Integrating technology-enhanced resources and activities into university curricula necessitates a restructuring of teaching programmes. To achieve a synergistic effect, conventional methods should be replaced with active learning approaches that provide students with innovative, engaging, and collaborative ways of building knowledge suited to contemporary society. Virtual reality (VR) is among the technological innovations expected to transform education into interactive and immersive learning environments. This paper investigates whether integrating VR into university courses can, in students’ opinions, increase their interest in a deeper understanding of complex phenomena, and whether it may translate into greater engagement and improved achievement of learning outcomes. The challenges of implementing such instructional design are examined through an analysis of survey responses from bachelor’s and master’s students at Gdańsk University of Technology (Gdańsk Tech), collected in June and July 2025.

Higher education institutions face increasing pressure to equip students with the competencies needed to address complex sustainability challenges. Game-based learning (GBL) offers a promising approach to engaging students and fostering the development of knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for sustainable development. This study examines the potential of the SEED simulation game, designed using the Octalysis Framework, to improve sustainability education. A mixed-methods study was conducted with 45 university students who participated in the SEED game and completed a post-game evaluation questionnaire. Quantitative analyses included descriptive statistics, correlations, and principal component analysis of motivational factors. Qualitative feedback was also analysed thematically. The results indicate that the SEED game fostered moderate to high levels of student engagement, motivation, and perceived sustainability knowledge gains. Development & Accomplishment and Social Influence & Relatedness emerged as the most effective motivational drivers. A strong positive correlation was found between engagement and motivation. Students particularly valued the game’s realism, personalization, and opportunities for social interaction. The findings underscore the value of integrating well-designed simulation games into sustainability education, especially for new generations who have specific learning preferences. They also highlight key considerations for future game design and educational practice, including the importance of transparent feedback mechanisms and addressing diverse learner expectations. This study contributes to ongoing efforts to leverage gamification to support transformative learning for sustainable development, highlighting benefits for students in terms of engagement and motivation, and for teachers who gain an innovative tool to explain complex sustainability issues. These findings are in line with similar experiences reported at European universities.

Abstrakt
Současný výzkum se zaměřuje na vliv vyprávění příběhů založeného na avatarech v prostředí metaverza na studijní výkony, zapojení a emocionálně-sociální zkušenosti žáků základních škol v rámci přírodních věd. V Polsku byl použit kvaziexperimentální postup pre-test-pottest s kontrolní skupinou u 50 žáků ve věku 8 až 12 let. Vzhledem k tomu, že byl proveden experimentálně, první skupina se setkala s intervencí trvající dva týdny, kdy avatary používaly interaktivní vědecké scénáře; druhá skupina mohla interagovat se stejným obsahem prostřednictvím konvenčních digitálních médií. Výsledky pre- a post-testu (na základě Bloomovy taxonomie), stejně jako průzkum zapojení, ukázaly, že učení a zapojení v experimentální skupině se významně zlepšily (p < 0,001). Data z rozhovorů s fokusními skupinami ve formě kvalitativních výsledků ukázala, že lidé vnímali avatary pozitivně jako důvěryhodné a relevantní postavy, které vyvolávají emoce. Toto zjištění přispívá k pozitivnímu názoru, že krátkodobé vyprávění založené na avatarech může pomoci zlepšit kognitivní výkon, motivaci a emocionální vazbu virtuálního učení. Jsou zde uvedeny diskuse o důsledcích imerzivní pedagogiky a budoucího longitudinálního výzkumu.

This pilot study investigates the use of ChatGPT by university students in the context of foreign language learning. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach, the research examines how English and Romance Philology students incorporate the AI tool into their academic routines, both within and beyond the classroom. Quantitative data collected via questionnaire reveal that students most frequently use ChatGPT in out-of-class contexts, particularly for writing, vocabulary development, and grammar correction. Statistical analysis shows a significant preference for autonomous use over classroom-based application. Qualitative responses further indicate that while students appreciate the tool’s versatility and efficiency, they remain critically aware of its limitations, including occasional factual inaccuracies, mechanical style, and ethical concerns. The findings are interpreted through the lenses of Self-Directed Learning Theory, the Technology Acceptance Model, and Constructivist Learning Theory, suggesting that ChatGPT functions primarily as a complementary learning-support tool. The study concludes with pedagogical recommendations and proposes directions for future research, highlighting the need for AI literacy and teacher guidance in contemporary language education.

