International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research

Needs Assessment and Comparative Analysis of Draft Digital Technology Standards for Learning in Basic Education in Thailand

2026-08-11T16:55:37+00:00

This study aimed to analyze the priority needs for standards on the use of digital technology for learning in basic education and to compare the four standards by role and school size. A survey research design was employed. The sample consisted of 1,272 participants, including 543 school administrators and 729 teachers. Data was collected using a needs assessment questionnaire for school development based on the draft standards for the use of digital technology for learning in basic education. The data were analyzed using needs assessment techniques and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The findings showed that the highest priority need was Standard 1: Access and Equity in Digital Technology, followed by Standard 4: Support for Learners, Teachers, School Administrators, and Educational Personnel; Standard 2: Learning Design and Creative Self-Direction; and Standard 3: Assessment and Evaluation for Learning Development. Furthermore, the results of the mean difference tests across the four standards, classified by role and school size and examined through univariate analysis of variance and pairwise comparisons, showed that teachers had significantly higher mean scores than school administrators in three areas: Learning Design and Creative Self-Direction, Assessment and Evaluation for Learning Development, and Support for Learners, Teachers, School Administrators, and Educational Personnel, at the .05 level of statistical significance.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.10

Exploring the Role of Metacognitive Strategies in Research Writing: A Learner-Centered Perspective

2026-08-11T10:16:54+00:00

This study explores the metacognitive strategies of education students in educational research writing using a learner-centered perspective grounded in Flavell’s metacognitive theory (1979) and Zimmerman’s self-regulated learning (SRL) model (2000). Employing a qualitative phenomenological design, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with ten purposely selected fourth-year education students with direct experience in research writing. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. Findings reveal four (4) key themes: education students’ perceptions and application of metacognitive strategies in research writing, metacognitive challenges encountered by education students in the planning, execution, and writing stages, learner-centered instructional approaches fostering or hindering the enactment of metacognitive regulation essential to research competence, and education students' reflections and learning Adaptation. Results indicate that while students demonstrate strong conceptual understanding of metacognition, their regulatory practices remain largely reactive rather than proactive, particularly in complex tasks such as synthesis and data analysis. Emotional challenges, peer collaboration, and instructor feedback were also found to significantly shape students’ metacognitive engagement. The study concludes that research writing serves as a developmental space for strengthening self-regulated learning, although students require stronger instructional scaffolding to enhance strategic and emotional regulation. The study recommends structured reflection, explicit strategy instruction, and targeted feedback should be integrated to support the transfer of metacognitive skills.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.1

Language and Communication Students' Perceived Mastery in AI Chatbot Prompt Engineering: A Study on Vibe Coding in Educational Mobile Application Development

2026-08-14T16:37:15+00:00

This study examines language and communication students’ self-perceived mastery of AI chatbot prompt engineering, with particular attention to “vibe coding” for educational mobile application development. In this study, vibe coding refers to the deliberate use of prompts to shape tone, style, audience orientation, and user-facing educational content. Using a pattern-based framework centred on roles, constraints, and examples, the study investigates how students combine structure and exploratory prompting. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was administered online during March–July 2025 (Semester 2). Complete responses from 120 undergraduates were analysed from approximately 126 invited students (analytic response rate = 95.2%). The questionnaire demonstrated excellent overall internal consistency (Cronbach’s ? = .965). Results indicate that students usually begin tasks with structured prompts but later move towards mixed or unstructured prompting styles, suggesting a control-then-explore sequence. Longer exposure to AI chatbots and more extensive prompt-engineering training were associated with higher self-perceived competency and output efficiency, whereas weekly usage frequency did not show statistically significant differences. Educational background was associated with prompting style and usage, but not with overall perceived competency or output efficiency, and gender differences were negligible. The findings suggest that scaffolded instruction in prompt engineering can support more confident and consistent student use of AI chatbots. Future research should triangulate self-reports with behavioural logs, archived prompts, and performance-based outputs.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.17

Beyond Training: A Policy Analysis of the Digital Competence of Early Childhood Teachers in Selected European Union Member States

