Open University Research Articles

The Relaxed Tutorial Project: distance learning and anxiety in Classical Studies

Abstract ‘Relaxed’ events are now common across the public Arts and Heritage sectors. Although designed with the needs of autistic children and their families in mind, they suit people with a range of access needs. Our project at The Open University asked: what would a ‘relaxed tutorial’ look like, and who might benefit from it? Across two years (2021–2023), tutors in the Department of Classical Studies at The Open University trialled a set of autism-friendly accessibility adjustments to live online tutorials for distance learners on a Roman History module. We found that relaxed tutorials were welcomed by students with anxiety disorders, caring responsibilities, chronic conditions and low confidence, as well as by autistic students. Since the project was concluded in 2023, relaxed tutorials have been rolled out across further Classical Studies modules at The Open University. Their principles and structure offer a new way of looking at accessibility adjustments which could be adapted to other teaching contexts and levels.

QUAN ĐIỄM CỦA GIẢNG VIÊN VỀ VIỆC THỰC HIỆN CHƯƠNG TRÌNH TIẾNG ANH TRỰC TUYẾN ĐỒNG BỘ TẠI TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC MỞ TP. HỔ CHÍ MINH

This study investigates lecturers' opinions on the non-major English program level A, which is currently being implemented in a synchronous online mode at Ho Chi Minh City Open University. A survey was conducted with the participation of lecturers who teach online for the program. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires with the participation of all 23 lecturers, and qualitative data were obtained through interviews with 10 lecturers. The findings show that the lecturers believe that the program has prepared students quite well for the course and that both lecturers and students have the capacity and conditions to participate in this type of program. However, they still face various difficulties when teaching Speaking and Pronunciation skills as well as classroom management. These difficulties are due to the nature of synchronous online teaching, poor internet connection from students, technical issues, and most notably, some students’ attitudes that are not suitable for online learning. The lecturers also contributed some opinions on the regulations of the university on students’ behavior and exams for non-major English classes in synchronous online mode. Based on the above results, we propose some solutions to improve the effectiveness of the program.

Utilizing Baidu Index Data to Investigate the Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Public Concern towards Lifelong Education

Background and purpose: With the advancement of Industry 4.0 and the vigorous development of the Internet, search engines have become one of the important platforms for the public to obtain information. As the world's largest Chinese search engine, Baidu is widely popular with the Chinese public. Similar to Google Trends, the Baidu Index is one of the most important databases on the Internet and even in the entire data age. This study adopted the Baidu Index to investigate the public's attention to "Lifelong Education" and analyze its changing trend and geographical distribution, to grasp the public's attention to it in a more comprehensive way. Materials and methods: The Baidu Index was used to obtain the attention of the keyword “Lifelong Education" from July to November 2023. The characteristics of attention are analyzed from three aspects: trend research, demand graph, and user portrait. Finally, it focuses on the comparison between the keyword "Lifelong Education" and the related word "Lifelong Education Platform". Results: The term "Lifelong Education" showed two fluctuations during the period, both of which showed an initial rise and then a decline. For the demand graph, the public pays the most attention to "Lifelong Education Platform", "Lifelong Learning" and "Compulsory Education". The group that pays more attention to "Lifelong Education" is mainly distributed in East China, mostly female, 20~29 years old. Conclusion: Similar to Google Trends, the Baidu Index is a useful tool to study the trend of keyword searches, insight into the change in netizens' demand and monitoring the trend of media public opinion. The results show that the main reasons for the two obvious changes in search volume are that the National Open University of China opens freely lifelong education platform and provides free and comprehensive learning resources, and "Lifelong Education" appears as a translation in the National College English Test Band 4 (CET-4) in June 2023.

The Role of Distance Learning in Shaping Indonesia Golden Generation: Student Interaction, Engagement, and Satisfaction

This research explores the critical role of student interaction in enhancing engagement and satisfaction in the context of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) at the Open University in Indonesia. Amidst the increasing adoption of digital education platforms, this study examines how dynamic and effective student interactions and engagement influence educational satisfaction outcomes in online environments. Using a quantitative approach, this study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyse responses from 120 students who participated in online tutorial sessions. The findings reveal that student interaction significantly increases student satisfaction and engagement, with engagement serving as a mediating factor that improves the overall educational experience. This study confirms that high-quality interactions are essential for student engagement and satisfaction and emphasises the need for educational platforms that support strong interactive features and prompt instructor feedback. This research contributes to the literature by emphasising the important role of interaction and engagement in ODL settings and suggests practical implications for educational practitioners and policy makers. Enhancing interactive experiences in online learning can facilitate higher levels of student engagement and satisfaction, thereby supporting the formation of a competitive and adaptive golden generation in Indonesia's digital era.

