Reframing Digital Innovation in EFL Classrooms: A Pedagogical Autoethnography of Teacher-Developed Offline Gamified Powerpoint Media

Main Article Content

Ikrar Ikrar
Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Tarbiyah Syamsul Ma'arif, Indonesia

Digital innovation in English language learning is often associated with high-tech platforms such as internet-based systems and mobile applications, which overlooks disparities in access and digital literacy across many regions. This study explores alternative forms of digital innovation that are more inclusive and sustainable. It aims to investigate the use of offline gamified PowerPoint media developed by teachers as a low-tech instructional alternative, with a focus on sustainability and equity in EFL classrooms. Adopting a pedagogical autoethnography approach, data were collected through reflective journals, classroom observations, student feedback, and instructional artifacts over two academic years. Triangulation and thematic analysis were employed to ensure methodological rigor. The findings reveal three key transformations: (1) reconstruction of teacher identity as a learning designer, (2) increased student engagement and reduced speaking anxiety through gamified interaction, and (3) the emergence of offline gamified pedagogy as a sustainable and equity-oriented model of digital innovation. This study demonstrates that low-tech, pedagogically grounded digital innovation can serve as an effective and sustainable alternative, even in resource-constrained contexts, while supporting inclusive and high-quality learning experiences.


Keywords: Digital Innovation, Offline Gamified Pedagogy, EFL Classroom, Teacher Agency, Low-Tech Instructional Design
Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness: Defining gamification. In Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference (pp. 9–15). ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/2181037.2181040
Ellis, C., Adams, T. E., & Bochner, A. P. (2011). Autoethnography: An overview. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 12(1).
Hamari, J., Koivisto, J., & Sarsa, H. (2014). Does gamification work? A literature review of empirical studies on gamification. In Proceedings of the 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (pp. 3025–3034). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2014.377
Hennessy, S., Jordan, K., & Wagner, D. A. (2021). Problem analysis and focus of EdTech Hub’s work: Technology in education in low- and middle-income countries.
Ifenatuora, G. P., Awoyemi, O., & Atobatele, F. A. (2023). Advances in instructional design for experiential mobile classrooms in resource-constrained environments. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation, 4(2), 773–778.
Irungu, C. W. (2025). Bridging the digital divide: Enhancing workforce readiness through technology integration in Kenyan TVET institutions. Journal of Education Management & Leadership (JEML), 4(1), 79–93.
Kheirkhah Abkenari, H. (2025). Exploring the role of identity and positionality in shaping the pedagogy of international teacher educators.
Lypka, A. E., & Bangun, I. (2020). Uncovering transnational practitioner-researchers’ identity and equity-oriented practices: A critical lens. In Autoethnographies in ELT (pp. 223–241). Routledge.
Makinde, S. O., Ajani, Y. A., & Abdulrahman, M. R. (2024). Smart learning as transformative impact of technology: A paradigm for accomplishing sustainable development goals (SDGs) in education. Indonesian Journal of Educational Research and Technology, 4(3), 213–224.
Ndjama, J. D. N. (2025). Bridging the digital divide in the access and usage of technology through digital literacy in rural vocational schools. In Institutes of Higher Education (IHE) and Workforce Collaboration for Digital Literacy (pp. 91–124). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.
Okai-Ugbaje, S., Ardzejewska, K., & Imran, A. (2022). A mobile learning framework for higher education in resource constrained environments. Education and Information Technologies, 27(8), 11947–11969.
Priestley, M., Biesta, G., & Robinson, S. (2015). Teacher agency: An ecological approach. Bloomsbury Academic.
Rafiq-uz-Zaman, M. (2025). Beyond the blackboards: Building a micro-edtech economy through teacher-led innovation in low-income schools. Journal of Business Insight and Innovation, 4(1), 46–52.
Rwodzi, C., & De Jager, L. (2021). Remote learning as an option by resilient English teachers in Gauteng resource-constrained secondary schools. Perspectives in Education, 39(3), 62–78.
Selwyn, N. (2016). Education and technology: Key issues and debates (2nd ed.). Bloomsbury Academic.
Siddiqi, M. M. (2024). Future of digital education: Inclusive, immersive, equitable. MediaSpace: DME Media Journal of Communication, 5(1), 8–24.
Sikora, Y., Shaforost, Y., Danylyuk, S., & Chernykh, V. V. (2024). Leveraging gamification and game-based technologies for educational purposes.
Tomas, L., Lasen, M., Field, E., & Skamp, K. (2015). Promoting online students’ engagement and learning in science and sustainability preservice teacher education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 40(11), 79–107.
UNESCO. (2023). Global education monitoring report 2023: Technology in education – A tool on whose terms? UNESCO Publishing.
Yeganeh, L. N., et al. (2025). The future of education: A multi-layered metaverse classroom model for immersive and inclusive learning. Future Internet, 17(2), 63.