Reflective Journals Research Articles

Developing multilingual awareness through engaging with the linguistic landscape: a transformative approach

ABSTRACT This study, located at a university in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, considers the potential of the linguistic landscape for developing multilingual awareness, i.e. a critical understanding of social information surrounding the use of languages. Taking the linguistic landscapes (LLs) as both pedagogical material and tool, it discusses an overview of a linguistic landscape course, focusing on recognition, inquiry-based exploration, and transformative learning. It also traces transformational learning in multilingual awareness by examining course plans, classroom practices, learners’ LLs interests, reflection journals, and field notes. Findings indicate that learners collected, analysed, and reflected upon multilingual LL, combining contextual and affective resources, transformative agency, and responsive courses of action. These resources become the means for initiating the transformation of selves and the social milieu and subsequently built multilingual awareness. These insights contribute to the multilingual development literature by offering a nuanced understanding of transformational learning concerning multilingual awareness and proposing strategies to support the development of multilingual awareness.

Structured mathematical modelling in an authentic scientific-engineering context

Abstract This study suggests the framing of structured mathematical modelling (MM) in an authentic scientific-engineering context. Taking a task design view, structure is maintained through inherent scaffolding for the dual purpose of preserving the authenticity of the extra-mathematical context and making the adaptations required to allow incorporation of the task into the duration of a regular lesson and within the full capacity of the curriculum. Participants were 23 secondary school novice mathematics teachers and two experts who possess extensive experience in MM task design. Research tools included a reflective diary filled in by the novice teachers throughout the design process, and a task design evaluation form that was filled in by the two expert designers. Both tools aimed at identifying MM task characteristics and the alignment of the designed structured MM tasks with the MM cycle phases. Findings show the presence of all the unique characteristics that underly a quality designed MM task, with relatively low presence of openness and high presence of accessibility and authenticity from the novice teachers’ point of view. The alignment with the MM cycle was further manifest in the designed tasks, with the validation phase as being less evident compared to the other MM phases. Theoretical and practical contributions are discussed in the paper, indicating the sequentially-oriented process by which the structured MM tasks scaffold students through the MM cycle.

Employability, aspirations, and career resources: reflective diary insights from postgraduate international students

PurposeDrawing on sustainable career theory as a framework, our study aims to explore how Asian international students studying in a UK-based University Business School view their employability, career aspirations, and career resources.Design/methodology/approachA total of 128 participants provided 602 voice-recorded reflective diary insights over six weeks while studying a mandatory employability module in a postgraduate Master’s programme at a UK-based Russell Group University Business School. The reflective diary insights addressed employability (weeks 1 and 3), aspirations (weeks 2 and 5), and career resources (weeks 4 and 6). Thematic analysis was conducted before theme and code prevalence were counted to compare changes between the two time points for each topic.FindingsEmployability includes skills, experiences and qualifications (theme 1), challenges (theme 2), and career ownership (theme 3). Aspirations include intrinsic motivators (theme 4), extrinsic motivators (theme 5), and person-organisation fit (theme 6). Career resources include people (theme 7), knowledge (theme 8) and signalling (theme 9). Time influences the interplay of person and contextual dimensions across the two timespans with different effects between and within themes.Originality/valueTheoretically, our study advances the empirical validation of sustainable career theory, as well as integrating graduate employability and career development streams into higher education research. Methodologically, it underscores the underutilised potential of diary studies in the field. Practically, it offers insights for lecturers, university career advisors, and employers to holistically address the employability, aspirations, and career resources of international students.

Developing English Language Teachers’ Action Research Competencies Through an Exploratory Action Research Project

This article reports the impact of an exploratory action research (EAR) project on developing teachers’ action research competencies. Through various face-to-face and online activities, the project facilitated four English language teachers to conduct EAR in their teaching contexts. Qualitative data were collected through reflective journals and WhatsApp group chats. Data reveal that each participating teacher critically reflected on the teaching context, selected a research question, collected and interpreted evidence, designed and evaluated an action, and disseminated their research. The findings imply that teachers’ participation in EAR can develop their action-research competencies and ability to integrate teaching and research for their continuing professional development.

