In an era where diversity and digitalization significantly influence higher education, understanding and adapting to various learning preferences is crucial. This study comprehensively analyzes 394 scholarly articles from 1984 to 2022 using bibliometric methods, providing a dynamic overview of the research patterns in learning styles within higher education. We identified four stages of development during this period: 1984–1995 (Low-interest), 1996–2005 (Early development), 2006–2018 (Development), and 2019–2022 (Intensification). Our analysis highlights that the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia were the top three leading publishers of research on learning styles in higher education. The results reveal three main topics of publications: educational technology, learning environments, and subject behaviors. This research not only identifies emerging research topics but also underscores the importance of adapting instructional strategies to diverse learning styles to enhance educational outcomes in higher education.

The wide use of the Internet of Things (IoT) in all spheres of life has led to a surge of cyberbullying among learners worldwide. That is why it cannot be denied that underlying factors, manifestations, consequences, and preventive measures of cyberbullying improve the welfare and overall mental development of students. This systematic literature review examines the causes, effects, and preventive measures of cyberbullying based on empirical studies conducted on learners in various situations. The review will focus on existing material published between 2015 and April 2024. For the inclusion and exclusion of literature, the Scopus online database was employed, along with the guidelines of the PRISMA model. Of 1004 studies, 51 were closely reviewed to determine the responses to the objectives of this study. NVIVO-12 was used for both thematic and content analysis in this study. The results show that there are 29 causes, 12 forms, 31 effects, and 41 different preventives for cyberbullying. The results of this study will not only enhance the comprehension of various concerns for parents, guardians, policymakers, educators, and governments but also provide valuable insights to researchers for addressing this issue.

School dropout intention and reduced academic achievement are two crucial indicators of school dropout risk. Past studies have shown that school performance plays a mediating role in the models explaining dropout intentions. School burnout and test anxiety have been identified as predictors of both academic performance and school dropout. However, their combined effects on the intention to leave school have not yet been investigated. We aimed to address this gap by exploring the predictors of school dropout intention in a sample of 205 French secondary school students. Structural equation modelling analyses have revealed the specific facets of school burnout (devaluation) and test anxiety (cognitive interference) that explained the school dropout intentions and academic performance. Grade Point Average (GPA) was a mediator of the effects of these variables on the intention to drop out of school. The findings highlight the need to acknowledge assessments as a school stress factor that could contribute to health problems and intentions to drop out of school.

Psychological capital (PsyCap) emerges as a pivotal asset for mitigating student burnout in college settings, as it bolsters their learning empowerment and engagement. However, there have been inadequate empirical studies investigating the significance of these resources in promoting engagement and empowerment, ultimately leading to a reduction in students’ burnout within the context of higher education. To bridge this gap, we examined the extent to which PsyCap predicts student burnout through its impacts on academic engagement and learner empowerment. The sample of the study was college students (N = 562) who completed a battery of self-report questionnaires measuring their PsyCap, academic engagement, learner empowerment, and student burnout. We employed hierarchical multiple regression analyses and PROCESS macro to ascertain prediction and serial mediation effects. The results substantiated the hypotheses that PsyCap positively related to learner empowerment and academic engagement while negatively associated with student burnout. Further, students with higher levels of learner empowerment and engagement reported lower levels of burnout in their academic studies. The mediational results also revealed that engagement and learner empowerment acted as significant serial mediators between PsyCap and student burnout. The study’s findings underscore the critical significance of PsyCap within higher education, particularly in nurturing learner empowerment, and engagement, thereby reducing student burnout.

This complex personality trait serves as the main topic of our paper due to the increasing prevalence of perfectionism as well as the rising demands from educational organizations. Our paper can fill a research gap by examining its definitions, models, components, and influencing elements (personality, gender, and immediate environment) in addition to the role of perfectionism in secondary and tertiary education. We assume that perfectionism in higher education is based on its development at secondary school, and it is becoming more intense in time. In 2023 the authors conducted a survey among Hungarian university students to determine the degree to which the participants pursue perfectionism in their professional and personal lives. The questionnaire finally resulted in 550 responses. The findings of our research suggest that women tend to be more perfectionist, but the picture is differently deemed by individuals than by their immediate surroundings. Another noteworthy result revealed that personal perfectionism also depends on the people with whom those who consider themselves perfectionists live. Our SEM model also showed that perfectionism is stronger throughout university studies and that it might be descended from secondary school perfectionism. Personality traits do affect perfectionism at school, which intensifies in higher education after graduating from secondary school.

