The Arab Strategy for Distance Education: A Review of the ALESCO 2005 Proposal and Its Current Implications
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| Title: | The Arab Strategy for Distance Education: A Review of the ALESCO 2005 Proposal and Its Current Implications |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Mohammed Ali K. Al-Belushi (ORCID |
| Source: | Open Learning. 2025 40(2):187-213. |
| Availability: | Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 27 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research Information Analyses |
| Descriptors: | Arabs, Distance Education, COVID-19, Pandemics, Educational Policy, Educational Technology, Foreign Countries, Access to Education, Cultural Relevance, Economic Factors, Social Influences, Open Education, Educational Legislation, Human Resources, Audiences, Program Development, Quality Control, Governance, Financial Support, Program Implementation |
| Geographic Terms: | Middle East |
| DOI: | 10.1080/02680513.2024.2316634 |
| ISSN: | 0268-0513 1469-9958 |
| Abstract: | The global knowledge, technological, and communication revolutions underway today have affected education systems in the Arab world and prompted these countries to reconsider strategies and policies related to distance learning. The responses from Arab educational institutions after the outbreak of COVID-19 have also created the need to re-evaluate the content and significance of the Arab Distance Learning Strategy issued by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) in 2005. The current study reviews and analyses this strategy in terms of its objectives, content, and its relevance today in these Arab countries. The analysis shows that despite the importance of such a strategy, the original document merely offers guidance, presented as a proposal to persuade decision-makers at the national level to adopt distance education in parallel with face-to-face education. Both the strategy and the plan of execution detailed in the document focus on theoretical issues related to distance education and do not include specific mechanisms that could measure the goals put forth. However, the proposal remains relevant today, and, considering the ongoing response to COVID-19, educational systems and institutions in Arab countries should consider this strategic guidance as they continue to build national policies for distance learning. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1465983 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Url: https://content.ebscohost.com/cds/retrieve?content=AQICAHj0k_4E0hTGH8RJwT4gCJyBsGNe_WN95AvKlDbXJGqwxwHkvLIrjCIv8DYoflIaQrekAAAA4jCB3wYJKoZIhvcNAQcGoIHRMIHOAgEAMIHIBgkqhkiG9w0BBwEwHgYJYIZIAWUDBAEuMBEEDBDJSVhYQqVNNlB9nAIBEICBmjSJFy8Ynmmva1qVOTGsUzJ6fmaWOuJ90Hmk_N8Rx7Obq8MRz2FYqOwwNIrWl8Cyp5JQu6oYOjkHBMFgKQax0WCtVePYJ0wmG3bDOQrDRKCpLVu_HhgRU2AJIUYG3VKXl0VeW5ZohXGPSR21LtOXSziVDH0L0bLXtZfR2YxtEvoS4WQ-ZDQea_w1caOTwC7imiv0t4t1rbCSnfY= Text: Availability: 1 Value: <anid>AN0183843012;bbx01apr.25;2025Mar21.03:30;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0183843012-1">The Arab strategy for distance education: a review of the ALECSO 2005 proposal and its current implications </title> <p>The global knowledge, technological, and communication revolutions underway today have affected education systems in the Arab world and prompted these countries to reconsider strategies and policies related to distance learning. The responses from Arab educational institutions after the outbreak of COVID-19 have also created the need to re-evaluate the content and significance of the Arab Distance Learning Strategy issued by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) in 2005. The current study reviews and analyses this strategy in terms of its objectives, content, and its relevance today in these Arab countries. The analysis shows that despite the importance of such a strategy, the original document merely offers guidance, presented as a proposal to persuade decision-makers at the national level to adopt distance education in parallel with face-to-face education. Both the strategy and the plan of execution detailed in the document focus on theoretical issues related to distance education and do not include specific mechanisms that could measure the goals put forth. However, the proposal remains relevant today, and, considering the ongoing response to COVID-19, educational systems and institutions in Arab countries should consider this strategic guidance as they continue to build national policies for distance learning.</p> <p>Keywords: Distance education; the Arab world; COVID-19 and education; ALECSO; education policies</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-2">Introduction</hd> <p>With its flexibility and strong appeal, distance education has become a popular educational approach in many countries (Jha et al., [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref1">45</reflink>]; Sewart et al., [<reflink idref="bib81" id="ref2">81</reflink>]; Zawacki-Richter &amp; Qayyum, [<reflink idref="bib106" id="ref3">106</reflink>]). Successive technological advancements have made distance education easier (McBrien et al., [<reflink idref="bib57" id="ref4">57</reflink>]) and, often, more accessible than other traditional methods.</p> <p>Today, distance education is no longer an option but rather a necessity imposed by the requirements of current environments and changes affecting many social, economic, cultural, and political aspects worldwide. However, the awareness of its importance is not reflected in the educational strategies and policies of all countries and educational institutions, nor has it been accompanied by sufficient logistical and technical readiness.</p> <p>Cameron and Green ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref5">14</reflink>]) believe that for educational institutions to achieve the desired distance education benefits, they need to prepare appropriate strategies, build trust, review operations, integrate stakeholders and enhance stakeholder capabilities, and build organisational knowledge based on cooperation. The development of distance education requires the participation of many critical parties, such as governments, international institutions, and society at large. Above all, the planning of distance education programmes calls for attention to equality and inclusion; namely, the provision of education in ways that do not expand existing educational and social inequalities (UNESCO, [<reflink idref="bib87" id="ref6">87</reflink>]). This relates to the basic principle that education is directly and closely linked to human rights as a key driver for achieving sustainable development, which is the basis for peaceful, just, equitable, and inclusive societies; when the education system fails, the peace, prosperity, and productivity of society is undermined (United Nations, [<reflink idref="bib94" id="ref7">94</reflink>]).</p> <p>The importance of distance education in its various forms has been evident since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, which paralysed educational institutions and suspended educational activities, including in-person teaching in higher education institutions in approximately 190 countries worldwide (ECLAC-UNESCO, [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref8">27</reflink>]). The pandemic affected nearly 1.6 billion learners worldwide, representing 94% of the world's student population, and 99% of the students in low- and lower-middle-income countries (United Nations, [<reflink idref="bib94" id="ref9">94</reflink>]).</p> <p>The survey conducted by UNESCO, UNICEF, and World Bank ([<reflink idref="bib90" id="ref10">90</reflink>]) of the distance education models adopted by 122 countries during the pandemic reveals that high- and middle-income countries relied more on online learning during this time, while relatively low-income countries relied on television and radio for remote learning.</p> <p>In the Arab world,[<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref11">1</reflink>] the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted many weaknesses in educational institutions in terms of the application of distance education as well as the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching and learning. UNESCO ([<reflink idref="bib88" id="ref12">88</reflink>]) reported that the pandemic disrupted education, affecting approximately 100 million learners.</p> <p>UNESCO surveyed 19 Arab countries to discover how education was handled during the pandemic, revealing the following as the most important challenges facing the distance education process: inequality among learners, limited Internet access and speed between cities and rural areas, poor electricity infrastructure, lack of readiness among both the teaching staff and the students for the sudden transition to distance education, challenges associated with preparing curricula, and issues with managing and following up on the distance education process (El-Kogali &amp; Krafft, [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref13">28</reflink>]).</p> <p>Education in the Arab world today also suffers from a gap between educational institutions (especially at the pre-university levels) in terms of the use of ICT. This may be due to rooted convictions inherited by many educators who view face-to-face methods of education as superior and more effective, in addition to the lack of funding for modern technology (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref14">3</reflink>]).</p> <p>Parallel to this, the significant population increase in Arab countries over the past few decades has led to increasing demand for education. According to the United Nations population projections, the population in Arab countries represents 5.6% of the world's population, estimated at 444.81 million in 2021. In 1990, this population was 216.9 million, with the majority being relatively young adolescents, and with young people between the ages of 10 and 24 representing more than a quarter of its total population (United Nations, [<reflink idref="bib93" id="ref15">93</reflink>]).</p> <p>Moreover, political turmoil, military escalation, and the resulting humanitarian crises have increased the number of Arab refugees. The Arab Development Portal (ADP) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), based on data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has estimated that 35.5% of the world's refugees reside in the Arab region; in mid-2020, Arab refugees represented 54.8% of the world's refugees (UNDP-ADP United Nations Development Programme -Arab Development Portal, [<reflink idref="bib86" id="ref16">86</reflink>]). Armed conflicts and political turmoil in countries such as Yemen and Syria have negatively affected education. In 2019, more than 16.2 million children, adolescents, and young people of primary and secondary school age were out of school in the Arab region, including more than two million children in Yemen and Syria, respectively (UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund, [<reflink idref="bib92" id="ref17">92</reflink>], 2019b, [<reflink idref="bib91" id="ref18">91</reflink>]).