Search Results (1,314)

Palestinian female students from East Jerusalem face multiple forms of discrimination as Palestinians in Israeli universities, as women in traditional society, and as residents of a politically contested area. These intersecting challenges create unique difficulties that traditional educational systems cannot adequately address. Despite worldwide higher education expansion, severe inequalities persist, particularly affecting students with multiple disadvantaged identities who face institutional barriers designed to maintain disparities. This study examines how Palestinian women transform structural challenges into opportunities for empowerment within Israeli higher education. This qualitative research used in-depth semi-structured interviews with 40 Palestinian female students from East Jerusalem enrolled in Israeli institutions. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling until data saturation was achieved. An interview analysis examined educational choices, institutional navigation strategies, experiences of discrimination, cultural identity preservation, and career planning approaches using a thematic methodology. Seven interconnected themes emerged, highlighting empowerment strategies: strategic educational choice-making, institutional navigation skills, academic resilience development, cultural identity preservation, intercultural bridge-building, community-oriented career planning, and the development of critical political consciousness. The findings demonstrate how these women utilize community cultural strengths to succeed in environments not designed for their advancement, positioning themselves as institutional change agents rather than passive recipients of support. This research contributes to diversity science by revealing how intersectional marginalization creates distinctive forms of empowerment, providing insights for developing antiracist teaching approaches that recognize the cultural assets that multiply-marginalized students bring to higher education. Full article

In Italy, several changes to academic and professional standards and rules in kinesiology and sport have recently occurred. On the university side, no data collection has started regarding these changes and effects on specific scholars. The aim of this study was to evaluate the opinions of Italian university scholars in Exercise and Sport Sciences regarding recent disciplinary reclassifications, the emergence of the kinesiologist as a formal profession, and related curricular updates. Specifically, this study aimed to measure scholars’ views on the usefulness of unification, hybridization with other fields of knowledge, interdisciplinarity with pedagogy, the distinctiveness of undergraduate education in light of the new kinesiologist profile, and the inclusion of Technical and Laboratory Activities (TLA) credited through the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). These aspects were explored through an eight-question survey offering three multiple-choice answers. An exploratory survey was distributed to a defined population of 261 Italian scholars (48 full professors, 137 associate professors, and 76 researchers). A total of 83 responses were collected: 14 full professors, 45 associate professors, and 24 researchers (response rate: 31.8%). Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses (Chi-Square tests, Cramér’s V, and Pearson/Spearman correlations) were conducted. Results indicated that 72.3% perceived overlap between pedagogical and medical disciplinary groups, and 85.5% considered practical/laboratory activities essential to the kinesiologist’s role. Significant differences in keyword-sharing perceptions across academic ranks emerged (p = 0.012; V = 0.3), and a near-significant trend was found regarding the importance of discipline-aligned research (p = 0.058; V = 0.3). Full agreement was found on the use of updated scientific evidence in lectures (100%), and 81.9% supported standardized education for the kinesiologist profession (Q6). Positive correlations were observed between support for keyword sharing and belief in its usefulness for promoting interdisciplinarity among full professors (r = 0.58, p = 0.02), associate professors (r = 0.68, p < 0.01), and researchers (r = 0.83, p < 0.01). Conversely, negative correlations emerged between the importance placed on practical activities and support for interdisciplinarity among associate professors and researchers, with values ranging from r = −0.31 to −0.46. The results are significant and tended toward autonomy from pedagogy, training aligned with the bachelor’s and master’s degree kinesiologist, and interdisciplinarity inherent in typical Exercise and Sport Sciences (ESS) keywords. This study should be replicated to increase the sample and to expand the ad hoc questionnaire to other issues. These findings highlight the need for greater alignment between academic training, disciplinary definitions, and professional practice through shared epistemological frameworks and updated descriptors that reflect scientific and labor market developments. Full article

Our study tracks the development of 105 Roma children between 3 and 5 (median age: 51 months), enrolled in an NGO-aided developmental program. Each child undergoes pre- and post-assessment based on the Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC), a standard tool used to track the progress in early childhood development and detect delays. Data are gathered from three sources, teacher, parent/caregiver and specialist, covering four developmental domains and adaptive behavior scale. There are subjective biases; however, in the post-assessment, the teachers’ and parents’ evaluations converge. The test results confirm significant improvement in all areas ($p<0.0001$), with the highest being in cognitive skills $32.2\%$ and the lowest being in physical development $14.4\%$. We also apply machine learning methods to impute missing data and predict the likely future progress for a given student in the program based on the initial input, while also evaluating the influence of environmental factors. Our weighted ensemble regression models are coupled with principal component analysis (PCA) and yield average coefficients of determination $R^2\approx 0.7$ for the features of interest. Also, we perform k-means clustering in the plane cognitive vs. social–emotional progress and consider the classification problem of predicting the group in which a given student would eventually be assigned to, with a weighted $F_1$-score of $0.83$ and a macro-averaged area under the curve (AUC) of $0.94$. This could be useful in practice for the optimized formation of study groups. We explore classification as a means of imputing missing categorical data too, e.g., education, employment or marital status of the parents. Our algorithms provide solutions with the $F_1$-score ranging from $0.92$ to $0.97$ and, respectively, an AUC between $0.99$ and 1. Full article

