Integrating ideological and political education into modern open and distance learning: enhancing civic engagement and inclusivity in higher education

Higher learning institutions are transforming towards digital technology, making it timely to consider Ideological and Political Education (IPE) strategies in democratic citizenship within the Modern Open and Distance Education (MODE) framework through inclusion. This quantitative study examines how educational approaches and sociocultural contexts support IPE in a digital environment. Data were collected using a synchronised survey instrument with purposively sampled students. The valid responses of 250 students are analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings suggest that MODEs is successful in engaging students’ conceptual and ideological literacy (t = 8.336, p = 0.000) with structured curriculum resources combined with theory-based instruction and learning strategies (t = 19.508, p = 0.000). The combination of teaching methods had a considerable positive result (t = 9.935, p = 0.001), whereas sociocultural (t = 9.102, p = 0.000) and accessibility also had significant effects (t = 13.729, p = 0.000). Although inclusive and effective civic teaching, this study provides a theoretical framework that explains interactions of teaching strategies, content design, and socio-cultural considerations in a more empirical way. The implication is for educators and policymakers who are interested in improving IPE and meeting the learning needs of the modern generation.