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This study explores the educational methodologies employed by Saudi English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher, with a specific emphasis on contrasting teacher-centered approaches and student-centered approaches. Additionally, the research examines the teachers' personal beliefs regarding the most effective approach for implementation in EFL classrooms. To gather data, an online questionnaire was administered to 42 EFL teachers across Saudi K-12 schools in the Southern part of Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire comprised two sections: a demographic information segment and an inquiry into teachers' perspectives and practices. The results of the study showed a dichotomy. While a majority of participants professed that both teacher-centered and student-centered methodologies carry equal importance, a more nuanced picture emerged when examining their claimed practices versus actual classroom behavior. The majority of EFL K-12 instructors in Saudi classrooms leaned toward adopting teacher-centered approaches. These findings hold significant implications for EFL teacher training and professional development courses. This may be due to teachers' lack of confidence in implementing student-centered approaches, the traditional educational culture in Saudi Arabia, or pressure to prepare students for high-stakes exams. The study suggests that teacher education programs should focus on developing teachers' understanding and confidence in using student-centered approaches and that the Ministry of Education should create a more supportive environment for student-centered teaching approaches.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is now affecting all aspects of our social lives. Without always knowing it, we interact daily with intelligent systems. They serve us invisibly. At least that is the goal we assign to them: to make our lives better, task by task. Artificial intelligence has the potential to make biology education more engaging, personalized, and effective by providing students with interactive simulations, personalized learning experiences, and other tools that help them understand complex biological concepts. In this paper, we discuss the integration of AI into the virtual classroom, which significantly enhances student learning experiences in various ways. The study shows that an effective integration of technology into the virtual classroom requires a thoughtful approach that aligns with educational goals and the specific needs of students. In fact, interactive simulations can help make biology more engaging and memorable for students. Besides, personalized learning AI algorithms can help biology students receive a more tailored and effective learning experience, helping them to better understand the course material and develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world. In this work, we will discuss the use of AI to enhance interactive simulation-based cellular processes, with additional application in anatomy, physiology, and ecology teaching. Moreover, this paper discusses how AI could be used to analyze student data and propose personalized learning using adaptive assessments, content recommendations, and data sciences. This paper illustrates examples of AI algorithms that could be useful for teaching biology.

This study explored the experiences of inclusion and exclusion of African academics in Norway in various sectors of the society and their participation in these sectors. Using a mixed method research approach, 166 African academics completed a 20-item questionnaire entitled Perceived Exclusion Scale (PES) and two open-ended questions about their mental effects and coping mechanisms of exclusion. Descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis procedures were used to analyze the data. The results showed that the participants experienced exclusion in almost all the sectors of the Norwegian society with concomitant effects of depression and insomnia for most of the participants. Participants mentioned acceptance, confrontational strategy, avoidance strategy, theological group discussion and positive attitudes as key coping mechanisms to exclusion and discrimination. This study could be used as a baseline for future research on the psychological and mental health effects of discrimination of Africans and African-Norwegians. The study is a pointer to the public discourses on the positive sides of immigration in general and the role of migrants' contribution to the Norwegian society.

This investigation aims to measure the leadership skills level among Saudi undergraduates. It addresses measuring four main skills as indicators for leadership competencies: communication and personal behavior, learning and reasoning, strategic planning and civic responsibility, and self-awareness and interpersonal interaction. The study endeavors to assess the leadership capabilities of first-year college students at a Saudi university through an examination of various skills. While also investigating two mediation effects of these skills and two moderating impacts of gender and academic discipline. We perform structural equation modeling on a dataset comprising 5,992 responses collected from surveyed students. The key findings indicate a high level of leadership skills among first-year Saudi undergraduate students. The study provides support for the mediating effects of personal attributes, such as communication, personal behavior, self-awareness, and interpersonal interaction, on other leadership skills. The moderating role of study type has been supported in the relationship between learning and reasoning skills and strategic planning and civic responsibility. However, the controlling role of gender has been rejected. Research emphasizes integrating leadership skills in undergraduate education, addressing demographic factors. Insights guide policymakers to support social studies students and low achievers through systematic educational methods and tailored programs for faculty-student engagement.

