Search Results (348)

In social science degree programs, where Statistics is not a core subject, students often experience anxiety and negative attitudes that influence their engagement and may hinder academic performance. This study examines the role of positive emotions in the teaching of Probability Calculus and Inferential Statistics in Business Administration and Management studies, analyzing their relationship with students’ engagement in Problem-Based Learning (PBL). The research is framed as an exploratory single-campus case study conducted with a modestly sized sample of undergraduate students from a single Faculty. Moving beyond traditional approaches that view emotions merely as outcomes of learning, our model assumes that positive emotions, both prior to and following the PBL experience, shape students’ perceptions of its usefulness, their collaborative behaviors, and their communication with instructors. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Cluster Analysis, the findings show that positive emotions are a key driver of students’ predisposition toward and engagement with PBL, indicating that cultivating a supportive emotional climate enhances participation and deepens the understanding of statistical concepts. These results suggest that fostering emotional engagement is essential not only for improving motivation and academic outcomes in Statistics but also for developing transversal and sustainability-related competencies such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and evidence-based decision-making. The study contributes to current discussions on sustainable and inclusive teaching practices by highlighting the importance of integrating socio-emotional dimensions into active learning methodologies in higher education. Full article

This study explored pre-service teachers’ views on the use of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) in the production of misinformation, addressing the potential challenges posed by deepfakes generated by these online resources. A quantitative approach was used; 133 pre-service teachers participated in the study, all of them were enrolled in primary education degree programmes in the Region of Murcia, Spain. The results indicated a clear awareness of the risks posed by these digital tools in the generation of deepfakes. Respondents became aware of the potential threats this may pose on the internet, which can be further exacerbated when disseminated in educational environments. Recognising the relevance of pre-service teachers’ concerns can help educators and educational administrations take steps to limit Gen AI in accordance with ethical parameters and thus reduce the spread of misinformation. In social science teaching and learning, further research is needed to equip students with the essential skills to distinguish between accurate and inaccurate information. For all these reasons, it seems essential to improve research in media literacy education for the application of identification skills used in assessment processes. These improvements can take the form of evidence-based approaches, such as AI literacy programmes or media literacy modules, to facilitate student learning and ensure better quality education. Full article

The use of animals in biomedical research and university teaching remains socially sensitive, shaped by ethical concerns, regulations, and public expectations. While animal models are still essential for basic and translational research, society increasingly demands transparency, strong welfare protections, and the development of alternative methods. This study investigated Spanish university students’ attitudes toward the use of animals in basic research, translational research, and educational settings, and examined their acceptance of different species for addressing human health problems. It also assessed how sociodemographic variables, personality traits, empathy, and anthropomorphism relate to these views. The sample included 653 students, predominantly women, heterosexual, and urban residents. Most participants supported the use of animals in research, whereas opinions regarding teaching uses were more divided. Attitudes toward the use of laboratory animals consistently differed by gender and field of study, with men and students in science-related disciplines showing higher acceptance. Of the psychological variables assessed, only anthropomorphism showed moderate negative correlations with support for the use of laboratory animals across all contexts. Species strongly influenced attitudes: companion animals generated the most opposition, primates and livestock elicited mixed responses, and rodents, invertebrates, and aquatic species received the highest support. Overall, students generally accept animal use but vary substantially by species, gender, and academic background. Full article

Digital serious games are increasingly recognised as valuable tools for fostering student engagement and supporting active learning processes in formal educational contexts. Within the field of heritage education, however, empirical evidence concerning teacher-created games and their pedagogical effects remains limited. This study examines the educational impact of a digital serious game designed by teachers using RPG Maker MV to support the teaching of Social Sciences and local cultural heritage. The game, Misterios de Olivenza, integrates historical, geographical, and cultural content related to the municipality of Olivenza (Extremadura, Spain) through exploratory gameplay and problem-based activities. The research involved 86 primary education students aged 10–13 and employed a validated questionnaire to analyse gameplay experience, motivation, and self-perceived learning, with attention to age and gender differences. Results indicate high levels of enjoyment, motivation, and perceived learning, with no statistically significant differences by gender and limited age-related variation. A moderate positive correlation was identified between motivation and self-perception of learning, suggesting that engagement plays a key role in students’ educational experience. The findings highlight the pedagogical potential of teacher-created serious games for heritage education, while underscoring the importance of careful curricular integration and adequate scaffolding to maximise educational effectiveness. Full article

