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.

This study examines the impact of digital tools on fraction comprehension among 5th-grade students with learning difficulties in mathematics. It assesses the effectiveness of three teaching methods: educational software, video tutorials, and their combination. The research involved 252 students from 8 state-funded elementary schools, employing a quantitative experimental design with pre- and post-test assessments. Grounded in Constructivist Learning Theory and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), this research explored how technology can enhance mathematical understanding. Results indicated that the combined method achieved the highest improvement (58%, p < .001, Cohen’s d = 3.03), significantly outperforming educational software alone (33%, p = .015, Cohen’s d = 2.52) and video tutorials alone (7%, p = .987, Cohen’s d = 0.14). These findings highlight the substantial benefits of integrating diverse digital tools to effectively support mathematics learning among students facing additional educational challenges.

In primary and middle schools in China, banzhuren is the teacher responsible for managing and overseeing a specific class of students. The lower job satisfaction of banzhurens has been a longstanding issue. This study employs a quantitative method to investigate the impact of banzhurens' self-efficacy and burnout on their job satisfaction. A total of 624 primary school banzhurens from G City (in Henan province, China) participated in an online survey assessing their perceived job satisfaction, self-efficacy, and burnout. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling analysis. The results revealed that (a) banzhurens' burnout negatively influenced their self-efficacy and job satisfaction; (b) banzhurens' job satisfaction was positively influenced by self-efficacy; (c) banzhurens' self-efficacy could mediate the adverse effects of burnout on job satisfaction. Therefore, we suggest that banzhurens' job satisfaction can be enhanced by increasing their self-efficacy, particularly in terms of communication with leaders, and by reducing their burnout.

This paper explores the potential of Eye Movement Miscue Analysis (EMMA) as a method to evaluate the complexity of picturebooks as reading material for primary school children. While EMMA has been applied to examine reading processes and strategies, this paper reports on the first study using EMMA to examine classroom picturebook complexity and its implications for developing readers. This research found EMMA method revealed specific nuances for understanding children’s reading practices in response to the complexity of the text at hand. Drawing together an internationally established reading teaching resource, the text complexity guide (Pinnell & Fountas, 2007) with miscue analysis reading assessment and eye movement technology, this research sought to gain insights into potential areas of complexity or challenge in picturebooks commonly available in Australian school libraries and classrooms. The method shared here examines text complexity ratings, children’s reading performance, and eye movements, as they read in natural classroom settings. Analysis of children’s reading miscues revealed that readers encountered challenges not anticipated through the use of the text complexity guide. Argued in this paper is that EMMA methodologies could extend understandings about text complexity beyond established frameworks and hence guide future assessments.

Self-report surveys are extensively utilized in educational research to understand students’ perceptions and experiences. However, younger children, particularly those in elementary school, may exhibit a tendency to provide socially desirable responses, potentially compromising the data quality. This study examined the prevalence and impact of socially desirable responses in self-report surveys administered to elementary school students. A total of 1,024 students from grades 4 and 5 in five elementary schools participated in the study. Socially desirable responses were measured using detection items embedded within questionnaires. The findings indicate that (a) more than 20% of elementary school students demonstrated socially desirable responses; (b) female students and those with higher academic achievement were more likely to provide socially desirable responses; (c) socially desirable responses skewed the sample distribution by inflating mean scores and reducing standard deviations; and (d) while internal correlations within scales remained relatively stable, external validity, as reflected in correlations between self-reports and academic performance metrics, was significantly affected after adjusting for socially desirable responses. These results underscore the importance of addressing socially desirable responses when interpreting self-report data from young students. The study concludes with practical recommendations for improving the validity of self-report surveys in educational research.

Teachers’ self-efficacy in classroom management is essential to their professional identity and teaching quality. While contextual factors shape these beliefs, the role of pre-service teachers’ perceptions of teacher education courses in influencing self-efficacy through their classroom management beliefs remains underexplored. This study expands self-efficacy theory by proposing an integrated model in which beliefs serve as both a mediator and a moderator between course perceptions and classroom management self-efficacy, particularly in inclusive classrooms. It builds on previous evidence that pre-service teachers’ beliefs about proactive strategies partially mediate the relationship between their course perceptions and capability beliefs in proactive management practices. This leads to the proposal of a moderated mediation model to explore a more nuanced relationship by investigating whether pre-service teachers’ punishment-oriented classroom management beliefs alter the strength and direction of this partial mediation effect. Data collected online from 480 pre-service teachers enrolled in State University and National Colleges of Education in Sri Lanka, which were used in the previous study, were analyzed using SmartPLS4 structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that punishment-based beliefs negatively moderated the indirect partial effect of pre-service teachers’ perceptions of classroom management training on their self-efficacy for inclusive classroom management, mediated by preventative beliefs. This positive indirect effect was significant only when reactive punishment-based beliefs were at low to moderate levels. These findings suggest that an overreliance on reactive strategies diminishes the beneficial influence of teacher education on self-efficacy in implementing preventive measures for inclusive classroom management. The results emphasize the importance of fostering proactive beliefs through targeted training within initial teacher education programs, supported by dedicated engagement from teacher educators and policymakers.  

These days, many schools are reviewing their curricula, and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education is one area where these changes are being applied. Because STEAM education integrates five subjects, it requires an approach in which teachers from these subjects work collaboratively. However, applying traditional assessment methods in STEAM education is challenging, as it requires teachers to jointly decide on appropriate assessment strategies. At present, no clear framework exists to support this process. This study examined the potential of the ordinal priority approach (OPA), a recently introduced method for multi-criteria decision-making, to facilitate teachers’ collaborative selection of assessment methods for STEAM education. It further explored the extent to which subject differences affect collaboration by comparing the decision-making of two groups: a homogeneous group (teachers of the same subject) and a heterogeneous group (teachers of different subjects). Pre- and post-questionnaires were administered to both groups to determine how the OPA can assist teachers in jointly developing a STEAM assessment method. Analyses of the responses identified differences in each group’s consensus-building process. The study revealed three key contributions of OPA to teacher collaboration in STEAM education: 1) it ensures that teachers from diverse subjects have their opinions considered; 2) its transparent decision-making process helps mitigate distrust during discussions; and 3) it promotes fair decision-making, unaffected by social power differences within the group. Based on these findings, OPA appears effective in converging diverse expert opinions through a clear decision-making process.

Family routines and practices are recognized as critical determinants of child development. Despite extensive research on the socio-emotional benefits of family routines for school readiness in various contexts, there remains limited empirical evidence directly linking these routines to academic performance. This is because a lot of existing literature has focused on younger children below 8 years. This study sought to address this gap by examining the role of family routines on academic performance among middle school students in informal settlements. The study involved 351 middle school students and their parents from informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. Family routines were assessed using a structured questionnaire adapted from the Family Routine Inventory (FRI) scale. Academic performance data were obtained from the most recent school examinations of each participating student across five subjects (English, Kiswahili, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies) as percentage scores. Results show that routines related to basic needs provision were the strongest predictors of academic performance, followed by academic monitoring routines. Emotional support routines moderately contributed to academic outcomes, while routines related to family outings and bonding had a limited impact. The study recommends further exploration of context-specific family routines using longitudinal designs to identify long-term impacts.