Search Results (625)

This study examines the increasing concern regarding teacher job satisfaction, which has a direct impact on retention, instructional quality, and student outcomes. Traditionally, teacher satisfaction has been evaluated through questionnaires, which present limitations in terms of data efficiency and analyses. In this study, machine learning techniques were applied to data from the PISA 2022 teacher questionnaire in Morocco (N = 2998 lower-secondary teachers). Two multiclass classification targets were defined: overall job satisfaction (SATJOB_class) and satisfaction with the teaching profession (SATTEACH_class), each categorised into three balanced classes: low (<−0.5), medium (−0.5 to 0.5), and high (>0.5) classes. The methodology comprised four key stages. Initially, comprehensive pre-processing was conducted to address missing values, retaining features with fewer than 300 missing entries and applying mode imputation. Subsequently, nine classifiers, including logistic regression, K-nearest neighbours, multinomial naïve Bayes, support vector machine, decision tree, random forest, XGBoost, AdaBoost, and a feed-forward Artificial Neural Network, were evaluated using identical train/test splits and hyperparameter tuning. Third, the model performance was assessed using accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. Finally, the feature importance was derived from tree-based and permutation methods. The results indicated that XGBoost outperformed the other models for SATJOB_class with an accuracy (0.61), precision (0.62), recall (0.61), and F1-score (0.61), followed by Random Forest (accuracy = 0.59), Logistic Regression (accuracy = 0.59), and AdaBoost (accuracy = 0.59). For SATTEACH_class, Random Forest led with accuracy (0.59), followed closely by XGBoost (0.58), ANN (0.57), and AdaBoost (0.56). Key predictors of teacher job satisfaction included workload-related variables and school-environment factors, which consistently emerged as the most important features across the best-performing models. The methodology and open-source pipeline provide a reproducible framework for evidence-based interventions to improve teacher retention and instructional quality, offering valuable insights for policymakers and educational administrators. Full article

The inception of Jamaica’s education system was built based on European settler colonial ideologies and White supremacist logic. Almost two centuries after the abolition of slavery and over six decades after independence from British rule, colonial vestiges pervade Jamaican education policy and practice, resulting in the continued marginalisation of Black students from low-income backgrounds. Despite the commissioning of multiple reports on the state of the education system, these racist and classist injustices persist. In this article, we examine social justice issues at the nexus of national education policy and school leadership practice in Jamaican public schools based on our reflexive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with two Jamaican education policymakers, five education researchers and four public school leaders, alongside Jamaica’s National Student Dress and Grooming Policy Guidelines 2018. Our findings highlight a hierarchical relationship among stakeholder groups in the creation and implementation of Jamaican education policy. Our findings also highlight four themes suggesting that this results from deeply ingrained valorisation of Eurocentric values in policy design that leads to heightened tensions between the Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY) and school administrators at the level of policy implementation, distraction of school staff from teaching and learning, and disproportionate exclusion of Black students from low-income backgrounds. Implications from our study are the need for stronger cohesion among education policy stakeholders, the incorporation of social justice in teacher and leader preparation and the integration of critical pedagogies at all levels of the Jamaican education system. Full article

Pediculosis remains a public health problem among primary schoolchildren worldwide, including in Thailand. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of pediculosis and identify associated determinants among primary schoolgirls from different socio-geographic regions of Thailand to inform effective control strategies. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 494 schoolgirls from eastern, northeastern, and southern provinces. Data on demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, personal hygiene practices, parental knowledge and attitudes toward head lice, and school health policies were collected using questionnaires and interviews with school administrators. Univariable analyses and a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) with school as a random effect were used to account for clustering. The overall prevalence of pediculosis was 50.81% (95% CI: 46.31–55.20), with significant variation across provinces. In univariable analysis, several factors were associated with infestation. However, after accounting for clustering, only class level (adjusted OR = 3.09; 95% CI: 1.31–7.29) and self-performed hair washing (adjusted OR = 2.93; 95% CI: 1.57–5.49) remained significantly associated with pediculosis, while other associations were attenuated. Parental knowledge was moderate, and commonly held beliefs regarding prevention and treatment varied. None of the participating schools had routine head lice screening policies. These findings indicate that pediculosis is likely influenced by both individual and school-level factors. Control efforts may benefit from coordinated school-based approaches, alongside improved access to effective treatment and targeted health education. Full article

