The concept of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) is presented as a framework that guides how to effectively integrate technologies in the educational environment. Through this model, we investigate the ethical implications related to the use of digital tools in teaching, and we outline the necessary knowledge that educators should have to address these issues of ethics and technology in the classroom. We assess the professional, ethical knowledge of pre-service teachers regarding their use of technologies using a descriptive and exploratory mixed-methods approach. The data for this research come from a Likert-scale questionnaire administered to 616 teacher-training students in Spain, as well as from personal interviews with 411 of them. From these data, we identify four of the eight dimensions of ethical knowledge: professional, ethical knowledge, ethics in the use of technologies, pedagogy for their integration in the classroom, and the use of content specific to the disciplines of pre-service teachers. The results obtained indicate that the preparation of educators with professional, ethical knowledge in training is insufficient, which highlights the need to address this issue in the post-pandemic context of the 21st century. Among the difficulties detected, it should be noted that this study is limited to a European university and a sample chosen for convenience, so it would be advisable to extend the study to other European universities.

The education of gifted students is often characterized by high expectations, ambitious goals, and significant effort invested in learning. Their experiences of success and failure are shaped by a variety of factors, including personal, family, school, cultural, and social influences. This article examines how gifted students perceive and experience their own successes and failures, as well as how these experiences are perceived and responded to by their peers. Using qualitative methods, the study involved semi-structured interviews with thirty gifted students from seventh to ninth grades across ten elementary schools in Slovenia. The findings indicate that gifted students experience a range of emotions in response to success, from satisfaction to anxiety, while their reactions to failure often involve frustration and self-criticism. Peer responses to their success and failure vary significantly, ranging from supportive encouragement to jealousy and social exclusion. These findings highlight the complex interpersonal dynamics at play within school environments. Understanding and addressing these dynamics is crucial for creating inclusive, supportive, and stimulating learning environments that nurture both the academic and social-emotional well-being of gifted students.

Sensory integration (SI)-based intervention programs aim to improve the motor performance of children with moderate autism spectrum disorder (MASD), which may contribute to the development of their gross and fine motor skills. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of a SI-based training program in developing gross and fine motor skills in 70 children with MASD aged 6–9 years (M = 7.11, SD ± 1.19) and selected intentionally from a daycare center in Al-Ahsa in Saudi Arabia. The study used the quasi-experimental approach and followed the experimental design with two groups, which were randomly distributed and examined for equivalence. The study also used the Gross Motor Skills Scale (GMSS), the Fine Motor Skills Scale (FMSS), and the training program based on SI. The study found that the experimental group had significantly higher post-test scores in the GMSS and the FMSS than the control group, with these differences being statistically significant. However, no significant difference was observed between the post-test scores and the follow-up test scores within the experimental group, indicating stability in their performance over time. This indicates the effectiveness of the training program used in developing the targeted skills and the continuation of the training effect after the program’s application period. The study suggests that children should use SI-based training programs to enhance their motor skills.

Work-based learning (WBL) is an important tool for enhancing students' employability skills in vocational education and training. Many studies have underlined the importance of a variable of WBL, self-efficacy, and vocational identity in developing vocational students' employability skills. Nonetheless, the research is limited and examined separately. Therefore, this study investigates how WBL, self-efficacy, and vocational identity influence employability skills and how self-efficacy moderates between WBL and employability skills. Four hundred and three state university students in Yogyakarta were involved in the data collection. This study used structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis to test its hypothesis. The results of the study revealed that the implementation of WBL did not have a direct effect on employability skills; however, self-efficacy was able to moderate the relationship between WBL and employability skills. However, WBL directly influences vocational identity, which in turn directly influences employability skills, while self-efficacy also directly influences employability skills. This research has important implications for improving learning that can improve students' self-efficacy skills in an effort to build students' employability skills in vocational education and training.

