Search Results (205)

This mixed-methods study examines the digital competence of primary school teachers in Greece and Cyprus working in multilingual and multicultural mainstream classrooms. In response to the increasing diversity in European education, it explores how teachers perceive and implement digital competence to support inclusive and quality education. Using the DigCompEdu framework and an extended TPACK model, data were collected from 146 in-service teachers through a structured questionnaire. Cluster analysis revealed three distinct competence profiles-high, moderate, and low-while Kruskal–Wallis tests confirmed significant differences among them. Thematic analysis of open-ended responses, supported by Pearson correlation analysis, highlighted how teachers’ beliefs, infrastructural conditions, and pedagogical practices intersect. Highly competent teachers reported the use of inclusive digital strategies yet pointed to systemic barriers such as limited training and poor infrastructure. Less confident teachers expressed foundational challenges and dependence on external support. Across all profiles, contextual factors—school resources, time, student digital readiness, and access to professional development—were key. The study concludes that digital competence is not merely technical but deeply context-sensitive and pedagogical. It calls for differentiated, equity-oriented professional learning pathways aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 10, contributing to inclusive education and education for sustainability in linguistically diverse classrooms. Full article

Fusion cuisine blends ingredients, cooking techniques, and flavours from different cultures, yet little is known about how it is perceived within the context of gastrodiplomacy. This study explores perceptions of fusion cuisine at a multicultural gastrodiplomacy event held in Kosovo, where the participants first sampled Turkish–Kosovar fusion dishes during tasting sessions and subsequently completed an online questionnaire designed to assess their experience. In this event, participants attended structured tasting activities in Prizren and Pristina, where they sampled dishes combining elements of both culinary traditions, and then completed an online structured questionnaire consisting of 5-point Likert-type items evaluating their fusion cuisine preferences. The study was conducted in Kosovo as part of a unilateral gastrodiplomatic initiative. A total of 451 participants responded to an online questionnaire, which included fusion cuisine preference scores and metaphorical descriptions of their culinary experiences. A key contextual characteristic of this study is that data were collected exclusively during a fusion cuisine event held in Kosovo, with participation from a multinational audience who attended the event. Therefore, the sample reflects diverse cultural backgrounds within a single-location setting. The results indicate that younger, highly educated, and higher-income participants exhibited significantly greater openness to culinary diversity. These findings advance the state of knowledge by demonstrating that public reception of gastrodiplomacy is stratified by socioeconomic factors rather than defined solely by national background. Practically, this implies that effective fusion-based diplomacy requires targeted strategies to bridge demographic gaps and ensure broader social inclusivity, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach. 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

This article examines the complex interplay between plurality and neutrality in Slovenian education in the context of increasing religious and cultural diversity associated with global migration. Drawing on a pilot study conducted with five primary school counsellors working in high-diversity school environments, it explores the tensions between the normative principles of plurality and neutrality and their practical implementation in everyday school life. The aim is to highlight the concrete challenges that schools and school staff encounter when addressing religious and cultural diversity. The pilot study shows that schools react differently to religious and cultural diversity, depending on the challenges faced by pupils, staff, school management and family-school co-operation. While the study included pupils from various religious backgrounds, only certain minority groups, particularly Muslim pupils, emerged as the minority group most clearly observed in the interviews. This visibility reflects the combination of cultural and religious differences from the majority and the more explicit demands these pupils and their families raised within the school context. In contrast, Orthodox Christian pupils were generally perceived as culturally and institutionally aligned with the majority population, and their practices (such as observing their New Year or other holidays) were accommodated by the existing school system without specific challenges. It also suggests that there are different understandings of how schools should teach neutrality and plurality beyond the official curriculum. The study identifies common challenges that schools face in relation to religious and cultural diversity, some of which are closely linked to the multicultural approach to education. The challenges identified are illustrated using Muslim pupils as an example of the minority group most prominently observed in the data, while acknowledging that other minority groups may experience different or less visible challenges. The findings are therefore limited to the context observed in this pilot study and cannot be generalised to all minority pupils in Slovenia. Full article

