Search Results (2,484)

As AI and digital tools become more widely adopted in school education, integrating them sustainably into teacher preparation has become a central concern for sustainable teacher education. This study examined how pre-service elementary teachers develop scientific concepts within AI-integrated lesson plans and how those patterns change within each case following teaching demonstrations and instructor feedback. Qualitative content analysis was conducted on twelve lesson plans—initial drafts and revised versions from six groups across two science units—produced within an elementary science methods course. Plans were analyzed along three dimensions of conceptual development (conceptual structuring, generalization, and conceptual explicitness) and three functional roles of AI and digital tools. In draft plans, tools were predominantly used for learner engagement and artifact production, with scientific concepts embedded in activity contexts. Following feedback, conceptual explicitness was the dimension most frequently revised, while changes in conceptual structuring and generalization appeared in fewer cases. Cases in which conceptual development reached higher levels in revised plans shared a common design feature: AI outputs were repositioned within the consolidation stage in connection with explicit concept statements, rather than serving as content presentation. These findings suggest that pedagogical judgment about positioning AI outputs within lesson stages, reflected across design–demonstration–feedback–revision cycles, is central to the quality of AI-integrated science lesson design and offers implications for sustaining teacher preparation in the era of AI. Full article

Improving pedestrian safety at urban intersections is a key challenge for achieving safer and more sustainable urban transport systems. This study develops a multi-criteria decision-making model (MCDM) for selecting the most appropriate traffic signal type at pedestrian crossings in different urban zones. Traffic conditions, illegal pedestrian crossings and the number of traffic accidents were taken into account during the modelling, as well as the characteristics of the urban environment. The research involved 66,616 pedestrians at 22 pedestrian crossings located in three urban zones: school zones, central zones, and non-central zones. The data were aggregated using Bayesian (beta-binomial) and classical statistical methods. The OPA-Group method was then used to develop the model. In the decision-making phase, the Ordinal Priority Approach (OPA) was applied as the core MCDM method. It was then extended to the OPA-Group framework to incorporate group-based evaluation in accordance with the model requirements. Additionally, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis was conducted, confirming the robustness and stability of the proposed model. The results show that traditional traffic signals are most suitable for school and non-central zones, whereas countdown traffic signals are recommended for central zones. Push-button traffic signals were identified as the least efficient solution for regulating pedestrian movement at pedestrian crossings. Full article

Background: Environmental health literacy plays an important role in helping individuals recognize environmental risks and adopt sustainable behaviors. Increasing environmental awareness may also influence emotional responses to environmental problems such as climate change. However, the mechanisms linking environmental health literacy to climate change anxiety remain insufficiently explored. This study aimed to examine the relationship between environmental health literacy and climate change anxiety among teachers and to evaluate the mediating role of ecological footprint awareness in this relationship. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with teachers working in public schools in the provinces of Elazığ and Erzincan, Türkiye. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Environmental Health Literacy Scale, the Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale, and the Climate Change Anxiety Scale. Descriptive statistics, group comparison tests, correlation analyses, and mediation analysis based on structural equation modeling were performed to examine the relationships among the study variables. Results: Participants’ mean scores were 35.98 ± 9.12 for the Climate Change Anxiety Scale, 95.37 ± 18.29 for the Environmental Health Literacy Scale, and 118.08 ± 25.92 for the Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale. Environmental health literacy was positively associated with ecological footprint awareness, and ecological footprint awareness was positively associated with climate change anxiety (p < 0.001). Mediation analysis indicated that ecological footprint awareness significantly mediated the relationship between environmental health literacy and climate change anxiety (β = 0.293, 95% CI: 0.112–0.496, p = 0.002). Conclusions: The findings suggest that ecological awareness can serve as a potential mechanism linking environmental knowledge with emotional responses to climate change. Strengthening ecological footprint awareness through environmental education programs for teachers may contribute to both environmental awareness and constructive engagement with climate-related issues. Full article

