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Purpose: This study aims to examine the effectiveness of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)-based English textbooks and question papers in developing second-language higher-order thinking skills (HOTS). Design/methodology/approach: Descriptive analysis establishes a causal relationship between learning objectives and second language (L2) writing proficiency. Content analysis is used to compare and analyze tabulated data for textbooks and question papers for the English language by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and CBSE. This method categorizes the materials and their assessments under HOTS and lower-order thinking skills to ascertain the relationship between learning objectives and L2 writing proficiency. Findings: The study highlights teaching material and assessment shortcomings and their alignment with learning outcomes to enhance students' writing skills. It underscores the need for HOTS-focused materials, discussing their impact on writing skills. The study also explores how textbook-question paper mismatch hampers Bloom's taxonomy-based cognitive skills. Practical implications: This research illuminates the efficacy of teaching and learning English as a second language (ESL) writing skills to improve the quality of education, which has real-world implications. The study highlights flaws in the educational system in India and suggests curricular and pedagogical changes. Originality/value: The research examines NCERT and CBSE ESL textbooks and question papers to align teaching and assessment methods. The results aim to improve education through ESL writers' HOTS.

The paper examines how new age pedagogies and neoliberal policies consciously work towards "naturalizing" English language's hegemony in institutions of Higher Education (IHE) in India. An ethnographic study the paper foregrounds the precarious positioning of non-English Indian languages "vis-à-vis" the pervading discourses of internationalization and education as job/skill oriented. Hegemony of English in the present is coupled with a restructuring of language departments as well as fleeting market demands for human capital. The paper also brings into question the role of the Internet and related technologies in reorganizing the linguistic dynamics of HE. Instead of democratizing, the Internet produces new monopolies in knowledge production, controls knowledge traffic from global North to South and further legitimizes the language hegemony. The paper argues that, in the last two decades, the neoliberal rupture has been leading HE institutions to a death of vernaculars within their physical, cultural and academic spaces.

There is an ever-increasing demand for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to engage with the challenges of the changing labour market contexts and trends, such as the Fifth Industrial Revolution and the new normal. However, a major criticism is that higher education institutions do not often prepare graduates for real-life contexts. For that reason, it is not surprising that graduate employability and the competencies required have become the primary concerns of HEIs. Often, we see the phrases "competency" and "employability" presented in the literature as essential requirements for graduates to attain gainful employment streams. Some studies also present them as interrelated concepts. However, we seldom find studies that unravel their intertwined relationships. This article tries to bridge this gap by looking into the role of HEIs in promoting the development of competencies for employability. We used a structured questionnaire to collect the quantitative data from 389 postgraduate students enrolled in a generic stream from an Indian State, Kerala. This paper proposes and tests a structural model of relationships between the perceived competencies of the postgraduates and their perceived career preparedness and, subsequently, perceived employability. This paper also highlights the need to reimagine tertiary education to suit the demands of changing times.

This paper focuses on Seligman's (2011) PERMA components (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment) of well-being. Teachers' reflection data have been analysed deductively to identify components of PERMA as relevant to themselves as well their perceptions of their learners' well-being during and after a longitudinal classroom action research project in India. The original British Council study was not focused on well-being but instead on exploring the feasibility of working with children in partnership in classroom research. Teachers reported positive emotions, high levels of engagement, closer relationships with learners in their classes, and they also felt that their work became more meaningful and purposeful. Researching classrooms in partnership with children has the potential to promote many benefits for both learners and teachers, including increased levels of well-being. The paper argues therefore that working in partnership with learners may be an excellent starting point to promote well-being in any classroom.

This paper narrates the concept of Sustainable Peace Leadership and examines how three prominent Peace Activists from South and Southeast Asia measure up to the concept. The article will consider the works and ideas of Mohandas K. Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi), Lhamo Thondup (The 14th Dalai Lama), and Nguyen Xuan Bao (Thich Nhat Hanh). Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in achieving Indian independence from the British Empire. The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people and has managed a difficult relationship with the Chinese government following the occupation of Tibet. Thich Nhat Hanh was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, peace activist and is known as the 'father of mindfulness'. The paper identified several characteristics of Peace Leaders. These include being a charismatic leader who motivates their followers to achieve their goals in a non-violent and inclusive manner. Peace leaders meditate and spend time developing inner peace which then leads to outer peace. The paper also asserts that peace leaders are capable of recognizing the humanity in their opponents and seek a mutually beneficial solution. The three chosen individuals are all recognised as being charismatic leaders who were prominent peace leaders. All were deeply spiritual and practiced meditation and other inner work on a regular basis. They stressed the humanity in their opponents, based on their religious beliefs and the concepts of non-duality and interdependence.

Purpose: This research paper investigates the theoretical frameworks encompassing a nuanced analysis of the digital divide in the Indian educational context, recognising that it is not merely a matter of technology access but also the ability to effectively use the resource for enhancing learning outcomes. This research provides valuable insights for fostering a more equitable and digitally inclusive learning environment by integrating conceptual insights with empirical evidence. The New Education Policy (NEP), India 2020 firmly emphasises the appropriate integration of technology into the teaching-learning process to develop relevant competencies. The pertinent question is, for India to conquer the second digital divide challenge, is the pace of technology accessibility and skill development sufficient? Design/methodology/approach: The paper is a desk research, using secondary data from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE+), the Indian Government database of schools. A structured dataset has been created for all years, where states are grouped in descending ranking order of availability of infrastructure and teachers trained. A colour key segregates the States into three zones demonstrating their different levels of performance - high (green), moderate (blue) and low (yellow). The purpose is to identify state/s that have moved from one zone to another and, thereafter, analyse the reasons behind the movement. Findings: Almost all states remained in the same digital resource availability zone for the four years studied, except for a limited few. Despite government interventions through higher budget allocation and targeted policies, growth rates of teacher training in computer usage slowed down post-COVID-19. A high positive correlation between Teachers' training in computer usage and the availability of computer and Internet facilities in schools indicates that an increase in digital infrastructure in schools is highly linked to teachers' training in computer usage and would ultimately translate into better use of digital resources to impart equitable education opportunities. Research limitations/implications: Primary data collection through interviews might have added to the critical findings. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further on a case-by-case basis for any state under consideration. Practical implications: Enhancing digital infrastructure in schools and building digital competence in teachers must be understood in the context of the learning organisation and the beneficiaries' attitudes at the meso-level to expand stakeholder motivation towards digital internalisation. This requires continuous engagement with education institutions as professional learning organisations, which will thereby help develop a decentralised context for teacher competency building. Collaboration, continuous monitoring of the outcomes of professional development programs, and sharing best practices are crucial in improving teacher readiness for digital education. Social implications: Access to tangible resources, such as computers, Internet connectivity and educational software, and developing intangible resources, such as teacher digital competencies, will play a pivotal role in shaping students' learning experiences. By studying the discrepancies in digital resource accessibility and teacher technology adoption, this research endeavours to add to the efforts towards enhancing the educational landscape. Originality/value: This paper seeks to address a critical issue in the Indian education system and contribute to the ongoing effort to prevent the widening of the second and third digital divide in schools, and help achieve UN SDG Goals 4 and 10.