Although emerging technologies are increasingly adopted in teaching and learning, their potential to enhance educational administration remains underexplored. In particular, few studies examine how conversational agents, virtual reality (VR), and robotic process automation (RPA) can jointly streamline administrative workflows in multilingual and multicultural university environments. This study addresses this gap by presenting an integrated solution deployed on the website of an engineering faculty where programs are delivered in foreign languages. The proposed system combines a multilingual chatbot, a VR-based administrative guide and virtual tour, and RPA modules supporting certificate generation, password resets, and exam scheduling. Through an A/B usability test, usage analytics, and qualitative feedback, we evaluate the effectiveness of these technologies in improving access to information, reducing response time, and lowering administrative workload. Results show that this triad significantly enhances efficiency and student experience, particularly for international students requiring continuous support. The paper contributes a replicable model for leveraging emerging technologies in educational administration and offers insights for institutions seeking scalable and student-centered digital transformation. Full article

This study investigates how leisure activities influence life satisfaction among immigrant adolescents in South Korea, with a focus on the mediating role of school adaptation. Data from the 2nd Multicultural Youth Panel Survey (2019–2021) were used, comprising 465 observations across three consecutive years, with results averaged across three waves. Key predictors included the frequency of leisure activities, Korean language proficiency, and family environment. The findings indicate that these factors significantly contribute to adolescents’ life satisfaction, while school adaptation partially mediates these relationships. These results highlight the importance of meaningful leisure engagement and supportive family and school contexts in promoting well-being and social integration. The study provides evidence supporting policies that foster adolescent development, highlighting the need for sustainable educational and community support. Full article

This study challenges the traditional perception of cultural values as uniform at the national level, particularly in light of globalization and demographic changes that reveal substantial intra-nation diversity. Utilizing a person-centered approach through Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), the research synthesizes Schwartz’s value orientations and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions to analyze data from 595 respondents in the United States, exemplifying a multicultural diverse society. The findings indicate that cultural value profiles primarily cluster around hierarchy and power distance, reflecting sociocultural attitudes toward authority and relational dynamics relevant to current social and political contexts. Notably, individual-level analysis reveals significant variations in how cultural values are internalized and enacted, suggesting that these values influence personal behavior rather than merely serving as collective descriptors. The study emphasizes the coexistence of conflicting cultural and value orientations within an individual and highlights the need to consider individual differences in cultural analysis. While the research contributes valuable insights into cultural psychology, the research is limited by its cross-sectional design and focus on a single nation, suggesting the need for future studies to adopt longitudinal and cross-national approaches. This research advances a more nuanced understanding of cultural values, with implications for management, policymaking, and education in multicultural societies. Full article

Current school safety frameworks in South Korea concentrate on physical and infrastructure-related risks (e.g., natural disasters, traffic accidents, and facility management), overlooking safety challenges that emerge from the gradual multicultural transition of Korean society. This work attempts to address this critical gap in school safety frameworks. To do so, we first examine how issues related to increasing religious diversity in South Korea create safety challenges. Through our examination of specific cases in university settings, we demonstrate not only that these issues manifest as sociocultural challenges extending beyond the physical risks that current frameworks prioritize, but also that higher education institutions lack adequate institutional responses. Based on this analysis, we develop a curriculum framework for teaching about world religions in general education as an institutional approach to these challenges. By engaging with the concept of religion alongside various religious traditions and discourses, this curriculum aims to develop students’ religious literacy—a competency for better understanding and navigating complex religious and cultural dynamics in daily life. With this curriculum, we suggest an effective way to enhance current school safety frameworks through religious education that is essential for addressing the challenges entwined deeply with the sociocultural transition in South Korea. In doing so, we also highlight that religion continues to maintain significant influence in contemporary Korean society, contrary to widespread assumptions that undermine its ongoing roles and impact. Full article

