Utamax : Journal of Ultimate Research and Trends in Education
Utamax is an International journal publishing about education matters in the low-middle-income and developing countries around the globe, aiming to build bridges between research and policy and to address issues of concern to the different levels and types of education, transversal topics and ‘big issues’ for policy agendas. This includes an active and on-going discussion of national and international education policy. The Journal welcomes cross-disciplinary approaches within the education sector and with other sectors. Utamax is a triannual publication journal, published every March, July and October every year. ISSN : 2685-4252 (Online) and ISSN : 2685-0540 (Print)
LPPM Universitas Lancang Kuning. Pekanbaru. Indonesia
Multimodal Verbal Representations of Environmental Pollution: How Students Construct Meaning through Local Wisdom
Understanding environmental pollution and ecosystem degradation requires students not only to recognise environmental phenomena but also to articulate causal relationships through coherent scientific explanations. However, many students struggle to translate visual, graphical, and contextual information into structured verbal representations, limiting their ability to construct meaningful environmental concepts. While contextual and local wisdom–based learning has increasingly been promoted in science education, empirical evidence on how students develop verbal representations of environmental concepts within an ethnoecological framework remains limited. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates the initial profile of students’ verbal representation skills in constructing knowledge of environmental pollution and damage through an ethnoecological learning perspective. A qualitative descriptive design was employed involving 20 tenth-grade students from SMAN 16 Surabaya selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a verbal representation test designed to measure three indicators: abstraction, relation, and extension across multiple representation types, including visual–verbal, verbal–verbal, graphic–verbal, and mathematical–verbal forms. The findings indicate that students demonstrate the highest achievement in abstraction through visual–verbal representation (100%) and relatively strong performance in verbal–verbal abstraction (84%), suggesting that visual scaffolding effectively supports conceptual explanation. Conversely, lower performance in graphic–verbal tasks indicates difficulties in interpreting data relationships and expressing them through systematic verbal reasoning. These results highlight the critical role of multimodal representation in facilitating conceptual construction within environmental learning contexts. This study contributes novel empirical insight into students’ verbal representation profiles within ethnoecology-based environmental education and provides pedagogical implications for designing multimodal, context-responsive learning strategies that strengthen scientific communication and environmental literacy in secondary education.
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Effectiveness of GASING Training on Elementary Teachers’ Mathematics Competencies in Remote Indonesia
Elementary school teachers in West Papua demonstrate critically low pedagogical competence in basic mathematics instruction, reflecting persistent educational disparities in eastern Indonesia. This study aims to measure the effectiveness of the Gampang, ASyik, and menyenaNGkan (GASING) method in improving teachers’ competence in teaching basic arithmetic operations. It is hypothesized that the GASING training program will significantly improve teachers’ pedagogical competencies across all five arithmetic domains, with larger gains among teachers with lower initial competencies. The research employed a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design with 40 elementary school teachers in South Manokwari who participated in an intensive three-week training (October 21 – November 8, 2025). The research instrument was a competency test measuring five domains: Bakal Kubagi concept, addition, multiplication, subtraction, and division. Data were analyzed using paired samples t-test with SPSS 27. The results showed significant improvements (p<.001) across all competency domains with very large effect sizes (Cohen’s d ranging from 2.32 to 5.21). The mean total score increased from 15.87±16.73 to 79.80±12.31 (gain=63.93±12.98). Eighty percent of teachers achieved the high improvement category (gain>50). A strong negative correlation (r=-.756, p<.001) between initial scores and improvement indicates an equity-enhancing effect. The research concludes that the GASING method is highly effective as a teacher empowerment model in disadvantaged areas, with important implications for professional development policies based on innovative and contextual pedagogy.
Leadership Communication, School Culture, and Teachers’ Organizational Commitment in Selected Islamic Secondary Schools
Educational institutions increasingly face challenges in sustaining teachers’ organizational commitment amid shifting professional expectations and institutional pressures, particularly within private and faith-based schooling contexts. Despite extensive research, prior studies tend to examine leadership, work environment, and school culture in isolation, with limited empirical integration of these variables within a unified structural model that also tests the mediating role of work motivation. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates the direct and indirect relationships among leadership style, work environment, school culture, work motivation, and teachers’ organizational commitment in Muhammadiyah senior high schools. Employing a quantitative explanatory design, data were collected from 72 teachers and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling with the Partial Least Squares approach. The results indicate that leadership style and work environment significantly and positively influence organizational commitment, while school culture does not demonstrate a significant effect. In contrast, work environment and school culture significantly enhance work motivation, whereas leadership style shows no meaningful impact. Importantly, work motivation neither affects organizational commitment nor mediates the relationships between organizational factors and commitment. These findings reveal a structural distinction between professional motivation and institutional attachment, suggesting that commitment is shaped more directly by relational and environmental organizational experiences than by motivational mechanisms. The study offers theoretical refinement by challenging the assumed mediating role of motivation and contributes practical insights for educational leadership by emphasizing the importance of strengthening workplace conditions and participatory leadership to sustain teacher commitment in broader educational systems.
