Asian Journal of Distance Education

Trust, Credibility and Transparency in Human-AI Interaction: Why We Need Explainable and Trustworthy AI and Why We Need It Now

Aras Bozkurt — 2024-12-31

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has rapidly evolved to perform complex tasks across diverse domains. Despite its potential to redefine how we work and learn, generative AI’s effectiveness hinges on the extent to which it is trusted—by individuals, organizations, and broader societal systems. At the heart of this issue lie three interrelated concepts: trust, credibility, and transparency. In particular, the opaque nature of AI “black boxes,” where sophisticated machine learning algorithms yield outcomes without clear explanations, exacerbates public concern and highlights the necessity of more explainable, responsible AI solutions. Current literature and practice indicate that trust and credibility in AI are multifaceted, encompassing technical, ethical, social, and psychological considerations. This complexity is compounded in educational settings, where generative AI’s integration demands robust transparency to mitigate fear, enhance learning outcomes, and secure a social license for AI-driven interventions. Explainable and trustworthy AI stands out as a dynamic paradigm shift, offering interpretability at both model and outcome levels. This approach enables end-users and developers alike to examine the rationale behind AI-driven decisions, preserving human oversight and reinforcing user confidence. However, merely defining explainable and trustworthy AI does not ensure its adoption: the ongoing challenge lies in building AI systems that are simultaneously innovative, transparent, and robust. Moving forward, the credibility and long-term sustainability of AI applications will depend on our collective ability to integrate technical refinements, adaptive regulations, and societal dialogue. By doing so, we can harness GenAI’s vast potential as a transformative force—guided by enduring human values rather than overshadowed by unchecked power.

Exploring the Cognitive Dynamics of Artificial Intelligence in the Post-COVID-19 and Learning 3.0 Era: A Case Study of ChatGPT

Lingfei Luan — 2024-04-18

The emergence of ChatGPT, an AI system designed for conversation by OpenAI, has prompted conversations about its transformative possibilities in multiple fields, primarily in education. This study conducts an in-depth investigation into the emotional and cognitive factors contributing to the popularity of ChatGPT and its influence on the shift towards a technology-driven, student-centered educational paradigm known as Learning 3.0. This study examines how ChatGPT accomplishes functional needs through human-AI interaction, such as effective task performance and social and emotional demands. This is achieved by integrating theories like the Computers Are Social Actors (CASA) paradigm, Relationships Motivation Theory, and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The study claims that personal AI trainers like ChatGPT could reinforce self-regulated learning strategies, responding to an increasing need for remote education due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper establishes ChatGPT as a personification of the concepts of 3.0 learning, which center on advancing abilities, customization, and customization using technological advancement to create study experiences suited to the student's needs. While acknowledging limitations in the concept and the need to produce statistical facts through research, the researchers underline its potential for transforming education systems and enhancing human understanding. In addition, this paper brings up important ethical issues that must be considered for generative AI technologies to be widely used in education and academia. Educators must choose how to achieve an appropriate balance: leveraging technology to enhance learning while safeguarding the students they teach from potential risks.

Exploring the Potential of Social Media for Science Learning in Palestine: Educators' Perspectives

Rami Muhtaseb — 2024-04-29

This article reports on the findings of a study that explored educators’ use of social media in formal and informal science education in Palestine, and their perceptions of the integration of the available tools and resources into their formal teaching and learning. The study used semi-structured interviews with 18 educators at three Palestinian educational institutions providing different teaching modes, specifically: formal campus learning, formal blended learning, and informal community learning. The findings of the article indicate that educators place a clear value on the potential of social media to improve many aspects of formal and informal science education. The findings suggest that social media tools, by virtue of their informal and social character, can offer rich venues for effective interactions among different communities, which can be applied as a response to challenges that currently confront the Palestinian educators, students and the community, including a lack of science resources and mobility restrictions. The study provides a foundation for future thinking about the possibilities of investing in informal modes, tools, and structures as viable solutions to address educational challenges in regions experiencing instability.

