Covid-19 has accelerated the speed of technocratic transformation in teaching and learning. Previous researches on whether technology enhances students’ motivation towards learning or burdens them with additional layer of anxiety in learning the nitty gritty of technology itself have mixed results. The purpose of this study was to explore early undergraduate students’ beliefs about learning mathematics with technology. These research participants were first-year female undergraduate students in a public university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study comprised of phase one with qualitative task-based interviews with four female first-year undergraduate students. Phase two included a quantitative belief survey with a sample of 62 students from the same institution. I constructed four major belief categories from the iterative process of interview data analysis– technology for computing and graphing, technology for speed and accuracy, technology for a short-cut but not for meaning, and affective aspects of beliefs. The quantitative survey result demonstrated that a majority of participants (about 75.8%) were found to be using some kinds of technological tools while learning mathematics. About 90% of them reported using a calculator while learning mathematics. A majority of participants (54.9%) believed that technology helps them in learning mathematics, and about 50% of them also believed that the use of technology improves their learning of mathematics.

The purpose of the study was to explore how technological advances incorporated into the Philology Studies curriculum could impact the students’ research skills and the quality of their research projects and what students’ and teachers’ impressions of the reshaped research component of the curriculum were. The study used qualitative and quantitative methods with the dominance of qualitative methods. It employed the baseline study, checklist to assess students’ research papers, assessment criteria, and the Triangular Assessment Method to assess the students’ papers. The consensus meeting was held to allow the experts to express their reasoning for the scores. The semi-structured interview was administered to the students’ and teachers’ to identify their impressions of the reshaped research component of the curriculum of philology. The technological advances incorporated into Philology Studies curriculum improve the students’ research skills and the quality of their research projects. Both students and teachers appreciated the reshaped research component of the curriculum. The analytical software can be successfully incorporated in the corpus analysis-purpose student research. The students found the intervention a challenging experience that ‘pumped up’ their intellectual, research, and technical skills. They reported improvement in interpreting corpus using correlations, frequencies, distributions, and collecting information using software to organise it in a professional way. The lecturers agreed that the technology-based instructional model incorporated into Philology Studies curriculum improved both students’ research skills and the quality of their research projects.

This longitudinal study focuses on evaluating grade 7-9 school students’ perceptions of intervention modules intended to be relevant, as well as promoting learning attributes to raise awareness of science-related careers. Students are taught through six purposely developed and designed career-related teaching–learning modules (C-TLMs). Each module is initiated by means of a career-related scenario, followed up by promoting conceptual science learning plus drawing attention to careers to which each module intends to relate. Student perceptions are obtained by means of a questionnaire after each module with respect to its relevance and also the mean by which the learning environment raise interest, enjoyment and motivation associated with career awareness. Outcomes show that, in general, students participating in this study agree that the developed C-TLMs are relevant and students value the learning experienced through the different module contexts. Nevertheless, student appreciation of the specific inclusion of career awareness components in the modules is mixed.

This quantitative research aims to analyze the effects of the principal's decision-making, organizational commitment and school climate on teacher performance in vocational high school. The research sample was 160 vocational school teachers in North Minahasa Regency with simple random sampling method. The data were collected using a Likert scale questionnaire 25 with statements. The data analysis was performed using simple linear regression and multiple linear regression. The results showed that the principal's decision-making, organizational commitment and school climate had a positive and significant effect on the performance of vocational school teachers, both partially and simultaneously. The results of this research can be an important reference for educational administrators at vocational high school level to design school strategies and policies that can encourage increased teacher performance to achieve better school productivity.

This research aims to investigate the effect of socio-scientific issues (SSI) based instruction on preservice science teachers’ soft skills and environmental awareness. By applying cluster random sampling, 83 preservice science teachers (PSTs) were selected from the Department of Science Education at a university in Indonesia. The participants were divided into two groups which comprised the experimental group who were taught using SSI-based instruction, while the control group received direct instruction. The quasi-experimental study was carried out through a pre- and posttest control group design. Data was gathered quantitatively using soft skills and environmental awareness questionnaires. The soft skills questionnaire comprised six sub-skills questions: communication, collaboration, problem-solving, creativity, teamwork, and social interaction. The environmental awareness questionnaire contained questions about the PSTs’ attitudes, behavior, and willingness to act. These sub-skills were developed based on literature studies and reviews of previous studies. Face validity was conducted by the experts, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.84 (for soft skills) and 0.86 (for environmental awareness) were obtained. The data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The result showed that SSI-based instruction had a significant effect on improving preservice science teachers’ soft skills and environmental awareness. After being taught using SSI-based instruction, all the sub-skills of the soft skills of the experimental group had increased compared to before. A similar trend was also found in their scores for environmental awareness. All the components of environmental awareness, after lecturing using SSI-based instruction, showed a significant increase compared to before. These results support the claim that SSI-based instruction fosters soft skills and promotes environmental awareness.

