Search Results (187)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have transformed academic writing and literacy development in higher education. Students can now receive instant feedback on grammar, coherence, style, and argumentation using AI-powered writing assistants, like Grammarly, ChatGPT, and QuillBot. Moreover, these writing assistants can quickly produce completed essays and papers, leaving little else for the student to do aside from reading and perhaps editing the content. Many teachers are concerned that this erodes critical thinking skills and undermines ethical considerations since students are not performing the work themselves. This study addresses this concern by synthesizing and evaluating peer-reviewed literature on the effectiveness of AI in supporting writing pedagogy. Studies were selected based on their relevance and scholarly merit, following the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA) guidelines to ensure methodological rigor and quality. The findings reveal that although AI tools can be detrimental to the development of writing skills, they can foster self-directed learning and improvement when carefully integrated into coursework. They can facilitate enhanced writing fluency, offer personalized tutoring, and reduce the cognitive load of drafting and revising. This study also compares AI-assisted and traditional writing approaches and discusses best practices for integrating AI tools into curricula while preserving academic integrity and creativity in student writing. Full article

Based on the PACIER model of critical thinking, involving six facets for critical thinking (Problem solving, Analysis, Creative thinking, Interpretation, Evaluation, Reasoning), the empirical results of a new computer-based assessment (PACIER Critical Thinking Assessment) are presented. The data is based on a study of 700 middle school 11-year-old students in the United Arab Emirates, who were tested five times during a school year. In the assessment framework, test items are described, and psychometric results indicate that the PACIER Critical Thinking Assessment exhibits acceptable reliability and validity. Its use for measuring progress in educational programs to foster critical thinking is discussed. Full article

Contemporary society demands the development of creative critical thinking (CCT) as a fundamental objective in science education. However, there appears to be a dissonance between this recognised need and its actual implementation in educational practices. This study explores the potential of modelling practices to intentionally, explicitly, and reflectively integrate the development of CCT in educational settings. To examine this possibility while laying the foundations for future research, the theoretical frameworks of CCT and modelling are synthesised, and their possible points of convergence are analysed in order to test the proposed hypothesis. Two elements that may strengthen their synergy are identified: first, the resources for modelling, such as analogies, which activate analytical, evaluative, creative, and argumentative skills, thereby fostering critical dispositions and a deeper understanding of the nature of science. Second, argumentation, closely connected with communication and information management, is considered a relevant component, especially when addressing socioscientific issues. While further empirical research is needed, the analysis indicates that modelling practices could contribute to the development of CCT. Full article

In light of Industry 5.0’s emphasis on human-centric approaches, future engineering education should prioritise the development of soft skills to complement students’ digital and technological competencies. This paper investigates the in-demand skills for Industry 5.0 and explores pedagogical approaches to foster these skills in engineering students. The identified skill categories include digital and technological proficiency, analytical and critical thinking, creativity and innovation, and communication and interpersonal skills. However, to date, no universal teaching model exists that holistically imparts all these skills. To address this gap, the paper introduces a new universal pedagogical model: the EPIC framework, which integrates Experiential, Paired, Inquiry-based, and Collective learning principles and provides examples of how this framework can be incorporated into engineering curricula to simultaneously cultivate all Industry 5.0 skills. Successfully implemented in engineering courses spanning different academic levels (Year 1 to Year 4), EPIC offers a promising framework for equipping students with the skills essential for thriving in the Industry 5.0 era. Full article

This paper describes the ScratchJr Bots project aimed at helping young children develop maker literacies, which is the ability to design, program, and build technology-rich projects with developmentally appropriate tools to express themselves. Maker literacies can involve hands-on learning, collaborative experimentation, critical thinking, and problem-solving, as well as the development of socio-emotional skills. By engaging with the design process, children become active creators rather than passive consumers—brainstorming ideas, prototyping, testing, and making improvements toward sharing a final project. Maker literacies engage children in Positive Technological Development in the form of six behaviors—content creation, creativity, choices of conduct, communication, collaboration, and community building. Additionally, children develop character strengths, or virtues, such as patience, generosity, and forgiveness while making. This paper will first introduce the concept of maker literacies as it applies to early childhood and the theoretical background supporting this work. Then, it will introduce the ScratchJr Bots project developed by the DevTech Research Group, a new technology and curriculum that affords the development of maker literacies. Finally, by using design-based research as the methodological approach, two pilot projects are described, including children’s learning experiences, to illustrate the positive behaviors and character strengths that children can exhibit while engaging with ScratchJr Bots. Full article

