ABSTRACT This paper explores the importance of integrating decolonial perspectives into therapist education, emphasising the need to challenge Eurocentric frameworks that marginalise diverse worldviews, healing practices, and lived experiences. Drawing on research findings from a study of therapists’ discussion of trauma-informed care for Black queer men, this paper examines their reflections on their early training and experiences in psychotherapy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine practitioners who reflected on their views on the dominance of Eurocentric frameworks in UK psychotherapy training. Reflexive Thematic Analysis was used to analyse the interviews. Findings underscore that decolonisation of UK psychotherapy training is a critical step towards reimagining therapy as a truly inclusive and human-centred discipline. We advocate for a model of counselling and psychotherapy training which consciously and overtly discusses epistemic injustice and implicit colonial knowledge systems. Additionally, we articulate a model of pedagogy in higher education (HE) which embraces relational aspects of counselling and psychotherapy training, utilising the ‘human’.

This study examines the implementation of Indonesian Language learning in higher education as a foundation for developing students’ academic literacy within an Outcome Based Education (OBE) framework. The research is motivated by serious concerns regarding students’ low academic writing ability, weak critical reading skills, and inconsistent use of academic language, which hinder the formation of academic culture at universities. The objective of this study is to describe and interpret the learning process, challenges, and outcomes of Indonesian Language courses in fostering academic literacy. This research employed a qualitative descriptive approach conducted intensively over a three-week period. Data were collected through classroom observations, in depth interviews with lecturers and students, and document analysis of lesson plans, teaching materials, and students’ academic assignments. The findings reveal that although the course design conceptually aligns with OBE principles, its classroom implementation has not fully emphasized reflective processes, critical engagement, and consistent academic language practice. Learning activities tend to focus on task completion rather than on the development of academic thinking processes. The study implies that Indonesian Language learning should be strengthened through reflective, contextual, and process oriented strategies to enhance students’ academic literacy and academic identity. These findings contribute theoretically to studies on academic literacy and practically to the improvement of Indonesian Language instruction in higher education.

Motivation is a core determinant of students’ academic engagement, persistence, and learning outcomes in higher education. This study investigates the effects of classroom teachers’ motivational practices on students’ learning outcomes in selected higher education institutions of South Punjab. Using a quantitative descriptive correlational design, the research sampled 50 teachers and 120 students through cluster sampling. Two structured Likert-scale questionnaires measured motivational practices, motivational climate, and student learning outcomes. Data analysis through SPSS included frequencies, mean scores, standard deviations, t-tests, and Pearson correlation coefficients. Descriptive results showed that teachers frequently use motivational practices such as praise, constructive feedback, fairness, reinforcement, and encouragement. Students agreed that these practices significantly enhanced their academic performance, classroom participation, and overall motivation. Inferential statistics revealed a strong positive correlation (r = .71, p < .01) between motivational practices and learning outcomes. Gender-based differences in perceptions were statistically insignificant. The study concludes that motivational practices have a substantial positive effect on students’ learning outcomes. It recommends institutional support for motivational training, reflective teaching, student-centered pedagogy, and motivational assessments in higher education.

This special issue of NJLTL comprises contributions from researchers and practitioners engaged in foreign language teaching and learning in higher education – both within a Nordic context and beyond. Due to the large number of contributions received, the special issue will be published in two parts. The first part is scheduled for publication at the end of 2025, with the second part due to appear in Spring 2026. The first part includes 6 research contributions in the main section and 8 articles in the forum section. The articles, which focus on teaching and/or learning English, French, German, and Spanish as foreign languages, are written in Danish, English, Norwegian, and German.

This study develops and validates an AI-driven Spanish reading and writing curriculum aimed at enhancing Chinese university students’ linguistic proficiency and critical thinking ability. Guided by the AI-Driven Learning (AIDL) model established in this research, the curriculum systematically integrates AI into pre-class, in-class, and post-class stages to promote personalized learning, multimodal engagement, and continuous feedback. The development of the curriculum involves expert review and content validation to ensure theoretical consistency and pedagogical feasibility. Five experts in Spanish language education and curriculum design evaluate the course objectives, content, methods, activities, and assessments. The results yield a high content validity index (S-CVI = .96), confirming the curriculum’s coherence, clarity, and alignment with CEFR B1-level descriptors. The study demonstrates how AI can function as an instructional facilitator at the curriculum level, providing a structured framework for the integration of artificial intelligence in Spanish language education. These findings offer practical guidance for future curriculum innovation and AI-driven language pedagogy in higher education.