This paper presents and assesses the effects of an Extended School Time project (ESTp), with a working day of 8 contact hours, that aimed to develop the students as a whole in its academic, artistic, sport, social and human dimensions. Based in active and integrated pedagogical practices, the project promoted the integration of knowledges, curiosity, sense of criticism, creativity, sharing solidarity and the conviviality of students. This project was applied to a 6th grade class with 20 pupils (11.2±0.68 years old). Using a qualitative methodology, 13 semi structured interviews were applied to 3 types of participants: 6 pupils, 5 parents (42.6±4.54 years old) and 2 teachers (60±4 years old), in order to analyze their perceptions regarding the project. Results show that each group valued different aspects of the project. The pupils valued activities that emphasized challenge, communication, creativity, and autonomy, as well as activities of academic continuity. The parents focused mostly on the occupational component of Extended School Time (ESTp), and the teachers on its effects on social and self-development of the pupils. This development was reflected in an improved peer-to-peer relationship and in a greater sense of belonging to school. The convergence verified in this ESTp, between cognition and the artistic, social and sport education, sought to promote the main goal of the School, an instruction that promotes a global (including multicultural and universal) development of the pupils’ capabilities.

This paper explores misconceptions and errors (M/Es) of eighth-grade students in Nepal with a quasi-experimental design with nonequivalent control and experimental groups. The treatment was implemented with teaching episodes based on different remedial strategies of addressing students' M/Es. Students of control groups were taught under conventional teaching-learning method, whereas experimental groups were treated with a guided method to treat with misconceptions and errors. The effectiveness of treatment was tested at the end of the intervention. The results showed that the new guided treatment approach was found to be significant to address students' M/Es. Consequently, the students of experimental groups made significant progress in dealing with M/Es in mathematical problem-solving at conceptual, procedural, and application levels.

While previous studies on assessments focused on measurement of principles and constructs, existing attention is given to content validation involving vocational education and skills. The emphasis on content validation has prompted a holistic perspective of teaching and learning to demand alternative research approaches. Using evidence of content validity based on expert judgment and assessment items, this paper argues that vocational knowledge and skills could be determined via constructs and construct functions. Content validity analysis was studied in two major phases, namely, through an assessment of an electrical technology course at a Malaysian higher education institution and expert panels’ examination of items. It was found that to increase confidence in providing reliable instruments for future empirical studies, a careful process in item development and content validity analysis was considered important. Therefore, applying these findings on item analysis and expert panels to reflect content validity can enhance the validity of assessment items.

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is regarded as one of the formulas to embracing many of our imminent challenges. STEM education benefits the learners by encouraging interest in STEM disciplines. This daunting task needs everyone’s concerted efforts in creating and innovating mathematics teachers’ classroom practices Therefore, a systematic review was conducted to identify best practices for STEM education following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) by Moher et al. (2015). The reviewed articles were published from 2016 to 2020 and accessed using the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases. Three themes for best practices were identified namely (a) core competencies encompassing 21st-century teaching skills; (b) instructional designs; and (c) requisite STEM execution. Results of PRISMA determined the dominant STEM practices were critical thinking, communication, collaboration, problem-solving, research-based pedagogy, problem-based learning and project-based learning, technological integration, accessibility, professional development and learning support, evidence of effectiveness, access to materials and practitioner support, and scalability. Mathematics teachers should determine the best STEM practices to employ even though there is a lack of studies on integrated STEM domains. When more students are interested in venturing and exploring into the field of STEM, the high demand for STEM related careers could be met by the younger generation.

The quality of the educational process within the humanistic concept and holistic-developmental approach is interpreted as the optimal adaptation to the individual needs and abilities of children, while inclusiveness presupposes equal inclusion and participation of all children. This article explores the opinions of teachers as bearers of pedagogical-educational process. The aim of this research was to determine how much importance teachers attach to certain dimensions of the educational process, and the procedures of inclusive practice. Empirical research included teachers in 5 preschool institutions (N=146). The research instrument was constructed based on relevant literature. Teachers in this sample recognize the importance: of individualized support to all children; of respecting the diversity; of collaboration with parents, and personal professional development. At the same time, the level of formal education and in-service teacher training is positively correlated with the assessment of importance towards child-oriented practice, and respect for diversity. Teachers with a higher level of education significantly value the importance of additional vocational training in the field of developmental and social risks, the use of community resources, and involvement of parents in planning individual support for children.

