Recent studies identified that faculty research productivity increased when they felt competent in conducting research. Faculty level of research competency varies due to academic training, context, country, discipline, and experiences; however, what is faculty research competency? The core competencies of faculty research are unclear; thus, the current study systematically reviewed the literature. Researchers used Boolean searches of four popular databases to identify 553 articles for first-level screening. These yielded 46 peer-reviewed journal articles for full-text analysis, six of which focused on faculty populations (40 on non-faculty). Six core components of faculty research proficiency were identified: finding and reviewing literature, planning a study, collecting and analyzing data, writing research, disseminating research findings, and managing research projects. Compared to non-faculty populations, faculty are uniquely more engaged in research project management. Researchers also identified 18 sub-competencies that will help to measure faculty research competency more reliably in the future. Finally, as the identified studies relied on self-reported measurements that may carry self-representation bias, an aspirational implication is to develop a competency-based diagnostic test for measuring faculty research competence.

This study examines the transition challenges faced by students with learning disabilities (LD) from primary to secondary school, focusing on emotional, behavioral, and social aspects. Using a sample of 168 special education teachers, the study employs the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-Hel) to assess emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship difficulties, and prosocial behavior before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Statistical analyses, including t-tests and repeated measures ANOVA, reveal significant increases in emotional and behavioral challenges post-pandemic. Effect sizes (Cohen’s d) indicate moderate to strong impacts in key areas, with emotional symptoms (η² = .06) and hyperactivity/inattention (η² = .05) exhibiting notable changes. The findings highlight the necessity for targeted interventions, such as teacher training on emotional regulation strategies and structured transition programs. Implications for educators and policymakers include the implementation of inclusive practices and specialized transition support structures to mitigate these challenges and enhance the overall well-being of students with LD.

There are studies in the learning management literature examining the measure of system usage, but few explore how users apply the software tools to achieve specific work tasks, which in turn leads to perceived benefits. In the context of distance education, this study focuses on how Learning Management Systems (LMS) are fully used by faculty for their instructional needs. It extends existing research on LMS adoption by investigating how faculty members or instructors use the LMS tools for effective class teaching to achieve educational outcomes. Four usage patterns were identified: communication, content management, assessment, and class management. A model is presented to examine how these usage patterns interplay to achieve the perceived benefits. Data were collected from 544 instructors using LMS, such as Blackboard Learn, etc. Structural equation modeling using LISREL was employed to assess the research model. The results suggest that the usage for communication, content, and assessment activities positively impacts the usage for class management. In turn, the usage for class management influences the net benefits perceived by the instructors, and the usage for content also impacts perceived net benefits directly. These results provide practical guidelines for LMS developers’ design improvements and institutions’ policies, such as training instructors to fully utilize LMS features to achieve the maximum benefits of distance education.

Students are among the most vulnerable populations during periods of crisis, including war, economic collapse, and pandemics. These events extend beyond academic disruption, significantly affecting students' emotional and social well-being. Mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and behavioural changes are commonly reported, particularly among youth living in conflict-affected areas or economically disadvantaged households. This review examines the consequences of crises on school-aged students across both local and global contexts. A structured search strategy was employed to retrieve peer-reviewed articles published between 2005 and 2024 from databases including PubMed, ERIC, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The selected studies were thematically categorized into three primary domains: pandemics, economic hardship, and war-related trauma. The review emphasizes the identification of common psychological outcomes, contributing factors, and resilience strategies implemented at the school and community levels. The findings highlight the urgent need for early interventions, trauma-informed pedagogical approaches, mental health support programs, coping strategies, and emotional regulation skills. By examining the interplay between crisis-induced stress and student support mechanisms, this review seeks to inform educators, policymakers, and practitioners in their efforts to foster resilience and promote academic recovery.

This study delved into Terry Borton’s reflective model and 7E instructional model to produce comprehensive and guided tools that fit as observation and reflective tools for enhancing learners’ engagement and outcomes in Mathematics lessons. The aim was to gather insights that can inform strategies to adapt Borton’s model to produce tools to be used to observe and analyse 7E model-based Mathematics lessons to contribute to improved student outcomes. Literature information was used to explore, analyse, and synthesise the study’s related existing theories and models to provide a deeper understanding of constraints and prompt question descriptors to produce 21st-century tools to observe and reflect on a Mathematics lesson. After comparing different prompt question descriptors from different literature and Borton’s model, concise descriptors were retained for educational purposes to be analysed, considering the 7E model phases, to produce the guided tools. As a result, two products. “Classroom Observation-Guided Tool”, which includes a guided tool table with a last column for the observer to write comments during class. This column is used to identify gaps in student engagement and learning practices across the 7E phases, which may have been misused. The “Post-Lesson Discussion Guided Tool”, to make a positive post-lesson discussion session, enabling teachers to identify areas for improvement in student engagement to achieve better outcomes next time. Other researchers can study the applicability of 21st-century observation and reflection-guided tools to other subjects, exploring their long-term impact on teacher professional development to improve overall student achievement across all school subjects.

Analysis of student grades and demographic data to understand the effects of modality and Covid-19 on academic performance is important for universities to understand the impact these factors may have on course grades. This study analyzes all the 615,964 complete undergraduate student-course records from Kennesaw State University (KSU) spanning from 2015 to 2024 to examine the impact of course modality and the Covid-19 pandemic on academic performance. The population dataset includes student demographics (e.g., sex, age, ethnicity), prior GPA, and course characteristics (e.g., department, modality). Descriptive statistics and trend analyses were employed to evaluate grade outcomes across in-person, online, and hybrid modalities over the 9-year period. Results indicate a temporary increase in mean course grades during the Covid-19 period, followed by a return to the pre-pandemic upward trend. Hybrid courses consistently exhibited the highest mean grades throughout the study period. However, consistent patterns across modalities, demographics, and academic units suggest that these factors have limited influence on grade outcomes. These findings raise questions about the reliability of GPA and course grades as indicators of learning success across different instructional contexts and student populations.