This paper presents simple and intuitive strategies for effective online assessment of a freshman engineering course. The proposed strategies for unproctored online exams include creating multiple sets with identical options, using image-format questions, maintaining short duration of exam, and employing a rotational assignment. Unlike a single-set paper where the class average was found to be disproportionately high, the proposed strategies helped in correctly restoring the class average. Feedback and results from 141 students show a significant statistical difference in the scores obtained using the proposed multi-set quiz framework, as opposed to conventional single-set papers. The paper also presents a simple setup of remote proctoring using dual-video and screensharing to replicate in-person classroom exams without the need of commercial proctoring services.

Background: Dealing with uncertainties is inherent in the engineering design process and often poses challenges for young learners. This necessitates providing learners with adequate support to navigate their uncertainties effectively. However, achieving this requires a deeper understanding of the factors influencing learners' uncertainty management processes. Method: In this paper, we analyze learners' framing of uncertain situations in collaborative engineering design tasks. Using the case study method, we explore two framing dimensions--epistemological and positional--to understand their impact on collaborative uncertainty management processes. Specifically, we examine how learners' framing dynamically shifts during uncertainty management activities by analyzing two contrasting cases from a sixth-grade classroom where groups tackled an engineering design problem, employing interaction analysis. Findings: Learners' epistemological and positional framings are intertwined, collectively influencing their own and their team members' uncertainty management actions. Additionally, contextual factors such as mentor intervention, early success, affect induced by prolonged failure, and time constraints can prompt shifts in learners' framing, both in productive and unproductive manners. Contribution: The paper provides nuanced insights into how learners' evolving epistemological orientations and positioning influence uncertainty management, offering practical insights into supporting learners' uncertainty management processes in problem-solving contexts such as engineering design.

Purpose: This research intends to analyse the trend in educational technology (EdTech) over the last 20 years using systematic scientific mapping and bibliometric analysis and how it relates to the Indian context. Considering the anticipated growth in this field over the previous three years post-pandemic, an existing literature analysis is required. This study aims to map the existing intellectual structure in EdTech applications to extend the knowledge base further in this field. This study also intends to research how the Indian education sector compares in terms of the research output for the EdTech sector, considering the increased government focus on online learning as per the education policy in 2020. The study's findings will pave the way for sustainable research that will be extended in the future. Design/methodology/approach: Bibliometric analysis is conducted on the manuscripts extracted from Web of Science databases for the last 20 years (from 2003 to 2023). This study uses a descriptive research approach for bibliometric analysis as, by nature, this is an exploratory investigation, and no physical or existing experiment can be performed on the quantification, characteristic or productivity of EdTech applications. VoS Viewer and R software are extensively considered for a detailed bibliometric analysis. Findings: E-learning, blended learning and distance education emerged as the most frequently used keywords. The results reveal that technology adoption, higher education, technology and modelling are the most researched topics in this field. Research limitations/implications: This research is limited to the last 20 years' database obtained from the Web of Science database and limited to educational, management and operation databases only. Practical implications: The paper intends to analyse the global scenario of EdTech research and ensures that the paper will effectively connect with researchers, educators, policymakers and practitioners from different parts of the world. The results derived from the bibliometric analysis, cluster analysis and identification of key authors, journals and countries can contribute towards the improved contribution in this area. Originality/value: The paper discusses the research in EdTech over the last two decades and effectively tries to bridge the gap in global research. Integrating systematic scientific mapping and bibliometric analysis is an innovative way to assess the growth and impact of EdTech. Considering the post-pandemic scenario and the government's emphasis on online learning, these are consistent with current developments.

Several communities in India have defined the contours of the extent and quality of women's education based on the shifts in the demands of marriage within the community. The following paper traces a similar pattern in the educational trajectories of first-generation women of the Meena community across the rural and urban areas, to access the state government's women's college in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, India. The relevant data has been collected through fieldwork conducted in Sawai Madhopur in the year 2017. The paper explores the complicity of the women's college with the institutions of family and marriage that result in a complete elimination of the classroom as a meaningful space of learning for women. The paper focuses on these and other such costs that Meena women bear for access to education.

Most of the world's refugees live in Global South countries, where they struggle to find quality education and opportunities for decent livelihoods. This paper explores the underexamined yet highly relevant interlinkage between sustainable livelihoods and adult learning among urban refugees residing in three major cities in India. It speaks to the tight intersection of education, livelihoods and aspirations of five refugee communities: Afghan, Rohingya, Somali, Chin and Tibetan. Building on interviews, focus groups and participatory drawing sessions involving 66 refugee and staff respondents, the study highlights the refugees' extremely limited learning opportunities, which result in low skills and being forced to take discriminatory and undignified work in the informal sector. By integrating the capabilities approach with sustainable livelihoods, the paper argues for more diverse educational opportunities and a broader understanding of refugee livelihoods that goes beyond pure economics to encompass consideration of freedom and human dignity.