We developed and validated an animation-based assessment (ABA) method for evaluating high school students’ inquiry competencies in Taiwan’s 12-Year Curriculum. Contextualized in atmospheric chemistry involving methane and hydroxyl radicals, ABA integrated dynamic simulations, tiered multiple-choice and open-ended tasks, and process tracking on the CloudClassRoom platform, the assessment focused on measuring two inquiry skills: causal reasoning and critical thinking. The results of 26,823 students revealed that the ABA effectively differentiated student performance across ability levels and academic disciplines, with open-ended items sensitive to higher-order reasoning. Gender difference was not observed, indicating the gender-free design of the developed ABA. While the ABA supports diagnostic insights, limitations need to be addressed, including the underassessment of modeling and creative experimentation skills. Therefore, it is necessary to include open modeling tasks and AI-powered semantic scoring. The developed ABA contributes a scalable, competency-aligned framework for inquiry-based science assessments. Full article

Undergraduate design education faces a structural contradiction characterized by high cognitive load (CL) and relatively low innovation output. Meanwhile, existing generative AI tools predominantly emphasize the generation of visual outcomes, often overlooking the logical guidance mechanisms inherent in design thinking. This study proposes a Dual-Path teaching model integrating critical reconstruction behaviors to examine how AI enhances design thinking. It adopts structured interactions with the DeepSeek large language model, CL theory, and Structural Equation Modeling for analysis. Quantitative results indicate that AI-assisted paths significantly enhance design quality (72.43 vs. 65.60 in traditional paths). This improvement is attributed to a “direct effect + multiple mediators” model: specifically, AI reduced the mediating role of Extraneous Cognitive Load from 0.907 to 0.017, while simultaneously enhancing its investment in Germane Cognitive Load to support deep, innovative thinking. Theoretically, this study is among the first to integrate AI-driven critical reconstruction behaviors (e.g., iteration count, cross-domain terms) into CL theory, validating the “logical chain externalization → load optimization” mechanism in design education contexts. Practically, it provides actionable strategies for the digital transformation of design education, fostering interdisciplinary thinking and advancing a teaching paradigm where low-order cognition is outsourced to reinforce high-order creative thinking. Full article

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education offers novel opportunities to enhance critical thinking while also posing challenges to independent cognitive development. In particular, Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HCAI) in education aims to enhance human experience by providing a supportive and collaborative learning environment. Rather than replacing the educator, HCAI serves as a tool that empowers both students and teachers, fostering critical thinking and autonomy in learning. This study investigates the potential for AI to become a collaborative partner that assists learning and enriches academic engagement. The research was conducted during the 2024–2025 winter semester within the Pedagogical and Teaching Sufficiency Program offered by the Audio and Visual Arts Department, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece. The research employs a hybrid ethnographic methodology that blends digital interactions—where students use AI tools to create artistic representations—with physical classroom engagement. Data was collected through student projects, reflective journals, and questionnaires, revealing that structured dialog with AI not only facilitates deeper critical inquiry and analytical reasoning but also induces a state of flow, characterized by intense focus and heightened creativity. The findings highlight a dialectic between individual agency and collaborative co-agency, demonstrating that while automated AI responses may diminish active cognitive engagement, meaningful interactions can transform AI into an intellectual partner that enriches the learning experience. These insights suggest promising directions for future pedagogical strategies that balance digital innovation with traditional teaching methods, ultimately enhancing the overall quality of education. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of integrating reflective practices and adaptive frameworks to support evolving student needs, ensuring a sustainable model. Full article