This study investigates the ideological orientations of teachers and the potential transformation of these orientations over 14 weeks, focusing specifically on their conceptualizations of educational ideologies within conservative and liberal frameworks. The research employs an inventory-based assessment to capture participants’ ideological stances. Initial findings revealed participants’ tendency to associate ideological labels with political dualities, reflecting simplified views on educational ideologies. Throughout the study’s second phase, participants engaged in critical reading assignments and reflective discussions designed to expand their awareness and understanding of various educational ideological paradigms. Findings indicate a notable shift in ideological positioning, primarily driven by exposure to foundational texts and structured reflection sessions. In the final phase, participants re-took the initial inventory, allowing for a direct comparison of ideological stances. The comparative analysis demonstrated subtle yet significant shifts, particularly regarding participants’ views on the interrelations between educational ideology, social equity, and the intellectual demands of modern pedagogy. This study underscores the transformative potential of immersive engagement with diverse ideological perspectives, highlighting the need for professional development models that prioritize reflective dialogue and critical exploration of ideological content.

This study addresses global concerns surrounding elementary students' science performance following the COVID-19, as a result of international tests such as Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) highlight the ongoing challenges that urge the exploration of innovative educational approaches to improve science learning. This research employed gamification-assisted instruction and explored its impact on enhancing the understanding of science concepts and attitudes toward science class among fourth graders. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design and included an experimental group (ExG) that was taught using a gamification strategy and a control group (CoG) that was taught using a traditional method with a sample of 38 female elementary students from a public school in Jordan. Data were gathered using valid and reliable tools: the developed scientific concepts test and the Attitude Towards Science class measures. The ANCOVA analysis revealed that gamification significantly improves the acquisition of scientific concepts (η2=.208) and boosts a positive attitude toward science classes among elementary students (η2=.626). These findings encourage decision-makers to incorporate gamification into science teaching practices and methods.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to conducting and documenting systematic reviews (SRs) in educational research. While SRs are increasingly recognized for their value in synthesizing and evaluating literature on specific research questions or topics, there remains a notable scarcity of research-based papers that guide their development within the field of education. Systematic reviews, distinguished from traditional literature reviews by their standardized processes—including systematic searching, selection, and critical appraisal of relevant studies—offer a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the research landscape by integrating findings from multiple sources. This paper underscores the importance of adhering to established methodologies and guidelines to ensure the quality and reliability of SRs. Essential elements discussed include defining research questions, developing search strategies, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, and synthesizing results. The paper also highlights the role of frameworks such as the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) in enhancing transparency and methodological rigor. By following this structured approach, researchers can produce systematic reviews that provide valuable insights into educational practices and policies, thereby supporting evidence-based decision-making and advancing the field of education.

This umbrella review aimed to synthesize variables that explain dropout among students in preschool, primary, secondary, and high school education. The study focused on peer-reviewed articles indexed in SCOPUS, Web of Science, and ERIC, identifying five systematic reviews that provided comprehensive insights. Key findings revealed individual factors, such as insufficient parental support, emotional and behavioral challenges, and substance use, play significant roles in influencing student dropout. Socioeconomic factors, including poverty, financial constraints, and social inequalities, were also identified as critical contributors. Additionally, institutional elements such as inadequate school infrastructure, insufficient teacher training, and a lack of culturally relevant resources emerged as barriers to student retention. This review highlights research gaps in political-legislative, sociocultural, and family determinants, longitudinal analyses, dropout interventions’ long-term effectiveness, and marginalized populations’ representation, limiting a comprehensive understanding of student dropout and effective policy development. Recommendations include targeted policies and interventions that foster inclusive and supportive educational environments, reduce inequities, and improve access to resources to minimize dropout rates among students in preschool, primary, secondary, and high school education.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by challenges in social communication and repetitive behaviors. The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) has been widely utilized to support communication in children with ASD by using picture cards to convey needs and responses. However, traditional PECS can be limited by its static nature and lack of immediate feedback. Recent technological advances, particularly Augmented Reality (AR), offer new avenues for enhancing these communication strategies. This study explores the integration of AR into PECS and its impact on improving basic communication skills, specifically answering questions and commenting, in children with ASD. The research involved a multiple baseline design with four participants aged 7-12 years, recruited from autism centers in Melaka, Malaysia. Results showed significant improvements in both the frequency and accuracy of responses and relevant commenting skills after the AR-based intervention. Answering skills improved by 83%, and commenting skills increased by 122%, with the average number of relevant comments rising from 3 (SD = 0.89) to 6.67 (SD = 2.25). Statistical analysis (paired t-test) revealed a significant effect (p = 0.00272). Compared to traditional methods, AR-based PECS accelerated the achievement of target communication skills. Future research should focus on larger sample sizes and explore long-term impacts to solidify these promising outcomes.