Knowledge tracing, the computational modeling of student learning progression through sequential educational interactions, represents a critical component for adaptive learning systems and personalized education platforms. However, existing approaches face a fundamental trade-off between predictive accuracy and interpretability: deep sequence models excel at capturing complex temporal dependencies in student interaction data but lack transparency in their decision-making processes, while probabilistic graphical models provide interpretable causal relationships but struggle with the complexity of real-world educational sequences. We propose a hybrid architecture that integrates transformer-based sequence modeling with structured Bayesian causal networks to overcome this limitation. Our dual-pathway design employs a transformer encoder to capture complex temporal patterns in student interaction sequences, while a differentiable Bayesian network explicitly models prerequisite relationships between knowledge components. These pathways are unified through a cross-attention mechanism that enables bidirectional information flow between temporal representations and causal structures. We introduce a joint training objective that simultaneously optimizes sequence prediction accuracy and causal graph consistency, ensuring learned temporal patterns align with interpretable domain knowledge. The model undergoes pre-training on 3.2 million student–problem interactions from diverse MOOCs to establish foundational representations, followed by domain-specific fine-tuning. Comprehensive experiments across mathematics, computer science, and language learning demonstrate substantial improvements: 8.7% increase in AUC over state-of-the-art knowledge tracing models (0.847 vs. 0.779), 12.3% reduction in RMSE for performance prediction, and 89.2% accuracy in discovering expert-validated prerequisite relationships. The model achieves a 0.763 F1-score for early at-risk student identification, outperforming baselines by 15.4%. This work demonstrates that sophisticated temporal modeling and interpretable causal reasoning can be effectively unified for educational applications. Full article

(1) Aims: This review aims to investigate whether screen-based simulated learning experiences improve on traditional teaching strategies to bridge the theory–practice gap for biomedical scientists and enhance the readiness to practice of graduates. (2) Methods: This review adheres to the systematic–narrative hybrid literature review strategy with the scope of review defined according to Cochrane guidelines for systematic reviews. To identify the potentially relevant literature, the PUBMED, CINAHL, and Web of Science bibliographic databases were searched using the identified keywords from January 2020 to February 2025. Thematic analysis of the resultant literature was conducted in line with the Braun and Clarke framework. (3) Results: The original search and analysis of the online databases returned 45 papers. Collectively these sources explore global perspectives on biomedical science education, training, and professional practice. These include the identification of core competencies that may contribute to the theory–practice gap for biomedical scientists, as well as educational interventions that aim to address them. The poor quality of existing research on simulation-based learning, mostly from academic settings, makes it challenging to apply the findings to professional practice. This limitation is primarily due to an overreliance on self-reported data and perceived learning gains rather than direct, objective evaluations of competence. Future studies should focus on objective, validated outcome measures and longitudinal follow-up to assess real-world impacts and learning transfer. (4) Conclusions: Simulation-based learning experiences have the potential to address aspects of the theory–practice gap for biomedical scientists, but the current evidence base reflects a lack of understanding regarding specific targets and strategies for its design, evaluation, and integration in this context. There is a need for more robust evidence that evaluates their impacts on readiness to practice. This need is hindered by a lack of research directly investigating the impact of simulation-based teaching and training interventions in clinical settings. Full article

This study employs a sequential mediation model to investigate the cognitive mechanisms linking Earth science education to sustainable behavior. Grounded in construal level theory and temporal cognition research, we hypothesize that geological time perception mediates the relationship between Earth science education and temporal construal level, which in turn affects sustainable behavior. Structural equation modeling, based on data from 280 participants, validated the proposed model. It confirmed geological time perception as a second-order construct with four dimensions: time span perception, understanding of geological processes, time depth perception, and continuity of geological change. The results indicated significant indirect pathways. Earth science education influenced the temporal construal level via geological time perception (β = 0.325), and the temporal construal level mediated the relationship between geological time perception and sustainable behavior (β = 0.306). The sequential mediation path (β = 0.215) suggests that Earth science education promotes sustainable behavior by recalibrating temporal cognition and construal processes. This finding illuminates how educational interventions can address the temporal asymmetry in environmental decision-making by developing specific cognitive capacities rather than simply imparting knowledge. Full article