Humanity is opening up to cosmos in all its dimensions and areas of knowledge. In this context, Paraguay, due to its multicultural uniqueness and two official languages (Spanish and Guaraní), represents an emblematic example of how legends, traditions and its rich mythology are important in their sociocultural translation to space. They coexist as a link between the past and the future. Guarani traditions, mythology, their relationship with nature and their translation into cosmos are amazing and complex aspects of indigenous cultural heritage, which are still present in many Paraguayan initiatives. This article compiles and integrates the cultural information about this topic, which is dispersed in different sources, and frames it in its corresponding context. Likewise, it unequivocally confirms how this intangible heritage is crucial as a living roadmap and a contemporary challenge that should be preserved as it guides individuals, communities and initiatives to implement earth and space science and education. Guaraní cultural heritage offers valuable insights into how indigenous worldviews continue to shape contemporary ecological and cultural practices in our modern intersection pathway to the cosmos. Full article

(1) Background: While Hong Kong is renowned for being a multicultural city, its South and Southeast Asian population has experienced disadvantages in various aspects of life, particularly career development. This study adopts the Systems Theory Framework (STF) to investigate the school-to-work transition of Pakistani, Nepalese, Filipino, and Indian youths in the Hong Kong Chinese context. (2) Methods: A qualitative approach using individual and focus group interviews was employed to uncover and critically examine educational and career aspirations and contextual factors in the transition pathways of educational and career advancement experienced by these ethnic groups. (3) Results: Findings show that career aspirations among South and Southeast Asian youths undergoing the school-to-work transition are comparatively lower than those of their counterparts who remain in secondary education. This disparity is attributed to a range of contextual factors, particularly shortcomings in education policy and limited cultural competence within Hong Kong Chinese society, both of which contribute to the erosion of occupational outlook among these underrepresented groups. (4) Conclusions: This study demonstrates the critical impact of contextual factors on the ethnic inequality of school-to-work transition, which are more overwhelming than can be overcome by personal and family efforts. If these issues are not addressed, achieving racial equality and equal opportunity in school-to-work transition will remain a persistent challenge. Full article

In this paper, we reflect on the revisions made to a mathematics course for multicultural and multilingual pre-service teachers in Norway. The course had originally been designed and taught by one of the authors, and together we now analyze how it was retaught and restructured in light of student experiences, high failure rates, and our shared professional values. Using an action research approach and drawing on an equity–diversity–inclusion framework, we examine specific changes in pedagogy, assessments, and student support. This paper contributes to conversations about how mathematics teacher education can become more inclusive, responsive, and just. Full article

Nonverbal tests assess cognitive ability in multicultural and multilingual children, but language-based instructions disadvantage non-proficient children. This is a growing concern worldwide due to the increasing number of multilingual classrooms. The tablet-based FLUX (Fluid Intelligence Luxembourg) test was developed within a highly multicultural and multilingual educational context to offer not only nonverbal test content but also language-fair animated video instructions. A total of 703 third graders (M_age = 8.85, SD = 0.66; 48.8% females, 51.1% males, 0.1% with no gender specified) were included in the standardisation sample and were assessed with tasks measuring figural fluid intelligence, quantitative fluid intelligence, visual processing and short-term memory. The test proved sufficiently reliable (FLUX Full-scale: McDonald’s Omega = 0.94; split-half = 0.95). Test fairness was ensured by analysing each item for Differential Item Functioning (DIF) on children’s background characteristics (language spoken at home, socioeconomic status, gender). Its factorial structure was confirmed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Further validity evidence was provided by determining its concurrent and criterion-related validity (correlations with a test of cognitive ability and educational achievement scores). Research implications and future prospects in promoting equal opportunities in a heterogeneous multilingual educational context are discussed. Full article