Co-producing a live fieldwork broadcast in the biosciences

Most live broadcast work in education operates with an expert to novice delivery mode, and in indoor settings such as surgical teaching environments. Those few examples of live broadcasts from outdoor locations have heavy resource requirements, limiting their uptake within Higher Education. Working with undergraduates in a students as partners approach, this research aims to test the feasibility of a low-cost and low-tech solution to co-produce a live fieldwork broadcast within the biosciences. The co-production partnership successfully produced a live broadcast from conception to delivery in 2022–2023 with three placement students and in 2023–2024 with two placement students and three mentors. The students were involved in all aspects of design, development, and delivery of the live fieldwork broadcast. A pocket wireless modem creates an outdoor wireless network with a mobile device and wireless microphones used to deliver the broadcast. Semi-structured interviews, student self-assessments, and a reflective researcher diary explored the impact of this approach to co-produce a live fieldwork broadcast. Enjoyable aspects of the placement identified were the opportunity for new experiences and a sense of achievement. The live fieldwork broadcast placement enabled the placement students to develop 28 skills, with 73% of skills identified by at least two of the placement students. Most skills developed were transferable (54% of student identified skills), including teamwork and project planning. The simple and low-cost technology used provides a solution to address the barriers of technology integration within fieldwork and offers insight into the experience of working in partnership during a live fieldwork broadcast.

Exploring pre-service English language teachers’ readiness for AI-integrated language instruction

ABSTRACT Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have created new opportunities in education. While existing research has largely focused on AI’s role in educational contexts and teachers’ perceptions of AI-supported learning, there remains a notable gap in understanding teachers’ readiness to integrate AI into their instructional practices. This study addresses this gap by exploring pre-service English language teachers’ (PELTs) readiness to incorporate AI into their future classrooms, specifically examining their confidence in using AI, attitudes towards AI, and perceived needs for training and support. The study involved nine PELTs enrolled at a state university in Türkiye and employed a qualitative methodology. Data were collected through reflective journals and semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis was used to identify key findings. Results revealed that PELTs generally hold positive attitudes towards AI-supported education but emphasize the need for targeted training and additional support to implement AI effectively in their teaching practices. These findings underscore the importance of enhancing AI-related training programs for pre-service teachers to facilitate the integration of AI in education. Future research with larger and more diverse samples is recommended to validate these results and provide robust insights for policymaking and curriculum development.

How do we build and sustain a teacher community? The case of Korean language teachers

ABSTRACT The current study explores how teachers create, engage in, and sustain a teacher community utilizing collaborative self-study. By articulating and sharing the teachers’ experiences on the process of building and sustaining a teacher community, we aim to develop a critical understanding of what constitutes a teacher community and what factors contribute to its sustainability. Specifically, we ask 1) how do teachers describe their experiences using collaborative self-study to build a teacher community? and 2) what are the characteristics that contribute to a sustainable teacher community? The participants were four Korean language teachers in an intensive summer program at a university in the U.S. Data were gathered from group discussions, observations, reflective journals, and interviews. The findings indicate that teacher-oriented process and woori culture contributed to building a strong teacher community and are crucial factors for maintaining a sustainable practice in the field.

The Heart of Teaching: Can Empathy-Focused CPD Elevates Tutoring?

