International Journal of Distance Education and E-Learning

Exploring Students' Perceptions of Moodle as a Tool for Enhancing Transformative Learning in a Rural University in Tanzania

Mustapha Almasi — 2025-12-29

This study examines students’ perceptions of Moodle as a tool for enhancing transformative learning in a rural setting. Specifically, it aims to examine students' ability to access and utilize the platform, identify challenges they face when using the Moodle LMS, and quantify their perceptions of the features offered by the system. Employing a quantitative approach, data were collected from 1,412 rural university students in Tanzania. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Relative Importance Index (RII) to rank the challenges associated with using Moodle LMS. The study revealed that a vast majority of students (96.8%) at the rural university have used Moodle LMS, primarily via their smartphones. While students appreciated the platform's flexibility for learning anytime and anywhere, the unavailability of learning materials within the LMS was the most significant challenge, followed by issues with self-enrollment, as indicated by the RII. Despite these challenges, 63% of students perceived Moodle as user-friendly and reported positive experiences. Although Moodle facilitates easy access to learning resources and supports self-directed learning, instructors need to provide updated materials and engage students in collaborative activities to foster transformative learning.

Keywords: E-learning, transformative learning, blended learning, Moodle

Ethical Considerations of AI in Education: A Comprehensive Analysis

Muhammed Miah — 2025-12-29

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in learning is enabling better personalization and the provision of smarter content. Yet the fast-growing spread of AI systems in education brings blessings, fundamental ethical issues to be solved in order to avoid their socially unacceptable use. This research paper examines the complex ethical aspects surrounding AI-based education, including data privacy and security, algorithmic bias and fairness, transparency and accountability, and its effect on educators and students. This paper explores the challenges and opportunities of promoting ethical AI use in education through a narrative review of the literature and practices in the field. It sets out a framework to guide work on creating an ethical approach to AI development and use, and calls for policymakers, developers and businesses to work with a wider variety of voices to ensure AI works for society. The objective is to offer advice to teachers, policymakers, and developers on how to take them through the conceptual and ethical minefield of AI in education, so that AI technologies do support learning, illuminating the ethical frameworks to be used to do so.

Exploring the Satisfaction Level of Students of Allama Iqbal Open University Belonging to Remote Areas of Pakistan: An Analytical Study of Azad Jammu Kashmir

Muhammad Ajmal — 2025-12-29

This study had the objectives about exploring the perceptions and experiences of undergraduate students for their support services mechanism of Allama Iqbal Open University. The cross-sectional survey was used in this study to assess undergraduate students' perceptions regarding satisfaction level with assistance services from matric to bachelor level students. Data collection was made from the students with the help of questionnaire. The study consisted of undergraduate students of Matric to Bachelor Level Programs Rawalakot (AJK) of the university. The sample consisted of 774 (12%) from the total enrollment of 6450 undergraduates through convenient sampling. The respondents have positive perceptions of all the indicators. The students encountered challenges and dissatisfaction for no response of call and email on time from the university, internet/ network problem, books delivered late and timing of paper was not convenient, infrastructure was poor in exams centers, far examination centers, process of changing of examination center and insufficient channels of communication for academic assistance. There are significant gaps in existing services for students’ satisfaction, emphasizing the need for organized and responsive assistance systems that align with the needs of students.

Key words: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Student Support Services (SSS), Students Perceptions & Experiences

Stakeholder-Driven Conceptual Framework for Blended Learning Implementation in Higher Educational System

Dr. Fatima Qassim — 2025-12-29

The study aimed to develop conceptual framework for the higher education institutions for adopting blended learning approach for the enhancement of access to education. For developing proposed framework, the mixed-methods research study was conducted on higher education institutions in Islamabad, stakeholders for the study were students, teachers, and administrators, their perceptions and suggestions were considered to propose a framework. For that reason, the quantitative data was collected through self-developed questionnaires for teachers and students and for qualitative data collection self-developed interview guidelines were used to collect the data, before that pilot testing and reliability checked which was sufficient to conduct the survey and interviews. The purposive on random sampling techniques was to collect data from four hundred and thirty-five students, fifty-eight teachers, and thirty administrators. The findings of the study revealed that on the basis of assessing readiness and challenges faced to implement blended learning five main factors number one was access to technology, administrative support, motivation, content knowledge, and self-efficacy, is very important. Secondly, innovative teaching technique, teachers’ professional development, third physical infrastructure like, internet broadband facility and strong digital information, fourth, for implementing blended learning higher education institutions policies need to be defined clearly, lastly, remove challenges, like; connectivity issues, untrained teachers, and poor instructional design capacity. The recommendation of the study was to expand blended learning programs across universities. It may be done with the balance of online and face-to-face instructions.

Keywords: Blended learning, readiness, stakeholders, framework, higher education institutions

Exploring Learners Attitude, Benefits and Threats in using Artificial Intelligence Tools in Distance Education

Zahida . — 2025-12-29

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are used in all spheres of life. These tools are getting smarter with the passage of time and their use dynamics are also being changed accordingly. It has taken key place in all walks of life especially in distance education. This study aimed to explore the attitude benefits and threats of distance learners in using AI tools. The study was descriptive in nature, having positivist lens followed by a quantitative approach. Survey method was employed for the study. The population comprised students enrolled in B.Ed, MPhil and PhD programs in the faculty of Education at Allama Iqbal Open University. The questionnaire was adopted, shared through google docs and 664 students responded. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, ANOVA and t-test to find the difference across gender, program of the study and their age. Findings of this study indicated that students of M.Phil degree reported a greater AI tools benefits than those with B.Ed degree and there were no significance differences in perceived AI tools benefits across age and gender. Both M.Phil and doctoral student showed more positive attitude in using AI tools than B.Ed students and there were no significance difference in attitude with AI tools based on age and gender. Additionally, threats posed by AI tools did not differ significantly by education level, age group and gender. In addition, policymakers should make rules and regulations that protect students privacy, promote digital inclusion, and ensure equitable access to all learners of distance education.

Key words: Artificial intelligence, distance learners, attitude, benefit and threat