Spanning the 'generations': Reflections on twenty years of maintaining momentum

Spanning the 'generations' is a personal reflection on twenty years as a distance learner. It is a longitudinal case study that chronicles the changes in the technological delivery of learning materials to off-campus learners in Australia from initial correspondence-based learning to recent online experiences. This evolution of delivery technology in flexible learning has taken place in a relatively short period of time, historically speaking. As such, this paper offers valuable insights into the impact of rapid changes in learning technology applications in the 'whole of life' context of a lifelong learner. It also questions whether outmoded technologies should be considered obsolete and argues for a multi-'generational' consideration for distance learners. © 2005 Julie Willems.