ABSTRACT This study identified trends and patterns of theory use in open and distance learning research by examining the research articles published in open and distance journals between 2009 and 2018. A content analysis of 1,393 articles in open and distance learning journals was conducted. Theory use is characterised as a situation in which an author uses a theory to explain the research variables

ABSTRACT The wellbeing of students in higher education generally, and law students, in particular, has become an area of increasing concern in recent years. Despite the growing interest in the area, empirical work on the wellbeing of distance learning law students remains sparse. This paper builds on previous studies around wellbeing in higher education, especially in relation to law schools, by reporting

ABSTRACT As the demand for tertiary education increases, Caribbean universities are choosing online education as a means of increasing access to education. The transition from the traditional classroom to the online classroom has proved challenging for some. The purpose of this study was to analyse why Caribbean adult learners do not perceive online education as providing the same learning experience

ABSTRACT COVID-19 has led to dramatic changes in the way teachers teach and students engage in higher education (HE). To cater for social distancing and learners’ diverse needs, including being in different geographical locations from their HE instruction, different modes of teaching and learning have been adopted. One such mode is HyFlex. HyFlex sees teachers teaching students at the same time in

ABSTRACT Student mental health is a critical issue in higher education. It is understood that higher education can act to trigger or exacerbate mental health difficulties, but research in this area has focused primarily on campus environments, identifying stressors such as halls of residence. Since distance learning students disclose mental health issues at a higher rate than campus students, and completion

(2021). The American Journal of Distance Education. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning: Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 1-1.

(2021). Editorial: Distance learning and language learning. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning: Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 2-4.

(2021). Open and distance education theory revisited: implications for the digital era. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning: Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 105-108.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to present the challenges faced in implementing open and online learning by the recently established Open University of Nepal (NOU), which has been offering limited courses in graduate study, all blended since 2018. University leaders, faculty members, technical staff, and students at Nepal Open University participated in semi-structured interviews to evaluate

ABSTRACT This study examines community college students (N = 292) enrolled in introductory criminal justice courses, comparing access, use and perceptions of open education resource (OER) textbooks with traditional textbooks. Data were collected over three semesters from students in a large metropolitan city using an online survey. The sample pool is largely non-white and eligible for low income tuition

ABSTRACT This practical, practice-based article sets out to define and describe vlogging based on the author’s experiences while teaching a blended learning course. Vlogging is a short duration video recording that engages the learner in critical self-reflection. It is a scaffolding strategy for moving students from a descriptive diary to situated experiences and into a more nuanced iterative reflexive

ABSTRACT This research aimed to explore the nuances of utility in components of e-learning systems by using a multi-generational undergraduate business school cohort programme and an e-learning utility-satisfaction evaluation model. Our empirical research demonstrates differences between the three generations for the utility of all the variables of the e-learning systems components, with varying differences

ABSTRACT This research is a narrative critical literature review of the use of the PsyCap (psychological capital) model to study online university students’ learning experiences in order to understand their persistence. PsyCap (Hope, Efficacy, Resilience and Optimism, abbreviated as HERO) has been proven an effective model of understanding the intrinsic characteristics that motivate working adults

ABSTRACT To counter tuition and textbook costs for degree-seeking students, a specific pathway to a bachelor’s degree in Leadership was developed. The pathway, comprised of partnerships with the high school Leadership Academy at a public high school, community college, and Old Dominion University (ODU), reduced tuition and textbook costs, allowing the completion of the Leadership major textbook-free

ABSTRACT The disproportionately low degrees awarded to Ethnic Minority students are stark, representing an enduring challenge across the entire higher education sector including distance education. This paper reports on a study conducted in a distance learning university in the UK which employed a mixed-methods approach to explore the experiences of Ethnic Minority students. The paper draws on the concept

ABSTRACT The current study investigated the contribution of a mobile application for self-directed and autonomous learning of academic vocabulary among English as a Foreign language (EFL) university students. Furthermore, we examined the long-term impacts of mobile-assisted vocabulary learning, by using a pre-, post-, and delayed post-test design. The participants were 38 third- and fourth-year university

ABSTRACT Students desire free textbooks that incorporate multimedia and interactive experiences. Although there is an increased production of e-textbooks, these resources tend to replicate hard copy books and do not take advantage of the functions that technology offers. There is also a shift to creating e-textbooks that are considered open educational resources. A team of nursing educators and a nursing

(2020). Which comes first, the pedagogy or the digital tool? Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning: Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 199-200.

