Dr. Mohammad Awad AlAfnan is an Associate Professor in Applied Linguistics and Communication at the American University of the Middle East. He has worked for more than 17 years as a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Assistant Professor in a number of Colleges, University Colleges and Universities in Australia, Malaysia, Jordan, and Kuwait. His research interests include Business Communication, [Critical] Discourse Analysis, [Critical] Genre Analysis, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) and Mass Media.
This study reviews existing taxonomies and proposes a new educational taxonomy that fulfills the ... more This study reviews existing taxonomies and proposes a new educational taxonomy that fulfills the educational needs of the current era, the information and Artificial Intelligence (AI) era. The review of previous educational taxonomies revealed that although they provide insights into establishing educational objectives and learning outcomes, they still need to address recent changes and challenges in learning processes. To (1) integrate the new realities into the landscape of learning (i.e., Education for sustainable development (ESD), soft skills development, and AI), (2) maintain the classroom as the formal venue for learning, and (3) strengthen the position and role of instructors as facilitators, a new six-category twofold hierarchy-based taxonomy is proposed (AlAfnan Taxonomy): (1) Knowledge and Comprehension, (2) Synthesis and Evaluation, (3) Ethical and Moral Reasoning, (4) Application and Strategic Thinking, (5) Creativity and Innovation, and (6) Lifelong Learning and Adaptability. The taxonomy begins with foundational levels of 'Knowledge and Comprehension' stressing the importance of understanding fundamental realities and concepts within specific fields. Then, it addresses the importance of 'Synthesis and Evaluation' as essential and crucial skills for navigating an information-rich world. 'Ethical and Moral Reasoning' highlights the significance of ethical decision-making, moral frameworks, and culture-based diversity. Further, the taxonomy introduces 'Application and Strategic Thinking', emphasizing the practical use of knowledge in real-world scenarios and the ability to devise long-term plans. 'Creativity and Innovation' are essential drivers of progress in an era characterized by rapid technological advancements encouraging learners to explore novel solutions and approaches. Lastly, 'Lifelong Learning and Adaptability' underscores the necessity of continuous learning and flexibility in response to evolving circumstances, ensuring students and graduates remain competitive and relevant throughout their lives. By nurturing a multifaceted skill set encompassing critical thinking, ethical awareness, practical application, creativity, and adaptability, this taxonomy aims to equip learners with the necessary tools to excel in a dynamic and complex world, making it indispensable for modern education.
This study investigates social media personalities in Asia, shedding light on their demographics,... more This study investigates social media personalities in Asia, shedding light on their demographics, platform preferences, and user behaviors across 16 countries. The findings reveal a significant predominance of younger users, highlighting the importance of targeting this demographic in marketing strategies. The study also underscores the pervasive influence of social media in daily life, with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat widely adopted for various purposes in Asia. The study shows that different personality types (Approval Seeker, Changeling, Denier, Lurker, Peacock, Quizzer, Ranter, Ultra, Virgin, Social Butterfly, and Informer) exhibit distinct preferences for social media platforms, indicating the need for tailored marketing strategies. Furthermore, the correlation between countries of origin and social media personalities underscores cultural nuances and regional trends in usage. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for effectively engaging diverse audiences across the region. The study suggests practical implications for marketers to customize their strategies based on dominant personality types and platform preferences in each market, empowering them to make informed decisions. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into social media behavior in Asia, equipping marketers, policymakers, and researchers with the understanding and tools to navigate the evolving landscape of social media engagement. The dominance of the Lurker personality type in Asia emphasizes that 'silent majorities' also exist in the digital sphere as they exist in the real world. Future research could explore the motivations driving social media usage and personality traits among Asian users considering cultural influences. Despite valuable insights gained, limitations such as response bias should be considered.
ournal of Artificial Intelligence and Technology , 2024
This study investigates the effectiveness of Large Language Models (LLMs), specifically ChatGPT, ... more This study investigates the effectiveness of Large Language Models (LLMs), specifically ChatGPT, in machine translation and compares them with traditional tools like Google Translate. The research focused on translating speeches by King Abdullah II of Jordan, delivered in Arabic and English at significant international events in 2023. The study evaluated the translations based on meaning, functional and textual adequacy, target language mechanics, style, register, and idiomaticity. The analysis revealed that Google Translate's Arabic-English translations were deficient, with contextual accuracy and meaning issues necessitating major revisions. The English-Arabic translations by Google Translate also required significant edits due to literal translation practices and inadequacies in several areas. Contrariwise, ChatGPT's Arabic-English translations were rated as acceptable, needing only minor edits, and offered more natural-sounding translations. The English-Arabic translations by ChatGPT, while better than Google Translate, still showed some deficiencies but were deemed acceptable with minor adjustments. The study underscores the irreplaceability of human translators in ensuring accurate and contextually rich translations. However, the study also highlights the potential of LLMs, such as ChatGPT, to significantly enhance the translation process. Developers are encouraged to enhance LLMs' contextual understanding and natural language processing capabilities. This involves expanding training datasets to include diverse and context-rich examples and improving the models' ability to handle different registers, styles, and idiomatic expressions. The study strongly advocates for a collaborative model in the translation industry that integrates machine translation with human expertise to enhance efficiency while maintaining quality. These insights are crucial for driving advancements in developing and applying machine translation tools, ensuring they complement rather than replace human translators.
This Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) study examines Malaysia"s National Blockchain Roadmap 2021... more This Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) study examines Malaysia"s National Blockchain Roadmap 2021-2025, assessing its focus, goals, future development plans, and challenges based on text and context analysis. The study reveals that the roadmap presents a comprehensive strategy aimed at leveraging blockchain technology to drive economic growth, foster innovation, and enhance Malaysia"s competitiveness in the digital age. It emphasizes government adoption, regulatory clarity, industry collaboration, talent development, infrastructure investment, and use case exploration to lay the foundation for Malaysia to emerge as a global leader in blockchain innovation. Through strategic initiatives and partnerships, Malaysia aims to streamline administrative processes, enhance transparency, and optimize resource allocation within public agencies, showcasing its commitment to digital transformation and socioeconomic development. Additionally, the roadmap prioritizes the development of a robust regulatory framework to govern blockchain usage, fostering innovation while ensuring compliance. Industry engagement is underscored with initiatives aimed at catalyzing the development of industry-specific blockchain solutions tailored to address key challenges and opportunities. The roadmap anticipates further development and expansion driven by technological advances, evolving regulatory frameworks, and industry collaboration. Based on the context analysis, the roadmap faces several challenges, including regulatory uncertainty, interoperability issues, resource constraints, lack of trust, intellectual property concerns, and competing priorities. To overcome these challenges, Malaysia needs to advance in technology, regulatory frameworks, industry collaboration, education, talent development, infrastructure investment, and use further case exploration.
Recent studies claimed that the absence of a paradigm is a challenge to developing education for ... more Recent studies claimed that the absence of a paradigm is a challenge to developing education for sustainable development and soft skills competencies. This integrative study examines stimulating these transferable and transversal competencies through constructivist approaches to teaching from the cognitive, social, radical, and critical perspectives. The study argues that the use of constructivist approaches to teaching can contribute to the achievement of education for sustainable development and soft skills competencies through the delegation of power from teachers/lecturers to students. This, in active and interactive classrooms, empowers students and builds their confidence to develop on the personal, academic, and professional levels. The use of the cognitive constructivist approach assists in developing competencies based on a clear understanding of the cognitive structures of students in a vibrant classroom environment. The use of the social constructivist approach assists in constructing individualized learning environment based on predetermined zones of proximal development in sociocultural contexts. The radical and critical constructivist approaches to teaching, through the rejection of conventional epistemologies, allow students the freedom to creatively address issues related to environmental, economic, and social sustainability. This becomes effective through the fostering of self and social awareness, challenging existing ideas, and provoking innovative thoughts that are necessary to shape a sustainable future.
Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Technology, 2024
This study explores the development of soft skills in the Artificial Intelligence era. Initially,... more This study explores the development of soft skills in the Artificial Intelligence era. Initially, the study, through an anonymous online survey, explored why students use AI and Large Language Models (LLMs). It was found that students use AI for general and academic purposes. From a general perspective, students use AI and LLMs for (1) convenience, (2) lack of time, and (3) lack of curiosity/interest. From an academic perspective, students use AI and LLM platforms as they (1) lack familiarity/knowledge, (2) lack basic skills, (3) lack confidence, (4) have an eagerness to score high grades, and (5) wish to provide different perspectives. To assist in developing students’ soft skills and discourage possible destructive outcomes in the AI era, the study suggests integrating AI platforms as part of teaching. This integration can be carried out by (1) introducing AI tools to students in a productive manner, (2) aligning the use of AI tools with the curriculum and teaching styles, (3) planning lessons and interactive activities using AI platforms, and (4) using AI tools to provide feedback and vice versa. In communication courses, instructors shall (1) create a supportive environment, (2) organize classroom discussions and debates, (3) create public speaking opportunities, (4) provide room for oral communication practices, (5) integrate the use of technology and multimedia, and (6) provide feedback and reflection. In business writing courses, instructors shall (1) encourage effective communication in classrooms, (2) facilitate collaboration and teamwork, (3) use role-play scenarios, (4) introduce project management tools, (5) teach professional etiquette, and (6) organize networking events. In composition courses, instructors shall (1) embrace technology, (2) teach students to critically evaluate online sources, (3) design assignments that require critical analysis, (4) encourage creative writing assignments, (5) promote imagination and originality, and (6) conduct workshops. These practices, which are provided in line with AlAfnan’s taxonomy of educational objectives, shall assist students in developing their soft skills in a way that maintains the relevance of classroom teaching in the AI era.
Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is employed to analyze Mandela"s "I am Prepared to Die" speech ... more Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is employed to analyze Mandela"s "I am Prepared to Die" speech and identify the transformational leadership qualities demonstrated by Mandela. The analysis considers the speech's vocabulary, grammar, structure, and genre. The analysis reveals that Mandela exhibited the key characteristics of transformational leaders, including individualized consideration, inspirational motivation, idealized influence, and intellectual stimulation. Through his use of language and grammar, Mandela is portrayed as a strong, capable, devoted, fair, and responsible leader. The use of singular and plural first-person pronouns demonstrates Mandela's leadership qualities which include honesty, reliability, inclusion, and courage to speak the truth. It also highlights his ability to influence, inspire, motivate, and adapt to changing circumstances. Mandela employs transformational tactics to not only transform values, goals, and lives but also to persuade others through his actions, motivate by his vision, and establish challenging goals. In terms of genre and structure, the introduction effectively grabs the audience's attention with a startling statement and a clear thesis statement outlining key issues. The conclusion sums up the speech and ends up with a strong and powerful clincher, which gives the speech its well-known title. The body of the speech was packed with facts and details that were presented in a coherent and organized manner using narrative, descriptive, expository, definition, process, compare and contrast, argumentative, persuasive, cause and effect, classification, and critical analysis styles. The study reveals that Mr. Mandela manages to deftly use these styles to establish his credibility and reliability as a transformational leader, on the first hand, and well serve the purposes of the speech, on the other hand.
