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Blind students exclusively use braille materials for teaching math. Teaching tools that assist blind students' motor and hearing nerves are essential for learning. This study was to describe learning mathematics outcomes for blind students after using teaching material for Android devices based on Newman's theory. This research was a case study of blind students. Blind junior high school students from special schools for visual impairment-- extraordinary schools in Bandar Lampung, extraordinary schools in Cimahi, and Madrasah Tsanawiyah with special education in Yogyakarta-- contributed to the study's subjects. The study employed questionnaires and test questions as research instruments for both teachers and students. The results of this study demonstrate that learning mathematics outcame blind students' after using teaching material with Android apps based on Newman's theory, specifically: i) reading errors: students can understand the information in the questions; ii) comprehension errors: students do not write down things that are known and asked; and iii) transformation errors: students write down the mathematical model (formula) used; iv) skill errors: students can do calculations correctly; and v) coding errors: students do not write conclusions. The average score of the blind students' results using braille was higher than that of the Android application.

The objective of this study is to determine the ways in-service teachers in Turkiye make use of open educational resources and their opinions on using them. For this purpose, the explanatory sequential design has been employed. 588 teachers have participated in the quantitative part of the study; and ten have participated in the qualitative part on a voluntary basis. Data collection instruments have been (a) a personal information form developed by the researchers comprised of 16 questions and (b) a semi-structured interview form with 3 questions. The personal information form has been administered online to participants via social media. Whereas the interviews have been conducted using Zoom teleconferencing software. According to the findings, more than half of the teachers are knowledgeable on the matter of open educational resources and information resources consist of social media. It has been determined that female teachers make greater use of open educational resources than males. It has been established that the most significant affordance of open educational resources is the way it saves time and space for teachers, whereas lack of time and knowledge are the primary obstacles against using open educational resources. Additionally, the opinions of teachers show a demand from their employing organizations towards activities for raising awareness towards the matter of open educational resources and it has been shown that they wish to be encouraged on this matter. It has also been expressed that they expect quantitative and qualitative improvement of the resources provided by the Ministry of National Education, as well as support and cooperation on the use of open educational resources.

Growing human capacities in STEM remain the most practicable way to solving present and future challenges. Improved test score, opportunities to learn, resources and facilities have been recommended in the literature to build capacity and improve achievement for effective and qualitative delivery in STEM classrooms. We focus on the two primary stakeholders in teaching and learning in the university who are students and lecturers. This manuscript explores the causes of underachievement among undergraduates in STEM fields by employing a mixed methods for data collection and analysis among 150 undergraduates and 45 lecturers from six public universities using purposive and quota sampling. Three main research questions were raised on student, lecturer and institution base factors along with perceived hindrances to STEM learning and teaching. Three instruments; Students Factors for Underachievement (SFUA), Lecturers Factor for Underachievement (LFUA) and Lecturers Perceived Factors for Underachievement (LPFU) were employed for data collection through survey and interview. Among other findings, poor prior knowledge among learners, non-utilisation of instructional resources, inaccessibility to library and laboratory and it resources were principal hindrances of undergraduates, lecturers and institution-base factors. The study concluded that efforts and better commitment is required from stakeholders to alleviate the present inadequacies and recommend interventions to remediate areas of need.

South African teachers experience challenges with the implementation of the national school curriculum -- the "Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement" (CAPS). In this regard, teachers may not feel empowered to effectively deal with the demands of the current educational policy. Concerns have been expressed about learners' poor performance in schools and the school infrastructure coupled with educational capacity emerged to be a possible contributing factor. In the study reported on here we focused on the challenges experienced by South African life sciences teachers in the implementation of CAPS caused by limited resources. The context of the study was secondary schools in 1 sub-district in the Northwest province that offered life sciences (LS) in Grades 10 to 12. A qualitative research approach was followed and 10 teachers from rural public schools who taught LS in Grades 10 to 12 during the period of this study were purposefully selected. For data generation, we used audio recordings from individual and focus-group interviews. The findings indicate that teachers' needs in terms of resources to effectively implement CAPS are often not catered for. It is recommended that adequate teaching and learning resources for effective implementation of CAPS should be provided. The Department of Education's prioritisation of teachers' needs will engender effective curriculum implementation.

