International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research

Unveiling AI Literacy: User Competences and Perceptions of Pre-Service Teachers

Aylin Sevimel-Sahin, Hamdullah Sahin — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Artificial intelligence has been widely adopted and used by both teachers and learners for several purposes in language education. However, at first, teacher candidates are required to be qualified in AI literacy in order to nurture and cultivate the success of their future learners, thereby further improving language education. Therefore, there is a need to identify whether they are ready for AI-infused education, at which points they are (in)competent, and what they need in training regarding AI literacy, specifically in relation to their domain-specific contexts. Then, this study aimed to analyze to what extent teacher candidates are AI literate in terms of awareness, usage, evaluation, and ethics, and explore how they perceive and experience AI in teaching/learning. Based on the convergent mixed-methods-design, this study collected data from 104 pre-service ELT teachers. As the research instruments, scale and open-ended questions were employed through Google Forms. The analysis revealed a moderate level of AI literacy overall. It also indicated the restricted AI ability to integrate, critical evaluation, and ethical use. Although awareness was high, AI tool repertoire and knowledge were very limited. Moreover, AI was used more for educational purposes compared to daily life, and despite some challenges, perceived it as beneficial. Since AI is considered as the future, the pre-service teachers explicitly stated a need for AI training compatible with their professional competence and practices. Hence, this study demonstrates the requirement of AI training in teacher education programs to foster various competences of AI literacy.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.10

Design and Validation of a Multilingual Illustrated Vocabulary Learning Resource Integrating Local Wisdom for Elementary Education

Maria Kristina Ota, Gratiana Sama, Dika Pranadwipa Koeswiryono — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study addresses the pedagogical challenges in multilingual elementary classrooms by designing and validating an illustrated vocabulary learning resource that integrates local wisdom for students in Flores, Indonesia. The research was motivated by the lack of structured materials supporting the simultaneous acquisition of local, Indonesian, and English vocabulary, particularly in contexts where visual and contextual scaffolds are limited. We employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach guided by the ADDIE model, collecting data from six elementary schools across three linguistic communities (Lio, Sika, Ngada) through classroom observations, teacher interviews, and student questionnaires. The developed resource, created using Canva, features ten thematic units with vocabulary presented in three languages alongside culturally relevant illustrations. Expert validation confirmed high content validity (Lio: 1.00; Ngada/Sika: 0.86) and mean scores above 4.60 on a 5-point scale, categorizing the resource as “very good.” User evaluations further demonstrated strong perceived usefulness, with mean scores ranging from 4.80 to 4.93 for clarity, visual presentation, and multilingual structure. The results indicate that the integration of visual dual-channel processing, multilingual scaffolding, and culturally contextualized content significantly enhances vocabulary acquisition and engagement. This study contributes a systematically validated instructional framework that bridges cognitive and contextual learning principles, offering a practical solution for multilingual education in linguistically diverse settings. The findings underscore the importance of culturally responsive materials in fostering equitable learning opportunities for elementary students.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.26

A Corpus-Based Comparison of Hedging in Research Articles: Filipino and Thai Contexts

William D. Magday Jr., Marcielyne R. Pelaez, Rosalie R. Valdez — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Hedging remains a critical rhetorical strategy for balancing conviction and caution in academic discourse. This study investigates the deployment of hedges in the Results and Discussion (R-D) sections of English Language Teaching (ELT) research articles (RAs) written by Filipino and Thai writers. Drawing on a corpus-based analysis of 70 articles—35 from each national group—the study finds notable differences in both the frequency and the preferred forms of hedging, with Filipino writers demonstrating a consistently higher density of hedge use. These patterns are shaped in part by each country's distinct relationship with English: a second language (ESL) context in the Philippines and a foreign language (EFL) context in Thailand, even where disciplinary writing conventions are broadly shared. These findings yield implications for EAP (English for Academic Purposes) pedagogy in Southeast Asia, advocating for targeted instruction in strategic caution and rhetorical positioning.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.42

Institutional Design Thinking: Re-Architecting Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment for Meta-Skills in Chinese Private HEIs

Chi Che — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This article examines how Design Thinking (DT) can be mobilized as a structured, evidence-informed logic for institutional innovation in higher education, using the development of a meta-skills-oriented academic management framework for Chinese private HEIs as a case. Meta-skills—adaptive expertise, relational dynamics, creative agility and strategic synthesis—are conceptualized as outcomes of institutional design rather than individual traits. The five DT phases (Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test) were enacted through mixed inputs, including PNI_modified gap analysis from 805 staff, meta-skills survey data from 400 students, expert interviews and two-round validation with 12 senior experts. The resulting framework comprises three modules: Agile Meta-skills ntegration (curriculum), Immersive Experiential Pedagogy (teaching and learning), and Smart Meta-skillsAssessment (evaluation). Expert ratings improved from draft 1 to draft 2 across relevance, feasibility, clarity, scalability and cultural alignment and a short pilot indicated modest gains in strategic synthesis and relational dynamics. Overall, the findings suggest that DT can operate as an institutional governance capability that links diagnostics, co-design and iterative refinement to meta-skills-oriented academic reform.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.1

University Foreign Language Teachers’ Roles in the Age of AI: A Systematic Review

Si Miao, Melor Md Yunus, Norzaini Azman — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into foreign language education is fundamentally altering the professional responsibilities of university Foreign Language Teachers (FLTs). Contemporary research, however, is devoid of a theoretical framework to elucidate the fundamental mechanics of this transformation. This study used Activity Theory (AT) as a conceptual framework to conduct a comprehensive literature review of the empirical research published from 2020 to 2025. Following PRISMA guidelines, 18 studies were chosen from an initial pool of 115 entries sourced from Web of Science and Scopus. The results reveal that the field predominantly relies on qualitative studies that exhibit a deficiency in reflexivity, while quantitative and mixed-methods research is marked by insufficient statistical power and the unsatisfactory synthesis of quantitative and qualitative data. An analysis employing the AT paradigm reveals that EFTs have obstacles due to structural misalignments, such as the absence of explicit restrictions, community dysfunction, and ambiguous divisions of labor. This study advocates a shift from individual "self-rescue" to systemic assistance. Educational institutions must rectify policy deficiency by formulating explicit AI regulations, cultivating extensive community networks, and openly integrating emotional support into professional growth frameworks.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.17

Mapping Research on English for Occupational Purposes in Higher Education: Trends and Challenges (2015–2024)

Luying Deng, Helmi Norman, Khairul Azhar Jamaludin — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

While the growing demand for workplace English skills has underscored the need for effective teaching English for Occupational Purposes (EOP), current instruction often misaligns with industry requirements. Reviewing empirical studies can inform teaching practice and research, but existing reviews either narrow their scope to specific English skills or exclude authoritative databases. Therefore, this study presents a PRISMA-guided systematic review (2015–2024) of WoS and Scopus empirical studies on EOP in higher education. Following PRISMA guidelines, 36 studies were selected from 200 records. Trends, methodologies, topics, issues, and findings were synthesized. Findings reveal a continuous yet limited and fluctuating publication trend, primarily focused on service-oriented disciplines within public universities in non-English-speaking regions and countries. Methodologically, while mixed, quantitative and qualitative methods were almost evenly employed, cross-sectional designs prevailed. Six major topics are identified, including curriculum design, teaching objectives, teaching resources, teaching methods, assessment, and affecting factors. The most dominant issue is the misalignment between curriculum and industry needs. Technology empowerment, industry relevance, communicative skills, and stakeholder characteristics were effective responses. Collectively, EOP research remains underexplored and constrained by the lack of contextual, methodological and topic diversity, while also highlighting critical pedagogical challenges and potential solutions. These findings offer insights for industry–academia collaboration in policy, industry-aligned EOP curricula, and communication-focused EOP pedagogy. Future research is expected to broaden databases, contexts, and disciplines, employ longitudinal designs, and explore underdeveloped topics such as teaching resources and assessment.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.33

