Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010046

Authors: Tomas Saulius Romualdas Malinauskas

The main aim of our qualitative research is to find out how foreign students from different Collectivistic countries perceive interpersonal emotion regulation (IER). Using semi-structured interviews as a method of data collection and thematic analysis as a method of data analysis, we found that the majority of participants used IER to provide psychological support to their colleagues and friends in a variety of contexts—64% of participants highlighted cognitive strategies as key in emotional regulation, especially the use of temporal perspective shifting—and that, finally, the majority of the participants highlighted the evident results of the interventions, the most common of which was the increased adaptive behavior of the targets of IER. These findings highlight the persistence of cultural orientation in heterogeneous settings and suggest situational flexibility in IER strategies. They also highlight the importance of designing culturally sensitive interventions in international educational contexts.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010045

Authors: Ilya Levin Alexei L. Semenov Mikael Gorsky

This article explores the evolution of constructionism as an educational framework, tracing its relevance and transformation across three pivotal eras: the advent of personal computing, the networked society, and the current era of generative AI. Rooted in Seymour Papert’s constructionist philosophy, this study examines how constructionist principles align with the expanding role of digital technology in personal and collective learning. We discuss the transformation of educational environments from hierarchical instructionism to constructionist models that emphasize learner autonomy and interactive, creative engagement. Central to this analysis is the concept of an “expanded personality”, wherein digital tools and AI integration fundamentally reshape individual self-perception and social interactions. By integrating constructionism into the paradigm of smart education, we propose it as a foundational approach to personalized and democratized learning. Our findings underscore constructionism’s enduring relevance in navigating the complexities of technology-driven education, providing insights for educators and policymakers seeking to harness digital innovations to foster adaptive, student-centered learning experiences.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010044

Authors: Louise Küry Christian Fischer

This systematic review examines the self-perceptions of twice-exceptional children. This review examines the self-concept, self-esteem and self-efficacy of these children, as well as the factors that influence their self-perceptions. The PRISMA guidelines were employed in the conduct of this systematic review. To be included in this study, articles had to be empirical, written in English and published in peer-reviewed journals, and be aligned with the research questions. A total of 18 papers were included for assessment of quality, the majority of which employed a case study design. The findings suggest that twice-exceptional children tend to perceive themselves in a negative manner. Furthermore, twice-exceptional children exhibited diminished global self-concept, accompanied by low self-esteem and self-efficacy. Positive factors influencing self-perception are adequate support from teachers and parents, early identification and strength-based support. A lack of understanding on the part of teachers and parents, insufficient attention to giftedness in and outside of school, and a sense of being different were identified as negative influencing factors. Further research is required to verify the results using a quantitative longitudinal study. The findings of this review highlight the necessity for adequate support and encouragement for twice-exceptional children, suggesting potential ways for their implementation.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010042

Authors: Olga Ukrayinska

This paper explores assessment practices of teachers of English and French as a second language in the Ukrainian educational context with the aim of shaping the language assessment literacy (LAL) construct for teaching it to pre-service teachers. Seventy Ukrainian teachers completed a questionnaire designed to study their assessments that underpin their LAL. Analyses of the data confirmed the following: (1) teachers of English articulated a greater need for training in language testing and assessment, (2) teachers of English and French differ in the task formats they use, and (3) teachers of English and French assign different weight to various assessment criteria. These findings suggest that differences in assessment practices reflect cultural traditions in language pedagogies. Moreover, teachers’ assessments reflect the content of textbooks and international proficiency tests that they use for teaching purposes.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010043

Authors: Trine Andrea Boquist Magnar Ødegård Henri Valtteri Pesonen

It is well recognized that Norwegian kindergartens have an important role in ensuring inclusion among all children, but the actual implementation of inclusive practices can vary greatly in early childhood education. Particularly how the inclusion of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is supported in kindergartens has raised concerns, and research focusing on the current circumstances in Norway is scarce. To fill in this gap in research, our study examined pedagogical leaders’ approaches to promoting inclusion of children with autism in kindergartens. The method of empathy-based stories (MEBS) was used to collect stories from 32 participants working in kindergartens. Qualitative analysis of participant produced stories revealed that inclusion of children with autism consisted of two themes: (1) professional framework for inclusion and (2) empathetic approaches to inclusion. The findings provide suggestions for further research and development work related to inclusion of children with ASD in early childhood education.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010041

Authors: César Daniel Sirvent-Pérez Carlos Pérez-Carramiñana Pascual Saura-Gómez Ángel Benigno González-Avilés José Ángel Ruiz-Cáceres

The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) university learning framework, structured around the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), integrates classroom hours with independent, non-classroom workloads outside the university, where students engage in self-directed learning. This study aimed to develop a standardized protocol to monitor and quantify non-presential study hours to identify and adjust anomalous workload values. Over a two-year period, data were gathered from two distinct student groups (local Spanish students and international exchange students) enrolled in the same fourth-year architecture course at the University of Alicante. The data analysis allowed for an exploration of correlations among three key variables: non-presential study hours, final grades, and student satisfaction (self-assessed course perceptions). The results reveal a direct proportional relationship among these variables, whereby an increase in weekly study hours corresponds with both higher final grades and improved student satisfaction with the course.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010040

Authors: Joel Weijia Lai Lei Zhang Chun Chau Sze Fun Siong Lim

As the demands of the modern workforce evolve, universities are increasingly challenged to provide academic knowledge and the practical and transferable skills necessary for students’ career success. This study investigates the alignment between undergraduate students’ career aspirations, their perceived skill development, and the role of higher education institutions in bridging the skills gap. To address this issue, a comprehensive survey was conducted among undergraduate students to gather data on their career aspirations, their awareness of the skills required for their chosen careers, and their perceptions of how well their university supports their skill development. Using machine learning methods such as hierarchical clustering and k-nearest neighbors for classification, coupled with non-parametric statistical analysis such as the Mann–Whitney U and Chi-squared (χ2) tests to understand students’ perceptions of their career preparedness, the findings from this study provide valuable insights into how higher education institutions can prepare students for the workforce and highlight areas where improvements are needed to better support students in achieving their career goals.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010039

Authors: Ali Bicer Tugce Aldemir Trina J. Davis Jamaal Young

The first objective of this study was to explore which principles of STEM PBL instruction pre-service teachers found most beneficial in enhancing their understanding of mathematics- and science-related concepts. The second objective was to identify the instructional practices from STEM PBL that pre-service teachers intended to incorporate into their future teaching practices. We conducted a descriptive qualitative study, analyzing data from interviews (n = 8), reflections, and classroom artifacts (ntotal = 43). The findings revealed 12 distinct themes: six associated with the first objective and six linked to the second objective. Two themes—communication and real-world relevance—emerged as common across both objectives. The significance of this study lies not only in identifying key principles of STEM PBL but also in highlighting the need to emphasize these principles in various instructional methods, enhancing the transferability of innovative practices to future teachers’ mathematics classrooms.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010038

Authors: Manpreet Dhillon Brar Jessica Morales-Chicas Stacy Morris Imalay Rivera Rebecca Cannara

As universities grapple with contentious socio-political climates, promoting intergroup relations efforts remains critical in mitigating these conflicts. Intergroup dialogue (IGD) provides one approach to improving intergroup relations in higher education. Prior evidence suggests that IGD reduces prejudice, increases empathy, builds critical consciousness, and improves intergroup relations. However, scant studies document virtual and multi-site IGD, especially those that include varied stakeholders. The current study sought to close these gaps by offering a facilitated and sustained four-stage model of IGD that concluded with collaborative action projects. A total of 32 students, faculty, and staff from eight universities in California participated in a virtual 20-hour, two-semester IGD program aimed to (1) generate dialogue around systemic barriers to graduation and (2) create action projects that address equity issues. Pre- and post-surveys with 22 participants showed increased intergroup empathy, improved comfort in having difficult conversations, and increased interest in future action behaviors. The participants also developed 10 action projects aimed at closing equity gaps through data storytelling, resource dissemination, dialogue programming, and policy advocacy. Our study adds to the effectiveness of IGD in higher education, offers important lessons learned, and highlights the implications of this work for both IGD practitioners and universities.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010037

Authors: Ingela Stenberg Lena Boström

The lower academic performance of boys in compulsory school has long been a well-known fact, but only in the last decade has it been shown in the public debate. Various explanations for boys’ underperformance mainly include background, expectations, norms, and hierarchical gender order. Few studies have focused on what can be affected, namely the teaching in the classroom. In addition, studies have not, to any significant extent, focused on the students’ perceptions. This study was conducted through eight group interviews with 2nd and 5th-grade students and explored how boys and girls perceive learning in a classroom context. Similarities and differences in perceptions emerged through a reflexive thematic analysis from a didactic theoretical perspective—the similarities in perception concerned the teacher’s leadership, interactions, learning strategies, and learning environment. The differences were about reprimands, different developed learning strategies, confidence in the teacher, and the social atmosphere. The result indicates a need for the teacher to be more aware of the processes going on in the classroom and to build both social and learning support structures with a focus on learning strategies.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010035

Authors: Cynthia Estrada Eric R. Felix Erin Nicole Reyes Vedar Elizabeth Jimenez Perez

This study documents the unique personal and professional experiences that Latina leaders bring to the role of community college president. Guided by a Chicana Feminist conceptual framework, we examined the tools, strategies, and assets that Latina presidents possess to persist as higher education leaders within a white patriarchal dominant culture. As a research collective, we conducted platicas as a Chicana Feminist methodology with five Latina community college presidents in California. Each platica lasted between 60 and 90 min. Findings exemplified four sources of cultural intuition that Latina community college presidents drew from to redefine higher education leadership and drive student equity on campus: (1) personal experiences with marginality in educational spaces, (2) accumulated professional knowledge, (3) scholarly training in graduate school, and (4) the process of leading itself. The study found that Latina presidents possessed important knowledge and distinct perspectives based on their experiences as Women of Color, children of immigrants, and former community college students to guide their leadership approaches in equity driven ways.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010036

Authors: Sarah Quebec Fuentes

The value of discourse in the mathematics classroom is evident across standards, policy documents, and research. The quality of discourse is associated with students’ mathematical understanding and achievement. Productive mathematical discourse includes students providing explanations and critically listening to and evaluating the ideas of others. Such high-level discourse takes time to develop and is impacted by how teachers structure lessons and interact with students (e.g., talk moves). The present case study reports on an incremental professional development, S3D Approach, that guides teachers through a two-phase process to enhance small-group, student-to-student discourse. One middle school mathematics teacher implemented the incremental stages of the S3D Approach with support from a mathematics teacher educator, who conducted weekly observations and debrief meetings. Qualitative analyses revealed that, despite initial challenges, the S3D Approach became integrated into the teacher’s practice, enabling the teacher to identify and build upon incremental improvements in the small-group discourse. Overall, the findings demonstrate how through a reframing of starting points and the definition of success, incremental PD supports sustainable changes in a teacher’s practice and student engagement in productive mathematical discourse.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010034

Authors: Devery J. Rodgers

In this post-pandemic hybrid world of PK12 education, the onus is still on education leaders to close achievement gaps through equitable means. There are current socioeconomic, racial, gender, and geographical disparities that limit students’ full access to computer science education (CS). This case study reports how one urban PK12 school district in the United States is addressing the “leaky pipeline” with sustainable solutions for CS education with minoritized students. Using an online engagement framework, an ethnographic lens was used with document review, to conduct a content analysis of projects, programs, and services set up through the central office for nearly 20,000 students at the primary, middle grades, and secondary levels in computer sciences. Findings acknowledge leadership’s planning for student engagement in STEM+C (science, technology, engineering, math and computer science) for virtual instruction. This study will contribute to the burgeoning knowledge of leadership for CS activities in PK12, and serve as a beacon for learning organizations bolstering CS activities in the future.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010033

Authors: Promethi Das Deep Yixin Chen Nitu Ghosh Md. Shiblur Rahaman

Effective communication between students and instructors is vital for student success. Traditionally, this communication has taken place in person within classroom settings. However, with technological advancements, online classes have become more common. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this shift, significantly disrupting traditional communication methods between students and instructors and transforming the educational landscape, particularly in higher education. We conducted a qualitative narrative literature review of the technological tools that emerged during the pandemic and explored how today’s instructors can effectively use them to enhance student engagement and motivation in online classrooms. The review utilized the SANRA (scale for the assessment of narrative reviews) guidelines to ensure the quality of the studies used. Twenty-two articles published within the last ten years were chosen based on their relevance to higher education and student–instructor communication. The articles were analyzed for effective and ineffective educational communication tools (e.g., Zoom or Google Classroom) utilized during the pandemic, focusing on what worked and what could be improved. The findings revealed that live video sessions were more effective than pre-recorded videos, voice-only sessions, or email/text communications in fostering student engagement and motivation.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010032

