Search Results (6,022)

Human development education often relies on traditional, lecture-based teaching methods, limiting opportunities for active engagement. The lack of diverse creative and active teaching approaches hinders psychology students’ ability to fully understand and apply complex concepts. This study examined the effectiveness of a designed series of board games to enhance understanding of infant development and surveillance among psychology students. A mixed-method approach using a randomized matched control group design and qualitative exploration was applied. In the experiment, there were two groups, intervention and conventional learning, in three data collection phases. A design involving 60 students (30 in each group) was employed. The qualitative exploration involved the completion of a weekly journal to explore the students’ learning experiences when playing board games. A 2 × 3 mixed-design Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with content analysis of the journal texts was performed. The results revealed that the created board games significantly enhanced students’ understanding, with them achieving significantly higher understanding scores in the posttest and follow-up phases in learning development progress. An interaction effect for the treatments and test phases was also noted. Meanwhile, the qualitative findings complemented and reinforced the quantitative results, offering deeper insights into the learning experiences and valuable suggestions for improving the design and rules of the games. In conclusion, by tailoring the board games to learning objectives associated with infant developmental psychology, educators can enhance student engagement, knowledge retention, and real-classroom application. Full article

Family diversity is a reality in Spanish Early Childhood Education schools. However, there is little research on the perspective of teachers and families on this type of diversity, and even fewer studies on the viewpoint of children in Early Childhood Education. This study analyzed the perception of family diversity among 156 Early Childhood Education children from three schools in the province of Granada (Spain). Alongside the use of the ‘Family Diversity Questionnaire for Children’, a quantitative study was conducted with a non-experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional, and comparative design. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and mode) and frequencies were calculated. After assessing the normality of the data using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, inferential analyses were performed, using Student’s t-tests and ANOVA tests to determine whether there were any significant differences. The results showed that the nuclear family was the most recognized family structure by the children, in contrast to the one-person family, which was the least recognized. As for the happiness level, the extended family was identified as the happiest typology, while the divorced family was the one with the lowest happiness level. Full article

Compassionate university practices can increase students’ sense of belonging and lead to higher wellbeing. This study presents qualitative data from a UK university collected as part of the Nurture-U Compassionate Campus project. Experiences of transition to university were gathered from 32 students across five focus groups. Data were analysed using narrative analysis, conducted jointly by an academic researcher and Nurture-U student advisors. Results are presented across three phases: (1) Expectations: participants hoped for liberal and inclusive university environments, but the university’s reputation as a white, middle-class university raised concerns for some. (2) Navigating a new social environment: on arrival, compassion was visible in welcoming individuals, but lacked where participants felt othered. (3) Finding your people: many found friends who had shared experiences, but this took time and could cause further isolation. Participants identified specific compassionate practices universities could implement in universities supporting transition. These included (i) implementing communication prior to arrival that actively promotes and highlights available support, (ii) creating structures where students and staff can interact and support each other in small groups, and (iii) holding accessible and free events for students to interact which are not reliant on societies. Full article

It is important to work on educating children’s emotional intelligence, namely the re-awareness and control of emotions, both their own and those around them so that they feel empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships and make conscious decisions. This document describes a proposal for a gamified solution, based on the development of a multimedia product, which aims to help children, parents and teachers in the education of emotional intelligence in children. The solution makes it possible to present everyday scenarios to children, allowing adults to find out how they feel and, based on this information, to work on feelings and social behaviour. The solution was based on research into studies available in scientific databases on children’s emotional intelligence, as well as research into exercises that can help work on this same issue. Once implemented, the solution was tested with children from a primary school, where it was possible to collect feedback from them and their teachers and make improvements. This study presents the design, development and evaluation of a gamified application for children focused on emotional intelligence. The methodology used is based on a systematic literature review following the PRISMA protocol and the development of an iterative multimedia product. The study sample included around 200 elementary school children, where it was possible to collect qualitative feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of the application. The results obtained made it possible to make improvements to the design of the application and to obtain feedback from the teachers, which was very positive, but transmitted by direct interview. Full article

