Beginning with Volume 14 of Distance Learning journal, there will be a slight shift of focus; the journal will emphasize content related to distance education in the health professions. The expanded interest in telehealth and telemedicine is not intended to reduce the stress on traditional aspects of distance learning; rather, this new emphasis is to recognize the phenomenal impact of distance education has on the health professions.
Distance Learning journal also has a new sponsoring partner, the College of Health Care Sciences at Nova Southeastern University. To support this new partner, the journal has a new member of the editorial team, Eunice Luyegu, who will serve as college editor. Dr. Luyegu will write a periodic column for the journal and will edit periodic issues of the journal that will concentrate on telemedicine and telehealth.
The members of the editorial team would also like to acknowledge the Fischler College of Education at Nova Southeastern University, which was a founding partner of Distance Learning journal. The Fischler College supported the journal for 13 years, and remains the home of the journal’s editorial offices.
Distance education is a dynamic field that has evolved. Distance Learning journal has also evolved. In the journal’s case, evolution means expansion, specifically an expansion into literature about the practice of telemedicine and telehealth.
Definitions of fields can help explain what is the appropriate literature for that field. The long-standing definition of distance education promoted by this journal is: “institutionally-based, formal education where the learning group is separated and where interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors.”
Distance education has two components: distance teaching and distance learning. Articles about distance teaching and distance learning have been published in Distance Learning journal for 13 years, and this will continue.
Moreover, beginning with Volume 14, the 2017 volume year, Distance Learning journal will expand its editorial focus to include telemedicine/telehealth. Telemedicine is defined as: “the use of electronic information and communications technologies to provide and support health care when distance separates the participants” (Grisby & Sanders, 1998, p. 123). Distance Learning journal will publish articles that reflect this definition, especially manuscripts that relate to distance teaching and learning in the health professions, a subset of telemedicine.
The members of the editorial team are enthusiastic about the expanded focus of the journal. Furthermore, Distance Learning journal will continue to provide important information from practitioners for practitioners.
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