The purpose of this study was to examine how the interaction between trainees and mentors during the mentoring process is shaped by the support of principals and mentors. Additionally, by using a mixed-methods methodology, the study aimed to provide a deeper understanding of how trainees perceived the mentoring experience. A sample of 104 trainees with up to seven years of work experience in Croatia participated in the quantitative part of the study. The Mentor-Trainee Relationship Scale (Vizek Vidovi & cacute;, 2011) and a custom designed subscale measuring principal and mentor support were used to collect data. The findings showed that while mentor support did not provide a statistically meaningful effect, principal support was a strong predictor of the strength of the mentor-trainee relationship. Ten inexperienced trainees participated in the qualitative research method, and their answers were gathered through focus group interviews and subjected to thematic analysis. The analysis revealed significant factors influencing trainees' opinions of their internship and recommended ways to make the mentoring process better. By encouraging collegiality, cohesiveness, and a collaborative culture within preschools, engaged principals play a critical role in developing trainees' professional maturity, according to the findings. Positive working relationships and the accomplishment of common educational objectives are facilitated by such encouraging leadership. The findings provide guidance for enhancing mentoring practices, while future research should expand the trainee sample and incorporate principals' and professional associates' perspectives to deepen understanding of the mentoring process.
This study developed an expert-consensus-based guideline to address teacher preparedness in implementing green chemistry and sustainability goals in Malaysian education. It is structured around the three Technological Pedagogical Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), and Technological Knowledge (TK). To ensure equal participation and build a structured consensus via online from a multidisciplinary expert panel, a descriptive research design was implemented using the modified Nominal Group Technique (mNGT). There are seven experts across Green Chemistry, pedagogy, educational technology, and curriculum who participated in this study. The research undergoes five steps, including an introductory session, idea generation, online group discussion, voting, and findings presentation to collect data. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (scores, percentages). Key findings regarding TPACK identified the following chemistry topics, two GC principles, and four training supports; for PK, four teaching approaches and eight PK training supports; and for TK, two immersive technologies, three digital tools, and four training supports. The proposed green chemistry training guideline, as a roadmap for the Ministry of Higher Education, instruction.
Gender equality and quality education are central pillars of international policies. However, women continue to face gaps in access, participation, and retention in STEM. This study aimed to validate the EMA-STEM scale to measure factors associated with these gaps among female university students. The validation was conducted in two phases: an exploratory factor analysis with 373 participants and a confirmatory factor analysis with 410 participants, all enrolled in STEM programs. The instrument, comprising 46 items and four dimensions-family support, gender bias, gender stereotypes, and gender inequity-was developed based on specialized literature and reviewed by a panel of experts. Statistical analyses revealed high reliability levels (alpha and omega > 0.80) and a robust factorial structure. The CFA model supported theoretically coherent associations among dimensions, highlighting family support as the most consistent. Finally, the EMA-STEM emerges as a valid and reliable tool to guide programs and policies aimed at reducing gender inequalities in STEM.
This study examines postgraduates' awareness of plagiarism in second-language writing to maintain academic integrity in the age of AI, and whether there are significant differences in plagiarism awareness among postgraduate students (PGS) based on gender and year of study. Awareness of plagiarism and the consequences of engaging in such practices is necessary to prevent plagiarism and promote academic integrity. There have thus been calls for researchers to investigate the intersection of AI, plagiarism, and L2 writing among PGS. This study employed a quantitative research design and involved 36 participants (PGS), consisting of 14 males and 22 females, in the Applied Linguistics program at a public university in Saudi Arabia's English Department. The study's findings indicate that postgraduates are generally aware of plagiarism, proper citation, academic integrity, AI tools, and institutional support, and AI's impact on academic integrity, strongly understand plagiarism detection systems, and are moderately aware of institutional support and training in academic integrity. Further, the findings demonstrate a statistically significant difference in plagiarism awareness, where females exhibit a higher awareness of academic integrity principles in second-language writing. Furthermore, the statistics indicate no significant difference in plagiarism awareness between first and second-year (PGS), suggesting that the year of study did not significantly influence plagiarism awareness.