Rural educators face persistent structural barriers to accessing professional development that supports instructional change, particularly in disciplines such as engineering that require specialized knowledge and resources. This study examines a needs-driven professional development initiative designed to support rural K–12 educators in integrating engineering concepts through a school–university partnership in Southwest Virginia. Using a mixed-methods needs assessment consisting of a regional survey and in-depth interviews with teachers and administrators, we identified key challenges related to professional development access, relevance, and sustainability. These findings informed the design of a two-day professional development workshop grounded in place-based education and teacher pedagogical choice. Results highlight educators’ preferences for contextually relevant, hands-on learning experiences and the importance of ongoing support and professional community-building. While situated in a rural region, the findings have broader implications for professional development policy and practice across diverse educational settings. By explicitly examining how needs assessment findings were translated into professional development design decisions, this study contributes practice-based evidence for creating more equitable and context-responsive professional learning models. Full article

Newcomers to the United States face numerous obstacles. This article examines the perceptions and practices of school personnel in one Texas K–12 school district concerning culturally responsive leadership (CRL) and school practices for emergent bilingual (EB) newcomer students with refugee backgrounds. The two research questions guiding this paper include (1) What are the perceptions of K–12 school personnel about the policies, programs, and practices that shape the experiences of EB newcomer students with refugee backgrounds? and (2) How do K–12 school personnel perceive and practice culturally responsive leadership to create inclusive schools for EB newcomers? Despite robust scholarship on refugee education and culturally responsive leadership (CRL), less is known about how school personnel interpret policy and organizational constraints and subsequently translate those interpretations into everyday leadership and pedagogical practices. Following a qualitative case study research design, this study used interviews, focus groups, and vignette discussion prompts with teachers, administrators, and district representatives to show how personnel interpreted policy, categorization, and accountability pressures and how they reported responding through welcoming, relational, and culturally responsive practices. Findings are reported at the level of personnel perceptions and reported practices rather than student outcomes. The study offers practical implications for schools and districts seeking to better support the integration of EB newcomer students with refugee backgrounds into schools and communities. Full article

One of the strategies for the control and elimination of schistosomiasis is the control of its snail vectors in an endemic area, as is done in other tropical diseases like malaria. However, the strategy currently practiced for the control of the disease in Nigeria is the annual mass administration of preventive chemotherapy (Praziquantel) among school-age children while neglecting the control of its snail intermediate host and other control components. The neglect of malacology and vector control will slow the elimination targets and timeline of 2030 set by the WHO. In this study, we investigated the abundance and seasonal variations in the snail vectors of schistosomiasis and the relationship between the disease among humans and infected snail vectors. A total of 21,282 snails were collected from 13 sites across the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Of the collected snails, 1451 (6.8%) belong to three species: Biomphelaria pfeifferi (0.5%), Bulinus truncatus (2.1%) and Bulinus globosus (4.2%), which are known to be vectors of Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma bovis, respectively. These three species were all shedding cercariae both at the time of collection and afterwards, when they were induced to shed cercariae. The association between the reported prevalence of the disease and the percentage of snails shedding cercaria were heterogenous across different communities. While Takushara, with a disease prevalence of 46%, had 60% of the cercaria shedding snails, Kwaita sabo pukafa and Guduji, with disease prevalences of 56% and 26% respectively, had no cercaria shedding snails. Similarly, Dagiri rafin shahu and Gwako 1, with disease prevalences of 60% and 38%, had cercaria shedding snails of less than 1%. Nonetheless, the presence of Bulinus and Biomphelaria species in these communities indicates a potential risk of infection for humans and other animals who may come in contact with the water. Consequently, integrated multisectoral control and elimination measures that combine malacological monitoring with behavioral, environmental, and historical epidemiological assessments with a deliberate health orientation of the people through sensitization and health education is advocated to reduce exposure to the disease risk factors and contribute towards elimination of the disease. Full article

In collaboration with various stakeholders, including learners, parents, teachers, district administrators, and community organizations, school social workers (SSWs) can positively influence the school ethos, reduce risks and barriers to learning, and increase learners’ resilience. This collaboration is particularly crucial in low- and middle-income countries, where psychosocial well-being support structures are lacking, significantly affecting learners’ well-being. This exploratory qualitative study aimed to explore the nature of collaboration in the practice of school social work in South African public schools in Gauteng province. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 SSWs who provided informed consent. Reflexive thematic analysis confirms that SSWs actively promote and participate in interdisciplinary and inter-organizational collaboration to support learners. These collaborations were crucial for addressing complex issues such as child protection, substance abuse, mental health, and poverty. However, the identified challenges include limited participation by experts, key stakeholders, and parents, as well as poor coordination between the social development and education departments. These challenges hinder SSWs’ ability to address learners’ diverse needs effectively. Therefore, the study argues for a shift toward more formalized, uniform partnerships and proposes operational strategies to strengthen collaboration and the practice of school social work within the broader school system. Full article

