Search Results (41)

This perspective article comments on the four articles within the Social Sciences Special Issue on ‘Systemism and International Studies’ within the broader scholarly and pedagogical context of the discipline. The special issue contributors successfully demonstrate applications of systemism across distinct fields, bringing expert perspectives to graphic design. We identified numerous contributions in theory building and refinement, active learning pedagogy, collaboration within and across disciplines, and partnership among policymakers and scholars. Limitations and obstacles, such as the lack of visual layering and the learning curve for systemist notation, are also noted. This commentary unfolds in four sections: an introduction providing an overview, an analysis of current dynamics highlighting strengths and weaknesses, an exploration of future opportunities and challenges, and a conclusion synthesizing the contributions of the four works. Full article

The UI GreenMetric World University Ranking has become a widely adopted instrument for benchmarking institutional sustainability performance; nevertheless, empirically grounded evidence from universities in diverse regional contexts remains scarce. This study undertakes a rigorous appraisal of the extent to which Mahasarakham University (MSU) has institutionalized the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within its pedagogical offerings, research portfolio, community outreach, and governance arrangements during the 2021–2024 strategic cycle. Employing a mixed-methods design and guided by the 2024 UI GreenMetric Education and Research indicators, this investigation analyzed institutional datasets pertaining to curriculum provision, ring-fenced research funding, 574 peer-reviewed sustainability publications, student-led community initiatives, and supporting governance mechanisms; the analysis was interpreted through a Plan–Do–Check–Act management lens. The number of sustainability-oriented academic programs expanded from 49 to 58. Student participation in community service activities strongly recovered following the COVID-19 pandemic, and MSU’s GreenMetric score increased from 7575 to 8475, thereby elevating the institution to the 100th position globally. These gains were facilitated by strategic SDG-aligned investment, cross-sector collaboration, and the consolidation of international partnerships anchored in Thailand’s Isaan region. The MSU case provides a transferable model for universities—particularly those operating in resource-constrained contexts—endeavoring to align institutional development with the SDGs and internationally recognized quality benchmarks. The findings substantiate the capacity of transformative education and applied research to engender enduring societal and environmental benefits. Full article

Community-Based Education (CBE) is a transformative approach that integrates academic learning with practical problem-solving by engaging students in real-world community challenges. This study, grounded in a comprehensive literature review, first examines the distinctive characteristics of CBE relative to traditional pedagogical frameworks, exploring its application across varied educational contexts and the implementation challenges it faces. In particular, the research investigates the complexities of aligning community projects with established technical standards and overcoming institutional resistance while also assessing the effectiveness of CBE in cultivating socially responsible, career-ready graduates. To ensure that these findings are both relevant and practical, the study then incorporates validation from an expert review panel consisting of educators and administrators. These experts provided firsthand insights into the challenges they have encountered and shared potential strategies for addressing them, which in turn informed the development of a robust set of guidelines and recommendations. The recommendations underscore the importance of forging strong community partnerships, offering targeted faculty development opportunities, and maintaining curricular flexibility to effectively integrate real-world learning experiences. Ultimately, the study reinforces the pivotal role of CBE in preparing future leaders capable of making a positive impact at both local and global levels. Full article

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and mixed reality (MR) into orthopedic education has transformed learning. This review examines AI-powered platforms like Microsoft HoloLens, Apple Vision Pro, and HTC Vive Pro, which enhance anatomical visualization, surgical simulation, and clinical decision-making. These technologies improve the spatial understanding of musculoskeletal structures, refine procedural skills with haptic feedback, and personalize learning through AI-driven adaptive algorithms. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT further support knowledge retention and provide evidence-based insights on orthopedic topics. AI-enabled platforms and generative AI tools help address challenges in standardizing orthopedic education. However, we still face many barriers that relate to standardizing data, algorithm evaluation, ethics, and the curriculum. AI is used in preoperative planning and predictive analytics in the postoperative period that bridges theory and practice. AI and MR are key to supporting innovation and scalability in orthopedic education. However, technological innovation relies on collaborative partnerships to develop equitable, evidence-informed practices that can be implemented in orthopedic education. For sustained impact, innovation must be aligned with pedagogical theories and principles. We believe that orthopedic medical educators’ future critical role will be to enhance the next generation of competent clinicians. Full article

