This study explored high school students' English language learning through Problem-based learning (PBL). Students' collaboration in PBL, their perspectives on the PBL process, the teacher's challenges encountered during PBL implementation, and the relevant adjustments and improvements made were studied through qualitative methods using an observation guide and semi-structured interviews. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of PBL in the English language learning of high school students. Lesson plans were designed to conduct two PBL cycles, comprising seven stages of the PBL process. Each PBL cycle was performed using the lesson plan designed by the researcher. 30 participants learned through PBL, were observed through the observation guide, and were interviewed via semi-structured interviews. The qualitative research results indicated that students developed abilities like acquiring knowledge and learning skills, solving real-life problems, critical thinking, and collaborating in group work. On the other hand, PBL is different from the traditional learning methods, thus, both students and teachers need to adjust to the roles. The teacher, as a facilitator in PBL, should be trained through professional development to improve classroom practices, fostering better learning environments and high performance.
Globally, the lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic led to forced and unexpected changes in teachers' pedagogical practices, affecting teaching and learning processes around the world. This study aims to identify the content and structure of the social representation-SR-of university professors' pedagogical practices during the COVID-19 lockdowns. A qualitative study based on social representations, employing a structural and process-oriented approach, using associative techniques in two phases-free-form lists and pairwise comparison lists-with 26 teachers from Latin America. Process-oriented, prototypical, and graph theory analyses were conducted. The-SR-of university professors' teaching practices revolves around change and the shift to mandatory online instruction, which created pedagogical and didactic challenges and stressful situations. In response, professors turned to creativity and innovation, as well as the immediate need for training and learning new information technologies, to continue teaching and learning remotely. In the teaching practices of university faculty during the COVID-19 lockdown, a deep-seated focus on the shift to online instruction and the need for immediate faculty training emerged, which led to stressful situations.
The project titled Development of a Center of Excellence for Services to Stimulate Child Development and Learning Behavior at the La-orutis Demonstration School, Suan Dusit University, Lampang Center aimed to establish a Center of Excellence for screening, diagnosis, service planning, and intervention to promote child development and learning behavior within the school. The center was developed using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, engaging multidisciplinary experts, parents, educational personnel, and the institution. The core component of the service model was the Individualized Service Plan, designed specifically for children with special needs and grounded in the recognition of each child's unique developmental differences. The approach integrated specialized services into early childhood and primary education while fostering inclusive education, enabling students with special needs to learn alongside their peers in mainstream classrooms. The successful establishment of the La-or Learning and Development Center (LDC) at the La-orutis Demonstration School, Lampang, yielded highly positive outcomes. The results indicated that 93.6% of students showed improved learning development. This success resulted from the center's effective interdisciplinary collaboration-incorporating specialized physicians, therapists, teachers, and parents-to provide holistic and individualized care for students experiencing developmental, psycho-emotional, and behavioral challenges. Effective child-rearing in Thai medical centers of excellence requires strengthened caregiver training for single-parent contexts, careful management of technology use to reduce risks of pseudo-autism and language delay, and balanced parenting approaches to support children's independence.
This study aims to address the challenges in physics experiment courses at universities in Xizang, including students' insufficient foundational knowledge, a monotonous teaching mode, and limited teaching resources, through targeted teaching innovations to enhance the learning outcomes. A mixed-methods approach combining action research and a case study was employed. The teaching reforms were implemented across the college physics experiment course at Xizang University. The innovations encompassed comprehensive reforms spanning course content, teaching methods, the learning environment, and the evaluation system. The effectiveness was evaluated through a questionnaire survey administered to a cohort of 65 students enrolled in the course, supplemented by a comparative analysis of teaching records before and after nearly three years of reform practice. Quantitative and qualitative analyses demonstrated remarkable results. Students' final exam scores significantly increased from a pre-reform average of 66.96 to a post-reform average of 87.0. Questionnaire results indicated that student satisfaction ratings across all reform dimensions ranged from 4.25 to 4.43 (on a 5-point Likert scale). One-sample t-tests confirmed that all ratings were significantly above the neutral level (p < .001). The reforms effectively stimulated students' learning interest and enthusiasm and significantly improved their operational skills and innovative capabilities. The innovative teaching model developed in this study not only aligns with the specific educational context of Xizang University but also provides an operational, replicable, and adaptable paradigm for reforming physics laboratory instruction in other remote-area institutions.
