Empathy-driven remote pedagogy in accounting education − a bilingual model for student engagement and digital resilience

Purpose This paper presents the empathy-based bilingual digital pedagogy (EBBDP) model, a practice-informed framework developed through the author’s experience in remote teaching of accounting and taxation during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to show how pedagogical empathy can be translated into bilingual and digitally supported teaching practices intended to strengthen engagement, accessibility and emotional safety in virtual learning environments, particularly within technical education. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a reflective-practice methodology grounded in lived teaching experience within Portuguese vocational and professional training. It draws on pedagogical documentation, autoethnographic reflection and iterative adaptation of instructional strategies. The model integrates empathy, bilingual inclusivity and digital co-creation as central pedagogical pillars, illustrated through concrete examples using tools such as Google Workspace, Canva, Padlet and ChatGPT to support collaborative learning and formative assessment. Findings The reflective analysis identifies structured emotional check-ins, bilingual scaffolding, digital co-creation and multimodal assessment as practices through which pedagogical empathy may support accessibility, belonging and sustained participation. These practice-based interpretations are presented as conceptual propositions for future empirical testing rather than as measured effects. Originality/value This paper contributes to post-pandemic digital pedagogy by positioning empathy as a core teaching competence rather than a soft skill. It offers a conceptually grounded yet practice-driven model that translates pedagogical empathy into a structured set of bilingual, relational and digitally supported teaching practices, thereby bridging theory and classroom experience in technical education.