This study aims to explore how a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme focused on empathy-based pedagogy can influence the teaching practices of private tutors, with a particular focus on enhancing social-emotional learning (SEL) and student well-being. Given the critical role private tutors play in the academic and emotional development of students, the research seeks to fill the gap in professional development opportunities that support empathy-driven teaching approaches. The methodology used for this qualitative case study includes semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and reflective journaling to collect data on how private tutors perceive and implement empathy-based strategies. The study was conducted at a private tutoring centre, with a focus on understanding the challenges tutors face when applying empathy-based pedagogy and how these strategies impact student engagement and interactions. The findings suggest that empathy-based CPD has a transformative effect on tutors' teaching practices. It enhances their ability to foster stronger student-teacher relationships, create more supportive learning environments, and improve student engagement. Tutors reported that the programme helped them develop greater emotional awareness and communication skills, which in turn positively influenced their students' academic and social development. However, the research is limited by its focus on a single tutoring centre, which may affect the generalisability of the findings to other contexts. Additionally, the study’s reliance on qualitative data means that further quantitative research could be beneficial to corroborate the results.

Unpacking teacher beliefs on feedback: shaping multifaceted teacher feedback literacy

Although the importance of teacher feedback literacy in enhancing student feedback literacy is recognized, the influence of teacher beliefs on teacher feedback literacy at the classroom level remains uncertain. This study aimed to address this issue by examining twenty-two educators’ beliefs in Hong Kong universities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. Thematic analysis revealed four distinct patterns of teacher beliefs: knowledge-oriented, social learning, relationship-building, and technology-mediated feedback beliefs. Teachers with a knowledge-oriented approach position themselves as authoritative figures, emphasizing their expertise and focusing on evaluating students’ performance based on assessment criteria. Those endorsing social learning feedback beliefs highlight the collaborative efforts of peers in enhancing feedback literacy through discussions and reviews. Educators with relationship-building feedback beliefs prioritize supportive interpersonal relationships to alleviate learner anxiety through teacher–student conferences. Lastly, teachers with technology-mediated feedback beliefs leverage technology for efficient feedback exchanges and promote AI tools for evaluating student drafts. While these belief patterns are distinct, each participant holds at least two feedback belief patterns, prioritizing one set over the others. The implications of these findings for teacher development in feedback literacy are discussed.

The Scholarly Notebook: A Qualitative Investigation of Students` Academic Journaling Practices in Higher Education

This qualitative research delved into how postgraduate students, in two Higher educational institutions from South Africa utilise academic journaling techniques for their studies and personal development purposes. Using qualitative methods, the study involved conducting semi-structured interviews with fifteen participants code-named S1 to S15. Data analysis uncovered four major themes indicating four groups of journaling practices used by the participants. The four major themes included: academic journaling, reflective journaling, digital journaling, and creative journaling. Participants indicated that academic journaling techniques were used to record coursework and research experiences, while reflective journaling was employed to capture personal growth and emotional well-being throughout their learning journey. Concerning the theme of digital journaling, data revealed that some students opted for digital platforms such, as Microsoft OneNote and Google Docs over the traditional pen-and-paper method, for documenting their experiences. Moreover, the theme of creative journal writing suggested that many participants integrated written reflections, with components and innovative methods by employing tools like markers, stickers, and sketches to document their experiences. The findings from this research contribute to our understanding of how graduate students incorporate journal writing practices to support their academic development, in university settings.

Jigsaw, TGT 협동학습에 대한 인식과 활용방안 탐색: D 교육대학원 사례를 중심으로

Objectives This study examined to explore pre-service teachers’ opinions Jigsaw and teams-games-tournaments(TGT) and explore ways to utilize the Jigsaw and TGT when AI digital curriculum becomes active in the future. Methods The subjects of this study were 21 graduate school students in education. During the ‘Educational Methods and Educational Technology’ teaching class, three people formed a group and experienced the Jigsaw and TGT. After the cooperative learning(15th week), participants were asked to freely describe their experiences and opinions about advantages and disadvantages of the two methods, and how to use them in their future classes. Content analysis was conducted based on the research subjects' reflection journals and testimonials, and qualitative analysis was conducted based on this. Results The Graduate school students in education evaluated Jigsaw and TGT positively. In particular, the expert group activity was evaluated as an activity that increases responsibility at Jigsaw. However, the negative aspect of causing confusion if a group member incorrectly explains something they did not understand was also mentioned. Although TGT induces activity, active participation, and interest, there were also negative opinions that it was different from true cooperation. This negative aspect is a problem that can be compensated for by using AI. Conclusions In educational settings where AI digital textbooks are active, Jigsaw and TGT are expected to play a helpful role in supplementary and in-depth learning. This is because these two models are easy to apply to AI-based lesson design. In addition, we proposed ways to utilize Jigsaw and TGT in future classrooms.

