Search Results (306)

A theoretical model of learning is proposed which is grounded in the constitutive role of interpersonal relationships, integrating contributions from early developmental psychology and relational philosophy. Using a Theoretical Educational Inquiry approach, the study critically examines dominant competency-based and cognitivist models, identifying their inability to account for learning as a deep personal transformation. Drawing on authors such as Stern, Trevarthen, Hobson, Winnicott, and Kohut, it presents empirical evidence that the self and cognitive-affective capacities emerge within primary relational bonds. However, interpersonal relationships are not the environment where development occurs, but the end towards which it is oriented: if the relational bond is the point of departure, the interpersonal encounter is the telos shaping the whole process. The child’s engagement with inner and outer worlds is driven by the search for such encounter, irreducible to mere relational pleasantness, although this may indicate its realization. Philosophical perspectives from Polo, Levinas, Buber, Whitehead, Spaemann, and Marcel support the understanding of learning as a relational event of co-constitution. Learning implies cycles of crisis and reintegration. This approach shifts the focus from skill acquisition as an end to using it as a means for fostering meaningful interpersonal relationships, thereby reorienting education towards a dignity-centered paradigm. Full article

Adam Smith’s The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759) and The Wealth of Nations (1776) offer a distinctive perspective on moral development that avoids succumbing to the limitations of capitalism and utilitarianism by supporting both moral agency and the importance of enabling structures and systems in commerce. Corruption of moral sentiments cannot be averted by enforcing only mechanical structures and systems of compliance with governance rules, regulations, and disciplinary processes to control employees. Compliance then follows a means-to-an-end logic for maximising profit, which becomes a barrier for autonomous moral development or is even incapable of moral decision-making, as suggested by Hannah Arendt. Smith’s originality lies in grounding this analysis with an affirmative view of human nature and liberty, which enables him to move beyond purely legalistic or moralistic approaches to understand and counter moral failure. Smith offers a distinctive perspective on moral development in commerce, integrating human cognition, moral philosophy, and enabling structural and systemic design that avoids the displacement of responsibility noted by Albert Bandura. For Smith, the corruption of moral sentiments is distorted by the natural need for praise from others at all costs, as opposed to praiseworthy conduct. His remedy is a two-fold process of moral education in which the impartial spectator extends the natural desire for praise to prioritise honour and integrity in behaviour that is praiseworthy. However, moral education also requires a structural social space that is not prescriptive or legalistic to enhance the freedom to develop morally by exercising the choice to strive towards ethical behaviour. In this manner, self-interest enables moral development through natural means that prioritise honourable conduct and perpetuates sympathetic sentiment in which the well-being of others is considered. Full article

Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy of spatial perception, grounded in the body’s multisensory engagement with its surroundings, offers a robust theoretical basis for fostering deeper spatial awareness in interior design education. Drawing upon this framework, the present study investigates the extent to which virtual reality (VR) environments can reproduce selected dimensions of embodied spatial perception. A total of 22 interior design students at Cyprus International University experienced two distinct spaces in both physical and VR modalities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and mental mapping techniques, analytically designed around Edward Relph’s “three components of place” model. The findings demonstrate that VR can convey key conceptual spatial attributes including organization, scale, and atmosphere, yet it only partially approximates the sensory depth and bodily salience afforded by physical experience. Although sensory constraints and reduced corporeal engagement in VR limited the students’ holistic comprehension of the spaces, the virtual environments nonetheless supported the development of phenomenological sensitivity to spatial qualities. Overall, the study suggests that VR holds potential as a complementary medium for cultivating body-centered phenomenological awareness in interior design education. Full article

