Education Sciences

The pedagogical value of play-based learning is well established, yet its effectiveness depends on contextual factors such as play type, educators’ perspectives, and their language use. In the background of China’s curriculum transformation, this study examines 28 early childhood educators’ perspectives on play-based learning and their language use during free and structured play. Interviews identified two perspectives on the relationship between play and learning: interdependent (19) and independent (9). Drawing on systemic functional linguistics, educators’ speech functions were analyzed in terms of how speakers give or demand information and goods & services, expressed through statement, question, command, and offer. Findings showed that language use differed across play contexts: while offers were rare in both, free play featured a balanced use of statements, questions, and commands, whereas structured play was marked by a greater use of statements and commands. Educators’ perspectives were also associated with their language choices. In structured play, educators with an interdependent perspective used significantly more statements than those with an independent perspective. In free play, educators with an interdependent perspective used questions and commands within role-play scenarios to extend children’s play experiences, whereas those with an independent perspective tended to use confirmatory questions outside the play scenario to direct children’s attention. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing how play type, educators’ perspectives, and language use interact and may provide children with different learning opportunities in play-based contexts.

Problem-solving is central to STEM in higher education, yet evidence on effective learning strategies for problem-solving remains fragmented across cognitive psychology and discipline-specific research. This systematic literature review, conducted following the PRISMA framework, identifies, categorizes, and analyzes empirical evidence for the learning of well-structured problems in STEM higher education. The strategies reviewed build on two established frameworks of desirably difficult and generative learning strategies. Across three databases (ERIC, PsycINFO, Web of Science), supplemented by citation tracking and screening with ASReview of over 11,000 records, 34 peer-reviewed empirical studies were retained. This review addresses which strategies improve problem-solving in STEM higher education, and how student characteristics, teacher support, and implementation factors shape their effectiveness; data were extracted thematically across these four dimensions. Results show that distributed practice, drawing, enacting, self-explanation, and testing improved problem-solving across STEM contexts. The evidence for interleaving and concept mapping was less consistent. The size and reliability of effects depend on how each strategy was implemented. Effects were strongest when students actively generated content and when problem-solving was measured on delayed assessments. Particularly for testing, distributed practice, and interleaving, effects were also larger when interventions were sustained over time and structurally embedded in courses, though this pattern was not equally evident across all strategies. The review highlights the need for broader coverage of disciplines and student populations. Evidence for teacher’s support role is not present in any included study.

Digital technologies are becoming increasingly embedded in undergraduate dental curricula, with the potential to support learning and skills development. This scoping review mapped recent evidence on the implementation and educational applications of contemporary digital technologies in undergraduate dental education. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify studies published between 2021 and 2025. The review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines and included studies investigating digital technologies in undergraduate dental education. A total of 24 studies met the inclusion criteria. The identified technologies included virtual reality and simulation-based learning systems, digital and 3D-printed educational models, digital assessment and feedback systems, web-based learning platforms, artificial intelligence applications, CAD/CAM technologies, and digital clinical devices. Across the included studies, the reported educational outcomes most commonly concerned practical performance, knowledge acquisition, student engagement, self-assessment, and satisfaction, with many studies focusing on short-term preclinical or learner-reported outcomes. Virtual simulation and digital assessment systems were the most extensively investigated technologies. The available evidence suggests that digital technologies may support undergraduate dental education when used as adjuncts to conventional teaching methods. However, the effectiveness of specific blended-learning models requires direct comparative evaluation. Future research should prioritize longitudinal and methodologically rigorous studies examining long-term knowledge retention, clinical competence, educational quality, and the transfer of acquired skills to professional practice.