In a rapidly changing era, education systems must empower learners as community innovators through Place-Based Education (PBE). While School–University partnerships are global drivers of reform, the specific administrative mechanisms required to support and scale these innovations within decentralized policy frameworks, such as Thailand’s Education Sandbox, remain underexplored. This Research and Development (R&D) study, integrated with a Design Thinking framework, investigated school-led administrative innovations across four diverse jurisdictions in the Songkhla Education Sandbox over 12 months. The study synthesized a collaborative administrative framework structured around four core pillars: Strategic Mentoring and Thinking Partnership, Place-Based Educational Ecosystems, Adaptive Governance and Resource Autonomy, and Collective Synergy and Iterative Development. Empirical findings indicate that this framework supported the development of “Innovative Co-creator” characteristics among students, generating high-value outcomes such as “Songkhla Mini Mango Coffee” and social innovations from water hyacinth. The study concludes that educational transformation thrives when administrative structures shift from compliance-driven mandates to flexible, context-responsive partnerships. By integrating university-led coaching with community assets, the framework offers a promising, contextually adaptable model for enhancing student learning outcomes while preserving local socio-cultural identity. This systematic approach supports the continuity of educational reform across diverse regional contexts. Full article

Few studies focus on levels of concern among teachers regarding safety and health (S&H) such as indoor air quality and related environmental S&H topics in K-12 schools. Between October 2021 and June 2023, the New Jersey (NJ) Safe Schools Program provided work-based learning training to 163 newer NJ public secondary career and technical education teachers and asked them to complete online surveys regarding school S&H during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 205 total survey entries out of 436 possible entries from multiple surveys (two surveys plus a follow-up survey in fall 2022 for those trained in 2021-22 SY). This paper focuses on concerns and perceptions of teacher S&H in physical workplaces with or without ventilation; perceived safety of cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting products (CSDPs); and who is responsible for school S&H. About half of the participants were “very concerned/concerned” about the health effects of CSDPs, and most believed principals are responsible for school S&H. School administrators and principals should take teacher concerns into account to develop, with safety professionals, relevant procedures, including for CSDP use, and provide adequate mechanical ventilation in classrooms. Full article

The rapid digital transformation of education systems has profoundly changed teachers’ working conditions, intensified administrative demands, and highlighted territorial and organizational inequalities. In this context, understanding how these dynamics influence teacher engagement is essential for promoting healthy educational organizations. This study examined the factor structure of the UWES-17 and analyzed the relationship between engagement levels and sociodemographic variables in a sample of 314 elementary school teachers from four regions of Chile. Descriptive analyses, exploratory factor analysis with polychoric correlations and unweighted least squares, and confirmatory factor analysis using robust ULS and the Hull method were performed. The results showed a robust two-factor structure—Inspired Vitality and Challenging Commitment—with excellent fit indices. Freeman–Halton exact tests showed that Inspired Vitality was significantly associated with age, gender, region, location, administrative dependency, and professional experience, while Challenging Commitment was associated with gender, region, context, and professional experience. These findings indicate that teacher engagement is influenced by both structural inequalities and individual trajectories. The results underscore the need to strengthen organizational resources, regulate digital intensification, and reduce territorial gaps to promote teacher well-being. Full article

This qualitative study examines the organizational structures shaping the experience of 18 women assistant heads working at K-12 independent, co-educational, day schools serving students of 700 students or more. Specifically, we were interested in better understanding the disproportionate representation of women in the assistant headship and whether, and to what degree, this may be a function of the role. We wondered if gendered structural elements shaping the role and specifically feminization (e.g., gendered expectations, role elasticity, diminished professional autonomy, and compensation structures that devalue care work) may hamper these women’s overall success and well-being. We found that the structures shaping their role did appear to be feminized, such that while many participants felt a sense of purpose in their work, the expansive and seemingly endless nature of their responsibilities; the emotional labor the role necessitated; the limited guidance, autonomy, and feedback they received; and their frequent perception that their efforts were under-compensated contributed to diminished well-being. The implications of this study include the need for training in, and implementation of, best practices for evaluation, mentorship, and mitigating gender bias and discrimination in all aspects of school operations. Full article

