This project aims to investigate the relationship between English as Foreign Language (EFL) students’ research skills, critical thinking skills, and engagement with technology or their digital literacy. EFL students' research competence is expected to support their academic performance on writing papers and assignments. It also demands the development of their critical thinking skills. Their engagement in technology involves the use of social media, online networks, and the use of several applications. This study takes the sample of EFL students from two institutions, namely UIN Malang and IAIN Kediri, Indonesia, to see whether there is a similar performance in both Islamic higher education institutions in terms of students’ online research competence, critical thinking skills, and similar trend on the engagement with technology. The data collection method covers questionnaire and quiz. This result demonstrates a significant correlation between research competence and digital literacy. Concerning the insignificant relation between digital literacy and critical thinking, it proves that the digital literacy does not always automatically support the enhancement of critical thinking skills. Understanding the relationship between online research competence, critical thinking, and digital literacy is a crucial step in developing Indonesian EFL teaching syllabi and material supporting students' academic success in higher education context.

In the English Education department of the State Islamic Institute (IAIN) Kediri, there is a course so-called an Intensive English Course (IEC) program offered at the first semester. This course is designed as a preparatory program to prepare the students who come from various English proficiency backgrounds. This research is intended to evaluate the effectiveness of the IEC program. Employing a mixed-method approach, interviews, questionnaires, pre-test and post-test were administered to four Intensive English Course lecturers and 126 students. The findings of this study revealed that the program is effective as it is able to improve students’ performance, and the course material, teaching methods, and assessment conducted are appropriate. The interesting point to note is that, despite the fact that everything is well-prepared and the program has the potential to significantly improve the students' abilities, the improvement is still below par.

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Kenyataan bahwa masih banyak mahasiswa membuat kesalahan gramatika yang mendasar bahkan di tahaptahap akhir studi mereka, mendorong pengelola Prodi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris STAIN Kediri merancang ulang kurikulum matakuliah writing. Inovasi yang dilakukan meliputi (1) tujuan setiap matakuliah Writing; (2) kelas ukuran kecil; (3) buku diktat yang ditulis dosen sendiri; (4) menulis jurnal mingguan. Dilaksanakan selama semester genap tahun akademik 2013/2014, penelitian ini dimaksudkan untuk mengeksplorasi metode pembelajaran yang diterapkan dan untuk mengevaluasi sejauh mana program ini bisa mencapai tujuan perkuliahan. Evaluasi program pada penelitian ini menggunakan rancangan quasi eksperimental, dan data diambil melalui pre-tes dan post-tes dan wawancara mendalam dengan para dosen. Penelitian ini menemujkan bahwa (1) semua dosen yang menerapkan metode eklektik telah mengakomodir semua tipe pembelajar, mengkombinasi dengan ceramah, evaluasi teman sebaya, menulis jurnal dan diskusi kelas; (2) perbandingan antara nilai mahasiswa di pre-tes dan post-tes mengindikasikan bahwa tidak ada bukti perkembangan yang signifikan dalam kemampuan menulis mahasiswa yang dihasilkan dari inovasi tersebut. Akan tetapi, menganalisis pekerjaan mahasiswa secara kualitatif mengarahkan pada temuan bahwa ada perkembangan yang dicapai mahasiswa dalam beberapa hal: (1) kesalahan kesalahan umum yang ditemukan di hasil pre-tes tidak atau jarang sekali ditemukan di hasil post-tes; (2) penggunaan pola kalimat yang lebih bervariasi di posttes; sedangkan kalimat mereka pada hasil pre-tes kebanyakan sederhana, hanya sedikit yang berpola kompleks atau majemuk.