Integrating experiential learning into online facilitation at the National Open University of Nigeria

ABSTRACT This paper underscores the significance of experiential learning, emphasising active engagement and practical application, particularly in the realm of online education. This research is focused on the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). The study employs a survey research design involving internal and external online facilitators. The research explores the perceptions, benefits, challenges, and potential strategies for integrating experiential learning into online facilitation. With a sample size of 276, data collection utilised a structured questionnaire, and analysis involved descriptive and inferential statistics. The study’s findings have practical implications, informing policy decisions, instructional design practices, and faculty development initiatives at NOUN, ultimately aiming to enhance the holistic and immersive learning experience for online learners. The conclusion emphasises the potential of integrating experiential learning to elevate the quality, effectiveness, and real-world preparedness of NOUN’s online programmes, fostering student engagement and critical thinking.

An Evaluation of the Experience and Challenges Faced in Online Learning by Undergraduate Students at the National Open University of Nigeria

This qualitative study aimed to evaluate the experiences and main obstacles faced by undergraduate students at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in the current online learning environment. Unstructured in-depth interviews were conducted to gather information from a selected sample of undergraduate students at NOUN. To overcome language barriers and encourage open communication, questions were asked in both Yoruba and English, and responses were accurately recorded in English. The transcription process involved preserving and compiling the recorded audio, while feedback from face-to-face interviews was collected using the “Rev voice recorder” app, which facilitated the direct ordering of interview transcripts. Thematic content analysis was utilized to analyze the responses and address the research questions. The results of the study indicated that despite the numerous benefits, NOUN undergraduate students still have negative views towards online education, which could affect the sustainability of the school. In addition to this, students face challenges such as inadequate power supply, poor internet connectivity, costly ICT resources, insufficient staffing, and low staff motivation in the online learning environment. The study’s recommendations for improving the NOUN programme included providing students with access to the university’s internet, ensuring good electrification, offering financial assistance for ICT equipment, increasing staff numbers, and providing training or retraining opportunities for current staff members. This study contributes to existing knowledge by highlighting the challenges faced by undergraduate NOUN students in online learning, underscoring potential implications for the institution’s future. Keywords: Learning experiences, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), online learning environment, undergraduate students

Developing an Adaptive Learning Recommendation Algorithm and System for MOOCs

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) based learning platform had totally changed the educational environment by providing easy and accessible learning opportunities for global learners. But even such environment display high dropout and low learner engagement which remain a significant challenge to be addressed. To handle the challenge of this study, propose an Adaptive Learning Recommendation System (ALRS) that is designed to personalize learning paths based on individual preferences and performance metrics. The study employed Open University Learning Analytics Dataset (OULAD) and build recommendation model that combine k-means Clustering, Content-based Filtering, Collaborative Filtering, and Random Forest (RF) classifiers to make course recommendations. The proposed model have shown better recommendation when compared to other models with Precision of 0.92, Recall of 0.89, F1 Score of 0.90, and AUC of 0.95. Also the proposed model had shown the lowest Mean Squared Error (MSE) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) at 0.042 and 0.205, respectively.

Exploring the role of artificial intelligence technology in empowering women-led startups

The study aims to investigate how artificial intelligence (AI) influences women-led startups in Saudi Arabia, aiming to understand their unique experiences, challenges, and opportunities within the AI technology landscape. This study used a qualitative method, conducting 16 in-depth interviews with women entrepreneurs operating businesses in Saudi Arabia. The analysis was performed using thematic analysis with NVivo 12, uncovering key themes and insights. The findings reveal that cultural norms, societal expectations, limited awareness, and financial constraints are directly associated with women’s involvement in AI-driven businesses. Cultural biases emerged as impediments, underscoring the need for targeted interventions such as awareness campaigns and educational initiatives to dismantle ingrained biases and foster an environment that recognizes and celebrates the contributions of women in the tech and AI sectors. Educational programs, collaborations between academia and industry, and mentorship initiatives were identified as pivotal components to prepare women entrepreneurs to navigate the intricate landscape of AI adoption. Financial inclusion emerged as a critical pillar, advocating for equitable access to funding and resources tailored specifically for women-led AI startups. The study further emphasizes the importance of fostering supportive ecosystems that extend beyond financial aid. Creating networks for mentorship, guidance, and collaboration provides women entrepreneurs with platforms to share experiences and resources, enhancing resilience and the potential for success in the AI landscape. Acknowledgment The authors extend their appreciation to the Arab Open University for funding this work through research fund No. AOUKSA-524008.

