Maspul Journal of English Studies

From Retirement to Reinvention: Never Too Old to Participate in Educational Technology Innovation: A Literature Review

2025-09-25T06:16:39+00:00

The rapid development of educational technology demands inclusive innovation, including the involvement of the elderly as a potential resource in such innovation. The increasing population of the elderly globally encourages a new paradigm that views retirement not as the end of productivity, but as a momentum for self-reinvention to contribute to the development of educational technology. This literature review aims to examine the role of the elderly in educational technology innovation through the process of post-retirement self-reinvention and identify supporting and inhibiting factors for their involvement. The results of the study show that the elderly play a role not only as users of technology, but also as contributors of experiences and ideas that enrich digital learning innovation. Active participation of the elderly is supported by age-friendly technology training, community support, inclusive policies, and cross-generational collaboration. This involvement has been shown to improve cognitive function, psychosocial well-being, and strengthen the social networks of the elderly, while addressing the risks of isolation and the digital divide. However, major challenges such as the digital divide, age stereotypes, physical and cognitive barriers remain significant barriers to the participation of the elderly. Effective strategies to overcome these barriers include adaptive training, community mentoring, policies that support technology access, and sustainable technology-based reinvention programs. This study emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach that integrates aspects of technology, pedagogy, and learning content (TPACK) to empower the elderly in educational technology innovation. This study offers a conceptual foundation for formulating policies and programs that promote the active participation of older adults, enabling their optimal contribution to the advancement of educational technology and the enhancement of their quality of life.

Enhancing Student Engagement and Critical Thinking through the AERO Staged Pedagogy in EFL Higher Education

2025-11-17T14:48:53+00:00

This study investigates the implementation of the AERO (Activation → Exploration → Reflection → Outcome) framework as a staged pedagogy to enhance student engagement and critical thinking skills among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners at Universitas Muhammadiyah Enrekang, Indonesia. Employing a mixed-method design with a pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest approach, the research involved 22 undergraduate students enrolled in an academic writing course. Quantitative data were collected through a student engagement questionnaire and a critical thinking test adapted from the Watson–Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA), while qualitative data were obtained from classroom observations and focus group discussions (FGD). Results revealed moderate to high engagement across cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions, supported by qualitative evidence of increased participation, motivation, and collaboration during the staged activities. Although the improvement in critical thinking test scores (M_pre = 3.73; M_post = 4.27) was not statistically significant (p > .05), qualitative findings demonstrated notable cognitive shifts toward analytical, evaluative, and reflective reasoning. The AERO stages fostered progressive scaffolding, transferring learning responsibility from teacher to student while promoting reflective, evidence-based argumentation. Theoretically, this study contributes to EFL pedagogy by linking three engagement dimensions with four critical thinking subskills within a coherent process model. Practically, AERO offers a replicable design framework for fostering student-centered learning, reflective inquiry, and critical literacy in EFL classrooms. Recommendations for future research include extending the intervention period and exploring AERO’s application in digital or hybrid learning contexts.

Literature as Periscope: Using Narrative Discussion to Cultivate Empathy and Moral Reasoning in Students

2025-11-17T14:48:53+00:00

In an era marked by declining empathy and growing social polarization, education faces an urgent task to nurture moral sensitivity and intercultural understanding. This study explores how narrative discussion of literature can foster empathy and moral reasoning among pre-service English teachers in a rural Indonesian university. Adopting a mixed-methods design, the research involved 20 undergraduate students who participated in a six-week intervention integrating literary reading, guided group dialogue, and reflective writing. Quantitative data from the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and Defining Issues Test-2 (DIT-2) were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests, while qualitative data from reflective journals and classroom observations underwent thematic analysis. Results revealed significant improvements in empathy (t(19) = 8.26, p < .001, d = 1.85) and moral reasoning (t(19) = 7.48, p < .001, d = 1.67). Thematic findings highlighted emotional resonance, perspective transformation, and ethical sensitivity as key processes underlying moral growth. The study introduces the Narrative-Driven Empathy Formation Model (NDEFM), explaining how narrative engagement, dialogic reflection, and ethical internalization interact to cultivate moral awareness. Situated within a Southeast Asian, collectivist context, this research extends global theories of moral education by demonstrating that literature-based pedagogy can serve as a culturally responsive approach to developing empathy and ethical reasoning. The findings underscore the potential of literature as both a pedagogical and moral periscope—enabling students to explore, reflect, and act upon the moral complexities of human experience.

Bridging Coursework and Publication: A Model to Help Students Produce Manuscripts Ready for Publication in Scientific Journals

2025-11-17T14:48:53+00:00

The gap between academic coursework and publication readiness remains a significant challenge in higher education, where students often produce high-quality research assignments but lack the skills, confidence, and guidance to transform them into publishable manuscripts. This article introduces the Bridging Coursework and Publication model, a constructivist and publication-oriented pedagogical framework designed to guide students from coursework completion to manuscript submission. The model integrates scaffolded writing stages, peer review, publication simulation, reflective portfolios, and digital tool utilization to enhance students’ academic writing competence, publication literacy, and scholarly identity. A pilot implementation with undergraduate students in a research methodology course demonstrated substantial improvements in manuscript preparation, submission rates, and student engagement. The findings suggest that embedding publication-focused scaffolding within coursework can effectively bridge the gap between academic assignments and scholarly dissemination, fostering a culture of research and publication within higher education institutions. The model offers a replicable framework for curriculum designers, instructors, and policymakers aiming to enhance student research productivity and publication readiness.