. Sadler;Dimitar D. Sasselov

    (2020)
    34 Citations
  • Influence of self-directed learning on learning outcomes in MOOCs: A meta-analysis

    (2023)
    32 Citations
  • Supporting open educational practices through open textbooks

    Rebecca Pitt;Katy Jordan;Beatriz de los Arcos;Robert Farrow

    (2020)
    26 Citations
  • Temporal flexibility, gender, and online learning completion

    George Veletsianos;Royce Kimmons;Ross Larsen;Jacob Rogers

    (2021)
    19 Citations
  • A systems perspective on data and analytics for distance education

    (2022)
    11 Citations
  • How should we respond to the life-altering crises that education is facing?

    George Veletsianos

    (2020)
    9 Citations
  • Person in environment: Focusing on the ecological aspects of online and distance learning

    (2022)
    8 Citations
  • What distance learning students want from an AI Digital Assistant

    (2024)
    6 Citations

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Exploring Social Sciences and Humanities in the USA opens diverse career opportunities, many of which are accessible through flexible online degree programs. For those interested in advancing library and information science skills, affordable options like the online mlis programs provide a pathway to roles in library management and information curation.

The growing demand for mental health support has bolstered the popularity of specialized fields, such as art therapy. Students seeking to integrate creativity with therapy can explore comprehensive art therapy masters programs designed to prepare graduates for clinical practice and community work.

For those passionate about social justice and community well-being, top msw online programs offer rigorous training to become licensed social workers with the flexibility of an online format. These programs emphasize practical skills to address complex social issues.

Individuals aiming to make a direct impact in support services may find accelerated pathways through online masters in human services. These programs equip students with leadership and advocacy skills to serve vulnerable populations effectively and efficiently.

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