This paper explores teachers' conceptions of climate change knowledge, contributing to the growing body of work on the geographies of climate change. The paper focuses on the data generated through in-depth semi-structured interviews with a sample of 48 teachers in India to address the research question: What discourses about climate change knowledge are being constructed by teachers in India? We argue that teachers' lesson planning and searches for information are at the forefront of the changing ways in which individuals engage with, find out and construct meaning about climate change. These teachers' beliefs about climate change are very strongly held, even in the face of a perceived lack of expertise or understanding: climate change is described as the 'need of the hour', which this work understands as not only involving material impacts and processes but also important epistemological, collaborative needs through which education might contribute to public reasoning about climate change. Through this analysis we present a 'certainty problematic' as a heuristic device that foregrounds tensions between the inherent uncertainty of knowledge and (against climate denialism) certainty about anthropogenic climate change.

This paper examines the predicament of the Dalit youth in their pursuit of higher education through a qualitative study in a low-income locality of Delhi. In absence of control over material resources historically, education offered promise in liberating socially excluded groups for its instrumental link with modern occupational structure. The policy of universal public education backed up with affirmative action in India has formally aided its access across sections. Even as the participation of the hitherto marginalized groups has been increasing manifold, privatization and marketisation in the education sector under the neo-liberal regime have transformed the educational landscape. Dalit youth is largely segregated into low-quality distance and social sciences education. The paper discusses various constraining and motivating factors embedded within and outside the neighbourhood and educational institutions which shape their educational interests, choices, and decisions. It elaborates on how cumulative socio-cultural, spatial, and historical disadvantages continue to shape the process of educational exclusion, even when these groups live in a metropolitan city amidst educational institutions. However, we also stress that the state policies, informed mentors, shared aspirations, and diversity in socio-cultural interactions hold the potential to alter and widen educational aspirations, access, and outcomes.

Contrary to common assumptions, the vast majority of the world's refugees reside in neighbouring countries in the Global South. This paper explores the complex interaction of global vocational education policies with the local realities of five communities within the under-researched yet highly relevant refugee context of India, across three major cities. It examines whether the stated policy purpose of VET addresses the practical requirements and aspirations of refugees. Drawing on interviews, focus groups, and participatory drawing with 66 respondents from Afghan, Rohingya, Somali, Chin, and Tibetan communities, and staff members from refugee organisations, this paper argues for a move away from the unidimensional goal of economic self-reliance for refugees. By bridging the capabilities approach with intersectionality, the paper calls attention to, and draws policy suggestions for, increment and diversification of VET opportunities to address multiple facets of refugees' lives, and their inclusion in national VET institutions.

This paper aims at identifying and explaining the correlation between the Covid-19 and multi-lingualism through cross-country research, drawing on three datasets: WHO data on the expanse of the pandemic, UNESCO data on endangered languages, and the LDI (Linguistic Diversity Index). Results establishing a direct correlation between the pandemic and multi-lingualism vary across the countries, except the USA, India, and Brazil. The three countries experiencing the highest global pandemic caseload occupy the top positions in the number of endangered languages and are among the top ten linguistically diverse countries. Drawing from the research findings, the paper addresses the criticality of investing in multi-lingualism and calls for a shift of perspective among policymakers driven by neoliberal rationale towards greater recognition and higher funding for multi-lingual education.

As universities shifted to online education with the onset of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, both pedagogy and assessment patterns across disciplines underwent a change, with a shift towards collaborative digital assessments. In this context, using qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection from an assessment conducted for 55 students who worked in groups to create YouTube videos on pre-selected modules, our analysis reveals that this assessment tool had a significant impact on peer learning, motivation and group dynamics. Students were more motivated to learn and share their learning, and they could also successfully engage in recognising and addressing group dynamics, thereby cultivating more than just subject knowledge. This finding aligns with existing scholarship and the paper adds to research about pedagogy and assessment via digital education in the Indian context, which is still upcoming.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 of India reframed the present structure of higher education such as syllabi, examinations, and assessments. Due to the pandemic, many educational and research institutions are building a knowledge and skill-based curriculum and designing new credit-based courses, while encouraging students to attend online courses as a way to meet the recommendations of NEP. Any e-learning platform or online course has four basic components: Videos, Activities, Additional Reading Material, and Discussions, with Additional Reading Material being a more important component. Online courses that are open to everyone (MOOCs) can be adopted irrespective of the students' specialization or area. The instructor provides the reading material to the learners as a fixed, recommended list irrespective of the learner's interest or specialization. Instructors are finding it difficult to cater to the diversity of learners' interests and learning styles. In this paper, I have focused and analyzed the additional reading material and digital reading patterns of learners in various MOOC platforms by conducting online surveys. I concluded that there is a need to use learning eXtension Trajectories (LxT) in the learner-centric MOOC model where an instructor can identify various supportive domains and provide a shortened list of resources comprising various media to the learners.

The review article presents an analysis of the literature on environmental literacy in sustainable development. By utilizing techniques to examine multiple documents published between 2013 and 2023, including citation analysis, co-authorship analysis, subject area analysis, and keyword analysis, this study aims to provide valuable information and insights into the research landscape surrounding environmental literacy and its contribution to promoting sustainable development. A systematic search was conducted to gather several scientific articles, conference papers, and publications from the Scopus database from 2013 to 2023. The findings of this analysis shed light on authors, influential institutions, and active research groups that contributed to the study of environmental literacy and sustainable development. This comprehensive review offers an understanding of the state of research in this field while identifying areas for further exploration and research gaps. The insights gained from this study can be highly beneficial for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to advance knowledge and take action toward promoting literacy's role in sustainable development. This analysis is a foundation for advancing our understanding of literacy's significance while emphasizing its vital role in sustainable development efforts.

