Search Results (162)

Postcolonialism stands as a synergy between new and old sets of literature that have come together unevenly and in different ways. Postcolonial interventions have contended with IR core themes over the past four decades. Over the last two decades, there has also been a boom in the scholarship that examines non-Western IR, with some emerging from the contributions of critical theorists who sought to question the dominance of mainstream perspectives such as (neo)realism, liberal institutionalism, and constructivism. How has postcolonialism influenced IR, and how does it relate to non-Western approaches of the ‘international’? This article presents a historical categorization of postcolonial interventions on world politics as postcolonial 1.0 (the anti-colonial struggles against empire); 2.0 (subaltern studies, discourse and Otherness); and 3.0 (disrupting hegemonic epistemes). It then provides a review of whether and how postcolonial approaches align with the movement towards a non-Western IR. Full article

This article examines the role of digital reconstructions of historical scenes in the teaching of history, highlighting their theoretical foundations, their methods, and the educational benefits they offer. Drawing from perspectives in educational sciences and digital humanities, we explore how the use of 3D modeling, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) can create immersive environments that enhance learners’ engagement, curiosity, and critical thinking. After outlining the epistemological and didactic underpinnings—namely constructivism and the investigative approach to history—we detail the practical steps involved in reconstructing historical scenes (documentary research, iconographic analysis, 3D modeling). Two case studies illustrate how virtual reconstructions can bring historical contexts to life, improve knowledge retention, and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. We then discuss the benefits for students, including improved understanding, motivation, and the development of critical analysis skills. Finally, we address the limitations and challenges associated with this pedagogical approach, such as technical and financial constraints, scientific validation, and teacher training. We conclude by identifying research perspectives, especially regarding the potential of artificial intelligence and collaborative international projects. Ultimately, digital reconstructions can be a powerful educational tool, enabling learners not only to “see” the past but also to reflect upon its complexities and debates. Full article

School textbooks are central to the teaching, studying, and learning processes because they mediate the interaction between the prescribed curriculum and the educational experience in the classroom. Evaluating their didactic structure critically allows us to determine the degree to which they align with current curriculum guidelines and promote meaningful learning. This study aimed to analyze the extent to which Ecuadorian natural science textbooks reflect constructivist learning principles and promote the development of key competencies established in the National Priority Curriculum. This curriculum guides the achievement of essential results and strengthens fundamental competencies for students’ comprehensive development. Content analysis was adopted as the methodological approach given its relevance in examining the didactic and curricular dimensions of educational materials. The analysis covered twelve eighth-grade General Basic Education textbooks and their supplementary materials. The analysis was based on two instruments: specialized summary analysis sheets (RAE) and a purpose-built checklist. The ATLAS.ti 25 and IRaMuTeQ programs supported the systematization and visualization of the data. The results showed limited integration of constructivist strategies, such as teaching for comprehension, inquiry-based learning, and problem solving, in most of the analyzed texts. These findings underscore the need to expand and strengthen the incorporation of contextualized, critical, and meaningful learning experiences to improve the didactic design of school textbooks. Such improvements would promote coherent articulation between objectives, content, methods, resources, and assessment in line with constructivist principles of the Ecuadorian curriculum. Furthermore, given these approaches’ affinity with curricular frameworks in other regional countries, the results could offer relevant guidance and starting points for reflection on developing and using textbooks in Latin American contexts with comparable educational characteristics. Full article

Open Educational Resources (OER) are increasingly recognized as key tools for promoting quality, inclusive, and equitable education. Their ease of access and the possibility of free adaptation to different contexts contribute to continuous improvement in teaching and learning. Drawing on data collected from teachers and students, this study looks at teachers’ perceptions of OER, how they influence collaboration and educational practices, and the impact of OER on students’ learning and motivation. The findings reveal both enabling and constraining factors and highlight how OER foster teacher collaboration and self-reflection on pedagogical practices. Moreover, the use of OER is associated with active and constructive teaching approaches, positively influencing student engagement. These results are triangulated with data from Likert-scale responses, indicating that students who engage with OER demonstrate significantly higher levels of motivation and deep learning compared to those who do not. Based on these findings, the study recommends implementing strategies to encourage broader integration of OER in classroom settings, alongside ongoing professional development to address existing barriers. In this context, institutional support and community-building initiatives emerge as critical levers to scale the adoption of OER. Finally, the importance of further investigation is emphasized to explore long-term impacts on teaching practices and student outcomes across diverse educational settings Full article

The human brain is one of the most complex parts of the human body. Its function has been studied extensively in biology and medicine. Along this line, applied mathematics plays a crucial role through the formulation and analysis of mathematical models. A student’s ability to learn is an important aspect of these studies. In this paper, a theoretical mathematical model is presented to study the brain’s ability to learn, with parameters such as human intelligence, the expected amount of knowledge a student seeks to acquire, and the tendency to forget. A parametric study of the obtained model is conducted, and by taking into account actual data from the literature, the values of the parameters that fit these data are derived, demonstrating the validity of the model. The findings of this study indicate that the proposed model accurately embodies the core principles of mastery learning and offers a practical framework that educators can employ to improve instructional planning, thereby optimizing students’ readiness for examinations scheduled on fixed dates. Full article

