Abstract Several studies show a relationship between empathy, gratitude, and prosocial behaviors. In some cases, these associations have been examined independently across different sociocultural contexts. However, these findings can be further extended to the educational field, especially considering the differences between public and private schools in cities with marked socioeconomic disparities, such as Cartagena de Indias (Colombia). In this regard, the present study aims to examine the relationship between empathy and gratitude as predictors of prosocial behaviors in children attending public and private schools in Cartagena de Indias. Using quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational design, the study assessed 318 children and adolescents (159 from public schools and 159 from private schools), aged 12 to 16 years, through validated measures of empathy, gratitude, and prosocial tendencies. Data were collected in classroom settings and analyzed using structural equation modeling to test mediation and measurement invariance across school types. Results indicate that gratitude mediates the relationship between empathy and prosociality, and the structural models demonstrated configural, metric, and scalar invariance for both groups. These findings highlight that empathy and gratitude operate as consistent predictors of prosocial behaviors regardless of school context, offering a valuable foundation for developing salutogenic strategies to enhance interpersonal relationships and school coexistence.
Research into the quality of education systems is essential, as robust and effective education contributes to building societies oriented towards progress and a more sustainable future. Among the numerous elements that determine school quality, this study focuses on the role of educational leadership and family accompaniment in students’ educational development. Through a Structural Equation Model involving 1,369 families, the study analysed the relationships between educational leadership, family accompaniment, the development of transversal competences and students’ academic performance. The results indicate positive and statistically significant associations between both educational leadership and family accompaniment, on the one hand, and students’ academic performance and the development of transversal competences, on the other. A significant mediating effect of family accompaniment was also observed in the relationship between educational leadership and the two outcome variables: academic performance and transversal competences. These findings support the relevance of promoting leadership that encourages effective collaboration between families and schools, as both elements represent fundamental pillars for quality education and the improvement of education systems.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have significantly expanded their presence across all sectors of developed societies. Educational institutions have not remained unaffected by this trend, as public policies have provided equipment and offered training programs for teachers. However, other factors, such as teachers’ perceptions, play an equally or even more significant role in the process of technological integration. The aim of this study is to analyze the factors that influence both the use of technology in the classroom and the personalization of learning through its application. To this end, a mixed-methods study was conducted. The first phase, quantitative in nature, involved a questionnaire completed by 439 primary and secondary school teachers in Spain. In the second, qualitative phase, a purposive sample of 26 teachers and 4 ICT coordinators from teacher training centers in two different regions participated. The structural equation model fitted to the questionnaire data reveals that the factors involved in technology integration differ between primary and secondary education. In primary education, the available infrastructure strongly determines technology use, while in secondary education, teacher training and teachers’ perceptions are also decisive factors. Similarly, perception influences the personalization of content through these tools, and teacher profiles affect access to training. These findings are consistent with the arguments presented in the interviews and further elaborated by the ICT coordinators, highlighting the need to adapt technology integration strategies specifically to each educational stage.
Abstract Purpose While Moodle is widely adopted in higher education, institutions struggle to leverage its features for adaptive learning. This study develops and validates the Adaptive Learning Readiness Assessment Framework (ALRAF), a course-level diagnostic instrument for evaluating a Moodle course’s structural capability to support adaptive learning experiences. Design We employ a quantitative cross-sectional design coupled with a novel Multi-LLM Synthetic Expert Consensus (MLSEC) protocol for content-validity evidence. ALRAF was developed through literature synthesis grounded in the ICAP framework (Chi and Wylie, Chi, Educational Psychologist 49, 2014) and validated by a 40-panelist synthetic expert panel constructed across eight large-language-model providers and five stratified expert personas using two pre-registered Delphi rounds with falsifiable decision rules ( $$I$$ -CVI $$\geq$$ 0.78, $$V$$ -Aiken $$\geq$$ 0.70, modified $$\kappa^{*} \geq 0.74$$ ). The validated framework was applied to a Moodle 3.8.2 dataset of 985 courses delivered at Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical University (Ukraine) across 2020–2022. Findings The synthetic panel converged on six dimensions: Content Variety, Interaction Diversity, Assessment Flexibility, Learning Path Personalization, Feedback Mechanisms, and the panel-proposed AI & Data-Driven Adaptivity Integration (ADAI). The six-dimensional $$\textrm{ALRS}_{6}$$ correlated significantly – but negatively – with the proportion of high grades ( $$A+B$$ ): Pearson $$r=-0.22$$ , and positively with low grades $$(E+F): r=+0.22$$ (both $$p < .001$$ ). This inverse relationship runs counter to what would be expected if ALRAF directly indexed pedagogical quality, and reframes ALRAF as a measure of structural readiness rather than learning effectiveness; we interpret the sign in Sect. 6 in terms of course-difficulty and compensatory-engineering effects. Faculty differences were significant (ANOVA $$F(8, 976)=10.26$$ , $$p < .001$$ , $$\eta^{2}=0.078$$ , $$\omega^{2}=0.070$$ ). A multiple-regression model controlling for educational level, form of education, and faculty achieved adjusted $$R^{2}=0.18$$ ( $$F(19, 965)=12.10$$ , $$p < .001$$ ). The framework reveals strong implementation of content variety but near-zero readiness in learning-path personalization and AI integration – itself a notable institutional finding. Contribution Methodologically, the study introduces MLSEC as a transparent AI-augmented approach to rubric content validation, with synthetic-panel limitations explicitly disclosed. Substantively, ALRAF provides a replicable structural-readiness index whose correlations with student outcomes are non-trivial in direction and magnitude; it helps institutions identify capability gaps (especially around AI integration) without claiming to forecast student success.
