The Utilization of Virtual Learning Environment in Malaysian Non-Arabic Speaking Learners’ Classroom

This study aimed to understand the utilization of VLE in Non-Arabic Speaking Learners’ classrooms from the perspective of Arabic teachers in higher education institutions. Purposive sampling was utilized to pick the research sample for this study. Then, the sample used for this study consisted of 3 Arabic language teachers. One-to-one in-depth interviews were conducted with the three informants. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather the data to allow the informants to express their experiences in an accessible manner. A case study was used in this study to create a qualitative design. The researcher used a method called thematic analysis (TA) and followed a few steps, including (i) word-by-word transcription, (ii) interview transcription, (iii) coding, and (iv) labeling. The findings illustrated the Arabic teachers’ perspectives on using VLE, the approaches when implementing VLE, and how VLE can effectively teach the Arabic language. The responses of the three informants would illustrate the main themes found using the thematic analysis (TA) method. The analysis of this study helps provide such information to universities on the perspectives of Arabic teachers on the use of VLE, their approaches when implementing VLE, and how VLE can be effective in their language teaching in a virtual learning context. This study allows us to understand better how Malaysian Arabic teachers adapt to virtual language learning environments by utilizing VLE at the university level

Gamification of the Dar Si Hmad Fog Water Harvesting Project in Morocco: Creating a role-playing course to integrate STEM and the Humanities

Our team created a role-playing curriculum based on the world’s largest fogwater harvesting project, pioneered by Dar Si Hmad, a Moroccan NGO. We created processes to gamify a course that integrates STEM and humanities content within the social, scientific and engineering context of the fog project. We developed characters, team activities and assignments to help students better understand social and cultural factors embedded in engineering problems. We also developed material for the NGO to use at the COP22 climate conference

Gamification of the Dar Si Hmad Fog Water Harvesting Project in Morocco: Creating a role-playing course to integrate STEM and the Humanities

Our team created a role-playing curriculum based on the world’s largest fogwater harvesting project, pioneered by Dar Si Hmad, a Moroccan NGO. We created processes to gamify a course that integrates STEM and humanities content within the social, scientific and engineering context of the fog project. We developed characters, team activities and assignments to help students better understand social and cultural factors embedded in engineering problems. We also developed material for the NGO to use at the COP22 climate conference

Integrating Visual Arts and Music to Help Adult Students Learn English in Canada

Canada has recently seen an influx of newcomers who do not speak either of Canada’s two official languages—English and French—many of whom are adult English additional language learners (EAL). Though there are numerous studies on how to support young EAL learners, there is a dearth of literature on adult EAL learners, which is critical as the two populations have drastically different cognitive processes with respect to language learning. Thus, by analysing a critical literature review, the current study considers how multimodal practices and multiliteracies approaches can support this population. Anti-oppressive practices are likewise applied to identify the barriers that students may encounter in the classroom. The study concludes that incorporating the arts—specifically auditory practices that include music and visual learning strategies that include painting and image-rich content—can support adult language learners. Specific strategies that have proven to be effective include the use of song with strong rhythm and rhyme, dance, painting exercises, videos, video journals, highlighting and colour coding words, and technology-based engagement. When using these, it is proposed that teachers should focus on developing learners’ metalinguistic vocabulary to allow them to effectively cognize about the language process and give students the tools to understand elements of word structures, such as suffixes, to allow them to identify the meanings of words based on their context and structure. Teachers should also engage in critical self-reflection and solicit student input when designing lesson content. To ascertain the effectiveness of such approaches, future research should focus on experimental studies that compare traditional and multiliteracies classrooms, and qualitative and longitudinal studies to identify the nuanced ways that students engage with multiliteracy practices and their long-term impact on adult EAL learners

Jumanji Extremism? How games and gamification could facilitate radicalization processes

While the last years have seen increased engagement with gaming in relation to extremist attacks, its potential role in facilitating radicalization has received less attention than other factors. This article makes an exploratory contribution to the theoretical foundations of the study of gaming in radicalization research. It is argued that both top-down and bottom up gamification have already impacted extremist discourse and potentially radicalization processes but that research on gamification in other contexts points to a much wider application of gamification to extremist propaganda distribution tools in the future. The potential influence of video games on radicalization processes exceeds the transfer of the popular argument that exposure to violent media leads to desensitization to the context of radicalization and includes the exploitation of pop culture references, increases in self-efficacy regarding violence, and the direct experience of retropian visions through the content of games

