Search Results (101)

Critical thinking, as a crucial component of 21st-century core competencies, poses significant challenges for effective assessment in educational evaluation. This study proposes an automated assessment method for critical thinking in middle school Chinese language based on a Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers—Convolutional Neural Network (BERT-CNN) hybrid model, achieving a multi-dimensional quantitative assessment of students’ critical thinking performance in writing through the synergistic effect of deep semantic encoding and local feature extraction. The research constructs an annotated dataset containing 4827 argumentative essays from three middle school grades, employing expert scoring across nine dimensions of the Paul–Elder framework, and designs three types of logic chain extraction algorithms: argument–evidence mapping, causal reasoning chains, and rebuttal–support structures. Experimental results demonstrate that the BERT-CNN hybrid model achieves a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.872 in overall assessment tasks and an average F1 score of 0.770 in logic chain recognition tasks, outperforming the traditional baseline methods tested in our experiments. Ablation experiments confirm the hierarchical contributions of semantic features (31.2%), syntactic features (24.1%), and logical markers (18.9%), while revealing the model’s limitations in assessing higher-order cognitive dimensions. The findings provide a feasible technical solution for the intelligent assessment of critical thinking, offering significant theoretical value and practical implications for advancing educational evaluation reform and personalized instruction. Full article

Background: Gamification may enhance engagement and higher-order learning in health-care profession education, but evidence from undergraduate nursing programs—particularly in the Middle East—is limited. We evaluated whether integrating structured gamified activities into an anatomy and physiology course improves class engagement and knowledge-based critical thinking. Methods: In this pragmatic, nonrandomized, section-allocated quasi-experimental study at a single Saudi institution, 121 first-year female nursing students were assigned by existing cohorts to traditional instruction (control; n = 61) or instruction enhanced with gamified elements (intervention; n = 60) groups. The intervention (introduced mid-semester) comprised time-limited competitive quizzing with immediate feedback and aligned puzzle tasks. Outcomes were measured at baseline, mid-semester, and end-semester using a four-item Class Engagement Rubric (CER; scale 1–5) and a 40-item high-cognitive multiple-choice (MCQ) assessment mapped to course objectives. Analyses used paired and independent t-tests with effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals. Results: No attrition occurred. From baseline to end-semester, the intervention group had a mean CER increase of 0.59 points (95% CI, 0.42 to 0.76; p < 0.001)—approximately a 15% relative gain—and a mean MCQ increase of 0.30 points (95% CI, 0.18 to 0.42; p < 0.001), an ~8% relative gain. The control group showed no material change over the same interval. Between-group differences in change favored the intervention across CER items and for the MCQ outcome. Semester grade-point average did not differ significantly between groups (p = 0.055). Conclusions: Embedding a brief, structured gamification package within an undergraduate nursing anatomy and physiology course was associated with measurable improvements in classroom engagement and modest gains in knowledge-based critical thinking, with no detectable effect on overall semester GPA. Given the nonrandomized, single-site design, causal inference is limited. Multi-site randomized trials using validated critical-thinking instruments are warranted to confirm effectiveness and define dose, durability, and generalizability. Full article

To make predictions, one can use machine learning and/or knowledge-based approaches. Knowledge-based approaches focus on developing systems with reasoning capabilities to solve application problems. Traditionally, statistical techniques have been used, while more recently, machine learning techniques have been used to make predictions. Both types of techniques are based almost exclusively on the analysis of historical data. This paper proposes a model that combines knowledge engineering and intelligent data analysis, leveraging the causal relationship between a past event and its known consequences. By determining the similarity between a current analogous situation and the past event, the model infers what the consequences of the current situation might be. The main contribution is the combination of various knowledge engineering techniques to improve the prediction outcomes for certain events. The present approach not only relies on analysing historical data but also integrates smart data utilization, the identification of the most similar past event, and the prediction or definition of cause–effect rules based on causal inference. One use case is presented: predicting the percentage of students who are promoted to the next grade with all subjects passed over the four years of middle school. Applying statistical regression techniques, a predicted value of 68.67% was obtained. Applying the proposed model, a value of 62.85% was obtained. The actual value published by the Spanish Department of Education for the 2021–2022 school year was 63.95%. The prediction using statistical techniques deviated 7.3% from the actual value. The proposed method deviated only 1.7% from the actual value. The proposed method improved the prediction compared to the value obtained using statistical techniques. Full article