ABSTRACT This work investigates the changing dynamics of piano instruction at the university level through the implementation of the double piano teaching method. Comparing data from institutions that practice this technique with conventional piano pedagogy, the study measures its effect on student engagement, performance, and satisfaction. The method enhances live feedback, peer learning, and musical expression, making it a highly effective pedagogical approach. Moreover, the research combines engineering technology, specifically deep learning-based sound analysis and sequence detection, to maximise music teaching and quantitatively monitor performance. The results benefit both music education and educational engineering by providing an example of data-driven, interactive pedagogies in higher education. By bridging pedagogy and AI-driven performance analysis, this study offers a novel interdisciplinary model for intelligent music education.

This study benchmarks global institutional artificial intelligence (AI) policies for teaching and learning in higher education and uses these comparisons to improve an existing AI policy at a university in Northern Mindanao, Philippines. Although AI policies are spreading rapidly in higher education, few studies have systematically compared Philippine policies with global standards, particularly in teaching and learning. The study used qualitative benchmarking and document analysis. It reviewed AI policies and official guidance from ten top-ranked universities, chosen for their rankings, regional diversity, and public access. The analysis followed the OECD AI Principles and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, focusing on ethics, governance, and risk management. The findings show that institutions share similar ethical commitments, especially to human-centered AI, academic integrity, transparency, and responsible use. However, global institutions have more advanced governance by putting ethical principles into practice with formal risk assessments, oversight, and regular policy reviews. In contrast, the local policy is mostly based on principles. The study concludes that while ethical standards for AI policy are becoming more global, the level of governance depends on each institution’s resources and regulations. It suggests a step-by-step policy improvement plan, starting with clear ethics, then adding risk mapping, governance structures, and ongoing review. The benchmarking framework offers a practical guide for universities aiming to improve AI governance in teaching and learning.

Background: Virtual Reality technology is reshaping educational paradigms, especially when integrated with Seamless Learning approaches that transcend temporal and spatial boundaries. However, VR adoption in physical education in Indonesia remains constrained by varying levels of technological readiness and conceptual understanding. Objective: This study aims to examine the readiness to adopt VR-based seamless learning and its influence on technology usage intention and behavior. It further investigates the moderating role of digital maturity in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework. Method: A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted with 422 respondents, comprising lecturers, elementary, middle, and high school physical education teachers, and university students across East Java. Data were analysed using Structural Equation Modeling, integrating the Technology Readiness Index and UTAUT constructs. Results: Findings reveal that motivators (innovativeness and optimism) significantly and positively affect usage intention and behavior, mediated by Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, and Facilitating Conditions. In contrast, inhibitors (discomfort and insecurity) showed no significant effect, suggesting that strong UTAUT factors can neutralize resistance to technology. Digital maturity significantly moderates the relationship between UTAUT constructs and usage outcomes, amplifying adoption intention and behaviour among digitally mature users. Conclusion: The adoption readiness of VR seamless learning is characterized by high enthusiasm but varied conceptual understanding and access constraints. Digital maturity emerges as a critical factor that strengthens adoption while mitigating technological barriers, emphasizing its strategic importance in educational technology implementation.

ABSTRACT The changing higher education landscape has put pressure on institutions of higher learning to develop professional training programmes and on academics to get solid grounding in pedagogical training. This study aims to explore ways of improving online teaching and learning in the recently introduced online full-time Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education programme at the National University of Lesotho (NUL), drawing from the experiences of the 2022–2023 cohort. The study employed a qualitative research approach, using reflective practice, to collect data through semi-structured interviews. The study found that some teachers at the NUL were not well-prepared for exclusive online teaching and learning. The study also revealed persisting challenges, technical issues, teachers’ lack of technical skills, and lack of specific rubrics for assignments. The online synchronous sessions provided an opportunity that mirrors the face-to-face mode of instruction, while asynchronous sessions allowed students to work independently and at their convenience. This paper provides a holistic picture of online teaching and learning experiences in higher education in a professional development programme. The study emphasises the need for both facilitators and students to be trained for online teaching and learning.