To address the challenge of improving the understanding of chemistry concepts, particularly pH, this study explored the impact of integrating educational robotics on students' motivation and learning outcomes. A total of 160 3rd-year middle school students from a public school in Meknes, Morocco, participated in the study, which was divided into an experimental group (n = 82) and a control group (n = 78). Student performance was evaluated through standardized tests, while motivation levels were gauged using a questionnaire. The findings indicated a significant increase in motivation among students in the experimental group compared to those in the control group. However, no significant differences in overall academic performance were detected between the two groups. These findings provide valuable insights for educators and curriculum developers, underscoring the importance of integrating innovative pedagogical approaches with traditional methods to enhance science education.

Over the decades, Bangladesh has experienced many language contact situations. Based on history, there are many instances of the presence of Urdu, Perso-Arabic, and Hindi (Sanskrit) words within the Bengali language. As a result, when Bangladeshi newspapers use English, there are common Bengali loanwords throughout the articles, derived from the region's developmental process. The motivation behind this study is to look at hybridisation in Bangladeshi English newspapers and to determine their functions in relation to the socio-cultural and political contexts in which they are found. This study is being conducted as a qualitative textual content analysis. The data were collected from three national dailies namely, "The Daily Star," "The Independent" and "The News Today." This study strives to create a corpus of contact expressions based on these newspapers; delineate the types of Bengali and other loan words used in the corpus and reasons for their use; and examine the results in relation to the language ecology. The analysis of data in this study shows that hybridisation is one of the most language contact features found in the English dailies in Bangladesh which contributes to the higher number of loanwords in English and are often used by people in different domains within Bangladesh.

Language learners have multiple and changing identities associated with unequal power relations; their direct identity and language learning involves imagination-created identities in communities not immediately accessible or tangible. Imagined identities drive learners' investment in meaningful learning practices. This quantitative study addresses a research gap by examining Saudi students' imagined identities and investment in English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learning during technical training. Data from an imagined-identity questionnaire completed by 98 participants were analyzed using arithmetic averages and standard deviations to determine how learners' imagined identities serve their language-learning investment. Results show that learners' imagined identities throughout EFL learning during technical training were positive and served their language-learning investment. Learners wanted to extend their identities, assert their right to speak, and practice learner agency, which is significant to their commitment to learning EFL. Further qualitative investigation is required to understand the interrelated nature of EFL learners' imagined identities and language-learning investment.

The paper examines the relationship between EFL learners' first impressions of their instructors and their speaking performance. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining a test and a questionnaire to provide a comprehensive analysis. The participants were 81 EFL learners at Taif University. The results revealed that the correlation coefficient (r) for the scores and all the constructs was small and not significant, indicating that the first impression of the students of their instructors did not affect their performance on the speaking test. We observed that the correlations among the constructs ranged from medium to high positive correlations. The study used a questionnaire to collect data on the factors that influence the first impression of the instructors, such as physical appearance, attitude, and communication style. The results showed that physical appearance and attitude were the most significant factors that affected the first impression of the instructors. The study also found that the participants who had a positive first impression of their instructors tended to perform better in speaking tasks and had higher levels of motivation and engagement.

This systematic literature review investigates the adoption and impact of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in Saudi Arabian higher education. It synthesizes findings from 18 empirical studies, primarily in applied sciences such as engineering, medicine, and computer science, while noting a dearth of research in social sciences. The review reveals a uniformity in student perceptions of EMI across disciplines, highlighting its widespread acceptance and challenges in cultural and linguistic adaptation. It also emphasizes the diversity of research methodologies used, offering insights into both teacher and student perspectives. This comprehensive analysis not only maps the current landscape of EMI in Saudi Arabia but also identifies critical areas for future research, particularly in understanding its long-term educational and socio-cultural implications.