Successfully solving reality-based tasks requires both mathematical and text comprehension skills. Previous research has shown that mathematical tasks requiring language proficiency have lower solution rates than those that do not, indicating increased difficulty through textual input. Therefore, it is plausible to assume that a lack of text comprehension skills leads to performance problems. Given that different sociodemographic characteristics and cognitive factors can influence task performance, this study aims to determine whether text comprehension mediates the relationship between these factors and competence in solving reality-based tasks. Additionally, it examines the impact of systematic linguistic variation in texts. Using an experimental design, 428 students completed three reality-based tasks (word count: M = 212.4, SD = 19.7) with different linguistic complexities as part of a paper-pencil test. First, students answered questions about the situation-related text comprehension of each text, followed by a mathematical question to measure their competence in solving reality-based tasks. The results indicate that: a) Tasks with texts of lower linguistic complexity have a significantly higher solution rate for both text comprehension (d = 0.189) and mathematical tasks (d = 0.119). b) Cognitive factors are significant predictors of mathematical solutions. c) Text comprehension mediates the relationship between the impact of students’ cultural resources and cognitive factors and their competence to solve reality-based tasks. These findings highlight the importance of linguistic complexity for mathematical outcomes and underscore the need to reinforce text comprehension practice in mathematical education owing to its mediating role.

The rapid advancement of science, engineering, and technology, driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, has heightened the demand for a highly skilled workforce in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Integrated STEM education has emerged as a key driver of educational innovation in Vietnam, spanning both general and higher education. The competence of university lecturers in delivering integrated STEM education, a newly recognized pedagogical and professional skill set, is crucial to the success of STEM education at the tertiary level. As with general pedagogical competence, the development of an integrated STEM education competence framework is essential for enhancing this capability among university lecturers. However, there remains a lack of theoretical foundation and best practices tailored to the Vietnamese higher education context. This study aims to develop a framework for integrated STEM education competence specifically for university lecturers through document analysis and survey research. Multivariate statistical techniques, including exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Cronbach’s alpha, and Pearson correlation, were applied to analyze data collected from 205 lecturers across nine public universities in Vietnam. The integrated STEM education competence framework for Vietnamese university lecturers consists of three component competencies and 23 items: designing and implementing integrated STEM education (15 items), assessing integrated STEM learning outcomes (4 items), and demonstrating positive attitudes toward integrated STEM education (4 items). The framework was found to be both reliable and valid, with strong positive correlations among the three component competencies. This study also outlines limitations and provides recommendations for future research.

This study aimed to optimize critical thinking by empowering reflective and impulsive students' collaboration, communication, and information literacy skills through information literacy-oriented e-books in STEM-integrated problem-based learning (PBL). The research method used was a descriptive explorative approach. The study subjects consisted of five reflective students and five impulsive students. The measurement of cognitive style used the Matching Familiar Figure Test (MFFT) instrument. Collaboration skills were assessed through observation sheets, critical thinking and communication skills were assessed through student worksheets based on problem-solving tasks, and information literacy was assessed through a questionnaire. The study found that reflective students excelled in critical thinking and information literacy, while impulsive students demonstrated superior collaboration skills. As for communication skills, reflective and impulsive students have different advantages for each indicator of communication skills. This study can conclude that implementing information literacy-oriented e-books through STEM-integrated PBL can optimize reflective and impulsive students' critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and information literacy skills. The implication of this study is the importance of integrating 21st century skills holistically in learning practices, especially in the digital era, to prepare the younger generation to face the challenges of the 21st century.

University dropout is a multidimensional and multicausal problem that affects every university around the world. The aim of this article is to conduct a bibliometric review of the scientific literature on the main factors that influence university dropouts in scientific publications between 2018 and 2022. The methodology is based on systematic searches using the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases. We analysed 417 and 498 articles, respectively, applying inclusion/exclusion criteria. The main factors of university dropout were identified: problems in the academic and social world of students, student stress, health reasons, the role of teachers, and changes in the education system. Among the countries with the highest scientific output, Spain stands out, along with the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and China. This would provide a more complete view of the historical evolution and multifactorial causes of this educational phenomenon.

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.