Background: Patient education (PE) is an essential component of quality healthcare and chronic disease management. However, effective implementation often faces patient-, nurse-, and organization-related barriers. This is particularly relevant in multicultural healthcare settings such as Saudi Arabia, where a highly diverse nursing workforce may influence PE practices. Aim: To examine the barriers and facilitators influencing patient education practices among nurses working in multiple hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 289 registered nurses recruited through convenience sampling from various hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a validated self-administered questionnaire consisting of demographic items and structured scales assessing PE barriers and facilitators. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: Language differences (64.3%) and cultural barriers (59.2%) were the most commonly reported patient-related obstacles. Among nurse-related barriers, staff shortages (72.4%), heavy workload (72.0%), and time constraints (59.9%) were prominent. Organizational barriers included limited educational resources (39.4%) and unsupportive environments (35.6%). Key facilitators identified by nurses included availability of policies and procedures (63.6%), provision of PE training (63.7%), and integration of PE into clinical workflow and nurse appraisals. Conclusions: Despite strong professional support for PE, multiple barriers hinder its implementation in Saudi hospitals. Addressing these challenges requires institutional strategies such as workforce reinforcement, policy integration, and resource allocation. Future efforts should also include integrating patient perspectives, developing culturally tailored education resources, and evaluating the impact of targeted interventions to strengthen PE delivery in diverse hospital settings. Full article

The result of accelerated development and technological progress is manifested through numerous changes in the labor market, primarily concerning the competencies of future employees. Many of those competencies have symmetrical character. The determinants that may influence the development of specific competencies are variable and dynamic, yet they share the characteristic of transcending temporal and spatial boundaries. In this paper we propose the use of a combination of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to rank 21st-century competencies that are developed independently of the formal educational process. Ability to organize and plan, appreciation of diversity and multiculturalism, and ability to solve problems appeared to be the highest-ranked competencies. The development of key competencies is symmetrical to the skills for the labor market. Also, the development of key competencies is symmetrical to the right selection of the quality of media content. The paper proves that the development of key competencies is symmetrical to the level of education of both parents. One of the key findings is that participants with higher levels of media literacy express more readiness for the contemporary labor market. Moreover, the family, particularly parents, exerts a highly significant positive influence on the development of 21st-century competencies. Parents with higher levels of education, in particular, provide a stimulating environment for learning, foster critical thinking, and encourage the exploration of diverse domains of knowledge. Full article

The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is driving a profound transformation in higher education, shifting traditional learning toward digital, remote, and AI-mediated environments. This shift—accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic—has made computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) a central pedagogical model for engaging students in virtual, interactive, and peer-based learning. However, while these environments enhance access and flexibility, they also introduce new emotional, social, and intercultural challenges that students must navigate without the benefit of face-to-face interaction. In this evolving context, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has become increasingly essential—not only for supporting student well-being but also for fostering the self-efficacy, adaptability, and interpersonal competencies required for success in AI-enhanced academic settings. Despite its importance, the role of SEL in higher education—particularly within CSCL frameworks—remains underexplored. This study investigates how SEL, and specifically cultural empathy, influences students’ learning experiences in multicultural CSCL environments. Grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Allport’s Contact Theory, this study builds on theoretical insights that position emotional stability, social competence, and cultural empathy as critical SEL dimensions for promoting equity, collaboration, and effective participation in diverse, AI-supported learning settings. A quantitative study was conducted with 258 bachelor’s and master’s students on a multicultural campus. Using the Multicultural Social and Emotional Learning (SEL CASTLE) model, the research examined the relationships among SEL competencies and self-efficacy in CSCL environments. Findings reveal that cultural empathy plays a mediating role between emotional and social competencies and academic self-efficacy, emphasizing its importance in enhancing collaborative learning experiences within AI-driven environments. The results highlight the urgent need to cultivate cultural empathy to support inclusive, effective digital learning across diverse educational settings. This study contributes to the fields of intercultural education and digital pedagogy by presenting the SEL CASTLE model and demonstrating the significance of integrating SEL into AI-supported collaborative learning. Strengthening these competencies is essential for preparing students to thrive in a globally interconnected academic and professional landscape. Full article