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Min Gao,1,2,* Wenhua Sang,1,3,4,* Kun Mi,1,3,4 Jiancong Liu,1,3,4 Yudong Liu,1,3,4 Wenge Zhen,1,3,4 Bang An2 1Department of Affective Disorders II, Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center, Baoding, People’s Republic of China; 2Xianyang Central Hospital, Xianyang Mental Health Center, Xianyang, People’s Republic of China; 3Hebei Key Laboratory of Major Mental and Behavioral Disorders, Baoding, People’s Republic of China; 4The Sixth Clinical Medical College of Hebei University, Baoding, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Wenhua Sang, Department of Affective Disorders II, Hebei Provincial Mental Health Center, Hebei Key Laboratory of Major Mental and Behavioral Disorders, The Sixth Clinical Medical College of Hebei University, Baoding, People’s Republic of China, Email whsang997169@163.com Bang An, Xianyang Central Hospital, Xianyang Mental Health Center, Xianyang, People’s Republic of China, Email xyanbang@163.comObjective: Only about one-third of depressed patients respond to initial antidepressant treatment. Therefore, it is crucial to find effective predictors of antidepressants. The purpose of our study was to learn the relationship between EEG theta power, theta asymmetry, and the efficacy of escitalopram.Methods: The study included 34 patients with depression. Before and after each patient’s course of treatment, EEG data was gathered. Both the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17) were evaluated simultaneously. The natural logarithm of right frontal theta power minus left frontal theta power was used to calculate inter-electrode theta asymmetry (AT).Results: First, our study found no statistically significant difference between intra-electrode theta power and inter-electrode AT before and after treatment (P ≥ 0.05). When we later looked at the data regarding treatment effects, the findings revealed that patients (n = 9) who did not respond to treatment had lower baseline theta power at C4 [6.190 (2.000, 12.990) vs 15.800 (7.255, 22.330), z = − 2.166, P = 0.030]. The two groups had no difference in other electrodes (P ≥ 0.05). The AT of C3/C4 in non-responders (n = 9) was lower [0.012 (0.795) vs 0.733 (0.539), t = − 3.224, P = 0.005]. However, there was no difference in inter-electrode AT between the two groups in F3/F4 and F7/F8 (P ≥ 0.05). We finally show that the theta power at C4 was negatively correlated with HAMD scores before treatment (r = − 0.346, P = 0.045).Conclusion: Our findings determined that increased theta power and positive asymmetry in the right frontal-central area correlate with favourable escitalopram treatment, providing a basis for finding predictive markers for antidepressants.Keywords: depression, EEG, theta power, theta asymmetry, treatment effect

Beilei Lin,1,2 Lihong Xue,1 Baoxia An,1 Zhenxiang Zhang,2 Weihong Zhang2 1Nursing Department, Henan Huaxian People Hospital, Anyang City, Henan Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Nursing and Health School, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Zhenxiang Zhang; Weihong Zhang, Nursing and Health school, Zhengzhou University, No 100 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou City, People’s Republic of China, Email zhangzx6666@zzu.edu.cn; zwhong306@zzu.edu.cnObjective: To describe the Physical Activity and Exercise (PAE) adherence of stroke survivors in rural regions, additionally, to analyze the influential factors through age stratification.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Totally, 596 stroke patients (65.70± 10.76 years) from three rural regions were selected, PAE scale was used for measuring compliance. The influential factors among different age groups were explored separately. This study adheres to the EQUATOR checklist, SROBE.Results: Only 17.8% (106) of participants regularly participated in PAE. Altogether, 42.45% were classified as a young-middle age group, and the rest 57.55% were in the old age group. Positive attitudes and better PAE-relevant knowledge were protective factors for adherence in the young and middle-aged group (OR=0.683; 95% CI 0.173~0.588 and OR=0.939; 95% CI 0.013~0.114), as well as in the old group (OR=0.704; 95% CI 0.193~0.534 and OR=0.929; 95% CI 0.035~0.118); having no home rehabilitation equipment was a strong risk factor for younger patients (OR=16.078; 95% CI 1.235~4.320); however, without hemiplegia can positively affect their adherence (OR=0.891; 95% CI 0.045~0.229). In addition, the presence of a spouse can lead to a better compliance among old patients (OR=0.436; 95% CI − 0.496~-0.165).Conclusion: It is necessary to improve the knowledge of physical activity in rural stroke patients of all ages. It is of great significance to install home rehabilitation equipment to promote exercise for young and middle-aged stroke patients. While for the old stroke patients, we strongly suggest focusing on the role of spouses, which would be more useful in low-income regions.Keywords: stroke, physical activity, exercise, adherence, rural area, influential factors

Competent teachers are attributed to student performance, school effectiveness, and the efficiency of an entire education system. Hence, this study compares the respondents' teaching proficiency across their profiles and correlates to their academic performance. The study utilized 30 pre-service secondary teachers of Eastern Samar State University Salcedo selected by complete enumeration, a descriptive comparative and correlational research design, and a questionnaire. Frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were applied for descriptive analysis; t-test for comparison of respondents' teaching proficiency; and Pearson's correlation coefficient for the relationship between academic performance and teaching proficiency. The study revealed that respondents had a proficient teaching proficiency. Specifically, they were proficient in subject matter knowledge, lesson planning, classroom management, instructional strategies and motivation, communication skills, questioning skills, and professionalism. They have a very good academic performance in both professional education and major field of specialization. Furthermore, the study found no significant difference in the teaching proficiency across the respondents' sex and age. However, a significant relationship was found between academic performance and teaching proficiency. Based on the findings, it is recommended that remedial classes on contents, pedagogies, and principles be provided especially for those respondents with low academic performance, to improve their teaching proficiency.

