In higher education, it is essential that students apply what they have learned to solve problems in their community. Meaningful learning is the main means to increase the accumulation of knowledge and achieve the transfer of learning, which is why the present study aimed to: design and evaluate the psychometric properties of a scale that measures the application of learning strategies that promote meaningful learning. The participants were 890 university students from Northeast Mexico, with an average age of 20.35 years (SD = 3.94). The sample was randomly divided into two: an exploratory factor analysis was carried out with the first sample and a confirmatory factor analysis was made in the second sample. The results obtained confirm the eight-dimensional structure, which showed an adequate fit to the data (χ2 / gl = 3.57, GFI = .96, AGFI = .95, NFI = .94, RMSEA = .08 and SRMR = .07), high parsimony (RP = .93), in addition to good internal consistency (ω ≥ .80) and convergent validity (AVE ≥ .40). In conclusion, the scale presents adequate psychometric properties to measure the frequency of use of strategies that promote meaningful learning in Mexican university students.

The government has imposed social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting the education sector, including the early childhood school. Distance education offers different methods from the conventional methods, as the students are expected to gain the same skills, including critical thinking skills. Therefore, teachers must provide distance learning innovations using relevant learning media, such as multimedia-based learning. This research aims to assess the efficacy of multimedia learning in early childhood distance learning. This research is a quantitative model with a quasi-experimental pretest and posttest design. The data collection technique utilized questionnaires given to 30 samples of early childhood children. The data were statistically analyzed using SPSS software. The results confirmed that multimedia-based learning for distance learning could develop critical thinking skills in early childhood children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this study offer exploration of learning strategies to improve children’s critical thinking.

This review explores research into the effects of collaborative learning interventions on critical thinking, creative thinking, and metacognitive skill ability on biological learning. The search was conducted from 2000 to 2021. We found 36 critical thinking studies, 18 creative thinking studies, and 14 metacognitive skill studies that met the criteria. The results showed that collaborative learning influences large categories (ES=4.23) on critical thinking, influences large categories (ES= 7.84) on creative thinking, and influences large categories (ES= 8.70) on metacognitive skill. The study's findings show that collaborative learning interventions have the highest impact on metacognitive abilities. Based on these findings, we provide insights for education research and practitioners on collaborative learning interventions that seem to benefit the empowerment of high levels of thinking at various levels of education to be combined with various other interventions in the future. The type of intervention, level of education, materials used, and study quality criteria were included in the study.

Character education is urgent in passing down the ethical and moral values in the cultured community life. The local cultural values are a source of ethics and moral education for elementary school students. The school keeps taking an essential role in cultivating the local values through online character education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to analyze the effect of implementing online integrated character education and parental engagement in local cultural values cultivation outcome. The method of this study used an exploratory sequential mixed method design. Collect qualitative data using interview forms, observation, documentation, and quantitative data using questionnaires and portfolios. Qualitative data interpretation used content analysis, and inferential analysis used multiple linear regression. Results revealed that parental engagement, teachers’ performance, and online learning obstacles affect local cultural values cultivation outcome in character education partially and simultaneously for sixth-grade students in Padang City. We suggested teachers improve character education management based on local cultural values by building good synergy and collaboration between them and parents to cultivate noble character behavior among students.

The article discusses the topical issue of a model of digital competencies for a future teacher. The analysis of the composition and structure of the most relevant models of digital competencies of a citizen and a modern teacher is carried out. In addition, the article reveals approaches to the formation of the content of digital competence, and provides the results of an empirical study, which consists in analyzing the results of a survey of practicing teachers and teacher-training students in order to identify the most demanded digital competencies of a future teacher. The article substantiates the authors’ content of the competence of a future teacher, a university student. The purpose of this article is to develop a theoretical model of digital competence of a future teacher, taking into account the dynamic technologisation of the modern world and the peculiarities of Russian education, based on an analysis of approaches to determining the content of its digital competencies. According to the analysis of studies, the issue of teachers’ digital competence is not sufficiently disclosed. Numerous studies on digital competencies of a person, teacher, etc. do not fully solve the problem of assessing the digital competence of future teachers.

