Search Results (1,259)

This study investigates the effectiveness of contact and online biology teaching by assessing student performance and gathering perceptions from students, teachers, and parents. Conducted in autumn 2021 with 3035 students, 124 biology teachers, and 719 parents, this study combined post-instruction assessments of student performance in knowledge reproduction and conceptual understanding with questionnaires examining perceptions of contact and online biology teaching effectiveness across students, teachers, and parents. To investigate how various teaching-related factors influence perceived understanding of biological content, we applied a CHAID-based decision tree model to questionnaire responses from students, teachers, and parents. Results indicated that students value engaging, flexible instruction, sufficient time to complete tasks and support for independent thinking. Teachers emphasized their satisfaction with teaching and efforts to support student understanding. In contact lessons, students preferred problem-solving, teacher guidance, and a stimulating environment. In online learning, they preferred low-stress, interesting lessons with room for independent work. Parents emphasized satisfaction with their child’s learning and the importance of a focused, stimulating environment. This comparative analysis highlights the need for student-centered, research-based biology teaching in both formats, supported by teachers and delivered in a motivating environment. The results offer practical insights for improving biology instruction in different teaching modalities. Full article

Teacher education faces persistent challenges, including limited access to authentic field experiences and a disconnect between theoretical instruction and classroom practice. While virtual reality (VR) simulations offer an alternative, most are constrained by inflexible design and lack scalability, failing to mirror the complexity of real teaching environments. This study introduces TeacherGen@i, a generative AI (GenAI)-enhanced VR simulation designed to provide pre-service teachers with immersive, adaptive teaching practice through realistic GenAI agents. Using an explanatory case study with a mixed-methods approach, the study examines the simulation’s usability, design challenges, and instructional utility within a university-based teacher preparation course. Data sources included usability surveys and reflective journals, analyzed through thematic coding and computational linguistic analysis using LIWC. Findings suggest that TeacherGen@i facilitates meaningful development of teaching competencies such as instructional decision-making, classroom communication, and student engagement, while also identifying notable design limitations related to cognitive load, user interface design, and instructional scaffolding. This exploratory research offers preliminary insights into the integration of generative AI in teacher simulations and its potential to support responsive and scalable simulation-based learning environments. Full article

Background/Objectives: Legislative changes in educational systems have influenced how student learning is understood and promoted. In physical education (PE), there has been a shift from behaviorist models to more holistic approaches. In this context, physical literacy (PL) is presented as an emerging pedagogical model in school PE, aimed at fostering students’ motor competence in a safe, efficient, and meaningful way. The aim of this study is to analyze the origins, foundations, methodological elements, and educational value of PL, highlighting its potential to promote holistic and inclusive learning as the basis for an emerging PL model. Methods: A narrative review was conducted through a literature search in the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and SportDiscus databases up to June 2025, focusing on scientific literature related to PL and PE. The analysis included its historical background, philosophical and theoretical foundations, and the key methodological elements and interventions that support its use as a pedagogical model. Results/Discussion: The findings indicate that the PL model can be grounded in key principles, such as student autonomy, teacher training, connection with the environment, inclusion, and collaboration. Additionally, motivation, enjoyment, creativity, and continuous assessment are identified as essential components for effective implementation. Moreover, this model not only guides and supports teachers in the field of PL but also promotes comprehensive benefits for students at the physical, cognitive, affective, and social levels, while encouraging increased levels of physical activity (PA). Conclusions: PL is understood as a dynamic and lifelong process that should be cultivated from early childhood to encourage sustained and active participation in PA. As a pedagogical model, PL represents an effective tool to enhance student learning and well-being in PE classes. Full article

This study explores how to support Turkish–American secondary school students to co-develop covariational reasoning (CR) and representational fluency (RF) in solving contextually based quadratic function tasks in an after-school community center learning setting. We conducted a teaching experiment (n = 8) at a community center. Ongoing and retrospective analyses of classroom interaction and video transcripts revealed a culturally inclusive mathematics learning environment framework with several intertwined components: co-developing CR and RF and community-based practices. This study provides evidence that students coordinate symbolic, tabular, and graphical representations, which not only deepen their understanding of how quantities change in relation to one another but also enable them to interpret and construct representations in increasingly flexible ways. This reciprocal process of co-developing CR and RF allowed students to recognize and express quantitative relationships as meaningful functional relationships, demonstrating a dynamic interplay between reasoning about change and fluency across representations. This study situates learning within culturally inclusive learning environments and acknowledges the reflexive positionality of the teacher–researcher in relation to students. We highlight how shared community-based practices can enhance mathematics teaching and learning. Full article