</p> <p>Several educational institutions in these countries have comprehended that they cannot rely on traditional methods of education alone to address this problem. Therefore, some institutions have turned to distance learning, considering its potential to provide education to the largest number of learners. Additionally, COVID-19 and the accompanying disruptions in most educational institutions in the Arab world have highlighted the importance of distance education. This situation has resurfaced the Arab Strategy for Distance Education developed by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO)[<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref19">2</reflink>] in 2005. This strategy detailed that distance education should constitute one of the solutions that could enable Arab countries to address imbalances in their educational systems and institutions. Further, distance learning could provide educational opportunities to many students, along with opportunities for lifelong learning. Ultimately, such an approach could deliver a modern education that enables students to produce more knowledge and thus strengthen the creation of a knowledge society. With several years having passed since its development, there is a need to re-evaluate this strategy and its content in the context of the political, social, economic, and cultural realities currently facing the Arab world.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-3">Literature review</hd> <p>Rapid technological developments and emerging societal needs have sparked a global trend in education, namely, towards providing education for different types of learners. With modern technology, many educational institutions have been able to break the spatial and temporal barriers that once constituted great obstacles for learners (Croft et al., [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref20">19</reflink>]; Mapuva &amp; Muyengwa, [<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref21">55</reflink>]; Weiss, [<reflink idref="bib98" id="ref22">98</reflink>]; Yohannan et al., [<reflink idref="bib104" id="ref23">104</reflink>]), especially in low-income countries (Kisanga &amp; Ireson, [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref24">49</reflink>]; Mahmud, [<reflink idref="bib53" id="ref25">53</reflink>]; Olaniran, [<reflink idref="bib68" id="ref26">68</reflink>]) and countries facing wars and political problems (Al-Azawei et al., [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref27">1</reflink>]; Almasri et al., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref28">6</reflink>]; Kenan et al., [<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref29">48</reflink>]; Omer et al., [<reflink idref="bib70" id="ref30">70</reflink>]). Technology has led to the transition from traditional education to new approaches represented in open education, distance education, and digital education (ODDE) (Zawacki-Richter &amp; Jung, [<reflink idref="bib105" id="ref31">105</reflink>]), which are approaches that are characterised by their flexibility and availability of learning opportunities commensurate with learners' circumstances and capabilities. Despite the overlapping of these approaches (Xiao, [<reflink idref="bib101" id="ref32">101</reflink>]), each one has a different focus, and educational service providers often combine these three approaches to provide innovative and comprehensive education.</p> <p>Open education refers to an approach centred around removing barriers to accessing education by expanding access to open educational resources (OERs) (D'Antoni, [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref33">21</reflink>]; Luo et al., [<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref34">52</reflink>]; Mishra, [<reflink idref="bib59" id="ref35">59</reflink>]; Mullens &amp; Hoffman, [<reflink idref="bib63" id="ref36">63</reflink>]) and massive open online courses (MOOCs) (Haber, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref37">37</reflink>]) that are free and unrestricted. This approach focuses on encouraging learners to actively participate and interact in the educational process, and is based on giving learners the freedom to access, use, and share educational resources regardless of their geographical location or economic status (Nti, [<reflink idref="bib67" id="ref38">67</reflink>]); it thus offers great opportunities for lifelong learning (Kalz, [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref39">47</reflink>]). Therefore, the importance of this type of education lies in its democratisation of education (Barger, [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref40">12</reflink>]) and its impact on knowledge production, consumption, and dissemination (Mwambari et al., [<reflink idref="bib65" id="ref41">65</reflink>]).</p> <p>Among the advantages offered by open education today is its significant contribution to expanding access to higher education, which is often limited to those who have the opportunity to enrol. This is evident in the developing and least-developed countries, where opportunities are limited for those wishing to complete their university and post-university studies (Carr-Hill, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref42">17</reflink>]; Mahmud, [<reflink idref="bib53" id="ref43">53</reflink>]; Sánchez &amp; Singh, [<reflink idref="bib80" id="ref44">80</reflink>]). Open education is breaking barriers in higher education for learners who are financially disadvantaged, those with geographical restrictions, and those seeking flexibility in education (e.g. self-learning). Further, it provides tremendous opportunities for lifelong learning and skills acquisition (Kalz, [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref45">47</reflink>]), which promotes diversity and equality (Ossiannilsson, [<reflink idref="bib72" id="ref46">72</reflink>]) and thus has implications for the development of societies, especially developing, marginalised, and disadvantaged communities (Carr et al., [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref47">16</reflink>]; Dodds, [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref48">25</reflink>]; Moreland &amp; Lovett, [<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref49">62</reflink>]).</p> <p>Distance education focuses on overcoming the geographical gap between the learner and the educational institution (M. G. Moore, [<reflink idref="bib60" id="ref50">60</reflink>]), either through the use of traditional materials such as audio recordings and printed materials, or by relying on technological tools such as video conferencing and learning management systems (LMSs), based on the learning objectives and resources available to the educational institution. This mode of education provides learners with equal opportunities to acquire knowledge (Li et al., [<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref51">51</reflink>]; Willems, [<reflink idref="bib99" id="ref52">99</reflink>]), facilitating self-learning opportunities, flexible learning approaches (e.g. for those with professional commitments or those living in remote areas), and lifelong learning and continuous professional development.</p> <p>Education technology has played a major role in promoting distance education through the huge potential offered by modern educational tools to create interactive learning through multimedia resources, virtual simulation, and other means. Despite the widespread use of distance education today, it faces numerous challenges related to technology, the most prominent being the availability of technological infrastructure elements (R. L. Moore &amp; Fodrey, [<reflink idref="bib61" id="ref53">61</reflink>]), foremost of which is the Internet. Distance education also faces challenges related to the readiness of instructors (Howard et al., [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref54">42</reflink>]; Hung, [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref55">43</reflink>]), the amount of effort and resources required to enhance their expertise in the use of electronic teaching technologies, and aspects related to supporting learners and motivating them to study and participate enthusiastically in the absence of physical classrooms (Banit et al., [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref56">11</reflink>]; Doe et al., [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref57">26</reflink>]; Forson &amp; Vuopala, [<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref58">31</reflink>]).</p> <p>As for digital education, although it was associated at first with distance education (Zawacki-Richter &amp; Jung, [<reflink idref="bib105" id="ref59">105</reflink>]), it has expanded to include the use of technology in teaching and learning regardless of geographical barriers. Digital education is based on the use of modern technologies, such as virtual reality (Díaz et al., [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref60">24</reflink>]; McGovern et al., [<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref61">58</reflink>]), augmented reality (Fernandez, [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref62">30</reflink>]; Geroimenko, [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref63">33</reflink>]), and multimedia (Van Lieshout &amp; Egyedi, [<reflink idref="bib97" id="ref64">97</reflink>]), in virtual or hybrid environments that enhance teaching experiences and provide flexibility to access educational resources. It thus bypasses the traditional methods of distance learning.</p> <p>Indeed, digital education has proven its effectiveness and flexibility during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it enabled many traditional educational institutions at all levels to continue providing education (Maity et al., [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref65">54</reflink>]; Williamson et al., [<reflink idref="bib100" id="ref66">100</reflink>]). Despite the digital divide that stands as an obstacle for many educational institutions in some countries (Hill &amp; Lawton, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref67">41</reflink>]; Van Dijk, [<reflink idref="bib96" id="ref68">96</reflink>]), especially the least-developed nations (Goncalves et al., [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref69">34</reflink>]; Paprock, [<reflink idref="bib76" id="ref70">76</reflink>]), digital education remains relevant today, as a crucial element in the development of the modern educational landscape.</p> <p>The current study reviews and analyses the distance education strategies in the Arab world, focusing mainly on distance education, given that ALECSO saw it as an option that could help spread education in various parts of the Arab world (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref71">3</reflink>]).</p> <p>Over the past three decades, several studies have analysed distance education in the Arab world. Most studies documented its advent in this region, and reviewed the obstacles and challenges it has faced and the success it has achieved in some contexts (Ali, [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref72">4</reflink>]; Hamdi &amp; Abu Qudais, [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref73">38</reflink>]; Ibrahim et al., [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref74">44</reflink>]; Masri, [<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref75">56</reflink>]; Nasser &amp; Abouchedid, [<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref76">66</reflink>]; Shaker, [<reflink idref="bib82" id="ref77">82</reflink>]; Soker &amp; Al-Askari, [<reflink idref="bib84" id="ref78">84</reflink>]).