Authors: Jorge Cordero Jonathan Torres-Zambrano Alison Cordero-Castillo

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is transforming various sectors, including education. This study investigates the integration of GenAI in higher education, focusing on its potential to enhance teaching and learning. Through a series of workshops and courses delivered to university professors, it examines opportunities such as improved resource creation and challenges like ethical AI usage, proposing best practices for the sustainable implementation of GenAI in the classroom. The main objective is to analyze how the use of GenAI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude can improve teachers’ professional skills and the overall educational experience while ensuring ethical and responsible use. The methodology comprised a literature review and practical experimentation with university professors. Data collection involved observations, surveys, discussion forums, cooperative activities, and exercises focused on evaluating AI-generated educational resources and analyzing forum insights to identify best practices. The results highlight several opportunities around the use of GenAI in education, including improving writing, creating educational resources, supporting lesson planning, and increasing teacher productivity. In addition, significant challenges were identified, such as the ethical use of AI and strategies for detecting AI-generated text. For instance, workshops demonstrated a 30% increase in teacher confidence with GenAI tools like ChatGPT, highlighting the effectiveness of these technologies in professional development. To address these challenges, best practices for the responsible integration of GenAI in education are presented, focusing primarily on ongoing training, the establishment of institutional policies, the encouragement of responsible use, and the ongoing evaluation of impact in the educational setting. Best practices include clear ethical guidelines, prompt development techniques, and continuous professional training to ensure teachers can effectively and responsibly integrate GenAI tools into their instructional practices. These practices for the effective use of GenAI tools in education aim to maximize benefits while mitigating risks. These include the development of effective prompts for various activities and guidance on the ethical use of AI to ensure a balanced and responsible approach to the integration of GenAI in higher education.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010031

Authors: Samuel Agostino Gian Maria Cherasco Grazia Papotti Alberto Milan Federico Abate Daga Massimiliano Abate Daga Franco Veglio

Introduction: Traditional medical education often emphasises theory, but clinical competence relies greatly on practical, hands-on skills. This quasi-experimental study examines how a combined approach—flipped classroom learning and simulation-based internships—affects medical students’ self-assessed clinical abilities. This model seeks to build students’ understanding, practical skills, and confidence in clinical settings through online preparation and realistic simulation exercises. Methods: This study examined changes in medical students’ self-perceived clinical skills after a flipped classroom and simulation-based internship. A total of 391 third- and fourth-year students completed a nine-hour program with morning practice sessions and afternoon high-fidelity scenarios. Surveys before and after the program assessed self-perceived thoracic and abdominal/general skills. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) confirmed the survey’s structure. ANCOVA controlled baseline scores and paired Wilcoxon tests examined subgroup improvements. Results: After the program, significant improvements were observed in self-perceived clinical skills across all domains. Thoracic skills increased from a median of 2.19 to 7.36, and abdominal skills from 5.11 to 9.46. Medical history, vital signs, and blood pressure scores also improved significantly. Third-year students and those attending the Clinical Methodology course showed the greatest gains. All post-intervention improvements were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The combination of flipped classroom learning and intensive simulation training markedly improved students’ perceived clinical competence. These findings suggest that such methods boost students’ practical skills and confidence. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term impact of this approach on skill retention and professional practice.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010030

Authors: Fran Arbaugh

In this commentary, I challenge the field to take seriously the idea of incremental professional development (PD) for teachers of mathematics. I begin by briefly describing the history of PD in the United States since the publication of NCTM’s Curriculum and Evaluation Standards, what we have learned about effective PD through research, and then pose set of dilemmas we face in having a wide impact on the teaching of mathematics in the United States. Through reflecting on my story of incremental and transformative change as a high school mathematics teacher and 28 years as a mathematics teacher educator and scholar, I argue that the concept of incremental PD is worthy of exploration.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010029

Authors: John Hellermann Lynn Santelmann Jennifer Mittelstaedt Janet Cowal Steven L. Thorne

In the context of changing demographics at regional universities (including our own), we highlight an ongoing project at our university that addresses the last area of acceptable bias in English-medium higher education: bias against speakers of other languages and non-standard dialects of English. We discuss the hegemonic aspect of the Standard Academic English used by default at most US institutions of higher education and its role in potential discrimination against users of languages other than English and dialects other than the Standard. Data from over 2000 surveys, 55 follow up interviews, and three focus groups from faculty, staff and students in the university community are being analyzed. Preliminary findings show pervasive ignorance of the nature of language variation and how that plays a role in continuing discrimination against those who use other languages and diverse varieties of English even in our very multilingual setting. We conclude by outlining next steps, including the development of onboarding materials for new faculty, staff, and students.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010028

Authors: Yaroslav Opanasenko Emanuele Bardone Margus Pedaste Leo Aleksander Siiman

This study explores the potential of large language models as interfaces for conducting sequence analysis on log data from interactive E-Books. As studies show, qualitative methods are not sufficient to comprehensively study the process of interaction with interactive E-Books. The quantitative method of educational data mining (EDM) has been considered as one of the most promising approaches for studying learner interactions with E-Books. Recently, sequence analysis showed potential in identifying typical patterns of interaction from log data collected from the Estonian Interactive E-Book Platform Opiq, allowing one to see the types of sessions from students in different grades, clusters of students based on the amount of the content they studied, and the interaction type they preferred. The main goal of the present study is to understand how teachers can utilize insights from CustomGPT to enhance their understanding of students’ interaction strategies with digital learning environments (DLEs) such as Opiq, and what the potential areas for further development of such tools are. We specified the process for developing a chatbot for transferring teachers’ queries into sequence analysis results and gathered feedback from teachers, allowing us both to estimate current design solutions to make sequence analysis results available and to find potential vectors of its development. Participants provided explicit feedback on CustomGPT, appreciating its potential for group and individual analysis, while suggesting improvements in visualization clarity, legend design, descriptive explanations, and personalized tips to better meet their needs. Potential areas of development, such as integrating personalized learning statistics, enhancing visualizations and reports for individual progress and mitigating AI hallucinations by expanding training data, are described.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010027

Authors: Asier Arcos-Alonso Itsaso Fernandez de la Cuadra-Liesa Amaia Garcia-Azpuru Mikel Barba Del Horno

This article emphasises the critical role higher education institutions (HEIs) play in fostering critical knowledge and social cohesion by exploring students’ perceptions of the social and solidarity economy (SSE). It addresses the need for a more diverse curricular approach within HEIs, particularly in economics and business education, to challenge the dominance of the neoclassical model. This study, conducted at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) of the University of the Basque Country, investigates whether students perceive the SSE as a viable alternative to the current economic paradigm and its necessity and innovation in higher education. Utilizing a free-association questionnaire and Iramuteq software analysis, the findings reveal a strong demand for a more inclusive educational framework that incorporates heterodox economic theories, especially the SSE. This research contributes to the discourse on integrating SSE into economics and business courses as part of university social responsibility (USR), highlighting its unique social values.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010026

Authors: Fulgencio Sánchez-Vera

This study evaluates the impact of an AI chatbot as a support tool for second-year students in the Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education program during final exam preparation. Over 1-month, 42 students used the chatbot, generating 704 interactions across 186 conversations. The study aimed to assess the chatbot’s effectiveness in resolving specific questions, enhancing concept comprehension, and preparing for exams. Methods included surveys, in-depth interviews, and analysis of chatbot interactions. Results showed that the chatbot was highly effective in clarifying doubts (91.4%) and aiding concept understanding (95.7%), although its perceived usefulness was lower in content review (42.9%) and exam simulations (45.4%). Students with moderate chatbot use achieved better academic outcomes, while excessive use did not lead to further improvements. The study also identified challenges in students’ ability to formulate effective questions, limiting the chatbot’s potential in some areas. Overall, the chatbot was valued for fostering study autonomy, though improvements are needed in features supporting motivation and study organization. These findings highlight the potential of chatbots as complementary learning tools but underscore the need for better user training in “prompt engineering” to maximize their effectiveness.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010025

Authors: Verena Witte Angela Schwering Daniel Frischemeier

Competent data handling is crucial for active and informed participation in modern society. To equip students for this challenge, data literacy must be strengthened throughout their K-12 education. This scoping review, conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, aims to provide an overview of methods and approaches for enhancing specific sub-skills of data literacy and to identify research gaps. Analysis of 30 relevant papers reveals that, although various definitions and models of data literacy exist, most emphasize data analysis skills. This area is extensively covered in practical approaches, three times more than methods for planning and conducting independent data collection. This disparity highlights an imbalance in data literacy development and underscores the need to address under-represented sub-skills, in particular the actual data collection process. The review suggests a focus on project-based learning with real-world data and current issues as an effective method to balance out this disparity. Future research should explore and develop comprehensive approaches to teaching all aspects of data literacy, particularly those currently underemphasized.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010024

Authors: Shoichi Matsumura Yushi Hinoki

The increase in the provision of English language teaching programs in primary school contexts in Asia has resulted in a concomitant increase in non-specialist teachers, often generalist homeroom teachers, to address the shortage. However, non-specialist teachers often lack the pedagogical training necessary for effective English instruction, which often negatively impacts their self-efficacy. This study was designed to examine the effects of a professional development workshop, aimed at improving “classroom English” proficiency, on these teachers’ self-efficacy. It also explored sources influencing self-efficacy during the in-class implementation of what they learned in the workshop. Quantitative results revealed that the immediate impact of the training was substantial, leading to a rapid increase in self-efficacy. However, this effect appeared to diminish after three months of teaching. Qualitative findings indicated that non-specialist teachers’ perceptions of capability were significantly influenced by collegial assurances and support from individuals who evaluated their progress and achievements. Notably, support from specialist teachers emerged as a critical factor in sustaining or diminishing the enhanced self-efficacy of non-specialist teachers. These findings highlight the importance of providing needs-based, continuous professional development opportunities and establishing robust peer-support systems within schools to ensure the effective translation of training outcomes into classroom practices.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010023

Authors: Ung-Sang Albert Lee

Integrating Students of Color in school leadership offers ways to remediate the historical exclusion of Students of Color from schooling, develop asset-based educational practices for Students of Color, and offer rich developmental pathways for the students. Efforts to build more participatory leadership systems must consider how the unique assets that Students of Color bring to bear are positioned and leveraged within such leadership systems, the kinds of structures and practices that facilitate the meaningful participation of Students of Color in school leadership, and how the interests of Students of Color are privileged through their participation in school leadership. This paper examines three student cases that analyze the students’ participation in efforts aimed at centering students in conceptualizing, designing, and implementing digital media-integrated school practices. The analysis will show that a diverse set of student assets, such as their families’ political activism, career aspirations shaped by experiences with literature across borders, and experiences with navigating tensions across multiple axes of exclusion, helped the students navigate their emergent roles in school leadership. Such asset-based participation led to the activation/mobilization of such assets towards the students’ broader life and educational goals. Together, their experiences can help inform the ways we build asset-based, racial justice-focused school leadership systems that facilitate the meaningful participation of Students of Color.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010022

Authors: Yoonhee Jang Heungchul Lee Lisa K. Son

The current study explored whether other people’s judgments about one’s own performance affect one’s perception of them. In two experiments, participants were provided with scenarios of high (e.g., 90%) or low (e.g., 70%) estimations of exam performance from “others” and “themselves”, as compared to a fixed, benchmark performance score (e.g., 80%). Accordingly, there were four conditions varying by other- and self-estimations: high–high, high–low, low–high, and low–low. Participants were asked to choose the one, given a series of all possible pairs of two peers, who they would get along with better; and who they thought noticed/observed them better. Results showed that participants judged that they would get along with the other who overestimated their performance, suggesting that individuals exhibit a preference for others who demonstrate overconfidence in their abilities. However, they ranked the other with matching (to their own) estimations—either overconfident or underconfident—as having noticed/observed them better. These patterns were consistently found in Likert-scale responses. The results indicate that metacognitive judgments need not necessarily be matching when assessing the performance of another to form relationships, and that both the context and the relation between one’s self and other’s judgments play a large role in social perception.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010021

Authors: Albert Marquès-Donoso Ana Martínez-Hernández Patricia Revuelta

The paper explores the impact of digital transformation on young people’s interaction with digital leisure and its ecological footprint. The study highlights the increasing awareness of ecological sustainability in digital consumption among university students. It also delves into the concept of emotional sustainability, a term proposed to address the psychological and emotional effects of digital entertainment consumption. The digitalization of leisure has led to significant changes, including the rise in digital dependency, anxiety disorders, and the dehumanization of human relationships. The paper underscores the need for emotional sustainability in managing digital leisure to mitigate these negative consequences. Additionally, it discusses students’ awareness of the ecological footprint associated with digital activities, pointing out gaps in knowledge regarding the environmental impact of maintaining digital infrastructure. The authors advocate for integrating emotional sustainability into digital consumption practices to promote healthier and more sustainable digital lifestyles. This exploratory study provides a framework for understanding the dual aspects of sustainability in digital leisure, emphasizing the importance of both ecological and emotional dimensions in fostering a balanced and sustainable digital future. This context has generated needs that must be addressed from the perspective of the emotional sustainability of digital entertainment consumption.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010020

