Search Results (4,130)

Persistent structural inequalities continue to limit equitable access to, and success within, South African higher education, particularly for students from historically marginalised and under-resourced schooling backgrounds. Extended Curriculum Programmes (ECPs) were introduced as a national policy response to these disparities, yet they remain frequently misconceived as remedial rather than transformative pathways. This conceptual paper examines ECPs as catalysts for equity, resilience, and sustainable graduate development in South African higher education. Adopting a qualitative, reflective-practitioner approach grounded in constructivist and transformative learning theory, and informed by document and policy analysis, the paper synthesises literature on epistemic access, social justice, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) with the authors’ own teaching experience within an ECP in the built environment discipline. The analysis shows that when curricula are made responsive, contextually grounded, and asset-based rather than deficit-oriented, ECPs cultivate academic confidence, epistemic access, and a durable sense of belonging among students who might otherwise be excluded from mainstream higher education. The paper argues that embedding ESD and UDL principles within ECP pedagogy strengthens their transformative and sustainability-oriented potential, converting formal access into meaningful participation and long-term graduate resilience. It concludes with recommendations for lecturer development, curriculum design, and institutional policy that reposition ECPs as core, rather than peripheral, mechanisms of transformation in higher education. Full article

Process-based arts interventions—engaging participants in active embodied creation rather than analysis of completed works—produce more substantive cognitive, emotional, and behavioural change than product-based methods, yet present a significant accessibility challenge: non-artists asked to engage in such practices often respond with resistance, discomfort, and self-doubt, particularly in higher education where embodied learning differs from assumptions about legitimate study formats. This article introduces ARTFUL—a six-stage framework informed by neuroscience research on physiological readiness for learning, cognitive scaffolding, and embodied cognition—which addresses this barrier through progressive pairing of cognitive understanding with embodied experience. The framework was developed iteratively in an exploratory qualitative case study format: earlier course editions employed a three-stage format and the resistance observed motivated the extension of the format. Qualitative data from 24 management students (pre-programme surveys, post-programme semi-structured interviews, creative diaries and reflective portfolios) were analysed thematically. Three self-reported domains of cognitive change emerged: enhanced attention and concentration, increased openness to novelty, and reduced cognitive rigidity. Students moved from initially dismissing embodied methods as inappropriate for higher education to actively integrating them into professional and academic contexts. These findings suggest that systematic scaffolding may support a self-reported shift from initial resistance towards perceived cognitive flexibility, offering a transferable approach for designing accessible process-based arts interventions for non-artist learners. Full article

Childhood obesity has become a major public health concern worldwide, highlighting the need for innovative educational interventions that promote healthier dietary behaviors from an early age. Virtual reality (VR) serious games have emerged as a promising approach for supporting behavior change through immersive and interactive learning experiences. This paper presents the NutriQuest VR game, an immersive serious VR game designed to improve children’s nutritional decision-making through repeated food-selection tasks based on the Nutri-Score classification system. A total of 33 middle-school students participated in a six-week intervention consisting of six gameplay sessions. Children’s adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed before and after the intervention using the validated KIDMED 2.0 questionnaire, while participants’ in-game performance was recorded throughout the intervention. The results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in children’s adherence to the Mediterranean diet, with mean KIDMED 2.0 scores increasing from 5.67 to 6.55 (p = 0.013, Cohen’s d = 0.459). Participants also showed a significant improvement in their in-game performance between the first and final gameplay sessions, with mean scores increasing from 300.15 to 327.27 (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 1.270). Overall, the findings provide preliminary evidence of improved reported Mediterranean diet adherence and in-game performance within the study sample. Full article