</p> <p>Before the ALECSO strategy, few researchers critically studied the aspects related to distance education programmes offered by Arab educational institutions (e.g. Gani, [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref79">32</reflink>]; Hamdi &amp; Abu Qudais, [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref80">38</reflink>]; Masri, [<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref81">56</reflink>]; Shaker, [<reflink idref="bib82" id="ref82">82</reflink>]). For instance, quality assurance is a key factor in measuring the credibility of distance education and its feasibility for spreading education in the Arab world. However, this issue has received little attention. Gani ([<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref83">32</reflink>]) believes that most Arab educational institutions have not established mechanisms to assess educational quality and have not developed appropriate systematic procedures that guarantee the quality of their academic activities and processes. Likewise, there is a dearth of studies on the strategies and policies developed at the national and regional levels to develop and promote distance education in the Arab world (e.g. Masri, [<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref84">56</reflink>]).</p> <p>After the issuance of the ALECSO strategy, several scholars called on Arab states and their educational institutions to take advantage of what distance education could provide as solutions to education crises in the region. The scholars state that these crises are mainly imposed by the increase in population numbers and the inability of educational institutions to offer enough educational programmes (Masri, [<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref85">56</reflink>]), in addition to the wars and political turmoil that some regions of the Arab world have been enduring (Almasri et al., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref86">6</reflink>]; Ramadan, [<reflink idref="bib77" id="ref87">77</reflink>]). Masri ([<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref88">56</reflink>]) believes that the high rate of population growth and the lack of resources in most Arab countries have negatively affected the qualitative aspects of educational efforts and services (p. 129), also reducing equal opportunities for education access. The issues are aggravated in regions facing war and political turmoil, where large numbers of learners of different ages and school and university levels are affected. Therefore, some researchers have seen distance education as a viable solution to the drop out rate of large numbers of learners based in war zones and nations with political problems (e.g. Syria and Iraq) (Almasri et al., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref89">6</reflink>]; Ramadan, [<reflink idref="bib77" id="ref90">77</reflink>]; Soker &amp; Al-Askari, [<reflink idref="bib84" id="ref91">84</reflink>]).</p> <p>Almasri et al. ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref92">6</reflink>]) argue that ICT has represented an effective and appropriate solution to lessening the impact of war, in terms of access to education anytime and anywhere. Ramadan ([<reflink idref="bib77" id="ref93">77</reflink>]) conducted a study that aimed to analyse the role of Facebook as an educational tool for students at Damascus University during the Syrian crisis. The results revealed that Facebook facilitated communication between students and enabled them to share resources during the war, especially when safe commuting was a challenge for students. The study also showed that Facebook allowed the creation of 'virtual learning communities beyond the boundaries of traditional classrooms during the Syrian conflict' (p. 209). Additionally, Facebook has proven its ability as a 'trustworthy' educational medium during malfunctions of the official websites at Damascus University (p. 196).</p> <p>In addition to these challenges, traditional face-to-face education still largely dominates education in the Arab world. For decades, modern education models that do not adhere to traditional methods have been viewed negatively (Al Salman et al., [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref94">7</reflink>]; Nasser &amp; Abouchedid, [<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref95">66</reflink>]; Tamim, [<reflink idref="bib85" id="ref96">85</reflink>]). Moreover, attempts to implement distance education or e-learning represent only individual attempts (Al Salman et al., [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref97">7</reflink>]).</p> <p>Social scepticism and the absence of formal recognition and accreditation have all constituted obstacles to the development of distance education in Arab countries (Ibrahim et al., [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref98">44</reflink>]). Furthermore, the widening 'digital divide' in ICT between these countries and developed nations, between the Arab countries themselves, and between different social groups in the same country (Masri, [<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref99">56</reflink>]) has led to the failure to establish educational institutions capable of offering academic programmes that adopt this type of education.</p> <p>After the issuance of the strategy, several studies listed the advantages of distance education for education systems, teachers, and learners alike (e.g. Omaira et al., [<reflink idref="bib69" id="ref100">69</reflink>]; Tamim, [<reflink idref="bib85" id="ref101">85</reflink>]). Some studies also evaluated Arab educational institutions that offered distance education programmes, such as the Arab Open University (AOU) (e.g. Gani, [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref102">32</reflink>]; Hamdi &amp; Abu Qudais, [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref103">38</reflink>]; Ibrahim et al., [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref104">44</reflink>]).</p> <p>Several studies have dealt with the effectiveness of technological teaching tools used at some educational institutions (e.g. Almasri et al., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref105">6</reflink>]; Grigoryan, [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref106">35</reflink>]; Ramadan, [<reflink idref="bib77" id="ref107">77</reflink>]), and some have measured the extent to which teachers and learners are satisfied with distance education (e.g. El Refae et al., [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref108">29</reflink>]; Ibrahim et al., [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref109">44</reflink>]). Nevertheless, no study has explored the strategies, policies, and plans developed by Arab education systems on distance education. Correspondingly, the ALECSO strategy has not been studied and the extent of its impact since its issuance has not been measured.</p> <p>After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many studies discussed the pandemic's effect on educational systems in various countries of the Arab world (e.g. Al Lily et al., [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref110">5</reflink>]; Alsoud &amp; Harasis, [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref111">8</reflink>]; Ashour, [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref112">10</reflink>]; El Refae et al., [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref113">29</reflink>]; Yahyawi et al., [<reflink idref="bib102" id="ref114">102</reflink>]). The majority focused on describing educational interruptions due to the pandemic, and how some institutions switched to distance education in its various forms.</p> <p>These studies show that there were disparities in the ability of institutions to switch to the distance education system. While some institutions that were pre-equipped in terms of human and technological resources were able to easily transform, others could not. However, the pandemic has led the educational systems and institutions to overcome their reluctance to use technology in education. Ashour ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref115">10</reflink>]) argues that the digital transformation that occurred within weeks due to the pandemic 'would have taken years under normal circumstances' due to institutions' reluctance to 'unleash their full potential, perhaps waiting for education regulators to take charge of the changes' (p. 9).</p> <p>It has been suggested that non-distance learning institutions should continue to offer courses through distance education, to be able to avoid any emergencies that could interrupt educational processes in the future (El Refae et al., [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref116">29</reflink>]). Despite researchers' persistent calls for the importance of introducing distance education into the education system, the Arab national and regional strategies and policies for distance education have not received much attention. Therefore, the current study aims to bridge this research gap, by reviewing distance education in terms of its philosophy, basis, objectives, content, significance, and implementation in addition to its aptness to meet the current conditions experienced by the Arab world. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first study to review this particular Arab strategy (i.e. by ALECSO) for distance education.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-4">Methodology</hd> <p>This is a qualitative study that attempts to diagnose the reality of distance education in the Arab world by reviewing the Arab Strategy for Distance Education. The strategy document was reviewed in terms of its philosophy, basis, objectives, contents, significance, and implementation in addition to its aptness for the current era that the Arab countries are going through.</p> <p>A thematic analysis has been employed to review the strategy and its execution plan (Figure 1), allowing us to examine both what lies behind and within the strategy document (Cardno, [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref117">15</reflink>]).</p> <p>Graph: Figure 1. Stages of thematic analysis employed in the study.</p> <p>Because 'documents exist not as standalone objects of study but must be understood in the social web of meaning within which they are produced and consumed' (Dalglish et al., [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref118">20</reflink>], p. 1425), this review has considered the geographic, cultural, and political contexts in which the ALECSO strategy document and other documents were developed. Moreover, the strategy was analysed in light of the change that education in the Arab world has undergone during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially regarding the attention of those concerned with planning education to the importance of distance education in the region.</p> <p>The documents of the strategy and its executive plan were first skimmed and then read thoroughly several times to become familiar with the contents of the strategy, and to understand the objectives and the geographical and historical contexts they address.[<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref119">3</reflink>] During this reading phase, notes were made on the documents to identify the items that could be of interest in the analysis. Next, a coding guide was developed to facilitate the systematic analysis of the documents. This coding process is considered the first step of the analysis, and these codes represent the basic building blocks of the analysis (Braun &amp; Clarke, [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref120">13</reflink>], pp. 57–71).</p> <p>The various sections of the documents that are relevant to the objectives of the current study were then assigned codes. This led to generating the potential themes to be analysed, taking into account the inevitable overlap between them. The relationship between these themes was then considered. An initial list of themes with text extracts was then established. This helped in reviewing the themes in relation to the coded extracts of the text and the entire strategy document. At this stage, some codes were discarded and some were modified, leading to the addition of new themes.