Phenomenological Insights Into Debate Based TBLT for Improving EFL Students’ HOTS
In rapidly evolving 21st-century EFL education, fostering higher-order thinking skills has become a critical priority, yet many classrooms continue to rely on traditional, teacher-centered practices that offer limited cognitive challenge and minimal opportunities for analytical engagement. Addressing this pedagogical gap, the present study investigates how Task-Based Language Teaching empowered through debate activities can serve as an integrative pathway for enhancing learners’ HOTS within an EFL setting. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, data were generated through in depth semi structured interviews that elicited the lecturer’s narratives about task design, classroom enactment, and perceived learning outcomes. The interview transcript was analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six phase thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns in strategies, challenges, and perceived impacts. The findings reveal that carefully scaffolded debate cycles, explicit modeling of argument structures, and sustained language support help students move from surface level participation toward more analytic reasoning, improved fluency, and greater confidence. At the same time, the lecturer reports constraints related to time, uneven language proficiency, and the need for institutional support. Overall, the study demonstrates that debate based TBLT can function as a powerful pedagogical space for integrating language development with higher order thinking. The results contribute phenomenological insights into lecturer agency in shaping cognitively challenging EFL tasks and offer implications for curriculum design, teacher professional development, and policy initiatives that seek to align EFL teaching with global demands for critical, reflective, and socially responsive graduates.
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Consensus-Based Framework for Enhancing Academic Writing Pedagogy in Indonesian Higher Education
Higher education increasingly depends on robust academic writing competence, yet many university students in multilingual and AI-mediated contexts continue to experience persistent difficulties that are not sufficiently addressed by existing pedagogical models. Responding to the absence of a unified, consensus-based framework that integrates feedback literacy, process-oriented pedagogy, affective support, and institutional structures in the Indonesian context, this study employed a three-round Delphi method to elicit and refine expert perspectives on academic writing pedagogy. A purposive sample of fifteen EFL scholars, writing instructors, and curriculum designers from Indonesian universities completed iterative rounds of open-ended questioning and Likert-scale rating, with consensus determined using median scores and interquartile ranges. The findings reveal four core challenges, namely limited feedback literacy, surface-level and product-oriented instruction, affective barriers such as low confidence and anxiety, and fragmented mentoring systems. Experts reached strong consensus on the need for systematic feedback literacy training, the adoption of process-based and technology-supported writing instruction, explicit affective and motivational scaffolding, and institutional mechanisms such as writing centers and structured mentoring. The study culminates in a Consensus-Based Pedagogical Framework that positions academic writing as a cognitive, social, and emotional practice rather than a purely linguistic product. This framework offers a practical roadmap for curriculum developers, policymakers, and instructors, while also contributing to wider debates on the decolonization and digital transformation of academic writing in Global South higher education systems.
Multimodal Video Integration in Primary English Classrooms: Improving First-Grade Students’ Vocabulary Mastery
Early language learning increasingly relies on rich multimodal input to stimulate vocabulary growth and literacy development in young learners, yet systematic evidence on structured video-based vocabulary instruction in Indonesian primary EFL classrooms remains limited. Addressing this gap, this classroom action research examined how vocabulary videos enhance first-grade students’ vocabulary mastery in a private elementary school in Bali. Twenty-two learners participated, with nine low-achieving students receiving focused support. Following two cycles of the Kemmis and McTaggart model, data were gathered through observations, interviews, worksheets, and post-tests. The intervention integrated animated vocabulary videos, guided pronunciation, muted-video guessing tasks, translation scaffolding, and scaffolded writing, complemented by parental involvement through home practice activities. Results revealed consistent improvement, with mean scores increasing from 85.13 in Cycle 1 to 88.60 in Cycle 2, and all target students surpassing the minimum competency benchmark. Qualitative findings indicated heightened motivation, confidence, independent recall, and digital learning habits. The study demonstrates that multimodal video-supported routines, when implemented reflectively and paired with writing and retrieval tasks, foster both receptive and productive vocabulary skills in beginning EFL learners. This work contributes empirical evidence on early digital-media integration in Indonesian EFL settings and underscores the pedagogical value of combining classroom multimedia exposure with guided home engagement. In a wider context, the findings suggest that curriculum designers and early-grade educators should integrate structured video-based vocabulary instruction to support young learners’ foundational language, literacy, and responsible technology habits.
Listening Beyond the Text: Reframing Extensive Listening Through Digital Audiobooks in EFL Contexts
Listening instruction in EFL contexts frequently privileges short, test-oriented audio materials, limiting opportunities for sustained exposure and learner autonomy. While extensive listening has been proposed as a fluency-building approach, its implementation often remains under-supported and narrowly audio-based. Although audiobooks have been explored in reading-while-listening research, their potential to reconceptualize extensive listening as a multimodal, strategy-driven practice remains insufficiently examined. This mixed-method case study investigates how digital audiobooks reshape extensive listening practices in an Indonesian undergraduate EFL classroom. Twenty-five second-semester students participated in a semester-long audiobook-integrated course. Questionnaire results (20-item Likert scale) reveal strong metacognitive engagement, with repetition as the most frequent strategy (M = 67.6%), followed by transcript-supported listening (M = 64.1%), strategy use awareness (M = 63.5%), accent recognition development (M = 62.1%), and playback control utilization (M = 62.1%). However, confidence without textual scaffolding remained moderate (M = 51.7%), indicating transitional listening independence. Thematic interview findings further demonstrate initial accent-related difficulty, followed by increased emotional immersion, vocabulary noticing, and sustained listening motivation. The study reframes extensive listening as a multimodal, self-regulated process in which digital audiobooks function not merely as input sources but as tools for fostering strategic processing, affective engagement, and learner autonomy. By positioning audiobooks within contemporary theories of metacognitive listening and multimodal input, this research contributes to expanding extensive listening pedagogy and offers implications for digitally mediated language instruction in higher education EFL settings. terms, which reviewers will expect given your powerful title.