This conceptual paper presents an exploratory, systems-oriented model for the design of Doctor of Educational Leadership (EdD) programs. Drawing on an institutional self-study of a newly implemented EdD program at a Hispanic Serving Institution in California, we use curriculum mapping to examine how systems thinking can be embedded across coursework, assessments, and program milestones. Specifically, we map Program Learning Outcomes, course objectives, and key assessments to micro-, meso-, exo-, and macro-level systems to illustrate an intended scaffolded progression in engagement in systems thinking. The analysis highlights the potential value of integrating systems thinking not as a discrete course, but as a macro-level organizing framework across the degree. The manuscript’s primary contribution is conceptual and methodological: it offers a program-level framework for integrating systems thinking across an EdD curriculum and a curriculum mapping approach that other programs may adapt to examine their own program design. The model may also inform state-level administrators and policymakers shaping expectations for leadership preparation. As an analysis of intended curriculum and program design, the study does not evaluate student learning outcomes or program effectiveness. Full article

Previous studies propose methodologies to transform any European curriculum into STEAM methodologies, where, based on curricular analysis, the areas of opportunity most likely to form a STEAM project with a high number of connections can be determined. Recent updates of the STEAM model toward a humanistic framework, STEAM∀H (STEAM for all Humanity), allow us to state the objective of this article: to expand these methodologies by connecting them with the SDGs addressed by each thematic area in the curriculum, where the “H” concept (for all humanity) is determined by the SDGs tackled within the designed project. The methodology proposed in this article consists of 10 phases to analyze the connection with the SDGs. To guarantee the validity of the analysis, the procedure includes an item-coding phase, the evaluation of inter-rater reliability, and the construction of adjacency matrices for network analysis. As a case study to test methodological feasibility, this article analyzes the LOMLOE Primary Education curriculum in the Valencian Community to identify the potential for designing interdisciplinary projects under the STEAM∀H approach and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Although LOMLOE prioritizes the STEM model—excluding the arts and humanities—the analysis of 546 items from Science, Mathematics, and Art Education demonstrates that the regulations allow for their integration. After refining the sample into 32 thematic areas, 12 highly interconnected conceptual areas were identified. These conceptual areas are configured as potential ideal generative topics for Project-Based Learning (PBL) linked to the 2030 Agenda, which could foster the development of creativity and social commitment in students as a pedagogical implication. Full article

Successfully engaging and retaining underrepresented individuals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) offers benefits not only economically but also from an equity perspective, as increasing participation reduces structural barriers and stereotypes and provides access to high-paying jobs. However, traditionally underrepresented groups, such as women, ethnic minorities (especially Black, Hispanic, and Latinx), or students with special educational needs (e.g., learning disabilities or mathematics difficulties), still constitute only a small percentage in STEM, especially in technology-intensive fields like physics, engineering, or computer science. There is significant potential to close gaps among groups hindered from pursuing STEM by structural barriers, stereotypes, or gender roles. STEM participation initiatives vary widely and include curriculum reforms, extracurricular programs, and structural changes to teaching and learning environments. This scoping review mapped diversity-oriented intervention approaches and reported outcomes. Following a systematic literature search, we identified and analyzed 104 relevant articles to map intervention types, target groups, educational contexts, and reported outcomes. The included studies showed a broad range of approaches across educational levels, with a clear focus on ages 15 and older. Most studies were from the U.S., indicating a lopsided representation of educational systems in this review. Reported interventions include mentoring programs, summer schools, hands-on activities, and curriculum-integrated lessons designed to increase STEM engagement and performance, foster belonging, and build self-efficacy among underrepresented populations. The review also highlights gaps in the literature. It thus provides a vital foundation and starting point for future research. Full article

Industry 4.0 depends on the ability to connect heterogeneous systems, yet students and practitioners rarely have a low-risk environment in which to practice this kind of systems integration. This article presents a virtual-prototyping architecture developed and tested, linking a discrete-event simulation tool with external machine learning models through industrial communication protocols. The resulting artifacts and method are a contribution to systems engineering education, practice, and development. A two-phase empirical virtual-prototyping approach was used. First, Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture and Message Queuing Telemetry Transport were prototyped and compared as communication layers between Siemens Tecnomatix Plant Simulation and Python-based machine learning clients. Second, for this project, the more suitable protocol was applied to three increasingly complex use cases, addressing automated guided vehicle capacity, conveyor speed control, and process bottleneck identification. The use cases were assessed against the Technology Readiness Level scale. Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture provided reliable, real-time, bidirectional data exchange, while Message Queuing Telemetry Transport proved less stable for this application. The three use cases each demonstrated feasible simulation-machine learning integration, and the overall prototype reached Technology Readiness Level 4. Beyond its contribution to I4.0 practice, the staged research design, the use of Technology Readiness Levels as a maturity and reflection instrument, and the low-cost, risk-free nature of virtual prototyping constitute a transferable pedagogical pattern for systems engineering curricula, capstone projects, and competency-based training. Full article

