Balancing agency and automation to overcome digital divide in ESP writing instruction

Authors

  • Sadia Arshad Air University & National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST)
  • Sadia Irshad Air University, Pakistan
  • Huma Batool Air University, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/z8n0h321

Keywords:

Digital inclusion, technological determinism, ESP writing instruction, quality education

Abstract

In the digital age, technology access and application inequalities, conceptualized as the digital divide, present a continuing problem for English for Specific Purposes writing education. This qualitative research explores the experience of the digital divide among ESP teachers in terms of four levels of access to van Dijk and how they view technological determinism as a factor in defining pedagogical engagement with digital tools. The data were gathered through open-ended questionnaires and analyzed using thematic analysis. The results demonstrate an unequal distribution of technology integration, influenced by infrastructural constraints, institutional support, disparate levels of digital literacy, and ethical issues related to the use of automated writing tools. While some teachers resisted due to motivational and material constraints, others adopted innovative practices, reflecting a soft determinist view. The paper highlights the importance of continuous professional growth, institutional support, and explicit policy guidelines to achieve equitable digital integration in ESP writing pedagogy.

Author Biographies

  • Sadia Arshad, Air University & National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST)

    SADIA ARSHAD, Senior Lecturer serving in the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering (SCEE), at the University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad. She is a PhD scholar at Air University, Islamabad. Her research interests span English language teaching (ELT), computer-assisted language learning (CALL), sociolinguistic competence, discourse analysis, and corpus linguistics. Passionate about advancing innovative teaching methods and exploring the intersection of technology and language education, she strives to contribute meaningful insights to these dynamic areas of study.

    Email: sadia.arshad@nice.nust.edu.pk

  • Sadia Irshad, Air University, Pakistan

    HUMA BATOOL is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at Air University, Islamabad. She holds a PhD in Cognitive Linguistics, with research interests spanning Psycholinguistics and Neurolinguistics. With over 20 years of experience in English Language Teaching (ELT), she has been an advocate of technology-enhanced pedagogy, consistently integrating digital tools into language learning. Her recent work focuses on exploring the pedagogical potential of generative AI in ELT and linguistics classrooms at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. As an Academic Collaborator for the National Research Program for Universities (NRPU) project on developing digital competencies among English Language Teachers in Pakistan, Dr. Batool has played a pivotal role in organizing training sessions, workshops, webinars, and two international conferences, and in conducting impactful training sessions to build digital capacity among educators. Email: humabatool2019@gmail.com

  • Huma Batool, Air University, Pakistan

    SADIA IRSHAD is an Assistant Professor of Linguistics in the Department of English at Air University, Islamabad. Her research focuses on technology-enhanced language pedagogy, teacher education, and digital literacy in ELT. She has participated in a number of funded opportunities offered by RELO Pakistan, including professional development and teaching programs such as English Works, teacher exchange programs at the University of Nebraska, and completed professional development courses through Arizona State University. Dr. Irshad has worked on three HEC-funded research projects, including a recent project as a principal investigator awarded under the National Research Program for Universities (NRPU) project on developing digital competencies among English language teachers in Pakistan.

    Email: sadia.irshad@mail.au.edu.pk

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Published

2026-04-03

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 12 (2026): Journal of International Students

Section

Research Articles (English, regular edition)

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Copyright (c) 2026 Sadia Arshad, Sadia Irshad, Huma Batool

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How to Cite

Arshad, S. ., Irshad, S. ., & Batool, H. (2026). Balancing agency and automation to overcome digital divide in ESP writing instruction. Journal of International Students, 16(12), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.32674/z8n0h321