Reimagining Arabic Instruction: Designing Webtoon Comics as Innovative Qirā’ah Learning Media
Developing effective instructional media is essential to overcome the perception that Arabic qirā’ah (reading) is monotonous and difficult, a challenge that often diminishes students’ motivation and comprehension. Despite the wide use of technology-enhanced learning, studies focusing on Webtoon-based comics for Arabic reading instruction remain limited. This study aims to bridge that gap by designing and validating a digital Arabic comic on the Webtoon platform to improve Grade X students’ reading proficiency at MAN Tanjungbalai. Using a Research and Development (R&D) design with the Three Stages Research and Development (TSRD) model, the process involved needs analysis, storyboard creation, prototype development, expert validation, and classroom trials. The results demonstrate strong evidence of feasibility and effectiveness: material validation scored 75% (valid), media validation reached 86.6% (highly valid), teacher responses averaged 91.4% (highly valid), and student responses 86.5% (highly valid). Teachers emphasized the alignment of visuals and text as strengths, while students highlighted the engaging format and improved comprehension of Arabic texts. The findings confirm that Webtoon-based comics not only increase learners’ motivation but also enhance comprehension, satisfaction, and classroom participation, transforming the perception of Arabic learning from difficult to enjoyable. This study contributes by offering empirical validation of digital comics as innovative instructional media and by demonstrating the integration of popular youth-oriented platforms into formal education. Broader implications suggest that Webtoon-based media can support multimodal literacy, promote learner engagement, and serve as a scalable model for technology-enhanced language instruction in diverse contexts.
Local Wisdom in Script and Spirit: Educational and Policy Insights from Integrating Islamic Teachings with Cultural Heritage
The Qur’anic tafsīr manuscript-copying tradition in Rembang, Central Java, reflects a historically significant mode of Islamic knowledge transmission that remains underrepresented in contemporary Islamic Religious Education (IRE). This study repositions these handwritten Javanese and Pegon-script tafsīr manuscripts as culturally grounded pedagogical resources capable of enriching modern instructional practice. Using a descriptive qualitative design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with Kiai, manuscript custodians, and IRE teachers and students, supported by participant observation and textual analysis of selected archived manuscripts at Masjid Jami Lasem. The findings show that the manuscripts contain vernacular idioms, metaphors, and narrative forms that contextualize Qur’anic teachings within local sociocultural realities, enhancing emotional engagement and spiritual reflection. Eighty-four percent of teachers and students reported improved comprehension compared to rote memorization, and observational data revealed that verses contextualized through local metaphors were interpreted and recalled 30 to 40 percent faster than those taught solely in classical Arabic. Although absent from current curricula, the majority of teachers supported reintegrating these manuscripts to promote dialogical learning, ethical reflection, and culturally responsive pedagogy. The novelty of this research lies in demonstrating that the Rembang manuscript tradition is not merely historical heritage but an evidence-based instructional model that strengthens curriculum localization and fosters transformative learning grounded in indigenous Islamic literacy. More broadly, the study contributes to scholarship on vernacular Islamic education by showing the relevance of heritage-based pedagogy for cultivating meaningful, dialogical, and culturally rooted religious learning in diverse Muslim societies.
Mapping Research on Islamic Education in Higher Education: Insights from Recent Trends Analysis
This study investigates the evolving landscape of Islamic education in higher education by conducting a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 801 Scopus-indexed documents published between 2015 and 2024, aiming to map publication growth, leading contributors, and emerging research themes. Using VOSviewer and Bibliometrix for data visualization and performance analysis, the study identifies a remarkable 453 percent rise in publication output, from 30 documents in 2015 to 166 in 2024, demonstrating a significant surge in scholarly interest. Indonesia emerges as the most productive country with 43.5 percent of total publications, followed by Malaysia at 18 percent and Iran at 11 percent, while English dominates as the primary language of dissemination at 92.6 percent. The analysis reveals strong research concentrations in Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities, accounting for over 65 percent of publications, yet indicates growing interdisciplinary engagement with fields such as Medicine, Computer Science, and Business. Trend and co-occurrence analyses highlight the emergence of gender, public health, digital learning, and artificial intelligence as influential themes, particularly in post-pandemic years. The findings underscore the increasing global relevance of Islamic education research while revealing underexplored domains such as environmental sustainability, technological innovation, and cross-regional collaboration beyond Southeast Asia and the Middle East. This study provides a data-driven foundation for future research agendas, encouraging broader methodological diversity, stronger international partnerships, and deeper exploration of how Islamic education can address contemporary global challenges across academic and societal contexts.
Inclusive EdTech for Special Needs: Extended TAM Predicting Teachers’ Acceptance to Use Educational Games
Inclusive mathematics classrooms increasingly use digital games to support diverse learners, but adoption depends on teachers’ willingness to integrate them into everyday arithmetic instruction. Evidence from Indonesia is still limited, and most studies prioritize student views rather than teachers’ decision making in inclusive settings for students with special needs and neurodivergent profiles. This study examines teachers’ intention to use educational games through an extended Technology Acceptance Model integrating perceived usefulness, enjoyment, ease of use, facilitating conditions, teaching self-efficacy , and compatibility. An online survey of 188 inclusive elementary teachers across Indonesia, collected from August to October 2025, was analyzed using PLS SEM in SmartPLS with bootstrapping (5,000 subsamples). The model shows substantial explanatory power for behavioral intention (R2 = 0.793) and moderate explanation for perceived enjoyment (R2 = 0.530) and perceived usefulness (R2 = 0.496). Behavioral intention is positively predicted by perceived usefulness, enjoyment, facilitating conditions, teaching self-efficacy, and compatibility, while ease of use strengthens intention primarily through its strong effect on enjoyment and its effect on usefulness, supported by significant indirect pathways. These results highlight practical levers for scalable inclusive EdTech, namely designing games that fit classroom routines and curriculum demands, minimizing usability barriers, and strengthening implementation through infrastructure and targeted professional learning. The study contributes a teacher centered acceptance model for game-based arithmetic in inclusive education, extending TAM to a neurodiversity context and informing evidence driven design and policy for equitable learning.
