Search Results (2,788)

Climate change education requires learners to understand complex systems and dynamic interdependencies, making systems modeling an important competence within education for sustainable development. This study investigated how instructional guidance influences students’ modeling of causal loop diagrams when working with the climate simulation En-ROADS. In a two-phase design, 242 secondary school students first explored En-ROADS and constructed an initial diagram representing their intermediate knowledge, then refined it while receiving conceptual guidance, procedural guidance, both, or none. Structural complexity of the causal loop diagrams and cognitive load were assessed after each phase. Structural complexity increased significantly in all four conditions, η²_p = 0.22. Procedural guidance was associated with a smaller increase, η²_p = 0.02, located primarily in the branching structures of the diagrams, and with higher germane cognitive load, η²_p = 0.02. Conceptual guidance showed no overall effect but interacted with intermediate knowledge, β = 0.23; as the conditional effects were not significant, this indicates that its influence differed across levels of intermediate knowledge rather than that it benefited either group. The structural complexity of the initial diagram was by far the strongest predictor of that of the refined one, underlining the importance of aligning instructional guidance with learners’ intermediate knowledge in complex digital modeling environments. Full article

The transition to a circular economy requires professionals to adopt new strategies and a systemic approach to product development. This shift demands continuous learning and the development of new competencies to understand and apply circular economy principles. In this context, innovative educational approaches that foster engagement and lifelong learning (LLL) are essential. Gamification can support this process by enhancing motivation, creativity, problem-solving, and knowledge retention, while interactive tools help learners critically examine and operationalise circular economy principles. This article discusses the design and application of the “Circularity Deck of Cards,” a learning resource developed as part of a European-funded project Be@t, to facilitate the circular design of products and services. The study follows a mixed-methodological approach encompassing three phases: a systematic mapping of international tools and methodological approaches; the conceptual and visual development of the resource; and its implementation and evaluation through a workshop involving undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students and researchers in fashion design and textile engineering in Portugal. The data were collected using a questionnaire that combined quantitative and qualitative questions, designed to assess the receptiveness to, challenges of, and opportunities arising from gamification in the teaching of circular design. The findings indicate that participants responded positively to the tool, recognising its value as both a pedagogical resource and a professional instrument for promoting sustainability and circularity in the textile and clothing industry. Ultimately, gamification catalyses training students, designers, and industry professionals to address the challenges of circularity, fostering new perspectives on circular design in professional practice. Full article

The growing demand for scalable and cost-effective digital learning environments has increased interest in lightweight cloud-based learning management solutions that can support instructional delivery without the complexity and infrastructure requirements of conventional Learning Management Systems (LMSs). While enterprise LMS platforms provide extensive functionality, their deployment and maintenance often require substantial technical, financial, and administrative resources. This study proposes a lightweight cloud-based LMS architecture using low-code web technologies as an alternative framework for educational content management, learner engagement, resource distribution, and instructional support. The proposed architecture integrates four functional system layers: course management, performance management, content delivery, and productivity support. These components are designed to operate within a cloud-hosted environment that leverages web-based content management, embedded digital resources, collaborative productivity tools, and centralized storage services. The architecture emphasizes accessibility, modularity, low deployment overhead, and cross-platform compatibility, enabling rapid implementation in resource-constrained educational settings. To evaluate the feasibility of the proposed architecture, a large-scale deployment was conducted involving 1765 end users interacting with the platform within an educational environment. System functionality was assessed through feature-level evaluation across the core LMS components and supported by user capability indicators related to digital engagement and platform utilization. Analytical results demonstrated strong functional performance across all architectural modules, with course management and content delivery components exhibiting the highest operational effectiveness. Findings further indicated that the cloud-based architecture successfully supported essential LMS functions through integrated web services and low-code platform technologies. The study contributes a replicable systems architecture and deployment framework for lightweight learning management environments. The proposed model offers a practical foundation for the development of cloud-based educational platforms that support scalable content delivery, learner interaction, instructional management, and future integration with learning analytics, adaptive learning engines, and intelligent educational support systems. The framework provides an engineering-oriented approach for designing accessible and sustainable digital learning infrastructures using low-code technologies. Full article

The sustainability of education systems depends on teachers’ capacity to adapt to changing curriculum expectations and diverse student needs. However, there is limited information on how adaptive design reasoning develops in the iterative process of designing and adapting instructional materials by pre-service mathematics teachers. This study reinterprets the Dynamic Capabilities Theory in the context of individual teacher learning, examining how the processes of sensing, seizing, and transformation emerge as teacher candidates develop materials suitable for the new national mathematics curriculum. The research was conducted using a design-based research approach. Conjecture mapping was used to articulate relationships among design features, mediating processes, and observable outcomes. The study group consisted of 23 pre-service mathematics teachers, and in-depth analyses were conducted with two purposefully selected focus participants who exhibited different developmental patterns. The data were obtained from teaching materials, design plans, interviews, and feedback processes; they were analyzed using an inductive-deductive analysis approach. The findings indicate that iterative material design cycles made the adaptive design reasoning of pre-service mathematics teachers visible. Two focus cases, although following different developmental paths in terms of contextual awareness, representational clarity, digital tool usage, feedback-based reflection, and pedagogical justification, have both been observed to have design decisions becoming more conscious and curriculum-sensitive over time. The findings may provide a course-based context for making curriculum-responsive design reasoning visible and open to reflection. Findings should be interpreted within the study context. Full article