This research investigated the validity of measurement and causal model of online scam protection behavior (OSPB) among at risk Thai students. The sample comprised 286 high school students from three demonstration schools under the University. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM). The factor loadings for all items satisfied the standard criteria with scores ranging from .40 to .80, item-total correlations ranging from .405 to .718, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from .773 to .928. The modified model demonstrated a better fit with the empirical data (χ² = 47.62, df = 37, p = .113,  χ²/df = 1.287, RMSEA = .032, SRMR = .028, GFI = .97, CFI = 1.00, NFI = .99). All factors: a) awareness of online risks, b) inhibitory control, c) game-based learning, d) social support, and e) motivation to prevent online scams can predict 81% of OSPB. The motivation to prevent online scams strongly influenced OSPB, with an effect size of .60. Additionally, all factors can predict 88% of the motivation for online scam prevention, suggesting that Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) is a suitable framework for understanding and evaluating Thai students' preventive behaviors in online deception scenarios. This newly developed instrument is highly reliable and can be effectively used by researchers and educators to assess the risk of online fraud victimization among high school students.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of cooperative learning models in improving critical reading skills. This study uses a meta-analysis study method by analyzing 28 articles extracted from the databases of Scopus, Google Scholar, EBSCO, EmeraldInsight, Science & Direct, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis, and ProQuest. The meta-analysis allows researchers to combine the results of previous research, providing a more comprehensive picture of how effective a particular approach is in teaching critical reading. The research findings show that cooperative learning models significantly improve essential skills of reading more effectively than traditional ones. This is shown by the effect sizes based on the fixed model, showing the overall standard difference in the mean is 0.784 (95% CI, 0.689 to 0.880) with p-values = 0.00 (<0.05). Using a cooperative learning model, The measure showed positive effect sizes on critical reading learning. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the cooperative learning model effectively improves essential reading skills. However, several factors, such as the quality of the facilitators and the teaching methods, influence the results. The implications of this study show the need for a broader application of cooperative learning models to improve critical reading skills in schools and other educational institutions, with adjustments to the needs and characteristics of students.

Integrating generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in education has gained significant attention, particularly in flexible learning environments (FLE). This study investigates how students’ voluntary adoption of GenAI influences their perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), learning engagement (LE), and student-teacher interaction (STI). This study employed a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, using data from 480 students across multiple academic levels. The findings confirm that voluntary GenAI adoption significantly enhances PU and PEU, reinforcing established technology acceptance models (TAM). However, PU did not directly impact LE at the latent level—an unexpected finding that underscores students’ engagement’s complex and multidimensional nature in AI-enriched settings. Conversely, PEU positively influenced LE, which in turn significantly predicted STI. These findings suggest that usability, rather than perceived utility alone, drives deeper engagement and interaction in autonomous learning contexts. This research advances existing knowledge of GenAI adoption by proposing a structural model that integrates voluntary use, learner engagement, and teacher presence. Future research should incorporate variables such as digital literacy, self-regulation, and trust and apply longitudinal approaches to better understand the evolving role of GenAI inequitable, human-centered education.

The proliferating field of writing education increasingly intersects with technological innovations, particularly generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) resources. Despite extensive research on automated writing evaluation systems, no empirical investigation has been reported so far on GenAI’s potential in cultivating intermedial writing skills within first language contexts. The present study explored the impact of ChatGPT as a writing assistant on university literature students’ intermedial writing proficiency. Employing a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group, researchers examined 52 undergraduate students’ essay writings over a 12-week intervention. Participants in the treatment group harnessed the conversational agent for iterative essay refinement, while the reference group followed traditional writing processes. Utilizing a comprehensive four-dimensional assessment rubric, researchers analyzed essays in terms of relevance, integration, specificity, and balance of intermedial references. Quantitative analyses revealed significant improvements in the AI-assisted group, particularly in relevance and insight facets. The findings add to the research on technology-empowered writing learning.