Since social media is increasingly pervasive in modern society, this bibliometric study aims to investigate its educational applications. Using the Scopus database, the bibliometric method analyses publications published between 2010 and 2022. The research indicates that student participation and ease of access are the two main benefits of using social media in the classroom. However, it also spreads misinformation and poses privacy and security risks. Articles that discussed how social media could be used in the classroom were found and organised using a bibliometric analysis based on their subject matter, year of publication, and authors. The research shows that between 2001 and 2020, there was a rise in the number of papers discussing the use of social media in the classroom. In addition, the top five countries in terms of annual publication output include the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia/India, and Canada. To further explore the connections between relevant articles, a co-citation network analysis was performed. Therefore, there must be strict rules and policies for using social media in education to address privacy and security concerns and the spread of false information.

The 2017 general comment (GC21) to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) on children in street situations, provides a framework of legal guidance for governments developing policies aimed at protecting street-connected children and sets up the rationale for more awareness raising and public education to counter negative and deficit attitudes towards street-connectedness. Within this framework, the media has a role to play in either challenging conceptualisations of street-connected children as out-of-place within the public and predominantly adult domain described by urban streets, or in reinforcing ideological constructions of citizenship and normalised notions of childhood that result in negative stereotypes of these children. GC21 recommends that interventions targeted at street-connected children should be ethically responsible -- adopting child rights approaches aimed at using accurate data/evidence that upholds the dignity of children, their personal integrity, and their right to life. As such, these approaches should also extend to how organisations engage with and utilise the media to represent street-connected children. Focusing on media representations of street-connected children during the six pandemic-affected months of February to July 2020, this paper provides a review of the content of the sources to provide an insight into the structural barriers that face street-connected children because of how they are positioned in society, during the pandemic and in general, and the extent to which the media reinforces or counters the rescue or removal narratives that can lead to inappropriate intervention responses.

Implicit prejudice can be simply understood as any negative feelings or beliefs people hold towards a particular outgroup without being aware of it. One such form is microaggression, which can be defined as everyday verbal or nonverbal subtle, unconscious putdowns, slights, or negative remarks towards members of an outgroup. One of the most common and harmful forms is gender-based microaggression. Gender microaggression is defined as subtle, unconscious, everyday putdowns, slights, remarks, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, directed at a particular gender, notably women. Despite a plethora of literature and research on gender microaggression, the focus has predominantly been on understanding microaggressions faced by women in various domains, largely neglecting the experiences of men as victims of microaggression. One such overlooked experience is that of Afghan male students studying in universities in Delhi. Each year, thousands of students from Afghanistan travel to Delhi to pursue higher education, often unaware of the prejudices they may encounter due to associations with terms like 'terrorism' or 'terrorist.' Therefore, this paper aims to understand and study the microaggression faced by Afghan male students by employing the Gender Implicit Association Test on a sample of 103 Indian students studying in universities in Delhi, selected using a snowball sampling technique. This study adapts and modifies the Weapon-based Implicit Association Test. The goal is to uncover the implicit biases of Indian students towards Afghan male students by examining the association (reaction time) between images of weapons and harmless objects, in conjunction with adjectives related to Afghan males and Afghan females. In other words, words or images that are congruent in our minds should result in shorter reaction times and fewer errors compared to words and images that are incongruent. The results indicate that Indian students were quicker in associating weapon images with Afghan male adjectives (D = -0.64) compared to Afghan female adjectives (D = 0.89).

This paper examines new forms of study-abroad expertise on social media and their role in mediating Indian student mobility to Germany. Firstly, it explores how mutual-support Facebook and WhatsApp groups—used by prospective international students in India to support each other through the process of applying to German universities—have contributed to the emergence of new forms of education consultancy, offered by Indian students or graduates of German universities, whom I call 'Student Guides'. In addition, it shows how some Indians studying in Germany have started 'Study in Germany' YouTube channels, aimed at aspirant student migrants, and have become important 'study-abroad influencers'. The paper analyses how these new forms of study-abroad expertise offer prospective international students social and cultural capital important for successful student migration, apart from shaping their imaginative geographies of Germany, and embedding them in cultures of mobility. Furthermore, the paper highlights how these new forms of study-abroad expertise intersect with, and critique, a more 'traditional' study-abroad expert: the professional education consultant. The paper draws on a digital ethnography of 'Study in Germany' Facebook and WhatsApp groups and YouTube channels, as well as interviews with the YouTubers, Student Guides, and Indian students in Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the thesis of de-globalisation in relation to international education. Through interrogating accounts of international school leadership during the COVID-19 crisis, the tension between international expectations and localised realities is charted, with four central tenets of internationalism undermined by the pandemic experience. It is argued that the COVID-19 crisis, ostensibly a single global event, resulted in the fractalisation of international education; the conceptualisation of unified internationalism was undermined by the inherently localised material effects of the pandemic. In place of an internationalism that is unified, transcendent, inclusive and connected, international school leaders' accounts of leading through the pandemic focused on their sense that their schools were fractured, rooted, privileged and isolated. It is suggested that this international crisis demonstrates the precarious nature of the respatialising of the global that is intrinsic to international schooling.

Academically gifted students or high potential learners don't feel challenged in regular classrooms. Teachers in schools are also not quipped with pedagogical interventions to meet the advanced learning needs of gifted students. Mentoring is considered an effective method to guide, motivate and optimize learning abilities of gifted students. The present paper discusses the process of developing a mentoring program for 32 gifted students in Science and Math who were selected through a two-tier identification process. Students were selected from three different locations in India and were invited to attend residential mentoring program in University of Delhi, Delhi. Students were administered Wechsler Intelligence Test (WISC) IV, Test of Intelligence and were closely observed during the mentoring session. Statistic analysis of WISC IV composite score and composite observation score indicated high positive correlation between the two scores and 93.75% students scored in top three categories of intelligence as specified in WISC IV score interpretation norm. Detailed qualitative analysis also helped to develop both learning profiles and a specific mentoring program for individual students.

