Information and Communication Technology (ICT) brings modern learning approaches, forms and methods to education, and with them new opportunities for learning and teaching. The use of ICT in the classroom motivates students, enables them to participate, provides individualisation and differentiation, interactivity, and encourages creativity and critical thinking. Teachers play a very important role in this, as they are the ones who can provide students with a stimulating learning environment, including through the use of ICT. As Slovene (first language) is the subject with the most teaching hours in public primary schools in the Republic of Slovenia, we conducted an empirical study on the views of general and subject teachers of Slovene (N = 190) on the integration of information and communication technology in teaching. Teachers’ opinions were investigated through quantitative research. We found that teachers frequently use ICT in Slovene lessons, namely for repeating and consolidating learning material and for presenting new learning material, and that ICT is used most often in frontal forms of learning. Teachers mostly use LCD projectors, computers, interactive whiteboards, e-workbooks, audio recordings and videos. We also found that teachers are moderately satisfied with the available ICT equipment and e-materials, and that they feel moderately competent when it comes to using ICT in Slovene lessons. Teachers also used ICT during the COVID-19 epidemic. We also found that there are no statistically significant differences in the use of ICT between teachers teaching Slovene according to their teaching level, age and years of service.

The main thrust of the study was to explore the third-year English student’s sentiments on the application of the artificial intelligence (AI)-integrated paraphrasing tools. Specifically, it aimed to investigate the benefits and drawbacks brought by AI paraphrasing tools towards the writing skills of the students. The investigation utilized a semi-structured interviews with an open-ended questionnaire using an audio-video recorder. The data gathered were interpreted using the Thematic Analysis of Braun and Clarke. The study was carried out at one of the campuses of a state university located at Candijay, Bohol, Philippines. Using the Purposive sampling technique, twelve (12) respondents provided information on the research endeavor. The findings revealed that students had a positive opinion of AI-integrated paraphrase tools: they saw them as helpful resources that significantly improve their academic writing process; it includes plagiarism reduction, efficiency, and timesaving, and aids in rephrasing text. The findings also revealed the risks and issues of using AI-integrated paraphrasing tools, such as Prone to plagiarism, automated suggestions dependency, and loss of original meaning and context. With that, the students showed how they deal with those risks and issues, including as responsible users and thorough editing and reviewing. In accordance with the study, students are encouraged not to rely excessively on AI-integrated paraphrase tools, even though they can improve their writing abilities. This research emphasizes that students play a pivotal role in ensuring the appropriateness of texts generated by AI-integrated paraphrasing tools by mastering the art of proper paraphrasing.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a twelve-week Inquiry-Based Science (IBS) program on enhancing science process skills and scientific knowledge among preschool children in Morocco. Conducted in a quasi-experimental setting, it involved 105 children (M = 60.46 months, SD = 4.32), with 37 in the IBS group and 68 in the control group. The program utilized the 5Es instructional model and the Engineering Design Process (EDP) to engage children in active, hands-on learning experiences. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the IBS group achieved substantial improvements in both science process skills and scientific knowledge relative to the control group, with between-group effect sizes (Cohen’s d) ranging from 1.02 and 2.31. These findings highlight the significant impact of structured inquiry-based approaches in early childhood education. The study underscores the need for integrating such methods into the preschool curriculum to foster scientific understanding and skills from a young age, thereby better preparing Moroccan children for future academic and professional challenges. The results advocate for educational stakeholders to consider adopting inquiry-based learning frameworks to enhance the overall quality of early childhood education in Morocco.

Teachers’ access to technology in this day and age could have a positive effect on the teaching and learning of English first additional language (EFAL). This qualitative interpretive case study explored how limited access to technology resources affects the teaching practices of Intermediate Phase EFAL teachers in rural schools in Limpopo, South Africa. This study, underpinned by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), conducted semi-structured interviews to collect data from ten EFAL teachers who were purposively sampled. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study revealed that three of the ten EFAL teachers sampled integrated technology into their teaching despite challenges such as insufficient projectors, lack of learners’ smartphones and data bundles, and Internet connectivity. However, the other seven sampled participants did not use technology, citing a lack of digital tools and knowledge as a contributing factor. The study concludes that the lack of resources contributed to limited or no use of technology and the motivation to integrate technology into their lessons. Based on these findings, it is recommended that technological resources that can help EFAL teachers with digital teaching be made available so that they can integrate them to assist learners in developing language skills. Furthermore, in-service training and ongoing support should be provided to EFAL teachers to give them knowledge and skill to use available technology resources effectively.

This article investigates the adoption, simplification, and usage recommendations of the Indonesian Index of Learning Style Short Form (ILS-SF). The aim is to refine the initial Indonesian ILS, compare the suitability between engineering/non-engineering and high school/university, and assess their learning styles. The participants were 678 students (413 females), with an average age of 19.4±1.92 years. The methods used in this study were adopting the existing Indonesian version of ILS, simplifying–reducing the number of items, empirical verification (validity and reliability), and Indonesia data assessment. The results show that the original ILS could be simplified without sacrificing the quality of the model. On the contrary, validity and reliability measures have increased. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supports a reduction from 44 to 15 items. It confirms the validity with favorable indices such as CFI (0.972), TLI (0.966), RMSEA (0.021), SRMR (0.049), and GFI (0.999)—Active-Reflective Cronbach's alpha at 0.507, Sensing-Intuitive at 0.590, and Visual-Verbal at 0.553. Indonesian ILS-SF is faster, simpler, more suitable for engineering than non-engineering, and more ideal for undergraduate than high school students. The analysis revealed that sensory (40.2%), active (18%), and visual (10.2%) preferences dominate among Indonesian students. This study highlights assessment tools tailored to diverse educational contexts.

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.

The objective of this study is to analyze secondary school students' conceptual understanding of integer addition and subtraction. To achieve this, a test based on the multidimensional assessment approach Skills, Properties, Uses, and Representations (SPUR) was administered to 34 secondary school students selected through convenience sampling at a secondary school in Puebla, Mexico. The study employs a qualitative research methodology at a descriptive depth level. The analysis of student responses utilized basic descriptive statistics and the qualitative content analysis technique. Significant differences were found in the accuracy levels across the SPUR dimensions: skills (51.8%), properties (41.9%), uses (60.8%), and representations (20.6%). Students with a solid conceptual understanding of integer addition and subtraction demonstrated high accuracy levels in at least three dimensions. The main difficulties identified were the use of the negative sign and challenges in adding two negative integers. The SPUR approach is a viable alternative for multidimensionally analyzing and assessing conceptual understanding of integer addition and subtraction.

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.