2026-08-11T16:21:22+00:00

With education rapidly transforming due to digital developments, members of the European Union (EU) have begun to implement extensive policy schemes to improve the digital capabilities of those teaching very young children. This article reports an examination of these policy initiatives, based on the policy documentation proposals of EU members, intended to augment the digital competencies of these early childhood educators. A qualitative design was utilized to analyse policy documents published between 2015 and 2025 from eight selected EU countries. Search keywords such as early childhood education, teacher digital competence, digital education strategies, and professional development were used to identify relevant documents through the official EU website and the official websites of education departments in the selected countries. Using the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu) as a foundation, the chosen policy documents were analysed with the guidance of a specifically created coding manual. According to the findings, the digital competencies of these educators have been strengthened principally via three key processes. These are professional growth and assistance from institutions; establishing platforms containing nation-level digital resources; and ensuring that digital technology is integrated innovatively into the education and care of young children. In this study, the implementation of these policies was revealed to encounter related difficulties and limitations. Utilizing experiences of these policies, advice is offered to nations aiming to enhance the digital capabilities of educators in preschool settings. Practical implications are suggested regarding the implementation of digital policies, mechanisms to assist educators, and ethical administration in the early childhood educational context.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.8

Integration of Artificial Intelligence to Strengthen Critical Thinking in Teacher Training

2026-08-14T17:07:48+00:00

Critical thinking is fundamental to higher education, empowering future educators to critically analyze and reflect upon the complex socio-cultural settings that shape their professional practice. However, limited empirical evidence explains how generative AI-supported pedagogical resources contribute to critical thinking development in English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher training, particularly in Latin American higher education contexts. In this context, the purpose of the present research was to determine the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on the development of critical thinking in 163 final-year students of a teaching English as a foreign language program at a private university in Ecuador. A mixed-methods, quasi-experimental approach was used, employing diagnostic and perception questionnaires, pre-tests, post-tests, and a semi-structured interview. A 14-week pedagogical intervention was conducted, integrating AI-supported teaching resources such as ChatGPT, Canva, Copilot, Gemini, Invideo, and Leonardo AI. Simultaneously, activities involving the critical and reflective analysis of texts related to current social issues were developed. The findings indicate that integrating generative AI enhances the critical and reflective competencies of pre-service English teachers, particularly in discourse analysis, sociocultural awareness, and facilitating discussions on socially significant issues. This study concludes that, when pedagogically guided, generative AI can strengthen critical thinking in EFL teacher training by supporting discourse analysis, reflective inquiry, and the interpretation of social matters. Its contribution lies in demonstrating that multiple AI-generated resources can serve as pedagogical supports to strengthen analytical and reflective competencies in EFL teacher training.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.24

The Quality Assurance of Early Childhood Education in Preschools in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam: Integrating the CIPO and PDCA Frameworks

2026-08-14T16:16:12+00:00

Quality assurance (QA) in early childhood education has become a major priority in Vietnam’s educational reform, particularly in disadvantaged regions such as the Mekong Delta, where limitations in resources, managerial capacity, and community support continue to affect preschool quality. This study examines QA management in preschools by integrating the CIPO framework (Context–Input–Process–Output) with the PDCA (Plan–Do–Check–Act) continuous improvement cycle. It explores how contextual conditions, educational resources, management processes, and educational outcomes interact to influence QA effectiveness in early childhood education institutions. A quantitative survey design was employed using a structured Likert-scale questionnaire. The final valid sample included 1,130 respondents, comprising 788 preschool managers and teachers and 342 parents from urban and rural areas across the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. Data were collected to evaluate perceptions of QA implementation in relation to input management, process management, output quality, and contextual support factors. Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software. The findings reveal a significant “quality paradox” in preschool QA management. Output management, particularly child developmental outcomes, parental satisfaction, and trust in preschool services, received more positive evaluations than other dimensions. In contrast, process management was rated lowest, especially in the planning, monitoring, and feedback stages of the PDCA cycle, indicating limited effectiveness of continuous improvement mechanisms. The study highlights the need to strengthen PDCA-based managerial competencies, develop evidence-based monitoring systems, enhance stakeholder collaboration, and align educational financing with quality priorities to improve preschool quality in resource-constrained contexts.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.15

No Lecturer Left Behind: An In-Service Professional Development Programme for Enhancing the Teaching and Assessment Skills of Instructors at a Public University in China

