Search Results (366)

Paraprofessionals play a crucial role in supporting both teachers and students within a classroom, even though the specifics of their duties vary. While their responsibilities involve supporting student achievement, research has shed light that many paraprofessionals feel unprepared for their responsibilities in the classroom. This study aimed to address a gap in the existing literature by exploring how a professional development program that mirrors the trainings special education teachers receive would impact paraprofessionals and help them feel more prepared for their responsibilities in the classroom. Employing a generic qualitative methodology, this study sought to capture the experiences of 43 paraprofessionals. Data collection involved an online open-ended questionnaire at the start and conclusion of the school year. The study’s outcomes revealed five patterns in the data: (a) paraprofessionals struggled with collaborating with classroom teams at the start of the school year, (b) paraprofessionals struggled with managing student behavior at the start of the school year, (c) professional development was helpful to most of the paraprofessionals, (d) professional development led to better preparedness to address challenging behavior, and (e) professional development led to better preparedness to address the instructional needs of students with disabilities. Following a thorough analysis and synthesis, these patterns were condensed into two general themes: the importance of professional development for paraprofessionals and the importance of presenting the professional development that teachers receive on a continuous basis to paraprofessionals as well. These findings are significant for school leaders and educators, as they highlight the importance of providing professional development to paraprofessionals while supporting students with disabilities. Full article

(1) Background: Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) engage in significantly less physical activity than their peers. While ample research has shown the beneficial effect of physical activity on ADHD management, we have little to no knowledge of how children with ADHD experience physical activity, which may ultimately undermine the utility of prescribed physical activity programming. This study compared experiences and perspectives of physical activity in school and non-school settings, between children with and without ADHD. (2) Methods: In this study, 23 children with ADHD and 24 children without ADHD participated in semi-structured interviews, sharing their views on physical activity in school and non-school settings. (3) Results: Inductive content analysis revealed that, compared to children without ADHD, children with ADHD reported lower physical activity levels, more often emphasized the benefits of movement for improving mood and focus during learning, viewed classroom-based desk cycling as a helpful tool to focus their attention, and expressed a desire to use desk cycling during classroom learning. (4) Conclusions: This study emphasizes key differences in the physical activity experiences and preferences between children with and without ADHD; it also offers insight into how classroom learning may be enhanced by offering optional physical activity outlets for children who identify as benefiting from movement during learning. Full article

Testbeds are widely used in experiential learning, providing practical assessments and bridging classroom material with real-world applications. However, manually managing and provisioning student lab environments consumes significant preparation time for instructors. The growing demand for advanced technical skills, such as network administration and cybersecurity, is leading to larger class sizes. This stresses testbed resources and necessitates continuous design updates. To address these challenges, we designed an efficient Environment Management Platform (EMP). The EMP is composed of a set of 4 Command Line Interface scripts and a Web Interface for secure administration and bulk user operations. Based on our testing, the EMP significantly reduces setup time for student virtualized lab environments. Through a cybersecurity learning environment case study, we found that setup is completed in 15 s for each student, a 12.8-fold reduction compared to manual provisioning. When considering a class of 20 students, the EMP realizes a substantial saving of 62 min in system configuration time. Additionally, the software-based management and provisioning process ensures the accurate realization of lab environments, eliminating the errors commonly associated with manual configuration. This platform is applicable to many educational domains that rely on virtual machines for experiential learning. Full article

The growing prevalence of AI chatbots in everyday life has prompted educators to explore their potential applications in promoting student success, including support for classroom engagement and communication. This exploratory study emerged from semester-long observations of class participation apprehensions in an introductory educational psychology course, examining how chatbots might scaffold students toward active and independent classroom contribution. Four students experiencing situational participation anxiety voluntarily participated in a pilot intervention using AI chatbots as virtual peer partners. Following comprehensive training in AI use and prompt design given to the entire class, participants employed systematic consultation frameworks for managing classroom discourse trepidations. Data collection involved regular instructor meetings documenting student experiences, challenges, and developmental trajectories through qualitative analysis emphasizing contextual interpretation. While students reported general satisfaction with chatbot integration, implementation revealed three critical complexities: temporal misalignment between AI consultation and real-time discussion dynamics; feedback inflation creating disconnects between AI reassurance and classroom reception; and unintended progression from supportive scaffolding toward technological dependency. Individual outcomes varied, with some students developing independence while others increased reliance on external validation. AI-assisted participation interventions demonstrate both promise and limitations, requiring careful consideration of classroom dynamics. Effective implementation necessitates rehearsal-based rather than validation-focused applications, emphasizing human mentorship and community-centered approaches that preserve educational autonomy while leveraging technological scaffolding strategically. Full article

