This special issue of the Center for Open and Digital Teaching and Learning (CODTL) of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) brings together scholarly contributions that explore how intentional instructional design, emerging technologies, and reflective practices enhance learning, engagement, and community in distributed and online environments. The articles featured in this issue, contributed by scholars from Asia, Africa, and Europe, demonstrate how educators are thoughtfully leveraging digital tools and pedagogical frameworks to create inclusive and meaningful learning experiences.
The issue opens with “A Pragmatic Discursive Culture Model for Global Teams,” which examines the intercultural dimensions of global online collaboration and highlights the importance of culturally responsive pedagogy. This is followed by “Validity Testing of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) Survey as a Tool for Student Evaluation of Teaching and Learning in a Fully Online Philippine University,” offering a validated instrument for quality assurance in online higher education.
At the institutional and program levels, “Bridging the Gap: The Institutionalization of Reflective Practices in ODL Teacher Education in Tanzania” illustrates the role of e-portfolios, online journals, and peer feedback in supporting professional growth. Student-centered perspectives are explored in “Challenges and Opportunities in an Immersive and Gamified ODeL Course for Undergraduate Students” and “Drop-Everything-And-Read-wRite-Research: Designing for Learning Presence in a Metaverse,” which examine engagement, presence, and agency in innovative learning spaces.
The issue concludes with “Developing Micro-credentials in AI for Assessment in Asia and Europe,” offering insights into the intersection of artificial intelligence and alternative credentialing. Collectively, the contributions in this special issue highlight reflective, learner-centered approaches that advance equitable, innovative, and empowering digital education practices across diverse global contexts.
Juvy Lizette Gervacio, Ph.D
Helmi Norman, Ph.D.
International Journal on Open and Distance e-Learning, Vol. 11 No. 2, December 2025 Issue