IRRODL

Professionalism in opera singing depends on the quality of education. This study examines the teaching of opera singing online via master classes and seminars. Based on the present findings, master classes are effective in improving the voice technically and range-wise, whereas seminars are effective in helping opera singers achieve emotionality. These instructional methods were compared in terms of content variety, balance between theoretical and practical components, and their effect on performance artistry and technical skills. Those learning to sing opera through master classes reported experiencing improvements in memory (24%) and problem-solving (22%). Students who attended the online seminars reported improvements in concentration (28%) and memory (26%). Challenges include limited control over assignments, attendance, and assessment. This study highlights effective tools for online opera training, with potential for future comparisons of methods in developing vocal and instrumental skills.

This study critically examined tutors’ perspectives on advancing the academic development of teacher education programs delivered via open and distance learning (ODL) at Bangladesh Open University (BOU). Tutors play a pivotal role as frontline facilitators of instruction, yet their experiential insights are often underrepresented in institutional decision-making. Drawing on a constructivist paradigm and grounded theory methodology, this qualitative inquiry engaged 82 tutors across eight tutorial centres using open-ended survey questions. Through classical content analysis, eleven major themes emerged, including attendance in tutorial sessions, curriculum and module design, tutorial session frequency, physical resources, tutor professional development, and supervision of practice teaching. The findings reveal that tutors emphasise the need for structured learner engagement, participatory curriculum revision, robust infrastructural support, and institutional investment in tutor capacity-building. The study also highlights disparities between current program structures at BOU and international norms, suggesting the need for extended program duration and more integrated practicum experiences. Implications are drawn for institutional policy, academic design, and participatory governance in ODL. By foregrounding tutors’ voices, this study contributes to a more inclusive model of academic development and underscores what tutors perceive as the need to bridge the gap between policy directives and pedagogical realities in distance education.

Background: Hybrid-Flexible (Hyflex) courses have become a prominent teaching method post-COVID-19, offering students the flexibility to attend classes online, offline, or both. While this model promotes instructional continuity and student-centered learning, it presents challenges in managing effective team collaboration. Aims: to investigate the underexplored relationship between effective communication, team atmosphere, and team performance in Hyflex learning environments, the study seeks to provide novel insights into optimizing team dynamics and enhancing learning outcomes in flexible educational settings. Sample(s): The study involved 310 college students enrolled in the authors' Hyflex course.. Methods: An online survey was conducted using validated scales, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Multiple linear regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses. Results: Effective communication was found to significantly enhance team performance (β = 0.389, p < .001). Team atmosphere moderated this relationship (β = -0.118, p < .05), indicating that while a positive atmosphere generally supports performance, an overly positive atmosphere may reduce the critical engagement necessary for optimal outcomes. Conclusions: Both effective communication and a balanced team atmosphere are critical for maximizing team performance in Hyflex courses. Educators should foster communication strategies that encourage open dialogue and critical thinking while maintaining a supportive team environment. Overemphasis on maintaining positivity may hinder constructive critique and diminish performance.

Abstract: Emerging technologies and innovative instructional methods have revolutionized education, making blended learning the new standard in the artificial intelligence era. However, poor integration of online and face-to-face learning has led to such challenges like superficial student engagement. This study developed a Community of Inquiry (CoI)-based blended learning model and evaluated its effectiveness with 92 college students. Over 16 weeks, the experimental group (n=48) adopted the blended learning model, while the control group (n=44) used traditional learning conditions. Learning effectiveness and deep learning perceptions were assessed, showing the blended learning group outperformed the traditional group in learning effectiveness (d=0.83) and reported better deep learning perceptions (η2=0.05 - 0.072). These results provide valuable insights for educators aiming to design a CoI-based blended learning model that fosters deep learning and improves overall learning effectiveness.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into nursing education is essential for equipping future nurses with the skills required to navigate an increasingly technology-driven healthcare environment. This study aimed to validate the Arabic version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT-2012) model in assessing factors influencing nursing students’ acceptance and use of AI in healthcare education. A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted with 200 nursing students to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic-translated UTAUT (2012) instrument. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) in SmartPLS (Version 4.1.0). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the construct validity of the nine UTAUT 2012 constructs: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value, habit, behavioral intention, and use behavior. All items showed acceptable factor loadings (> .5), composite and construct reliability (> 0.7), and average variance extracted (> 0.5). Discriminant validity was confirmed using the Fornell-Larcker criterion and the heterotrait-monotrait ratio. The findings offer valuable insights into the factors influencing Arabic-speaking nursing students’ acceptance and use of AI in healthcare education, supporting the model’s validity in this cultural context.