Influence of Socio-Demographic Profile on the Motivational Characteristics and Academic Performances of Distance Learners

Yasmin — 2024-05-14

The paper explores and assesses, through quantitative research and data analytics models, as to how socio-demographic profile, work, and family responsibilities may be associated with motivational level and educational attainment or course completion rate of learners enrolled in the undergraduate courses of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), the largest distance education University in India. The models, generated using classification tree methods, show that employed and married learners perform better in distance education. Assessing underlying reasons, an empirical study using the Keller’s ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction) framework reveals that course relevance and level of satisfaction while pursuing the study are the two most important factors in keeping distance learners motivated and achieving better academic performance. The quantitative survey also shows that the employed learners have significantly higher levels of motivation, while the others may have difficulty in maintaining their self-motivation during distance learning. The findings are important for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institutions to understand students' varied expectations of the distance learning experience and the consequences on their motivation levels and academic performances when these expectations are not met.

Children's Perceptions of Emergency Remote Teaching Reflected in Their Drawings

Ayşin Gaye Üstün — 2024-05-22

In the COVID-19 pandemic, a rapid transition from face-to-face teaching methods to distance education methods has forced students, teachers, administrators, and parents to struggle with various difficulties and obstacles. Emergency remote teaching, which is rapidly implemented in mandatory situations, and distance education, in which people decide on their preferences, are characterized as different concepts. While distance education is a process that is planned and supported by both theoretical and practical knowledge, emergency remote teaching is about the rapid activation of all resources that can be used both online and offline in a crisis. During the pandemic, the experiences of children who met distance education for the first time have started to be wondered and studies on this subject have gained intensity. In this study, it was aimed to examine the perceptions of 9-10-year-old children about the emergency remote teaching education process they experienced through their drawings. 116 children participated in the study. Descriptive phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. The results of the study provide information about the human figures, learning environments, technological devices, and applications they used, the emotions they felt, their interactions with their peers and teachers, and the problems they encountered during the emergency remote teaching process.

Efficiency, Effectiveness and Fairness Narratives of Education Technology: A Synthesis of Claims and Evidence from the Asia-Pacific Region

Sarah Lambert — 2024-05-31

For decades, the field of educational technology (ed-tech) has been characterised by over-optimism and lofty promises that often fail to materialise. This research investigates the narrative claims or hype of ed-tech across diverse education contexts in seven Asian-Pacific countries. It uses a qualitative meta-analysis of research reports developed by Master of Education Students at Monash University in 2023. These reports examined narratives and evidence of particular ed-techs in their contexts. We found five common narrative claims made for new educational technologies (Effectiveness, Efficiency, Fairness, Transformation, and Limitations) and ten narrative sub-themes that were quite similar across different nations, contexts and technologies. However, there were differences in the specific expressions of the narratives, especially within the efficiency narratives, due to different implementations, strategic approaches, and cultural contexts. Overall, the evidence fell a long way short of the narrative claims made for the various technologies. While some narratives produced a reasonable number of studies supporting them in limited contexts, many narrative sub-themes were unmatched by evidence. To support more informed dialogues, we offer a Critical Thinking framework of Education Technology, which summarises the most common hype narratives and evidence gaps from our study. We hope this might support more informed planning and investment conversations, enhance educators' tools to teach critical appraisal of education technology in university programs, and inspire further research into areas where evidence for improvements is limited.

The Role Cognition of Vocational Teachers and Its Relationship with Social Support and Professional Values

Liu Lingfeng — 2024-07-02

In the era of "Internet+ Education" and smart technologies, vocational college teachers face numerous challenges, such as blurred role cognition and a lack of professional value. There is also a crisis of teachers being instrumentalized, marginalized, and blurred by internet tools. The role cognition of vocational college teachers is crucial in determining their professional behavior and teaching effectiveness. This study examines Chinese vocational college teachers from the perspective of a Chinese scholar. This study analyzes teachers' role cognition from two dimensions: social support and professional values. Social support encompasses social, administrative, and peer-related aspects. The research reveals a significant positive correlation between the development of social support and teachers' sense of professional values. Social support directly and positively predicts teachers' sense of professional values, and conversely, teachers' sense of professional values also directly and positively predict their role cognition. Social support indirectly predicts teachers' role cognition in a positive manner, with professional values acting as a complete mediator. Consequently, it can be concluded that to leverage the supportive roles of social support, administration, and peers, enhancing teachers' sense of professional values is paramount. This enhancement will ultimately lead to a more positive impact on teachers' cognition.

