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Leadership literature suggests that a transformational leadership style can reduce negative employee outcomes, even in challenging work environments such as the education sector, where teachers play a key role in social development. This study aimed to analyze the association between transformational leadership and job satisfaction: the role of gratitude toward the organization in the Peruvian context. A cross-sectional study with an explanatory design was conducted considering 457 men and women who declared themselves teachers, aged between 18 and 73 years (M = 38.63; SD = 10.61), recruited through non-probability convenience sampling. The theoretical model was evaluated using the Partial Least Squares method (PLS-SEM). An adequately fitting measurement model was obtained (α = between 0.893 and 0.969; CR = between 0.897 and 0.971; AVE = between 0.757 and 0.845), demonstrating that transformational leadership is positively associated with the components of gratitude toward the organization and job satisfaction, as well as the association of the components of gratitude toward the organization and job satisfaction. In turn, it was evident how gratitude toward the organization plays a mediating role in these relationships. In this sense, the study provides valuable information for Peruvian educational leaders seeking to improve indicators of satisfaction, gratitude, and leadership in their work environment. These findings enrich educational management, given that it is the first empirical study to demonstrate these links in a challenging sector of an emerging country, offering a solid foundation for the development of more humanized, effective, and sustainable management strategies. Full article

This study presents a novel and interpretable, deployment-ready framework for predicting cybersecurity incidents through item-level behavioral, cognitive, and dispositional indicators. Based on survey data from 453 professionals across countries and sectors, we developed 72 logistic regression models across twelve self-reported incident outcomes—from account lockouts to full device compromise—within six analytically stratified layers (Education, IT, Hungary, UK, USA, and full sample). Drawing on five theoretically grounded domains—cybersecurity behavior, digital literacy, personality traits, risk rationalization, and work–life boundary blurring—our models preserve the full granularity of individual responses rather than relying on aggregated scores, offering rare transparency and interpretability for real-world applications. This approach reveals how stratified models, despite smaller sample sizes, often outperform general ones by capturing behavioral and contextual specificity. Moderately prevalent outcomes (e.g., suspicious logins, multiple mild incidents) yielded the most robust predictions, while rare-event models, though occasionally high in “Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve” (AUC), suffered from overfitting under cross-validation. Beyond model construction, we introduce threshold calibration and fairness-aware integration of demographic variables, enabling ethically grounded deployment in diverse organizational contexts. By unifying theoretical depth, item-level precision, multilayer stratification, and operational guidance, this study establishes a scalable blueprint for human-centric cybersecurity. It bridges the gap between behavioral science and risk analytics, offering the tools and insights needed to detect, predict, and mitigate user-level threats in increasingly blurred digital environments. Full article

The hybrid work environment significantly undermines the social well-being of employees in the workplace. Existing research predominantly addresses academics’ well-being challenges without offering practical strategies to counter these issues. This study identifies strategies that higher education institutions must adopt to enhance the social well-being of their academics in hybrid work settings. It employs Demerouti’s Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and Baumeister and Leary’s theory of the need to belong as its theoretical framework. Using a cross-sectional qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were guided by an interview schedule to gather data. The sample comprised 23 academics from three campuses of North-West University, and thematic analysis was utilized to analyse the data. The study revealed that growth strategies, such as training, development, and mentoring, are crucial for fostering a sense of belonging, strengthening work relationships, and helping academics connect in a hybrid work environment. Support strategies like providing peer support, management support, physical resources, effective communication, and improvements in job quality enhance academics’ social well-being in this setting. Relationship strategies, which entail organizing social events and promoting a positive organizational culture, are key to encouraging social well-being in the hybrid work environment. Additionally, reward strategies, such as recognition and direct compensation, are essential for reinforcing a sense of belonging, improving work relationships, and enhancing social connections in a hybrid work environment. Intentional, coach-oriented, sensible, and inclusive leadership is vital. The findings offer valuable insights for higher education institutions to adopt a more comprehensive approach to managing the well-being of academic employees. This highlights the need to focus not only on mental and psychological health but also on social well-being. Full article