2026-08-11T10:53:08+00:00

In higher education, professional development is widely valued, but limited attention has been given to how selective professional learning can be converted into a local programme that supports wider lecturer participation and later classroom readiness. At Yan’an University, a public university in China, earlier high-value professional learning opportunities, including overseas training, reached only a small group of teachers. This study addressed this access gap by developing and refining a local In-Service Teacher Training Programme (ISTTP) for a broader group of lecturers. Guided by Design and Development Research, the study examined how the ISTTP was designed, how its practicality was reflected in teacher feedback, and how that feedback informed refinement. Thirty-six instructors, selected from 18 faculties with two teachers from each faculty, completed a questionnaire after the two-day programme. Six randomly selected participants later joined semi-structured follow-up interviews approximately three months after the training. The questionnaire examined five practicality dimensions: classroom relevance, connection to prior teaching experience, clarity of examples, usefulness of activities, and potential for use in participants’ own teaching. Findings showed that the ISTTP was generally perceived as relevant and practical, while Collaborative Learning, Assessment Strategies, and Self-Assessment and Reflection required stronger support for classroom use. Semi-structured follow-up interviews explained these patterns through challenges related to facilitation, time pressure, disciplinary differences, and institutional conditions. The evidence informed refinements including clearer guidance, structured activities, adaptation support, and discipline-sensitive examples. The study contributes a DDR-based model for transforming selective professional learning into an evidence-informed, locally usable teacher development programme.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.6

Transformational School Leadership in Low Socioeconomic South African High Schools: Implications for Learner Academic Achievement

2026-08-14T17:01:30+00:00

Learner academic achievement in low socioeconomic high schools remains a persistent challenge in South Africa, despite extensive policy reforms aimed at addressing educational inequality. Within this context, school leadership has emerged as a critical in-school factor influencing teaching and learning outcomes. This study explores how transformational leadership is enacted in low socioeconomic high schools and how such leadership practices relate to learner academic achievement. Guided by an interpretivist paradigm, the study adopted a qualitative exploratory multiple-case study design. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, non-participant observations, and field notes with two purposively selected high school principals in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, guided by the core constructs of transformational leadership: idealised influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualised consideration. The findings indicate that transformational leadership contributes to improved learner academic achievement by fostering learning-focused school cultures, strengthening teacher commitment, promoting instructional improvement, and supporting professional development. While structural socioeconomic constraints persist, the study demonstrates that transformational leadership provides a coherent framework through which principals can mediate contextual challenges and create conditions conducive to academic success. The study contributes to educational leadership scholarship by offering contextually grounded qualitative insights into transformational leadership practices in disadvantaged high school settings.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.22

Video-Based Shadowing in a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) Framework: A Study of Indonesian Learners of Japanese as Second Language (JSL) Perceived Listening, Pronunciation, and Speaking Development

2026-08-14T16:00:17+00:00

Despite growing research on YouTube-assisted language learning and shadowing, little is known about how video-based shadowing operates within a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in Japanese as a Second Language (JSL) contexts. This study examined the extent to which video-based shadowing enhances Indonesian JSL learners' perceived oral proficiency within a CLIL framework and explored the perceived benefits and challenges of its implementation across linguistic, affective, and cross-cultural dimensions. Employing a convergent mixed-methods design, 57 intermediate-level Indonesian JSL learners completed Likert-scale questionnaires, open-ended responses and semi-structured interviews while using authentic content from the Speak Japanese Naturally YouTube channel. Results indicated strong positive perceptions across listening (M=4.69–4.94), speaking (M=4.64–4.75), shadowing performance (M=3.92–4.86), and satisfaction (M=3.67–4.81) subscales. Furthermore, findings identified speaking improvement (n=17), listening comprehension (n=15), and pronunciation accuracy (n=12) as the most frequently cited benefits. Joint display integration further revealed that high learner satisfaction (M=4.81) coexisted with cognitive overload from excessive speech rate (n=18) and affective strain (n=10). The findings suggest that video-based shadowing within a CLIL framework constitutes a theoretically coherent and replicable strategy for spoken Japanese development in resource-constrained Southeast Asian JSL contexts. The study also offers implications for curriculum sequencing, assessment design, teacher professional development, and the future integration of AI-assisted pronunciation feedback tools.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.13

Examining Student-Lecturer Relationships at a Tanzanian University: An Understudied Dimension in Higher Education

