مطالب

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have emerged as transformative technologies in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education, offering immersive, adaptive environments that enhance learner engagement, retention, and motivation. This systematic review synthesized 48 peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2024 to examine AR/VR applications, implementation strategies, challenges, and learning outcomes within EFL contexts. The researchers established inclusion criteria—English language studies published from 2019 onward in Scopus-indexed language teaching and learning journals, fully accessible online, and thematically aligned with research objectives—and applied exclusion criteria to studies that were non-English, dated before 2019, restricted in access, or published in low-impact or non-verified outlets. Data from the selected articles were imported into MAXQDA 24 for qualitative coding, yielding 64 open codes that were consolidated into 12 axial codes and further synthesized into six overarching themes: learner engagement, integration strategies, implementation practices, learner perceptions, adoption challenges, and language acquisition outcomes. Findings indicate AR/VR interventions significantly bolster engagement and linguistic competence when embedded within pedagogically sound frameworks, although technical constraints, cost considerations, and teacher readiness can hinder adoption. Educators should design scalable, user-friendly experiences and invest in targeted professional development to optimize outcomes. This review advances our understanding of AR/VR’s pedagogical potential in EFL settings by highlighting evidence-based practices and persistent challenges. It offers actionable recommendations for future research.

The present study aimed to find the effect of artificial intelligence (AI)-mediated speaking assessment on speaking performance and willingness to communicate (WTC) of Iraqi EFL Learners. More specifically, the study sought to find whether AI-mediated speaking assessment enhance the speaking performance (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, intonation, and fluency) of Intermediate Iraqi EFL learners and whether AI-mediated speaking assessment enhanced their WTC in English. In so doing, 40 intermediate Iraqi EFL learners were randomly selected and assigned into experimental and control groups, each comprising 20 learners. The experimental group participants received ten 60-minute treatment sessions with ELSA Speech Analyzer, while the control group received no treatment. The speaking pre-test of both groups was run prior to the treatment, and all participants were post-tested at the end of the study. The Willingness to Communicate in a Foreign-Language Scale was also administered to groups prior to and after the treatment. A speaking assessment rubric, including vocabulary, grammar, intonation, pronunciation, and fluency, was used to assess the speaking performance of both groups. The findings demonstrated that AI-mediated speaking assessment enhanced the grammar, vocabulary, intonation, and fluency of the experimental group. However, the two groups did not differ in terms of pronunciation. Furthermore, this assessment tool enhanced the willingness to communicate with native speakers, the willingness to communicate with non-native speakers, and the willingness to communicate in the school context of this group. In general, the speaking assessment mediated by AI significantly enhanced the speaking performance and WTC of the learners. These findings might advance the current scholarly discourse on AI within the domains of language pedagogy and assessment.

The present study addresses the problem of the relationship between mind and body in the thought of the Italian Franciscan philosopher Matthew of Acquasparta (1240–1302). In Question 10 of the Questions on Faith and Knowledge, titled “Whether the Intellect, with Regard to Its Act, Is Bound by the Weakness and Ineptitude of the Body,” Matthew argues that bodily dispositions influence the actuality of the intellect. His reflection is guided by various authorities (auctoritates), foremost among whom is Augustine of Hippo, a general point of reference that the thinker of Acquasparta adopts for his theorization. However, Matthew develops a rigorous line of reasoning in which Aristotle—through whom he also implicitly reinterprets Augustine—as well as Avicenna and al-Ghazālī play crucial roles. The Franciscan philosopher maintains that the body can distract the intellect from properly exercising its function, impairing both the soul’s inward focus and the tranquility required for intellectual activity due to external disturbances. Furthermore, the compromised sensory organs of a sick, aged, or wounded body will provide confused images to the mind, thereby clouding its capacity for understanding. The strong connection between body and mind clarifies the unity of the human person as a composite of soul and body, with significant implications both in anthropology and soteriology, particularly concerning the prospect of the unity between the soul and a finally glorified body, which Christian doctrine awaits in the resurrection at the end of time.