Search Results (1,778)

Early-stage architectural decisions strongly condition long-term energy demand and thermal comfort; however, their combined effects are often evaluated in isolation. This study investigates the interactive influence of mass configuration, orientation and the window-to-wall ratio (WWR) on the energy and thermal comfort performance of school buildings in Erbil, Iraq. Five representative school mass typologies were assessed using a structured two-phase simulation framework based on an Interactive Architectural Approach (IAA). The results reveal that mass configuration functions as a conditioning variable, governing not only absolute energy demand but also responsiveness to design variation. Articulated typologies showed amplified increases in cooling demand, overheating, and mean radiant temperature under a higher WWR, whereas compact forms exhibited comparatively stable behavior. Importantly, orientations minimizing energy demand did not consistently correspond to those minimizing thermal discomfort, revealing typology-dependent divergence between performance objectives. By quantifying interaction-based sensitivity rather than isolated parameter effects, the study advances IAA as a structured early-stage assessment framework for school design. Full article

In recent decades, the Ucayali region, the main territory of the Asheninka communities, has experienced increasing socio-environmental pressures associated with climate change, educational inequality, and territorial vulnerability in rural and indigenous contexts. In response, this research proposes the design of a sustainable agricultural school for the Asheninka community, conceived as an educational building that integrates biophilic strategies to enhance environmental performance and spatial quality. The methodological approach comprises a literature review, site-specific environmental analysis based on hydrometeorological data, and the development of an architectural proposal focused on sustainable building design. Digital tools such as Revit and SketchUp were employed alongside official climatic data sources to support design decision-making. The proposal includes twelve biophilic agricultural classrooms incorporating passive design strategies, rainwater harvesting systems with a capacity of 22.5 m³ per day per classroom, and photovoltaic-powered public lighting systems. Results indicate that the integration of natural ventilation, green infrastructure, and locally sourced materials contributes to significant improvements in thermal comfort, humidity control, and energy autonomy within the educational facilities. The architectural complex is complemented by green corridors and collective open spaces that reinforce environmental performance at the site scale. This study demonstrates that sustainable educational buildings adapted to local ecosystems and climatic conditions can function as effective infrastructures for environmental mitigation and resilient rural development, contributing to more sustainable forms of urban and rural living. Full article

The aim of this scoping review is to categorize and examine the relationships between school neighbourhood built environment categories and the physical health of children and adolescents worldwide. The search strategy initially found 8837 studies in four databases (Web of Science, PubMed, SportDiscus and Transportation Research Board) and after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria 55 articles were included. The findings report on seven school neighbourhood built environment categories: building, connectivity and network, food environment, greenness, land use, safety and other variables. Interestingly, the connectivity and network category comprises 32 variables. Likewise, this category, together with the food environment, shows a clear predominance, with both categories accounting for 71.04% of all significant associations. The greenness category stands out due to its association density similarly to the predominant categories. The physical health categories were body composition, mode of commuting, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and weight status. Complementary weighted cross-tabulation analyses showed that when associations were weighted by participant sample size and school sample size, the food environment–weight status relationship became the most prominent, whereas connectivity-related associations became less dominant. The findings indicate preferential links between school neighbourhood built environment and physical health domains, with the connectivity and network category mainly associated with commuting mode and physical activity, and the food environment was primarily linked to weight status and dietary intake. Consequently, special attention must be given to urban planning and policies in the school neighbourhood built environment. Full article

Youth-led STEM programming depends on skilled adult facilitators who can support authentic teen leadership, yet professional learning for developing these specialized skills remains understudied. Through three cycles of design-based research, we iteratively developed and studied a professional development model that trained informal educators from museums, libraries, afterschool programs, and schools to launch Teen Science Café programs—a youth-led model where teens organize STEM events. Analysis of data from trainer reflections, trainee interviews, trainee surveys, and implementation tracking across three iterative design cycles revealed six interconnected principles essential for effective professional development: focusing on a committed adult leader; personalized training characterized by mutual respect; learning by doing; establishing accountability that builds momentum; enabling learning from peers and near-peers; and recognizing success to nurture professional pride. Implementing these principles to prepare educators to center youth voice requires substantial, coordinated investment across stakeholders—commensurate with the complexity of developing youth agency and STEM identity in informal settings. From our findings, we contrast this approach with the “efficiency trap,” in which scaled training without sustained support wastes resources when many educators are trained but youth-centered programs fail to materialize. Full article