The advancement of quantum computing poses a serious challenge to information security, highlighting the urgent need for cryptographic systems resistant to quantum attacks. As this emerging field expands, so does the demand for educational strategies that build a digitally competent community prepared to engage with post-quantum cryptography. This paper presents the design and implementation of an innovative educational activity aimed at introducing high school students and, by extension, their teachers to core concepts in lattice-based cryptography. Grounded in the Theory of Didactical Situations, APOS Theory, and Instrumental Genesis, the activity integrates GeoGebra software to support the development of abstract mathematical thinking through interactive technology. Participants had no prior experience in cryptography, providing an ideal setting to explore how digital tools can facilitate access to complex content. This work offers a promising model for teacher training initiatives seeking to incorporate advanced topics through technology, thereby contributing to the broader goal of enhancing quality education.
Abstract This study evaluates the effectiveness of a gamified interactive educational tool (G-IET) in addressing reversal errors in algebra, a persistent misinterpretation of relational language in comparative word problems. The G-IET was designed and developed within a didactic framework specifically aimed at developing algebraic learning, providing a concrete visual learning approach and immediate feedback with the goal of enhancing students’ understanding of equality and symbolic representation in algebraic contexts. A longitudinal design was employed with students who initially committed reversal errors. Participants engaged with the G-IET across eight sessions. Quantitative data were collected via pre- and post-tests involving algebraic translation tasks under both timed and untimed conditions. Qualitative data were obtained through open-ended responses and emotional engagement surveys grounded in flow theory. Results indicated substantial improvements in students’ algebraic performance (large effect): an 87% reduction in reversal errors was achieved, accompanied by substantial decreases in operator errors (87.5%) and a complete elimination of hybrid errors (100%). Qualitative analyses revealed enhanced comprehension of problem statements, improved equation formulation, and greater self-regulation in learning strategies. Students highlighted the visual design, progressive structure, and motivational aspects of the tool as beneficial for learning. Emotional engagement remained consistently high throughout the learning experience, contributing to sustained attention and motivation. In conclusion, the G-IET demonstrated strong pedagogical effectiveness by significantly reducing reversal errors and supporting the development of conceptual understanding in algebra. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating interactive, visually supported environments in mathematics instruction to target and remediate specific misconceptions while maintaining student engagement.
Knowledge Building (KB) is an educational approach that aims to foster communities of students to identify, solve and refine their knowledge of a subject. This study explores the relationships between university students' epistemic emotions and their achievement in Knowledge Building discourse and, examines whether engaging in reflective assessment can enhance these emotions and achievements. This quasi-experimental study aims to analyze the effects of reflective assessment in an educational research course with 113 students new to KB. Students' epistemic emotions were collected using self-reported surveys, while data about the quality of contributions were collected using Knowledge Forum (KF) platform. Our results show the relationship between epistemic emotions and quality of discourse. In addition, results indicate that reflective assessment contributes to positive emotions and the quality of discourse on the educational online platform KF. This study suggests that reflective assessment enhances the quality of KB discourse and shared knowledge, even when students are unfamiliar with KB pedagogy.
