JOURNAL OF DIGITAL LEARNING AND DISTANCE EDUCATION

The Effectiveness of Interactive Learning Applications on Arabic Language Learning Outcomes: A Cognitive Perspective

Dr K M A AHAMED ZUBAIR — 2026-10-31

Digital transformation in education has promoted interactive learning applications as tools for foreign language acquisition, including Arabic. However, theoretical research integrating these applications from a cognitive perspective remains limited. This study examines how interactive learning applications support Arabic language learning based on cognitive learning theories: information processing theory, cognitive constructivism, and cognitive load theory. The research identifies cognitive features in applications, their relevance to Arabic learning, and potential for future development. A descriptive qualitative method was employed, using literature study and content analysis of academic sources. Additionally, an experimental study with 30 male undergraduate students at The New College, Chennai, India, measured the effectiveness of Animaker-based animated media in improving Arabic grammar (Sarf) learning outcomes. Results show that interactive applications support Arabic learning through five aspects: activating initial cognitive attention, reinforcing long-term memory via multimodality, knowledge construction, reducing cognitive load, and enhancing direct feedback. Experimental findings indicate Animaker media effectively improves Sarf learning outcomes, with a Mann-Whitney U-test significance value (2-tailed) of 0.004, less than 0.05, rejecting H0 and accepting H1. These findings confirm that learning applications are pedagogical tools enhancing language internalization quality. The study concludes that integrating interactive learning applications in Arabic language contexts is highly relevant and effective when based on cognitive principles, contributing scientifically to technology-based Arabic learning strategies adaptive to learners' mental processes.

WebEx and Socio-Technical Imaginaries in Greek Education: Between Infrastructural Continuity and Pedagogical Degradation

Georgios Alexandropoulos — 2026-10-31

The aim of this paper is to study the WebEx platform in the context of digital pedagogy in the Greek educational system. Greece also followed the international imperatives for teaching through digital platforms. The WebEx platform was adopted, and the aim is to highlight not the problems faced by all those who used it, but how it is still used in emergency situations and crises today. Through the analysis, questions related to the digital initiative that was taken and is being taken will be answered. Its role in shaping the Imagined future will be determined, as well as the contribution of this Imaginary to shaping expectations for the future and how these expectations direct government policy in Greece. WebEx should not be understood merely as a technical instrument ensuring the continuity of education, but as a socio-technical mechanism that contributes to the formation of a particular educational future in which uninterrupted operation takes precedence over pedagogical experience. Through the normalization of continuous access, education is increasingly reframed as a system that must remain functional under all circumstances, shifting attention from learning quality towards institutional and technical continuity. In this context, alternative pedagogical possibilities become more difficult to imagine, as technological solutions are positioned as the default response to crisis situations. As a result, an educational future is being constructed that is continuous and stable in technical terms, yet increasingly dependent on platform infrastructures and progressively detached from meaningful pedagogical relations.

The Impact of AI Chatbots on Learner Autonomy in Distance and Digital Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Ruth Rize Paas Megahati S — 2026-10-31

The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots—such as ChatGPT, Claude, and specialized pedagogical agents—has significantly transformed distance and digital learning environments. However, their specific influence on learner autonomy remains a topic of ongoing scholarly investigation. This study presents a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) guided by the PRISMA framework to examine the impact of AI chatbots on learner autonomy in distance and higher education contexts. Synthesizing findings from peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2021 and 2026 across major database repositories, this review investigates three core themes: self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies, motivational dynamics, and the risk of cognitive over-reliance. The results indicate that AI chatbots enhance cognitive and metacognitive self-regulation by providing personalized scaffolding, instant feedback, and goal-setting support. Nevertheless, negative side effects such as excessive dependency, reduced critical thinking, and reduced self-efficacy are observed when pedagogical scaffolding is insufficient. This paper concludes with a conceptual framework for balanced AI chatbot integration that fosters self-direction while mitigating cognitive passivity in distance education.