Nothing too new in this article - Learning Long Distance. But I link to it not because of what it says (i.e. distance and online education are growing), but rather due to who is saying it. Considering the source (University Affairs), it represents a growing understanding of the value of online learning by traditional institutions. Of personal interest, the concluding quote in the article - "Distance education is leading the way...in the transformation of how people teach and how people learn at the university level in advanced economies” - is the key concept as far as I'm concerned. A first generation view of learning technology is often focused on how it helps the student/employee gain access to learning opportunities. The second generation view needs to be focused on how learning technology changes the institution itself.
(via Downes)