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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the attention of distance education issues to the fore in a way not seen before. All forms of educational provision and sectors were affected by the pandemic. The aim of this conceptual leading article is to highlight three pertinent issues that need to be taken into account in Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) to ensure the relevance of the Post School Education and Training (PSET) sector in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and beyond. Based on a review of the literature, the article highlights three pillars of successful use of technology to enhance quality in PSET, especially in the wake of the worldwide transition to remote teaching and learning. The revised agenda comprises the questioning of previously held beliefs about learning and teaching; the responsiveness of curricula and ensuring the quality of ODeL offerings. It argues that unless traditional beliefs about teaching and learning are questioned and curricula are streamlined to align with the demands of the knowledge society, the value of PSET may be trivialised in a context that is so rapidly changing. It also argues that sound quality assurance mechanisms should be put in place to ensure sufficient depth in student learning experiences, rigour in assessment processes and confidence in graduates by employers and society at large. Using the theory of Connectivism as a lens, the authors provide a framework with some recommendations for sound ODeL teaching and learning practices that are relevant for the demands of the 4IR and beyond. The framework focuses on five pillars, which are foregrounding a student-centred approach; embracing appropriate technologies to support teaching and learning; strengthening the capacity to support success; ensuring appropriate assessment processes and regular curriculum revision and renewal.

The speed of growth and change of knowledge in engineering fields, has led to the need for new approaches. Connectivism theory has solved this problem by placing the learner at the center of learning and providing a new definition of learning. MOOCs have been a successful experience based on this theory. Recently, researchers have introduced hybrid MOOCs by combining the distributive property of xMOOCs and the network property of cMOOCs to earn diverse skills and presented positive results. In order to achieve the goal of the research, which is to identify the components of the personalized learning environment in engineering education with hybrid MOOC technology, the components in cMOOCs and xMOOCs were investigated with the method of qualitative content analysis. For this purpose, 41 domestic and foreign researches were selected from the statistical population of related electronic researches by purposeful sampling method. Then, the data reached theoretical saturation by interviewing 7 experts in this field. Then, the data were qualitatively analyzed and the related themes of coding and the categories of self-learning, self-motivation, self-leadership, personalization, evaluation of communication, creation of strengthening and elimination of communication and social network platform were obtained in two groups of individual independence and networking.

With the Cross-Border Healthcare Directive (2011/24/EU) a mandatory framework was established to foster cooperation on a voluntary basis, within European Reference Networks (ERNs). These networks are composed of centres and healthcare providers. The exchange of knowledge is a central issue in this context. A detailed literature survey was carried out to determine the most important factors affecting information and knowledge exchange, as well as learning, in networks and how this can be supported. New communication technologies are identified as key tools for the European Reference Networks (ERN). This study recommends the elaboration of a systematic knowledge use and knowledge generation plan. The data of this study suggests that the future ERNs will mediate the adoption of the digitised and networked information society in medical practice.

This paper discusses the use of technology as enabler for sustaining teaching and learning by reviewing various local and international publications. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus (Covid-19) in 2020, the Departments of Basic and Higher Education in South Africa ordered all institutions of learning to shut down and start using online education as a substitute for face-to-face teaching and learning processes. This sudden transition has without doubt caused an incredible amount of harm and disruption in our education system. In view of this, I am interested in exploring how a traditional, face-to-face university used technology effectively as a delivery tool to sustain teaching and learning during the Covid-19 crisis. The review conducted was aimed at answering the research questions: How can continuity of teaching and learning be strengthened during emergency situations such as that posed by the Covid-19 pandemic? Secondly, what were educators’ and students’ experiences and attitudes towards the use of technology as enabler for sustaining teaching and learning during the Covid-19 pandemic? To answer the research questions, I conducted data searches with the help of librarians and other international primary search source indexes such as ProQuest, EBSCOhost, Educational Resource Information Centre (ERIC), Google Scholar, SAGE and Academic Search Premier. A total of 85 empirical papers were reviewed and analysed so that an aggregated understanding of using technology as enabler could be established. The results of this systematic document review revealed that technology has the potential to provide immediate feedback, improve workloads and access to education, thus making it an agent of sustainability. In addition, the review conducted revealed that Covid-19 reinforced the importance of technology and virtual learning in education.

This paper discusses the use of technology as enabler for sustaining teaching and learning by reviewing various local and international publications. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus (Covid-19) in 2020, the Departments of Basic and Higher Education in South Africa ordered all institutions of learning to shut down and start using online education as a substitute for face-to-face teaching and learning processes. This sudden transition has without doubt caused an incredible amount of harm and disruption in our education system. In view of this, I am interested in exploring how a traditional, face-to-face university used technology effectively as a delivery tool to sustain teaching and learning during the Covid-19 crisis. The review conducted was aimed at answering the research questions: How can continuity of teaching and learning be strengthened during emergency situations such as that posed by the Covid-19 pandemic? Secondly, what were educators’ and students’ experiences and attitudes towards the use of technology as enabler for sustaining teaching and learning during the Covid-19 pandemic? To answer the research questions, I conducted data searches with the help of librarians and other international primary search source indexes such as ProQuest, EBSCOhost, Educational Resource Information Centre (ERIC), Google Scholar, SAGE and Academic Search Premier. A total of 85 empirical papers were reviewed and analysed so that an aggregated understanding of using technology as enabler could be established. The results of this systematic document review revealed that technology has the potential to provide immediate feedback, improve workloads and access to education, thus making it an agent of sustainability. In addition, the review conducted revealed that Covid-19 reinforced the importance of technology and virtual learning in education.

