Students' Views on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Language for Specific Purposes (LSP) Courses

The study examines how Slovenian students perceive the application of AI tools in Language for Specific Purposes (LSP) courses. It focuses on determining whether the respondents' age, gender, and university of enrolment influence their use of AI tools in their LSP course, and whether the respondents' age, gender, and university enrolment impact their perception of their LSP teachers' influence on learning using AI tools. Conducted across four major Slovenian universities, the research involved 239 students and utilised an anonymous online survey. Findings reveal that students frequently utilize AI tools such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, and AI Writer to prepare assignments, enhance writing quality, and acquire new information. However, concerns about over-reliance, reduced critical thinking, and data accuracy continue. Gender differences were observed, with male students using AI tools more often for peer communication and assessment preparation. Teachers' attitudes varied across institutions, with some encouraging the use of AI for learning and others warning about potential ethical risks. The study highlights the need for structured guidelines on AI integration in language learning curricula, enhanced teacher training, and the promotion of balanced AI use alongside developing critical thinking skills. It also stresses the importance of fostering ethical awareness among students

The Effectiveness of Learning-Oriented Assessment (LOA) on EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension and Speaking

Although Learning-Oriented Assessment (LOA) can be effective in EFL learning by improving learning effectiveness, and promoting pedagogical practices, few studies have investigated this in the context of Iran. This research was conducted to examine the impact of LOA on the reading comprehension and speaking of EFL learners through a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test control group design. Two intact intermediate classes of female EFL learners (each composed of 30 learners) participated in this study through convenience sampling from a private language school in Tehran. To collect the data, Quick Placement Test (QPT), a sample IELTS speaking test, and the Michigan Test of Reading were used. To analyze the data, an Independent-Samples t-test was applied to compare the two groups, based on the assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variances. According to the results, Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension and speaking were significantly affected by LOA, with very large effect sizes for reading (d = 1.26) and speaking (d = 1.49) indicating substantial improvements in both skills. The results have some implications for EFL teachers, learners, and curriculum planners

Multivariate Interdependencies of Chinese, Mathematics, and English Performance among High-School Students

This study aimed to examine interdependencies among Chinese, Mathematics and English performance and to test for a unifying proficiency factor. It analysed longitudinal data from 27,750 students over 22 examination sessions in six years, applying Pearson correlations, multivariate general linear models, cross-lagged panel analysis, principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Results indicated moderate but significant bivariate associations and reciprocal predictive effects, most notably a leading influence of Chinese on subsequent English performance. Factor analyses consistently identified a single latent construct academic proficiency accounting for 62.9 % of score variance. This study is the first to demonstrate a general academic proficiency factor across all three Gaokao subjects using cross-lagged and factor analytic methods on large-scale longitudinal data. These findings indicate that student performance across Chinese, Mathematics, and English is moderately interrelated and can be parsimoniously represented by a single latent academic proficiency factor. While the study does not directly assess underlying cognitive or motivational traits, the consistent factor loadings and strong model fit suggest the presence of a general academic dimension influencing all three subjects. This suggests that instructional designs which foster cross-subject skill transfer, such as embedding reading strategies in Mathematics or reinforcing logical reasoning in language tasks, may enhance overall academic performance. Furthermore, educational interventions aimed at strengthening general learning processes, such as metacognitive regulation and effort management, could offer broad-based support across disciplines. These insights can inform the development of more integrated and efficient curricular strategies under China’s New Gaokao framework and may have relevance for other high-stakes assessment systems

Transformational Leadership and Incentive Strategies for Retaining Young Rural Teachers

Rural schools worldwide are facing persistent challenges in retaining teachers, especially younger ones—an issue that threatens educational equity. This study aims to explore how transformational leadership can enhance motivation and reduce attrition among early-career teachers in under-resourced rural schools. Methodologically, the study is distinctive in focusing on the age-specific needs of young teachers and in combining Three-Factor Theory (Qu & Chen, 2016) with Transformational Leadership to design a rigorously validated survey instrument. Drawing on data from a rural secondary school in China, findings show that while financial rewards remain relevant, age‑specific intrinsic motivators play a more crucial role in sustaining young teachers’ commitment. The results highlight that beyond material incentives, leadership practices fostering trust, growth, and purpose are crucial. These insights provide timely guidance for school leaders and policymakers seeking to improve young teacher retention and advance educational equity in rural communities worldwide

Examining Effects of Environmental Factors on College Students’ Learning and Success

The importance of environmental factors for students’ learning performance is inevitable. As students grow up and go to college, they should have changes in their preferences for how their environment for studying should be. Understanding what visual, structural, and organizational elements of one’s surrounding can help college students concentrate better comes handy to make arrangements for their study environment accordingly. The goal of this research paper is to study what environmental elements can be stimulating or distracting for college students’ learning outcomes when they are studying. Data was collected by surveying students majoring mostly in the sciences using a Likert-type and open-ended questionnaire. Our analysis suggests that a quiet, well-lit, structured, and noise-free study environment is the most ideal for students. Our data further finds out that students prefer accessibility to a table or desk, having note-taking materials (pens, pencils, notebooks, tablets, laptops) well-organized, and having snacks around while studying. Finally, our data suggests that students emphasizing the importance of environmental organization for studying had higher academic performance

Revisiting the Competency-Based Paradigm in Primary Education: Unpacking the Spiral Curriculum Approach