AI-Assisted Research Writing: Graduate Students' Experiences, Outcomes and Academic Integrity

Leonora Fulgencio De Jesus — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study examined the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) tool use and writing outcomes among graduate students engaged in thesis writing, grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model. Using a convergent parallel mixed methods design, the study involved 96 graduate students enrolled in thesis writing courses at a government higher education institution in Bulacan, during the first trimester of the 2025–2026 academic year. Qualitative data focused on students' adherence to academic integrity regulations. Quantitative measures assessed perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, behavioral intention to use, and self-reported writing performance. The results indicated that ChatGPT, Grammarly and QuillBot were the most used AI tools. Statistical analysis demonstrated a strong positive relationship between experience with AI tools and writing performance outcomes. The qualitative analysis surfaced themes about AI tool adoption, namely linguistic support, organization of ideas, and cognitive scaffolding and ideation¾alongside themes reflecting ethical awareness, namely selective use and resistance, responsible and transparent authorship, critical evaluation, accountability in AI tool use, and alignment with institutional guidelines. These results show that technological advances are now integral to writing courses and are used in the preparation and oversight of students' research. The study's key implication is that to use AI tools in thesis writing in an ethical manner, institutions must develop clear ethical frameworks that protect scholarly integrity while accepting the changing reality of human–AI collaboration in academic research.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.8

The Impact of Microteaching Lesson Study on Pre-Service Teachers' Creative Teaching Competencies: Fluency, Flexibility, Originality, Elaboration and Sensitivity

Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Teaching creativity is an essential competence for pre-service elementary teachers in 21st-century learning. However, conventional microteaching often places greater emphasis on procedural teaching skills than on the development of creativity. This highlights the need for reflective and collaborative models such as Microteaching Lesson Study (MLS) to foster innovation, flexibility, and responsiveness to students’ needs systematically. To address this gap and introduce this approach into the context of teaching creativity in Indonesia, this study investigated the effect of integrating the MLS model and compared this with conventional microteaching. A quasi-experimental design was employed in this study. One limitation lay in the sampling procedure, as the number of participants and group composition were constrained by the pre-existing microteaching group structure established within the course. Consequently, fully randomized sampling was not possible, which may have limited the generalizability of the findings (n = 10). The experimental group was taught using the MLS model over a 14-week period, while the comparison group received conventional microteaching instruction. Data were collected through pre- and post-teaching practice assessments and analyzed using mean, standard deviation, independent samples t-test, and paired samples t-test. The results revealed significant improvements across all creativity indicators based on the paired samples t-tests. Furthermore, the experimental group significantly outperformed the comparison group in terms of fluency (0.002), flexibility (0.004), originality (0.026), and sensitivity (0.009). Therefore, MLS proved to be effective in enhancing teaching creativity through systematic collaborative and reflective processes.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.24

Teacher Competencies and Professional Learning in Technology-Based Vocational Education and Training Music Education: A Research Review

Zhou Jiayue, Nornazira Suhairom, Sharifah Maryam Syed Azman — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper discusses teacher competencies and professional development issues in technology-based music education related to Vocational Education and Training (VET) music teaching, focusing on VET colleges in China. Over the past years, VET music programs have undergone tremendous changes in technology and have produced new technology-based music courses, such as music editing and music production with a digital audio workstation. All of these have put some new demands on music teachers in music, pedagogy, and technology knowledge. The integrative literature review method has synthesized the relevant literature. The PRISMA 2020 reporting guidelines guided the search and screening process to make transparent its steps and results. Three structured search engines Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were applied to identify relevant literature published between 2020 and 2025. Of 485 records identified in the initial search, 20 studies were included in the final synthesis after screening their titles, abstracts, and full texts (n = 20). Results show that existing research conceptualizes music teacher competencies through three unintegrated dimensions of musical, pedagogical, and technological competencies. In addition, professional learning was frequently organised as short-term workshops rather than sustained, practice-based development models. The review also reveals limited research on technology integration in VET music pedagogy within the Chinese context. These findings highlight the need for more integrated competency frameworks and sustained professional learning models to support technology-based music education in Chinese VET colleges.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.40

Teaching Geometry in Mathematics Education (2016-2025): A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Siti Noor Iliana Zuraida Zainan Abidin, Siti Mistima Maat, Fariza Khalid — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Geometry plays a central role in mathematics education, yet research on effective teaching strategies remains fragmented, particularly in integrating theoretical, cognitive and technology driven perspectives. A combination of bibliometric and systematic review methods was employed to analyse 1196 articles published between 2016 and 2025, retrieved from the Web of Science database. Data were analysed using bibliometric techniques, including co-citation analysis and network visualization with VOSviewer, alongside thematic synthesis. The findings reveal three major thematic clusters: (1) theoretical and pedagogical foundations, (2) cognitive development and spatial reasoning and (3) applied and empirical studies on early spatial learning. The findings highlight the growing integration of spatial reasoning and digital technologies in shaping effective instructional approaches, alongside the continued influence of established pedagogical frameworks. However, several research gaps remain, including limited representation from certain regions, underexplored interdisciplinary collaborations and the need for more evidence on the long-term impact of innovative teaching methods such as Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality and adaptive learning technologies. Theoretically, this study contributes by providing a structured understanding of the intellectual landscape of geometry teaching research. Practically, the findings offer guidance for educators and policymakers in designing more effective, evidence-based instructional strategies. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive synthesis to inform future research and practice in mathematics education.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.15

Student Teachers’ Perceptions of Using the Mother Tongue for Instruction in the Foundation Phase in Rural Schools

Lusani Randima, Lebogang Steven Shirindzi — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The use of the mother tongue (MT) as a medium of instruction in the Foundation Phase remains a contentious issue in multilingual resource-constrained rural contexts. Despite South African language-in-education policies advocating for MT instruction in the early years, its practical implementation is inconsistent due to limited resources, insufficient teacher preparation, and societal preferences for English. Understanding student teachers’ perceptions is critical, as they are future educators responsible for enacting MT-based pedagogies in rural classrooms. This study explores Foundation Phase student teachers’ perceptions of using the mother tongue for instruction in rural learning environments. Grounded in Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and Translanguaging Theory, MT is conceptualized as both a cultural and cognitive tool that facilitates learning, meaning making, and learner engagement. Employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, data was collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations with student teachers enrolled in a rural teacher education programme. Thematic analysis, guided by Braun and Clarke’s framework, revealed that participants valued MT instruction for enhancing comprehension, participation, learner confidence, and cultural connectedness. Nonetheless, they reported significant challenges, including a scarcity of MT teaching resources, limited exposure to MT-focused pedagogical training, inconsistent support during teaching practice, and community perceptions prioritizing English for socioeconomic advancement. These constraints influenced their confidence in implementing MT instruction effectively. The study concludes that while student teachers conceptually support MT-based teaching, systemic limitations hinder its practice. It recommends strengthening MT pedagogical preparatischools andacher education, improving the availability of MT resources in rural schools, and promoting community awareness of the educational advantages of MT instruction.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.31

Ethical Climate and Research Integrity in Higher Education: A PRISMA-Based Systematic Review

Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Research integrity in higher education is shaped not only by individual ethical judgment but also by the institutional environments in which research is conducted. Yet evidence remains fragmented on how ethical climate and integrity training jointly influence research behaviour. This study addressed that gap through a PRISMA-based systematic review of 532 Scopus-indexed studies published from 2010 to 2026. Using a structured extraction framework and narrative thematic synthesis, the review examined study context, participant groups, research designs, ethical climate dimensions, training characteristics, and integrity-related outcomes. Findings show that research integrity is influenced most strongly by six institutional factors: incentive pressure, policy enforcement, reporting safety, mentoring norms, integrity culture, and integrity infrastructure. Integrity training generally improves knowledge and awareness; however, its effects on attitudes and practice are less consistent and depend on relevance, interactivity, coherence, and reinforcement through supervision and institutional support. The review further indicates that the gap between ethical knowledge and actual conduct is often driven by structural pressures within academic environments. Overall, the findings call for a transition from isolated training approaches to integrated institutional systems that normalize, support, and sustain responsible research practice.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.6

Bridging Perceptions and Practice: Teachers’ Views and Classroom Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Supported Feedback in University English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Writing Classes

Susmita Sarker Shuvra, Sukanto Roy, Poroma Subha Mostafiz — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The rapid development in artificial intelligence has brought significant changes in teaching and learning practices in the context of higher education English as a Foreign Language context. This empirical study focuses on three research questions. These are tertiary-level English teachers’ perceptions of artificial intelligence assisted feedback, their approaches to incorporating it into teaching, and the challenges they encounter in implementing it in the English as a Foreign Language classroom, guided by the Technology Acceptance Model. Using a mixed-method approach, data were collected from 120 university English teachers via questionnaires. Results show teachers indicate high perceived usefulness (M = 4.13), ease of use (M = 4.10), and overall acceptance (M = 4.08), but lower actual use (M = 3.97). Teachers specifically use artificial intelligence during drafting and revision (M = 3.75), alongside their guidance (M = 3.58). However, the regression analysis (R² = .006) suggests that a positive attitude cannot ensure the successful integration of artificial intelligence in the English as a Foreign Language classroom. Barriers such as implicit institutional policy, ethical concerns, limited training opportunities, and students’ overdependency on artificial intelligence tools hinder regular application. These issues are reflected in low monitoring (M = 2.50) and discussing limitations (M = 1.75). Thus, this study highlights the critical gap that remains between teachers’ positive perceptions and practical integration, emphasizing the role of effective pedagogical mediation of artificial intelligence tools.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.22

Online Teaching and Learning Quality and Learner Satisfaction: A University Student Perspective

Ogoro Thomas Ombati, Joash Nyakeirura Mageto, Noleen Pisa — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Higher education is increasingly exposed to disruptions arising from pandemics, floods, student unrest, and political instability, which compel institutions to adopt alternative modes of delivery such as online and blended learning. Despite the rapid growth in online education, limited empirical research has examined how the quality of online teaching and learning services influences learner satisfaction, especially in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the various aspects of online teaching and learning influence learner satisfaction in Kenya. A sample of 175 students from public universities in Nairobi participated in the study. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire and analysed using structural equation modelling. The study found that the overall quality of online teaching and learning was strong. Tangibility and reliability dimensions emerged as key drivers shaping perceptions of learning content and website content, which together informed students’ overall evaluation of online learning quality (OLQ). In turn, higher OLQ was associated with stronger learner satisfaction. The findings highlight that students prioritise stable digital learning platforms, accessible content, and functional virtual learning environments over relational dimensions such as empathy and assurance. The study proposes a contextualised model of online learner satisfaction tailored to higher education institutions in emerging economies. It recommends targeted investments in digital infrastructure, instructional design, and staff capacity building to enhance the reliability, accessibility, and relevance of online learning systems, supporting greater resilience and sustainability in periods of disruption.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.38

Pre-service Teachers’ Experiences of Learning Sesotho Content and Pedagogical Modules

Pinki Mohanoe, Martha Khosa — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Teaching African languages at South African universities focuses on developing content and pedagogical knowledge (PCK). However, studies revealed a misalignment between content and pedagogy during pre-service teachers’ training. Although various studies on teacher education have been documented, very few have focused on highlighting gaps between the content and pedagogical modules taught during teacher education training. Hence, this study aimed to explore the student teachers’ experiences of learning Sesotho Home Language (HL) content and pedagogical modules in one higher education institution. The framework guiding this study was the sociocultural theory. A qualitative research approach was used to conduct focus group interviews with groups of 1st- and 2nd-year pre-service teachers and 3rd- and 4th-year pre-service teachers at the University of Free State. The students were sampled purposefully based on their enrolment in Sesotho HL modules. The data collected was analyzed thematically. Findings revealed challenges of limited language proficiency, curriculum mismatch, lack of teaching and learning resources, and unclear module guides, which might have contributed to curriculum misalignment between Sesotho HL content and pedagogical modules. The findings also showed that PCK inadequately prepared students to acquire the skills required to teach Sesotho HL at the school level. Thus, what student teachers are taught at the content level may not align with what is offered at the pedagogical level, with implications for the quality of Sesotho teaching and learning at the school level. Therefore, it is recommended that the curricula for both content and pedagogy in Sesotho HL modules be revisited in consultation with relevant stakeholders to address this misalignment and promote quality education in African Indigenous languages. Additionally, student teachers should be supported to overcome the challenges mentioned above.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.13

Brain Drain Factors as Determinants of Teachers’ Intention to Teach a Broad in the Philippine Basic Education

Ryan Mesa Mahilum, Romel Cayao Mutya — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Brain drain compromises teacher retention and continuity of teaching in developing countries, such as the Philippines. This study explored the brain drain factors predicting the intention of public school teachers in basic education to teach abroad. A descriptive-correlational research design was used, involving 342 public school teachers in Cebu, the Republic of the Philippines. A structured survey questionnaire was used to gather data on push and pull factors, and the intention to teach abroad; descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multiple regression analyses were conducted. The results indicated a high intent to teach abroad and that most teachers agreed with actively considering overseas opportunities. Push and pull factors were both highly correlated with intention; however, regression indicated that only pull factors were significant (? = 0.371, p = 0.000), while push factors were not (? = 0.027, p = 0.638). The results imply that migration intentions are more influenced by expectations of opportunities abroad than by local dissatisfaction. This study adds to the literature by revealing a dominance of opportunity-driven motivators.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.29

Perceptions of a Peer-Assisted Learning Programme on Academic Success Among First-Year Education Students at a Rural University

Venessa Aphane, Diana Robertson — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study examines the perceptions of first-year education students regarding the impact of a Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) programme on their academic success at a rural university. Drawing on Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) theory which posits that learning is optimised with support from a "More knowledgeable Other" (MKO), the research explores PAL as a vital academic support system. The literature highlights PAL's role in student retention and its alignment with student preferences for interactive learning over traditional didactic methods. Utilising a qualitative, interpretivist case study design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight purposively sampled first-year students. Thematic analysis demonstrated that PAL significantly enhances academic understanding and confidence by providing relatable explanations and fostering collaborative learning. However, challenges include inconsistent quality of PAL leaders, resource limitations in rural settings, and unique academic hurdles faced by rural students. The study concludes with recommendations for improving PAL's effectiveness through enhanced leader training, infrastructure development, formalised programme integration, and culturally responsive approaches.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.45

From Consumers to Creators: Transforming Teaching and Learning through Metaverse-Based Instruction for 21st-Century Competency Development