School heads or principals have various roles in developing school quality, which can often be stressful. In this study we investigated principals' perceptions of quality schools, the practices performed to improve quality, and the stress and support factors involved. We adopted a qualitative inductive content analysis approach to analyse the transcribed data collected from 14 principals of senior high schools in the Volta region of Ghana. The findings show that principals perceive quality schools as having high academic performance, quality teachers, and adequate resources coordinated in a well-organised system. Furthermore, the results reveal practices that principals perform to improve school quality, such as promoting staff professional development, supporting students' intellectual and skills development, supervising teachers, and providing resources. On the other hand, supervision, non-cooperation of some teachers, inadequate resources, and administrative bureaucracy were revealed as causes of stress in improving school quality. Facing these challenges, the principals relied on their academic qualifications and experiences when engaging in practices to improve school quality. We recommend further research on the possibility of principals using technology to monitor the presence of teachers in classrooms from their offices.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has recently been gaining ground, particularly since November 2022, with the introduction of generative tools based on natural language processing and neural network algorithms. These kinds of tools have great potential for creators and users of Open Educational Resources (OER) and the Open Movement itself but they also represent risks. The International Council for Open and Distance Education OER Advocacy Committee (OERAC) developed two workshops to present the role of AI in OER at two international conferences in the fall of 2023. The workshops presented the features, benefits, key challenges, and practical issues related to using AI technologies from professional, ethical, sustainable, and equitable perspectives, while also focusing on the five areas of the UNESCO OER Recommendation. Participants were dynamically engaged in discussions, and documented their ideas in formats that could be used as OER in themselves. The OERAC noted and categorized the results, and developed short summaries and drafts for further work. Finally, drawing on the findings from the workshops, we asked ChatPDF for a second opinion on further suggestions for AI in connection with OER, which in turn related to the five areas of the recommendation. We conclude that, while there is great potential for the use of AI in the context of the Open Movement, there is also a need for professional ethics, equity, and sustainable capacity building, access, inclusion, policy, models, and international collaboration.

Recent advancements in generative artificial intelligence (GAI) have sparked debates and research on its transformative potential in education. This study explored how a specific group of educators partner with GAI tools, particularly ChatGPT, to complement and enhance their teaching. Within an interpretative paradigm, the study used an exploratory case study design to investigate how 13 educators enrolled as students in a structured master's programme at an open distance learning university in South Africa use GAI tools in their teaching. Their posts on a discussion forum were used to collect data. Findings reveal that they actively employ GAI to streamline their teaching practices, specifically to personalized tutors, simplifying English texts and translations, assessments, lesson planning, and critical thinking tasks. The study also highlights the need to understand the limitations and boundaries of GAI, including concerns about accuracy, biases and reliability. Importantly, the absence of institutional guidelines on GAI raises questions about the necessity for clear guidelines and policies to ensure responsible and ethical integration in educational contexts. The paper concludes by emphasizing the transformative potential of GAI and the fact that it will increasingly act as a partner in teaching and influence modern teaching practices. Ultimately, GAI's foothold in education is undeniable, challenging educators and policymakers to navigate its implications while maximizing its potential to support effective teaching.

In our Open Educational Resources (OER) advocacy work, we have encountered various challenges considering formulating a vision and policy on Open Education and implementing these visions and policies. Among these issues are a lack of proper definitions and terminology and lack of support for formulating and implementing a vision and policies for Open Education. To tackle these issues, two frameworks are proposed. One framework addresses the categorisation and definition of learning materials (including OER) within an educational ecosystem, emphasising the importance of distinguishing various types of resources. The other framework is meant to support defining a vision on Open Education in a specific context, bridging instrumental characteristics with value-driven goals. Several use cases are described to illustrate practical use of these frameworks. Both frameworks should provide clarity and practical guidance for stakeholders, from governments to individual educators, navigating the complexities of OER adoption and Open Education.

This article presents findings from a research project that aimed to replace physical books with an adaptive learning platform, Area9 Rhapsode™, for nursing students' class preparation. As the project expanded, it became evident that students employed diverse preparation practices, prompting an investigation into their preparation habits. This is done through the following research questions: (1) how do students feel about class preparation? (2) what learning resources do students choose? (3) when and where do they prepare for class? This is conducted through a mixed methods design that draws on empirical data from interviews, mobile ethnography, surveys, and log data. The results highlight the wide range of resources students utilise, including digital and analogue tools, the various temporal patterns of preparation, and students' spectrum of feelings in their preparation. The findings suggest the importance of understanding individual students' preparation habits to facilitate targeted teaching approaches that cater to diverse learning needs. The article contributes to the existing literature on study habits and strategies, emphasising the need for educators to recognise and adapt to students' unique preparation behaviours in order to enhance their academic success.

