Search Results (207)

Achieving adequate thermal comfort in classrooms in hot cities in southern Mexico is challenging. A heterogeneous distribution of air conditioning flow leads to thermal discomfort, affecting occupants’ academic performance and increasing energy consumption. This study evaluates the thermal comfort of occupants in an air conditioned classroom using computational fluid dynamics. We determined the effects of variations in air conditioning operating parameters (supply angle, velocity, and temperature) on PMV and modified PMV indices. An operating configuration of 60°, 3 m/s, and 22 °C ensures that thermal comfort remains within regulations while optimizing energy consumption, in contrast to the original PMV model. Using the modified PMV model, the values are 0.38 for students and 0.31 for the teacher, with percentages of dissatisfied individuals of 10% and 7.7%, respectively. This study demonstrates the importance of analyzing air conditioning operating parameters to enhance thermal comfort while reducing energy consumption. Full article

Climate change is the most significant socio-environmental challenges of our time, and education has been recognized as a fundamental strategy to confront it. Yet research efforts have focused more on students than on teachers, despite the latter’s key role in mediating between scientific and curricular knowledge and classroom practice. This study set out to characterize the field of educational research on climate change from the perspective of secondary school teachers. To this end, we conducted a systematic review and bibliometric analysis of 50 peer-reviewed studies from 15 countries (2010–2023). The results show a growing interest over time, with increases associated with international milestones such as the IPCC reports and the Paris Agreement, while declines are observed in connection with political shifts and the COVID-19 pandemic. Consolidated academic reference points were identified, including Eric Plutzer and Maria Ojala, alongside influential international organizations such as the IPCC and UNESCO, suggesting the presence of schools of thought and institutional frameworks that structure the field. Methodologically, descriptive and exploratory studies predominate, with a notable reliance on qualitative and mixed-methods designs using small samples, reinforcing the difficulty of accessing teachers as a research population. Overall, this review highlights significant gaps, particularly the geographical bias toward the Global North, and underscores the urgency of broader, more inclusive, and critically engaged research that positions teachers as essential agents of transformative educational responses to the climate crisis. Full article

Urban public spaces increasingly need to address inclusivity, adaptability, and resilience in the face of health, environmental, and social challenges. Urban policies also promote improving the relationship between schools and their surroundings to mitigate and adapt to climate and social risks. This article presents EDUS Point, an experimental prototype developed within the European project FURNISH and tested in Barcelona during the COVID-19 crisis. Conceived as an Urban Living Lab (ULL), the initiative explored how modular, digitally fabricated, and temporary structures could transform school environments into open, inclusive, and human-scale public spaces. Through an inter-scalar and interdisciplinary approach, the project implemented an urban strategy, a participatory community-building process, and a digital collective platform, alongside the design, fabrication, and testing of a pilot classroom device adaptable and replicable in other schools. A mixed-methods methodology combined tactical urbanism and co-design with fabrication feasibility assessments, social observations, and spatial impact analysis. Results demonstrate that EDUS Point fostered new socio-spatial dynamics among students, teachers, and residents, improved accessibility and usability of nearby public spaces, and validated the effectiveness of low-cost, rapidly deployable interventions in addressing urban needs. The findings propose actionable frameworks, tools, and design criteria for the socio-environmental integration of schools as catalysts for inclusive and resilient urban transformation. Full article