The initial period of young teachers' careers is always significant in developing their professional capability. This is when teachers start coming into contact with practical teaching, which is more diversified than the theoretical training at the University. In this research, the authors propose a process of combining the Lesson Study model with the micro-lesson teaching method. This process helps young teachers, especially those working in the Northern of Vietnam, improve their planning and implementation of a lesson plan following the Lesson Study model. It has four steps: (1). Plan a Lesson Study; (2). Organize demo teaching and attend lessons; (3): Self-evaluate and discuss lessons; (4): Apply for practical teaching. The methodology research is carried out on 62 young teachers in Vietnam to measure the pre-impact and post-impact results. The results reveal that the researched group has made significant progress on their teaching performances (the average points for their capability of planning lessons have increased from 2.54 to 3.28 and the average points for their capability of implementing lesson plans have increased from 2.48 to 3.18). This development can be considered as an excellent experience to bring the Lesson Study model into Vietnamese schools to improve teaching sustainably.

English teachers had to retrain and build a new normal in order to prepare for an online classroom while keeping their teaching pedagogy and professional identity as a result of the sudden changes brought by the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in education. In this study, the effect of English teachers' professional identity transformations, attitudes toward online teaching was explored. The study's sample comprises 130 English as a foreign language (EFL) lecturers from a state and a foundation university in Turkey. The research data was gathered from a questionnaire, the Teacher Professional Identity scale, and a semi-structured interview with 12 volunteers. Qualitative data collected via semi-structured interviews were apportioned into pattern coding and analyzed through content analysis. EFL lecturers did not appear to be properly prepared for their online pedagogical and technological difficulties, which had a deeply corrosive effect on teachers' professional identities as they shift away from face-to-face education. The results showed that participants who were educated on EduTech during their undergraduate education or as professional development affected their perceptions of professional identity throughout the transition to online language teaching. Future studies can broaden the field of study by making use of exploratory action research, awareness of the teaching community, and continued professional development.

The cooperative learning (CL) is an advanced instructional approach that uses different motivational procedures to make instruction significant and learners more responsible. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cooperative learning on students' achievement in chemistry among the advanced level in 12-year basic education schools; it engaged a quasi-experimental design with one treatment group and a comparison group (control); the first applied cooperative learning in teaching organic chemistry while in the control group, organic chemistry was taught by the conventional teaching methods (CTM). A sample of 257 students participated in the study. The data collected used an organic Chemistry Achievement Test, and its data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0 and MS Excel 2016. The ANCOVA results showed that learners taught using cooperative learning achieved better than their counterparts in the control group (F=78.07, df=1, 256, p<.001) with the learning gains of 16.0% in traditional methods and 53.6% of cooperative learning approach, respectively. However, there was no statistically significant difference in gender of students. It is recommended that chemistry teachers be trained on cooperative learning and encouraged to apply it in their teaching methods to enhance students' academic achievement.

With Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) impacting the way we learn; information and communication technologies (ICTs) play an ever-increasing role in young children’s learning making it crucial to understand the importance and challenges of using ICTs in kindergartens from teachers’ perspectives. The present study, therefore explored the perspectives of teachers in remote areas of Jordan regarding the degree of ICT use, its importance in kindergartens, and potential challenges. To achieve the objective of the study, a quantitative questionnaire was developed and distributed to 263 female kindergarten teachers in remote areas of Jordan. Results indicated that the degree of use and importance of ICTs from teachers’ perspectives was “average”. Further, the study identified several challenges that appeared to hinder teachers’ use of ICTs in kindergartens. Teachers who held a bachelor degree were significantly more likely to employ ICTs in their teaching than those who did not. Yet, there were no significant differences according to the number of training courses in ICTs and experience teachers had. Recommendations and implications for facilitating the use of ICTs in kindergarten education concluded this paper.

This study presents an inquiry-based teaching approach using a rich methodology involving STEM (science-technology-engineering and mathematics) projects, developed using a cooperative way to work between schools and research centres. We describe the teaching pattern scenario with students, teachers, and scientists. We also illustrate the learning process, conducted through two inquiry-based problems in Biochemistry, the mutagenesis process and the transgenesis effects caused by inoculation of bacteria. The teaching sequence, as well as the scientific knowledge and students’ competencies involved, are shown. We then analyse the students' and teachers' perceptions in this scenario regarding the development of students' STEM learning through their inquiry skills promoted and concerning predictors to vocational careers involved (students’ identities as potential scientists, scientific attitudes, social implications towards science or students´ agency). Finally, we add some conclusions and contributions to teaching STEM education, related to factors of the design teaching scenario that bring connections with the interests and motivations of students, such as the relevance of the projects to evoke understanding of processes or causal relationships of content or the teacher's professionalisation supported by a proper allocation between scientists and teachers.

