Synchronous online language lessons (SOLLs) are distinctly different from in-person lessons. Although digital tools, specifically, videoconferencing software, make doing SOLLs possible, these tools have specific affordances and constraints pertaining to how we engage, interact, and relate -- creating new literacy practices. This study reports on a…

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally shifted learning from the traditional classroom approach to online learning. As such, this study used a revision centre as a case study to develop the factors that contribute to the theoretical framework of online peer learning in the higher education sector due to COVID-19. This study also…

Based on the educational hierarchical reproduction theory and the MMI and EMI hypotheses, this paper discusses the impact of the tracking of general and vocational education at the secondary level on higher education opportunity equity among social classes. The study finds that increasing gross enrollment rates of both general high schools and…

Background: The existing literature has predominantly focused on instructor social presence in videos in an asynchronous learning environment and little is known about student social presence on webcam in online learning in the context of COVID-19. Objectives: This paper therefore contrasts students' and teachers' perspectives on student social…

With the COVID-19 outbreak, emergency remote teaching -- an unprepared distant mode of education became the only possible alternative for schools. The present large-scale survey with 3,672 Grade 3 and 9 students, their parents, and 863 teachers/principals was conducted in the metropolitan city of Hong Kong after half a year of school lockdown.…

Children with special educational needs (CSEN) in the early years have been identified as vulnerable to the pandemic restrictions. This study explored the lived experiences of educators teaching CSEN online in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 school closures. Semi-structured interviews with 21 educators revealed that educators perceived the prolonged…

In recent years, AI technologies have been developed to promote students' self-regulated learning (SRL) and proactive learning in digital learning environments. This paper discusses a comparative study between generative AI-based (SRLbot) and rule-based AI chatbots (Nemobot) in a 3-week science learning experience with 74 Secondary 4 students in…

As a consequence of both the political turmoil in late 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic, kindergarten children in Hong Kong were unable to attend school for three years. Various class resumption plans were developed from time to time. Overall, kindergarten children had in-person classes for only 103 days in the 2019-20 year and 174 days in the…

With the rise of digital technologies, digital learning (DL) has created new opportunities and challenges for traditional education. This book aims to: (1) strengthen the mutual understanding and connection between Taiwan and other countries with high digital competitiveness in promoting DL in primary and secondary schools, so as to facilitate the…

This study investigates whether demographics, L2 enjoyment, L2 anxiety, psychological well-being, or informal digital learning of English (IDLE) affect willingness to communicate in L2 (L2 WTC) at trait or state levels. Across two weeks, 16 Hong Kong EFL students completed pre-and post-trait-level surveys and generated 1,120 state-level responses…

This study explores teachers' perspectives with regards to teaching English in virtual classrooms, specifically with regards to teaching English as a second language within the context of emergency remote learning in Hong Kong during COVID-19. Through undertaking thematic analysis of six interviews with English language teachers at a university in…

Emerging research is highlighting the importance of fostering artificial intelligence (AI) literacy among educated citizens of diverse academic backgrounds. However, what to include in such literacy programmes and how to teach literacy is still under-explored. To fill this gap, this study designed and evaluated an AI literacy programme based on a…

During COVID-19, universities are reconfiguring learning environments and increasing flexibility in course offerings. Teachers have found synchronous hybrid teaching challenging with many students preferring online to in-person classroom attendance. Understanding students' decision-making as to where, when and how they choose to learn will be…

The objective of this article is to analyse the development and content of research in the global literature on student agency in higher education (SAHE) based on a bibliometric review of 224 articles published in the Scopus database during the period 2000-2022. VOSviewer, Excel, and Tableau software were used to analyse the texts. The review…

Although Chinese has become one of the most influential second/foreign languages in the world, teaching Chinese as a foreign/second language (CSL/CFL) abroad faces great challenges. M-learning and mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) display great advantages to facilitate second language learning, including CSL/CFL. However, most research was…