This study examines the integration of disadvantaged Roma ethnic minority students in Hungarian-language vocational schools in Central European countries with highly segregated education systems. It focuses on Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary, where Roma students face significant segregation. This research investigates two Romanian, two Slovak, and four Hungarian vocational schools, selected based on their proportion of Roma students aligning with national averages. Surveys and interviews were conducted with teachers to assess their attitudes, commitment, and preparedness in educating Roma students. The main findings of this research are that schools with Roma student proportions matching national averages do not face significant challenges in co-education, teachers generally believe Roma students should complete lower secondary education, and teachers are committed to supporting Roma students but often feel unprepared to teach them. This study’s results suggest that governments should implement policies to eliminate educational segregation in vocational schools and promote inclusive education. Teacher training programs should focus on equipping educators with better tools to support Roma students. Possible directions for further research include a comparative analysis of vocational and grammar secondary schools in the integration of Roma students, longitudinal studies on the long-term educational and career outcomes of Roma students in vocational schools, and an examination of best practices in inclusive vocational education across different European countries. Full article

The Askisi-Spelling Deficits (SD) neuropsychological web-based screener was developed to assess cognitive and spelling abilities in children, with an emphasis on the early detection of spelling disorders. This tool incorporates six tasks that evaluate cognitive domains, such as visual and auditory working memory, response inhibition, and spelling processing, providing a comprehensive framework for assessment. A study conducted with 264 Greek children, including 132 children with spelling deficits and 132 typically developing controls, aimed to implement this screening tool. Results indicated that the screener was effective, as children with spelling deficits showed significantly lower performance and longer response times across all tasks. The tool’s internal consistency was supported by split-half correlations (r = 0.64) and Spearman–Brown coefficients (r = 0.78). Nonetheless, certain limitations were identified, including the absence of latency data for specific tasks (Go/No-Go and working memory), as well as the screener’s cultural specificity, which might limit its applicability to other linguistic and orthographic systems. Future iterations should prioritize the inclusion of timing mechanisms for more detailed assessments and consider adaptations for use in languages with varying orthographic complexities. Expanding the demographic reach and conducting longitudinal validation studies would further improve its utility and generalizability. The web-based nature of the screener enables scalable and standardized administration, making it a practical and efficient tool for the early identification of spelling difficulties in children. Full article

(1) Background: Teacher job satisfaction is critical to a school’s organizational development and students’ academic success. This study investigates the job satisfaction of first- to ninth-grade teachers, focusing on the individual and organizational variables that influence and explain this phenomenon. (2) Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, analyzing studies published between 2017 and 2022 in the Scopus, ERIC, and SciELO databases. A total of 32 studies were included in the review. (3) Results: The results indicate that demographic variables (33.5%) are the most frequently examined at the individual level concerning teacher job satisfaction. At the organizational level, variables associated with school principals are the most prominently represented (12%). (4) Conclusions: This review identifies a significant gap in the literature, with limited attention to individual and organizational variables. This finding underscores the need for further research on emerging factors, such as the impact of administrative burdens on teacher satisfaction. Additionally, this study highlights the importance of accounting for different countries’ socio-cultural and institutional contexts when exploring factors that influence teacher job satisfaction. Full article

This study explores the effectiveness of Technology-Assisted Vocabulary Learning (TAVL) using student-created video learning materials within a tertiary-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) flipped classroom. By leveraging the flipped classroom model, which allocates classroom time for interactive activities and shifts instructional content delivery outside of class, the research investigates how student-produced videos can enhance vocabulary acquisition and retention. Conducted with 47 university students from a Translation and Translation Studies course, the study aims to fill a gap in empirical evidence regarding this innovative approach. Quantitative analysis revealed that students who created and utilized videos (Group 1) showed the highest improvement in vocabulary scores, followed by those who only used the videos (Group 2), with the control group relying on traditional teacher-led methods showing the least improvement. Qualitative feedback highlighted that video creators experienced deeper engagement and better vocabulary retention, while users appreciated the videos’ visual and auditory elements but faced challenges with vocabulary overload. The findings suggest that incorporating student-created videos into the curriculum fosters a dynamic and collaborative learning environment, offering practical implications for enhancing vocabulary instruction through technology-enhanced pedagogical practices. Future research should focus on optimizing video production processes and integrating these methods with traditional teaching for comprehensive vocabulary learning. Full article