Mindfulness, recognized as a protective factor against learning burnout in higher education, has garnered considerable attention, yet its underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. This study examined the relationship between mindfulness, regulatory emotional self-efficacy, and learning burnout. Data from 461 Chinese university students were collected using a correlational design and cluster sampling method, employing the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, University Student Learning Burnout Scale, and Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale. Hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Results showed that Participants exhibited above-average mindfulness (M=3.090), learning burnout (M=3.278), and regulatory emotional self-efficacy (M=3.417). Results revealed that mindfulness is directly and negatively related to learning burnout (β=-0.679, t = 28.657, p < .001). Regulatory emotional self-efficacy (β = -0.357, t = 8.592, p < .001) was significantly and negatively related to learning burnout. Mindfulness was significantly and positively related to regulatory emotional self-efficacy (β = 0.638, t = 24.306, p < .001), and regulatory emotional self-efficacy (R2: from .461 to .537) partially mediated the relationship between mindfulness and learning burnout. Besides, the Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis revealed that managing negative emotions significantly contributes to learning burnout but performs poorly, whereas non-reacting demonstrates both the lowest contribution and performance. Findings suggest that mindfulness indirectly alleviates learning burnout through regulatory emotional self-efficacy, providing evidence-based insights for targeted mindfulness interventions in higher education.

The present study examined how empathy (affective and cognitive), basic psychological need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), and demographic factors (gender and academic achievement) jointly predict prosocial behavior during emerging adulthood. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this research explored whether relatedness need satisfaction mediates the relationship between empathy and prosocial tendencies. A total of N=889 undergraduate students from a large public university in the southeastern United States completed self-report measures assessing empathy, psychological needs, and prosocial behavior. Path analysis revealed that affective empathy and relatedness satisfaction were significant predictors of prosocial behavior. Relatedness also partially mediated the link between empathy and helping actions. Furthermore, gender and GPA contributed to prosocial outcomes, with female students and those with higher academic achievement reporting greater prosocial tendencies. These findings suggest that fostering emotional engagement and supporting students’ psychological needs—particularly the need for relatedness—may be key mechanisms for promoting prosocial development in educational settings during the critical stage of emerging adulthood.

This study investigated the relationships between conflict management strategies and family functioning among university students from diverse ethnic backgrounds in the multicultural context of Kosovo. A cross-sectional design was used with 362 university students (183 female, 179 male) comprising Kosovo Turks (58.6%), Albanians (23.8%), and Bosnians (17.7%). Data were collected using the Conflict Management Strategy Scale and Family Assessment Device. Path analysis was used to examine relationships between conflict strategies and family functioning dimensions. Students preferred compromising strategies most (M = 3.68) and withdrawing least (M = 2.98). Family functioning was healthy in problem-solving, communication, roles, affective responsiveness, and general functioning (scores < 2.0), but unhealthy in affective involvement (M = 2.29) and behavioral control (M = 2.12). Significant ethnic differences emerged in communication (F(2,144) = 3.158, p = .045, η² = .020) and behavioral control (F(2,149) = 4.109, p = .018, η² = .018), but not in conflict strategies. Path analysis revealed that withdrawing strategies negatively affected family functioning (β = .113-.143), while smoothing strategies had positive effects (β = -.139 to -.220). However, conflict strategies explained only 1.6-4.3% of the variance in family functioning (R² = .016-.043), indicating small effect sizes. While statistically significant relationships exist between conflict management strategies and family functioning, effect sizes are modest. Ethnic variations in these relationships emphasize the importance of cultural considerations for family counseling practices. The findings suggest that conflict management training may have a limited direct impact on family functioning, highlighting the need for comprehensive, culturally sensitive intervention approaches.

This study investigates how undergraduate art majors at the National University of Art Education in Vietnam perceive the cultural integration into their English curriculum. A quantitative design was employed using a researcher-developed questionnaire administered to 214 students. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, and multiple regression. Findings indicated that students valued culturally relevant content, particularly materials connected to both Vietnamese and international art as well as experiential and student-centered instructional strategies. Reported challenges included limited cultural background knowledge, cognitive overload, and reduced confidence when discussing culture in English. Crucially, results from multiple regression revealed that how culture is taught may have a greater impact on students’ experiences than the content itself. Therefore, these findings underscore the importance of aligning instructional approaches with learners’ disciplinary identities and offer implications for culturally responsive curriculum design, professional development, and the implementation of context-specific teaching strategies in English language instruction for art students.