Educ. Sci., Volume 12, Issue 12 (December 2022) – 99 articles

Colleges and universities continue to contend with issues of campus racism, often illuminated by student concerns. Within these ongoing conversations, governance boards play a critical part in engaging with campus issues. Utilizing critical discourse analysis, this study examines two universities through 2000 documents of board meeting minutes, agendas, student newspapers, and campus archives to scrutinize the language, framing, and decision-making of board efforts with diversity, equity, inclusion, and addressing student concerns. Findings illuminate aspects of the Institutional Response Framework and interest-convergence in the ways boards rationalize decisions through concerns about reputation and protecting the university’s best interests. Full article

This study presents and validates the psychometric characteristics of a short form of the Critical Thinking Self-assessment Scale (CTSAS). The original CTSAS was composed of six subscales representing the six components of Facione’s conceptualisation of critical thinking. The CTSAS short form kept the same structures and reduced the number of items from 115 in the original version, to 60. The CTSAS short form was tested with a sample of 531 higher education students from five countries (Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Romania, and Portugal) enrolled in different disciplinary fields (Business Informatics, Teacher Education, English as a Foreign Language, Business and Economics, and Veterinary Medicine). The confirmatory analysis was used to test the new instrument reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity. Both the models that hypothesized the six factors to be correlated and to tap into a second-order factor representing the complex concept of critical thinking, had acceptable fit to the data. The instrument showed strong internal consistency (α = 0.969) and strong positive correlations between skills and between the skills and the overall scale (p < 0.05). Despite the unbalanced sex distribution in the population (close to 75% females), the instrument retained its factorial structure invariance across sexes. Therefore, the new instrument shows adequate goodness of fit and retained stability and reliability, and is proposed as a valid and reliable means to evaluate and monitor critical thinking in university students. Full article

This article uses data from students in England to pilot and validate an ‘Attitudes to Science and Religion’ instrument which explores secondary school students’ perceptions of the relationship between science and religion, as well as their attitudes towards science and towards religion. This instrument was developed in part from previous studies and is intended for educators and researchers for both pedagogical and research purposes. The post-pilot questionnaire was then used with 1102 Year 9/10 students from 18 schools in England to answer two research questions: (1) Is there a relationship between students’ attitudes towards science and their perceptions as to whether science and religion are compatible? (2) What are the characteristics of students who report that science and religion are compatible? Students who reported that science and religion were compatible had more positive perceptions of science and of their ability in science, were more likely to have future aspirations in science and showed more positive attitudes towards science education. There was no statistically significant difference between Christian and Muslim students in their responses about the compatibility of science and religion, nor about whether evolution and creationism should be taught in the science classroom. Muslim students were as positive as were Christian students about their science education and the benefits of science; however, they were less positive about the role of science in explaining the world. Students who reported science and religion as being compatible were more likely to hold religious beliefs than a belief in scientism. Implications of this research are that there ought to be a place for discussion about the relationship between science and religion within school lessons and that high quality discussion is likely to be fostered by developing students’ critical thinking skills. Full article

As colleges and universities commit to creating and sustaining a more inclusive and equitable community, it is important to understand how the role of identity intersects with the existing processes of socialization and development. An identity-conscious practice is the process of realizing that who we are informs and impacts how we act, interact, and see the world around us. In particular, how identity should be considered as part of bidirectional socialization. Understanding socialization as bidirectional means that organizations can contribute to healthier communities that not only retain scholars but also engage with the identities and experiences of their students. This paper explores the ways in which doctoral students of color, in particular, Asian American and Pacific Islanders, experience the socialization and development processes through the lens of race; identifies the key organizational challenges; and provides recommendations for how colleges and universities can move towards a more inclusive and equitable community. This paper advances a framework for an identity-conscious model of the formation of scholars. Full article