2026-08-11T10:42:46+00:00

Student-lecturer relationships are vital to students’ learning, yet research in higher education, particularly within Tanzanian universities, remains limited. This study examined the nature of student-lecturer relationships, differences across student demographic variables, and the factors influencing these relationships. A quantitative survey design was employed. Participants were selected through a two-step process: stratified random sampling by year of study, followed by simple random sampling from student lists, using random number generation. 1,483 undergraduates completed the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI), which measures eight relationship dimensions: “leadership”, “friendly”, “understanding”, “student freedom”, “uncertain”, “dissatisfied”, “reprimanding”, and “strict”. Results indicated an overall moderate level of student-lecturer relationships, with leadership and understanding scoring the highest among the positive dimensions. However, “uncertain” and “reprimanding” ranked highest among negative dimensions. T-tests and ANOVA analysis revealed no significant differences based on gender, age, year of study, high school attended or GPA. Nevertheless, significant differences appeared in training type and study programme, with in-service students and those enrolled in BA. Ed. and BSc. Ed. programmes reporting stronger relationships than BEd (Sc.) students. Regression analysis revealed that training type and study programme significantly predicted student-lecturer relationships. Lower scores in friendliness and student freedom suggest limited relational engagement. The findings highlight the need for lecturers to foster greater friendliness and student autonomy while reducing “uncertain” and “reprimanding” behaviours.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.4

The Metacognition–Social Complexity-Based Learning Model: A Culturally Grounded Framework to Improve HOTS and Collaboration in Science Learning

2026-08-14T16:50:32+00:00

Improving Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) and collaboration still poses various challenges in elementary science education, especially when learning materials are abstract and disconnected from students' cultural contexts. This study aims to develop, validate, and evaluate the MetaSC learning model designed to support culturally grounded and inquiry-oriented science learning in grade 4. The Research and Development (R&D) design was implemented using the Plomp model, including expert validation, user acceptance testing, and a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test control group design. The instruments consisted of an expert validation sheet, teacher and student response questionnaires, a HOTS test, and a collaboration rubric. The results showed that the MetaSC model achieved an excellent level of expert validation, demonstrating theoretical coherence and instructional feasibility. User responses indicated a high level of practicality and acceptability. Furthermore, experimental findings revealed significant improvements in both HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) and collaboration skills among students using the MetaSC model compared to those receiving conventional instruction. These findings suggest that the MetaSC framework offers a promising approach for integrating ethnoscience, metacognitive learning, and collaboration to support the development of 21st-century competencies in elementary science education.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.20

Digital Reading in Higher Education: Trends, Behaviours, and Evidence-Based Strategies—A Systematic Review

2026-08-14T15:52:33+00:00

The rapid growth of digital technologies and blended learning has made digital reading a central component of higher education. Despite the increasing volume of research on digital reading, the literature remains fragmented. To address this gap, a systematic literature review was conducted, synthesising findings from 69 empirical studies published between 2010 and 2025, representing over 17,000 participants from 27 countries and involving undergraduate and postgraduate students, instructors, and librarians across multiple disciplines. The studies were identified through the Web of Science database and analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Five major themes emerged: digital reading comprehension and comparisons with print reading, digital reading behaviour and perceptions, digital reading competency, strategies for effective digital reading, and digital reading in special education and language learning contexts. The review indicates that digital reading outcomes are shaped by the interaction of learner competencies, cognitive demands, technological design, and institutional support rather than by the reading medium alone. The findings further suggest that print and digital reading serve complementary functions, with students often selecting each format according to the reading task, learning goals, and contextual demands. To enhance digital reading outcomes, the literature highlights the importance of digital literacy development, cognitive load management, effective interface design, and instructional and institutional support. By synthesising diverse strands of research, this review provides a comprehensive understanding of digital reading in higher education and offers practical implications for educators, instructional designers, and institutions seeking to improve their students’ reading comprehension, engagement, and learning outcomes in increasingly digital learning environments.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.11

Developing the Industry Expert Influence Construct for UTAUT Integration: A Systematic Review in Vocational Education Technology Adoption