Grounded in stress-reactivity accounts and the Prosocial Classroom model, this study examines how preschool teachers’ responses to children’s negative emotions are associated with teacher job stress and age in Greek early childhood education settings. These frameworks suggest that elevated job stress may erode teachers’ regulatory resources and responsiveness, increasing non-supportive reactions and reducing supportive emotion coaching during emotionally charged classroom interactions. A sample of 101 full-time preschool educators (M age = 42.3 years; 97% female) completed two instruments: the Coping with Children’s Negative Emotions Scale (CCNES) and the Child Care Workers’ Job Stress Inventory (CCW-JSI). Age-controlled partial correlations indicated that higher job stress was associated with more frequent use of non-supportive reactions, including punitive and minimizing responses, and less frequent use of supportive strategies, such as emotion-focused, problem-focused, and expressive encouragement responses. Older teachers tended to report higher supportive response scores, particularly for problem-focused reactions and expressive encouragement. These findings highlight the importance of teacher well-being for the emotional climate of preschool classrooms and suggest that job stress may undermine educators’ capacity to consistently engage in supportive emotion socialization. The study contributes to the education literature by linking teacher stress and emotion socialization practices in a policy context where early childhood education is expanding but remains under-resourced. Implications for teacher education, professional development, and system-level initiatives to support educators’ social-emotional competence are discussed. Full article

US-affiliated Island nations and territories are home to diverse populations, including substantial Indigenous communities who have extensive exposure to marine and geoscience content, with some of their knowledge sustained through heritage practices. Despite this demographic presence, Indigenous peoples of the Pacific remain notably underrepresented in STEM fields, particularly in the geosciences and marine sciences. Beyond an equity gap in participation, this underrepresentation reflects broader issues of epistemic and representational justice, raising questions about whose knowledge is validated and whose voices are legitimized in scientific spaces. This study examines how Pacific university bridge programs support Indigenous islander participation in authentic STEM research, with particular focus on climate adaptation, environmental change, and marine science contexts. Through qualitative interviews with Micronesian participants in the SEAS (Supporting Emerging Aquatic Scientists) Islands Alliance, we analyzed STEM identity development as students navigated cultural and scientific identities. Findings emphasize the critical importance of sustained, mentored engagement in real-world scientific inquiry that meaningfully connects to ongoing research agendas and community well-being, rather than simulated classroom exercises. The study offers insights into the multifaceted influences affecting student participation and pathways through STEM. Full article

Transgender and gender-diverse teachers occupy a precarious position within educational spaces, often facing increased scrutiny and regulation aimed at disciplining their gender expression. This article brings to light original and significant insights by exploring how transgender and gender-diverse teachers resist and subvert cisnormative dress codes, as acts of self-affirmation and resistance within their professional educational contexts. Through an unconventional lens of Barad’s feminist new materialism combined with Wieringa’s continuum of symbolic subversion, our analysis offers an important theoretical contribution by interpreting how these individuals negotiate and challenge institutional cisnormativity, unsettling the tacit expectations of gendered professionalism in their trans embodiment. Drawing on the experiences of three transgender and gender-diverse teacher participants, a group often overlooked, this paper integrates findings from two distinct qualitative studies which used a participatory-focused ‘object-interview’ methodology. Findings from these in-depth studies reveal that transgender and gender-diverse teachers trouble dress code regulations by simultaneously embodying resistance and compliance, effectively reshaping and disrupting gendered expectations and institutional norms. While some forms of self-affirmation expressed by participants remained unseen, others materialised as embodied subversions of normative organisational expectations. Additionally, the degree of agency these teachers have in resisting binary dress code constraints is contingent on the entanglements of the teachers themselves, students, school policies, leadership and institutional climates. Unexpectedly, this research suggests that schools can act as sites of visibility and safety for transgender and gender-diverse teachers, where gender expression is validated and extends beyond the classroom. This article concludes by recognising that, when transgender and gender-diverse teachers resist uniformity and dress code norms, they embody their affirmed identities and, in doing so, offer vital representation for transgender and gender-diverse students, providing a sense of belonging, possibility, and authenticity within educational spaces. Full article