Students as Partners (SaP) programs have centered student voices since their inception. Student–faculty pedagogical partnerships are grounded in the notion that students have the expertise to contribute to faculty in preparing for, reflecting on, and revising teaching and learning practices in ways that are inclusive and responsive to all learners. This expertise is based in part on their lived experiences—both as students and as members of the student populations that SaP programs were intentionally created to help empower (e.g., first generation, low-income, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of Color) and others marginalized in higher education). These students, in dialogue with faculty, help to expose equity issues across classrooms. As SaP programs have proliferated in colleges and universities across the globe, the student partners’ role as social justice advocates in these programs have expanded too. This review explores the pedagogical partnership literature over the past 20 years, to establish the ways in which undergraduate students and post-bacs have flourished in leadership roles in SaP programs: (a) acting as leaders for social equity on campus, (b) serving as peer mentors to new student partners in existing programs, (c) co-creating new programs, and (d) publishing in the literature. This review reveals opportunities for new directions with peer mentorship in SaP programs through the role of lead student mentors who can help to scale up SaP programs, support the emotional labor involved in partnership work, and create pathways to future social justice leadership opportunities. Full article

Education for sustainability is one of the big challenges that higher education institutions (HEIs) face in the context of Society 5.0, which promotes human-centered design solutions. Therefore, solutions for collaboration between humans and technology in organizations are needed, as Industry 5.0 suggests. However, the concept of Engineering Education 5.0 promotes engineers who are able to solve global changes and are endowed with knowledge, skills, and a mindset for sustainability. This paper aims to highlight the transformative potential of international multidisciplinary consortia in HEIs, both for teaching and learning practices. Using a methodology that combines autoethnography and narrative analysis based on qualitative feedback received from participants, the paper presents lessons learned, good practices, and pilot co-teaching experiences within two Erasmus+ cooperation partnerships. This paper describes the educational process during joint learning sessions based on co-teaching and art-based training, showing educational practices for curricula development in engineering education. The findings show that cultivating teachers’ mindsets, skills, and pedagogical approaches can empower students to become active agents in fostering a more sustainable society and suggest that both ergonomics competencies and soft skills (e.g., self-awareness, creativity, collaboration) are crucial sustainability-oriented competencies, developed within international collaborative and enjoyable learning environments based on transformative learning experiences. Full article

Successful interaction between family and preschool is crucial in the early stages of bilingual development. Traditionally, a Finnish–Russian preschool brings together children from Finnish-speaking, Russian-speaking, and bilingual families. Educators communicate with children and parents in different languages, using specific translanguaging strategies to develop both languages. The study explores how educators interact with parents and how children interact with each other without a common language. Reflective interviews with teachers explore various aspects of their professional activities, emphasizing the expert use of different languages to expand children’s language skills and foster appreciation. Teachers’ attitudes can shift upon reflection, underscoring the need for partnerships with parents. Additionally, the study analyzes educators’ opinions about play without a common language among children with diverse languages. The longitudinal case study within a bilingual Finnish–Russian preschool thematically groups answers from 18 interviews, focusing on the dynamic relationship between teachers and parents, crucial for creating a supportive learning environment for children’s holistic development. The results show that educators, when reflecting on their role in bilingual education, emphasize a wide range of positive examples of interactions with parents, from constructive professional relationships to long-lasting friendships. They believe that while they cannot replace family interactions, they can develop the child’s abilities within their group of peers. Specifically, play without a common language allows children to communicate with peers in different languages. Full article

Pedagogical partnership programs often facilitate collaborations between students and faculty to bolster inclusive instructional methodologies and equitable opportunities for classroom engagement. Improving equitable learning experiences for students is of particular importance within physician assistant (PA) education given the efforts toward increasing diversity within the profession. We began to explore ways to increase social equity and inclusion in a PA program by incorporating a student–faculty partnership, which was established between an undergraduate student and a graduate PA program faculty member. The partnership included classroom observations, syllabus/lecture review, and mid-semester feedback from the student partner, as well as weekly meetings between the student partner and faculty member to iteratively revise approaches to course instruction and student engagement. At the end of the course, we gathered survey data on the partnership’s impact on PA students’ perceptions of classroom climate and the PA program in general. Student responses indicate that students experienced a sense of improved classroom climate, open communication, trust, and support because of the partnership. Full article