Higher education institutions may adopt various approaches to the pedagogic principles and methods used in teaching sustainable development in business and marketing courses. These methods can include the utilisation of digital technologies and online communication to facilitate distance learning and fast access to relevant information. Changes towards the digitalisation of the learning environment especially gained popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the post-pandemic period, digitalisation continues to facilitate the learning and teaching processes. However, the implementation of digital technologies, besides technological expertise, requires appropriate theoretical frameworks for understanding how learning is developed. This study explores connectivism theory applied to the pedagogic practices of knowledge dissemination concerning sustainable development in the fields of business and marketing. Connectivism embraces knowledge as a network where the learner, with the help of digital technologies, develops mental connections between pieces of information during interaction with various information sources. This qualitative research empirically explores the principles of connectivism embedded in the learning and teaching of a university course conducted online. The research findings indicate that connectivism may be a suitable conceptual framework that motivates learners to develop knowledge through digital enablers, discussions and social networking and to make connections to sustainability concepts. The principles of connectivism may help instructors to develop a learning environment where learners add understandings to their previous knowledge on sustainability through online interactions and by accessing digital knowledge sources. This study makes several interdisciplinary contributions by deepening the insights into digital pedagogic methods and approaches for the facilitation of learning, which may be of interest to academic and other pedagogic practitioners.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the recent increased interest in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) highlight the need for interprofessional communities’ collaboration to find solutions to complex problems. A personal narrative experience of one of the authors compels us to reflect on current approaches to learning and knowledge acquisition and use solutions to the challenges posed by GenAI through social learning contexts using connectivism. We recognize the need for constructivism and experiential learning for knowledge acquisition to establish foundational understanding. We explore how connectivist approaches can enhance traditional constructivist paradigms amid rapidly changing learning environments and online communities. Learning in connectivism includes interacting with experts from other disciplines and creating nodes of accurate and accessible information while distinguishing between misinformation and accurate facts. Autonomy, connectedness, diversity, and openness are foundational for learners to thrive in this learning environment. Learning in this environment is not just acquiring new knowledge as individuals but being connected to networks of knowledge, enabling health professionals to stay current and up-to-date. Existing online communities with accessible GenAI solutions allow for the application of connectivist principles for learning and knowledge acquisition.

The objective of the research is to know whether the use of technologies in the teaching of sciences, in the face of more traditional methods, influences gender differences, justifying the low enrolment of women in technical careers. The study was developed using a pretest–posttest quasi-experimental method through a nonequivalent control group with traditional methodology and common instruments such as the textbook, while in the experimental group, methodologies based on the management of ICT tools were made. We make a quantitative contrast of the impact on learning, considering the advantages and disadvantages of using technologies in science teaching, versus more traditional methods. The experimental group showed a higher motivation, being seen in the impact on better learning scores compared to the control group. We found that women scored higher than men in both pretest and posttest. We conclude by emphasizing the desirability of a transformation of science teaching methodologies by using ICT tools that allow more visual, intuitive, and collaborative work, with greater involvement of students.

Background/purpose. The current study aimed to investigate the extent to which collaborative educational applications based on connectivism theory are used to organize big data and their impact on university students' digital self-efficacy. Materials/methods. The researcher adopted a descriptive survey approach to examine the effectiveness of the independent variable (collaborative educational applications) on the dependent variables (big data organization and digital self-efficacy). The study used two main tools: a questionnaire to measure the extent of the use of collaborative educational applications in big data organizations, and a digital self-efficacy scale for university students. The study sample included 424 students from public and private universities in Jordan. The sample was obtained via a random selection method in which the two tools were sent via a link. Results. The study found that collaborative educational applications grounded in connectivism theory were being widely used in big data organizations. There were noteworthy discrepancies in students' responses to the questionnaire, favoring students in scientific fields and postgraduate students, with no differences attributed to the type of university attended. It was also found that students demonstrated a high level of digital self-efficacy with significant differences in favor of students from scientific disciplines and postgraduate students, and no differences by university type. The last finding was that there was a significant correlational relationship between the level of big data organizational collaborative educational applications and digital self-efficacy. Conclusion. Collaborative connectivist educational apps are widely used for big data organization and are strongly linked to higher digital self-efficacy among university students (especially science and postgraduate students). Therefore, universities should integrate these apps more often.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left more than 1.6 billion children and young people in 161 countries, nearly 80% of students enrolled in education systems globally, out of school. Many countries have resorted to online learning to reduce the repercussions of this shutdown. Many challenges have emerged, the most important of which are infrastructure and communication, and the knowledge of teachers and administrators of the necessary tools and processes are also key factors in providing online learning. In fact, nationwide lockdowns could have been an opportunity to test technological interventions for distance learning. Unfortunately, few systems have reached this point and are ready for implementation. The current study aimed to propose a strategy for distance education using the focus group method to gather the opinions of experts in the field of learning technologies and analyze their responses using text analysis software considering the McKinsey 7S Framework. The study found that the proposed strategy based on instructional design models that use OERs, i.e., blogs, audio recordings, and other resources, can improve the quality and efficiency of learning, provide students with skills, and achieve sustainable development goals in education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.