This study explores the dynamics of #AcademicTwitter, investigating user connectivity and mental health attributes amidst pre-COVID-19 societal pressures and the subsequent pandemic onset. Analyzing key actors, we find that institutions and content-driven accounts are more prominent figures in shaping the discourse within this hashtag highlighting…

In recent years, language portraits (LPs) have emerged as a valuable tool for visually representing multilingual learners' linguistic repertoires. However, previous studies have primarily relied on traditional methods of inviting participants to sketch their language portraits on paper using pens and crayons. In this paper, we propose the use of…

WhatsApp messages can be such a rich source for creative and spontaneous language geared toward more individual expression. WhatsApping provides us with a unique view into language and is an interesting prototype for thinking about language use, the various functions of this variety and how it is used to render different kinds of meanings. This…

In this study, the use of a popular mobile social networking platform (WeChat) is investigated for learning Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) in a beginners' course at an Australian university. Driven by practical considerations and major issues with previous literature, student engagement and authentic language used in a WeChat class group are…

This study examined the impact of collaborative pre-task strategic planning followed by rehearsal on the quantity and novelty of content used in task performances when strategic planning is performed in different language conditions in an online classroom. Forty Japanese university students of English as a foreign language (EFL) from two intact…

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 raised concern for those spending time in college classrooms and dormitories. Students faced sudden changes to their lives and relied upon written messages for directives. This study investigated the language of university-based communications, based on models of crisis communication and epidemic…

In this paper, we investigate how highly ranked business schools construct their legitimacy claims by analysing their online organisational communication. We argue that in the case of higher education institutions in general, and business schools in particular, the discursive formation of these legitimacy claims is strongly connected to the…

"English as a lingua franca (ELF)" is a well-known concept for English used as an international contact language among people from diverse linguacultural backgrounds. Using a questionnaire, we explored the attitudes of Spanish and Swedish pre-service primary school teachers towards English and its users after their collaboration on a…

Movies have long been used for teaching in undergraduate science courses. However, embedding movie references (EMR) in science videos is a new trend. This study explored how EMR in YouTube science videos might affect the nature of comments and the process of learning science. Using constructivist grounded theory, we compared comments on two…

Online higher education has become increasingly popular over the last several decades. The COVID-19 pandemic created an additional surge in online course enrollment. While existing research emphasizes the importance of engagement in face-to-face courses, limited knowledge exists regarding design strategies promoting engagement and collaboration in…

This study examined the impact of a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project on Thai Business English students' awareness of intercultural communication and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), along with their communication challenges and strategies. Data were collected through pre-post rating-scale questionnaires, open-ended…

Previous studies have indicated that social media has been used by students to develop speaking skills. Nevertheless, precisely how guided social media (GSM) (usage determined by the instructor) and unguided social media (USM) (freely chosen by students) activities in speaking courses affect their speaking skills and willingness to communicate…

Textism, which refers to the special language used in text messaging, is widely used in several forms of communication, such as texting, online chatting and emails. This increased use of textism has alarmed the media and the public because this special language can impact the academic writing of the younger generation. This paper aimed at…

In this article I describe the transition of a group of university students in Australia into an online learning environment during COVID-19 pandemic disruptions. I reflect upon my intersubjective experiences as the lecturer in an unexpected situation of urgency and physical distancing. Research has acknowledged synchronous virtual learning…

This study examines online interaction through the lens of language-related episodes (LREs), sites where learning is likely to occur given that the speaker is pushed to consciously reflect on and negotiate their language knowledge and use (Swain & Lapkin, 1998). The aim of this research is to inform pedagogical practices by investigating the…