Digital divide must be tackled before distance learning can improve accessibility and inclusion

A new POSTnote briefing co-authored by Nuffield Foundation POST Fellow, Faye Bolan, finds distance learning could improve accessibility and inclusion in education if the digital divide is addressed.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rapid switch to distance learning – a way of studying without the learner being physically present in a classroom. It can be fully remote or ‘blended’ with in-person learning and is usually underpinned by the use of digital technologies and resources.

The new POSTnote provides an overview of current trends in distance learning, evidence on key challenges and opportunities, and potential future developments.

Key findings

• Before COVID-19, the use of distance learning was increasing in higher education but uncommon in schools.
• Assessing the effectiveness of distance learning is challenging and most available evidence comes from higher education settings.
• Evidence suggests that the quality of learning design and teaching is more important than the mode of delivery in achieving learning outcomes.
• In schools and colleges, engaging all learners in distance learning is challenging. It requires parental support, integrated student-teacher and peer-to-peer communication, and access to hardware and study spaces.
• Distance learning and education technology (EdTech) could improve accessibility and inclusion in education if the digital divide is addressed.
• For distance learning to be effective, teachers need adequate support and training in EdTech use and remote learning design.

In 2019 the Department for Education’s (DfE) education technology (EdTech) strategy set out plans to embed EdTech to reduce teacher workload, increase efficiency, improve accessibility and inclusion, support excellent teaching, and improve educational outcomes in schools, colleges and higher education.

Widespread closures of schools, colleges and universities in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapid transition to fully-remote distance learning for the majority of students.

Many experts suggest that the pandemic has shown the potential of distance learning and EdTech to support effective learning and that some forms of distance learning, such as blended learning, are likely to become increasingly embedded in education at all levels post-pandemic.

However, there is debate about how to build robust remote learning capabilities and infrastructure into the education system and more high-quality research into distance learning in schools and colleges, outside the context of the pandemic, is required.

Experts broadly agree that to create a more effective, inclusive and resilient education system, the digital divide needs to be tackled, teachers require adequate support and training in remote learning design and EdTech and investment in digital infrastructure is needed.

The POSTnote is based on literature reviews and interviews with a range of stakeholders and has been externally peer-reviewed.