From Gatekeepers to Gatekeeping Systems: Rethinking Journalism Theory in the Age of Algorithms and Generative AI

/in /by

Gatekeeping has remained one of the foundational theoretical approaches for explaining how information becomes news. From Kurt Lewin’s conceptualisation of gates and channels to David Manning White’s study of the newspaper wire editor, traditional gatekeeping theory located considerable power in human actors who selected, rejected and organised information before it reached audiences. The contemporary news environment, however, complicates this model. News selection is increasingly distributed across journalists, newsroom analytics, search engines, social media platforms, recommender systems and generative artificial intelligence. This paper re-examines gatekeeping theory through an interdisciplinary synthesis of journalism studies, platform studies, artificial intelligence research and communication theory. Drawing on a structured conceptual review of more than 29 major scholarly contributions, it argues that contemporary journalism is moving from identifiable gatekeepers towards interconnected gatekeeping systems. Within these systems, editorial judgement has not disappeared; rather, it interacts continuously with computational selection, platform infrastructures, audience behaviour and generative systems capable of producing, summarising and reorganising information. The paper proposes a five-layer model of contemporary gatekeeping comprising source, editorial, algorithmic, platform and generative gates. It further distinguishes between selection power, traditionally exercised by editors, and visibility power, increasingly exercised through technological infrastructures. The study concludes that gatekeeping theory remains valuable but requires conceptual expansion from the question of who controls the gate to the broader question of how interconnected human and computational systems determine what information becomes visible, credible and socially consequential.

Investigating The Influence of TikTok English Video Clips on Improving Listening Skills of EFL Sophomores

/in /by

Listening comprehension plays a pivotal role in English language acquisition, many EFL learners often struggle with real world listening skills due to limited exposure to authentic materials. With the rapid growth of social media, TikTok has emerged as an engaging, accessible platform offering authentic, bite sized video content that can potentially support language learning. This study investigated the influence of TikTok English video clips on improving the listening skills of EFL sophomores at Nguyen Tat Thanh University quantitavely. It aims to examine how regular integration of TikTok video clips enhances learners’ listening performance, comprehension strategies, and motivation. Its participants were 35 sophomores. The qualitative data indicated that students hold positive perceptions toward using TikTok, highlighting its benefits in exposing them to natural speech rates, diverse accents, and contemporary vocabulary in low stress environments. Pedagogical implications are also discussed to offer practical recommendations for incorporating short form video platforms into tertiary EFL listening curricula.

Succession Planning Practices and Administrators’ Performance in Selected Government Aided Secondary Schools in Rakai District, Uganda

/in /by

This study examined the affiliation midst succession planning practices and administrators’ performance across Government aided Secondary educational schools in Rakai District. Specifically, this study sought to: examine the relationship between succession culture and administrators’ performance; analyze the relationship between bench building and administrators’ performance; analyze the relationship between talent development and administrators’ performance in selected Government-Aided Secondary Schools in Rakai District, Uganda. The study adopted a mixed-methods research approach employing a correlational research design. The study population comprised 121 teachers. A sample of 88 respondents was selected using simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and interview guides. The validity of the questionnaire was established through expert judgment, yielding a Content Validity Index (CVI) of 0.88, the reliability of the questionnaire was determined using Cronbach’s Alpha, with coefficients overall reliability coefficient of 0.844, demonstrating a high level of internal consistency. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation, while qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The results revealed a moderate positive and statistically significant relationship between succession culture and administrators’ performance (r = .500, p = .000). The study further established a strong positive and statistically significant relationship between bench building and administrators’ performance (r = .749, p = .000). In addition, talent development demonstrated a moderate positive and statistically significant relationship with administrators’ performance (r = .487, p = .000). The findings indicate that succession planning practices consequently with bench building emerged as the strongest predictor of administrators’ performance. The study concluded that succession culture, bench building, and talent development are important determinants of administrators’ performance. This study recommends that the Ministry of Education and Sports, District Education Authorities, Boards of Governors, and school administrators institutionalize succession planning succession culture, establishing structured bench-building mechanisms, and investing in continuous talent development through mentoring, coaching, leadership training, and professional development programmes.

