Insight Mosaic e-Megazine (First Edition)

“And for those who fear Allah, He will make a way out for them,” [Surah At-Talaq, 65-2] It was a reminder that with sincere effort and trust, a path would emerge from this challenge. Facing this steep learning curve, I sought a shortcut – not to bypass the learning, but to accelerate my understanding of the new genre. My strategy was straightforward yet surprisingly effectiveti I scoured for award- winning ODL papers. These weren’t just good papers; they were exemplars, recognised for their excellence. I downloaded them, printed them, and dissected them. I studied their style and format. How did they structure their arguments? What kind of language did they use? How did they introduce their research questions, present their methodology, discuss their findings, and articulate their conclusions? I paid attention to the flow, the transitions, the way they cited sources, even the subtle nuances of their academic voice. My initial approach was simple emulationti I would literally copy their style and format, then plug in my own details – my research questions, my data, my analyses; it provided a much-needed scaffold. Looking back, this transition wasn’t just about switching disciplines. It was about redefining my identity as an academic. I didn’t stop being a physicist; rather, I expanded my scope. In fact, I started seeing physics not just as content, but as a method of thinking systematic, logical, precise - which I applied in designing curriculum and conducting educational research. In time, I constructed my own style, a hybrid of the logical precision from my physics background and the narrative richness I learned from ODL masters and that emulation became innovation. I found my academic voice. My papers became a blend of clear data presentation and a compelling story about how technology and pedagogy can -bridge the gap for learners. Alhamdulillah, this led me to introduce the word “Technogogy” to the world of education. My research became more interdisciplinary. One of the most spiritually resonant moments came when I realised that this shift was not accidental. “Perhaps you dislike a thing, and it is good for you.” [Surah Al- Baqarah, 2-216] I had once grieved the loss of my “pure” physics path. Now I saw that Allah was opening another door - one with wider impact and a significant contribution in the world of ODL My advice to young academics facing a similar transition is this. Be humble enough to learn, even if you are a PhD. Find the masters in your new field and study their work. 16