The study examines the use of nonverbal positive and negative politeness through the ‘encoding’ b... more The study examines the use of nonverbal positive and negative politeness through the ‘encoding’ by ‘giving signals’ and the ‘decoding’ by ‘following signs’ of the politic-driving behavior in Africa. The thematic framework is basically based on the work of Brown and Levinson (1987) and AlAfnan (2022). The research sample included 723 drivers from 16 African countries [1]that belong to the five African regions. The examination looked into four variables that are the age, gender, level of education, and country of origin of respondents. The study found a positive correlation between education and politic driving behavior as educated drivers, especially female drivers, tend to be more cautious about their self-image and other drivers’ self-esteem than uneducated drivers. The study also reveals that age plays a significant role in following politic driving behavior as elder drivers are more polite than younger drivers, regardless of gender. The study also showed that Algerian male and fe...
This 12-week experimental study examines the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) sco... more This 12-week experimental study examines the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) scores and gender in an effort to clarify the persistent generalization that males are less emotionally intelligent than girls. The intervention program's curriculum that was introduced to 87 grade 11 male and female Lebanese students included four literary short stories with three levels of analysis: informational, conceptual, and ESL. Characters, emotional intelligence abilities, and attributes were analyzed at the last level of analysis. At the start of the program and following therapy, the participants took the Shutte Social Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT). The study did not reveal any appreciable variations between genders in this regard. Males and females were almost equally emotionally intelligent. It is advised that, in addition to gender, the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic success be explored in order to uncover any correlations that may benefit s...
This empirical study examines ChatGPT as an educational and learning tool. It investigates the op... more This empirical study examines ChatGPT as an educational and learning tool. It investigates the opportunities and chal-lenges that ChatGPT provides to the students and instruc-tors of communication, business writing, and composition courses. It also strives to provide recommendations. After conducting 30 theory-based and application-based ChatGPT tests, it is found that ChatGPT has the potential of replacing search engines as it provides accurate and relia-ble input to students. For opportunities, the study found that ChatGPT provides a platform for students to seek an-swers to theory-based questions and generate ideas for ap-plication-based questions. It also provides a platform for in-structors to integrate technology in classrooms and conduct workshops to discuss and evaluate generated responses. For challenges, the study found that ChatGPT, if unethically used by students, may lead to human unintelligence and un-learning. This may also present a challenge to instructors as the us...
The corpus-based study focuses on the use of hedges in persuasive TED Talk speeches, which are po... more The corpus-based study focuses on the use of hedges in persuasive TED Talk speeches, which are powerful, premeditated speeches delivered in a distinctive communicative environment that combines elements of both spoken and written discourse. The authors employ both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the hedging devices used to bolster the three rhetorical appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos. The results show that only 2% of the words in the corpus serve as hedging devices, which is lower compared to previous studies on written and spoken discourse. The incidence of hedges is highest in the logos parts, followed by pathos, with the lowest incidence in ethos. Strong credibility is generally established by avoiding hedging devices. To evoke emotions in the audience, the speakers mainly rely on adverbs and verbs. The use of approximators and shields to strengthen logos resembles the use of hedges in written academic discourse. The qualitative analysis focuses on the four most ...
This study examines politeness as a nonverbal politic behavior in 29 European countries and terri... more This study examines politeness as a nonverbal politic behavior in 29 European countries and territories using Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness theory. The examination looked into the nonverbal acts of ‘following road signs and speed limit’ and ‘giving signals before changing lanes’ as they reflect (1) negative politeness in the form of avoiding imposition and reducing face-threatening-acts and (2) positive politeness in the form of noticing and appreciating other drivers’ wants and interests to drive without imposition respectively. The examination looked into four variables that are the gender of drivers, age of drivers, level of education of drivers and their country of origin. The study found that European drivers are generally polite and they tend to use the positive politeness act (giving signals) of noticing and appreciating other drivers more often than the negative politeness act (following sigs and speed limits) of reducing imposition and avoiding face-threatening act...
This comparative study investigates politeness strategies used in Malaysian and Filipino student-... more This comparative study investigates politeness strategies used in Malaysian and Filipino student-teacher requesting emails. After analyzing a corpus of 40 student-teacher email requests that are written by Malaysian and Filipino university students, it is found that Malaysian university students use more direct (i.e., imperative, interrogative) requesting politeness strategies than their Filipino counterparts while Filipino university students use more indirect (i.e., positive, negative) requesting politeness strategies than their Malaysian counterparts. It is also revealed that Filipino students realize their requests longer with more strategies than Malaysian students as they produced more politeness moves than their Malaysian counterparts. This implies that while Filipino students tend to give more reasons and employ other strategies to justify their requests and appeal to their teachers, Malaysian students tend to directly, but politely using politeness mitigation markers, expre...
This study examines the use of speech acts in the United Nations General Assembly Resolution numb... more This study examines the use of speech acts in the United Nations General Assembly Resolution number 377 A (V). Using Bach’s (2003) speech acts categorizations, the study aims to identify the illocutionary and perlocutionary acts used in the resolution as it aims to examine how the resolution is constructed and interpreted. The study reveals that the resolution incorporates instances of directive, constative and commissive illocutionary acts. The perlocutionary effects of the directive illocutionary acts comprise instructing, advising, urging, requesting and recommending; the perlocutionary effects of the constative illocutionary acts include reaffirming, recognizing, and stating; and the perlocutionary effects of the commissive illocutionary acts encompass assuring and inviting. It is also found that the resolution is constructed using two structural patterns: the constative-directive pattern to recognize accountability then provide regulative directives (herewith, it shall be that)...
