Search Results (389)

This study evaluated a synergistic intervention integrating school social work and ethnic education for reducing dropout-related risk among male students in Zhuang vocational secondary schools in central Guangxi, China. Using a quasi-experimental mixed-methods design with baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up assessments, 457 students were enrolled and 435 were included in the final analysis. Compared with usual support, the intervention group showed a larger reduction in the dropout risk index at follow-up, β = −0.37, SE = 0.08, 95% CI [−0.52, −0.22], p < 0.001, and a lower likelihood of chronic absenteeism, OR = 0.56, 95% CI [0.34, 0.91], p = 0.020. The retention difference was positive but less precise, OR = 1.70, 95% CI [0.79, 3.67], p = 0.174. The intervention group also reported higher school belonging, β = 0.33, SE = 0.06, p < 0.001, and academic self-efficacy, β = 0.30, SE = 0.06, p < 0.001. Parallel mediation analysis suggested that these two protective factors accounted for part of the intervention-associated difference in dropout risk, with a total indirect effect of −0.20, 95% CI [−0.28, −0.12], p < 0.001. The findings suggest that culturally responsive practices, when combined with tiered case management and family engagement, may help strengthen protective processes and slow the accumulation of dropout-related risks. This study provides context-sensitive evidence for designing school retention interventions in vocational schools serving ethnic minority communities, while the quasi-experimental design warrants cautious interpretation. Full article

Curricular internships are affective-motivational learning contexts in which students encounter real workplace demands while educational institutions remain responsible for learning, engagement, and well-being. Responding to the Special Issue theme of emotion, motivation, and learning, this three-wave study used temporally separated self-report data to examine challenge demands, hindrance demands, and school support among 860 Taiwanese technical and vocational education and training (TVET) interns. Challenge demands were positively associated with work engagement, which was associated with innovative behavior. Hindrance demands were positively associated with burnout, which was associated with intention to seek work outside the trained vocational field. The hindrance demands-burnout association was weaker when school support was higher. The findings are compatible with treating school support as a curricular psychological resource that may help students interpret and manage obstructive internship conditions. More broadly, the study suggests that work-integrated learning systems may support vocational persistence by designing internships as supervised affective-motivational learning environments rather than as placements alone. Full article

Digital transformation is reshaping technical and vocational education and training (TVET), yet the behavioral processes through which students’ digital learning competence is associated with learning performance remain underexplored. Drawing on Biggs’ presage–process–product (3P) model, this cross-sectional study examined a dual-path moderated mediation model in which active and rule-based learning participation served as differentiated process pathways, while teacher–student interaction and curriculum practicality were specified as contextual moderators. Survey data were collected from 3693 students in Chinese higher vocational colleges. Hierarchical regression and bootstrapped moderated mediation analyses indicated that digital learning competence was positively associated with learning performance. Active learning participation mediated this association, whereas rule-based learning participation did not function as a stable positive mediator. At higher levels of teacher–student interaction and curriculum practicality, digital learning competence showed stronger associations with active learning participation and stronger indirect associations with learning performance. The rule-based pathway appeared more conditional and reflected an externally regulated, prescribed-task-oriented form of behavioral participation, rather than a stable process pathway associated with deep learning. These findings extend the 3P model to digital learning in higher vocational education, differentiate behavioral forms of participation, and highlight the importance of interactive and practice-oriented instructional contexts. Full article

Understanding students’ vocational preferences in STEM domains is a complex challenge characterized by uncertainty, subjectivity, and overlapping interests. Traditional profiling approaches often rely on rigid categorizations that fail to capture the hybrid and dynamic nature of learners. This study proposes FAS-XAI, a reproducible learning analytics framework that integrates fuzzy logic and explainable artificial intelligence for interpretable profiling of STEM vocational preferences. The methodology combines fuzzy AHP for criterion weighting, Fuzzy C-Means clustering to identify overlapping profiles, and XGBoost for supervised validation, complemented by SHAP and LIME to provide global and local explanations of model behavior. The study is framed as a methodological simulation under controlled conditions, using synthetic data to evaluate the internal coherence, transparency, and transferability of the proposed pipeline. The results show that the framework can generate multidimensional and interpretable learner profiles, with resilience, communication, and commitment emerging as relevant discriminative dimensions within the simulated setting. Overall, the proposed approach provides a reproducible methodological basis for future empirical applications in personalized learning, vocational guidance, and AI-supported educational decision-making. Full article

