Call for Papers: eLearn Magazine Special Issue
Special Issue on Distance Education in Higher Education in Latin America: Realities, opportunities, and challenges
We are inviting authors to submit articles for publication in a Special Issue focusing on the use of “Distance Education in Higher Education in Latin America: Realities, opportunities, and challenges.”
Higher education in Latin America has experienced a skyrocketing growth over the last two decades, with the gross enrollment rate increasing from 23% to 52% between 2000 and 2018. While much of this growth has occurred in traditional, in-person programs, distance education is playing an increasingly relevant role in the expansion of higher education in the region. However, the rise of distance higher education has brought several challenges. While distance education has the potential to democratize access to higher education, access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) varies widely across socio-economic groups. This digital divide creates disparities in who can benefit from distance education. Moreover, the rapid growth of distance education has allowed the entry of new providers, often without regulatory oversight, raising concerns about the quality and consistency of education being offered. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated discussions and developments around distance education in the region, highlighting both its potential and its limitations. This period has acted as a catalyst, pushing institutions to innovate and adapt at an unprecedented pace, but often without the capacity or resources to do so in a way to preserve quality. This special issue aims to explore the multifaceted realities, opportunities, and challenges that distance education brings to higher education in Latin America, one of the most unequal regions in the world.
We invite contributions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
Access and Equity: How does distance education impact access to higher education across different socio-economic groups? What are the barriers and facilitators to accessing ICTs, and how do these affect educational outcomes?
Regulation and Quality Assurance: What regulatory frameworks exist for distance education in various Latin American countries? How do these frameworks impact the quality of education provided by new and existing institutions?
Technological Innovation and Pedagogical Practices: What innovative technologies and pedagogical practices are employed in distance education? How are these impacting teaching and learning experiences?
Institutional Responses to COVID-19: How have higher education institutions in Latin America adapted to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic? What lessons have been learned, and what lasting changes are expected?
Future Directions: What are the future trends in distance education for higher education in Latin America? How can policies and practices be shaped to ensure inclusive and high-quality education for all?
As indicated by the sample topics, the focus of this Special Issue goes beyond generalized best practices of integrating Gen AI to share best practices and inspire other teachers and practitioners in the world. All articles should focus on a specific Gen AI and explore its impact, value, and potential in the eLearning environment.
Deadlines
- Article submission deadline: March 1, 2025
Article Preparation
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Articles must be written in clear English. For this Special Issue, authors will send articles in Spanish or Portuguese if they prefer. The editors will work with the authors to translate articles into English.
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Connect recommendations, challenges, or solutions to theory, research, or data.
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Provide practical advice, resources, tools, and strategies to address the problem.
Maximum length of submission is 2000 words or less (excluding references). Articles should be written in a newsletter style (less formal and comprehensive than a traditional journal article) targeting a general audience. Article submissions must be accompanied by an article title (10 words or less) and a brief article summary.
Article Submission
Please submit your paper
here.
Peer Review
A double-blind, peer-review process evaluates all submissions. Prior to dissemination to the reviewers, the co-editors will conduct a preliminary appraisal of the content, substance, and appropriateness of the Special Issue. If the article is inappropriate, the author will be informed, and the article will be returned. Appropriate articles will be sent to two reviewers for blind evaluation.
Articles will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
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Focus – Does the article focus on the realities, opportunities, and challenges of distance education in higher education in Latin America?
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Value – Does the article offer significant value to those involved in distance education and practitioners? Are the recommendations appropriate?
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Relevance – Is the article grounded in relevant scholarly literature, theoretical foundations, or empirical data?
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Current – Is the article thorough and current?
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Professional – Is the article professionally written, well-organized, easy to read and free from errors in grammar or spelling?
Contact Information
If you have any questions or need additional information, please get in touch with the Special Issue Editors, Simone C. O. Conceição and Dante J. Salto:
elearnmag-deinla@uwm.edu.
An ACM Publication