The focus of this study was to assess the skill requirements for data analytics positions and to understand data analysis employment expectations for new graduates. Furthermore, this work seeks to highlight issues relevant to curriculum management in university degree programs. 786 job postings were analyzed for domain-related, soft skills, as well as degree requirements. Soft skills, often referred to as people skills, comprised the largest part of the results (11 of the top 21 skills). Results revealed the most frequent soft skills were related to communication and teams or teamwork. The most frequent domain skills were related to visualization, data cleaning, data extraction and programming. Implications for curriculum based on results are discussed, and suggestions for future research are provided.

This study was conducted to determine whether the mock board examination performance can predict a candidate's performance in the Licensure Examination for Certified Public Accountants (LECPA). It covered the Bachelor of Science in Accountancy (BSA) graduates from a higher education institution in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines, who took the mock board examination and were first-time LECPA takers from the October 2022 to May 2023 batches. Participants were directly included in the study. A simple linear regression analysis was utilized to determine whether a candidate's performance on the mock board could predict their LECPA performance. The model summary revealed a value of 0.474, which is below 0.5. Therefore, the study concluded that the mock board examination can predict overall LECPA performance. This result implied that higher scores on the mock board examination correlate with a higher probability of passing the LECPA. Based on these findings, the learning institution should regularly improve the mock board examinations. Suggestions include aligning the difficulty level of the mock board with the LECPA and having the assessment conducted by a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examiner other than the mock board lecturer.

Lin Deng,1,* Yingzhi Luo,1,* Binyi An,2 Ming Su,1 Hong Sang,3 Fang Liu3 1Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210002, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210002, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Fang Liu; Hong Sang, Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210002, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-25-80860092, Fax +86-25-84815775, Email liufangndyx@163.com; sanghong@nju.edu.cnBackground: Palmar-plantar atopic dermatitis is a common and debilitating condition with significant diagnostic and management challenges.Case Presentation: The paper presents the successful treatment of dupilumab in five female patients with recalcitrant palmar-plantar atopic dermatitis.Methods: The Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI) and the Foot Eczema Severity Index (FECSI), eosinophils and IgE levels were evaluated before and after the treatment.Results: Five recalcitrant palmar-plantar atopic dermatitis patients had substantial responses to dupilumab and the persistent pruritus was soon alleviated during the therapy. By week 16, all patients’ palmar-plantar eczema has been almost clear, with significant decrease of HECSI and FECSI. The count of eosinophils and IgE levels returned to normal in all patients.Conclusion: Dupilumab significantly improves disease severity and reduces eosinophils and IgE in refractory palmar-plantar AD patients.Keywords: atopic dermatitis, dupilumab, palmar-plantar

Prospective graduate students' noncognitive attributes are commonly evaluated as a part of a holistic review of their admission applications. Yet it is difficult to determine which noncognitive attributes are considered by those who evaluate graduate admissions applications and what approaches they take to measure applicants' noncognitive attributes. It is even less clear to what degree prospective graduate students understand how they are evaluated for graduate admissions and how the evaluation of their noncognitive attributes factor into admissions decisions. Drawing on surveys of graduate enrollment management (GEM) professionals and prospective graduate students in the United States, our study investigated the noncognitive attributes prospective graduate students and GEM professionals deem important to success in graduate school and the application components each group believes demonstrate those attributes. Results suggest that some alignment exists between the perspectives of prospective graduate students and GEM professionals on the noncognitive attributes most important for completing a graduate program of study. We share recommendations for improving the agreement between prospective graduate students and GEM professionals including the need for more explicit and transparent communication about how graduate admissions applications are evaluated, which is of particular importance as admissions processes forgo the consideration of applicants' race.

Effective science instruction in a blended learning approach is synonymous with the strategic use of instructional videos (IVs) to fill the gap in teacher support. This study aims to determine the IVs' effectiveness in improving students' concept retention and overall learning experiences. The experimental group was exposed to instruction integrating IVs via embedded mixed-method design, whereas the control group was exposed to traditional lecture methods. The results showed that students' post-test scores and concept retention improved significantly in the experimental group, where students reported better learning experiences than in the control group. This beneficial effect of a technology-integrated approach can be attributed to various elements of IVs, such as engaging content, motion graphics, video length, the language used, and the speaker's perspective. This study recommends that IVs be used to enhance learning opportunities and results in the teaching and learning process.

This article discusses multimodal practices in the context of teaching and learning and how this idea might inform and facilitate mathematical learning, especially for Latinx students. We discuss qualitative data drawn from a study of an elementary bilingual classroom (age 10 and age 11) in a Midwestern city (USA) that is exceptional because the students successfully do high-level mathematics. We describe one class episode and one student's use of multiple resources to create meaning. Through this we highlight the nature and relevance of multimodal practices for learning mathematics. This case highlights the necessity of creating environments, where students, especially those who have been historically excluded, use resources to make meaning and gain greater access to mathematics.