</p> <p>Next, thematic analysis was conducted to capture the complexities of meaning within the dataset (Guest et al., [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref121">36</reflink>]). Focusing on commonalities between the data (Braun &amp; Clarke, [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref122">13</reflink>], pp. 57–71), the analysis involved examining patterns, relationships, and recurring themes. This facilitated the data interpretation process.</p> <p>The data were organised, processed, and analysed manually without using qualitative data analysis programmes. This helped the authors immerse themselves in the data and deepen their understanding of the contents.</p> <p>The study data were collected from several sources, including the document of the strategy and its executive plan; formal documents of related international bodies such as the United Nations, UNESCO, ALECSO, UNDP, UNICEF, and the World Bank; ALECSO reports on education in the Arab world; and other published literature.</p> <p>Five peer reviewers, all experts in education with interest in both thematic analysis and distance education, thoroughly assessed the thematic analysis. They were furnished with the strategy document and a detailed account of the study's objectives and methodology, with particular focus on elements pertaining to thematic analysis, such as the coding procedures and identified themes. These reviewers contributed valuable feedback and recommendations regarding the thematic analysis and data collection techniques, proposing new themes and advocating the removal of certain existing ones. In response to their suggestions, adjustments were made to the thematic analysis, resulting in enhanced accuracy and validity of the study's outcomes.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-5">Background: a summary of distance learning in the Arab world</hd> <p>ALECSO (Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization), [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref123">3</reflink>]) reported that towards the end of the 1960s, distance education began in the Arab world through programmes associated with eradicating illiteracy. It further reported that the involvement in these countries was limited and sporadic, thus, not constituting a true educational system. There were only a few Arab institutions that offered distance learning. It stated that 'distance education in the educational process is nascent, as distance education institutions are limited in number compared to the population, and the few trials in this field were not complete in some cases, and are in need of more development' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref124">3</reflink>], p. 54). Additionally, it disclosed that 'most of the distance education experiences that took place in the Arab countries focused on university and higher education levels, and did not pay enough attention to the pre-university education levels' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref125">3</reflink>], p. 54). It asserts that 'the current state of the distance education system in the Arab world is generally represented by the existence of some sporadic attempts, most of which take the form of "open education" without turning into a main course of education. It is considered marginal compared to formal education, which almost has complete supremacy in the educational field' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref126">3</reflink>], p. 54).</p> <p>Egypt, Algeria, and Sudan were among the first Arab countries to offer students some form of distance education. The beginnings of distance learning in Egypt date back to 1969 when radio and television were used as educational channels to eradicate illiteracy. At the university level, in the early 1990s, the University of Alexandria offered open education programmes, followed by the establishment of open education centres in universities in Cairo, Assiut, Alexandria, and Ain Shams (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref127">3</reflink>]).</p> <p>In Algeria, distance education dates back to 1969, when a centre for correspondence education was established. This allowed thousands of students of all ages to receive lessons. The number of people enrolled in this type of education increased from 5,000 students in the academic year 1998–1999 to 450,000 in 2017–2018 (Yahyawi et al., [<reflink idref="bib102" id="ref128">102</reflink>]).</p> <p>In Sudan, the actual beginnings of distance learning date back to the second half of the 20th century with the establishment of the Institute of Additional Studies at the University of Khartoum in 1963, the in-service educational qualification institutes in 1972, and the Sudan Open Education Organization in 1984 (Hamed, [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref129">39</reflink>]).</p> <p>The open universities offered the first distance education experiences of note in the Arab world. The AOU was established based on a project submitted in 1976 by ALECSO, to provide opportunities for anyone wishing to enrol in university education. The AOU opened in 2002 and is a private non-governmental university (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref130">3</reflink>]; AOU Arab Open University, [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref131">9</reflink>]). Another distance learning opportunity was offered by the Al-Quds Open University in Jordan, established in 1985. This university aimed to provide educational opportunities for Palestinians who were facing obstacles in accessing education due to an unstable political situation (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref132">3</reflink>]). In Libya, the Open University was established in 1987 and began offering distance learning activities in the academic year 1989–1990 (The Open University – Libya, [<reflink idref="bib71" id="ref133">71</reflink>]). In Sudan, the distance learning project of the Sudan Open University was approved by the government in 2002. In 2003, it began accepting students in its distance learning bachelor programmes, in addition to diplomas and short courses (Hamed, [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref134">39</reflink>]). In the United Arab Emirates, the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University was established in 2002 as a specialised educational institution for e-learning (El Refae et al., [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref135">29</reflink>]; HBMSU Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref136">40</reflink>]).</p> <p>In the context of distance education policies and plans, there is a disparity among Arab countries. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics ([<reflink idref="bib89" id="ref137">89</reflink>]) conducted a comparative analysis of the integration of ICT and electronic readiness in schools in five Arab countries: Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, and Qatar. The analysis revealed that although the five countries had developed policies and plans to integrate ICT into their primary and secondary educational systems, and established regulatory institutions to monitor and evaluate progress, these policies had not always been implemented in practice. While Oman and Qatar put in place comprehensive recommendations to introduce ICT into all curricula for all grades, this did not happen in Egypt and Palestine. The study also showed clear disparities between countries concerning the integration of technology in education. While the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (with small geographical areas and large investments in ICT) have achieved international standards for information technology infrastructure, countries with large geographical areas are still lagging in this regard (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, [<reflink idref="bib89" id="ref138">89</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-6">Review and analysis: the 2005 ALECSO strategy for distance education</hd> <p>The Arab Strategy for Distance Education was established by the Department of Education Programmes of ALECSO. It was presented in a proposal in 2003 at the ninth conference of ministers responsible for higher education and scientific research in the Arab World, where it was recommended for approval. It was also presented to ALECSO's Executive Board in its 80<sups>th</sups> session, which recommended its official implementation in 2004. It was finally issued in 2005. In 2006, the strategy's execution plan was shared as a procedural guide to enable member states to pursue the objectives of the strategy ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref139">2</reflink>]; ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref140">3</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-7">Strategy timeline</hd> <p>Preparation for the Arab Strategy for Distance Education began in 2003. It was issued in 2005, after its approval by Arab countries in 2003, and by the ALECSO General Conference in 2004. The operational plan for the strategy was issued in 2006. The strategy period was set to 10 years, from 2005 to 2014, and provided that a comprehensive review of the strategy be carried out following the data and changes that would arise during the implementation period. The execution plan does not include specific time frames, but rather leaves that to the countries, according to their circumstances and capabilities. Table 1 shows the timeline for building the strategy and its execution plan.</p> <p>Table 1. Timeline for building the Arab Strategy for distance education and its executive plan.</p> <p> <ephtml> &lt;table&gt;&lt;thead&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Event&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;Date&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/thead&gt;&lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;December 2003&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;ALECSO presented the draft strategy to the Ninth Conference of Ministers Responsible for Higher Education and Scientific Research in the Arab World, which recommended approval of the strategy document.&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;December 2004&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;The ALECSO General Conference at its 17th meeting adopted the strategy.&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;2005&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;Issuance of the strategy by ALECSO in Tunisia.&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;2005&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;ALECSO sent the draft plan to the Arab countries to obtain their comments and suggestions.&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;2006&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;The executive plan was issued in Tunisia.&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt; </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0183843012-8">Components</hd> <p>The strategy consists of six sections. The first section introduces the need to develop education compatible with the economic, social, and cultural changes created through globalisation; specifically, the impact of the environment on educational performance today and in the future. The second section introduces distance learning in terms of how it is conceptualised, and its philosophy, objectives, patterns, and target groups. The third section presents a brief review of the current status of Arab and international distance education systems. The fourth section includes the philosophy, principles, and objectives of the strategy itself. The fifth section covers the elements of the strategy that include legislative framework, institutional organisation, human resources, target groups, educational programmes, educational and knowledge technologies, aspects of quality control, research and development, and management and financing. The last section is devoted to mechanisms for implementing the strategy and ways of evaluating and reviewing it.