Politeness is mainly investigated in verbal and written communicative encounters. This study nove... more Politeness is mainly investigated in verbal and written communicative encounters. This study novelistically examines politeness and politic behavior as a nonverbal communicative event concerning driving habits in Asia. Politeness is investigated based on four variables that are the country of origin, gender, age, and level of education. The novel framework is based on Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness theory. This study revealed that Asian drivers use deference, hedges, and indirectness to minimize imposition while driving. The study showed that Hong Konger, Singaporean and Malaysian drivers are the most polite in Asia. This study also revealed that Hong Konger female drivers and Malaysian male drivers are the most polite in Asia concerning giving signals before changing lanes. It also revealed that Malaysian female drivers and Singaporean male drivers are the most polite in Asia concerning following traffic signs and speed limits. The study also found that Malaysian, Indonesia...
The recent development in [critical] genre analysis moved the focus more into the institutionaliz... more The recent development in [critical] genre analysis moved the focus more into the institutionalized and conventionalized practices of the place discourse community; yet, examining the textual artifacts and register variations maintained their vital importance in the analysis. Using a functional multi-dimensional framework, this study examined register variation in more than 350 electronic messages that were exchanged in a professional context to explore register variations in the emails. The study revealed that the corpus of emails, if examined as a single genre, included instances of the seven dimensions of register variation. However, if it is examined as four types of genres based on the intentions of the communication, as in AlAfnan (2015a), it becomes apparent that the four types of email genres belong to different registers. The register of the emails that were parts of long strings discussing work related issues is 'overtly argumentative' and 'narrative discourse&...
It is proven that corporate cultures have a great impact on productivity, job satisfaction, and t... more It is proven that corporate cultures have a great impact on productivity, job satisfaction, and turnover. This study, through ethnographic and textual analysis, aims to investigate the influences of corporate/organizational cultures (Cooke & Szumal, 1993) on management and business communication. To form a comprehensive, holistic, and in-depth understanding of the organizational culture and its direct and indirect effects on professional communication in the workplace, participant observations were conducted, interviews were carried out and interorganizational and intraorganizational textual data was collected from an educational institute. The ethnographic and textual analysis revealed that the act of adaptiveness to the organizational culture shaped the communicative practices, the linguistic structures, and the behavioral norms of the place discourse community. As the employees were bound by the rules and regulations, they made direct and indirect references to the policies using...
This paper examined how the employees of a private higher educational institution in Kuala Lumpur... more This paper examined how the employees of a private higher educational institution in Kuala Lumpur use their professional knowledge in carrying out their institutional practices to construct their workplace email communications. This study does not only investigate how every single email functions in the workplace, but also how they interact with other texts, genres and styles in the immediate and distant contexts of situation. Investigating intertextuality was carried out in relation to how and why the employees used previous texts in a new text, referential intertextuality; how and why they repeatedly used certain forms to respond to reoccurring rhetorical situations, generic intertextuality; and how and why the place discourse community used their professional knowledge to identify the authority of certain texts on other text, functional intertextuality. Interdiscursivity was examined by categorizing how and why the employees of the educational institution appropriated the generic...
This study reviews existing taxonomies and proposes a new educational taxonomy that fulfills the ... more This study reviews existing taxonomies and proposes a new educational taxonomy that fulfills the educational needs of the current era, the information and Artificial Intelligence (AI) era. The review of previous educational taxonomies revealed that although they provide insights into establishing educational objectives and learning outcomes, they still need to address recent changes and challenges in learning processes. To (1) integrate the new realities into the landscape of learning (i.e., Education for sustainable development (ESD), soft skills development, and AI), (2) maintain the classroom as the formal venue for learning, and (3) strengthen the position and role of instructors as facilitators, a new six-category twofold hierarchy-based taxonomy is proposed (AlAfnan Taxonomy): (1) Knowledge and Comprehension, (2) Synthesis and Evaluation, (3) Ethical and Moral Reasoning, (4) Application and Strategic Thinking, (5) Creativity and Innovation, and (6) Lifelong Learning and Adaptability. The taxonomy begins with foundational levels of 'Knowledge and Comprehension' stressing the importance of understanding fundamental realities and concepts within specific fields. Then, it addresses the importance of 'Synthesis and Evaluation' as essential and crucial skills for navigating an information-rich world. 'Ethical and Moral Reasoning' highlights the significance of ethical decision-making, moral frameworks, and culture-based diversity. Further, the taxonomy introduces 'Application and Strategic Thinking', emphasizing the practical use of knowledge in real-world scenarios and the ability to devise long-term plans. 'Creativity and Innovation' are essential drivers of progress in an era characterized by rapid technological advancements encouraging learners to explore novel solutions and approaches. Lastly, 'Lifelong Learning and Adaptability' underscores the necessity of continuous learning and flexibility in response to evolving circumstances, ensuring students and graduates remain competitive and relevant throughout their lives. By nurturing a multifaceted skill set encompassing critical thinking, ethical awareness, practical application, creativity, and adaptability, this taxonomy aims to equip learners with the necessary tools to excel in a dynamic and complex world, making it indispensable for modern education.