Research on academic achievement highlights the combined role of cognitive abilities and motivational beliefs. Grounded in the CHC framework, this study examined how three broad cognitive abilities—verbal, numeric, and spatial—and academic self-concept jointly predict achievement in Portuguese and mathematics. A sample of 3034 students from the third cycle (grades 7–9) and secondary education (grades 10–12) completed the BAC-AB cognitive battery and a validated academic self-concept scale. Using multigroup structural equation modelling, we tested whether the predictive patterns differed across educational stages. Academic self-concept emerged as the most consistent predictor across subjects and levels. Cognitive contributions displayed clear developmental differentiation: verbal ability was more strongly associated with Portuguese (and increasingly with Mathematics) in secondary education, whereas numeric and spatial abilities were comparatively more relevant for Mathematics in the third cycle. These patterns support the view that linguistic, quantitative, and visuospatial processes contribute to achievement in distinct and developmentally sensitive ways. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of instructional approaches that build on quantitative and spatial strengths in earlier grades while progressively supporting advanced verbal comprehension and reasoning in later schooling. Full article

This article contributes to current debates around the ethics of using AI in K-12 education by extending an ethical framework based on the constructs of wellbeing, autonomy and justice to examine how AI may differentially impact specific stakeholders. Data about K-12 building and district leaders’ perceptions of AI risks were collected during the 2023–24 school year in Western New York as part of an exploratory sequential mixed methods study, which included semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of 36 K-12 leaders, followed by a survey (n = 160). Survey findings confirm K-12 leaders’ widespread recognition, although at varying levels of concern, of AI risks related to (a) students cheating, (b) students’ other questionable AI uses, (c) educators’ questionable AI uses, (d) increasing inequities due to AI, (e) cybersecurity and privacy breaches, and to a much lesser extent, the (f) potential for job replacement. The ethical analysis reveals major differences in the implications of each of these six kinds of AI risk for the wellbeing, autonomy, and justice of K-12 educators, K-12 students, and society, respectively, as well as tensions between competing needs and values, which in turn call for risk-specific strategies as well as inevitable tradeoffs. A comparison with a study of musicians’ perceptions of AI using the same ethical framework reveals interesting similarities and differences in ethical concerns about AI in different fields, suggesting the value of more cross-disciplinary studies. Full article

This study develops and validates heating energy consumption models for school buildings in Osijek-Baranja County in Croatia, integrating an overview of the legal framework, a review of heating energy consumption in schools, and approaches to predicting consumption. Three models, Multiple linear regression (MLR), Artificial neural networks (ANN), and Random forest (RF), were tested using training and validation datasets. Although ANN and RF achieved higher accuracy during training, their complexity and computational demands reduce their suitability for everyday use in schools. MLR, despite slightly lower accuracy (R² = 0.897 on validation), proved to be the most practical due to its simplicity, transparency, and minimal resource requirements. Additional testing on schools in eastern Croatia confirmed its strong performance, with high R² and low MAPE values, reflecting the uniformity of heating systems that predominantly rely on gas or district heating. In contrast, prediction accuracy decreases in coastal regions where diverse fuels such as electricity or heating oil are used, indicating the need for region-specific models. Overall, the findings show that MLR is the most applicable model for widespread implementation, while ANN and RF offer potential for specialized cases or future enhancement. Full article

Schools are increasingly recognised as critical public infrastructure for urban climate adaptation, particularly in heat-vulnerable and park-poor neighbourhoods. This study examines schoolyards as distributed cooling systems, social spaces, and educational landscapes and proposes an integrated decision support approach for programme comparison and prioritisation. A comparative review of nine international schoolyard transformation programmes (Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, Milan, Rotterdam, Los Angeles, New York, Melbourne, and Santiago de Chile) was conducted using municipal plans, reports, and implementation guidance. Design strategies, governance configurations, and monitoring approaches were synthesised through a CAME (Correct, Adapt, Maintain, Explore) framework. Building on this synthesis, a Multicriteria Analysis framework was developed to support prioritisation across four criteria families: environmental and climatic performance, social and educational equity, urban integration and accessibility, and feasibility and co-benefits. The results highlight a recurrent toolkit of interventions—depaving, tree planting, shade provision, cool and permeable surfaces, nature-based drainage systems, and monitoring practices—that is consistently associated in the reviewed evidence with improved thermal comfort, stormwater performance, biodiversity, and community use beyond school hours. It is concluded that a combined CAME–Multicriteria Analysis structure provides a transferable basis for transparent, criteria-based prioritisation of schoolyard interventions by local governments and school authorities. Full article