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-9">Significance of the strategy</hd> <p>Among the educational challenges, the strategy document states the decline in educational indicators in most Arab countries, the increasing demand for education, and the high rate of population growth, noting a 'decline in educational indicators in most Arab countries since the beginning of this century, despite the notable progress that has been made since the 1970s' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref141">3</reflink>], p. 9). It also pointed out that there is an 'increasing demand or aspiration for education at various stages as a result of growing awareness of the importance of education and the higher annual population growth rates, leading to a growing burden on educational institutions. Therefore, the phenomenon of the population multiplication in the Arab world necessitates the presence of educational systems capable of accommodating this enormous population in schools, universities, and institutes' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref142">3</reflink>], p. 10). These challenges highlight the need for, and significance of, creating a strategy to address the issues facing the education systems in the Arab world.</p> <p>ALECSO recognised that these challenges could be overcome by creating modern educational systems that can accommodate all those wishing to learn. Additionally, the strategy is focused on creating an educational system where Arab citizens can continue their studies as long as possible through traditional educational institutions or technological media, ultimately providing an education enabling students to be producers of knowledge. Accordingly, the strategy called for Arab countries to reconsider the ways in which they adapt to these challenges. It tasked them with finding ways to compete and survive because new technology-based educational systems could play a major role in achieving this. Additionally, it coincided with pivotal and important stages in modern Arab history that have been burdened by political instability, military escalation (UNDP-ADP United Nations Development Programme -Arab Development Portal, [<reflink idref="bib86" id="ref143">86</reflink>]), and societal revolutions, along with other changes affecting all aspects of life.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-10">The strategy's philosophy, basis, and objectives</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0183843012-11">Philosophy</hd> <p>The strategy document indicates that its philosophy stems from the philosophy of distance learning. In the Arab world, this means that philosophically, organisational and procedural frameworks for distance education should not conflict with Arab-Islamic culture; such education should align with the current reality in these countries, the needs of their people, and their available resources. Ashour ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref144">10</reflink>]) argues that 'any educational model for online learning should be customised to local cultural, economic, and social contexts, and should be easily accessible through the available technological infrastructure' (p. 10). The philosophy also stems from the principle that the primary goal of development should be focused on human beings. The document explicitly states this philosophy, tasking Arab countries with establishing and consolidating distance education systems following their circumstances and capabilities. It affirms that ALECSO 'leaves governments and agencies concerned with the distance education project free to work within the framework of a comprehensive strategic vision, so that each government or agency evaluates its priorities with regard to the target groups, urgent needs, technology, organisation, and management, taking into account its capabilities and ability to provide the requirements of the project' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref145">3</reflink>], p. 80).</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-12">Basis</hd> <p>The strategy is based on several human, social, and economic dimensions. It affirms the right of Arab citizens to education, and the need to modernise Arab society and develop a knowledge economy. The strategy emphasises that 'the Arab citizen has not fully and adequately obtained his rights stipulated in international conventions, such as his right to life, freedom, health, work, and education' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref146">3</reflink>], p. 80). The implication is that 'despite the efforts made by the Arab countries in the last decades of the 20th century to spread the umbrella of compulsory education and extend its term, and to expand secondary and university education in the traditional formal format, the facts indicate a large educational shortage, both quantitative and qualitative. This shortage has led to the fact that the right to education has become a privilege for those who are able, and a cherished dream for children of the popular classes or socially, economically, and culturally destitute environments who are still deprived of this right even at the lowest levels of education' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref147">3</reflink>], p. 80). The introduction of distance learning in Arab countries represents one of the most important solutions to meeting the challenges of the knowledge economy (Ashour, [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref148">10</reflink>]). It also meets the needs of students from different specialisations and promotes training and self-professional development (Dennen, [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref149">22</reflink>]; Yalçın, [<reflink idref="bib103" id="ref150">103</reflink>]). The strategy affirms that 'distance education is the most effective means to address the challenges of the knowledge economy, as it creates educated people to whom it transfers its sciences and technologies wherever and whenever they seek them' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref151">3</reflink>], p. 84).</p> <p>The strategy is also based on 'realism', which captures the need for educational institutions to consider the spheres they operate in and the limits of realistic capabilities, needs, and priorities of interests. However, in the strategy, realism does not mean being daunted by the challenges of reality but rather having a realistic focus on the possibility of overcoming these challenges by 'objective evaluation and technical development, whether in drawing up policies, making regulations, introducing modifications, designing software, or using technologies' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref152">3</reflink>], p. 91). Realism in distance learning systems takes into account the characteristics of the learners and their environments, abilities, and skills in interacting with educational resources. The strategy affirms that 'these learners are often older adults or business owners, they have their subsistence responsibilities, and they may be in isolated or remote environments in which they live as individuals or groups, and they do not yet possess the capabilities and skills of functional interaction with educational resources and programmes provided remotely, without mediator or direct guidance. They need a simplification of duties and responsibilities, which will benefit them in learning positively, acquiring knowledge, analysing it, linking it to life experience, developing work skills, and forming an educated personality' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref153">3</reflink>], p. 91).</p> <p>Despite the descriptions in the strategic document of the state of education in the Arab world, these details remain incomplete without supporting statistics to validate them. Additionally, the strategy document excuses the inability of Arab governments to provide the necessary resources for education. Among the excuses mentioned are that these societies have other basic demands to address, no less important than education, and that government resources alone are unable to meet the requirements of distance education. Further, it excuses 'the meagre contributions made by the private sector to the development of education systems' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref154">3</reflink>], p. 81). The excuses framed in the document are not based on diagnostic studies or a profound perspective of reality. Thus, these excuses contradict the spirit and philosophy of the strategy as detailed, which calls for developing the capabilities of the Arab peoples as the starting point for any comprehensive development in these countries.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-13">Objectives</hd> <p>The main objectives are to expand the distance and open education systems in Arab countries and encourage the exchange of experiences between countries, along with communication with educational institutions in other countries with advanced experience in this area. Other objectives are to link distance education with development, establish more open universities in the Arab world, encourage initiatives that help consolidate this means of education, develop training programmes, and, finally, work towards achieving democracy and making education available to all those wishing to learn (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref155">3</reflink>]).</p> <p>These objectives are important and appropriate at this historical stage in the Arab world, as they are primary goals that seek to establish and consolidate distance education as a new educational system in geographical and cultural environments and contexts originally dominated by traditional education. These geographical regions are still lacking the infrastructure that supports the use of technology and meets the requirements of the new knowledge society (Masri, [<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref156">56</reflink>]). The implementation of these foundational goals will not be successful unless issued through national policies adopted in each country. The realisation of the strategy depends on the governmental will and agreement to make this a collective project not limited to specific institutions or individuals. The strategy asserts that 'the implementation of the objectives of the strategy involves political, cultural, educational, and scientific work that can only be actualised with the approval of the concerned authorities (and this approval is conditional on providing the financial, technical, and human requirements). It also necessitates the development of systematic plans that include priorities, how to apply them, target groups, initial needs, and stages of expansion' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref157">3</reflink>], p. 93). The national policies can facilitate the process of providing the various requirements necessary to achieve the objectives of the strategy. Unfortunately, the strategy does not detail short- or medium-term interim goals, nor does it indicate the extent to which its current goals are measurable.