Search Results (11,194)

International accreditation frameworks increasingly influence teacher education and quality assurance worldwide, yet limited research has examined their implementation in non-Western higher education contexts. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to explore faculty perceptions of how well the teacher education programs at Kuwait University’s College of Education align with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) standards. The study also explained the institutional factors that shaped these perceptions. In the quantitative phase, a questionnaire was distributed to all eligible College of Education faculty members, and 38 faculty members completed the survey. In the qualitative phase, seven faculty members were purposively selected because of their direct experience with accreditation, quality assurance, and program evaluation. In addition, historical accreditation reports were analyzed to provide a broader institutional context. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data from the interview transcripts and historical accreditation reports were analyzed using thematic analysis. The quantitative findings indicated moderate perceived alignment with CAEP Standards 1 (Content and Pedagogical Knowledge), 2 (Clinical Partnerships and Practice), and 6 (Fiscal and Administrative Capacity), while lower alignment was reported for Standards 3 (Candidate Quality, Recruitment, and Selectivity), 4 (Program Impact), and 5 (Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement). The qualitative findings explained these patterns by revealing that weaker alignment was associated with challenges in candidate recruitment, curriculum alignment, school–university partnerships, evidence-based quality assurance, institutional leadership, organizational culture, communication, and resource capacity. The integrated findings demonstrate that successful implementation of international accreditation standards extends beyond technical compliance and depends on organizational readiness, institutional commitment, and sustained quality assurance processes within the local context. The study recommends strengthening institution-wide quality assurance systems, improving leadership coordination, and promoting evidence-based decision-making to support sustainable accreditation and the continuous improvement of teacher education programs. Full article

Higher education institutions are increasingly expected to contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by equipping students with the competencies needed to address complex sustainability challenges. Among these competencies, critical thinking, perspective-taking, evidence-based reasoning, and informed decision-making are considered essential for education for sustainable development. However, limited research has examined how SDG-oriented instructional approaches can foster sustainability-oriented reasoning through argumentative engagement within teacher education. This study investigated the implementation of an SDG-oriented argumentative writing course designed for pre-service teachers. Using a scholarship of teaching and learning approach, this study examined participants’ learning readiness, argumentative performance, and perceived learning outcomes. Data were collected from 16 pre-service teachers through learning readiness questionnaires, argumentative writing tasks, Toulmin-based text analysis, self-assessment questionnaires, and reflective feedback. Descriptive statistics indicated a moderate-to-high level of learning readiness before instruction (M = 4.38) and highly positive perceived learning outcomes after the course (M = 4.61). Qualitative findings further indicated that SDG-related issues provided meaningful contexts for engaging pre-service teachers in critical reflection, perspective integration, and sustainability-oriented reasoning. Participants’ written work showed evidence of structured argumentation, particularly in claim construction and reason development, whereas evidence integration and rebuttal construction remained challenging higher-order dimensions of sustainability-oriented reasoning. Self-assessment data further revealed increased awareness of issue analysis, argumentation strategies, and the social relevance of sustainability-related topics. This study contributes to the growing literature on sustainability in higher education by illustrating how SDG-oriented argumentative writing may support sustainability-oriented reasoning within a teacher education course. The findings provide context-specific insights into how argumentative engagement can encourage evidence-based reasoning, perspective integration, and reflective judgment when addressing sustainability-related issues. Implications are discussed for curriculum innovation, education for sustainable development, and the design of instructional scaffolds that support sustainability-oriented reasoning in teacher education. Full article

This article examines how patients and their relatives in contemporary Xibo families come to understand whether shamanic healing has “worked.” Based on long-term ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2017 and 2026 in Qapqal Xibo Autonomous County, Yili, Xinjiang, it analyzes two closely observed healing rituals performed by the same shaman for two members of one family: a mother suffering from severe emotional distress and her adolescent son during a period of intense educational pressure. Drawing on Thomas Csordas’s tripartite framework of procedure, process, and outcome, the article relocates the analysis of ritual efficacy from the individual patient to the family as a relational unit. Three arguments follow. First, participation in healing is driven less by individual belief than by family responsibility, obligation, and affective reciprocity. Second, the family does not merely host the ritual but actively organizes, sustains, and helps confirm it. Third, efficacy is recognized incrementally through shared observation, retrospective interpretation, and everyday relational adjustment in the months and years following the ritual, rather than being determined now the ritual ends. Understood in this way, contemporary Xibo shamanic healing persists not as a survival of premodern medicine, but as a family-borne mode of acting, waiting, and making sense of uncertainty. Full article