Managing social diversity and fostering social cohesion have historically been vital to the nation-building processes in decolonized states. While the significance of education in addressing social diversity is well recognized, there is a limited research base on how education fosters social cohesion. This case study examines how Singapore utilized its education system as a tool to manage social diversity and to promote social cohesion. Thematic analysis of interviews conducted with educators, policymakers, and practitioners revealed several educational factors that supported the development of social cohesion. The primary data was supplemented by an analysis of relevant policies and education reform documents. Education was consistently prioritized as a strategic goal, supported by a clear political vision and robust leadership. The policy of multilingualism, multiculturalism, and meritocracy shaped its education system. A ‘realist-pragmatist’ philosophy shaped educational reforms, with a dual focus on securing economic stability and fostering social integration. Consequently, bilingual policies, technical and vocational education (TVET), and citizenship education emerged as central tools for advancing social cohesion. With limited natural resources, visionary leadership recognized education as the nation’s most valuable resource for progress. Singapore’s educational strategy exemplifies that deliberate, well-formulated policies can effectively integrate diverse populations and foster social unity. The educational reform experiences in Singapore provide valuable insights for multiethnic societies worldwide, emphasizing the importance of visionary leadership, pragmatic policy development, and viewing education as a strategic investment rather than merely an expenditure in nation-building. Full article

Global interest in student mental health has led to a proliferation of research and practice aimed at operationalising a whole university approach to wellbeing. In education, this has entailed innovation and evaluation of different assessment types and conditions; curricular content and skills interventions; and pedagogical practices. To date however, these studies typically utilise quasi-experimental designs to evaluate isolated, additive, individual-level interventions. The absence of rigorous theoretical framing to conceptualise and operationalise holistic wellbeing-promotive practices and cultures has compromised the translation of this research activity into positive outcomes for students and staff. In response, this paper aims to develop an integrative and enactive framework drawing on the embodied learner and pragmatist philosophy to address the following research question: what value does an integrative framework for conceptualising student wellbeing in education have for policy and practice within a whole university approach? Piloted with narrative data from a case study vignette using a focus group method with five students, the findings demonstrate how this integrative framework can help situate wellbeing-promoting interventions in the wider frame of educational cultures, contexts, and systems, whilst remaining aligned to educational goals and responsive to the diverse experience of multiple learners. The implications for a whole university approach are discussed. Full article

This study critically examines the structure, mechanisms, and enduring relevance of character education embedded in the indigenous knowledge systems of the Greater Horn of Africa. Pre-colonial African societies upheld sophisticated educational frameworks that emphasized holistic moral formation and communal character development, values that continue to influence rural communities today. Drawing on an integrative literature review, the paper identifies preparationism, functionalism, and communalism as core philosophical foundations shaping these systems. Moral and civic values were cultivated through informal, lifelong learning, guided by the collaborative roles of the home and community in fostering respect, responsibility, and social cohesion. Central pedagogical instruments included initiation rites, which provided structured moral instruction, and oral literature, which transmitted ethical reasoning and cultural wisdom. The findings underscore the continued relevance of indigenous character education in addressing contemporary societal challenges and advocate for Decolonizing the Mind as a pathway to revitalizing these traditions. The study concludes that reformed rites of passage, when purged of harmful elements, preserve cultural identity and strengthen communal ethics, offering a sustainable model for moral and civic education in modern Horn of African contexts. Full article

Technology has brought about a revolution in the management of type 1 diabetes (T1D). The adoption of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and insulin pump therapy in the everyday life of children and adolescents with T1D is a real innovation and the most promising choice for optimizing glycemic control in this population. The incorporation of an alarm system, including notifications, alerts and alarms and warning patients and their parents about glucose levels and upcoming events interfering with safety, is an invaluable additional tool for better targeting euglycemia. However, in parallel with the clinical benefits of alarm systems in ameliorating metabolic control parameters, alarm fatigue was recorded as a phenomenon, negatively affecting the everyday lives of patients and their caregivers, and as a cause for rejecting or abandoning CGM or pump therapy treatment. There are a few data concerning the frequency, consequences and methods of eliminating alarm fatigue among children. As a result, we have conducted a narrative review to briefly present the basic philosophy of the existing CGM alarm systems and their positive effect on glycemic management, and focus on alarm fatigue; definition, frequency, effect on quality of life and sleep, not only of T1D pediatric patients but also of their families, and methods of elimination. Efforts to achieve a more reliable and accurate alarm system and educate on adapting personalized limits and positively interpreting them may protect the T1D pediatric population from alarm fatigue and prevent rejection or incomplete use of CGM and insulin pump as the therapeutic choice, ensuring the best glycemic control. Full article