Assessment of The Role of Teaching Methods on Students’ Learning Motivation at Hanoi Capital University

/in /by

Learning motivation is one of the key factors influencing students’ academic performance and overall development in higher education. In the context of educational innovation toward competency-based learning, the selection and application of appropriate teaching methods play a significant role in enhancing students’ learning motivation. This study aims to evaluate the role of teaching methods in influencing the learning motivation of students at Hanoi Metropolitan University. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 365 students. The teaching methods examined included classroom discussions, learner-centered teaching, the provision of learning materials, the use of real-life situations, field trips, documentary films, and scientific articles. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages. The findings indicate that students generally perceive teaching methods as having a positive impact on their learning motivation. Among the methods investigated, the use of scientific articles, the provision of learning materials, and field trips received higher levels of agreement than the other methods. Based on the research findings, several recommendations are proposed for lecturers, the university, and students to enhance the effectiveness of teaching method implementation, thereby strengthening learning motivation and improving the quality of higher education.

ESG Performance and Firm Value in India: The Moderating Role of Board Gender Diversity Under the Mandatory BRSR Regime

/in /by

Since the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) mandated Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) for the top 1,000 listed firms, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure has shifted from a voluntary signal to a regulatory requirement, renewing debate on whether ESG performance translates into shareholder value and how board composition conditions this link. Drawing on stakeholder theory and upper echelons theory, this study examines the relationship between firm-level ESG performance and firm value (Tobin’s Q) among 210 non-financial firms listed on the NSE-500, using unbalanced panel data for the financial years 2019–20 to 2023–24 (N = 1,008 firm-years). Fixed-effects panel regression shows that ESG performance is positively associated with firm value (β = 0.184, p < .01), and that board gender diversity positively moderates this relationship (β = 0.096, p < .05), such that the ESG–value link is stronger for firms with more gender-diverse boards. Results are robust to alternative performance measures (ROA) and a two-stage least squares specification addressing endogeneity. The study contributes evidence on how governance composition shapes the financial payoff of mandatory ESG disclosure in an emerging-market regulatory setting.

Enhancing Elementary School Teachers Competence in Ethnomathematics Based Geometry Learning through Banten Batik and Mangrove Leaves

/in /by

Geometry learning in elementary schools is often dominated by abstract representations and conventional instructional materials that rely primarily on textbooks and blackboards, making it challenging for teachers to connect mathematical concepts with students everyday experiences and local cultural environments. This study explored elementary school teachers’ experiences and perceptions of a participatory workshop on ethnomathematics-based geometry learning through Banten Batik and mangrove leaf ink. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed within a community engagement program involving 12 elementary school teachers in Anyar Village, Serang Regency, Banten, Indonesia. The workshop included conceptual instruction, demonstrations, hands on activities, reflection, and mentoring. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observations, photographs, and field notes and analyzed descriptively and thematically. The findings indicate that teachers responded positively and perceived the workshop as enjoyable, meaningful, and beneficial for developing their knowledge and pedagogical insights. Teachers were able to identify geometric concepts embedded in Banten Batik motifs, including squares, rectangles, triangles, circles, symmetry, and patterns. Mangrove leaf ink was perceived as having potential to connect mathematics learning with cultural heritage and the natural environment. The workshop also encouraged teachers to consider its implementation in classroom instruction. Further research should systematically examine changes in teacher competence and classroom practice.

Malaysia’s English-Medium Instruction Policy through Spolsky’s Language Policy Framework: A Critical Review

/in /by

English-medium instruction (EMI) has been promoted in multilingual education systems as a means of improving English proficiency, expanding access to scientific knowledge, and strengthening international competitiveness. In Malaysia, the Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) policy represented a major attempt to pursue these objectives while generating tensions concerning national identity, classroom feasibility, and educational equity. This critical narrative review examines the implementation of PPSMI and the relationship between formal policy intentions and their enactment in educational settings. Relevant literature on Malaysian EMI and language-in-education policy was reviewed and analysed through a deductive-inductive thematic approach. Spolsky’s language policy framework guided the analysis of three interconnected dimensions: language practices, beliefs and ideologies, and language management, while policy-practice tensions, educational equity, and teacher agency were examined as cross-cutting themes. The review identifies recurring misalignment between English-oriented policy expectations and classroom language practices, competing pragmatic and nationalist orientations toward English and Bahasa Malaysia, uneven institutional and teacher capacity, and differences in learners’ access to EMI. Teachers’ bilingual adaptations further illustrate how formal language requirements were mediated in response to classroom conditions. The review concludes that sustainable EMI policy depends not simply on selecting English as a medium of instruction, but on aligning policy objectives with institutional readiness, stakeholder beliefs, multilingual classroom practices, and educational equity.