This study was conducted following the initial stage of the transition to distance education necessitated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and meeting the various challenges that came with it. At this point, countries and teachers have gained experience in preparing and delivering online education. Therefore, the study aimed to identify the beliefs of primary school mathematics teachers about teaching in synchronous virtual classrooms. It adopted a mixed methods approach, following a convergent parallel design. The overall study sample comprised 410 male and female teachers. A questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data across three dimensions (teaching efficiency, employing the philosophy of active learning, mathematical achievement). There were 31 items (verified for validity and reliability) comprising statements measured using a five-point Likert scale, together with open-ended options for further elaboration. In total, 130 teachers completed the questionnaire. Interviews were conducted with 10 teachers to collect qualitative data. The results show means in the range 3–5.75 for agreement with statements concerning the beliefs of mathematics teachers about teaching in virtual classrooms in the following order of importance: teaching competence; mathematical achievement; employing the philosophy of active learning. The study also found no statistically significant differences attributable to the variables of gender, qualification, or teaching experience, and also that many factors are considered to affect teaching in synchronous virtual classrooms related to the teacher, the family, and the student.

In the last decades, the notion of universal design for learning (UDL) has gained prominence in the Greek educational scene (former government plan in education, projects based on UDL). This educational philosophy is essentially a necessary inclusive practice given the new conditions, the extreme heterogeneity of the student population due to socio-political and economic factors, and the exceptional circumstances due to COVID-19 pandemic. The UDL aims to ensure access and equity in learning for all learners despite differentiating characteristics. With our study, we seek to investigate whether teachers in secondary and second chance schools (SCS) are ready to implement UDL, what their expectations are, what obstacles they face, and the results of implementation through their records in reflection journals, a practice that is fully consistent with the context of UDL.

Systemic thinking skills are an increasingly important aspect of contemporary life for all students. Therefore, the first aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between systemic thinking skills, epistemological beliefs, and mathematical beliefs in a sample of 120 secondary school students aged 16-18 years in Saudi Arabia. The second objective was to examine gender differences in these three variables. Participants answered scales measuring the Systemic Thinking Inventory (STI) and the Mathematical Beliefs Scale (MBS) created by the researcher. Additionally, participants answered the Epistemic Belief Inventory (EBI). Results showed a positive correlation between systemic thinking skills, epistemological beliefs, and mathematical beliefs. In addition, significant differences were found in favor of men on the systemic thinking skills on the holistic vision of the system and systemic synthesis skills subscales and females on the systemic analysis subscale. Significant differences were found in epistemological beliefs. A particular difference was innate knowledge and omniscient authority in favor of males, simple knowledge, certain knowledge, and rapid learning in favor of females. In addition, differences were found for mathematics teacher competence and self-efficacy beliefs in favor of males and the usefulness of learning mathematics, difficulty in mathematics, and enjoyment of mathematics in favor of females. The results are discussed in light of the relevant literature, and suggestions are made.

COVID-19 has substantially affected the majority of work capabilities. Higher education is responsible for preparing graduates for employment and well-rounded individuals with varied talents. This study determined the acquired attributes of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) graduates and whether it is anchored to the required attributes by the industry. Descriptive and comparative research designs of the quantitative research method were used in this study. This study had two sets of participants. Data on acquired attributes were gathered from the BSIT graduates from 2017-2020 of the Private Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Santiago City, Philippines, who are presently employed. At the same time, required graduate attributes were provided by the representatives from the industry partners of the Private HEI. A total of 45 BSIT graduates and 26 companies participated in the study. Data were collected using a modified questionnaire through online surveys and drop and collect method. Through confirmatory factor analysis, mean scores, t-tests, and ANOVA, rankings, findings revealed the six-factor result, which tallies the latent variables used for this study. BSIT graduates confirmed that they acquired the necessary attributes to be competitive in the IT industry according to the prescribed attributes for BSIT graduates. The Graduates and the Industry agreed that Modern tool usage and resiliency are essential in these challenging times in the workplace. According to the findings, graduates' university-acquired skills and competencies considerably increased their opportunities in national and global markets and sectors, making them timely and relevant during COVID-19 and beyond.

The primary goal of this study was to explore the effectiveness of Quizizz in enhancing students' motivation, interest, and achievement in physics. This study was conducted at the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) – Gabaldon campus during the second semester of the academic year 2021-2022. This study used both a descriptive and a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. The descriptive design was used to describe the student's motivation and interest in learning waves and optics before and after the intervention of Quizizz. The quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was used to determine the effectiveness of Quizizz in increasing students' motivation, interest, and achievement in physics. The study included 20 students pursuing a bachelor's degree in secondary education with a major in science. According to the findings, before the intervention of Quizizz, students agreed that they are motivated and interested in learning physics, and their performance was average. Following the intervention, students unanimously agreed that they are more motivated and interested in learning physics, and their scores in a specific unit increased. According to the t-test, the intervention of Quizizz significantly increases student motivation, interest, and achievement in physics. It demonstrates that using Quizizz in physics instruction improved students' motivation, interest, and achievement in physics.

