International Journal of Educational Narratives

Student-Athletes’ Narratives of English Learning Needs in Special Sports Classes: Implications for Contextual ESP Instruction

Khairunnisa Nasution, Joko Priyana — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background. Student-athletes in special sports classes represent a unique group with dual demands in academic learning and intensive athletic training. Limited study time, physical fatigue, and the need for international communication in sports make their English learning needs distinct and academically important to investigate. However, these specific needs are often not adequately addressed in conventional English classrooms.

Purpose. This study aims to analyze the English learning needs of junior high school student-athletes to inform more contextual and relevant ESP instruction.

Method. This study employed a descriptive quantitative design involving 58 student-athletes. Data were collected through a needs analysis questionnaire focusing on target needs and learning needs. The analysis highlights students’ perspectives, preferences, and learning challenges as a basis for identifying effective instructional strategies.

Results. The findings reveal that students prioritize speaking skills as the most essential for their future athletic communication, followed by listening skills. Students expressed a preference for interactive and engaging learning media such as games and videos, reflecting their need for dynamic and practice-oriented activities. Most participants identified themselves at an elementary level of English proficiency, with key difficulties in vocabulary, pronunciation, and fluency. In addition, students showed a strong preference for kinaesthetic learning styles and outdoor learning environments, indicating the importance of movement-based and experiential learning. These findings reflect student voices and learning experiences that emphasize the need for more engaging and context-relevant instruction.

Conclusion. The study concludes that English instruction for student-athletes should be designed using contextual, communicative, and multisensory approaches that align with their lived learning experiences. These findings provide practical implications for developing ESP-based materials and strategies that support both academic development and athletic performance.

The Effectiveness of Audio-Visual Learning Media in Improving Arabic Speaking, Listening, and Vocabulary Skills: Evidence from Indonesian Students

Muh. Fihris Khalik — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background. The increasing demands of global communication and the integration of technology in education have highlighted the importance of mastering foreign languages, including Arabic. However, many university students continue to demonstrate low proficiency in Arabic, particularly in speaking and listening skills. This issue is often associated with limited variation in instructional

Purpose. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of audio-visual media as a tool for strengthening Arabic language competency, particularly in speaking, listening, and vocabulary mastery.

Method. This research employed a quantitative quasi-experimental design involving two groups: an experimental group that utilized audio-visual media and a control group that applied conventional learning methods.

Results. The findings revealed that students in the experimental group showed significant improvement in speaking, listening, and vocabulary skills compared to those in the control group. Statistical analysis confirmed a significant difference in the mean scores, indicating that the use of audio-visual media had a positive and measurable impact on enhancing Arabic language competency.

Conclusion. The study concludes that audio-visual media is an effective and engaging learning strategy for improving Arabic language skills. Its implementation not only enhances students’ comprehension and participation but also supports their readiness to meet the challenges of modern, technology-driven learning environments.

Leading for Resilience and Equity: The Role of Innovative School Leadership in Mitigating Crisis and Fostering Inclusive Learning Environments

Choiruddin Choiruddin, Bounmy Xaypanya, Sulistyorini Sulistyorini — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing educational crises have exposed the inadequacy of traditional leadership models in maintaining continuity and inclusivity.

Purpose: This study aims to explore how innovative school leadership strategies can promote resilience and equity while ensuring access for all students during disruptions.

Method: A mixed-methods research design was implemented, integrating quantitative surveys with qualitative case studies of school leaders in crisis-prone regions.

Results: The findings identified that leadership strategies focusing on flexibility, staff training, and community engagement significantly improved school resilience and marginalized student participation.

Conclusion: The study concludes that a holistic and adaptive leadership approach is essential for maintaining equitable educational opportunities and building crisis-resilient school systems.

Digital Storytelling for Sustainability Education: Examining Its Impact on Pro-Environmental Behavior

Rina Farah, Zain Nizam, Rahmi Setiawati — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background. Narrative communication offers promising alternatives, yet systematic understanding of how digital storytelling specifically promotes sustained pro-environmental behaviors remains underdeveloped.

Purpose. This study investigated whether participatory creation of digital environmental narratives leads to stronger and more sustained pro-environmental behavior change compared to passive narrative consumption or information-based education, while also examining the mediating roles of psychological mechanisms such as narrative transportation and environmental self-efficacy

Method. Mixed-methods experimental design randomly assigned 228 undergraduate students to participatory creation, passive consumption, or information-based control conditions, measuring pro-environmental behaviors, attitudes, self-efficacy, and psychological distance across baseline, immediate post-intervention, 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups.

