Open Learning is a leading international journal in the field of open, flexible and distance learning. The Journal is widely subscribed to and read throughout the world by those in specialist distance education institutions, and also by those using distance, flexible and technology based forms of learning in conventional education and training contexts.
Open Learning publishes three kinds of article:
Research Articles: theoretical and evidence-based scholarly articles reflecting developments in open, distance and e-learning
Case Reports: shorter practical articles describing the implementation of forms of open, flexible and distance learning likely to interest our international readership
Book Reviews
Articles are peer reviewed by an international panel of experts in the field, are accepted from contributors world wide and reflect developments in the field globally.
In 2019, the time taken between initial submission and first peer review decision was on average 8-9 weeks.
Peer Review Policy:
All research articles in this journal have undergone rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and anonymized refereeing by at least two anonymous referees.
Journal metrics
Usage
114K annual downloads/views
Citation metrics
3.2 (2023) Impact Factor
Q1 Impact Factor Best Quartile
2.9 (2023) 5 year IF
10.0 (2023) CiteScore (Scopus)
Q1 CiteScore Best Quartile
1.477 (2023) SNIP
1.062 (2023) SJR
Speed/acceptance
28 days avg. from submission to first
decision
240 days avg. from submission to first
post-review decision
7 days avg. from acceptance to online
publication
14% acceptance rate
Understanding and using journal metrics
Journal metrics can be a useful tool for readers, as well as for authors
who are deciding where to submit their next manuscript for publication.
However, any one metric only tells a part of the story of a journal’s
quality and impact. Each metric has its limitations which means that it
should never be considered in isolation, and metrics should be used to
support and not replace qualitative review.
We strongly recommend that you always use a number of metrics, alongside
other qualitative factors such as a journal’s aims & scope, its
readership, and a review of past content published in the journal. In
addition, a single article should always be assessed on its own merits and
never based on the metrics of the journal it was published in.
Usage and acceptance rate data above are for the last full calendar year
and are updated annually in February. Speed data is updated every six
months, based on the prior six months. Citation metrics are updated
annually mid-year. Please note that some journals do not display all of
the following metrics
(find out why).
Usage:
the total number of times articles in the journal were viewed by users
of Taylor & Francis Online in the previous calendar year, rounded to the
nearest thousand.
Citation Metrics
Impact Factor*:
the average number of citations received by articles published in the
journal within a two-year window. Only journals in the Clarivate Science
Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI),
Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI) and the Emerging Sources
Citation Index (ESCI) have an Impact Factor.
Impact Factor Best Quartile*:
the journal’s highest subject category ranking in the Journal Citation
Reports. Q1 = 25% of journals with the highest Impact Factors.
5 Year Impact Factor*:
the average number of citations received by articles in the journal
within a five-year window.
CiteScore (Scopus)†:
the average number of citations received by articles in the journal over
a four-year period.
CiteScore Best Quartile†:
the journal’s highest CiteScore ranking in a Scopus subject category. Q1
= 25% of journals with the highest CiteScores.
SNIP
(Source Normalized Impact per Paper):
the number of citations per paper in the journal, divided by citation
potential in the field.
SJR
(Scimago Journal Rank):
Average number of (weighted) citations in one year, divided by the
number of articles published in the journal in the previous three years.
Speed/acceptance
From submission to first decision:
the average (median) number of days for a manuscript submitted to the
journal to receive a first decision. Based on manuscripts receiving a
first decision in the last six months.
From submission to first post-review decision:
the average (median) number of days for a manuscript submitted to the
journal to receive a first decision if it is sent out for peer review.
Based on manuscripts receiving a post-review first decision in the last
six months.
From acceptance to online publication:
the average (median) number of days from acceptance of a manuscript to
online publication of the Version of Record. Based on articles published
in the last six months.
Acceptance rate:
articles accepted for publication by the journal in the previous
calendar year as percentage of all papers receiving a final decision.
Fiona Aiken - The Open University, UK Chris Douce - The Open University, UK Charlotte Stevens - The Open University, UK Denise Whitelock - The Open University, UK
Editorial Board:
Yvonne Y.H. Fung - Educational Consultant, Hong Kong
Sally Johnstone - NCHEMS, USA
Karen Kear - The Open University, UK
Roger Lewis - Educational Consultant, UK
Fredric M. Litto - Brazillian Distance Education Association, Sao Paolo, Brazil
Alexander Mikroyannidis - The Open University, UK
Michael Moore - ThePennsylvania State University, USA
Bart Rienties - The Open University, UK
António M. Teixeira - Universidade Aberta, Portugal
Mary Thorpe - The Open University, UK
Denise Whitelock -The Open University, UK
Olaf Zawacki-Richter - University of Oldenburg, Germany
Maria Zenios - University of Central Lancashire, Cyprus
Book Reviews Editor:
Paola Trimarco - The Open University, UK
Abstracting and indexing
Open Learning is currently listed in the following services: Academic Search; ASSIA; Australian Education Index (AEI); Australian Research Council (ARC) Ranked Journal List; British Education Index; Caredata; EBSCOhost EJS; Education Journal; Educational Research Abstracts online (ERA); Education Resources Information Center ( ERIC); ERIH; National Database for Research into International Education (NDRI); SCOPUS® and VOCEDplus.
Open access
Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning is a hybrid open access journal that is part of our Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research.
Why choose open access?
Increase the discoverability and readership of your article
Make an impact and reach new readers, not just those with easy access to a research library
Freely share your work with anyone, anywhere
Comply with funding mandates and meet the requirements of your institution, employer or funder
Rigorous peer review for every open access article
Article Publishing Charges (APC)
If you choose to publish open access in this journal you may be asked to pay an Article Publishing Charge (APC). You may be able to publish your article at no cost to yourself or with a reduced APC if your institution or research funder has an open access agreement or membership with Taylor & Francis.
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The Open University and our publisher Taylor & Francis make every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the "Content") contained in our publications. However, The Open University and our publisher Taylor & Francis, our agents (including the editor, any member of the editorial team or editorial board, and any guest editors), and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by The Open University and our publisher Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. The Open University and our publisher Taylor & Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to, or arising out of the use of the Content. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions .
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