In this mixed-methods study, the researchers examined students’ perceptions of the importance of engagement using existing learner-to-learner, learner-to-instructor, and learner-to-content frameworks. To optimise the most effective ways to engage online learners, the researchers identified the engagement strategies that are most valuable and least valuable conducive to an online learning environment. Furthermore, they sought to understand if there would be any differences in responses based on students’ demographics, which include gender, age, and experience with online courses. A total of 48 graduate students in the Teacher Education program at a university in North America were invited to participate in the survey, and 27 students chose to participate. The findings showed that participants highly valued having a choice in reading materials for discussions, consistent instructor announcements and reminders, a dedicated space for student-instructor questions, and relevant assignments. Less valuable were an overemphasis on video content, peer-to-peer discussions, and the grading process. Notably, female participants prioritised individual team member performance more than others, while those aged 21-30 found multi-modal feedback most valuable. Participants who had taken 11-15 online courses especially appreciated student-moderated discussions. The findings in this study warrant further examination into practical implications where learning can be collaborative yet individualised, dynamic, and empowering.
This article reports on research that examined the unique experiences of Chinese international students learning Pacific languages at the University of Auckland. In response to COVID-19 border restrictions between 2020 and 2021, the university transitioned classes into online delivery. This study explores the question: how do online Pacific language learning experiences of Chinese international students compare with in face-to-face classroom settings? Drawing on my own critical autoethnographic reflections and an interview with a Chinese international student who studied a Pacific language in this setting, this article argues that the lack of interactions in the online setting was the biggest challenge to their learning, posing practical barriers to building vā/wā (relational space), which is integral to the effectiveness of learning in a Pacific setting. Furthermore, online learning bereft of in-person cultural exchange could potentially accentuate cultural complexity for Chinese students studying Pacific languages in Aotearoa New Zealand, as they are negotiating their Pacific language learning between learned Chinese, developing Western and being exposed to Pacific pedagogical approaches for the first time.
Open pedagogy, characterised by students creating or co-creating artefacts that others may use, offers transformative opportunities for students to move beyond passive learning into active content creation. This qualitative study examines the experiences of 25 undergraduate students who engage with open pedagogy principles, including creation-centred learning, collaboration, audience engagement, and the integration of Open Educational Resources (OER) and Creative Commons (CC) licensing. Using surveys and interviews, we identified three key themes: the importance of real audiences, authentic connections over prescribed collaborations, and rethinking the role of Creative Commons. Findings suggest that open pedagogy enhances student engagement and provides meaningful, real-world applications for academic assignments, but additional emphasis on CC licensing education is needed. Implications for pedagogy and instructional design are discussed.
Textbook costs remain a significant barrier to student success in higher education. Open Educational Resources (OER) offer a promising solution by reducing costs and allowing content adaptation. This study examines the perceptions and use of OER by 70 faculty members at a small liberal arts college (Franklin College) through a campus-wide survey assessing faculty knowledge, motivations, challenges, and experiences with OER. Results show growing awareness and use of OER, especially for improving student affordability and access. However, many faculty still need more support to adopt and adapt OER in their courses fully. The study identified a group of experienced faculty who are not only using OER but also actively adapting and remixing materials to fit their teaching needs. Most discovered OER through online repositories, general internet searches, and recommendations from colleagues. Overall, faculty rated the quality of OER positively, though gaps in subject-specific content and in alternative formats such as datasets and assessments remain. Based on these findings, the study offers recommendations, including institution-based training programmes, peer-led workshops led by experienced faculty, and incentives for OER adoption and creation. Overall, faculty are motivated by equity and effectiveness, and with proper support, can play a key role in expanding OER use. These insights offer a roadmap for institutions seeking to scale OER use while fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative teaching culture.
This editorial interrogates the current state of accessibility within Open, Flexible, and Distance Learning (OFDL), arguing that the sector is grappling with "academic ableism", a structural force that privileges normative body-minds while actively disabling others. Moving beyond the "retrofit" model of legal accommodation, the piece advocates for a framework rooted in epistemic justice and critical disability studies. The editorial synthesises contributions to this issue, including research on the faculty labour required for Open Educational Resources (OER), the application of Design Thinking and personas in MOOCs, and the decolonising potential of Ubuntu-based co-creation in the Global South. It explores culturally responsive storytelling and Pacific methodologies, such as Talanoa, as essential for ensuring psychological safety. Finally, the author addresses the paradox of Generative AI as both a potential "cognitive orthotic" and a threat to human connection, concluding with a manifesto that reframes culture as infrastructure and accessibility as a relational imperative.