Providing inclusive education and engaging all students in reading and writing activities presents an ongoing challenge for teachers, not necessarily resolved by implementing digital technology. This study addresses the need to better understand teacher competencies within the digitally infused classroom, specifically in relation to inclusive education and reading and writing practices. The study investigates the competencies and supportive strategies of middle school teachers who perceive themselves as successful in this area. The study employs the Delphi technique, using iterative surveys through which these teachers describe and rate aspects of their competencies and strategies. The results are analyzed through a modified version of the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, with particular attention to how teachers support students using their content knowledge and digital competency. Findings reveal a range of strategies and competency aspects related to both proactive accessibility and reactive individualization, using a variety of digital tools and text modalities. The teachers describe a dual orientation in their ability to curiously explore digital tools while simultaneously being able to critically appraise their usefulness. The findings contribute insights on what can support teachers when collaboratively developing knowledge of local practices and their agency in relation to available digital tools. Full article

In this study, we investigate the learning opportunities offered in the enactment of a finger pattern activity with numbers exceeding 10 that shows how smaller units can be composed into larger units. Research on early arithmetic learning shows the importance of students understanding numbers as composed units and making use of arithmetic strategies that are based on unitizing rather than single-unit counting. The Many Hands activity was enacted in an intervention program focusing on 6-year-olds’ learning of structuring numbers and number relations during one school year, conducted in collaboration with teachers. The activity, with numbers exceeding 10, was enacted at the end of the program. Video observations of 19 teaching episodes in which the activity was used were analyzed using the variation theory of learning. The analysis focused on identifying which aspects of numbers were made visible for students to discern and how finger patterns became a tool for structuring numbers and number relations. Five aspects were made visible in the enactments of the Many Hands activity: (i) small numbers as composed units; (ii) units within units; (iii) units within units and new, larger units; (iv) relationships between units in the number system; and (v) place value. In 12 of the 19 episodes, the teacher or the students used their fingers to show and see the structure of numbers in relation to the identified aspects. Full article

Generative AI (GenAI) technologies have been widely adopted by college students since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022. While the debate about GenAI’s role in higher education continues, there is a lack of empirical evidence regarding whether and when these technologies can improve the learning experience for college students. This study utilizes data from a survey of 72,615 undergraduate students across 25 universities and colleges in China to explore the relationships between GenAI use and student learning engagement in different learning environments. The findings reveal that over sixty percent of Chinese college students use GenAI technologies in Academic Year 2023–2024, with academic use exceeding daily use. GenAI use in academic tasks is related to more cognitive and emotional engagement, though it may also reduce active learning activities and learning motivation. Furthermore, this study highlights that the role of GenAI varies across learning environments. The positive associations of GenAI and student engagement are most prominent for students in “high-challenge and high-support” learning contexts, while GenAI use is mostly negatively associated with student engagement in “low-challenge, high-support” courses. These findings suggest that while GenAI plays a valuable role in the learning process for college students, its effectiveness is fundamentally conditioned by the instructional design of human teachers. Full article

This research analyzed university students’ perceptions of the use of generative artificial intelligence (hereafter Gen-AI) in a higher education context. Specifically, it addressed the potential benefits and challenges related to the application of these web-based resources. A mixed method was adopted and the sample consisted of 407 teacher training students enrolled in the Early Childhood and Primary Education Degrees in the Region of Murcia in Spain. The results indicated a clear recognition of the relevance of these technological tools for teaching and learning. Respondents highlighted the potential to engage them in academic tasks, increase their motivation, and personalize their learning pathways. However, participants identified some challenges related to technology dependency, ethical issues, and privacy concerns. By understanding learners’ beliefs and assumptions, educators and educational administrations can adapt Gen-AI according to learners’ needs and preferences to improve their academic performance. In learning practice, these adaptations could involve evidence-based interventions, such as AI literacy modules or hybrid assessment frameworks, to translate findings into practice. In addition, it is necessary to adjust materials, methodologies, and the assessment of the academic curriculum to facilitate student learning and ensure that all students have access to quality education and the adequate development of digital skills. Full article