Pattarawat Jeerapattanatorn, Thanapat Sripan, Nutwichida Lertpongrujikorn — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The rapid advancement of immersive technologies has intensified interest in the educational potential of the metaverse. However, existing research remains largely descriptive and provides limited empirical explanation of how metaverse-based instruction transforms teaching practices and learner roles. This study develops and empirically validates a Metaverse-Based Instruction (MBI) framework that explains how immersive instructional design facilitates the transition from learners as consumers to creators. Using a Design-Based Research approach, 11 secondary school teachers participated in a design-oriented professional development program and implemented metaverse-based lessons in authentic classroom settings. A mixed-methods analysis integrated quantitative assessments of teacher competencies with qualitative data from observations, artifacts, and focus groups. Findings indicate significant improvements in teachers’ instructional design competencies, particularly in assessment integration and learner-centered design. Four levels of metaverse integration were identified: presentation, interaction, simulation, and transformative co-creation, with higher levels associated with increased learner agency, collaboration, and knowledge creation. Importantly, teacher perceptual shift emerged as a key mediating mechanism linking instructional design and learner transformation. The study contributes a mechanism-based, empirically grounded framework that advances immersive education toward pedagogically driven transformation.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.4

Career Development and Turnover Intention among Private University Faculty: The Moderating Role of Extrinsic Work Values

Jiangyong Liu, Nurul Sharniza Husin, Abdul Shukor Shamsudin — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Although faculty turnover has become a persistent challenge in private higher education, limited research has examined how organizational development practices are associated with turnover intention under different individual value orientations. Grounded in social exchange theory (SET), this study examines the relationship between career development and turnover intention among faculty members in private undergraduate universities in Guangdong, China, with particular attention to the moderating role of extrinsic work values. A quantitative survey design was employed, drawing on data from 498 faculty members, analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), including latent interaction modeling to assess moderation effects. The findings show that career development was negatively associated with turnover intention (? = -0.24, p < .001), whereas extrinsic work values were positively associated with turnover intention (? = 0.23, p < .001). In addition, a significant interaction effect (? = 0.21, p < .001) indicated that the negative relationship between career development and turnover intention became weaker among faculty members who placed greater emphasis on extrinsic rewards. Although the cross-sectional design and the focus on one province limit generalizability, this study applies SET to examine how value orientations condition responses to developmental resources. The findings suggest that career development may be more meaningful when supported by transparent promotion systems, visible extrinsic rewards, stable employment conditions, and ongoing communication in market-oriented private higher education contexts.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.20

Perspectives of EFL Learners on ELSA Speak: Speaking Skills, Personalised Learning and Self-Regulation

Mochamad Rizqi Adhi Pratama, Zulfa Sakhiyya, Seful Bahri, Yuliati Yuliati — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The advancement of technology, especially artificial intelligence, has great potential to support EFL teaching and learning. This study explores the perspectives of EFL learners on using ELSA Speak as a speaking partner to develop speaking skills and foster personalised learning and self-regulation in and out of the classroom. It involved 20 Indonesian learners learning English as a foreign language (EFL). This study employed a qualitative approach. Open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to investigate the perspectives, experiences, and interactions of EFL learners with ELSA Speak. A phenomenological approach was adopted to understand the benefits and challenges of experiencing ELSA Speak as a speaking partner and co-teacher. The findings of the research reveal several benefits gained from using ELSA Speak for learning speaking skills, especially casual speaking and fostering learning, personalisation, and self-regulation. Among others, these are an abundance of topics and scenarios, especially for the premium version, native-like exposure, natural interactions, real-time tailored feedback for self-correction and improvement, confidence, speaking skill, and creativity improvement, and flexibility in terms of time and place. This study concluded that ELSA Speak-based instruction possesses strong potential to foster EFL learning through interactive, self-regulated, and personalised learning. However, the free version is limited in terms of the topics and available role-plays provided. Learners should have strong internet connections; otherwise, speech recognition is not always accurate, or ELSA Speak takes a longer time to think and respond. The results of this study contribute essential implications for EFL education, especially in the Indonesian context, where native speakers of English are rarely available to facilitate direct English-speaking practice.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.36

AI-Supported Authentic Assessment in Science Education: Overcoming Logistical Barriers and Enhancing Outcomes

Marwan Abualrob, Deema Ghannam — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

As modern education shifts toward 21st-century skills, practical application often struggles to keep pace. To support the implementation of Authentic Assessment (AA), this study investigates its impact on grade 9 science students’ achievement and engagement in Palestine, relative to Traditional Assessment (TA), while exploring the role of generative AI as a teacher-support tool. Adopting an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design with a purposive sample of 59 female students, the study utilized quantitative testing (Mann-Whitney U) alongside qualitative thematic analysis (interviews, focus groups, and structured teacher reflections). To ensure rigor and replicability, a prompt engineering strategy was used alongside blind grading to reduce teacher bias. The results indicated that the AA group significantly outperformed the TA group in academic achievement (p = 0.007) while also displaying higher cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement. Qualitatively, the findings revealed that students learned concepts more deeply by creating tangible products to present to the class rather than through memorization. In addition, teacher reflections revealed that implementing AA posed significant logistical and time-related challenges, particularly in rubric construction and instructional planning. Importantly, Artificial Intelligence (AI) helped overcome these obstacles by simplifying the design of rubrics, clarifying performance criteria, and supporting lesson preparation. The study concludes that teacher-mediated, AI-supported AA offers a practical model for enhancing educational quality and student agency, proposing a scalable solution for settings with logistical constraints, although further studies are needed to extend these findings beyond this teacher- and gender-specific context.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.11

Online Professional Development for Technology-Enhanced Education: A Learning Management System-Based Online Professional Development Initiative in the Maldives

Rozniza Zaharudin, Fathimath Nasiha Abdul Muhaimin — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study addresses a documented gap in higher education professional development in the Maldives; the limited availability of context-specific, pedagogically focused online professional development (OPD) that supports university instructors’ meaningful use of learning management system (LMS) beyond basic technical training. Although LMS platforms are widely adopted, instructors’ pedagogical integration remains inconsistent, particularly in geographically dispersed small island developing states (SIDS) contexts. The primary objective of this study was to design, implement, and evaluate a self-paced, LMS-based (Moodle), online professional development E-module to enhance instructors’ pedagogical use of Moodle. The E-module was developed using the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation (ADDIE) model, constructivist learning and the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, and evaluated with the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). A mixed-methods design combined a needs analysis (N = 43), development records, usage evidence, a UTAUT survey of instructors who completed the E-module, and instructor interviews. A total of 73 instructors enrolled in the OPD module; 61 instructors enrolled in the module and 59 completed the E-module and the UTAUT survey. The study provides robust evidence that a contexxtualised, design driven OPD model can effectively support scalable professional development and sustained LMS adoption in dispersed higher education contexts. While limited by its single-context focus and reliance on self-reported data, the study offers transferable design guidelines and highlights the need for future research examining long-term instructional and student learning impacts.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.27

The Triple Helix of Curriculum Reform in Secondary Mathematics Education: Teacher Agency and the Integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Bolouembeledo Fekumo, Moshe M Phoshoko — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Reform of the mathematics curriculum in post-apartheid South Africa has involved sustained efforts to redress historical inequalities and forms of epistemic exclusion. Despite these initiatives, the integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into formal mathematics education remains uneven and, in many cases, largely symbolic. This paper draws on the Triple Helix framework to examine curriculum reform as an interactive process involving government, higher education institutions, and teacher-related agencies. Particular attention is given to mathematics teacher agency, which is examined as a central factor influencing how curriculum reforms are interpreted and implemented at the secondary school level. Using a qualitative, non-empirical critical analysis of policy documents and relevant literature, and guided by interpretivist and critical research traditions, the study shows that although IKS has gained recognition within national curriculum policies, a noticeable gap persists between policy intentions and classroom practice, especially in mathematics instruction, assessment, and teacher preparation. The analysis further indicates that hierarchical relationships within the Triple Helix structure often undervalue teachers’ experiential knowledge and cultural perspectives, limiting their ability to design and implement contextual meaningful mathematics curricula. The paper contributes to ongoing discussions on meaningful IKS integration by proposing a partnership-oriented and culturally grounded model of teacher professional learning. It also argues that stronger alignment between curriculum policy, assessment practices, and teacher education is necessary to position teacher agency as a genuine driver of curriculum innovation in post-apartheid South African mathematics education.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.43