Background/Objectives: E-cigarette use has increased substantially among university students in recent years, coinciding with a broader shift in nicotine consumption patterns globally. Despite initial perceptions of e-cigarettes as harm-reduction tools, growing evidence indicates significant health risks, misinformation, and limited awareness—especially within higher education environments. This structured literature review aims to synthesize peer-reviewed evidence on the health impacts, behavioral determinants, and the role of nursing in addressing e-cigarette use among university students. Methods: A literature search was conducted across five databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase, Dialnet) between February and March 2025. Eligible studies were published between January 2020 and January 2025 in English or Spanish. A total of 43 studies were included. Data were synthesized narratively, and methodological quality was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute checklists and The Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Reviews Articles. Results: E-cigarette use among university students showed wide variability in prevalence, with higher rates among males, students in non-health disciplines, and users of disposable devices. Key behavioral and social determinants included peer influence, curiosity, stress management, and social media exposure. Despite documented health risks—such as nicotine dependence, respiratory and cardiovascular impairment, and mental health concerns—misconceptions about safety and cessation efficacy were common, even among health science students. Nursing-led interventions hold great potential for prevention but remain underdeveloped within university settings. Conclusions: The findings underscore the urgent need for evidence-based prevention strategies—particularly those led by nurses—to reduce e-cigarette use, bridge knowledge gaps, and mitigate associated health risks in higher education. Future efforts should prioritize institutional policy reinforcement, improved health communication, and the integration of vaping-related education into nursing curricula and public health campaigns targeting emerging adults. Full article

Background/Objectives: Leadership in physical education plays a critical role in the holistic development of students, influencing variables such as satisfaction, group cohesion, and performance. Despite the abundance of cross-sectional studies, there is a paucity of longitudinal evidence exploring the temporal stability of these perceptions in adolescent populations, which limits the current understanding of leadership development in educational settings. This longitudinal study investigates how secondary and high school students perceive and prefer different leadership styles in PE and how these relate to gender, academic level, and sport participation, grounded in the multidimensional leadership model. The analysis is further contextualized by recent research emphasizing adaptive, evidence-based pedagogical approaches in physical education, the influence of competitive environments on leadership expectations, and the role of emotional support in training contexts. Methods: Using validated questionnaires (LSS-1 and LSS-2), five dimensions were assessed: Training and Instruction, democratic behavior, autocratic behavior, Social Support, and positive feedback, considering variables such as gender, academic level, and extracurricular sport participation. Data were collected at two time points over a 12-month interval, enabling the identification of temporal patterns in students’ perceptions and preferences. Sampling procedures were clearly defined to enhance transparency and potential replicability, and the choice of a convenience sample from two private schools was justified by accessibility and continuity in longitudinal tracking. Although no a priori power analysis was conducted, the sample size (n = 370) was deemed adequate for the non-parametric analyses employed, with an estimated statistical power ≥ 0.80 for medium effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 0.3–0.5). Results: The results revealed a marked preference for leadership styles emphasizing social support and positive feedback, particularly among students engaged in sports. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were identified based on gender and academic maturity, with female students favoring democratic behavior and students in the fourth year of compulsory secondary education showing a stronger inclination toward styles prioritizing emotional support. Trends toward statistical significance (p < 0.10) were also reported, following precedents in the sport psychology and sport sciences literature, as they provide potentially relevant indications for future research directions. The congruence between perceived and preferred leadership emerged as a key factor in student satisfaction, confirming that adaptive leadership enhances students’ learning experiences and overall well-being. However, this satisfaction was inferred from congruence measures, rather than directly assessed, representing a key methodological limitation. Conclusions: This study underscores the importance of physical education teachers tailoring their leadership styles to the individual and group characteristics of their students. The findings align with methodological approaches used in preference hierarchy analyses in sport contexts and support calls for individualized pedagogical strategies observed in sports medicine and training research. By providing longitudinal evidence on leadership perception stability and integrating recent cross-disciplinary findings, the study makes an original contribution to bridging the gap between educational theory and practice. The results address a gap in the literature concerning the temporal stability of leadership perceptions among adolescents, offering a theoretically grounded basis for future research and the design of pedagogical innovations in PE. Full article