Prior education research has focused on using learning analytics to predict the academic performance of Massive Online Learning Courses (MOOCs) and e- learning courses in universities. There is limited research on online learning that has been transitioned from physical classes and that has continued to use active learning approaches in an online environment. This study aims to determine the variables affecting students’ academic performance for a computing course in a research-intense university during the COVID-19 pandemic. Variables that are indicative of self-regulated learning such as time management, frequency of accessing learning materials and the Learning Management System (LMS), participation in assessment activities and discussions, and the results of formative assessments were extracted from the LMS reports and log files to predict the students’ total marks and final exam results. The findings revealed that good time management and active participation are important for academic success. The results also supported the model for the early prediction of summative assessment performance using formative assessment results. Additionally, this study concludes that the gap in predictive power between formative assessment results and online learning behaviors is small. This research is considered unique because it demonstrates predictive models for students’ academic success for an institution that was forced to transition from physical to online learning. It highlights the importance of self-regulated learning behavior and formative assessments in the contemporary era. Full article

Although the Qatari government has invested significantly in education over the past two decades, little research has comprehensively assessed factors associated with high school adjustment and academic success in the country. The present study addressed this gap with a sample of 576 students attending high school in Qatar (M age = 16.32, SD = 1.09; 63.7% male). Students self-reported their school adjustment and perceived academic performance as well as positive and negative indicators of health, including well-being and emotional and behavioral problems. Path models revealed that both well-being and problems contributed to school adjustment. Well-being and problems also contributed to academic performance, but these paths differed for males and females. For females, but not males, well-being was directly related to better performance; for males, but not females, problems contributed directly to worse performance and also operated through school adjustment to affect performance. Implications for promoting optimal school adjustment are discussed. Full article

The aim of this study is to reveal the effect of career barriers and presenteeism behaviors of physical education and sports teachers on teacher professionalism through a structural equation model. The hypotheses presented because of the literature review were tested with the fictional model. The sample of the study consists of a total of 411 physical education and sports teachers, who work in Ankara. As data collection tools, the Teachers’ Career Barriers Scale, the Stanford Presenteeism Scale and the Teacher Professionalism Scale were used in the research. In the analysis of the data, the theoretically created model was tested through a structural equation model. Considering the findings obtained from the research, it can be stated that the participants are faced with career barriers, that they exhibit their presenteeism behaviors at a reasonable level, and that the professionalism level is above average. On the other hand, it was concluded that male participants encountered more career barriers and displayed more presenteeism behavior, while female participants had a higher professionalism level than that of male participants. In addition, it was determined that administrative barriers affect teacher professionalism, while presenteeism behaviors do not have an impact on professionalism level. Full article

Different frameworks are available for assessing and developing digital competences, which poses a choice challenge for potential users. This article aims to analyze and compare international digital competence frameworks for education. The study compares characteristics such as the frameworks’ purpose, structure, competences, and levels, as well as indicators for instrument development. The results indicate that the objective, the theoretical background, and the target group define the framework characteristics. Most analyzed frameworks focus on teacher training. The comparison identified common competences: communication, collaboration, sharing, information and data, content, technical, teaching, learning, and ethics. All frameworks include profiles, objectives, descriptors, activities, examples, and cases of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The article concludes that digital competence frameworks should be segmented by educational actors (students, teachers, and administrators) and levels (early childhood, primary, higher, and corporate) with corresponding assessment instruments. Full article

This paper presents the implementation of an active learning methodology known as blended learning in an ordinary differential equations (ODE) course for engineering students. Our purpose was to evaluate the effect of b-learning on students’ mathematical modeling performance. To this end, synchronous and asynchronous activities were made available to the students as face-to-face and remote learning sessions, in which the experience acquired by students during the sanitary isolation due to COVID-19 was crucial. Benjamin Bloom’s cognitive domain taxonomy was used to design the present didactic proposal. Results show that the students moved upward from the lower knowledge and understanding taxonomical levels, to the upper analysis and application levels, as they learned systems modeling using ODEs. Full article