Professional training in accounting in Colombia offers a wide range of academic programs in various modalities: distance learning, in-person, and online. Access to higher education at public universities is limited by the low number of Public Accounting programs and the availability of places; in contrast, the offerings at private universities are broad and diverse in terms of modalities and geographic coverage. The objective of this study is to analyze the academic offerings of Public Accounting programs between 2019 and 2024, as well as enrollment trends, student population characteristics, and internet usage rates in Colombia, in order to establish the behavior of these aspects within the contexts of inclusion and coverage, particularly in the online modality. The population sample was defined as 100% of the Public Accounting programs offered as of July 2025, using official data issued by state entities as the basis for the analysis. It is conclusively established that the virtual modality contributes to inclusion, given that the student population is from low socioeconomic strata and digital coverage reaches marginalized regions thanks to the increase in internet usage rates, as well as the over 400% improvement in the state exam prior to graduation (Saber Pro test).
This study investigates the complex relationships among sport education, digital behaviors, and mental health in university students from China and South Asia. We developed an integrated conceptual framework grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to examine how sports enjoyment and social media addiction jointly mediate the relationship between structured sport education and psychological outcomes. We collected primary data using a cross-sectional design from a balanced multinational sample of N=612 university students (308 from China and 304 from South Asia). We evaluated the data using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in two stages: measurement and structural models. The results indicate lower psychological distress, though both the structural components of sport education and the intrinsic level of sports enjoyment predict this outcome differently. Sports enjoyment (beta =-0.310) is a stronger predictor of reduced social media addiction than the structural components of sport education (beta =-0.190). Social media addiction is an important competing factor, as it can partly reduce the mental health benefits of taking part in sports. The PLSpredict analysis shows strong predictive power, especially for psychological distress (Q( predict )(2)up to 0.428). These findings suggest that sport education primarily helps by playing sports more enjoyable and reducing digital addiction. The study points out that educators should focus on making sports enjoyable to support mental health and digital well-being, especially in demanding academic settings where digital use is high.
Drama education in higher learning is not only a performance training, but it has immense prospects of enhancing the psychological well-being, social skills, and creative thinking among the students. However, the current literature has given little attention to its other developmental benefits, despite its artistic and pedagogical roles. This gap is addressed in the paper through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) that explores how drama education affects the psychosocial and cognitive evolution. The systematic review implied the discussion of 16 peer-reviewed articles published in 2015-2025 according to PRISMA rules, with the assistance of different educational and cultural backgrounds. The three core areas of the dramatic-based learning in the review suggest the same similar pattern, namely: increased emotional regulation and self-awareness, increased levels of communication, empathy and social interaction, and creative thinking and problem-solving capabilities. Such information forms a picture of drama education as a powerful and multidimensional tool of all-round student development. According to the study, the issue of change in the sphere of higher education is required, and drama should be viewed as a valuable element of academic research. It also highlights the importance of interdisciplinary strategies that relate drama with mental health, social learning and innovation. Lastly, the given research relocates drama education as a valuable means of individual and educational growth in universities.
Chinese higher education has witnessed accelerated growth, which has raised academic standards but at the same time revealed lingering integrity problems. While studies have demonstrated that teachers' ethical leadership can influence students' moral cognition and, ultimately, moral behavior, there is to date limited teacher-focused evidence in a regional context and mostly based on undergraduate students. To test the relationship between teachers' ethical leadership (TEL) and students' moral cognition (SMC) and students' moral behavior (SMB), and to test the mediating effect of SMC on the TEL-SMB relationship. A quantitative cross-sectional survey with deductive and inductive patterns was conducted on undergraduates in six selected stratified-randomly selected universities in Chongqing (N = 407). Validity and reliability of the measurement were determined using CFA/PLS-SEM (Smart PLS 4), then a structural modelling using a bootstrapped inference was performed. Cross loadings, composite reliability, and AVE were obtained for all constructs with HTMT < .85. Structural pathways were significant including TEL-SMC (O = 0.602, p < .001), SMC-SMB (O = 0.548, p < .001) and a smaller direct TEL-SMB (O = 0.167, p = .004). Complementary mediation was suggested by the significant indirect effect (TEL-SMC-SMB) (O = 0.330, p < .001). R-2 was 0.512 (SMC) and 0.476 (SMB). The key to teachers' ethical leadership positive influence on students' ethical behaviors was that moral cognition was enhanced by ethical leaders, with a smaller direct behavioral influence. Findings support cognition-to-action mechanisms and provide actionable levers for policy, curriculum, and pedagogy in Chinese universities.