This study explores the digital competence of foreign language teachers in Bulgarian secondary education by focusing on the institutional context of which they are a part, the strengths and gaps of their competence, and their levels of competence. It draws upon empirical data that were collected and analyzed within an integrated, dual-instrument framework, combining the SELFIE (Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering the Use of Innovative Educational Technologies) and SELFIE for TEACHERS (Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering the Use of Innovative Educational Technologies for Teachers) EU-aligned assessment tools. The results from the questionnaire data show that the foreign language teachers state that they work in a relatively good technological environment and evaluate the usage of digital technologies for teaching and communication purposes within the school context as a salient aspect of their digital competence. The results also reveal three areas in the study participants’ digital competence that are in need of improvement: (1) empowering learners/personalizing the educational process, (2) assessment and (3) facilitating learners’ digital competence. In addition, the findings indicate that the foreign language educators rate their digital competence at a low to medium level. By blending institutional and teacher-oriented perspectives into a single integrated study of Bulgarian secondary school foreign language teachers, this investigation extends the existing research and makes evidence-based recommendations for institutional capacity building, teacher education policy and targeted professional development aimed at improving the educators’ digital competence. Full article

With increasing traffic loads and increasingly complex climate conditions, accurate prediction of the International Roughness Index (IRI) of asphalt pavements is crucial for developing effective maintenance plans. However, traditional regression models have limitations in capturing the coupled effects of traffic, structure, and environmental factors. To overcome this limitation, this study constructed a dataset containing 10,836 samples based on the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) database, integrating traffic load, pavement structure parameters, and climate variables. The variance inflation factor (VIF) and correlation analysis were used to validate the effectiveness of feature selection. We trained nine machine learning models and optimized the hyperparameters using a Bayesian optimization method with five-fold cross-validation to ensure good generalization ability. Results show that the TabPFN model, based on prior information, achieved the best overall performance with a coefficient of determination $R^2$ = 0.9474 and a low prediction error (RMSE = 0.138) on the test set. Paired t-tests based on cross-validation further confirmed that TabPFN’s predictive performance is statistically superior to the baseline model. SHAP and generalized additive model (GAM) analyses indicate that traffic load is the main driver of IRI growth, while structural layer thickness, within a certain range, can mitigate pavement roughness. Climatic factors have indirect long-term effects through cumulative environmental exposure. Although the main drivers differ slightly among different pavement structures, traffic load consistently plays a dominant role. To enhance the model’s practical applicability, we also developed a user-friendly graphical interface (GUI) for fast and accurate IRI prediction. Full article

Considering the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to foster quality education, curricula should encompass inclusive, equitable and contextually meaningful education. Since the textbook is the main support for EFL teaching in Chile, this study examines the alignment between 1st to 4th-grade English language textbooks and the unofficial Chilean English school curriculum. The research questions are as follows: (1) What content do the 1st to 4th-grade English language textbooks build? (2) To what extent does the content align with the unofficial curriculum for the first cycle of primary education? This is relevant since Chile has not improved proficiency in English despite substantial public investment in textbooks. To answer these questions, pedagogic discourse analysis was conducted, framed methodologically and analytically within the register model of Systemic Functional Linguistics, focusing on the field. The corpus comprises the textbooks and the vocabulary to certify young learners’ proficiency (pre-A1 and A1), as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The analysis reveals content building consistency across the textbooks and curriculum alignment, which ensures equitable access to quality learning opportunities. Full article

As the boundary between indoor and outdoor spaces, the heat flux of a building envelope is a crucial factor influencing the indoor thermal environment and human thermal comfort, and also an important indicator reflecting the impact of outdoor meteorological factors on the indoor environment. In scenarios involving rapid assessment of existing buildings and engineering projects, the dynamic thermal performance of the building envelope are often affected by factors such as outdoor weather fluctuations, window–wall coupling, wall heat storage, and thermal bridging. To address this issue, this study proposes a dynamic heat flux calculation method that accounts for hysteresis. Simultaneously, the heat conduction equation of the implicit finite difference method (IFDM) and boundary conditions based on wall energy balance are used to optimize the wall surface temperature. An adaptive step size control strategy (Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg) is introduced in the time step setting. Results show that the heat flux R² of the proposed dynamic heat flux calculation method is 0.9207, and the optimized R² is 0.9435, both within an acceptable range for engineering applications. Studies have shown that the simplified framework derived from the heat flux analysis of building envelopes retains the characteristics of wall heat storage and delayed heat release, while effectively solving the window–wall coupling problem and significantly reducing the reliance on computationally expensive numerical methods. This method therefore provides an efficient and scalable technical pathway for thermal performance assessment and energy-retrofit decision support for existing building envelopes. Full article