ABSTRACT The gender and ethnicity attainment gap among undergraduate students in UK higher education is well documented. However, there is very little research examining the international attainment gap despite many universities acknowledging that international students achieve lower grades than home students. Furthermore, evidence for international postgraduate students is almost missing from the

ABSTRACT Adopting the focus on form (FonF) practice model, the effectiveness of game-based collaborative vocabulary learning (GBCVL) was tested as a tool to develop vocabulary size and depth with a focus on dynamicity and nonlinearity of second language (L2) learner motivation. To improve the measures, a mixed-methods approach was used on a sample of 95 English as a foreign language (EFL) intermediate

ABSTRACT One of the main problems of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is the low retention rate of students and a high no-show rate. Meanwhile gamification has been gaining notoriety in the last decade within the education field. This systematic literature review explores the impact gamification has had in MOOCs, how their success is being measured, what are the theories normally associated with

(2020). Exploring e-tutors’ views on in–service training for online student support: a professional development analysis. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning. Ahead of Print.

ABSTRACT In the present era, blended learning (BL) is one of the most frequently used concepts related to integrating Information and Communications Technology (ICT) with the curriculum. Numerous research is conducted annually in the field of blended learning in different regions of the world. The purpose of the present research is to determine the status of blended learning researches in Iran. For

ABSTRACT Training and support will be vital in developing and maintaining a skilled disability workforce in the roll-out of individualised disability funding across Australia. Technology has the potential to deliver training and support that is more accessible and cost-efficient in geographically isolated regions. The current qualitative study explored participants’ experience of an autism-specific

ABSTRACT Getting increasingly common in many settings in higher education, distance language courses have become a vigorous area of research which requires sustained focus. Although the relevant literature has documented well various aspects of distance language learning, the factors affecting academic achievement have remained under-researched. This study investigates the predictive power of the sense

ABSTRACT Given the rapid rise of open educational resources (OER) for informal learning pursuits impacting countless millions of people each day around the world, this study investigated the impact of the initiative that spearheaded this movement; namely, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) open courseware (OCW). More specifically, it explored self-directed learners’ perceptions of the impact

ABSTRACT This research aimed to design e-activities based on cognitive scaffolding and measure their impact on underachieving learners’ grammar competencies in middle schools. The focus was to utilise technology tools in providing underachieving learners with the support necessary to help them improve their usage of English grammar. A set of electronic activities based on cognitive scaffolding principles

ABSTRACT Open Educational Resources aim to offer learning to all, yet the language level used in resources could be a barrier to many potential learners. This paper examines the readability of 200 OER courses in English from two major OER course platforms. We compared the means of readability metrics between these OER courses at different educational levels and subject categories that the platforms

ABSTRACT This article investigates the concept of flipped learning in an online learning environment. It evaluates the case study of the award-winning flipped learning project carried out in the context of a beginners’ level German module at The Open University, UK, during the academic year 2017/18. In particular, the article focuses on the similarities between distance teaching and the flipped classroom

ABSTRACT Studies have shown that learners’ motivation is a significant predictor of the level of engagement in a MOOC. However, the role of motivation in a MOOC’s completion remains questionable. In our study, we estimated the role of motivation in a MOOC’s completion, controlling for the characteristics of participants and their level of engagement with the course materials. The research database

ABSTRACT Peer-assisted learning (PAL) involves a student peer providing some form of support to a student mentee, usually participating at an earlier point in the same programme of study. PAL has been shown to have benefits for on-campus students. However, differences in on-campus and online programme delivery make it difficult to generalise these benefits to fully online distance learners (ODL). Of