This document explores the concept of Learning Styles (LSs) and their implications for Adaptive Learning Systems (ALSs). It begins by defining LSs as distinct patterns of behavior and thought that influence how individuals process information, drawing on widely recognized theories in the field of LSs. The text highlights the importance of recognizing diverse learning preferences to enhance knowledge construction. It discusses the role of ALSs in personalizing educational experiences by adapting content delivery and recommendation to align with an individual LS. The document also addresses significant challenges in the application of LSs, including a lack of consensus on their validity, insufficient pedagogical perspectives, and potential overemphasis that may limit student exposure to varied learning experiences. The core of the text lies in the pedagogical characterization of Felder–Silverman Learning Styles Model (FSLSM), which has been widely used in ALSs, so that future designers could have a didactic basis to relate digital resources to profiles. Ultimately, the text advocates for a balanced approach that considers LSs while also recognizing the multifaceted nature of learning, emphasizing the need for ongoing research to implement these concepts in educational settings. Full article

Drawing upon a meticulous delineation of pure consciousness’s fundamental and necessary features—including unstructuredness, maximal simplicity, selflessness, awareness as such, zero-perspective, and the absence of specific phenomenal qualities—this article asserts that a full-fledged experience of pure consciousness is attainable within the psychedelic state. Critically, this psychedelic manifestation is argued to be phenomenologically indistinguishable in its core properties from pure consciousness accessed via meditative practices. Consequently, this finding not only problematizes, but actually directly refutes Metzinger’s thesis, which posits meditation as the sole “best and most natural candidate” for achieving pure consciousness. Moreover, this work champions a soft phenomenological perennialism. This perspective navigates a middle ground between rigid perennialism and radical constructivism, underscoring the identical phenomenological core shared by all pure consciousness experiences, including those induced by psychedelics. This exploration further posits that psychedelic pure consciousness experiences can yield significant epistemic insights into the fundamental nature of consciousness, the self, and reality. Beyond this, a systematic phenomenology of pure consciousness is demonstrated to offer profound contributions to our understanding of certain religious–spiritual concepts such as God. Nonetheless, while acknowledging naturalistic critiques, a significant caveat is issued: extreme caution is warranted regarding religious–spiritual interpretations gleaned from such phenomenologies. Ultimately, the paper underscores the burgeoning importance of a spiritual naturalistic interpretation of pure consciousness. Full article

The present study adopts the social constructivism theory and consumer decision-making process model with the aim of examining the social identity that consumers build through the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs) in line with their income, age, gender, and education. The study’s findings indicate that this social identity, shaped by income, age, gender and education, exerts a significant influence on consumer decision-making behavior. This identity is shaped not only by the make and model of EVs chosen, but also by their preferences for vehicle performance and technical features. The adoption of EVs by consumers is driven by dual objectives: the fulfilment of practical needs and the shaping of social identities in social interactions that correspond to their income, age, gender, and education. The study’s findings are of significant value in understanding the social identity aspirations of consumers in the electric vehicle consumer market, and provide a theoretical foundation for future electric vehicle companies to create products and corporate cultures that meet their target customers, thereby effectively promoting the popularization of electric vehicles. Full article

In the context of rapid global digitalization and evolving media ecologies, sustainable cultural communication has become central to both museum transformation and the theoretical renewal of iconology. Images, as vital carriers of cultural memory and identity, are shifting from static, linear presentations to generative, interactive, and participatory modes enabled by digital platforms. This shift calls for a new paradigm in image communication—one that integrates meaning construction with technological and user-centered logics. This study adopts a “technology–culture–user” framework, drawing on constructivism, cultural memory theory, and symbolic interactionism to construct a digital-era iconological system. Through comparative analysis of the Chinese Palace Museum and the National Museum of Korea, the research reveals complementary approaches: the former emphasizes structured, authoritative knowledge dissemination, while the latter prioritizes immersive, user-driven interaction. These differences provide a basis for cross-cultural cooperation. Accordingly, the paper proposes five collaborative strategies: integrating advanced technologies, building shared image resource systems, enhancing user engagement mechanisms, expanding East Asian visual symbol networks, and adapting institutional frameworks to diverse cultural contexts. These strategies aim to support both theoretical innovation in iconology and sustainable regional cultural communication in the digital age. Full article

In an era of increasing digital transformation in education, fostering students’ intrinsic motivation and self-directed learning (SDL) is essential, particularly in dynamic fields such as Computer Science Education (CSE). This study explores whether the co-creation of Open Educational Resources (OERs) as renewable assessments can enhance intrinsic motivation and support SDL among postgraduate students. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, social constructivism, and established SDL models, this research adopted a qualitative, phenomenological design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with BEd Honours students who completed an OER co-creation project as part of their final assessment. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis revealed five core themes: ownership and confidence, personal growth and SDL development, collaboration and connection, motivation and engagement, and challenges and problem solving. The findings suggest that, when students are given autonomy, purpose, and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully, they experience deeper engagement, stronger SDL skills, and a greater sense of academic agency. Informal peer interaction and scaffolded support further enhanced their learning. This study contributes to the growing evidence that open pedagogical practices, particularly renewable assessments, can transform academic culture by positioning students as active participants in knowledge creation and by promoting sustainable, student-centred learning. Full article

