Purpose of studyBlending different modalities and methods of EFL learning is gaining momentum as it assists teachers in designing relevant and engaging activities to drive learners from passive to active participants involved in their own learning.Sources of EvidenceThe paper will report on a class-size project of blending two elements within the face-to-face component: self-paced asynchronous learning (Voki, Fotobabble, Showbeyond) and opportunities for collaboration (personal blogs).Findings and ResultsThe project outcomes demonstrate that offering students a chance to collaborate and work outside of the class environment, at their own pace, through employment of web communication speaking and writing tools enhances learning and generates high levels of enthusiasm for communication in the target language.ConclusionFinding the optimum blend of methods and tools augments EFL learning and impacts positively on motivation, disposition and satisfaction, which are likely to enhance learning

Background/Objectives: Empathy is a fundamental component of patient-centered care and plays a critical role in the physician–patient relationship. This study aimed to evaluate empathy levels among undergraduate medical students at a medical university in Romania, examined from a Medical Humanities perspective, and to analyze how these scores are distributed according to gender, academic year, clinical stage, and direct experience with patient contact. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 209 undergraduate medical students across all six academic years. Empathy levels were assessed using the Romanian-language version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy—Student Version (JSE-S). Differences in empathy scores were analyzed using independent samples t-tests and a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) post hoc comparisons. Statistical significance was set at an alpha level of less than 0.05. Results: Internal consistency of the JSE-S total scale was good (Cronbach’s α = 0.829). The overall mean total JSE-S score was 107.34 ± 14.34. Female students demonstrated significantly higher empathy scores compared to male students (109.92 ± 13.10 versus 99.37 ± 15.20; t = 4.450; p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 0.77). No statistically significant differences were found between preclinical and clinical stage students (106.84 ± 14.75 versus 108.98 ± 12.90; p = 0.363; Cohen’s d = −0.15), between students with and without direct patient contact (108.20 ± 14.14 versus 104.48 ± 14.78; p = 0.115; Cohen’s d = 0.26), or across the six academic years (F = 1.614; p = 0.158; partial η² = 0.038). Conclusions: Medical students demonstrated moderate-to-high empathy levels, with gender representing the only statistically significant demographic factor. The absence of major differences across academic-year cohorts and clinical exposure suggests that empathy levels were comparably represented across the different stages of training within this cross-sectional sample. These findings contribute descriptive data on empathy levels among Romanian medical students and highlight gender as the main factor associated with variation in empathy scores in this sample.

Metaphorical Framing of Obesity in Online News Discourse. For people living with obesity, public discourse is replete with messages concerning the risks and warnings that their overweight and size pose to society and themselves. Moreover, bias and stigma are frequently associated with obesity, people suffering from it being perceived as unattractive, repulsive, and even responsible for their condition. This paper is based on a content analysis of obesity discourse in Digi24 news published online between 2017 and 2022. It aims to find out how obesity is framed through metaphors and what its subsequent conceptualisations and evaluations are at the linguistic level (individual versus collective responsibility, positive versus negative evaluation), as well as at the level of associated imagery. Results demonstrate that Romanian online news metaphorically frames obesity in ways that both inform and reinforce stigma toward the persons living with it. Overcoming the limited understanding, stereotypes, and stigma surrounding obesity is a slow but essential process, to which online news can contribute by indirectly shaping public perceptions and societal attitudes towards obesity. REZUMAT. Reprezentări metaforice ale obezității în discursul știrilor online. Pentru persoanele care suferă de obezitate, discursul public este invadat de avertismente ce accentuează riscurile pe care obezitatea și dimensiunea corporală le reprezintă pentru sine și pentru societate. De asemenea, prejudecățile și stigmatizarea sunt frecvent asociate cu obezitatea, persoanele cu obezitate putând fi percepute ca neatrăgătoare, respingătoare chiar și responsabile pentru afecțiunea de care suferă. Lucrarea de față este o analiză de conținut a discursului despre obezitate pe un eșantion de știri Digi24 publicate online între anii 2017 - 2022. Ea pune în lumină modul în care obezitatea este încadrată metaforic la nivel lingvistic și al imaginilor care ancorează discursul obezității dar și conceptualizările și evaluările acesteia pozitive sau negative: obezitatea ca responsabilitate individuală versus colectivă. Renunțarea la percepțiile limitate legate de obezitate este un proces lent dar esențial la care discursul știrilor online poate contribui prin modelarea acestora. Cuvinte-cheie: obezitate, cadre metaforice, lingvistică, discursul știrilor online, ancorare prin imagini, stigmatizare Article history: Received 21 July 2025; Revised 26 September 2025; Accepted 10 October 2025; Available online 12 December 2025; Available print 30 December 2025