ESL LEARNERS’ ACCEPTANCE OF A DIGITAL EDUCATIONAL ESCAPE ROOM (DEER) FOR DISCOURSE COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT

Students’ learning outcomes in Informatics remain a challenge when conventional instructional media offer limited interaction, contributing to passive engagement and difficulties understanding learning materials. This study examined changes in Grade X students’ learning outcomes after the implementation of Wordwall-assisted interactive learning media for the Computer Systems topic at SMAN 1 Sawahlunto, Indonesia. A quantitative approach was employed using a pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design involving 30 students from class X E4. Students completed a multiple-choice achievement test before instruction, participated in Computer Systems learning activities supported by Wordwall, and completed a posttest afterward. The intervention incorporated game-based activities to support practice and engagement; however, the research records did not specify its duration. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired-samples t-test, with normalized gain (N-Gain) used to assess the level of improvement. The mean score increased from 53.67 on the pretest to 77.67 on the posttest, a difference of 24.00 points. The paired-samples t-test identified a statistically significant difference between scores (t = 8.664, df = 29, p < 0.001). The mean N-Gain was 0.538, indicating moderate improvement. These results show that students’ scores were higher after the Wordwall-assisted learning intervention. Nevertheless, the study did not include a control group, the observed change cannot be attributed to Wordwall alone; instructional or testing-related factors may also have contributed. Wordwall therefore be considered a useful supplementary medium for Informatics instruction, while further studies using control groups, larger samples, and documented intervention durations are needed to strengthen conclusions about its effectiveness.

This conceptual narrative review stems from a doctoral study that focuses on the teaching of values in the implementation of the secondary school curriculum in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean secondary school history curriculum provides for values inculcation grounded on Ubuntu. However, despite expansive research on the implications of Ubuntu on instructional practice, there is a gap on how it informs pedagogy for values teaching in secondary school history education. The study employed a qualitative approach which enabled an indepth exploration. The review focused on twelve papers on Ubuntu’s application on pedagogy and ten on values pedagogy in secondary school history education that were obtained from Scopus, Google Scholar and ERIC academic databases. Keywords such as Ubuntu and pedagogy, values education and secondary school history education as well as abstracts were used to select the reviewed papers. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse data which involved coding of relevant information to develop themes. Findings show that Ubuntu oriented pedagogy is interactive, practical oriented, learner centered and speaks to the experiences of learners. This paper provides insights on how history teachers can translate Ubuntu pedagogy to instil values in secondary school history education. For this to be effective, we recommend staff development of history teachers by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, use of diverse learner centered pedagogy in history lessons by history teachers and provision of multimedia to secondary schools by relevant stakeholders to ensure creation of engaging learning experiences in the implementation of the history curriculum.

Abstract Online education in Japanese universities expanded rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, exposing both the genuine value of flexible learning formats and the structural conditions required to make them effective. While students consistently appreciated the temporal and spatial autonomy of online study, research has identified persistent challenges including isolation, physical and psychological fatigue, assignment overload, declining motivation, and inequities in digital access and ICT literacy. This paper presents a narrative synthesis of recent empirical studies on online learning in Japanese higher education, arguing that student success is associated with the coordinated integration of three interdependent dimensions. Drawing on national surveys, institutional reports, and case-based research, the paper proposes the Flexibility–Structure–Support (FSS) Model, in which flexibility without adequate pedagogical structure may increase the risk of disengagement, while structure without sufficient institutional support may contribute to uneven and inequitable learning experiences. Effective instructional design—integrating active learning, motivating assignments, meaningful feedback, and blended formats—must be accompanied by investment in infrastructure, systematic faculty development, and explicit support for student self-regulated learning. Implications for course design, program coordination, and institutional policy are discussed, along with limitations and directions for future research.

Holistic student development has become a fundamental indicator of educational quality in early childhood education because it encompasses children's cognitive, socio-emotional, physical, moral, and spiritual development. Despite increasing attention being given to holistic education in Malaysia, empirical evidence explaining how instructional leadership, educator commitment, and educator motivation contribute to holistic student development within KEMAS preschools remains limited. This study therefore examined the levels, relationships, and predictive influence of instructional leadership, educator commitment, and educator motivation on holistic student development among KEMAS preschool educators in the Northern Zone of Malaysia. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed involving 313 educators selected from a population of approximately 1,700 educators across Kedah, Perak, and Pulau Pinang. Data were collected using structured questionnaires adapted from established instruments and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation, and Stepwise Multiple Linear Regression using SPSS. The findings indicated that instructional leadership, educator commitment, educator motivation, and holistic student development were all perceived at high levels. Significant positive relationships were identified between all independent variables and holistic student development. Stepwise regression analysis further revealed that extrinsic motivation emerged as the strongest predictor, followed by intrinsic motivation, providing incentives to students, and defining school mission and goals. Collectively, these predictors explained 42.1% of the variance in holistic student development. The findings provide empirical evidence supporting leadership enhancement, educator motivation, and evidence-based policymaking to strengthen preschool educational quality within KEMAS.

Quality higher education plays a vital role in sustainable development by equipping graduates with knowledge, competencies, and skills required for economic and societal development. This study examined the relationship between instructional strategies and the employability skills of undergraduate students in the School of Art and Industrial Design at Kyambogo University, Uganda. Specifically, it investigated the relationships between cooperative teaching, collaborative teaching, inquiry/discovery learning, independent study, experiential (authentic) learning, project-based learning, and students’ employability skills. The study adopted a quantitative approach using a correlational research design. Data were collected from 378 third-year undergraduate students using a structured self-administered questionnaire. Pearson’s product-moment correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to determine the direction and statistical associations between instructional strategies and employability skills. Findings showed that cooperative teaching, inquiry/discovery learning, and experiential teaching had positive statistically significant associations with employability skills, whereas collaborative teaching had a negative statistical association. Independent study and project-based teaching had no statistically significant unique associations with employability skills. Inquiry/discovery teaching demonstrated the strongest statistical association with employability skills among the strategies examined. The study concluded that instructional strategies had different statistical associations with employability skills and that learner-centred approaches are most beneficial when they actively engage students in cooperative, inquiry-oriented, and authentic learning experiences aligned with intended graduate outcomes. The study recommended strengthening cooperative, inquiry, and experiential teaching through structured group tasks, inquiry-based activities, and authentic practical experiences. It further recommended improving the design and implementation of collaborative, independent, and project-based learning to enhance their contribution to graduate employability skills.