School classrooms represent complex, interconnected systems where indoor environmental quality critically influences student health, cognitive performance, and educational equity. Yet traditional approaches operate in disciplinary silos, creating systemic failures in design, operation, and maintenance. This narrative review adopts a systems engineering framework to demonstrate how integrated interventions—spanning policy, design, technology, and operations—create resilient, sustainable, and healthy classroom climates. Amid escalating climate change impacts (rising temperatures, heatwaves, wildfires) and emerging threats (airborne pathogens, urban pollution), reactive measures like school closures prove pedagogically counterproductive. This review synthesizes evidence on natural, mechanical, and mixed-mode ventilation systems optimized through advanced control strategies, smart technologies, and health-centred policies. Key findings reveal that synergistic integration of Policy, Management, Construction, Operation, and Smart Technologies, in a systems engineering framework, outperforms singular strategies. Critical interventions include hybrid ventilation coupled with layered defences (HEPA filtration, UVGI), AI-driven adaptive controls using IoT sensors and Model Predictive Control to optimize energy while managing pollutant concentrations, and mandatory IAQ standards rooted in stakeholder education. By framing classrooms as interconnected engineering systems, this work provides actionable insights for architects, engineers, policymakers, and administrators, positioning future school design toward resilience, sustainability, and human-centred health outcomes. Full article

The Chocó Andino Biosphere Reserve in Ecuador faces growing challenges associated with food consumption and waste management in rural contexts. However, the role of educational institutions in promoting sustainable practices in these territories has been scarcely studied. This paper analyzes how rural schools contribute to circularity processes in food and waste management, shaping what we conceptualize as school trajectories toward circularity. A mixed methodology was applied in four public institutions in the Reserve. The quantitative component consisted of characterizing and measuring the weight, composition, and generation of waste, while the qualitative component was based on observations and semi-structured interviews with administrators and teachers. The results indicate that recyclable dry fraction constitutes the predominant fraction across schools, revealing an overlooked but significant potential for reuse and recycling in rural educational settings. They also reveal that sustainable practices within the schools are primarily supported by pedagogical leadership and active community participation. These practices shape environmental learning trajectories in which care and co-responsibility become integrated into everyday school life. The findings contribute empirical insights on the sociocultural determinants of circular food behavior in contexts of the Global South. Full article

Culturally responsive practices (CRPs) (i.e., practices that affirm students’ cultural backgrounds) can reduce educational inequities, but these practices have yet to become normative within U.S. education. A national study of K-12 teachers conducted in late 2023 found that teachers’ use of CRPs depended not only on their individual moral frameworks regarding diversity (i.e., endorsement of multiculturalism and colorblindness) but also on their communities’ and administrators’ support for efforts to increase equitable educational outcomes among students (i.e., equity work). Since 2023, federal guidance has shifted, and educational equity work is now discouraged. We conducted a second national survey of K-12 teachers (N = 980) in early 2025 to examine whether contextual influences on teachers’ decisions regarding CRP use have also shifted in light of changes to federal guidance. While the 2023 study found that teachers with weaker multiculturalism beliefs were more likely to use CRPs when their administrators supported equity work, findings from the 2025 study revealed that administrator support only predicted greater CRP use when these teachers worked in politically liberal (but not conservative) communities. The shift suggests that recent federal policy changes have weakened the influence of district and school leadership on teachers’ decisions to use CRPs, particularly among teachers who are not individually inclined to use these practices. This study offers timely insights into teachers’ use of CRPs after new federal guidance on educational equity efforts and reaffirms that teachers’ practices are not solely shaped by their personal beliefs, but are instead responsive to the broader contexts in which they work. Full article

Vocational education and training are essential for the integration of refugee youth into Greek society. Therefore, it seems that there is an urgent need for the Greek Ministry of Education and Religion and for the Ministry of Labour (herewith, Greek Ministries of Education and Labour) to redesign and adapt their strategies and practices to address the specific learning needs of refugee youth. The aim of this study is to explore the types of policies that the Ministries of Education and Labour should design, reform, and implement to increase the number of students attending vocational education and training in Greece. The researchers adopted a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Ten participants took part in the study: seven Refugee Education Coordinators based in camps across Greece, two experts from the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), and one academic specializing in adult education and serving as an EPALE Ambassador. The findings indicate that both Ministries of Education and Labour need to collaborate more closely in redesigning and implementing targeted policies for refugee students. These should include expanding reception classes in EPAS (vocational school) and EPAL (vocational high school) schools, reducing bureaucratic procedures, ensuring adequate staffing with trained teachers, and adopting simpler administrative processes. Full article