Recent laboratory-based research increasingly explores the use of virtual reality (VR) technology in education. While these studies confirm the potential of VR tools, they often overlook the challenges educators encounter in real-world implementation, potentially hindering the broader adoption of VR. Our study employs collaborative and analytic autoethnography of five educational event organizers in social VR to address this gap. We identified limitations in the use of social VR related to discomfort and low accessibility of head-mounted displays, the non-inclusivity of platform features, the risk of reduced educational content quality, and the need to acquire new digital skills. Organizers experienced significant responsibility and stress from managing technical and formal issues, impacting their well-being and increasing workload. Nevertheless, they also reported a strong sense of purpose and personal development, which reinforced their academic identity. Despite the challenges of organizing events in this immersive environment, organizers experienced significant professional growth. Their involvement not only enhanced their skills but also fostered valuable collaborations across academic institutions, cultivated community, and promoted inclusivity in education. To address social VR limitations in higher education and mitigate negative impacts on organizers, the authors provide recommendations for educators.

Abstrakt: Cílem výzkumné studie bylo zjistit, jaké mají polští a čeští učitelé subjektivní pocity týkající se zavádění umělé inteligence do školy. Dílčím cílem výzkumné studie bylo zjistit, zda se odlišuje pohled českých a polských učitelů na nástup využívání umělé inteligence ve školách.

K dosažení výzkumného cíle byla použita metoda polostrukturovaného rozhovoru s českými a polskými učiteli základních a středních škol.

V rámci výzkumu bylo zjištěno, že se čeští učitelé nástupu umělé inteligence a jejího využívání ve vzdělávání obávají, především toho, že žáci budou „zneužívat“ AI k podvádění a plagiátorství. Tento jev u polských učitelů nebyl zjištěn. Ti spíše vnímali umělou inteligenci jako pomoc pro učitele, respondenti z řad polských učitelů již měli za sebou první zkušenosti s využíváním umělé inteligence. Rovněž mezi českými učiteli se najdou i takoví, kteří s chatboty pracují a vnímají je jako nástroj, který jim pomáhá snížit pracovní zátěž a zefektivnit jejich práci. Většina českých učitelů vnímá zavádění umělé inteligence do škol jako nevyhnutelné a uvědomují si, že jejich úkolem je naučit žáky AI efektivně používat. Rovněž polští učitelé vnímají, že s nástupem umělé inteligence se mění role učitele, od učitele se očekává, že bude žákovi průvodcem, který se rovněž seznámí s efektivním využíváním umělé inteligence. Učitelé, a to jak čeští, tak i polští, si také uvědomují, že spolu se nástupem AI do škol se bude muset změnit také systém výuky. Žákům bude třeba zadávat jiné typy úkolů než doposud, tedy takové které za ně AI nevytvoří.

In recent years, xMOOC, one-way knowledge transfer have been replaced by cMOOCs which allow users to co-create knowledge. Substantive discussion forums are mainly used for this purpose. However, students use forums for more than just this type of collaboration. The aim of the study was to analyze the purpose and extent to which students enrolled in 208 MOOC courses posted on the Polish “Navoica” platform use discussion forums and how MOOC authors encourage or discourage students from participating in substantive forums. Introductory and organizational forums were excluded from this study. Discussion forums user activity on substantive issues was low. Findings of this study support findings included in the research conducted in other regions of the world. 11% of studied courses did not include discussion forums; in 31% of forums there were no posts; in 15% of forums there were a few to a dozen of posts; and in 28% of MOOCs there were entries predominantly about organizational matters. In only 15% forums there were more than 25 posts. Students, including those enrolled in language learning courses, rarely posted on forums. Number of posts did not correspond to number of participants, number of certificates issued, or popularity of the course. Participants’ activity was usually triggered by question inspiring expression of their opinion, self-promotion, commenting on colleagues’ entries, and also by course coordinator’s participation in the discussion. Participation of Polish MOOCs platform users in discussion forums deserves further research to promote development off first and second key competences, i.e., Literacy competence and Multilingual competence. The main results may be generalized to the entire MOOC-user population.

This research aims to explore blended learning (basic requirements and knowledge) and accounting students’ success after COVID-19 among graduating students in Oman. Furthermore, this study examines how blended learning (BL) effectiveness acts as a mediator between the BL basic requirements and the success of accounting students, as well as between the BL basic knowledge and the success of accounting students. A quantitative research methodology was employed to collect data for this study, using a questionnaire distributed through WhatsApp and email to students attending various universities in the Sultanate of Oman. Following that, the researcher analyzed the data using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The study found that the BL basic requirements have a positive impact on accounting students’ success. It also showed that BL basic knowledge has no significant relation to accounting students’ success after COVID-19. The findings also show that there is a mediating effect of BL effectiveness between BL basic requirements and accounting students’ success after COVID-19. Limited generalizability exists because the respondents were restricted to Oman. Future research could expand the sample by including participants enrolled in non-accounting courses. The study highlights the importance of delivering both online and face-to-face learning and a range of online activities. This study emphasizes how students engage with and participate in a BL accounting course.