A sustainable bilingual learning ecosystem in higher education: teacher and peer support under SDG 4.7

Abstract

Grounded in the theoretical framework of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 (SDG 4.7), this study aims to explore how teacher support and peer support jointly contribute to the construction of a sustainable bilingual learning ecosystem in higher education. The study further examines the forms through which these two types of social support are provided and observes their associations with learners' motivation, self-efficacy, and psychological wellbeing, thereby offering theoretical support for the cultivation of sustainable bilingual competence. A qualitative research design was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with language-major teachers ( N = 10) and undergraduate students ( N = 10) from two comprehensive universities in Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea. Guided by the principles of constructivist grounded theory, the interview data were systematically analyzed using open coding, axial coding, and selective coding (three-level coding). The findings identify three core characteristics of a sustainable bilingual learning ecosystem: (1) teacher support operates through a dual-mode mechanism, encompassing structured linguistic empowerment, contextualized emotional care, and intercultural support; (2) peer support functions through synergistic effects, including cognitive collaboration and emotional resonance; and (3) Students internalize external support by developing intercultural psychological safety, thereby strengthening an interest-self-efficacy reinforcement cycle, ultimately achieving flow experiences and deep engagement in bilingual practices. Sustainable bilingual competence is cultivated within an interactive learning ecosystem, in which teacher support and peer support serve as key external social resources. Learners internalize these supports through interrelated psychological processes-such as psychological safety, motivation, and self-efficacy-thereby facilitating sustained engagement and development in bilingual learning contexts.