Pedagogical partnership experiences have been found to support students in developing professional skills, but there is little documentation on whether and how those skills are exercised later in the professional roles they might pursue. We were interested in this question, particularly given the potential for pedagogical partnership to contribute to social equity by prompting the development and eventual application of skills that are critical for professional success yet often not explicitly taught. At an R1 university, one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with alumni of a pedagogical partnership program to prompt reflection on skills they developed in their time in the program and how they might relate to their post-undergraduate endeavors, including academic and professional career contexts. Participants’ reflections suggested that involvement in pedagogical partnerships impacted their development and application of professional skills, such as relationship building, communication, ability to navigate power imbalances, pedagogical knowledge, and equity-related skills. It also contributed to the development of personal attributes such as self-confidence, resilience, and flexibility. Through this research, we uncovered ways in which pedagogical partnership programs can provide an opportunity for student partners, who often hold marginalized identities, to develop some of the tacit knowledge and skills necessary to become successful in their careers post-graduation. Full article

It is critical that teachers are equipped with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skills and knowledge as we move into a digital future. By integrating STEM into early childhood education, we can provide young children with invaluable opportunities to build their scientific knowledge from the very start, setting them up for success in their later STEM educational journeys. However, many educators within early childhood settings find it challenging to create engaging STEM-based activities for young children. Unfortunately, there is a scarcity of information on how teacher educators can support preservice teachers in developing their STEM competence. This study examined the perspectives of early childhood preservice teachers (PSTs) regarding their confidence and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in integrating STEM into their teaching practice. Utilising a qualitative multi-case study approach, semi-structured interviews with 11 PSTs and a document analysis of their assignment tasks and teaching artefacts were conducted to deepen our understanding of PCK skills. Data were analysed using Bryman’s thematic analysis, revealing key themes through a narrative analysis of PSTs’ responses. Several crucial themes emerged, with PSTs acknowledging that embedding STEM content into both theoretical classwork and practical placement significantly enhanced their content knowledge and confidence when teaching STEM in early childhood settings. It is essential for future research to explore and expand university–preschool partnerships to create immersive STEM experiences that benefit preservice teachers and future in-service teachers in this field. Full article

(1) Background: Uneven access to the experience of extra-classroom, student–faculty pedagogical partnerships, as well as the relatively small number of students who can participate in this work, raise equity concerns. Calls to scale up such partnership opportunities often focus on expanding the number and kind of existing partnership projects in a given context, which requires resources and infrastructure that many institutions do not have. (2) Method: We took a students-as-co-researchers approach to a three-phase action-research project to test our hypothesis that (a) assessing the benefits of pedagogical partnership, (b) conceptualizing a new approach to fostering those benefits, and (c) piloting that approach could inform efforts at our own and other institutions to pursue social-justice goals in higher education. (3) Findings: Both our review of the wider literature and our analysis of our own partnership program’s student and faculty participant perspectives affirmed that participating in extra-classroom, student–faculty pedagogical partnerships fosters in students personal learning-related capacities, deepens understanding of other learners and of teachers, and builds career-ready competencies. The new scaling-up approach to fostering these benefits that we conceptualized and have begun to pilot has the potential to be more inclusive, equitable, and feasible than replicating existing extra-classroom pedagogical partnership models. (4) Conclusions: Creating such opportunities for students to develop educational, interpersonal, and professional capacities and competencies can contribute to equity and social justice in higher education. Full article

