Caring for Students Who Need It Most in Open Distance E-Learning Environments

This Is (Not) Hidden Philosophy

Doniwen Pietersen

• Publisher: Resource Publications
• Year: 2025
• Print ISBN:
  9798385251636
  9798385251643
• eBook ISBN:
  9798385251650
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education Theory & Practice

In a world where online education is too often reduced to transactional and very philosophical, one-size-fits-all instruction, this book boldly redefines open-distance digital learning (ODeL) as a space for radical transformation. Bridging critical pedagogy, care ethics, and social justice, it challenges the status quo by centering student agency, dialogue, and co-creation in virtual classrooms. Grounded in real experiences from developing universities, this work exposes the limitations of traditional ODeL models--where power imbalances and passive learning prevail--and offers a compelling alternative. Through actionable strategies, vivid case studies, and the voices of students themselves, it equips educators to build inclusive, democratic learning ecosystems that nurture both intellectual growth and socio-emotional well-being. More than a critique, this book is a manifesto for humanizing digital education. It is essential reading for educators, administrators, and policymakers committed to making online learning a force for equity, empowerment, and meaningful connection in higher education.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Abbreviations
• Chapter 1: Moving Towards a More Inclusive and Caring ODeL Environments
• Chapter 2: Caring from a Democratic Perspective and the Engagement Of Students in ODeL Environments
• Chapter 3: Dialogue and Care for Students in ODeL Environments
• Chapter 4: Caring for Students and Being Deliberate About Teaching and Learning Approaches in ODeL Environments
• Chapter 5: Pedagogical Action and Social Capital to Promote Care in ODeL Environments
• Chapter 6: Embracing Student Voice and Prioritizing Engaged Pedagogy to Foster Care in ODeL Environments
• Chapter 7: Pedagogy of Care and the Future for Developing ODeL Universities
• Chapter 8: A Transformative Caring Approach in Teaching and Learning in ODeL Spaces
• Chapter 9: A Balancing Act Between a Pedagogy of Care, Students, and Academic Rigor in ODeL Environments
• Chapter 10: Critical Pedagogical Action in ODeL Environments
• Bibliography