Teaching and Assessing Foreign Language Learning through Apps

Languages change and develop together with human race. As time goes on, languages adapt to human beings’ needs and preferences. This also applies to foreign language learning and teaching processes, which keep on renovating their approaches and teaching methods in order to connect to learners’ needs in modern times. Nowadays, information and communication technologies (ICT) play such an important role in our everyday lives that they have also found their way into this field. This has given rise to constant innovations such as Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL). Although MALL has existed for more than twenty years, it still undergoes changes and even faces some challenges. Currently, apps appear as new ways of approaching foreign language learning and teaching. In this paper, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is conducted, in which MALL studies on the use of apps are examined. The purpose of this analysis is to determine if their use is increasing, on the one hand, and, on the other, to present the tendencies these papers reveal. To this end, a total of 35 valid studies published from 2012 to 2015 are thoroughly analysed, focusing on both the different types of learning supported by the apps and on the kind of assessment the papers propose. The results show that the use of apps in MALL is increasing, but also that the type of learning supported by most apps is not very different from that of traditional learning approaches.Las lenguas cambian y avanzan junto con la raza humana, adaptándose a nuestras necesidades y preferencias a medida que el tiempo transcurre. Esta misma idea se puede aplicar a la enseñanza y aprendizaje de idiomas extranjeros, cuyos métodos se renuevan continuamente con el fin de conectar con las necesidades de los alumnos en tiempos modernos. Como resultado del papel tan importante que hoy juegan las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) en nuestras vidas, estas han sido integradas en el mundo de los idiomas. Esto ha dado lugar a continuas mejoras como el aprendizaje de idiomas mediante tecnología móvil. A pesar de que esta disciplina nació hace más de veinte años, todavía sufre cambios e incluso se enfrenta a algunos desafíos. Actualmente, las apps se han convertido en nuevas formas de enfrentarse a la enseñanza y al aprendizaje de idiomas. En este trabajo, se lleva a cabo un estudio sistemático de la literatura existente, en el que se analizan publicaciones donde se expone el uso o la presentación de apps con este propósito. El objetivo de este análisis es demostrar que su uso está en aumento, así como estudiar las tendencias que se presentan en ellas. Para ello, se pretende estudiar a fondo 35 estudios válidos publicados entre 2012 y 2015, centrándonos especialmente en los diferentes tipos de aprendizaje que las apps soportan y los tipos de evaluación propuestos. Los resultados obtenidos apuntan que el uso de apps en la enseñanza de idiomas está en aumento, pero también que el tipo de aprendizaje que estas soportan no es muy diferente de aquel propuesto por métodos tradicionales

Innovating Language Education: An NMC Horizon Project Strategic Brief

The NMC is a leading educational technology organization. A main outcome of the collaboration between the Language Flagship Technology Innovation Center and the NMC was this publication, which highlights recommendations that emerged from discussions of major trends, challenges, and technology developments by experts and practitioners in language technologies in higher education. Innovating Language Education identifies main trends and areas of interest and constitutes a rich resource that includes key definitions and proofs of concept

Women in Artificial intelligence (AI)

This Special Issue, entitled "Women in Artificial Intelligence" includes 17 papers from leading women scientists. The papers cover a broad scope of research areas within Artificial Intelligence, including machine learning, perception, reasoning or planning, among others. The papers have applications to relevant fields, such as human health, finance, or education. It is worth noting that the Issue includes three papers that deal with different aspects of gender bias in Artificial Intelligence. All the papers have a woman as the first author. We can proudly say that these women are from countries worldwide, such as France, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Australia, Bangladesh, Yemen, Romania, India, Cuba, Bangladesh and Spain. In conclusion, apart from its intrinsic scientific value as a Special Issue, combining interesting research works, this Special Issue intends to increase the invisibility of women in AI, showing where they are, what they do, and how they contribute to developments in Artificial Intelligence from their different places, positions, research branches and application fields. We planned to issue this book on the on Ada Lovelace Day (11/10/2022), a date internationally dedicated to the first computer programmer, a woman who had to fight the gender difficulties of her times, in the XIX century. We also thank the publisher for making this possible, thus allowing for this book to become a part of the international activities dedicated to celebrating the value of women in ICT all over the world. With this book, we want to pay homage to all the women that contributed over the years to the field of AI

The Use of Innovation Technology in Pedagogical Practices of L2 Reading Comprehension: An Annotated Bibliography

Teaching reading as a second/foreign language has gained increasing significance in the educational field. Investigating pedagogical methods has become one of the major areas of research in the expanding field of teaching second language (L2) reading comprehension. Many researchers have addressed various pedagogical aspects and issues related to this field. This annotated bibliography is designed for researchers and instructors working on developing modern technological techniques of teaching reading in second/foreign language settings and to provide a solid theoretical and pedagogical background based on many types of data from various angles and contexts. It attempts to provide an overview of and highlight research studies related to teaching L2 reading comprehension through updated digital methods with applications and recommendations based on previous research studies. The sources listed in this annotated bibliography are journal articles arranged alphabetically by author, and for each work there is a brief non-evaluative synopsis of the study’s objectives, instruments of data collection and results

SYNERGY: GAME DESIGN + QUR\u27AN MEMORIZATION

The rise of digital technology has transformed nearly every part of our daily lives, including the way we learn and memorize. Such transformations raise interesting questions for one of the most long-standing and demanding memorization tasks in the world: the memorization of the Islamic holy book, The Qur’an. For Muslims, The Qur’an is a timeless, sacred text, cradling within its covers many profound images, stories, and parables. Despite rigorous research in the fields of game design and memorization techniques, very little work has been done in combining these two areas of research to create a game-based memorization experience of The Quran. This thesis synthesizes game design elements with existing memorization techniques to foster a more engaging, enriching, and inspiring Qur’an memorization experience