This research investigates topic-based sentiment classification in Greek educational-related data using transformer-based language models. A comparative evaluation is conducted on GreekBERT, XLM-r-Greek, mBERT, and Palobert using three original sentiment-annotated datasets representing parents of students with functional diversity, school directors, and teachers, each capturing diverse educational perspectives. The analysis examines both overall sentiment performance and topic-specific evaluations across four thematic classes: (i) Material and Technical Conditions, (ii) Educational Dimension, (iii) Psychological/Emotional Dimension, and (iv) Learning Difficulties and Emergency Remote Teaching. Results indicate that GreekBERT consistently outperforms other models, achieving the highest overall F1 score (0.91), particularly excelling in negative sentiment detection (F1 = 0.95) and showing robust performance for positive sentiment classification. The Psychological/Emotional Dimension emerged as the most reliably classified category, with GreekBERT and mBERT demonstrating notably high accuracy and F1 scores. Conversely, Learning Difficulties and Emergency Remote Teaching presented significant classification challenges, especially for Palobert. This study contributes significantly to the field of sentiment analysis with Greek-language data by introducing original annotated datasets, pioneering the application of topic-based sentiment analysis within the Greek educational context, and offering a comparative evaluation of transformer models. Additionally, it highlights the superior performance of Greek-pretrained models in capturing emotional detail, and provides empirical evidence of the negative emotional responses toward Emergency Remote Teaching. Full article

ICT tools are fundamental for promoting educational inclusion, as they allow for flexible teaching practices adapted to the diversity of students. Their appropriate integration into teaching makes it easier to respond to different paces, styles, and needs, promoting the active and meaningful participation of all learners. However, this inclusive potential is only fulfilled if equitable access to and use of ICT is guaranteed, both at school and at home. This qualitative study explores the digital divide in its three main dimensions: access to technology, digital skills, and the meaningful use of ICT in educational settings. Through focus groups and semi-structured interviews, the study gathers the perceptions of different members of the educational community. The sample consists of 89 participants, including teachers, students, families, and school administrators from the Communities of Madrid and Castilla-La Mancha. The results reveal a common concern about inequalities in ICT access and use, related to economic, geographical, and educational factors. These findings emphasise the need for targeted public policies to bridge digital gaps and highlight the importance of promoting digital competence across the entire educational community to achieve true educational inclusion. Full article

Based on flipped learning, digital competence, and inclusive instructional design, this study employs a mixed-method approach (quantitative and qualitative) to evaluate the pilot and involves academics from six European universities. Teacher participants co-designed and implemented flexible learning scenarios using the FLeD tool, which integrates pedagogical patterns, scaffolding strategies, and playful features. Using a mixed-methods research approach, this study collected and analyzed data from 34 teachers and indirectly over 800 students. Results revealed enhanced student engagement, self-regulated learning, and pedagogical innovation. While educators reported increased awareness of inclusive teaching and benefited from collaborative design, challenges related to tool usability, time constraints, and the implementation of inclusivity also emerged. The findings support the effectiveness of structured digital tools in promoting pedagogical transformation in online, face-to-face, and hybrid learning. This study contributes to the discussion on the digitalization of higher education by illustrating how research-informed design can enable educators to develop engaging and flexible inclusive learning environments in line with the evolving needs of learners and the opportunities presented by technology. Full article