Environmental, Social, and Governance practices have emerged as a critical mechanism for mitigating extreme climate risks and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Against this backdrop, this study focuses on Chinese listed manufacturing enterprises from 2015 to 2023. By incorporating the city-level climate risk expressions of public views index, we examine the impact of public concern and negative sentiment regarding climate risk (CR-PCNS) on corporate ESG performance. Our baseline findings indicate that elevated CR-PCNS significantly enhances corporate ESG performance, particularly within the environmental and social pillars, while exerting no significant effect on the governance dimension. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that this promotional effect is more pronounced among non-state-owned enterprises and firms located in the eastern region, with the most noticeable improvements manifested in their environmental performance. Furthermore, the moderation analysis demonstrates that higher executive educational attainment significantly amplifies the positive impact of CR-PCNS on corporate ESG performance, whereas local protectionism severely attenuates this promotional effect. These findings offer crucial policy implications for how to effectively harness public involvement to incentivize greater corporate engagement in ESG initiatives. Full article

The global shift toward clean and low-carbon household energy is central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and improving welfare in developing countries, yet it also raises distributional concerns about who benefits and who is left behind. Using five rounds of data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) spanning 2014–2022, this study employs a two-way fixed-effects model with province and year dummies and the Bootstrap method to examine the association between cooking energy transition and rural household development resilience. The results show that the share of traditional solid fuels (fuelwood and coal) declined from 56.29% in 2014 to 36.56% in 2022, while the share of fossil gas rose from 22.26% to 39.91%, indicating a transitional stage in rural cooking energy use. Cooking energy transition is positively associated with rural household development resilience. Household education and farmers’ digital literacy are positively associated with both cooking energy transition and household development resilience, suggesting they may be relevant channels. The association is more pronounced among households with a low elderly dependency ratio, poor infrastructure accessibility, and adequate energy affordability, underscoring that the benefits of energy transition are not evenly distributed. These findings highlight the importance of inclusive and differentiated energy policies for ensuring that the gains from clean cooking reach the most vulnerable rural households. Full article

Background: Nosocomial infections, or healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), represent a significant global health challenge frequently associated with invasive medical procedures and extended hospitalizations. This study was designed to evaluate the current level of knowledge and the perceptions of inpatients regarding HAIs within a high-risk tertiary hospital in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2024 to February 2025 at a tertiary facility in the Qassim region. The study population included 500 inpatients aged 18 years and older who consented to participate. Data were collected via individual interviews using a closed-ended questionnaire, which assessed demographics, knowledge and perceptions of HAIs on a 4-point Likert scale. Results: Among 500 study participants, good knowledge, fair knowledge and poor knowledge regarding HAIs were demonstrated by 57%, 38.4% and 4.6%, respectively. More than 98% of participants achieved a perception score of above 70%, indicating a profoundly positive perception level. Knowledge was significantly associated with age (p = 0.018), educational status (p < 0.01), and nationality (p < 0.01). Participants most commonly recognized contaminated hospital beds (95.6%), airborne transmission (91.2%), and unsterilized equipment (90%) as the potential modes of infection transmission. Conclusions: Sustaining ongoing infection prevention efforts and fostering improved awareness among inpatients regarding HAIs are of paramount importance in implementing effective public health prevention measures. Full article

Tourism is a major driver of economic growth in tropical island destinations but also places increasing pressure on fragile marine ecosystems. This study examined tourists’ environmental awareness, perceptions, and conservation-related behaviors on Cozumel Island, part of the Mesoamerican Reef System and home to multiple protected areas, including the Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park. Between June and September 2022, surveys were conducted with 144 tourists at major tourism hubs across the island. Although 86% of respondents identified themselves as environmentally conscious, awareness of local environmental impacts associated with tourism remained limited, and only 6% reported engaging in environmentally conscious actions during their visit. Awareness of the protected status and regulations of the Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park was also low (39%), and only 19% reported purchasing the required conservation bracelet or park pass. Short-stay cruise visitors represented 65% of respondents, potentially limiting opportunities for deeper environmental engagement and conservation education. These findings highlight the need for stronger pre-trip environmental communication, visible on-site interpretation, and targeted outreach strategies to support sustainable tourism and coral reef conservation in the Mexican Caribbean. Full article

Design studio education requires sustained attention and prolonged occupancy of a shared workspace, making environmental opportunities for brief recovery potentially relevant to students’ well-being. This exploratory study used affordance theory as an interpretive lens to examine the environmental modifications students proposed from their assigned desk positions and the extent to which sketch content was associated with academic year, studio location, and desk-level window view access. The dataset comprised 71 structured sketches, geometric view metrics for 85 workstations that were linked to the 71 sketch participants for inferential analyses, and a nonmatched lighting survey administered to the same cohorts one year later (n = 57). Sketches were coded into 17 modification categories. Water and Collaborative/Social Space were retained descriptively but excluded from inferential interpretation because of quasi-complete separation. Fifteen ordinary logistic regression models were evaluated with Benjamini–Hochberg false-discovery-rate correction, together with a complementary specification omitting studio location. Plants (73.2%), natural shapes/patterns (52.1%), and electric light quality (52.1%) were the most frequent modifications. In the primary models, Technology (q = 0.033) and Plants (q = 0.047) retained FDR-supported omnibus fit; only the academic-year coefficient for Technology retained FDR support (OR = 0.17, 95% CI [0.06, 0.50], q = 0.021). The study identifies environmental preferences and hypotheses for future intervention in restorative learning environments research. Full article