The rapid emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has intensified concerns about academic integrity, student cheating, and the future of assessment in STEM education. This paper argues that AI has not created a STEM assessment crisis; rather, it has exposed longstanding weaknesses that reward answer production, procedural fluency, and information reproduction rather than meaningful understanding, transfer, and application of knowledge. To operationalize this approach, the paper proposes a STEM-focused framework that distinguishes evidence of the disciplinary outcome, the learner’s reasoning process, the critical use and evaluation of AI, and individual understanding. Drawing on educational research and examples from STEM contexts, the paper contends that the central question is not how to prevent students from using AI, but what knowledge, skills, and disciplinary practices educators genuinely value and seek to assess. The paper proposes that AI functions as a litmus test for revealing assessment tasks that can be completed successfully without demonstrating disciplinary understanding. In response, it advocates a shift toward authentic assessment that emphasizes reasoning, creativity, communication, judgment, and the meaningful application of knowledge. Five examples are discussed: laboratory reports, problem solving, design challenges from the UBC Physics Olympics, scientific modelling and data interpretation, and STEM teacher education. Together, these examples illustrate how AI can support learning while authentic assessment focuses on students’ abilities to explain, justify, apply, evaluate, and defend their understanding in complex, meaningful contexts. Full article

Calls for supporting systems thinking across the educational spectrum and in diverse formal and non-formal educational and community contexts are pervasive. Educators can leverage systems thinking to support learners and participants in myriad ways, but this demands clarity of purpose and quality instructional design. I developed a novel, interdisciplinary graduate course, titled Systems Thinking Pedagogy and Praxis, to support current and future educators in this work. Drawing graduate students from diverse fields, the course is structured as an interdisciplinary learning community, centering the systems of interest to students throughout. Class activities and discussions help students to (1) differentiate foundational complex systems ideas and systems thinking perspectives and (2) evaluate a range of systems approaches for their utility in educational and community contexts. Through modeling, experience, and reflection, students are supported in their ability to implement teaching and learning strategies for promoting systems thinking in their own practice. Major course assignments were developed to support students in designing an educational intervention or tool to foster systems thinking in a real-world educational and/or community context. Educators and faculty developers in higher education can use strategies from this course and the backward design approach in a variety of disciplinary contexts. Full article

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), such as ChatGPT 3.5, presents academic challenges to college student users. Past literature has emphasized using non-diverse student samples, which limits understanding of diverse students’ perspectives and experiences in using ChatGPT in the learning process. Diverse students face challenges in addressing their learning needs and seeking additional academic support. As such, this study aims to examine the experiences of diverse students using ChatGPT to identify learning challenges and opportunities in higher education, drawing on Intersectionality Theory and Connectivism Learning Theory. A qualitative methodological approach using a Generic Qualitative Inquiry (GQI) design was employed by interviewing 27 diverse student participants from a public higher education institution. In examining the first research question on learning challenges in using ChatGPT, the findings revealed that diverse students reported reduced critical thinking, research limitations, and difficulties in using it effectively. Findings also revealed that they were becoming dependent on AI answers. Diverse students also acknowledged issues such as inaccuracies and misinformation, as well as adherence to academic integrity. In examining the second research question about the benefits of using ChatGPT, the findings showed that ChatGPT was perceived as practical and accessible, valuable for time management, and useful for gaining a deeper understanding and for studying. ChatGPT was also helpful in language development and proficiency. Findings also revealed that students were using ChatGPT to brainstorm and understand assignments, and to guide them in completing assignments. Implications point to the recognition that ChatGPT provides academic value to the learning experience of diverse students, which they can obtain beyond the realms of the classroom and university settings. Given that ChatGPT also poses challenges for learning, implications for educators include considering strategies to help diverse students navigate their learning expectations of ChatGPT use in their classrooms. Broader theoretical implications are interpreted through Intersectionality Theory and Connectivism Learning Theory, raising considerations for learning equity, institutional policy, and the cultural responsiveness of AI tools. This study provides needed qualitative evidence of diverse students’ experiences of using ChatGPT for learning in courses, which can inform efforts toward learning inclusion in academic environments. Full article