This action research aimed to study the use the Gamification-Incentive-Feedback (GIF) Model in enhancing the classroom learning experience of Grade 9 students in a private school in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. The research used convenience sampling and used a combination of Likert scale pre-intervention and post-intervention survey questionnaires as well as focus group discussion (FGD) to gather data and responses. The results were analyzed through the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and interview responses from the FGD through thematic analysis. Results reveal a significant difference in students' classroom learning experience in terms of motivation. Further, the participants' responses to the FGD revealed that the GIF Model encourages participation and teamwork; that it promotes competition; that it is motivating, fun, exciting, and interesting; that it encourages learning retention; and that the GIF Model should be implemented face to face; among others. It is concluded that the use of GIF Model is a promising approach for the students in the classroom to create an engaging, motivating, and rewarding experience. Educators are encouraged to adapt the GIF Model in their teaching practice but should make sure that it is properly and fairly organized to avoid student frustration.

The purpose of this systematic review is to synthesize existing empirical research on physically chronically ill college student well-being, focusing specifically on individual- and institution-level factors that could become targets for future intervention and research. This review was conducted to answer the following research question: What malleable student-level and institution-level factors are related to well-being for students with physical chronic illnesses in four-year higher education programs? The electronic databases Academic Search Complete, EBSCO EJS, and ProQuest Central were searched for peer reviewed empirical studies published between 1990 and 2021. A process of citation chaining and a scan of sources from other relevant literature reviews were used to locate additional articles. The results of this review offer three major implications. First, with only 13 studies identified in the literature, there is a critical need for additional research investigating well-being for physically chronically ill college students. Second, the correlational nature of the extant literature does not elucidate the causal directionality of the relationships among the variables of interest. For example, although findings have correlated physical chronic illness and poor mental health outcomes, it remains unknown how causality operates, which can create challenges as institutional leaders determine how to effectively support this group. Third, no studies to date have investigated institutional practices that may result in increased well-being for these students. Future researchers and institutional leaders should support a decrease in negative outcomes along with mechanisms to increase experiences of well-being to advance opportunities for physically chronically ill students to flourish.

Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to explore the simultaneous supervision experiences of counselors-in-training. Simultaneous supervision is when a supervisee receives clinical supervision from multiple supervisors. Sometimes this supervision includes a university supervisor and a site supervisor. Other times this supervision occurs when a student has multiple sites in one semester and receives supervision at each site. Counselors-in-training described their experiences with simultaneous supervision during the course of their education. Four superordinate themes emerged: making sense of multiple perspectives, orchestrating the process, supervisory relationship dynamics, and personal dispositions and characteristics. Results indicated that counselors-in-training experienced compounded benefits and challenges. Implications for supervisors, supervisees, and counselor education programs are provided.

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study explored the role of cognitive and noncognitive constructs, namely volitional competence, grit and metacognitive awareness in the academic achievement among online higher education learners in the Philippines. The first phase of the study involved the administration of the survey to 403 learners. Data from individual interviews and focus-group discussions were used in the second phase to illuminate further the initial quantitative results. The findings show that volitional competence, grit, and metacognitive awareness are significant predictors of academic achievement of online learners based on the generated regression model [F (3,313) = 8.4, p < 0.001, R[superscript 2] = 0.475]. Also, both the quantitative and qualitative data reveal areas for improvement such as learners' lack of confidence to succeed in their academic tasks online and uncontrollable distractions at home for volitional competence, sustaining their interest and focus for grit, and awareness about what constitutes relevant knowledge with respect to certain tasks, assessment of their thinking, and simplification of complex tasks to manageable forms for metacognitive awareness. Implications of these findings necessitate schools to streamline their curricula, revisit learning activities provided to online learners, and form a stronger linkage between parents and teachers to empower online learners and improve their academic achievement.

In light of the devastating effects of COVID-19 on early childhood care and education (ECCE), with this study we aimed at illuminating the self-efficacy and well-being of ECCE teacher educators, from the perspective of 9 participants in 7 higher education institutions (HEIs) across 5 South African provinces. The study, conducted by 2 ECCE teacher educators, was informed by the feminist ethics of care, combined with Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, to understand self-efficacy, and Seligman's PERMA (positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishments) theory of well-being. Semi-structured, online interviews using Microsoft Teams was used to produce the data. The findings reveal aspects that compromised self-efficacy and well-being, as well as aspects that energised them. All the participants reported that their institutions were under-prepared for the pandemic. They recognised that they lacked work-life balance and were at risk of burnout. Despite this, their resilience enabled them to develop a deeper interest and stronger commitment to their work, largely because of the support they had received from their colleagues. From the findings of the study we recognise that strong self-efficacy sustained teacher educators' professional practice despite the pandemic affecting their well-being in a negative way. In the context of building forward better and differently, this study points to the importance of developing responsive well-being programmes for staff in higher education institutions and communities of practice that are responsive to the needs of female teacher educators.

Higher education plays a vital role in developing lifelong core competencies that empower graduates to thrive amidst technological and economic disruptions. This article proposes that higher cognitive skills, emotional intelligence, and digital literacy are key competencies that promote transferable skills applicable across diverse industries and markets. It provides recommendations for how the higher education community can strategically cultivate these timeless yet critical competencies while also leveraging innovations like artificial intelligence (AI). The University of Louisiana System's core competencies initiative demonstrates a framework outlining essential skills for lifelong success. As jobs rapidly evolve with advancing AI, adaptability becomes key, and core competencies ready graduates for new challenges by developing transportable human strengths. By upholding core competencies while innovating, higher education can fulfill its vital purpose of empowering students to define their own success despite disruption.