Game-Based Approaches (GBAs) to teaching and learning in physical education and sport pedagogy, such as Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU), were initially developed in response to secondary school physical education (PE) students’ difficulties in applying this technique within context. The early noughties experienced a significant body of work highlighting the benefits of adopting GBAs such as TGfU across physical education and sport pedagogy contexts. A theme residing in much of this work was understanding TGfU through the lens of social constructivism to the point whereby it seemed this was the only lens through which to consider how learning might happen through TGfU and/or related approaches. However, the exclusive alignment between TGfU and social constructivism is not heavily research-informed and/or evidence-supported, and it seems timely to question if other learning theories from cognitive science might help researchers and practitioners understand the benefits of applying a TGfU approach in teaching and coaching. We specifically approach this topic by appreciating Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) and how pedagogical concepts associated with CLT might help develop a new understanding of how TGfU could support learning. Full article

The UK’s National Security and Investment Act 2021, which came into effect in January 2022, marks the establishment of a foreign investment security review mechanism unique to the UK. This article examines the Act’s text and identifies several key features of the mechanism, including its broad review scope, ease of activation, flexible standards, and instrumental tendencies. Applying a constructivist framework, this article argues that the establishment of this mechanism is primarily driven by a shift in the UK’s identity, reinforcing its alignment with the United States while positioning China as a “competitor”. The NSI Act’s broad scope and discretionary powers disproportionately impact Chinese investors, given their concentration in high-risk sectors and geopolitical tensions. In response, this article proposes that China can mitigate the potential negative impact of this mechanism on its investors by adopting both conceptual and normative strategies, contributing to the reconstruction of the UK’s perception of China within the broader social context. Full article

The concept of value seems to have capital importance both in the scientific literature and in various heritage actors’ professional discourse. The actions undertaken to develop the built environment inherited from previous generations seem to depend on the value we assign it. In this essay, the concepts of value, assessor, and heritage assessment are discussed. Two historical contexts are compared: the classical axiology of the 19th century based on the Enlightenment search for rationality and the typologies of contemporary values struggling with complexity. This historical reassessment shows a complexification and multiplication of evaluation grids, as well as the need to question the subjectivity inherent in heritage actors’ decisions. In order to not sink into excessive relativism definitively discrediting any attempt to make the process of heritage assessments more objective, a dynamic point of view is proposed, linking the constructivist approach with the use of a criteria-based value grid. Full article

The learning environment created by the physical education teacher, through the teaching model employed, can significantly influence students’ engagement during lessons. Therefore, this study aimed to compare tactical-technical learning and students’ self-perceptions of life skills between TGfU and direct instruction. The sample consisted of 67 students, aged between 13 and 15 years, enrolled in the ninth grade of a municipal public school, and the research design involved an intervention consisting of 18 sessions, each lasting 60 min. The results revealed no significant differences between the teaching models regarding tactical-technical variables (p > 0.05). However, concerning life skills, the TGfU/HVs group demonstrated higher mean teamwork scores than the Traditional group (p = 0.008). On the other hand, the Traditional and Control groups achieved higher mean scores for goal setting skills than the TGfU/HVs group (p = 0.001 for both cases). These findings highlight that the organization of sports practice, despite variations in teaching models, fosters students’ self-perceptions of life skills, underscoring the necessity of further research to deepen the understanding of game-based pedagogies in school physical education. It is also imperative to reflect on implementing additional pedagogical practices in schools that align with institutional objectives and actively promote student learning. Full article

This systematic review analyzed the role of microlearning in basic education, identifying the most widely used Digital Information and Communication Technologies, relevant learning theories, and the role of social technologies from a Science, Technology, Society, and Environment (STSE) perspective. Following PRISMA 2020, searches were conducted in Web of Science, Scopus, ERIC, and IEEE Xplore databases. Studies on microlearning were selected based on previously defined eligibility criteria. The review process in Rayyan involved deduplication, screening, and full-text analysis. Data were qualitatively analyzed using content analysis, and methodological quality was assessed with CASP and the Downs and Black. The findings highlight that microlearning, integrated with digital tools such as online platforms, mobile apps, and short videos, significantly enhances student motivation, performance, and interaction; content in short modules facilitates knowledge retention and connects concepts to real-life situations. Promising trends include mobile technologies and gamification, which foster active, meaningful learning. Grounded in theories like Self-Determination, Constructionism, and Constructivism, microlearning personalizes teaching and promotes engagement, critical thinking, and accessibility, contributing to inclusive and sustainable education. From a STSE perspective, social technologies enhance autonomy, social interaction, and ethical–environmental awareness. In Brazil, further research on digital platforms and gamified strategies is needed to drive innovative educational practices. Full article