Dear Readers,
The editors of IAFOR’s Journal of Education: Technology in Education welcome you to peruse this issue’s collection of articles exploring technology’s continued influence of education! Most notably, a post-pandemic increased comfort with technology-mediated virtual educational settings coupled with the rapid development of AI has moved the field of education to a new normal. The articles in this special issue engage with the challenges and opportunities brought on by this shift as well as the need for newer conceptualisations.
Four of the articles underscore the evolving role of AI and Machine Learning (ML) in education, the opportunities and challenges such evolution poses to traditional teaching and assessment, and the need to equip students and educators with skills necessary to navigate the complexities of AI-driven innovation. The remaining three articles discuss implications of “the virtual,” ranging from the experience of first year students in a hybrid course to techno-pedagogical models for virtual Language learning classrooms to shifting conceptualisations of international students in the age of virtual student exchange programs.
The articles examine these aspects of technology in education using a diverse array of methods including experimental design with intervention, exploratory qualitative inquiry, phenomenological investigation, surveys, and design research. Continuing the diversity of global engagement, this year we offer articles written by authors spanning countries from east to west including South Korea, Japan, Thailand, The Philippines, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Croatia, and Mexico. Thus, supporting IAFOR’s commitment encouraging interdisciplinary discussion, facilitating intercultural awareness, and promoting international exchange, this year we present the following seven thought provoking articles.
Article 1
The first article integrates two theoretical models to provide a nuanced analysis of factors influencing AI adoption in instructional practices by private school teachers in Azerbaijan. The study will be of interest to educators, school administrators, and policymakers as it explores factors such as individual teacher characteristics, perceived usefulness, ease of use, and the broader institutional environment in shaping educators’ willingness to integrate AI in their practice. Bakhadirov, Alasgarova, and Rzayev argue that a supportive policy environment and a culture promoting AI usage among colleagues are pivotal in driving adoption, often more so than individual innovativeness or openness to new experiences.
https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.2.01
Article 2
Article two examines the ethical conundrum of using ChatGPT for writing homework assignments in university settings. Krecar, Kolega, and Jurcec first investigate Croatian students’ attitudes, usage patterns, and ethical considerations about using ChatGPT for writing homework assignments. Second, they assess professors’ abilities to distinguish between student-written and AI-generated content, juxtaposing that with their perception of the efficacy to do so. Although the study found most students’ ethical compass intact, professors’ lack of efficacy to differentiate between student and AI-generated content was concerning. The authors provide a substantive discussion about the way forward for upholding academic integrity given these realities.
https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.2.02
Article 3
Focused on instructional design, the third article delves into how future designers can be educated to effectively utilize ML technologies while maintaining a strong focus on user-centric design principles. ML applications touted to enhance user experience (UX) across various platforms have failed in reality, often due to a misalignment between technological capabilities and actual user needs. The seven-week course developed by Jung and Lee seeks to bridge this gap by fostering a more holistic approach to ML in UX design, where the human element is not just considered but prioritized. The authors provide details of the methodology and course structure, offering valuable insights for educators looking to incorporate critical thinking and the cultivation of innovation in their design curricula.
https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.2.03
Article 4
The fourth article focuses on the significant transformation in the concept of an “international student” brought on by the advent of virtual study abroad programs. Enkhtur and Li highlight the tension between the traditional definitions of mobility, often linked to physical movement across borders, and the new realities of virtual student exchanges that allow for cross-cultural communication and knowledge sharing without the need for physical travel. With the backdrop of the policy pivot from the Japanese government for internationalization of education, the authors, based on student narratives, urge to re-frame discourse in policy circles and university spaces to “internationalization at home.”
https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.2.04
Article 5
The next article investigates the use of AI-powered speech recognition technology to improve English pronunciation and speaking skills of EFL learners. By examining both the measurable impact on language skills and students’ subjective experiences, this study provides valuable insights into the potential of AI-assisted language learning. Dennis situates the study within current debates around the role of AI in language acquisition and pedagogy with implications for language educators, curriculum designers, and developers.
https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.2.05
Article 6
Article six explores the timely topic of how first-year engineering students in The Philippines adjust academically and socially to hybrid learning environments in the post-pandemic era. As universities transition back to more in-person instruction while retaining some online components, understanding students’ experiences with this new modality is crucial for supporting their success. Firmante uses a phenomenological approach to give primacy to student voices through focus groups, observations, and student essays. Although the hybrid modality seems inevitable for flexible and inclusive learning, the author, as a practicing school counsellor, highlights the need for universities to better structure hybrid programs and provide targeted support services to ease first-year students’ transition.
https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.2.06
Article 7
The final article focuses on e-comic strips as a discursive technique for English language learning in virtual classrooms, specifically to enhance lexical competence. Flores-González, Flores, and Hernández describe their techno-pedagogical model mediated by three applications coupled with various individual and collaborative activities, designed for the experimental study. The authors assess the impact of their model based on standardised tests of lexical competency as well as student perceptions of how well the applications fulfil 18 criteria of Technique Feature Analysis. The study found that use of e-comics enhanced creativity, language involvement, and confidence, facilitating a transition from memorization of word lists to extension of lexicon and application in different communicative contexts.
https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.2.07
Overall, given the quality and diversity of articles, we hope you find them thought provoking and inspiring as we navigate the new realities of technology in education.
Devayani Tirthali, Associate Editor
Daniel L. Hoffman, Associate Editor, and
Michael P. Menchaca, Editor
IAFOR Journal of Education: Technology in Education
tech.editor.joe@iafor.org