Authenticity has emerged as a prominent theme in education, driven by growing demands from governments and employers for a more professional and highly skilled workforce, and has been recognised as a key characteristic of assessment design that promotes deeper learning, with educators increasingly being encouraged to embed authenticity into course design. However, a consistent interpretation of authenticity remains lacking, particularly within discipline contexts, such as within physiology education. This presents a challenge for educators, with university policy calling for the incorporation of authentic assessment tasks, with only limited and generic guidance on how to design and implement them effectively within specific disciplines, particularly in non-vocational courses. To understand authenticity in the physiology context, semi-structured interviews (n = 29) were conducted, which gathered the perspectives of students (n = 10), educators (n = 11), and industry professionals (n = 8). Each interview was divided into the following two sections: definitions of authenticity and authentic assessment, and the evaluation and scoring of common assessments. The qualitative data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and the quantitative data (assessment scoring on a 5-point Likert scale) using the Kruskal–Wallis test and is presented as the median with an interquartile range. It was revealed that authenticity in physiology education can be understood through four themes: foundational knowledge as an enabler for authenticity, transferrable skills, authenticity emerges through the application of knowledge and problem solving creates opportunities for authentic learning. Collectively, the results of the study revealed a shared understanding of authentic learning as an activity that prepares students for real-world scenarios. Full article

Cyberbullying victimization is a public health concern associated with adolescents’ psychological distress symptoms. This cross-sectional study examined whether relative deprivation and moral disengagement were statistically associated with the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and psychological distress symptoms among victim-only five-year higher vocational college students. Among 4290 valid respondents, 1419 students reported at least one cyberbullying victimization experience. Because the present study focused on victimization without concurrent perpetration, 1107 victim-only students were included in the primary analysis. Participants completed self-report measures of cyberbullying victimization, relative deprivation, moral disengagement, and psychological distress symptoms. After controlling for gender and age, cyberbullying victimization was positively associated with psychological distress symptoms. The bootstrap results indicated significant indirect associations through relative deprivation, through moral disengagement, and through the serial pathway from relative deprivation to moral disengagement. These findings suggest that relative deprivation and moral disengagement are statistically linked to the association between cyberbullying victimization and psychological distress symptoms among victim-only vocational students. Given the cross-sectional self-report design, the mediation findings should be interpreted as evidence of statistical associations rather than temporal ordering or causal mechanisms. Full article

This study presents the development and psychometric validation of a Career Identity Questionnaire for vocational school students aged 15–19 years. Career identity was conceptualized as comprising career exploration and career commitment, based on theories of identity development and career guidance. Two studies were conducted. In Study 1 (N = 188), principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the final structure of the questionnaire. From an initial pool of 20 items, 14 items were retained: 8 items for career exploration and 6 items for career commitment. The two scales were positively correlated (r = 0.48, p < 0.01), with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.78 and 0.88, respectively. In Study 2 (N = 293), convergent and structural validity were examined using correlation analysis, canonical correlation, ANOVA, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The CFA supported a three-factor structure consisting of exploration within the educational profile, exploration outside the educational profile, and career commitment. Career exploration correlated with school satisfaction (r = 0.31), subjective well-being (r = 0.26), and school success (r = 0.14), while career commitment showed stronger associations with the same variables (r = 0.56, 0.27, and 0.15, all p < 0.01). Canonical correlation analysis indicated significant relationships between career identity dimensions and mental health, with the strongest weights observed for career commitment (r_s = −0.96) and career exploration (r_s = −0.60), explaining 14% of the variance in mental health, while mental health explained 23% of the variance in career identity. Students with below-average values of commitment and exploration reported lower school success, satisfaction, and well-being. The findings provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the questionnaire, supporting its use in both research and practice in educational settings. Full article

This study examines emotional dependency on generative artificial intelligence among vocational high school (VHS) students. Guided by Taiwan’s 108 Curriculum Guidelines, an interactive “Health and Nursing” course on AI reliance was implemented. The sample included 1000 students from five VHSs in central Taiwan (January–February 2026). Data were collected through questionnaires and classroom feedback to assess AI interaction frequency, emotional projection, and perceived effects on relationships and psychological needs. Research data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and SmartPLS 4. Findings show that some students displayed moderate to high emotional attachment to AI, particularly for support and stress relief, with blurred ethical boundaries. After the intervention, students reported greater awareness of risks and increased self-reflection. This study concludes that integrating AI literacy with emotional education into curricula is crucial for responsible technology use and healthy relational development. Overall, emotional reliance on AI among VHS students appears statistically significant but bounded, reflecting a balanced pattern of engagement that supports sustainable psychological well-being. Full article