Authors: Juan C. Manrique-Arribas Víctor M. López-Pastor Andrés Palacios-Picos

Learning-oriented assessment models, which tend to generate better learning processes, better academic performance and greater student involvement in teaching–learning processes, are increasingly being used in European universities; they are also more suitable for competence-based learning. However, there are a number of constraints that hinder their implementation, either due to internal (lack of teacher training and attitude/motivation to make changes in teaching and assessment methodology) or external (teaching load of lecturers and group size (number of students per group)) factors. Taking the latter into account, the aim of this study was to determine to what extent the teaching load and the number of students per group condition the use or not of quality assessment systems in the university world. A questionnaire of assessment systems and instruments with a high level of reliability and validity was administered to a large and representative sample of the teaching staff from numerous Spanish universities. Multivariate analyses were carried out to try to achieve the research objective. The results, based on a post facto model, show that quality assessment systems are advancing. Furthermore, the conclusion was reached that the teaching load and the number of students to be assessed are factors that correlate significantly with a greater use of assessment systems involving exams with closed questions. They correlate negatively with the use of continuous and formative assessment (FA) systems, although there is much variability in the latter case and the results do not seem clearly conclusive, suggesting more research on this topic and its sustainability.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010019

Authors: Tuyen Van Nguyen Helena Sit

The evolving landscape of educational technology has not only affected the design of teaching learning contents but also the employment of methods of delivery. In Vietnam’s language education discipline, research indicates that the integration of educational technology has significantly expanded the range of delivery modalities available to educators. However, whether the existing modalities can effectively cater to the needs of diverse learning styles remains uncertain. To bridge the research gap, this study initially seeks to assess the effectiveness of commonly utilized delivery modalities in K-12 EFL education. Thirty volunteer EFL teachers from across Vietnam, representing the north, central, and south regions, participated in in-depth interviews. These teachers teach English at primary, secondary, and high schools. The main findings include their current ICT competence levels and preferences for instructional design regarding diverse modalities of delivery. Then, grounding on an in-depth analysis of their choices and perspectives, a trichronous model is proposed and innovated to accommodate diverse learning preferences and maximize learning potential. The research findings and proposal are significant for professional development trainers and teacher educators, providing valuable insights for decision-making regarding the increasing use of technology in current EFL research and practice. This study can contribute to shaping a forward-thinking approach to EFL education in an increasingly digitalized world by addressing challenges and identifying more practical practices in language teacher education.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010018

Authors: Eileen Murray Helene S. Leonard Victoria D. Bonaccorso

Research on teacher learning has continually defined tenants of effective professional development. However, sweeping overhauls and mandates have not yielded the intended results. Instead, transforming approaches to teaching can and should be achieved through innovative and incremental changes that build upon teachers’ existing expertise. Informed by Communities of Practice theory, we employed case study methodology to describe, explain, and assess the experiences of one middle school mathematics teacher’s longitudinal participation in an innovative and incremental continuous PD model focused on the Teaching for Robust Understanding (TRU) framework. Based on classroom observations and interview data, our findings show evidence of TRU-aligned changes in teaching practice as a result of years of participation in the PD model. These findings strengthen the call for innovative and incremental PD programs.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010017

Authors: Nasser H. Youssef Essa A. Alibraheim

The research set out to investigate Saudi Arabian graduate students’ levels of anxiety related to statistics and their use of self-regulated learning strategies. Research tools were created, such as a measure for measuring statistics anxiety and a measure for measuring the usage of self-regulated learning strategies, in order to meet the research objectives. Sixty-six master’s students from Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University’s College of Education received these instruments. The findings showed that participants’ levels of anxiety related to statistics were moderate, and their use of self-regulated learning strategies was quite high. The results additionally demonstrated an inverse correlation between graduate students’ use of self-regulated learning strategies and statistics anxiety. Regression analysis revealed that self-regulated learning strategies significantly predicted levels of statistics anxiety. This suggests that enhancing self-regulated learning strategies could potentially mitigate statistics anxiety among graduate students. The research recommends the development of a comprehensive guide for self-regulated learning strategies for master’s students, including multiple examples for each strategy, the creation of training programs to enhance self-regulated learning strategies, and raising awareness about statistics anxiety among graduate students.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010016

Authors: Jesús María Aparicio-Gervás Miguel Ángel Carbonero-Martín Lorena Valdivieso-León Raquel Vázquez-Ramil

The Roma population is one of the most discriminated social groups. Ignorance of their culture, traditions, etc. generates prejudices and stereotypes that hinder the processes of intercultural coexistence. The aim is to make the Roma people visible and to intervene in the university population, promoting intercultural and inclusive learning spaces to reduce behaviors that generate inequalities. Students from the University of Valladolid were involved, 1255 students in particular, distributed in control and experimental groups. The instrument consists of 40 closed questions and one open-ended. A quantitative analysis was carried out in the anti-Gypsy attitudes categories with t-tests. Item to item differences were not significant in categories A, B and C, but there were differences in D between the experimental and the control groups, which confirms important trends in the target population. Prejudices towards the Roma population continue to exist. University students who receive training have fewer prejudices than students who do not, although other variables can influence the process. Of the students, 72.2% are disturbed by the same negative behaviors, regardless of the ethnic group, and half of them are disturbed by behaviors based on prejudices. It is confirmed the need for preventive interventions to avoid the establishment of erroneous beliefs about the Roma community.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010015

Authors: Alexander Aumann Robert Grassinger Holger Weitzel

The integration of digital media in German classrooms remains limited, partly due to teachers’ low motivation, self-efficacy, and negative attitudes toward these tools. This study investigates how vicarious experiences influence pre-service teachers’ digital media self-efficacy and attitudes toward digital media and how these dispositions influence their motivational orientation toward using digital media in teaching. Beyond this, personal experiences were implemented via an ecologically valid intervention, and their influence on the respective constructs was examined. This study employed a longitudinal design involving 43 pre-service science teachers over an internship semester, combining a theoretical workshop at the university with lesson planning, implementation, and reflection. Data were collected pre- and post-intervention and analyzed using Bayesian Path Analysis to examine the relationships between the constructs. T-tests were applied to investigate the impact of structured mastery experiences. The results imply that vicarious experiences influence attitudes but have no significant influence on self-efficacy. Motivational orientation is primarily influenced by attitudes but not by self-efficacy and has a positive effect on the frequency of media use. Self-efficacy, on the other hand, was most strongly influenced by mastery experiences, whereas attitudes received the least support in this regard.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010014

Authors: Julia Lauss Christoph Helm

Positive social relationships between pupils are crucial for creating a conducive learning environment. Integrating the arts into classrooms fosters these relationships by promoting creative expression and social skills such as empathy, mutual support, and teamwork. Arts-based activities encourage collaboration, enabling pupils to develop creative solutions and appreciate diverse perspectives. Despite growing interest in this interdisciplinary approach, research on its impact on pupil relationships remains limited. This longitudinal study collected data from 381 pupils across five schools at two measurement points using standardized questionnaires to assess different dimensions of social relationships. Results indicated a significant increase in helpfulness and a reduction in discrimination among pupils who participated in several weeks of arts workshops. However, cliquishness and competitive thinking also increased, while aggressiveness remained unchanged regardless of group membership. These findings demonstrate the benefits of arts integration for fostering positive pupil relationships while highlighting the complex dynamics between creative learning environments and social interactions. The results underscore the need for targeted strategies to balance cooperation and competition effectively, ensuring that arts-based approaches maximize their potential to enhance classroom social dynamics.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010013

Authors: Gareth Hughes Michael Priestley Leigh Spanner

The role and responsibility of universities in supporting student mental health has been the subject of high-profile legal debate. Drawing on a thematic analysis of twelve semi-structured focus groups conducted during the Student Minds UK University Mental Health Charter consultations, this paper elucidates the experiences, perceptions, and practices of 75 staff working within student services to support student mental health, with the aim of clarifying the implications for role responsibilities within a whole university approach. Participants described being ‘stretched at both ends’ in response to a significant and ongoing increase both in overall demand and complexity of presentation, further compounded by capacity challenges in public mental health services. Despite the care and commitment of staff, these conditions compromise the effectiveness, safety, and accessibility of university services. As a result, students increasingly present with mental health challenges in academic settings, multiplying risk for themselves, their peers, academic staff, and their universities, whilst negatively impacting the learning process. Thus, precisely as sectoral debate around UK universities’ legal duty of care intensifies, the role and responsibility of university services and academic staff in relation to other institutional and external stakeholders is becoming increasingly indeterminate. Taken together, the findings demonstrate the imperative of clearer conceptualisation and investment in student services alongside closer working relationships with academic staff to ensure student success and safety, and to meet the principles of good practice in the University Mental Health Charter, as advocated by UK government.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010012

Authors: Eve Müller Jamie R. Kleiner Danielle Evans Ann Kern Dawn Reikowsky Katherine Smidl

Critical information is frequently lost when individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) and co-occurring communication challenges transition from one educational/clinical setting to another. To encourage a seamless transition, speech–language pathologists (SLPs) developed This is Me (TiME), a customizable, digital transition tool designed to help students/patients share personal information and advocate for needed support in their new settings. Researchers conducted a content analysis of 92 TiME transcripts to determine how SLPs used the tool across school and inpatient contexts. Findings indicate the most common content domains included in TiME were personal information (e.g., strengths, hobbies, and preferences) and information about communication, learning styles, and behavior/emotion regulation. While school and inpatient units demonstrated similar patterns of domain use, TiME created in an inpatient context contained more information about behavior plans/supports and were almost twice as long on average. They also included more information about safety and diagnoses/medical needs and less information about self-advocacy strategies than TiME created in school contexts, reflecting the very different settings within which they were created. These findings suggest that TiME offers a solution that can readily be adapted to meet the needs of varied groups of individuals with disabilities as well as different audiences.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010011

Authors: Galya Georgieva-Tsaneva Ivanichka Serbezova Silvia Beloeva

This article focuses on enhancing the quality of training in nursing and midwifery specialties through the application of innovative technologies in education. The widespread integration of innovations into the education process creates expanding opportunities for the implementation of modern, sustainable, and technology-supported training methods. An innovative training system for nurses and midwives was developed and implemented over one academic year. The system incorporated educational video materials, serious games, problem-solving activities, and more. Additionally, the study explored the potential of leveraging artificial intelligence and virtual reality to enhance training effectiveness. Participants in the educational experiment were divided into an experimental group (who received additional training through innovative methods) and a control group (who underwent traditional training). Both groups underwent pre-tests and post-tests to evaluate their practical skills in injection techniques. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in the acquisition of patient care skills when modern interactive technologies were integrated into the training process. Statistical analysis confirmed the significance of the obtained results. This research provides foundational methodological guidelines for researchers, educators, and curriculum developers interested in incorporating innovative interactive technologies into healthcare education.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010010

Authors: Mario J. Duran Juan J. Aciego Ignacio Gonzalez-Prieto Juan Carrillo-Rios Angel Gonzalez-Prieto Alicia Claros-Colome

Both industry and academia have recently highlighted the need to provide students with 21st-century abilities that involve soft skills and flexible technical competencies. To this end, active learning (AL) helps scholars to be more autonomous, proactive, self-regulated, sociable and creative. A full AL implementation typically requires costly resources and institutional support. However, it is possible to maintain a traditional teaching structure and include low-cost AL activities that enhance the students’ performance and satisfaction. This proposal suggests a methodology where lectures become more dynamic, the practical teaching is student-centered, the lab teaching is fully open, and the learner’s progress is gamified. A full subject design is presented in a comprehensive manner aiming for satisfying courses with a heterogeneous students’ profile. All activities are carefully selected with a social constructivist approach in order to promote critical thinking, social interaction and students’ engagement. The assessment of the course design implementation is performed considering multiple aspects, such as satisfaction, performance, social relationships and self-regulation. Results confirm the adequacy of the proposal to develop technical skills, excite non-technical competences and motivate scholars with an inclusive approach.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010009

Authors: Emily Relkin Christopher Doss Victoria L. Jones John F. Pane

Coding and computational thinking (CT) are important skills to include in early childhood education. Measuring these vital skills in preschool-age children can be challenging. We modified the TechCheck-PreK assessment, an unplugged measure of CT for 3-to-5-year-old children, to increase reliability and to add foundational coding concepts. We created the Coding Readiness Assessment (CRA) from a subset of nine TechCheck-PreK items and twelve new items that assess additional CT and coding readiness constructs. In an initial feasibility study of the CRA, teachers observed impulsive responses by children. We mitigated this by implementing a brief delay between the appearance of the question and the timeframe in which children could respond. In a subsequent randomized control trial, the CRA was administered 1637 times by Head Start educators. The assessment took an average of 9.8 min to administer. CRA scores were normally distributed and increased on average as a function of age. Girls scored slightly higher than boys, although the difference was not significant when age and race were taken into account. The CRA showed acceptable levels of reliability in terms of internal consistency (α = 0.78) and test–retest reliability (r = 0.65). Results from a 3PL indicate that the CRA has suitable levels of difficulty and skill level discrimination for 3-to-5-year-olds. The 3PL guessing parameter was 0.28, indicating that steps to reduce impulsive responses were successful. We conclude that the CRA has suitable properties for assessing preschool-age children’s CT skills and coding readiness.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010007