Global Research Trends in the Management of Innovation-Oriented Training in Schools in the Digital Era: A Bibliometric Analysis

Ferunika Ferunika, Agus Pahrudin, Heni Noviarita, Muhammad Afif Amruloh — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study mapped global publication trends, research landscapes, and thematic evolution in innovation-oriented training management in schools in the digital era. A bibliometric design was used to analyze Scopus-indexed publications. Data was retrieved on January 31, 2026, using a structured search of titles, abstracts, and keywords. A total of 323 documents (2016–2025) were selected through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses procedure, including document filtering and metadata verification. Metadata cleaning was conducted using OpenRefine, and the analysis was performed using Biblioshiny (Bibliometrix R) and VOSviewer. The novelty lies in positioning innovation-oriented training management as a unified research domain, rather than fragmented themes such as leadership, professional development, or technology adoption. The findings revealed a significant increase in publications after 2022, with a peak in 2024–2025. Core publication sources consistently address continuing professional development, digital leadership, and technology-integrated training systems. Influential documents emphasized the integration of institutional support, digital competence, and leadership in managing innovation-oriented training. The thematic evolution indicated a shift from early concerns with technology adoption and platform effectiveness to systemic digital transformation, strategic leadership, and advanced digital competencies, including artificial intelligence. The study contributes theoretically by positioning training management as a strategic component of systemic digital school transformation. Pedagogically, the results inform the design of digital classrooms and learning management systems-based training by emphasizing data-driven evaluation, adaptive learning systems, and continuous professional development. These insights support evidence-based policy and practice in digital education.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.2

The Impact of Work Environment on Teacher Training Transfer: The Mediating Role of Motivation to Transfer

Yajie Zou, Jamil Bin Ahmad, Bity Salwana Alias — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Drawing on training transfer theory and expectancy–value perspectives, this study aimed to examine how the Work Environment for Transfer (WET) influences teachers’ Transfer of Training (TOT) through the mediating role of Motivation to Transfer (MT). Using a paper-based survey of 333 in-service lower secondary school teachers in Hubei Province, China, the hypothesised second-order model was tested using structural equation modelling. The results showed that WET was a significant positive predictor of MT (? = 0.915), whereas MT was a significant positive predictor of TOT (? = 0.887). By contrast, the direct effect of WET on TOT was not significant, and MT fully mediated the relationship between WET and TOT. Overall, the model explained 83.7% of the variance in MT and 65.4% of the variance in TOT. These findings suggest that workplace support translates into sustained training transfer primarily through teachers’ transfer motivation in a policy-driven professional development context. This study advances a contextual–motivational explanation of transfer and offers practical implications for strengthening transfer climates, expanding opportunities to apply learning, and designing supports that build transfer motivation to enhance the generalisation and maintenance of trained practices.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.18

Psychometric Evidence and Associative Analysis of Dimensions of Familiarity, Frequency of Use and Satisfaction with AI Tools in University Research Training

Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The study examined the psychometric properties of the instrument and the associations between the dimensions of familiarity, frequency of use, and perceived satisfaction regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in university research training. A quantitative approach was adopted, with a non-experimental, cross-sectional, and descriptive-correlational design, involving a final sample of 105 students. Data were collected using a 30-item questionnaire, and the analysis included exploratory factor analysis to assess construct validity, internal consistency estimation (Cronbach’s ? and McDonald’s ?), and bivariate association analysis through Spearman correlations and chi-square tests. The results showed a predominance of low levels across the three dimensions, indicating a limited integration of these technological tools in university research training processes. The factor analysis confirmed a three-dimensional structure consistent with the theoretical model, explaining 72.8% of the variance, with high reliability (? = .974; ? = .974). Likewise, positive and statistically significant associations were found between the dimensions, with a particularly strong relationship between frequency of use and satisfaction (? = .925; p < .001). Overall, the findings suggest that the adoption of AI is still at an early stage, which highlights the need to strengthen AI literacy strategies that integrate technical, ethical, and methodological dimensions in higher education contexts.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.34

Synergizing Reciprocal Teaching and Communicative Language Teaching: Lecturers’ Views from Indonesia and Thailand

Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Integrating Reciprocal Teaching (RT) and Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) may strengthen students’ reading comprehension and speaking skills and promote a more engaging learning environment. However, empirical evidence remains limited regarding how lecturers perceive this integration, how it is enacted in classroom practice, and what constraints emerge during implementation. This study used a mixed-methods exploratory case study design to obtain a comprehensive understanding of how lecturers in Indonesia and Thailand implement and comprehend the integration of RT and CLT in English Language Teaching. Classroom observations, interviews, document analysis, and questionnaires were the instruments used in this study. 6 lecturers and 172 students participated in this study. The finding shows that lecturers perceive the integration of RT and CLT as beneficial for enhancing students’ critical thinking, reading comprehension, and communication skills in Indonesia and Thai universities. However, lecturers encountered several challenges; some students were not actively involved in discussions and collaborative activities; others were unfamiliar with discussion-based learning and had limited speaking skills; implementing RT and CLT in large classes was difficult; lecturer training in integrating RT and CLT was insufficient; and teaching resources, particularly authentic materials, were limited. Lecturers are likely to perceive integration as effective for improving. Students’ interactional confidence, turn-taking, and idea elaboration, especially when the RT structure reduces silence and increases accountable peer talk. Furthermore, this research is expected to contribute to both institutions in improving the quality of English language teaching through more innovative and communicative approaches.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.9

Structured English Tutorials and English Competence among Women Persons Deprived of Liberty: A Mixed-Methods Study

Amelie E. Trinidad, Augie Estrellada Fuentes — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Education within Philippine correctional facilities is underexamined, particularly regarding structured language instruction for women Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs). This study evaluated the impact of the Education Behind Bars (EBB) tutorial program on English competence and personal growth among 44 women PDLs. Guided by Transformative Learning Theory (Mezirow, 2018) and Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1991), a convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed, combining quantitative pre-test and post-test assessments analyzed via paired-sample t-test (pre-test M=72.98, SD=7.84; post-test M=84.09, SD=6.91; t(43)=10.20, p < .001, Cohen’s d=1.54) with qualitative thematic analysis of 13 in-depth interviews. Results indicated significant improvements in English competence, reflected in enhanced subject mastery and exam readiness, alongside gains in personal growth, including increased self-esteem and motivation for further education. Participants also provided actionable recommendations to strengthen the program, emphasizing educational opportunities (access to advanced learning and teacher availability), personal growth support (psychological counseling and life skills training), and reintegration support (family support programs and job placement assistance). These findings highlight the effectiveness of structured correctional education in improving both academic and psychosocial outcomes and offer practical guidance for program design, instructional support, learner feedback, and post-incarceration preparation. This study contributes to evidence-based approaches for enhancing educational provision among women PDLs in low-resource correctional contexts.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.25

Negotiating Global Pedagogical Standards and Islamic Educational Values: A Qualitative Study of Teaching Practices in Indonesian Islamic Universities