This study focuses on evaluating the quality of competency transfer through various assessment methods and results, considering diverse stakeholder perspectives. The research aims to introduce an innovative approach for validating assessment outcomes, leveraging predicted sub-measurements, and transforming Boolean parameters' symbols into a binary coding system. This transformation simplifies the validation process by employing logical equations. The study's sample involves the adaptation of a competency transfer model, which combines internal parameters with the novel logical assessment method. The research findings indicate that the binary 2x system effectively simplifies quantitative and qualitative data representation within the validation process. This system facilitates the early detection of potentially ambiguous results, enabling the creation of validation procedures grounded in organizational cultural dimensions, outcomes, reports, and assessments. The proposed Quality Assessment Model (QAM) serves as a powerful tool for prediction, enhancing the quality of both quantitative and qualitative data outcomes. This approach generates distinct values, precise predictive measurements, and valuable result quality suitable for informed decision-making in various contexts. Ultimately, the study contributes to the advancement of assessment methodologies, enabling stakeholders to make more accurate and reliable judgments based on the quality of competency transfer.

Open educational resource (OER) initiatives have opened new avenues for educational opportunities, yet OER adoption levels globally remain low. Two significant obstacles to more widespread adoption of OER are the challenge of internet connectivity that nearly half the world's population still faces, and the lack of locally-relevant (e.g. in terms of language and curricula) OER resources. This article's contribution is twofold. First, it presents a qualitative landscape analysis of existing primary- and secondary-level Arabic-language digital OERs and of the initiatives that provide these resources. Second, it details applied research via a case study, wherein appropriate resources identified in the analysis were subsequently curated for inclusion in an offline digital library currently being used in schools in Northeast Syria that offers all Open resources. Results from the landscape analysis indicate a limited quantity of Arabic-language OER content available for primary and secondary education. Furthermore, multiple challenges hinder the adoption of OER in resource-constrained settings. Accordingly, recommendations are made that could help to improve these resources' ability to be used, particularly drawing from the article's applied case study for examples. Given the case study's application of providing locally-relevant OER resources in an offline setting, this article provides a real-world example of furthering open e-learning, despite infrastructural, linguistic, and socio-political challenges. As such, it advances research supporting innovative e-learning practice, and should be of interest for scholars and practitioners interested in furthering the adoption of open e-learning in low-resource settings globally.

Despite existing research on AI applications in education (AIEd), the release of ChatGPT has disrupted the status quo in the educational landscape. Although this technology can personalize learning, decrease teacher workload, and offer access to a wealth of information, concerns around generative AI (GenAI) tools have emerged, including academic integrity, data accuracy, and bias in information. Given research highlights and acknowledging educators' varied levels of awareness and conflicting views toward AIEd, two teacher educators (also authors of this paper) in the Faculty of Education at Brock University facilitated three workshops among different groups of teacher educators. The workshops focused on the emerging nature of GenAI tools, their affordances, and their implications for educators' practices. Adopting a narrative inquiry approach, the authors describe the details of these workshops and present their reflections on the process of preparing for and facilitating them. Implications for teacher education research and practice are also presented and discussed.

Reflective practice has been reported to be effective in enhancing teaching and learning. However, many teachers of English in Nigeria are not aware of it. Thus, this study investigates the awareness and implementation of reflective practices among English language teachers in Nigerian secondary schools. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted and 77 teachers were selected to participate in the study. Data for the study were collected using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The study discovered that most of the respondents have a low level of engagement in reflective practice in their teaching activities. The findings also suggest a lack of awareness of reflective practices among the majority of respondents. Additionally, the study discovered that even those with some awareness of reflective practices rarely followed established steps for incorporating reflection into their teaching. This indicates a significant gap between theoretical knowledge and practice. Thus, the study makes recommendations for professional development programs to familiarize educators with the concept of reflective teaching and its potential impact on instructional effectiveness.

The current study investigates the impact of an educational program based on cognitive neuroscience on developing reading comprehension skills among second-grade students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To achieve this objective, the researchers employed a quasi-experimental design, selecting a sample of 59 students from Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman Al Saud School for Girls and AlMadinah Al-Jamia Educational School for Boys, both under the supervision of the Education Directorate in Najran region. The sample was divided into two groups: 30 students in the experimental group and 29 in the control group. The researchers developed two instruments: a cognitive neuroscience-based educational program and a written test. After ensuring their validity and reliability, these instruments were administered to the study participants. The results revealed statistically significant differences in favor of the experimental group, while no significant differences were found based on gender or the interaction between gender and group. In light of the results, the researchers provided a set of recommendations.

