Search Results (25)

The teaching profession increasingly demands complex competencies, including collaboration, professional networking, and adaptability, beyond subject-specific knowledge, due to rapid educational, technological, and labor market changes. This study addresses the limited national data on the professional relational capital of teacher education students and examines how relational networks affect professional identity, commitment, and retention. A pilot questionnaire was developed from focus group interviews conducted in spring 2024 at the University of Nyíregyháza and analyzed with ATLAS.ti 7. The instrument includes four dimensions: parental influence, initiative during high school, initiative during university, and future employment plans, with indicators such as place of residence, cooperation patterns, network durability, domestic and international collaborations, and professional aspirations. Results indicate that students’ relational networks are central to early professional socialization and engagement in collaborative teaching communities. Mapping these networks offers diagnostic and developmental insights, supporting targeted mentoring, inter-institutional cooperation, and international mobility. Findings suggest that deliberately developing relational capital during teacher training enhances professional preparedness, satisfaction, and retention. Overall, the study highlights the value of integrating professional networking and collaborative competencies into teacher education to promote sustainable career paths, align training with labor market expectations, and strengthen the quality, resilience, and long-term sustainability of the teaching workforce. Full article

This paper aims to study how heutagogy relates to multilingualism and distance education regarding augmenting learner autonomy, meta-linguistic awareness, and overall learning objectives. As such, in our modern age, pedagogical models have shifted their focus and promote self-regulation and flexible learning of students, focusing on broad principles such as andragogy and heutagogy. This means that the weight is shifted over the trainee to the trainer to actively co-create knowledge that aligns with his/her objectives while using modern tools and processes such as distance learning environments and other digital resources. Our article reviews international publications from 2020 to 2025 to provide a more recent and modern approach and highlights findings from approximately 40 key publications that explore the application of heutagogical and self-determining core values in multilingual online learning. The results of our study were generated based on some preset criteria that aimed to measure the degrees of autonomy and intrinsic motivation, evaluate metacognitive and metalinguistic development, and assess the contribution of technological advancements such as MALL tools, AI, and digital learning ecosystems. Finally, the challenges faced in our study suggested limitations in terms of digital inequality, learning readiness, and difficulties in educators’ training. All the above can be tackled by the heutagogy model in distance multilanguage education when and if supported by the necessary cultural awareness, pedagogical strategies, and most importantly, technological training and infrastructure of all participating parties. Full article

The rapid integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence in higher education challenges social work as student adoption outpaces pedagogical guidance. This paper argues that the unguided use of AI fosters cognitive debt: a cumulative deficit in critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and professional judgment that arises from offloading cognitive tasks. To counter this risk, a pedagogical model is proposed, synthesizing experiential learning, andragogy, and critical pedagogies. The framework reframes AI from a passive information tool into an active object of critical inquiry. Through structured assignments across micro, mezzo, and macro practice, the model guides students through cycles of concrete experience with AI, reflective observation of its biases, abstract conceptualization of ethical principles, and active experimentation with responsible professional use. Aligned with professional ethical standards, the model aims to prepare future social workers to scrutinize and shape AI as a tool for social justice. The paper concludes with implications for faculty development, institutional policy, accreditation, and a forward-looking research agenda. Full article

This study examines the structure of student argumentation on artificial intelligence (AI) within the framework of the Toulmin model. We analyzed essays on AI written by 452 Hungarian secondary school students, coding for the presence of the six Toulmin components (claim, data, warrant, backing, qualifier, rebuttal). The results show that students frequently use fundamental argumentation components such as claim, data, and rebuttal. However, elements that provide deeper, more nuanced argumentation, such as backing and qualifiers, appear rarely. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, we identified three distinct argumentation profiles: Critical Arguers, who construct complex structures that also reflect on counterarguments; Minimal Arguers, who follow a simplified, primarily claim-based strategy; and Direct Rebutters, who employ a confrontational style of argumentation that omits the warrant but focuses on rebuttal. Based on our findings, we propose differentiated pedagogical strategies to foster the development of critical thinking in students with different argumentation styles. Full article