Understanding the concepts of Advanced Algebra is essential in engineering education; however, it is often associated with high failure rates and low motivation. The aim of this study was to identify the most challenging contents of the course and to characterize the predominant learning styles, in order to justify the integration of gamification as a pedagogical strategy. The research followed a non-experimental, quantitative, and descriptive design, which included the process of validation and reliability of a diagnostic instrument applied to a representative sample of 300 students from the Faculty of Engineering at the Universidad Aut & oacute;noma de Baja California. The questionnaire showed adequate psychometric indices (KR20 = 0.846; split-half = 0.878; Ferguson's Delta = 0.979). Results revealed significant difficulties in operations with complex numbers, higher-degree polynomials, and systems of linear equations. Likewise, a strong tendency toward active, sensing, visual, and sequential learning styles was identified. These findings support the design of gamified learning experiences that incorporate practical activities, visual resources, and a progressive organization of content. It is concluded that gamification represents an innovative approach to enhance motivation, engagement, and academic performance in Advanced Algebra.
English reading proficiency is a gatekeeping competence in Chinese higher education, yet many college EFL learners experience reading as both cognitively demanding and emotionally threatening. This study examines the interplay between English reading motivation and English reading anxiety and tests whether reading anxiety statistically mediates the association between motivation and English reading performance. Survey data were collected from Chinese university EFL learners (N=300). Reading motivation and reading anxiety were modeled as latent constructs measured by multi-item Likert indicators, and reading performance was operationalized as a scored reading assessment. Structural equation modeling with robust estimation was used to validate measurement quality and estimate direct and indirect pathways while controlling for gender, English proficiency, and reading exposure. Results show that higher reading motivation is associated with lower reading anxiety (standardized beta approximate to-0.55), and higher reading anxiety is associated with lower reading performance (beta approximate to-0.30). Mediation analysis indicates partial mediation: the indirect pathway through anxiety accounts for approximately one-third of the overall motivation-performance association (approximate to 32%). Robustness checks across gender subgroups and alternative motivation specifications preserve the substantive interpretation of the findings. The study contributes to education-focused EFL reading research by clarifying a motivational-affective mechanism relevant to university literacy development and by highlighting the value of integrating motivation-building designs with anxiety-sensitive reading supports in higher education.
This article examines how information management, ICT tools, and information transformation explain the resulting learning management. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional, explanatory design, 529 Peruvian university students from Arequipa were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results confirmed that information management positively influences ICT tools (beta=0.654, p <0.001) and information transformation (beta=0.570, p <0.001). ICTs, in turn, significantly impact information transformation (beta=0.327, p <0.001). Crucially, two mediating mechanisms were validated: ICT tools mediate between information management and information transformation (beta=0.214, p <0.001), and information transformation mediates the relationship between ICT tools and learning management (beta=0.143, p <0.001). The study provides empirical evidence within the Latin American context on two under-explored mediating mechanisms, confirming that ICTs act as complementary facilitators, where their impact on learning depends on the prior information literacy skills and cognitive internalization processes of higher education students. These findings demonstrate that the effective management of digital university learning transcends the availability of technological resources, requiring an articulation between computer skills, the use of ICTs, and information transformation
This study aims to explore the impact of perceived school organizational climate on the work performance of primary school teachers in Shandong, China, and verify the mediating role of professional commitment. The gender, educational background, and teaching experience of teachers were included as background variables in the study. A convenience sampling method was employed to collect questionnaire data from 380 teachers across 12 elementary schools in Shandong Province, China. Findings reveal significant gender differences in perceived organizational climate, while no significant gender differences exist in work performance or career commitment. Teachers with different teaching experiences and educational backgrounds showed significant differences in perceived school organizational climate, work performance, and professional commitment. Perceived school organizational climate had a significant positive impact on work performance. Professional commitment had a significant positive impact on work performance. Professional commitment mediates the relationship between perceived organizational climate and work performance. This study validates the applicability and explanatory power of Social Cognitive Theory in the field of educational management, thereby extending its scope and providing new empirical support. In addition, it empirically tests the mediating role of professional commitment between organisational climate and work performance, offering further evidence of the theory's relevance within teachers' work environments.
