This study assessed the impact of integrating the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model with two approaches to bilingual education - both with and without Bilingual Problem-Based Learning (BPBL) - in the context of teaching mathematics to physical therapy students in Chile. A total of 89 students participated, divided into two groups: 48 students engaged in SIOP with bilingual instruction without BPBL, and 41 students involved in SIOP with BPBL. The implementation process included pre- and post-assessments to gauge linguistic progress, complemented by student surveys and interviews with the educator. Additionally, discipline-specific tasks were assigned, with the BPBL group receiving an extra investigative assignment. Instructional practices were observed throughout each session. The study utilized a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis -including Student's t-test, statistical examination of Likert scale responses, and evaluations of tasks centered on quadratic functions- with qualitative analysis through content analysis of educator interviews and student responses to open-ended questions. The findings demonstrated improvements in both the educator's linguistic skills and the students' mathematical understanding and language proficiency across both approaches. Notably, the combination of BPBL with SIOP yielded more significant advancements. This analysis underscores the viability of bilingual education using the SIOP model and highlights the enhanced effectiveness of integrating BPBL with SIOP in higher education settings.
Digital technologies are now fully incorporated into English Language Teaching (ELT). Yet, research in this area has largely emphasized their technical and instructional value for improving language skills, paying comparatively little attention to their potential to cultivate learners' critical awareness or influence identity construction. This study responds to that limitation by examining the use of a critical digital pedagogy in a university-level advanced writing course. Framed as a qualitative case study, the research explores students' experiences of this instructional approach and investigates how multimodal digital production enables them to construct, negotiate, and communicate their identities. Over one academic semester, data were gathered from twelve participants through semi-structured interviews, examination of student-produced digital texts (including blogs, video essays, and podcasts), and the instructor's reflective journal. Thematic analysis generated four central insights: (1) students moved from receptive roles toward becoming active and critical creators of meaning; (2) they developed stronger capacities to assess, question, and navigate digital sources; (3) their multimodal projects became spaces for expressing personal and cultural identities; and (4) they demonstrated growing awareness of the risks and ethical obligations connected to sharing authentic voices in public digital spaces. The findings indicate that critical digital pedagogy extends beyond improving language competence. It supports development of literacies necessary for contemporary civic participation and offers meaningful opportunities for identity formation in a second language. The article concludes with practical implications for ELT professionals, illustrating how technology can be integrated to promote deeper, more transformative learning experiences rather than merely serving functional instructional purposes.
The L2 Motivational Self System (L2 MSS), proposed by D & ouml;rnyei two decades ago, has become the hegemonic model for explaining the motivational elements operating on second language learners. However, how these learning dispositions stimulate different types of motivation in favour of willingness to communicate (L2 WTC) remains largely unknown. This study investigates how the L2 Ideal Self and the Ought-to L2 Self, two of the key aspects of the L2 MSS, influence L2 WTC in Portuguese university students learning Spanish as a foreign language. Analysing a sample of 182 participants, and using structural equation modelling, the effects of these two aspects of the L2 MSS on L2 WTC, both direct and mediated by instrumental and integrative types of motivation, were examined. The results showed a positive and significant effect on both types of motivation, especially integrative motivation, which translated into an indirect effect on L2 WTC. The Ought-to L2 Self showed a positive direct effect on L2 WTC not mediated by either type of motivation. These findings emphasise the importance of fostering integrative motivation in the development of educational policies and pedagogical practices to encourage L2 use.
The Higher Education system of Kazakhstan has moved from depending on the Soviet legacies toward internationalization, adopting a trilingual education policy, joining the Bologna Process, aligning with the European Higher Education Area, strengthening collaborations with international universities, and fostering academic mobility. As a result, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of English Medium Instruction (EMI) programs offered by Kazakhstani universities. However, despite the growing popularity of EMI, there is very little empirical evidence on university students' transition experiences from non-EMI backgrounds to EMI studies. Using a qualitative research design, this study investigated university students' experiences of EMI studies, particularly their transition from L1 to EMI studies at Kazakhstani universities. Specifically, the study looked at the students' language practices, challenges, beliefs, and management strategies. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus-group discussions with students and instructors from eight purposefully selected EMI universities across five main cities. The findings revealed a divergence in the experiences of students transitioning from non-EMI to EMI contexts. The role of pre-immersion exposure to English, the impact of diverse educational backgrounds, students' coping strategies, and the perceived benefits and opportunities of EMI studies emerged as key findings of this study. Understanding the students' experiences of transition to EMI and associated challenges may help policymakers revisit EMI policies to address the tensions between macro-level EMI policies and the micro-level student struggles, calling to align policy aspirations with on-the-ground realities.
The advent of generative AI marks a pivotal moment for Higher Education, presenting both transformative opportunities and complex challenges. This conceptual paper argues that meaningful learning -defined as deep, critical, and applied knowledge engagement- must be the central objective as universities integrate AI. While AI can personalise educational experiences, automate tasks, and provide adaptive feedback, uncritical adoption risks fostering superficial engagement, intellectual dependency, and the erosion of essential critical skills. The article proposes a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder framework for ethical and inclusive AI integration, positioning AI as an enabler, augmenting human capacities such as reasoning, creativity, and ethical judgment rather than replacing them. Key actions include institutional leadership establishing robust ethical policies and equitable infrastructure, educators cultivating critical AI literacy and metacognitive awareness, students actively engaging with AI tools while critically evaluating their outputs, and employers articulating the competencies and dispositions expected from graduates in AI-mediated professional environments. The article advocates for deliberate, collaborative action to shape an educational landscape where AI empowers human potential. This involves developing a foundational vision for AI that prioritises equitable access and meaningful learning, establishing robust ethical governance with clear policies on academic integrity and data privacy, and strategically investing in infrastructure and capacity building. Finally, the three-phase framework proposed highlights continuous implementation and evaluation through systematic stakeholder feedback. This is crucial for iterative improvement and ensuring AI integration remains aligned with a university's core educational mission, so that graduates will be equipped with technical competencies and the ethical discernment required for an AI-mediated world.