Proclamation of the gospel is a perennial practice of congregational leadership demanding responsiveness to issues, trends, and events impacting congregations, their local and regional communities, and the challenges of the world. How do congregational leaders equip themselves for the important and ever-changing task of preaching? Lifelong learning, the fastest-growing and least-resourced aspect of theological education in North America, provides this opportunity. Through a 2024 survey, this quantitative study provides insight into the lifelong learning needs of Methodist preachers, including differences based on gender and race/ethnicity. Time for additional learning is the major perceived obstacle for preachers desiring to improve their craft. Thus, lifelong learning programs must make the case for how the required time and energy will benefit the preacher participating in such programs. Specifically, the activities of reviewing recordings of sermons (both one’s own and those of other preachers), receiving constructive feedback on sermons, and realizing the collaborative potential of preaching must be structured in ways that prove the value of these investments for preachers. This data on the lifelong learning needs of Methodist preachers has implications on multiple levels: conceptual, institutional, congregational, and personal. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sudden shift to virtual platforms. Physical distance and limited experience with both synchronous and asynchronous teamwork at work and school hampered problem-solving and the development of critical thinking skills. Under these circumstances, the implementation of team-based and problem-based learning (TBL, PBL, respectively) required a reevaluation of how teams collaborate and engage in problem-solving remotely. The research team conducted a systematic review to identify health services studies, themes, and attributes of learning initiatives associated with the success of TBL and PBL conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. This systematic review was conducted using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The review results identified three themes associated with TBL and PBL learning initiatives in health services: (1) TBL and PBL have transformed health services education with modified TBL (mTBL) and modified PBL (mPBL) as the new norms; (2) the amplification of age-appropriate principles for professional motivation in healthcare; and (3) active learning impacts practical abilities for professional success and future leadership roles. The pandemic underscored the importance of flexibility, resilience, and innovation in TBL and PBL approaches in health services education. Despite the superiority of mPBL and mTBL, the barriers to implementation and student acceptance of active learning include inadequate resource and space allocation, and student preferences for passive, traditional lecture. Further, online learning required increased facilitator training, administration time, and time to provide feedback. Full article

The authors present changes in the content and teaching methods of religious education (RE) in the third decade of the 21st century, as proposed by the current curricular reform of compulsory education in Slovakia. First, they analyse the reform documents in terms of social competence development as one of the RE content requirements. Second, they seek a teaching methodology that applies a balanced approach to the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) while protecting RE pupils and their building of healthy human relationships from the potential threat of digital addiction. The authors based their teaching ideas on the findings from their research. To explore the relationship between addictive Internet behaviour and social intelligence, they used a questionnaire including the Internet Addiction Test and the TSIS Scale. The Mann–Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis. Data on 386 adolescent respondents revealed a statistically significant difference between males and females in social awareness, with males performing significantly better. A weak positive relationship (ρ = 0.240) was identified between social awareness and addictive Internet behaviour. In the discussion, the authors suggest teaching methods for developing social competence via RE without resisting the opportunities provided by ICT, while also avoiding an increase in the risk of online social media addiction. They suggest that even denominational RE should prioritize cultivating healthy relationships not only with God but also relationships with other people, the outside world, and oneself. Full article

Entrepreneurship education (EE) plays a vital role in fostering an entrepreneurial culture and promoting the growth of the small- and medium-sized business sector in a nation. Research on EE has advanced extremely rapidly in the last two decades. These changes are evident not only in the quantity of published works but also in the evolving methods of academic communication, the rise of emerging nations as prominent contributors to EE research, and the shifting areas of focus in study themes. This current study aims to provide a comprehensive picture of these processes based on a big-data-centred bibliometric analysis of a corpus of 3787 articles that appeared in the Web of Science literature database. The bibliographic metadata was analysed using Biblioshiny, CitNetExplorer, and VOSviewer. To understand the most significant development trends, researchers employed the triangulation method, which included scientific mapping and epistemological analysis in addition to standard tools of bibliometric analysis. This has led to the identification of some study needs. First, improving EE methods in secondary school curricula; second, EE in adult education and the practicality of the findings for andragogy; third, EE in least developed countries and its unique challenges; fourth, combining EE with internet-based, innovative training and education approaches like gamification and simulations; fifth, EE’s role and methodological development in societal economic integration; and sixth, women’s unique EE requirements. On top of that, this study provides the basis for policymakers and practitioners to consider incorporating entrepreneurial education programmes, which can help to create a prosperous entrepreneurial ecosystem. Full article