During the last decade, the increase in foreign students in Chile has posed new challenges for the school system and teacher education. In response, the Chilean State has implemented various initiatives, education and, particularly, in the preparation provided to new generations of teachers. Consequently, this manuscript examines the need to study the impact of the NPFS and the TGEIFS on the training of future of Chile. The choice of this context is based on its sociocultural and historical characteristics, while the focus on the field of PE lies in its potential to foster intercultural relations and, at the same time, to hinder and methodological guidelines are proposed for a potential study on this topic.
Mathematics is considered difficult for some students because it tends to be irrelevant to everyday life practices or culture. This study aims to investigate the mathematical structures inherent in the Wariga system and identify its unique characteristics as a form of cultural mathematics to serve as a recommendation for its utilization in mathematics education. The research employed an ethnographic design within an ethnomathematics framework. The primary data collection instruments consisted of field notes, structured interview guides, and documentation studies. The key participants included three groups: a young Wariga educator and maestro, two Bayan officials and traditional leaders, and a community member. Data were analyzed using qualitative techniques, including data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings revealed that the Wariga incorporates several mathematical structures and concepts, such as modular arithmetic (modulo 7), a mapping system (naptun), and nested cycles (windon). It combines mathematical, astronomical, and cosmological principles to determine auspicious days for activities like rice planting, weddings, and traditional ceremonies. The study concludes that mathematics has naturally emerged and developed within the Bayan community as a tradition sustained through the Wariga. These findings recommend the integration of Wariga into contextual mathematics learning to foster computational thinking and suggest the development of digital software to simulate its calculations.
This study examines secondary teachers' perceived difficulties in assessing students within the competency-based framework introduced by the Spanish LOMLOE reform. A quantitative, cross-sectional and correlational design was employed, administering a 16-item Likert-type questionnaire to 403 teachers from public schools. Using network psychometrics, a regularized Gaussian graphical model (GLASSO) with cross-validated penalization was estimated, from which centrality, stability and community indices were derived. Results show a marked pattern of high difficulty concentrated in procedural tasks: constructing the teacher gradebook, generating assessment tasks aligned with curriculum criteria, and justifying final grades, alongside evaluating key competences and students' competence profiles. The network reveals three interdependent blocks-normative, competency-based and procedural-grading-where the latter functions as the structural core of the system, linking regulatory interpretation to grading decisions. No significant gender differences were found; however, teachers who completed the Master's in Teacher Education reported fewer competency-related difficulties than those trained under the former CAP programme, and teaching experience was associated with a slight reduction in perceived difficulties. Overall, the findings highlight the need to strengthen teachers' meta-evaluative competence through initial and ongoing training that integrates regulatory interpretation, instrument design and the technical management of assessment records. They also demonstrate the potential of network analysis as a diagnostic tool to inform evidence-based assessment policy and school-level improvement.