The highly structured nature of the educational sector demands effective policy mechanisms close to the needs of the field. That is why evidence-based policy making, endorsed by the European Commission under Erasmus+ Key Action 3, aims to make an alignment between the domains of policy and practice. Against this background, this article addresses two issues: First, that there is a vertical gap in the translation of higher-level policies to local strategies and regulations. Second, that there is a horizontal gap between educational domains regarding the policy awareness of individual players. This was analyzed in quantitative and qualitative studies with domain experts from the fields of virtual mobility and teacher training. From our findings, we argue that the combination of both gaps puts the academic bridge from secondary to tertiary education at risk, including the associated knowledge proficiency levels. We discuss the role of digitalization in the academic bridge by asking the question: which value does the involved stakeholders expect from educational policies? As a theoretical basis, we rely on the model of value co-creation for and by stakeholders. We describe the used instruments along with the obtained results and proposed benefits. Moreover, we reflect on the methodology applied, and we finally derive recommendations for future academic bridge policies. Full article

What is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) is the widely used questionnaire to measure psycho-social aspects of the classroom and explore how these aspects affect student learning and achievement. The purpose of this study is to examine the cumulative estimates of reliability and conduct reliability generalization meta-analysis of Cronbach’s alpha for the WIHIC questionnaire. PRISMA framework is used to identify the papers in three major databases. Assuming a random-effects model, the average internal consistency reliability was 0.85, 95% CI [0.83; 0.87] for total scores and ranged from 0.80 to 0.88 for subscales. There was a substantial heterogeneity among the included articles (I² = 99.04%, Q (23) = 1481.074, p < 0.001). According to mixed model analysis, school context has a significant effect on the total scale and subscales, including teacher support, involvement, investigation, cooperation, and equity. Overall, the reliability generalization analysis of pooling reliability estimates helps in understanding the psychometric properties of the WIHIC inventory in diverse populations. Full article

Interdisciplinary science teaching in (lower) secondary education can lead to out-of-field teaching in countries with a discipline-specific teacher education. For example, the discipline-specific teacher education in Germany does not fit the current demands of interdisciplinary science teaching, especially in comprehensive schools. Self-rated content knowledge (srCK)—a specific part of academic self-concept—of (prospective) teachers is important in the context of motivational orientations and due to the reciprocal relation of academic self-concept and performance. Previous research did not focus on the long-term development of core idea-based srCK regarding secondary education. Thus, we surveyed 271 (prospective) teachers of biology, chemistry, and physics three times (2019–2021). In addition, we surveyed seven chemistry and physics pre-service teachers participating in a biology content knowledge (CK) course. Taking into account measurement invariance, we used structural equation modeling and latent change models. The srCK of biology, chemistry, and physics showed a high relative and absolute stability. We did not find any correlation between srCK of biology and chemistry. SrCK of chemistry and physics always showed a small positive correlation. SrCK of biology and physics always had a strong negative correlation. Supporting these results, studying physics had a negative effect on the srCK of biology, and studying chemistry had a positive effect on the srCK of physics. Additionally, studying the subject of the srCK in question always had a strong positive effect. Though srCK seems to be time-stable, a biology CK course for pre-service chemistry and physics teachers showed strong positive changes in their srCK of biology. Thus, training in an unstudied subject could help to cope with the undesired time-stability of srCK. In addition, the strong negative correlation between the srCK of biology and of physics needs to be addressed in teacher education. Full article

This study deals with the descriptive analysis of the opinion of a pilot group of students at the University of Salamanca about the use of an innovative origami microscope: the Foldscope. Data were collected from an online satisfaction survey of 92 students of Plant Histology (Degree in Biology) during their laboratory practices. These surveys collected their opinions about the educational effectiveness of an innovative and economic foldable microscope made of paper. The foldscope is easy to use and can be used individually or collectively, thanks to its projection capability. The results show that the participants have a positive impression regarding the use of this tool to study plant structures, and they recommend its use in the years thereafter. In this regard, it is demonstrated that the price of microscopes is no longer a problem for the teaching of some subjects, such as Plant Histology. Full article