Although in the educational context the virtual exchange practices have become popular since pandemic, there is a need to examine and provide more evidences and lessons learned from this kind of international experiences in order to advance in teaching on line and to train students how to be efficient when working in virtual teams. This paper studies the results of a virtual collaboration among three universities in two different countries (Peru and India). It discusses the methodologies and pedagogies of Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) and global virtual team (GVT) and presents an instrument that was developed to understand student's needs and interests in several aspects (work in international teams, acquisition of intercultural knowledge and skills). A survey was applied to 77 students in Peru and India. The results showed the development of students' communication and collaboration skills as well as cross-cultural understanding and appreciation of other cultures. Despite the challenges that appeared during the project such as time difference, schedule, language barriers and engagement of some team members, students appreciated the opportunity to engage with peers from another country and to learn more about their culture. The COIL methodology, in contrast to GVT method, offers students more holistic and transformative learning experience supported and guided by lecturers. Trained faculty and awareness of COIL pedagogy characteristics and its implications are critical to a student's success.

Purpose: The study aimed to capture student experience during virtual internships by identifying the facilitators and barriers during their experiential learning journey. The students were pursuing their Master's in Business Administration (MBA) program at a business school in India. The authors shed light on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the current education system, specifically experiential learning through virtual internships. Design/methodology/approach: About 38 Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted from July to September 2022 with the students of a business school located in Pune, India. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed to generate new themes for ascertaining the facilitators and barriers to virtual internships. Interpretative Phenomenology Analysis was undertaken to analyze the lived experiences of the respondents. Findings: Students viewed virtual internships positively in terms of mentor support, active learning, flexibility, and an easy onboarding process. Poor work-life balance, lack of peer learning and infrastructure issues were some of the barriers/challenges faced by the students. Practical implications: The study discusses various managerial and administrative implications. The findings help educationists design effective pedagogy by drawing insights from constructivist learning theory, where students' active role during virtual internships must be given primary attention. Corrective measures in the pedagogy can be taken while designing a virtual internship, considering the barriers found in this study. Originality/value: The themes identified in the study are a novel contribution to the growing body of knowledge on virtual experiential learning. The study empirically captures student experience regarding a relatively new phenomenon of virtual internships, which is the uniqueness of this paper.

The intersection of childhood and sexuality is a relatively less researched topic in India. This paper presents teachers' narratives and explores cultural beliefs concerning childhood sexuality. The investigation attempts to understand ways in which the cross-cutting modalities of religion, caste, gender, and sexuality of the teacher and the student shape students' sexual subjectivities. The "Domains of Power" as outlined by Patricia. H. Collins is used to analyse teacher interviews to understand how dominant sexualities are privileged and attain their power within schools. Further, a descriptive analysis is provided for how power relations inform interactions between students and teachers and how such interactions shape teachers' expectations of students' sexual knowledge, experiences, and expressions.

This paper focuses on finding the criteria adopted by users to select free information retrieved from the Web for academic use. A close-ended questionnaire was formulated to record the opinions of the respondents. A survey for various categories of users such as post graduate students, research scholars and faculty members from five universities of Chandigarh, Haryana, and Punjab was administered. The category-wise and discipline-wise analysis depicted that quite a good number of respondents applied various parameters while referring to Web resources, but a reasonable number of users did not apply certain parameters to verify the nature of free information being used for educational purposes. The convenience factor leads them to depend on free Web resources which can be accessed anywhere and saves time. The findings of the study suggest that user education programs should be conducted to create awareness regarding the credibility of the subscribed library resources and their effectiveness in enhancing the quality of teaching, learning, and research.

For over two decades now, the application of Citizen Science to Education has been evolving, and fundamental topics, such as the drivers of motivation to participate in Citizen Science projects, are still under discussion. Some recent developments, though, like the use of Artificial Intelligence to support data collection and validation, seem to point to a clear-cut divergence from the mainstream research path. The objective of this paper is to summarise the development trajectory of research on Citizen Science in Education so far, and then shed light on its future development, to help researchers direct their efforts towards the most promising open questions in this field. We achieved these objectives by using the lens of the Affordance-Actualisation theory and the Main Path Analysis method.

Purpose: The main purpose of the study to identify the importance of computer devices in vocational studies for person with disabilities (PwDs) are as follows: This study aims to observe the role of computer training in vocational training of a PwD. This study plays an important role in the vocational training of a PwD. With the help of ICT curriculum, effective vocational training is possible to help the trainee, the parents, the professional, the employer and the community easily. It builds awareness about career and employment options for individuals with disabilities. Design/methodology/approach: The present investigation is descriptive research. The study has divided in to two phases such as--in the first phase of the study, the researcher has developed the tool for demographic data of PwDs. The tool is described as depth in following: There are two tools, the first tool had 16 different items related to demographic information of PwDs and the second one had 18 different items are related to computer skills and ability. The second questionnaire was a close-ended questionnaire. It was developed based upon the VAPS, BASAL-MR questionnaire developed by NIMH have questions on disability condition, management, policies, training and services available for PwDs. There are some basic areas in the tool are related to personal, academic, communication, vocational and recreational skills. The researcher had sent the questionnaire to the seven expert members related to disability for modifications. The researcher had modified and improved the tool as per expert advice. The role of the researcher in this research was to pose the research question and create conducive atmosphere to discourse, in order to encourage the participants to give the answer correctly. The researcher had prepared findings and a conclusion on the basis of the score obtained by PwDs. For the second phase of research, the researcher conducted interview with PwDs to assist the information related to computer skill training and importance in vocational potential for PwDs Participants: The sample selected for the study was 50 PwDs participants including 36 female and 14 male participants with benchmark disability (above 17 years of age) enrolled in the vocational unit in Uttar Pradesh. Purposive sampling was used for sample selection. Procedure: At the beginning, the investigator met with the concerned authority of the respective institutions for identifying the PwDs. And researcher had also contacted to parents and PwD for the present study. The data were also gathered by interviewing PwDs with help of their parents and PwDs. The investigator interviewed them by the help of self-made tools. On the whole, 50 individuals with disability were interview for present study. Findings: The PwD mostly depends upon their family due to lack of job or livelihood skills. Anyone can obtain a job/business with help of vocational training or job training. In order to live an independent life, with social surroundings, basic vocational skills is desirable. PwDs is able to hold gainful employment or manage their daily financial activities with computer skills easily. ICT skills are very easy and useful to reading and writing, understand decision-making, logical thinking, problem-solving and so on. Research limitations/implications: The future research may guide parents and service providers, belonging from different geographical areas how to train the PwD. The study will indicate researches to guide parents to select appropriate job options for a PwD. Resources related to computer training for PwDs are very limited. In future, the research may conducted in specific disability for better output. Practical implications: This study plays an important role in the vocational training of a PwD. Computer-based training model is easily implementable, cost-effective and accessible all over India. With help of new technology, the vocational training becomes systematic and structured for PwDs. Individual and group guidance is available for large and small groups all over India for PwDs. Computer-based instructions are clear and easy instructions for PwDs, and it avoids the unnecessary confusion of parents regarding the vocational training programmes of their PwDs. Computer-based vocational training is helpful for better employment options for PwD. Social implications: The attitudinal barrier will be reduced with computer training. The study will help in the training of the PwDs in different job roles. Computer training in the vocational curriculum will make the training part easy for trainers and PwDs as per his requirements. There are many organizational barriers to technology adoption are particularly problematic given the growing demands and perceived benefits among students about using technology to learn. Originality/value: This paper adds new and significant information since it focuses on a specific group of persons who are disabled and the significance of using technology in learning. In conclusion, the findings in this study have valuable implications for PwDs, special educators and parents. This study creates effective in increasing positive atmosphere for PwDs in society and increases inclusion at vocational training centres. Therefore, it is important for technology base vocational training and education.

