Trends in Higher Education

Food insecurity (FI) may lead to lower academic achievement, yet college students with inadequate food underutilize campus food pantries. This research aimed to identify predictors of academic success among pantry shoppers (PSs) to inform outreach. Data from AY 2021–2022 (N = 847) and 2022–2023 (N = 951) were derived from swipes of student identification cards, merged with university student-provided data, and de-identified. Multiple regression, logistic regression, and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) were employed to create and validate models using Machine Learning. Grade Point Averages (GPAs) were compared by two-sample t tests. The PSs demonstrated higher GPAs in the fall term than non-pantry shoppers (p = 0.04). Validation of the models indicated strong performance. Multiple regression yielded a low prediction error (0.05), and logistic regression achieved 71% accuracy (AUC = 0.776). LASSO identified positive predictors of academic success, including graduate and honors status, junior and senior classification, females, international residency, and frequency of pantry shopping. Negative predictors included part-time status, first-year status, Black or Hispanic ethnicity, and Pell Grant eligibility. Findings underscore the complex interplay between sociodemographic and academic factors that should be considered when planning pantry outreach programs and highlight the need for standardized measures of student pantry utilization, which may aid resource allocation and sustainability. Full article

This study examines the role of artificial intelligence (AI) as a mediating tool in values training, based on university students’ reflections on their own values and those represented in literary characters. The research, developed at the Catholic University of Murcia (Spain) and University Collegue Cork (Ireland) integrated the humanistic approach of literature with the pedagogical potential of AI. An exploratory–descriptive mixed-methods design was applied with 126 students of Education and Philology. The instruments included the Hall–Tonna questionnaire, a 12-item Likert scale, and open-ended questions, analyzed using descriptive statistics, mean comparison, and thematic content analysis. The results reflect a preference for values such as justice, perseverance, and empathy, with cultural differences: in Spain, solidarity and community spirit stood out; and in Ireland, integrity and individual responsibility stood out. A total of 78% positively rated AI mediation for its capacity to stimulate critical reflection and ethical debate, although risks linked to technological dependence and cultural bias were noted. It is concluded that the synergy between literature and AI enhances ethical and civic education, provided it is implemented from an ethical and humanizing perspective. Full article

In the past 25 years, the demographic shift in higher education toward adult learners has necessitated a comprehensive understanding of their participation patterns. This study aims to synthesize publication trends, methodological characteristics, empirical factors, and the evolution of theoretical frameworks that influence their participation. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic review was conducted on 74 peer-reviewed articles indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus between 2000 and October 2025. Data were analyzed across three time periods (2000–2009, 2010–2019, and 2020–2025) using a hybrid deductive–inductive analytical approach. The results indicated a marked surge in research output after 2020, with a peak of 10 studies in 2023. While quantitative designs and offline modalities were initially predominant, a clear trend existed toward qualitative approaches and technology-mediated learning in recent years. Intrinsic motivation was the most consistent determinant (77.0%), while work–study conflict persisted as a major barrier (21.6%). Notably, institutional determinants and structural frameworks gained prominence after 2020, reflecting a shift from individual-centered to institutionally responsive models in higher education. These findings indicate that adult learners’ participation is shaped by the dynamic interaction of personal motivations, situational constraints, and increasingly salient institutional conditions, reflecting broader transformations in higher education delivery since 2020. Accordingly, advancing adult participation requires multi-level approaches that integrate learner agency with supportive institutional designs and policy frameworks, rather than relying solely on individual motivation. Full article

In this study, an innovative prospective analysis approach is applied to support the characterisation of strategic performance measures in higher education institutions (HEIs) and to assess their efficiency. To achieve this objective, relevant input and output indicators identified in the literature are systematised and then validated through a field study involving semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and practitioners. Subsequently, a cross-impact matrix is developed, and a prospective analysis is performed using the MICMAC method (Matrix of Cross-Impact Multiplications Applied to Classification). This process enables the identification of the most influential input and output factors shaping the performance of Portuguese HEIs. The resulting strategic input–output prospective map highlights that future strategies should prioritise inputs related to research and development (R&D), the sociocultural environment of HEIs, and internationalisation, particularly in relation to global student mobility. The analysis further shows that outputs associated with regional human capital development and sociocultural dynamics play a critical role, especially through the strengthening of partnerships with regional authorities, municipalities, and companies. Full article