The research process does not end with the publication of the results; on the contrary, it has to continue even further, when results are disseminated and scientific disclosure on the Web begins. The purpose of this article is to promote visibility of the scientific production and digital identity of the faculty and researchers at the Universidad Técnica del Norte (Ibarra-Ecuador). By implementing a quantitative documentary, descriptive, and quasi-experimental comparative approach, it was possible to determine the importance of scientific visibility, the most suitable digital platforms for this task (ORCID, Google Scholar, Academia, ResearchGate, ResearcherID (WoS), Author ID (Scopus), Sciprofiles, Mendeley, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Impactstory), and the level of knowledge that professors have of these platforms. With the results, a pilot training-course was planned and implemented for researchers and university professors of the Faculty of Education Science and Technology, with the purpose of registering their author profiles and incorporating their scientific production onto the platforms with the greatest impact and visibility. The results from the two stages (pre-test and post-test) of the pilot course show a significant difference regarding the creation and management of the research profiles; therefore, this strategy puts forward an alternative way to make research and digital/identity visible in the academic, scientific and social community. Full article

Imaginative play is an important part of childhood that provides insight not only into a child’s ability to use language, but ultimately into their understandings of the world more broadly. Through play, children control the story as they shape an emerging narrative through words, gestures, movement, and use of play spaces. In this paper we deconstruct a single instance of imaginative play captured in the home corner of a preschool classroom. The unscripted play dialogue creates a shared and compelling narrative evident in the texts the children created and their ongoing and complex interactions. Microanalysis of this narrative provides a novel insight into the play scenarios children create, the resources they select for developing the play, and the ways they communicate. We focus on discourse, subjectivity, and power to analyse the scenario. The cultural and linguistic resources demonstrated by this group of four-year-old children through their play provides insight not only into their understanding and interpretation of activities conducive to the home corner but also into their emerging social identities. Full article

The importance of online learning platforms in the face of the challenges of the 21st century cannot be stressed enough. Multiple approaches based on different didactic concepts and software have already been discussed. At Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, our team supports the development of an innovative digital infrastructure in creating a virtual campus that provides a portfolio of digital skills and key qualifications for students of all disciplines. The following paper presents this open source-based social online learning platform called hocampus: it aims to function as a model approach for future learning platforms connecting unsupervised learning, peer communication and tutoring as well as teaching. However, our platform is not a mere technical architecture that employs online learning and communication possibilities: it is characterized by a strong correlation of structure and content. For this, we advance a didactic concept focused on empowering students to strengthen their cross-disciplinary key competences and 21st century skills. We also depict the digital infrastructure and tools being used in the creating and operation of hocampus. Lastly, the general design principles for digital platforms are put forward. This paper also presents a firsthand account of how to implement such a learning platform by showing what hindrances need to be overcome, how students benefit from a social online learning platform and how digital learning can develop and change in the coming years. Thus, it can function as a manual portraying the necessary steps for the realization of concrete didactic concepts in a digital space. Full article

STEM education has been promoted in schools worldwide to cultivate students’ 21st-century skills. Mathematical modelling is a valuable method for developing STEM education. However, in this respect, more attention is given to secondary level or above compared with kindergarten or primary level. Teaching mathematics at the primary level is closely related to authentic problems, which is a crucial characteristic of mathematical modelling activities. After screening 239 publications from various databases, we reviewed 10 empirical studies on mathematical modelling at the primary level. In this systematic review, we analysed the following three aspects: (1) the use of professional development intervention methods/strategies to enhance the intervention effects and the competencies of primary teachers to utilize mathematical modelling; (2) the effects of mathematical modelling on primary students and methods of improving their mathematical modelling skills; and (3) methods used to assess the modelling skills of primary school teachers and students. The results indicate that professional development interventions can enhance the teaching quality of mathematical modelling. The components of the interventions should include an introduction to the pedagogy of mathematical modelling, clarifying the role of the teacher and the student in mathematical modelling activities. Through mathematical modelling, students can generate mathematical ideas, explore mathematical theorems independently, develop critical thinking, and improve their metacognitive and communicative skills. The competency of mathematical modelling is often determined using formative assessments of teachers and students. Because limitations still exist in conducting primary-level modelling activities, schools should utilise more standardised assessment methods, provide universal teacher training, and grant more opportunities for primary school students to participate in mathematical modelling activities. The lack of research on cross-cultural contexts should draw the attention of future research. Full article