This study investigates the extent to which academic reading that incorporates intercultural topics and tasks fosters the development of intercultural awareness among Moroccan EFL learners, specifically in the areas of interpreting and relating, and discovery and interaction. A quasi-experimental mixed-methods design was employed, with two data collection tools administered prior to and after the experiment, including an intercultural test and a semi-structured interview. Relying on available subjects, the study involved 98 participants assigned to an experimental and a control group. The findings associated with the quantitative analysis demonstrated that the students’ overall mean score in the experimental group was higher than that of the control group in the area of skills of interpreting and relating, as well as the skills of discovery and interaction. Similar to the quantitative findings, the qualitative analysis exhibited that the students in the experimental group developed a better understanding of the mediation and interaction skills needed in intercultural encounters, as they successfully managed to detect areas of misunderstanding and critically respond to them using a strategic approach to conflict resolution. The study concludes with several pedagogical implications for enhancing intercultural learning, highlighting the systematic incorporation of critical intercultural tasks to improve learners’ mediation and interaction skills and to ensure quality and relevance in EFL education at the university level.
Studies on prototypical schools are framed within the school effectiveness framework, enabling the examination of educational process variables in relation to student academic performance. From this perspective, the present research focuses on identifying process variables that differentiate between "positive" and "negative" prototypical educational institutions, those whose academic performance deviates from what would be expected given their socioeconomic context. A two-phase research design was employed. In the first phase, a multilevel model based on the results of the national Saber 11 competency test for 1,152 Colombian institutions was used to identify prototypical schools. The second phase involved classroom observation in two institutions of each type. Data collection instruments included a classroom observation protocol, that focuses on classroom management strategies and teacher-student interactions, and the Learning Strategies Questionnaire (CEA, by its Spanish acronym). The results indicate significant differences between the two types of institutions. Positive schools foster an environment of trust, respect, and cordiality, showing a significant difference in classroom climate. In terms of classroom management, teachers in positive schools employ effective strategies to maintain a calm and orderly environment while demonstrating a receptive and supportive attitude. Furthermore, they encourage more egalitarian and active student participation that transcends mere response to prompts. Regarding metacognitive regulation strategies, statistically significant differences were found (p = 0.049), along with a greater diversity in the use of learning strategies. These findings constitute vital evidence for academic effectiveness rooted in daily classroom practice. Ensuring a calm classroom climate, fostering equitable interactions, providing continuous feedback, and promoting student self-monitoring are key characteristics that allow schools to overcome barriers inherent in disadvantaged contexts.
This qualitative case study investigates how integrating critical thinking (CT) into an English Public Speaking (EPS) course supports Chinese EFL undergraduates’ communicative competence. Six second-year English majors at a private university in Shaanxi participated in semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, classroom observations, and analysis of their speech drafts and final scripts. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings show that CT-integrated tasks helped students organize arguments more coherently, use evidence more strategically, and adopt a more audience-responsive, persuasive delivery. At the same time, CT application was constrained by rote learning habits, public speaking anxiety, heavy workloads, and the cognitive load of thinking critically while speaking in English. Differences between early and later starters of English revealed distinct needs: early starters required scaffolding to deepen analysis, whereas later starters needed linguistic support to free cognitive resources for reasoning. The study suggests that differentiated scaffolding, interactive CT-focused activities, and explicit teacher feedback on reasoning are crucial for aligning CT development with communicative competence in EPS courses. It offers analytic generalization for CT-integrated EFL instruction in exam-driven, large-class contexts.
Given the low levels of Digital Health Literacy and limited Scientific Knowledge concerning well-being, this study analyzed Healthy Hydration Habits and assessed the effect of an educational intervention, using active and collaborative methods, on the Digital Health Literacy and Scientific Knowledge in a small convenience sample of Primary Education Degree students (n=29). A exploratory quasiexperimental quantitative with qualitative interpretative categorization of score levels was conducted, with pre-post intervention without a control group. Standardized questionnaires was employed, including eHEALS for Digital Health Literacy and a custom questionnaire for Healthy Hydration Habits based on international recommendations, alongside scientific databases and an educational website. Findings indicated that male students exhibited more positive water consumption habits, while female students demonstrated insufficient intake. Following the intervention, Digital Health Literacy improved from a Problematic to a Sufficient level, and Scientific Knowledge related to hydration reached an Excellent level. These findings suggest that active, collaborative educational interventions supported by validated digital tools are associated with improvements in the digital professional competencies of future teachers. Expanding initial teacher-training programs focused on health and well-being promotion is therefore recommended.