Historically, the assessment of mathematics in higher education comprised closed-book, summative, proctored examinations. Related disciplines and subjects like statistics, mathematics education, and the history of mathematics lend themselves to a broader range of assessment techniques that have been reported to provide a more balanced picture of students’ abilities. In 2020, an online environment for the teaching and learning of mathematics was imposed on the academic world globally as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to teach and assess remotely while maintaining institutional academic standards, the majority of lecturers were in a situation where closed-book, proctored assessments were not an option. As a result, other methods were adopted. This paper reports on an investigation into how mathematics lecturers worldwide assessed mathematics before the pandemic, during the initial lockdown restrictions, and in the immediate aftermath, while some restrictions were still in place, to see if any changes were sustained. There was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of respondents who used many of the assessment types investigated across the three time periods, including open-book timed, open-book untimed, closed-book, multiple-choice questions, online proctored, in-person proctored, presentations, projects, and assignments. The majority of those who favoured closed-book proctored examinations prior to the pandemic moved to timed open-book assessments. Differences between the weightings of final examinations versus continuous assessments were also statistically significant, with greater weight given to continuous assessment once the pandemic began. Respondents’ satisfaction levels with their assessments were significantly different also, with the highest satisfaction levels prior to the pandemic and the lowest during the initial lockdown restrictions. Academic integrity was a key concern of the majority of respondents when assessing the learning outcomes of their modules and played a role in the vehicle of assessment they chose. Full article

Computational thinking skills among high school students have become a global concern, especially in the context of the ever-evolving digital education era. However, the attention given by teachers to this skill during mathematics instruction has not been a priority. This study aims to evaluate and explore the impact of project-based learning (PBL) integrated with flipped classroom on high school students’ computational thinking skills in mathematics. The research design employed a mixed-method approach with a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent pre-test post-test control group design. The experimental group (46 students) and control group (45 students) were selected through simple random sampling from 12th-grade science students. Data were collected through tests, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews, using instruments such as computational thinking skills assessment questions, questionnaires, and interview protocols. Quantitative data analysis was performed using SPSS Version 26 for t-tests and ANOVA, while qualitative analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti with an abductive-inductive and thematic approach. The findings indicate that PBL integrated with flipped classrooms significantly improved students’ decomposition, pattern recognition, and abstraction skills. The implementation of PBL, integrated with a flipped classroom, created an interactive learning environment, fostering active engagement and enhancing students’ understanding and skills in solving mathematical concepts. Although there was an improvement in algorithmic thinking skills, some students still faced difficulties in developing systematic solutions. The results of this study suggest that further research could explore other methodologies, such as grounded theory and case studies integrated with e-learning, and emphasize visual analysis methods, such as using photo elicitation to explore thinking skills. Full article

Picturebooks have a long history as literature for literacy learning in initial teacher education (ITE) settings. Yet, the practice of “using” picturebooks solely to teach isolated skills becomes more alarming as pre-service teachers encounter classroom picturebook instruction that features diverse racial, linguistic, or ethnic communities as “plugged” into scripted curriculum without opportunities for students to respond to the socio-cultural portrayals encountered. Guidance for ITE programs is needed to ensure that the aesthetic and sociopolitical features of picturebooks are not only considered but deeply taught to pre-service teachers. Drawing from a qualitative analysis of a fifth-grade reader engaging with a picturebook featuring a character with a similar phenotype across ten days, an inductive and iterative process of data analysis identified salient moments of collaborative discussions and the ‘slow looking’ approaches she used to interact with justice-oriented picturebooks. Our findings highlight the visual, material, and multimodal ways these texts serve as mentor resources for writing and drawing, while also acting as identity-affirming texts. To conclude, we offer essential implications for ITE settings, instructors, and their students by unpacking the significance of instruction that matters most for supporting pre-service teachers as curators of justice-oriented picturebooks. Full article