Understanding the students’ Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is crucial for teachers as it significantly impacts their ability to support and manage ADHD students effectively. Thus, this study aimed to investigate ADHD knowledge among kindergarten and primary school teachers (n = 732). The ADHD-related knowledge questionnaire was employed to gather teachers’ required knowledge about ADHD. The findings showed that teachers were knowledgeable in ADHD knowledge, especially its etiology and symptoms. A significant difference was also found between teachers with special education need (SEN) training and those without SEN training. However, there was no significant difference in ADHD knowledge between kindergarten and primary school teachers. Based on the regression analyses, SEN training significantly contributed to the prediction of teachers’ ADHD knowledge acquisition in both kindergarten and primary schools. This study provides valuable insight into ADHD knowledge among kindergarten and primary school teachers, particularly in etiology and symptoms, highlighting gaps in treatment and diagnostic understandings. It also emphasized the importance of SEN training in enhancing teachers’ ADHD knowledge. Full article

Inclusive Education aims to ensure equitable learning opportunities for all students, including those with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, by promoting accessible teaching practices and supportive learning environments. Although its importance for fostering the academic and social development of diverse learners has been widely recognized in international policy and research, its practical implementation is still under investigation, particularly within the Greek primary education system. This study investigates (a) Greek primary school teachers’ perspectives, focusing on their attitudes, knowledge, challenges, and perceived needs in Inclusive Education for SEN students and (b) research trends relating to these perspectives, focusing on publication trends and methodological characteristics, through a systematic literature review using the PRISMA methodology. The analysis revealed a shift in Greek primary teachers’ attitudes towards Inclusive Education for SEN students, trending towards neutral or negative responses, alongside limited knowledge, various challenges, and an absence of targeted support mechanisms. The analysis also highlighted chronological gaps between the identified studies in international journals and a variability in methodological approaches and sample characteristics. These insights point to a pressing need for further targeted and ongoing research on Greek primary teachers’ perspectives and professional development initiatives to enable effective and inclusive practices for SEN students in Greek primary education. Full article

There is a lack of studies comparing PE teachers’ reflections on the role of sport in different regions. Using Kirk’s conceptualization of the role of sport, this qualitative comparative study aimed to explore and compare fifth-grade physical education (PE) teachers’ perceptions and experiences related to PE teaching in Finland and in the Kurdistan region of Iraq (KRI). In-depth interviews were conducted with eight Finnish and six KRI teachers, and the data were analyzed using the NVivo qualitative analysis program. The results showed that the Finnish teachers’ reflections were classified into four themes: joy and competence rather than sport, sport and curriculum, the status of sport in society and prerequisites for physical activities and sport. The KRI teachers’ reflections were also classified into four themes: sport as an aim in PE, the teacher as a model and leader of the sport, sport raising one’s status and PE being not only about sport. The role of sport in PE was recognized by teachers from both regions, although from different perspectives. The Finnish teachers made a clear distinction between PE and sport. The KRI teachers perceived PE and sport almost as one, in the belief that PE primarily teaches pupils about sport and that sport itself is a central goal. Both groups of teachers aimed to enhance their pupils’ well-being and encourage a physically active lifestyle through PE. The KRI teachers believed that engaging students in sports would promote these aims, whereas Finnish teachers saw sport as just one of many components needed to achieve these objectives. The Finnish teachers emphasized the national PE curriculum guiding their work, while the KRI teachers had no standardized PE curriculum in primary school. This comparative study highlights the importance of implementing a well-structured PE curriculum in primary schools in the KRI. Further studies should examine how the implementation of such a curriculum will affect KRI teachers’ teaching and the role of sport in PE. Full article

The promotion of sustainable schools is an important criterion for the promotion of ecological protection and the transformation of today’s society into a more sustainable one. The early childhood environment is believed to provide the ideal foundation for fostering values and attitudes related to sustainable education and promoting pro-environmental behaviors. The main goal of this study is to explore educators’ perceptions and expectations regarding the role of sustainable schools in shaping the environmental awareness and behavior of young children. A pilot study was carried out in the context of quantitative research on Preschool Teachers of Primary Education. Research results indicate that a Sustainable School (SS), beyond the curriculum, must promote issues of environmental awareness, culture, equality, natural resource management, and human rights. Also, it was seen that a modern school should provide Educators with new training opportunities in teaching methods that are based on sustainability principles and promote sustainability skills. Students’ acquisition of environmental knowledge can positively influence pro-environmental behavior and increase the likelihood of engaging in sustainable practices to protect the environment. Full article