Digitalisation is transforming organisational practices, making digital readiness essential for strategic planning. However, customised digital maturity tools for the Irish Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) sector remain limited. This paper presents the development and validation of a Digital Maturity Gap Analysis Toolkit (DMGAT) for the Irish AECO sector. The toolkit assesses digital maturity across three dimensions—people, process and culture; technology; and policy and governance—covering 16 sub-dimensions and 69 assessment questions. Unlike existing tools such as the BIM Maturity Matrix, VDC BIM Scorecard, and Maturity Scan, the DMGAT uniquely integrates ISO 19650 maturity stages with a comprehensive maturity level matrix across three key dimensions, offering a customised, industry-specific assessment for the Irish AECO sector that combines structured benchmarking with actionable gap analysis. The toolkit supports gap analysis by comparing an organisation’s current maturity profile with the detailed descriptors of higher maturity levels (maturity level matrix), thereby enabling prioritised and context-specific improvement planning rather than pursuit of a uniform maximum level. The study uses a mixed-methods approach within a Design Science Research (DSR) framework, developing the tool across six phases: literature review, defining dimensions and key performance indicators (KPIs), prototype development, testing, refining and finalisation, and deployment for practical application and empirical evaluation within real organisational contexts in the Irish AECO sector, demonstrating its use as an operational diagnostic and learning tool. Alpha testing by the organisational research team refined structural enhancements including maturity stages, KPIs, and maturity matrix. Beta testing with 20 Irish AECO organisations confirmed the toolkit’s relevance, scope, and coverage. Participants highlighted its clarity and industry alignment, while suggesting minor improvements in wording, visuals, and support materials. This study concludes that DMGAT is a useful resource for informed decision-making and digital innovation in the Irish AECO sector. Full article

This study examines the intellectual perspectives and thoughts related to education in Indonesia. The most influential Indonesian scholars who completed their higher education in Western and Middle Eastern institutions between 1980 and 2010, with a particular focus on their views regarding Islamic education, are investigated in a deeper perspective. The scholars selected for analysis consist of three graduates from Middle Eastern universities and three from Western universities, all of whom pursued religious or philosophical studies abroad. The findings indicate that the most decisive factor shaping their divergent perspectives is their overseas educational background, despite their shared foundational experience in pesantren (Islamic boarding schools). These differences are reflected in their public statements, published works, and online video content. At the same time, this study also revealed a set of shared values among the scholars, particularly concerning the core principles of Islamic education and their collective commitment to national unity, peace, mutual support, and tolerance. These commonalities emerge as a unifying thread amid their diverse viewpoints. As representatives of Middle Eastern scholars, these included Komaruddin Hidayat, Abdul Shomad, and Adi Hidayat, where the representative of Western scholars included Azyumardi Azra, Nadirsyah Hosen, and Ahmad Syafii Maarif. The analysis offered in this paper presents a constructive discourse, demonstrating that the differing perspectives of Indonesian scholars educated in the West and the Middle East can positively enrich national conversations. Further study about the perspective of scholars is important for building the character of young generations in Indonesia about how multicultural and different perspectives of thinking are free to discuss and write about in academic perspectives. Full article

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) plays a vital role in occupant health and productivity. However, current Building Management Systems (BMS) often struggle in sustaining optimal IEQ levels due to limitations in data management and lack of occupant-centric feedback loops. To address these gaps, this research synthesizes the state-of-the-art methods for IEQ monitoring, assessment, and control within Building Automation Systems (BAS), identifying both technological and methodological advancements, as well as highlighting the challenges and potential opportunities for future innovations. Employing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology, this multi-stage literature review analyzes 176 publications from 1997 to 2024, with a focus on the decade of rapid technological evolution from 2014 to 2024. The review focuses on high-impact journals indexed in Scopus to ensure quality while acknowledging the potential bias inherent in a single-database search. The synthesis reveals a methodological shift in monitoring from sparse, zone-level sensing towards dense, multi-modal systems that incorporate physiological data via wearables and behavioral recognition through computer vision. Assessment techniques are evolving from static models such as the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) towards adaptive, personalized frameworks supported by Digital Twins and integrated simulations. Furthermore, control logic is transitioning toward Reinforcement Learning and Model Predictive Control to proactively manage occupancy surges and environmental variables. This evolution of monitoring approaches, assessment techniques, and control strategies is represented within the study’s Three-Tiered Developmental Trajectory, providing a novel Body of Knowledge (BOK) for mapping the transition of building systems from reactive tools to autonomous, occupant-centric agents. This study also introduces a Cross-Modal Interaction Matrix to systematically analyze the systemic trade-offs between IEQ domains. Furthermore, by establishing the “Implementation Frontier,” this work identifies the specific technical and ethical bottlenecks, such as “false vacancy” sensing errors, fragmented data silos, and the ethical complexities of high-resolution data collection that prevent academic innovations from becoming industry standards. To bridge these gaps, we conclude that the next generation of “cognitive buildings” must prioritize three pillars: resolving binary sensing limitations, harmonizing data via vendor-neutral APIs, and adopting privacy-preserving architectures to ensure scalable, interoperable, and occupant-centric optimization. Full article