Podcasts are a unique media that have been used in Indigenous and endangered language communities in the form of Indigenous radio podcasts, instructional websites, or tools to aid classroom instruction. A podcast called Rituals of Kanauji speakers was created in Kanauji, a low-resource Indian language variety. Using this case study in Kanauji, I aim to examine the usage of podcasts for outside classroom instruction in low-resource and lesser-studied languages. Thus, this study highlights the uniqueness of podcasting for language revitalization, as podcasts can be created and consumed anytime and anywhere. For low-resource languages, there can be three kinds: podcasts for teaching language, those for cultural expression and general awareness, and those for entertainment purposes. The paper also describes their pros and cons as well as directions for creating a podcast, to help native speakers and linguists in their future documentary projects. Remote data collection of audio recordings was done via WhatsApp for making this podcast. The performance statistics from Kanauji's podcast demonstrate that it has helped promote the language and brought pride and prestige to native speakers. Finally, I conclude that podcasts break the norm and help in language reclamation.

The current educational scenario is changing and inclining more towards digital technologies for teaching-learning. Interactions during the classrooms or virtual sessions are vital for students' learning engagements. Learner-learner interactions and educator-learner interactions during online classes are to be promoted and sustained for a better teaching-learning experience. The use of social media in education is noted in previous research. This paper aims to explore the role of social media in learner-learner interactions and its impact on students' learning engagement. A theoretical model is proposed in the study through a review of existing literature. The model testing is done with data of 344 respondents through a self-designed structured questionnaire. The respondents are selected from an urban city in western India. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling are applied for the hypotheses testing and regression analysis. The results indicate that the learner-learner interactions, as well as the educator-learner interactions, are imperative for student learning engagement in online teaching. Also, learner-learner interactions are positively affected by the students' self-efficacy concerning the technology. The study also noted that the use of social media improves learner-learner interaction and student learning engagement in a technology-mediated learning environment.

The 'See the World -- Winchester' programme was funded by the UK Turing scheme in 2021-2022 and aimed to broaden the horizons of historically marginalised students who may not otherwise have had access to extracurricular opportunities such as international travel. The purpose of this article is twofold. Firstly, the authors reflect on the successes, failures and challenges involved with running internationalisation activities during a time of travel disruption. Secondly, this article presents findings from a small-scale evaluation that sought to measure the impact of short-term mobility with historically marginalised or under-represented students. The paper is useful for institutions looking to run international mobilities with students during a period of travel disruption using the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study. In addition, the findings highlight the experiences and benefits to students participating in short mobilities, which include, a cultural experience, opportunity for personal growth and development, enhanced employability, and ultimately, broader horizons.

The main goals of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) are to achieve primary education for all school children aged 6-14; reduce gender, regional and social spaces, and complete 100% retention of school children. Although, some obstacles and lacunas are pointed out here and there. Therefore, this paper attempted to analyze infrastructure facilities, academic facilities, community participation, and co-curricular activities from the stakeholders in the primary schools of Mahaboobnagar, Nalgonda, and Ranga Reddy under the Jurisdiction of Telangana state. The survey found that 70% of Heads of Institutions agree with SSA plans.

The article examined the effectiveness of using summative evaluation in developing a deep understanding and critical thinking skills among secondary school students. Preparing questions which contain an explanation of concepts in the question paper helps the students to develop a deep understanding and critical thinking skills while answering. The answers of the students were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The researchers identified five themes based on Bloom's theory of cognitive taxonomy to explore the critical thinking skills of the respondents. There were five components: comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Content analysis indicated that the above method limits the confirmation bias. A comparison of answers to three tests in history showed a significant difference (p < 0.01) between the control group (N = 151) and experimental group students (N = 129). Adding positive or negative content in the description of concepts in the essay question influences the response.

Purpose: This paper investigated the possibilities of implementing inclusive education in the tertiary-level language classrooms and suggests new teaching methodologies adhering to the guidelines of multicultural education (MCE) framework. It explored how Indian teachers fostered social inclusivity in ESP (English for Specific Purposes) classrooms and documented the methods used by the language teachers to sustain a socially inclusive environment in the classroom. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative study undertaken with 17 faculty members using online interviews and surveys as tools revealed the challenges faced by the teachers. Findings: The results have implications towards teacher training as there is a clear dearth of teacher strategies to foster an equitable and inclusive learning environment inside the classroom. Social implications: Classrooms are the sources of values and perspectives, and teachers are responsible for providing equal opportunities to students who are otherwise marginalised in society. Originality/value: Inclusive education aims at providing equal opportunities to people despite the differences in terms of race, class, caste, region, religion, gender, sexuality, ethnicity and disabilities. India being a multilingual and multicultural country, inculcating values in students to enable them to reflect beyond these differences becomes important.