As an epistemological, axiological, and methodological paradigm, Critical Race Theory (CRT; Crenshaw et al., 2000; Harris, 1993) is a scholarly tool to identify and disrupt inequities, possible via CRT's core tenets towards troubling systemic racism. We argue that political movements in North Carolina (NC) exhibit attempts to delegitimize critical race scholarship and curricula that accurately portray history and contemporary student populations' racialized experiences, a manifestation of the conservative agenda to whitewash the state's history that is predicated on racism and white supremacy. In alignment with radical theorizations and research that examine ideologies at the root of ill-informed hysteria, we present a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of the effects of political power in foreclosing educational possibilities toward building equitable societies through our analysis of data from NC's Fairness and Accountability in the Classroom for Teachers and Students for North Carolinian "FACTS" submissions (Robinson, 2021). FACTS is a reporting tool targeting NC educators who employ critical lenses in their instruction that promotes unfounded antagonism toward CRT. The significance of this research is a localized example of CRT being targeted by conservative politicians toward the intent of delegitimizing critical scholarship and education and thus perpetuating ahistorical ideals rooted in racism and white supremacy.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to elucidate the current challenges to inclusive education (IE) at the university level in Japan, thereby addressing the gap between policy and the provision of inclusion. Method: This qualitative case study of a private university supporting inclusive policies in Japan included content analysis of data collected through semi-structured interviews to ascertain themes. Results: The four identified themes were: inclusion practices as a conceptual challenge, conflicting practice of reasonable accommodations, inclusion management gaps, and barriers to and opportunities for inclusive education. Conclusions: There is a significant disconnect between legal obligation and actual implementation of accommodations. Results demonstrate the difficulties in accommodating students due to rigid procedural requirements for accommodation, such as self-reporting documentation by students. Implications: Contradiction between inclusion policy and practice related to students with disabilities hinders the provision of accommodation services to university students in Japan.

Career counselors practicing in rural communities must understand and address social determinants of mental health (SDOMH). This conceptual article details the relationships between SDOMH domains and employment and provides evidence-based recommendations for integrating SDOMH into practice through a rural community health and well-being framework. Description of the adaptation of the framework for career counselors in rural communities, SDOMH assessment strategies and tools, and workflow adjustments are included. Conclusions suggest next steps for practice and research.

Developmental mathematics courses play a critical role in ensuring that students have the foundational mathematical skills necessary to succeed in higher educational mathematics coursework. With the introduction of the corequisite format in recent educational reforms, there has been a growing trend towards transferring developmental mathematics courses to computerized adaptive learning platforms such as computer aided instruction (CAI) and mastery-based learning for developmental math content. While this trend has led to increased accessibility and flexibility for students, it has also raised concerns about the effectiveness in supporting students' acquisition of essential mathematical knowledge, particularly for the students categorized as needing developmental mathematics. In this article, the authors advocate for the use of computerized platforms alongside alternative teaching methods rather than as a substitute for in-person instruction and interaction.

Based on the assumption that individual learner factors are context-dependent, this exploratory study examined whether differences in two learning environments (Denmark and Spain) have a differential influence on a set of learner factors that have together been previously identified as important in second language (L2) research, specifically, foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA), English competence beliefs (ECB), motivation (ideal L2 self) and attitudes towards English language learning. The study also examined whether the L2 learning environment and learner factors had a differential influence on the proficiency of two groups of adolescent learners, as measured by a more instruction-related test (grammaticality judgment test) and a more out-of-school-exposure-related test (listening comprehension test). The results showed that learning environment had a differential influence on FLCA and that gender had an impact on FLCA and ECB. Furthermore, the study showed a differential impact on the L2 English proficiency of the two learner groups of four different factors (i.e., FLCA, ECB, learners' ideal L2 self, learners' attitudes towards the presence of English in the academic context, and ECB interacting with FLCA). These findings point to a crucial role of the learning environment in L2 learning and provide empirical support for a context-dependent view of the expression of learners' individual characteristics in relation to L2 learning.

Many institutions were forced by the COVID-19 pandemic to change admissions policies as a response to logistical challenges around testing. However, even as logistical challenges have resolved, pandemic-era changes to higher education testing policies which reduced or eliminated testing requirements have remained in place in many schools. Now, research evidence is beginning to emerge which looks at the effects that reductions to testing requirements are having on undergraduate admissions, making it possible to determine whether those policies are meeting their goals. This review examines the empirical evidence that has been gathered to date to identify trends in the effects of these testing policies and to make recommendations for increasing equity in admissions that institutions may wish to consider as they grapple with another change in higher education admissions: the striking down of race-conscious admissions. We find that test-optional admissions do not benefit equity in all cases, but that some contexts show more promise than others.