This study explored the integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP) in Secondary Science Education, examined the perceptions, practices, challenges, and strategies of science teachers. Additionally, it evaluated students' Science performance and investigated the relationships between these factors. Grounded in the context of culturally responsive teaching, this research emphasized the importance of incorporating IKSP to enhance learning outcomes and promote cross-cultural understanding. The study utilized a descriptive-correlational research design, involving 41 Secondary Science 10 teachers and their respective students. Data were gathered through surveys and performance assessments. The findings revealed that teachers strongly agree on the importance of IKSP in fostering scientific innovation, environmental awareness, and cultural inclusivity, as reflected by a high mean perception score of 3.53. However, the extent of IKSP integration in Science teaching practices remained limited, with an overall mean of 3.49, indicated a need for improvement in areas such as community involvement and use of indigenous knowledge articles. Challenges in IKSP integration, rated as "Moderate" with a mean score of 2.14, included limited resources, lack of training, and time constraints. Despite these challenges, teachers "Often" employed strategies to integrate IKSP, achieved a mean score of 3.09. These strategies include the use of culturally inclusive materials and fostered curiosity through environmental perspectives. The students’ average Science performance of 85.49 fell under the "Very Satisfactory" category, with most students demonstrated competency in their Science studies. However, no significant relationship was found between students’ performance and teachers’ perceptions, practices, challenges, or strategies in integrating IKSP.
This study examines how Project-Based Learning (PBL) promotes transversal competences by integrating two core subjects, English for Tourism, First Modern Language English, with Tourism Intermediation and Transport I in the bilingual Tourism Degree program at the University of A Coru & ntilde;a. Over a period of twelve weeks, 12 students in their second year of the degree designed a comprehensive travel package in English, which included destination analysis, itinerary planning, supplier negotiation, cost calculation, and promotional materials. Using a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods approach, data were collected through a sixitem student questionnaire (Google Forms, which included open-ended and Likertand promotional materials), and systematic observations during group meetings and presentations. Notes on teamwork, participation, problem-solving, and English use provided additional material to monitor the progress of student engagement. Data analysis combined thematic analysis for qualitative evidence and descriptive statistics for quantitative responses. The findings obtained show that students perceived the project as highly relevant for applying linguistic and professional knowledge to authentic industry tasks. The reported benefits included greater use of specialised vocabulary, improved public speaking in English, enhanced collaboration, and a clearer understanding of tourism-sector practices. Challenges were mainly associated with spreadsheet-based cost calculations and varying spoken language proficiency. At the end of this project, students expressed high satisfaction, suggesting that interdisciplinary PBL strengthens both employability skills and language competence in tourism education.
A native language, also known as a first language or mother tongue, is the language a person is exposed to from birth or during early childhood. Learning one's native language greatly supports the acquisition of a second language. Furthermore, students who continue to develop their native language skills tend to achieve higher academic success in later years. Speaking multiple languages offers many advantages. Those who understand cultural differences have an easier time in our society. Native language and culture lessons (HSK) teach your child the language and culture of their home country. Children explore history, geography, civics, food, festivals, and customs. Highly qualified HSK teachers lead the courses with great dedication. The lessons follow the curricula and guidelines of the respective countries. Native language and culture instruction is available in approximately 40 languages in Basel-Stadt. The lessons are offered weekly in state schools and consist of two or three sessions. Children attend a session as close as possible to their homes. The lessons take place outside of normal school hours, such as on Wednesday afternoons when there is no school or on Saturday mornings. In HSK classes, children and teenagers from different schools but the same grade level are taught together. In some classes, younger and older children also learn together. Depending on the language, your child can attend classes as early as kindergarten; some courses begin in the first year of primary school. Your child can usually attend HSK classes until the end of their schooling. HSK instruction is an important component in the language development of bilingual and multilingual students and makes a significant contribution to their integration. By engaging with cultural and social issues or exploring specific topics related to nature, humanity, and society, as outlined in the mandatory HSK curriculum framework, students become aware of both the differences and similarities compared to Switzerland and reflect on their own actions and thoughts. This increases their chances of successful integration. More detailed information can be found at https://www.bs.ch/ed/volksschulen/hsk.
