Whether distance education is comparable to a traditional form of education has long been a debated topic, and thanks in part to the accessibility of large amounts of previously inaccessible data, research has made strides in studying the interaction between instructional, educational, and hybrid forms of in-person and distance education technologies [35,36].

Beyond the empirical research evidence, however, two themes must be addressed that seem to support a clear preference for traditional teaching, even in the variety of its different forms. When teachers talk to students, the latter say that distance learning would not be their first choice [37]. They prefer to meet in groups, delve deeper with the teacher in the classroom, and do the hands-on activities in the lab; they report that they value the presence of a learning team and that the informal interactions are valuable components of the learning experience as a whole [38]. Nevertheless, some surveys show that even very young students are increasingly asking for distance learning. They want to be able to supplement and even replace conventional learning experiences with distance education experiences. This experience allows them to gain autonomy and motivation to learn where and when [39]. The learning space, in this sense, expands and encompasses essential dimensions that have to do with the uses and effectiveness of e-learning and distance education in general. Students’ learning engagement is today recognized as a critical indicator in the evaluation of distance learning [40].

In a thorough review of the literature, Simonson et al. [41] concluded that “distance education is not different education, it is distance education” (p. 124), and that “research clearly shows that distance education is an effective method for teaching and learning” (p. 139). Another impressive body of work which has attempted to systematize research on the topic is Moore and Diehl’s Handbook of Distance Education [40] which is now in its fourth edition. Among the many pieces of evidence highlighted in this handbook, perhaps one of the most critical passages is the one in which, thanks to an extensive review of recent studies, it is possible to conclude that the use of distance and technologies, in general, does not have a significant impact on learning per se. From this point of view, some authors, and not without polemic verve towards the enthusiastic supporters of educational technologies, call for caution in being too blindly attracted to everything technological. For example, Clark [42,43] provocatively said in an article in the leading scientific journal Review of Educational Research [42] that: “The best evidence today is that media are mere vehicles that deliver instruction, but they do not affect student achievement any more than the truck that delivers groceries does”, (p. 445) and then years later, picking up on the concept in his text titled Learning from media: Arguments, analysis, and evidence [43] stated that: “It is likely that when instructional actions are undertaken using different media produce similar learning outcomes, the cause may be sought in the method that the two treatments have in common…abandon your enthusiasm for the belief that media attributes cause learning” (p. 28).

During the growth and diffusion of the distance education content in the United States, the Association for Educational Communications and Technology concluded that comparative research studies of learner academic achievement tended to show no significant differences between different delivery systems and between distance and traditional education [18]. On the contrary, for higher schools and tertiary education, much of the data were promising in indicating significantly higher achievement in those who learned at a distance. In other words, it is not whether an instruction is delivered in a traditional, face-to-face, or distance setting that predicts learning [43,44]. Consequently, training teachers in effective instructional strategies is critical for a school that makes a “virtue of necessity” and permanently integrates modes of working at a distance with learners due to unresolved emergent health care frameworks.

In order to do this, there must be maximum dissemination about the essential requirements, or hygiene factors [45], accompanying the development of distance learning modalities: distance-learning courses should be carefully designed for specific objectives and developed before the start of the course. It is important to use ways to visualize ideas and concepts when designing the delivery to be provided to distance learners. Schools must prepare appropriate support systems to provide distance students with access to resources and services. Interaction between faculty and students and among students must be facilitated and encouraged frequently. Assessment must be designed for the specific learning outcomes of the individual educational experiences constructed.

In the changing and diverse environment in which distance education is practiced, many questions remain unanswered. It is not easy to arrive at a definition or agree with a single theory on teaching and research on this topic in this environment. Technologies, globalization, and new ideas about student learning challenge established approaches to distance education practices. This theme of change is evident in discussions about distance education and its definition, history, status, and theories that can account for all the elements involved in new forms of teaching/learning.

In conclusion, the key insight we can draw from this brief analysis is that people should better comprehend the advantages of distance learning rather than dismiss it as a minor-league education, especially in light of the post-pandemic realities. Distance education can be as effective as any other type of education. Studies say that learning happens and knowledge is retained. The keys to the success of distance education are in the design, development, and delivery of educational content and are not related to geography or time. The implication of the arguments so far is that when new technologies emerge, they often enable users to be more efficient. However, it is not the technologies themselves that cause the changes; instead, the technological changes occur because of new ways of doing things enabled by the technologies.

A survey of students enrolled in online distance education programs for social work [46] demonstrated how emotions impact distance learning; the survey revealed that some students found it difficult to stay motivated and felt lonely. Therefore, constructivist pedagogy was tested, which included peer- and self-assessment of practice role plays. Data for students revealed an increase in the frequency with which they used interactive technology and accessed online readings. Observing that only the cohort of distance learners spontaneously communicated the content of what they had actually learned, despite the two cohorts of students participating expressing favorable experiences with their learning. These results imply that the continual peer contact brought about by the new approach led to a more profound and long-lasting learning experience.