성찰적 학습일기 쓰기가 대학생의 학업적 자기효능감 및 자기조절학습능력에 미치는 영향과 학습경험의 변화

Objectives This study aims to explore the effects of reflective learning journal on college students' academic self-efficacy and self-regulated learning ability, and what kind of learning experiences they have during the process of writing a reflective learning journal. Methods For research purposes, we selected 10 college students and had them keep reflective learning journals for two weeks from mid-November to mid-December 2022. The data analyzed in this study consists of quantitative data, which were the pre-test and post-test results conducted to measure changes in academic self-efficacy and self-regulated learning ability, as well as qualitative data, such as written reflections and individual interviews. The quantitative data were analyzed using a paired t-test, and the qualitative data were analyzed by identifying meaningful units and categorizing them to examine changes in their learning experiences. Results The research results showed that there was a significant improvement in the participants' academic self-efficacy and self-regulated learning ability after writing reflective learning journals. Through the process of reflecting, evaluating, and exploring their learning experiences while writing the journals, participants recognized their growth and experienced changes that motivated them to commit to their learning efforts. Conclusions Through this study, it was found that reflective learning journals have significant impact on improving academic self-efficacy and self-regulated learning abilities among college students. These journals serve as valuable tools that help college students reflect on their learning experiences, evaluate themselves, and explore new learning strategies, ultimately aiding their growth as self-regulated learners.

Research-based projects and reflective journals to promote student engagement in a remote online English Linguistics course for Professional Business Communication

The Covid-19 pandemic spurred research on the strategies and tools used in remote online teaching to support student engagement. The present study aims to contribute to this research strand by illustrating how two toolsthat were implemented for this purpose, i.e. research-based projects and reflective journals, were integrated in a remote online English Linguistics course for Professional Business Communication during the pandemic. A content analysis of students’ perceptions was conducted through the N-Vivo software programme and feedback on the course was examined. Results indicated that projects and journals positively impacted on students’ skills, knowledge and attitudes by enhancing interest and reducing the sense of isolation resulting from the lockdowns. It is therefore suggested that research-based projects and journals potentiallysupport student engagement in learning settings which may negatively affect engagement, such as remote online courses

학습성찰일지와 발표에 나타난 학습자 행위주체성 탐색

Objectives This study investigates how learning reflection journals and presentation assignments foster student agency among Korean and international students majoring in Korean language education at S University. Methods To achieve this, the study first examined the components and processes of student agency. Then through a triangulation method, the manifestation of student agency was explored by analyzing learning reflection journals and presentation assignments conducted during class. The data for the analysis included the results of a survey on the cognitive domain of self-directed competency developed by S University, learning reflection journals submitted by learners during class, presentation materials, post-interview data, as well as feedback from instructors and peers. Results The components of student agency were identified as ① purposefulness, ② investment of time and effort, ③ reflection, ④ responsibility, and ⑤ interaction. Through exploring the significance of learning reflection journals and presentations, it was confirmed that both the learning reflection journals and presentations played an important role in enhancing student’ ① self-directed learning abilities, ② career exploration, ③ interaction facilitation, and ④ positive attitudes towards academics. Specifically, with respect to the learning reflection journals, student demonstrated purposefulness, invested time and effort, and deepened their understanding of the leaarning content through repeated reflection, while connecting it to their career paths. During this process, responsibility and interaction with the instructor were evident. Additionally, the presentations exhibited student’ purposefulness, investment, reflection, and responsibility before, during, and after the presentation. Through interaction not only with the instructor but also with peers, students mainifested their agency in the learning process. Conclusions This study confirms, through the triangulation method, that learning reflection journals and presentations have a posotive impact on the manifestation of student agency. Learning reflection journals and presentations help both Korean and international students actively engage in the learning process, set their own learning directions, and invest time and effort to develop concrete strategies for achieving their goals. It is expected that these abilities will have an educational impact, helping to go beyond simple academic achievement in college and enabling them to take a leading role in future society.