Water security is a basic requirement of a region’s residents and also an important point of discussion worldwide. The middle route of the south-to-north water diversion project (MR-SNWDP) represents the most extensive inter-basin water allocation scheme globally. It is the major water resource for the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, and its security is of great significance. In this study, 28 indicators including society, nature, and economy were selected from the water sources of the MR-SNWDP from 2000 to 2017. According to the Drivers-Pressures-States-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework principle, the entropy weight method was used for weight calculation, and the comprehensive evaluation method was used for evaluating the water security of the water sources of the MR-SNWDP. This study showed that the total loss of nonpoint source pollution (NPSP) in the water source showed a trend of slow growth, except in 2007. Over the past 18 years, the proportion of pollution from three NPSP sources, livestock, and poultry (LP) breeding industry, planting industry, and living sources, were 44.56%, 40.33%, and 15.11%, respectively. The main driving force of water security in all the areas of the water source was the total net income per capita of farmers. The main pressure was the amount of LP breeding and the amount of fertilizer application. The largest impact indicators were NPSP gray water footprint and soil erosion area, and water conservancy investment was the most effective response measure. Overall, the state of the water source safety was relatively stable, showing an overall upward trend, and it had remained at Grade III except for in 2005, 2006, and 2011. The state of water safety in all areas except Shiyan City was relatively stable, where the state of water safety had fluctuated greatly. Based on the assessment findings, implications for policy and decision-making suggestions for sustainable management of the water sources of the MR-SNWDP resources are put forward. Agricultural cultivation in water source areas should reduce the application of chemical fertilizers and accelerate the promotion of agricultural intensification. Water source areas should minimize retail livestock and poultry farming and promote ecological agriculture. The government should increase investment in water conservancy and return farmland to forests and grasslands, and at the same time strengthen the education of farmers’ awareness of environmental protection. The evaluation system of this study combined indicators such as the impact of agricultural nonpoint source pollution on water bodies, which is innovative and provides a reference for the water safety evaluation system. Full article

Aim: This study examines the effects of peer bullying that middle school students experience in physical education classes on school burnout and school satisfaction to understand children’s well-being in this important stage of their lives. Method: The study was conducted with 829 students from 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in Türkiye of both genders (403 male, 426 female), with an age mean of 11.7 ± 1.16 years old. Data were collected using the Physical Education Class Perceived Bullying Scale, developed by the researchers in the present study, along with the School Burnout Scale and the School Satisfaction Scale for Children. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data and examine the direct and indirect relationships between students’ perception of bullying, school burnout and satisfaction. Results: The findings indicate that perceived bullying in physical education classes positively and significantly predicts school burnout (β = 0.388, p < 0.001), while it negatively and significantly affects school satisfaction (β = −0.122, p = 0.006). Moreover, significant positive relationships were found between perceived bullying and school burnout, and significant negative relationships were found between perceived bullying and school satisfaction. Conclusions: This study reveals that peer bullying in physical education classes significantly affects students’ school burnout and satisfaction. These findings highlight the need for developing effective strategies to prevent bullying in educational settings and promote children’s healthcare and well-being. Full article