Debates are taking place in the higher education literature regarding the changing roles of learning technology professionals and their contributions to the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Whilst much literature discusses motivations and barriers for these professionals in engaging with SoTL, less attention has been directed towards how such engagement might be nurtured and developed. This paper analyses an intervention project designed as a cross-institutional mentoring scheme which aimed to foster SoTL habits and skills in learning technology professionals. The mentor scholar scheme encompassed a series of online group meetings and one-on-one advisor meetings, involving 22 scholars and 18 advisors over a 12-month period. Data was collected using a range of methods including questionnaires and interviews. Our analysis uses Cultural–Historical Activity Theory to grasp the dynamics of the mentor scholar scheme and derive insights into how learning technology professionals attempt to engage with SoTL in their practice. The scheme developed in ways unanticipated by our original design. Key contradictions in the activity were evident through persistent difficulties for learning technology professionals in identifying as a scholar, finding a place within a broader scholarly community, developing a loyalty to scholarship, and positioning it against longstanding professional priorities. Nonetheless, participants viewed the scheme as successful, and we put forward considerable experience of how to mediate and address these issues. The paper contributes new perspectives on catalysing scholarly identity among professional staff in higher education, highlighting the importance of a scholarly community, understanding scholarship as distinct from professionalism, and suggesting that mentoring must be a relational and adaptive process. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become central to the evolution of learning analytics (LA), transforming how higher-education institutions capture and interpret student engagement data. This narrative review synthesises research published between 2015 and 2025 to examine how AI-driven analytics link learner engagement to measurable academic outcomes, with emphasis on the South-African higher-education context. Drawing on global reviews of AI in education and emerging governance frameworks, the study highlights the shift from traditional dashboards toward deep-learning and transformer-based systems that integrate behavioural, cognitive, and affective indicators. Ethical and policy challenges, particularly around data privacy, transparency, and institutional capacity, remain significant. Grounded in UNESCO and OECD guidance and South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act, the review outlines a governance-driven approach for equitable and transparent adoption of AI-enhanced learning analytics. It identifies key challenges, data fragmentation, algorithmic opacity, and limited contextual adaptation, and translates them into practical recommendations for policy, capacity building, and future research. The findings underscore that sustainable AI adoption requires human-centred ethics, robust data governance, and context-sensitive innovation to achieve inclusive and data-driven higher education. Full article

Examinations are central to higher education, yet students consistently describe them as detrimental to well-being. Drawing on self-determination theory (SDT), we conducted three studies to examine whether multiple-choice examinations could be redesigned to satisfy students’ basic psychological needs (BPNs) and support well-being. In Study 1 (n = 400), we developed and validated the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale for Classroom Assessment (BPNSF-CA). Using bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (bifactor ESEM), results supported a well-defined single global need fulfillment factor (G-factor) alongside six specific factors (autonomy support/frustration, competence support/frustration, relatedness support/frustration) as well as evidence of validity. In Study 2 (n = 387), we conducted a randomized experiment with three versions of a multiple-choice exam serving as the independent variable (flawed items, high-quality items, and high-quality + need-supportive features). Results showed that high-quality items improved performance, while only the addition of need-supportive features satisfied BPNs with differential patterns for the single G-factor and S-factors. In Study 3 (n = 101), we applied the intervention in a real classroom and tested the mediational role of BPN satisfaction. Results showed that redesigned exams (high-quality + need-supportive features) significantly enhanced perceptions of fairness and success via BPNs. We conclude with a discussion of all three studies, including implications and limitations. Full article