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-14">Recommended legislative framework</hd> <p>The strategy document details the importance of each Arab country creating a legislative framework for distance education. The framework includes what must be done by the authorities responsible for granting initial and final licences to distance education institutions, provided that they cover the basic elements of institutional organisation, human resources, and target audience; educational programmes, educational and cognitive technologies, quality control, research and development; and management and funding.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-15">Legislation</hd> <p>The strategy document urges Arab countries to implement appropriate legislation that enables the establishment of institutions that can provide distance learning following appropriate standards. It asserts that 'the establishment of distance education institutions requires the countries of the Arab world to issue appropriate legislation, whether in the form of general laws, through amendments to some existing laws or regulations, or by issuing specific executive orders' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref158">3</reflink>], p. 96). Given the region's weak convictions regarding distance education and the inability of many education systems in Arab countries to accept certificates obtained through this type of education (Ashour, [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref159">10</reflink>]; Gani, [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref160">32</reflink>]; Ibrahim et al., [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref161">44</reflink>]), the legislative framework in each country needs to include a mechanism for recognising qualifications obtained through distance learning. The strategy states that 'in light of the strategy's philosophy and objectives, to ensure that distance learning institutions achieve their desired goals and that they are recognised institutions and perform their services as educational institutions, they should obtain a legal licence from the state in which they are established, given that the responsibility for granting the licence is an integral part of the state's responsibility and sovereignty' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref162">3</reflink>], p. 96).</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-16">Institutional organisation</hd> <p>The institutional organisation is the higher national administration that 'carries out the tasks of supervision, control, coordination, issuance of legislation, enactment of laws, and imposition of regulations, to ensure regularity and adherence to the philosophy and ethics of this education and facilitate the achievement of its goals' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref163">3</reflink>], p. 101). This administration ensures that these national institutions fulfil the requirements that enable them to serve students and satisfy their educational needs according to their environmental, cultural, social, and economic conditions.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-17">Human resources</hd> <p>The strategy recommends that countries develop qualitative strategies for selecting appropriate human resources to implement distance education programmes, with an emphasis on organising training programmes. The strategy also states that these human resources should not come from those currently teaching in traditional educational institutions, as this will lead to the distance education systems 'losing their professional function, having reduced productivity, and failing to achieve their goals and revitalise their activities. It is not useful for these human resources to engage in transformational training programmes or to rehabilitate them to practice new jobs involving this type of education, because they have been raised for a long time in a work environment that has preserved its sustained experiences and traditions, wherein change will not succeed, as tradition is the enemy of renewal' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref164">3</reflink>], p. 102). This is a blanket generalisation and assumes the inability of traditional teachers to adapt to distance education systems. This appears to be unfounded, as it cannot be assumed that everyone who works in traditional education systems will be unable to adapt to a new system. On the contrary, many who work in institutions that provide face-to-face education have contributed to the development of new systems, and have capabilities, skills, and tendencies towards innovation (Dennen &amp; Jones, [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref165">23</reflink>]). Therefore, it is not necessary to exclude them completely, but rather to select the most suitable people who can help establish new systems.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-18">Target groups</hd> <p>The target groups represent the audiences for this type of education, which can create a degree of complexity. Understanding the characteristics of the target groups will undoubtedly help in the effective design, production, and management of distance education programmes (Simpson, [<reflink idref="bib83" id="ref166">83</reflink>]; Yalçın, [<reflink idref="bib103" id="ref167">103</reflink>]). The strategy stresses that the points of challenge in this respect are 'the participation of students and teachers in assuming responsibility for developing educational goals, interacting positively with their colleagues in the virtual classroom, supporting reflection on learners' experiences, linking new information to understandable and familiar examples, maintaining respect and self-esteem, and evaluating what has been learned' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref168">3</reflink>], p. 104). The strategy also includes 'lifelong learning' opportunities, which represent modern educational trends that respond to the need for continuous development in various fields.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-19">Educational programmes</hd> <p>In terms of educational programmes, the strategy indicates that the design, development, evaluation, and review of these programmes are all part of a basic structure for distance education; therefore, they must be given in-depth attention and special care. Several issues must be considered when designing study programmes at distance learning institutions, the most important of which is expanding the decision-making participation related to programmes to include three parties (the community, students, and the educational institution). Additionally, academic programmes and courses must be designed based on clear educational values, directions, and frameworks, such as training students in self-learning skills, developing their abilities to think creatively, and training them to evaluate phenomena from a comprehensive perspective. Furthermore, the strategy elucidates that 'programmes must work to detect false ideas and information so that students can distinguish between useful and unhelpful information; this is done by developing students' creative and critical thinking capabilities using knowledge and strategies that increase the possibilities of achieving appropriate results, solving problems, and taking correct decisions accordingly' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref169">3</reflink>], p. 105).</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-20">Educational and cognitive technologies</hd> <p>The fifth element of the strategy deals with educational and cognitive technologies, important to consider when designing curricula and with potential to make the education process more lively, effective, and enjoyable for the students (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref170">3</reflink>]). The strategy enumerates the most important educational media and technologies used in distance education. The availability of these varies from one country to another for reasons related to economic, social, political, and cultural conditions. For example, the strong economic situation and small populations in the GCC states may enable them to obtain various types of technologies and educational media more readily than countries with weaker economic conditions and larger populations (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, [<reflink idref="bib89" id="ref171">89</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-21">Quality control</hd> <p>This strategy also addresses the issue of quality control. A failure of any part of the distance education system can negatively affect other parts. Quality control is of particular importance in the distance education systems in the Arab world since these are still relatively new educational systems not yet adequately evaluated; these systems are subject to extensive experimentation, and new, ever-developing techniques that call for finding clear and specific mechanisms for quality control. Gani ([<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref172">32</reflink>]) argues that 'most of the distance education institutions in the Arab regions have not developed any scientific and systematic procedures for quality assurance in their academic activities and processes' (p. 42).</p> <p>The strategy states that the required evaluation is 'one that is capable of measuring the comprehensive quality of all elements of the educational system, including the objectives of this education in terms of their types, possibilities of achieving them, the effectiveness of their results, the costs involved, removing any obstacles in the process, and facilitating ways to develop them. The evaluation should also deal with examining administrative, service, and educational institutions and the limits of their material and human sufficiency, in addition to the quality of planning, organisation, supervision, communication, and educational guidance, and the limits of participation of support systems, local communities, and institutions concerned with the outputs of this education' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref173">3</reflink>], p. 116).</p> <p>Because of the flexibility of distance education and its link to constantly changing ICT, quality control mechanisms in distance education programmes should not be static (Ossiannilsson et al., [<reflink idref="bib73" id="ref174">73</reflink>]), but instead be dynamic and subject to modification and development according to developments in related fields.</p> <p>The strategy asserts that quality control 'must point to areas that should be strengthened, aspects that must be addressed, and ways of continuous development, to face the successive global and national changes' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref175">3</reflink>], p. 117).</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-22">Management and funding</hd> <p>The final elements of the strategy are management and funding. Management effectiveness affects the success or failure of the institutions offering distance education (Rumble, [<reflink idref="bib79" id="ref176">79</reflink>]). The strategy emphasises the need for management to be highly flexible, with a willingness to increase community participation in supporting the dissemination of distance education systems and improving overall positive convictions about them. It states that management 'is required to provide opportunities for public and civil society to express views on the strategy and receive suggestions and perceptions that these parties contribute to enable the strategy to achieve its objectives' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref177">3</reflink>], p. 119).