The rapid spread of the COVID-19 worldwide led to the migration of the traditional education system based on the face-to-face classroom into an improvised online system, among many other preventive measures. Thus, all teaching methods had to be adapted to this new modality. This work is aimed at studying the viability of the online teaching of the subject of Applied Statistics in Health Sciences in higher education based on the teaching experience lived during COVID-19. In addition to this, possible technological difficulties and COVID-19-derived problems were investigated. A retrospective observational cross-sectional study was performed to analyze the students’ satisfaction according to the teaching methodologies in both face-to-face and online modalities. An exploratory and inferential analysis revealed that online teaching is feasible for the subject under study, although face-to-face learning still continues to significantly revert in favor of the quality of teaching. Therefore, further research is required to develop new online teaching methods given the feasibility of the proposal found in this research. Most of the students reported not having technological learning difficulties, whether related to their connectivity or technological resources, which did not have a significative impact on their teaching perception. Despite the psychological sequalae of COVID-19, this did not affect the students’ teaching satisfaction. Full article

All students should achieve improved outcomes in academic content within general classroom and access information through reading comprehension during their daily interactions. Several adaptations and recommendations should be required for students with intellectual disabilities to access information, such as adapted texts that can provide access to reading comprehension and help them participate equally in modern society. The current study shows promise for the use of easy to read (EtR) material combined with systematic instruction, task analysis, and prompting in facilitating Greek language lessons for students with mild intellectual disabilities. Researchers used an AB single-subject design to evaluate the effects of transcribed EtR texts for providing access to information regarding grade-aligned reading comprehension in Greek language lessons. Students with mild intellectual disabilities were assessed through baseline and intervention phases and their results showed a correlational relation between the intervention supported by EtR material and the number of students’ correct responses on the comprehension probes. In addition, social validity indicated the teaching intervention through adapted EtR texts as being practical and useful. Discussion of results, future research, and limitations are provided with a focus of the importance of teaching interventions based on EtR language that positively contribute to the accessibility and equality of people with intellectual disabilities to information. Full article

Consensus exists among countries of the world that science literacy is necessary for sustainability. Instruction may emphasize comprehension of scientific contents as well as the use of scientific information to examine and understand life on earth, but students’ interest in science is the base on which such instruction rests. In the present field research, we examined female and male college students’ views of science education within their chosen major (STEM versus non-STEM). We specifically selected students whose socio-cultural context is that of a society in transition from a patriarchal model to one that fosters gender equity. A successive-independent-samples design was used to administer a simplified version of the RISC surveys to two clusters of students differing in educational experience: entry-level students (first and second year) and exit-level students (third and fourth year). Female and male students majoring in STEM or non-STEM disciplines at each level were targeted. Although there were no gender differences in major selection at the entry level, at the exit level, male students were more numerous in STEM than non-STEM majors. Only a few gender differences were recorded in students’ views of science education within their STEM and non-STEM majors. At the exit level, opinions about majors were positive across the board. In the microcosm of an academic institution inside a society once defined by patriarchy, gender is now less of a distinctive professional marker for students receiving a college education. Because attitudes are often linked to behavior, these findings also demonstrate the usefulness of periodic institutional assessments of not only students’ performances but also attitudes and preferences to determine the need for gender equity interventions. Full article

As European higher education institutions (HEIs) increasingly grapple with new challenges, the importance and difficulty of massification, democratization, and inclusion have been reinforced by the recent pandemic crisis and the simultaneous need for pedagogical continuity. Meeting these challenges not only implies a profound change in organization and teaching practices, which need to focus on user-centered quality learning, but also raises questions about financing, management, and governance. Using results from two participative experiments conducted in the French University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in the framework of the OpenU (Online Pedagogical Resources in European Universities) project, the authors present ethical and practical issues that currently face inclusive and user-oriented policies in the European higher education area. Through this paper, we argue that creating an imaginative and inclusive participative process is as essential today in the spirit of evidence-based policies supporting digital education as it is partial. We furthermore present emerging results on current needs, as well as incentives to increase participation. Such results ultimately allow us to draw conclusions and recommendations for institutional and national policymakers to further improve user-oriented policies. Full article

