Asian Journal of Distance Education

Who Steers Odysseus's Ship? The Nostos from Generative to Agentic AI in Distance Learning

Sefa Emre Öncü — 2026-07-10

Generative AI has become part of everyday practice in open and distance learning, and a second shift is already underway, from systems that answer to systems that act. This editorial reads that shift through Homer's Odyssey and argues one thing: as tasks pass to autonomous agents, the human, whether learner, teacher, or designer, must remain the one who decides and who is in the loop. The agentic turn unsettles much of what the field has long taken for granted. It puts in doubt who is genuinely present and doing the learning, who is accountable for work an agent has carried out, and whether the productive difficulty in which understanding forms survives being automated away. Reading the emerging literature through this concern, the editorial moves from presence and accountability to the friction worth keeping, and finally to what the discipline itself must do; along the way, it extends Moore's grammar of interaction to learner-agent, agent-agent, and human-agent-human relations. Agentic AI is a craft in the service of pedagogy, and the task is to keep the friction in which judgment is formed while a human hand stays on the tiller.

The Distance Education in the Context of the Digital Divide: Perspectives of Students, Teachers, and Parents

Nuriye Batmaz Derer — 2026-01-28

The main aim of this study is to examine the effects of distance education within the context of the digital divide, based on the opinions of teachers, students, and parents. This research is a descriptive study conducted through semi-structured individual interviews. Participants consisted of three groups: (1) 15 students with limited or no access to distance education, (2) their parents, and (3) 20 teachers. Data were analysed using content analysis techniques. Findings indicate that while distance education ensures educational continuity, it falls short in effectiveness due to digital access barriers. Most students perceived EBA TV as insufficient for academic development and struggled with limited internet access and inadequate technological resources. This study contributes to the literature by offering a multi-stakeholder analysis of the digital divide and provides critical insights for developing more equitable and inclusive distance education policies aimed at mitigating socioeconomic disparities.

Navigating Emergency Remote Teaching: A Phenomenological Study of Biology Teachers’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Serpil Kalaycı — 2026-02-22

With the global COVID-19 pandemic, a profound transformation occurred in education systems, and distance learning practices quickly became an integral part of the daily lives of educators and students. During this process, teachers’ experiences and perceptions regarding distance education have become one of the focal points of educational research. The challenges teachers faced in rapidly changing technological and pedagogical environments, their perceptions, subjective experiences, and the meanings they derived constitute an area that requires in-depth qualitative approaches beyond numerical data. In this context, a phenomenological research design was developed to analyze the personal narratives of 58 biology teachers to understand the essence of their experiences with distance education. Based on the data obtained, it was found that biology teachers mostly used tools such as computers, tablets, mobile phones, Zoom, and EBA during the process. The most significant challenges encountered were internet access issues, lack of technological resources, reduced classroom interaction, and students’ lack of motivation. Teachers mostly prefer question-and-answer and presentation methods, supporting their lessons with visual materials and videos. While negative effects of distance education on students were noted, such as a decline in academic achievement, lack of socialization, and technology addiction—positive aspects such as ease of technology use and new learning opportunities were also emphasized. For teachers, the process contributed to improving technology literacy and enhancing their ability to present lesson content using digital tools. Overall, although distance education was not found to be as effective as face-to-face education, it offered time and cost advantages for some teachers; however, low participation and deficiencies in experimental practices limited its efficiency.

Readiness, Attitude, and Engagement: A Triadic Study of Student Participation in Self-Paced Online Learning

Shyamali Mondal — 2026-03-02

This study investigated the relationships between readiness, attitude, and engagement among higher education students. Adopting a descriptive survey method of quantitative research approach, the study analyzed numerical data from a sample of 120 students, including undergraduate, postgraduate, B.Ed., Ph.D. students in the 3-government college of Ranchi district. Simple random sampling technique was used to gather data using a self-constructed questionnaire comprising twenty-four close-ended items, achieving a high reliability score with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.956. The findings indicated that very positive correlations existed between readiness and engagement (r = 0.844, p < .001), between attitude and engagement (r = 0.831, p < .001) and between readiness and attitude (r = 0.777, p < .001) suggesting that better-prepared students with positive attitude are more engaged in self-paced learning, with an overall correlation of r= 0.889 among Readiness, Attitude, and Engagement. The R² value of 0.790 indicated that 79% of the variance in Engagement was explained by Readiness and Attitude of higher education students. Furthermore, no significant attitude differences were found between male/female or urban/rural students (t = -0.212, 0.077; p = 0.832, 0.939). These findings were important in fostering readiness and positive attitudes to enhance student engagement in self-paced online learning.