The personnel preparation of early intervention/early childhood special educator (EI/ECSE) candidates is a pivotal stage in supporting the development of professionals who can effectively work with young children with and at-risk of developmental disabilities, their families, and other service providers. This process encompasses a multifaceted approach to equip candidates with knowledge, skills, and attitudes/dispositions to successfully work within the field. This compilation article includes multiple authors of each section who share strategies, assignments, tools, and experiences to center the Initial Practice-Based Standards for Early Interventionists/Early Childhood Special Educators (Division for Early Childhood [DEC] of the Council for Exceptional Children [CEC], 2020; hereafter referred to as the EI/ECSE Standards) and DEC's Recommended Practices (RPs). These strategies are shared through a "spiraling curriculum" framework, and progress from an awareness level to reflection of candidates' own practice. In addition, this article shares related resources to consider in planning for innovative coursework and practicum/student teaching opportunities. Specific examples of spiraling experiences to deepen learning through opportunities to introduce content aligned to RPs and EI/ECSE Standards are included.

Making connections between macro and micro-level practices help teacher candidates to better understand the interdisciplinary nature of the system in which they work. Therefore, we present a collaborative approach to support an increase in early intervention and early childhood special education teacher candidate knowledge and application of best practices. We use a case study to illustrate example approaches and resources (e.g., coaching and reflective practice) that address both macro and micro-level considerations for leaders as they support cross-disciplinary collaboration and teaching practices. Implications for leaders are included to support their preparation of early intervention and early childhood special education teacher candidates.

The current study explores the TikTok identities of Thai university teachers and how those identities impact their professional identity as teachers. Five English as a Foreign Language (EFL) university teachers in Thailand voluntarily participated in semi-structured individual interviews. Findings obtained using an exploratory-descriptive qualitative research design confirmed existing findings that teachers' identities are multifaceted. However, in the context of a digital teacher's identity, teachers displayed unique identities (e.g., expressive, relational, adaptive, and progressive) that also shaped their identity as teacher-educators. Such identities impact their professional teacher's identity, allowing them to project an authentic teacher-self, become caring and approachable teachers to their students and colleagues, forge genuine connections, and implement pedagogical innovations and practices. The findings also acknowledge the profound influence of TikTok on teachers' identities and professional practices. Furthermore, this study highlights the convergence of technology and social media platforms as influential in constructing a teacher's professional identity and promoting pedagogical advances. The findings offer a significant contribution, shedding light on the potential advantages of using TikTok within the teaching and learning process.

This study aimed to validate a modified Statistics Anxiety Scale for students in the United States taking university courses. Modifications were made by changing the wording of several items to be consistent with American English, and to accommodate students taking statistics courses in various formats. Items were added to investigate anxiety toward the use of statistical packages, and peer mentoring. Data from 352 participants and exploratory factor analyses were used to analyze the original 24-item SAS (SAS-O) and a version of the SAS with six additional items (SAS-M). The three-factor structure for SAS-O was consistent with the original validation study, explaining about 64% of the items' variance. The factor structure for SAS-M contained an additional two factors, that explained a total of 68 % of the items' variance. The factors were internally consistent, correlated with one another, and negatively correlated with Wise's Attitude Toward Statistics scale. Male students generally had lower application anxiety and examination anxiety than female students, and lower asking for help anxiety than non-traditional students.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the issue of low e-learning uptake at Mzumbe University by focusing on the answers and perceptions of students in relation to the e-learning supporting environment, which includes infrastructure, technical support, Internet connectivity, and perceived advantages of using e-learning. Data for this study were gathered using a questionnaire instrument under a quantitative approach. With a total response rate of 80.33%, 241 out of 300 respondents including undergraduate students were considered. The PLS-SEM and CFA were used for data analysis. The results of this study suggest that Mzumbe University students have a negative perception of the use of e-learning. The research also shows that an inadequate availability of Internet connections, low-quality LMS materials and contents, a lack of proper e-learning user training, and slow e-learning system accessibility are all contributing factors to the low uptake of e-learning. These variables were discovered to have a considerable impact on the uptake of e-learning at Mzumbe University, as demonstrated by the model in Figure 2. The results of this study revealed negative perceptions on the use of e-learning at Mzumbe University, which few studies have looked into. It also looked at the causes for Mzumbe University's low uptake of e-learning, and they can be applied to other institutions with comparable characteristics. Such factors consist of unavailable Internet connections, low LMS content quality, inadequate e-learning system training, and slow e-learning system accessibility. Several relevant research studies did not look into these causes of low uptake. This study recommends that significant reformulating of ICT policy to comply with new guidelines or procedures in order to successfully implement e-learning as a cutting-edge technological innovation for services linked to student teaching, learning, and administration is inevitable.

School leaders must make decisions and implement strategies to improve a school climate and student achievement, and it benefits them to understand which areas of school climate have the greatest impact on student achievement. The State of Georgia measures school climate and student achievement with its school accountability measure, the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI). This study employed a quantitative research design using archival data that was publicly available from CCRPI data for a two year span to examine the relationship between school climate and student achievement statewide in the middle grade sector. Findings revealed that all four components of school climate (i.e., Survey Score, Discipline Score, Safe & Substance-Free Learning Environment Score, and Attendance Score) were significantly related to student achievement. Additionally, the Survey Score and Discipline Score were the most significant predictors of student achievement. These findings provide school leaders with essential information to strategically make decisions involving processes and procedures that impact these areas. Future research is needed to determine whether the relationship between school climate and student achievement is similar for elementary, middle, or high schools. In addition, separating the data into rural, suburban, and urban schools and running similar analyses may also help administrators improve school climate and student achievement.

