About the Journal

Aims and Scope

The Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning (JOFDL) is the flagship refereed scholarly journal of the Flexible Learning Association of New Zealand (FLANZ). JOFDL publishes scholarly submissions related to open, flexible and distance learning, broadly defined. The readership is primarily academic colleagues across all educational sectors. Although JOFDL aims to share scholarly insights from different sectors and different contacts, submissions must have the potential to make a substantive and original contribution to the field, with explicit reference to its relevance to colleagues in Oceania. See About the journal for an outline of JOFDL's definition of scholarship and an outline of manuscript styles. 

JOFDL invites submissions that make a valid contribution to the field. Single or multiple-authored pieces are considered regardless of the institutional affiliations of the authors.

Mission

As the scholarly agent of the Flexible Learning Association of New Zealand (FLANZ), JOFDL disseminates scholarly work which advances the theory and practice of open flexible and distance education. The journal is committed to open scholarship and publishes under provisions of the Creative Commons License and does not have any article processing charges (APC's) or submission fees.

Vision

The Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning (JOFDL) seeks to be an outlet for world-class scholarship in open, flexible, and distance learning and the preferred venue for the publication of OFDL scholarship.

Scholarship

The Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning (ISSN: Print 1179-7665; Online 1179-7673) publishes scholarly submissions related to open, flexible and distance learning, broadly defined. Original contributions related to distance education that relate to the four streams of scholarship proposed by Boyer (1990) are all welcome:

  • Discovery – investigative research, with supporting evidence for new ideas. What is to be found? Discovery research is typically study-based, grounded in the existing literature, and with sound methodology.
  • Integration – the bringing together of existing ideas in a summarised form, with key themes identified. What does what is found actually mean? Integration involves working with existing ideas, based on extensive literature review across disciplines.
  • Application – accounts of how distance education theory has been implemented in operational contexts. How can what is found be used? Application firmly rests on literature, providing an account of how theory has been applied and providing transferable lessons and opportunities for further research based on the experience.
  • Teaching – accounts of innovative practice, preferably informed by student evaluation. How can what is found be understood by others? Teaching research is more than a ‘look at what we did’; it is informed, reflective, and ultimately useful in other settings.

Note that not all streams will be equally represented across each issue.

All articles received must be:

  • well contextualised
  • highlight transferable knowledge
  • have a strong conceptual base
  • be well-grounded in the relevant academic literature.

Contributors in the Pacific Rim are particularly invited to submit manuscripts for consideration.

All submissions are peer-reviewed. The language of publication is English (please note that a high level of English is expected). Articles in Te Reo will also be accepted accompanied by an English translation. 

Manuscript style

Six distinct types of manuscripts are invited.

  • Primary studies
  • Literature reviews
  • Descriptive pieces
  • Position pieces
  • Research notes or reports
  • Book reviews

Please review the detail for each manuscript style here, below the Submission Checklist to ensure you are submitting to the correct category.

Double-Blind Peer Review

We are committed to the integrity of our peer review processes. This requires that neither the authors nor the reviewers are identifiable to each other. Wherever possible, submissions should attempt to ensure they cannot be identified. Clearly, this is problematic where a  submission is practice-based or a localised case study is undertaken, but authors are encouraged to do as much as they can to ensure anonymity.

Please see details of how submissions should be prepared for blind peer review.