This paper studies mathematics learning gaps within Indian children at two points in time. Dividing them into two groups, better performing and the rest, we investigate the causes of the difference in the average learning gap between them at those two points. We explore this question using the threefold Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition at these survey points (collected over a gap of four years). We find that when the children were younger the private schooling effect was the core contributor towards this learning gap. When these children got older, the effect vanished and the gap in average years of schooling, which has magnified during this time between these groups of children, contributes most to this learning gap.

The paper, based on a primary survey, explores the inequalities in access and household investment on the market-based 'supplemental educational services' (SESs) in post-compulsory school education (i.e. secondary level of education) in Haryana, a northern state in India. We find that around 44% of students access SESs in secondary education in Haryana, and it varies considerably across socioeconomic groups such as class, caste and gender. Results from the two-step Heckman selection model suggest that access to and household investment in SESs is significantly determined by household factors and school characteristics. We also find that SESs in Haryana are not homogenous, vary widely in content delivery and private costs. Nearly 56% of the students (mainly from socio-economically underprivileged groups) attend the low-cost and low-quality private tuition centres, while their better-off counterparts attend the more organised medium- and high-cost tuition services, and this widens the already existing inequality in educational opportunities in the state. The study suggests to stringently regulate the flourishing commercial SESs market to minimise growing educational inequality in the state.

In the last few decades, universities in India have witnessed the joining of a record number of students from marginalized communities and oftentimes struggle. This expansion of access has brought about changes within classrooms and college campuses, sometimes giving rise to contention and causing numerous conflicts as well. Centered around my experiences of teaching in a working-class college in Bangalore, a metropolitan city in Southern India, this paper offers reflections on education in challenging circumstances. Further, the essay explores the possibilities of democratic pedagogic practices through the theoretical framework of Maitri.

Purpose: This paper aims to examine whether happiness at workplace (HAW) impacts organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) and whether this impact can be further improved by promoting learning capabilities in organisations, thus investigating the mediating role of organisational learning capabilities (OLC). Design/methodology/approach: This study was conducted on knowledge-intensive workers (employees of EdTech companies) in India. Responses were collected via questionnaire in online mode, and after discarding the incomplete responses, 500 replies were considered for data analysis with PLS-SEM technique. Findings: The outcomes reveal that the HAW has a significant influence on OCB. The outcomes also reveal that this impact is further enhanced with the presence of OLC, thus confirming that OLC operates as a mediator in the link connecting HAW and OCB. Originality/value: This study makes a distinctive contribution by bringing out the significance of workplace learning in the connection between the workplace happiness and citizenship behaviour of employees that will provide impetus to the practitioners to formulate strategies in such a manner that the employees voluntarily perform the actions beyond their designated roles.

Sexual health education among adolescents with intellectual disabilities is an area of concern among parents and educators. Special educators play a vital role in teaching sexual health and safety to their students with disabilities. The present study explores special educators' concerns in teaching sexual health among adolescents with intellectual disabilities. The participants included 35 special educators working with adolescents with intellectual disabilities in India. Summative content analysis of the data collected using a semi-structured interview schedule highlights the neglect of the issues related to sexual health among adolescents with disabilities. Special educators reported the challenges in providing sexual health education. Teachers lacked skills in imparting sexual health education. Developmentally and culturally appropriate sexual health education can help adolescents with a disability learn healthy life skills. The paper emphasizes the need for professional support and training among special educators on sexual health education.

The introduction of computers in Indian schools runs parallel with the development of a digital divide in the country. In addition to the formal ways in which government policies shape access to computers in schools, deeper informal cultures of the state and schools shape opinion about these technologies. In this paper, we examine three levels of these informal cultures: political cultures and their perceptions of technology; bureaucratic cultures, which are distanced from schooling realities; and classroom teaching-learning practices, where digital inequalities add to pre-existing educational inequalities. For examining the interplay of the informal cultures, we scale down from the national level to examine the case of West Bengal, a state in eastern India. The state has been one of the strongholds of Left politics in India. Drawing upon its experiences, we explore the linkage between political ideology and the social embedding of resistance to computers.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the nexus of social support (SS), work-life balance (WLB) and satisfaction with life (SWL) in hybrid work (HW) scenario in learning organizations. Design/methodology/approach: The data were collected via questionnaire method from 531 employees working in learning organizations (IT/ITES sector) in India. The hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression. Findings: The findings of the study showed that HW was positively related to SS dimensions, WLB and SWL. Further, the study established the mediating role of SS between HW and WLB as well as WLB as a mediator between HW-SWL relationships. Research limitations/implications: This study has certain limitations owing to the cross-sectional nature of the data and the specific sector under study. The findings have significant implications for policy making to determine the conditions under which both employees and organizations can benefit from HW. Further, the study has implications for uncertain and volatile environments as had been created by COVID-19 pandemic, where HW arrangements may not be a choice but become necessity. Originality/value: This study contributes to the conservation of resources theory. It identifies the importance of true autonomy and flexibility for employees.

Purpose: The study aims to ratify skills necessary to bridge the gap between the existing models and emerging needs of a technology-enabled workspace; especially in the Indian context. Design/methodology/approach: This paper extends the ongoing debate on a relevant employability framework suitable both for higher education institutes and corporates. To remain resilient to future catastrophes similar to the ongoing pandemic, the relevancy of established employability skills to suit the changing scenario needs to be established. Findings: The partial least squares (PLS) technique has been used to present a framework confirming the importance of digital competencies, business fundamentals and behavioral skills. In-depth discussions with specialists ratified the proposed framework and recommended potential changes in curriculum and pedagogy. Research limitations/implications: This study validates an explicit and comprehensive employability skill framework and useful recommendations in teaching strategies, which may provide a broad skill base for graduates to prepare for the volatile business environment in the long run. Practical implications: The study has been able to put forth significant employability skills as deemed significant by the three stakeholders. This will provide guidance to higher educational institutions (HEIs) to come up with a broad skill-base for the fresh graduates and prepare them for the volatile business environment and encourage life-long learning to remain productive in the long run. Originality/value: The study is unique as it incorporates the perceived importance of the competencies assumed by each stakeholder, namely, employers, faculty and management graduates, which was unfortunately lacking in earlier researches.