Soft skills play a fundamental role in transversal competences in the field of training and employment, especially in university collectives with disabilities. Traditional methodologies are giving way to gamified and transmedia environments, which are more efficient in the educational process and more sustainable for institutions. This study compares two educational programmes, one based on MOOCs and the other in a gamified environment (Transwork), with the participation of 181 university graduates with some degree of disability and unemployed for more than five years. The gamified educational programme shows a significantly lower dropout rate and a higher employability rate (χ², p < 0.001), as well as an improvement in interpersonal skills such as teamwork and conflict management. This demonstrates that methodologies in gamified and transmedia environments promote social sustainability by enhancing autonomy and inclusion in vulnerable groups, as well as contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially those related to quality education, reducing inequality, and decent work. This improvement in the labour market integration of people with disabilities represents not only an advance in equity, but also a long-term saving in care costs, by promoting their autonomy and active participation in the labour market. Thus, the sustainability of the social system is reinforced through inclusive educational policies based on gamified environments. Full article

Rural tourism is one of the important measures used to realize the rural revitalization strategy in China. At the same time, the “action of prospering the border and enriching the people” is a crucial link in driving the economic development of border areas. With the continuous improvement of the G331 section of the Jilin Line, the development of rural tourism along the border has been accelerated. Therefore, reducing the livelihood vulnerability of farmers is conducive to promoting the rural revitalization strategy in China and consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation and difficulties in tackling them. This paper takes Tumen City, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin Province, as the sample area; takes Mapai Village, Bailong Village, Hexi Village, Liangshui Village, and Tingyan Village as the research objects; obtains survey data for 224 households through on-the-spot investigation; constructs an evaluation index system for farmers’ livelihood vulnerability in border rural tourist destinations based on the sustainable livelihood theory and the analysis framework of “exposure–sensitivity–adaptability”; calculates farmers’ livelihood vulnerability in this research area by the entropy method and the comprehensive index method; and classifies different villages’ and farmers’ livelihood vulnerability by the natural breakpoint method. By using the multiple linear regression method, this paper analyzes the factors influencing farmers’ livelihood vulnerability in border rural tourist destinations. The results show the following: (1) The overall livelihood vulnerability of farmers is negative, indicating that farmers have a certain ability to resist external risks, but the livelihood vulnerability of some investigated villages is positive, indicating that farmers’ ability to resist external risks is weak, which is closely related to village geographical environment, tourism market environment, family characteristics, and other factors. (2) The livelihood vulnerability of villages with relatively perfect tourism formats is low, which shows that tourism can effectively reduce the livelihood vulnerability of farmers to a certain extent. (3) The household head’s education level, the total price of agricultural machinery, annual income, the ability to borrow money, family size, the number of disabled people, and other factors have a significant influence on the livelihood vulnerability of farmers. Full article

The integration of digital technology into education has significantly shifted traditional teaching methods toward more interactive and student-centered learning. This literature review investigates the use of Powtoon, a web-based animation platform, as a creative learning medium in elementary thematic education. The study aims to explore how Powtoon enhances student motivation, engagement, and academic outcomes through interactive visuals and storytelling. A review of previous studies reveals that Powtoon is effective across various subjects, including science, mathematics, language, and social studies, improving student focus, knowledge retention, and learning enjoyment. The research method involves analyzing empirical studies that report the educational impact of Powtoon in classroom settings. Results show that Powtoon promotes active learning, supports the development of 21st-century skills, and bridges the gap between available technology and its implementation in elementary schools, where traditional teaching still prevails. The novelty of this review lies in its focus on Powtoon’s role in cross-disciplinary thematic instruction, offering new insights beyond subject-specific usage. The study concludes that Powtoon holds strong potential as a pedagogical tool and recommends its broader adoption to foster creative, engaging, and technology-integrated learning environments in elementary education. Full article