In the context of increasing water scarcity, the new paradigm in efficient water management relies on the digitalisation of water infrastructure to optimise resource use. One of the key factors in addressing the new challenges facing urban water cycle companies is the shortage of qualified technical staff. This context highlights the new training needs of technical personnel required by companies in the urban water cycle sector due to the increasing digitalisation of tools and the new technological requirements of jobs which are not yet sufficiently reflected in the existing training offer. Companies express their dissatisfaction with how poorly existing training programs meet their current needs. Vocational training has a fundamental role to play in providing high-quality, technically up-to-date training that is aligned with the needs of water management companies. This mission involves the adoption of innovative teaching strategies and methods and the development of innovative teaching resources. This paper presents the design of a bench-scale plant specifically designed as a teaching resource at a Spanish vocational training centre that offers intermediate-level training in water networks and treatment plants and advanced-level training in water management. The plant, occupying a footprint of 4 × 5 m, simulates a drinking water distribution network, from the intake to the distribution network via a pumping station with two pumps (1 + 1) of 0.75 kW each that provide a flow range of 4–12 m³/h with a range of 22–10 m water column and a regulating reservoir of 1 m³ located above the water network. The plant is equipped with sensors that allow operational data to be monitored: pressures, flow rates, consumption and levels, enabling multiple operational scenarios to be simulated: leaks, sectorisation, pressure and flow management, etc. Its design has focused on facilitating the acquisition by students of the skills and learning outcomes required in the curricula of the different professional modules that make up the aforementioned studies, through learning based on multidisciplinary collaborative projects. Full article

This study investigates how structural alignment between mathematics teaching and vocational welding practice can support student engagement and strengthen the perceived relevance of mathematics. The research examines an interdisciplinary intervention in Danish vocational education, where mathematics and welding teachers collaboratively designed modules linking trigonometric calculations to practical workshop tasks. Using Cultural–Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), the mathematics classroom and the welding workshop are analysed as interacting activity systems. The analysis draws on video observations, field notes, and interviews with teachers and students. The findings show that interdisciplinary collaboration reorganised relations between classroom and workshop practices by aligning artefacts, division of labour, and shared objectives across learning environments. Students reported improved understanding of how mathematics is applied in vocational practice, increased precision in workshop tasks, and more positive attitudes towards mathematics. Full article

In China’s increasingly stratified education system, a growing number of high-scoring junior secondary students are choosing the Vocational Secondary–Undergraduate Articulation Program over key academic senior high schools, challenging conventional assumptions about merit, school choice, and vocational education. Existing studies have mainly examined this pathway from institutional and policy perspectives, with limited attention to the micro-level decision-making logic of students and families. Drawing on rational choice theory and a theoretical thematic analysis of online public discourse, this study explores how high-scoring students and their families interpret, evaluate, and justify this educational choice. The findings show that participation in the articulation program is organized around four interrelated mechanisms: action foundations based on academic strengths and family evaluation; action purposes aimed at securing a relatively stable route to a bachelor’s degree while gaining vocational advantages; action consequences involving the weighing of risks and expected returns; and institutional and cultural impacts produced by the interaction between policy incentives and persistent academic hierarchies. The study argues that choosing this pathway is not a deviant decision, but a rational response to educational competition and structural constraints, and it sheds light on the changing legitimacy of vocational pathways in contemporary China. Full article

The development of computational thinking in introductory programming remains a major challenge, particularly in vocational secondary education, where students frequently encounter difficulties in understanding code structure, identifying errors, and translating problem statements into algorithmic solutions. This study examines the use of code comments as a pedagogical scaffold within a digitally supported learning environment enriched with multimodal instructional resources for novice programming students. An exploratory mixed-methods classroom intervention was conducted in a vocational secondary education context, combining comment-centered coding activities with digital educational resources such as online forms, classroom management tools, guided worksheets, interactive exercises, and feedback-oriented learning tasks. The intervention was examined through a pre- and post-test on computational thinking, a pre- and post-intervention questionnaire on students’ knowledge, practices, and perceptions regarding code comments, and supporting qualitative evidence from classroom artifacts. The findings showed a marked improvement in computational thinking performance over the course of the intervention, with the mean test score increasing from 43% to 91%. Students also reported more positive and more elaborated views regarding the role of code comments in code comprehension, debugging, organization, and learning support. Given the single-group design and small sample, these results should be interpreted as exploratory and context-specific rather than as evidence of intervention-only causality. Nevertheless, the study provides practice-based evidence that code comments, when embedded in a structured multimedia-supported learning design, may function as a useful pedagogical scaffold in introductory programming education. This study contributes empirical evidence from an underrepresented vocational secondary education setting and offers actionable implications for multimedia-based digital learning in computer science education. Full article

