Search Results (835)

Individual beliefs are a critical factor in understanding human action and behavior. Certain beliefs, such as irrational beliefs and burnout, influence all forms of learning and social interaction within the school environment, primarily limiting both individual and collective development. The former are associated with the inherent human tendency to adhere to habits and behaviors not strictly dictated by rationality, often stemming from irrational thoughts held by the individual. The latter, examined within the framework of the Job Demands–Resources Theory, pertain to occupational characteristics that differentially affect employees’ well-being, job demands, and available resources. The present study aims to investigate the role of these variables in relation to teachers’ Innovative Work Behavior, a recurring, multi-stage process oriented toward the implementation of new ideas within the school context. The sample consisted of 337 preschool educators who completed self-report questionnaires. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that both irrational beliefs (positively) and the dimension of work disengagement (negatively) significantly influenced innovative work behavior, underscoring the distinct contributions of personal belief systems and burnout dimensions. Furthermore, a hierarchical cluster analysis revealed both heterogeneity among educators and common, distinct response patterns. The identification of five different clusters suggests that the examined characteristics and the underlying beliefs represent individual traits that change dynamically, leaving open the possibility of nonlinear relationships present in the workplace. Five profiles were identified, namely Disengaged-Low Innovators, Resilient-Balanced Innovators, Adaptive Innovators, Strained but Innovative Innovators, and Belief-Driven Innovators, which highlight the complex ways in which disengagement, exhaustion, and irrational beliefs combine to shape innovative work behavior. The findings are interpretable within the framework of contemporary theories in organizational psychology and management and can be utilized by educational principals to enhance school climate and teacher performance. Full article

Indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort influence the health and cognitive performance of school occupants. This study investigated carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), thermal comfort, and ventilation rates (VRs) in eight naturally ventilated (NV) primary school classrooms in Ireland during October 2024, combining environmental monitoring with teacher surveys. Mean CO₂ concentrations ranged from 796 ppm to 2469 ppm, exceeding national guidelines in seven of the eight classrooms. NO₂ levels ranged from 3.4 µg/m³ to 7.2 µg/m³, with indoor/outdoor ratios increasing with VRs and influenced by window orientation and road proximity. Indoor temperatures remained within recommended limits, while relative humidity ranged from 53% to 78% mirroring CO₂ trends and exceeding guideline levels in classrooms with lower VRs and temperatures. Occupied VRs ranged from 1.2 L/p/s to 4.1 L/p/s with window opening behaviours, reliant on teachers’ perceptions of thermal comfort, accounting for 84% to 96% of VRs. Ventilation in NV classrooms is often insufficient, yet increasing VRs can compromise thermal comfort and increase ingress of outdoor pollutants and noise. The findings highlight the ineffectiveness of current school ventilation standards, which rely heavily on user operation. Integrating occupant-led strategies, including scheduled purging, awareness campaigns, and pre-emptive air quality alerting, into policy offers practical, immediate pathways to improving IAQ, fostering healthy, sustainable learning environments. Full article

Employing teachers with significant physical or sensory disabilities (PSD) is crucial for inclusion and social justice. Since beginning teachers are particularly prone to attrition, research is needed to identify challenges faced by beginning teachers with PSD and to propose potentially supportive strategies. This case study followed an online academic workshop in Israel, designed as a Community of Practice (CoP) for beginning teachers with PSD. The participants were 16 beginning teachers and three facilitators. Transcribed recordings of the workshop’s 13 meetings were analyzed using discourse and thematic analysis. Four main challenge areas emerged: relationships with school staff; student motivation and behavior management; teaching practices; and technological and bureaucratic procedures. The relationships between the challenges and the teachers’ PSD ranged from direct causation to no apparent connection. The facilitators provided emotional support and theoretical knowledge, suggested courses of action, and offered direct assistance based on the participants’ knowledge and skills. A “wrapping” phenomenon was identified where participants initially presented unresolved challenges as successfully resolved. As mutual trust and openness developed throughout the year, previously resolved challenges often resurfaced. The findings suggest that implementation of suggested solutions must be monitored, and their effectiveness should be further explored. Full article

This report presents the activities and outcomes of an educational project aimed at promoting sustainable food awareness among high-school students in Italy through the active contributions from young researchers, profit partners and school educators. The project involved two final-year classes—one from a scientific lyceum and one from a technical chemistry institute—and integrated theoretical lessons, laboratory activities, and experiential learning focused on planetary boundaries, sustainable diets, and alternative proteins such as from algae and insects. To assess the impact of the project, pre- and post-intervention questionnaires were administered and are here discussed. The intervention significantly enhanced the students’ cognitive and affective engagement both during the sessions and in the immediate aftermath, as evidenced by elevated levels of satisfaction and retention of key concepts. Overall, the project fostered great environmental awareness and openness to sustainable food choices, demonstrating the potential of targeted hands-on educational programs to influence both attitudes and behaviours in younger generations of western high-income countries. The project serves as a replicable model of a transdisciplinary approach for integrating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and education for Planetary Health into secondary school curricula. Full article