GETTING SUPPORT FROM MICROSOFT COPILOT IN LESSON PLAN PREPARATION: PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND OPINIONS

A lesson plan is an action plan that shows how to achieve the objectives of a lesson step by step in a certain period of time in the teaching of a subject. Lesson planning is one of the important elements of teacher education. However, research shows that pre-service teachers have problems in lesson planning. Artificial intelligence can produce solutions to the problems experienced by pre-service teachers. For this purpose, pre-service teachers need to be able to use this tool effectively, recognize its possibilities and limitations, and approach it with a critical perspective. The purpose of this research is to determine what support Microsoft Copilot offers to pre-service teachers in preparing lesson plans for reading education in Turkish lessons and how they evaluate this support. The method of the research is case study. The study group consists of 24 students. The data were collected through reflective diaries, lesson plans, and interviews. Descriptive and content analysis were applied to the data. As a result of the research, it was determined that teacher candidates sought support for every stage of the course. Both positive and negative opinions emerged in the same codes regarding the support offered by Copilot. Accessing the source sites, activity ideas, overall plan, and images are the codes where positive opinions are concentrated, while text creation, subject area knowledge, and question/rubric preparation are the codes where negative opinions are concentrated. Participants stated that attention should be paid to the accuracy and adequacy of the content and the accuracy of the questions and to give sufficient detail when requesting information. These results show that Copilot should be improved in terms of Turkish. However, the results also suggest that AI tools should be included in teacher education despite their limitations. Pre-service teachers evaluate the outcomes of the program with their prior knowledge. This approach is important for the development of pedagogical content knowledge and better lesson planning.

THE IMPACTS OF POSITIVE EMOTIONS ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING AT THANH DONG UNIVERSITY

This action research, grounded in Fredrickson and Cohn's (2008) Broaden-and-Build Theory of positive emotions (PE), investigates the impacts of PE on English Language Learning (ELL) in a language learning context, particularly the relationship between PE, foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and language proficiency. It employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating interventions involving mindfulness practices, collaborative learning strategies, and the integration of gamified elements. The study utilizes various data sources, including a Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) questionnaire adapted from Dewaele and MacIntyre (2014), reflective emotion journals, and language proficiency tests. Findings reveal that fostering PE, such as creativity, social interaction, and supportive teaching, contributes significantly to foreign language enjoyment. Moreover, the correlation between FLE and language proficiency underscores the potential benefits of interventions aimed at cultivating PE. This research advocates for pedagogical approaches that prioritize the promotion of PE within the language learning context, ultimately enhancing both enjoyment and proficiency.

‘Inhabit the poem first’: authentic encounters with poetry in the English ITE year

ABSTRACT How does poetry feature in beginning English teachers’ experiences of learning to teach, and how are these experiences shaped by trainees’ prior educational encounters? Putting trends in contemporary secondary-school poetry pedagogy in England in theoretical and policy contexts, the authors indicate that unease about current practice in poetry teaching extends from individual classrooms to exam boards and the school inspection agency, Ofsted, and chimes with concerns about poetry teaching being expressed around the world. Reflective evaluation and journaling data gathered from 14 beginning English teachers illuminates how profoundly they are the products of their educational experiences. The authors make some suggestions about the role of teacher education in expanding beginning teachers’ understanding of their own formative experiences, in order to prepare them for the demanding complexities of poetry pedagogy, and to motivate and equip them to make space for rich and authentic encounters with poetry texts, for themselves and for their students.