Post-COVID-19, it is widely reported that the attendance rates of higher education students have not recovered to pre-COVID-19 numbers. Initial internal investigations in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Maynooth University suggested that factors relating to the cost of living, commuting, and working were impacting students’ ability to attend university. In order to establish the degree to which these issues were influencing student attendance at lectures, tutorials, and with the academic support of mathematics at Maynooth University, we conducted an in-depth survey of first-year service mathematics students. This paper focuses on the qualitative experiences and perspectives of the 415 students who participated in this study. Using reflective thematic analysis, we identified two dominant themes across the survey responses: the weight of the ‘financial burdens’ that students were experiencing, and frustration with the ‘poor infrastructure’ that they encountered. As a result, a further three themes of students being ‘time poor’, feeling forced to make difficult ‘decisions’, and ‘missing out’ on academic and social life were also prevalent. These findings reveal the complex and systemic challenges facing students in their day-to-day efforts to attend university, and they emphasise the urgent need for both institutional specific measures and coordinated government policies to tackle these issues. Full article

Several authors emphasize that assessment is a key tool for teachers to guide and verify learning, improve their practice, and contribute to deeper student learning. Beyond its technical function, assessment enables the creation of a meaningful pedagogical relationship with the central actor of the educational process, “the student”. This study aimed to understand how students value a system guided by the principles of formative assessment and its impact on the self-perception of acquired competencies. The “Questionnaire on the Experience of Good Practice” and the “Scale for the Self-Perception of Student Competencies” were applied to a sample of 74 students (26.4 ± 4.5) from a public university in Uruguay. The results show that the assessment system was positively rated in terms of usefulness, innovation, and replicability, although limitations were observed in terms of sustainability and fairness in grading. In addition, a significant decrease was observed in the self-perception of technical competencies and an increase in those related to pedagogical reflection and attention to diversity, suggesting a more critical and realistic view of their own professional performance on the part of the students. Full article

Blended learning is widely adopted in higher education, yet little is known about how students experience its motivational and instructional features. In this study, we examined undergraduate students’ experiences regarding blended learning by integrating Herzberg’s two-factor theory with the TPACK framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 undergraduates at a large Vietnamese university. A theory-informed qualitative content analysis approach was used to identify codes, categories, and themes. These were then mapped onto the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), technological content knowledge (TCK), and technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) intersections of the TPACK framework. The findings showed that hygiene factors included unengaging teaching practices, inadequate digital infrastructure, and limited online interaction. These factors often produced frustration and reduced engagement. Motivator factors included active and relevant pedagogical strategies, engaging and accessible digital resources, and technology-facilitated autonomous, expressive, and creative learning work. These factors encouraged deeper learning and stronger motivation. It is concluded that blended learning design must address both hygiene and motivator factors to improve student engagement. Integrating these factors with the TPACK intersections offers a practical model for improved course structures, enhanced digital resources, and the design of more interactive technology-supported pedagogy. The findings provide actionable implications for higher education institutions seeking to improve the quality of blended learning. Full article

This study explores the integration of Georgi Lozanov’s Suggestopedia with Alain Berthoz’s theory of simplexity as a pedagogical paradigm for inclusive and creative educational design. The research, conducted within the specialization courses for educational support at the University of Salerno, involved 230 trainee teachers engaged in a participatory action-research process aimed at translating suggestopedic principles, positive suggestion, music, and relational harmony into didactic planning. Through a combination of theoretical training, laboratory design activities, and reflective evaluation, participants produced 21 interdisciplinary educational projects assessed according to the properties and rules of simplexity. The results show a high degree of methodological coherence, aesthetic quality, and curricular inclusiveness, with music emerging as a key factor in fostering attention, cooperation, and emotional engagement. Data analysis indicates that the fusion of suggestopedic and simplex approaches promotes adaptive, modular, and meaning-oriented design processes that enhance teachers’ creativity and metacognitive awareness. Overall, the findings highlight the educational value of a pedagogy of resonance, in which body, mind, and environment interact harmoniously. The study concludes that the suggestopedic—simplex model represents a regenerative framework for contemporary didactics, capable of transforming complexity into harmony and restoring to education its aesthetic, relational, and human dimension. Full article

Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems typically inherit biases from their training data, leading to discriminatory outcomes that undermine equity and inclusion. This issue is particularly significant when popular Generative AI (GAI) applications are used in educational contexts. To respond to this challenge, the study evaluates the effectiveness of dialogic reflection-based training for educators in identifying and mitigating biases in AI. Furthermore, it considers how these sessions contribute to the advancement of algorithmic justice and inclusive practices. A key component of the proposed training methodology involved equipping educators with the skills to design inclusive prompts—specific instructions or queries aimed at minimizing bias in AI outputs. This approach not only raised awareness of algorithmic inequities but also provided practical strategies for educators to actively contribute to fairer AI systems. A qualitative analysis of the course’s Moodle forum interactions was conducted with 102 university professors and graduate students from diverse regions of the Dominican Republic. Participants engaged in interactive activities, debates, and practical exercises addressing AI bias, algorithmic justice, and ethical implications. Responses were analyzed using Atlas.ti across five categories: participation quality, bias identification strategies, ethical responsibility, social impact, and equity proposals. The training methodology emphasized collaborative learning through real case analyses and the co-construction of knowledge. The study contributes a hypothesis-driven model linking dialogic reflection, bias awareness, and inclusive teaching, offering a replicable framework for ethical AI integration in higher education. Full article

This study explores the role of Applied Theatre as a form of cultural mediation in addressing issues of environmental justice within higher education. Eight university professors participated in the study, providing qualitative data through semi-structured interviews that focused on their perceptions of environmental inequalities, their teaching practices, and the potential of theatrical approaches to foster critical engagement with sustainability issues, drawing on their prior use of drama-based methods in university teaching. Using a directed content analysis framework, the study highlights that environmental inequalities are not only material or ecological but are closely intertwined with social relations, access to resources, and collective experiences. The findings indicate that Applied Theatre can create an intermediate learning space where knowledge, emotion, and action intersect, enabling students to engage critically and experientially with social and environmental injustices. Essential conditions for successful integration include targeted professional development of faculty, institutional support, and interdisciplinary collaborations, while challenges such as limited resources, time constraints, and lack of curricular recognition remain significant. The study contributes to the development of a theoretical framework that positions Applied Theatre as cultural mediation in higher education, framing it not only as an artistic methodology but also as a social and educational practice. This framework provides directions for future research and policy, particularly in the design of sustainable teaching practices that connect higher education with social justice and ecological responsibility. Full article

Academic engagement is a multidimensional construct encompassing students’ cognitive, emotional, and behavioral investment in learning. This study examines the levels and predictors of academic engagement among 390 students enrolled in the Master’s in Secondary Education Teacher Training at the National University of Distance Education (UNED, Spain). Using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student (UWES-S) and a quantitative, cross-sectional, and correlational design, the research explores associations between engagement and sociodemographic and motivational variables. Results indicate moderately high engagement levels, with dedication emerging as the most salient dimension, followed by absorption and vigor. Engagement correlated positively with age and was slightly higher among women, while vocational motivation stood out as the strongest differentiating factor. Prior teaching experience showed no significant influence. The findings highlight the importance of fostering purpose, professional meaning, and identity in initial teacher education—particularly in distance learning contexts—and suggest practical implications for designing supportive pedagogical environments that sustain students’ motivation and academic commitment. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the transition of physiotherapy programmes from traditional face-to-face anatomy teaching to fully online delivery. Studies conducted during this period have documented students’ positive adaptation to online anatomy learning, highlighting benefits such as increased flexibility and reduced stress, while also noting challenges, including diminished practical exposure. Although much of the existing research centres on medical and dental education, there is a relative paucity of studies examining physiotherapy students’ perspectives. In this study, a purposive sample of 53 entry-level physiotherapy students (Years 1–3) completed a questionnaire evaluating their experiences with anatomy education during the pandemic. Responses were compared between groups (Years 1 and 2 versus Year 3) using the Mann–Whitney U test and effect-size calculations. Year 3 students who experienced both face-to-face and online learning preferred practical sessions with silent mentors in the anatomy hall, citing greater active engagement and deeper learning. Conversely, all year groups reported that online assessments, such as the online Objective Structured Practical Examination, were less stressful than traditional formats. Year 1 and 2 students, lacking prior face-to-face practical experience, expressed neutral views regarding online practical components. Overall, while online theory and assessment components were well received, hands-on practical experience remains highly valued for promoting student engagement. These findings support the development of blended anatomy pedagogy that leverages the strengths of both modalities to enhance resilience and adaptability in the face of future educational disruptions. Full article