2026-08-11T10:27:40+00:00

Amid the accelerated digital transformation of vocational education and training (VET), students often exhibit passive acceptance and authority dependence when using online learning platforms. Although the unified theory of acceptance and use of -technology (UTAUT) is widely applied, its "social influence" construct primarily reflects normative pressure, failing to capture the non-coercive influence exerted by industry experts. This study aimed to conceptually develop and theoretically position a novel construct, Industry Expert Influence (IEI), within the UTAUT framework. Guided by the PRISMA protocol, 27 empirical studies from Web of Science and Scopus (2015–2025) were systematically reviewed. The review revealed that industry experts significantly enhanced students' professional identity, career-driven motivation, self-efficacy, and perceived utility by reinforcing the real-world relevance of learning content. Through hybrid thematic analysis combining deductive and inductive coding, IEI was derived as a novel construct comprising four core dimensions: Expertise, Trustworthiness, Referent Influence, and Rational Influence Strategy. IEI is posited as a critical antecedent of technology adoption, driving behavioral intention by reshaping Performance Expectancy and Effort Expectancy. Future research is recommended to develop a context-specific IEI scale and examine the moderating role of cultural power distance.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.2

Developing an Activity Theory-Informed WIL Framework for South African TVET Teacher Education

2026-08-14T16:40:51+00:00

The 2013 South African policy on professional qualifications for lecturers in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) emphasises the importance of both school-based teaching practice and industry-based work-integrated learning (WIL). The dual requirement of the policy poses a challenge, however, to faculties of education that are accustomed to school-based teaching practice as their form of WIL. Given that Industry-based WIL in TVET teacher education is a new concept there is, therefore, a gap in its implementation. Adopting an activity theory perspective, this qualitative study aimed at closing this gap by developing a framework to guide education providers in implementing industry-based WIL in TVET teacher education. Purposive sampling was used to select 16 participants from the faculties of education at eight South African universities who were responsible for implementing the WIL component in TVET teacher education qualifications. One workplace mentor was selected from each of 16 organisations. Data collection, which was followed with thematic analysis, involved semi-structured individual interviews for workplace mentors, two focus group interviews for lecturers, and perusal of curriculum documents. The findings revealed systemic contradictions between two systems that possess different objectives, rules, cultures and expectations, namely: 1) the university teacher education system that prioritises learning and professional formation, and 2) the industry workplace system that prioritises productivity and operational performance. As such, a framework was developed to strengthen partnerships and guide WIL implementation, within South African university–industry partnerships.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.18

Older Adults’ Experiences with Mobile-Assisted Language Learning: A Systematic Review of Motivations, Attitudes, and Tensions

2026-08-11T16:51:05+00:00

This systematic review examines older adultss, University Putra Malaysia, 43400, Selangor, Malaysias, Attitudes, and Tensions???n their motivations and attitudes. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched seven academic databases from inception through December 2023. Seven empirical studies met the inclusion criteria, involving adults aged 60 and above engaging in MALL within non?formal or self?directed contexts. Thematic analysis identified six key themes: (a) high initial motivation, (b) declining motivation over time, (c) intrinsic learning motivations, (d) overall satisfaction, (e) a preference for human interaction and clear guidance, and (f) diverse learner needs. These themes converge into three overarching tensions: initial versus sustained motivation, technological utility versus human connection, and general positivity versus learner heterogeneity. The theoretical frameworks applied in the reviewed studies (Self?Directed Learning, social gerontology, SLA) largely overlooked the specific motivational dynamics of older adults. Although older adults generally demonstrate positive attitudes toward MALL, this synthesis underscores the critical need for personalized and socially enriched learning designs. Given the limited number and heterogeneity of the included studies, these conclusions remain preliminary.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.9

Faith and Pedagogy in a Global Era: Rethinking Teaching Practices in Islamic Higher Education

2026-08-14T17:11:05+00:00

This study examines how teaching practices in Islamic higher education in Indonesia are shaped at the intersection of faith-based educational values and global pedagogical approaches. Using a qualitative multiple-case design, data were collected from 24 lecturers through interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. The findings reveal that pedagogy is strongly grounded in faith, with teaching viewed as a moral and purposeful activity aimed at students’ holistic development. At the same time, global approaches such as student-centered learning are selectively adopted, resulting in hybrid practices that combine interaction and participation with continued lecturer guidance. However, this integration remains partial and uneven. Key tensions emerge between authority and autonomy, critical thinking and respect for tradition, and institutional expectations and classroom realities. The study also finds that while institutional policies promote contemporary pedagogies but offer limited guidance on integrating them with value-based educational frameworks, leading to inconsistent implementation. Drawing on a negotiative-integrative perspective, the study argues that teaching is a dynamic and context-dependent process shaped by ongoing negotiation between religious commitments and pedagogical innovation. By illuminating how lecturers actively mediate these competing influences, the study contributes a nuanced understanding of pedagogical adaptation in Islamic higher education highlights the need for clearer pedagogical frameworks, targeted professional development, and stronger institutional support to enable more coherent and meaningful integration.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.25