Authors: Katherine Price Alyson Simpson

Proficiency in literacy provides an essential foundation for citizens to participate fully and effectively in society. Research highlights a strong correlation between frequent reading and strong literacy outcomes for students and emphasises the benefits of a Reading for Pleasure (RfP) pedagogy on student reading motivation and attainment. As teachers are responsible for students’ literate development, the ability to teach literacy and the development of a literate identity thus form integral components of initial teacher education. There are studies revealing the important connection between teachers’ literate identities and their students’ reading engagement and literacy outcomes; however, less is known about the formation of pre-service teachers’ literate identities. This case study sought to investigate the impact of pre-service teacher engagement with Reading for Pleasure practices as they reflected on their literate identities. During the study, four student teachers in their final year of a Bachelor of Education (Primary) degree in an urban university in NSW, Australia, met weekly for six weeks to engage with Reading for Pleasure practices. Data were collected through participant observation notes, focus group discussions, and a questionnaire completed at the start and the end of the study. This study was informed with a consideration of complexity theory, and an analysis was made of participant’s reflections on RfP, as expressed through the intersecting systems within which initial teacher education is situated. Framed by the understanding that knowledge is socially constructed, this paper outlines how participants found benefit in Reading for Pleasure in forming their literate identities.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010008

Authors: Rekar Abdulhamed Kirsti Lonka Mette Ranta

Entrepreneurship education is crucial in fostering and supporting entrepreneurial intentions among young people. However, many factors, such as immigrant background, are associated with whether youth aspire to an entrepreneurial career. The aim of this study was to examine whether immigrant-origin youth in Finland were more likely than natives to aspire to an entrepreneurial career, and to what extent their sense of belonging, acculturation attitudes, and self-esteem explained these aspirations (N = 2838, Mage = 15.6). Regression (OLS and L2-regularized) and moderation analyses stratified by immigrant status and gender revealed that the immigrant-origin youth were more likely to aspire to an entrepreneurial career than their native counterparts, even after adjusting for gender. Among the male immigrant-origin youth, self-esteem, a sense of belonging, and acculturation attitudes explained 25% of the variation in their entrepreneurial intentions. However, the associations of these factors with entrepreneurial intentions among the native youth were weaker, and they were not related to entrepreneurial intentions among the female immigrant-origin youth at all. Acculturation attitudes were associated with EIs among the native females, but not the males.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010005

Authors: Judith Zellner Nikola Ebenbeck Markus Gebhardt

Standardized assessment tools are essential for informed, data-driven decision-making. Reading speedily is a crucial early skill that all students should have the opportunity to develop in inclusive classrooms. To facilitate classroom-based reading diagnostics in this area of reading, we developed a flash reading test that reliably measures the performance of students with and without learning disabilities and intellectual disabilities. This test can be administered in the classroom and completed independently by students, taking only a few minutes, without requiring them to read aloud. The test is designed to provide an accurate assessment of the speed of lexical recall for all students. To evaluate the difficulty-generating-item characteristics of the new instrument, 400 primary and special school students participated in the test. The results indicate that students with low abilities and disabilities are particularly differentiated by the combination of a short display duration and short words. We provide information for test developers interested in designing similar assessments and teachers who can use this instrument to make informed decisions in the classroom.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010006

Authors: Stephen Gorard Nadia Siddiqui Beng Huat See Yiyang Gao

Large-scale administrative datasets show disproportionate figures for attainment outcomes and school exclusions for pupils in some ethnic groups in England. This surface gap in attainment and school exclusion is concerning, and we consider whether ethnicity is really the driver here. In this paper, we present the findings on KS2 and KS4 attainment and exclusion outcomes for the cohorts in 2019, which are available from the National Pupil Database in England (with around 600,000 pupils per cohort). We present the outcomes and other characteristics for each ethnic category available. The analyses then modelled the attainment and exclusion outcomes via multivariate regression, in terms of individual pupil characteristics and school-level figures including school segregation by pupil ethnicity and disability. The predictors were entered in batches from pupil background, through prior attainment, and school-level measures, to individual ethnicity. The findings show that prior attainment and special needs/disability status are the main drivers of attainment at both KS2 and KS4. Individual pupil ethnicity did not help to explain either attainment or exclusions, over and above these other factors, and this finding largely corroborates the descriptive results. However, the factors related to school-level segregation by ethnicity, free school meal eligibility (FSM), and having English as an additional language (EAL) are somewhat relevant in predicting pupils’ permanent school exclusion at KS4. These findings have implications for admission policies that can reduce school segregation and interventions that can support disadvantaged pupils’ wider learning experiences.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010004

Authors: Ye Chen Lixuan Chen

This study explores the practices of distributed teaching presence (DTP) to promote students’ shared metacognitive responsibilities in online learning. The DTP practices included providing explicit instruction on DTP techniques and guiding students to label their cognitive presence in online discussion. Data were collected through asynchronous online discussion and a questionnaire survey from 53 students enrolled in a graduate-level course at a northeastern private university in the United States. By analyzing the discussion transcripts, students’ cognitive and teaching presences were examined to reveal the influence of the interventions on students’ learning engagement. Both qualitative and quantitative analysis were conducted to analyze the 2557 messages created by 53 students. The results showed that guiding students to use DTP techniques credibly improved students’ teaching and cognitive presence. We also found that students’ teaching presence behaviors were positively associated with peers’ cognitive presence and their own higher-level learning. The implications for research and practices in designing and facilitating shared metacognitive learning experience are also discussed.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010003

Authors: Rotem Israel-Fishelson Arnon Hershkovitz

Computational thinking (CT) and creativity have been recognized as crucial skills for adapting to the current digital era. However, despite being extensively studied over the last few decades, research on their associations has only emerged recently. We report on a study that examined how creativity is manifested in the context of CT, specifically while solving computational problems in an online game-based learning environment for early programming. We took a learning analytics log-based approach to evaluate measures of CT and creativity. We developed a Python algorithm to automatically analyze the logged solutions across four creativity measures. This allowed for an objective, quantitative, multidimensional analysis of 52,438 submissions of N = 111 primary and secondary school students over 85 tasks. We examined the relationships between measures of creativity, game level, and CT, utilized exploratory analysis to investigate how measures of creativity differ across age groups, and explored how these measures characterize students. Our findings suggest that creativity does not decrease throughout the game despite the increased difficulty and its mechanics that penalize creative solutions. We also point out how various dimensions of creativity play different roles in learning. These findings suggest that educators should foster intrinsic motivation and encourage students to explore multiple solution paths to enhance both CT and creativity skills. Researchers should keep investigating mechanisms to assess and enhance creativity in learning environments and explore the influence of personal and contextual factors.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010002

Authors: Jolien M. Mouw Marjon Fokkens-Bruinsma Andrea Snippe

Simulation-based learning environments such as virtual reality (VR) can be promising to help pre-service teachers develop kindergarten-specific classroom management strategies. However, the successful integration of VR in higher education is impeded by limitations regarding the assessment of multifaceted skills such as classroom management strategies. In this paper, we aimed to understand how different assessment instruments lead to aligning or diverging conclusions regarding pre-service teachers’ VR-supported over-time development of classroom management strategies in terms of behaviors and beliefs. With a variety of self-reported and observational measures, we gauged distinct aspects of pre-service teachers’ classroom management strategies conceptualized as behaviors and beliefs at two time points: before and after practicing in a VR kindergarten classroom. Most measures captured an over-time development of behaviors and beliefs—except for pre-service teachers’ self-reported usage of classroom management strategies. Alignment was observed between measures gauging pre-service teachers’ classroom management strategies beliefs and between most, but not all, measures of classroom management strategies behaviors: Pre-service teachers’ self-reported usage of classroom management strategies do not align with the observations of strategy usage. Our findings emphasize the importance of using multiple instruments to capture, assess, and appraise VR-supported development of distinct aspects of pre-service teachers’ kindergarten-specific classroom management strategies.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci15010001

Authors: Daniel Muijs

Sometimes a small change can make a big difference [...]

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121413

Authors: Patricia D. Simon Lily Min Zeng

Adaptive learning technologies are emerging educational tools that personalize instruction and tasks to meet students’ current ability levels. Despite their increasing prevalence, the present discourse on adaptive learning software focuses on the technical aspects of adaptive learning systems without accounting for other factors that impact their use in classrooms. In acknowledgment of the importance of teachers’ roles in the implementation of educational tools, this review examined studies about teachers’ perspectives on the use of adaptive learning technologies in their courses. A systematic search was conducted in four databases (ERIC, Academic Search Complete, Google Scholar, and Taylor Francis Online). Twenty-nine full-text articles were retained for analysis. A hybrid of deductive and inductive approaches was applied to analyze the data, using the factors described in the Technology Acceptance Model and its extensions as a guide. The findings showed that teachers who saw the long-term benefits of using adaptive learning technologies were more willing to invest time and effort to learn and use the tools in their classes. Barriers identified were the scant professional development opportunities for teachers, the programs’ complexities, and the demands on teachers’ time. To make adaptive learning programs work, teachers must be on board as co-designers and content creators, and they require ongoing technical and institutional support and sufficient preparation in teacher education programs.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121412

Authors: Tengfei Zhao Jianlin Zhu Zhiyu Jian Xian Zhou Siling Yang Puwei Zhang

In the field of engineering management, teaching emphasizes the cultivation of applied talents within the context of new engineering disciplines. Evaluating the effectiveness of this cultivation is particularly necessary. The evaluation system for teaching effectiveness plays a crucial role in enhancing teaching quality, promoting students’ comprehensive development, and driving educational reforms. In recent years, there have been numerous research achievements on the evaluation system for practice-oriented teaching quality. However, compared with other disciplines, the field of engineering management remains in its infancy. Therefore, this study clarified the ability goals that talents in this major should possess by studying the evaluation indicators of teaching effectiveness in the field. Based on an emphasis on cultivating different abilities, a practical teaching effectiveness evaluation system was constructed. This study used the Delphi method and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to construct a teaching evaluation indicator system for engineering management majors. The system assigns weights to each indicator based on the “Four Abilities”, including professional competence, practical skills, innovation abilities, and employability. This results in the establishment of a relatively scientific and reasonable teaching effectiveness evaluation system. Furthermore, based on the research results, teaching reform studies related to ability cultivation in the “Building Structures” course were carried out. The teaching effectiveness was verified through post-class student feedback, and a student assessment method was established. This study contributes to a better understanding of the path of practical teaching reform and provides a reference value for teaching practice research in related majors.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121409

Authors: Cristiana Maria Porfireanu Nicoleta Leonte Ofelia Popescu Alina Daniela Moanta Mihaita Alin Saftel

Sustainable education involves educating young people about the importance of varied physical activities and developing long-term skills for an active lifestyle. We choose basketball as a method for sustainable education because it is a sport with diverse technical procedures and tactical actions anda game that plays a significant role in cognitive functional development. This study aims to modernize physical education and sports education to meet current trends and needs. A modern approach to lessons can contribute to the mental and motor development of young people, forming individuals who value movement for health and physical well-being. Thus, integrating VR into physical education lessons (using the means of basketball) represents a paradigm shift in how students prepare and improve their motor function. The study focuses on non-specialized higher education, combining the cognitive benefits of sports with sustainable practices, as we found his to be a gap in our literature review. The experimental program used Raven’s Progressive Matrices, a cognitive ability test, to measure general intelligence. The data were collected on two groups of children (control and experimental, at the beginning of the experiment and after 39 lessons of 100 min each). The t Test results applied in SPSS showed a significant increase in average scores for Raven’s Progressive Matrices after performing the motor program using basketball-specific means, especially for the experimental group. In conclusion, basketball can be a valuable tool for improving cognitive abilities, along with academic and social stimulation, being the key to complete intellectual development.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121411

Authors: Kelly Billings Hsin-Yi Chang Jonathan M. Lim-Breitbart Marcia C. Linn

In successful peer discussions students respond to each other and benefit from supports that focus discussion on one another’s ideas. We explore using artificial intelligence (AI) to form groups and guide peer discussion for grade 7 students. We use natural language processing (NLP) to identify student ideas in science explanations. The identified ideas, along with Knowledge Integration (KI) pedagogy, informed the design of a question bank to support students during the discussion. We compare groups formed by maximizing the variety of ideas among participants to randomly formed groups. We embedded the chat tool in an earth science unit and tested it in two classrooms at the same school. We report on the accuracy of the NLP idea detection, the impact of maximized versus random grouping, and the role of the question bank in focusing the discussion on student ideas. We found that the similarity of student ideas limited the value of maximizing idea variety and that the question bank facilitated students’ use of knowledge integration processes.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121410

Authors: Ivana Restović Mila Bulic

(1) Background: A successful teaching practice and a proper understanding of environmental conservation require developed research abilities and a positive attitude toward nature. Nineteen female students at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences spent ten days in one national park and participated in project activities related to nature conservation. This study aimed to investigate how the stay in nature and the active involvement of students will contribute to their attitudes and knowledge acquisition. (2) Methods: A questionnaire was used to assess the students’ attitudes and knowledge about protected areas before and after the project activities in the national park. The Wilcoxon test was used to determine the statistical significance of differences in attitudes, while the Chi-square test was used to examine the differences in their acquired knowledge. (3) Results: The research showed that students had positive attitudes towards nature protection before and after the project activities. The positive attitudes were confirmed after the project activities were carried out even among those students who did not have them initially. A significant increase in students’ knowledge after the ten-day stay in the national park was noticed. (4) Conclusions: The study results have provided insight into the ability of future teachers to promote sustainable lifestyles and ecological activities. Hands-on nature-based learning significantly foster future teachers’ ecological awareness, their environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behavior.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121408