This systematic review comprehensively explores the integration of Extended Reality (XR) technologies, comprising Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), into New Zealand’s STEM education framework. In alignment with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we systematically analyzed 127 peer-reviewed studies from the Web of Science (n = 48), Scopus (n = 57), and Dimensions (n = 22) and incorporated 15 grey literature sources, resulting in 142 studies included in the review. Our meta-analysis found substantial improvements in student conceptual understanding from XR-enhanced STEM modules. Specifically, we observed an average increase of 23.4% when compared to traditional instructional methods (95 percent Confidence Interval: 18.7 to 28.1 percent, p < 0.001). These gains were especially prominent in interactive learning environments where immersive XR applications supported deeper engagement and the visualization of abstract STEM concepts. The qualitative synthesis highlighted several key barriers that limit effective XR integration. These include technological infrastructure gaps reported in 68 percent of reviewed studies, a critical need for educator training cited by 82 percent of studies, and curriculum alignment issues present in 57 percent of cases. Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) 2018, and the qualitative component employed a deductive thematic coding approach with inter-coder reliability verification. Successful institutional implementations were also identified. At Auckland University of Technology, XR-supported courses produced a 67 percent increase in student engagement, while Wellington High School achieved a 41 percent reduction in STEM achievement gaps through targeted XR interventions. Based on the evidence, we propose a four-phase implementation framework that addresses the technological, pedagogical, and policy requirements for sustainable XR adoption. These findings highlight the role of immersive technologies in supporting human-centered digital transformation and future skills development in the transition to Industry 5.0. The review contributes evidence-based insights that support the transition from technology-driven approaches associated with Industry 4.0 to the human-centered, socially oriented priorities of Industry 5.0. It also identifies critical research gaps, particularly in long-term learning outcomes and the integration of Mātauranga Māori within XR-enabled STEM environments. Full article

This study examines emotional dependency on generative artificial intelligence among vocational high school (VHS) students. Guided by Taiwan’s 108 Curriculum Guidelines, an interactive “Health and Nursing” course on AI reliance was implemented. The sample included 1000 students from five VHSs in central Taiwan (January–February 2026). Data were collected through questionnaires and classroom feedback to assess AI interaction frequency, emotional projection, and perceived effects on relationships and psychological needs. Research data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and SmartPLS 4. Findings show that some students displayed moderate to high emotional attachment to AI, particularly for support and stress relief, with blurred ethical boundaries. After the intervention, students reported greater awareness of risks and increased self-reflection. This study concludes that integrating AI literacy with emotional education into curricula is crucial for responsible technology use and healthy relational development. Overall, emotional reliance on AI among VHS students appears statistically significant but bounded, reflecting a balanced pattern of engagement that supports sustainable psychological well-being. Full article

Background: Schools are widely recognized as key settings for promoting healthy eating behaviors and supporting childhood obesity prevention. In recent years, increasing attention has been devoted to experiential and interactive nutrition education strategies designed to actively engage children and adolescents in food-related learning processes. These approaches move beyond traditional didactic teaching and include practical and participatory formats, such as cooking activities, school gardening, digital or app-based learning tools, workshops and educational camps, and game-based learning interventions. Objective: This narrative review aims to provide an overview of experiential school-based nutrition education interventions, describing the main types of programs implemented in school settings and summarizing their reported effects on nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and eating behaviors among children and adolescents. Results: Across intervention studies and systematic reviews, hands-on and interactive educational models, including cooking classes, gardening programs, digital learning tools, workshops or camps, and board game-based interventions, frequently report improvements in nutrition knowledge, attitudes toward food, food-related skills, and self-efficacy. These programs seek to strengthen food literacy by combining experiential learning with educational content delivered within the school environment. Evidence regarding changes in dietary intake, diet quality, and anthropometric outcomes is more heterogeneous, with some studies reporting improvements in eating behaviors and others showing more modest or short-term effects. Program outcomes appear to be influenced by several contextual factors, including intervention duration, curriculum integration, teacher involvement, and the availability of resources supporting implementation. Conclusions: Experiential and interactive approaches represent an increasingly adopted strategy in school-based nutrition education. Their effectiveness appears to depend on the quality of implementation, the degree of integration within the school curriculum, and the broader educational context. Future research should further explore how different experiential formats can be optimally integrated into school systems to support the development of food literacy and sustainable healthy eating behaviors among children and adolescents. Full article

This study explores how youth masculinities are constructed in Eswatini’s high schools. Using hegemonic masculinity theory as an analytical lens, data were coded to identify patterns of dominance, strength, and gender hierarchy, thereby highlighting the study’s original contribution to understanding the local manifestation of hegemonic masculinity and advancing theoretical knowledge in this context. Data were collected through a qualitative case study approach involving 36 adolescents aged 16 to 18, comprising equal numbers of 18 boys and 18 girls, from six coeducational high schools. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups revealed that hegemonic masculinity shapes perceptions of gender roles, often promoting aggression in boys and marginalising girls. Sports, especially rugby, are key symbols of masculinity, emphasising strength, dominance, and competitiveness, while girls are excluded from these activities, reinforcing gender inequalities. Institutional practices like task allocation and disciplinary methods further sustain stereotypes, influencing youth identities within cultural and peer pressure contexts. The findings highlight persistent gendered power dynamics and stereotypes that perpetuate inequality. The study makes a significant contribution to the scientific literature by demonstrating how hegemonic masculinity manifests uniquely in Eswatini’s educational and cultural context, thus extending regional studies and providing insights for broader applications. It recommends gender-transformative curricula, increased girls’ participation in male-dominated sports, and gender-neutral disciplinary practices to foster more inclusive, equitable environments. Full article