Educational games Neurodivergent Arithmetic Mathematics teacher Technology Acceptance Model
Empowering Junior High Learners: Improving English Proficiency through a Multidimensional Eclectic Strategy
Improving English proficiency among junior high school students in Indonesia remains a pressing concern, especially when conventional methods seems fail to accommodate diverse learning needs. This study investigates the effectiveness of an eclectic teaching approach that combines cognitive, behavioristic, humanistic, and social strategies to enhance students’ English skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The research responds to the lack of instructional methods that engage learners holistically and adaptively. A quasi-experimental design was employed involving 75 students at SMP N 2 Jati Kudus. Students were divided into an experimental group and a control group based on their pre-test scores. The experimental group, consisting of 28 students with scores below 60, received an eclectic intervention over eight weeks, while the control group of 47 students continued with conventional instruction. Data collection included pre-tests and post-tests, as well as questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Quantitative results showed a significant improvement in the experimental group, with the average post-test score rising to 74.48 from a pre-test mean of 61.06. The t-test yielded a value of 7.309 with p = 0.001, indicating a statistically significant difference. The experimental group showed a 38.31 percent increase in performance, with no decline among participants, compared to a 10.94 percent increase in the control group. The findings offer compelling evidence for integrating eclectic strategies in English language instruction and contribute to a growing body of research advocating for differentiated, holistic approaches in education.
Faith-Driven Innovation in Practice: Investigating MBKM within Islamic Higher Education in Indonesia
In an era marked by rapid educational transformation, the Merdeka Belajar-Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) initiative emerges as a critical reform in Indonesian higher education, designed to bridge academic learning with real-world competencies. However, limited research has explored how this policy aligns with the foundational philosophies and pedagogical values of Islamic Higher Education Institutions (IHEIs), which prioritize ethical, spiritual, and intellectual development rooted in maqasid al-shariah. This study examines the implementation of the MBKM program in Islamic Higher Education Institutions (IHEIs) in Indonesia. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and institutional document analysis to explore alignment with Islamic educational philosophy. Thematic coding revealed three major findings: first, MBKM activities such as internships and community service resonate with Islamic principles of service (khidmah) and societal benefit (maslahah); second, institutional resistance and lack of resources hinder integration; and third, MBKM fosters opportunities for curriculum innovation that preserve Islamic identity while enhancing employability. The study contributes to the discourse on educational reform by offering a culturally responsive model of policy adaptation in religious institutions. It also provides actionable recommendations for aligning national policy with faith-based education. These findings have broader implications for advancing inclusive and value-driven higher education that respects religious traditions while embracing modernity.
Ecopedagogic-Based Education to Foster Ecological Awareness in Indonesian Language Learning
Global ecological crises such as climate change, deforestation, and pollution demand the urgent integration of sustainability values into all areas of education, including language learning. Although the Indonesian Language curriculum offers substantial potential to foster ecological awareness, its pedagogical application remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate the integration of eco-pedagogical values within Indonesian Language learning in the context of the Merdeka Curriculum at junior and senior high school levels. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed using content analysis as the central method. Primary data were obtained from national policy documents, Indonesian language textbooks, teaching modules, and curriculum frameworks. These were complemented by interview data from school principals and language teachers across Bali Province, providing insight into both institutional policy and classroom-level implementation. The analysis revealed that ecological themes are consistently embedded in various genres of language texts including descriptive, narrative, expository, and procedural forms. Topics such as biodiversity, natural disasters, environmental ethics, and conservation practices are explicitly integrated into learning materials. Key national programs including the P5 initiative, the Adiwiyata School movement, and Permendikbudristek Number 37 of 2022 play a supportive role in reinforcing these values. The findings indicate that Indonesian Language learning serves a dual purpose by enhancing linguistic competence while simultaneously cultivating students' ecological literacy and ethical responsibility. This study contributes to the advancement of language education that supports sustainable development and encourages environmentally conscious citizenship.
Beyond Technical Skills: The Integration of Language Competence into Professional Identity During International Teaching Practicum
In the context of globalized teacher education, the integration of language competence into the development of professional identity among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) student-teachers remains insufficiently addressed. This study explores how non-native English-speaking student-teachers construct their professional identity through the lens of language competence during international teaching practicums. Employing a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, the research investigates the lived experiences of two Indonesian EFL student-teachers who participated in the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) exchange program. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews and document analysis, including lesson plans, reflective journals, and mentor feedback. The analysis identified four key themes: language competence as a catalyst for identity formation, self-awareness as a foundation for professional growth, the integration of disciplinary knowledge into teaching practice, and student-centered engagement. The findings reveal divergent pathways in identity construction, shaped by how each participant perceived and responded to linguistic challenges. One student-teacher reframed language anxiety as an opportunity for transformation, while the other struggled with persistent self-doubt despite technical preparation. This study addresses a critical gap in teacher education literature by emphasizing how language competence functions as a core element of professional identity, rather than a supplementary skill. The results offer practical implications for designing teacher education curricula that prioritize reflective practice, language support, and identity development. By situating language competence within the broader process of becoming an effective educator, this study contributes to a more holistic understanding of teacher preparation in international and intercultural settings.