The integration of AI tools in education is reshaping how students view and interact with their learning experiences. As AI usage continues to grow, it becomes increasingly important to understand how students' perceptions of AI technology impact their academic performance and learning behaviours. To investigate these effects, we conducted a correlational study with a sample of 44 students to examine the relationship between students' perceptions of ChatGPT’s utility—focusing on usage frequency, perceived usefulness, accuracy, reliability, and time efficiency—and key academic outcomes, including content mastery, confidence in knowledge, and grade improvement. Additionally, we explored how these perceptions influence student behaviours, such as reliance on ChatGPT, procrastination tendencies, and the potential risk of plagiarism. The canonical correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between students' perceptions of ChatGPT's utility and their academic outcomes. Students who viewed ChatGPT as reliable and efficient tended to report higher grades, improved understanding of the material, and greater confidence in their knowledge. Furthermore, the bivariate correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between dependency on ChatGPT and procrastination (r = 0.546, p < .001), indicating that a higher reliance on AI tools may contribute to increased procrastination. No statistically significant association was identified between ChatGPT dependency and the risk of plagiarism. Future research should prioritize the development of strategies that promote the effective use of AI while minimizing the risk of over-reliance. Such efforts can enhance academic integrity and support independent learning. Educators play a critical role in this process by guiding students to balance the advantages of AI with the cultivation of critical thinking skills and adherence to ethical academic practices.

This study aims to develop and validate a green behavior instrument based on local potential using structural equation modeling (SEM) with smart partial least squares (SmartPLS). The instrument consists of 40 statements covering five main indicators: environmental maintenance, waste reduction, saving natural resources, sustainable mobility and consumption, and community education. This study addresses a gap in existing research by creating a context-specific tool for assessing green behavior, incorporating local cultural and ecological factors. While prior studies emphasize global sustainability principles, they often overlook the significance of local practices and values, which are essential for effective environmental education. By integrating local potential, this instrument bridges global sustainability goals with regional contexts, enabling meaningful and practical student engagement. The instrument was validated through content validity testing, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and construct validity and reliability testing using SEM with SmartPLS. The results indicate strong content validity, with content validity index (CVI) values ranging from .80 to .90. After analysis, 34 valid items were retained from the initial 40. This study contributes to the literature by developing an instrument that aligns with global sustainability goals while integrating local cultural practices and ecological contexts. It offers insights into how local knowledge enhances sustainability education, providing a holistic framework for assessing green behavior across diverse regions.

This study examines how work well-being is addressed in Finnish leadership education programs. The data consist of 91 publicly available course descriptions from Finnish leadership education programs in 2023, including those for master’s degrees from universities of applied sciences, traditional university-level leadership programs, and specialist vocational qualifications in leadership and business management. The study uses content analysis to examine the role of work well-being in leadership training. The results indicate that work well-being is often linked to organizational performance and treated as a tool for achieving economic goals, with less emphasis on the inherent value of employee well-being. This instrumental approach is prevalent across the different types of leadership training programs, including those found in the universities of applied sciences, traditional universities, and programs for specialist vocational qualifications in leadership and business management. The study also finds that leadership training programs often emphasize self-leadership and personal development, which can perpetuate a culture of individual responsibility for well-being and may lead to superficial leadership practices. The study concludes that Finnish leadership educators should prioritize holistic approaches to work well-being in leadership training, emphasizing its intrinsic value alongside its role in organizational performance, while researchers could explore methods to integrate and evaluate these balanced perspectives in diverse educational contexts.

This study examines the factors influencing English language achievement among non-English major undergraduate students in Thailand, with a specific focus on the differences between high-achieving and low-achieving learners. Conducted at Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, this research adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from questionnaires and qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. Three primary influencing factors were identified: student-related factors (e.g., motivation and self-regulated learning), teacher-related factors (e.g., pedagogical practices and teacher-student interactions), and environmental factors (e.g., availability of learning resources). Student motivation and self-regulation emerged as the strongest predictors of success, while teacher-related factors unexpectedly showed a negative influence, suggesting a misalignment between teaching strategies and student needs. Environmental factors, though positively perceived, had a less direct impact on outcomes. Practical implications include enhancing intrinsic motivation, adopting tailored teaching strategies to meet diverse learner needs, and strengthening teacher-student relationships to support low-achieving students. Policymakers are encouraged to address resource disparities and develop targeted interventions to enhance English language proficiency among students.