The transition from face-to-face to online learning has been problematic, particularly for historically disadvantaged universities (HDUs) shaped by infrastructural inequalities in South Africa. Grounded in connectivism theory, this study explores the lived experiences of young adult students’ navigating online learning at an HDU in South Africa. Adopting a qualitative interpretative phenomenological approach, the study purposively selected 20 young adult students from the institution. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Two primary themes emerged: students’ experiences and navigation of online learning, and perceived strategies and support mechanisms to enhance online learning. The findings reveal that young adult students’ learning experiences are significantly constrained by limited access to critical nodes (such as digital devices), weak network structures, and unstable connectivity. These challenges disrupt the flow of information within learning networks, thereby hindering meaningful academic engagement. Despite these constraints, young adult students demonstrate forms of navigational agency in attempting to connect to available learning resources. This study contributes to the literature and theory by extending connectivism theory into a Global South context, illustrating how digital inequality undermines the formation and sustainability of learning networks in HDU. It moves beyond viewing online learning challenges as purely technical issues, instead framing them as structural and pedagogical limitations. The study recommends that HDUs develop policies that seek to strengthen network connectivity through targeted institutional interventions, including strategic partnerships with telecommunications providers to subsidize data costs and improve access to digital devices for socio-economically disadvantaged students. Full article

Contemporary education increasingly emphasises the development of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies alongside academic achievement, recognising their importance for students’ well-being, interpersonal relationships, and lifelong success. Project-Based Learning (PBL) is frequently presented as a pedagogical approach capable of fostering these competencies through collaboration, active engagement, and authentic learning experiences. However, empirical evidence regarding the extent to which these socio-emotional benefits emerge through participation in project work remains inconclusive. This study examined changes in students’ self-perceived socio-emotional competencies following participation in PBL intervention in secondary education. A one-group pre-test–post-test pre-experimental design was employed with 38 students aged 12–14 from a public secondary school in Andalusia, Spain. Students participated in four interdisciplinary PBL projects, each comprising approximately 10–12 sessions and implemented across the first two terms of the 2024–2025 academic year. Self-perceived SEL competencies were assessed using the 30-item Social and Emotional Learning Scale, and data were analysed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, Mann–Whitney U tests and Spearman’s rank correlations. No statistically significant pre-test–post-test differences were detected in self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, or responsible decision making. Self-control showed a statistically significant decrease in the individual Wilcoxon analysis, with a moderate effect size. No statistically significant gender differences were detected in the magnitude of change. The five competencies were positively associated at both measurement points, although these analyses did not test whether the correlational pattern remained unchanged over time. Rather than questioning the socio-emotional potential of PBL, these findings challenge assumptions regarding the automatic emergence of measurable SEL gains through project participation alone. They highlight the need for further controlled research into the pedagogical conditions under which PBL may support socio-emotional development, including intentional SEL integration, teacher preparation, structured collaborative scaffolding, and performance-based assessment. Full article

