Due to the diversity of classrooms, educators face the challenge of making instruction equal and effective for students with unique needs (Du Plessis, 2019). The incorporation of AI-driven tools into pedagogical practices may address this challenge. Prior studies suggest that AI-generated feedback can assist language learners by providing prompt, precise, and unambiguous responses (Escalante et al., 2023; Lee, 2023). The current study investigates the influence of an AI-powered feedback system on the educational experiences and perceived academic development of undergraduate students at a university in Hong Kong. The targeted demographic included students from diverse cultural backgrounds with different expectations of higher education; students displaying a range of academic abilities; and students requiring specialized educational support. Data collection was performed by using qualitative research tools, including students' reflective journals, a survey questionnaire, personal interviews, assignment evaluations, and observations from teachers. Results indicate that the feedback generated by AI offers individual support and significantly enhances student motivation. The system responds to the learning needs of individual students in an overcoming-of-language-barriers and proficiency-level-friendly manner. It contributes to the ongoing discussion related to technology-enhanced inclusive pedagogy.

References:

Du Plessis, A. E. (2019). Barriers to effective management of diversity in classroom contexts: The out-of-field teaching phenomenon. International Journal of Educational Research, 93, 136-152.

Escalante, J., Pack, A., & Barrett, A. (2023). AI-generated feedback on writing: insights into efficacy and ENL student preference. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20(1), 57.

Lee, A. V. Y. (2023). Supporting students’ generation of feedback in large-scale online course with artificial intelligence-enabled evaluation. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 77, 101250.

In 2021, a pilot project was launched to develop a writing center for an English Language Centre at an English-medium Hong Kong university. A peer mentoring model was adopted to help undergraduate students receive additional support regarding discipline-specific content, genre, structure and language while developing their general process writing skills. During the development of the model, the project drew upon literature on online writing support (Gherwash & Paiz, 2020, Severino & Prim, 2016, Tan, 2011, Thompson, 2014, & Weirick et al., 2017), community of learners (Akella, 2012, Moser et al., 2015, & Schoonheim‐Klein et al., 2012), and genre-based writing feedback (Kuiper et al., 2017, Munje et al., 2018, & Yu, 2021). Peer mentors were recruited from multiple departments, trained and assigned to mentees from related majors. The writing centre was initially run online through the Microsoft Teams platform while our university shifted from online-only classes to hybrid classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eventually, the writing centre began to provide both online and face-to-face sessions. Research was conducted during the 2023-2024 academic year. During each writing centre session, post-session reports from mentors and post-session reflections from mentees were collected. At the end of each semester, an online post-semester survey was sent to mentees and focus group interviews of both mentors and mentees were conducted. Each peer mentor was expected to submit one audio or video recording of their sessions. Initial findings have provided insights into how to best revise our model, develop training packages and support for mentors, enhance the quality of mentor feedback practices, and foster an equitable environment for the community of learners. This project is relevant to the conference theme as we are pursuing a sustainable way to provide alternative opportunities and additional support for students with diverse backgrounds including local Hong Kong, mainland Chinese and international students.

An important citizenship skill is the ability to engage in conversation with people who hold views different from one's own. Schools can help students develop this skill by discussing controversial topics in civics classes. Because controversial issues touch on students' identities, students' backgrounds can be seen as a valuable source of knowledge in classroom discussions. Therefore, this research extends the theory of discussing controversial issues by looking more closely at the power of teachers' recognition of the value of students' backgrounds.

However, including pupils' backgrounds in discussions about controversial issues is not self-evident for teachers. On the one hand, it can help students to put themselves in another perspective. On the other hand, it can contribute to high emotions and reveal possible social divisions between students. This tension creates a dilemma for teachers. We are therefore interested in exploring the practices of teachers who do include students' backgrounds in order to better understand their reasoning.

Our study explores how, why and for what purposes Dutch civic education teachers value and use their students' diverse backgrounds when discussing controversial issues in the classroom. The research takes a qualitative approach, involving in-depth interviews with ten experienced civic education teachers in the Netherlands. These teachers, who are recognised for their expertise in handling sensitive discussions, provide insights into their pedagogical strategies, challenges and reflections on how they approach students' backgrounds as a resource. The presentation will discuss the findings and their implications for teachers' professional development, as well as recommendations for educators seeking to create more inclusive and engaged classroom discussions.

This research aligns with the conference theme by highlighting how teachers can promote equity in education. By valuing and engaging students' diverse backgrounds in controversial discussions, teachers promote inclusivity and respect for multiple perspectives, ultimately contributing to a more equitable learning environment.

Research Aim

Although there have been many studies describing teachers’ espoused beliefs of diversity, less literature, however, examines how these beliefs are enacted, negotiated, and modified in professional learning communities. This study addresses this gap and explores how a group of teachers enacted their beliefs of cultural diversity in teaching and how their beliefs were shaped by lesson study (LS).

Theoretical Framework

This study draws upon research literature on the mulfaceted concept of diversity which often pertains to the categorical differences in race, ethnicity, class, gender, special needs, and language diversities in most mainstream literature (Fine-Davis & Faas, 2014; Gay, 2015; Heng & Lim, 2021). It aims to study how teachers' beliefs about diversity are shaped in practice, particularly within the context of a professional learning community like LS, and poses two research questions: (1) What are teachers' beliefs about teaching diverse students in Singapore? (2) How are these beliefs about teaching diverse students shaped during LS?

Methods

The study is based on qualitative research data including 14 interviews with 11 teachers from two Singaporean elementary schools serving students from lower-income families, and observation of 58 LS discussion sessions and 2 research lessons. The transcribed data were analyzed using N-Vivo 11 software and the "critical incident" technique (Bruster & Peterson 2013).

Findings

The study revealed that teachers often attributed student achievement problems to individual and family “deficiencies”, aligning with Singapore's meritocratic ideology. However, through LS, some teachers began to question these deficit beliefs and reevaluate their teaching practices, particularly after collective analysis of student work.

Relevance to Conference Theme

This research is pertinent to the ISATT 2025 conference theme of "equitable quality teaching," as it examines how teachers' adaptable beliefs about diverse student learning contribute to equitable teaching practices and inclusion in teacher education.