Transforming Writing Education: An Investigation of Students' Experiences with Project-Based Learning in Teaching Writing
In response to the pedagogical shift toward more authentic and student-centered learning in higher education, this study investigates the integration of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) in teaching academic writing to English education students in Indonesia. While PjBL has been recognized for fostering collaboration and critical thinking, limited research has explored how students behaviorally, emotionally, and cognitively respond to its implementation in writing instruction. Addressing this gap, a qualitative case study was conducted involving twenty university students who participated in a semester-long PjBL-based writing course. Drawing on data from observations, interviews, and document analysis involving twenty English education students, this study reveals three key findings. Behaviorally, students demonstrated active participation, leadership, and collaborative responsibility, supported by structured peer roles and group accountability mechanisms, although a few exhibited passive involvements due to unequal workload distribution. Emotionally, most students experienced enthusiasm and a sense of accomplishment, particularly during topic selection and final submission, but some expressed anxiety related to public presentation and frustration over imbalanced team contributions. Cognitively, students showed marked improvements in brainstorming, organizing arguments, and revising drafts, guided by visual tools, feedback, and reflective journaling, which enhanced their critical thinking and writing cohesion. These findings highlight PjBL as a transformative pedagogy that fosters technical skills, autonomy, emotional resilience, and cognitive engagement. By offering an integrated view of students’ experiences, the study advocates for strategies that support collaboration, emotional support, and metacognitive awareness in academic writing, with broader implications for advancing student-centered learning in higher education.
Investigating Critical Thinking Indicators in the Context of Algebra Problem Solving: A Study in Indonesia
Developing students’ critical thinking in mathematics, particularly in algebra problem solving, is crucial for enhancing conceptual understanding and mathematical reasoning. Although critical thinking has been widely studied, limited research has specifically examined how Indonesian students demonstrate critical thinking in algebra tasks, especially in the evaluation stage. This study investigates how students engage with four key indicators of critical thinking: Analysis, Strategy, Inference, and Evaluation, during algebra problem solving. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed, involving six purposively selected eleventh-grade students from Senior High School 5 Tegal, categorized into high, medium, and low levels of critical thinking ability. Data were gathered through classroom tests, structured observations, and in-depth interviews, then analyzed using thematic coding with triangulation to ensure credibility. The results indicate that students with high critical thinking levels were able to perform all four indicators effectively, while those at the medium level showed inconsistent performance, particularly in the inference and evaluation stages. Students with low critical thinking levels struggled to identify mathematical structures, often applying procedures without conceptual clarity. These findings suggest that the quality of students’ critical thinking is closely related to their algebraic understanding and ability to apply reasoning strategies. This study highlights the underexplored evaluation dimension of critical thinking, offering new insights into how students validate and justify solutions in mathematics. The findings underscore the need for instructional practices that support reflective thinking, encourage reasoning, and promote deeper engagement with mathematical problems. Further research is recommended to explore how these skills develop across time and educational contexts.
Algebra Critical thinking Mathematics Metacognition Problem Solving Student thinking processes
Acting, Guessing, Learning: Communicative Games as a Strategy to Boost Vocabulary Mastery in Young EFL Learners
Vocabulary knowledge is a cornerstone of language proficiency and serves as the foundation for effective communication in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. Yet, many young learners continue to struggle with vocabulary retention when taught through conventional approaches, which are often limited to rote memorization and isolated word lists. Responding to this gap, the present study investigates the effectiveness of communicative games as an engaging instructional strategy to enhance vocabulary mastery among young EFL learners. Employing a pre-experimental design with one-group pre-test and post-test, 21 participants from Ganesha English College in Lubuklinggau were assessed through multiple-choice vocabulary tests. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, minimum mastery criteria comparison, and paired sample t-tests. The findings reveal a significant improvement in learners’ vocabulary scores after the treatment, confirming that communicative games foster not only better retention but also deeper word association in meaningful contexts. These results demonstrate that communicative games create an interactive and enjoyable learning environment, motivating learners to actively engage with new vocabulary. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on game-based language learning by highlighting communicative games as a practical and effective pedagogical tool in EFL classrooms. The implications extend to broader educational contexts, suggesting that integrating interactive game-based methods can support vocabulary acquisition, enhance communicative competence, and inform curriculum design for young learners in diverse EFL settings.
AI-Generated Assignments: Lecturers’ Perspectives on Linguistic Integrity and Pedagogical Strategies in Higher Education
The rapid proliferation of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in higher education has fundamentally reshaped academic writing practices while simultaneously raising serious concerns about academic and linguistic integrity. Within language education, this transformation creates a critical tension between technological efficiency and the preservation of authentic student learning. Addressing this emerging challenge, the present study investigates lecturers’ perspectives on AI generated assignments with particular attention to linguistic integrity and pedagogical responses in the TBI Study Program at Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara. Using a mixed methods design, the study combined a survey of 20 lecturers with semi structured interviews involving 10 purposively selected participants who regularly assess student assignments. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while interview transcripts were examined through thematic analysis to identify patterns related to authenticity, assessment practices, and institutional support. The findings reveal that the majority of lecturers have encountered AI generated assignments that demonstrate high grammatical accuracy but frequently lack originality, critical engagement, and a recognizable student voice. Lecturers also reported growing concerns that excessive reliance on AI weakens students’ critical thinking and reflective learning processes. In response, educators employ strategies such as drafts, reflective commentaries, oral defenses, and multimodal assessments to emphasize learning processes rather than final products. The study also highlights the lack of clear institutional policies on AI use in assignments and shows how language educators navigate the tension between technological innovation and academic authenticity, informing the development of AI aware pedagogical frameworks and policies that safeguard linguistic integrity in higher education.
