Abstract The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into higher education has begun to transform service‐learning (SL) by creating new opportunities for experiential, data‐informed and socially responsive pedagogy. However, the nature of AI integration in SL and its implications for learning and community engagement remain unclear. Guided by the PRISMA protocol, this systematic mapping review synthesised 26 peer‐reviewed studies screened and managed using EPPI Reviewer. The findings show that direct service and onsite delivery emerged as the dominant configurations, while AI was used most frequently for data analysis and interpretation, content generation and co‐creation and adaptive support and personalisation. Across SL phases, AI integration clustered around preparation and action, with considerably less attention to reflection. Reported outcomes centred primarily on knowledge application, transferable skills, civic orientation and personal development, whereas beneficiary outcomes appeared in only two studies. Alongside these outcomes, the studies identified concerns involving output unreliability, over‐reliance, AI readiness, ethical safeguards, contextual fit and access. Fewer than half used a recognisable theory or established framework, and none tested or refined theory. Overall, the review identifies an emerging field in which technological experimentation has advanced faster than evidence concerning AI‐specific contribution, community value, sustained pedagogical integration and theoretical explanation. Context and implications Rationale for this study: Artificial intelligence is increasingly being incorporated into service‐learning (SL) across higher education, but the emerging literature provides a fragmented account of how this integration is taking place. Existing studies span different service configurations, AI functions, phases of the SL process and disciplinary settings, making it difficult to understand the direction in which the field is developing. This study systematically maps this evidence to clarify how AI is being integrated into SL, what outcomes and concerns have been reported and how theory has informed this emerging area of research. Why the new findings matter: The findings matter because they challenge the assumption that greater use of AI necessarily transforms the fundamental character of SL. Despite growing technological integration, direct and onsite community engagement continues to anchor much of the experience, while AI is concentrated in particular functions and phases of the SL process. The findings also expose important weaknesses in the emerging evidence base, particularly the limited attention to reflection, community beneficiaries, AI‐specific contributions and theoretical explanation. By bringing these issues together, the review clarifies where AI is genuinely extending SL and where technological adoption is advancing without equivalent pedagogical or conceptual development. Implications for researchers and educational institutions: The findings point to a future research agenda centred on sustained AI integration across the SL process, clearer evidence of AI‐specific effects, stronger assessment of community outcomes, and deeper theoretical explanation. Researchers should examine how particular AI functions interact with different SL phases and whether their contribution extends beyond outcomes already associated with conventional SL. For educational institutions, the findings highlight the importance of integrating AI in ways that preserve human judgement, meaningful community engagement and reciprocal value while addressing readiness, ethical safeguards and access.
Abstract Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects children and adolescents' educational, social and emotional aspects and can persist in adulthood. In this context, physical activity (PA) plays a crucial role in enhancing their physical and psychological well‐being and potentially increasing their health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). Improving the domains of physical literacy (PL) (motivation and confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding and engagement in lifelong physical activity) may have a positive impact on PA levels and overall well‐being in youth with ADHD. Thus, it may be of interest to understand how these domains are addressed, assessed and developed in this population. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted using the electronic databases Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and SPORTDiscus to analyse the effects of PA interventions for children and adolescents with ADHD and their relatedness to PL, published up to 29 August 2024. Only original articles, written in Spanish/English, with physical activity/exercise interventions for children and adolescents aged 6–18 years old with ADHD, were considered. Initially, 1312 studies were identified as potentially relevant references and 15 manuscripts were ultimately included in this systematic review after applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the reviewed papers was also assessed using the PEDro scale. Most interventions showed positive outcomes, particularly in the physical domain, with limited but promising effects observed in cognitive, affective and behavioural domains. However, the protocols and instruments used to assess their impact varied, showing a lack of uniformity in these terms. Therefore, further high‐quality and consistent approaches are needed, utilising a specific physical literacy assessment battery (or adapting it to the context) to comprehensively assess PL concerning this specific population. Context and implications Rationale for this study: Despite the value of physical literacy (PL) for child development, its assessment and integration within physical activity interventions for youth with ADHD remain unexplored. Why the new findings matter: Physical activity interventions for youth with ADHD showed positive effects regarding PL domains, but most focused on physical outcomes and rarely evaluated PL specifically and holistically, revealing a substantial gap in current research and practice. Implications for researchers and practitioners: Findings indicate the need for multidimensional, theory‐based approaches that address PL holistically in youth with ADHD across all domains (physical, cognitive, affective and behavioural). Practitioners are encouraged to design comprehensive and inclusive programmes to promote physically literate individuals. Beyond physical competence, other PL elements (e.g., motivation, confidence, enjoyment and commitment, knowledge and understanding) should be incorporated to stimulate development, meaningful learning and commitment to healthy behaviours. Future research should identify these priority areas and develop high‐quality interventions that better integrate physical literacy and use standardized assessments to advance evidence‐based educational practice in children and adolescents with ADHD.