This study explores how integrating simulations into lessons on electrical conductivity in aqueous solutions and electrolysis affects eighth-grade students’ academic achievement, motivation, and their perception of classroom climate. The study included 130 students (64 males, 66 females) from six classes in two Israeli middle schools, divided into an experimental group (68 students, simulation-integrated instruction) and a control group (62 students, traditional instruction). Participants completed pre- and post-achievement tests as well as motivation and classroom climate questionnaires. The results revealed significant improvements in achievement, especially for students with a lower initial performance. Additionally, when simulations were utilized, there was enhanced motivation to study chemistry. Simulations also improved students’ perception of classroom climate across all dimensions, with no significant gender differences observed. A strong positive correlation was found between achievements and motivation, as well as between classroom climate and motivation. The findings underscore the value of simulations and digital tools in education, emphasizing their role in creating more engaging learning experiences. These results also highlight the need for decision-makers to integrate such tools into science education to foster better outcomes in student learning experience. Full article

Improving the social environment conducive to learning in schools is a critical challenge globally and within the Swedish context, as education systems face persistent issues like a lack of classroom safety and a concurrent crisis in teacher well-being and professional leadership. Therefore, various intervention frameworks are implemented to address the issue. This study investigated how two Swedish compulsory schools implemented the Positive Behaviour Supports (PBS) framework. By combining classroom observations and teacher interviews, the research addresses a gap in existing research that often provides an incomplete view of actual practices. The results, based on observations and interviews with 14 staff members, confirmed that PBS successfully creates a calm and predictable school climate. Teachers consistently maintained a calm demeanour and used clear lesson structures, along with positive feedback. However, the study also revealed a significant gap between the intended proactive nature of PBS and the observed reactive behaviours of teachers. While the framework fostered a shared, collaborative approach among staff, it was inconsistently applied when it came to proactive strategies, such as explicitly teaching social and life skills. The results suggest that future professional development should focus on helping teachers shift from a reactive to a more consistently proactive and positive model of behavioural support. Full article

This study examines students’ experiences with Biomes, a Collaborative Immersive Virtual Environment (CIVE) designed to teach climate zones through virtual reality. The research employed a combination of Research through Design (RtD) methodology and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore how students view their CIVE experience and its perceived impact on learning. 16 students (aged 12–15) participated in structured lessons using Meta Quest 2 headsets, followed by semi-structured focus groups. The analysis yielded three overarching themes: challenges with object manipulation, perceived benefits, and desired additional functionalities. While participants encountered challenges with precise thumbnail placement and grip distance control, they reported high levels of enjoyment, appropriate difficulty levels, and notable knowledge acquisition. The immersive nature of the virtual environment created authentic experiences that traditional classrooms cannot replicate, although perceptions varied by age group, with younger students showing greater enthusiasm. The findings demonstrate that despite technical challenges, CIVEs have the potential to facilitate engaging educational experiences. It is imperative to integrate advanced interaction techniques, incorporate age-specific design elements, and strike a balance between technological innovation and pedagogical efficacy to optimise educational outcomes in virtual reality learning environments, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of future developments in this domain. Full article

Rapid urbanization has intensified the shortage of school places in many developing countries, prompting the rise of compact, high-floor area ratio (FAR) school models. However, research on high-FAR school design strategies remains limited. This study systematically analyzes 67 high-FAR schools in Shenzhen, China. Using design descriptions as the sample, the analysis applied the N-gram model and identified five major design strategies: responses to regulations, functional integration of classroom spaces, functional integration of public spaces, climate adaptation and sustainability, and alleviation of psychological stress. Correlation analysis revealed that factors including FAR, total floor area, design year of the schools, regional GDP and investment in the education sector significantly influence preferences for different design strategies. Further, K-means clustering categorized four types based on strategy adoption and FAR: the comprehensive strategy type; the user-centered innovation type; the spatial integration type; the psychological well-being type. The results emphasize the need for adaptable design strategies that reflect local development stages. These findings contribute to a data-informed foundation for improving spatial efficiency in rapidly urbanizing settings, offering policy and design guidance for rapid developing cities. Full article