High-Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT) has demonstrated effectiveness in second language (L2) acquisition. This study utilizes a meta-analysis to explore the influence of high variability on learning L2 pronunciation and identifies the factors that moderate this impact. The studies were collected using a keyword search in the SCOPUS database. In total, our meta-analysis incorporated 18 primary studies that presented results obtained from experimental and control group designs, encompassing a total of 22 effect sizes. The results of our meta-analysis revealed that the overall effect size of HVPT on L2 pronunciation was medium (g = 0.77). Specifically, the effect size was large for consonant sounds and lexical tones, particularly pronounced when utilized by advanced learners. For beginners, the effect size was medium. The context in which the training was conducted also played a role, with a medium effect size observed when sentences were used. Additionally, the number of talkers involved in the study influenced the effect size, with a medium effect size found when 5 to 8 talkers were included. In other cases, the reported effect sizes were either small or non-significant.

The task of verifying credible and original information is now more complicated, especially for undergraduate students. This study uses information literacy and discourse analysis to develop English as a foreign language learners' critical reading skills while verifying information on social media. A reading test including false news was used to assess the learners' awareness of the credibility of social media information. Then, they were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group was trained in evaluating a set of false news using information literacy and discourse analysis skills. The control group did not receive any training. The experiment was conducted again on both groups. The results show a significant improvement among the experimental group compared to the control group. The findings of this study shed light on the growing need for creating a pedagogical space in English as a foreign language classroom that focuses on raising learners' awareness of information literacy and discourse analysis skills to read with critical perspectives.

Reflective practice is an essential catalyst through which the benefits of teaching and learning can be reaped. Through it, weaknesses and strengths can be identified in a way that helps raise the level of addressing challenges that may arise as well as overcome them. This paper presents the critical reflective practices among computer science secondary school teachers from their point of view in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. To this extent, the study aims to determine the degree of critical reflective practices among computer science secondary school teachers in Riyadh from their perspective. The paper also seeks to investigate the effects of variables such as gender, qualifications and experience on the perceptions of the aforementioned teachers, towards the critical reflective practices among computer science secondary school teachers. The study tool is a questionnaire which consisted of two dimensions and was distributed to a population of 739 participants. From this, the study sample comprised (223) computer science teachers working in secondary school in Riyadh. The findings revealed that there is no significant difference in the estimation degree concerning the critical reflective practices due to the gender. From the results, it was also established that there is no significant difference in the degree of estimation in relation to the critical reflective practices due to educational qualification variables. On the contrary however, there is a significant difference in the degree of estimation in regard to the critical reflective practices due to the years of experience variable. These differences were evident in a group of those with more than 10 years of experience. The other findings produced by the study highlight that the participants are in agreement about the importance of critical reflective practices. The degree of reflective practice, which is from the participants' point of view, is considered to be of a high value. The majority of the subjects opted to agree with the practice of reflection after a training session. It was determined from the results that some of the most common strategies favored by practitioners involved the communal practice of mind reflection with individuals from outside the school.

The study aimed to reveal the degree of special education teachers' employment of electronic educational games in teaching the disabled. It also showed statistical differences according to the variables of gender, academic qualification, and years of experience. To achieve the objectives of the study, the descriptive survey method was used. The study sample consisted of (96) male and female teachers, of whom (47) male and (47) female teachers were chosen in a stratified random manner from the Directorate of Education for Najran region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the academic year 2022/2023. A questionnaire consisting of (30) items was used, distributed in three domains: planning, implementation, and evaluation. The results showed that the degree of special education teachers' employment of electronic educational games in teaching students with disabilities obtained a mean of (2.57), with a low degree. The results also showed that there are statistically significant differences in the responses of the study sample about the degree of special education teachers' employment of electronic educational games in teaching students with disabilities due to the variables of academic qualification in favor of postgraduate studies, and years of experience in favor of more than ten years. However, there was no statistically significant difference due to the gender variable. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education should pay attention to holding and organizing various specialized training programs to develop the capabilities of special education teachers to employ electronic educational games in teaching, especially in planning, implementation, and evaluation.

