Navigating the Future of Open, Flexible, and Distance Learning!
We are thrilled to announce the publication of Volume 29, Issue 1 of the Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning (JOFDL), a landmark issue that coincides with our 30th anniversary. This collection of scholarly contributions offers a compelling look at the dynamic and often challenging landscape of contemporary education, providing crucial insights for the evolving world of online and flexible learning. As noted in the editorial for this issue, “Navigating the AI Frontiers in Academic Publishing: Responding with Openness” (Atkinson, 2025), this anniversary year is a time for both celebration and reflection. This reflection is happening in the context of artificial intelligence and its impact on scholarly publication. We have chosen to respond with increased openness, moving towards CC-BY licencing, in line with Diamond Open Access guidelines, and we are implementing Crossmark for version verification.
This issue collectively illuminates two significant, interconnected themes vital for the future of education: systemic adaptation and resilience in open, flexible and distance learning (OFDL) and the continuous reimagining of the educational experience towards learner-centric, flexible, and purpose-driven approaches. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to underscore the necessity of an adaptable education system, making integrated distance and classroom learning an ongoing focus for educators in this AI-enabled digital age.
Systemic Adaptation and Resilience in OFDL: Redefining Educational Ecosystems
Several articles in this issue directly address the imperative for systemic adaptation and resilience in OFDL:
Barbour & Wenmoth’s invited analysis, “Reimagining Learning for Aotearoa New Zealand’s Future Education Ecosystem,” directly confronts infrastructure gaps and advocates for cohesive and coordinated approaches across providers in the K-12 sector. Their vision prioritises student agency and choice, enabling tailored, flexible, and “unrationed learning” that transcends physical boundaries. They highlight a necessary shift in teacher roles towards facilitation and independent evaluation to achieve this (Barbour & Wenmoth, 2025).
Olcott Jr.’s discussion, “Open University Futures,” posits that online delivery is no longer a competitive advantage but a “normative” expectation in higher education. He argues that open universities face “mission ambiguity” and “unprecedented competition,” necessitating a “strategic reset” to remain relevant and sustainable. His call for institutions to reflect on the need to reframe the institutional credentialing continuum by blending traditional degrees with “new skill-based micro-credentials” and “fast-track pathways from school to work” challenges long-held assumptions about learning progression, aligning education more closely with lifelong learning and workforce needs (Olcott Jr, 2025).
Reimagining the Educational Experience: Learner-Centric Approaches
Articles in this issue explore in depth the continuous reimagining of the educational experience for both learners and teachers across OFDL. We share four different perspectives on this theme:
Des Armier Jr. and Zoe Xu’s “Experienced Faculty’s Online Teaching Readiness Post-Pandemic” shares insights into faculty readiness after two semesters of pandemic-driven remote teaching. While experienced faculty may be willing to implement new practices, challenges persist in areas like “identity disruption” and “equity and tenure norms” due to systemic barriers such as “high workloads and limited compensation”. This study offers valuable insights for administrators and developers to better support experienced faculty in online teaching (Des Armier Jr & Xu, 2025).
Fu’s qualitative study, “Chinese Learners and Pacific Languages,” starkly illustrates the challenges faced by Chinese international students learning Pacific languages online during the pandemic. The study reveals how the “lack of interactions in the online setting was the biggest challenge”, posing “practical barriers to building vā/wā (relational space)” and exacerbating cultural complexities. It underscores the need for OFDL environments to be culturally responsive and support genuine connection, emphasising the importance of “culturally immersive experiences” (Fu, 2025).
Baliram and Henrikson’s “Students’ Perceptions on the Vital Role of Engagement in Online Learning” study emphasises what students truly value in online learning: “high levels of student choice” in content, “clear communication with the instructor”, “multimodal engagement,” and “real-world application” of assignments. They advocate for a move beyond passive content consumption towards interactive and meaningful learning experiences facilitated by an engaged instructor (Baliram & Henrikson, 2025).
Gilpin, Rollag Yoon and Clinton-Lisell reflect on their findings in “Exploring Open Pedagogy Principles,” which challenges traditional instructional models by positioning students as creators and collaborators. They highlight the profound impact of assignments created for “real audiences” and the student preference for “authentic connections over prescribed collaborations”. However, the study also revealed a disconnect among students regarding Creative Commons licensing, which could empower student ownership of their creations, presenting an ongoing challenge for educators (Gilpin et al., 2025).
Finally, this issue includes a comprehensive book review by Ayesha Perveen of “Feminist Pedagogy for Teaching Online” (Howard et al., 2025). This edited volume is identified as a crucial intervention that bridges a significant gap in scholarship by exploring online learning through a feminist pedagogical lens. It challenges dominant instructional design norms and technological culture, underscoring fundamental values of care, equity, reflexivity, and social justice.
A Roadmap for Future Education: Embracing the AI-Augmented Digital Age
This collection of articles paints a vivid picture of an educational landscape in constant flux, demanding proactive, strategic, and collaborative efforts from all stakeholders—from institutional leaders and policymakers to faculty and instructional designers. As a journal, JOFDL is committed to publishing research that informs these critical transformations, ensuring that learning remains accessible, equitable, engaging, and relevant for all learners in the post-pandemic, AI-augmented, digital age.
The editorial for this issue reminds us that “AI won’t take away the role of a professional, but a professional using AI effectively will take away the role of a professional that doesn’t use AI”. The future of academic publishing, and indeed education itself, will be defined by our collective ability to responsibly harness AI’s power while safeguarding the core values of scholarship.
We invite you to explore the full issue and join us by submitting your own research in shaping the exciting, albeit challenging, opportunities ahead for OFDL as we continue to serve the diverse needs of a global society.
Dr Simon Paul Atkinson
Editor-in-Chief – Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning
REFERENCES
Atkinson, S. P. (2025). Navigating the AI Frontiers in Academic Publishing: Responding with Openness. Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning, 29(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.61468/jofdl.v29i1.733
Baliram, N., & Henrikson, R. (2025). Students’ Perceptions of the Vital Role of Engagement in Online Learning. Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning, 29(1), 109-131. https://doi.org/10.61468/jofdl.v29i1.709
Barbour, M., & Wenmoth, D. (2025). Reimagining Learning for Aotearoa New Zealand’s Future Education Ecosystem: Four Pillars and a Potential Roadmap. Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning, 29(1), 12-49. https://doi.org/10.61468/jofdl.v29i1.695
Des Armier Jr, D., & Xu, D. Z. (2025). Experienced Faculty’s Online Teaching Readiness Post-Pandemic. Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning, 29(1), 64-91. https://doi.org/10.61468/jofdl.v29ii.679
Fu, L. (2025). Chinese Learners and Pacific Languages: Online Journeys in NZ During COVID-19. Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning, 29(1), 92-108. https://doi.org/10.61468/jofdl.v29i1.705
Gilpin, S., Yoon, S. R., & Clinton-Lisell, V. (2025). Exploring Open Pedagogy Principles: A Qualitative Study of Undergraduate Experiences. Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning, 29(1), 132-150. https://doi.org/10.61468/jofdl.v29i1.701
Howard, J. T., Romero-Hall, E., Daniel, C., Bond, N., & Newman, L. (Eds). (2025). Feminist Pedagogy for Teaching Online (1st ed). Athabasca University Press. https://doi.org/10.15215/aupress/9781771994286.01
Olcott Jr, D. (2025). Open University Futures: Do We Need a Taxonomy for Defining Strategic Focus and Relevance? Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning, 29(1), 50-63. https://doi.org/10.61468/jofdl.v29i1.717