Results. Participatory creation produced significantly greater behavior change (33% increase maintained at 6-month follow-up) compared to passive consumption (12% increase) and control (0% increase). Environmental self-efficacy mediated 61% of participatory creation effects while narrative transportation mediated 73% of passive consumption effects.

Conclusion. This research demonstrates that creating digital environmental narratives produces superior behavior change compared to consuming narratives through distinct psychological mechanisms emphasizing capability-building over persuasion.

Narrative-Based Assessment: Using Student Stories for Measuring Learning Progress and Metacognition

Siri Lek, Ming Pong, Ravi Dara, Widiharto Purnomo — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background. Narrative-based assessment has emerged as an alternative approach to traditional evaluation practices that often prioritize standardized outcomes over learning processes. Conventional assessments provide limited insight into how students develop understanding and regulate their thinking. Student narratives, in contrast, offer rich representations of learning experiences and reflective engagement, yet their systematic use for measuring learning progress and metacognition remains underexplored.

Purpose. This study aims to examine how narrative-based assessment using student stories can be utilized to measure learning progress and metacognitive development. The research seeks to identify narrative features that indicate cognitive growth, reflective depth, and self-regulatory awareness in learning contexts.

Method. A qualitative descriptive research design with a longitudinal narrative approach was employed. Participants were students engaged in reflective learning activities selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through student narratives, reflective prompts, and learning artifacts, and analyzed using thematic, structural, and linguistic analysis to identify indicators of learning progress and metacognition.

Results. Findings indicate that repeated narrative engagement leads to increased metacognitive awareness, strategy articulation, and evaluative reflection. Student stories demonstrated progressive development from descriptive accounts toward coherent and self-regulated learning narratives. Case analysis further illustrated individual learning transformation through narrative expression.

Conclusion. Narrative-based assessment is effective for capturing learning progress and metacognition as dynamic and developmental processes. The novelty of this study lies in operationalizing student narratives as systematic assessment evidence, positioning storytelling as a valid and inclusive approach for measuring learning development.

The Role of Interactive Learning Media in Deep Learning: A Study on Critical Thinking Skills in Elementary Schools

Sri Nur Rahmi, Wahidmurni Wahidmurni, Samsul Susilawati — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: The development of twenty-first-century education requires students to possess higher-order thinking skills, particularly critical thinking, which enables them to analyze information, evaluate perspectives, and make reasoned decisions. In elementary education, the integration of interactive learning media and deep learning approaches is increasingly considered important to support meaningful learning and foster students’ cognitive development.

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the role of interactive learning media in facilitating deep learning to support the development of critical thinking skills among elementary school students.

Method: The study employed a mixed-method approach using a sequential explanatory design. Quantitative data were collected through a teacher perception questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with the assistance of SmartPLS software. Qualitative data were subsequently used to elaborate and interpret the quantitative findings.

Results: The findings indicate that interactive learning media and deep learning have not yet demonstrated a strong direct effect on students’ critical thinking skills. However, both elements function as facilitators within the learning process. The development of critical thinking skills requires the consistent integration of analytical and reflective learning activities within classroom instruction.

Conclusion: Interactive learning media and deep learning should be positioned as supporting components within the broader learning ecosystem rather than as standalone determinants of critical thinking development. Their effectiveness largely depends on how teachers integrate these elements with pedagogical strategies that encourage sustained student engagement, reflection, and meaningful learning experiences.

Implementation of Machine Learning as Interactive Media in Modern Computer Learning

Jenny Sari Tarigan, Erwinsyah Simanungkalit, Mardhiatul Husna, Djames Siahaan — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background. This study explores the use of machine learning as an interactive medium in the context of modern computer learning, driven by increasingly dynamic educational demands that require adaptive and personalized learning approaches.

Purpose. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of machine learning algorithms in developing interactive learning media that can improve conceptual understanding, active student participation, and a more personalized learning experience.

Method. The methodology used is qualitative with a case study and experimental design, including observations, interviews with instructors and students, and quantitative and qualitative data analysis of system interactions.

Results. The research findings indicate that learning media integrated with machine learning can adapt material to students' abilities and learning styles, provide real-time feedback, and increase student motivation and engagement in the learning process. The discussion highlights that machine learning functions not only as a technological tool but also as a means of pedagogical transformation that delivers an adaptive and personalized learning experience.