This study addresses the growing vulnerability of societies to extreme weather events intensified by climate change and explores how Secondary Education can foster sustainability competences aligned with the European GreenComp framework. A mixed-methods design was used, combining a content analysis of 279 curricular units from educational legislation and STEM subjects in Compulsory Secondary Education and Baccalaureate, a questionnaire administered to 190 students, and the design and classroom implementation of a GreenComp-based teaching intervention. The curricular analysis revealed uneven integration of sustainability competences across STEM disciplines, with stronger presence in Biology, Geology and Technology, and limited representation in Mathematics and Physics and Chemistry. Student perceptions showed fragmented understandings of extreme weather events, their causes and consequences, and limited awareness of global frameworks such as the SDGs and COP meetings. The implemented teaching sequence improved students’ knowledge of extreme events, strengthened their recognition of links with climate change, and increased awareness of mitigation, adaptation, and the role of education and political action. Overall, the findings highlight both opportunities and gaps in current curricula and demonstrate the potential of contextualized, inquiry-based STEM approaches to develop sustainability competences and better prepare students to face extreme weather events. Full article

International trade policy constitutes a challenging subject for undergraduate students, as it requires the integration of historical, institutional, and quantitative perspectives. This study presents a digital learning framework designed to support the teaching of Ecuador’s trade policy trajectory between 1979 and 2024 through the use of open macroeconomic datasets, interactive visualizations, and guided data-analysis tasks. The framework combines historical interpretation with structured digital inquiry, allowing students to explore policy cycles, export composition, and institutional shifts using empirical evidence. A small-scale classroom implementation with economics and social science students (n = 48) indicates that the proposed approach supports students’ ability to recognize long-term economic trends and to relate policy decisions to broader development patterns. Rather than offering causal claims, the study provides exploratory evidence of how data-driven digital environments can enhance analytical engagement in policy-oriented courses. The framework is intended as a transferable pedagogical model for contexts where economic history, public policy, and digital learning intersect. Full article

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is a critical competency for learners in increasingly technology-enhanced educational environments, yet little is known about how SRL is fostered within video-based interventions in K-12 settings. While existing reviews and meta-analyses focus on the effectiveness of SRL interventions, this study aims to address current gaps by specifically examining the implementation processes, instructional tools, and the role of video. Addressing this, the present study conducted a systematic literature review of peer-reviewed K-12 intervention studies published since 2010, guided by PRISMA standards and other methodological frameworks in the field of SRL. 30 quantitative or mixed-methods studies focusing on K-12 SRL interventions were selected from Web of Science and ERIC, with the requirement that video served as an instructional component rather than a research tool. These studies were then systematically coded by eight researchers for SRL strategies, instructional methods, video roles, and pedagogical settings. Findings show that most video interventions targeted multiple SRL strategies across different phases of the SRL cycle, offering a comprehensive approach to fostering regulation. However, while cognitive and metacognitive strategies were frequently addressed, motivational and resource-management strategies were seldom included within explicit instruction, which focused primarily on cognitive and metacognitive training. Video played multiple pedagogical roles, including delivering disciplinary content, teaching SRL strategies, or combining both. A thematic analysis identified four pedagogical settings that characterized successful interventions: Teacher-guided, Active, Social, and Knowledge-based (TASK) learning. These settings appear to mitigate common challenges of video-based learning, such as cognitive load and learner passivity. The review contributes a novel synthesis of SRL-video integration and proposes TASK learning as a framework for designing SRL interventions. Full article

Q-method analysis is used to determine participants’ subjective viewpoints on a given subject. A review of the extant literature revealed a paucity of research examining participants’ viewpoints on environmental awareness within Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) using Q-method analysis. The aim of this study is to uncover teachers’ viewpoints on environmental awareness within ESD using Q method analysis. Accordingly, the study employed Q-method analysis as a mixed research methodology. Issues related to ESD are addressed in primary and secondary school curricula in Türkiye, primarily within the scope of science and social studies courses. The participants in the study consist of science, social studies, and primary school teachers working in the Gaziantep province of Türkiye. The data collection instrument, developed through criterion sampling, was a Q-method form created by the researchers based on insights from the relevant literature and field specialists. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using PQ Method 2.35 statistical software. The findings indicate that participants’ viewpoints on environmental awareness within ESD were grouped into two factors and were predominantly positive (93%), showing consistency across gender and teaching field variables. While all 66 participants in Factor 1 demonstrated wholly positive attitude towards ESD, the 5 participants in Factor 2 exhibited partially positive attitudes. Participants expressed the most positive viewpoints regarding the protection of forests, energy resources, and recycling, whereas the least positive viewpoints were related to the ozone layer, climate change, and the economical use of resources. Based on these findings, it is recommended that teachers’ awareness of issues such as the ozone layer, global warming, and the economical use of resources be enhanced. Full article

