I will say 'yes', in a way, distance learning has contributed to weakening social relations. The negative part is that communication has diminished to a level of 'needful' - students only contact each other for information regarding issues which they feel they need to get and it is not to interact on a personal level. It remains at the level of educational acquaintanceship...

On the positive angle, students are able to meet others from different social backgrounds and expand their contact base. They meet more students in the course of their distance learning and of course, remain acquaintances or develop into proper lifelong relationships.

While social learning may contribute to weakening social relations because their are restrictions, it is a phenomenon that has come to stay hence the need to see how it can be strengthened for more positive effects.

Social relations describes any voluntary or involuntary interpersonal relationship between two or more individuals within and/or between groups. The group can be a language or kinship group, a social institution or organization, an economic class, a nation, or gender. Distance learners from an institution becomes such a group. As someone who had undertaken undergraduate degrees in Singapore and the UK, as well as a Masters Degree in Education on an online platform with a Russell Group University, I would say that it all depends on how you define social relations, and how involved you are with any relationship you make regardless of distance or face-to-face. It goes without saying that relationships with peers, tutors or supervisors formed face-to-face stay with you longer. However, I would say that my social relation with my Master supervisor has been the strongest, from an intellectual, professional and friendship level. Just like any relationships in life, the key is how much you share on an interpersonal level. I am afraid to say that she and I were an unusual pair as I could tell from my peers in our modular Whatsapp groups that they did not seem to share the same level of social relation. Both Antonio and Oluwatoyin, who responded before me, have made valid points. We can't deny the benefits of distance learning nor the down-sides that come with it. Like seeds, social relations can only be sown and harvested, depending on how much you invested in it in the first place.

i used both blackboard and moodle plathform while teaching my undergaduate students different courses in English . This sounds good and comfortable .