Schools worldwide are developing innovative models in response to, and in anticipation of, societal changes. Aiming to address non-academic barriers to learning, while capitalizing on out-of-school time, some school and community leaders have prioritized family and community partnerships, especially in the United States (U.S.). The Community Collaboration Model (CCM) is one such U.S. partnership-oriented model of expanded school improvement. In contrast to some partnership-oriented models, the CCM prioritizes improvements in classrooms and communities, aiming to support students, assist teachers, and improve relationships beyond the typical school day. This scoping review examines 14 peer-reviewed articles which describe CCM-centered innovations and documented outcomes. Barriers and facilitators associated with CCM adoption and implementation in diverse U.S. school and community settings also are explored. CCM’s contributions to important student and school outcomes (e.g., increased access to mental health services, improved school climate, decreased discipline referrals) are documented in this scoping review. Some researchers have also described implementation-related facilitators (e.g., partnerships with universities) and barriers (e.g., initial resistance by educators) that influence the utility of the model in practice. Drawing on prior research, the authors discuss findings and implications for future research, educational policy, and practice. Full article

The COVID-19 virus has altered the nature of education. These modifications may be reversed once universities reopen. Nevertheless, a few of these modifications afford novel options to match pre-COVID-19 suggestions. This study’s purpose is to study staff members’ perceptions of online teaching during COVID-19, describe future projections regarding teaching, and identify the drivers of change in the future learning environment. The study community represents faculty staff in Saudi universities. The sample consisted of 127 faculty staff in nine Saudi universities. Participants had positive perceptions of the usage of e-learning platforms during COVID-19 according to data analysis (though negative experiences existed). Future research must focus on the subtle challenges of aligning theoretical and methodological designs to appropriately analyze the phenomenon under inquiry while contributing to a well-executed body of research in the field of educational technology. Future study is required to determine how teachers perceive information and communications technology (ICT) trading strategies in the light of COVID-19. Full article

The application of scientific and technological approaches in education has been increasing year by year. We evaluated the effect of a TSCCK model based on the cognitive load theory on the cognitive load and learning achievement of vocational students: this model had six components: (1) analysis; (2) content development; (3) cloud development; (4) learning activity development; (5) model implementation; and (6) model revision. We used 62 students randomly selected from 115 students taking an “E-commerce data analysis and processing” course and used cluster random sampling. A total of 31 students were taught with instructions based on the TSCCK model, while 31 students were taught with a traditional method. The instruments used included lesson plans for the TSCCK group developed using the cognitive load theory and the workload profile self-rating scale (WP scale) used to measure the student cognitive load for both groups. The students who learned with TSCCK had significantly lower cognitive load (WP scale) scores than the students who learned with the traditional method, and their achievement scores were higher. The MANOVA confirmed that both the achievement scores and cognitive load measures for the two groups were significantly different at the 0.05 level. Full article

Student enrollment and transfer patterns between the traditional public and charter school sectors help shape the role of charter schools in the broader educational ecosystem, especially as related to the enrollment and segregation of low-income students, English learners, students of color, and students in special education. We examine patterns of student transfer between traditional public schools and charter schools among four of Texas’s largest charter networks, which cumulatively make up over one-third of Texas charter students. We find that these schools serve fewer special education students than traditional public schools, but a greater share of low-income and English learners. Transfers between sectors contribute to enrollment gaps in special education and other classifications, but the findings do not apply uniformly across charter districts, student enrollment classifications, or grade levels. These findings highlight nuanced enrollment patterns between the charter sector and traditional public schools, suggesting that differences in student characteristics between sectors likely stem from a range of sources. Policymakers should acknowledge this nuance, consider alternatives to blanket enrollment regulation policies, and conduct similar analyses of enrollment patterns among charter districts. Full article