In recent years, we have seen social movement-based calls for social justice and decolonisation in universities around the world. Some of these have been in response to specific events such as the murder of George Floyd in 2020, while others are rooted in longer standing social movements such as Rhodes Must Fall. These movements have served as catalysts for universities to rethink their commitments to social justice. This article presents the preliminary findings of a university-wide research initiative focused on understanding student and staff perceptions of decolonisation and their aspirations for decolonial work within a post-1992 institution in the United Kingdom. Positioned within the university’s broader commitments to anti-racism and as part of a student–staff partnership project focused on interrogating contemporary coloniality, this research investigates how participants understand and experience decolonial initiatives as well as the perceived impact of these efforts on curriculum, relationships, and institutional culture. By conducting a survey, we sought to unravel the complexities surrounding how students and staff conceptualise decolonisation, articulate their aspirations for decolonial initiatives, and envision the potential of student–staff partnerships as catalysts for transformative social justice work within the university. This study aims to enrich the discourse on social justice work in higher education by offering a critical lens on decolonial efforts and highlighting opportunities for collective action to rethink knowledge production and pedagogical practices. Grounded in the belief that decolonial research partnerships between students and staff are essential, the survey and article were developed by six researchers—three staff members and three students. Full article

Teaching that centers holistic understandings of humans and the natural environment is relatively new in Australian social work education. This position is purposefully embraced to embed ecological justice as a key consideration in day-to-day practice. Alongside the growing professional awareness of ecological concerns and emerging commitment to ecosocial work practice, field education is evolving and allowing students to engage in remote digitally facilitated field placements. This provides new opportunities for creatively embedding ecological learning and ecosocial work practices into student field education thus promoting incorporation of these into the students’ emerging professional practice frameworks. This descriptive article examines the structure and pedagogical approach used in a series of such placements provided in partnership with environmental not-for-profit organizations. These digitally facilitated field education experiences can provide a powerful mechanism for transformational ecosocial learning, particularly when underpinned by Freirean ecopedagogy which resonates with social work’s professional values and purpose. Additionally, there is opportunity for mutual benefit when these placements are hosted by environmental not-for-profit organizations. Full article

This review paper explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in career and technical education (CTE). CTE is an educational domain often overlooked in discussions about teaching and learning and notably omitted in the extant literature about AI’s application in educational settings. Although much of the existing literature focuses on AI in K-12 and higher education, CTE faces distinct challenges and opportunities in both education and the application of AI because CTE programming is more hands-on and industry-connected. This paper, grounded in Diffusion of Innovations theory, examines AI tool adoption processes among CTE educators by analyzing both barriers and opportunities. Key findings suggest that while AI offers significant benefits, its adoption is hindered by systemic factors. This paper contributes to the literature by highlighting the importance of contextualizing AI adoption within the distinct pedagogical practices and industry partnerships of CTE. It emphasizes the need for targeted strategies that address CTE-specific challenges, including robust infrastructure, equitable resource distribution, and fostering a culture of innovation among educators. The implications of this work underscore AI’s potential to bridge the gap between education and workforce demands, positioning CTE programs as critical sites for preparing students for the next phase of workforce under Industry 5.0. Full article

Education is the most important part of sustainable society development. Traditional approaches to permanent lifelong educator training often fail to produce lasting changes in teaching practices (UN, Goal 4). This paper examines how educator involvement in a professional learning community (PLC) ensures equitable quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all and a sustainable digital transformation of the teaching and learning process. Participation in PLC and the use of contemporary learning environments positively impact the quality of educators’ work, thereby enhancing the overall educational process. This study utilised a quantitative methodology, employing both descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse the data. Results indicate that a balanced integration of formal PLC structures and guidance, combined with elements of a non-formal, broader PLC and external incentives and support (such as projects), can surpass mere exchanges of best practices, foster innovation, and support the sustainable digital transformation of educators. This approach leads to a sustainable shift in pedagogical paradigms. The PLC_IP model (focused on including digital technologies and effective teaching strategies) enhances collective educator efficacy, contributing to improved teaching quality. For PLCs to achieve sustainability, they must be dynamic entities that adapt to the evolving educational landscape, ensuring their continued relevance and impact with rising completion rates over time. Our findings underscore the importance of innovative PLCs in driving sustainable educational development and improvement and provide a framework for future research and practical applications in educational settings. In addition, PLCs can strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development (UN, Goal 17). Full article