Saprin Saprin , Achruch Achruch , Muhammad Rapi — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigated how lecturers in an Islamic Education Department negotiate global pedagogical standards within an Islamic epistemological framework. Amid increasing pressures of accreditation, outcome-based education, and international quality assurance systems, Islamic higher education institutions are required to align with global benchmarks while maintaining their religious and moral foundations. Using a qualitative design, this study drew in-depth semi-structured interviews with 10 lecturers. Data were analyzed thematically to explore how participants interpret, adapt, and respond to global pedagogical expectations in their teaching practices. The findings revealed three central patterns. First, global standards significantly shape curriculum design and assessment practices, particularly through measurable learning outcomes and documentation requirements. Second, Islamic epistemology functions as a normative anchor, guiding lecturers to integrate ethical responsibility, character formation, consultation (shura), and intellectual reasoning (ijtihad) into globally structured formats. Rather than perceiving global approaches such as critical thinking and student-centered learning as external impositions, participants reinterpret them through Islamic intellectual traditions. Third, negotiation emerges as the dominant strategy; lecturers pragmatically comply with institutional standards while critically reflecting on the limitations of purely quantitative evaluation systems, especially in assessing moral development. The study concludes that globalization in Islamic higher education operates as a process of negotiated equilibrium. Educational quality is conceptualized not merely in terms of measurable academic achievement but as the balanced integration of knowledge, integrity, and social responsibility. These findings contribute to broader discussions on internationalization, educational quality, and epistemological pluralism in faith-based higher education contexts.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.41

Teachers’ Perceptions of Integrating Values Education into English Language Teaching: A Systematic Review

Yunhe Shang, Hanita Hanim Ismail, Azlina Abdul Aziz, Mazlin Azizan — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Values education has gained increasing prominence in educational policy and has positioned English language teaching as a meaningful context for fostering learners’ moral, social, and civic development. However, empirical research on how English First Language and English Second Language teachers interpret values education and the challenges they encounter remains conceptually fragmented. This systematic literature review synthesizes findings from 14 empirical studies (2015–2024) using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses procedures and inductive thematic synthesis. Teachers across contexts rejected a value-neutral view of English language teaching and interpreted values education through four orientations: moral and character development, socialization and civic responsibility, intercultural and global engagement, and critical reflection and ethical inquiry. Moral and civic orientations predominated, while intercultural and critical dimensions were less explicitly articulated. A further distinction emerged between values education enacted as behavioral regulation and as transformative engagement with ethical and social issues. This suggests that attitudinal consensus across contexts should not be mistaken for shared practice. Five interrelated challenges were identified: conceptual ambiguity, insufficient pedagogical guidance, curriculum and assessment constraints, sociocultural sensitivity, and emotional demands on teachers. While the first four align with patterns in prior reviews, the absence of assessment frameworks for values-related learning and the emotional labor specific to value-oriented teaching represent comparatively under-examined dimensions. These findings suggest that the persistent policy–practice gap in values-oriented English language teaching reflects structural and affective conditions rather than teacher reluctance. The findings have implications for teacher education, curriculum design, and the development of values assessment frameworks.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.16

Lexical Diversity, Density, and Word Frequency in CEFR A2 ELT Coursebook Reading Texts in Turkish Higher Education: A Corpus-Based Comparative Analysis of Three Coursebooks

Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Coursebooks remain a dominant source of lexical input in ELT, yet CEFR labels are often treated as proxies for lexical suitability without empirical verification. This study applies corpus-based analysis to compare the lexical characteristics of A2-level reading texts in three widely used ELT coursebookewas (Language Hub, Empower, and The Big Picture). Reading passages exceeding 50 words were compiled into three sub-corpora and analyzed across lexical diversity (TTR and MLTD), lexical density, and frequency/coverage patterns (NGSL vs. off list). Results show that surface diversity (TTR) is broadly similar across books (? 53%–55%), but length-sensitive diversity (MLTD) and text-level peaks reveal non-equivalent lexical variety across materials. Lexical density averages cluster within a moderate band (M = 50.71–52.76), yet within-book distributions include substantial shifts, with multiple texts exceeding 60% density and sizable sets below 50% in two series. Frequency profiling indicates high overall NGSL alignment (85.17%–89.35%) alongside meaningful differences in off-list load (10.65%–14.6%) and localized spikes above 30% off-list in individual texts. These findings demonstrate that CEFR alignment does not guarantee comparable lexical input and support the use of corpus-informed diagnostics in materials selection, curriculum planning, and coursebook development.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.32

Language Barriers Affecting Grade 4 Learners’ Academic Progress

Samkeliso Mkhize, Makwalete Johanna Malatji — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The present study investigated how language barriers impede academic achievement in English First Additional Language (EFAL) during the transition from Grade 3 to Grade 4. These barriers hinder teaching and learning in the Grade 4 classroom, resulting in poor academic performance. Consequently, this study addressed language barriers through targeted strategies, including early intervention programmes, teacher training, and bilingual education models. The research was guided by the Simple View of Reading Framework, which examined foundational literacy components such as phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. A qualitative case study design was employed, with data collected from 12 participants. Findings revealed that learners often enter Grade 4 with underdeveloped EFAL skills, exacerbated by limited exposure to English in the Foundation Phase and a sudden transition to English-only instruction. Teachers reported difficulties in bridging the linguistic gap, citing issues such as inadequate training, a lack of learner support materials, and misalignment between curriculum expectations and learner readiness. It was concluded that the language of teaching and learning in Grade 3 significantly impacts Grade 4 performance. The study recommends training, workshops, and policy refinement.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.7

Exploring the Impact of Academic Libraries on English Education Students: A Mixed-Methods Study of Utilization and Student Experience

Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Academic libraries play a critical role in supporting student learning, yet the relationship between utilization, satisfaction, and user experience remains insufficiently examined in specific disciplinary contexts. This study examined students’ utilization, satisfaction, and experiences with library services at Romblon State University – San Fernando Campus using a convergent mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were gathered through survey responses measuring patterns of library use and levels of satisfaction across resources, physical attributes, personnel services, accessibility, and programs, while qualitative data explored students’ lived experiences and perceptions. Students frequently used the library, primarily for studying and collaborative work, and reported high levels of satisfaction across service dimensions. However, statistical analysis revealed no significant relationship between frequency of visits and satisfaction, suggesting that perceived service quality and overall user experience are more influential than usage patterns alone. Qualitative findings further emphasize the role of the library as an academic support hub, a conducive learning environment, and a space that fosters personal growth and meaningful staff interaction, while also identifying areas for improvement, such as Wi-Fi connectivity, collaborative spaces, and digital integration. The study underscores the need for academic libraries to prioritize service quality, user-centered design, and technological enhancement to sustain relevance in evolving educational contexts. These findings provide evidence-based insights for institutional policy, library management, and future research on student-centered academic library development.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.23

Toward System-Wide Resource Sharing in Vietnamese Teacher Education through a Shared Portal Model

Le Van Hieu, Pham Thi Tra, Huong Thi Pham — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Amid ongoing reforms to teacher education in Vietnam, the government’s higher-education restructuring places renewed emphasis on cooperation across the network of teacher-education universities. In this context, interlibrary collaboration and resource sharing are critical to expanding access and improving the quality and efficiency of provision. This study assesses library information, resources, and services; examines usage; and elicits stakeholder views on cooperation models across seven universities of education. This study used a cross-sectional survey conducted in late 2024 with a total of 2,346 participants, including library users, library staff, and institutional managers. Findings reveal sizeable disparities among institutions alongside strong, cross-stakeholder readiness to collaborate and near-consensus on the necessity of doing so. Respondents converge on a portal-first design—namely, a shared, centralised discovery-and-request platform with single-sign-on authentication—as the most practical and widely supported model. Enabling conditions prioritised include interoperable management systems, robust IT infrastructure, harmonised cooperation policies, and sustainable funding; professional development emerges as a crucial, yet currently underweighted, prerequisite. From the results of this study, it is suggested that a phased implementation offers a feasible pathway to durable, system-wide resource sharing. Such an implementation requires the alignment of software stacks, standardised policies, and investments in staff training.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.39