Education can be conceptualized as a complex socio-technical system in which teacher engagement functions as a dynamic component supporting system performance and adaptability. The present study examines how science teachers’ perceptions of sustainable education interact with their levels of work engagement, providing empirical insights into system-level relationships relevant to educational sustainability. The study sample consisted of 246 science teachers, and data were collected using the Sustainable Education Scale and the Engaged Teacher Scale. Adopting a systems-informed analytical perspective, the study employs machine learning methods (Random Forest, CART, Extra Trees, and Bagging Regression) to explore non-linear relationships and interaction patterns that may remain obscured in conventional linear analyses. The results indicate that structural factors such as weekly teaching hours and academic qualifications are associated with variations in both sustainable education perceptions and work engagement. Moreover, the findings suggest a reciprocal relationship between sustainability-oriented perceptions and teacher engagement, consistent with feedback dynamics observed in complex educational systems. Rather than proposing a new theoretical framework or algorithm, the study demonstrates the utility of machine learning as a methodological tool for examining system-level interactions and emergent patterns in education, offering empirical insights that may inform sustainability-oriented practices in complex social systems. Full article

In today’s multicultural and interconnected societies, as schools and classrooms become more diverse, promoting inclusive attitudes and supportive learning environments is a central challenge for education systems. Present systematic review synthesizes evidence on the effectiveness of peer programs—including mentoring, tutoring, teaching, and peer support initiatives—in enhancing inclusivity within schools. A systematic search was conducted in Web of Science, Scopus, and ERIC for studies published between 2015 and 2024, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. No review protocol was registered. Fifteen peer-reviewed articles were included based on criteria such as implementation in general education from grade 1 to grade 12 and a clear goal of improving community, social interactions, school climate, students’ attitudes, acceptance of differences, or overall inclusivity. Methodological quality was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), with most studies meeting all criteria. Findings demonstrate that peer programs are generally associated with improvements in inclusive attitudes, empathy, and community engagement, contributing to improved school climate and student well-being, while also supporting academic goals. Future research should expand the geographic scope of peer program studies and incorporate longitudinal designs to better understand their sustained impact across diverse educational contexts. Full article

This paper explores the potential of interdisciplinary teaching that combines science and fine art to foster students’ responsible engagement with environmental and social challenges, positioned as an important contribution to sustainability. Within a participatory action research project conducted over five cycles in a Slovenian primary school, the Model of Interdisciplinary Teaching in Science and Fine Art (MITSFA) was developed. It integrates problem-based science tasks, experimental work, reflective discussions, and art assignments with a strong communicative and esthetic dimension. The paper analyses activities that encouraged scientific inquiry, critical thinking, and visual interpretation of complex phenomena, ranging from material properties to sustainable spatial planning. Empirical data include students’ artworks, interviews, written reflections, and the teacher’s research diary. Findings suggest that combining scientific exploration with visual expression deepens understanding, fosters emotional engagement, and promotes environmental and social awareness. Students showed greater sensitivity to complexity, ability to recognize layered meanings, and readiness to express their worldview through art. It can be concluded that meaningful learning emerges where scientific and artistic processes are interconnected, highlighting the teacher’s role as a creative facilitator bridging investigation and interpretation. The study demonstrates how integrating science and fine art in primary education directly supports education for sustainable development by cultivating environmental awareness and responsibility. Full article