Authors: Rebecca A. Thessin Abebayehu A. Tekleselassie Leslie B. Trimmer Shaun D. Shepard Jennifer K. Clayton

The role of the school principal has garnered international significance. When it comes to student learning outcomes, the effectiveness of the principal has been recognized as being more important than the effectiveness of a single teacher. Studies also highlight the role school leadership plays in fostering equity and social justice practices in schools and communities. Yet only a small body of research exists on how to prepare leaders to lead for equity. In this paper, we will describe, analyze, and reflect on the components of one school leadership preparation program’s (SLLP’s) candidate assessment system (CAS), which guided the selection of equity-centered leadership candidates for a cohort program in a university–district partnership. We applied a qualitative content analysis to the documents we utilized to select aspiring equity-centered leaders through the program’s redesigned CAS. Our findings revealed that the content and process of the program’s CAS was aligned with many tenets of equity-centered leadership, specifically in CAS documents and in the involvement of a broad group of constituencies and partners during the design and implementation of CAS. We also uncovered a new finding outside of our framework: an emphasis on instructional leadership in our CAS documents as a key component of leading for equity. This study is likely to inform other SLPPs intending to select leadership candidates who will have the capacity to lead for equity.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121406

Authors: Javier Guaña-Moya Yamileth Arteaga-Alcívar Santiago Criollo-C Diego Cajamarca-Carrazco

This study analyzes the impact of interactive technologies on the motivation and engagement of university students in online courses. Through a systematic literature review and a comparative analysis of existing technologies, 64 articles published between 2020 and 2024 were examined. The results reveal a significant increase in student motivation (23%) and knowledge retention (31%) with the use of these tools. Augmented reality stands out with a mean effect size of 0.67 on academic performance. The bibliometric analysis shows a concentration of research in countries such as Spain, Colombia and China, suggesting the need for more diverse studies. Challenges such as the digital divide and lack of teacher training were identified, with 42% of teachers reporting difficulties in implementation. The findings underline the transformative potential of interactive technologies in online higher education, but emphasize the importance of a holistic approach that considers technical, pedagogical and socioeconomic aspects. It is recommended to invest in teacher professional development, promote equitable access policies and encourage research in diverse educational contexts to maximize the benefits of these technologies.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121407

Authors: Katie Harrold Anne Kathrin Fett Corinna Haenschel

Background: Students from ethnic minority backgrounds have been shown to be more vulnerable to developing mental health disorders compared to White British students. They have also been shown to experience greater social identity incompatibility; however, it is not yet clear if this may explain some of the disparities in mental health. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between social identity incompatibility and non-clinical generalised anxiety, depression and academic distress in students from ethnic minority backgrounds compared to White students. Methods: A total of 526 students from City St George’s, University of London, completed the Counselling Centre Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS-62) and the student identity scale. Results: Results showed correlations between the measures of mental health and incompatibility across all students. Even though there were no significant group differences in the level of anxiety and depression, we found that the interaction between ethnic group and practical incompatibility predicted academic distress. Conclusions: The results may be specific to the multi-ethnic and cultural nature of this inner London city university, but they highlight the importance of practical incompatibility, in particular, in understanding student mental health across different ethnicities.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121405

Authors: I Kadek Suartama I Nyoman Yasa Eges Triwahyuni

In Indonesia, there is a significant gap between the skills, creativity, innovation abilities, and job awareness of college graduates as well as the demands of the modern workforce. This gap originates from a curriculum and learning design that has not kept pace with the rapidly evolving needs of society. In an era characterized by digitalization and the rapid development of technology, content, infrastructure, human, and environmental resources, it is essential to create an open and pervasive learning environment (PLE). Therefore, this research aimed to describe the design process and determine the feasibility and validity of a PLE model that integrated formal and informal cooperative social learning. Research and Development (R&D) for Education model was adopted in this study following the phases of analysis, design, development, and evaluation (ADDIE). Furthermore, the research procedure included two main stages, namely the development of the PLE model and validation of the product. The product validation process further included 13 experts in material design, 15 experts in learning media, and 95 students from state and private universities across Indonesia. Subsequently, descriptive statistical analysis was used in analyzing the obtained data from the validation process. The results showed that the developed PLE model design has utilized the power of technology, social interaction, and everyday environment, both formally and informally. The developed learning model design was suitable for implementation in educational settings. This learning design model offers a comprehensive, flexible, and inclusive learning ecosystem that is tailored to the needs of the twenty-first century.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121404

Authors: Julia Regel Anjana Rajagopalan Arnab Mukherji Sankarshan Basu Matthias Pilz

Being considered a driver of economic growth as well as social participation and inclusion, skill development and vocational education and training (VET) policies constitute possible solutions to present challenges and ongoing problems. Therefore, VET has been the distinct subject of attempts toward development and improvement over time. For more than two decades, VET reforms have been a specific focus of Indian educational governance. However, in the subcontinent, reform initiatives have only partially succeeded in terms of their successful and sustainable implementation. This paper investigates promoting and inhibiting factors for vocational education and training policy implementation in Indian skill ecosystems. Taking the example of bottom-up policy implementation in the form of the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) programme, factors that affect the VET policy initiative are identified, based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Through a comprehensive questionnaire administered to a sample of 63 graduates of the programme, their perceptions on key implementation challenges regarding the local policy context, stakeholder cooperation, and institutional as well as implementer capacity were identified. The findings point to areas of further focus for policymakers for the effective implementation of VET initiatives while at the same time adding theoretical contributions to understanding and evaluating VET initiatives.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121403

Authors: Bonnie C. Fusarelli Lance D. Fusarelli

This manuscript presents a comprehensive analysis of NC State University’s redesigned principal preparation program, emphasizing its alignment with state and national leadership standards, innovative curriculum, and commitment to practical application. The program’s redesign addresses long-standing criticisms of traditional university-based leadership preparation, such as the disconnect between theory and practice, by incorporating data-driven instructional leadership, equity-focused training, and collaborative community engagement. Additionally, this article explores the role of specialized internships, full-time residencies, and the integration of technology in training future principals. The program’s success is demonstrated by improved principal placement, school outcomes, and teacher retention—particularly in high-need schools. Finally, the manuscript discusses the future of leadership preparation, highlighting the potential of artificial intelligence to further enhance decision-making, personalized professional development, and administrative efficiency, while addressing ethical considerations such as data privacy and equity.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121402

Authors: Mária Kmetová Lucia Rumanová

Visual perception and visualization are crucial in mathematical thinking and, more importantly, in geometric thinking. Our research study aimed to follow the link of geometric transformations, mental rotation, spatial ability, and visualisation in geometric thinking. During a longitudinal study, we examined the spatial ability-related geometric competencies of 11–12-year-old students from three lower secondary schools. We analysed their test results from axial symmetry and its application in practical problems, orientation in spatial labyrinths, and building spatial constructions with three views. During a detailed analysis of the written results, a grounded theory hypothesis arose that there was a possible relationship between symmetry perception and spatial thinking. This hypothesis was tested with CHIC statistical analysis. The analysis, however, did not show any deeper connection between symmetry perception and spatial thinking from the given data. We can conclude that this connection occurs in individual cases but not in general.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121401

Authors: Raquel Hijón-Neira Celeste Pizarro Oriol Borrás-Gené Sergio Cavero

This study investigates the impact of AI-generated contexts on preservice teachers’ computational thinking (CT) skills and their acceptance of educational robotics. This article presents a methodology for teaching robotics based on AI-generated contexts aimed at enhancing CT. An experiment was conducted with 122 undergraduate students enrolled in an Early Childhood Education program, aged 18–19 years, who were training in the Computer Science and Digital Competence course. The experimental group utilized a methodology involving AI-generated practical assignments designed by their lecturers to learn educational robotics, while the control group engaged with traditional teaching methods. The research addressed five key factors: the effectiveness of AI-generated contexts in improving CT skills, the specific domains of CT that showed significant improvement, the perception of student teachers regarding their ability to teach with educational robots, the enhancement in perceived knowledge about educational robots, and the overall impact of these methodologies on teaching practices. Findings revealed that the experimental group exhibited higher engagement and understanding of CT concepts, with notable improvements in problem-solving and algorithmic thinking. Participants in the AI-generated context group reported increased confidence in their ability to teach with educational robots and a more positive attitude toward technology integration in education. The findings highlight the importance of providing appropriate context and support when encouraging future educators to build confidence and embrace educational technologies. This study adds to the expanding research connecting AI, robotics, and education, emphasizing the need to incorporate these tools into teacher training programs. Further studies should investigate the lasting impact of such approaches on computational thinking skills and teaching methods in a variety of educational environments.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121400

Authors: Federico Abate Daga Ruben Allois Massimiliano Abate Daga Franco Veglio Samuel Agostino

This study examines the subjective attributes that coaches consider most important for identifying and developing the talent of junior élite football players. It also explores whether players’ physical fitness efficiency moderates these attributes and influences playing time during the regular season. Forty-three junior élite football players and four Italian Serie A club coaches participated in the study, contributing their unique perspectives and experiences. Players’ physical fitness was assessed using the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 1 test, while coaches rated players’ abilities through a structured questionnaire. A significant positive relationship was found between ’understanding of the game and position on the field’ and total playing time (t = 3.498, p < 0.01, β = 0.953). Physical efficiency further strengthened this relationship when players’ fitness levels were average (b = 0.624, p < 0.001) and one standard deviation above the mean (b = 0.891, p < 0.001). These findings highlight the importance of tactical awareness in earning playing time and suggest that physical fitness enhances the effect of cognitive abilities on performance. This study provides insights into how coaches assess talent and underscores the value of integrating physical and tactical development in youth football, providing a testament to the power of collaboration in advancing our understanding of talent identification in sports.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121399

Authors: Marcos Gómez-Puerta Esther Chiner Esther Villegas-Castrillo Raquel Suriá-Martínez

Teachers need digital skills to optimise the educational benefits of the Internet and mediate its risks. This study investigates digital and mediation competencies among teachers, focusing on their preparation for guiding students in the safe use of the Internet. Using a descriptive, cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 550 Spanish teachers across various educational settings and levels. The findings reveal that while nearly half of the teachers received some online safety training, the average training duration was relatively low. Notably, differences emerged based on school type and educational stage, with secondary school and special education teachers receiving more training. Teachers generally reported moderate to high digital competence, though those with greater teaching experience perceived themselves as less digitally competent. Additionally, teachers felt only moderately prepared to mediate risks. Special education teachers expressed a higher perceived competence in addressing certain risks than their counterparts in regular education. These findings underscore the need for enhanced, context-specific training in digital safety and mediation skills across educational contexts, addressing both technical aspects and broader digital safety competencies. The study concludes by recommending ongoing, accessible training, particularly for experienced teachers, to align with evolving digital challenges in education.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121398

Authors: Anne Birgitte Fyhn Dina N. Somby Aile Hætta Karlsen

According to Norway’s Core Curriculum all students are to learn about Sámi issues, and the subject of mathematics is not exempt from it. Central to the Sámi tradition is non-standardized individual body-based measuring. Two Sámi pre-service teachers taught Sámi traditional measuring in an urban school where most students are non-Sámi. Their idea was for students to experience the usefulness of using their own bodies as measuring tools. Afterwards, a teacher educator interviewed the pre-service teachers about their experiences. The teaching unit was planned as if it were to be taught in a Sámi school, except that the language of instruction was Norwegian. Analysis shows how the teaching unit aligns with the suggestions and recommendations of Norway’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Analysis with respect to the Theory of Didactical Situations framework, TDS, which has not been developed for Indigenous education, show that TDS contributes to improving the teaching unit’s plan. We recommend that Sámi traditional measuring should be taught by Sámi teachers to more non-Sámi students, and we present a revised teaching plan. However, because there is a significant lack of Sámi teachers, we recommend that non-Sámi teachers use our plan as a model for teaching Sámi traditional measuring.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121397

Authors: Ronald Paucar-Curasma Klinge Orlando Villalba-Condori Sara Hermelinda Gonzales-Agama Freddy Toribio Huayta-Meza David Rondon Ninna Nyberg Sapallanay-Gomez

Formative research, within the context of the pedagogical function of research, employs investigative teaching methods and practices commonly used in universities. However, these methods have largely shown limited effectiveness, as only a minority of students choose to pursue research work to earn their university degree. Additionally, there is a restricted use of technological tools in the development of research-related activities. With this problem in mind, the present study aims to propose the use of technological resources and the problem-solving method to foster a positive attitude toward formative research among first-year engineering students at a public university in Peru. The classroom interventions involved developing investigative activities based on the four phases of the problem-solving method: understanding the problem, developing a plan, executing the plan, and reviewing the solution. During these activities, students used an Arduino board along with sensors, actuators, and block-based programming to address real-world problems in their communities, such as in agriculture, livestock, environment, and education. Following the classroom interventions, students’ attitudes toward formative research were statistically evaluated across several dimensions: satisfaction and enjoyment of research, conceptual appropriation, learning behavior, systematic exploration, and perceived skills. The results show that students’ perception of their attitude toward formative research is predominantly high or very high. This indicates that the proposal to use technological resources and the four-phase problem-solving method is effective in fostering a positive attitude toward formative research among engineering students. Thus, the proposed approach would benefit engineering students by applying it across various courses within their professional program.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121396

