This study intends to explore the current trends in the field of distance education research during the period of 2009-2013. The trends were identified by an extensive review of seven peer reviewed scholarly journals: The American Journal of Distance Education (AJDE), Distance Education (DE), The European Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning (EURODL), The Journal of Distance Education (JDE), The Journal of Online Learning and Technology (JOLT), Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning (OL) and The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning (IRRODL). A total of 861 research articles was reviewed. Mainly content analysis was employed to be able to analyze the current research. Also, a social network analysis (SNA) was used to interpret the interrelationship between keywords indicated in these articles. Themes were developed and the content of the articles in the selected journals were coded according to categories derived from earlier studies. The results were interpreted using descriptive analysis (frequencies) and social network analysis. The reporting of the results were organized into the following categories: research areas, theoretical and conceptual frameworks, variables, methods, models, strategies, data collection and analysis methods, and the participants. The study also identified the most commonly used keywords, and the most frequently cited authors and studies in distance education. The findings obtained in this study may be useful in the exploration of potential research areas and identification of neglected areas in the field of distance education.

Gender inequality is a pressing issue on a global scale, yet studies on this important issue have stayed on the margins of open and distance learning (ODL) literature. In this study, we critically analyse a batch of ODL literature that is focused on gender inequality in post-secondary and higher education contexts. We use Therborn's social justice framework to inform and guide the study. This is a comprehensive social justice lens that sees inequality as "a life and death issue," approaching empowerment as a central area of concern. Qualitative content analysis of 30 years of peer-reviewed literature reveals patriarchy and androcentrism as significant mechanisms that continue to produce gender inequality, in particular in women's access to educational resources and formal learning opportunities. We highlight three themes that emerged in the content analysis: (1) ODL and equal opportunity; (2) Feminism and gender-sensitive curriculum design; and (3) Culturally relevant curriculum design. We critique views of access to technology-enabled education as an instrument for social justice, and provide a pedagogical model for an ODL curriculum centred on empowerment and agency, two concepts closely linked to existential inequality. We argue that such a curriculum is public service and requires a model of education that is based on participation and co-construction, and lies at the intersection of critical, feminist, and culturally relevant pedagogical practices.

In the 21st century, when the knowledge-based economy is steering improvement and development, STEM education has gained increasing momentum and importance. This study aims to identify the current trends in STEM education, and also explores and identifies research trends and patterns in articles published between 2014 and 2016 on STEM education through a systematic review study. The research findings indicate that interest in STEM education in scholarly venues has witnessed a marked increase since 2014, with researchers preferring mostly quantitative, conceptual/descriptive, qualitative, mixed and practice-based research methods. In contrast, no interest is currently being shown in data mining and analytical methodologies. The patterns being in STEM education are identified as follows: (1) the scope of the STEM education, (2) the need for a new curriculum for the STEM in higher education, (3) gender studies in STEM education and (4) the need for student-centred future studies on the effectiveness of STEM education. Keywords: STEM, research trends, systematic review, content analysis, text mining.

Development and validation of a scale to measure volition for learning

The increasing integration of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, in education has prompted growing interest in their pedagogical potential and the emergent competencies required for their effective use in language instruction. While generative AI is beginning to influence language teaching and learning practices, emerging research suggests a growing need to address AI-related literacies and ethical considerations within language teacher education programs. Despite the growing number of studies examining generative AI’s use in language learning contexts, there remains a notable gap in systematically reviewing how generative AI is being addressed in teacher preparation and professional development. To address this gap, this study presents a bibliometric-based systematic literature review of research on generative AI in language teacher education, employing text-mining algorithms, data-mining heuristics, and social network analysis. The findings identify five major thematic clusters in the literature: (1) Professional Development and AI Literacy in Teacher Education, (2) Chatbots and Conversational AI in Language Learning, (3) Generative AI for Instructional Design, Assessment, and Lesson Planning, (4) Generative AI as a Tool for Enhancing EFL Writing Skills, and (5) Exploring Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions and Readiness. This review contributes to the growing discourse on AI in education by mapping the current research landscape and identifying critical directions for advancing generative AI integration in language teacher education.