(1) Background: Medical education is moving from a cognition-based to a competency-based model in Germany. Traditional learning activities (LAs) are questioned. Some stakeholders criticise traditional LAs for not facilitating deep learning or operational competency transfer required in practical contexts. This qualitative study aims to take a closer look at the role of lectures in competency-based medical education from a student’s point of view. (2) Methods: Three semi-structured group interviews were held with students from the family medicine curriculum in the summer semester of 2021. Questions focused on the three lectures in this family medicine curriculum and on students’ experiences with lectures in general. One additional expert interview was held with one of the lecturers. The video-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. (3) Results: Interview participants highlighted entertainment, the provision of a social and physical learning environment, and the completion of knowledge from books and educational websites as important roles of lectures. Lectures on demand were used by interviewees for time- and space-independent repetition. Lecturer-dependent qualitative differences between lectures were identified by interviewees. Important differences were the extent of interaction, as well as the enthusiasm and preparation of the lecturer. (4) Conclusions: Even though literature suggests that lectures may be a less effective learning activity, under certain circumstances, several aspects make them an essential element of modern curriculum development. By raising interest in a subject, providing a space for discussion and social interaction, interactive lectures appear to be a helpful link between knowledge acquisition and practical training of competencies. Full article

This study introduces and evaluates an innovative methodology for assessing constructability in the maintenance of university buildings, aiming to improve the quality of academic infrastructure. The proposed approach is based on four key criteria: functionality, usage, investment, and curricular planning. These criteria are derived from the principles established by the Chilean Construction Industry Council (CCI Chile, 2024) and were applied in a case study at Ricardo Palma University. A quasi-experimental research design was implemented in two physical spaces within the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, one of which underwent a maintenance intervention while the other remained unaltered. Data was collected through expert-validated instruments, administered to senior students and technical staff before and after the intervention. The results revealed significant improvements, with satisfaction levels increasing from 44% to 56% among students and a 10% rise in positive technical evaluations (p < 0.005) which reflected an improvement in the perceived quality of the academic environment, especially in areas related to maintenance planning, execution, control, safety, and user comfort. This study concludes that integrating constructability criteria into the maintenance phase can optimize infrastructure management, enhancing sustainability, operational efficiency, and user satisfaction. The developed methodology offers a practical and replicable tool for other academic units and universities, supporting continuous improvement and promoting evidence-based decision-making in the management of educational facilities. Full article

The global demand for agricultural products, like potatoes, is increasing due to population growth, so we must use more sustainable farming methods. Traditional potato farming often relies too much on synthetic fertilisers, which can harm the environment and lead to inefficiencies. This study examines how different cover crops (like legumes) affect potato yields and quality, and their benefits for soil health. It also explores why farmers do not always use cover crops. This study found that using leguminous cover crops can increase potato yields by 12–38%, improve soil structure, reduce erosion and greenhouse gas emissions, and help with water retention. Cover crops also increase soil organic matter and help with nutrient cycling, making farming more sustainable. However, some farmers are hesitant to adopt cover crops because of concerns about yield risks and higher labour costs. To overcome these barriers, this study suggests educating farmers about the long-term benefits, providing financial incentives to help with the costs, and creating region-specific guidelines for using cover crops. Policymakers and agricultural organisations should encourage farming practices that focus on soil health and using resources efficiently. By addressing these challenges, we can make sustainable potato farming more common, helping ensure food security and environmental sustainability, especially with climate change. Full article

FastDiag is a widely used algorithm for model-based diagnosis, computing minimal subsets of constraints whose removal restores consistency in knowledge-based systems. As applications grow in complexity, researchers have proposed parallel extensions such as FastDiagP and FastDiagP++ to accelerate diagnosis through speculative and multiprocessing strategies. This paper presents a reproducible and extensible framework for evaluating FastDiag and its parallel variants across a benchmark suite of feature models and ontology-like constraints. We analyze each variant in terms of recursion structure, runtime performance, and diagnostic correctness. Tracking mechanisms and structured logs enable the fine-grained comparison of recursive behavior and branching strategies. Technical validation confirms that parallel execution preserves minimality and structural soundness, while benchmark results show runtime improvements of up to 4× with FastDiagP++. The accompanying dataset, available as open source, supports educational use, algorithmic benchmarking, and integration into interactive configuration environments. The framework is primarily intended for reproducible benchmarking and teaching with open-source implementations that facilitate analysis and extension. Full article