Authors: Raffaele Nappo Roberta Simeoli Mariangela Cerasuolo Francesco Ciaramella Angelo Rega

The COVID-19 pandemic led to extensive school closures and an accelerated shift to remote learning, which had substantial consequences for students’ academic development. This study seeks to examine the impact of COVID-19 on learning loss among elementary students in southern Italy, with a focus on grade-level variations across key academic domains, including spelling, reading comprehension, reading speed and accuracy, and mathematical abilities. A sample of 332 students from grades II through V participated, with their performance being evaluated using standardized assessments for each academic skill. Findings revealed that students in grade III encountered greater difficulties in spelling and reading comprehension compared to both older and younger cohorts, indicating that remote learning may have disproportionately affected the initial stages of skill acquisition. These results highlight the necessity for targeted interventions, especially for younger students and those with preexisting academic challenges, to address the lasting effects of pandemic-related educational disruptions.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121395

Authors: Ivana Weber Tina Borić Josipa Mardešić Ante Bilušić Larisa Zoranić

Thermodynamics is a theory based on phenomenological premises and has wide applicability in science and technology. However, it remains one of the most challenging subjects to understand and teach, which makes it an excellent candidate for research and development of teaching methods. In this research, a questionnaire was used to evaluate the current knowledge of Bachelor’s and Master’s physics students, analyzing their immediate understanding of the topic and exploring their reasoning and thought processes. The questionnaire is divided into three sections which sequentially examine high school knowledge of entropy and thermodynamics; understanding of (ir)reversible processes related to energy and entropy change; and the distinction between equilibrium and nonequilibrium states. Based on the analysis of the results, we identified difficulties in understanding and articulating and applying the learned concepts. In particular, misunderstandings of entropy changes in isothermal processes and isolated systems are observed among students at all levels. Additionally, students find it difficult to distinguish between the contributions of energy and entropy changes to a system and its environment in the processes. The difficulty in defining (non)equilibrium states is present among Bachelor’s second-year physics students. To address these challenges, we propose adjustments to the teaching approach, including discussions about entropy sources and process (ir)reversibility, incorporating more theoretical and everyday examples of various processes and (non)equilibrium states and allowing more time for student discussions.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121394

Authors: Lauren Davis Brandon G. Scott Greta M. Linse Rebecca Buchanan

(1) Background: Due to the mental health crisis that has spiraled since the onset of COVID-19, particularly among the nation’s youth, the purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of a novel, school-based mental health intervention for high school students (ages 15–17 years). This project’s main aim was to determine which intervention modality was more effective with students across two school districts with varying degrees of rurality (in-person delivery vs. remote delivery). A secondary aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of a remotely delivered, concurrent intervention for educators across both school districts. This study took place in rural southwestern Montana. (2) Methods: Utilizing a 6-week, trauma-informed yoga intervention, comparisons of mental and physical health outcomes were performed using cohort data drawn from participants’ physiological data and validated mental health survey measures. (3) Results: While physiological results were mixed across experimental groups, mental health outcomes were overwhelmingly positive for all groups. Additionally, educators reported improvements in career satisfaction and burnout levels. (4) Conclusions: Findings indicate a great deal of promise with this intervention in improving mental health outcomes for both students and educators. Moreover, a face-to-face intervention for students showed dramatic improvement in physiological stress indicators.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121393

Authors: Yanna Li

This research responds to the increasing call to hone Student Teachers’ (ST) skill of selective attention or professional noticing as an essential early step toward developing noticing in the classroom environment. Furthering the line of research on teacher noticing via videos, this study aims to identify the distinguishing features of STs’ noticing in a Corpus Linguistics approach and enhance our understanding of STs’ habitual ways of thinking, doing, and feeling in using videos to reflect collaboratively. Participants were 40 final-year STs majoring in English Language Education and five tutors from the same university. During their 8 weeks of professional practicum, STs recorded their classes and reflected on their practice using the Self-Evaluation of Teacher Talk through Video Enhanced Observation (SETTVEO) tag set and as part of online professional learning communities. A 200,000-word Corpus of Dialogic Reflection (CoDR) was constructed and analysed using the #LancsBox 6.0 tool. Findings highlight novice teachers’ unconsciousness or problematisation of their personal agency, haste in proposing alternative practices, and cognitive or emotional dissonance when they analyse their own videos in group settings. This study has implications for the guidance needed in technology-enhanced dialogic reflection. It suggests how teacher educators could tailor their support to the reflective and professional needs of novice teachers for a more productive, transformative reflection and teacher-learning experience.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121392

Authors: Nali Borrego Ramírez Marcia L. Ruiz Cansino Cipatli Anaya Campos Daniel D. Borrego Gómez Luis H. Garza Vázquez

Case study to investigate whether creative writing through story-based learning in public and private secondary schools can account for performance in readability, purpose, word/sentence relationships, vocabulary diversity, correct use of punctuation marks and proper use of spelling rules. The exclusion criteria, applied only to public and private secondary school students, first, second and third periods. The sampling is convenient as the participants were selected from accessible educational institutions. This is a cross-sectional study of descriptive qualitative cut in which the coding of linguistic patterns and dominant themes is used. When triangulated with statistical results it was found that despite the variability in the results there was a production of original narratives, which corroborates the theories about the relationship between creativity and divergent thinking. It is confirmed that ABH is an active methodology based on the emotional link with creative writing from which components of the structure and creation of the narrative are derived, and it was found that most of the students are in a zone of proximal development, i.e., they are ready to learn with the help of a tutor or more advanced partner.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121391

Authors: Renata Rutkauskaite Julita Baravykiene Edita Maciuleviciene Saulius Sukys

This study emphasizes the importance of a teacher’s adaptability in conveying knowledge and the varied interpretations of exercises among educators. While there is an evident difference in how physical education (PE) is approached, the common thread is the motivation and involvement of students. Promoting physical activity and forming associated habits at school has a major impact on a person’s entire life. Students should learn these skills through PE classes led by physically literate teachers. The aim of this study was to determine PE teachers’ physical literacy (PL), their understanding of the concept of PL, and the application of its components in PE classes. In the first phase of the research questionnaire survey of 81 PE teachers, the aim was to determine their physical literacy. In the second phase, observations were conducted to assess which components of PL teachers use during PE classes. In the third phase, a group interview was conducted to determine the opinions of PE teachers on the components of PL and its application. Teachers with a normal BMI and teaching higher grade students (p < 0.05) had significantly higher PL scores than those with a BMI that was too high (p < 0.05). Additionally, correlation analysis (r = −0.247, p < 0.05) showed that as BMI decreased, the PL score increased. Only two aspects of PL are developed during PE classes—competence and motivation. Very little or no elements of knowledge and understanding of physical activities and associated health benefits, and ways to reduce sedentary time and promote daily habits were observed. PE teachers’ interviews revealed that they recognized PL as a holistic concept for the development of a person’s physical abilities and knowledge. PE specialists also suggested teaching methods that could be applied outside of classes and acknowledged shared problems that reduce students’ motivation to move and how to address them. This study highlights the complexity of the concept of PL and reveals many areas for future research: searching for a universal assessment of PL and focusing on the concept of promoting new, creative, less linear ways of assessing and teaching PL.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121390

Authors: Frederick Johnson Joline Schmit Christoph Schneider Henning Rossa Lothar Müller

In the ongoing era of digital transformation, it is imperative for teachers to equip learners with essential digital competences to navigate the intricacies of the digital landscape successfully. As future in-service teachers function as role models and educators for the proper use of digital technology, pre-service teachers must develop adequate digital proficiency. This holds particularly true in Germany, where the prevailing competence levels of pre-service teachers are reportedly suboptimal. To this end, an extracurricular training program for pre-service teachers, based on the DigCompEdu framework, was implemented from 2021 to 2024, coinciding with COVID-19 pandemic-related limitations. A total of 242 pre-service teachers registered for the program, and 40 completed it. Employing a pre–post design, we assessed (1) attitudes towards digital technology and digital learning, (2) competence beliefs, and (3) test-based competences. Pre–post comparisons show an improvement only in participants’ confidence in deploying digital technologies for subject-specific purposes. Unexpectedly, no other statistically significant differences were observed. These findings point at shortcomings in the program, which are discussed to highlight potential areas for refinement and improvement in future programs and curricular implementation.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121389

Authors: Alessandra Ward Courtney Hattan

Oral reading assessments provide teachers with valuable information about children’s reading abilities, which can then inform instruction. However, the structure of some oral reading assessments (e.g., running records) have been critiqued, especially when they are used to provide students with a prescribed “reading level”. The purpose of the current study was to support in-service teachers (ISTs) and pre-service teachers (PSTs) in implementing a highly supportive oral reading assessment, the Listening to Reading–Watching While Writing Protocol (LTR—WWWP), which guides teachers towards specific instructional targets for individual children instead of a score or level. We were curious about the ISTs’ and PSTs’ perceptions of the protocol, including its affordances and limitations. Data sources were the ISTs’ feedback responses and the researcher fieldnotes after five professional learning sessions, as well as the PSTs’ survey responses after learning about the protocol during literacy method courses. Results revealed that both the ISTs and PSTs found the protocol to be useful, and they appreciated the concrete information it provides regarding multiple components of literacy (e.g., decoding, comprehension monitoring). However, they also noted logistical concerns regarding assessment implementation and selecting authentic texts. Results also revealed misconceptions about the assessment, which subsequently informed revisions of the LTR—WWWP and the related professional learning.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121388

Authors: Gregorius Johannes Beek Larike Henriëtte Bronkhorst Tobias H. Stark Sanne Floor Akkerman

Both interests and peer relations are crucial for adolescents in finding out who they are and want to be as a person. Yet, our knowledge of the co-evolution of friendships and interests is limited to studies focusing on single interest domains and/or practices predetermined by researchers. A total of 1599 Dutch adolescents participated in this study, which employs a unique design to examine the co-evolution of all participant-defined interests and in- and out-of-school friendships. In total, 368 specific interest areas were identified. Multilevel social network analyses (i.e., using multivariate stochastic actor-oriented models) of a subsample of 935 adolescents in seven schools indicate that adolescents are more likely, over time, to have similar interests to their friends. Interests that were reported rarely or very often contributed less to these dynamics. Additionally, being similarly interested increased the likelihood of being friends. Our findings show that social structures are related to interest development and how being interested is mediated by the places and spaces of adolescents’ lives.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121387

Authors: Cynthia A. Wiltshire Robyn K. Pinilla Heriberto J. Garcia

Play is often called the work of children, but questions abound about how early childhood educators are prepared to support children’s learning through play. In this study, we investigated undergraduate pre-service teachers’ perception of community-engaged coursework in the early childhood and elementary educator preparation program of a U.S.-based Hispanic-Serving Institution and how such a course could support student training and capacity for planning playful lessons. We analyzed data collected by our institutional Center for Community Engagement to understand the impact of field-based engagement on student experiences. Findings indicate that despite initially mixed perceptions, students developed professionally and felt positively about engaging children in various play types in the classroom. Practical implications for teacher educators and directions for future research are discussed.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121386

Authors: Ari Alamäki Umair Ali Khan Janne Kauttonen Stephan Schlögl

The rising integration of AI-driven assessment in education holds promise, yet it is crucial to evaluate the correlation between trust in general AI tools, AI-based scoring systems, and future behavioral intention toward using these technologies. This study explores students’ perspectives on AI-assisted assessment in higher education. We constructed a comprehensive questionnaire supported by relevant studies. Several hypotheses grounded in the literature review were formulated. In an experimental setup, the students were tasked to read a designated chapter of a paper, answer an essay question about this chapter, and then have their answers evaluated by an AI-based essay grading tool. A comprehensive data analysis using Bayesian regression was carried out to test several hypotheses. The study finds that remote learners are more inclined to use AI-based educational tools. The students who believe that AI-based essay grading is less effective than teacher feedback have less trust in AI-based essay grading, whereas those who find it more effective perceive more benefit from it. In addition, students’ affinity for technology does not significantly impact trust or perceived benefits in AI-based essay grading.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121385

Authors: Catherine Sheehan Judith Butler Cian O’Neill

The breadth and volume of research exploring the complexities of childhood trauma in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) environments has grown significantly in recent years, yet, little is known about this trajectory in an Irish context. Consequently, the purpose of the current study was twofold: (i) consult with influential figures in the wider ECEC domain to access expert knowledge on the provision of trauma awareness education in Ireland and to (ii) gain invaluable insights into the trauma awareness knowledge, training, and experiences of ECEC professionals working in Irish ECEC settings. Utilising a qualitative methodological approach, eight semi-structured interviews with ECEC sector representatives (i.e., IV Group) and six focus groups with managers (n = 8), room leaders (n = 8), and practitioners (n = 8) (i.e., FG Group) were conducted as explorative processes to investigate the presence of trauma awareness in ECEC, if any, and the factors supporting/hindering this discourse from the perspectives of diverse stakeholders and professionals in Ireland. Results revealed that the provision of trauma awareness is challenged by the dearth of relevant educational opportunities during both Initial Practitioner Education (IPE) and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) pathways, with an absence of neuro-informed practice among the FG Group. Contrastingly, while sector representatives in the IV Group demonstrated an awareness of childhood trauma, these participants identified the need for (i) government investment, (ii) training reform, and (iii) professional practice considerations. Based on the cumulative findings, this research recommends that policymakers in Ireland prioritise the provision of funded and/or incentivised professional development opportunities for the ECEC profession to enhance the knowledge and skills associated with trauma-informed practice.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121384