Bu çalışma, İspanya'nın ilköğretim sisteminde yetkinlik-temelli öğretimin uygulamasını, ideolojik ve pedagojik bağlamda analiz etmektedir. Araştırma, Murcia Bölgesi'nde doğal bir nitel paradigmada yürütülen vaka çalışmasına dayanmaktadır. Veri toplama süreci, yarı yapılandırılmış öğretmen ve eğitim denetmenleriyle yapılan görüşmelerin yanı sıra doküman analizlerini içermektedir. Bulgular; anahtar yetkinliklerin tanımlanmasında epistemolojik belirsizlikleri, uygulamada davranışçı-ekonomik ve yapılandırmacı-hümanist yaklaşımlar arasındaki gerilimleri ortaya koymaktadır. Murcia Bölgesi’nde uygulanan aNota programı üzerinden standartlara dayalı planlama, değerlendirme ve öğretim uygulamalarının, pedagojik yansıma ve kapsayıcı uygulamalardan uzaklaştığı görülmektedir. Öğretmenlerin yetkinlik kavramına yüzeysel yaklaşımları, değerlendirme sisteminin teknokratik doğası ve farklı öğrenme gereksinimleri olan öğrencilerin dışlanma riskleri, yapıcı bir yetkinlik-temelli eğitim anlayışının önünde önemli engeller oluşturmaktadır. Çalışmanın bulguları, İspanya’da yetkinlik-temelli eğitimi başarıyla uygulamanın öğretim programlarının uyumlu olmasını sağlamaktan öte, epistemolojik ve pedagojik tutarlılığı güçlendirmeyi gerektirdiğini göstermektedir

Interactive learning with Staggered Online Quizzes and Discussion Enhanced Students' Motivation and Performance

This study investigates how interactive learning sessions integrated with staggered online quizzes via the Quizizz app affect students' motivation and academic performance. Conducted among first-year pharmacy students, the instructional strategy included lectures, discussions, and gamified assessments with instant feedback. Results showed significant correlations between gamification elements—challenge, immediate feedback, social engagement, and leaderboards—and improved student motivation and attentiveness. Although performance fluctuated across staggered quizzes, the strategy increased engagement and confidence during active learning. Students highly rated the quizzes' usefulness and preferred their inclusion in future lessons. Further research is suggested to understand the application of cognitive skills to unfamiliar topics

Identity, Gender, and Politics: Creating Belonging for Hispanic Women in Literature and Other Courses

To assess the level of belonging that Hispanic women students experienced in a post-pandemic environment during their enrollment in a college literature class and other related courses with readings connected to the topic of gender and the associated politics, the authors created a mixed-methods study using survey and short-answer, question instruments. Participants comprised 74 Hispanic women, college students, with a median age of 20 years. The authors formulated their survey based upon the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire, Pandemic-related Political Identities Scale, Campus Expression Survey, and College Student Views on Free Expression and Campus Speech Survey. They ran paired samples t-tests to report potentially significant differences in the women’s view of their enrollment in a literature class and comparable reading and writing-oriented courses both before and afterwards in terms of their academic and personal outcomes. The authors applied a grounded theory approach to code the students’ short-answer comments about their attitude toward discussing their identity and the concept of gender in their classes, including any benefits in doing so. As findings, many women reported a growth in their appreciation of reading and speaking about literature, including how their lives and careers were linked to Hispanic readings; ability to sustain an interest in theoretical concepts; and capacity to discuss the fraught topics of gender, race, and the linked politics, including the stereotypes some women faced, while also empathizing with their peers’ backgrounds. The study findings also extended to the women’s pattern of growth in other reading and writing-oriented courses. Building upon these results, the article offers recommendations regarding how within the post-pandemic period, faculty can continue to conceive of Hispanic women students positively in terms of the capital they bring to academia rather than as through a deficit mindset

Identifying English Speaking Needs Among Secondary School Students

This study investigates the English speaking proficiency and learning needs of Malaysian secondary school students. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research gathers quantitative data from a self-assessment questionnaire completed by 90 Form 4 students and qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews with five English teachers in Kedah, Malaysia. Findings reveal that students feel confident in comprehension and pronunciation but struggle with appropriateness, grammar, vocabulary, and fluency. Teachers corroborate these weaknesses, noting challenges in constructing sentences, limited vocabulary, and inappropriate language use in formal settings. The study highlights the need for targeted instruction that integrates grammatical and vocabulary development while promoting pragmatic awareness. Recommendations include the use of communicative tasks, drama-based strategies, and technology-enhanced tools to address the identified deficiencies and support students in becoming competent English speakers

Enhancing Motivation through Structured Music Activity: A Quasi-Experimental Study

This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of a 16-week structured music-based physical activity intervention on the exercise motivation of rural high school students in China. Ninety-eight Grade 10 students were assigned to either an experimental group, which participated in culturally relevant and emotionally engaging physical activities including functional music gymnastics, fun snake run, figure skipping rope, and yoga-based relaxation or a control group, which engaged in conventional group running. The intervention was grounded in the ADDIE instructional model, cooperative learning theory, and scaffolding. Motivation was measured before and after the intervention using a validated questionnaire. Results revealed significantly greater improvements in the experimental group across all motivation subdomains, with the largest effects observed in emotional experience and value embodiment. Overall motivation also increased substantially compared to the control group, which showed minimal change. These findings highlight the effectiveness of structured, emotionally resonant, and socially collaborative physical activity in enhancing student motivation. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating the applicability of a multi-theoretical instructional design in rural educational settings and offers actionable implications for school administrators and physical education teachers seeking low-cost, scalable strategies to improve student engagement and well-being through rhythmically structured, music-enhanced recess programs