AI literacy is a fundamental competency for preventing social exclusion, yet its integration into rural education is hindered by a double divide: the reliance of current tools on unavailable connectivity and their mismatch with the heterogeneous realities of rural classrooms, including multigrade settings. This study evaluates a purpose-built offline mobile application through participatory workshops with 96 rural teachers in Los Lagos, Chile, using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and inductive thematic analysis. The application achieved acceptable usability (SUS = 76.1, SD = 16.3), with teachers perceiving it as responsive to classroom heterogeneity (92.0%, $n=81$ of 88) and as promoting AI concept understanding (95.6%, $n=65$ of 68). Qualitative analysis revealed a substantial digital gap: teachers identified hardware scarcity and deficiencies, unstable infrastructure, and the absence of specialized training as primary barriers. These findings suggest that while the application addresses immediate connectivity and pedagogical constraints, sustainable AI literacy in rural schools requires a holistic strategy combining purpose-built tools with infrastructure investment and teacher training. Full article

Photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to produce high-value chemical fuels is a research hotspot for sustainable development, yet its integration into undergraduate experimental teaching is hindered by a high risk, high cost, and shortage of large-scale instruments. Herein, a Fe₂TiO₅–polydopamine (PDA) S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst was fabricated via in situ self-polymerization, and its structure, photoelectric properties, and CO₂ reduction mechanism were systematically characterized. Under visible light, the heterojunction delivers a CO production rate of 14.1 μmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹ (6.6 times that of pure Fe₂TiO₅) with 94.2% cyclic stability. More importantly, this work constructs a virtual–real hybrid experimental teaching mode (virtual simulation pre-training + offline practical verification) for inorganic and environmental chemistry experiments, developing a virtual simulation platform with six modules (laboratory safety, instrument introduction, experimental principle, 3D simulation, virtual assessment, and after-school thinking). This mode solves the teaching bottlenecks of high-risk operation and inaccessible large-scale characterization (in situ XPS and CO₂-BET), standardizes experimental operations, and deepens students’ understanding of photocatalytic mechanisms. This study not only provides a high-efficiency photocatalyst for CO₂ reduction but also offers a replicable virtual–real integration paradigm for inorganic chemistry experimental teaching reform. Full article

This study explores how concepts related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are represented in upper-primary school textbooks, with a focus on identifying patterns of inclusion, emphasis, and conceptual balance. Using a qualitative content evaluation approach, this study examines textbooks across Grades 4–6 to assess how sustainability is framed through environmental, social, and economic lenses. The analysis reveals that sustainability is predominantly presented through environmental themes such as natural resource conservation and ecological awareness, while social dimensions—particularly those related to inclusion, equity, and participation—are only partially addressed. Economic aspects, including financial literacy, responsible consumption, and entrepreneurship, appear marginal or implicit. The findings suggest that although sustainability is present in the curriculum, it is not consistently articulated as an integrated, multidimensional framework. Instead, it is conveyed as a set of fragmented themes, with stronger emphasis on environmental knowledge than on social responsibility or economic preparedness. This imbalance may shape students’ early understanding of sustainability in a limited way, emphasizing care for nature while underrepresenting its broader societal and economic implications. This study highlights the need for a more coherent and balanced integration of SDG concepts in primary education to support holistic sustainability literacy from an early stage. Full article

This qualitative review of the literature explores current conversations about the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on teacher education in general and pre-service teachers in particular. Recent advances in AI are beginning to influence teacher education, where curricula, practicum, and school field experience now incorporate AI in curriculum-based instruction and as a context for teaching digital literacy, not as an isolated tool. Researchers regularly situate these shifts alongside broader educational practices and policy. There is also substantial literature dealing with pressing ethical and practical questions such as data privacy and algorithmic bias, equitable access to technology, and the challenges experienced by under-resourced schools. Together, these studies indicate that teachers are redefining and reconfiguring both their own teaching and teacher education, enabled by AI in new, more flexible and responsive ways. Within this shifting paradigm, pre-service and in-service teachers are not conceived as mere end-users but as reflective practitioners who take up such tools, critically question their ramifications, and, sometimes, lead the way in utilizing AI in educational practice, including mainly pedagogical practices. To explain the shared components identified in the present review, this paper offers a post hoc conceptual synthesis of eight recurring dimensions of sustainable AI integration in teacher education. Full article