AI-Driven Feedback for University Students’ ESL/EFL Academic Writing: A Scoping Review of Pedagogical Implementation and Learning Outcomes

2026-08-14T16:30:46+00:00

This review maps the recent findings on the AI-driven feedback given to undergraduate-level ESL/EFL academic writing, examining how it is implemented, what learning outcomes it produces, and what shapes those outcomes. Drawing on 39 peer-reviewed empirical studies retrieved from Web of Science, Scopus, and ERIC, and following the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews, this review covers 2,796 participants across 18 countries and regions. The findings show that 27 of the 39 studies in the full corpus reported measurable improvement in ESL/EFL writing. Lower-proficiency students showed larger surface-level gains but higher rates of passive uptake, while higher-proficiency learners engaged more critically when appropriately scaffolded. This review also identifies a persistent local-global revision gap: grammar and vocabulary improvements were reliably documented, but gains in argumentation, genre awareness, and critical reasoning remained weak and variable across the corpus. While AI-driven feedback shows genuine promise for addressing the feedback deficit in large-scale ESL/EFL writing instruction — a challenge with direct relevance to SDG 4 (Quality Education) and its advocation for inclusive, equitable access to quality learning at all levels - the conditions that produce durable learning gains remain poorly understood. The field's methodological development has not yet caught up with its empirical output.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.16

Pedagogical Competence and Challenges of Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers During Teaching Internship: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study

2026-08-11T10:59:40+00:00

Teaching internships are a critical stage for pre-service teachers, enabling them to translate their pedagogical preparation into classroom practice. This study examined the pedagogical competence and internship-related challenges of pre-service mathematics teachers and integrated qualitative findings to explain the quantitative patterns. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the quantitative phase involved 32 participants (16 pre-service mathematics teachers and 16 cooperating teachers) selected through total enumeration. The qualitative phase included 7 pre-service teachers and 7 cooperating teachers selected through purposive, criterion-based sampling. The quantitative data was gathered using a standardized performance evaluation tool and analyzed using mean scores and t-tests, whereas the qualitative data from the semi-structured interviews was analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal consistently high pedagogical competence ratings for both the self-assessment and cooperating teacher evaluation, with professional behavior and voice modulation being the strongest areas. Lesson planning and communication skills obtained comparatively lower means, although they still had a high rating. No significant differences emerged between the self-assessments and cooperating teacher evaluations. The thematic analysis identified eight developmental challenges: communication competence, classroom management, instructional planning, learner engagement, the facilitation of higher-order thinking, learner diversity, professional confidence, and assessment practices. The convergence of high ratings and the qualitative evidence of continuing challenges suggests that these scores reflect entry-level professional readiness rather than full pedagogical mastery. These findings call on teacher education institutions to strengthen the skills of reflective mentoring, practice-based support, lesson planning, mathematical communication, assessment literacy, and differentiated instruction to better prepare mathematics teachers for being classroom-ready.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.7

Peer Feedback Training in L2 English Writing: A Systematic Literature Review of Empirical Studies from 2016 to 2025

2026-08-14T17:04:54+00:00

Although peer feedback has been widely used in second language (L2) English writing instruction, its pedagogical value is often constrained by vague comments, limited understanding of evaluation criteria, low learner confidence, weak peer trust, and insufficient uptake of revision. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework, this systematic literature review identified and synthesized empirical studies published from 2016 to 2025 on peer feedback training in English as a Foreign Language and English as a Second Language writing contexts. Database searches in Scopus, Educational Resources Information Center, and Web of Science were followed by deduplication, title and abstract screening, full-text eligibility assessment, and quality appraisal. Nineteen empirical studies were included in a narrative thematic synthesis focusing on instructional design, reported learning outcomes, and implementation challenges. The synthesis suggests that peer feedback is more effective when supported by rubrics or checklists, teacher modeling, guided peer-review tools, peer dialogue, AI-supported scaffolding, and revision-reflection tasks. Reported outcomes included improvements in feedback quality, revision uptake, writing performance, feedback literacy, motivation, self-efficacy, engagement, and self-regulated writing. Recurring implementation challenges included uneven learner readiness, limited feedback specificity, insufficient peer trust, time constraints, and the need for teacher monitoring and systematic guidance. Based on these findings, the review proposes a lightweight peer feedback training framework for L2 writing instruction and future intervention research.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.23