The quality of teachers' teaching performance depends on several factors, and development of their performance should be made according to a sound scientific methodology, so the study aims to assess the teachers' teaching performance quality in Ma'an, Southern Jordan, and identify the extent to which their performance is affected by some variables (Gender, Professional Experience, Teaching Stages, and Training). In order to achieve the study objectives, the descriptive survey method was used, and a measure of teaching performance quality was determined, consisting of three fields (Planning, Implementation, and Assessment) and including (40) items. The scale was used by educational supervisors to assess the quality of teachers' performance in Ma'an, and (347) male and female teachers were assessed. The results showed that teachers' performance was average in general, but their performance of the first three grades was the weakest, while it was also shown that the female teachers' performance was superior to that of male teachers. The performance of specialized teachers in the scientific field was better than the performance of their counterparts in the humanitarian field. The study showed the positive impact of professional experience and training on the quality of teaching performance. The study also demonstrated the importance of the first five years in the teachers' work, therefore, the necessity of focusing on training and qualification at this stage was recommended, as well as training pre-service teachers appropriately.

Purpose: Chatbots and artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to alleviate some of the challenges faced by humans. Faculties frequently swamped with teaching and research may find it difficult to act in a parental role for students by offering them individualized advice. Hence, the primary purpose of this study is to review the literature on chatbots and AI in light of their role in auto-advising systems. The authors aimed to gain insights into the most pertinent topics and concerns related to robo academic advisor and identify any gaps in the literature that could serve as potential avenues for further research. Design/methodology/approach: The research employs a systematic literature review and bibliometric techniques to find 67 primary papers that have been published between 1984 and 2023. Using the Scopus database, the researchers built a summary of the literature on chatbots and AI in academic advice. Findings: Chatbot applications can be a promising approach to address the challenges of balancing personalized student advising with automation. More empirical research is required, especially on chatbots and other AI-based advising systems, to understand their effectiveness and how they can be integrated into educational settings. Research limitations/implications: This research's sample size may restrict its findings' generalizability. Furthermore, the study's focus on chatbots may overlook the potential benefits of other AI technologies in enhancing robo academic advising systems. Future research could explore the impact of robo academic advisors in diverse societal backgrounds to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their implications. Practical implications: Higher educational institutions (HEIs) should establish a robo academic advising system that serves various stakeholders. The system's chatbots and AI features must be user-friendly, considering the customers' familiarity with robots. Originality/value: This study contributes to a better understanding of HEIs' perceptions of the adoption of chatbots and AI in academic advising by providing insightful information about the main forces behind robo academic advising, illuminating the most frequently studied uses of chatbots and AI in academic advising.

Critical thinking and anxiety influenced the translation competence of translators. This study sought to examine the interactions between critical thinking, attitude, and anxiety influenced the translation competence of translators. This study adopted an empirical approach to collect data from 145 student translators from many colleges in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. Data were analyzed by using structural equation modelling to find out the relationship between the study factors. The results indicated that there was a negative relationship between AI anxiety with critical thinking and attitude. However, there was a strong positive relationship between attitude with critical thinking, and Machine Translation anxiety. Also, there was a positive relationship between Machine Translation anxiety with AI anxiety and critical thinking.

The University of Lagos is one of Nigeria's premiere Universities, established in 1962 with core values emphasizing commitment to quality academic learning and character, integrity, continuous improvement of staff professionalism and competence, as well as a strong commitment to cutting-edge research. In 2012, the University established the Research and Innovation Office, which was subsequently restructured into two offices: the Research Management Office, and the Innovation and Technology Transfer Office, for more efficient functioning. Over the years, the Office has provided enormous support to over 1,700 academic faculty and researchers for cutting-edge research built on a multi-disciplinary approach. This paper provides a detailed discussion of the strategies employed by the Research Management Office to promote multi-disciplinary research from inception to date, the results of efforts to promote collaboration across the currently existing wealth of diversity in academic and research disciplines among researchers in over 12 faculties of the University, the successes recorded, and the challenges faced. The paper further makes recommendations for the advancement of these strategies, and suggestions for pragmatic solutions to challenges experienced while drawing practical and applicable lessons from international best practices for supporting multi-disciplinary research.