Depression among students has emerged as a critical issue within educational institutions, leading to the need for approaches that can support early identification of students at risk. This study developed an explainable machine learning framework for predicting student depression risk using non-clinical demographic, academic, lifestyle, and psychosocial factors. Using a public OpenML dataset containing approximately 27,901 student records, logistic regression, random forest, and XGBoost models were developed and evaluated using accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and ROC-AUC. Fairness evaluation was conducted across gender and financial stress groups, while SHAP and LIME were applied to provide global, class-level, and local explanations of model predictions. Results showed that all models achieved strong predictive performance, with XGBoost performing best (accuracy = 0.846, recall = 0.883, F1-score = 0.870, ROC-AUC = 0.920). The fairness evaluation showed relatively consistent performance across gender groups, while models performed better in identifying depression cases among students in the high financial stress group. Further, explainability analysis identified Suicidal Thoughts, Academic Pressure, and Financial Stress as the most influential predictors. A Streamlit prototype was developed to demonstrate practical deployment. Overall, the findings demonstrate the potential of explainable machine learning to support student depression risk identification and provide interpretable model predictions. Full article

Smartphone addiction is increasingly prevalent among university students, yet its association with physical education learning engagement remains underexplored. This study investigated the relationship between smartphone addiction and physical education learning engagement using variable-centered and person-centered approaches, and further examined the serial indirect association involving self-esteem and physical activity participation. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2118 university students in Jiangxi Province, China. Participants completed measures of smartphone addiction, self-esteem, physical activity participation, and physical education learning engagement. Pearson correlations, multiple regression analyses, and analyses of indirect associations with bias-corrected bootstrapping were performed in SPSS, and latent profile analysis was conducted in Mplus. Smartphone addiction was negatively associated with self-esteem (β = −0.446, p < 0.001), physical activity participation (β = −0.231, p < 0.001), and physical education learning engagement (β = −0.152, p < 0.001). Self-esteem and physical activity participation showed significant indirect associations in the relationship between smartphone addiction and physical education learning engagement, including a significant serial indirect association through both variables. Person-centered analyses identified three smartphone addiction profiles, namely a low-smartphone-addiction group, moderate-smartphone-addiction group, and high-smartphone-addiction group, accounting for 22.10%, 44.24%, and 33.66% of the sample, respectively. Significant gradient differences were observed across these profiles in self-esteem, physical activity participation, and physical education learning engagement. Smartphone addiction was negatively associated with physical education learning engagement among university students, both directly and indirectly through self-esteem and physical activity participation. Distinct smartphone addiction profiles were also identified, with corresponding differences in psychological and behavioral characteristics. Given the cross-sectional and self-report design, the findings should be interpreted as correlational rather than causal. Full article

Background: Insufficient physical activity has become a significant public health problem. Currently, physical education classes alone are insufficient to meet the physical activity levels recommended by the World Health Organization. Physically Active Learning (PAL), as a novel curriculum, promotes physical activity by teaching new knowledge in various school subjects. Objective: To systematically evaluate the effects of PAL interventions on primary school students’ physical fitness, physical activity, and sedentary behavior, characterize the key features of PAL interventions, identify research gaps, and provide evidence-based recommendations for practice. Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, four electronic databases—Web of Science, ProQuest, Ebsco, and Embase—were searched, and English-language controlled intervention studies that met the PICOS eligibility criteria were included. Two researchers independently screened the literature and extracted and cross-checked the data. Results: This study included 17 studies from 8 countries published between 2009 and 2025. These studies involved primary school students aged 6 to 12. PAL most consistently increased MVPA (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) or number of steps during the targeted academic lesson, whereas effects on whole-school-day, daily, or weekly physical activity were inconsistent. Lesson-level sedentary behaviour generally decreased or was replaced by walking, standing, or sit-to-stand transitions, but effects on whole-day sedentary time were mixed. Physical fitness interventions yielded varied outcomes, demonstrating significant improvements in upper body strength and explosive muscle strength and endurance, while showing inconsistent effects on aerobic capacity, and no significant changes in BMI or agility indicators. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that PAL has the potential to improve students’ physical activity levels in the classroom. However, its effects on physical fitness indicators remained equivocal across evaluated outcomes. PAL should be considered part of a broader school strategy to promote physical activity rather than as a standalone approach. To maximize health benefits, stronger integration of PAL with active recess, active commuting, and structured physical education is recommended. Full article