This study investigates social media personalities in Asia, shedding light on their demographics,... more This study investigates social media personalities in Asia, shedding light on their demographics, platform preferences, and user behaviors across 16 countries. The findings reveal a significant predominance of younger users, highlighting the importance of targeting this demographic in marketing strategies. The study also underscores the pervasive influence of social media in daily life, with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat widely adopted for various purposes in Asia. The study shows that different personality types (Approval Seeker, Changeling, Denier, Lurker, Peacock, Quizzer, Ranter, Ultra, Virgin, Social Butterfly, and Informer) exhibit distinct preferences for social media platforms, indicating the need for tailored marketing strategies. Furthermore, the correlation between countries of origin and social media personalities underscores cultural nuances and regional trends in usage. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for effectively engaging diverse audiences across the region. The study suggests practical implications for marketers to customize their strategies based on dominant personality types and platform preferences in each market, empowering them to make informed decisions. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into social media behavior in Asia, equipping marketers, policymakers, and researchers with the understanding and tools to navigate the evolving landscape of social media engagement. The dominance of the Lurker personality type in Asia emphasizes that 'silent majorities' also exist in the digital sphere as they exist in the real world. Future research could explore the motivations driving social media usage and personality traits among Asian users considering cultural influences. Despite valuable insights gained, limitations such as response bias should be considered.
ournal of Artificial Intelligence and Technology , 2024
This study investigates the effectiveness of Large Language Models (LLMs), specifically ChatGPT, ... more This study investigates the effectiveness of Large Language Models (LLMs), specifically ChatGPT, in machine translation and compares them with traditional tools like Google Translate. The research focused on translating speeches by King Abdullah II of Jordan, delivered in Arabic and English at significant international events in 2023. The study evaluated the translations based on meaning, functional and textual adequacy, target language mechanics, style, register, and idiomaticity. The analysis revealed that Google Translate's Arabic-English translations were deficient, with contextual accuracy and meaning issues necessitating major revisions. The English-Arabic translations by Google Translate also required significant edits due to literal translation practices and inadequacies in several areas. Contrariwise, ChatGPT's Arabic-English translations were rated as acceptable, needing only minor edits, and offered more natural-sounding translations. The English-Arabic translations by ChatGPT, while better than Google Translate, still showed some deficiencies but were deemed acceptable with minor adjustments. The study underscores the irreplaceability of human translators in ensuring accurate and contextually rich translations. However, the study also highlights the potential of LLMs, such as ChatGPT, to significantly enhance the translation process. Developers are encouraged to enhance LLMs' contextual understanding and natural language processing capabilities. This involves expanding training datasets to include diverse and context-rich examples and improving the models' ability to handle different registers, styles, and idiomatic expressions. The study strongly advocates for a collaborative model in the translation industry that integrates machine translation with human expertise to enhance efficiency while maintaining quality. These insights are crucial for driving advancements in developing and applying machine translation tools, ensuring they complement rather than replace human translators.
This Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) study examines Malaysia"s National Blockchain Roadmap 2021... more This Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) study examines Malaysia"s National Blockchain Roadmap 2021-2025, assessing its focus, goals, future development plans, and challenges based on text and context analysis. The study reveals that the roadmap presents a comprehensive strategy aimed at leveraging blockchain technology to drive economic growth, foster innovation, and enhance Malaysia"s competitiveness in the digital age. It emphasizes government adoption, regulatory clarity, industry collaboration, talent development, infrastructure investment, and use case exploration to lay the foundation for Malaysia to emerge as a global leader in blockchain innovation. Through strategic initiatives and partnerships, Malaysia aims to streamline administrative processes, enhance transparency, and optimize resource allocation within public agencies, showcasing its commitment to digital transformation and socioeconomic development. Additionally, the roadmap prioritizes the development of a robust regulatory framework to govern blockchain usage, fostering innovation while ensuring compliance. Industry engagement is underscored with initiatives aimed at catalyzing the development of industry-specific blockchain solutions tailored to address key challenges and opportunities. The roadmap anticipates further development and expansion driven by technological advances, evolving regulatory frameworks, and industry collaboration. Based on the context analysis, the roadmap faces several challenges, including regulatory uncertainty, interoperability issues, resource constraints, lack of trust, intellectual property concerns, and competing priorities. To overcome these challenges, Malaysia needs to advance in technology, regulatory frameworks, industry collaboration, education, talent development, infrastructure investment, and use further case exploration.
Recent studies claimed that the absence of a paradigm is a challenge to developing education for ... more Recent studies claimed that the absence of a paradigm is a challenge to developing education for sustainable development and soft skills competencies. This integrative study examines stimulating these transferable and transversal competencies through constructivist approaches to teaching from the cognitive, social, radical, and critical perspectives. The study argues that the use of constructivist approaches to teaching can contribute to the achievement of education for sustainable development and soft skills competencies through the delegation of power from teachers/lecturers to students. This, in active and interactive classrooms, empowers students and builds their confidence to develop on the personal, academic, and professional levels. The use of the cognitive constructivist approach assists in developing competencies based on a clear understanding of the cognitive structures of students in a vibrant classroom environment. The use of the social constructivist approach assists in constructing individualized learning environment based on predetermined zones of proximal development in sociocultural contexts. The radical and critical constructivist approaches to teaching, through the rejection of conventional epistemologies, allow students the freedom to creatively address issues related to environmental, economic, and social sustainability. This becomes effective through the fostering of self and social awareness, challenging existing ideas, and provoking innovative thoughts that are necessary to shape a sustainable future.
Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Technology, 2024
This study explores the development of soft skills in the Artificial Intelligence era. Initially,... more This study explores the development of soft skills in the Artificial Intelligence era. Initially, the study, through an anonymous online survey, explored why students use AI and Large Language Models (LLMs). It was found that students use AI for general and academic purposes. From a general perspective, students use AI and LLMs for (1) convenience, (2) lack of time, and (3) lack of curiosity/interest. From an academic perspective, students use AI and LLM platforms as they (1) lack familiarity/knowledge, (2) lack basic skills, (3) lack confidence, (4) have an eagerness to score high grades, and (5) wish to provide different perspectives. To assist in developing students’ soft skills and discourage possible destructive outcomes in the AI era, the study suggests integrating AI platforms as part of teaching. This integration can be carried out by (1) introducing AI tools to students in a productive manner, (2) aligning the use of AI tools with the curriculum and teaching styles, (3) planning lessons and interactive activities using AI platforms, and (4) using AI tools to provide feedback and vice versa. In communication courses, instructors shall (1) create a supportive environment, (2) organize classroom discussions and debates, (3) create public speaking opportunities, (4) provide room for oral communication practices, (5) integrate the use of technology and multimedia, and (6) provide feedback and reflection. In business writing courses, instructors shall (1) encourage effective communication in classrooms, (2) facilitate collaboration and teamwork, (3) use role-play scenarios, (4) introduce project management tools, (5) teach professional etiquette, and (6) organize networking events. In composition courses, instructors shall (1) embrace technology, (2) teach students to critically evaluate online sources, (3) design assignments that require critical analysis, (4) encourage creative writing assignments, (5) promote imagination and originality, and (6) conduct workshops. These practices, which are provided in line with AlAfnan’s taxonomy of educational objectives, shall assist students in developing their soft skills in a way that maintains the relevance of classroom teaching in the AI era.
Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is employed to analyze Mandela"s "I am Prepared to Die" speech ... more Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is employed to analyze Mandela"s "I am Prepared to Die" speech and identify the transformational leadership qualities demonstrated by Mandela. The analysis considers the speech's vocabulary, grammar, structure, and genre. The analysis reveals that Mandela exhibited the key characteristics of transformational leaders, including individualized consideration, inspirational motivation, idealized influence, and intellectual stimulation. Through his use of language and grammar, Mandela is portrayed as a strong, capable, devoted, fair, and responsible leader. The use of singular and plural first-person pronouns demonstrates Mandela's leadership qualities which include honesty, reliability, inclusion, and courage to speak the truth. It also highlights his ability to influence, inspire, motivate, and adapt to changing circumstances. Mandela employs transformational tactics to not only transform values, goals, and lives but also to persuade others through his actions, motivate by his vision, and establish challenging goals. In terms of genre and structure, the introduction effectively grabs the audience's attention with a startling statement and a clear thesis statement outlining key issues. The conclusion sums up the speech and ends up with a strong and powerful clincher, which gives the speech its well-known title. The body of the speech was packed with facts and details that were presented in a coherent and organized manner using narrative, descriptive, expository, definition, process, compare and contrast, argumentative, persuasive, cause and effect, classification, and critical analysis styles. The study reveals that Mr. Mandela manages to deftly use these styles to establish his credibility and reliability as a transformational leader, on the first hand, and well serve the purposes of the speech, on the other hand.
The study examines the use of nonverbal positive and negative politeness through the ‘encoding’ b... more The study examines the use of nonverbal positive and negative politeness through the ‘encoding’ by ‘giving signals’ and the ‘decoding’ by ‘following signs’ of the politic-driving behavior in Africa. The thematic framework is basically based on the work of Brown and Levinson (1987) and AlAfnan (2022). The research sample included 723 drivers from 16 African countries [1]that belong to the five African regions. The examination looked into four variables that are the age, gender, level of education, and country of origin of respondents. The study found a positive correlation between education and politic driving behavior as educated drivers, especially female drivers, tend to be more cautious about their self-image and other drivers’ self-esteem than uneducated drivers. The study also reveals that age plays a significant role in following politic driving behavior as elder drivers are more polite than younger drivers, regardless of gender. The study also showed that Algerian male and fe...
This 12-week experimental study examines the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) sco... more This 12-week experimental study examines the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) scores and gender in an effort to clarify the persistent generalization that males are less emotionally intelligent than girls. The intervention program's curriculum that was introduced to 87 grade 11 male and female Lebanese students included four literary short stories with three levels of analysis: informational, conceptual, and ESL. Characters, emotional intelligence abilities, and attributes were analyzed at the last level of analysis. At the start of the program and following therapy, the participants took the Shutte Social Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT). The study did not reveal any appreciable variations between genders in this regard. Males and females were almost equally emotionally intelligent. It is advised that, in addition to gender, the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic success be explored in order to uncover any correlations that may benefit s...
This empirical study examines ChatGPT as an educational and learning tool. It investigates the op... more This empirical study examines ChatGPT as an educational and learning tool. It investigates the opportunities and chal-lenges that ChatGPT provides to the students and instruc-tors of communication, business writing, and composition courses. It also strives to provide recommendations. After conducting 30 theory-based and application-based ChatGPT tests, it is found that ChatGPT has the potential of replacing search engines as it provides accurate and relia-ble input to students. For opportunities, the study found that ChatGPT provides a platform for students to seek an-swers to theory-based questions and generate ideas for ap-plication-based questions. It also provides a platform for in-structors to integrate technology in classrooms and conduct workshops to discuss and evaluate generated responses. For challenges, the study found that ChatGPT, if unethically used by students, may lead to human unintelligence and un-learning. This may also present a challenge to instructors as the us...