A former United States government senior policy advisor recommended that each university ought to formulate an Africa strategy within its long-term strategic objectives. This study explored the potential for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to further engage with Africa as a sustainability strategy, with an eye toward sustaining their missions and enhancing their global impact. The study utilized AutoHBCUology™, a multi-phase originally constructed mixed methodological design. The findings shed light on the multifaceted landscape of sustainability pathways and leadership commitment to internationalization with Africa among senior-level leaders at HBCUs. The emphasis on institutional leadership, stability, connectivity, and repositioning as pathways to sustainability underscores the multifaceted approach required to ensure the long-term viability of HBCUs in an ever-evolving educational landscape. The specific examination of leadership commitment to internationalization with Africa reveals a strong inclination toward professional high-level engagement, particularly through conferences and discussions with African Ministries of Education and institutions. However, fiscal resource allocation for internationalization with Africa may not be a high priority compared to other considerations. Nevertheless, the commitment to student-related activities, such as encouraging faculty, staff, and students to engage in educational exchanges, signifies a proactive stance toward fostering international experiences with Africa. Despite constraints, targeted Africa engagement may promote HBCU sustainability. Overall, this study aimed to initiate critical dialogue on typically unexplored sustainability dimensions for HBCUs in partnership with African nations.

College opportunities now exist for young adults with intellectual disability. Because of this, it is common for these individuals' parents to express a desire for increased student agency (Miller et al., 2018). Yet, little is known about how parents feel about how to best support agency development for their young adult child. In the current study, authors surveyed 64 parents with a student attending an inclusive postsecondary education program to examine their perceived level of confidence related to supporting their student in developing agency. Further, we looked at parents' responses to their perception of the most important skills related to supporting agency development. Findings showed that parents felt least confident in supporting students' financial independence and felt supporting navigation of intimate relationships to be least important. Implications for practice and directions for future research are presented.

Biology education plays a vital role in nurturing the understanding of learners about the intricacy of life. Various efforts have emerged to strengthen learning biological concepts but there were still studies that showed that learners have low mastery in some aspects. To determine how well students understood various biological topics, including human physiology, Concept inventory tests (CIT) were used. The concept inventory test may be able to spot students' misconceptions and ultimately lead to improved comprehension. The crafted CIT developed with the aid of a table of specifications based on Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive domain was assessed according to its validity and reliability. In validation, content validity and item analysis were considered while reliability test was employed through Cronbach's alpha. Distractor analysis was also performed to determine possible source of misconception per item. The CIT was administered to 120 senior high school STEM students (50.8% from the private schools, 37.5% in regular public schools and 11.7% from public schools with special programs in science). The results displayed high content validity with a mean of 4.83 for content validity and an average Aiken's validity coefficient of 0.98. It also highlighted that the test is moderately difficult with the test difficulty of 0.58, as well as, discriminatory with a discriminating level of 0.46. After item classification, 63 items were retained (39 accepted, 24 for revisions) and Chronbach's alpha ([alpha]=0.74) indicated good internal consistency. The concept inventory test propounds to be a good classroom test science with minor items to be revised.

During the last decades, global interest in learning English as a foreign language has increased, encouraging countries to include it in school education. This trend was followed by the Chilean Ministry of Education, which suggests teaching English based on a communicative approach starting in early childhood education. To foster students' learning, it is imperative to acknowledge that children learn differently than older learners and that English as a foreign language teachers should be able to identify their needs and implement age-appropriate strategies. This article reports the action research findings that explore the contribution of board games, memory, and bingo on pre-kindergarten students' oral expression when participating in English lessons. A group of 19 children aged four from a private school in Concepción, Chile, took part in this study by playing online and board bingo, and memory games. Data were gathered by qualitative methods, such as an observation checklist, a semi-structured interview applied to thein co-teacher, and group interviews carried out with students at the end of the intervention. The group and semi-structured interview data were analyzed through the thematic data analysis technique, along with frequency data analysis used to process the observational checklists. The results show that students increased their English oral production when games were implemented in their lessons.

The COVID-19 virus pandemic has caused all governments to implement distance learning by utilizing information technology, including in academic advising. Studies conducted during the pandemic have shown changes in higher education institutions and students. This study aimed to find out and analyse the level of students' satisfaction with academic advising during the COVID-19 pandemic at public and private universities using five satisfaction indicators, namely tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. The survey was conducted online, involving 1158 students from a total of 6 public and private universities in the city of Banjarmasin, Kalimantan Island, Indonesia. The data findings showed that in relation to the academic advising given during the COVID-19 pandemic, the students' satisfaction levels toward the provision of academic advising at both public and private universities during the COVID-19 pandemic were in the same category, which was "very satisfied". Thus, students' satisfaction levels toward academic advising at the university in Banjarmasin were very high, the demographic characteristics of the students, academic advisors, frequency of academic advising meetings and method of the academic advising meetings explained the significant differences in the students' satisfaction levels toward academic advising during COVID-19.

Background: Research has shown the benefits of play for children's learning and development. Play can also be harnessed for pursuing pre-determined learning goals related to school curricula through "guided" play. Aim: The research inquired into the implementation of a pre-service teacher education course on play as pedagogy to evaluate and refine the course's design principles. Setting: The study was conducted at the University of Johannesburg, involving pre-service teachers within the Bachelor of Education in the foundation phase of schooling. Methods: The research formed part of a broader design-based research study. The data were collected via questionnaires, interviews, analysis of students' work and a research journal. A combination of inductive and deductive data analysis was used. Results: The way in which the course was designed and implemented was successful in helping students develop a basic understanding of guided play, although there were gaps in their understanding of their guiding role; student teachers learnt that creativity could be developed through play. Conclusion: In general, the design principles served the course and its implementation well because students learnt much about guided play. However, a major gap was the insufficient focus on guiding practices. Such practices should receive considerable attention in a preservice teacher education course on guided play. A stronger focus on the interconnectedness of play and creativity in a course on guided play for pre-service teachers will be beneficial. Contribution: The research on teacher preparation for using play-based teaching and learning is limited. This study contributes to addressing this gap.