In addition to recruiting new staff, retaining qualified teachers and supporting their mental well-being are becoming key priorities in German schools. One crucial factor associated with well-being is the use of emotion management. Given the emotional demands of the teaching profession, this study examines teachers’ strategies to manage their work-related emotions and the role of school-based support in maintaining mental health. The analysis is based on interviews with 51 primary and secondary school teachers in Germany, using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke. The results indicated that teachers employed various strategies to manage their emotions. In classroom settings, suppression—a response-focused strategy—was frequently used. Outside the classroom, teachers tended to seek emotional relief through attentional shifts and conversations with colleagues or family, which offer reassurance, cognitive reframing, and emotional release. The findings underscore the importance of a supportive school culture characterized by collegial exchange, supervision, counseling, and committed leadership. Such environments can reduce emotional strain and contribute significantly to teachers’ well-being. Implementing opportunities for consultation and collegial case discussion during working hours may represent a valuable investment in teacher retention, particularly in times of teacher shortages. Full article

Analyses of teaching behaviors in physical education (PE) classrooms are critical for evaluating teaching quality. Traditional evaluation methods primarily rely on manual analysis, which suffers from complex coding procedures, low efficiency, and suboptimal accuracy, hindering long-term sustainability in teaching quality improvement. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology offers a novel approach by enabling real-time data collection, automated annotation, and in-depth analysis of teaching behaviors, thereby supporting sustainable PE teaching optimization. Leveraging the CogVLM2-Video model, the research presents a system for real-time data collection, automated annotation, and in-depth analysis of teaching behaviors. It consists of four key modules: The perception layer handles data acquisition and input providing foundational data for analysis. The platform layer manages data processing and storage, ensuring integrity and security for long-term evaluation. The model layer focuses on behavior recognition and analysis, employing advanced algorithms for precise interpretation of teaching behaviors. The application layer delivers real-time feedback and adaptive recommendations, promoting sustained teaching improvement. The system architecture was initially validated using 50 basketball lesson videos. Then, the recognition model was trained on a Kinetics-400 subset, achieving 92% accuracy and 95% consistency with manual annotations. These results demonstrate the system’s practical value and long-term applicability, offering an efficient, precise solution for PE classroom teaching behavior assessment. Full article

Classroom management is an essential yet frequently under-practiced competency in undergraduate teacher education, with important implications for sustainable teacher preparation. This study investigated whether pre-service teachers who feel more capable of managing classrooms also engage more deeply with simulation-based training. Fifty-seven Korean pre-service teachers (15 men, 42 women), all undergraduate students enrolled in a secondary teacher education program at a college of education, completed a five-item classroom-management-efficacy scale, then experienced a 15 min branching simulation that required choosing recognition, punishment, or aggression strategies in response to a disrespectful virtual student. Interest was assessed immediately afterwards with a 24-item instrument covering the four phases of the interest-development model (triggered situational, maintained situational, emerging individual, and well-developed individual). A post-test comparative design and MANOVA revealed that efficacy level had a significant multivariate effect on overall interest (Wilks Λ = 0.78, p = 0.029, partial η² = 0.12). Scheffe contrasts showed that high-efficacy participants outscored their low-efficacy peers on maintained situational and emerging individual interest, p < 0.05, and surpassed the middle-efficacy group in three of the four phases. Repeated measures ANOVA confirmed a general decline from situational to individual interest across all groups (F (3, 52) = 9.23, p < 0.01), underscoring the difficulty of converting short-term curiosity into lasting commitment. These findings position classroom-management efficacy as a key moderator of engagement and support the use of adaptive simulations as sustainable tools for teacher education. By tailoring challenge levels and feedback to participants’ efficacy, guided simulations can foster deeper engagement and promote individualized growth—helping build resilient and well-prepared educators. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study assessed teacher self-efficacy in school-based asthma management in two southern states in the United States. Current literature focuses primarily on supporting school-based asthma management, but few studies have focused on teacher self-efficacy in the asthma management process. Methods: With data collected from a two-state survey of a randomly selected group of teachers in grades kindergarten to grade eight (n = 379), teachers’ demographic variables, general opinions about asthma management practices, and their self-perceptions on the Teacher Asthma Management and Information Seeking Scale, which assesses self-efficacy, were examined. Results: Teachers’ self-efficacy in managing asthma and seeking information was significantly higher among teachers who had completed in-service professional learning sessions and those who had access to community resources or links to community agencies. Additionally, teachers with personal experience of chronic illness, asthma, or allergies and those who had students with chronic illnesses in their classrooms reported higher self-efficacy scores. Conclusions: Findings suggest that providing professional learning about asthma for teachers, offering access to asthma action plans and community resources, and increasing awareness of chronic conditions and training for handling medical emergencies can enhance teachers’ self-efficacy and improve outcomes for students with chronic illnesses. Full article