As a result, teachers should be able to develop learning environments using online forums and platforms. Although many countries throughout the world have been digitizing their educational systems in recent years, these kinds of changes in the ways that teachers educate in the classroom require support and training. Institutions can think of learning communities as a place to experiment with cutting-edge teaching methods and activities since they offer students the chance to participate in a virtual community.

Virtual communities for learning are ideal places in which to develop practices and share knowledge. They are described as a way of functioning in educational institutions that aims to create a comprehensive institute culture, and that encourages faculty to undertake and develop collective reflections aimed at the continuous improvement of their knowledge, skills, and teaching practices in order to respond to the diverse needs of learners and to make learners achieve better educational outcomes [47,48,49].

Within this framework, Bonaiuti [50] distinguished several possible aggregates:

-

Dialogue communities (or virtual communities) are formed by a group of people who share practices, activities, and interests for the pleasure of doing so and who find the environment to meet, share experiences, and knowledge on the Internet. People who participate in a virtual community benefit from exchanging information on a given topic and benefit from the system of relationships established while attending the community.

-

Communities of practice [51] are based on the idea that learning consists of negotiating new meanings in a participatory interaction. In this sense, learning is an essentially experiential and social process, creates emergent relational structures, and contributes to the construction of professional identity through community membership.

-

Learning communities [52]: they are based on the solid sharing of knowledge by the participants and the enhancement of metacognitive aspects (learning to learn) of the learning process. Among the privileged learning models, there is, in fact, the cognitive apprenticeship, which is based on the idea that the learner observes the master and imitates them (modeling). The master assists and facilitates the work (coaching), provides support in terms of stimuli and resources (scaffolding), and finally progressively decreases the support provided to leave more autonomy to the learner (fading).

With the focus shifting from a technological to a social aspect, the research of distance learning has evolved into the study of online learning interaction [53,54,55]. Creating an online learning community involves both faculty and students [56,57]. According to Bernard et al. [58], a community will be strong if its members help to shape its surroundings. Members should establish rules and regulations and clearly define the community’s purpose. This community will remain intact until everyone can see how important it is for them to help one another. Second, we require capable teachers. In addition to managing the community, teachers must also take on the role of facilitators. The third rule is that it is encouraged to tell personal stories. Personal narrative, according to Bakker and colleagues [59], is the light that helps societies thrive. Everyone should take an active role in developing a collegial learning situation. Students and teachers must understand their role in learning experiences [60,61]. Respect for others is an integral part of group work, especially distance [40]. In an online interaction, students may need instruction on communication protocols (or netiquette). Students need to be prepared to use microphones or other equipment in a learning environment using an audio resource (a podcast, for example). In addition, they need to understand their responsibilities to be courteous and well-behaved in communications, both with the teacher and their peers. Similar to what happens in a real-world setting, and even more so where distance poses constraints, in an online environment, students need to be sensitive to their peers and carefully choose appropriate language to express themselves. Moreover, they may need to be informed of any issues, cultural, social, and current affairs that might be important at a given time, thinking of the historical moment we are living and the need we will have to reframe it (also) in school in the coming months and years.

Finally, developing hybrid activities and practices can be successfully accomplished through the usage of learning communities. The hybrid approach focuses on creating a cohesive learning experience which combines face-to-face sessions with online learning materials and activities. Before being employed and spread permanently, these activities need to be carefully planned and require space for testing. A learning community could be a safe environment where they might experiment with teaching with other faculty members or students. For instance, according to some authors [62,63], it is possible for students to engage in “pedagogy of discomfort” in learning communities. The pedagogy of discomfort is a process of self-examination that requires students to critically engage with their ideological traditions and ways of thinking about issues such as racism, oppression, and social injustice. This approach fosters self-reflection in students by addressing affective, cognitive, and emotional needs. Emotions are powerful tools for learning also because learning activities purposefully designed to challenge preconceived assumptions can develop students’ understanding of their place in power dynamics within society. During this reflective process, students (and teachers) may experience a variety of emotions, including uncomfortable ones. This process can be a catalyst for change because the emotions it evokes might challenge conventional ways of comprehending a subject and assumptions made about it. Advocates of this pedagogy believe that emotions should be part of learning, and that if students are emotionally invested, transformation is more likely to occur. Learning communities offer a setting where educational initiatives to bridge social gaps or improve abilities that can have an impact on students’ wellbeing and mental health can be implemented. By educating students on how to take care of their own mental health, identify potential illnesses, and understanding how, where, and when to seek help, wellbeing education aids in the development of mental health “literate” in students. By referring to systems that can assist students as they navigate the educational system, wellbeing education goes beyond students and the development of pertinent knowledge, skills, and competences. A student-centered environment that encourages wellbeing and overcomes barriers to wellbeing in areas like the cultural realities of learners is one of these. As a result, the learning process incorporates qualities like compassion and empathy, promoting both the wellbeing of teachers and their students.