Many adult learners may be vulnerable in one or more aspects of their identities. Learners may view vulnerability as limiting or even prohibiting their active participation in higher learning environments. This vulnerability may be expressed as a lack of motivation or demotivation to engage with their current learning environment, community, teacher, and curriculum. Derived from second language acquisition, the branch of learning with the highest rate of recorded failure (Dörnyei, 2005), amotivation is the learner’s belief that their current related learning trajectory is either too difficult or pointless, and demotivation is the specific catalyst that triggers amotivation (Dörnyei & Ushioda, 2011). This article posits that, even for international student cohorts for whom English is their second language, when deeply informed by Māori and Pacific culturally responsive pedagogies (CRPs), oral and written biographies that directly relate to their identities empower them to thrive. Storytelling serves as a springboard for their initial engagement, which in turn motivates a commitment to subsequent learning. As this article demonstrates, this methodology is potentially transferable to any learning environment for vulnerable adults.
This article presents our findings concerning a MOOC named Introduction to R programming language, in which we applied design thinking combined with problem-based learning to enhance student engagement and improve the learning experience. The course was delivered to 575 students from Brazil between February 28 and March 18, 2022. Our research goal was to analyse the design and implementation of this program quantitatively and qualitatively. We followed a design-based research approach and collected quantitative and qualitative data through questionnaires. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while the qualitative data were processed using the five-phased language processing method. The main findings are as follows: 1) The use of personas enabled the design and delivery of a course aligned with students' interests. 2) The problem-based learning approach elevated students' engagement and bolstered their learning journey. 3) Demonstrating empathy, thoughtfulness, and providing swift feedback served as potent motivators for the students. 4) Combining problem-based learning with design thinking resulted in a heavy workload for the instructor, but it also boosted student engagement, leading to a completion rate higher than the average for MOOCs. These findings suggest that integrating Design Thinking and Problem-Based Learning in MOOC design can meaningfully enhance learner engagement and course alignment with student needs. Although this approach imposes a greater instructional burden, it proves effective in fostering motivation, improving the learning experience, and increasing completion rates. As such, this study contributes valuable insights for educators and instructional designers seeking to improve the impact and retention of learners in large-scale online courses.
Open education has been prevalent for years, and its history can be traced back to various movements and initiatives. However, openness encompasses a range of dimensions, each with inherent possibilities and challenges, especially when considered within diverse contexts. Open Education Practice (OEP) is an innovative way educators and students can use open educational resources (OER) to improve teaching, learning, and collaboration. This study aims to report on the lessons learned from OER's design and co-creation with students. This study used qualitative research within an interpretivist paradigm. Six master-in-education students co-created OER using lecture notes and formative assessments during the current study in 2021/2022. Data were collected using an open-ended questionnaire administered through Google Forms, completed by students involved in creating the OER. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that open education practices could allow students to construct and share their ideas through ownership of learning, collaboration, contextualization, and access to learning through openness. Students and their lecturers can co-create OERs aligned to the African context and applicable to real-life situations by participating in the construction and sharing of knowledge, collaboration, and contextual aspects.
In the foreword to this book, Joy Dolmage, founding editor of the Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, states (p. xxii): "I think we can all agree that, before the pandemic, our schools had too many unnecessary barriers in place for both students and faculty. COVID-19 has provided new reference points for evaluating long-standing social problems, allowing us to view old problems from fresh perspectives (Sherwood et al., 2021). If we want to push toward online education as just another temporary retrofit, then we need to build something that is much more accessible and sustainable." And so, the scene is set for what this volume advocates for. Co-editor Lisanne Binhammer states explicitly that the purpose of this book is not simply to critique, but to move to a place of active resistance. This volume, therefore, acts as a call to arms for what its contributors all claim needs to be exposed – that online pedagogy is somehow the solution to academic ableism. Her fellow co-editors, Chelsea Temple Jones and Fady Shanouda, state that the crux of this book is that while digital learning is touted as readily available to all, in-person and online approaches to such delivery remain inadequate. Instead of falling prey to simple yet persuasive arguments that online pedagogy is an automatic win for access, the intent of Online: Ableism and Access in Higher Education is to provide a new orientation to critical, digital, and accessible pedagogy.
Open universities face an unprecedented future of uncertainty, competition, disruption, and mission ambiguity. Many institutions are considering a strategic reset and restructuring of their primary missions to become more responsive and agile in meeting the needs of employers, students, and funding reductions, as well as a competitive landscape dominated by online delivery and innovations in AI. This article argues for the creation of a formal taxonomy for classifying different types of open universities./ Stated more succinctly, the author argues that an open university taxonomy would provide greater mission clarity; realignment with societal, government and employer needs; reassessment of the institutional credential continuum; a catalyst for targeting key market niches within a national footprint; alternative funding and budgeting models; and improved academic quality. In conclusion, a taxonomy would serve as a vital catalyst for improving communication among open universities and leaders, expanding strategic thinking about market differentiation, and promoting innovations and partnerships that will benefit all open university stakeholders.