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to explore the difference in student engagement between high achieving and low achieving senior undergraduate students who took all their courses entirely online at United States (US) higher education institutions. It aims to evaluate student engagement variables and compare them with student achievement to help instructors and institutions detect areas for improvement

ABSTRACT A capacity-building programme between a veterinary school in the UK and the veterinary school in Sri Lanka was developed. Scholarships for two distance learning MSc programmes were offered to Sri Lankan veterinarians: ‘Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health’ and ‘Livestock Health and Production’. In addition, scholarships were offered to academic staff members at the veterinary school to

Welcome to the second issue of Volume 35 of Open Learning. This issue draws together a collection of papers which consider a range of aspects of enhancing the online learning experience of students.

ABSTRACT This study aims (1) to investigate the different motivations and perspectives for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) that targeted attitudinal learning outcomes; and (2) to categorise learner profiles in regards to their perceived attitudinal learning gains. Seven hundred and ninety-six learners from three MOOCs participated in an author-developed survey that measures perceived learning gains

ABSTRACT This study focuses on an analysis of assessment methods according to expected learning outcomes in courses taught at the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED) in Spain. Based on the European Higher Education Area and its learning-centred approach, the TALOE webtool has been used to analyse the internal coherence of 10 Bachelor’s and Master’s courses. The TALOE tool was developed

ABSTRACT Higher education institutions are increasingly looking for the adoption of new ways to improve education quality, enhance student engagement, and manage knowledge resources. Technological developments have a significant impact on education, and technology-mediated learning is steadily progressing, with blended learning being implemented in education institutions. This article focuses on student

ABSTRACT In this article, we examined school leaders’ perceptions of open badges for teacher candidates. We emailed one of two forms of a survey to principals and assistant principals in five school districts in the United States. Form A used wording about digital badges while form B used the term microcredentials. Both forms included open-ended questions. We compared the results of the surveys and

ABSTRACT This study explored the extent to which distance learning tutors found sharing practice through participating in a tutor-led online programme of online events helped them to develop as practitioners and hence support students more effectively. The regular online sessions, delivered by tutors for tutors, was a staff development initiative introduced at the Open University (OU) to (i) provide

ABSTRACT College students today are much more diverse in their needs than in the past (e.g., they may live off campus, work full or part time, and seek ways to lessen college-related debt). Institutions of higher education are seeking ways to more effectively reach this diverse student population, often through online education. Institutions also realise that faculty are a primary contributing factor

(2020). MOOCs and open education in the Global South. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning: Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 296-299.

ABSTRACT A conceptual confusion of theory exists in South African Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) research in which the concept is used with borderline, related, contrary, invented, or illegitimate concepts such as a model, approach, construct, hypothesis, theoretical framework, or conceptual framework. As a result, some researchers choose not to apply theory, apply a narrow definition, or risk

ABSTRACT One of the core challenges in self-paced online teaching and learning is a decline in learner engagement – the amount, type, and intensity of investments that students make in relation to accessing, reading and learning from materials posted by facilitators during self-paced learning sessions. At Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, a policy of mandating

ABSTRACT A descriptive survey design was adopted to investigate the relationship that exists amongst locus of control, work engagement, organisational reward system, job satisfaction and social loafing among the staff of distance learning programme in South-western Nigeria. Four hundred and forty-seven (males = 184; females = 263) learners support staff with an age range of 22 to 55 years were randomly

(2020). The Routledge international handbook of learning with technology in early childhood. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning: Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 294-295.