This research aims to explore the experiences of nonphysical education teachers in implementing physical education in the primary grades as a basis for creating feasible capability-building initiatives. Employing a qualitative-descriptive research design, in-depth interviews were conducted with twenty non-physical education generalist teachers using a guided interview questionnaire validated by experts. Through the triangulation of results, this study uncovers the creativity and resourcefulness exhibited by generalist teachers in lesson preparation. However, several challenges impede their successful implementation of physical education, including the risk of injuries, inadequate equipment, a lack of training or seminars, insufficient teaching strategies, and personal health issues. The findings inform the development of conclusions and recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of generalist teachers in teaching physical education in primary grades.

The study aimed to determine the level of involvement of working parents and the level of seriousness of the problems they encountered in modular distance learning. It sought to test whether there is a significant relationship between the academic achievement of the students and their parents' level of involvement. This study utilized a descriptive-correlational research design with a questionnaire as a data-gathering tool. Results show that working parents are highly engaged in the new learning modality while their children manifested a satisfactory level of academic performance. The relationship between the overall level of parents' involvement and level of academic achievement was found insignificant, but coaching and tutoring, and monitoring students' compliance flagged a significant relationship with academic achievement. A set of programs was proposed to address problems experienced by parents such as poor internet connection, insufficient resources at home, unclear instructions in the self-learning modules, and distraction from gadgets.

Social regulation as a tool is designed to change behavior and ultimately protect the public from some form of harm. In this sense, social work regulation is a tool with the primary goal of public protection. Social work practice regulations vary widely within the United States, and the concept becomes more distorted when examined through an international lens. This manuscript outlines the regulation of social work practice in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Economic Area. Regulation in this context is examined through the framework of governance. Attention is given to the mechanism of regulation that is the regulatory body. The regulation of social work practice in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Economic Area share many similarities and several fundamental differences.

Beginning in the summer of 2019, the College of St. Scholastica endeavored to build a flexible, adaptable EdD program grounded in the guiding principles of CPED. This meant establishing a welcoming and safe program dedicated to cultivating justice-minded change makers. It also meant constructing a curriculum that would accommodate differing student backgrounds, be responsive to fluctuating consumer demands, and function as context-inclusive in an ever-evolving and intersecting space. While this alone was certainly a challenge, we did not anticipate that a global pandemic would present the most significant test of what we had created. To accomplish the aforementioned goals, the program architecture was dependent on the following structural considerations: a broadening of the target participant profile to include students across various social sectors; the use of design thinking as an asset in supporting innovation, creativity and flexibility; the inclusion of credit-bearing "third-place" courses intended to provide open-ended space and place for community building and reflective, intentional action; and an approach to course design that encouraged risk-taking by students with a focus on cultivating mindsets and skills around equity and social justice. None of these attributes on their own provided total protection from seismic societal, cultural or market shifts. Collectively, however, they offered a unique environment for the culturing of a particular type of doctoral experience, unique in its elasticity compared to more traditional, inflexible designs. This essay details the ways in which we attempted to create an inclusive, innovative, flexible structure, as validated (and challenged) by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Open universities have provided quality higher education through open and distance education to serve learners who could not attend traditional in-person universities. While open universities vary in terms of providing their services to learners at a distance, many have shifted to e-learning using cost-effective platforms. A common platform that is essential for online teaching and learning is the learning management system (LMS). While there are common processes observed among open universities in the way they use their LMS, there are also subtle differences caused by each institution's unique and special context. Their contextual challenges often drive them to develop technologies or techniques that may easily be adopted by others. Thus, benchmarking activities are often recommended for mutual improvement. In this regard, a comparative study of open universities in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Pakistan was conducted for decision-makers to understand how they could improve in providing quality education to their learners through Moodle, which is their primary LMS. The Delone and Mclean Model was used to systematically compare system, information, and service quality in e-learning delivered through their LMS. The authors hope that the results and recommendations from this study may help other educational institutions overcome similar challenges in their learning platforms.

Differentiated instruction is a teaching philosophy in which faculty members recognize that no two students are identical and that each student can succeed with appropriate guidance. This study assesses the degree of implementing differentiated instruction by the faculty members of the College of Educational Sciences, The World Islamic Science and Education from their perspective. The researcher utilized a survey research method, employing a questionnaire with three dimensions and 28 items to collect data. The questionnaire's validity and reliability were confirmed, and it was distributed to the study population comprising 41 faculty members. The study found that faculty members the College of Educational sciences implement differentiated instruction at a high degree. Additionally, the study identified statistically significant differences in the perceptions of the study sample regarding the degree of implementing differentiated instruction attributed to the variable of academic rank. In light of the results, the study recommends exchanging experiences among faculty members in the College of Educational Sciences and other colleges within the university by facilitating workshops on differentiated instruction

This study investigates the influence of coping strategies (problem-solving, emotion-focused, purpose-oriented) on academic resilience, considering gender and domicile differences. By analyzing data from 398 Indonesian students using MGA PLS-SEM, the study confirms satisfactory validity and reliability of the measurement models. The results reveal significant relationships between coping strategies and academic resilience. The study contributes to understanding the interplay between coping strategies and academic resilience across diverse groups, informing the development of targeted interventions and support systems for student well-being and success.

