European Journal of Teaching and Education

Impacts of the TREP Intervention Program on Pre-Service EFL Teachers

Monica Levy — 2025-09-18

As the global teacher shortage continues to grow, the teaching profession is struggling to retain its workforce and attract new candidates. This situation is also prominent in Israel where there has been a decrease in the number of applicants and graduates in all tracks of teacher education in the last few years. The teacher shortage is intensely felt in all core subjects, including in English as a Foreign Language (EFL). This study set out to investigate the impacts of an innovative teaching program, the TREP program, on third year pre-service EFL teachers’ levels of self-efficacy, sense of coherence in teaching situations (SOCITS) and motivation to pursue a career in teaching; and to examine whether these factors influenced their decision to pursue a teaching career upon graduation. This study employed mixed methods: 32 pre-service EFL teachers completed a pre-post questionnaire and kept reflective diaries throughout the TREP program and 22 of them were also interviewed. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, whereas thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. The findings revealed a significant increase in the levels of self-efficacy, SOCITS and two of the motivation factors: perceived teaching ability and intrinsic career values following the participation in the TREP program. The qualitative analysis supported these findings and shed light on the importance of all four components of the TREP program: Teaching, Relationships, Exposure and Pedagogy. Nevertheless, only 53% of the participants decided to pursue a teaching career. Implications for teacher education programs are discussed.

Evaluating Student Communication Skills and User Acceptability of an NLP-Based Automated Essay Grading System

Dennis C Gabon — 2025-09-18

This study examined the effectiveness, user experience, and acceptability of a self–developed Natural Language Processing (NLP)-based automated essay grading (AEG) system in evaluating students' communication skills. The system was tested with 35 IT students and 16 IT teachers from Central Bicol State University of Agriculture – Sipocot, College of Information Technology, to assess its reliability and usability. Results showed that the system provided consistent and objective evaluations, with a Cohen’s kappa value of 0.797, indicating substantial agreement with human grading. Teachers found the system helpful for reducing their grading workload and appreciated its reliability, while students valued the constructive feedback it provided to improve their writing. Both groups rated the system highly for its accuracy, consistency, and fairness. However, the system showed some limitations in assessing more nuanced aspects of communication, such as coherence and relevance, which should be addressed in future enhancements. Overall, this study highlights the potential of AEG systems to support education by providing reliable, efficient, and actionable assessments of communication skills.

Development of Foreign Language Learning Motivation of University Students in Uzbekistan Through English for Specific Purposes Classes

Daler Kironboevich Sirojov — 2025-09-18

This study examines the effect of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classes on the motivation and psychological needs of third-year students at Tashkent State Pedagogical University, Uzbekistan. A total of 91 students participated, with motivation assessed using a 20-item scale based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), which included measures of amotivation, external motivation, identified regulation, and intrinsic motivation. Psychological needs were assessed using a 12-item scale covering autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Pre- and post-tests were conducted to measure changes in motivation and psychological needs following the implementation of 7 ESP lessons. The results revealed that after the intervention, students showed significant improvements in both motivation and psychological needs, with post-test scores showing higher levels than pre-test results. These findings suggest that the ESP material designed for this study positively influenced students' motivation, highlighting the potential of ESP courses to enhance students' engagement and psychological well-being. The study underscores the importance of aligning language instruction with students' specific academic and professional needs to foster motivation and psychological needs and improve learning outcomes.

Leadership for Lasting Impact: The PRAE Framework for Values Alignment and Educator Empowerment

Jessica Bogunovich — 2025-09-18

Educational leaders, whether formally designated through organizational hierarchies or informally recognized through peer influence, have the unique opportunity to enhance the cognitive and emotional well-being of their communities by focusing on values alignment. Professional Reciprocal Altruism in Education (PRAE) is a grounded theory offering educational leaders a practical and compelling framework for integrating values alignment into the professional practices of the faculty they serve. This framework empowers educators across all levels and specialties to cultivate a supportive, inclusive community that values individuals holistically. By leveraging altruism—the predominant motivator for entering the teaching profession—as a shared value, PRAE fosters authentic engagement within the Community of Practice (CoP) among educators. Guiding faculty and related educational professionals through the process of aligning personal values, attitudes, and cultural constructs with those of the CoP enables the integration of the authentic self with the professional identity. This alignment, in turn, strengthens intrinsic motivation and supports ongoing personal and professional growth, benefiting students, communities, the teaching profession, and the educators themselves.

Transforming Language Assessments through AI: Enhancing Accuracy, Efficiency, and Personalization at Abu Dhabi Polytechnic

Bashar Abu Shunnar — 2025-09-18

This research examines the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in language assessments in Abu Dhabi Polytechnic (ADPoly). Using a mixed-methods research design that involved 100 students and 3 lecturers, this research ascertains the effectiveness of AI tools in grading precision, productivity, and personalized feedback. Findings show that AI-based assessments increased grading consistency by 92% with human scores, cut error margins by 15%, and improved personalization of feedback, with a 12% improvement in student performance. Lecturers perceived decreased workload and increased teaching effectiveness, whereas students perceived AI feedback as insightful and supportive of learning. Best practices for embedding AI in academic assessment are documented, along with suggestions for extension of applications across academic domains. Considerations of ethics and practical implementation are discussed, cementing ADPoly's leadership in applying AI for education innovation.

Impact of Use of FETL Model in Mathematics Lessons on Student Achievement and Attitudes in Secondary Schools and Postsecondary Institutions in Guyana

Colin Ferreira — 2025-09-18

The purpose of this quasi-experiment research design was to determine the effect of the FETL Model on student achievement and attitudes. Two Guyanese postsecondary institutions (n = 28 and n = 31) and one secondary school with two experimental groups (n = 21 and n = 26) and two control groups (n = 28 and n = 20) participated. Postsecondary students only completed the survey. For the experimental groups, lessons were designed using the FETL Model which included simulation and gamification applications including Khahoot! and PhET Simulation, whereas lessons for the control groups were taught using traditional teaching methods. One-way ANCOVA revealed that the mathematics progress scores of the students who were instructed using the FETL Model were significantly higher than the test results of the control groups. Survey results indicated that students in secondary and postsecondary institutions had positive attitudes towards the FETL Model use. Implications for policymakers, administrators, teachers, and curriculum designers are discussed.