The recent dynamic turn in second language acquisition research has called for an investigation in learner agency by taking its complex dynamic nature into account. Informed by complex dynamic systems theory (CDST), this study investigated the agency of learners in a complex educational context where mainstream schooling and private tutoring…

Private tutoring is a growing industry globally. Past research into the effectiveness of private tutoring has proved inconclusive. Studies dedicated to the non-academic implications of private tutoring are scarce. Using a mixed-method approach, our study examined A-Level students' experiences of private tutoring and their perceptions of benefits…

This study analyses the perceptions of students when learning in an online language learning (OLL) environment using virtual classrooms. The main goals were to find out if students enjoy learning in this manner, if they perceive learning benefits and if they would recommend this method to others. A total of 15 OLL students participated in this…

Modern technologies and World Wide Web open new opportunities for smooth learning process making education more accessible and flexible. Digitalization of modern society has resulted in the transformation of all levels of education leading to the transition from mass education to high quality individual training. In modern context the quality of…

Private tutoring, or shadow education, has become a widespread phenomenon globally. Its growth can be attributed to the expansion of cram schools offering live and video tutoring. This study critically analyses students' perceptions of video-recorded classes. Specifically, it problematises students' preference for video-recorded classes by…

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…

This qualitative study aimed to examine Iranian language teachers' mindsets about language learning and teaching, and the ways in which their mindsets influenced their educational practices. The participants of this study were 20 Iranian language teachers who taught general English courses at private language institutes in a city in central Iran.…

Teacher attrition is a pervasive issue that affects educational systems globally, contributing to significant challenges in maintaining a stable and experienced teaching workforce. While existing research has explored teacher attrition in various educational contexts, there is a scarcity of studies with in-depth qualitative phases specifically…

The shift from meritocracy to parentocracy in contemporary societies has resulted in a situation where children's educational success increasingly depends on parents' wealth and wishes rather than children's ability and efforts. Better-off parents can afford extra learning activities to increase children's competitive edge. This phenomenon is…

While research on second language teacher cognition (SLTC) has significantly developed over the past three decades, this line of inquiry has not paid adequate attention to material development/evaluation as compared to the key role that materials play in teachers' daily practice. In response to this gap, in this study we adopted the theoretical…

Private tutoring has, over the past decades, been a key educational phenomenon for Thai college-bound students, having received both praise and condemnation. This qualitative case study shows that private English tutoring in Thailand has expanded beyond the 'shadow education' discussed by Bray (1999). Five tutor-student pairs were interviewed via…

The purpose of this study is to apply the Technology Acceptance Model to identify the determinants affecting students' behavioural intentions when it comes to using micro-lectures. The conceptual framework included three antecedents of behavioural intentions -- perceived usefulness of micro-lectures; perceived ease of use of micro-lectures; and…

As a social-interactional positive behavior, the flow of compassion (i.e., selfcompassion, compassion for others, and compassion from others), which refers to sensitivity to suffering in self and others with a commitment to try to alleviate and prevent it, has yet to be investigated in a highly social-interactional context such as foreign language…

Studies on the salient role of neoliberalism in education have increased rapidly in recent years. These studies highlighted the presence of neoliberalism in language teaching materials in different contexts. However, research exploring the reality of neoliberal mentality in young learners' (YL) English language teaching (ELT) materials are sparse.…

With a focus on the neglected 'L2 learning experience' component in Dörnyei's L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS), this study investigated secondary students' L2 motivation in the context of online English private tutoring (EPT). Through narrative inquiry, students narrated their EPT experience online and reflected on it in comparison with that in…