Jigan (寂感), derived from the Book of Changes, which states “when remaining in serene stillness without stirring, it attains universal penetration once stirred by resonance (jiran budong ganer suitong 寂然不動感而遂通).” It describes the profound subtlety of the Zhouyi. On the other hand, Jizhao (寂照) is a Sinicized Buddhist interpretation denoting the non-dual integration of true suchness and prajñā wisdom. Jigan developed into an ontological framework during the Song Dynasty (960–1279), while jizhao took shape during the Wei-Jin period. Philosophically, both manifest a non-dual substance-function structure “quiescence as resonance” and “quiescence as illumination.” They jointly serve as the foundational model for mind-nature cultivation and spiritual transcendence. From this theory of cultivation, however, divergent spiritual aspirations of Confucianism and Buddhism. Confucianism elucidates the principle of universal oneness of all things through quietude-resonance, pursuing the spiritual realm of sagehood. By contrast, Buddhism penetrates through self-attachment and dharma-attachment via quiescent illumination, thereby detaching from all karmic conditions, and manifests Prajñā. Confucianism integrates the practice of jigan into its ritual education, sacrificial ceremonies and daily disciplinary norms, rendering it a practical pathway for sustaining the cosmic-ethical order and generating ritual authority. Buddhism implements jizhao in meditation, precepts, and monastic life, constructing an enlightenment-oriented sacred community. Jigan and jizhao represent two distinct paths of religious transformation and spiritual attainment. This paper compares how both emanate from the ontological state of “serene stillness without stirring” into practical cultivation manifested as “resonance penetrating all things” or “simultaneity of illumination and function”, and ultimately shape divergent modes of sacredness and forms of social integration. While jigan and jizhao reveal a structural convergence in the cultivation theories of Confucianism and Buddhism, they also demonstrate disparate orientations in their spiritual aspirations. Full article

The integration of Generative AI (GenAI) into non-STEM education introduces cognitive demands that challenge static interpretations of technology acceptance. Evidence on GenAI acceptance is drawn largely from cross-sectional designs applied to general-purpose academic tasks and for computing students who already hold prior technical knowledge, leaving unresolved how acceptance perceptions evolve when non-technical students confront sustained high-load programming work. To address this gap, a pre-test/post-test randomized field experiment with repeated measures was conducted with 117 Chilean Accounting and Auditing undergraduates assigned to a control group (instructional videos; n = 57) or an experimental group (Google Gemini 1.5; n = 60). Participants completed Java programming exercises that increased in cognitive complexity, ranging from basic conditionals to vector operations. The study did not assess objective learning outcomes; instead, it tracked changes in user perceptions through a hybrid motivational framework integrating Perceived Ease of Use and Behavioral Intention with Perceived Enjoyment and Value/Usefulness. Baseline results showed lower initial Perceived Ease of Use in the GenAI group, consistent with initial cognitive friction. Post-intervention analyses indicated that the control group showed a significant increase only in Behavioral Intention, whereas the experimental group showed statistically significant within-group gains across all measured dimensions. These findings suggest that, for non-STEM students, the perceived ease and value of GenAI are not necessarily immediate but may develop through sustained interaction with cognitively demanding tasks. The study contributes to technology acceptance research by framing ease of use as an acquired proficiency in high-friction GenAI learning environments. Full article

Educational buildings account for approximately 17% of the building sector’s energy consumption, making them critical for zero-emission building (ZEB) strategies. With students spending over 50% of their time indoors, life-cycle carbon assessments and targeted retrofitting are essential for realizing UN sustainability goals on campuses. This study develops a comprehensive life-cycle carbon assessment framework using a Calibrated Building Energy Simulation to simultaneously evaluate embodied and operational carbon emissions in campus facilities. This research evaluates two distinct university buildings for analysis: a historical 1970 educational building in Cosenza, Italy (Mediterranean climate) and a modern 2009 building in Ankara, Türkiye (semi-arid/continental climate). To minimize the total carbon footprint, seven distinct retrofitting scenarios are systematically simulated and compared: adding photovoltaic (PV) panels, integrating solar films on windows, applying internal and external insulations, implementing green wall applications, applying psychological-adaptive HVAC control and decreasing the heating set-point temperature. Results indicate that psychological-adaptive HVAC control is the most effective, achieving approximately 19.3% operational carbon savings across both cases with a low embodied carbon penalty. Conversely, the green wall application was the least effective, with a carbon payback period of 53.55 years. Ultimately, this study provides actionable engineering pathways for transforming campus buildings into net-zero emission educational facilities. Full article