Higher education institutions are increasingly expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining reliable educational, laboratory, and administrative operations. This challenge is particularly relevant in transition economies, where university campuses often depend on fossil-fuel-based electricity systems, natural-gas heating, and aging infrastructure. This study presents a campus-scale decarbonization assessment for the Tashkent Institute of Chemical Technology in Uzbekistan. The quantified inventory covered Scope 1 emissions from natural-gas combustion and Scope 2 emissions from purchased electricity. Paper use, digital services, behavioural measures, and campus greening were assessed as supplementary institutional indicators and were excluded from the quantified total because consistent pre- and post-intervention activity data were unavailable. The assessment combined institutional utility records for 2023–2025 with information on renewable-energy deployment, heating modernization, digital transformation, sustainability awareness, and campus greening. A 300 kW solar photovoltaic system comprising 666 modules was commissioned in May 2023, with a documented annualized generation potential of approximately 520,000 kWh. Purchased grid electricity amounted to 711,402, 745,947, and 749,060 kWh in 2023, 2024, and 2025, respectively, while annual natural-gas consumption was 144,775, 161,200, and 142,031 m³. Using a conservative standard-based net calorific value of 31.8 MJ/m³ together with IPCC stationary-combustion factors, annual Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions were estimated at 637.53, 685.29, and 652.65 tCO₂-eq, respectively. The 2025 total was 4.76% below the 2024 value but 2.37% above the 2023 value. The annualized PV technical potential corresponds to a theoretical maximum Scope 2 displacement of 276.64 tCO₂-eq/year under 100% self-consumption. This value does not represent measured generation or a realized emission reduction and was not included in the quantified inventory. Digitalization, behavioural engagement, and greening were evaluated as complementary measures rather than assigned separate emission-reduction credits. The study provides a transparent and regionally relevant framework for universities in transition economies seeking to strengthen campus carbon management under incomplete data conditions. Full article

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

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

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

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

This study identifies two stage-specific configurations of CLIL teacher well-being in Andalusia: an ecology of proximity in Primary Education and a disciplinary-departmental ecology in Secondary Education. Drawing on 14 semi-structured interviews with seven Primary and seven Secondary teachers, the study used a deductive–inductive ecological analysis combining within-case, cross-case, cross-stage, and subsystem-coupling procedures in QDA Miner. Participants described professional well-being not merely as a subjective psychological state but in terms of professional viability: the perceived ecological enactability of pedagogically legitimate and sustainable practice. Primary teachers’ accounts foregrounded sustained pupil contact, tutorial responsibility, family expectations, classroom routines, and adaptation for younger learners. Secondary teachers’ accounts foregrounded subject specialisation, departmental organisation, heterogeneous language proficiency, assessment ambiguity, and the Primary–Secondary transition. Across both stages, participants described compensatory overfunctioning—additional care, coordination, material redesign, translation, and assessment work undertaken to keep CLIL operational when implementation conditions were perceived as insufficient. Protected coordination time, stage-specific training, shared assessment frameworks, appropriate materials, and transition structures emerged as potential regulatory leverage points. The study advances a phase-sensitive systems interpretation of teacher well-being by identifying a fast balancing loop of frontline adaptation and a slower reinforcing stabilisation trap through which restored continuity may conceal persistent underprovision. Full article

Small-scale fisheries are socio-ecological systems in which resource users interact with environmental conditions, fishing regulations, community initiatives, and institutional actors. Understanding how fishers perceive and report these interactions provides information on the social context of fisheries management, although such perceptions cannot substitute for independent assessments of ecological sustainability, behavioural compliance, or governance effectiveness. This study characterized fishers’ environmental perceptions, self-reported fishing practices, participation in environmental education and conservation activities, and perceptions of community and institutional involvement in fisheries management in Tecomate Lagoon, Guerrero, Mexico. A cross-sectional quantitative design was used, and structured questionnaires were administered to 120 active artisanal fishers selected through simple random sampling. Data were analyzed descriptively using frequencies and percentages. Respondents primarily associated the lagoon with economic (49.17%) and food-related (25.83%) functions. Declining water levels (60.00%) and reduced species abundance (40.00%) were the environmental changes reported by respondents. Regarding fishing practices, 94.17% stated that they complied with fishing regulations, and 100% reported releasing organisms below the minimum legal catch size. Environmental training was reported by 95.00% of respondents, while 94.17% reported participation in conservation-related activities. CONAPESCA (80.83%) and UAGro (19.17%) were identified as institutions involved in fisheries-related initiatives. These findings characterize the perceptions and self-reported experiences of surveyed fishers and should not be interpreted as evidence of ecological sustainability, actual behavioural compliance, educational effectiveness, or governance performance. The contribution of the study lies in systematically documenting the resource-user perspective as a component of the social dimension of the fishery. This information provides a descriptive baseline that can complement future ecological, behavioural, institutional, and longitudinal assessments of small-scale fisheries in coastal lagoon systems. Full article