The corpus-based study focuses on the use of hedges in persuasive TED Talk speeches, which are po... more The corpus-based study focuses on the use of hedges in persuasive TED Talk speeches, which are powerful, premeditated speeches delivered in a distinctive communicative environment that combines elements of both spoken and written discourse. The authors employ both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the hedging devices used to bolster the three rhetorical appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos. The results show that only 2% of the words in the corpus serve as hedging devices, which is lower compared to previous studies on written and spoken discourse. The incidence of hedges is highest in the logos parts, followed by pathos, with the lowest incidence in ethos. Strong credibility is generally established by avoiding hedging devices. To evoke emotions in the audience, the speakers mainly rely on adverbs and verbs. The use of approximators and shields to strengthen logos resembles the use of hedges in written academic discourse. The qualitative analysis focuses on the four most ...
This study examines politeness as a nonverbal politic behavior in 29 European countries and terri... more This study examines politeness as a nonverbal politic behavior in 29 European countries and territories using Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness theory. The examination looked into the nonverbal acts of ‘following road signs and speed limit’ and ‘giving signals before changing lanes’ as they reflect (1) negative politeness in the form of avoiding imposition and reducing face-threatening-acts and (2) positive politeness in the form of noticing and appreciating other drivers’ wants and interests to drive without imposition respectively. The examination looked into four variables that are the gender of drivers, age of drivers, level of education of drivers and their country of origin. The study found that European drivers are generally polite and they tend to use the positive politeness act (giving signals) of noticing and appreciating other drivers more often than the negative politeness act (following sigs and speed limits) of reducing imposition and avoiding face-threatening act...
This comparative study investigates politeness strategies used in Malaysian and Filipino student-... more This comparative study investigates politeness strategies used in Malaysian and Filipino student-teacher requesting emails. After analyzing a corpus of 40 student-teacher email requests that are written by Malaysian and Filipino university students, it is found that Malaysian university students use more direct (i.e., imperative, interrogative) requesting politeness strategies than their Filipino counterparts while Filipino university students use more indirect (i.e., positive, negative) requesting politeness strategies than their Malaysian counterparts. It is also revealed that Filipino students realize their requests longer with more strategies than Malaysian students as they produced more politeness moves than their Malaysian counterparts. This implies that while Filipino students tend to give more reasons and employ other strategies to justify their requests and appeal to their teachers, Malaysian students tend to directly, but politely using politeness mitigation markers, expre...
This study examines the use of speech acts in the United Nations General Assembly Resolution numb... more This study examines the use of speech acts in the United Nations General Assembly Resolution number 377 A (V). Using Bach’s (2003) speech acts categorizations, the study aims to identify the illocutionary and perlocutionary acts used in the resolution as it aims to examine how the resolution is constructed and interpreted. The study reveals that the resolution incorporates instances of directive, constative and commissive illocutionary acts. The perlocutionary effects of the directive illocutionary acts comprise instructing, advising, urging, requesting and recommending; the perlocutionary effects of the constative illocutionary acts include reaffirming, recognizing, and stating; and the perlocutionary effects of the commissive illocutionary acts encompass assuring and inviting. It is also found that the resolution is constructed using two structural patterns: the constative-directive pattern to recognize accountability then provide regulative directives (herewith, it shall be that)...
Politeness is mainly investigated in verbal and written communicative encounters. This study nove... more Politeness is mainly investigated in verbal and written communicative encounters. This study novelistically examines politeness and politic behavior as a nonverbal communicative event concerning driving habits in Asia. Politeness is investigated based on four variables that are the country of origin, gender, age, and level of education. The novel framework is based on Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness theory. This study revealed that Asian drivers use deference, hedges, and indirectness to minimize imposition while driving. The study showed that Hong Konger, Singaporean and Malaysian drivers are the most polite in Asia. This study also revealed that Hong Konger female drivers and Malaysian male drivers are the most polite in Asia concerning giving signals before changing lanes. It also revealed that Malaysian female drivers and Singaporean male drivers are the most polite in Asia concerning following traffic signs and speed limits. The study also found that Malaysian, Indonesia...
The recent development in [critical] genre analysis moved the focus more into the institutionaliz... more The recent development in [critical] genre analysis moved the focus more into the institutionalized and conventionalized practices of the place discourse community; yet, examining the textual artifacts and register variations maintained their vital importance in the analysis. Using a functional multi-dimensional framework, this study examined register variation in more than 350 electronic messages that were exchanged in a professional context to explore register variations in the emails. The study revealed that the corpus of emails, if examined as a single genre, included instances of the seven dimensions of register variation. However, if it is examined as four types of genres based on the intentions of the communication, as in AlAfnan (2015a), it becomes apparent that the four types of email genres belong to different registers. The register of the emails that were parts of long strings discussing work related issues is 'overtly argumentative' and 'narrative discourse&...
It is proven that corporate cultures have a great impact on productivity, job satisfaction, and t... more It is proven that corporate cultures have a great impact on productivity, job satisfaction, and turnover. This study, through ethnographic and textual analysis, aims to investigate the influences of corporate/organizational cultures (Cooke & Szumal, 1993) on management and business communication. To form a comprehensive, holistic, and in-depth understanding of the organizational culture and its direct and indirect effects on professional communication in the workplace, participant observations were conducted, interviews were carried out and interorganizational and intraorganizational textual data was collected from an educational institute. The ethnographic and textual analysis revealed that the act of adaptiveness to the organizational culture shaped the communicative practices, the linguistic structures, and the behavioral norms of the place discourse community. As the employees were bound by the rules and regulations, they made direct and indirect references to the policies using...