Extensive research has shown that noise has detrimental effects on learning in classrooms, yet schools remain noisy environments. In addition, little is known about the students’ insight into their subjective reaction to noise. Students’ awareness of noise, as well as their perception of its effects on their affective and bodily states, remain unanswered. In the current study, the self-reported experience of noise and reaction towards noise, which was collected by way of a questionnaire, was assessed for 408 students in primary and secondary schools in Québec. Results suggest that about half of the students experience affective and bodily reactions to noise, and students who report having a negative affective reaction to noise are also more prone to report feeling this noise in their bodies. The results of this study offer a comprehensive picture of the students’ subjective (affective and bodily) state in relation to noise in schools. Full article

The study aims to estimate the possibilities of sustainable development, ensuring and achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in light of challenges caused by the pandemic’s “new normal”. In this regard, the study employs bibliometric and empirical approaches. Based on the bibliometric analysis results, it is found that the main focus of sustainable development studies during the pandemic is on economic issues (particularly, innovations and strategic decision-making) while also addressing humanitarian problems such as ensuring health and well-being. To find the practical problems in ensuring sustainable development during the pandemic period, we used the case of Ukraine with appropriate empirical analysis at two levels. Therefore, we estimated the achievements of SDGs compared to planned indicators for 2020 (as the last report data available for this study). As a result, the low level of achievements is proven; particularly, only 20% of planned indicators are fulfilled with planned values. Moreover, the sociological research is conducted to reveal the subjective perceptions of the pandemic’s influence on the possibilities of achieving SDGs. The survey was conducted during the second pandemic wave in December 2020–January 2021, involving 416 respondents. The obtained results confirmed the ambiguous influence of the pandemic. On the one hand, the positive changes are typical for healthcare services and distance learning. However, the negative influence of the pandemic’s “new normal” on SDGs is confirmed by respondents through their concerns about the effects of the pandemic on the development of investments and agricultural technologies as well as the progress in goals, such as “Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure” and “Sustainable Cities and Communities”. Full article

This research seeks to identify teaching-learning mechanisms that allow innovation and educational evolution for Youth and Adult Basic Education and thus achieve social inclusion in a rural development environment that has technological limitations and internet access in rural areas. The work seeks to identify a strategic process of learning objects to apply an inverted classroom in no presential modality. The objective is to respond to the low level of knowledge in the area of Language and Literature to mitigate the lack of understanding of the andragogical resources of the teachers in virtual classes. A methodological strategy is proposed that is related to the scientific field through bibliometric and quantitative analysis based on scientific information; in a second moment, the environment is evaluated via satisfaction surveys conducted with students and teachers of the third baccalaureate of the rural areas in the no presential modality of the Juan Jiménez Educational Unit, Abdón Calderón extension, province of Sucumbíos, Ecuador. A total of 66.67% of teachers between 41 and 45 agree with implementing ICT as a strategy for better learning in the education of young people and adults despite the scarce access to the internet in rural areas. Full article

Context: The care of adults with intellectual disabilities is marginalized and rarely studied in Poland. In recent years, this issue has gained particular importance, partly due to the increasing life expectancy of people with ID. This paper presents a study of the function of informal caregivers for adults with ID, comprising parents who provide regular, constant, physical and emotional support and assistance with everyday activities to their adult children. Due to cultural and institutional conditions, Polish society sets high expectations for families regarding the care of their dependent members. Social policy also mainly promotes informal care, with formal care only being supported to a very limited extent. The state delegates responsibility, including financial responsibility, to families. With the rapid aging of society, this situation poses great challenges. Methods: This study was conducted in the Łodź region of Poland; it used a qualitative approach, and a semi-structured interview was performed using the narrative elements technique. The main goal of the research was to understand the situation of caregivers to adults with an intellectual disability by identifying thematic categories in the respondents’ statements. The analysis of the qualitative data content made it possible to capture and present the participants’ personal perspectives on significant issues connected with their function in the context of providing care to an adult with an intellectual disability. A total of 12 interviews were conducted. The age of the respondents (caregivers) was 51–82 years old, and the individuals they were caring for were between 20 and 49 years old. Results: Based on the materials collected, 13 thematic categories and subcategories were identified, along with illustrative examples. The main categories concerned everyday functioning, health, uncertainty, relationships with others, feelings, time, and the macro level. For each category, subcategories were distinguished and illustrated by the respondents’ statements. The categories and subcategories were not completely distinct; sometimes they overlapped or complemented one another. Conclusions: For the majority of the respondents, the care of an adult with an intellectual disability had a negative effect on their well-being. As a consequence, they performed their caregiver’s role at the expense of their own lifestyle. Noticeable themes included “addiction” to caregiving, psychophysical fatigue, and the needs and difficulties resulting from this being “ignored” by the commonly understood social environment (including state institutions). Thus, the care of dependent adults with ID should be viewed on a broad human spectrum, that is, in consideration of the unique situation of those who remain under permanent care provided by family members, those who live alone, and those whose loved ones try to combine caregiving with their own private lives. This is becoming all the more important, as the number of seniors with intellectual disabilities will continue to grow in the coming decades. Full article

