From Text Analysis to Story Creation: A Deep Transformation at the University of Aden Using FIRSTedu-ADLX Framework
Introduction
Dr. Amal Farhan is a Yemeni academic holding a Ph.D and serving as a learning facilitator in the English Department at the University of Aden. She possesses a deep passion for facilitating English literature, with a particular focus on poetry and short stories.
Since 2019, her journey has evolved from simply delivering academic content to seeking a genuine impact on her students’ lives. She experienced the the FIRSTedu-ADLX framework through learning journeys organized by the SeGa Group under the supervision of Mr. Mohamed Bahgat, marking the beginning of a new phase of facilitation rooted in the Learner eXperience.
Dr. Amal’s students faced a clear challenge in understanding literary terms, whether in poetry or short stories. Learning tended toward memorization without the ability to analyze or apply, leading to weak engagement and limited creative output.
Accordingly, Dr. Amal activated the FIRSTedu-ADLX framework to design and facilitate an Active Deep Learner eXperience for students of the English Department at the University of Aden. The students had varying levels and used to interact within a traditional learning environment, yet they demonstrated high readiness to engage, especially with their strong technical skills that enabled them to produce visual and creative content reflecting their learning.
Designing the Learner eXperience and Activity Sequence
The choice of the FIRSTedu-ADLX framework marked the turning point, enabling a shift from understanding to application and then to creative thinking through an integrated Learner eXperience that respects learners’ abilities and builds on their prior experiences.
Learning Outcomes
Attitude Outcomes:
- To appreciate literature as a space for expression and creativity.
- To adopt a positive attitude toward interactive learning and the Learner eXperience.
Skills Outcomes:
- To analyze poems using literary terminology.
- To employ plot elements in analyzing short stories.
- To write short stories creatively based on imagination.
Knowledge Outcomes:
- To define poetic terminology.
- To explain the elements and components of plot structure.
The journey extended over a series of in-person sessions, both inside the classroom and outdoors based on students’ preferences, creating a flexible and stimulating learning environment. Activities varied between learning activities such as text analysis, educational games, and cooperative learning activities, in addition to the eXperience activities such as openers, closures, linking and summarizing activities….
The journey began with understanding terminology, then applying it in analyzing texts such as The Case for the Defense, followed by a deeper phase in which students restructured the story The Three Little Pigs in different creative ways. They used AI-generated images and then presented and commented on their stories, enhancing their sense of achievement and belonging to the experience.
Educational games were also used to reinforce concepts, such as the “Snakes and Ladders” game, which helped repeat concepts without boredom and increased engagement levels.
Learning Activity Using the RAR Model
In the activity of restructuring The Three Little Pigs, an Active Deep Learner eXperience was built, reflecting the transition from understanding to creativity.
In the Readiness Increase Stage, students were invited to reflect on the original story and recall its core elements, while AI-generated images were presented to stimulate their imagination and connect prior knowledge to a new experience.
During the Activity Facilitation Stage, students engaged in group work, where each group rebuilt the story in a different way based on the images and their understanding of plot elements. High levels of interaction emerged as students discussed ideas, made collective decisions, and confidently presented their outputs.
In the Reviewing Actively Stage, students reflected on what they had produced and realized that understanding story elements enabled them to create new content, not just analyze texts. They began to develop the conviction that they were capable of writing and creating, and that learning could become a meaningful and enjoyable experience.
FIRSTedu-ADLX Domains in Practice
F – Focusing on the Learner
Individualization was activated by giving each student the opportunity to express and participate. Probing and Assessing was applied through tracking students’ understanding during different activities, especially when analyzing texts and making decisions in story construction. Trust the Learner was evident in giving students full space for creativity without imposing ready-made models.
I – Interacting within Positive Group Dynamics
The learning environment transformed into a vibrant social event, where students interacted through group work, educational games, and outdoor activities. A positive spirit prevailed, making students enjoy the experience to the extent that they did not want to leave the session.
R – Reviewing Activities within RAR Model
The three stages of the RAR model were respected in different learning activities, and Reviewing Actively was conducted deeply by linking each activity to practical application. It went beyond recalling information to thinking about how knowledge could be used in new contexts, such as creative writing.
S – Sequencing and Flow During the Learner eXperience
The journey was built logically, starting from terminology, then analysis, then production, with concepts repeated through various means such as games, analysis, and projects, which reinforced learning without boredom.
T – Transforming Learning into Performance
The transformation was clearly embodied in the “University Writer” project, where students wrote stories from their imagination, analyzed them, and then developed them using AI tools without losing their authenticity.
Conclusion
The impact of this journey was deeply reflected in the students, who moved from being recipients of information to creators of literary content capable of analysis and creativity. They showed great enthusiasm, proudly shared their work, and even documented their experience themselves through creative videos. The impact extended beyond the journey itself as the students shared their work with the Dean of the Faculty, Professor Fahmi Hassan, the Head of the English Department, Dr. Lamees Abdulrahman, a distinguished group of facilitators, and their peers from other levels. They all were engaged and praised the students’ output, further reinforcing the students’ sense of accomplishment.
At the level of Ms. Amal, this journey represented a deep personal transformation. Teaching was no longer just a task but became a source of passion and genuine professional fulfillment. She entered the classroom with enthusiasm exceeding that of her students, driven by seeing the impact of the experience on them. Despite challenges, and even during her postgraduate studies, teaching remained the space where she found joy and self-fulfillment.
She expressed her gratitude for this transformation, affirming that seeing students’ success and development compensates for every effort and challenge, and that when education becomes an Active Deep Learner eXperience, its impact becomes deep and sustainable.
At the end of the journey, she expressed her deep thanks to SeGa Group, Mr. Ahmed, and Mr. Mohamed Bahgat for this opportunity, which was not merely a learning journey but an impactful experience that transformed her perception of education and had a real impact on her performance and that of her students.