This interventional study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a school-based environmental education program on improving knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and behavior related to air pollution among pupils in low-middle schools in Pristina, Kosovo. Air pollution is a pressing issue in Kosovo, particularly in urban areas, making it essential to raise awareness from an early age. As one of the first initiatives of its kind in the country, this study offers valuable insights into the impact of educational interventions on students’ understanding of environmental issues. The study involved an intervention group of fifth to ninth grade students who participated in a structured environmental education program, with data collected through pre-test, post-test, and follow-up assessment. We used a quantitative questionnaire with four sections—demographics, knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and behavior. The findings revealed a significant improvement in knowledge and perceptions about air pollution among students in the intervention group, highlighting the crucial role of education in raising environmental awareness. However, the intervention had limited impact on changing attitudes and no significant effect on pro-environmental behavior, echoing challenges found in previous studies. Parental education, particularly maternal education, was found to play a substantial role in shaping attitudes, while gender and parental education positively influenced perceptions. The study also identified a negative association between higher grade levels and both knowledge and perception scores. Despite its success in enhancing knowledge, the short intervention period and challenges in participant engagement limited the program’s ability to drive long-term behavioral change. These findings emphasize the need for more sustained and comprehensive interventions to address the complex relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and environmental behaviors. Full article

This study examines students’ learning for action towards sustainability when addressing a local environmental problem related to mining through an Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE) approach. A total of 54 eighth-grade students (ages 13–15) from a rural middle school participated in this study. Data collection included written group productions and group interviews, which were analysed using inductive and deductive processes. The results revealed three levels of the students’ learning for action: “What” (problem identification), “Why” (reasons for action), and “How” (local action). All groups successfully identified the environmental problem, and 64% demonstrated understanding of the reasons for action, showing concern for future generations and environmental preservation. At the “How” level, 50% of the groups recognised the importance of local action, 34% actively planned and implemented actions, and 29% developed specific competences for action, including systemic thinking, argumentation, and communication skills. This research demonstrates that using the IBSE approach to address relevant local problems facilitates the development of action competences for sustainability. Digital technologies emerged as important tools for the students’ actions. The study also provides a framework for understanding and analysing students’ learning for action. Full article

One of the strategies to address the persistent youth mental health crisis is school-based educational programming. This paper reports on two distinct studies regarding Coming Up for AIR, a school-based mental health education program: (1) program effectiveness, measured as gains in student mental health literacy; and (2) trends in help-seeking behavior before, during, and after the pandemic. A survey on program content was administered to assess program effectiveness. Data collected between 2020 and 2023 from four schools yielded 473 responses. A comparison of pre- and post-scores demonstrated statistically significant gains in program content. Mental health literacy improved across gender and grade level (8th, 9th, and 10th), as well as for students with prior exposure to a mental health curriculum. In the second study, help-seeking behavior was evaluated before, during, and after the pandemic. While other programs measure intention, Coming Up for AIR measures actual behavior as students can ask for help for themselves or a friend. Data did not reflect individual student responses, but rather were aggregated and provided the number of students per presentation who requested help. Archived declaration card data from January 2019 through February 2024 was accessed, representing 28 different schools and 16,289 middle and high school student responses. School-level data were analyzed by grade level (middle school or high school) and date (pre-, intra-, or post-COVID-19). Significant differences in self-referral were found for both grade level and presentation date. Self-referrals were significantly higher post-COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID-19 with middle schoolers increasing 90% and high school students increasing 36%. Analysis of friend referrals showed a significant difference for grade level, but not presentation date. Again, middle school students were more likely to make a referral than high schoolers. The data suggest that the mental health crisis in middle school students persists at an alarming rate. Schools are at the forefront of addressing mental health issues for youth. External educational programming can bring awareness to mental health concerns and promote help-seeking in youth. Full article

The U.S. Federal STEM Strategic Plan released in 2018 charged federal agencies to operate with transparency and accountability regarding the impact of STEM programming on participant outcomes. This study’s purpose is to share a robust and iterative design-based research validation study for a middle school (U.S. grades 6–8; ages 11–14 years old) Student STEM Outcomes Survey. Our team partnered with NASA to develop an instrument to study the impact of participation in NASA Office of STEM Education’s (OSTEM) engagement programming on middle school student affective outcomes. Overall, this study produced strong validity evidence for each construct (STEM Identity, STEM Self-Efficacy, STEM Interest, 21st century skills) of the Student STEM Outcomes Survey. Qualitative field testing results from subject matter experts and middle grade students related to content, response processes, and consequences of testing validity evidence provided support for data-informed item wording modifications. Rasch psychometric results assisted in meaningfully paring back items to ultimately result in parsimonious and psychometrically sound survey sections based on internal structure and response processes findings. Suggestions for using the newly developed and validated Student STEM Outcomes Survey are provided. Full article

