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Methodological trends are a key to the development of research in open and distance learning as a cognitive field. The purpose of this study was to review the methodological trends in the open and distance learning scholarly communication literature. It is important that research strategies are reviewed often to ensure the production of quality research output in a cognitive discipline. The study adopted qualitative content analysis to a sample of 1,393 articles published in five open and distance learning (ODL) journals from 2009 to 2018. The main findings of the study indicated that qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used more often than mixed methods research methodology, which was underrepresented. This implies that research in ODL relied heavily on positivist and interpretivist epistemologies, rather than pragmatist ones. Survey research approaches dominated in the research articles published in the ODL journals during the period under study. The main data analysis techniques were statistical and narrative techniques. Having ascertained that there is a gap in the use of mixed methods research in ODL, there is a need to set the future direction for open and distance learning research to focus on mixed methods research to minimise the weakness inherent in using only one method.

Supervisory practices are fundamental to the production of research in higher education, but these practices are undertheorized and poorly understood. Academia needs to understand and engage with supervisory pedagogies to reinforce their importance in knowledge production and the development of a knowledge society. Using content analysis of master's and doctoral research outputs completed between 2010 and 2016, this case study investigated postgraduate supervision practices in education in South Africa, and their implication for knowledge sharing in context. The findings showed that supervision in education has remained rooted in the classic individualistic model, with team supervision not prevalent. The benefits of team supervision relative to the individualistic model are highlighted. Acknowledgement of the range of competencies of supervisors and the growth of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research signals the value of the team supervision model. In addition to improving research support, team supervision also creates communicative spaces and opportunities for knowledge sharing and the development of supervisors.

This study identified trends and patterns of theory use in open and distance learning research by examining the research articles published in open and distance journals between 2009 and 2018. A content analysis of 1,393 articles in open and distance learning journals was conducted. Theory use is characterised as a situation in which an author uses a theory to explain the research variables in the article and answer the research questions. The findings showed that 385 theories were used in 366 articles that were published in five open and distance learning journals. The theories that were mainly used were those from related disciplines such as education, social sciences and information systems. There has been an increase in theory use among open and distance learning journals over the years. Since theory advances research and scientific discipline, and predicts what will or could be, the importance of awareness of the role of theory in research should be highlighted and the growth in theory use in open and distance learning research should be intensified.

Evaluating open and distance learning journals will be helpful to the discipline and the global community at large, as research evaluation metrics are useful for measuring research productivity and its impact within the global community. The study adopted a citation analysis, using Harzel Publish or Perish software, to extract data from Google Scholar and Scopus databases. The data extracted includes the geographical coverage of the authors, the number of citations per year, the most cited articles and the number of research outputs produced within the study period. Four core open and distance learning journals were studied. The main findings showed that the journals have geographical spread, which is seen from the contributors. The journals are shown to receive a good number of citations; however, within the study period some journals received more citations than the number of publications produced. The most productive journal is also the most cited journal, although no significant relationship exists between the number of published articles and the number of citations made. The geographical spread of the journals presents them as being very useful for research and a useful factor for consideration in collection development plans within libraries.