The integration of digital tools and educational robotics in schools, along with the digital transformation of society, highlights the urgent need to strengthen the digital competence of both teachers and students. This study adopts a quasi-experimental pretest/posttest design with a comparison group to examine the impact of a reciprocal peer observation (RPO) cycle on the enhancement of teachers' digital competence, both in terms of self-perception and practical application of robotics-related skills in the classroom. A total of 51 in-service schoolteachers from 13 schools in Barcelona participated in the study. The results comparing the intervention and comparison groups indicate that teachers who participated in an RPO cycle reported statistically significant improvements in teaching and learning and empowering learners areas in terms of their perceptions of digital competence. Furthermore, the integration of educational robotics skills into classroom practice, based on a competency-based case study, proved to be more effective for teachers who participated in an RPO cycle than the improvements observed for teachers who completed a conventional training programme. These findings reinforce the effectiveness of RPO as a collaborative professional development tool, highlighting its potential to enhance teachers' digital competence, improve educational practices through constructive feedback, and better integrate technology, with significant implications for teaching and learning by ultimately enriching student learning outcomes.
In this study we present a process for designing and validating an observation guideline based on the Activity Theory (AT) for analyzing educational practices that incorporate the use of digital technologies (DT). The main objective was to develop a data-collection instrument for identifying and analyzing good educational practices that demonstrate the pedagogical use of DT through direct observation undertaken from basic education to higher education. To do so we adopted a Design-Based Research (DBR) approach structured around iterative cycles of analysis, design, development and evaluation. This observation guideline was based on a systematic literature review in which 26 variables organized around the components of AT were identified. We then conducted a validation process using the Delphi method in three rounds (R1 = 23, R2 = 20, R3 = 9) involving a panel of experts in the fields of education and technology. Using this technique, we were able to reach a consensus on observable indicators, assess their clarity, relevance and appropriateness, and revise those that required improvement. The final version of the guideline consisted of 14 indicators that met the predefined consensus threshold (CVI ≥ 78
The rapid expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming higher education, generating opportunities for personalized learning, but also ethical and equity challenges, especially in Latin America. This study analyzes the multidimensional attitudes (cognitive, affective/emotional, behavioral, and ethical) of Latin American university students toward AI, considering personal and academic variables. A quantitative, descriptive, and non-experimental design was used, applied to a sample of 570 students from master’s programs in Educational Technology in Ecuador, Spain, and the Dominican Republic. Data was collected using a questionnaire adapted from the SATAI (Student Attitude Toward Artificial Intelligence) instrument, expanded with an ethical component. Reliability was excellent (total α = 0.96). Data was analyzed using non-parametric tests (Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis) and Spearman correlations. Overall attitudes were positive, with the cognitive and behavioral components being the most prominent, while the ethical component showed lower scores. No significant differences were found by gender, but differences were found by country, field of study, and teaching experience. Students with higher self-assessment of their technical and pedagogical knowledge of AI showed more favorable attitudes. Significant correlations were confirmed between the dimensions, especially between the affective dimensions and the intention to use AI. Latin American students show a willingness to incorporate AI, although they require specific ethical and technical training. It is recommended that universities integrate digital ethics literacy programs and clear institutional guidelines that promote the responsible and critical use of AI in higher education.
Given the impact of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) on higher education institutions, it is necessary to update teachers and provide them with the knowledge, skills, and tools required to transform their teaching work. The objective of this pilot study is to examine the effect of the Institutional GenAI Plan implemented at Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio (UAX) in terms of the level of GenAI awareness, the belief in its impact on professions, and the perception of the importance of learning GenAI tools for their integration into student training. A pre-experimental one-group pre-test/post-test design was used with N = 180 university teachers measured twice, in 2023–2024 and 2024–2025. Significant pre-post differences were observed across awareness, perceived professional impact, and the perceived importance of learning GenAI tools (effect sizes reported in Results). Teachers with greater overall awareness of GenAI perceive that GenAI will have a greater impact on students’ professional future and therefore attach greater importance to learning GenAI tools for integration into student training. Considering the results, it is recommended to continue offering training opportunities and promoting educational innovation that enables teachers to update their knowledge and skills related to GenAI. This study uniquely offers one of the first longitudinal analyses at the institutional level of teachers’ attitudes towards GenAI. Nevertheless, results interpretation is limited by the absence of a control group and a low voluntary response rate, which may introduce self-selection bias. Future research should explore the transfer of GenAI-related training to teaching practice and include students’ perspective.
The Practicum plays a crucial role in developing competences during initial teacher training and remains a persistent focus of interest to both researchers and university institutions. This study aimed to comprehensively explore the concerns and support mechanisms related to the performance and competency development of Early Childhood Education and Primary Education student teachers during their Practicum at a university institution. A qualitative methodology was employed, gathering data through 33 interviews, 5 focus groups, 22 life stories, and 7 internship reports involving 95 participants engaged in the Practicum. Participants included students, recent graduates, university supervisors, school mentors, school principals, educational inspectors, and parents. The data were analysed using Atlas.ti software. The findings showed that the main areas of both competency development and concern focused on classroom management, as well as addressing diversity and the individualisation of teaching. The effective performance of student teachers during the Practicum was facilitated by the implementation of innovative methodologies and the use of diverse educational resources. The study discusses the implications of these findings for the design and improvement of Practicum experiences and the training of future Early Childhood Education and Primary Education teachers.