Consumer food waste is a major challenge for food system sustainability and a governance problem that cannot be addressed by individual behavioral change alone. Previous reviews have examined the causes of food waste or evaluated specific intervention strategies, but less attention has been paid to how behavioral drivers, intervention strategies, and the roles of governance actors can be examined within an integrated analytical framework. Against this background, this review aims to synthesize the behavioral drivers of consumer food waste, classify the main types of behavioral interventions, and develop a multi-level governance perspective that connects these elements. Using a narrative review approach supported by a structured literature search, the review identifies three broad categories of behavioral drivers, namely cognitive biases, motivational drivers, and environmental and situational influences. It then classifies behavioral interventions into five types, namely information-based interventions, social norm interventions, choice architecture and environmental design interventions, incentive-based interventions, and education and capacity-building interventions. The review indicates that no single intervention type is likely to be effective across all settings. Instead, intervention outcomes are closely linked to the alignment among targeted behavioral drivers, intervention strategies, consumption contexts, and governance support. From a multi-level governance perspective, this review views consumers as the actors engaged in everyday food-related practices, businesses as the designers of the consumption environments and operational routines, and policymakers as the providers of institutional, informational, and economic support. By bringing behavioral drivers, intervention strategies, and governance roles into a shared analytical framework, this review moves beyond fragmented, individual-centered approaches to reducing consumer food waste. The framework suggests that food waste reduction efforts may be more effectively implemented and maintained when consumer practices, business environments, and policy conditions are mutually supportive. Full article

Mentoring is widely recognized as a strategy for supporting students’ academic and personal development, yet its role in the Education for Sustainability (EfS) remains poorly understood. Meanwhile, universities have expanded sustainability policies, governance structures, and curricular initiatives, although these institutional commitments do not necessarily translate into transformative educational experiences. This study introduces the Mentoring Readiness for Sustainability (MRS), a conceptual framework describing a university’s capacity to align strategic commitment, organizational structures, educational practices, and relational culture so that mentoring can support EfS. This study combined conceptual framework development with documentary analysis of institutional sustainability evidence from 76 Spanish universities. Institutional indicators were interpreted through the proposed MRS framework to explore organizational configurations associated with sustainability-oriented mentoring. The findings reveal considerable variation in the institutionalization of sustainability, with strategic and structural dimensions generally more developed than educational integration. They also suggest that institutional sustainability should not be equated with institutional readiness to foster transformative mentoring. The study contributes a novel conceptual construct linking Education for Sustainability, higher education mentoring, and organizational readiness, providing a foundation for future research to operationalize and validate MRS and examine its relationship with student agency and transformative learning. Full article

Micro-credentials are reshaping higher education credentialing, yet existing models mostly link their components through one-way causality, while systems thinking pedagogy has developed largely around STEM and sustainability rather than higher education policy itself. This conceptual paper reframes the micro-credential ecosystem as a complex adaptive system governed by feedback loops, addressing both gaps at once. Following theory synthesis and model-building approaches and Sterman’s system dynamics modeling steps, a four-stage process integrates system dynamics, institutional theory, signaling theory, and adult learning theories. The study yields four testable propositions and one balancing loop, formalized in a single integrated causal loop diagram with defined polarities and delays: the bidirectional need–program link (P1), certification–design feedback (P2), demand–standardization network effect (P3), an ecosystem-level reinforcing loop (P4), and credential inflation as a balancing loop (B1). The coupling of the reinforcing and balancing loops frames credential inflation as a transferable sub-form of the Overshoot and Collapse archetype. The core loop is operationalized as a stock-flow structure, a three-level moderator architecture links the model to variable-based designs, and the framework maps onto SDGs 4, 8, and 10. Analysis of Meadows’s leverage points and a step-by-step design guide translate the model into policy and curriculum practice and into a teaching case for systems thinking. Full article

This study investigates how the integration of artificial intelligence reshapes the professional identity of university English teachers within higher education. Against the backdrop of global digital transformation, AI presents both disruptive potential and a significant ‘adaptation crises’ for educators. Using Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory as an analytical framework, this research systematically reviews the existing literature to address three objectives: (1) identify directions and typologies of teacher identity transformation; (2) analyse multilayered ecological influential factors; and (3) examine core challenges teachers face and their corresponding coping strategies. The findings indicate that professional identity is dynamically reconstructed across nested ecosystems, from micro-level classroom interactions to chronological level sociocultural contexts. This study advances an integrative perspective on the complex technology–teacher relationship, highlighting that successful identity transformation requires coordinated support across all ecological levels. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed to facilitate sustainable teacher development in the face of AI. Full article