This study investigated the readiness of university faculty for online/distance learning (ODL) after two semesters of pandemic-driven remote teaching. We focused on faculty with prior ODL course design and online teaching experience, examining various aspects of their readiness: comfort with risk, identity disruption, teaching norms, equity and tenure norms, and lifestyle readiness. We also explored how these factors related to age, years of teaching experience, and ODL course design experience, as well as the connections between lifestyle readiness and other readiness aspects. We surveyed 114 experienced faculty at a U.S. research university, achieving a 56% response rate. Our findings revealed that while faculty felt comfortable with ODL risks, they expressed uncertainty regarding identity disruption, teaching norms, equity and tenure norms, and lifestyle readiness. This suggests that even experienced faculty may not have felt fully prepared for ODL post-pandemic. While age and teaching experience weren't significant factors, prior ODL course design experience proved crucial, differentiating faculty readiness levels. Furthermore, lifestyle readiness showed significant positive correlations with other readiness aspects, highlighting its importance. This study's holistic view of faculty ODL readiness offers valuable insights for university administrators and faculty developers to better support experienced faculty in online teaching.
This editorial reflects on the seismic shifts brought by generative AI in academic publishing, coinciding with the journal's 30th anniversary. It explores both the promising advancements and ethical dilemmas presented by AI tools, specifically the generative applications built on Large Language Models (LLMs). AI offers opportunities to streamline editorial processes, enhance discoverability, assist with manuscript screening, basic editing, and identify peer reviewers, thereby accelerating publishing. However, the rise of AI-generated content poses significant challenges, including concerns over accuracy, originality, and misinformation. Ethical dilemmas surround authorship, ownership, and academic integrity, with AI tools explicitly not considered authors due to a lack of accountability; human authors must take full responsibility for AI-generated output. Journals are developing robust policies emphasising transparency and disclosure, requiring authors to specify the AI tool used, its purpose, and its location within the manuscript. The editorial advocates for open access as a crucial countermeasure to potential AI misuse, promoting transparency, scrutiny, and equitable knowledge dissemination to amplify ethical AI applications. Ultimately, the journal calls for responsible AI integration as an "augmented intelligence" tool, enhancing human intellect while upholding academic integrity in scholarly communication.
This book review critically examines Feminist Pedagogy for Teaching Online (Howard et al., 2025), identifying it as a crucial intervention that bridges a significant gap in contemporary scholarship by envisioning online learning through the lens of feminist pedagogy. The collection challenges dominant instructional design norms and technological culture, underscoring fundamental values of care, equity, reflexivity, and social justice. Structured into four thematic parts, the book consistently emphasises praxis, showcasing practical tools like social annotation and cryptoparties to foster equity and collaboration in e-spaces. Its primary strength lies in modelling feminist pedagogical principles through collaborative and student-centred approaches. While praised for its diverse contributions, the review notes some chapters could benefit from more analytical engagement with structural barriers to feminist agency in institutional settings. It acknowledges potential conceptual repetitions for novice readers. Nevertheless, the book is considered a vital resource for all e-learning stakeholders, promoting value-driven, ethical, and transformative online learning environments.
This article explores the ideal educational ecosystem for Aotearoa New Zealand, integrating distance and in-person learning within schools. Based on interviews and focus groups with distance learning leaders, we identify four essential features of this system: it must prioritise student agency and choice, ensure equity and inclusivity, be cohesive and coordinated with consistent approaches and equitable regulatory frameworks, and be innovative and future-focused. Participants highlighted critical areas for attention, including leadership and policy reform, sustainable resourcing, enhanced infrastructure, redefined teacher roles, and improved accreditation. Recognising that some recommendations were influenced by organisational self-interest, we propose a comprehensive roadmap structured around the four ideal ecosystem characteristics. This roadmap outlines immediate, implementable steps within current frameworks alongside long-term transformational goals requiring broader policy reform. Achieving a more adaptable education system demands synchronised changes in regulations, teaching, and resources, coupled with bold leadership and a willingness to challenge traditional assumptions. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the necessity and possibility of this transformation, emphasising that integrated distance and classroom learning is the natural evolution of education in the digital age.
This article presents findings from a massive, free-of-charge online extension course titled Systems Thinking, which was conducted in Brazil in May and June 2024. The course engaged 345 participants. The research aimed to analyse how students’ backgrounds, learning methods, and use of AI tools influenced learning outcomes. A mixed-method approach was employed, using electronic questionnaires to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data was analysed with descriptive statistics, while qualitative data was assessed using AI detection software (GPTZero) and a structured rubric. The main findings were: (i) most of the people interested in taking the course were seasoned educators and mid-career professionals, interested not only in the course content, but also in improving their skills and employability; (ii) most students learned by watching the video lectures and doing the modelling exercises proposed in the case studies—few learned from interacting with their peers; (iii) almost all of the students used AI to answer the exam questions, to varying degrees. However, the majority used AI in quite limited ways, and their learning was very effective.