This study adopted Watkins and Marsick learning organization model to determine the learning organization's attributes that selected university libraries in Uganda had implemented to promote CPD activities and dissemination of the acquired knowledge. The study adopted a convergent parallel mixed methods design. Six library directors and 76 librarians from six university libraries in Uganda participated in the study. 51-67% of participants indicated that their libraries encouraged teams, provided ICTs, supported their learning requests, encouraged external collaboration, allowed staff time off for training, provided mentoring and coaching, encouraged discussions among staff, recognized and appreciated teams, had procedures for sharing CPD knowledge and skills, acknowledged and appreciated CPD participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe to interrogate the strategies being used to preserve indigenous knowledge, in the face of technological challenges. The researchers sought to ascertain the web presence of such entities and the awareness of indigenous datagovernance principles among information professionals. Qualitative research, using multiple case studies, was conducted. Web content analysis was done to identify such spaces, with four culture houses being purposively selected. Interviews were conducted with the participants who were available on the day of the researchers' visit when the latter observed each site. The findings showed that all culture houses did not have a web presence, and some administrators were aware of the principles for preserving indigenous knowledge in the digital era. The study recommends that in the future, cultural tourism can be better promoted, and indigenous communities empowered, by enhancing their access to related knowledge to achieve sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has been at the center of several economic and political debates in recent years. This is because of its capacity to significantly disrupt every life, economic sector, and industry. The problem is that when compared to the West, there has been limited literature on 4IR in Africa, and the continent has yet to embrace the revolution in full. The purpose of this article is to explore the challenges, prospects, and strategic directives for African countries to harness the disruptive capabilities of the 4IR. This qualitative study used a narrative literature review approach. Journal articles constituted the sample for the study. A manual thematic analysis approach was used to analyze data. Findings reveal that despite the social, institutional, economic, and environmental challenges, the 4IR comes with a myriad of social, institutional, economic, and environmental benefits for Africa. However, for Africa to overcome existing challenges and harness the opportunities of the 4IR, employers, educational institutions, and governments in the continent need to play a strategic role. This study contributes to the limited academic literature on the 4IR in Africa. Findings from this article can inform policies around the 4IR in African countries. Results also provide practical strategic directives for African employers, educational institutions, and governments to harness the disruptive capabilities of the 4IR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, investigated the intersection of data privacy, postgraduate educational data analytics (EDA), and sustainability. Existing literature focuses on general privacy concerns in EDA, neglecting the specific data collected and related risks in postgraduate programmes. This review addresses this gap by identifying data types used by higher education institutions in postgraduate initiatives and evaluating the adequacy of current ethical frameworks, particularly for sustainability goals. Recognising the lack of established best practices for balancing data utility and privacy, the review analyses privacy-preserving techniques. Through identifying key data types collected in postgraduate initiatives, evaluating existing ethical frameworks, and exploring privacy-preserving educational data analytics techniques, this study provided practical guidance for higher education institutions to navigate the challenges of balancing data utility and student privacy. The results suggest that higher education institutions can achieve sustainable data use by adopting a comprehensive approach that incorporates best practices, emerging technologies, and continuous monitoring to safeguard student privacy while leveraging the benefits of educational data analytics for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed how an academic library implemented lean principles to enhance its electronic resource workflows and processes. Twelve librarians who managed access to electronic resources at the library participated in the study. Data were collected through interviews and observation. Reflexive thematic data analysis revealed that knowledge and skills were necessary for librarians to function effectively. The systems for facilitating access to electronic resources were ineffective, and there was a need for procedures to be documented and streamlined to reduce waste through adopting lean concepts. This case study contributes to the literature on improving access to e-resources and professional practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education curricula need constant updates in response to job market requirements, which may be influenced by the changing technological environment. In the library and information science (LIS) job market there are dynamics brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). These dynamics call for LIS schools to reconsider their curricula in line with the job market. The job markets expect the education system to reflect their demands, as they are the primary clients. This study explored the education and training of LIS professionals on digital scholarship in line with the LIS curriculum in higher education institutions of South Africa. This was to enable the development of a framework for incorporating digital scholarship into the LIS curriculum. Wolf's (2007) curriculum development model and an aspect of the customer satisfaction model (Zeithaml et al., 1993) informed the study. The models assisted in producing a framework that can be used to incorporate digital scholarship content into the LIS curriculum in South Africa. The framework suggests that when developing digital scholarship, consultation with relevant stakeholders both internal and external should be considered. Relevant infrastructure and resources should also be in place when developing a digital scholarship curriculum. The relevant infrastructure should include the 4IR-driven infrastructure such as smart sensors, three-dimension (3D) modeling, and cybersecurity tools, among others. Relevant documentation such as resources in the form of policies, course outlines, and other curriculum-related documents should also be consulted. This model, if adopted, could assist LIS schools in developing a curriculum that is driven by digital scholarship, leading to the production of LIS graduates that meet the requirements of the current LIS job market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of digital innovation, the preservation of indigenous knowledge stands at a compelling intersection of heritage and technology. Librarians play a crucial role in navigating the complexities of technology while respecting cultural protocols. Through a comprehensive exploration of librarian practices, this study sought to unpack how indigenous knowledge can be ethically preserved in the digital landscape. A qualitative study was conducted with 20 librarians in Zimbabwe, who were purposively selected. Interviews and observation were used to collect data, which was analysed using thematic content analysis. The findings reveal that libraries preserved indigenous knowledge in the form of poetry, folklore, drama and artefacts; demonstrated traditional dances; and sometimes recorded live sessions and special collections. The major challenges being faced were the ethical issues in documenting indigenous knowledge. It is recommended that librarians actively work with indigenous communities in indigenous knowledge projects to avoid resistance from knowledge holders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to assess the extent to which Uganda university libraries have implemented digital transformation technologies and to determine the facilitators and barriers affecting the implementation of digital transformation in selected university libraries in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a convergent parallel mixed methods design. It was conducted in six selected university libraries in Uganda, which were in three private and three public universities. The study sample included 103 librarians with a minimum qualification of a bachelor's degree and six library directors. Findings: The findings indicated that there was an average (n = 37, 48.7%) implementation of digital transformation in the selected university libraries in Uganda. Some of the barriers hindering digital transformation included inadequate funding, lack of awareness of digital technologies, inadequate ICT skills, insufficient ICT infrastructure and limited staff among others. There is a need for library management to provide support in the form of funds, policies and human resources to implement such digital transformation. Research limitations/implications: The criteria for choosing universities were those that have been around for at least 10 years. The reason for this was that it was assumed that these universities would have well-established staff development programmes and procedures as well as be likely to have incorporated technology into their services, including libraries. This study's limitations stem from the fact that this criterion for selection might not apply to all Ugandan university libraries, particularly those that are less than 10 years old and may not have been well represented in this study. Originality/value: The magnitude of the problem of digital transformation in university libraries in Uganda is unclear because of the limited research available in the Uganda library and information science field. This study presents the status of digital transformation in Uganda university libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the role of lecturers in encouraging and supporting students likely to be predisposed to challenges related to incomprehension, incapacity and isolation embedded in the virtual learning environment. This article used a constructivist lens to gain through interviews an understanding into the intuition, thoughts, ideals, beliefs and inclination of lecturers about the nature and extent of their supportive role in the e-learning environment. The key findings revealed that the role of lecturers in promoting e-learning is varied. The discrepancy seems to be emanating from the lack of clear understanding of the meaning, the depth, the breadth and thrust of e-learning pedagogy at the University of South Africa (UNISA). The UNISA Strategy 2015-2030 introduced incremental changes in the form of Open Distance e-Learning (ODeL), which highlights the infusion of e-learning in the Open Distance Learning (ODL) context. Given its ODeL mandate, and the prescripts of the UNISA Strategy 2015-2030 and as part of the academic project the institution committed to introduce e-learning from 2015. Further, the institutional resolve to adopt a hybrid model that incorporates traditional and electronic teaching modes has caused uncertainty in the teaching space with some lecturers leaning towards e-learning whilst others lean towards traditional methods. The article recommends that UNISA needs to clarify its standpoint by adopting definitions, demarcations, strategies and tools that will enhance the understanding, adoption and usability of e-learning platforms and systems.