Critical thinking remains an underdeveloped cognitive skill among engineering students whose deficit is often associated with academic difficulties and school dropouts. This qualitative study evaluated the evolution of higher-order critical thinking skills —analysis, synthesis, and evaluation— using a philosophical strategy based on Socratic dialogue, oriented toward the learning of quantum physics basic principles. For this purpose, a ten-session didactic sequence was designed, focusing on the wave-particle duality topic and using an expert-validated assessment instrument composed of open-ended questions. The research was conducted with students from various engineering programs at a university from the Colombian Caribbean, in two cohorts of 14 and 11 students respectively. Based on content analysis and deductive categorization from Bloom's taxonomy, a polarisation ratio (varying between -1 and + 1 points) was used to assess response quality. Results showed an average increase in the analytical cognitive level, starting from the fourth session of 0.16 points/session in one cohort, and 0.20 points/session in the other. The synthesis cognitive level also showed improvements, although smaller, while the evaluation yielded less consistent results, with fluctuations in the range of (-0.33, 0.17) points. With the help of ATLAS.ti software, the content analysis demonstrated the positive effect of the philosophical strategy on the development of the analysis elements and principles, as well as the importance of gathering and communicating information on the synthesis level. Accordingly, this proposal provides a flexible and replicable teaching sequence that allows for integration of philosophical reflection into STEM contexts, offering a practical path to foster critical thinking and understanding of the principles of quantum physics without relying on mathematical formalism.
In recent years, TikTok has reshaped the educational landscape with a predominance of audiovisual capsules as teaching–learning channels. In this context, the emergence of edutokers presents a new educommunicative paradigm that fuses entertainment with education to give way to an informal training process. The aim of this research is to assess the educational quality of Ibero-American edutokers, based on five dimensions: curricular; technical-artistic-narrative; pedagogical; didactic; and accessibility. The study seeks to expand our understanding of the impact of edutokers’ educational content on non-formal learning experiences within the digital environment, evaluating how these five dimensions are integrated into the learning process. The study uses a quantitative approach with a non-experimental cross-sectional design, exploratory and inferential in nature, based on a multidimensional instrument that analyzes the educational quality of the content presented by the 15 most representative edutokers in Ibero-America, selected through purposive sampling. The results reflect significant differences over time in the content presented by educational influencers on TikTok, with significant improvements in the dimensions analyzed. However, aspects such as pedagogy and didactics show more gradual development, while accessibility still has room for improvement in the transmission of educational content.
The integration of digital technologies into teacher education is a significant development to prepare educators for the demands of contemporary classrooms. However, current teacher education programs often fall short in supporting pre-service teachers to understand the pedagogical shift toward embedding coding and computational thinking (CT) skills. In response, this paper presents the 3C Model (Context, Capabilities and Computational focus), a research-informed pedagogical framework designed to support pre-service and in-service teachers in delivering structured, curriculum-aligned instruction in coding and CT. Drawing on recent research, its findings, and its implementation in teacher education contexts, the 3C Model is presented as an innovative and adaptable instructional approach, supported by an activity sequencing guide and example cross-curricular lesson plans. Grounded in established learning theories, the model addresses limitations in existing frameworks while providing practical guidance for application in classroom contexts. Prior initial investigations within teacher education coursework offer preliminary insights into the model’s utility in supporting pre-service teachers’ pedagogical development and readiness to teach coding and CT skills.
Addressing affective-sexual education in teacher training is a crucial component in guaranteeing students' comprehensive learning. However, it has had little or no presence in the syllabuses of the undergraduate degree programmes in Early Childhood and Primary Education. This study analyses the presence and characteristics of this content in 1673 teaching guides for the 2024/2025 academic year associated with the Infant and Primary Education degrees at Spanish public universities. It is based on a documentary analysis complemented with a quantitative approach. The information was managed using an ad hoc instrument. The artificial intelligence tool Notebook LM was used as a search engine, as well as a manual search. Descriptive, comparative and correlational procedures were used to process the information. The results show a low presence of affective-sexual education content. Nonetheless, this study provides empirical evidence on an underdeveloped dimension and underlines the need to institutionalise sex education in teacher training, highlighting the role of quality agencies in this process.