What if ChatGPT Could...? Navigating the Ethical Frontiers of Generative AI in Academia

Ümit Ünsal Kaya — 2024-07-04

This article explores the multifaceted implications of integrating advanced generative AI technologies, specifically ChatGPT, into academic writing and research. It delves into the potential benefits and challenges that arise from the speculative advancements of ChatGPT, emphasizing the dual-edged nature of its capabilities. On one hand, ChatGPT promises to revolutionize academic practices by enhancing efficiency, bridging knowledge gaps, and providing innovative tools for scholarly exploration. On the other hand, it introduces significant ethical dilemmas and questions of authorship, accountability, and the integrity of academic work. The article calls for a proactive approach in updating ethical guidelines and review processes to accommodate the evolving landscape of AI in academia. It highlights the necessity of establishing robust oversight mechanisms and validation processes to ensure the accuracy and integrity of AI-generated content. Furthermore, it discusses the importance of maintaining a balance between leveraging AI's potential and preserving the authenticity of academic work, underscoring the critical role of human oversight in the academic use of AI.Through a comprehensive analysis, this article contributes to the ongoing dialogue on the integration of AI in academic settings. It proposes the Academic Integrity and Transparency in AI-assisted Research and Specification (aiTARAS) framework as a means to disclose AI assistance transparently. By addressing the complexities introduced by generative AI, the article aims to foster an educational environment that is both innovative and reliable, ensuring that AI serves as an ally in the pursuit of knowledge while upholding the highest standards of academic integrity.

Leveraging AI in education in Cambodia: A review of perceived concerns and associated benefits

Mengkorn Pum — 2024-08-21

With current state-of-the-art advances in artificial intelligence (AI), especially large language models, such as Google’s Gemini, Microsoft's Copilot, and ChatGPT, among others, a plethora of research on this phenomenon has been conducted worldwide aiming to examine its limitations, benefits and ethical implications. Nonetheless, such a phenomenon has been rarely discussed and researched in the contexts, such as Cambodia. In light of this, this article aims to discuss perceived concerns and associated benefits of using AI in Cambodia’s education by extensively synthesizing various types of articles–research articles, opinion pieces, online newspapers, and other relevant documents. Based on a comprehensive review of the secondary sources, the article identified five perceived concerns related to the use of AI in Cambodia’s education, including privacy and security issues, decline in critical thinking and creativity, risks of academic misconduct, assessment issues, and superficial and biased information. Despite these concerns, the article also underscored a range of benefits, such as offering personalized learning, enabling better innovative assessment and pedagogy, supporting and enhancing productive administration, and providing academic writing support. The article begins by examining the perceived concerns surrounding the utilization of AI in education in Cambodia first, then it moves to the discussion of the associated benefits. The article ends with a conclusion by summarizing the key findings before calling for future research regarding the use of AI in the Cambodian context.

Digital divide in the Digital Age – A qualitative study of distance learners of IGNOU

Kaikho Ashuni — 2024-10-19

The digital age has opened up new and exciting opportunities for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in universities. But, is going digital reinforcing the existing social inequalities? This qualitative research examines the three levels of digital divide and digital inequality among learners at India’s National Open University, IGNOU. The findings suggest an existence of a basic level of accessibility to both digital devices and internet connection among the learners. However, when considering the quality of access, there is a gap between those with the bare basics, and those with multiple devices and good connectivity. On the face of it, all the learners appear to be frequent and comfortable users of these technologies, but their skills seem to be limited only to technical and operational aspects. When considering skills related to digital information, critical information, social and content creation, it is not as obvious and mostly doubtful. The findings further suggest that most learners’ strategy to safeguard from online harm are limited to protecting devices from viruses and financial scams. There is uncertainty regarding avoiding harm from a personal safety, security, wellbeing, and mental health point of view.

A Systematic Literature Review of Articles on Learning Analytics

Anıl Harun Kılıç — 2024-12-30

This study conducted a systematic literature review of articles on learning analytics published between 2004 and January 2024. A total of 1,064 articles, identified using the keyword “learning analytic*” in the Scopus database, were analyzed. The study integrated systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis approaches to explore academic developments in the field. It also employed t-SNE (T-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding), text mining, and social network analysis techniques. The findings revealed a significant surge in learning analytics research in recent years, with the United States, Spain, Australia, and the United Kingdom as leading contributors. Prominent institutions included Monash University, the University of South Australia, and The Open University. Dragan Gašević and Bart Rienties emerged as the most prolific researchers in the field. Key subtopics within learning analytics research encompassed (1) its application in personalised learning processes, (2) data-driven decision-making, (3) ethical considerations in using personal data, (4) its role in formative assessment and evaluation, and (5) its potential influence on the future of online learning in higher education.