</p> <p>The institutional organisation requires the establishment of parties capable of anticipating the future needs of Arab countries for distance education programmes. It also requires higher government departments concerned with the establishment of distance education to take into account local needs when building their national organisations. In terms of funding, institutions that offer distance learning programmes can be supported by creating total quality management programmes (Padhi, [<reflink idref="bib74" id="ref178">74</reflink>]; Vaidya, [<reflink idref="bib95" id="ref179">95</reflink>]) and relying on effective financial methods to implement their strategies (Panda &amp; Gaba, [<reflink idref="bib75" id="ref180">75</reflink>]; Rumble, [<reflink idref="bib78" id="ref181">78</reflink>]).</p> <p>The strategy asserts that these institutions are 'required to adopt effective financial and financing methods to rationalise spending on the implementation of the aspects of their strategies, to follow all modern techniques in this regard, and to consider the issue of educational waste and ways to reduce it, especially since the issue of cost is a critical element in the continuity or non-continuity of the learner. Simultaneously, it becomes necessary to involve civil society institutions and regional and international organisations in supporting and procuring the financial resources necessary for the operation of their strategies' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref182">3</reflink>], p. 120).</p> <p>These elements include the basic aspects of a strategy for an Arab country to establish a robust system for distance education. However, measures for these elements are not provided in the document. Thus, the lack of measurability reduces their benefit, making the strategy just a document of 'guidelines' for preparing distance education strategies in the Arab world.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-23">Strategy implementation mechanism</hd> <p>The document states that it is not possible to provide an accurate methodological description of the implementation mechanisms due to a lack of clarity around the views of Arab countries towards distance education. It does state that a country can act independently in creating its system and strategy, a group of countries (such as the GCC states) can follow one strategy, or all Arab countries can agree on a unified strategy.</p> <p>However, a year after the issuance of the strategy, ALECSO developed an execution plan that included guidance on ways that countries could implement their distance education strategies. The document states that the implementation of the strategy requires practical operational procedures to facilitate the achievement of the objectives. Among these is the establishment of a national dialogue in which concerned authorities and individuals can participate and identify the priorities in the distance education sector. It asserted that such a 'dialogue can contribute effectively to clarifying all aspects on which opinions differ, and contribute to reaching agreed results. This would lead to the preparation of a clear national strategy with specific priorities and means of implementation that are acceptable to all' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref183">3</reflink>], p. 123).</p> <p>Other measures include the dissemination of the concepts of distance education and open education among groups of society on an equal basis. This dissemination should aim to 'demonstrate the importance of the academic certificates offered by this type of education, and acknowledge them in a way that leads to changing the prevailing attitudes against this type of education' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref184">3</reflink>], p. 123). Additionally, public organisations with administrative powers, central funding, and financial independence can be created so that they can assume responsibility for implementing the tasks detailed in the strategy. This will also enable those organisations to propose the legal and institutional frameworks needed to develop distance education systems and institutions, and to enable them to prepare and qualify human resources who will work in these new educational systems.</p> <p>When the issue of implementing the strategy is raised, the legitimacy of the League of Arab States and its institutions to develop comprehensive Arab strategies should be questioned. ALECSO (Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization), [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref185">3</reflink>]) did not discuss this with the Arab countries systematically (namely, it did not address speculations on the mechanisms of implementing the strategy). The execution plan indicates that ALECSO sent the strategy document before its approval to the member states and received responses from only six countries. This provides further evidence of the role of the strategy as theoretical rather than practical. However, one positive point of the strategy is its realism. Reaching an agreement among so many countries will probably take a long time and require enormous effort. Therefore, this guiding document has been a necessary first step (in the form of a strategy) to expanding distance education in the Arab world. The strategy document states that 'this new strategy for distance education is developed for the first time in the Arab world as a new project for the development of higher education in line with the requirements of the current era. It contains facts and new and serious ideas for this development, which cannot be achieved and be of real and effective benefit unless the strategy is put into actual implementation and continuous and serious evaluation and follow-up are ensured. The means and methods of implementation must be clear to all the stakeholders involved in its implementation' (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref186">3</reflink>], p. 121).</p> <p>The implementation mechanisms discussed are important and an indispensable starting point, albeit characterised by a general lack of detail. Additionally, as referenced in its fourth section, the strategy allows governments to assess their priorities and needs in a manner that accounts for their realities and capabilities. The implementation mechanisms should be flexible and modifiable in line with national strategic frameworks, and in a manner that suits the circumstances and capabilities of each country and its existing educational system (ALECSO Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref187">3</reflink>]).</p> <p>Therefore, the strategy can be viewed as a general framework or a guide to action that can be a basis for designing national policies and strategies related to distance education in each Arab country.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-24">Evaluation and review mechanism</hd> <p>The document stresses that the evaluation of Arab national strategies for distance education is an inevitable necessity justified by the funds required to establish this type of education. It is also justified by the aspirations to be achieved, which include providing education to the Arab peoples wherever they are and at any time. The systematic evaluation of national strategies requires organisational and procedural mechanisms to ensure their quality, initial evaluation, continuous evaluation, and periodic evaluation. These three evaluation methods are common, prevailing methods in all educational institutions, even traditional ones (Comfort, [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref188">18</reflink>]). They are equally important, as the processes of self-evaluation and external evaluation overlap (Jung &amp; Latchem, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref189">46</reflink>]). Unfortunately, the strategy document marginalises academic accreditation as an important path in the assessment process, usually performed through external national and international accreditation institutions.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-25">Strategy update</hd> <p>Although 17 years have passed since its issuance, this strategy has not been updated as of today. ALECSO, as the developer of the strategy, has not issued any report on its achievement in the Arab world in general or at any national level. Moreover, the strategy's period was set to 10 years ([<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref190">3</reflink>]–2014) and this is a relatively long period for a strategy concerned with distance education systems in the Arab world, for two reasons. The first is that the distance education system is largely based on the use of technology in education, which is witnessing rapid successive and continuous developments that necessitate updates to benefit from them. This means that what may be called for today in terms of implementation may be obsolete and non-essential in a few years. The other issue is that current societal, political, economic, and cultural changes taking place in the Arab world are rapid and successive, reducing the sensibility of relying on such a long-term plan perspective.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-26">Limitations and future studies</hd> <p>This study had several limitations. It relied on the documentary analysis of the Arab Strategy for Distance Education and its execution plan. It examined some of the education strategies and policies developed by some Arab world countries and documents of international organisations such as UNESCO, the World Bank, and others. Although this type of analysis is important in that it is 'straightforward, efficient, cost-effective and manageable', it can have some flaws because these documents 'are not produced specifically for research purposes, they may contain insufficient detail to be of use – especially when the research project is relying exclusively on documentary sources of data' (Cardno, [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref191">15</reflink>], p. 627).</p> <p>This study relied on scattered data and information collected from different sources; the absence of institutions wholly devoted to managing distance education in the Arab world has led to the difficulty of obtaining comprehensive data (e.g. accurate and up-to-date official statistics about the number of educational institutions providing distance education, the number of students enrolled in these institutes, the resources available to them, and the challenges they are facing) necessary to conduct a more in-depth analysis.</p> <p>Moreover, this study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic; thus, it was difficult to obtain the necessary data through systematic reviews with senior education and policy officials due to extensive closures. Additionally, the recent experience of distance education in most Arab educational institutions (distance education in these institutions only began during the pandemic) has led to an inability to measure the successes and failures of these institutions.</p> <p>Another limitation was the lack of previous studies on the Arab Strategy for Distance Education and the absence of distance education strategies in Arab countries. This led to the inability to make comparisons between countries in terms of their strategies and approaches towards distance education. Therefore, this study recommends conducting future studies that follow mixed quantitative and qualitative research methods that should be based on surveys, interviews, and field visits.