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ODL Research Levels, Topics and Gaps in the Humanities: A Systematic Review of Commonwealth Contributions
Abstract
In the rapidly evolving landscape of Open and Distance Learning (ODL), the higher education (HE) sector is frequently evaluated based on the dual criteria of research output—both in terms of quality and quantity. As the demand for flexible learning environments grows, the emphasis on producing impactful research publications has become increasingly central to institutional reputation and academic credibility. Monitoring contextual trends and gaps is crucial for understanding the evolving landscape of distance education (DE) and the emergence of dualmode universities in Commonwealth nations. Evaluation processes provide scholars with valuable insights for implementing ODL strategies across various Commonwealth contexts, aiding the development of policies that incorporate best practices tailored to the specific needs of the ODL domain. This systematic literature review utilised the PRISMA guidelines to identify, empirically evaluate, and analyse the research levels and sub-levels relating to ODL-authored articles published by researchers from Commonwealth countries. The study included a sample of 3129 published articles from the SCOPUS database, concentrating on DE and the humanities, published between 2015 and 2024. Data were analysed through a content analysis of titles, keywords, and abstracts, following Zawacki-Richter’s (2009) ODL research levels framework, with small amendments to ensure context specificity. The results indicate that only 4 % of the published articles were attributed to the Macro level of DE systems and theories. The Meso level, comprising management, organisation and technology at the institutional level, accounted for 19%. Finally, the Micro level of teaching and learning in DE revealed the most prominent research level, comprising almost 77% of the articles. These results indicate the relative paucity of DE articles published by Commonwealth authors in the Macro and, to a lesser extent, the meso levels. A further finding is that the original framework, which was developed in 2009, should consider the changing nature of the field of DE and the inclusion of new sublevels in the field.
PCF11 Sub-Theme: Sustaining Communities of Learning and Practice in Innovative Open Education
Paper ID: 4592
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Pan-Commonwealth
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Date
2025-09
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Commonwealth of Learning (COL)