This work represents the natural continuation of the development of the cognitive architecture developed and named Sophimatics, organically integrating the spatio-temporal processing mechanisms of the Super Time Cognitive Neural Network (STCNN) with the advanced principles of Sophimatics. Sophimatics’ goal is as challenging as it is fraught with obstacles, but its ultimate aim is to achieve a more humanized post-generative artificial intelligence, capable of understanding and analyzing context and evaluating the user’s purpose and intent, viewing time not only as a chronological sequence but also as an experiential continuum. The path to achieving this extremely ambitious goal has been made possible thanks to some previous work in which the philosophical thinking of interest in AI was first inherited as the inspiration for the aforementioned capabilities of the Sophimatic framework, then the issue of mapping concepts and philosophical thinking in Sophimatics’ AI infrastructure was addressed, and finally a cognitive-inspired network such as STCNN was created. This work, on the other hand, addresses the challenge of how to endow the infrastructure with both chronological and experiential time and its powerful implications, such as the innate ability to resolve paradoxes, which generative AI does not have among its prerogatives precisely because of structural limitations. To reach these results, the model operates in the two-dimensional complex time domain ℂ², extending cognitive processing capabilities through the implementation of dual temporal operators that simultaneously manage the real temporal dimension, where past, present, and future are managed and the imaginary one, that considers memory, creativity, and imagination. The resulting architecture demonstrates superior capabilities in resolving informational paradoxes and integrating apparently contradictory cognitive states, maintaining computational coherence through adaptive Sophimatic mechanisms. In conclusion, this work introduces Phase 4 of the Sophimatic framework, enabling management of two-dimensional time within a novel cognitively inspired neural architecture grounded in philosophical concepts. It connects with existing research on temporal cognition, hybrid symbolic–connectionist models, and ethical AI. The methodology translates philosophical insights into formal computational systems, culminating in a mathematical formalization that supports two-dimensional temporal reasoning and paradox resolution. Experimental results demonstrate efficiency, predictive accuracy, and computational feasibility, highlighting potential real-world applications, future research directions, and present limitations. Full article

This study investigates how the traditional Chinese “philosophy of self-cultivation and awakening” (xiu-wu) can be systematically harnessed to foster Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) among undergraduates. Through historical–philosophical reconstruction and conceptual analysis, the study distills three recurring instructional principles—gradual cultivation (jian-xiu), gradual awakening (jian-wu), and sudden awakening (dun-wu), and their dialectical synthesis, and re-casts them as design parameters for thinking-centered instruction. These principles are then translated into a macro-level instructional metaphor, the Bridge-Building Model, which sequences curricular elements as bridge piers (the teaching process of “gradual cultivation”), bridge deck (student-constructed “an isolated fragments of knowing”), and final closure (holistic knowledge). The model integrates constructivist, behaviorist and intuitive dimensions: repetitive, scaffolded tasks foster behavioral automaticity; guided reflection precipitates incremental insight; and calibrated “epistemic shocks” elicit sudden reorganization of conceptual schemata. The framework clarifies the locus, timing and contingency of each phase while acknowledging the metaphysical indeterminacy of ultimate “holistic” mastery. By translating classical Chinese pedagogical insights into operational design heuristics, the paper offers higher-education instructors a culturally grounded, theoretically coherent blueprint for systematically nurturing HOTS without sacrificing the spontaneity essential to creative cognition. Full article