Culturally Responsive Teaching for Academic Writing: A Local-Context Pedagogical Approach to Enhance Indonesian Secondary Students’ Scientific Writing Competence

Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Students experience difficulties writing scientific papers; therefore, innovative learning approaches are needed to address students' low interest and limited skills, which stem from the lack of learning models that integrate CRT with the local cultural context. This study aims to implement an innovative approach to scientific writing that incorporates local cultural knowledge through CRT to strengthen students’ holistic competencies in Central Java. Using a descriptive qualitative design, data were collected through classroom observations, interviews, and analysis of students’ manuscripts, involving 212 purposively selected participants. The data analysis technique used in this study is interactive data analysis. The findings reveal three key outcomes. First, integrating local culture into writing instruction encouraged deeper reflection, critical engagement, and higher motivation. Second, CRT-based strategies enhanced students’ academic self-efficacy, making them more confident in articulating ideas rooted in their cultural experiences. Third, students’ perception of scientific writing shifted from a formal requirement to a meaningful practice for societal contribution and cultural preservation. Conceptually, this study offers a novel approach by applying CRT in Indonesian secondary education to connect cultural knowledge with scientific writing. The study demonstrates that such integration not only improves scientific writing abilities but also strengthens students’ cultural awareness and identity.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.14

Digital and AI-based Learning Environments for Data Literacy Development (2017–2026): A Bibliometric–Systematic Review

Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Artificial intelligence has transformed the world of educational technology, especially the way data-driven digital learning environments are designed. Data literacy is now considered both a purely statistical ability and a critical-thinking ability in interacting with algorithmic systems. The purpose of this study is to map the development, intellectual structure, and thematic trends of research regarding digital and AI-based learning environments for data literacy development. This study uses a bibliometric and systematic review approach to publications from 2017 to 2026. Data were collected from Scopus using the search terms “AI in education”, “digital learning environment”, and “data literacy”. The analysis was conducted using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny, with support from the PRISMA framework for systematic selection. The analysis includes annual scientific production, author productivity, and geographic distribution as well as mapping of keyword networks and thematic structures. The results of the analysis show a huge increase in recent years. The structure of author productivity and the relatively dispersed geographical distribution suggest that this sector is still in the stage of establishing an epistemic identity. Based on the thematic analysis, artificial intelligence serves as the central theme connecting technology, literacy and education. This leads to an artificial intelligence-driven data literacy paradigm. This research helps to integrate data literacy and artificial intelligence into education, developing a critical pedagogy reflective of data-driven systems.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.30

Artificial Intelligence and the Flipped Classroom: Lecturer Perceptions in a South African Private Higher Education Institution

Farrell Mercia West, Christo P Van der Westhuizen — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping higher education by creating new opportunities for content development, student engagement and instructional practice. In South African private?higher education, however, AI integration is shaped by concerns related to lecturer readiness, ethical use and institutional support. This qualitative case study explores how lecturers perceive the use of AI within the flipped classroom, a model that emphasises active, student?centred learning. Guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the study draws on semi?structured interviews with 11 lecturers, analysed using thematic analysis informed by Braun and Clarke (2019) and Saldaña (2013). The study contributes to understanding how lecturers interpret and navigate the pedagogical use of AI within flipped?classroom practices in a South African private?higher?education context. The findings indicate cautious optimism. AI is valued primarily for supporting pre?class preparation through lesson planning, resource development and content generation, rather than facilitating in?class active learning. Concerns were raised about student over?reliance, superficial learning and the need for pedagogical support. Effort expectancy was shaped by time pressures and tool overload rather than technical difficulty, while peer support and institutional conditions strongly influence adoption.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.46

Defining AI Fatigue in Academic Contexts: Dimensions, Indicators, and a Stage-Based Model Using Grounded Theory

John Paul P. Miranda, Emmanuel B. Parreño, Jovita G. Rivera — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The integration of AI tools in academic settings has introduced a distinct form of strain that existing frameworks like technostress and digital fatigue have not yet fully addressed. This study develops a conceptual model and identifies the dimensions that define AI fatigue as a form of strain arising from sustained academic use of AI tools. Using grounded theory analysis of open-ended responses from 1,054 university students across three universities in the Philippines, the study examined the cognitive, motivational, emotional, physical, and attentional pressures students experienced during AI-supported academic work. Analysis produced five dimensions of AI fatigue, namely Cognitive Overload, Motivational Disengagement, Moral Unease, Physical Strain, and Attentional Drift, each consisting of two indicators grounded in participant accounts. The findings also yielded the AI Fatigue Model, a stage-based framework that explains how these pressures accumulate and reinforce one another across repeated AI interaction in academic tasks. These contributions establish a conceptual and exploratory foundation for AI fatigue as a distinct construct and provide a basis for future instrument validation, scale development, and cross-contextual inquiry in academic settings where AI now mediates student learning.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.5

Resilience in Students with Learning Disabilities: A Systematic Review of Positive Outcomes and Contextual Protective Factors

Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Resilience helps explain how students with learning disabilities (LD) overcome academic, emotional, and social challenges, although research on its development and functioning across domains remains limited. This review sought to synthesize recent empirical studies examining the benefits of resilience and to identify contextual protective factors that contribute to enhancing resilience in students with LD. A total of 17 studies were selected from 1,692 publications indexed between 2016 and 2025 across Scopus, ScienceDirect, ERIC, PubMed, ProQuest, and Google Scholar for further analysis using the PRISMA 2020 flow diagram. The database search utilized a combination of keywords such as “resilience”, “psychological resilience”, “impact”, and “protective factors”. A thematic synthesis approach was employed to identify and map the pattern of meaning derived from the collected research findings. Resilience was found to enhance academic engagement and competence, socio-emotional wellbeing, the quality of social relationships, and a sense of belonging at school. Two primary categories of factors supporting resilience were also identified: internal protective factors (such as self-efficacy, coping, and emotional regulation) and external supportive factors (like family, teacher, peers, and inclusive school support). The integration of personal capacity and ecological support systems was crucial to facilitating sustainable adaptive development in students with LD. This review emphasized the integration of psychological, educational, and socio-ecological perspective within the framework of inclusive education to foster sustainable adaptive growth, including resilience. Future research needs to develop integrated interventions to strengthen both internal and external protective factors to foster resilience and inclusive learning outcomes among students with LD.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.21

Teachers’ Understanding and Implementation of Inclusive Education Policies to Create an Inclusive Learning Environment in South African Schools

Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Inclusive education is increasingly becoming a critical aspect of modern education worldwide. This qualitative study explores teachers' understanding and implementation of inclusive education policies at a school in South Africa. It is situated within the interpretive paradigm, using a single-case study design. The theory of inclusive education served as the theoretical basis for this research. A total of ten teachers were purposefully sampled for the study. Data were collected through a focus group discussion, and the raw data were analysed thematically. The key findings indicate that teachers have a good understanding of various South African inclusive education policies. Additionally, the study revealed that teachers are making progress in implementing these policies, despite some inconsistencies in their application. Furthermore, it was found that challenges such as time constraints and a lack of resources hinder teachers from fully implementing inclusive education policies. The study recommends that teachers receive continuous professional development and support to enhance their implementation of these policies and to overcome the challenges they face. This research makes a significant contribution to the development of inclusive policies and the practices of inclusive teachers in South Africa.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.37