ABSTRACT The focus of this paper is to examine the role that models play in informing the approach that post-secondary education institutions take to developing inclusive and equitable practices that successfully and appropriately address the access needs of disabled students in relation to information and communications technology. It reviews the current approach of the post-secondary education community

ABSTRACT This paper offers insights into the establishment of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Chair of Open Distance Learning (ODL) at the University of South Africa (UNISA). The aim of the UNESCO Chair is to stimulate ODL research at UNISA. The paper briefly describes UNISA, which is the largest dedicated distance education institution on the continent

ABSTRACT This study reports on a review of 286 peer-reviewed articles from 2002–2018 to identify the mainstream assessment tools and strategies adopted for language proficiency assessment in computer-assisted language learning studies. Given the diversity of tools and strategies being adopted for assessment purposes, it was highly critical to trace the research trajectory in order to predict the future

ABSTRACT This mixed-methods true experimental study aimed at exploring the results of using mobile technology educationally by looking into learner practices and attitudes towards using iPads in language learning, as well as looking into students’ language achievement as developed by the paperless classroom. Four research questions guided this study. The quantitative analyses were obtained through

ABSTRACT Unisa has embraced the use of online learning and e-tutoring as a new approach to teaching and learning in an ODeL environment. According to the Community of Inquiry Theory, a learning community is important to enhance the social, cognitive and teaching presences for online learning to achieve student success. Online e-tutor and student interaction could provide a learning community environment

ABSTRACT This mixed-method study aims to investigate learners’ perceptions of transactional distance and the association of those perceptions with learner outcomes in an online English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Transactional distance theory formed the theoretical basis of the study. The quantitative data were collected from the learners enrolled in the five sections of an online EFL course

ABSTRACT Open educational resources (OERs) have increased in popularity and are becoming an important method of providing access to, and enhancing, the teaching and learning experience for both lecturers and students. Despite their popularity, approaches that may work best for sustaining OER initiatives in Nigerian universities are still evolving in Library and Information Science (LIS) literature

ABSTRACT This article tackles a critical question:‘to what extent can online higher education (HE) be open and innovative at the same time?’ To provide a more comprehensive answer to the question, the author takes up a notion of discourse and situates the analysis in a specific online HE setting: Athabasca University (AU), Canada. In this article, the author first unpacks how the openness and innovation

ABSTRACT Videos, made by teachers to meet specific learning outcomes, are afeature of the technological enhanced learning revolution that is sweeping through higher education. Pedagogical research into teaching videos has been broadly positive and focussed on their benefits for students’ experience as well as how specific features of films can enhance learning and attainment. Although these studies

Welcome to the first issue of Volume 35 ofOpen Learning. The range of institutions involved in open and distance learning is developing apace and the papers in this issue consider some of the complex policy and practice issues that surround this development. Herodotou et al. (2019) emphasise the importance of research based evidence to guide transformations in educational practice. This issue contributes

ABSTRACT This study explored the perceptions of 51 graduates of a distance learning health and social care programme, identifying what factors contributed to students continuing for the duration of their distance learning studies and completing their degree. An appreciative inquiry approach was used to identify the positive aspects of the students’ experience. Support from family, tutors and employers

ABSTRACT The implementation of learning analytics may empower distance learning institutions to provide real-time feedback to students and teachers. Given the leading role of the Open University UK (OU) in research and application of learning analytics, this study aims to share the lessons learned from the experiences of 42 participants from a range of faculty, academic and professional positions,

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the undergraduate students’ adoption of video lessons. The data were collected from 313 undergraduate students from Education, Health Sciences, and Letters Faculties within a large university in Turkey using a questionnaire with six constructs: ease of use, usefulness, enjoyment, intention, computer self-efficacy and relative advantage. The Technology

ABSTRACT Australian tertiary institutions offer online units to provide flexibility for students unable to attend classes on campus due to the constraints of distance and scheduling. While lecture materials and discussions can be accessed asynchronously, a synchronous element allows lecturers and students to interact in real time. Blackboard Collaborate, featuring videoconferencing, text, voice chat

ABSTRACT Open Educational Resources (OER) are becoming a significant, mission-driven trend within educational literature. To help address rising costs, instructors and designers are looking to OER to effectively replace traditional instructional content, which requires more than just identify and replace. Drawing from 51 OER studies conducted in countries across the five continents, this systematic