Open and Distance Learning: Does IT (Still) Matter?

The evident standardization of Information Technology (IT) in education, by way of the widespread adoption of robust and dependable Learning Management Systems (LMS), has made distance learning courses possible and easy to mount, even in institutions or universities that had no previous experience in online education. However, based on evidence gathered through the ODL-NET Experience project, we were able to identify major usability problems, quite a number of user difficulties and many LMS limitations. The results of the study show that technology is the solution, on one hand, and that technology is [still] the problem, so the saying technology matters is up to date, even if it represents only one component of a complex blend, involving others like educational organizations, learning content, pedagogical strategies, etc.