The delivery of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning to improve an individual’s competence and future career interests has become a critical scientific undertaking for teachers and researchers alike. A plethora of research has proposed various hands-on robotics activities built on constructivist theories, thereby facilitating the development of knowledge based on reality for scientific and non-scientific stakeholders. Robotics may become an essential focus point within technology provision, which is an essential underlying characteristic for the seminal development of computational thinking (CT). However, despite the potential benefit of CT in developing an individual’s problem-solving skills, strategies for improving this ability through hands-on robotics activities largely remain underexplored. This paper highlights the constructs drawn from hands-on robotics activities in a STEM workshop designed for pre-service teacher students. The qualitative research design involved eight participants to investigate the responses of pre-service teachers to a hands-on robotics activity intended to provide STEM material. The research findings emphasise the correlations between the CT principles and STEM learning phases and underscore the roles played by educational robotics to enhance previous literature on learning experience.

COVID-19 pandemic forces training for principals to be conducted online. This study aims to evaluate the context, input, process, response, study, behavior, and outcome to determine the effectiveness and make recommendations for training. The approach used in this study was a mixed method with a concurrent embedded design and a qualitative method as the main method. The subjects of this study were the principals, committees, and instructors. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and questionnaires and analyzed using Miles and Huberman's model, descriptive analysis, and a t-test. The results show that e-training is effective in context, input, and process. Response, learning, and attitude assessments prove that knowledge, skills, and attitude have improved. Participants will be able to implement the experience gained and impact school quality improvement. This study contributes to the combination of the two evaluation models proven to produce a complete result. The study for the e-training recommends needed assessment before the training, the activity before the training to acquire the skills in using the learning management system, and the monitoring and evaluation after the training.

The article deals with financial education. The data were collected as part of the Slovenian project “NA-MA POTI” (NAroslovje, MAtematika, Pismenost, Opolnomočenje, Tehnologija, Interaktivnost- Science, Mathematics, Literacy, Empowerment, Technology, Interactivity), which aims, among other things, to promote financial literacy at the national level. The aim of the survey presented here is to determine teachers’ attitudes towards financial literacy and their teaching strategies in teaching topics related to financial literacy. A total of 158 teachers participated in the survey. The results show that most teachers agree that financial literacy is important. Those teachers who agreed that financial literacy is important were also statistically significantly more likely to use group work, approaches and work methods that require the development of critical thinking and authentic tasks, which provides a good foundation for knowledge transfer in everyday life.

The pandemic case has shifted away from face-to-face teaching to online blended learning. This phenomenon certainly causes various problems in the world of education. The online blended learning is good when applied with good internet connections and complete facilities. However, it differs from Indonesian coastal students who do not have supporting facilities. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the experience and readiness of Indonesian coastal students. It determines the facilities of the process using qualitative research with a phenomenological approach. Purposive sampling was used to collect data from 25 students living in coastal areas in Aceh, Indonesia. Furthermore, in-depth interviews were used to obtain instruments and techniques for data collection, observations, field notes, and audio-visuals. Data analysis was carried out qualitatively by reducing, displaying, drawing conclusions, and verifying data. The data processing was conducted using NVivo 12 plus software. The kappa coefficient is used to check the accuracy of the data since there was no bias during coding. The analysis results show that Indonesian coastal students are not ready to conduct the online blended learning process. Furthermore, it is recommended that future research focus on coastal students’ development. A Hypothetical Learning Trajectory design should be created to assist in independent learning and lessen their readiness.

Academic failure and school dropout, or early school leaving, are two of the situations that most concern countries and educational institutions worldwide, because of their prevalence and also their economic and social implications. Despite this prominent role that academic failure and school dropout have in societies, there seems to be no consensus on the literature on their conceptualization, definition, and relationship. Moreover, it is frequent to observe how both concepts are confused or overlap in the scientific literature and how many authors avoid defining these constructs, using them indistinctly. Therefore, this work analyses whether educational research considers them as two different concepts or if they are used indistinctly. For this purpose, 2,051 keywords from 450 articles were subjected to a systematic review and classified into the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) thesaurus´ descriptors. The results reveal statistically significant differences in the descriptors according to the type of paper to which they correspond (academic failure or dropout). Thus, academic failure is associated with sociocultural, personal, and academic factors, while dropout is linked to employment and educational trajectories. These differences evidence that, although academic failure and school dropout refer to closely related educational problems, there are remarkable differences between them and between the treatment given to each of them in the scientific literature. Therefore, they should be considered as two different concepts. For all this, keyword analysis has proved to be a relevant element for the study of the structure of knowledge, allowing to clearly establish the differences between the two closely related concepts.