(1) Background: Most studies including health data have relied on reducing all variables to manifest scores, ignoring the latent nature of variables. Moreover, relying only on manifest variables is a limitation of longitudinal studies where identical measures cannot be collected at each time point. (2) Objective: This scoping review aims to identify latent variable statistical methods for longitudinal studies of multi-dimensional health and educational data investigating early health predictors of long-term educational outcomes and developmental trajectories that lead to better or worse than expected outcomes. (3) Eligibility criteria: We included peer-reviewed health and education journal articles, doctoral theses, and book chapters of longitudinal studies of children under 12 years of age that adopted latent variable, multivariate analysis of three or more waves of data. We only included full-text-available, English-written articles, without restriction on date of publication. (4) Sources of evidence: We searched five databases, Scopus, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ERIC, and Web of Science, and identified 4836 publications for screening. (5) Results: After title, abstract, and full-text screening, nine studies were included in the review, reporting seven statistical methods. These methods were categorised into two groups—variable-oriented modelling and person-oriented modelling. (6) Conclusions: Variable-oriented modelling methods are useful for determining predictors of long-term educational outcomes. Person-oriented modelling methods are effective in detecting trajectories to better or worse than expected outcomes. (7) Registration: Open Science Framework. Full article

Background/Objectives: Pain, anxiety, and distress are common yet frequently insufficiently managed issues for patients undergoing radiology and radiotherapy procedures. Immersive technologies, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), are emerging as innovative non-pharmacological approaches to alleviate such burdens through engaging interventions. This review, combining scoping and narrative methodologies, seeks to examine the current application, efficacy, and integration of these technologies to enhance patient care and wellbeing within diagnostic and oncological environments. Methods: Employing a mixed scoping and narrative review approach, this study conducted a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases (no date restrictions—search included studies up to May 2025) to identify relevant studies utilizing VR, AR, MR, or XR for mitigating pain, anxiety, or distress in patients undergoing radiology or radiotherapy. Two independent reviewers selected eligible papers, with data extracted systematically. The narrative analysis supplemented the scoping review by providing contextual insights into clinical relevance and technological challenges. Results: The screening process identified 76 articles, of which 27 were assessed for eligibility and 14 met the inclusion criteria. Most studies focused on oncology and primarily employed VR as the immersive technology. VR has shown promising effects in reducing anxiety and pain—particularly during radiotherapy sessions and invasive procedures—and in supporting patient education through engaging, immersive experiences, making it a valuable approach meriting further investigation. Patient acceptance was notably high, especially among those with elevated distress levels. However, findings in radiology were less consistent, likely due to shorter procedure durations limiting the effectiveness of VR. The variability in outcomes highlights the importance of tailoring immersive interventions to specific procedures and patient needs. The narrative component identified key barriers, such as regulatory hurdles, standardization issues, and implementation challenges, that need addressing for broader clinical adoption. Conclusions: Immersive digital therapeutics are evolving from preliminary research tools toward more structured incorporation into clinical practice. Their future success relies on harmonizing technological advancements with patient-focused design and robust clinical evidence. Achieving this will require collaborative efforts among researchers, industry stakeholders, and healthcare providers. The integration of scoping and narrative review methods in this study offers a comprehensive perspective on the current landscape and informs strategic directions for advancing immersive technologies in radiology and radiotherapy. Full article

In the era of educational digital transformation, integrating information and communication technology (ICT) into school administration aligns with the goals of promoting personalized learning, equity, and teaching quality. This study examines how ICT reshapes management practices, addresses challenges, and achieves educational objectives. To explore ICT’s impact on school administration (2009–2024), we conducted a systematic scoping review of four databases (Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and IEEE Xplore) following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Retrieved studies were screened, analyzed, and synthesized to identify key trends and challenges. The results show that ICT significantly improves administrative efficiency. Automated systems streamline routine tasks, allowing administrators to allocate more time to strategic planning. It enables data-driven decision-making. By analyzing large datasets, ICT helps identify trends in student performance and resource utilization, facilitating accurate forecasting and better resource allocation. Moreover, ICT strengthens stakeholder communication. Online platforms enable instant interaction among teachers, students, and parents, increasing the transparency and responsiveness of school administration. However, there are challenges. Data privacy concerns can erode trust, as student and staff data collection and use may lead to breaches. Infrastructure deficiencies, such as unreliable internet and outdated equipment, impede implementation. The digital divide exacerbates inequality, with under-resourced schools struggling to utilize ICT fully. ICT is vital in educational administration. Its integration requires a strategic approach. This study offers insights for optimizing educational management via ICT and highlights the need for equitable technological advancement to create an inclusive, high-quality educational system. Full article