This article presents the accumulated technical and scientific knowledge from energy performance upgrade work in emblematic and essential municipal and public buildings in Crete and the Greek islands, such as the Venetian historical building Loggia, which is used as the Heraklion City Hall, the Natural History Museum of Crete, Pancretan Stadium, the municipal swimming pool of the municipality of Minoa Pediadas, the indoor sports hall in Leros, primary schools, high schools and a cultural center. Each one of the aforementioned buildings has a distinct use, thus covering almost all different categories of municipal or public buildings and facilities. The applied energy performance upgrade process in general terms is: (1) Mapping of the current situation, regarding the existing infrastructure and final energy consumption. (2) Formulation and sizing of the proposed passive measures and calculation of the new indoor heating and cooling loads. (3) Selection, sizing and siting of the proposed active measures and calculation of the new expecting energy sources consumption. (4) Sizing and siting of power and heat production systems from renewable energy sources (RES). Through the work accomplished and presented in this article, practically all the most technically and economically feasible passive and active measures were studied: insulation of opaque surfaces, opening overhangs, natural ventilation, replacement of openings, daylighting solar tubes, open-loop geo-exchange plants, refrigerant or water distribution networks, air-to-water heat pumps, solar thermal collectors, lighting systems, automation systems, photovoltaics etc. The main results of the research showed energy savings through passive and active systems that can exceed 70%, depending mainly on the existing energy performance of the facility. By introducing photovoltaic plants operating under the net-metering mode, energy performance upgrades up to zero-energy facilities can be achieved. The payback periods range from 12 to 45 years. The setup budgets of the presented projects range from a few hundred thousand euros to 7 million euros. Full article

This study examines the role of psychological factors on Greek K-12 teachers’ perceptions of the European Union (EU) and their readiness to integrate EU-related content into class-room practice. Grounded in self-determination theory and burnout literature, it focuses on the role of personality traits, psychological needs, self-efficacy, and mental health. A sample of 171 teachers (M_age = 47.67, SD = 8.61) completed validated instruments assessing EU perceptions, Big Five traits, psychological need satisfaction and frustration, well-being, self-efficacy, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the factorial validity of the instruments, along with proper indices for assessing their internal consistency. Cluster analysis identified three distinct teacher profiles: Skeptically Exhausted, Realistically Cautious, and Optimistically Engaged. These groups differed significantly in burnout, self-efficacy, and openness to EU programs. Teachers with high well-being and self-efficacy demonstrated stronger readiness to adopt EU-related pedagogy, while those experiencing elevated burnout reported low institutional trust and limited involvement. These findings highlight the psychological heterogeneity of the teaching workforce and suggest that differentiated, context-sensitive policy interventions are essential for fostering inclusive readiness for European initiatives. Enhancing teacher well-being and strengthening professional development pathways may serve as strategic entry points for promoting meaningful and sustainable EU integration in school curricula. Full article

Mathematical learning—understanding patterns, logic, and space—always carries ethical, relational, and political dimensions, even though these might be routinely muted at school. At the same time, Indigenous relationalities have often driven mathematics inquiry and optimization. In this paper, we highlight the co-constituted nature of Indigenous relationalities and mathematical learning and how these open up possibilities of helping us mature as humans individually and collectively. Mathematics has long been a part of practices of human maturation and the living of Indigenous relationalities. To illustrate the co-constituted nature of relationalities and mathematics, we share four stories of land-based mathematics from two urban Indigenous schools—Sahasatsuksa School in Chiang Rai, Thailand, and Nawayee Center School in Minneapolis, USA. We illuminate opportunities for human maturation and mathematics learning in four interrelated levels: (1) mathematics to cultivate a fierce love of land, (2) mathematics to regenerate unique intergenerational roles and responsibilities, (3) mathematics to learn how we are related, and (4) mathematics to better understand power in places. In conclusion, Land-based mathematics fundamentally recognizes how Land supports the systematic cultivation and transmission of mathematical knowledge and optimizes ethical learning of what it means to be human. Through these stories, we consider the power and possibility of designing mathematics education towards more relational worlds. Full article