</p> <p>Finally, this study is the first to review the ALECSO strategy covering the Arab world; as such, it has not focused on any particular country and the results are general rather than specific. Therefore, future studies should focus on the impact of distance education strategies on individual countries.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-27">Practical applications</hd> <p>The strategy introduced the concept of modern educational technologies to Arab countries and played a pivotal role in initiating distance education systems. In response to the societal changes of the new millennium, this strategy raised awareness of the potential of technology-enhanced education. However, practical implementation has been challenging due to certain limitations.</p> <p>First, the strategy lacks the customary components found in other strategies, such as defined measurements and timelines, making it more of a guiding document than a practical implementation plan. ALECSO's limited authority to mandate unified educational systems among its member states (Mustafa, [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref192">64</reflink>]) further complicates practical implementation.</p> <p>Additionally, parts of the strategy, particularly in its initial sections, rely heavily on impressions rather than concrete evidence, such as statistics or survey results. The scarcity of data and reluctance of some countries to share educational information contribute to this issue.</p> <p>However, the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that changes previously deemed difficult or impossible can indeed be viable. Responses from Arab education systems during the pandemic provide insights into building effective distance education strategies.</p> <p>Over time, it is vital that strategy updates reflect the evolving distance education landscape and shifting dynamics in the Arab world. Future plans should emphasise clear objectives, policies, implementation methods, assessment criteria, and practical timelines. Arab nations have the cultural and financial means to innovate in education, but achieving progress necessitates government dedication, national strategies, resource allocation, support structures, awareness campaigns, and thorough evaluations, promoting educational equity for all.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-28">Conclusions</hd> <p>The 2005 strategy by ALECSO raised awareness about modern educational technologies and distance education systems in Arab countries, but practical implementation faces challenges, including the absence of standard components, limited authority, and reliance on impressions over evidence.</p> <p>The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the potential for change in education systems, emphasising the need for effective strategies for distance education.</p> <p>To address these challenges, future strategies must align with current developments in distance education and respond to societal changes in the Arab world. They should have clear objectives, policies, implementation mechanisms, evaluation criteria, and realistic timeframes.</p> <p>Arab countries possess the cultural and financial resources needed to develop innovative education systems, but progress requires government commitment, national strategies, resource allocation, support mechanisms, awareness campaigns, and comprehensive evaluations, promoting equality and justice in education for all.</p> <hd id="AN0183843012-29">Disclosure statement</hd> <p>No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).</p> <ref id="AN0183843012-30"> <title> Notes </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref11" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> The Arab world refers to a group of 22 Arab countries that are members of the League of Arab States, a regional organisation established in 1945 with the aim of coordinating political, economic, social, and cultural issues among member states (League of Arab States, [50]).</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref19" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> The ALECSO is concerned with coordinating efforts among member states (of the League of Arab States) in the fields of education, culture, and science, contributing to building a knowledge society; developing education; encouraging scientific research; and proposing cultural, educational, and scientific agreements and treaties between member states. 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Her research focuses on academic leadership, continuous improvement, and academic accreditation. nawalalhooti@moe.om</p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib45" firstref="ref1"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib81" firstref="ref2"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl3" bibid="bib106" firstref="ref3"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl4" bibid="bib57" firstref="ref4"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl5" bibid="bib14" firstref="ref5"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl6" bibid="bib87" firstref="ref6"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl7" bibid="bib94" firstref="ref7"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl8" bibid="bib27" firstref="ref8"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl9" bibid="bib90" firstref="ref10"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl10" bibid="bib88" firstref="ref12"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl11" bibid="bib28" firstref="ref13"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl12" bibid="bib93" firstref="ref15"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl13" bibid="bib86" firstref="ref16"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl14" bibid="bib92" firstref="ref17"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl15" bibid="bib91" 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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: The Arab Strategy for Distance Education: A Review of the ALESCO 2005 Proposal and Its Current Implications – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mohammed+Ali+K%2E+Al-Belushi%22">Mohammed Ali K. Al-Belushi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8855-2541">0000-0002-8855-2541</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nawal+Ahmed+Al-Hooti%22">Nawal Ahmed Al-Hooti</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1515-0688">0000-0003-1515-0688</externalLink>) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Open+Learning%22"><i>Open Learning</i></searchLink>. 2025 40(2):187-213. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 27 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Information Analyses – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Arabs%22">Arabs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Distance+Education%22">Distance Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Policy%22">Educational Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Technology%22">Educational Technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Education%22">Access to Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+Relevance%22">Cultural Relevance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Economic+Factors%22">Economic Factors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Influences%22">Social Influences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Open+Education%22">Open Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Legislation%22">Educational Legislation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human+Resources%22">Human Resources</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Audiences%22">Audiences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Development%22">Program Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Quality+Control%22">Quality Control</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Governance%22">Governance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Financial+Support%22">Financial Support</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Implementation%22">Program Implementation</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+East%22">Middle East</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1080/02680513.2024.2316634 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 0268-0513<br />1469-9958 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The global knowledge, technological, and communication revolutions underway today have affected education systems in the Arab world and prompted these countries to reconsider strategies and policies related to distance learning. The responses from Arab educational institutions after the outbreak of COVID-19 have also created the need to re-evaluate the content and significance of the Arab Distance Learning Strategy issued by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) in 2005. The current study reviews and analyses this strategy in terms of its objectives, content, and its relevance today in these Arab countries. The analysis shows that despite the importance of such a strategy, the original document merely offers guidance, presented as a proposal to persuade decision-makers at the national level to adopt distance education in parallel with face-to-face education. Both the strategy and the plan of execution detailed in the document focus on theoretical issues related to distance education and do not include specific mechanisms that could measure the goals put forth. However, the proposal remains relevant today, and, considering the ongoing response to COVID-19, educational systems and institutions in Arab countries should consider this strategic guidance as they continue to build national policies for distance learning. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1465983 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1465983 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/02680513.2024.2316634 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 27 StartPage: 187 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Arabs Type: general – SubjectFull: Distance Education Type: general – SubjectFull: COVID-19 Type: general – SubjectFull: Pandemics Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Policy Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Technology Type: general – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries Type: general – SubjectFull: Access to Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Cultural Relevance Type: general – SubjectFull: Economic Factors Type: general – SubjectFull: Social Influences Type: general – SubjectFull: Open Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Legislation Type: general – SubjectFull: Human Resources Type: general – SubjectFull: Audiences Type: general – SubjectFull: Program Development Type: general – SubjectFull: Quality Control Type: general – SubjectFull: Governance Type: general – SubjectFull: Financial Support Type: general – SubjectFull: Program Implementation Type: general – SubjectFull: Middle East Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: The Arab Strategy for Distance Education: A Review of the ALESCO 2005 Proposal and Its Current Implications Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mohammed Ali K. Al-Belushi – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Nawal Ahmed Al-Hooti IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0268-0513 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1469-9958 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 40 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Open Learning Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