Demand and Supply Gaps of Sustainable Development Goals through Innovative Sustainability Consciousness Model for Tanzania’s Higher Education

Deus Ngaruko — 2026-03-08

Education institutions are undergoing evaluation but there is need for integration of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) in education models. Hence, this study’s purpose is examining demand and supply of Sustainability Consciousness (SC) model in education institutions. Specific objectives are to analyse demand for sustainable development extra-curricular activities and supply of project-related to sustainable development in higher education institutions and; to analyse any modules that have sustainability concepts and university-related sustainability projects. Data were collected from 743 students, staff 119 and 25 face to face interviews in 6 universities including an open and distance learning institution located in Tanzania. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and NVivo. The findings show that most students have not had any extra-curricular activities focusing on sustainable development (73.41%). Additionally, most students have not had any university project(s) with the core focus on sustainable development (78.41%). The majority of staff are not teaching any modules that have sustainability concepts included in the content and/or assessments (62.20%) and are not involved in any university-related sustainability projects (73.10%). This shows that MEL is still not that integrated in universities. Findings imply that in order to achieve sustainable development goals including SC in Tanzania then it is vital to create a SC model highlighting programs that ensure students receive extra-curricular activities, and engagement in sustainability projects integrated with MEL. Integration of SC can strengthen demand and supply side of MEL capacities in universities.

Flipped Learning in Secondary Chemistry: Academic Achievement and E-Learning Satisfaction

Güneş Akça — 2026-03-24

This study seeks to examine changes in students’ academic achievement after the implementation of flipped learning in secondary-level chemistry and to explore the relationship between academic achievement and e-learning satisfaction, and to investigate students’ perceptions of the model. A mixed-methods research design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 62 twelfth-grade students using a pre-test–post-test academic achievement test and an E-Learning Satisfaction Scale, while qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using a paired-samples t-test and Pearson correlation analysis, and qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The results indicated a statistically significant increase in students’ academic achievement from pre-test (M = 37.66, SD = 24.46) to post-test (M = 62.66, SD = 18.08), t(61) = 7.25, p < .001, Cohen’s d = 0.92. However, no significant relationship was found between students’ e-learning satisfaction and their post-test academic achievement scores (r(60) = .125, p = .334). Qualitative findings revealed that students generally held positive views toward flipped learning, highlighting increased motivation, improved conceptual understanding, and more effective use of class time while also reporting challenges related to self-regulation, technological access, and the length of instructional videos. Taken together, the findings suggest that flipped learning can effectively enhance academic achievement in secondary-level chemistry education, although its effectiveness is influenced by instructional design, learner characteristics, and contextual factors. However, due to the absence of a control group, causal interpretations should be made cautiously. The study provides practical implications for the implementation of flipped learning in science education and offers directions for future research.

Are Generational Differences Shaping Financial Literacy? Evidence from Distance Education Graduate Students

Saime Önce — 2026-03-26

Financial literacy has become a critical skill for individuals in the face of increasingly complex economic conditions. The aim of this study is to examine the financial literacy tendencies of students enrolled in non-thesis master's programmes conducted through distance education, based on different generational groups. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 302 students through a personal information form and the Marmara Financial Literacy Attitude and Behaviour Scale. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA. The findings revealed significant differences between generations. Female students in Generation X have a higher level of financial literacy than their male counterparts. Generation Z public sector employees demonstrated higher spending awareness than their unemployed peers. In Generation Y, financial responsibility, spending awareness, and financial tool usage increased with higher income levels. In Generation Z, high income is associated with stronger financial planning behaviours. Technological competence is also an important factor. Advanced technology users exhibited higher levels of planning and consumption behaviours. It has been found that members of Generation Y, who spend a significant amount of time using technological devices on a daily basis, exhibit higher levels of financial planning and consumption behaviour. The results highlight the necessity of generation-based and technology-supported financial literacy programmes.