Operationalising flexible planning coupled with ongoing assessment strategies. A pragmatic, longitudinal randomized study in U13 female volleyball team

Embracing a tailor-made approach to training, the aim of this study was to understand how ongoing adaptation and planning of training sessions (through bidirectional feedback between planning and assessment) contrasts with a more rigid planning with only 4-weeks adaptations, and how those differences impact on learning trajectories. A longitudinal, randomized design with a qualitative analysis was conducted during a full season with 24 girls from a U-13 volleyball team: an experimental group (E.G.) had daily adjusted planning and a contrast group (C.G.) had 4-weeks adjusted planning. Data analysis considered reflective diaries, field notes, video analysis and ongoing assessments using Game Performance Assessment Instrument, to gain a deeper understanding of athletes’ progression and identify their struggles. Based on ongoing and punctual assessment (through GPAI) the planning of the two groups diverged significantly in content and drill structure. Ongoing assessment allowed to solve, in E.G., unpredictable issues as well as develop flexible planning to adapt the specific drills and re-adapt the content. Those adaptations occurred in many ways such as: type of the drill, setting goals and changing the content of the session. In C.G., 4 weeks adaptations were permitted to moderate the extending disparities between rigid planning and ongoing adaptations, aiming to balance the group's levels. Our findings highlighted the importance of bidirectional feedback between assessment and planning, informing the coaches to possible adaptation of the training. Given the differences in learning rates, unforeseen circumstances and players’ characteristics, flexible planning and assessment is paramount to effectively steer the learning process.

Online learning at a South African University: early career academic experiences

ABSTRACT The South African Department of Higher Education has emphasised the use of online learning (e-learning). Educational technology resources were used for e-learning, replacing face-to-face learning during the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Consequently, with this transition and new developments in learning technologies, early career academics (ECAs) in one of the universities in South Africa faced various challenges in teaching language modules online. This qualitative case study intended to explore the experiences of ECAs in teaching language modules at a university during the transition from face-to-face to online learning. Data is generated from five ECAs who were purposively and conveniently sampled from the School of Education using reflective journals, and one-on-one semi-structured interviews. The technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) theory is used to guide the study towards understanding ECAs’ knowledge of technology, content, and pedagogy during online teaching of language modules. The Findings indicate that some of the ECAs expressed that online learning was not effective. The majority maintained that the online learning approach was effective. Nevertheless, there were numerous limitations, such as accessibility to technological devices (laptops), and language teacher’s state of readiness in adapting to the new approach. Therefore, more professional development programmes should be conducted and studies highlighting ECAs experiences.

Language-responsive mathematics teaching and AEN learners in a CLIL context

IntroductionThis study explores the experiences of students with additional educational needs (AEN) in Irish-medium education (IME) mathematics classrooms within a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) context. The research investigates how language-responsive mathematics teaching and adapted summative assessments impact AEN students’ learning outcomes, addressing a critical gap in understanding the interplay between language proficiency and mathematical competencies in bilingual settings.MethodsA case study design was employed in a single IME primary school, focusing on five AEN students aged 9–10 years. Over a five-week intervention, participants engaged in small-group, language-responsive mathematics lessons tailored to their needs. Two summative assessments—one standard school-approved and one researcher-designed with language adaptations—were administered post-intervention. Data sources included teacher observations, reflective journals, and assessment results, analyzed through thematic coding and descriptive statistics.ResultsThe findings revealed that while language adaptations in assessments had minimal impact on overall performance, language-responsive lessons supported student engagement and understanding. Participants demonstrated improved confidence and participation, though challenges persisted in transitioning from concrete to abstract concepts and in language-intensive topics such as probability. The summative assessments were limited in capturing students’ full mathematical abilities due to cognitive and linguistic demands.DiscussionThe study highlights the potential of language-responsive teaching to enhance learning outcomes for AEN students in CLIL contexts. While adapted assessments showed limited efficacy, the pedagogical approach effectively addressed cognitive and linguistic challenges. Future research should explore scalable strategies for integrating language and content learning to support diverse learners in bilingual settings.