This study introduces SmartPD, an AI-assisted, micro-learning-based professional development (PD) model designed to enhance teachers' digital competence in line with the DigCompEdu framework. Existing PD initiatives are often generic, insufficiently contextualised, and lack mechanisms for personalisation, scalability, and iterative feedback, limiting their long-term impact. To address these gaps, this research adopts a Design-Based Research (DBR) methodology, following four iterative phases: (i) contextual exploration of teachers' digital competence using the DigCompEdu Check-In tool, (ii) design and development of SmartPD modules grounded in micro-learning and AI based feedback, (iii) short-term implementation with 32 in-service teachers, and (iv) evaluation and refinement based on analytics and participant feedback. The intervention integrated H5P for interactive content, Flipgrid for peer reflections, and ChatGPT for real-time formative feedback, with learner engagement tracked through xAPI dashboards. Data were collected through pre- and post-assessments, reflective journals, and platform analytics. Results indicated statistically significant improvements in digital competence across all five DigCompEdu domains, with the most substantial gains in "Facilitating Learners' Digital Competence" and "Teaching and Learning." Teachers also reported high levels of satisfaction and confidence, while engagement data confirmed strong usability and high completion rates. Despite limitations related to sample size and duration, SmartPD demonstrates the potential of combining DBR with AI-enabled micro-learning to provide scalable, context-sensitive, and evidence-based teacher professional development, aligned with SDG 4: Quality Education.
The influence of parents on children’s school readiness encompasses multiple dimensions, including involvement, education, and socioeconomic status. Previous research has often focused on isolated aspects of these parental influences. This meta-analysis systematically evaluates the diverse effects of parental factors on children’s school readiness and examines the moderating roles of children’s gender and age on these effects. The study synthesized findings from 26 studies (61 effect sizes) sourced from Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest, adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A random-effect model was used for all meta-analyses, with mixed-effects models applied for moderation analyses. Results indicated that parental involvement exhibited the strongest association with school readiness, followed by socioeconomic status, home learning environment, parent-teacher collaboration, and parental characteristics. These findings underscore the critical role of parental involvement in fostering children’s school readiness, extending beyond socioeconomic factors. Additionally, child age negatively moderated the effect of parent-teacher collaboration, indicating that older children require less collaboration between parents and teachers. These results highlight the importance of educators engaging parents in child development initiatives and encouraging parents to participate actively in learning activities that enhance school readiness.
Enhancing the digital competences of teachers remains a critical and pressing issue, despite that fact almost two decades have passed since their inclusion in education legislation. The emergence of concerning and challenging scenarios, such as the widespread use of social media among minors and the rapid proliferation of disinformation, underscores the necessity for ongoing vigilance and adaptation in this domain. The present study is particularly significant as it examines the support provided to secondary education teachers in addressing the issue of disinformation and fake news in social media. This study has two primary objectives: first, to explore and describe the differences and similarities between teachers and students in terms of their digital competences, use of social media, and the management of disinformation; second, to design training materials for use in the classroom based on the findings. To achieve the first objective, a quantitative methodology was applied to a convenience sample comprising 1,186 students aged 12 to 18 and 166 secondary education teachers. Given the sample distribution, non-parametric statistical analyses were conducted, using the Mann–Whitney U test to compare independent groups. The results provide a basis for an educational approach that aims to improve three distinct areas of digital competence for teachers, as identified in the DigCompEdu framework: facilitating learners´ digital competence, supporting teaching and learning, and empowering learners. Findings from the second stage present a detailed guide for secondary education teachers, including innovative training materials and methodological support for effectively developing and integrating digital competences in the classroom.
Learning habits play a crucial role in children’s development and future progress, and teachers serve as role models in this respect. This study aims to explore teachers’ practices in supporting first graders’ learning habits and their attitudes toward the importance of these habits. A quantitative, cross-sectional, and correlational research design was used, involving 560 Hungarian primary school teachers who helped children practice their learning habits in school contexts. A learning habit assessment inventory was administered to assess teachers’ practices for developing children’s learning habits. The instrument assesses two aspects: frequency and the perceived importance of teachers’ practices related to children’s learning habits. It was first validated with a variety of statistical analyses, and the findings showed that teachers’ actions (frequency) are closely guided by their beliefs (perceptions of importance) when creating effective learning habit practices for children. No significant differences were found in children's learning habits across teaching experiences and school contexts. However, teachers’ qualifications and their attitudes toward the importance of learning habits are significant predictors of children’s learning habit development. This study contributes to a better understanding of the factors influencing the development of children’s learning habits and highlights the crucial role of teachers’ beliefs and qualifications.