Authors: Tania Leach Ondine Bradbury

Australian education faces persistent challenges in preparing and retaining teachers within rural contexts. This qualitative study examines the attributes of thriving rural teachers through focus group discussions with 103 rural educational leaders. Utilising a theoretical framework combining attribution theory and ecological systems perspectives, the study synthesised leaders’ perceptions of key dispositions and behaviours contributing to rural teachers’ success. Four interconnected dimensions emerged: being community, classroom, professionally and personally equipped. This study revealed that while individual teacher attributes are crucial, school support and community context significantly influence teacher success. The application of attribute theory further revealed that findings attributed teacher’s success to internal, stable, and controllable factors, suggesting that key traits could be developed through targeted professional development and experience. This study provides nuanced insights into ’rural readiness’, informing education policy decisions and practices, initial teacher education institutions, schools, and communities. The study emphasises the need for a holistic approach to teacher preparation and support that considers both individual and systemic factors.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121383

Authors: Libby Gerard Marcia C. Linn Marlen Holtmann

Students benefit from dialogs about their explanations of complex scientific phenomena, and middle school science teachers cannot realistically provide all the guidance they need. We study ways to extend generative teacher–student dialogs to more students by using AI tools. We compare Responsive web-based dialogs to General web-based dialogs by evaluating the ideas students add and the quality of their revised explanations. We designed the General guidance to motivate and encourage students to revise their explanations, similar to how an experienced classroom teacher might instruct the class. We designed the Responsive guidance to emulate a student–teacher dialog, based on studies of experienced teachers guiding individual students. The analyses comparing the Responsive and the General condition are based on a randomized assignment of a total sample of 507 pre-college students. These students were taught by five different teachers in four schools. A significantly higher proportion of students added new accurate ideas in the Responsive condition compared to the General condition during the dialog. This research shows that by using NLP to identify ideas and assign guidance, students can broaden and refine their ideas. Responsive guidance, inspired by how experienced teachers guide individual students, is more valuable than General guidance.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121382

Authors: Madison E. Andrews Audrey Boklage

Makerspaces have emerged as a popular supplement to formal K-16 STEM education, offering students opportunities to engage in hands-on, creative activities that integrate multiple disciplines. However, despite their potential to foster interdisciplinary learning, these spaces often reflect the techno-centric norms prevalent in STEM. As a result, makerspaces tend to be dominated by white, male, middle-class participants and focused on tech-centric practices, which may limit both who participates in these spaces and what types of activities they do there. To address calls to broaden student participation in makerspaces, we surveyed and interviewed undergraduate STEM students to understand how students’ perceptions of making and the makerspace itself influence their modes of participation. Using the lens of repertoires of practice, we identify which practices students believe to “count” in a STEM makerspace, finding that many students hold narrow, discipline-specific beliefs about making, which, for some students, were preventive of them visiting the facility. However, we also discover that students’ beliefs of making practices were malleable, indicating potential for shifting these views towards more inclusive, interdisciplinary beliefs. We conclude with recommendations for educators and makerspace administrators to broaden students’ conceptualizations of making practices and supporting such practices in STEM makerspaces.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121381

Authors: Vesna Skrbinjek Maja Vičič Krabonja Boris Aberšek Andrej Flogie

In the post-COVID-19 era, education requires teachers to engage learners across diverse learning environments (at school or other formal institutions, at home, outdoors, or in virtual environments) using innovative learning strategies. To meet these challenges, teachers must upskill their creativity and strengthen their pedagogical digital competencies and knowledge management skills. This study introduces the innovative teacher training and support (TTS-IPCD) model to enhance teachers’ creativity and pedagogical digital competencies. This research involved a sample of 350 teachers from 75 primary and secondary schools over a four-year period. Teachers’ creativity was measured using the Kirton Adaption–Innovation Inventory (KAI), assessing key metrics such as problem-solving flexibility, openness to change, and inclination toward novel approaches. Quantitative analysis was conducted using an independent samples t-test to evaluate teacher creativity changes. The results indicated that the TTS-IPCD model enhanced teacher creativity in the direction of a stronger propensity toward innovative behaviors, including embracing diversity and change in their work, solving problems through novel approaches, and adopting a holistic perspective rather than strictly adhering to established routines. Furthermore, the TTS-IPCD model improved teamwork and collaboration, contributing to the development of more adaptive and innovative learning environments. These findings highlight the importance of continuous professional development of teachers focused on creative pedagogy and digital competencies to equip teachers for the evolving educational landscape.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121380

Authors: Nardie Fanchamps Emily Van Gool Anna Folkertsma Kim De Meyst

Computational thinking (CT) can be developed in a multitude of ways. Well-known examples are plugged-in and unplugged applications that focus primarily on the (combined) usage of visual, textual, or tangible modalities. Less obvious are applications where CT development can be established via an auditory modality, to which the importance of creativity is attributed. When reasoning from such a different contextual perspective, it is interesting to investigate whether the self-creation of electronic music influences CT development and what added value can be attributed to creativity. Therefore, a mixed-methods study was conducted on primary school pupils aged 10 to 13 using FL-Studio Mobile© music-producing software. Quantitative data were obtained using a pre-test–post-test assessment administered via a validated Computational Thinking Test (CTt). Qualitative data were obtained by conducting interviews to ascertain identifiable effects on CT sub-characteristics to determine the influence of creativity and creative thinking and children’s perceptions in this regard. Our results indicate that applying music-making software has measurable effects on CT development, particularly with respect to invoking and using auditory modalities. Notable findings were identified on the CT sub-characteristics “loops”, “conditionals”, “functions”, “nesting”, and “CT tasks required”. Our study shows that producing music using technology stimulates creativity, which seems to be an important parameter for CT development. Differences between girls and boys were observable. Further research on the interaction between CT and creativity, combining different modalities, is recommended.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121379

Authors: Kenneth Adu-Gyamfi Isaiah Atewini Asaki Abigail Fiona Dzidzinyo Charles Deodat Otami

The world, through the UN and its agencies, is looking for ways to sustain the environment that we live in via the SDGs. The importance of school science in achieving the SDGs cannot be overstressed. The literature abounds on the need for school science to relate to the interests and expectations of students and the importance of teachers and scientists of school science in finding solutions to sustaining our world. However, little is known about the interests and expectations of other members of our society. Consequently, we studied the expectations of members of the non-science community whose children are learning science in schools and colleges. Using a phenomenological approach, we employed interview schedules to study 15 participants, comprising 5 women and 10 men, on what they thought about science and scientists and their expectations regarding learning science in school in the 21st century, saddled with global pandemics, global warming, flooding, and other natural disasters. The thinking and expectations of the participants were analysed using a thematic analysis with constant comparison procedures to arrive at five views and expectations of school science by the non-science community. Although the participants were grateful to the science community for rising to the challenge of COVID-19, they expected school science teachers to use innovative approaches to prepare their students for future challenges, as the world lost many human lives to the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings will inform science curriculum planners about the content and pedagogies to recommend for schools and colleges.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121378

Authors: Olga Bombardelli

I describe in this paper selected aspects of the Erasmusplus Project Education for Citizenship Competence to Participation and Sustainability, performed by three European countries, in order to empower students for civic engagement through citizenship education. The partners from Italy, Spain and Romania worked from 2021 to 2023 to develop strategies and materials to enhance the qualification of teachers in civic and citizenship education to support participation of young people across Europe. The project provides new solutions to the problems identified, in order to improve civic education, to avoid the risks of indoctrination and to offer effective teaching materials, available in open access. The main products are the Toolkit with flexible teaching/educational proposals for the students and the Guidelines for the teachers, the Matrix of competences for the teachers, and the Competence Cards for the students with indicators to (self)assess the improvements. The working materials were used in the ECCOPS Learning/Teaching/Training Activities for teachers and for students, monitored through videos observed by critical friends. I discuss in this paper especially the work carried out to foster multiperspectivity, starting from the Competence Card ‘Multiperspectivity’, with the aim of preventing radicalism and fanaticism, considering different points of view on controversial topics and developing knowledge, skills and values to enable students to have a greater understanding of what makes up an effective civic participation. The most relevant project results are expected to have an impact at both institutional and practical levels in civic and citizenship education.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121377

Authors: Jenny Wanyi Li Suzannie K. Y. Leung Melissa Dan Wang Mantak Yuen

Computational thinking (CT) currently has been mainly explored using programming robots and conducted in K12 education. In early childhood education, arts have a significant place in children’s learning, expression and cognitive development. Specifically, creating pop-up storybooks is a child-friendly activity. Our study aimed to explore the combination of CT and art, and to develop talented children’s CT abilities through a multimodal literacies educational approach, which referred to using different skills (i.e., writing, drawing, making, and storytelling) in the art activity. A total of 12 talented children were selected to participate in a pop-up storybook production workshop using a convenience sampling method. We adopted an observation method to capture talented children’s CT behaviors, generating a total of 180 min of activity videos and collecting fieldnotes and the children’s worksheets and artworks for the data analysis. Based on a content analysis, we found that talented children enhanced their CT development in multiple modes and practiced seven CT skills. In conclusion, our study emphasizes the importance of art in children’s education and provides new insights for subsequent research on children’s CT education.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121376

Authors: Meng Tian Matti Rautiainen

Many education systems adopt neoliberal privatisation and marketisation approaches to diversify education provision and improve quality. England is a leading example, transforming local authority-maintained schools into academies. In contrast, Finland resists neoliberalism and maintains a small number of independent schools. This paper examines how resources and leadership are distributed in academies and independent schools to explain the different educational paths taken by England and Finland. This study uses a scoping review approach to explore and contrast academies and independent schools. The comparison covers aspects such as history, education administration, local governance, accountability, curriculum and performance, teacher professional development and home–school–community relationships. The findings reveal that academies in England often concentrate leadership roles and resources among a privileged few, including large Multi-Academy Trusts, technocratic trustees and curriculum experts. This concentration tends to marginalise local communities and parents, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In Finland, independent schools serve a supplementary role within the education system, catering to specific cultural, linguistic and religious groups while adhering to the national core curriculum and regulations. While existing studies critique the academisation movement in England and commend the high-performing public school system in Finland, a direct comparison between academies in England and independent schools in Finland has been lacking. This systematic review offers original insights into these two types of schools and clarifies why neoliberal approaches often exacerbate rather than mitigate disparities in education access and equity.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121375

Authors: Trudy Ambler Puspha Sinnayah Joanna Lim

In this Special Issue (SI), we have published recent scholarship addressing (a) narrative ways of knowing, (b) the diversity of methods used for researching experience and (c) issues related to the use of narrative to explore the experiences of individuals within an educational context [...]

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121374

Authors: Maaike Grammens Fien De Smedt Bram De Wever

Synchronous Online Teaching (SOT) is becoming increasingly popular, but research shows many teachers are inadequately prepared, calling for greater investment in professional development (PD). Additionally, there is a significant gap in research systematically describing the design of evidence-based PD initiatives. Consequently, researchers and educators lack an understanding of the essential components of these interventions, which obstructs the replication, dissemination, and implementation of evidence-based PD programs for synchronous online teachers. This study presents the design of SOL-lab, an online PD program aimed at fostering teachers’ technical and social SOT competences. A detailed overview of the online PD design is offered, encompassing the underlying theoretical and empirical foundations, macro-level design principles, and micro-level instructional and learning activities. More particularly, three key design principles guided the online PD development process: focused observation of SOT, providing and receiving feedback, and stimulating the transfer of learning. By integrating authentic learning experiences and fostering reflective practice, our program aims to empower teachers with the necessary competences to thrive in SOT environments. An analysis of teachers’ perceptions indicates that they had a positive experience with the effective features of the PD program. This study offers valuable insights for the development of effective online PD initiatives for SOT.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121372

Authors: Soo Jung Kim Yan Ping Xin

The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the effect of technology-based interventions on mathematical word problem solving for students with disabilities. This study also assessed the quality of research based on What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) design standards. A total of 21 studies were included in the analysis. This study computed an overall effect and analyzed moderators of group design studies (Hedges’ g) and single-case design studies (between-case standardized mean difference) in the same analyses. The results show that the overall effect of technology-based interventions on word problems across 21 studies was large (Hedges’ g = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.84, 1.52). Additionally, the studies meeting WWC design standards demonstrated significantly greater effects. The moderator analyses indicated that certain study characteristics, such as publication years, settings, intervention agents, technology devices and types, and mathematics topics moderated the effects of interventions. The four studies that evaluated the generalization effect of the intervention using distal standardized assessments showed a near moderate effect (Hedges’ g = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.09, 0.9). Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121373