Organizations increasingly face the challenge of integrating sustainability into strategic planning and governance systems while ensuring stakeholder participation, accountability, and long-term value creation. This study develops a stakeholder-based governance model by examining how strategic planning processes contribute to the integration of sustainability within organizational management. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining documentary analysis of institutional planning instruments, surveys administered to students, professors, and administrative staff, and semi-structured interviews with seven senior institutional leaders responsible for strategic decision-making. The empirical evidence was obtained from an Ecuadorian higher education institution operating in the context of an emerging economy. The results revealed high levels of stakeholder support for sustainability integration, with positive perceptions reported by professors (89.8%), students (83.6%), and administrative staff (74.0%). The findings also highlighted the importance of leadership commitment, stakeholder engagement, governance mechanisms, performance indicators, monitoring, and continuous improvement in supporting long-term institutional sustainability. Based on these results, a stakeholder-based governance model is proposed that integrates Strategic Planning, Stakeholder Theory, Sustainable Governance, and Organizational Sustainability into a unified management framework. The study concludes that sustainability can be strengthened when governance structures and strategic planning processes operate as interconnected mechanisms that guide organizational decision-making, performance evaluation, and long-term institutional development. This study proposes an evidence-informed governance model derived from a mixed-methods case study conducted at a private technological university in Ecuador. Full article

Educational inequality and early school leaving remain persistent challenges in stratified education systems, particularly for disadvantaged students in rural areas. Although mentoring programmes are widely promoted as compensatory interventions, relatively little is known about how institutionally embedded mentoring influences educational aspirations and trajectories within highly stratified school systems. This study examines the nationwide Hungarian Teach for Hungary mentoring programme, in which university students provide formally organised peer mentoring to disadvantaged lower secondary school students. The study adopts a triangulated mixed-methods design, integrating longitudinal administrative education data (2018–2024), pre–post survey data, and qualitative interviews. The dataset includes 25 higher education institutions, 108 partner schools, and more than 3300 mentored students, enabling an analysis of mentoring processes across diverse institutional and regional contexts. The findings suggest that mentoring is associated with more structured educational aspirations, smoother transitions to upper secondary education, and more stable patterns of school participation, particularly in disadvantaged rural settings. Rather than producing direct academic effects, mentoring appears to operate through institutional mechanisms that shape students’ access to educational information, expectations, and opportunity structures. Formal mentor preparation, ongoing supervision, and institutional coordination emerge as key conditions for sustaining high-quality mentoring relationships and supporting students’ educational orientation. The study contributes to international research on mentoring and educational inequality by conceptualizing mentoring as an institutionally mediated mechanism embedded within stratified education systems. Beyond the Hungarian context, the findings provide analytically transferable insights for education systems seeking to address persistent inequalities in educational access and transition opportunities. Full article

New Quality Productive Forces (NQPF) constitute a key driver of Industrial Structure Optimization and Upgrading (ISOU), while the advancement of ISOU provides an essential industrial foundation for the cultivation and development of NQPF. The coordinated development of these two systems is therefore critical to promoting high-quality regional economic development in China. This study develops a theoretical framework to clarify the formation of NQPF and the interactive relationship between NQPF and ISOU. It subsequently employs the coupling coordination degree model to examine the spatiotemporal evolution of their coordinated development across China from 2011 to 2023 and applies the Geodetector model to identify the principal driving factors. The results reveal three main findings. First, both NQPF and ISOU exhibited sustained upward trends during the study period, accompanied by pronounced spatial disparities. The eastern region consistently maintained the highest development levels in both systems, whereas the western region remained comparatively underdeveloped, with the east–west gap continuing to widen. Second, the national coupling coordination degree between NQPF and ISOU increased steadily, shifting from moderate imbalance to mild imbalance. Nevertheless, nearly 77% of provinces remained in an imbalanced state in 2023. High-value coupling coordination areas gradually formed a multicore spatial configuration centered on Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Jiangsu, resulting in an overall pattern characterized by eastern leadership, central transition, and western lagging. Third, the factors influencing coupling coordination exhibited marked regional heterogeneity. At the national level, economic development demonstrated the strongest explanatory power, followed by education and human capital accumulation. In the Yangtze River Economic Belt, economic development remained the dominant factor, while government intervention played an increasingly prominent role. In the Yellow River Basin, education surpassed economic development as the leading factor, whereas human capital was not statistically significant, indicating distinct regional driving mechanisms. Interaction detection further showed that most combinations of influencing factors generated nonlinear enhancement effects. These findings demonstrate that the coordinated development of NQPF and ISOU is shaped by both regional development disparities and the synergistic effects of multiple factors. Accordingly, regionally differentiated and multidimensional policy measures should be adopted rather than uniformly applying standardized policy instruments. Full article