Psychological readiness for career choice represents a critical developmental task during adolescence, shaping subsequent educational paths and vocational self-determination. This study investigates the formation of such readiness among grade nine students in a public secondary school in Almaty, Kazakhstan, using an integrated psychological assessment approach. Grounded in Holland’s RIASEC theory and temperament-based perspectives, the study examines how vocational interests, temperament characteristics, and educational decision status interact in early career planning. Data were collected from 185 students during structured school-based diagnostic sessions employing a RIASEC vocational interest inventory, a temperament assessment, and a brief educational decision questionnaire. The findings reveal a differentiated structure of vocational interests, with social and investigative orientations most prevalent. While a majority of students reported preliminary career or educational choices, a substantial proportion remained undecided, indicating heterogeneous levels of psychological readiness. Temperament distributions suggest that emotional regulation plays an important role in translating vocational interests into concrete decisions. Overall, the results support conceptualizing psychological readiness as a multidimensional construct encompassing interest clarity, personality-related regulation, and decision commitment. The study highlights the importance of sustained, psychologically informed career guidance during key educational transitions and offers practical implications for school-based career counseling. Full article

The current study aimed to investigate complex links among a large set of anxiety-related variables and identify targets for well-being interventions in a large sample of male and female vocational education training students. In total, 28 psychological constructs, such as self-esteem, parental pressure and dissatisfaction and motivation, were assessed in four groups of VET students (mode age: 16). The sample included 3069 females in ASSP schools (nursing and caring); 2108 females and 1772 males in Commerce schools (sales and management); and 2262 males in MELEC schools (electricity and maintenance). We used Gaussian Graphical models (GGMs) that allow for building sparse models of links among multiple variables and detecting targets for interventions via the identification of the most central nodes. We showed gender differences in absolute means for some variables (higher self-esteem and math grades in males; higher anxiety and error sensitivity, but stronger endorsement of mastery approach achievement goals in females), as well as in network structure. GGMs suggested that the key nodes were self-reported math competence for females in the ASSP group, self-regulation for females in Commerce, and mastery approach goals for males in both MELEC and Commerce groups, and that these should be differentially targeted by educational interventions in these populations. Full article

Background: In an era characterized by rapid technological disruption and vocational uncertainty, Career Adaptability (CA) has emerged as a critical meta-competency for university students transitioning into the workforce. While the importance of CA is well-documented, the internal mechanisms that foster it remain under-explored. This research adopts a resource-based perspective to investigate how Mindfulness—a state of non-judgmental present-moment awareness—acts as a catalyst for career readiness. Specifically, this study examines a dual-mediation model, proposing that Mindfulness enhances Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Psychological Capital (PsyCap) (comprising hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism), which in turn bolsters an individual’s capacity to adapt to changing career landscapes. By integrating these four constructs, the study provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how “being present” (Mindfulness) translates into “being prepared” (Career Adaptability) through the cultivation of emotional and psychological resources. Methods: The study collected data from 705 final-year students at Wollo University (male = 399 and female = 306). The study employed several well-established instruments: the Compound Psychological Capital Scale (CPC), the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLIES), and the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS). These instruments were rigorously evaluated for their psychometric applicability within the Ethiopian context. Results: PLS-SEM analysis revealed: (a) direct and positive influences of mindfulness, PsyCap, and EI on career adaptability; (b) partial and positive mediation effects of PsyCap and EI in the mindfulness-career adaptability link; (c) a serial mediation effect of mindfulness through PsyCap and EI; and (d) the proposed model explained a substantial amount of variance in university students’ career adaptability. Conclusions: Despite its strengths, the study acknowledged certain limitations and discussed potential implications for enhancing career adaptability, highlighting the benefits of cultivating mindfulness. Full article