Demystifying Research Philosophy: Practical Guide for Scholars in ODL

This webinar brought together ODL scholars from across Africa and beyond to examine one of the most overlooked dimensions of research practice: philosophical literacy in ODeL research. The session challenged researchers to move beyond treating research philosophy as a routine methodological requirement and instead critically interrogate the assumptions embedded within the theories they use. Drawing on frameworks such as Transactional Distance Theory, Connectivism, Community of Inquiry, Activity Theory, and Decolonial ODeL Theory, the discourse demonstrated how these theories already carry ontological and epistemological assumptions that shape research design and interpretation. A major highlight was the reframed philosophical circuit for ODL research, which encourages scholars to begin with the ODL phenomenon and its context rather than abstract philosophical labels. The webinar ultimately reinforced the idea that ODL researchers cannot remain philosophically neutral, but must consciously justify the assumptions underpinning their research choices.