In today’s fast-paced world, secure and efficient access control is crucial for places like schools, gated communities, and corporate campuses. The system must overcome the issues of manual checking and record maintenance of traditional methods like RFID cards or license plate recognition. Our work introduces a budget-friendly, automated solution. A prototype was developed for a vehicle sticker recognition system to control and monitor gate access at NFC IET University as a case study. The automated system design will replace manual checking by detecting the car stickers issued to each vehicle by the university administration. An optimized lightweight YOLOv8 model is trained to identify three categories: IET stickers (authorized for access), non-IET stickers (unauthorized), and no sticker (denied access). A webcam connected to the Raspberry Pi 4 scans approaching vehicles. Authorized vehicles are allowed when the relevant class is detected, which signals a servo motor to open the gate. Otherwise, access to the gate is denied, and infrared (IR) sensors close the gates. A second set of IR sensors and a servo motor was also added to manage the exit side, preventing unauthorized tailgating. The system’s modular design makes it adaptable for different environments, and its use of affordable hardware and open-source tools keeps costs low, which is ideal for smaller institutions or communities. The prototype model is tested and trained on self-collected datasets comprising 506 images. Full article

Environmental education (EE) is central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly where inequalities constrain access to quality learning. Following PRISMA 2020, this review synthesizes 35 peer-reviewed studies and policy documents to examine Morocco’s EE policies and practices against global frameworks and post-pandemic challenges. A systematic search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, ProQuest/EBSCO, Google Scholar, and national repositories (January 2000–December 2024; executed 15–17 March 2024). Findings show strong discursive alignment with SDG 4.7 and UNESCO’s ESD 2030 Roadmap but persistent implementation gaps: rural and peri-urban schools face resource shortages; teacher preparation for participatory, interdisciplinary approaches remains limited; and environmental clubs often rely on short-term projects without stable institutional support. The COVID-19 period exacerbated these pressures yet opened opportunities to integrate health–environment linkages, digital tools, and adaptive pedagogy. Equity reporting was limited (31% gender; 37% residence; 9% socio-economic status). Arabic-only records were identified (n = 42) and title/abstract-screened (n = 17) but excluded due to translation constraints (language bias). To advance transformative EE, we recommend prioritizing participatory, place-based teacher education; institutionalizing school clubs with light monitoring and baseline grants; targeting support to reduce territorial inequities; and developing an SDG-aligned national dashboard. Expanding longitudinal, quasi-experimental, and participatory designs is critical to strengthen causal claims and inform policy. Full article

This study combined virtual reality technology with drone aerial imagery of Smangus, a remote Atayal tribe situated 1500 m above sea level in Hsinchu County, Taiwan, to develop a virtual drone system. This study aims to investigate the learning effectiveness and operational experience associated with the application of the virtual drone system for exploring tribal natural landscapes and enhancing junior high school students’ learning of Indigenous settlement site selection. A quasi-experimental design was conducted with two seventh-grade classes from a junior high school in Hsinchu County, Taiwan. The experimental group (n = 43) engaged with the virtual drone system to perform settlement site selection tasks, while the control group (n = 42) learned using traditional materials such as PowerPoint slides and maps. The intervention consisted of two instructional sessions, with data collected via achievement tests, questionnaires, and open-ended feedback. The results indicated that students in the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in learning outcomes. Positive responses were also observed in learning motivation, cognitive load, and system satisfaction. Students reported that the virtual drone system improved students’ understanding of terrain and enhanced their skills in selecting appropriate sites while increasing their interest and motivation in learning. Moreover, the course incorporated the Atayal people’s migration history and field interview data, enriching its cultural authenticity and contextual relevance. Full article

The dehesa, as a socio-ecological system and cultural landscape, is a strategic resource for environmental education, territorial sustainability, and the intergenerational transmission of knowledge. This study analyzes the perception of primary school students in Extremadura regarding this environment, using a mixed methodology that combines statistical, semantic, and spatial analysis. The results show a generally positive assessment of the dehesa heritage, although accompanied by a disconnect between this symbolic assessment and direct experience of the territory, especially in urban contexts. It identifies significant differences between students from rural and urban environments in terms of their knowledge of trades, products, and dehesa spaces, as well as their preferred activities in the dehesa. While rural students show greater interest in operational activities and direct contact with the environment (such as feeding livestock and milking), urban students lean toward sensory or symbolic experiences (such as consuming products or occasional harvesting), reflecting different ways of connecting with the territory. Spatial analysis reveals that more than 80% of schools are located less than 5 km from well-preserved dehesa areas, which represents an opportunity to integrate these landscapes into formal education. However, inequalities in access from special education centers have been detected, posing challenges in terms of territorial and educational equity. This study concludes that the dehesa should be recognized as an open classroom, capable of fostering roots, ecological literacy, and cultural sustainability through contextualized and territory-sensitive pedagogical approaches. Full article

