Journal of Applied Learning and Teaching

What does ‘good teaching’ mean in the AI age?

Jürgen Rudolph, Fiona Xiaofei Tang, Tania Aspland, Vanessa Stafford — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1100

Book review of Leo McCann, Ödül Bozkurt, Rachael Finn, Edward Granter, Carolyn Hunter, Nina Kivinen, Arun Kumar, & Brian Wierman (Eds., 2025). Elgar Encyclopedia of Critical Management Studies. Edward Elgar.

Jürgen Rudolph — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1100

How (not) to use the AI Assessment Scale

Mike Perkins, Jasper Roe, Leon Furze — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +1000

The rapid uptake of generative AI (GenAI) has exposed weaknesses in assessment design and policy. The AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) offers a practical way to align permitted AI use with intended learning outcomes. However, as the scale has grown, we have seen implementations that we feel could be improved: unenforceable ‘No AI’ labels, assigning labels to existing assessments without changing the assessments themselves, equity blind spots, and control-first policies that encourage ‘performance theatre’.

This commentary outlines our recommendations for AIAS implementations that replace detection with design: selecting levels by outcome and conditions, requiring light process evidence where suitable, adjusting criteria to assess judgement and voice, sequencing evidence across time, and planning for equitable access. We highlight sector-specific considerations for implementing and adapting the AIAS for K-12, higher education, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), English as a Foreign Language (EFL), and English for Academic Purposes (EAP).

Book review of Leonardo Veliz (Ed., 2025). Multiculturalism and multilingualism in education. Brill.

Fiona Xiaofei Tang — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +1000

On 3rd March 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a historic executive order designating English as the official language of the United States. Remarkably, this decision marks the first instance of a federally mandated official language since the nation’s founding nearly 250 years ago (Davies, 2025). This political act does not merely symbolise linguistic unification; rather, it exemplifies a broader global resurgence of monocultural and monolingual ideologies, at times escalating into overt hostility towards multilingual and multicultural identities. Indeed, across multiple nations, recent years have witnessed a troubling surge of what might be described as ‘anti-languages madness’ (Lo Bianco, 2025), where nationalist discourses promote exclusionary practices and linguistic intolerance.

Against this troubling global backdrop, we are facing a paradox: while globalisation connects diverse cultures more closely than ever, many nations simultaneously retreat into isolationism. Pluralism, a concept thoughtfully explained by Banks and Banks (2020), is essential; it describes how various cultural identities can co-exist equitably in a shared society. Yet, the deep-seated monolingual mindset remains a stubborn barrier, and superficial diversity initiatives simply are not enough. To make meaningful societal progress, genuine pluralistic approaches are urgently needed (Veliz, 2025).

Education lies at the very heart of this transformative journey. Classrooms around the world are becoming increasingly multicultural and multilingual, challenging traditional educational frameworks. Educators today across all subjects require new tools, training, and perspectives to effectively teach diverse student populations (Tao & Liyanage, 2020). This makes the volume Multiculturalism and Multilingualism in Education (published by Brill in 2025; see Figure 1), edited by Associate Professor Leonardo Veliz who currently serves as Head of Department – Curriculum at the University of New England, particularly timely and prominent.

Investigating the sustainability of Open Universities: Models, opportunities, and challenges

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +1000

With the increased interest towards lifelong learning and the need for a shift from traditional to open universities, several questions were raised about the sustainability of open universities in this rapidly changing technological era and the ongoing geopolitical tension worldwide. To address this research gap, this study conducts a focus group discussion with nine open university leaders on sustainability models, opportunities and challenges of open universities. The results reveal that most of the open universities rely on government funds, which is considered the most guaranteed yet fragile model, in addition to tuition fees. The results further reveal that open universities go beyond the financial dimension to also cover technological and pedagogical dimensions when sustaining themselves, where most open universities are relying on their own developed software, open-source software, and Open Educational Resources to reduce course development costs.

Perceived influence of GenAI on student engagement in online higher education

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +1000

This paper analyses the perceived influence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) on student engagement in online higher education using the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) framework. Drawing on qualitative data from 27 experienced academics across the Australian tertiary sector, the study investigates the perspectives of online educators on how GenAI may influence three core psychological needs that are considered central to student engagement: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The findings reveal that GenAI can enhance student autonomy through personalised learning opportunities, improve competence through real-time feedback and writing support, and support relatedness by enabling inclusive participation for linguistically diverse learners. Nevertheless, the study also identifies key risks, including over-reliance on GenAI, diminished critical thinking, reduced interaction with peers and instructors, reduced collaboration, and concerns around academic integrity. The paper argues that to harness GenAI’s pedagogical potential, higher education institutions must integrate GenAI literacy, student-centred instructional design, and actionable ethical frameworks. With such measures in place, GenAI can evolve from an emerging tool into a major driver of engagement, inclusion, and transformational learning in higher education.