PurposeThere are currently no studies concerning the use of Google Hangout in North Cyprus. Thus, this study examines the perceptions of preservice teacher and language instructors on the use of Google Meet (GM) as a synchronous language learning tool for a distant online program in Cyprus.Design/methodology/approachTo elicit information on the perception of preservice teachers and language instructors on this issue, a quantitative research design was used for this study.FindingsThough the language instructors deemed GM effective and efficient as a language learning tool, the preservice teachers thought otherwise.Research limitations/implicationsIt was difficult to collect data during this pandemic outbreak. Obtaining ethical consent from the participants was difficult as well and so the sample size was small.Practical implicationsThe study was able to demonstrate that the use of GM was somewhat effective as a language learning tool for the online distant program, though the level of efficiency and effectiveness varies from preservice teachers to the language instructors. Also, the study was able to highlight the use of GM could be very effective if it is well managed by the teachers to stimulate student engagement during lessons. The study showcased that the unavailability of Internet data, poor Internet connection are possible constraints to the efficiency of GM. Recently, a university in Northern Cyprus has decided to partner with a telecommunication network (Turkcell) toward providing free Internet access for all registered students within a particular period of learning. This is a welcomed approach that can be emulated by other educational facilities in bridging the gap created by poor Internet connection in a remote online learning setting.Originality/valueThere are no studies within the context of North Cyprus on the use of GM as a synchronous language learning tool for online distant programs. Though the use of GM is adjured effective and efficient, this contextual overview of GM is a new insight into academia.

The switch from traditional teaching methods to emergency remote online learning as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19 necessitated a change in approaches to measurement and evaluation in our educational system. A lot of methods were adopted yet the need for credible, properly monitored, valid and reliable assessment continues to be an issue of debate. E-proctoring as a popular strategy for monitoring and administering online-based examinations has witnessed tremendous success over the years yet ethical issues and many more are yet to be extensively examined. While a teacher may embrace the use of this software for monitoring examination, the perception of preservice teachers has not been explored adequately, much more the opinions of the instructors and preservice teachers on the level of efficacy with regards to the use of e-proctoring strategy for monitoring online-based examinations in a hybrid/emergency remote online educational model has not been investigated. It is in this light that this study intends to examine the perceptions of instructors and preservice teachers on the use of e-proctoring devices during online-based assessments, two research questions were investigated through a quantitative research design. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from 40 participants comprising of 36 students and 4 teachers on their perceptions of the effectiveness and efficacy of the e-proctored software while administering and monitoring examinations. Findings from the study will be beneficial in drawing valid conclusions on the use of e-proctored devices in monitoring emergency remote online-based assessment. The conclusions will prepare school administrators and equip them with the possible approaches to adopt in ensuring that a credible valid and reliable evaluation process is conducted during the post-COVID 19 semesters.

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A lot has been written with regards to the subject of anxiety and its role on influencing learning outcomes yet it seems the issue of anxiety is continuously debated by research and academic scholars. While teachers may think that issues of anxiety in education are either overhyped or overemphasized, learners think otherwise. To analyze the views of the preservice teacher on the concept of test anxiety especially on its influence on the academic performance of students, a mixed research design was adopted for this study. An experimental approach followed by semi-structured interviews were used to elicit information on the impact of test anxiety on the academic performance. A total of 42 participants were purposively chosen which were divided into 2 groups, A (control group) and B (experimental group). A reliable and validated post-test was administered where there was an induced stress on the experimental group before commencing an examination. The findings of this study argued that though test anxiety affected students test scores to a large extent, other possible factors were responsible for learner's test scores as well. The study suggests the need for rethinking ways through which examinations are organized to reduce incidence of test anxiety among test takers. The major limitation of the study was the small sample size. Thus, the use of a larger sample for future researches must be considered.

PurposeResearch advocates for the use of good teaching practices and approaches while integrating technology in digitally enhanced learning. This is on the premise that previous studies on mobile learning have neglected this aspect of technology integration resulting in numerous challenges. Moreover, there is evidence in the literature showing a scarcity of studies on the use of mobile learning in teaching productive skills. On the other hand, linguists recommend the use of responsive lesson design frameworks in language teaching, claiming effectiveness in teaching all language skills. However, responsive lesson design frameworks are yet to be implemented in a classroom setting. To bridge these gaps in scientific literature, our study decides to utilize the CAPE framework as a good teaching method for improving the productive skills of students in mobile-based instruction.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilizes a mixed-methods research design with an experimental approach. Post-tests and interviews were employed to elicit information from the student-participants on the objective of the study.FindingsFollowing the analysis of the collected data, notable findings were obtained. While there was evidence to show that the students perceived m-learning as boring and ineffective when incorporated with a traditional lesson framework, our study unveiled that students showed a different perception when incorporated with the CAPE framework.Practical implicationsOur study unveils that integrating responsive lesson frameworks with m-learning improves the speaking and writing skills of students.Originality/valueThis study provides empirical evidence to show the role of good teaching practices like integrating responsive LDFs and mobile learning in improving the productive skills of students. This study is the first to investigate the integration of CAPE and mobile learning in enhancing expressive skills.