A massive open online course (MOOC) is a powerful tool for expanding educational opportunities, but one of the major challenges facing MOOCs is the high dropout rate. Low completion rates indicate issues with student engagement and motivation. Gamification, the incorporation of game elements in non-game contexts, has shown promise in increasing engagement and completion rates in education. This systematic review aims to explore the current state of research on gamification in MOOCs, including the most commonly used gamification aspects, their impact on motivation and engagement, and the influence on dropout rates. We searched several databases, such as Google Scholar, Scopus, and ERIC, from 2014 to 2021 and included studies that focused on the application of gamification in MOOCs and its effects on motivation, engagement, and dropout rates. A total of 16 studies were analyzed, and the results were synthesized to address the research questions posed. The results of this systematic literature review indicate that while research on gamification in MOOCs is still in its early stages, several studies have shown that gamification elements such as badges, levels, leaderboards, challenges, and rewards significantly affect student motivation and engagement, and reduce dropout rates in MOOCs. However, the effectiveness of these elements varies depending on their specific design, implementation, and alignment with students' intrinsic motivations and goals.

This paper proposes a human-centered approach to using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education that promotes equitable access to knowledge while preserving privacy and ethics. Through the lens of third-generation Activity Theory we examine the interaction between three activity systems in higher education: AI teachers, human teachers, and students. Our multi-role design recognizes the role of different actors and AI-based tools and technologies, highlighting the importance of understanding how these different systems interact and influence one another in order to effectively design and implement ethical educational technology solutions. By constructing an interaction space between these systems, we gained a deeper understanding of the dynamics of teaching-learning in higher education. Based on this analysis, we frame and design our Ethical AI in Education (EAIED) multi-platform, integrating recent development in AI in education systems, pedagogical strategies, and complying with ethical guidelines recommendation. The EAIED emphasizes data privacy, ethics, and interoperability between learning systems. This approach offers interactive, personalized, and equitable teaching-learning experiences that lead to developing critical thinking, higher-order skills, improving engagement, communication, and expansive learning.

Students' commitment to online collaborative learning poses a significant challenge for higher education institutions. This study explores the factors that affect students' commitment to Learning Management System (LMS) groups. A conceptual framework is developed that integrates social identity theory, DeLone and McLean's information systems success model, and Hofstede's cultural theory. By adopting a quantitative research design, 367 responses were gathered from university students. The data was analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM). The findings reveal that factors such as LMS group identification, adherence to LMS group norms, perceived system quality, perceived service quality, and perceived information quality positively influence students' commitment to the LMS group. Interestingly, collectivism as a cultural variable moderates the positive relationship between compliance with LMS group norms and commitment to LMS groups. Furthermore, uncertainty avoidance amplified the positive relationships that perceived system quality and information quality had with LMS group commitment. The model presented in this study offers significant predictive power concerning commitment to an LMS group. These findings will provide valuable insights for systems developers, higher education institutions, and instructors aiming to bolster online group commitment within LMS.

Early literacy skill development predicts later reading success, and development of skills in specific domains during the preschool years has been established as both a prerequisite and precursory for reading. Early literacy assessments typically include measures of separate skills across domains, and results can assist with determining where instructions may be most needed. When multiple areas of need are identified, understanding which skills to prioritize can be a challenge. Therefore, empirically identifying the relative contribution of each skill measured in preschool to subsequent reading success can promote more efficient systems of assessment. This study, conducted in the United States, examined the predictive validity of early literacy skills measured in preschool compared to skills measured in kindergarten, with a specific practical focus on identifying the most efficient predictive model for understanding reading readiness. Participants were 119 preschoolers (mean age = 66 months) who mostly spoke English as their primary language (79%). Results indicated early literacy and language skills in preschool are highly predictive of early reading in kindergarten, accounting for 59% of the variance in a reading composite score. The most parsimonious model indicated that first sounds, letter sounds, early comprehension, and expressive vocabulary measures adequately explained 52% of the variance in children's kindergarten reading performance.