FROM BAOBAB TO BONSAI: Revisiting Methodological Issues in the Costs and Economics of Distance Education and Distributed e-Learning

INTRODUCTION Th e title indicates the historical dimension, which comprises the development of distance education to include e-learning. Consequently, the chapter is written in two main sections. Th e fi rst (Distance Education) characterizes traditional (Fordist) distance education and describes the methodology, which co-evolved with the corresponding institutional developments. My main reference papers for this period are Wagner (1972) and Jamison & Klees (1975). Th ey illustrate that the strengths of Fordist distance education lie in its potential cost-effi ciency and the potentially high quality of teaching material. Th e lack of student/teacher interactivity is considered as its main weakness.