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has introduced a novel aspect to educational methodologies and sparked fresh dialogues regarding the creation and evaluation of instructional resources. This project seeks to investigate the impact of GenAI on the development and assessment of online course materials and learners’ engagement with these materials in the online learning environment. The study analyzed GenAI-generated multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blank exercises, and true-false activities during 3 weeks of a 14-week online course. Subject matter experts assessed these documents in regards to content, relevance, and clarity. Data was collected through an online form with open-ended questions. The interactions of learners with the GenAI-created learning activities were analyzed using log records of the learning management system and compared to the content provided by the course instructor regarding interaction levels. The study’s conclusions elucidate the capability of GenAI technologies to produce course-specific content and their efficacy in education. We stress that human specialists’ critical evaluations play a crucial part in improving the pedagogical validity of GenAI-powered learning materials. Further research into topics including the ethical dimension, the effect on academic achievement, and student motivation is recommended.

There is a noticeable growth in the number of systematic reviews published in open, distance, and digital education (ODDE), with a growing focus on flipped teaching and learning, particularly in higher education, emphasizing the need to consolidate evidence and findings under one comprehensive review. This umbrella review aims to thoroughly understand the current state of flipped learning in higher education and pinpoint research gaps, analyzing 23 systematic reviews published between 2018 and 2022 from three international databases: Web of Science, Education Source, and Scopus. It delves into publication and authorship patterns while synthesizing key insights. The thematic scope of the reviews reveals that many were focused on the effectiveness of flipped learning and teaching interventions, as well as learning design. The review explored theories guiding practice and research, instructional design considerations, and the application of flipped classrooms in various fields of study. It also examined the reported challenges of the flipped classroom model. As there are a scarcity of theoretical frameworks and a lack of detailed information on the pedagogical challenges of this model, recommendations are presented to enhance research and practice of flipped teaching and learning. The results of this umbrella review provide valuable insights to guide research in future and improve the quality of systematic reviews in the field of ODDE in general and flipped teaching and learning in particular.

Integrating mobile learning technologies in mathematics education in light of the pandemic, natural disasters, and recent technological developments is a significant shift in practice. This research applied the systematic review approach to assess the impact of mobile learning aids on students’ learning attitudes, motivation, and performance in mathematics. Based on a synthesis of peer-reviewed articles published from 2010 to 2024, this paper focuses on five themes: (a) student and educator experience and engagement, (b) modification in instructional practices, (c) learning and achievements, (d) opportunities, challenges, and strategies, and (e) mobile learning perceptions. The review reveals that mobile learning enhances students’ essential and higher-order thinking skills by establishing interactivity and learning through inquiry. However, other factors, such as the unequal distribution of resources and technology, still pose a challenge. To address these issues, it is suggested that future policies should focus on improving infrastructure, digital competency, and professional learning for instructors. Further, it is essential for institutions to engage faculty members in collaborative platforms to enhance their practice and have secure measures for data protection. This systematic review emphasizes the need for the researcher to conduct these evaluations over time to gauge the long-term impact of mobile learning and to look at the effects of this form of learning on different groups of students. It also concludes that future studies need to pay attention to ethical concerns and ways to provide equal opportunities in integrating technology into mathematics education for all students.

Salman Khan’s Brave New Words emerges at a pivotal moment in educational history, when artificial intelligence (AI) is alternately celebrated as a transformative force and denounced as a threat to the human dimensions of teaching. Using his rich experience as the founder of Khan Academy, a globally renowned non-profit organization producing freely available educational videos and exercises, Khan weaves a conversational narrative that eschews dry technical jargon in favor of vivid case studies and practitioner anecdotes. This book targets readers who are new to AI, whether as parents, teachers, or education policy makers. Rather than serving as a step-by-step guide or an exhaustive chronicle of AI’s evolution, the book offers a practitioner’s reflection on how emerging technologies can be adapted to align with institutional goals and real-world classrooms. Khan brings readers into his conversations with education innovators. The author’s enthusiasm for AI technology in education sometimes outpaces a deeper engagement with its long-term social and pedagogical implications.

