Towards more effective distance education

Distance learning has been gaining momentum in the past couple of decades, in both formal and informal contexts, thanks to the availability of increasingly powerful, ductile and diverse technology. Effective distance learning, however, entails that all actors involved in the process are able both to deal with such technological tools, understanding and exploiting their potential, and to cope with the difficulties entailed by being physically separated from the other actors. Among such competences, multiple literacies and self-regulation play a particularly relevant role. Multiple literacies include complementary areas such as digital-, media-, information- and social media literacy, in addition to basic one. Self-regulation entails for learners to become aware of one's own objectives, needs and achievements, to monitor their own activity, to sensibly manage their collaboration with peers, as well as to act strategically, adapting old competence to new problems. It also entails for learning designers and teachers to work out learning environments and activities apt to facilitate learners in their efforts to self-regulate. The development of such competences should become part of formal education from early years, so as to prepare learners to exploit the potential of distance learning opportunities throughout life, in both formal and informal contexts. This presentation will characterize multiple literacies and self-regulated learning, pointing out, through relevant examples, how they contribute to the viability of distance learning.