ABSTRACT

Time is a critical factor in e-learning (Barberà, Gros, & Kirschner, 2012; Romero, 2010), both for the teachers and for lifelong learners engaged in e-learning courses. In this chapter we analyse the time factor in e-learning, focusing on the time-management competencies of online learners and teachers in relation to the temporal model of online education and the temporal constraints of the online learners and teachers. The chapter begins by introducing the time-management competence and then moves on to discuss methods for evaluating distance learners’ and teachers’ time-management competencies. We then ask whether the traditional task-independent questionnaires for assessing time management are adequate in the context of online learning, and we introduce guidelines for assessing time-management competencies in lifelong learners and teachers in e-learning. The chapter ends with a discussion of the best strategies for assessing and developing the learners’ and teachers’ time-management competencies.