Challenges and Strategies in Navigating the TOEFL Reading Section Among Selected Indonesian EFL Learners
In an era where English proficiency dictates global academic and professional mobility, mastering the TOEFL Reading section remains a significant hurdle for many Indonesian EFL learners. Despite familiarity with widely endorsed strategies such as skimming, scanning, and vocabulary enhancement, consistent application under exam pressure remains elusive. This study addresses a critical gap in existing research by investigating not only the types of challenges faced by TOEFL takers but also the cognitive and strategic dissonances that hinder their performance. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study collected quantitative data from the reading scores of 15 test-takers at an English Language Center in Tondano, North Sulawesi, and complemented it with qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal persistent difficulties in time management, complex vocabulary processing, and inference-based questions, despite students’ awareness of effective strategies. Notably, the study uncovers that the mere knowledge of techniques is insufficient without strategic internalization, adaptive focus, and real-time cognitive flexibility. Students identified vocabulary expansion, active reading, and timed practice as the most impactful strategies, yet gaps between awareness and execution remain. The study’s contribution lies in offering a nuanced understanding of these strategic breakdowns and advocating for targeted pedagogical interventions, including strategy-focused curricula and individualized practice modules. These findings hold wider implications for TOEFL preparation programs, suggesting the need for personalized, cognition-aware teaching models that not only transmit strategies but also cultivate their consistent application in high-stakes contexts.
Tracing Educational Concepts in the Qur’an: A Semantic Meaning Approach to Holistic Learning
In an era shaped by fragmented educational ideals and ethical uncertainty, the pursuit of integrative learning models has become increasingly critical. Although the Qur'an is widely regarded as a source of moral and intellectual guidance, its semantic construction of educational concepts remains largely unexplored within contemporary holistic education discourse. This study addresses that gap by applying Izutsu’s semantic analysis to examine how the Qur’an presents a comprehensive vision of education that integrates intellectual, spiritual, moral, and social dimensions. Employing a case study approach within an interpretive paradigm, the research systematically identifies and analyzes six key educational terms drawn from the Qur'anic text. These terms are tarbiyah (nurturing growth), ta’lim (teaching and imparting knowledge), ta’aruf (mutual recognition and understanding), tazkiyah (purification and self-enhancement), ta’dib (discipline and character refinement), and ta’alluq (connection and meaningful attachment). Through meticulous semantic tracing and cross-validation with classical exegetical sources, the study reveals how these terms form an interconnected conceptual network reflecting the Qur’an's holistic perspective on human development. The findings suggest that this educational framework emerged as a response to pre-Islamic social inequalities, the limited accessibility of knowledge, and the need for education to drive personal and societal transformation. By integrating Islamic educational philosophy with humanistic and posthumanistic theories, the study contributes a culturally grounded yet globally relevant model of education. Its implications extend to curriculum design, teacher preparation, and policy reform, affirming the Qur’anic vision of education as a transformative process that cultivates ethical, inclusive, and ecologically conscious individuals equipped for the complexities of modern life.
Innovation in Inferential Statistics Learning: Predict, Observe, and Explain (POE)-Based Teaching Materials to Optimizing Adaptive Reasoning
Inferential statistics is a cornerstone of higher education mathematics that equips students with essential skills for evidence-based decision-making, yet many undergraduates continue to face persistent difficulties in applying adaptive reasoning, particularly in hypothesis testing, regression analysis, and data interpretation. Conventional lecture-based and textbook-driven approaches tend to focus on computational procedures, leaving a crucial gap in cultivating reasoning and reflective thinking. Addressing this challenge, the present study developed Predict-Observe-Explain (POE)-based teaching materials explicitly designed to optimize adaptive reasoning in inferential statistics learning. Using a developmental research design guided by the Hannafin and Peck model, the study progressed through needs assessment, design, development, implementation, and continuous evaluation. Validity was established through expert reviews of content accuracy, pedagogical coherence, and presentation quality, while practicality was assessed via small- and large-group trials with undergraduate mathematics education students at IAIN Kerinci. Findings demonstrated high validity (90.75%) and acceptable practicality (77.6%), affirming the feasibility of integrating POE-based materials into undergraduate statistics instruction. By embedding prediction, observation, and explanation tasks into statistical problem-solving, the materials promoted students’ logical reasoning and improved their ability to justify conclusions. This study extends the POE approach beyond its common use in science education to abstract mathematical contexts, providing an empirically validated instructional innovation that fosters higher-order reasoning. The findings contribute to enhancing curriculum design in mathematics education and support global priorities for advancing critical thinking, problem-solving, and data literacy as central competencies for twenty-first century learning.