Self-regulation plays a vital role in language learning; however, little research has been conducted on the contribution of self-regulated learning to L2 listening. This study addresses this gap by examining the extent to which metacognitive intervention enhances listening proficiency within a self-regulated learning framework. A total of 138 first-year EFL learners from a public university in China participated in this study. The experimental group received additional instruction on metacognitive self-regulated listening strategies while the control group received only traditional instruction. The mean scores of the experimental group increased from 82.84 (pre-test) to 86.55 (post-test), demonstrating a significant improvement over the control group. In addition, the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in strategy use across all three phases: in the Forethought phase, in the Performance phase, and in the Self-reflection phase, indicating that the intervention could enhance learners’ listening comprehension abilities and improve their use of self-regulated listening strategies. Moreover, high-proficient listeners exhibited significantly higher use frequency of goal-setting and comprehension monitoring strategies than low-proficient listeners. This study adds empirical evidence on the impacts of self-regulated learning on listening achievement and provides important insights into the integration of metacognitive strategy instruction with self-regulated learning in informal settings.
This research aimed to predict the level of professional competencies using key elements of the educational process, such as teacher performance, the school climate, and evaluation methods. The study was developed from the perspective of students enrolled in the Facultad de Ingenier & iacute;a Mec & aacute;nica y El & eacute;ctrica of the Universidad Aut & oacute;noma de Nuevo Le & oacute;n, recognizing that their perceptions offer valuable insight into how academic practices influence competency development. To conduct the analysis, a quantitative approach with a correlational predictive design was applied, and multiple regression techniques were used on a sample of 332 students from different semesters and academic programs. The results showed that the educational elements examined were statistically significant predictors of the level of professional competencies, collectively explaining 73% of the variance. These findings underscore the critical role that instructional quality, institutional environment, and assessment practices play in shaping the professional readiness of engineering students. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the need for continuous improvement strategies in higher education, particularly those aimed at strengthening teaching methodologies, promoting a positive and collaborative school climate, and implementing fair and meaningful evaluation processes. Overall, the evidence suggests that enhancing these components can contribute substantially to the formation of highly competent engineering professionals prepared to meet current and emerging demands in the field.
This study investigated the impact of storytelling on English vocabulary acquisition among bilingual young learners in primary education, focusing on Slovak and Hungarian speaking children learning English as a third language. Recognising the motivational challenges of third-language learning, engaging storytelling activities were incorporated to improve learning outcomes. The qualitative action research was conducted over 16 English lessons using four books by Julia Donaldson. Each lesson combined warm-up activities, vocabulary pre-teaching, reading, video viewing, and interactive tasks such as games, drawing, character descriptions, and dramatization. Data were collected through classroom observations, focus group discussions, pupils’ evaluations, and written vocabulary recall tasks. The finding revealed considerable improvements in vocabulary acquisition, pronunciation, and learner engagement. Pupils responded enthusiastically to the storytelling-based lessons, showing increased participation and motivation to use English actively. Overall, storytelling proved to be an effective pedagogical approach for improving vocabulary learning and motivation among bilingual young learners learning English as a third language.
This research aimed to examine the effect of chatbots in science instruction to promote developing scientific concepts and scientific passion for third intermediate grade students. The study used experimental research, which involved a quasi-experimental design with two groups experimental or control with pre- and post-measurements. Purposive sampling was used from Educational Complex in Qibah supervised by the Qassim Education Department, where two classes were selected from the third intermediate grade, totaling (50) students. One class consisted of (25) students in the experimental condition with chatbots instruction, and the other class (25) was assigned to control condition receiving traditional instruction. Research tools were used to measure scientific concepts and science passion by using a Scientific Concepts Test and a Science Passion Scale. Data were analyzed using paired sample and independent sample t tests, which showed significant improvements in scientific concepts and scientific passion among students taught with chatbots. Results indicated significant effectiveness of chatbots in science instruction on improving both scientific concepts and scientific passion for the third intermediate grade students. The study recommended that science education programs use chatbots or digital applications in science education to enhance students’ scientific engagement, spark scientific passion, and increase students’ understanding of scientific concepts.