Conclusion. Thus, the implementation of machine learning as an interactive medium has proven effective in improving the quality of the teaching-learning process, encouraging active participant engagement, and adapting materials to individual needs, making it an important strategy in modern, responsive computer education.

Social Studies Education, Digital Inequality, and Socio-Economic Justice: Narratives from Senior High Schools in Ternate City

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background. Digital transformation presents both opportunities and challenges for education in Indonesia, particularly in Eastern Indonesia, including Ternate City. This region faces a persistent digital divide characterized by limited access to digital devices, uneven internet connectivity, and low digital literacy among teachers and students, which negatively affects learning quality, student engagement, and the development of 21st-century competencies such as critical thinking, collaboration, and digital literacy.

Purpose. This qualitative study aimed to explore how Social Studies education can contribute to reducing socio-economic inequality and strengthening social inclusion in the context of digital transformation in education.

Method. This study employed a qualitative approach, including observations, in-depth interviews, and surveys, to examine the implementation of social studies learning in senior high schools in Ternate City.

Results. Findings reveal that social studies education continues to face significant obstacles, including unequal access to digital tools, limited connectivity, and insufficient integration of local content. However, IPS learning has potential to bridge digital and socioeconomic gaps through contextualized content, project-based learning, digital literacy enhancement, and fostering social awareness and economic justice. Effective implementation relies on equitable digital infrastructure, teacher competence in digital pedagogy, and policies responsive to social vulnerabilities.

Conclusion. Integrating local wisdom and digital technology enables students to develop analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills while understanding their community’s socio-economic realities.

Narrative Engagement in Problem-Based Learning: Enhancing Students’ Maharah Qira’ah through Contextual Meaning-Making

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background. Arabic reading skills (Mah?rah Qir?’ah) are crucial in language acquisition, but traditional teacher-centered instruction at Madrasah Tsanawiyah often leads to passive engagement and limited contextual comprehension.

Purpose. This study investigates the impact of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model on students’ Mah?rah Qir?’ah, focusing on the narrative engagement and meaning-making processes that influence learning outcomes.

Method. A mixed-method explanatory sequential design was employed. The quantitative component used a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test with 20 Madrasah Tsanawiyah students, analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired sample t-test. The qualitative component involved semi-structured interviews with six purposively selected students, analyzed thematically.

Results. Quantitative results showed a significant improvement in Mah?rah Qir?’ah, with mean scores rising from 59.5 to 92.5 (p < 0.05). Thematic analysis revealed three key themes: a shift from passive decoding to active meaning construction, the role of collaborative group discussions in comprehension, and linguistic barriers as differentiating factors.

Conclusion. The findings suggest that PBL’s effectiveness is enhanced through narrative engagement, as students construct meaning via reading, discussion, and interpretation. These results position PBL as an effective, contextually responsive approach for Arabic language education. Educators are encouraged to incorporate vocabulary scaffolding to promote equitable participation.

Teachers’ Lived Experiences and Readiness for Coding and AI Education: A Narrative Case Study from South Kalimantan

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background. The Indonesian government’s policy to introduce coding and artificial intelligence (AI) learning from primary to vocational education has raised critical questions about teacher readiness, particularly in regions outside Java where this dimension is still underexplored.

Purpose. This study aims to: (1) map competency standards for teaching coding and AI; (2) analyze teachers competencies readiness; and (3) formulate contextual strategies for teacher capacity building.

Method. Using a mixed method, this study involved six teachers from elementary, junior high, and vocational schools in South Kalimantan that have been appointed to implement coding and AI learning. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and questionnaires, then analyzed using the pattern matching analysis model of Vargas and the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldana.

Results. Three key findings emerged: first, competency standards validated by experts. Second, teacher readiness was identified at an average of 74.24%, falling into the "ready" category, with the lowest achievement in professional competency at an average of 67.14%. Pattern matching analysis revealed two significant relationships: personal and social competency areas, which showed consistent correlations across all educational levels, drawing on interview data, indicating that teachers’ ethical motivation drives collaborative initiatives; and second, pedagogical and professional competency areas, which were identified as moving in tandem, indicating that subject matter mastery directly impacts the ability to design instruction. Based on this analysis, the third findings of this study yielded a three-stage teacher capacity development strategy: initial project-based training, ongoing development through professional learning communities, and ongoing mentoring.

Conclusion. The primary contribution of this study lies in providing an empirically grounded and contextualized strategic framework for enhancing the capacity of coding and AI teachers also to the discourse on teacher readiness for digital transformation in education, particularly in underrepresented regions such as South Kalimantan