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) play a pivotal role in supporting and advancing the educational mission of universities globally. They are fundamental to a university’s instructional workforce and their roles are critical to the undergraduate student experience. This study examines the experiences and perceptions of GTAs (n = 74) at an R2 institution in the Midwest, U.S. Survey results reveal that the majority of surveyed GTAs have been at the institution for at least one year, teach in face-to-face formats with classes typically ranging from 12 to 30, and allocate 11–20 h/week to their instructional duties, although 30% of respondents report >20 h/week. Survey respondents reported a need for more teaching-focused onboarding, discipline-specific training, and more opportunities for feedback on their teaching practices, while almost 50% reported never engaging with discipline-based education research (DBER) literature. Although departmental and institutional training programs were acknowledged, so too was the perception of their lack of accessibility or relevance. Potential strategies for supporting GTAs, particularly early in their careers, include shadowing opportunities, sustained formal classroom management, and pedagogical training that includes an introduction to (and discussion of) the DBER literature, and a reduced teaching load in the first semester. Universities should prioritize and design GTA professional development using a cognitive apprenticeship framework. This would invest in the undergraduate student experience and directly support an institution’s educational mission. It is also highly effective in preparing highly skilled graduates to enter an increasingly connected global workforce and could positively contribute to an engaged alumni base. Full article

Data visualization has empowered analyzing, exploring, and communicating data effectively. It has been widely adopted across diverse disciplines. However, research indicates that data visualization in education is mainly favored in distance learning environments, leaving traditional classroom settings largely unexplored. Moreover, despite the growing emphasis on data-driven decision-making in education, a notable gap exists in using visualized assessment data to develop curriculum planning in language classrooms. Therefore, we developed a model for syllabus design and material development in an EFL classroom in Taiwan based on diagnostic test results. An online adaptive diagnostic test was used to gather visualized assessment data, which was analyzed with an AI tool to identify language learning needs and to develop the syllabus design and materials. By incorporating visualized diagnostic assessment data into the decision-making process, educators can design responsive and individualized syllabi that meet the needs of students. This approach enhances the effectiveness of language teaching and makes curriculum development more accessible and manageable for educators. Full article

This study presents a case of community-integrated project-based learning (PBL) at a Japanese National Institute of Technology (KOSEN). Three students collaborated to design and build a rideable 5-inch gauge railway system, integrating mechanical design, brushless motor control, and computer vision. The project was showcased at public events and a partner high school, providing authentic feedback and enhancing learning relevance. Over 15 weeks, students engaged in hands-on prototyping, interdisciplinary teamwork, and real-world problem-solving. The course design was grounded in four educational frameworks: experiential learning, situated learning, constructive alignment, and self-regulated learning (SRL). SRL refers to students’ ability to plan, monitor, and reflect on their learning—a key skill for managing complex engineering tasks. A mixed-methods evaluation—including surveys, reflections, classroom observations, and communication logs—revealed significant gains in technical competence, engagement, and learner autonomy. Although limited by a small sample size, the study offers detailed insights into how small-scale, resource-conscious PBL can support meaningful interdisciplinary learning and community involvement. This case illustrates how the KOSEN approach, combining technical education with real-world application, can foster both domain-specific and transferable skills, and provides a model for broader implementation of authentic, student-driven engineering education. Full article

