In this study, which focuses on selecting the material and predicting its mechanical behaviors in materials science, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) was used to predict and simulate the low-speed impact effects of hybrid nano-doped aramid composites. There are not enough studies about open education practices in this field. Since error values…

Students benefit from a nonlinear learning path, also known as a nonsequential learning path, because it allows them to control the pace and sequence of their learning. However, the dynamics of a nonlinear learning path, particularly within an open learning environment like MOOCs, remain underexplored. The current study aims to map out various…

Patricia Carini (1932-2021) was a progressive educator and thinker who was among the key figures of open education. This article reflects on her work, illuminating its quality as an art of listening. The idea of listening has been of primary importance within the tradition of progressive education in the United States and internationally.…

This study addresses competences of the Open Scholar. It draws on a theoretical framework reaching out to sustainability education, responsibility and activity theory to describe competences. Competences of the Open Scholar are understood within the context of Higher Education institutions' three missions: teaching, research and service to the…

While many historically contingent barriers to individual liberty have been deconstructed, I argue that current education policy continues to maintain a discriminatory educational milieu that constitutes individuals as dis/abled. I describe this current government formulation of educational spaces as Closed Policy. Various contingent environmental…

Quality MOOCs (massive open online courses) ensure open learning under the top-down guidance of established criteria and standards. With an evaluative approach, course providers can use the guiding frameworks in designing and refining courses while fostering students' targeted open learning competency. This study explores the openness embedded…

The study aims to investigate the level of motivation and entrepreneurial competencies of students using online distance courses in entrepreneurial learning. Based on the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) program, an experimental group of respondents took the course "How to Start Your Own Business" (March-May 2022), and their results…

In the 21st century, the widespread use of information technologies has made access to technology, technology usage skills, and the quality of technology services increasingly important. However, the digital divide--defined as a lack of access to telecommunications--remains a significant issue that separates developed countries from developing…

The "International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning" (IRRODL) published its first issue in 2000. This paper provides an overview of the journal's development over its 25-year history using bibliometric indicators. We analyzed IRRODL's performance relative to other journals in the field and have highlighted key…

The economic significance of open research data is widely acknowledged, yet its quantification remains challenging. This paper presents an effective valuation instrument to help stakeholders understand and evaluate the economic benefits of open research data. By conducting a scoping review and prioritizing user engagement, this study introduces a…

Purpose: This paper engages Olaf Zawacki-Richter and Insung Jung in a frank and penetrating conversation that seeks to ground, frame, and problematise research in the field conceptualised as "open, distance and digital education" (ODDE). Taking as starting point the recent publication of the landmark "Handbook of Open, Distance, and…

Field facilitation is a crucial pedagogical intervention aimed at supporting student learning in resource-constrained open and distance learning environments, particularly in the Global South. This study used second generation activity theory to analyse a field facilitation intervention in an education faculty at a Malawian university,…

The benefits of open educational practices that invite students to collaborate and interactively create knowledge are well known. Despite this, it remains underutilized for teaching in research methods classrooms. This article presents a framework for using open pedagogy in undergraduate research methods courses. Drawing upon the knowledge authors…

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…

This paper explores how school community collaboration is given meaning by municipally employed coordinators whose task is to organise collaboration between schools and other actors in urban areas in Sweden. Inspired by Carol Bacchi's theorisation of the constitutive aspect of discerning problems, it examines how coordinators give meaning to the…