Synthetic media for multilingual Massive Open Online Courses: accessibility, engagement, and ethical governance Alexandros Gazis* [1,2] , Erietta Chamalidou [3] , Nikolaos Ntaoulas [4] , Theodoros Vavouras

https://www.academia.edu/3071-0286/2/2/10.20935/AcadAI8365 In recent years, synthetic media from deepfake videos has emerged as a new and interesting technology. Synthetic media may refer to cloned voices or multilingual translation models. Avatar-based tutors have emerged as important tools for higher education. Consequently, these technologies are being incorporated into distance learning models and, more recently, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) worldwide, at an increasing rate. Although the term synthetic media is often associated with risks, recent studies suggest that, when used transparently and for pedagogical rather than entertainment objectives, these tools can improve accessibility, personalization, and increase learner engagement. Therefore, this scoping review examines the international literature published between 2020 and 2025 on the use of deepfake and synthetic media tools, primarily in online and blended higher education contexts, and discusses their implications for multilingual MOOCs, where large-scale empirical evidence remains limited. The article also examines ethical and policy issues connected with the adoption of these technologies, and drawing on educational technology research and policy documents, like United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) guidelines and the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AI Act), the review shows that synthetic avatars and AI-generated videos can reduce production costs and support multilingual learning. However, concerns remain regarding authenticity, privacy, and the changing nature of the teacher–learner relationship. The central contribution of this paper is the proposal of a policy framework focused on transparency, responsible governance, and AI literacy. Consequently, the goal is not to replace human instruction, but to integrate synthetic media in such ways that could strengthen the pedagogical design, safeguard rights and make multilingual MOOCs more engaging rather than an automated system without human participation. https://www.academia.edu/journals/academia-ai-and-applications/articles?source=journal-top-nav Dilemmas of humanitarian geospatial artificial intelligence Melinda Laituri Volume 2, Issue 3 Special Issue: AI for Disaster Prevention and Emergency Response

Whose healing? Reflexive walking and a more-than-human perspective on moving-with-nature Noel B. Salazar 2026, One by Walking: Transdisciplinary mobilities and methodologies

https://www.academia.edu/173333285/Whose_healing_Reflexive_walking_and_a_more_than_human_perspective_on_moving_with_nature?email_work_card=title This chapter reflects on the importance of walking for the human-environment relationship and the possible tensions and contradictions this may entail.

KLEOS - Editorial Policy.pdf Kleos - the Amsterdam Bulletin of Ancient Studies and Archaeology

https://www.academia.edu/36325911/KLEOS_Editorial_Policy_pdf Kleos - the Amsterdam Bulletin of Ancient Studies and Archaeology Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Archaeology, Classics and Near Eastern Studies, Journal University of Amsterdam, Department of History, Archaeology and Area Studies, Research Group Archaeology, editor https://vu-nl.academia.edu/KLEOSBulletin

Southerners speak in code, but we're here to decode them

https://www.dictionaryscoop.com/article/Southerners-speak-in-code-but-were-here-to-decode-them?x_title=0&utm_source=blog&utm_campaign=blog-20260902 Maybe you’ve heard someone say they’re "fuller than a tick" after Thanksgiving dinner, or thought your next-door neighbor was "too big for his breeches." These old Southern expressions have been floating around front porches, family reunions, church socials, and kitchen tables for generations. Most know what they mean, but few know where they came from. As it turns out, the stories behind these sayings are every bit as intriguing as the expressions themselves. Here’s the story of 10 Southern favorites.

Little boys were once called "girls": The shocking past of 12 words

https://www.dictionaryscoop.com/article/Little-boys-were-once-called-girls-The-shocking-past-of-12-words?x_title=2&utm_source=blog&utm_campaign=blog-20260902 There was a time when thousands of people were "villains," and most young people were "girls." The English language is a living, breathing thing. That’s why describing something as "nice", "terrible", or "artificial" would have meant entirely different things at other points in history. Join us in uncovering the original meanings of these everyday words!

10 dangerous words that can make you say the opposite of what you mean

https://www.dictionaryscoop.com/article/10-dangerous-words-that-can-make-you-say-the-opposite-of-what-you-mean Imagine telling someone you were carefully supervising a project, only for them to think you completely forgot about it. Or saying you dusted the furniture, and someone isn't sure whether you cleaned it or covered it with powder. It sounds weird, but in English, it happens more often than you might think. Most of us know that many words have more than one meaning, but some English words do something even stranger: they can mean the exact opposite of themselves. These linguistic oddities are called contronyms, and once you know them, you'll start noticing them everywhere. Here are 10 surprising examples that can completely change the meaning of what you're trying to say.

The etymological twist: 10 common words that used to mean the opposite

https://www.dictionaryscoop.com/article/The-etymological-twist-10-common-words-that-used-to-mean-the-opposite Language is a moving target. What we consider a precise definition today is often just the latest stop on a centuries-long journey of semantic drift. A 17th-century scholar would likely be horrified by how we use words like sophisticated or anecdote. Etymology is like a fossil record of human behavior, class struggles, and cultural priorities. Here are 10 common words that have undergone radical transformations.