Möjligheter och utmaningar med distansutbildning : En fallstudie om lärcentrum i jämtländska landsbygdskommuner

This study aimed to identify and analyze opportunities and challenges that learning centers experience regarding distance education, with a focus on counteracting population decline in rural municipalities in Jämtland County. The research questions for this study have revolved around each municipality’s demographic conditions in terms of population size, age distribution, and the proportion of students engaged in higher distance education. Furthermore, questions were formulated to explore what perceived opportunities and challenges staff at the learning centers find in promoting distance education for their residents, and finally, what potential impact distance education may have in counteracting population decline in rural municipalities. This study has been conducted by using descriptive statistics from Statistics Sweden (SCB) to explain the demographic conditions in each municipality, as well as through qualitative interviews to gain a deeper understanding of the opinions, experiences, and perspectives of staff at the learning centers. The results reveal both differences and similarities in the demographic conditions of the municipalities. As well as how staff at the learning centers perceive their work’s impact on the municipalities’ skills supply and distance learners’ access to higher education.