Development and Expert Consensus on a Context-Adapted Digital Competence Indicator System for Teachers in Chinese Private Universities

2026-08-14T16:07:20+00:00

Rapid development in digital technologies has revolutionized higher education and raised teachers’ digital competence to high standards. Despite many efforts from international bodies such as DigCompEdu and TPACK to theorize on teacher digital competence, none of the proposed theoretical models sufficiently reflect the context of Chinese private universities. To fill the research gap and address practical issues, the current study adopted a mixed-methods research strategy using content analysis and expert interviews in constructing a digital competence indicator system for teachers in Chinese private universities. Four dimensions and twelve indicators of digital competence of Chinese private university teachers were developed based on data collected. The results have shown that contextual factors exert a major influence on teacher digital competence, including lack of technological support, practice-oriented requirements in teaching, as well as ethical issues in the emerging context of digitization in higher education. With its focus on digital competence basics and responsibility and ethics in digital environment, the developed framework can be considered a contextualized development of existing universal models of teacher digital competence. It enriches the literature with empirical studies in the field of teacher digital competence and will benefit practices of evaluating, develop teachers’ digital competence and carry out digital transformation projects in Chinese private universities as well as other universities facing similar conditions in developing countries.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.14

Digital Competence Among English Teachers in Economically Underdeveloped Regions: Evidence from Guizhou, China

2026-08-11T10:47:38+00:00

Guided by the European framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu), this study examined the digital competence of 115 English teachers in Guizhou, an economically underdeveloped province in Southwest China. Descriptive statistics revealed a moderate level of digital competence among participants. Independent samples t?tests and the one-way ANOVA were conducted to examine differences across demographic and contextual variables. The results indicated that gender was the only significant differentiating factor, with male teachers reporting higher digital competence than female teachers. In contrast, educational background, teaching experience, and access to facilities and resources were not significantly associated with digital competence. These findings suggest that commonly identified predictors of teachers’ digital competence may operate differently in economically disadvantaged contexts. The study contributes to digital competence literature by providing empirical evidence from an underexplored and underdeveloped region and highlights the importance of context?sensitive professional development strategies beyond demographic characteristics and infrastructure investment alone.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.5

Mitigating Cognitive Overload in Deaf Education: The Pedagogical Impact of a Multimodal Instructional Design on Digital Media Literacy Retention

2026-08-14T16:58:38+00:00

In evolving digital landscapes, the acquisition of digital media literacy (DML) remains a systemic challenge for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students. This disparity is largely driven by the extraneous cognitive overload and the split-attention effect caused by conventional, auditory-centric multimedia designs relegating sign language and captions to peripheral windows. This study investigates the educational efficacy of a newly developed multimodal instructional framework engineered to address these barriers by integrating a prominent visual-spatial sign language interface (Big Sign) with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. Employing a one-group quasi-experimental approach, the research evaluated the proposed framework by comparing baseline pre-test scores against immediate knowledge acquisition and short-term retention among 30 DHH learners in higher education over a two-week period. Statistical analyses revealed that the intervention significantly improved initial DML competency (pre-test to post-test) and sustained high retention rates over two weeks. Furthermore, qualitative assessments conducted via semi-structured interviews highlighted a transition from fragmented, visually taxing attention patterns to a more integrated and naturalistic visual learning experience, thereby maximizing pedagogical engagement. While limited by the absence of a control group, these findings offer a scalable, evidence-based model for educators and instructional designers to transcend mere technical accessibility compliance and move toward the creation of cognitively equitable digital learning environments that optimize knowledge encoding for DHH populations.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.21

Conceptualising ‘Digital Academic Orphanhood’: Marginalised Distance Learners and the Hidden Curriculum of Open and Distance e-Learning (ODeL)

