Insight Mosaic e-Megazine (First Edition)

terrainti Open and Distance Learning (ODL). I then found myself teaching content for learners who are predominantly in their own home, and connecting with the students was technologically mediated across vast distances. Gradually, my research interests, and consequently my publications, began to migrate from physics to the dynamics of ODL itself and physics became primarily a teaching subject. I was panicked stricken when I saw words like “constructivism,” “andragogy,” “cognitive load,” and “learner autonomy” - terms that were never inmy physics vocabulary. This wasn’t merely a change of topic; it was a profound paradigm shift. I was out of my depth. At this point, the words of the Qur’an came to guide me “And He taught man that which he knew not.” [Surah Al-‘Alaq, 96-5] It reminded me that learning does not stop at a doctoral degree. True knowledge is layered, and humility is the first step to mastery. I had to unlearn, relearn, and allow myself to be taught again. My physics skills set can only go so far. Initially, I was overwhelmed. Educational research seemed vast and theoretical, and the papers were daunting - 10 to 20 pages long. There was a new dimension in the demands of research and publication. as the saying goes, a new venture requires a “new you” mindset. In this scenario, a Quranic verse resonated deeply with me, 15