This study examined the impact of modular distance learning on students' motivation, interest/attitude, anxiety and achievement in mathematics. This was done at the Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija, Philippines during the first and second grading of the academic year 2021-2022. The study included both a descriptive-comparative and descriptive-correlational research design. The 207 high school students were chosen using stratified sampling. According to the findings, students have a very satisfactory rating in mathematics. Students agree that they are motivated, enthusiastic, and have a positive attitude toward mathematics. They do, however, agree that mathematics causes them anxiety. When students are subdivided based on sex, their mathematics interest and anxiety differ significantly. However, there was no significant difference in interest/attitude and achievement. When students are divided into age groups, their mathematics motivation, interest/attitude, anxiety, and achievement differ significantly. Students' motivation, anxiety, and achievement differ significantly by year level. There was a positive relationship between and among mathematics motivation, interest/attitude, and achievement. However, there is a negative association between mathematics anxiety and mathematics motivation; mathematics anxiety and mathematical interest/attitude; and mathematics anxiety and mathematical performance. The study's theoretical and practical implications were also discussed, and recommendations for educators and researchers were given.

Regardless of varied lingua-cultural ideologies enriching the theories of communicative competence (CC), the four CC dimensions (e.g., linguistics, sociolinguistics, discourse, and communication strategies (CSs)) still become the main cores of English speaking (ES) classrooms. Of the four dimensions, CSs seem to be the most technical which deserve to be persistently studied. Hence, this study aimed to probe into ES lecturers’ performances of CSs, their efforts to improve students’ CC, and the impacts of their efforts on students’ learning according to students’ perspectives. Two ES lecturers and 10 students at a university in Indonesia were purposively selected to be the participants. They were observed and interviewed according to the study’s purposes. This study uncovered various CSs performed by ES lecturers according to several contexts, such as to understand spoken texts, to understand spoken recorded texts, and to overcome temporary communication difficulties. Various ES lecturers’ efforts were also revealed according to their functions to improve each dimension of CC. Most students perceived the lecturers’ efforts positively due to the impacts on their motivation, self-efficacy, collaborative skills, and metacognition. However, few students echoed negative perceptions about a lecturer’s native-speakerism-endorsed effort due to lingua-cultural issues. Implication, limitation, and recommendation are discussed.

This study investigated student teachers’ teaching self-efficacy level and factors that predict it (using five-factor mentoring model). Two hundred and ten third and fourth-year student teachers (N=100/N=110; 93.8% females) were involved in the study and asked to complete a self-report questionnaire. The “Mentoring for Effective Primary Teaching” instrument and “Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale” were used to collect the data. Findings indicated that higher levels of student teachers' self-efficacy are positively associated with the level of mentoring experience during the teaching practicum. The results found that fourth-year students reported significantly higher levels of teaching self-efficacy than third-year students. This study reported that there is a significant mean difference in student teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in terms of having parents in the teaching profession. A multiple regression found that mentor teachers’ personal attributes are the best predictor of student teachers' teaching self-efficacy beliefs.

The embodiment of teacher leadership has currently shifted onto the practice of teacher collaboration due to its potential to solve students’ problems such as low critical thinking skills. Accordingly, this study quantitatively aimed to examine the effect of teacher collaboration on educational management students’ critical thinking skills as well as their critical thinking retention. Subsequently, it qualitatively investigated the students’ perspectives on teacher collaboration. 60 students selected randomly took part in the experimentation, in which 30 students were taught with teacher collaboration, and other 30 students were taught with individual lecturing. 10 students taught with teacher collaboration were further selected purposively to be interviewed for the qualitative investigation. Descriptive statistics alongside paired and independent t-tests were deployed to analyze the experiment results, and an interactive model was adopted to analyze the qualitative findings. The experiment showed that teacher collaboration had a more positive and significant effect on students’ critical thinking skills than its counterpart did. The students taught with teacher collaboration enjoyed good retention of critical thinking skills as well. The students perceived that teacher collaboration improved their collaborative skills, awareness, and metacognitive skills in learning. Implication, limitation, and recommendation are discussed.

Recent changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic have forced higher education institutions worldwide to transition to online courses. The challenges that the pandemic poses for microteaching are very significant, as it is highly application-based and complicates online implementation. The current study aims to examine prospective teachers' experiences with online microteaching. The participants (N = 21) were Greek university undergraduate students. Specifically, their experiences with online microteaching were examined through reflective texts and follow-up interviews. Data were analyzed based on a mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative) by two independent reviewers. The findings showed that the main advantage of the specific process is the collaboration with fellow students, while the main challenges concern technical difficulties and anxiety. Qualitative analysis revealed that anxiety overlapped with collaboration, while more detailed aspects of the process (e.g., video rehearsals and retakes) provided a unique framework.