Introduction: John Dewey, a prominent educational philosopher, emphasized the importance of connecting education and democracy, and advocated for the cultivation of civic values through experiential learning. Dewey’s pedagogical model most often unfolds with educators designing students’ experiences, which Dewey believed instills and advances the moral foundation of a democracy. Dewey faced many detractors over his lifetime who maintained that his emphasis on experience and moral development lacked the substance of traditional educational philosophy and was marginally connected to civic education. In recent years and in an increasingly contentious social/political environment, Dewey’s perspective has been rediscovered and rehabilitated by research that has identified both political and moral identities to be central constructs in the construction of a civic identity. This paper explores how civic education is affected when socio-political crises disrupt the established educational order, leaving students to navigate these turbulent circumstances on their own. Methods: This study employs a mixed-methods approach to examine the impact of the socio-political crises of 2020—COVID-19 and racial unrest—on civic learning in higher education. A total of 1217 college students were surveyed during the spring of 2020 to assess how their academic experiences influenced their engagement with these twin crises. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered to provide insight into students’ experiences. Results: The findings suggest that students’ learning experiences during these crises had a significant impact on how they engaged with the socio-political challenges of 2020. Students who engaged in more self-reflective experiential learning during the pandemics reported a renewed understanding of their roles as citizens and increased commitment to a more equitable and just communal existence. Students reported that being forced to actively engage with the crises—rather than passively receiving information—helped them to develop a sense of civic responsibility. Discussion: The results of this study highlight the potential for civic education to be enriched during times of crisis, particularly when students are encouraged to actively engage with their experiences. Dewey’s model of experiential learning proves relevant when socio-political upheaval forces students into a direct, personal, unmediated experience with the issues at hand. The result seems to be deeper, previously unappreciated understanding of their roles in a democratic society. The study suggests that higher education can serve as a vital space for fostering civic engagement, even in the face of unexpected challenges. Furthermore, the disruption of traditional educational processes during crises can create opportunities for students to develop critical thinking skills and a more profound commitment to civic participation. Full article

(1) Background: Groundwater numerical modeling education often suffers from passive student imitation, which limits the development of higher-order thinking and knowledge internalization. To address this challenge and promote a shift in instructional philosophy, inquiry-based learning (IBL) was implemented. However, the mechanisms underlying its effectiveness require further elucidation to guide this transformation. (2) Methods: This study was conducted with a cohort of 63 third-year environmental engineering students. It compares the outcomes of the IBL approach, focused on the geometric requirements of grid construction for the control-volume finite-difference (CVFD) method, against those of traditional instruction. (3) Results: The findings demonstrate that IBL’s effectiveness is strongly moderated by students’ prior knowledge. Learners with stronger prior knowledge exhibited a 330% increase in higher-order thinking (p = 0.04), reflected in a shift toward complex, terrain-adapted Voronoi grids. However, their understanding of core CVFD geometric concepts only improved moderately (34%), reflecting the nonlinear and by-product nature of knowledge acquisition in inquiry-based pathways. In contrast, students with weaker prior knowledge devoted most of their cognitive resources to basic concept understanding, and their limited cognitive schemas constrained their ability to process new information. Therefore, no measurable improvement was observed in either higher-order thinking or conceptual mastery in this group. (4) Conclusions: The key innovation of this study lies in revealing prior knowledge as a critical moderator, highlighting how the effectiveness of IBL depends on its interaction with the learner’s individual characteristics. This mechanistic insight provides a cognitive framework for differentiated instructional design in engineering education, ensuring that pedagogical advancements translate into equitable learning gains. Full article

This qualitative comparative case study examines how culturally grounded philosophies of education shape the teaching and learning of reading in two cross-cultural contexts—an Aboriginal Australian classroom and urban Chinese elementary schools. Drawing on interpretive and reflexive methodologies, it investigates how Aboriginal and Confucian epistemologies influence literacy practices and how these practices align with or resist dominant, decontextualized models of reading instruction. Data sources include classroom observations, reading assessments, teacher interviews, and researcher reflections. Conceptually framed by Gadamer’s hermeneutics, Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital, Habermas’s typology of knowledge, and the Caribbean concept of overstanding, this research finds that Aboriginal literacy is embedded in relational, land-based knowledge systems, whereas Chinese literacy instruction reflects moral discipline and social hierarchy rooted in Confucian traditions. This study introduces overstanding as a pedagogical stance that foregrounds ethical engagement, cultural respect, and mutual understanding. By challenging universalist models of literacy, this research offers a framework for developing dialogical, culturally responsive, and equity-oriented reading practices. Full article