Research exploring the influences of cultural experiences, future imaginations and aspirations on the formation of pedagogy among immigrant Early Childhood (EC) educators remains scarce. This collaborative autoethnography (CAE) is about the first author's pedagogical journey. Educated and trained in India as an EC educator, the stories shared in this paper offer insights into how the first author navigated and negotiated her understandings of pedagogies from padhana, a more traditional Indian focused pedagogy to 'Western' play-based pedagogy. Using photo-elicitation techniques from visual images as data and Appadurai's theoretical framework on cultural global flows, the changes and continuities of conceptions of pedagogy influenced by cultural experiences, future imaginations and aspirations are explored. The iterative process supported by CAE helped redefine understandings about pedagogies, teacher identity and EC education.

Purpose: This study aims to gain insights into how students perceive online examination practices and evaluation, as well as identify the key factors that impact their intentions toward online exams. Design/methodology/approach: This empirical study conducted in India utilized an online survey method between May 24 and June 14, 2022. The data were collected from 712 undergraduate and postgraduate students through a Google Docs questionnaire. Descriptive analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), regression and reliability analysis were conducted to analyze the data. Findings: There are many studies related to the adoption of online learning. However, there are limited studies that explore the adoption and acceptance of online examinations and evaluations. This paper intends to fill this gap and tries to highlight important factors influencing online examination usage by the students. Five important factors emerged in the study include "pedagogy, validity, reliability," "practicality," "security," "facilitating condition" and "intention," The study concludes that taking tests online is preferred for several reasons, including the perceived increased dependability of grades and the decreased cost, time and effort associated with taking exams. Research limitations/implications: This research explores students' perceptions of learning management systems (LMS)-based online exams and provides insights for students to better prepare and adapt. It assists policymakers in developing fair assessment policies and improving LMS platforms. The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of e-learning and calls for further research to enhance the effectiveness of online exams. It identifies gaps in existing literature and recommends larger sample sizes, broader representation, longitudinal data collection and conversational methods for future research. Originality/value: This study shows increasing research on e-learning and online examinations, mostly using quantitative methods. The important variables for understanding students' perceptions of online exams are "pedagogy, validity, reliability," "practicality," "security," "facilitating condition" and "intention." Concerns raised include validity, fairness and security. Electronic exams are more suitable for formative evaluation, and validity, reliability, security and adaptability are key pillars for successful online testing.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to apply systems modeling to explore the usability of the online learning platform in the future compared to its usefulness during the pandemic era. Design/methodology/approach: The applied systems research methodology has been used to develop a stock-flow model encompassing enablers and constraints for learning platform usage from the primary data collected through a survey of 163 respondents. Findings: The model simulation observed promising trends over one year for online learning platforms provided the challenges are reduced in seven to eight months. Challenges linked to the Internet and interaction need must be removed for future usage. Research limitations/implications: The results of the survey and model simulation suggest actions for product planning and development of online learning platforms based on customer insights. Product customization and feature enhancement will be required for the continued usability of online learning products. Actions for Internet service providers are to capture the online learner market by removing issues of Internet access bandwidth, and quality of content. Also, there should be sufficient teacher--student interaction in the online learning mode. Originality/value: This is an original study using systems modeling to evaluate factors contributing to students' intention to use online learning conducted at Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Deemed to be University) Dayalbagh Agra, UP, India, 282005.

This paper presents a study which was done to investigate schoolteachers' discourse on morality. The teachers used three dimensions to construct and present their discourse on morality: food, religion and relationship. These teachers were drawn from different types of private and public schools in Delhi, the capital of India. The teachers considered religion as a defining aspect of their lives and associated morality with it in an intricate manner. They taught in schools that did not impart religious education; however, their own religious beliefs formed a strong and reliable reference point for their professional role.

Purpose: The present paper concerns the domestic and international accreditations of business schools to find the commonalities in various accreditation standards. The study also addresses cost involvement and comparisons between various accreditations. Design/methodology/approach: The research examined the requirements, methods and preparations for many national and international accrediting authorities. The accreditation criteria, history and guidelines were collected from secondary data sources. The content analysis was used to draw conclusions about the similarities and differences between the data sources and identify any differences and similarities between various accreditations. Findings: The study found commonalities across accreditation standards and cost analyses, helping institutions achieve suitable accreditations. To unify the administrative procedure at the institutional level and reduce duplicates for schools seeking multiple accreditations, similarities in all accreditation requirements are analysed. The comparison helps organisations determine which accreditation standard best suits their needs and goals. Schools with limited budgets might compare accreditation costs to determine which are worth pursuing. Research limitations/implications: This study is limited to comparing a few accreditation bodies related to management education. In future research, the study may be extended to other areas. The use of the approach developed in this study for evaluating accreditation agencies of different streams, such as engineering, science and medicine, will be the study's future implications. Practical implications: The research indicates that schools can streamline accreditation by identifying commonalities, aligning procedures, comparing standards and conducting cost assessments. These insights aid efficient accreditation and inform accrediting bodies' framework enhancements. Standards facilitate global performance comparisons. Originality/value: This is likely the first study to compare Indian and international accreditations using the accreditation frameworks and cost analyses using comparative analysis. The study recommends strategies for achieving academic benchmarks through continuous improvement activities and success in international competition.

The higher education system of India is one of the largest systems on the globe, where there is a huge young population. The central government aims to increase the higher education gross enrolment ratio, which will improve the living and economic standards of youth. However, enrolment in higher education is lower for many reasons, including the accessibility of institutions in the rural region and the affordability of learning. The institutional capacity cannot be expanded in an accelerated manner with more than three times the existing capacity in a short period of time. As an alternative, the regulation to award degrees and diplomas through online education is formulated with the assurance of recognition on par with regular degrees and diplomas. The regulatory norms, recognition process, human resources, infrastructure requirements, and quality mechanisms of online programs are reviewed in this paper.