This article explores the practice of virtual learning in New Zealand schools. It reports on a study that examined how virtual learning has evolved over the last 30 years, how it is currently experienced by students and teachers, and makes recommendations for the future. Research participants were teaching principals selected from eight small rural New Zealand primary schools who were all active in Virtual Learning Network Primary School online programmes. The participants’ experience of virtual learning highlighted a wide range of benefits for both themselves and their students, in providing access to a wider curriculum, developing digital fluency, reducing professional isolation and relieving workload. Recommendations are made to school communities on how they can move forward with learning online; and to government on how they can develop policy and provide resourcing to support virtual learning in schools. It is suggested that with fast reliable internet, the small school that is open, networked, and collaborative can increase its capacity to provide learning opportunities for both students and teachers through virtual learning.
Joint Editor Alison Fields bids farewell after over a decade in the Editorial Team. This issue shares five articles related to online and virtual education. They explore facets of learning experience, highlighting benefits and challenges, and influencing factors for both students and teachers across educational levels and geographic locations, including New Zealand, Brazil, and South Africa. Key conclusions include that, in New Zealand primary schools, blended learning was considered more important than fully online approaches. For adult disabled learners in open distance and flexible learning (ODFL) contexts, the biggest positive difference is attributed to the disability confidence of staff. Research on a systems thinking MOOC found that participants were primarily seasoned educators and mid-career professionals and, despite some AI use, their learning was very effective. When designing blended learning to foster digital information literacy, conclusions draw attention to the importance of leveraging online qualities, integrating contextualised learning, incorporating culturally responsive practices, and offering diverse options. Finally, a study on higher education facilitators during the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the critical role of self-efficacy in coping with challenges, but also highlighted that emotional exhaustion was a significant factor for all participants.
This reflective paper describes insights gained in the process of seeking to enhance Disability and Access services for adult disabled learners within the context of Open Distance and Flexible Learning (ODFL) in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This paper explores the question: What would make the biggest difference to disabled learners’ experience in ODFL? It presents brief background information about the specific context of ODFL, Kuratini Tuwhera, the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand, and what was known about its disabled learners at the outset of this work. It highlights the related understandings of four underpinning bodies of knowledge (models) of disability that inform the enhancement of services. Five themes detail the insights and recommendations of a year-long advisory group that included disabled learners and Open Polytechnic staff. An important finding is the understanding that the biggest difference lies in the disability confidence of the staff across the organisation. Limitations of the paper include the small size of disability advisory group, the resulting small dataset, and the inability to evaluate outcomes against the model.
In recent years, online learning has become ubiquitous in tertiary and higher education institutions; yet many teachers are not sure how to design more blended approaches to enhance the learning process. This qualitative interdisciplinary research took place in two iterations of a first-semester undergraduate course in the Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) at a tertiary institution in Aotearoa New Zealand. Based on the experience of two teachers and their students, this paper explores online opportunities for a design to support students with developing digital literacies and, in particular, digital information literacy (DIL), for their ePortfolio assessment. The paper outlines the development process to highlight the steps required to meaningfully integrate technology features at course and curriculum levels. Research instruments included questionnaires and focus groups with students, and interviews, conversations, and reflections with staff. The paper shows that the development process—based on preferred teaching strategies—resulted in an innovative plan to increase practice, reflection, and feedback opportunities, using online tools in the institution’s learning management system. The article identifies opportunities and challenges that will apply in other tertiary and higher education learning situations, including similar national and international contexts where educators can draw on the findings to apply in their own settings.
This South African based exploratory study examines the differing experiences of higher education facilitators who were faced with having to rapidly transition to fully online engagement as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown regulations that were implemented as a result. Using a qualitative case study approach, this study sought to understand why some facilitators were able to rise to the challenge with relative ease, while others struggled to cope, citing feelings of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and low levels of personal achievement, each an associated dimension of burnout. Engaging with these facilitators, and the thematic analysis which followed, led to four major themes: balance is everything, technology as help or hinderance, adaptation rather than replication, and a loss of agency, with its associated sub-theme: everyone is exhausted. What the findings revealed was that those who presented with high levels of self-efficacy were able to avoid the onset of burnout during this time of crisis, while those with relatively low self-efficacy levels could not. Interestingly, emotional exhaustion featured as a significant factor across all participants, even those with high levels of self-efficacy. These findings underscore the importance of implementing support strategies that will assist all facilitators in bolstering their levels of resilience in order to mitigate the impact of the next crisis, whatever form it may take.