The commitment of Australian Universities in providing sustainability education and contributing to scholarly outputs in sustainability represents their critical efforts in supporting the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Using data collected on sustainability-focused unit offerings and bibliometric analysis on 3119 scholarly outputs extracted from Scopus, this study investigates the extent of engagement and contribution of business schools across Australia in cultivating a culture of sustainability among graduates. The results indicate that 63.15 percent of business schools offer sustainability units in either undergraduate or postgraduate business programs, or in both. Empirical findings highlight that AACSB accreditation status, QS World University Rankings, and size of the business school significantly influenced sustainability-focused unit offerings. Additionally, a clear upward trajectory in scholarly outputs during the study period was observed. The bibliometric analysis reveals that academics coauthored with peers from 109 countries. Among the key themes identified are: “sustainability”, “sustainable development”, “ecotourism”, and “environmental sustainability”. These findings suggest that the social sustainability domain, and the application of the degrowth research paradigm in sustainability research are underexplored. This study is significant as it provides useful insights into the extent of commitment of Australian business schools in advancing the SDGs over the past three decades. The findings are useful in informing future course offerings and research directions. Full article

Background and Objectives: Pediatric forearm fractures are among the most common childhood injuries. COVID-19-related societal restrictions, including school closures and suspension of sports activities, altered children’s daily routines and may have influenced injury patterns. This study aimed to evaluate whether periods of stricter COVID-19 restrictions were associated with changes in the incidence of pediatric distal and diaphyseal forearm fractures after accounting for seasonal variation and long-term temporal trends. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational time-series study analyzed pediatric patients aged 0–17 years who underwent forearm radiography between January 2018 and June 2023 at a tertiary pediatric trauma center. Cases with radiologically confirmed distal or diaphyseal forearm fractures or epiphyseal injuries were included. Monthly fracture counts were analyzed using generalized linear models with logarithmic link functions. Exposure variables included a COVID-19 restriction index based on governmental measures and a binary pandemic indicator. Seasonal variation and long-term temporal trends were included as covariates. Results: A total of 5702 forearm radiographs were identified, of which 4041 trauma-related presentations met the inclusion criteria. Among these, 2014 children had confirmed forearm fractures. Boys accounted for 61% of cases, and the median age was 9 years (IQR 5). Most fractures were treated conservatively (88%). The most frequent injury mechanisms included soccer-related injuries (9.6%) and bicycle falls (7.3%). In regression analyses adjusted for seasonal variation and temporal trends, neither the COVID-19 restriction index (IRR 1.01, 95% CI 0.87–1.17; p = 0.95) nor the pandemic period indicator (IRR 0.99, 95% CI 0.37–2.65; p = 0.98) was significantly associated with monthly fracture counts. The wide confidence interval of the pandemic indicator reflects limited statistical precision and suggests that both clinically relevant decreases and increases in fracture incidence cannot be excluded. Conclusions: No sustained long-term changes in the incidence or injury patterns of pediatric forearm fractures were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Temporary fluctuations during early lockdown phases were not independently associated with governmental restrictions after adjustment for seasonal variability and long-term trends. Full article

This study examines the impact of a National Institute of Health (NIH)-funded STEM project on high school students’ STEM self-efficacy and perceptions of future STEM careers across two academic years in Western New York. The intervention engaged students in authentic scientific practices, including environmental sampling, microbial DNA analysis, and presenting research posters at a Capstone event. Pre- and post-surveys were administered to intervention and control groups, measuring STEM self-efficacy and perceived future in STEM. Data from 313 students were analyzed using explanatory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM) with multiple imputation. EFA results supported a one-factor structure, which was confirmed by CFA results showing a good model fit for both constructs. SEM findings indicated that program participation significantly improved STEM self-efficacy, while effects on perceived future in STEM were nonsignificant, though potentially moderated by cohort. No race-based interaction effects emerged, suggesting consistent program benefits. The findings imply that schools should incorporate authentic STEM learning experiences to strengthen students’ confidence and broaden equitable engagement in STEM. Limitations include the bias on self-report measures. Future longitudinal and mixed-methods research is needed to examine how early gains in self-efficacy translate into sustained STEM pathways. Full article

In pre-professional music education, career orientation emerges at the intersection of intensive artistic training and general upper secondary schooling. Although motivation, social support, and well-being in music learning have been examined separately in prior research, fewer studies have integrated these dimensions within a single explanatory framework. The study draws on self-determination theory and positive psychology. It investigates how perceived parental and teacher support, together with psychological resources related to mental health, are associated with music career motivation among students enrolled in upper secondary pre-professional music programmes. Using survey data and multivariate analyses, we examine the relative contribution of contextual and psychological factors to career motivation. The findings indicate that psychological resources are more strongly associated with overall career motivation than external social support. This is particularly evident for self-regulation and perceived competence in goal-directed activity. Social support appears primarily associated with intrinsic motivational dimensions. These results suggest the relevance of the role of internal psychological resources in sustaining career commitment within specialised secondary education contexts. Full article