The research emphasized three main objectives: 1) to analyze the propensity score of the research effect size for developing students’ creative thinking, 2) to study the attribute variables effect of the research on the effect size of creative thinking before and after the propensity score adjustments, and 3) to compare the effect size between instructional methods to develop creative thinking before and after the propensity score adjustments. The data were obtained from 400 research studies on creative thinking development in Thailand. The research instrument for data collection included the research attribute record form. They were analyzed by calculating effect size, propensity score matching analysis, and fixed effect and random effect meta-regression analysis. The results indicated two research groups with propensity scores that develop students' creative thinking: the low effect size group of 256 research ( =1.345) and the high effect size group of 144 research ( =7.284) using 26 attribute variables of creative thinking development research. Moreover, the instructional methods with the creative activities had the highest effect size ( =3.88). After the analysis of propensity score matching, the effect of 12 research attribute variables was eliminated as follows: manufacturing research institutions, year of publication, educational institutions, curriculum, creative thinking indicators, instructional materials, types of research, research objectives, research groups, research protocols, statistics used in research, quality of research and it was found that integrated instructional model of knowledge using media and technology had the highest effect size ( =0.41).

The vast technological development affects every layer of people’s daily life, including Education. However, Indonesia’s tertiary education status quo has not exhibited any rapid development in information technology-based learning media. This study aimed to develop and identify the effectiveness of Basic Pedagogy Material online learning material in improving students’ outcomes in pedagogy. It applied R & D design with a waterfall development model on second-semester students in Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia, during the educational year of 2020/2021. The data collected through interviews, observation, questionnaire, scale, and test were analyzed using independent t-test and n-gain. The findings indicated a significant difference between the average score before and after students used the Basic Pedagogy Materials mobile learning application during the learning process. Therefore, the mobile learning application developed effectively improves students' learning outcomes in pedagogy subjects effectively.

The aim of this study was to investigate how the use of the technologized model of critical thinking development affected the self-study process of students of higher educational institutions (HEIs). The research methodology was based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative empirical methods, as well as a descriptive approach to data analysis. The study involved a quasi-experimental model supposed to influence the variables under study. The technology-based educational model of autonomous learning with a focus on the critical thinking development in students of HEIs consisted of the following processes, such as: communication, analysis, synthesis, problem-solving, evaluation, and reflection. The Watson Glaser Test was adapted to monitor the level of students’ critical thinking. The average score on the final control of students’ knowledge was used to monitor the experimental group students’ performance. By monitoring the development of students’ critical thinking and the dynamics of their performance in the course of training, where 90% of the time students studied independently, it was established that the use of a technological educational model had a positive effect on the critical thinking of students of HEIs, and as a result, the effectiveness of their self-study.

Teachers play an important role in helping students improve their learning and achieve the intended curriculum outcomes. Therefore, it is essential to look at teachers’ knowledge, understanding, and perceptions of any educational innovation. The present study aims to examine knowledge, understanding and perceptions of Rwandan science teachers with respect to the competence-based curriculum (CBC) introduced in 2015. The 2015 curriculum framework included features like the rationale for its adoption, the concept of competence, different competences to be developed by learners upon CBC implementation, principles guiding CBC implementation, and cross-cutting issues to be addressed by CBC implementation. This research is a multiple case study that adopted a qualitative approach with interpretivism paradigm. Twelve science teachers from three secondary schools, selected based on their differing teaching experience, participated in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The data were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed some satisfactory knowledge, understanding and perceptions of science teachers. Further, knowledge and understanding gaps as well as negative perceptions of CBC were identified. Towards the effective and efficient implementation of the CBC, this research suggests appropriate training and establishment of the school community of practices for improving teachers’ experience of the CBC.

This study aims to identify students' styles of career choices. The second aim is to investigate what factors influence career choice style. The third aim is to determine whether all students of education programs want to become teachers one day. This research model is a relational model that uses multinomial logistic regression. The research population was Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) students of education programs from five faculties in 2018. The number of people in the population was 4,531, and the participants were 220 students. The data analysis consisted of the multinomial logistic regression method. The results showed that the model met the requirements for use. Factors affecting career decisions are gathering information, locus of control, decision-making speed, and aspiration of an ideal career. Career choice has five styles: rational, intuitive, spontaneous, dependent, and avoidant. Accordingly, the spontaneous style is most commonly used by students. The other result shows that the factor that most influences students in choosing a style is pursuing an ideal career.