Editorial – Volume 26, Issue 4

This study evaluated the effect of electronic books (e-books) on improving language learning outcomes, particularly in core proficiencies such as speaking, writing, and listening, which are identified as key areas of improvement. Using a meta-analysis approach, this research employed a randomized model with experimental and control groups. Data selection followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) scheme, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, using the Scopus database. Statistical analyses included tests for heterogeneity, publication bias, total effect size, and moderator variables using analysis of variance. The findings indicate that e-books positively influence the learning process as compared to printed books, with a medium standardized effect size of 0.5. Among languages, Arabic and Turkish benefitted the most from e-book use, while native language learning showed greater improvements than second-language acquisition. Interactive e-books demonstrated significantly higher effectiveness compared to non-interactive ones, though their impact on reading skills was relatively smaller. These results underscore the value of e-books as tools for enhancing language learning. Future efforts should focus on developing interactive e-books tailored to specific languages and proficiency needs to maximize educational potential.

Experiments are considered to be essential components of science learning. This research aimed to investigate trends in the use of science experiments in online learning. A systematic literature review was carried out, with data sourced from the Scopus and Google Scholar databases. The reviewed documents were journal articles published between 2015 and 2022, with the keywords “science practicum,” “science experiments,” “distance learning,” “online learning,” and “hands-on science.” Using Harzing’s Publish or Perish software, 970 articles were found but only 32 were reviewed. The literature review followed a procedure adapted from the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), with articles reviewed based on predetermined criteria such as the year of publication, article source, practicum topics, research subjects, assessment methods, technology, and experiment design in online learning. In the results, various designs for online learning models, the technology used in science experiments, topics addressed, and appropriate assessment methods were identified. Trends included the extensive use of interactive simulation models in online science experiments, the use of virtual laboratories as a crucial technology, and the use of experiment reports to assess students. The analysis showed a sharp increase in the number of publications since the pandemic (2020) and that online science experiments might be carried out effectively by considering the characteristics of the material, matching the science curriculum, and using assessments that fulfill the objectives of science experiments.

With the rapid evolution of online learning, driven by technological advancements and the global transition to distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for effective instructional design models has become increasingly critical. This study conducted a systematic mapping analysis of instructional design models tailored for online learning environments to offer a comprehensive classification and evaluation of these models. The analysis delved into the theoretical underpinnings, practical applications, and implications for educators and instructional designers. Models were categorized based on instructional conditions, desired learning outcomes, and theoretical-methodological frameworks, and thus provided a structured approach to understanding their relevance and effectiveness. The findings underscored a paradigm shift from traditional, content-centric frameworks toward adaptive, learner-centered designs that emphasize motivation, social interaction, personalization, and technological integration. Additionally, this study offered practical recommendations for selecting and implementing models that align with the dynamic needs of learners and supported future advancements in instructional design, to foster innovation and effective learning in diverse educational contexts.

This study proposes a teaching model called “flipped classroom combined with group awareness” (FC+GA) to address the challenge of student preparedness in a traditional flipped classroom (FC) model setting. The FC+GA model incorporates group awareness tools, which provide visual information such as statistical tables and graphs, that allow students to see their online learning status along with that of their peers. By using these tools, students can have a better understanding of how well-prepared they are compared with their peers. This knowledge can motivate them to improve their efforts to prepare before class. The study conducted an extended experiment to analyze the effectiveness of the FC+GA model compared with the traditional FC model. The results show that the FC+GA model significantly improves students’ preparation efforts before class and enhances students’ learning outcomes. The study therefore concludes that the FC+GA model can be used as a practical reference and model for instructors preparing to implement flipped classrooms.