Distributional Inequality in Mathematics Achievement: Quantile Regression Evidence from Low-Performing Secondary Schools in Ghana

Prince Hamid Armah — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study examines how demographic, family, motivational and contextual factors are associated with mathematics achievement across the achievement distribution among students in low-performing public Senior High Schools in Ghana. Using a cross-sectional survey of 725 final-year students, of whom 418 listwise-complete cases were retained for the main ordinary least squares and quantile models, the study estimates quantile regression at the 25th, 50th, and 75th conditional quantiles and interprets the findings through family capital theory and expectancy-value theory. Results show clear heterogeneity across achievement levels. Mathematics self-confidence is a strong positive correlate at the median and upper quantiles, classroom engagement is negatively associated with achievement at the lower and median quantiles, and regional disadvantage is most evident among lower-achieving students in the Middle Belt. The findings show that mean-based estimates can mask important differences across achievement levels and support a distribution-sensitive understanding of mathematics achievement inequality in under-resourced school settings.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.12

Designing a Secure Multimedia-Based Digital Learning Platform for Social Studies Instruction to Enhance Digital Literacy and Local Knowledge in Junior High School Students

Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In the era of digital transformation, societal safety related to digital competencies is increasingly challenged, particularly in the field of education. Educators encounter multiple obstacles in digital learning, including limited internet connectivity and inadequate access to personal devices, exposure to inappropriate content and risks to data security, difficulties in comprehending digital learning materials, and a lack of effective instructional media and resources. Consequently, there is a growing need for secure digital learning environments that integrate multimedia tools, such as animation, augmented reality, games, and audio-visual elements. This study aims to integrate multimedia tools into social studies instruction to enhance digital literacy and local knowledge in junior high school students in Purwakarta Regency. The research adopts a Research and Development (R&D) approach using the ADDIE model. Participants consisted of 145 students and six teachers from both public and private junior high schools. Data were collected through literature reviews, classroom observations, interviews, focus group discussions, surveys, and attitude assessments. The findings indicate that the developed multimedia resource platform effectively supports educators in designing and delivering instructional materials while simultaneously contributing to the enhancement of students’ digital literacy and local knowledge. The platform facilitates meaningful engagement with culturally relevant content and promotes critical digital skills. However, further improvement is required, particularly in creating a more user-friendly interface and incorporating interactive features, such as discussion forums and incentive mechanisms, to increase student engagement and strengthen 21st-century competencies.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.28

Role of Self-Efficacy and Belongingness in Mitigating Teacher Burnout: Evidence from Shandong Province Private Universities

Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Guided by the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, Social Cognitive Theory, and Social Support Theory, this study investigates how teacher self-efficacy and sense of belonging associated with occupational burnout among faculty in private universities in Shandong Province, China. A cross-sectional survey was carried out for 250 full and part-time instructors across several private universities. Data were collected using adapted versions of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey. The data was analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multiple regression in SPSS. Measures captured levels of self-efficacy, belongingness, and burnout to test their relationships. Results revealed a positive association between teacher self-efficacy and sense of belonging, and both were significantly and negatively related to burnout. Personal and social resources are associated with teacher burnout, underscoring their synergistic role. Together, these findings highlight the importance of integrating individual psychological resources and social-contextual factors when examining faculty well-being. The findings enrich theoretical models of faculty well-being and offer practical guidance for interventions that strengthen self-efficacy and belongingness to enhance retention in the growing private higher-education sector.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.44

Japanese Language Teaching at a University in Hanoi, Vietnam: A Survey on Students’ Challenges and Preferred Learning Support

Nguyen Thi Lan Anh — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Difficulty in learning Japanese at the university level is often described in terms of discrete skills or linguistic components. What remains less clear is where these difficulties arise in actual use, and what kinds of support learners find workable in non-immersion contexts. This study draws on questionnaire data from 133 undergraduate students in Hanoi to examine both perceived challenges and preferred forms of support. What stands out is not simply variation across skills but that difficulty intensifies at the point where knowledge has to be used. This is most visible in regard to speaking—particularly in expressing ideas and managing anxiety under time pressure—but similar tensions also appear in listening and reading, where comprehension does not always hold in real-time processing. These patterns are reinforced by limited opportunities for use and uneven continuity in self-directed learning. Students’ preferences follow these points of strain. Structure and feedback come first, while cultural materials and digital tools matter in how they extend learning beyond the classroom. The issue, then, is less how much learners know than how that knowledge applied—and whether that use can be sustained over time.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.3

A Systematic Review on the Relationship between Metacognitive Reading Strategies and English Reading Performance

Liuyang Fan, Abu Bakar Razali, Nooreen Noordin — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Metacognitive reading strategies (MRS) are commonly used in ESL/EFL contexts to refer to the strategies students utilize to plan, monitor, and control their reading process. MRS are widely acknowledged as a significant factor impacting English reading performance. However, although numerous studies have been conducted on this topic, research findings remain inconsistent. Existing reviews have not yet fully synthesized the evidence regarding the relationship between MRS and English reading performance, nor the evidence on interventions, within the ESL/EFL context over the past decade. In contrast to previous reviews, this study integrates evidence from both MRS correlational studies and intervention studies, and updates research findings from the past decade. As such, this study conducted a systematic review of 50 studies published in peer-reviewed journals between 2016 and 2026, covering ESL/EFL learners at various educational levels, to comprehensively analyze the relationship between MRS and English reading performance and to evaluate the impact of relevant interventions on English reading performance. Most studies report an overall positive relationship between MRS and English reading performance. Among the three dimensions of strategies, problem-solving strategies are frequently found to be associated with better English reading performance. Furthermore, intervention studies have shown that both instructional classroom strategies and technological support interventions have a positive impact on the reading performance of ESL/EFL learners. These findings support the more systematic integration of explicit MRS into English reading teaching and suggest that future research should focus further on samples from different educational stages, as well as on the design of longitudinal interventions.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.19

Handling Controversial Topics in Social Sciences Classes: Evidence from Focus Group Discussions with Grade 6 Teachers

Sithembiso Mlambo, Godsend Tawanda Chimbi, Ijeoma Chidinma Ogbonnaya — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Using evidence from focus group discussions, this study examines how teachers handle controversial topics in Social Sciences lessons in primary schools. Controversial topics are contentious as they arise from diverse beliefs and views. These topics may be provocative, can arouse emotions and even cause confrontation among learners and teachers. This empirical study adopts a qualitative approach underpinned by critical social theory as the illuminating lens to report on how teachers taught constantly evolving controversial topics in Social Sciences classes. Data were collected using Focus Group Discussions with five Grade 6 Social Science teachers who were teaching controversial topics. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling to ensure the insights gathered were comprehensive and diverse. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Grade 6 Social Sciences teachers were selected because this grade marks the culmination of the Intermediate Phase, during which learners are expected to attain a certain level of cognitive and emotional competence before progressing to the Senior Phase. Findings indicate that, when teaching controversial topics, teachers employ a variety of strategies to create inclusive classrooms that open discussions and promote respect for divergent opinions. These methods enhance learner engagement, critical thinking, empathy, and social skills, preparing learners for confident participation in diverse communities. The study also established that it is critical for teachers to set ground rules when teaching controversial topics. The study recommends incorporating diverse perspectives and using culturally responsive teaching-learning strategies. This encourages peer-to-peer trust among learners and nurturing classrooms as safe spaces for discussing contentious topics.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.35