Factors affecting student engagement in online courses in bachelor of education programmes

This study explores factors contributing to the low engagement of Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) students in online courses at the Faculty of Education, Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL). Despite integrating a Learning Management System (LMS) into a blended learning model, learner participation in online activities remains suboptimal. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine students across three B. Ed programmes in Natural Sciences, Drama and Theatre, and Special Needs Education using an exploratory qualitative design. The findings reveal organisational factors such as technical issues, delayed course availability, insufficient tutor feedback, and course-related issues, significantly affecting engagement. Student-related factors include reliance on mobile devices and the need for more motivation due to a lack of incentives. This study highlights the need for more responsive support systems, better course design, and enhanced interactive features to foster greater student engagement in online learning.

Resisting technological solutionism in open universities in the time of global digital convergence

PurposeThis purpose of this paper is to explore the future of open universities (OUs), particularly in developing Asia, focusing on the potential risks associated with technological solutionism, or the popular belief that educational problems can be readily solved through technological means. This exploration is pertinent as the initial advantages that OUs once held have significantly diminished and competing higher education institutions worldwide are converging on a digital future.Design/methodology/approachThe qualitative method of empathy-based stories (MEBS) was employed as the primary research method for drawing data from sampled OU teachers. The obtained data were parsed via textual analysis and the lens of critical discourses on technology and higher education.FindingsThe study shows that, in the future envisioned by the sampled OU teachers, students’ lack of privileged access to frontier technologies is no barrier to learning success. It also emphasises that learning outcomes have causality beyond technological determinism, and that educational problems, which OUs may deem as requiring technological solutions, are often non-technological in nature and require no technological fixes.Originality/valueCritiques of techno-solutionism, such as the present study, are virtually absent in the context of OUs in developing Asia. For this very reason, this study is vital and serves as a guardrail while these OUs seek to reformulate their respective value propositions in the time of global digital convergence.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES OF EDUCATORS’ RESILIENCE DEVELOPMENT UNDER CONDITIONS OF MARTIAL LAW

The article provides an overview of organizational strategies and opportunities for developing educators’ resilience under martial law conditions. The aim of the study is to analyze organizational strategies for developing resilience that are relevant for education professionals working in an environment with a high level of stress.It was found out that under conditions of martial law the emphasis of developing teachers’ resilience has shifted from the adaptation of teachers in the profession, the emotional resilience of teachers working in schools with low socio-economic status or in inclusive classrooms, and the impact of professional relationships connected with educational activities, to the development of psycho-emotional stress resistance, creativity, healthy and active lifestyle, micro stress management, mindfulness as key components of personal resilience.The following organizational strategies realized in the particular resources and products were analyzed in the article: internships / advanced training courses offered by higher education institutions of Ukraine; free trainings from NGO “Confidence Psychological Assistance Center”; resilience summer schools from Ukrainian Educational Researchers Association; Instagram. Free psychological help and advice (Resilience Hub); professional development courses from “Na Urok” educational project; online courses from Prometeus, Coursera, EdEra, EdX, OUM (Open University of Maidan), Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU); LinkedIn Learning; webinars from portal Diia.In view of the above, it is constructive to actively use the strategies and resources analyzed in the article in order to develop resilience both in the process of future teachers’ professional training and in non-formal and informal education of teachers, as well as in their continuous professional development.