This paper examined how the employees of a private higher educational institution in Kuala Lumpur... more This paper examined how the employees of a private higher educational institution in Kuala Lumpur use their professional knowledge in carrying out their institutional practices to construct their workplace email communications. This study does not only investigate how every single email functions in the workplace, but also how they interact with other texts, genres and styles in the immediate and distant contexts of situation. Investigating intertextuality was carried out in relation to how and why the employees used previous texts in a new text, referential intertextuality; how and why they repeatedly used certain forms to respond to reoccurring rhetorical situations, generic intertextuality; and how and why the place discourse community used their professional knowledge to identify the authority of certain texts on other text, functional intertextuality. Interdiscursivity was examined by categorizing how and why the employees of the educational institution appropriated the generic...
Intercultural face-to-face communication is tricky as people from different cultures have differe... more Intercultural face-to-face communication is tricky as people from different cultures have different approaches to communication, meeting styles, and business etiquette. Yet, these differences can be negotiated through gestures, body language, and facial expressions. In emails, however, this luxury is not available. Emails may lose a lot of potentials in cultural translations, and can also be a source of a feud, misunderstanding, and possibly confusion. As an asynchronous method of communication, the language of emails is the only happenstance between communicators. Therefore, intercultural stylistic and contextual differences can be a source of dispute, as messages written by non-native speakers can be viewed unfavorably by the natives and vice versa. This book examines workplace emails from the stylistic and the contextual perspective. In particular, this book scrutinizes the stylistic features of internal and external workplace emails that are written by Malaysians, Chinese, Indians, Africans, Middle Eastern, and British employees and employers.
This study examined intertextuality and interdiscursivity in email exchanges in an Institute in M... more This study examined intertextuality and interdiscursivity in email exchanges in an Institute in Malaysia. Intertextuality observed how and why the discourse community repeatedly used certain forms to respond to reoccurring rhetorical situations and how they used their professional knowledge to identify the authority of certain texts on other text. Interdiscursivity examined how and why the employees of the Institute appropriated the generic resources of a genre to create another. This study found that the discourse community skillfully used three types of intertextuality to achieve similar and contradicting communicative purposes. They also appropriated generic resources of a genre to create another.
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Papers by Mohammad Awad AlAfnan
general perspective, students use AI and LLMs for (1) convenience, (2) lack of time, and (3) lack of curiosity/interest. From an academic perspective, students use AI and LLM platforms as they (1) lack familiarity/knowledge, (2) lack basic skills, (3) lack confidence, (4) have an eagerness to score high grades, and (5) wish to provide different perspectives. To assist in developing students’ soft skills and discourage possible destructive outcomes in the AI era, the study suggests integrating AI platforms as part of teaching. This integration can be carried out by (1) introducing AI tools to students in a productive manner, (2) aligning the use of AI tools with the curriculum and teaching styles, (3) planning lessons and interactive activities using AI platforms, and (4) using AI tools to provide feedback and vice versa. In communication courses, instructors shall (1) create a supportive environment, (2) organize classroom discussions and debates, (3) create public
speaking opportunities, (4) provide room for oral communication practices, (5) integrate the use of technology and multimedia, and (6) provide feedback and reflection. In business writing courses,
instructors shall (1) encourage effective communication in classrooms, (2) facilitate collaboration and teamwork, (3) use role-play scenarios, (4) introduce project management tools, (5) teach
professional etiquette, and (6) organize networking events. In composition courses, instructors shall (1) embrace technology, (2) teach students to critically evaluate online sources, (3) design assignments that require critical analysis, (4) encourage creative writing assignments, (5) promote
imagination and originality, and (6) conduct workshops. These practices, which are provided in line with AlAfnan’s taxonomy of educational objectives, shall assist students in developing their soft skills in a way that maintains the relevance of classroom teaching in the AI era.
general perspective, students use AI and LLMs for (1) convenience, (2) lack of time, and (3) lack of curiosity/interest. From an academic perspective, students use AI and LLM platforms as they (1) lack familiarity/knowledge, (2) lack basic skills, (3) lack confidence, (4) have an eagerness to score high grades, and (5) wish to provide different perspectives. To assist in developing students’ soft skills and discourage possible destructive outcomes in the AI era, the study suggests integrating AI platforms as part of teaching. This integration can be carried out by (1) introducing AI tools to students in a productive manner, (2) aligning the use of AI tools with the curriculum and teaching styles, (3) planning lessons and interactive activities using AI platforms, and (4) using AI tools to provide feedback and vice versa. In communication courses, instructors shall (1) create a supportive environment, (2) organize classroom discussions and debates, (3) create public
speaking opportunities, (4) provide room for oral communication practices, (5) integrate the use of technology and multimedia, and (6) provide feedback and reflection. In business writing courses,
instructors shall (1) encourage effective communication in classrooms, (2) facilitate collaboration and teamwork, (3) use role-play scenarios, (4) introduce project management tools, (5) teach
professional etiquette, and (6) organize networking events. In composition courses, instructors shall (1) embrace technology, (2) teach students to critically evaluate online sources, (3) design assignments that require critical analysis, (4) encourage creative writing assignments, (5) promote
imagination and originality, and (6) conduct workshops. These practices, which are provided in line with AlAfnan’s taxonomy of educational objectives, shall assist students in developing their soft skills in a way that maintains the relevance of classroom teaching in the AI era.