Academic writing is a fundamental competency for university students as it serves as the main medium for logical, critical, and ethical communication of scientific ideas. However, many students still struggle with technical, structural, and motivational aspects of academic writing, indicating the need for innovative learning models that promote autonomy, collaboration, and reflection. Although project-based learning (PjBL) has been widely applied in language education, research on its effectiveness and implementation challenges in Indonesian academic writing remains limited. This study aims to analyze the application of PjBL in academic writing instruction and identify factors influencing its effectiveness. Using a narrative review guided by the population–exposure–outcome (PEO) framework, this study synthesizes ten empirical and theoretical articles published between 2020 and 2025 from Scopus, ERIC, and Google Scholar. The findings show that PjBL consistently enhances students’ academic writing skills through authentic, collaborative, and reflective learning that strengthens critical thinking, motivation, and digital literacy. However, challenges persist in pedagogical practices, psychological readiness, and institutional support. This study highlights the need for systematic instructional design, continuous scaffolding, and academic technology training for both lecturers and students to optimize PjBL implementation in Indonesian higher education. Keywords: Project-Based Learning; Academic Writing; Higher Education

Under the digital wave, accelerating the digital transformation of grassroots first-line physical education teachers has become a key proposition in the process of education modernization. However, most of the existing studies are classified by different stages of education, lacking in-depth and targeted discussions on the characteristics of disciplines, and some of the research results are concentrated on the level of index system construction, so it is urgent to conduct scientific and practical tests on physical education teachers' digital literacy from the perspective of application practice. Method: Based on the guidance of compulsory education Physical education and Health Curriculum standards (2022 edition), Teachers' Digital Literacy standards and other documents, this study adopted the literature and Delphi methods to build an evaluation index system, determined the weight distribution of the index system through the analytic hierarchy process, and distributed digital literacy evaluation questionnaires for junior high school physical education teachers in Hunan Province to recover data. (1) An evaluation index system of digital literacy of junior high school physical education teachers in Hunan Province was established, which includes 5 first-level indicators, 13 second-level indicators, and 32 third-level indicators, and the setting of index items reflects the characteristics of physical education and disciplines. (2) According to Yaahp software, the digital application of first-level indicators occupies the highest weight (0.3654) in the evaluation system, which a with the goal of deeply integrating digital technology into physical education teaching practice. This was followed by digital technology knowledge and skills (0.2754), professional development (0.1766), digital awareness (0.1044), and digital social responsibility (0.0782). (3) The Questionnaire on Digital Literacy of junior high school physical education teachers in Hunan Province was designed according to the three indicators in the evaluation index system of digital literacy of junior high school physical education teachers, and the results showed that the comprehensive score of digital literacy of junior high school physical education teachers in Hunan Province was 79.65. The digital literacy of junior high school physical education teachers in Hunan Province presents the characteristics of "consciousness first, application lag", and there are structural contradictions in the application ability of digital technology. In the future, it is still necessary to strengthen the digital application practice, promote the deep integration of teaching scenarios, improve the teacher professional development support system, build a lifelong learning mechanism, optimize policy supporting measures, and provide differentiated support.

This research focused on the development of a theory of equity related to chemistry instruction in higher education. While there has been a growing interest in promoting fairness within chemical education, a unified theory of equity in chemistry instruction has yet to be defined and established. Achieving equity in chemistry instruction requires addressing multiple factors. To explore this, Constructivist Grounded Theory along with reflexive Thematic Analysis were employed. In this case study, 42 chemistry classes were observed at two public universities in Colorado. Additionally, interviews were conducted with twelve undergraduate students, nine chemistry instructors, and nine equity practitioners recruited from five public universities in Colorado. Ten theoretical elements of equity were developed from a process of initial, focused, and theoretical coding of the collected data. These elements of equity, their interconnections, and their grounding in prior scholarship informed the formulation of the Theory of Equity in Chemistry Instruction. Herein, these concepts are presented alongside raw, verbatim data collected from participants. An equity observation protocol is provided which could be piloted in future studies to explore the transferability of this theory beyond Colorado. The elements of this theory provide both a conceptual contribution and a practical foundation for developing new instruments or guiding methodologies in ongoing research on equity in chemistry instruction.