Climate change education (CCE) is increasingly recognized as a key lever for responding to the climate crisis, yet its implementation in schools often remains fragmented and weakly transformative. This review synthesizes international research on CCE in secondary education, focusing on four interconnected domains: students’ social representations of climate change (SRCC), curricular frameworks, teaching practices and teacher professional development, and emerging pathways towards transformative, justice-oriented CCE. A narrative review of empirical and theoretical studies reveals that students’ SRCC are generally superficial, fragmented and marked by persistent misconceptions, psychological distance and low perceived agency. Curricular frameworks tend to locate climate change mainly within natural sciences, reproduce deficit-based and behaviorist models and leave social, political and ethical dimensions underdeveloped. Teaching practices remain predominantly transmissive and science-centered, while teachers report limited training, time and institutional support, especially for addressing the affective domain and working transdisciplinarily. At the same time, the literature highlights promising directions: calls for an “emergency curriculum” and deeper curricular environmentalization, the potential of socio-scientific issues and complexity-based approaches, narrative and arts-based strategies, school gardens and community projects, and growing attention to emotions, hope and climate justice. Drawing on a narrative and integrative review of empirical and theoretical studies, the article identifies recurrent patterns and gaps in current CCE research and outlines priorities for future inquiry. The review argues that bridging the knowledge–action gap in schools requires aligning curriculum, pedagogy and teacher learning around four key principles—climate justice, collective agency, affective engagement and global perspectives—and outlines implications for policy, practice and research to support more transformative and socially just CCE. Full article

(1) Background: Intra-articular injection is a fundamental technique in preclinical research for evaluating therapeutics and inducing joint disease models in rodents. However, the absence of standardized and validated protocols compromises reproducibility and translational validity. (2) Methods: This study establishes and experimentally validates a refined protocol for precise intra-articular injection in the knee of adult male Wistar rats. The comprehensive procedure specifies anatomical landmarks (medial border of the patellar tendon), instrumentation (27 G needle, 100 µL Hamilton syringe), a maximum volume of 35 µL, and operative verification criteria based on tactile feedback. Experimental validation was performed by administering a suspension of wear particles (2.35 mg/mL) generated from tribocorrosion tests of CoCr surfaces biofunctionalized with graphene oxide-hyaluronic acid (GO-HA) into the left knee of five rats. (3) Results: Histological analysis using the cutting–grinding technique and Toluidine Blue staining confirmed the exclusive intra-articular localization of particles in all injected animals (5/5 success rate). Qualitative assessment revealed abundant particulate distribution within the synovial space, with numerous individual particles and multiple aggregates observed per high-power field, without evidence of extravasation in any case. (4) Conclusions: The protocol demonstrated high intra-operator repeatability and provides a reliable, ethically refined tool for precise intra-articular administration of nanomaterials and for generating robust joint disease models, thereby enhancing reproducibility and animal welfare in preclinical research. Full article

This study analyzes the profile of candidates enrolling in Alternative Certification Programs (ACP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina—specialized programs in pedagogical, psychological, didactic, and methodological education for graduates of non-teaching faculties to obtain a teaching qualification. Using the Dual Labor Market Theory (DLMT) as a framework, the research examines structural factors and systemic challenges shaping these career paths. It explores whether teaching in Bosnia and Herzegovina serves as a “safe haven” or an alternative career for highly educated individuals, and considers implications for the feminization of the profession and education quality. The study is based on demographic and educational data of ACP participants, including age, gender, previous academic background, and institution attended. Findings indicate that the typical participant is a woman under 30, often graduating from a public university in technical or social sciences. Results suggest that teaching is frequently chosen for employment stability and security rather than vocational calling, consistent with DLMT. These insights offer a better understanding of labor market dynamics and have implications for teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development policies in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Full article

Gamification and learning management systems (LMSs) are increasingly being used across educational levels. Hence, the adoption of gamified LMSs, that is, LMSs that integrate gamification elements, is also gaining ground due to the potential benefits they can yield. This study aims to examine the integration of gamification into LMSs through a systematic literature review by exploring 139 related studies from Scopus, Web of Science, and IEEE that were published from 2013 to 2025. This study focuses on identifying the most prominent gamification elements and the main implications in terms of benefits and challenges. Based on the outcomes, gamified LMSs can positively affect the overall educational process. Specifically, gamified LMSs showcase great potential to improve the educational process, support education stakeholders, provide meaningful learning opportunities, satisfy students’ innate needs, and increase their learning outcomes, including academic performance, motivation, engagement, interest, enjoyment, and satisfaction. Gamified LMSs can enrich existing teaching and learning practices and are positively assessed by education stakeholders. They can improve students’ self-regulated learning and satisfy their innate needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competences. They support social and collaborative learning, foster a sense of accomplishment, and provide new methods of assessment and new metrics to analyze students’ learning. However, the effectiveness of gamified LMSs is ultimately determined by the quality of their design and the extent to which gamification strategies and activities are pedagogically grounded and appropriately aligned with the learning goals, population, and context. Full article