Abstract Despite growing eye‐tracking research on instructor presence, findings have not been comprehensively synthesized. This systematic review examines eye‐tracking research on instructor presence in educational videos, synthesizing evidence from 51 studies to understand how instructors and accompanying variables influence gaze behaviour and learning outcomes. To identify the contributions of eye‐tracking methodology, we examine the prevalent eye‐tracking metrics employed and their interpretations, as well as how studies investigated the association between gaze patterns and learning outcomes. Our key findings are as follows: (1) eye tracking is used almost exclusively to investigate visual attention; (2) changes in visual attention do not reliably predict changes in learning: only eight studies directly tested this link using inferential statistics, results were mixed and context‐dependent, and mediation analyses generally did not support visual attention as the mechanism by which instructional conditions improve learning, cautioning against treating eye‐tracking measures as a standalone proxy for learning effectiveness; (3) while instructors naturally capture attention, deictic cues effectively redirect focus toward learning content; (4) instructor presence produces mixed results, with most studies reporting either non‐significant or positive effects on learning, and negative effects being rare; (5) instructors' use of pointing gestures and attentional cues consistently enhance learning, whereas guided gaze and affective cues show more context‐dependent effects; (6) learner prior knowledge emerges as a strong moderator, with consistent evidence that low prior knowledge learners benefit more from deictic cues and positive affective cues, while other learner attributes and material characteristics primarily influence learning and attention through interactions rather than main effects. Context and implications Rationale for this study: The pedagogical value of including a visible instructor in educational videos is contested, with theoretical perspectives divided. Eye‐tracking research can clarify how learners attend to instructors versus content, but the rapidly growing evidence base in this area has not been systematically synthesized across metrics, conditions and outcomes. Why the new findings matter: This review shows that instructor presence consistently attracts attention but produces mixed effects on learning, with specific instructional behaviours moderating both. Critically, visual attention may not reliably predict learning outcomes; this finding cautions against treating eye‐tracking measures as standalone proxies for the effectiveness of video‐based instruction. Implications for practitioners and researchers: When instructors are included in educational videos, peripheral positioning, pointing gestures, explicit attentional cues and naturalistic positive affect best support learning, particularly for learners with low prior knowledge. Beyond these design recommendations, the review highlights a methodological gap, as very few studies statistically test whether gaze patterns mediate learning effects. Future work should therefore employ mediation and moderation analyses to clarify whether attention shifts are the mechanism through which instructional manipulations improve learning, or whether such links depend on specific conditions, rather than inferring this relationship from descriptive comparisons alone.
Abstract Language is essential for learning and education, for supporting thinking and learning and for knowledge exchange. This premise forms the basis for content‐ and language‐integrated educational approaches, such as CLIL (content‐language‐integrated learning) and CBA (content‐based approach). Although content and language‐integrated instruction is considered essential for academic success and professional development, empirical research on the gains regarding language development and knowledge acquisition is scant, particularly in higher education. This scoping review provides a broad picture of intervention studies departing from a content and language‐integrated approach in higher education. A total of 104 studies were included in the review. The review focuses on the characteristics of the investigated interventions, on methodological characteristics and on the outcomes, especially students' knowledge acquisition and language development. Concerning these, authors reported positive impacts on both language skills and content knowledge. However, only 19.2% of the included studies employed a (quasi‐)experimental design. Notably, information on the intervention and study design characteristics was often not reproducible or missing. In contrast to earlier reviews, which predominantly reported on studies examining effects on language development, the present review identifies a larger number of studies that also focus on content learning. Even though authors reported positive impacts, these results should be interpreted with caution due to methodological limitations identified in many of the studies. Important implications include a need for boundary crossing between language and content teachers and researchers. Context and implications Rationale for this study: Despite the growing use of content‐language‐integrated approaches in higher education, evidence on their effectiveness, specifically for language development and knowledge acquisition, remains fragmented. Why the new findings matter: This review maps 104 intervention studies, revealing positive trends in both language and content learning, while also exposing important methodological gaps that need to be addressed in future research. Implications for educational practice: Content‐language‐integrated approaches hold promise for enhancing both disciplinary knowledge and language development in higher education. However, the quality of implementation and research varies widely. Educators and institutions should foster collaboration between content and language experts and educational science researchers and invest in carefully designed, evidence‐informed interventions.
Abstract In the past decade, research on shadow education in China has expanded rapidly, particularly following the 2021 Double Reduction Policy (DRP), which extended earlier regulatory measures by banning profit‐seeking academic tutoring and sought to reduce students' academic workload and families' financial burden. Although many studies have examined stakeholders' perceptions, the literature remains fragmented and is rarely compared across groups or policy periods. This systematic review synthesizes English‐language research indexed in Scopus and Web of Science on how key stakeholders in mainland China perceive shadow education and how research foci differ between studies addressing shadow education before and after the DRP. Because the DRP followed earlier regulation and its implementation continues to evolve, the policy serves here as an organizing time marker rather than a causal breakpoint. Thirty‐four studies were synthesized. Academic pressure, peer competition and study burden recurred across parents, students and teachers, while group‐specific themes included parental responsibility and financial strain, teachers' dual‐role ethics and tutors' market adaptation. A clear shift in research attention also emerged: post‐policy studies concentrated on perceptions of policy implementation and adaptation, leaving other topics aside. Coverage was uneven across regions and stakeholder groups, with students, school leaders and policymakers underrepresented and central and western China rarely studied. Because the review draws only on internationally indexed English‐language studies, these are gaps in the international evidence base rather than in Chinese research as a whole.
