Reflections of the benefits of the use of the new learning technologies in higher distance education through the prism of a case study

Many arguments have been made for and against the use of the new learning; technologies in third-level education. This paper will start by briefly reviewing some; of the rationales put forward for using the new teaching and learning technologies in; higher education and some of the lessons which can be learnt from such a review.; The paper will then outline the approach to implementing new learning technologies; taken by one specific third level distance education institution i.e. the approach taken; by Oscail – the National Distance Education Centre in Ireland. For over thirty years,; Oscail has presented traditional distance education programmes. However, over the; past four years it has been converting a number of these programmes to online; programmes. One of the features of Oscail’s online implementation strategy is the; development of different methods of teaching online to suit different subject areas.; The paper will take as a case study a number of the methods used on one of its larger; programmes.; The paper will finish by looking at the real as distinct from theoretical benefits of; using the new teaching and learning technologies in higher distance education and; attempt to abstract from Oscail’s experience some likely directions for the; implementation of new learning technologies in this area.