AI-Driven Digital Marketing in Higher Education: A Bibliometric Analysis of College Choice Intention Research, 2022–2026

/in /by

This study maps the intellectual structure of research on AI-driven digital marketing in higher education and its relationship to college choice intention, where the literatures on AI acceptance and student recruitment have developed separately. Methodology A bibliometric analysis of 430 Scopus-indexed articles (2022–2026) was conducted in VOS viewer. A three-block Boolean search combined digital marketing, artificial intelligence, higher education and college choice constructs, analysed through network, overlay and density visualisations. Findings Output grew from 11 articles in 2022 to 197 in 2025, with 76.28 per cent of the corpus appearing in the final two years. Social Sciences (36.5%) and Computer Science (17.3%) dominate. “Artificial intelligence”, “behavioural intention” and “technology acceptance model” form the conceptual core, whereas enrolment intention, student recruitment and digital trust remain peripheral. China leads output (24.4%), indicating a shift in knowledge production towards Asia and the Middle East. Research limitations Reliance on a single database and on English-language articles may under-represent developments first reported in conference proceedings. Practical implications: Institutions should evaluate chatbots, generative content and virtual tours by their effect on perceived authenticity and trust rather than engagement alone. This is the first study to map digital promotion, artificial intelligence and college choice intention within a single corpus covering the generative AI era, proposing a four-layer framework linking technology quality, information quality, psychological response and behavioural outcomes​.

Discourse Deixis in Vietnamese Online News Headlines: Pragmatic Strategies and Ethical Implications

/in /by

The proliferation of digital news platforms and engagement-driven algorithms has fundamentally restructured standard journalistic routines. Consequently, the rapid influx of information and intense competition for audience attention have transformed news headlines from simple summary labels into strategic discourse products. This study investigates the pragmatic deployment and functions of discourse deixis in modern Vietnamese online news headlines. Focusing on how deictic signals operate as cognitive guidance tools and triggers for reader curiosity, the research examines the functional balance between communicative engagement and journalistic ethics. Adopted within a framework of corpus-assisted discourse-pragmatic analysis supplemented by descriptive statistics, the study analyzed a corpus of 300 online headlines sampled across four major Vietnamese news outlets (VnExpress, Tuoi Tre Online, Dan Tri, Znews) published between 2024 and 2026.

The findings indicate that forward-pointing cataphora relying on masked referents constitutes the most prevalent strategy (42.3%, n=127), followed by interrogative framing (28.0%, n=84), direct address structures (15.3%, n=46), and dramatized temporal/spatial deixis (14.3%, n=43). While these strategies appear pragmatically designed to induce curiosity and lower friction for audience attention, the excessive reliance on artificial information gaps presents notable ethical challenges, including potential user deception and long-term public trust erosion. The study proposes a conceptual model of headline curiosity-gap construction alongside editorial principles, such as “Cognitive Balance” and “Transparent Deixis,” to inform responsible headline composition in digital newsrooms.

The Korean Wave in India: Exploring Cultural Influence through OTT Platforms (Fashion, Beauty& Skincare, Food)

/in /by

This study examines the role in promoting Korean culture and influencing young youth through OTT platforms like Amazon prime video, Netflix, and YouTube which have significantly altered how people consume media and made it simpler for viewers to obtain content from around the globe. Not only in India but among other overseas entertainment channels, Korean content including K-dramas, K-pop movies, and reality show, has grown immensely popular among Indian youth, and has simultaneously influenced their cultural preferences, lifestyle choices, beauty- trends, and language interest. It also emphasizes the market and industry reports highlighting the growth of OTT platforms, revenue generation, and market flow. However, social media helps in cross-cultural communication and influence among younger audiences in India. Research on long – term social cultural effect of Korean influence on Indian society is still limited. The study concludes that the OTT platforms have become significant mediators of cultural globalization and growing Korean market expansion in India. It also encourages cross cultural exchange and blending between Indian and Korean cultures. Future research should focus on the long-term repercussions of these cultural shifts.