Bridging AI-mediated educational inequalities in Open and Distance eLearning: lessons from Zimbabwe Open University

This study examines the relationship between cognitive processes and job performance in teachers at the Cruz del Norte Educational Unit, focusing on attention, planning, organization, anxiety, and job stress. A mixed-method design was applied, combining quantitative and qualitative techniques such as psychometric tests, Pearson correlation, multiple regression analysis, Student’s t-test, the Delphi method, and the Ishikawa diagram. The results show that executive functions, particularly planning and organization, have a significant positive impact on job performance. Teachers with higher levels of these skills demonstrate better performance, with strong correlations (r = 0.72, p = 0.001; r = 0.65, p = 0.003). In contrast, anxiety and stress act as limiting factors. Multiple regression analysis indicates that anxiety (β = -0.4946, p < 0.0001) and stress (β = -0.3721, p < 0.001) negatively predict job performance. Additionally, job indiscipline—reflected in absenteeism and lateness—shows a strong negative correlation with performance (r = -0.74, p < 0.000). These findings highlight the importance of time management and organizational commitment, as well as the need to implement training and psychological support strategies to improve teacher performance and educational quality.

این مطالعه به بررسی رابطه بین فرایندهای شناختی و عملکرد شغلی در معلمان واحد آموزشی Cruz del Norte می‌پردازد و بر توجه، برنامه‌ریزی، سازمان‌دهی، اضطراب و استرس شغلی تمرکز دارد. از طرح پژوهشی ترکیبی استفاده شده است که تکنیک‌های کمی و کیفی مانند آزمون‌های روان‌سنجی، همبستگی پیرسون، تحلیل رگرسیون چندگانه، آزمون t استیودنت، روش دلفی و نمودار ایشیکاوا را ترکیب می‌کند. نتایج نشان می‌دهد که کارکردهای اجرایی، به‌ویژه برنامه‌ریزی و سازمان‌دهی، تأثیر مثبت معناداری بر عملکرد شغلی دارند. معلمانی که سطوح بالاتری از این مهارت‌ها را دارا هستند، عملکرد بهتری از خود نشان می‌دهند و همبستگی‌های قوی (r = ۰.۷۲, p = ۰.۰۰۱؛ r = ۰.۶۵, p = ۰.۰۰۳) مشاهده شده است. در مقابل، اضطراب و استرس به‌عنوان عوامل محدودکننده عمل می‌کنند. تحلیل رگرسیون چندگانه نشان می‌دهد که اضطراب (β = -۰.۴۹۴۶, p < ۰.۰۰۰۱) و استرس (β = -۰.۳۷۲۱, p < ۰.۰۰۱) پیش‌بینی‌کننده منفی عملکرد شغلی هستند. همچنین، بی‌انضباطی شغلی—که در غیبت و تأخیر منعکس می‌شود—همبستگی منفی قوی با عملکرد دارد (r = -۰.۷۴, p < ۰.۰۰۰). این یافته‌ها اهمیت مدیریت زمان و تعهد سازمانی و همچنین ضرورت اجرای راهبردهای آموزشی و حمایت روان‌شناختی برای بهبود عملکرد معلمان و کیفیت آموزشی را برجسته می‌کند.

This study examines the relationship between cognitive processes and job performance in teachers at the Cruz del Norte Educational Unit, focusing on attention, planning, organization, anxiety, and job stress. A mixed-method design was applied, combining quantitative and qualitative techniques such as psychometric tests, Pearson correlation, multiple regression analysis, Student’s t-test, the Delphi method, and the Ishikawa diagram. The results show that executive functions, particularly planning and organization, have a significant positive impact on job performance. Teachers with higher levels of these skills demonstrate better performance, with strong correlations (r = 0.72, p = 0.001; r = 0.65, p = 0.003). In contrast, anxiety and stress act as limiting factors. Multiple regression analysis indicates that anxiety (β = -0.4946, p < 0.0001) and stress (β = -0.3721, p < 0.001) negatively predict job performance. Additionally, job indiscipline—reflected in absenteeism and lateness—shows a strong negative correlation with performance (r = -0.74, p < 0.000). These findings highlight the importance of time management and organizational commitment, as well as the need to implement training and psychological support strategies to improve teacher performance and educational quality.