A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education: An update of Macaro et al. (2018)

The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fundamentally transforming the educational landscape, requiring future computer science teachers to possess high levels of digital literacy and technological competence. This paper explores the technology and methodology of utilizing AI-powered digital platforms in the professional preparation of informatics educators. The research focuses on how these platforms—ranging from adaptive learning systems and automated grading tools to AI-driven content generators—can be effectively integrated into the teaching process. The study analyzes the current state of digital platform implementation in higher pedagogical education and identifies the specific skills future teachers need to master to facilitate AI-driven instruction. The proposed technology emphasizes a transition from traditional teaching methods to a more personalized, data-driven approach where AI acts as a co-facilitator. Key components of this technology include the selection of appropriate AI tools, the development of pedagogical scenarios for their use, and the ethical considerations surrounding AI in the classroom. The findings suggest that the structured use of digital platforms not only enhances the technical proficiency of future computer science teachers but also prepares them to create innovative, interactive, and efficient learning environments for the next generation of students.

Application of generative artificial intelligence by nurse academics in higher education: A scoping review.

Background: Aqidah learning in higher education plays a vital role in shaping students' faith. However, many students still struggle to apply the aqidah theory to their daily lives. Therefore, the application of scientific methods in aqidah learning is urgently needed to enhance students' understanding and deepen their faith. Objective: This study aims to elucidate the importance of scientific methods in aqidah learning from the perspective of Imam Al-Ghazali. Method: This study employs a literature review, analyzing the works of Imam Al-Ghazali and related literature. Result: The scientific method, which involves a rational and critical approach, enables students to understand faith more deeply and practically. Imam Al-Ghazali emphasizes the importance of integrating faith and morals, which can be strengthened through a scientific approach. Conclusion: The application of scientific methods in the study of aqidah significantly contributes to strengthening students' faith, enhancing the quality of teaching, and fostering a more rational and systematic understanding of religious teachings. Contribution: This study aims to introduce the application of scientific methods in aqidah education, which can serve as a reference for the development of religious curricula and teaching in higher education.

ABSTRACT This is a note on being present in existential matters. The article poses and responds to questions of teaching in relation to time and draws on classic and contemporary thoughts from the Continental pedagogical tradition and existential philosophy. In a time of haste and efficiency, being present in existential matters and life as it unfolds may be a challenge in higher education, but it is still of significance for the student. Two main questions are highlighted. First, why should we in higher education make students aware of human vulnerability and responsibility as a personal call? Second, how do we arrange teaching in classrooms and auditoriums if topics of human vulnerability and interdependence should be relevant and involve the students? To engage in existential matters in higher education through aesthetic sources like films, paintings, poems, and novels is suggested as a way to decelerate time and to help students see, feel and be touched by concrete moments in life that might demand a response.

Microteaching for mathematics teachers in higher education: a review of recent development

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the transition of physiotherapy programmes from traditional face-to-face anatomy teaching to fully online delivery. Studies conducted during this period have documented students’ positive adaptation to online anatomy learning, highlighting benefits such as increased flexibility and reduced stress, while also noting challenges, including diminished practical exposure. Although much of the existing research centres on medical and dental education, there is a relative paucity of studies examining physiotherapy students’ perspectives. In this study, a purposive sample of 53 entry-level physiotherapy students (Years 1–3) completed a questionnaire evaluating their experiences with anatomy education during the pandemic. Responses were compared between groups (Years 1 and 2 versus Year 3) using the Mann–Whitney U test and effect-size calculations. Year 3 students who experienced both face-to-face and online learning preferred practical sessions with silent mentors in the anatomy hall, citing greater active engagement and deeper learning. Conversely, all year groups reported that online assessments, such as the online Objective Structured Practical Examination, were less stressful than traditional formats. Year 1 and 2 students, lacking prior face-to-face practical experience, expressed neutral views regarding online practical components. Overall, while online theory and assessment components were well received, hands-on practical experience remains highly valued for promoting student engagement. These findings support the development of blended anatomy pedagogy that leverages the strengths of both modalities to enhance resilience and adaptability in the face of future educational disruptions.

This article analyzes the impact of overweight and sedentary lifestyles on the self-esteem and socioemotional skills of university teachers in Mexico. A quantitative, correlational, and cross-sectional design was employed with 33 active higher education teachers. Anthropometric data (BMI) and emotional regulation were collected through structured questionnaires, processed with SPSS 28.0 using Pearson correlation, Student's t-tests, ANOVA, and multiple regression. Results show an average BMI of 27.7 kg/m² (overweight), with significant negative correlation between BMI and physical activity (r=-0.42, p<0.01), and positive correlation between BMI and stress (r=0.38, p<0.05). BMI significantly predicts difficulties in emotional regulation (β=0.41, p<0.01). It is concluded that interventions aimed at promoting physical activity and self-care are essential to improve comprehensive well-being and teaching professional performance, with implications for institutional educational policies.