Learning support services, categorized into academic and non-academic support, have been demonstrated to positively influence student development. However, the distinct mechanisms by which academic and non-academic support services impact academic performance remain underexplored in China. This study seeks to provide comprehensive insights into these mechanisms. A survey was conducted with a sample of 1,234 students to gather data on learning support services, student engagement, and learning performance. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the conceptual model derived from the survey data. Results revealed that student engagement played a partial mediating role between academic support services and learning performance, while it played a complete mediating role between non-academic support services and learning performance. Furthermore, the analysis of standardized coefficient values reveals that academic support services have a lesser impact on student engagement and learning performance compared to the influence of non-academic support services on these same outcomes. It is suggested that distance education institutions need to pay more attention to non-academic support services and optimize resource allocation to achieve more efficient and rational resource distribution. As numerous traditional face-to-face educational institutions in China expand into online education, they encounter challenges due to isolation between teachers and students. Consequently, the concept of learning support services in distance education has become a significant concern. The findings of this study could provide valuable insights for these institutions.

This study compares the effectiveness of video communication technologies and group chats in virtual reality (VR) as platforms for practising musical skills among students. Additionally, it examines the capacity to convey aesthetic characteristics of musical performance through these two forms of remote communication and the influence of these technologies on student motivation. The research involved 106 senior students from two higher educational institutions in China. Zoom and VRChat served as the instructional platforms for the two experimental groups. The findings did not reveal significant differences in performance mastery. Specifically, the perception of task value demonstrated the most substantial increase, scoring 5.65 compared to 4.81 out of a possible 7; all three pairs of values exhibited significant differences between the groups based on the results of the student’s t-test. Furthermore, a significantly higher sense of immersion and quality of aesthetic experience was observed within the VR group, scoring 4.81 compared to 3.70 out of a possible 5 in the videoconferencing group. Additionally, VR’s greater capability to convey characteristic emotional nuances of music was confirmed by the fact that within the VR group, two out of six distinctive features of Chinese folk music (lyrical, highly artistic aspects and intonation subtlety) were more pronounced than in the videoconferencing group. These results indicate the potential of VR technology to enhance the quality of aesthetic experience as well as the motivation for learning among students in music education, including those studying wind instruments.

This paper reports the findings from cycles three and four in a longitudinal design-based research (DBR) study with K–12 teachers to evaluate their gains in awareness, use, and perceptions about open educational resources (OER) in general and after engaging with the Pathways Project (PP), a repository of 900 world language activities. Two groups of teachers participated in distributed learning with different engagement levels to apply the 5Rs of OER (i.e., retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute), specifically using OER from the PP. The Pathways subscribers (n = 23) attended webinars and received monthly newsletters throughout the project period. A smaller group, referred to as the Pathways training cohort (n = 16), participated in a four-month cohort including a synchronous workshop, monthly synchronous meetings, and asynchronous tasks. The study was conducted in the Mountain West region of the United States, where access to quality teaching materials varies across rural and urban districts, and professional development (PD) opportunities are lacking. The findings revealed that the training cohort self-reported statistically significant increases in awareness of all 5Rs, and increased frequency of revising and remixing OER; their belief in the effectiveness of OER for learning also increased. Conversely, while the subscribers group did show some gains in awareness, use, and perceived value of OER, none of these were statistically significant. These findings suggested that K–12 teachers valued OER but require strategic, long-term PD to achieve gains in awareness, use, and perceived value of OER. This study responded to the challenge of sustaining open pedagogy, particularly for an under-studied K–12 population.

The global shift to distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic challenged the resilience and efficiency of educational systems worldwide. This study investigated the factors influencing the effectiveness and resilience of distance education in elementary schools in Türkiye. Using a quantitative method, 100 elementary school teachers from various regions of Türkiye were surveyed. Guided by the technology acceptance model (TAM) and employing exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the study identified four critical factors: (a) teachers’ prior knowledge and experience with distance education; (b) perspectives on the Educational Informatics Network (EIN); (c) stakeholder support; and (d) technology integration knowledge and experience. The findings emphasized the role of comprehensive teacher training programs in equipping educators to adapt to digital teaching environments. They also underlined the importance of national educational platforms like EIN, which served as a critical resource during the pandemic. Collaborative support systems involving school administration, parents, and technical teams were found to significantly enhance the success of distance education. Furthermore, teachers’ ability to integrate technology into their teaching practices emerged as a crucial factor. These results have significant implications for educational policy, and highlight the need for a multidimensional strategy to strengthen distance education systems and ensure their resilience during global crises.