As AI systems increasingly structure educational processes, they shape not only what is learned, but also how epistemic authority is distributed and whose knowledge is recognized. This article explores the normative and technopolitical implications of this development by examining two prominent paradigms in AI ethics: Ethical AI and Responsible AI. Although often treated as synonymous, these frameworks reflect distinct tensions between formal universalism and contextual responsiveness, between rule-based evaluation and governance-oriented design. Drawing on deontology, utilitarianism, responsibility ethics, contract theory, and the capability approach, the article analyzes the frictions that emerge when these frameworks are applied to algorithmically mediated education. The argument situates these tensions within broader philosophical debates on technological mediation, normative infrastructures, and the ethics of sociotechnical design. Through empirical examples such as algorithmic grading and AI-mediated admissions, the article shows how predictive systems embed values into optimization routines, thereby reshaping educational space and interpretive agency. In response, it develops the concept of situated ethics, emphasizing epistemic justice, learner autonomy, and democratic judgment as central criteria for evaluating educational AI. To clarify what is at stake, the article distinguishes adaptive learning optimization from education as a process of subject formation and democratic teaching objectives. Rather than viewing AI as an external tool, the article conceptualizes it as a co-constitutive actor within pedagogical practice. Ethical reflection must therefore be integrated into design, implementation, and institutional contexts from the outset. Accordingly, the article offers (1) a conceptual map of ethical paradigms, (2) a criteria-based evaluative lens, and (3) a practice-oriented diagnostic framework to guide situated ethics in educational AI. The paper ultimately argues for an approach that attends to the relational, political, and epistemic dimensions of AI systems in education. Full article

Despite much interest in the flow experienced by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers, there is less research on flow re-engagement and pre-service teachers at the crucial phase of career development. This study aims to examine flow dynamics among pre-service and in-service EFL teachers in China during teaching. Six Chinese EFL teachers (three pre-service and three in-service) engaged in two rounds of interviews over the course of one year, which were analyzed using a thematic narrative approach. The findings indicate that immediate feedback, clear goals, and a challenge-skill balance were key antecedents of flow. In-service teachers highlighted principal’s teaching-focused philosophy, technology support, teaching experience and curiosity. All participants reported a sense of control, deep absorption, and time distortion. Two experienced teachers further claimed a loss of self-consciousness. The flow of participants was impeded by student-related factors, strong self-consciousness, and technological breakdowns. In-service teachers noted more complicated causes. To re-enter a state of flow, pre-service teachers favored avoidance strategies, whereas in-service teachers employed more flexible approaches. Flow enhanced instructors’ teaching confidence, shifted pre-service teachers’ career motivation and fostered in-service educators’ professional well-being, post-class reflection, and self-improvement. Administrators and teacher educators should provide a teaching-oriented working environment for in-service teachers and offer flow-focused training to pre-service teachers, thus promoting their flow experiences and fostering sustainable professional development. Full article

Ritual prayer (ṣalāh) is one of the most central and enduring practices in Islam, widely recognized for its spiritual significance. However, its educational and formative role in shaping the Muslim’s inner self and moral identity remains insufficiently explored in contemporary scholarship. This paper aims to examine ritual prayer as a core pedagogical tool within Islamic education, focusing on its transformative power in the processes of self-purification (tazkiyah) and identity formation. The study seeks to analyze the ethical and psychological dimensions of ṣalāh, drawing on classical Islamic sources, as well as integrating insights from contemporary critical philosophy—particularly Byung-Chul Han’s Vita Contemplativa—and Islamic virtue ethics, including perspectives such as those advanced by Elizabeth Bucar. Through this framework, the paper explores how prayer shapes inner dispositions like humility, mindfulness, sincerity, patience, and submission, reinforcing both spiritual awareness and communal belonging. Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology, the study engages Qur’anic verses, prophetic traditions, and traditional pedagogical literature to investigate how ṣalāh functions as a lived and repeated experience that cultivates the soul and molds ethical behavior. The discussion highlights how regular performance of prayer integrates belief with action and contributes to the formation of a reflective and morally grounded Muslim identity. This paper contributes to the field of Islamic Practical Theology by demonstrating how ritual prayer operates as a dynamic and holistic model for moral and spiritual development. It provides educators and scholars with a theoretical and applied vision for incorporating ṣalāh-based character education into Islamic curricula. Future research may explore how prayer interacts with modern lifestyles, digital spiritual practices, and intergenerational transmission of religious identity in diverse contexts. Full article