La integración de la tecnología en los contextos educativos se ha convertido en una realidad que debe abordarse tanto en la formación inicial como en la formación continua del profesorado. Los docentes requieren conocimientos para incorporar herramientas digitales en sus prácticas pedagógicas y apoyar el aprendizaje constructivista. Hemos diseñado un programa de formación, basado en el enfoque del modelo TPACK y el marco de competencia digital docente propuesto por INTEF (2022). Este programa combina el uso de diversas herramientas digitales, entre ellas la IA generativa, dentro de un diseño instruccional orientado a implementar un modelo de aprendizaje activo y participativo en un entorno virtual. Se empleó una metodología cuantitativa con un diseño de investigación preexperimental, pretest y postest. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 78 profesores de la Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, universidad en línea, de diferentes áreas de conocimiento. Se aplicó un instrumento ad hoc para recabar información sobre las percepciones de los docentes sobre su competencia digital antes y después del programa de formación. Se comprendió dos dimensiones: conocimiento pedagógico y conocimiento tecnológico pedagógico, con subdimensiones vinculadas a eventos de diseño instruccional. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en todos los ítems utilizados para evaluar la competencia digital de los docentes, con tamaños de efecto grandes y medianos. Concluimos que el programa de formación fue efectivo y tuvo un impacto notable en la mejora de la competencia digital de los docentes, quienes expresaron una alta satisfacción con el programa. The integration of technology in educational contexts has become a reality that must be addressed in both initial and ongoing teacher training. Lecturers require knowledge to incorporate digital tools into their pedagogical practices and to support constructivist learning (Ortiz et al., 2025). We have designed a training program, based on the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model approach and the digital competence framework for teachers proposed by the Instituto Nacional de Tecnologías Educativas y Formación del Profesorado (INTEF). This program combines the use of various digital tools, including generative AI, within an instructional design aimed at implementing an active and participatory learning model in a virtual environment. A quantitative methodology was employed with a pre-experimental, pre-test and post-test research design. The sample consisted of 78 lecturers teaching at the Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (La Rioja International University), an online university, across different fields of knowledge. An ad hoc instrument was used to collect data on lecturers’ perceptions of their digital competence before and after the training program. It comprised two dimensions: pedagogical knowledge and pedagogical technological knowledge, with subdimensions linked to instructional design events. Statistically significant differences were found in all items of the two dimensions used to measure digital competence based on the TPACK model and areas 2, 3 and 4 of the INTEF. We concluded that the training program was effective and had a notable impact on improving the digital competence of lecturers, who expressed high satisfaction with the program.

This study explores how online assessment tools can support the development of pre-service secondary teachers’ assessment competencies, with a focus on the impact of prior teaching experience. It was conducted with a sample of 3,780 pre-service teachers at Pegaso University in Italy, 64.9% of whom had experience of working in a school for an average of eight years each. A questionnaire was administered in early 2024 to examine the participants’ attitudes toward knowledge and use of digital assessment tools. The results revealed a strong preference for online tools due to their perceived efficiency, clarity, and transparency. Although there was little correlation between experience and overall frequency of use (r = 0.02), more experienced teachers reported a higher appreciation of tool selection (r = 0.11), format suitability (r = 0.15), and assessment utility (r = 0.42). These findings highlight that teaching experience enhances critical engagement with digital assessment as well as familiarity. Based on the teacher assessment literacy in practice model, this study recommends that teacher education programs should adapt their training to different levels of experience to promote the development of effective and ethical digital assessment skills.

As online education becomes increasingly common in language learning, there is a pressing need to understand how students experience bichronous (synchronous and asynchronous) teaching formats in second language learning contexts. Drawing on qualitative group interviews with participants enrolled in an SFI (Swedish for Immigrants) program, the study identifies key benefits and challenges associated with this blended format. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, revealing insights into the advantages and limitations of online sessions for language skills development. The findings indicate that bichronous online teaching supports language skills development, feedback practices, structured participation, flexibility, and autonomy. However, the students reported challenges to self-paced learning, peer interaction, and digital competence. Teacher presence, feedback, and session design emerges as crucial for students’ engagement and participation. These insights suggested an enhanced approach to online teaching, combining synchronous and asynchronous methods for second language learning. Recommendations for optimising online second language teaching were discussed, emphasising the importance of adaptive pedagogical strategies, technological support, and individualised approaches to meet diverse learner needs.

A quantitative content analysis study was conducted to examine teaching presence in an online accelerated Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) course. Analyzing various course materials, this study identifies patterns of teaching presence across three categories—Instructional Design and Organization, Facilitating Learning, and Direct Instruction. The findings demonstrated that Direct Instruction was the most prominent category of teaching presence, closely followed by Facilitating Learning and Instructional Design and Organization. In addition, the findings revealed that in a contemporary online course, teaching presence extends beyond asynchronous discussions, manifesting in various elements of the online learning experience. This study underscored the critical role of teaching presence in meeting the needs of learners, particularly nontraditional learners, in an accelerated online course format. This content analysis study highlighted the patterns of teaching presence in course design, development, and delivery, offering valuable insights for both novice and experienced instructors focused on online teaching.