This study evaluates the impact of an educational intervention strategy – Project-Based Learning (PBL) – designed to enhance university students' knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their integration into academic curricula, and their relevance for future professional and personal applications. The research is motivated by the recognised importance of the SDGs in education and the current limited integration and understanding within higher education settings. The study applied a pre-test and post-test experimental design used, involving 199 first-year students from the University of Cordoba (Spain), enrolled in Primary and Early Childhood Education programmes. The intervention comprised PBL activities aimed at increasing knowledge and perceptions of the SDGs. Data were collected using a questionnaire assessing three dimensions: knowledge of the SDGs, the importance of their inclusion in the curriculum, and the perceived relevance of applying SDG principles in professional and personal contexts. The findings indicate that the intervention strategy effectively improved, albeit partially, students' understanding and perception of the SDGs. There was a significant improvement in students' knowledge. However, regarding the perceived importance of integrating the SDGs into their curriculum and the relevance of the SDGs for their future professional and personal lives, no effects were observed. These results underscore the partial efficacy of PBL in promoting sustainability competences and global citizenship among students, suggesting the need to explore other pedagogical methodologies for greater effectiveness. The study advocates the integration of SDGs into higher education curricula to better prepare students for future challenges, emphasising the need for further research to explore the long-term impacts and broader applicability of such educational intervention.

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 examines the impact of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) on developing metacognitive skills among preservice science teachers (PSTs) in Northeast Thailand. A sample of 143 PSTs, including first-year students in General Biology 1, second-year students in General Physics 1, and third-year students in Basic Organic Chemistry, participated in an 18-week programme. The study aimed to assess changes in metacognitive skills before and after PjBL implementation, evaluate differences among academic years, and identify predictors of skill development. The methodology included a six-hour orientation workshop and a collaborative, project-based curriculum. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed, with the item-objective congruence index (IOC) for content validity, paired samples t-tests for pre- and post-intervention comparisons, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to examine differences across academic years. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify significant predictors of metacognitive skill development. Results showed significant improvements in metacognitive skills post-PjBL, with substantial enhancements across all subjects. ANOVA indicated significant differences among academic years, with third-year students demonstrating the highest metacognitive skill levels. Multiple regression analysis identified participation in PjBL and academic level as significant predictors of metacognitive skill development. These findings highlight the effectiveness of PjBL in enhancing metacognitive skills and underscore the importance of active learning and reflective practices in teacher education programmes. This study provides valuable insights into the impact of PjBL on PSTs' professional growth and instructional efficacy, preparing them for modern classroom challenges.

This study explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) integration on students' educational experiences. It investigates student perceptions of AI across various academic aspects, such as module outlines, learning outcomes, curriculum design, instructional activities, assessments, and feedback mechanisms. It evaluates the impact of AI on students' learning experiences, critical thinking, self-assessment, cognitive development, and academic integrity. This research used a structured survey distributed to 300 students through Microsoft Forms 365, yet the response rate was 29.67%. A structured survey and thematic analysis were employed to gather insights from 89 students. Thematic analysis is a qualitative method for identifying and analysing patterns or themes within data, providing insights into key ideas and trends. The limited response rate may be attributed to learners' cultural backgrounds, as not all students are interested in research or familiar with AI tools. The survey questions are about AI integration in different academic areas. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns and themes within the data. Benefits such as enhanced critical thinking, timely feedback, and personalised learning experiences are prevalent. AI tools like Turnitin supported academic integrity, and platforms like ChatGPT and Grammarly were particularly valued for their utility in academic tasks. The study acknowledges limitations linked to the small sample size and a focus on undergraduate learners only. The findings suggest that AI can significantly improve educational experiences. AI provides tailored support and promotes ethical practices. This study recommends continued and expanded use of AI technologies in education while addressing potential implementation challenges.

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.

: In this study, we present a didactic experience carried out in a public university with 60 students enrolled in the 2nd year of the Primary Education Teaching Degree. This experience consisted of implementing a teaching and learning sequence in which proportionality problems (mathematics content) and pure substances and mixtures (experimental science content) were addressed together in an ecodidactic garden context. This work presents the results obtained through the analysis of the students' responses. Our findings suggest that pre-service teachers have difficulties similar to those of primary and secondary students in the use of measuring instruments and conversion units, as well as in the calculation of proportions in mathematics and conceptual errors at a microscopic and macroscopic level in experimental sciences. This study highlights the need to design and implement strategies to support students in their formative process in relation to the contents of proportion and matter. As an added value in our work, we emphasize the interdisciplinary connection between mathematics and experimental sciences, offering a more real-life perspective of science.