This paper presents a novel, multi-stage modelling approach for integrating Generative AI (GenAI) tools into design-based STEM education, promoting sustainability and 21st-century problem-solving skills. The proposed methodology includes (i) a conceptual model that defines structural aspects of the domain at a high abstraction level; (ii) a contextual model for defining the internal context; (iii) a GenAI-based model for solving the STEM task, which consists of a generic model for integrating GenAI tools into STEM-driven education and a process model, presenting learning/design processes using those tools. A case study involving the design of an autonomous folkrace robot illustrates the implementation of the approach. Based on Likert-scale evaluations, quantitative results demonstrate a significant impact of GenAI tools in enhancing critical thinking, conceptual understanding, creativity, and engineering practices, particularly during the prototyping and testing phases. This paper concludes that the structured integration of GenAI tools supports personalized, inquiry-based, and sustainable STEM education, while also raising new challenges in prompt engineering and ethical use. This approach provides educators with a systematic pathway for leveraging AI to develop STEM-based skills essential for future sustainable development. Full article

This study introduces the Skeptical Optimism Scale (SkO) and presents preliminary evidence of its content, construct, and criterion validity. Skeptical optimism refers to dispositional tendencies of having general positive expectations about the future, conditional on critical analysis and in-depth exploration of (potential negative) outcomes. We developed an initial pool of 31 items that explore positive expectations in three main life domains (finding solutions to difficult problems, mastering novel and challenging tasks, and effectively dealing with general life challenges) that were subject to content analysis by eight independent raters. The remaining items were tested for criterion and predictive validity in two samples (N = 198 and N = 417 participants). Factor analyses supported a three-factor structure and the refined 17-item version of the scale showed good reliability and validity. To support applications in settings requiring brief instruments, we also developed a 9-item version, preserving the factorial structure and psychometric qualities of the original scale. The results show that the 17 as well as 9-item SkO scales have a good criterion validity as they positively and significantly correlate with the core self-evaluation scale, critical thinking disposition, and grit. Moreover, our results show that the SkO has good predictive validity as it is the only significant predictor of the creativity quotient in our sample. Full article

This quantitative study investigates the effects of virtual reality immersion on enhancing scientific habits of mind (critical and creative thinking) through the mediation of flow experience, motivation, and self-regulation in high school biology classes in East Jerusalem. The random multi-stage cluster sample consisted of 347 high school students from three schools who learned biology concepts constructively during the first semester using VR-based instruction, complying with the principles of the Cognitive Affective Model of Immersive Learning (CAMIL). The results of PLS-SEM revealed that VRI significantly affected critical and creative thinking directly and indirectly. Cases of partial and complete mediation intervened, showing the effects of mediators on enhancing habits of mind through a sequence of mediation flowing from flow experience through motivation to self-regulation, which functioned as a key intermediary factor in the relationship between virtual reality immersion and habits of mind. Based on the results of the study, the complex structure warrants further investigation. The results of the study suggest that VRI’s impact on critical and creative thinking was intensified through mediation effects. In addition, the findings confirm that flow experience and motivation played essential roles in fostering a conducive learning environment that supports cognitive skill development. The results highlight that the enhancement of self-regulation was a necessary step for the enhancement of critical and creative thinking. The study recommends integrating VRI into teaching biology to enhance students’ higher-order thinking skills. Further studies on self-regulation should explore adaptive interventions that strengthen self-regulatory strategies to maximize the cognitive benefits of virtual reality immersion. Full article