Background/Objectives: Workplace conflict and aggression pose significant psychosocial risks across diverse professional sectors. This protocol outlines a novel, university-based educational intervention. Developed by a multidisciplinary team from the University Hospital of Pisa, Italy, including occupational physicians and a psychiatrist specializing in work and organizational psychology, its primary purpose is to enhance conflict prevention and crisis management skills. While initially developed and tested within the veterinary sector due to its identified vulnerabilities, the intervention is inherently generalizable to any high-stress professional environment characterized by intense client, customer, or public interactions. Methods: The intervention integrates didactic instruction with active, immersive learning through tailored role-playing scenarios simulating real-world challenging encounters. This study protocol details the structured methodology for evaluating the immediate effectiveness of this training. We are using a specifically developed efficacy scale to assess outcomes. Results: The results demonstrate a significant improvement in all assessed skills from the pre-training to the post-training evaluation. For every item on the scale, the median scores increased, indicating a positive shift in overall group performance. The p-value for each item was <0.001, confirming that the observed improvements were statistically significant. These results demonstrate enhanced conflict resolution skills, improved communication, and an increased sense of self-efficacy among participants. Conclusions: This protocol offers a comprehensive and generalizable approach to addressing workplace psychosocial risks through an innovative educational intervention. A key future goal involves advancing this training methodology by integrating virtual reality (VR) environments with AI-driven avatars for role-playing, aiming to achieve a more realistic and impactful learning experience and sustained behavioral change. Full article

This study examines how university students perceive AI-powered tools for mediation in higher education, with a focus on the influence of communication richness and social presence on trust and the intention to use such systems. Although AI is increasingly used in educational settings, its role in handling academic mediation, where ethical sensitivity, empathy, and trust are essential, remains underexplored. To fill this gap, this study presents a model that integrates Media Richness Theory, Social Presence Theory, Technology Acceptance Models, and Trust Theory, incorporating digital fluency and conflict ambiguity as key moderating elements. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, the research involves 287 students from a variety of academic institutions. The quantitative findings indicate that students’ willingness to adopt AI mediation tools is significantly influenced by automation, efficiency, and trust, while their perceptions are shaped by how clearly the conflict is understood and by students’ digital skills. The qualitative insights reveal concerns about emotional responsiveness, transparency, and institutional capacity. According to the results, user trust rooted in perceived presence, fairness, and emotional connection is a central factor in terms of AI acceptance, and emotionally aware, transparent, algorithmic and context-sensitive design strategies should be a system-level priority for institutions when integrating AI mediation tools into academic environments. Full article

The optimization of thermal performance in buildings is essential for sustainable urban development, yet the high cost and complexity of traditional thermal conductivity measurement methods limit broader research and educational applications. This study developed and validated a low-cost, replicable prototype that determines the thermal conductivity of roof tiles and composites using the Lee Disc method automated with Arduino-based acquisition. Standardized samples of ceramic, fiber–cement, galvanized steel, and steel coated with a castor oil-based polyurethane composite reinforced with miriti fiber (Mauritia flexuosa) were analyzed. The experimental setup incorporated integrated digital thermocouples and strict thermal insulation procedures to ensure measurement precision and reproducibility. Results showed that applying the biocompatible composite layer to metal tiles reduced thermal conductivity by up to 53%, reaching values as low as 0.2004 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹—well below those of ceramic (0.4290 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹) and fiber–cement (0.3095 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹) tiles. The system demonstrated high accuracy (coefficient of variation < 5%) and operational stability across all replicates. These findings confirm the feasibility of open-source, low-cost instrumentation for advanced thermal characterization of building materials. The approach expands access to experimental research, promotes sustainable insulation technologies, and offers practical applications for both scientific studies and engineering education in resource-limited environments. Full article

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

A strong sense of school belonging is essential for students’ academic achievement, emotional well-being, and overall development. This study explores the role of emotional intelligence and the social environment in shaping students’ sense of belonging. Adopting a basic qualitative approach, this study analyzes teachers’ perspectives on the contributions of students, teachers, parents, counselors, school principals, and the wider society. Qualitative data which were collected through interviews with 49 teachers (37 female, 12 male; years of experience mean is 12) were analyzed through content analysis to identify the main themes. The findings suggest that students’ sense of belonging improves when they actively participate in school life and are aware of the importance of school. Furthermore, students’ sense of belonging improves when teachers offer academic and emotional support, parents engage actively, counselors foster well-being, and school principals provide strong leadership and relationship management. In addition, increased social involvement enhances student belonging. This study offers valuable insights for educators and policymakers in fostering supportive school environments. It highlights the emotional and social processes underlying school belonging and discusses their implications for future research. Full article