این مطالعه به بررسی رابطه بین فرایندهای شناختی و عملکرد شغلی در معلمان واحد آموزشی Cruz del Norte می‌پردازد و بر توجه، برنامه‌ریزی، سازمان‌دهی، اضطراب و استرس شغلی تمرکز دارد. از طرح پژوهشی ترکیبی استفاده شده است که تکنیک‌های کمی و کیفی مانند آزمون‌های روان‌سنجی، همبستگی پیرسون، تحلیل رگرسیون چندگانه، آزمون t استیودنت، روش دلفی و نمودار ایشیکاوا را ترکیب می‌کند. نتایج نشان می‌دهد که کارکردهای اجرایی، به‌ویژه برنامه‌ریزی و سازمان‌دهی، تأثیر مثبت معناداری بر عملکرد شغلی دارند. معلمانی که سطوح بالاتری از این مهارت‌ها را دارا هستند، عملکرد بهتری از خود نشان می‌دهند و همبستگی‌های قوی (r = ۰.۷۲, p = ۰.۰۰۱؛ r = ۰.۶۵, p = ۰.۰۰۳) مشاهده شده است. در مقابل، اضطراب و استرس به‌عنوان عوامل محدودکننده عمل می‌کنند. تحلیل رگرسیون چندگانه نشان می‌دهد که اضطراب (β = -۰.۴۹۴۶, p < ۰.۰۰۰۱) و استرس (β = -۰.۳۷۲۱, p < ۰.۰۰۱) پیش‌بینی‌کننده منفی عملکرد شغلی هستند. همچنین، بی‌انضباطی شغلی—که در غیبت و تأخیر منعکس می‌شود—همبستگی منفی قوی با عملکرد دارد (r = -۰.۷۴, p < ۰.۰۰۰). این یافته‌ها اهمیت مدیریت زمان و تعهد سازمانی و همچنین ضرورت اجرای راهبردهای آموزشی و حمایت روان‌شناختی برای بهبود عملکرد معلمان و کیفیت آموزشی را برجسته می‌کند.

Rural-origin students in South African higher education face multiple, overlapping forms of marginalisation that collectively hinder their academic access and success. Despite significant policy reforms aimed at expanding access and addressing historical injustices, the educational paths of these learners are still disproportionately affected by a combination of socio-economic deprivation, linguistic exclusion, gendered vulnerabilities, and technological marginalisation. This systematic review synthesises current empirical evidence to clarify how these intersectional barriers merge to obstruct the educational journeys of rural-origin students in South African higher education. It also critically examines how institutional policies and technological interventions may unintentionally reinforce or potentially alleviate these inequities. The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, conducting a comprehensive search across multiple academic databases for studies published between 2018 and 2026. After a rigorous screening and eligibility process, 52 studies met the inclusion criteria and underwent thematic analysis guided by Nancy Fraser's trivalent social justice framework. Five overarching themes emerged: The multidimensional digital divide; linguistic exclusion and the devaluation of vernacular knowledge; gendered vulnerabilities and the burden of social reproduction; algorithmic bias and the risks associated with technological solutionism; and governance gaps alongside the failure of participatory parity. The findings revealed that existing equity frameworks inadequately address the structural dimensions of rural marginalisation. Achieving educational equity necessitates a fundamental shift towards intersectionality-aware, context-sensitive institutional policies that prioritise resource redistribution, cultural recognition, and the meaningful representation of students from rural backgrounds in decision-making processes.

Students’ learning outcomes in Informatics remain a challenge when conventional instructional media offer limited interaction, contributing to passive engagement and difficulties understanding learning materials. This study examined changes in Grade X students’ learning outcomes after the implementation of Wordwall-assisted interactive learning media for the Computer Systems topic at SMAN 1 Sawahlunto, Indonesia. A quantitative approach was employed using a pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design involving 30 students from class X E4. Students completed a multiple-choice achievement test before instruction, participated in Computer Systems learning activities supported by Wordwall, and completed a posttest afterward. The intervention incorporated game-based activities to support practice and engagement; however, the research records did not specify its duration. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired-samples t-test, with normalized gain (N-Gain) used to assess the level of improvement. The mean score increased from 53.67 on the pretest to 77.67 on the posttest, a difference of 24.00 points. The paired-samples t-test identified a statistically significant difference between scores (t = 8.664, df = 29, p < 0.001). The mean N-Gain was 0.538, indicating moderate improvement. These results show that students’ scores were higher after the Wordwall-assisted learning intervention. Nevertheless, the study did not include a control group, the observed change cannot be attributed to Wordwall alone; instructional or testing-related factors may also have contributed. Wordwall therefore be considered a useful supplementary medium for Informatics instruction, while further studies using control groups, larger samples, and documented intervention durations are needed to strengthen conclusions about its effectiveness.

Abstract Online education in Japanese universities expanded rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, exposing both the genuine value of flexible learning formats and the structural conditions required to make them effective. While students consistently appreciated the temporal and spatial autonomy of online study, research has identified persistent challenges including isolation, physical and psychological fatigue, assignment overload, declining motivation, and inequities in digital access and ICT literacy. This paper presents a narrative synthesis of recent empirical studies on online learning in Japanese higher education, arguing that student success is associated with the coordinated integration of three interdependent dimensions. Drawing on national surveys, institutional reports, and case-based research, the paper proposes the Flexibility–Structure–Support (FSS) Model, in which flexibility without adequate pedagogical structure may increase the risk of disengagement, while structure without sufficient institutional support may contribute to uneven and inequitable learning experiences. Effective instructional design—integrating active learning, motivating assignments, meaningful feedback, and blended formats—must be accompanied by investment in infrastructure, systematic faculty development, and explicit support for student self-regulated learning. Implications for course design, program coordination, and institutional policy are discussed, along with limitations and directions for future research.