Music and movement activities have been found to be beneficial for learning in childhood. The current study was part of the Arts@School project examining the effect of classroom-integrated arts-based interventions (music, movement, music-movement) on various student outcomes. The outcome of interest in the current report is the ability to recognize social interaction, which is one aspect of social cognition, an important but often ignored factor contributing to well-being and learning. The ability to recognize social interaction was studied using a test with two human figures either interacting with each other or moving separately. Children aged 10–11 completed the test pre and post intervention. The intervention groups and an inactive control group were four classes in a school. The interventions were delivered by teachers. The music intervention included listening, singing, and joint music making. The movement intervention was based on a creative dance approach and contained developmental movement patterns. The music-movement intervention focused on bodily experiences arising through activities combining music and movement. All intervention groups improved at the test, whereas the difference between the pre and post measurement did not reach significance in controls. This trend suggests that music and movement interventions integrated in the school learning environment may support children’s ability to interpret body motion, an important aspect of social interaction. Full article

The Fourth Industrial Revolution requires global, structural, and technological changes in all economic and production fields. The most apparent adaptation requirements fall on Generation Z individuals, who will have more and more responsibilities within organizations. The international reports of the World Economic Forum and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development indicate that this training will mainly require a strong development of thinking diversity and lifelong learning skills. This study presents an analysis of the education in these future skills that these individuals will need to work successfully throughout their careers, taking into account the evolution of conditions toward the changes expected in the following years. The methodology used in this research belongs to the field of futures studies. Through strategies in the field of foresight, various scenarios are proposed that involve the expected changes in the short, medium, and long term, both in higher education institutions and in industries and companies, to ensure the adaptation of Generation Z individuals to changes in work, workplace, and workforce. The findings show the strong influence that other skills and attitudes, such as self-esteem, self-efficacy, initiative, emotions, and motivation, have on the capacity for self-managed development throughout professional life. Full article

American public universities have assumed business-minded practices and norms that more closely align with the goals and values of corporations than social institutions charged with creating and disseminating knowledge. One consistent strategy to lower costs involves faculty labor. Institutions have outsourced educational missions to a largely contingent workforce to decrease instructional costs; over the last two decades, the number of adjunct or part-time faculty now comprises 70% of all faculty. As a result, policies have decreased instructional costs and provided administrators with increased flexibility to respond to student demands. However, research indicates compromised student outcomes, less shared governance, and faculty work–life pressures that can undermine commitment, motivation, and professional identity. The following literature review examines the locus of academic capitalism and faculty labor, theorizing how faculty labor policies infer consequences for equity, inclusion, and social justice in higher education. Full article

(1) Background: In March 2020, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Education (MoE) closed all schools and universities in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. All lessons had to be delivered online. This mixed methods case study explores responses to this change in learning environment from 35 BA Education and Early Childhood Studies preservice teachers at a British university in Dubai. The research sought to understand the impact of the sudden move to home learning and the ways in which it affected student communities alongside student perceptions of the online learning environment. (2) Methods: Quantitative data was collected via questionnaires allowing students to consider past experiences while reflecting on their approaches to the online environment. Weekly focus groups were held online to track the student experience and understand the influence of different pedagogical approaches. (3) Results: The research found most students maintained a ‘deep’ or ‘strategic’ approach to learning. (4) Conclusions: Despite students declaring the period of emergency online learning as successful, there was a strong preference for the traditional lecture format over alternative approaches, stating subjective feelings of belongingness and connectedness to the physical campus. Full article

This chapter provides middle school mathematics teachers with strategies to specifically address culturally responsive teaching goals. Authors provide background on culturally sustaining practices and use Ellerbrock and Vomvoridi-Ivanovic’s (2019) three goals for Responsive Middle Level Mathematics Teaching (RMLMT) as a foundation to suggest three specific tools middle level practitioners can use to enhance their students’ experiences. The first goal, advancing young adolescent learners’ mathematical thinking, includes getting to know individuals’ mathematical selves. Goal two addresses promoting equity in young adolescent learner’s mathematical classroom learning experiences. Goal three, attending to young adolescents’ characteristics, needs, and interests, includes an examination of ways to use young adolescent characteristics in middle school math classrooms. The three tools we are recommending include: reflection, literacy integration, and utilization of place-based, problem-based learning. Each of these tools reflect practices that sustain an environment operationalizing the goals of RMLMT. Full article