2026-08-14T15:55:59+00:00

Despite expanded access to technology, many African Open and Distance e-Learning (ODeL) students remain underserved by institutional support structures. Existing frameworks, including digital divide, academic integration, and hidden curriculum theories, do not fully account for learners who are formally enrolled and digitally connected yet remain relationally and culturally excluded from the informal networks essential for academic success. This paper introduces Digital Academic Orphanhood as a new conceptual framework addressing this gap. The concept is derived through Walker and Avant's (2019) eight-step systematic concept analysis, enriched by critical postcolonial and Afrocentric analytical lenses, and validated through structured consultation with six African ODeL scholars and practitioners from six countries. The framework proposes three interrelated dimensions: structural orphanhood (the absence of institutional support mechanisms), relational orphanhood (insufficient mentoring and peer networks), and cultural orphanhood (epistemological misalignment). Five defining attributes emerge from inductive analysis of 47 empirical studies: formal inclusion with relational exclusion; absence of academic nurturing; limited tacit institutional knowledge; cultural-epistemological disconnect; and compound vulnerability from intersecting disadvantages. The paper highlights invisible barriers operating through digital environments, including language norms, assumptions of digital fluency, and tensions between Western ODeL designs and communal African learning traditions, and integrates social capital, hidden curriculum, digital divide, and decolonial theories. The framework's originality lies in integrating structural, relational, and cultural dimensions within a postcolonial-Afrocentric orientation specifically focused on digital learning contexts, a combination absent from existing constructs. The paper contributes theoretically and practically by guiding inclusive pedagogy, institutional accountability, and diagnostic instrument development, and points toward participatory, longitudinal, and intervention research to advance justice in digital higher education.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.12

Technology Acceptance Model in Digital Higher Education (2015-2025): A Bibliometric Analysis of Theoretical Evolution and Collaboration Patterns

2026-08-11T10:37:46+00:00

The technology acceptance model (TAM) has been central to understanding technology adoption in higher education (HE) for decades. However, a comprehensive decade?scale synthesis of its evolution in digital learning contexts has remained absent. This bibliometric review systematically mapped TAM research in digital HE from 2015 to 2025. PRISMA guidelines were followed. A total of 429 Scopus?indexed articles were analyzed using VOSviewer for co?authorship, keyword co?occurrence, and co?citation analyses. The literature review confirmed that prior studies were largely qualitative, domain?specific, or limited in time span. Three salient findings emerged. First, publication output grew steadily, with a sharp acceleration during the COVID?19 pandemic. Second, the field shifted from core TAM constructs (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use) toward affective, social, and contextual variables such as enjoyment, self?efficacy, and social influence. Third, research was geographically concentrated. Malaysia (62), Saudi Arabia (41), and China (38) led output. Collaboration networks showed strong regional clustering but weak intercontinental ties. Structural holes thus limited cross?cultural validation. Keyword analysis further revealed an emerging emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI), ChatGPT, and immersive technologies. It was concluded that TAM remained highly adaptable but faced challenges in geographic dispersion and theoretical generalization. Future research should prioritize international collaboration, culturally adaptable extensions, and deeper investigation of AI?driven learning systems. Educational institutions are recommended to use the identified collaboration patterns to form international consortia and faculty exchanges. This review provides a structured baseline for cross?cultural and collaborative research on technology acceptance in HE.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.3

A Qualitative Study of Teaching Bahasa Indonesia with Integrated Islamic Values in an Indonesian Islamic Education Department

2026-08-14T16:44:37+00:00

The integration of Islamic values into higher education has become increasingly significant in Muslim-majority contexts, where education is expected to cultivate both intellectual competence and moral character. In Indonesia, Bahasa Indonesia serves not only as the national language but also as a medium for shaping identity, ethical awareness, and civic responsibility. However, limited empirical research has examined how Islamic values are systematically embedded in Bahasa Indonesia instruction within Islamic higher education. This qualitative case study investigates how lecturers in an Islamic Education Department integrate Islamic values into language teaching, the pedagogical strategies they employ, and the challenges and opportunities they encounter. Data were collected from six purposively selected lecturers through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis of syllabi and teaching materials. Thematic analysis with iterative coding and cross-source triangulation ensured credibility. Findings indicate that integration occurs through both explicit and implicit approaches. Explicit strategies include incorporating Qur’anic verses, Hadith, and ethically themed texts into language activities. Implicit integration is reflected in lecturers’ modeling of ethical conduct, classroom norms, and constructive feedback. Four key strategies emerged: moral text analysis, structured discussions, reflective writing, and project-based learning. While challenges include time constraints, material adaptation, and balancing linguistic and moral goals, the approach enhances engagement, supports holistic learning, and fosters ethical communication. The study underscores the transformative potential of Islamic-integrated language instruction in higher education.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.7.19