Purpose It is clear that good-quality, well-considered digital learning has an established place in higher education (HE), the importance of which has been exacerbated by the global pandemic. It is argued here that in considering the development of digital learning, the spotlight should be firmly fixed on the rationale, efficacy and pedagogy of the decisions made in relation to implementation. Following the global COVID-19 pandemic, a cross-university team undertook internationally focused qualitative research to determine the key factors that led to successful digital learning in the HE sector. Design/methodology/approach The research team undertook individual semi-structured interviews following the development of a purposive sampling frame. Only participants who had an established track record working digitally within HE prior to the global pandemic were considered. Twenty-one individuals were identified globally: participants were based in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Norway and the UK. These participants all held responsibility for digital learning in some respect, and included lecturers, staff development leaders, senior university managers and digital technologists. Findings This paper presents the key findings of the study and applies a paradigmatic shift model to identify the five key elements to successful digital learning within universities globally that emerged from the study. These are: communitarianism; the pre-eminence of subject and pedagogy; flexibility of access; immersion within a learning experience; and authentic digital activity. Originality/value The participants in this study all argued that digital pedagogy has the agency to transform learning in the university sector for the better. Professional educators, they maintained, need to be mindful that although digital learning may not be the best fit for all students, all situations and all subjects, it is the most appropriate, engaging and effective approach for most students. For this reason alone, HE educators are duty-bound to include a strong working knowledge of digital learning in their academic toolkits. The purpose of this paper is to enhance that knowledge.
Purpose This study aims to examine how artificial intelligence (AI) can be governed to advance educational justice, inclusion and ethical digital learning. It addresses incomplete integration across AI-in-education, AI-governance and educational-justice scholarship by developing a justice-oriented governance framework. Design/methodology/approach The study uses conceptual theory-building through an integrative synthesis of 186 sources identified through database searching and citation tracking for 2015–2025, with 2026 literature used only as contextual updates. The synthesis compares concepts, governance functions and theoretical relationships across domains. Findings The synthesis conceptualizes the AI–Justice Paradox as the possibility that expanded AI-enabled educational opportunity may coexist with or intensify injustice. It develops the educational justice governance framework (EJGF), comprising equitable access, capability development, algorithmic fairness, participatory governance and accountability and rights protection. These dimensions are theorized as conditionally interdependent and partially non-substitutable. Originality/value The contribution is integrative and relational: the EJGF complements established cross-sector AI-governance approaches by specifying educational justice as the substantive criterion linking governance safeguards within educational institutions. The framework is conceptually derived and requires empirical validation across contexts, institutions and AI applications. It also generates testable propositions concerning configurational relationships and boundary conditions.
Purpose This study aims to explore the effectiveness of an andragogy based collaborative teaching approach in enhancing tertiary students’ engagement and learning outcomes. Keeping pace with the ever-evolving global education landscape, the vital concern today has become the enhancement of the quality of education. Tertiary education is a significant phase after primary and secondary education, where traditional pedagogy alone often seems insufficient to meet adult learners’ needs. Learners at this stage deserve a more planned, activity-based and occasionally autonomous learning environment.Design/methodology/approachThis research highlights the implementation of a collaborative teaching pattern that integrates aspects of andragogy into a Suggestopedic environment, ensuring that activities common in Total Physical Response (TPR) create more engaging, meaningful and effective learning experiences. The practice emphasizes experiential knowledge, self-directed learning and problem-solving for post-pandemic learners. Most significantly, the principles of andragogy align with the cognitive, psychomotor and emotional development of the tertiary learners. This qualitative research used action research with 53 (n = 53) second-semester, first-year students (25 male and 28 female) in the Introduction to Poetry course at the Department of English, Daffodil International University (DIU), Bangladesh.FindingsAt the end of the semester, four sets of data were collected via “Padlet” on a blended learning course platform, which reflected the impact of students’ engagement, active academic performance, resourcefulness and overall learning satisfaction.Originality/valueThis exploratory, single-semester action-research study offers context-specific evidence on how problem-based learning, collaborative planning and reflective practice can be integrated within an andragogic framework in a Global-South tertiary classroom, contributing practical recommendations alongside a review of relevant literature.
PurposeThis study aims to propose a structured didactic design for teaching majāz (figurative language) to non-native Arabic secondary learners by utilizing Chevallard’s Anthropological Theory of the Didactic. It specifically addresses the “didactic gap” between complex rhetorical tasks and the cognitive scaffolding provided in learning materials.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs a qualitative, interpretive document analysis of a purposive corpus of Arabic textbooks designed for non-native secondary learners. Using a theory-driven praxeological framework (T, τ, θ, Θ). The analytical focus is placed on the didactic transposition of majāz concepts. To ensure validity and trustworthiness, the study utilizes theoretical and analyst triangulation.FindingsThe analysis uncovers a critical praxeological misalignment: highly demanding identification tasks (T) are presented without explicit cognitive techniques (τ), relying instead on abstract classical definitions (θ). To bridge this gap, this study proposes a reformed instructional design featuring a “Three-Step Semantic Decoding Algorithm” (detecting semantic anomalies, mapping conceptual domains, and reconstructing figurative meaning).Research limitations/implicationsPractically, the findings offer an operational guide for curriculum developers and textbook authors to design scaffolded rhetorical tasks and visual aids. For educators, it provides concrete classroom activities (e.g., “The Semantic Detective”).Originality/valueThis study represents one of the few early attempts to systematically apply didactic praxeology to L2 Arabic rhetorical pedagogy (Balāghah), offering a novel approach to analyzing and reconstructing figurative language instruction.
PurposeThe gig economy has revolutionised supplemental income opportunities, yet its impact on household consumption remains underexplored. This study aims to examine how gig work as a supplemental income source influences household consumption patterns (HCPs) among urban gig workers in Bengaluru, India; evaluate the mediating role of perceived financial stability (PFS) in translating gig income into key consumption outcomes; and empirically test these relationships using structural equation modelling (SEM). Drawing on the permanent income hypothesis (Friedman, 1957) and financial well-being literature (Netemeyer et al., 2018), the authors hypothesise direct and indirect effects across constructs: gig work as supplemental income (GWSI), PFS, HCP, discretionary consumption (DC), savings propensity (SP) and consumption diversification (CD).Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research design was adopted using survey data collected from 400 gig workers in Bengaluru, India, through a structured questionnaire measured on a five-point Likert scale. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) identified the underlying constructs, while confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) validated the measurement model. SEM was used to test hypothesised relationships, and bootstrapping techniques were used to examine mediation effects.FindingsEFA confirmed a six-factor structure, while CFA validated the measurement model with excellent fit indices (χ²/df = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.072, CFI = 0.953). The structural model supported all hypotheses (p < 0.001), with GWSI positively affecting PFS (ββ = 0.757) and PFS influencing HCP (β = 0.785), SP (β = 0.721), CD (β = 0.632) and DC (β = 0.514). Bootstrapping mediation analysis revealed significant partial mediation effects. Findings underscore PFS as a key mechanism translating gig income into enhanced consumption outcomes, aligning with behavioural finance theories.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the gig economy and consumption literature by empirically linking supplemental gig income to household consumption behaviour through PFS. By integrating economic theory with behavioural finance perspectives in an emerging economy context, the research offers novel insights into micro-level consumption dynamics and provides policy-relevant evidence for designing financial literacy and social protection initiatives for gig workers.