Teachers’ professional vision (PV) is important for implementing teaching quality in classrooms. PV entails noticing and reasoning on relevant events out of classrooms’ complexity. Many events entail situations of classroom management and instructional support, which are crucial for student learning. Standardized video-based instruments have been used to validly and reliably gmeasure PV of classroom management and PV of instructional support. However, most instruments focused on one teaching quality dimension (e.g., on classroom management or instructional support) and used several classroom videos for each focus. Therefore, the present study gives preliminary insights into the standardized assessment of PV of multiple foci of teaching quality (i.e., classroom management and instructional support) using a single classroom video from an elementary math lesson. Participants were 221 math master’s student teachers, 83 math bachelor’s student teachers, 40 math pre-service teachers in the induction program, 19 elementary math teachers, and 19 math students. The results of confirmatory factor analyses displayed a good fit for a two-dimensional structure with the following factors: PV of classroom management and PV of instructional support. Furthermore, our findings showed that master’s student teachers and pre-service teachers differed from bachelor’s student teachers and math students in PV of classroom management, but not when compared to experienced teachers. In conclusion, the findings mark an important first step in developing an instrument that captures classrooms’ complexity by simultaneously measuring PV of multiple foci of teaching quality using the identical classroom video. Full article

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting social interaction, communication, and emotional regulation, often requiring specialized educational approaches. Traditional teaching methods may not meet the needs of children with ASD, while visual and interactive formats tend to be more effective. This study examines the use of a virtual reality (VR) visual novel incorporating social stories to support social–emotional learning in children with Level 1 ASD. The intervention used an interactive, choice-based VR environment simulating everyday social situations. Four primary school students participated in a one-week case study, during which they engaged with the VR prototype. Teachers observed the students and provided feedback through questionnaires and interviews. Results showed high engagement with observable social communication behaviors and emotional responses in one participant but no consistent short-term changes across the group. All teachers expressed positive views, noting the tool’s visual clarity, ease of use, and alignment with ASD learners’ needs. Usability challenges were minimal but included pacing delays and difficulties managing impulsive behavior. Although limited by sample size and short duration, the findings indicate that VR visual novels are a promising and acceptable approach for practicing social–emotional skills in inclusive classrooms. Further research is needed to evaluate long-term effects and enhance adaptability. Full article

Teachers with mental illness are vulnerable to work-related triggers that can lead to relapse, affecting their mental health and ability to recover, stay employed, and deliver quality education. This empirical study explored such triggers among public school teachers in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Using Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, a qualitative phenomenological design was adopted. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 14 participants that were purposively selected across four hospitals. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Tesch’s eight-step open-coding method. Findings revealed being gossiped about by colleagues, excessive workload, limited leadership and parental support, classroom management challenges, high performance expectations without support, and inadequate teacher mental health policies in schools. These triggers can lead to frequent absenteeism and poor teaching outcomes. They will further increase the risk of medication resistance and long-term cognitive decline due to progressive structural brain damage as a result of multiple relapses. The study highlights the urgent need for multi-stakeholder collaboration, including clinicians, academic institutions, union representatives, and the Department of Basic Education, to co-develop effective, context-sensitive strategies to mitigate work-related triggers of mental illness relapse. These strategies are not only essential for enabling long-term workforce participation but also advancing sustainable mental health and well-being. Full article

Blended learning has introduced a more accessible and flexible teaching environment in higher education. However, ensuring that content is inclusive, particularly for students with learning difficulties, remains a challenge. This paper explores how Moodle, a widely adopted learning management system (LMS), can support inclusive and adaptive learning based on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. A 16-week descriptive exploratory study was conducted with 70 undergraduate students during a software engineering fundamentals course at Philadelphia University in Jordan. The research combined weekly iterative focus groups, teaching reflections, and interviews with 16 educators to identify and address inclusion barriers. The findings highlight that the students responded positively to features such as conditional activities, flexible quizzes, and multimodal content. A UDL-based framework was developed to guide the design of inclusive Moodle content, and it was validated by experienced educators. To our knowledge, this is the first UDL-based framework designed for Moodle in Middle Eastern computing and engineering education. The findings indicate that Moodle features, such as conditional activities and flexible deadlines, can facilitate inclusive practices, but adoption remains hindered by institutional and workload constraints. This study contributes a replicable design model for inclusive blended learning and emphasizes the need for structured training, intentional course planning, and technological support for implementing inclusivity in blended learning environments. Moreover, this study provides a novel weekly iterative focus group methodology, which enables continuous course refinement based on evolving students’ feedback. Future work will look into generalizing the research findings and transferring the findings to other contexts. It will also explore AI-driven adaptive learning pathways within LMS platforms. This is an empirical study grounded in weekly student focus groups, educator interviews, and reflective teaching practice, offering evidence-based insights on the application of UDL in a real-world higher education setting. Full article