Latent space bias mitigation for predicting at-risk students

Researchers have observed the relationship between educational achievements and students' demographic characteristics in physical classroom-based learning. In the context of online education, recent studies were conducted to explore the leading factors of successful online courses. These studies also investigated how demographic features impact student achievement in the online learning environment. This motivates the use of demographic information alongside other features to predict students' academic performance. Since demographic features include protected attributes, such as gender and age, evaluating predictive models must go beyond minimizing the overall error. In this work, we analyze and investigate the use of neural networks to predict underperforming students in online courses. However, our goal is not only to enhance the accuracy but also to evaluate the fairness of the predictive models, a problem concerning the application of machine learning in education. This paper starts by analyzing the available solutions to fairness in predictive models: bias mitigation with pre-processing and in-processing methods. We show that the current evaluation is missing the case of partial awareness of protected features, which is the case when the model is aware of bias on some protected attributes but not all. The in-processing method, specifically the adversarial bias mitigation, shows that debiasing in some protected features exacerbates the bias on other protected features. This observation motivates our proposal of an alternative approach to enhance bias mitigation even in the partial awareness scenario by working with latent space. We implement the proposed solution using denoising autoencoders. The quantitative analysis used three distributions from The Open University Learning Analytics dataset (OULAD). The obtained results show that the latent space-based method offers the best solution as it maintains accuracy while mitigating the bias of the prediction models. These results indicate that in the case of partial awareness, the latent space method is considered superior to the adversarial bias mitigation approach.

Examining Occupation Fields of Programs According to Artificial Intelligence: Anadolu University Open Education System Case

Anadolu University's Open Education System (OES) accommodates over one million students and has incorporated an AI-based Virtual Assistant for non-academic support since 2022. While OES offers abundant information about its programs on its website, there is a notable absence of support services providing job recommendations related to students' chosen programs. This gap in student support extends to the post-graduation phase, with the Virtual Assistant lacking a concept for guiding students in finding employment opportunities. Recognizing the need for comprehensive assistance, this study sought to leverage AI capabilities to offer job recommendations by extracting information from the objectives of 63 OES programs. The initial inquiry involved requesting AI-generated job recommendations based on the stated objectives of these programs. Subsequently, the Virtual Assistant was tasked with providing insights into the occupation fields associated with OES programs. Analysis of the AI's responses, along with the classification of occupations according to the International Standards of Classifications of Occupations (ISCO) and the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), forms the core of this study. Contrary to trends observed in most European countries, the predominant number of graduates in Türkiye emerges from business and management fields. However, the correlation between graduation rates and subsequent job placements appears suboptimal within the labor force and employment landscape. The study advocates for the integration of AI in offering job recommendations, incorporating graduation and employment rates. This approach enables students to seek guidance on suitable programs aligned with their skills, fostering a more informed decision-making process. The study underscores the potential for higher education institutes to share employment and labor force data.

The Evolution of Virtual Concept of Education: Analysis of the Revealed Preferences and Digital Challenges

Distance education offers flexibility and accessibility to students with diverse needs and contexts. However, it is crucial to understand the factors that motivate students to choose this educational modality, especially in programs like Public Accounting, which require specific skills. The general objective of this article is to analyze the determinants in the decision to study the Public Accounting Program in a distance or virtual modality at the National Open and Distance University (UNAD). A mixed methodology is employed, supported by authors such as Creswell (2014), combining quantitative and qualitative data, and using the Probit model to identify factors influencing this choice. A significant finding is that tuition cost, the Saber 11 test score and parents' education are significant variables affecting students' decisions, with tuition cost having the greatest influence on the probability of choice.

Undoing cultural studies: cultural economy at the Open University (1979–1997)

ABSTRACT This introduction article establishes the territory for the Symposium What Was Cultural Economy? After setting out the reasoning behind the collection and its eight contributions, the introduction describes the terms on which the ‘cultural economy’ concept was launched, within the Open University’s Faculty of Social Sciences, at the end of the 1990s. Noting the collective work involved, I highlight the role of Stuart Hall, and the brand of cultural studies he represents, as a key vector. Hall’s position as totemic public intellectual obscures his work as a teacher, curriculum designer and colleague, channelling the ‘cultural turn’ through this internal academic context. As such, I also stress the OU’s course team model of intellectual production, drawing from recent historiography on workshops as devices for the practice of collective intellectual and cultural work, coupling this to the figure of the ‘vanishing mediator’ as a driver of material and symbolic transformation. I then move to sketch out some of the key interpersonal relations, institutional contexts and intellectual trajectories through which cultural economy was first formulated. In conclusion, I ask what implications this little history might hold for a present-day journal engaged in the workshopping of ideas at increasingly international scale.