Micro-credentials are bite-sized collections of skills or knowledge, complementing formal, informal, or non-formal degrees or certificates. Clarifying the role of micro-credentials in open and distance learning, a comprehensive review of the existing literature is essential. This study presents the results of a systematic literature review employing the PRISMA method to analyze the integration of micro-credentialing systems, stakeholder perceptions of their value, the impact of emerging technologies on their recognition, and future trends. A total of 205 publications, encompassing as specified terms of micro-credentials in their title, were retrieved from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The results were discussed in five principle impact areas including the strategies in higher education and lifelong learning, sector-specific upskilling and reskilling, the digital proof of competency, challenges in design and implementation, and critiques on micro-credentials. The study reveals the evolution of micro-credentials and provides a roadmap for their future advancement.

Despite the increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools among students, limited research has examined the underlying mechanisms guiding their adoption in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education. Drawing on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) and self-determination theory (SDT), this study examines the factors shaping Indonesian EFL students’ intention and actual use of GenAI for English learning. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected using an online questionnaire from 462 EFL students at three private universities in Indonesia and analyzed with the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS 4. The results indicated that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, habit, autonomy, and relatedness significantly impacted EFL students’ intention to adopt GenAI for English learning. While competence did not significantly influence behavioral intention, both the SDT components (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) and behavioral intention were predictors of actual usage. The integrated framework explained a high proportion of variance (R² = 83.1% for behavioral intention; R² = 77.1% for actual use). These insights advance understanding of the technological and motivational determinants of GenAI adoption in EFL education and offer evidence-based direction for designing effective, equitable, and ethically responsible AI-supported English learning practices.

In this paper, we reflect upon and (re)analyze a self-study of teacher education practices (S-STEP) inquiry that was focused on deconstructing the circumstances of loss and anxiety we experienced during the pandemic years and onward as we conducted our online teacher education classes. In seeking to repair, restore, and heal, we engaged with Chicana feminist thinking and centered on the methodology of plática. Our pláticas created intimate spaces to address entangled laborings, emotional work, and consider ways to address our statuses within the hierarchy of our institution. Based on our experiences teaching online during the pandemic and beyond, we illustrate the potential of plática as a methodology for intentionally cultivating counterspaces directed at fostering healing and facilitating relational engagement—not only for online teacher educators of varied backgrounds, but across diverse fields and instructional formats. Plática methodology offers additional opportunities for transformative framing to reimagine pedagogical connections between students and instructors.

Many participants in online courses struggle to remain engaged and complete the course, often due to a lack of perceived accountability. This study experimentally tested the effects of accountability interventions designed to encourage learners to discuss their progress with someone either inside or outside the course who could help hold them accountable. In a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Environmental Education Outcomes, developed for a global audience of environmental educators, 1,259 participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: accountability-inside, accountability-outside, or a business-as-usual control. Overall, the interventions did not significantly affect the average number of discussion posts or project completion rates. However, participants in the accountability-inside condition made significantly fewer comments across all countries. Notably, among U.S. participants, those in the accountability-outside made more posts and comments and had higher project completion rates than those in the accountability-inside condition. These findings offer insights into culturally contingent responses to accountability structures and point to a scalable approach for enhancing engagement in online learning environments. They also raise important theoretical questions about the psychological mechanisms through which accountability influences learner behavior.

While Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are widely used in higher education, their application and effectiveness for high school students, especially English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners grappling with language barriers in English-Medium Instruction environments, remain underexplored. There is a recognized gap in understanding how high school students’ attitudes toward English, self-regulated learning motivation, online behaviors, and perceptions of course design within bilingual scaffolded MOOCs (courses providing linguistic and instructional support in both students’ native language and English) influence course completion outcomes. A mixed-methods design was employed, involving 115 high school students from Northern Taiwan. Data were collected throughout an eight-week intervention. Results show: (1) those perceiving English as practical demonstrated higher self-regulated learning (SRL) motivation and learning satisfaction; (2) discussion participation was a significant predictor of course completion, while reading materials and watching videos were not significant predictors; (3) students primarily valued content knowledge, learning strategies, and language knowledge, and suggested improvements related to information accessibility and course design, including more explicit instructor guidance. The results suggest that MOOC designers and online educators should foster a positive attitude and belief toward English as a Lingua Franca, increase SRL, and design online lessons featuring easy-to-access materials and interactive activities. This study contributes to the broader discourse on inclusive and accessible online learning for global high school students.

Social interactions with peers and teachers significantly impact students’ subjective wellbeing (SWB) by influencing their achievements, mental health, and motivation. Students who study online often lack these interactions, leading to lower SWB. However, studies show that the experience of social relationships varies by context. Therefore, examining the specific context of an online programme integrated within the university with partially regulated social interactions and active students and teachers’ engagement in the learning process provides a more comprehensive understanding of the online students' social experiences, distinct from other online learning formats. The aim of the present study was to find out what such students find important in social interactions for their SWB and whether they are satisfied with the quality of these interactions. To gather insights from the experiences of participants, data were collected from eight semi-structured interviews with second year undergraduate students of a synchronous online programme. Thematic analysis revealed the importance of communication for SWB in the university setting, noting the significance of relationships among teachers and peers. While participants recognised the lack of personal social interactions with online peers, they found that academic communication with them may decrease feelings of detachment. Teacher relationships played a pivotal role in students’ SWB and positive learning experience, suggesting that strong teacher support can offset a potential decrease in student SWB in online programs with limited peer interactions.