Faculty and Students Preparedness for Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration in Higher Education Institutions across Sub-Saharan Africa

Jeketule Soko — 2026-03-27

This study examines how faculty and students in Sub-Saharan African higher education are engaging with artificial intelligence (AI) in their academic practices. Specifically, the study sought to: assess faculty and students’ confidence and access in using artificial intelligence tools in higher education across Sub-Saharan Africa; examine patterns of training, self-learning, and institutional support shaping AI preparedness; identify training needs and preferred learning modalities for effective and responsible AI use, and analyze challenges, ethical concerns, and attitudes influencing AI adoption in higher education. Using a descriptive cross-sectional design, survey data were collected from 315 participants across public, private, and technical/vocational institutions. Quantitative items were analyzed with descriptive statistics, and open-ended responses were thematically analyzed. Findings show that formal AI training remains limited (most respondents report no structured training), while self-learning and peer support are the dominant modes of skill acquisition. Reported barriers include unreliable connectivity and data costs, uneven device access, skills gaps, concerns about accuracy and “hallucinations,” assessment integrity, plagiarism, and privacy. Attitudes toward AI are generally positive but cautious: participants value productivity, idea generation, and writing support, yet worry about overreliance and erosion of originality. Interpreted through Diffusion of Innovation, adoption appears early-to-mid stage, high perceived advantage but constrained by institutional preparedness. The study concludes that universities should (a) build tiered AI-literacy programs that progress from foundations to applied, role-specific competencies; (b) embed integrity-by-design assessment practices and clear disclosure/ethics policies; (c) invest in enabling infrastructure and equitable access; and (d) integrate AI across curricula and professional development. These steps would align day-to-day practices with policy, strengthen institutional capacity, and support responsible, context-appropriate AI use in the region.

Socio-cognitive presence in e-learning: a study of intercultural telecollaboration between French and Chinese students

Yihuan Zhao — 2026-03-30

This article focuses on socio-cognitive presence in e-learning. Empirically, it draws on a telecollaboration experiment in which sixteen geographically dispersed Chinese and French students, organized into small groups, carried out a series of collaborative activities using socio-digital communication artefacts. The aim was to determine whether, during these activities, social interactions between students had generated a socio-cognitive presence. The results reveal that this presence, resulting from mediated communicative transactions between group members, developed to varying degrees across the different groups, influenced by several factors such as the volume and mode of interaction, the quality of relationships established within the group, the group’s mode of functioning, and cultural differences. Furthermore, the emergence and level of socio-cognitive presence within all the groups studied were closely linked to the students' agency, both individually and collectively. Similarly, the higher this level was, the more it promoted intercultural learning.

Effects of Instructional Message Tone on Student Participation in Philippine Online Learning: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Mhel Cedric D. Bendo — 2026-04-29

This study examines the association between invitation message tone and student participation in digitally mediated learning environments. Using a field-based quasi-experimental design, 40 students in the Philippines were assigned through an alternating allocation procedure to receive either a formal, context-rich invitation or a brief informal message directing them to the same online task. Participation was measured through link activation, task completion, and response timing using automated digital tracking. Results showed higher completion rates and faster response patterns in the formal message condition. Completion reached 100% in the formal condition compared to 50% in the informal condition (χ²(1, N = 40) = 13.33, p < .001, V = .58). These findings show that message structure is associated with how learners respond to academic requests in digitally mediated environments. While limited by a small sample size and context-specific design, the study provides applied evidence consistent with principles of transactional distance and teaching presence. The findings suggest that low-effort improvements in communication design may support participation in asynchronous open and distance learning systems.

AI Literacy Level of Students: A Scale Development Study

Taha Aydogmus — 2026-05-06

This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable scale to measure artificial intelligence literacy among high school students in Türkiye. By establishing a multidimensional measurement framework and providing robust psychometric evidence, the study sought to contribute an assessment tool capable of supporting research, educational practice, and evidence-based policy development in AI literacy. Based on an extensive literature review, an initial pool of 21 items was generated and evaluated by experts to ensure content validity. Following a pilot study with 211 students, the refined instrument was administered to 645 high school students. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a five-factor structure comprising 20 items, accounting for 63.3% of the total variance. The identified factors were Basic Knowledge and Awareness, Ethical and Safe Use, Application Skills, Critical Perspective, and Evaluation. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated good model fit (CFI = 0.94; RMSEA = 0.05; GFI = 0.93; RMR = 0.06; χ²/df = 2.729). Reliability analyses demonstrated high internal consistency across the overall scale and its subscales. Significant differences in AI literacy scores were observed across gender, grade level, and patterns of AI use. Despite being limited to secondary school students in Türkiye, the scale provides a robust measurement tool for assessing AI literacy and offers empirical evidence to inform curriculum design, teacher education, and national digital literacy initiatives.