The Peregrine Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (PITMS) Investigation Development and Preflight Planning

The Peregrine Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (PITMS) is a mass spectrometer instrument that operated during the Astrobotic Peregrine Mission-1 as part of the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. This paper describes the instrument and investigation design, development, and planning conducted by the PITMS team, consisting of a successful partnership between NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), The Open University, NASA, and ESA. PITMS was designed to measure the abundance and temporal variability of volatile species in the near-surface lunar exosphere from a landed platform on the lunar surface. The PITMS instrument consisted of a European Space Agency–provided Exospheric Mass Spectrometer (including sensor, electronics, controller, and power supply boards) and a GSFC wrapper that provided structural elements, thermal control, and a deployable dust cover. PITMS was designed to operate as a passive sampler, where ambient gases would enter PITMS through an aperture, diffuse around the mass analyzer cavity, become ionized by electron impact and trapped in an RF field, and then sequentially be released to a detector to build a mass spectrum. PITMS was capable of measuring species with a mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) from 10 to 150 Da, with a mass resolution of approximately 0.5 amu. The PITMS science investigation was planned to be operated by GSFC with an international team of scientists. Though the mission did not achieve its lunar landing, information about the PITMS instrument and planning is provided to be able to understand and effectively use data that will be forthcoming from the investigation.

Revolutionising classrooms with AI: Educators' insights on transformative opportunities and challenges

This paper examines the transformation opportunities of AI in education, focusing on its benefits and challenges from the perspectives of educators. The research methodology involves a qualitative study with practising educators who were students enrolled in a master's program in education at an open distance education university in South Africa. Data collection is conducted through an online discussion forum. The paper concludes that while AI offers exciting transformative opportunities such as personalised learning and effective education, it should be used wisely, complementing traditional teaching methods. It emphasises addressing biases, overuse, plagiarism, and data privacy issues. The study emphasises the need for more information on educator’s use and perceptions to pave the way for AI to complement educators and, in so doing, benefit all educators and students equally.

A proposal for the incorporation of AI in producing images for educational content at UNAM

After many years of development, artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to permeate with greater intensity in our daily activities, including the educational field. This paper presents a proposal for the use of Generative AI (GAI) for the creation of images that accompany the educational content developed by teachers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in collaboration with the Coordination of Open University and Digital Education (CUAED). This proposal seeks to bring teachers closer to using these new tools through a comprehensive approach that does not only focus on using the tool.

Functional aesthetic rehabilitation and its impact on self-esteem

The study analyzes the relationship between dental esthetic rehabilitation and self-esteem in adult patients at the Inter-American Open University. The research focuses on how improving dental appearance through prosthetic-aesthetic interventions positively impacts patients' perception of themselves and their overall well-being. Using a qualitative approach, interviews were conducted and clinical documents were reviewed to capture the experiences of 11 patients. The results show that, following rehabilitation, patients experienced a significant increase in their self-esteem, satisfaction and emotional well-being. The study underscores the importance of addressing both functional and esthetic aspects in dentistry, highlighting how a healthy smile influences quality of life and social interaction, reinforcing the need for comprehensive care that includes psychological and emotional considerations

Tensions, assumptions and situated ethics: attuning to the unpredictability of ethics in early childhood research participation

ABSTRACT Research in early childhood settings requires careful consideration of the impact on all children in the setting, whether participants or non-participants, and evolving ethical approaches in response to children’s needs. However, flexible approaches and, ‘in the moment’, ethical adaptations are not routinely reported as part of early childhood research. Drawing on examples from previous qualitative, observational research studies, conducted by members of The Open University early childhood research group, this article reflects upon and adds to some of the ethical challenges highlighted by Richardson, T. [2019. “Why Haven’t I got one of Those?’ A Consideration Regarding the Need to Protect non-Participant Children in Early Years Research.” European Early Childhood Education Research Journal 27 (1): 5–14] in an article for this journal. These include the impact of research on non-participating children, the influence of the researcher and research tools, expressions of dissent during research, and adapting iteratively. Six considerations for ethical attunement in early childhood research emerge, which could offer an ‘aide memoire’ for early childhood researchers and encourage more transparent sharing of unpredictable ethics in early childhood research.