China, with a population of 125 million people, has 55 ethnic minorities. A large number of Chinese ethnic minority children lack confidence and motivation, and underperform in English as a subject. An effective way to narrow the educational achievement gap between the Hans and ethnic minority families is to enhance parental involvement, which is currently inadequate. Therefore, this qualitative study, based on interviews with 12 sixth-grade children aged 11 to 12 years in Guizhou’s ethnic minority regions, examines the involvement of parents in the school and home with regard to the learning of English among ethnic minority children. A thematic analysis was conducted on the data, and the findings reflected that the degree of parental involvement in the school was largely event-driven and responsive, while in the home, it was limited and intermittent. The paper highlights parents’ supportive practices and potential difficulties of school and home involvement. From the data, a quadripartite representation of parental involvement as a support system is proposed for more school-parent and parent-teacher collaborations to improve the achievement of ethnic minority children in English learning. The implications of assisting ethnic minority parents in overcoming obstacles to both school and home involvement are considered. However, due to the relatively small sample size, the findings should be interpreted within the context of the Chinese ethnic minorities in this study. The paper concludes by suggesting that to elicit the voices of ethnic minority children, it is necessary to include the voices of their parents and teachers within the contexts in which they are found.
In this study, we constructed and empirically tested a system for evaluating the quality of English-Medium Instruction (EMI) for international students. The questionnaire measured international students' perceptions of eight teaching-quality factors and the resulting teaching effectiveness. Structural equation modeling (SEM) confirmed the factor structure and demonstrated acceptable model fit. Regression analysis using latent factor scores showed that teachers' positive attitude, rich content, diverse methods, and strong ability, as well as students' proactive learning attitude, solid professional foundation, and high effort level, all positively predicted teaching effectiveness. Contrary to expectations, cultural background differences were associated with slightly better outcomes-Hypothesis H8 was rejected-possibly because English often serves as a lingua franca in EMI settings. These findings fill a research gap by jointly considering teacher and student factors in evaluating EMI quality and offer an integrative framework for future quality assurance in international education.
This study aims to investigate the effect of digital games on enhancing creativity and improving executive functions in preschool children. This quasi-experimental study employed a pre/post-test design and a control group. A total of 60 children aged 5-6 who were very interested in drawing and highly motivated to participate in the experiment were selected to participate in the experiment. Children were randomly divided into experimental group( n=30, female=19; male=11, Mean age by month=60.2, SD=0.34 ), and control group ( n=30, female=20; male=10, Mean age by month=60.3, SD=0.36). To verify the research hypotheses (assessing the effectiveness of digital games on executive functions and creativity of preschool children), multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted. The model included one between-group variable with two levels (Experimental vs. Control), one repeated-measures variable with two levels (pre-test vs. post-test), and an interaction factor (condition & times; time). Results of this study emphasized the significant effect of digital games on executive functions and Creativity in preschool children.
This study examines the effectiveness of ChatGPT as a tool for improving English vocabulary acquisition among university students. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research investigates both quantitative and qualitative data from pretests, post-tests, and questionnaires. A total of 31 university students participated, with data collected on their vocabulary proficiency before and after using ChatGPT. The results showed a significant improvement in students' vocabulary scores. Additionally, students reported positive perceptions of ChatGPT's ability to support their learning. The findings suggest that ChatGPT has the potential to enhance vocabulary acquisition and offer a valuable resource for language learners. The study highlights the growing role of AI technologies in language education and their ability to provide personalized, immediate support for students' learning needs.
In alignment with Taiwan’s 2030 national bilingual policy, this study explored the potential of Google’s Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) as a supplementary tool for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) instruction in a hospitality course. The research focused on two critical aspects of oral communication: reducing speaking anxiety and enhancing oral performance among technological university students. A total of 50 participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group that practiced with Google ASR and a control group that followed traditional practice. Both groups received identical instruction in hospitality English, including tasks such as making reservations, seating guests, and taking orders, but differed in their after-class practice methods. Data collection consisted of pre- and post-tests of oral performance, an English speaking anxiety questionnaire, a learning satisfaction survey, and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative results revealed that the ASR group achieved significantly higher oral performance, reported lower speaking anxiety, and expressed greater learning satisfaction compared with the control group. Qualitative findings further highlighted three key benefits: improved pronunciation awareness, reduced classroom anxiety through low-stakes practice, and enhanced confidence and motivation, with some learners transferring these gains to workplace communication. These findings provide empirical evidence that Google ASR can be an effective pedagogical tool for ESP contexts such as hospitality English, supporting both linguistic development and affective needs. The study underscores the value of integrating ASR into EFL instruction as a means to reduce speaking anxiety and enhance oral performance.