Oral tradition stories hold a vital place in language education, offering rich repositories of linguistic, cultural, and historical knowledge. In the Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL) context, their inclusion provides dynamic opportunities to explore diversity, foster critical and creative thinking, and challenge dominant epistemologies. Despite their pedagogical potential, these narratives remain largely absent from formal curricula, with most SFL textbooks still privileging canonical works, particularly those from the Latin American Boom or European literary texts. This article aims to provide practical guidance for SFL instructors on designing effective, culturally responsive materials for the teaching of vocabulary. Drawing on a methodological framework for material design and a cognitive approach to vocabulary learning, I present original pedagogical material based on a Colombian oral tradition story about the witches of La Jagua (Huila, Colombia) to inspire educators to integrate oral tradition stories into their classrooms. As argued throughout, oral narratives not only support vocabulary acquisition and intercultural competence but also offer students meaningful engagement with the values, worldviews, and linguistic diversity that shape Colombian culture. This approach redefines language teaching through a more descriptive, contextualized, and culturally grounded lens, equipping learners with pragmatic, communicative, and intercultural skills essential for the 21st century. My goal with this article is to advocate for teacher agency in material creation, emphasizing that educators are uniquely positioned to design pedagogical resources that reflect their own cultural realities and local knowledge and to adapt them meaningfully to their students’ needs. Full article

This research is focused on exploring the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in the development of critical competencies among secondary school students in the 21st century. This was aimed to assess the impact of STEM-based activities on students’ creative and computational thinking skills. A quasi-experimental design that included 77 secondary school students from public and private schools in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia, who participated in STEM interventions for over 5 weeks, was adopted. Data were collected through creative thinking tests and questionnaires on CT and STEM attitudes. The results showed that students who participated in STEM activities exhibited significantly higher creative thinking scores compared to peers taught with the traditional curriculum. Specifically, the experimental group showed a progressive increase in weekly test scores, suggesting that STEM methods improved students’ performance over time. Structural equation modeling (SEM) disclosed strong positive associations between attitudes towards STEM, CT, and creativity. The implications of these results outlined the need to integrate STEM education into curricula to foster essential skills for future challenges. This research contributes to the understanding of effective educational strategies and also advocates for a shift towards more interactive and integrative methods in secondary education to meet the demands of the contemporary workforce. Full article

The TOWCHED project explores how arts and heritage-based educational methodologies can support sustainable development by enhancing key transversal competencies in learners, particularly children and youth. In response to the global challenges outlined in the sustainable development goals (SDGs), this project promotes inclusive and participatory approaches to education that foster social cohesion, intercultural understanding, and civic engagement. Partnering with museums, TOWCHED develops cross-curricular pedagogical interventions, such as experiential, blended, and collection-mediated learning, that link cultural heritage with contemporary social and environmental concerns. These approaches aim to strengthen creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and self-awareness. TOWCHED demonstrates that heritage collection-based education can play a vital role in transforming schools and other learning environments into hubs for sustainable, lifelong learning. By embedding cultural expression and heritage into educational practices, the project offers a compelling model for empowering individuals to navigate and shape a more equitable and interconnected world. This paper has two aims. First, we introduce TOWCHED, an interdisciplinary project recently funded by the Horizon Europe program of the European Union to preserve and promote education for sustainability in the heritage context. Second, we introduce a set of tools related to the project. Full article

As generative AI tools become increasingly embedded in education, their role in supporting student learning remains both promising and contested. These cross-continental multiple case studies explore how integrating AI into classroom-based creative projects can move students from intimidation to meaningful engagement, comprehension, and retention of course content. Drawing on data from four international university classrooms—in the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia—this mixed-methods study examines students’ experiences as they collaboratively created comic books using generative AI. Each instructor embedded the assignment within their own pedagogical context, enabling cross-institutional comparison of AI’s educational potential. Findings highlight a shared trajectory: students initially approached AI with uncertainty or overconfidence, but developed nuanced understandings of its capabilities through experimentation, reflection, and collaboration. The process of creating narrative-driven visual outputs required students to synthesize theoretical material, communicate effectively in teams, and creatively solve problems—fostering both cognitive and interpersonal learning. Students reported deeper comprehension of academic content and greater confidence using AI tools critically and ethically. This study concludes that when framed as a collaborative partner rather than a replacement for human thinking, AI can support deeper learning experiences. It also suggests that creative, team-based projects can demystify AI and build essential future-facing skills. Full article