Electronic resources have become a dominant feature of higher education, both traditional and distance learning based. Unlike in the past when universities relied majorly on the physical library and hard copy of books, e‑books accessible through e‑libraries are the dominant features of this century’s institutions of higher learning. This study investigated pre‑service teacher trainees by distance and the utilization of e‑learning resources. A survey research design was used to carry out the study. One hundred and forty four (144) pre‑service teachers by distance from three institutions offering teacher training programmes by distance in South Africa completed the anonymous web based survey designed to gather data which provide answers to the five (5) research questions in the study. The results revealed a high utilization of e‑resources to learn but a low utilization of e‑resources to teach among the respondents. The study recommends institutional based training on the techniques of accessing and utilizing e‑learning resources for pre‑service teacher trainees in ODL institutions.

Life‑long learning is currently being embraced as a central process that could disrupt traditional educational paths. Apparently, the (ideal) type of learning often promoted is deep and meaningful learning, though it is not always required to be so. Deep learning goes beyond superficial knowledge assimilation of unlinked facts; it aims at developing deep disciplinary understanding, transformative knowledge, personal meaning, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, creativity and metacognitive skills. Meaningful learning occurs when learning is active, constructive, intentional, authentic, and cooperative. Technology enhanced teaching and learning methods should prove their potential to transform life‑long learning provision and facilitate the achievement of deep and meaningful learning. In the context of distance education in life‑long learning, one important challenge is the design of versatile quality assurance strategies for e‑training. Based on the experiences in distance lifelong learning programmes in the University of Patras’ Educational Center for Life‑Long Learning (KEDIVIM) the authors present how the principles and attributes of deep and meaningful learning can be combined with project management in practice and be incorporated in an e‑Learning quality strategy. We present i) the methods used to assess the quality of the e‑Learning programmes, ii) key findings of the evaluation process and iii) first research evaluation results on the quality of learning. This research study on learning process quality was conducted by using an online questionnaire, which aimed at estimating the level of participants’ satisfaction while using interactive learning methods such as collaborative learning. Some results of the evaluation indicate that the e‑Learning quality strategy led to e‑Learning programmes that used active learning methods to achieve high learners’ satisfaction towards deep and meaningful learning.

This paper reports on a study to determine if existing technology is adequate for the delivery of quality distance education. The survey sample was 392 respondents from a non‑traditional graduate level. The study included 15 descriptive questions on course assessment and satisfaction. The three hypotheses used Chi‑square to find relationships between interactivity and three other variables: progress, communication mode, and the desire to take another course. Responses showed that taking a distance education course was worthwhile. Findings, recommendations and conclusion are included.

Acknowledging the fact that teachers are at the heart of any educational reform effort, the European Union funded project EarlyStatistics aims to enrich European children's learning of statistics by offering their mathematics teachers a high‑quality online professional development program. A central conviction underlying the design of the program is that learning as part of a community of practitioners can provide a useful model for teacher professional development. Teachers participating in the program will form a virtual community of practice, which will support best practices and innovation in statistics education by providing access to a wide array of colleagues, discussions, and resources eluding teachers in their workplaces.