In these challenging times, it is essential that principals serve as equity-oriented, antiracist, culturally competent leaders accountable for students' performance, school improvement, and policy requirements. Many studies focus on professional development (PD) for teachers but not school leaders, thus the value of the present analysis is that principal PD is the centerpiece. This literature review/conceptual article examines quality PD that advances principals' learning and effectiveness in the context of their changing roles associated with instructional leadership, equity, and technology. The research question was, What does the literature convey about the main influences on effective principal PD that establish the need for equity and antiracism? Sixty-eight scholarly sources were examined in addition to public documents. The authors developed a conceptual framework named Influences on Principal Development to present various factors influencing student achievement. Six findings emerged: principal PD considerations and importance; changes in principal role and reasons for PD; types and practices of PD benefitting principals; barriers to engaging in principal PD; virtual PD platforms and their value; and leveraging virtual PD to support impact. The contribution is to knowledge of the principalship regarding quality PD and the importance of developing equity-minded leaders who impact teacher effectiveness and student performance.

This study has two main objectives: (1) to analyze how different constituencies (students, teachers, and community partners) in service-learning courses at VU Amsterdam (Netherlands) responded to the COVID-19 crisis during the first outbreak and (2) to investigate the effects of these responses on reciprocal interactions between them. Our results show that the switch to an online environment caused a high burden on teachers. However, their motivation, adaptability, and creativity have been essential to safeguard students' academic outcomes and the benefit to community partners. Also, the responses to the COVID-19 crisis have created opportunities for urgent and relevant community-based activities and for new conceptualizations of community. This article presents the current state of the impact of a crisis situation on experiential pedagogies such as service-learning and provides recommendations on how to safeguard different types of reciprocity in an online environment and better respond to crises in the future.

In response to continued calls for research centering community perspectives in service-learning and community engagement, this mixed-methods article examines the experiences of community fellows who were a part of a university service-learning development program. The purpose of the program was to train faculty and community partners in service-learning pedagogy and implementation practices. We analyzed self-reported data from 25 community partners over eight cohorts of the program. In the article, we find that community fellows grew their knowledge of service-learning terms and practices. At the same time, they identified logistic and equity challenges in service-learning implementation and partnerships. Amid these experiences, community fellows highlighted the formation of a shared community among all fellows as the strongest outcome of the program. The shared community afforded them space to build meaningful relationships, collectively plan, and problem-solve together as they practiced servicelearning.

While computer animations have the potential to assist learners in understanding difficult concepts and eliminating misconceptions, studies supporting this claim are scarce. This study investigated how the 7E instructional model integrated with computer animations affected students' conceptual understanding and misconceptions about food making and plant growth. Experimental groups were taught the 7E learning cycle model [7E LCM], and 7E LCM with computer animation [CA] while the control group was taught the conventional instruction method. A two-tiered conceptual understanding multiple-choice test and semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. ANOVA analysis revealed no significant differences between groups or genders in pre-food making and growth in plant conceptual understanding [pre-FMGPCU] and pre-misconceptions test scores [pre-MC]. There were, however, significant differences in post-FMGPCU and post-MC mean scores, with the 7E LCM with CA showing better results in improving conceptual understanding and minimizing misconceptions. MANOVA revealed no statistically significant difference between male and female students' post-FMGPCU and post-MC results. It was concluded that the 7E LCM with CA enhances students' conceptual understanding and minimizes misconceptions more effectively than other instructional approaches. It is recommended that similar designs be used in biology teaching.

Meeting the needs of students in schools has been challenging for many years. Consequently, some schools have responded with comprehensive, multi-tiered intervention systems (e.g., MTSS) aimed at addressing students' academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs. However, most educators have a rudimentary understanding of these systems and the impact of trauma and traumatic experiences on students' response to interventions. Currently, there is limited research on how building level-administrators integrate trauma-informedness into these tiered systems. This conceptual article outlines the importance of administrators' perception, understanding, and implementation of using a trauma-informed lens in educational decision making, specifically regarding MTSS implementation. This article presents an overview of the literature and an approach to trauma-informed approach that administrators can utilize when making educational decisions, specifically within multi-tiered systems of intervention and student supports.

The introduction of Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT) in November 2022 brought about rapid changes in the workplace and academia. Its usage ranged from student assignments to workplace targets in the engineering field. Although it has brought novel ideas to its application in various fields and task efficiency in the workplace, its perceived application varies among students, teachers, and professionals. This study employed the snowball sampling technique and interviews with eight students, eight faculty members, and eight working professionals from computer science engineering who used ChatGPT regularly. The study adopted a qualitative research design and employed the narrative data analysis technique. Researchers conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews to elicit user experiences from the recruited samples. The findings brought out six main and twelve subordinate themes regarding ChatGPT user experiences: adapt, adopt, embrace, ease, speed, engage, and automate. The inclusion criteria involved ChatGPT users from the computer science engineering domain only. Future research may focus on developing ChatGPT user policies for various fields of their applications.