This study addresses the applicability of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) within the administrative learner support services at Anadolu University Open Education System, a giga university with more than one million learners in Türkiye. The study reveals the performance differences between a rule-based chatbot and different GenAI-based…

Purpose: The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 has had a profound impact on education institutions at all levels. Open universities, with their privileged delivery method, have been in an advantageous position. In the earlier stages of the pandemic, they made remarkable contributions to assuring learning continuity. However, with more and more…

This study explores users' perceptions of the Virtual Assistant application facilitated by the Anadolu University Open Education System. It assesses the application's effectiveness and user satisfaction by analyzing opinions regarding its importance and the experience it delivers. The research delineates its population as learners engaging with…

The use of robots in open and distance learning university libraries is a relatively new and innovative concept that has emerged in recent years as a response to the increasing demand for remote access to library resources and services. However, there seem to be limited studies that focused on the adoption of robots in open and distance learning…

Leveraging technology to break the iron triangle of access, cost, and quality is a legacy of open universities (OUs), becoming a source of inspiration for higher education in general. Today, OUs face increasing competition from conventional universities, no longer enjoying the first-mover advantages as they did in the earlier years. Can artificial…

Offering education by distance provides an important sociological tool for equalising opportunities in developed nations. However, for developing nations and more particularly some of the least-developed countries in the world, it has the potential to play a much larger role in providing both basic and advanced educational opportunities and,…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to articulate how the user experience (UX) approach was initiated and integrated into the centre's scope of operations with the objective of improving the e-learning layout on the D2L learning management system (LMS). One of the most effective ways to collect user feedback has historically been to evaluate…

During the war, a significant number of Ukrainian universities were tragically destroyed, while others were relocated. The challenging wartime circumstances in which universities operate in Ukraine have increased the use of distance education. University management and academic staff agree that the quality of services offered hinges on the…

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…

Active learning in mathematics can lead to deeper understanding than passively listening to a lecture, yet recent studies indicate that didactic teaching dominates online tutorials. This study investigated student participation in three types of activity: solving mathematical problems via polling, on-screen activities on a shared whiteboard and…

Purpose: This 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…

Learning management systems (LMSs) are common in higher education institutions and form the backbone of open distance and e-learning (ODeL) institutions. Migrating to any new form of technology is known to be a challenging endeavour and LMSs are no exception. This study uses the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model to…

The Open Distance Learning (ODL) commenced in Nigeria in the year 2003 by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and many universities in the country have also adopted it. The study focused purposely on four ODL centers in Kwara state. Five research questions and three research hypotheses were formulated. The student samples were selected…

This paper reports on the findings of a study which sought to investigate the impact and efficacy of technology-based counseling offered by the University of South Africa (Unisa), an Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institution. The study focused specifically on student perceptions of the services they had received from professionals based in the…

The access to university and the continuation of education for people in refugee situation are investigated herein as from four initial questions: how did COVID-19 find society and this is cause displacement cases?; what is a refugee's situation in the process of the world interruption of face-to-face education?; what are the conditions for…