Interprofessional education (IPE) has grown in popularity over the years because it is effective in training future health professionals and serves as the engine of productivity in healthcare-related research. The research team, consisting of higher education faculty in various health profession disciplines, conducted a systematic review of existent IPE literature targeting both graduate and under-graduate students. The main purpose of the systematic review was to categorize research and analyze IPE studies to determine sub-constructs that entail both barriers and facilitators often related to occurrences in primary provider, learner, and researcher IPE initiatives. If identified, IPE training and related curriculum plans were also analyzed in this review. The research team wanted to identify any/all potential instances of the use of research activities in coordination with IPE training to identify underlying constructs to support future college and program-specific andragogy initiatives. Review results demonstrate three categorical constructs related to IPE initiatives in higher education health professions programs (provider, learner, and researcher stakeholder perspectives). Results further demonstrate provider IPE challenges surrounding limited resources and a willingness to participate, while both patient experience and teamwork foci were identified as common IPE session themes. Further, the learners’ perspectives included a challenge related to a willingness to participate, as well as the patient experience focus. Review constructs were further validated using supplementary topic modeling. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that combined systematic review with a supplementary topic modeling. Findings support ongoing pedagogy and research efforts related to IPE activities for health professions programs in higher education. Full article

The constant development of medical and pharmaceutical sciences and the changing roles of pharmacists highlight the importance of lifelong learning in their profession. Given the identified knowledge gaps in the literature in terms of pharmacists’ preferences for lifelong learning, the study aimed to evaluate the opinions and attitudes of community pharmacists towards lifelong learning, including their previous experiences and educational needs, in order to propose evidence-based tips for designing such solutions and interventions intended for them both in face-to-face and online forms. For this purpose, ten semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with Polish community pharmacists on the topic using a thematic guide. Subsequently, they were subjected to literal transcription and interpretative phenomenological analysis by two independent researchers using phenomenology as the qualitative approach. The identified themes covered the topic’s relevance for pharmacists’ work, practice-oriented form and content, previous learners’ experiences as a foundation for further learning, commercial initiatives’ risks, motivation sources, and barriers for participation in lifelong learning solutions so far. Based on the insights provided by the respondents, as well as scientifically proven learning theories and educational principles, ten tips were formulated for designing recipient-friendly learning solutions and interventions within the framework of postgraduate lifelong learning of pharmacists. Full article

Adult education is a key policy to achieve the sustainable development goals. Large-scale open online courses are gradually increasing with the continued spread of COVID-19 all around the world, which has also attracted more and more adults to participate in such courses. However, despite the fact that the research on adult online learning is abundant, there is still a lack of systematic summaries that can guide the design and selection of course content and instructional methods. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to systematically examine the factors and related strategies that influence adult online learning, and to some extent also provide directions for future research. Using a systematic literature review, with the help of literature visualization software CiteSpace, this study summarized and analyzed 124 SSCI literature of empirical studies. The findings show that although some conclusions of adult online learning research are controversial, there is still some consensus, which is worthy of our attention. First, adult learners have time constraints and more responsibilities, hence life oriented, structured, and flexible online courses are more suitable for them. Secondly, adult learners have less scholastic aptitude and are less ICT skilled than normal students, so preparatory learning is necessary. Finally, in terms of an online instructional approach, integrated online discussions are recommended, as adults are prone to inefficient and superficial discussions in open discussions. This study contributes to theory and practice by expanding the systematic understanding of online learning for adults. Full article