This study examines the psychological mechanisms underlying engagement in online professional development among university teachers by investigating the roles of classroom management, teacher self-efficacy, and ethical leadership. Although teacher competencies are known to influence professional learning, limited research has explored how leadership processes translate individual capabilities into effective engagement in digital development programs. Drawing on self-efficacy and social learning perspectives, this study proposes ethical leadership as a mediating mechanism linking teacher competencies to online professional development outcomes. Data were collected from 370 academic staff members in Chinese higher education institutions using stratified random sampling. Structural equation modeling revealed that classroom management and teacher self-efficacy significantly and positively predicted ethical leadership (beta = 0.484; beta = 0.341) and online development program effectiveness (beta = 0.433; beta = 0.384). Ethical leadership also showed a strong positive effect on online development outcomes (beta = 0.376) and significantly mediated the relationships between teacher competencies and program effectiveness. The model explained 53% of the variance in online development outcomes and 29% in ethical leadership, indicating substantial explanatory power. These findings highlight the critical psychological role of self-efficacy beliefs, instructional competence, and leadership context in promoting engagement in professional learning within digital environments. The study contributes to educational and organizational psychology by clarifying how individual capabilities and leadership dynamics jointly shape online professional development.
The main interest of the article lies in offering an approach to the Pedagogical Renewal of the 21st century in Spain based on a multiple case study of seven schools. The self-perception of teachers, the pedagogical discourses of the schools and their coherence with the practices observed in educational settings have been examined. The data analysis was interpreted using the pedagogical literature cited by the schools and a pedagogical taxonomy that uses the metaphor of the states of matter to distinguish between solid, liquid and gelled pedagogies. As a result, the complex relationships between praxis, internal perceptions and external projections in the schools analysed are highlighted. It highlights the need to recognise the challenges and strengths inherent to the Pedagogical Renewal in Spain and to reflect the multiplicity and spontaneity of pedagogical renewals in plural. It concludes that the characteristics found in the schools studied, some distinctive and others in common between them, are significant descriptors for understanding and questioning the Pedagogical Renewal of the 21st century.
The development of critical and independent thinking among students is a priority for the education system for the defense and consolidation of democracy. Therefore, it is important to promote citizenship education among students, with teacher competencies being a fundamental factor. Furthermore, it is currently necessary to further develop e-citizenship, with its duties and rights, media literacy, and the ability to combat the risks of social media: manipulation, information overload, misinformation, and fake news. This article describes the role of schools in citizenship education and analyzes teachers' opinions on their role in citizenship education. Among the results, the following stand out: teachers' high self-perception regarding their civic beliefs and behavior. The vast majority affirm that they foster critical thinking among students, promote the values of civic ethics, encourage participation, critically analyze the content of their subjects, and reject situations of prejudice, racism, or discrimination. Furthermore, they see the need to defend democracy and teach human rights. The relationship between teachers' beliefs and behaviors is very strong, and there is considerable consistency. In general terms, other similar research confirms the results obtained, although there are some discrepancies when students express their opinions about teachers' commitment to student civic education.
In contemporary societies marked by globalisation, older people tend to be marginalised, relegated to purely caregiving roles and receiving little recognition in the social and cultural sphere. This limits access to the valuable human capital that this group can offer society in the form of knowledge, life experience and contributions to humanity. The situation worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic, when older people were particularly vulnerable and experienced processes of isolation that reinforced the perception of fragility and dependence. Against this backdrop, this article presents an educational proposal designed and developed in an art museum during the post-pandemic period. The main objectives were to investigate schoolchildren's perceptions of older people and to promote practices that recognise their social and family roles. The results obtained reflect a significant increase in students' appreciation of older people, highlighting their role in cultural transmission and intergenerational care. This emphasises the importance of recognising their presence and enhancing it in educational processes.
This study examines the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) model through the validation and reliability analysis of an instrument called TPACK-AI. A quantitative design was used with a sample of 407 university teachers from Mexico, Colombia, and Chile. The results indicate the instrument's high internal consistency (McDonald's omega = 0.938, Cronbach's alpha = 0.937) and reveal perceptual differences of TPACK dimensions among the institutions. Pedagogical knowledge (PK) was the highest-rated dimension. Factor analysis identified two main components: one associated with pedagogical and technological competencies and another related to content integration with technology. AI was highlighted as an enhancer of TPACK by optimizing personalized learning, educational data analysis, and automation of pedagogical processes. The correlations suggest an interdependence among pedagogical, technological, and content knowledge. It is concluded that the TPACK-AI proposal represents an evolution of the traditional framework, integrating AI as a catalyst for innovative teaching based on emerging technologies in higher education.