Community schools represent a transformative approach to addressing systemic inequities in public education by integrating academic, social, and health services to create equitable learning environments. This study investigated the long-term impact of community school programming at an urban elementary school on middle school academic outcomes and college readiness indicators. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design with rigorous inclusion criteria and propensity score matching, the researchers minimized the bias from baseline group differences to enhance the internal validity. The key findings indicate that students who attended the community school demonstrated significant increases in grade point average over time and were less likely to exhibit high school dropout risk factors compared to a demographically matched comparison group of students who did not attend a community school. A higher proportion of the community school students met college readiness benchmarks, underscoring the sustained impact of community school programming. These results align with the existing literature on the potential of community schools to mitigate academic disparities and highlight the importance of integrating holistic support into educational strategies. By demonstrating a robust methodological approach, this study contributes valuable evidence to guide policymakers and practitioners in scaling and optimizing community school models to advance educational equity and excellence. Full article

Obesity is a global issue whose prevalence continues to rise at a concerning rate. Over the past 30 years, many countries have witnessed the doubling or tripling of obesity rates. The growing prevalence of obesity in children is particularly worrying given that it indicates a future burden on healthcare systems. Herein, we aim to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to childhood obesity among parents of school children in Ras Al-Khaimah (RAK) and Fujairah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). This cross-sectional study was conducted between January and May 2024 and involved parents/guardians of children from grades 1 to 12 in governmental schools in RAK and Fujairah. A standardized questionnaire adapted from the “We Can Program” was used after modification to make it suitable for the study participants. The appropriate sample size was calculated and found to be 471. A total of 510 questionnaires were included in the analysis. The study participants comprised 89.6% females, 77.6% middle-aged individuals, and 61.8% RAK residents. The results show that 96.3% of parents have good knowledge; 88.4% have a positive attitude; and 97.8% have good practices. Younger and less educated parents have a less positive attitude {odds ratio (OR) = 0.052 (0.28–0.98), p = 0.03 and OR = 0.057 (0.33–1.009), p = 0.03, respectively}. In contrast, having good knowledge increases the chances of having a positive attitude {OR = 3.81 (1.39–10.45), p = 0.015}. Males were found to have a lower probability of having good practices {OR = 0.29 (0.07–0.15), p = 0.09}. However, having good knowledge and a positive attitude increases the chances of having good practices {OR = 6.30 (1.26–31.41), p = 0.05 and OR = 23.42 (6.02–91.09, p = 0.00), respectively}. In conclusion, overall, parents/guardians from RAK and Fujairah have good knowledge, positive attitudes, and good practices with regard to childhood obesity. Young parents with lower educational levels tend to have a negative attitude. In general, living in RAK or Fujairah is not a contributing factor affecting the levels of overall knowledge, attitudes, and practices. However, parents in Fujairah have worse practices according to the majority of the individual practice questions related to physical activity and healthy food compared to parents in RAK. Particular emphasis should be placed on walking, biking, and using the stairs, when possible, among parents in Fujairah. National programs should be developed, targeting young parents with lower educational levels to improve their attitudes and hence their practices. Full article

Examining spelling from a developmental perspective began in the 1970s and has broadened over the years. This research has informed understanding of the nature and development of spelling or orthographic knowledge in children and older students and the role of orthographic knowledge in reading and writing. Based on analyses of the errors that students make in their writing and on spelling assessments, developmental spelling has documented the acquisition and integration of progressively more complex spelling patterns that represent both sound and meaning and illuminated how this information supports students’ ability to read as well as to write words. Intended for researchers, teacher educators, and teachers of students in grades 3–12, this article describes the layers of the spelling system that developmental spelling research has investigated, and their progressive integration in learners, including those who struggle, from the intermediate through the middle and secondary grades. It addresses the implications of developmental spelling research for assessment and instruction in spelling, word analysis, vocabulary, and the more specific implications of developmental spelling research for aligning instruction across spelling, word analysis, vocabulary, morphology, and etymology. Full article

