Who Measures Distance Education? A Comparative Analysis of International Educational Data Platforms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21114139Palavras-chave:
benchmarking, distance education, educational data ecosystems, educational data platforms, educational indicators, higher educationResumo
The growing importance of online, blended, and distance education has heightened the need for reliable and accessible data to support research, policymaking, and institutional decision-making. Despite the expansion of these educational modalities, few organizations systematically collect and disseminate indicators specifically focused on distance education. This study compares seven educational data initiatives and platforms operating at national, regional, and international levels: the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS); the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat); the Ibero-American Network of Higher Education Indicators (Red INDICES); the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSCRC); the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) / Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS); and Distance Learning in Data (ABED). Using a document-based benchmarking methodology, the study compares the platforms according to their institutional profile, data content, technical quality, and strategic value for the analysis of distance education. The results show that although all platforms provide valuable educational indicators, explicit data on distance education remain limited in most platforms. Most systems focus on general and higher education indicators, while some also include information related to digital skills and labor-market outcomes. The findings reveal a paradox: distance education has become a central component of higher education worldwide, yet remains only partially visible in most educational data systems. The study highlights the complementary roles of general statistical agencies and specialized observatories and discusses the strategic importance of dedicated platforms for improving visibility, comparability, and governance of distance education.
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