Authors: Joseph DiNapoli

This study investigated how the time that elementary pre-service teachers (PSTs) spend studying certain mathematics topics during a content course is related to growth in their perseverance in problem-solving. Using a quasi-experimental design, PSTs from two classes taught by the same instructor engaged in 12 problem-solving sessions each to measure their willingness to initiate and sustain, and re-initiate and re-sustain upon an impasse, productive struggle during engagement. Inspired by the thinking-oriented and knowledge-oriented theoretical approaches to teacher preparation in elementary mathematics, there were two class conditions. Over one semester, the treatment group studied five mathematics topics (averaging about 400 min of classroom time per topic) and the control group studied 10 mathematics topics (averaging about 150 min of classroom time per topic). The results show that the perseverance of PSTs in problem-solving in the treatment group grew at a significantly greater rate compared to PSTs in the control group. This suggests that PSTs’ perseverance development may be supported by spending more classroom time studying fewer topics during mathematics content courses.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121371

Authors: Hwangbo Bae Jingyi Men Joi-Lynn Mondisa

Program managers of undergraduate research experience programs play a pivotal role in students’ learning experiences. However, their roles in this program are seldom understood and explored. One reason is that a greater focus has been put on faculty and student mentorship. Although many faculty mentors succeed in providing students with adequate support for their learning experience, students can also benefit from having access to multiple mentors, such as program managers. In this study, we employed a qualitative approach to identify the common experiences of education and outreach program managers in managing engineering undergraduate summer research experience programs and mentoring students in the United States. The findings indicate that the participants provided career and technical support that contributed to students’ success by providing general guidance, professional development opportunities, and access to resources. Also, the participants engaged in active listening and training, and supported inclusive activities to promote students’ psychosocial support. From the findings, we provide recommendations for program managers and faculty members to help reinforce students’ learning in research programs.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121370

Authors: María Magdalena Saldívar-Almorejo Luis Armando Flores-Herrera Raúl Rivera-Blas Paola Andrea Niño-Suárez Emmanuel Zenén Rivera-Blas Nayeli Rodríguez-Contreras

This work reviews the key challenges surrounding teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics subjects known as STEM. The research has uncovered a significant gap between traditional teaching styles and the need to develop and adapt to new remote-learning modalities. The work describes the technological, pedagogical, social, and institutional challenges, finally identifying the importance of their joint interaction. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become evident that STEM educators must increase their awareness and knowledge of instructional models focused on using digital platforms. The current trend is centred on developing remote-learning tools, which will likely become the predominant learning norm as the economy’s viability increases. However, these remote-learning approaches must maintain interaction with the physical world, as understanding real-world phenomena is crucial for improving learning processes. STEM learning through e-learning will have a greater chance of success if academic institutions collaborate with other sectors of society, such as the business sector, to receive feedback for the continuous improvement of the proposed teaching methods.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121369

Authors: Antonie Alm

The emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) raises critical questions about learner autonomy and agency. This exploratory case study examines how four university-level German language learners with diverse backgrounds developed autonomy in their learning process through engagement with AI tools. The study was conducted in early 2023 when most learners were first discovering ChatGPT’s potential for language learning. Data were collected through reflective journals, digital portfolios, and interviews during a semester-long course that scaffolded self-directed learning with AI integration. The findings reveal emerging patterns of shared agency between learners and AI tools. Learners developed distinct strategies for AI integration based on their language learning backgrounds, with heritage speakers focusing on accuracy improvement while classroom learners emphasized communication practice. Cross-case analyses identified key dimensions of autonomy development: a critical evaluation of AI output, evolving learner–AI relationships, maintaining and developing a second language (L2) voice, and the strategic integration of AI tools while preserving learner agency. These patterns suggest that autonomy in AI-mediated environments manifests through learners’ capacity to engage productively with AI while maintaining critical awareness and personal agency in their learning process.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121368

Authors: Ernesto Guerra Edmundo Kronmüller

This study investigates the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and inference-making during real-time reading comprehension in Spanish-speaking adolescents, addressing an important gap in the literature. A large sample of adolescents (n = 265) aged between 11 and 18 were asked to perform a self-paced reading task, which required integrating words across sentence boundaries. The study compared two conditions: repetition and inference. In the repetition condition, a critical word appeared in both context and target sentences, while in the inference condition, the context allowed the inference of the critical word. Vocabulary knowledge was assessed using a standardized receptive vocabulary test. The results showed that adolescents with larger vocabularies exhibited faster reading times across conditions, particularly in the inference condition, where a stronger vocabulary facilitated more efficient word-to-text integration. The interaction between vocabulary and reading condition indicated that a larger vocabulary mitigates the cognitive cost of inference-making, supporting more effective reading comprehension. These findings highlight the role of vocabulary knowledge in reducing the cognitive load associated with inference generation during reading, offering important implications for educational strategies aimed at improving adolescent literacy.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121367

Authors: Emilio Jesús Lizarte Simón José Gijón Puerta María Carmen Galván Malagón Meriem Khaled Gijón

For many students, the start of a university course is a positive experience, as it is a challenge that involves academic commitment and the achievement of a university degree. However, for other students, access to university becomes a stressful experience that manifests itself in signs of anxiety. Previous studies have shown the influence of high levels of anxiety on the degree of academic engagement for good study performance, with positive or negative moderators such as psychological well-being or self-efficacy. The overall aim of this study is to analyse self-efficacy and psychological well-being as moderators between anxiety and academic engagement, as well as the relationships between the variables. In the present study, 751 first-year students of the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Granada (Spain), of whom 90.7% are women and 9.3% are men, all aged between 18 and 47 years old (M = 21.05, SD = 3.57), completed the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student questionnaires (UWES-S), Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS), State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Psychological Well-being Scale. The correlations between scales were studied using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. To assess the moderating effect of self-efficacy and psychological well-being on the relationship between anxiety and academic engagement, structural equations were used with the maximum likelihood method. In relation to the analysis carried out, the findings show the importance of self-efficacy and psychological well-being as moderators between anxiety and academic engagement. Self-efficacy showed a moderating effect on the relationship between anxiety and academic engagement, so the interaction between anxiety and self-efficacy meant that in situations of high anxiety and high efficacy, academic engagement was virtually unaffected.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121365

Authors: Christine Sälzer Heinrich Ricking Michael Feldhaus

In many countries, indicators related to educational contexts, inputs, processes, and outputs serve as important benchmarks for allocating funding to educational institutions. Educational monitoring provides a valuable approach for gathering data on these indicators. This review offers a critical analysis of the current state of educational monitoring of school attendance in Germany, emphasizing the need for a more comprehensive monitoring system including such data. We provide an overview of the current state of research, propose a theoretical framework, and outline the key requirements for effective monitoring. From this foundation, we examine existing empirical evidence on the impact of monitoring school attendance. Our findings indicate that comprehensive and ongoing monitoring is essential for preventing and reducing student absenteeism. Moreover, we emphasize that consistent attendance monitoring is vital for educational policy and practice, offering considerable potential for school improvement. It functions as an early warning system, helping to identify students at risk of academic failure or dropping out. By systematically tracking attendance, schools can implement basic preventive measures and tailor interventions to address the specific needs of at-risk students, ultimately fostering academic achievement and engagement.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121366

Authors: Tingting Wang

Engaging students in Chinese character learning tasks poses significant challenges for instructional design, especially for learners from alphabetic language backgrounds, due to Chinese characters’ complex, morpho-syllabic structure. Traditional teaching methods, such as rote memorization and hand copying, have long dominated instruction but often result in limited task engagement. This study explores a gamified approach to teaching Chinese characters grounded in task engagement principles. Specifically, it examines how task engagement principles could be integrated into a digital game designed for beginner-level students on their understanding of Chinese character structure and engagement in learning tasks. The study details the development process and analyzes quantitative and qualitative data to assess students’ learning outcomes. Findings demonstrate that the Chinese character game significantly improves character recognition and student engagement, fostering collaborative learning and enhancing overall academic performance. This study highlights the importance of incorporating engagement-driven principles and a radical-driven approach into game-based language instruction, offering educators practical insights into creating effective educational tools that blend content with interactive and collaborative elements.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121364

Authors: Sarah E. Pennington Judy H. Tang Kent Divoll Pamela Correll

This scoping literature review explores parent interactions with teachers and school environments at the middle level, particularly how parents and teachers perceive middle school environments and parent–teacher relationships, the strategies that schools use to foster parent–teacher collaboration, and the impacts of these interactions on students. The research team identified 14 peer-reviewed studies from 2015 to 2024 that focused on parent interactions with teachers and school environments at the middle level, including parent and teacher perceptions of school environments and parent–teacher relationships and collaborations. The findings revealed a common disconnect between how parents and teachers view school environments, but also showed that intentional, structured communication can help to bridge these gaps. The review also highlights that research on strategies to enhance parent–teacher partnerships is limited and context-specific. Based on this review of the literature, more research is needed on how home–school relationships benefit diverse middle school communities and how collaboration can support student success, particularly during the critical middle school years.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121363

Authors: Anja Møgelvang Camilla Bjelland Simone Grassini Kristine Ludvigsen

Student gender differences in technology acceptance and use have persisted for years, giving rise to equity concerns in higher education (HE). To explore if such differences extend to generative artificial intelligence (genAI) chatbot use, we surveyed a large Norwegian HE student sample (n = 2692) using a fully mixed concurrent equal status design. Our findings show that men exhibit more frequent engagement with genAI chatbots across a broader spectrum of applications. Further, men demonstrate a heightened interest in genAI chatbots as tools and in their relevance to future career prospects. Women primarily utilize genAI chatbots in text-related tasks and express greater concerns regarding critical and independent thinking. Women also exhibit a stronger need to learn how to determine when it is wise to use and how to trust genAI chatbots. Consequences are discussed for the individual, society, and HE institutions in terms of social reproduction, diversity competence, and equitable teaching practices.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121362

Authors: Andrew A. Millward Courtney Carrier Nickesh Bhagat Gregory T. O. LeBreton

This research explores the perspectives of kindergarten through to Grade 12 (K-12) teachers on incorporating information and communication technology (ICT) into the environmental education (EE) curriculum. In the context of the increasing influence of ICT in education, this study examines both the potential enhancements ICT offers to EE and the challenges it poses. Using data from an online survey and an in-person focus group, the investigation addresses the capacity of ICT to promote environmental stewardship and personal growth, alongside concerns regarding technology’s potential to alienate students from nature and the divided opinions among educators regarding optimal technology use. Attention is given to systemic barriers that complicate EE integration and the variability of its implementation in Ontario, Canada, where EE is mandated across K-12 curricula. The findings illuminate educators’ concerns about digital dependencies among their students and the difficulty they face in striking a balance between the use of ICT and non-technical pedagogical approaches when engaging students in environmental lessons. Importantly, study participants identified limited contemporary and timely technological tools to support EE delivery that deemphasize using personal mobile devices (e.g., smartphones and tablets). In response, we recommend three forms of technology (and accompanying lesson ideas) that are affordable, easy to integrate into classrooms, and do not require off-site trips, thereby enhancing accessibility and equity. This study’s implications are aimed at educators, policymakers, and stakeholders seeking to enhance EE delivery within a technologically evolving educational framework and ensure the development of environmentally conscious students.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121361

Authors: Michael Otieno Okumu Catherine Lammert Halkano Michael Hargura

Feedback literacy, defined as the ability to reflect on and implement constructive insights provided by others, is crucial for teachers’ professional growth. This study explores how Teacher Candidates (TCs) (n = 160) in an online reading methods course valued feedback on their teaching videos from peers versus instructors, leveraging communities of practice as the theoretical framework. This study examines TCs’ preferences and rationales for feedback sources in design/development research, a unique contribution to feedback research in teacher education. Using a concurrent mixed-methods approach, we analyzed TCs’ ratings of the quality of tagged comments on videos of their classroom instruction provided by both groups, and we analyzed the reasons they provided for their ratings. Results of the independent samples t-test revealed that the TCs rated instructor feedback significantly higher than peer feedback. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data identified factors such as feedback specificity, constructive criticism, timeliness, expertise, emotional support, and practical application as central to TCs’ feedback preferences. However, TCs also recognized aspects of peer feedback they found valuable, underscoring the potential benefit of structured feedback training to improve peer feedback effectiveness. These findings highlight the need for targeted feedback literacy development to help TCs maximize the benefits of both instructor and peer feedback.

Education Sciences doi: 10.3390/educsci14121360

Authors: Francesca Sangiuliano Intra Livia Taverna Roberta Maria Incardona Marta Tremolada Alberto Amadori Giulia Prestera Antonella Brighi

Developing socioemotional competence in preschool children is essential to their growth. Numerous studies have emphasized the importance of socioemotional skills in early childhood, documenting distinct patterns in socioemotional growth and identifying distinct developmental patterns that suggest gender and self-awareness can influence developmental trajectories in this domain. This study investigates the role of gender in the relationship between children’s self-representation and socioemotional performance-based outcomes, measured through objective and quantifiable assessments of their abilities and behaviors. A sample of 145 preschool children was assessed using the Test of Emotion Comprehension and the Berkeley Puppet Interview. Results indicate no significant gender or age differences in Test of Emotion Comprehension scores, while the Berkeley Puppet Interview revealed notable gender differences across all the latent socioemotional dimensions. These findings underscore the importance of considering gender and integrating self-representation into educational programs to support adaptive development and promote psychological well-being.