Predict–Observe–Explain (POE) Inferential statistics Adaptive reasoning Critical thinking skills Skills in statistics
Investigating EFL Teachers’ Perceptions on the Implementation of Higher Order Thinking Skills in Semi-Urban Area
The implementation of Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) within Indonesia's Merdeka Curriculum has brought increasing attention to the development of critical and creative thinking across subjects. However, limited research has examined how English teachers, particularly in rural or semi-urban areas, perceive and apply HOTS-based assessment. This qualitative study addresses that gap by exploring the perceptions, confidence levels, and challenges experienced by junior secondary school English teachers when implementing HOTS. A two-day focus group discussion involving seven purposively selected teachers, followed by an open-ended questionnaire, served as the main data collection methods. Thematic analysis revealed that initial misconceptions linked HOTS to difficulty and content complexity. However, through collaborative discussions, participants gradually recognized HOTS as a pedagogical tool that fosters analytical, evaluative, and creative thinking in language learning. The study also found that teachers' confidence in designing HOTS-based assessments increased after the intervention, although they continued to face contextual barriers such as insufficient resources and limited student readiness. These findings indicate the need for continuous, context-sensitive professional development programs that not only enhance teacher understanding but also provide practical support. The study contributes to broader discussions on equitable curriculum reform by emphasizing the importance of empowering teachers in less advantaged regions. Its implications call for sustained investment in training strategies that ensure the effective integration of HOTS in English language education across diverse educational environments.
Multilingual Realities in ESP Context: Learner Perspectives on Effective ESP Pedagogy in Diverse Classrooms
In an era where global communication increasingly depends on multilingual competence, ESP classrooms are no longer linguistically uniform spaces but dynamic sites of negotiation between languages, identities, and professional demands. Yet, despite this reality, ESP pedagogy continues to be shaped largely by monolingual assumptions that overlook how learners actively navigate multiple linguistic resources in meaning-making. Existing studies have predominantly focused on needs analysis and material design, with limited attention to learners’ situated voices in multilingual vocational contexts. Moreover, prior research has rarely extended extensive listening theory beyond traditional reading while listening paradigms, leaving a critical gap in understanding how listening-oriented meaning construction operates in multilingual ESP environments. Addressing this gap, the study adopts a mixed-method case study design involving 45 cadets at Politeknik Pelayaran Sulawesi Utara from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and open-ended responses, analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results show 70% of participants prefer bilingual instruction combining English and Indonesian, while 20% favor full English and 10% support inclusion of local languages. Regarding pedagogical preferences, Task-Based Learning (25%), Collaborative Learning (20%), and Role Play (18%) emerged as most effective approaches, whereas lecturing (5%) and grammar translation (10%) were less favored. Furthermore, 49% of students perceived the multilingual environment as supportive, 29% as neutral, and 22% as challenging. These findings position multilingualism as a pedagogical resource facilitated through translanguaging and interactive practices. The study contributes by advancing learner-centered ESP pedagogy and recontextualizing extensive listening within multilingual contexts, with implications for adaptive curriculum design, teacher development, and inclusive language policy in global education.
Targeted Learning with Speaking Worksheets: Advancing Professional Communication Skills in EFL Higher Education
As English becomes the lingua franca of professional communication, many higher education institutions still overlook the importance of equipping EFL learners with targeted speaking skills for real-world occupational settings. This study responds to that pressing educational need by exploring the effectiveness of structured speaking worksheets in enhancing students' speaking proficiency and overall engagement in a professional communication course. Conducted through a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, the research involved 60 undergraduate English Education students at Tadulako University who were divided into an experimental group using speaking worksheets and a control group receiving conventional instruction. Students' speaking performance was evaluated across five critical dimensions: grammar, pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary, and contextual appropriateness. Engagement levels were measured using structured questionnaires. The results revealed a clear improvement in the speaking abilities of students who used the worksheets, accompanied by stronger motivation, enhanced self-confidence, and increased critical thinking. These gains, when compared to the outcomes of the control group, indicate the pedagogical value of incorporating structured, context-driven speaking materials into classroom instruction. Rather than functioning as simple practice tools, speaking worksheets emerged as dynamic resources that promoted learner agency, active participation, and deeper communicative competence. This study advances English for Professional Purposes by providing empirical support for using responsive, scenario-based materials in EFL instruction. It highlights the value of task-based, learner-centered approaches that connect academic learning with future workplace communication.
AI as Pedagogical Partner: ELT Teachers’ Strategies and Dilemmas in Everyday Classroom Use
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping English Language Teaching (ELT), yet what teachers actually do with AI in everyday classrooms is still poorly documented. Addressing this gap, this study examines how ELT teachers integrate AI as a pedagogical partner, the extent of its classroom use, and the dilemmas that accompany it. Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, survey data were first collected from thirty secondary and tertiary ELT teachers who already used AI tools, followed by in depth interviews with five purposively selected participants to explain and deepen the survey patterns. Descriptive statistics show moderately high levels of AI engagement, with reported classroom use ranging from about 60 to 95 percent, most teachers rating AI effectiveness at 4 or 5 on a five point scale, and challenge ratings clustering at 3 or above, indicating that benefits and barriers are experienced simultaneously. Thematic analysis of interview data reveals that teachers employ AI for AI assisted peer review, chatbot supported speaking tasks, data informed lesson planning, and real time language feedback that together enhance student participation and instructional efficiency. At the same time, teachers struggle with unequal access to devices and connectivity, limited institutional training, ethical concerns about data use and academic integrity, and the risk of student over reliance on AI. The study contributes a grounded, teacher centred account of AI integration in ELT and calls for sustained professional development, equitable infrastructure, and clear institutional guidelines so that AI can support more ethical, inclusive, and human centred language education.