STEAM education has become a global agenda to integrate humanities subjects with STEM elements. With a lack of science-related teacher training, promoting STEM education under humanities curriculums faces challenges. However, limited research has been conducted to understand the concerns of humanities teachers in applying STEM education in their classrooms. In this study, we examined the concerns of pre-service and in-service geography (GEOG) teachers (N = 49) in Hong Kong (HK) secondary schools and evaluated the effectiveness of trainer workshops in alleviating their concerns. We applied an in-depth questionnaire analysis based on a 5-point Likert scale under a “Stages of Concern” model. The ordinal regression and t-test results suggested that (1) the pre-service and in-service GEOG teachers were highly concerned in most of the stages of concerns (Mean = 4.06/5); (2) unique yet different concerns about GEOG STEM education were identified from the pre-service teachers and in-service teachers; (3) teacher training workshops that offer scientific and STEM training could be effective in addressing the concerns of in-service teachers. As such, this study supports the development of geography STEM education and promotes the education community’s ability to address teachers’ concerns in embracing STEM education. Full article

The present study investigates the influence of peer coaching on the depth of reflection on the content of digital games in geography education. The results show that the combination of a reflection diary and reflection coaching in the debriefing session significantly increases the depth of reflection at different levels. In particular, students were able to formulate more precise and critical statements at the level of comparison between the game world and reality, as well as at the level of self-reflection. Working in tandem and targeted questions from the trainers proved to be key success factors in promoting depth of reflection. The study shows the importance of combining written and oral reflection after using digital games and provides impetus for integrating digital games and reflection methods into the classroom. Full article

Historically, inequities in mathematics education have resulted in mathematics classrooms that do not support all students, and particularly students from marginalized backgrounds. Efforts to transform mathematics classrooms to be culturally responsive, sustaining, and justice-oriented have met limited success at scale. It may be that supporting teachers to develop more equitable teaching practices would benefit from a more incremental improvement approach. This article considers how school-based mathematics coaches can support teachers to make incremental shifts toward more equitable instruction. We describe a coaching model designed to include elements of incremental improvement, in which coaches and teachers analyze video against a set of rubrics that delineate equitable teaching practices. Using established routines and structures, coaches and teachers work together to identify and enact small, actionable changes that build toward more ambitious equity-oriented practices. Drawing on pilot data, we articulate how the coaching model both reflects and builds on an improvement approach to professional learning. We argue that while incremental shifts may be insufficient to fully address systemic inequities, they can serve as a meaningful bridge toward larger changes. We conclude with considerations for engaging in equity-oriented incremental improvement work. Full article

Preservice teachers’ beliefs play an important role in shaping their future instructional practices. While creativity is increasingly recognized as a key element in education, little is known about how preservice teachers perceive creative versus good teachers. The current study explored preservice teachers’ views on the characteristics associated with creative and good teachers, identifying both shared and unique attributes. A total of 438 preservice teachers participated in this study. The results revealed that preservice teachers value relationship building, professional competence, and creativity in both categories. Notably, the emphasis on creativity in both creative and good teachers suggests an evolving perspective on teaching that highlights the significance of fostering creativity in classrooms. Additionally, good teachers were associated with a wider range of social and personality traits, whereas creative teachers were characterized by a stronger focus on adaptability and leadership. The findings underscore the need for teacher education programs to adopt an integrative approach that values both teaching effectiveness and creativity, ensuring that future educators are well-prepared to meet the demands of 21st-century education. Full article