Operative medicine needs fine manual skills; therefore, several educational training programs focus on skill development as well. Related to sports sciences, various sport types are also dependent on fine motor skills. We hypothesized that an adequate sport training program may contribute to the development of medical students’ manual dexterity. We conducted objectively tests using high-fidelity medical simulators. Volunteer medical students were delegated to table tennis group (TG), where students participated in 2 h/week of table tennis training for 7 weeks, or to a Control group (CG) that included students without regular sport activity. Objective data on fine motor skills during completion of basic modules of high-fidelity vascular catheterization and arthroscopy simulators were recorded before and after the 7-week period. In the TG group, significant differences were found in time and quality parameters compared to CG. On the vascular catheterization simulator basic navigation module, all time parameters improved. On the arthroscopy simulator basic skill module, the total performance and safety scores significantly improved, and procedure time decreased. In conclusion, high-fidelity vascular catheterization and arthroscopy medical simulators with basic training modules could provide useful feedback for fine motor skill development. The intensive table tennis training program was effective in maintaining/improving medical students’ fine manual skills. Full article

(1) Background: Data literacy is becoming increasingly important for healthcare professionals in both outpatient care and research. Since healthcare data and the possibilities for its use and misuse are increasing in these areas, healthcare professionals need diverse knowledge regarding the collection, use and evaluation of data. A core component of this is an understanding of the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of working with health data. (2) Methods: Within the DIM.RUHR project (Data Competence Center for Interprofessional use of Health Data in the Ruhr Metropolis), the challenge of training in data literacy for different healthcare professionals is addressed. Based on a learning objectives matrix for interprofessional data literacy education, an ELSI concept was developed through collaboration with interprofessional project partners. The study was conducted between December 2024 and April 2025. (3) Results: The foundational structure of the ELSI concept was based on the learning objectives matrix and an unstructured literacy search for ELSI concepts in similar contexts. Using an iterative design-based research approach, a group of experts from different fields (didactics, applied ethics, health sciences, law, sociology, informatics, and psychology) developed an ELSI concept for healthcare professionals. The following categories were identified as crucial: 1. philosophy of science: a basic understanding of science and the hurdles and opportunities; 2. ethics: an overview of the biomedical principles and a technological assessment; 3. law: an overview of the reservation of permission and self-determination; 4. social aspects: an overview of health inequalities and different forms of power relations and imbalances. (4) Conclusions: The ELSI concept can be used in the orientation of healthcare professionals in outpatient care and research—regardless of their profession—to develop data competencies, with the aim of providing a holistic view of the challenges and potential in the collection, use, and evaluation of healthcare data. The DIM.RUHR project’s approach is to develop open educational resources that build on the ELSI concept to teach specific skills at different competence levels. Full article

Personalized, scalable, and data-driven learning is now possible in cyber science education because of artificial intelligence (AI). This article examines how AI technologies, such as intelligent tutoring, adaptive learning, virtual labs, and AI assessments, are being included in cyber science curricula. Using examples and research studies published between 2020 and 2025 that have undergone peer review, this paper combines qualitative analysis and framework analysis to discover any similarities in how these policies were put into place and their effects. According to the findings, using AI in instruction boosts student interest, increases the number of courses finished, improves skills, and ensures clear instruction in areas such as cybersecurity, digital forensics, and incident response. Ethical issues related to privacy, bias in algorithms, and access issues are also covered in this paper. This study gives a useful approach that helps teachers, curriculum designers, and institution heads use AI in cyber education properly. Full article

This research examines the impact of the project ‘Development of Science Experiential Education Programs and Science Experiential Centres’, implemented by the Mobilis Science Center in Győr between 2017 and 2021. The professional and societal relevance of the program and research lies in the growing importance of STEM disciplines and careers worldwide in recent decades, ensuring a long-term supply of skilled workers. A vital tool for this is the development of curricula that meet the needs of the 21st century, as well as the innovation of teaching methods in science subjects. The research involves a review of the literature on experiential science teaching and subject attitudes, the role of science centers, and relevant project documents. The present research, involving 592 students, focused on attitudes toward technology and science, openness to STEM careers, and the experiences and memories of participants in the student lab theme days. The results of the statistical data analyses confirm the effectiveness of the experiential education methods used in the theme day sessions, as the students’ openness to STEM careers is higher for those who participated in the sessions compared to the non-participants. There are significant differences in the attitudes of girls and boys participating in the program toward science subjects. The results suggest that the success in stimulating interest in science was mainly due to the experiential nature of the sessions. Moreover, the research found that the project led to the strengthening of the participants’ personal and social skills. This study is the first to look at the impact of the project. The results shed light on how teaching STEM subjects using experiential pedagogical methods can contribute to the long-term effectiveness of Széchenyi István University’s enrollment efforts and lead to the economic success of companies in a region facing a significant labor shortage in STEM careers. Full article