The origin of life is the ultimate scientific puzzle. The leap in complexity from inanimate matter to even the simplest known organisms is overwhelming, and the transition from simple chemistry to life is best viewed as a long, directionless pathway. So, how did life arise de novo from simple chemical molecules? The chemical space of potential reactants, catalysts and inhibiting agents is vast, while our knowledge of prebiotic conditions is limited. This makes it difficult to assess whether reaction pathways are prebiotically plausible. Origin-of-life research is therefore inherently speculative and shaped by competing schools of thought. Prebiotic plausibility should inform discussion and exploration, but not impose undue constraints based on personal preferences. Genuine progress is achieved through openness to diverse approaches and scenarios, ensuring that a broad spectrum of studies and their underlying rationales, assumptions, and methodologies are visible and explored. Full article

This paper employs allegory to examine how pupils experience exclusion in mathematics education. Using Dante’s Inferno as a structural frame, I present nine fictional narratives aligned with the nine circles of Hell. These depict recurring learner experiences: displacement, disorientation, mechanical drill, grade-chasing, resistance, doubt, internalised failure, performance without understanding, and withdrawal. The narratives are not verbatim accounts but constructed stories synthesising themes from research, classroom practice, and observed discourse. Through narrative inquiry, each story reframes issues such as language barriers, high-stakes assessment, proceduralism, and stereotype threat—not as individual shortcomings but systemic conditions shaping learner identities. The allegorical mode makes these conditions vivid, positioning mathematics education as a moral landscape where inclusion and exclusion are continually negotiated. The analysis yields three insights: first, forms of exclusion are diverse yet interconnected, often drawing pupils into cycles of silence, resistance, or performance; second, metaphor and fiction can serve as rigorous research tools, allowing affective and structural dimensions of schooling to be understood together; and third, teacher education and policy must confront the hidden costs of privileging narrow forms of knowledge. Reimagining classrooms through Dante’s allegory, this paper calls for pedagogies that disrupt exclusion and open pathways to belonging and mathematical meaning. Full article

Objective: Health education is critical in imparting health literacy to children and developing community health and wellbeing. The effectiveness of the teaching–learning interaction in health education classes depends on the teacher employing effective teaching methods, facilitating students’ deep understanding, critical thinking, and the development of skills, beliefs and attitudes that will be needed for them to cultivate healthy behaviours throughout their lives. Health education teaching differs from other learning areas as it addresses controversial and sensitive topics in class. Little research has been conducted regarding the preferred teaching methods of health educators and their ability to employ these teaching methods effectively in the classroom. Methods: In this paper, we present findings from a doctoral grounded theory study to explain the preferred teaching methods of teachers as they work with young people in the important learning area of health education. The study was conducted using a Chamazian constructivist grounded theory approach with the data being analysed using an inductive process, beginning with open codes and progressing to high-level categories. Main Results: This study determined that the preferred teaching method of the teachers delivering health education in Western Australia was discussion-based teaching. We examine the literature regarding discussion-based teaching methods, particularly in health education. Our findings evidence that teachers report preferring a discussion-based teaching approach, even though the health curriculum advises a critical inquiry approach and many schools in Australia currently promote an explicit teaching method. Conclusions: Teachers have expressed uncertainty as to how to effectively employ a discussion-based approach in class and have sought further clarification as they lead class discussions. Effective teaching practices need to be interrogated to support teachers, so how do we do this in a way that provides clarity for teachers and ultimately produces the best outcomes for young people? Full article

Background: Adolescence is characterized by rapid physical growth and neuromuscular reorganization, which may influence the development of postural control. Gender-specific differences in pubertal timing suggest that girls may achieve postural stability earlier than boys, but evidence remains inconsistent. This cross-sectional pilot study aimed to examine gender differences in static postural control among adolescents. Material and methods: A total of 59 students (28 females, 31 males; mean age 13.49 ± 0.97 years) from two schools in Bari, Italy, participated. Postural stability was assessed during bipedal and single-leg stance tasks under eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions using an inertial sensor placed at the lumbosacral region. The primary outcomes were sway path length and oscillation ellipse area. Results: Females demonstrated significantly shorter path length in eyes-open bipedal stance (p = 0.027, d = −0.51), as well as reduced ellipse area (p = 0.047, d = −0.44) and path length (p = 0.010, d = −0.62) in eyes-closed bipedal stance. No significant gender differences were observed in single-leg stance. Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis that adolescent girls exhibit superior postural stability compared to boys, particularly under challenging sensory conditions. Such differences may reflect earlier maturational processes and suggest possible implications for motor development, injury prevention, and sports training. Full article