Emerging Technologies, Gamification, and Artificial Intelligence in TEFL: Pedagogical Experiences from Community Engagement Projects in Ecuadorian Educational Contexts

This book is a collection of community engagement projects developed by master’s students in the Master’s Program in Pedagogy of English as a Foreign Language from Universidad Nacional de Loja, Ecuador, during the year 2025. All the research works reflect their commitment to educational innovation, inclusion, and social responsibility in diverse Ecuadorian contexts. Community engagement projects allow higher education institutions to serve and address educational issues; therefore, all studies presented in this compilation emerge from real-life EFL classrooms and meet students’ struggles to learn English. Simultaneously, master’s students acquired investigative skills and demonstrated how research-based pedagogical practices are innovative models for EFL teachers’ professional development that contribute to the improvement of English language learning. This book displays a variety of topics such as: the purposeful integration of technology, gamification, artificial intelligence, metacognitive strategies, and learner-centered methodologies to foster meaningful language learning experiences. From the use of applications such as Duolingo, LyricsTraining, WordUp, SpeakPal AI, and Bitsboard, to the implementation of platforms like Educaplay, EdShed, and BookWidgets, the projects reveal the growing relevance of digital resources in contemporary English language education. At the same time, they highlight the importance of adapting teaching practices to the characteristics and needs of specific learners, including gifted students, and students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and the potential of outdoor learning in rural schools We hope that the findings presented in this book inspire other EFL teachers and researchers with similar contexts to improve the quality of education in English as a foreign language. It's worth mentioning that some authors belong to the research group InnoTEFL whose objective is to develop research projects based on the innovation and intervention of EFL English teaching and learning processes.