Enhancing EFL Reading Comprehension via an AI-Chatbot-Guided Toulmin Mapping in Viat-Map
The growing demand for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) proficiency necessitates innovative approaches that go beyond conventional reading practices, which often emphasize translation and literal comprehension without fostering critical thinking. Although the Toulmin Argumentation Model has proven effective in enhancing logical structuring skills, it remains insufficient in supporting higher-order thinking without additional scaffolding. This study bridges that gap by embedding an AI-powered chatbot, driven by a Large Language Model (LLM), into the Viat-Map system to promote reflective engagement and argument construction during reading tasks. Using a quantitative pre-test and post-test design, 16 university students engaged with the AI-enhanced system over two weeks. Findings reveal a significant improvement in comprehension performance (p < 0.01), with the number of interaction steps emerging as the strongest predictor of learning gain (r = 0.482, p < 0.05). Time alone did not significantly affect outcomes, yet its combination with active interaction produced a moderate synergistic effect (p = 0.041, η² = 0.16). These results underscore that active learner engagement, rather than mere exposure time, is the critical factor for meaningful comprehension improvement. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating how AI-driven Toulmin mapping effectively cultivates deeper comprehension and critical reasoning. In a larger perspective, this research signals the possibility of reimagining global language education through intelligent systems that foster autonomy, equity, and inclusivity in diverse learning environments.
A Bibliometric Study of Communicative Language Teaching in Indonesian High School and Vocational School
The global shift toward communication-driven education has positioned Communicative Language Instruction (CLI) as a vital approach in teaching English, particularly in Indonesian secondary and vocational schools. Despite its increasing application, a systematic understanding of CLI's scholarly development remains limited. This study aims to fill that gap through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of CLI research published between 2014 and 2024. Using structured searches across Google Scholar, Scopus, and Dimensions, an initial dataset of 223 articles was collected. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria focusing on peer-reviewed studies in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, a total of 97 articles were selected for analysis. Bibliometric tools including VOSviewer and Publish or Perish (PoP) were employed to examine metadata such as publication trends, authorship patterns, keyword frequencies, and country distributions. The results show a substantial rise in CLI-related publications, from 7 in 2014 to a peak of 29 in both 2021 and 2022. Indonesia produced the highest number of studies (n = 11), followed by Iran (n = 10). Keyword co-occurrence revealed dominant themes such as "language teaching," "practice," and "interaction," with a strong emphasis on English for Specific Purposes (ESP), particularly in tourism and hospitality. Citation mapping identified three major research clusters and emerging authors contributing to this field. These findings highlight the growing relevance of CLI in vocational education and underscore the importance of integrating ESP content, intercultural competence, and technology-enhanced learning to prepare students for participation in an increasingly globalized workforce.
Engage, Play, Learn: A Systematic Literature Review on the Impact of Gamification on Young Learners’ English Skills
This systematic literature review investigates the impact of gamification on young learners’ English language skill acquisition, addressing a research gap in understanding its specific contributions to engagement, motivation, and academic outcomes. By analyzing 26 peer-reviewed articles published between 2019 and 2024, sourced from Crossref, Scopus, and Semantic Scholar, this study categorizes findings into four themes: learner autonomy and motivation, vocabulary mastery, classroom participation and academic achievement, and intrinsic motivation. The results reveal that gamification significantly enhances learner autonomy and intrinsic engagement by integrating game-like elements such as leaderboards and progress trackers. Vocabulary acquisition benefits from contextualized and repetitive gamified activities, which improve retention and recall. Gamification also fosters classroom participation and academic success by creating inclusive and interactive learning environments, often aligned with cognitive frameworks like Bloom’s Taxonomy. However, the review identifies challenges such as inconsistent methodologies, technical limitations, and the novelty effect, which can influence the sustainability of gamification’s benefits. Despite these limitations, this study underscores gamification’s transformative potential in fostering dynamic, learner-centered environments that align with modern educational goals. The findings emphasize the need for thoughtfully designed gamified strategies that address diverse learner needs while promoting intrinsic motivation and sustained engagement. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies, the differential effects of competitive and collaborative gamification, and the integration of emerging technologies like AI and VR to further optimize gamified language education. These insights provide a foundation for innovative curriculum development and policy-making in education.
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Multicultural Representation in Sopo Jarwo Cartoon Series for The Reinforcement of Global Diversity Awareness
This study addresses the gap in integrating multicultural education into primary school curricula by utilizing digital media, specifically the Sopo Jarwo animated series. While prior research highlights the significance of multicultural education in fostering inclusivity and global diversity awareness, few studies have explored the role of animated media in achieving these objectives. This research aims to analyze the multicultural values embedded in Sopo Jarwo and evaluate their potential to strengthen the Pancasila Student Profile in elementary schools. Employing a qualitative descriptive case study approach, the study examined the first ten episodes of the series using semiotic analysis and Miles and Huberman's interactive model. Data were collected through non-participatory observation, transcription of dialogues, and annotation of visual and contextual elements. The findings reveal that Sopo Jarwo portrays key multicultural values, including portrays tolerance as a conflict resolution mechanism, community cooperation, interethnic harmony and inclusivity, also cross-generational learning through relatable characters and engaging narratives. These values are aligned with Indonesia’s Pancasila principles and hold significant educational potential. This research contributes to the growing discourse on media-based education and offers practical implications for curriculum development. By showcasing the educational value of digital media, this study underscores its broader relevance in fostering global awareness and cultural harmony in increasingly diverse societies.