This study reports on a STEM camp that aimed to engage middle grade students in computational thinking dispositions. Case study methodology and data from observational field notes and participant reflections were used to investigate if and how students engaged in computational thinking dispositions as they engaged in the unplugged LEGO activities. The findings revealed that unplugged structured LEGO activities (a) did not facilitate tolerance for ambiguity, (b) facilitated high persistence on difficult problems, and (c) high and developing willingness to collaborate with others to achieve a common goal. The findings also revealed that unplugged semi-structured LEGO activities (a) facilitated high and developing tolerance for ambiguity, (b) facilitated no evidence of persistence, and (c) increased and developed willingness to collaborate with others to achieve a common goal. The overall findings of this study suggest that when using unplugged, LEGO activities: (a) it is better to use unplugged structured LEGO activities to promote the computational thinking disposition of persistence, (b) it is better to use semi-structured activities to promote tolerance for ambiguity, and (c) it is better to use either or both to promote collaboration with others to achieve a common goal. The study’s findings are significant because it provides an empirical example of how the use of LEGOS as an unplugged activity can be used to facilitate computational thinking dispositions in middle grade students. Having this information is important because it can support STEM educators in modifying and adapting unplugged LEGO activities to develop students’ computational thinking dispositions. Full article

In this post-pandemic hybrid world of PK12 education, the onus is still on education leaders to close achievement gaps through equitable means. There are current socioeconomic, racial, gender, and geographical disparities that limit students’ full access to computer science education (CS). This case study reports how one urban PK12 school district in the United States is addressing the “leaky pipeline” with sustainable solutions for CS education with minoritized students. Using an online engagement framework, an ethnographic lens was used with document review, to conduct a content analysis of projects, programs, and services set up through the central office for nearly 20,000 students at the primary, middle grades, and secondary levels in computer sciences. Findings acknowledge leadership’s planning for student engagement in STEM+C (science, technology, engineering, math and computer science) for virtual instruction. This study will contribute to the burgeoning knowledge of leadership for CS activities in PK12, and serve as a beacon for learning organizations bolstering CS activities in the future. Full article

Background/Objectives: It is often challenging for patients to understand treatment options, their mechanisms of action, and the potential side effects of each treatment option for glomerular disorders. This study explored the ability of ChatGPT to simplify these treatment options to enhance patient understanding. Methods: GPT-4 was queried on sixty-seven glomerular disorders using two distinct queries for a general explanation and an explanation adjusted for an 8th grade level or lower. Accuracy was rated on a scale of 1 (incorrect) to 5 (correct and comprehensive). Readability was measured using the average of the Flesch–Kincaid Grade (FKG) and SMOG indices, along with the Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) score. The understandability score (%) was determined using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Printable Materials (PEMAT-P). Results: GPT-4’s general explanations had an average readability level of 12.85 ± 0.93, corresponding to the upper end of high school. When tailored for patients at or below an 8th-grade level, the readability improved to a middle school level of 8.44 ± 0.72. The FRE and PEMAT-P scores also reflected improved readability and understandability, increasing from 25.73 ± 6.98 to 60.75 ± 4.56 and from 60.7% to 76.8% (p < 0.0001 for both), respectively. The accuracy of GPT-4’s tailored explanations was significantly lower compared to the general explanations (3.99 ± 0.39 versus 4.56 ± 0.66, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: ChatGPT shows significant potential for enhancing the readability and understandability of glomerular disorder therapies for patients, but at a cost of reduced comprehensiveness. Further research is needed to refine the performance, evaluate the real-world impact, and ensure the ethical use of ChatGPT in healthcare settings. Full article