This study explores the perceptions of Chilean educational staff regarding school climate, classroom climate, and personal well-being, analyzing differences by gender and professional role. A non-experimental, cross-sectional, and quantitative design was used, with 8536 participants who completed perception scales on institutional support, classroom dynamics, and personal well-being. Results showed that women reported higher scores in Teacher–Student Relationship and Course Organization and Participation, while men reported higher levels of Institutional Support. Teachers reported more positive results than assistants in most dimensions, except for Institutional Support, where assistants scored higher. Although these effects were statistically significant, their magnitudes were consistently very small, underscoring the need for cautious interpretation. The findings highlight the importance of developing inclusive strategies that consider gender and role differences to foster positive and safe school environments. Limitations regarding the cross-sectional design, reliance on self-report measures, and the use of secondary data are acknowledged, and future research is suggested to explore cultural and structural factors that shape school coexistence. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the effects of mindfulness exercises on the disruptive behaviors of young learners in EFL classes, along with gathering students’ perceptions of their experiences and the perceived change in disruptive behaviors of themselves and their peers. Thirty-nine third-grade students participated in the study and were assigned to the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG). The EG engaged in mindfulness exercises at the beginning of English lessons for eight weeks, while the CG followed the regular EFL curriculum. Disruptive behaviors were assessed using a Video-based Observation Chart. Interviews were conducted with students to explore their perceptions of the intervention and its impact on their behavior and the behavior of their peers. The results indicated a significant decrease in overall disruptive behaviors in the EG compared to the CG. Participants reported positive experiences and enjoyment as well as perceived increase in attention skills, improvement in emotion regulation and emotional well-being. A minority of the participants stated that they did not observe any difference in the behaviors of some of their disruptive peers. The results indicated that incorporating mindfulness exercises into EFL classes can lead to a reduction in disruptive behaviors, improve students’ experiences, and create a more positive classroom climate. Full article

Integrating social and emotional learning (SEL) into academic instruction may improve well-being and achievement. In mathematics—where anxiety and negative attitudes often hinder learning—SEL may be especially useful. This multiple case study examined how a math curriculum that explicitly embeds SEL principles shapes learning environments and teacher/student experiences. Using a multiple case study design, we conducted classroom observations, teacher interviews, and check-ins in six Grade 5–7 classrooms implementing JUMP Math, a program that centers social–emotional well-being. Three themes characterized the SEL-integrated environment: (1) Teaching Energy—steady pacing, enthusiastic delivery, and humor; (2) Learning Harmony—progressing together, peer help, and the normalization of mistakes; and (3) Emotional Stability—supportive feedback, invitations to participate, and respectful, responsive interactions. Teachers reported greater confidence and reduced math anxiety; students showed higher engagement, cooperation, and resilience in problem-solving. Findings indicate that math curricula intentionally designed with SEL can create emotionally supportive classrooms that benefit both teachers and students, while advancing academic goals. The findings contribute to understanding how academic instruction can be leveraged to develop social and emotional competence while maintaining focus on academic achievement. Full article

In this article we establish the affordances of game making, hacking, and jamming as critical practices in teaching and research. We explain the origins of our approach in specific teaching and research projects and consider their impact on our scholarly practice. First, we interrogate the value of game making through a project in which students at the Manchester School of Architecture were tasked with exploring questions relating to Britain’s post-war power infrastructures through the creation of games (in place of traditional essays). These games were subsequently used to share research with the public. Second, we develop the concept of game hacking in relation to our own research practice, where we have used it to creatively investigate designing for sustainability and as a practice for imagining alternative climate futures. Finally, we move from game hacking to a consideration of jamming through reflections on a participatory research project with young people, which sought to understand how board game play could support their climate action. There, game hacking became an anarchic process that enabled young people to interrogate the world and develop critical frameworks for speaking out about their experiences. Using game making in the HE classroom led us to employ hacking as a research method, which in turn prepared us to recognise and value the anarchic jamming that emerged in our participatory project with young people. That jamming experience has subsequently transformed how we approach both teaching and research, making us more attentive to moments when we might be willing to dwell in apparent unproductivity. Full article