Students attracted to quantitative disciplines of study can be reluctant to devote much attention to the critical task of communicating, and previous research (Hostager, 2018) has identified statistically significant differences in learning approaches by major among undergraduate business students. This paper presents results of learning assurance for writing skills (direct measures) even when the course content relates to the highly quantitative topics of data analytics and finance. The approach combines various pedagogical methods in an undergraduate, writing-intensive setting: traditional testing in an iterative framework, "flipped classroom" intensive work using spreadsheet software, repeated submission of brief papers incorporating analytical finance work, and student research presentations (including at an undergraduate research conference). We present quantitative and qualitative data demonstrating assurance of learning for evaluation purposes, including the recently announced (2020) competency-based Assurance of Learning standards from the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). To assess the robustness of our findings, we also report results using alternate learning resources (old and new) and delivery methods (in-person, hybrid, fully online), taking advantage of the pandemic natural experiment. We found that learning progress was assured in each context for hybrid and fully online delivery; however, learning was not as monotonic as for fully in-person implementation.

Open Distance e-Learning (ODeL) is on the rise to cater to non-traditional students. However, the surge in master's and doctoral students opting for ODeL raises concerns about the quality and timely completion of degrees. Existing literature on student attrition in higher education indicates that both student-related factors and institutional variables significantly impact completion rates. Factors such as students' sense of connection or isolation, as well as institutional aspects like supervisor responsiveness to feedback and feedforward, contribute to student persistence. To address this early attrition and extended stays in postgraduate studies, a community of practice (CoP), comprising lecturers and master's and doctoral students was formed. The CoP employed the Social Learning Theory (SLT) approach to initiate collaborative partnerships designed to promote a research culture and explore alternative approaches to curb master's and doctoral late completion and attrition. This paper reports on a study undertaken to explore the experiences, perceptions and insights of master's and doctoral candidates regarding the implementation of innovative multimodal Open Distance e-Learning supervision practices. Grounded in SLT, the exploratory case study employed an open-ended questionnaire to gather data from the students participating in the support programme. The findings revealed the positive impact of innovative practices on candidates' academic development and overall research experience. The findings further demonstrated that virtual communication tools have significantly enhanced collaboration between candidates and supervisors, breaking down geographical barriers and facilitating real-time feedback and guidance. The innovative multimodal OdeL supervision practices gave master's and doctoral candidates flexibility and increased their learning engagement.

People's lives tend to the outside world, leading to the waning of cultural preservation values due to the ease with which foreign cultural influences enter and threaten the existence of local culture. To avoid the decline of the younger generation's interest in traditional art, it is necessary to carry out an idea of preservation through education, in this case, social studies subjects at school. This study aims to analyze the relationship between traditional art and social studies as a learning resource. The traditional art discussed in this study is panting music which is traditional arts in South Kalimantan. This is done to get a pattern for preserving traditional arts through social studies subjects. The research method used is qualitative. Data collection is done through observation, interviews, and documentation. Informant this research panting music players, and social studies teachers. The various data obtained are then reduced, presented, and then concluded. The researcher triangulated and extended the observations. The study's results confirmed panting music performance activities could be packaged as social studies learning resources. This is done by integrating class VII textbooks on the theme of cultural and ethnic diversity in the Indonesian traditional musical.

This study aims to assess the physical literacy environment in 30 early childhood classrooms servicing 4- to 6-year-old children. A high-quality literacy environment that includes a variety of materials and resources is an important part of children's emergent literacy, as research shows their use supports oral and written language development (Dynia et al., 2018; Yang et al., 2023). Observations were conducted using the Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation Pre-K (ELLCO Pre-K; Smith et al., 2008) and the Literacy Environment Checklist (Smith et al., 2002), along with qualitative observational data and photographs of the classrooms. Overall, results show a low or basic level of quality of the physical literacy environment. Classrooms lack quality features such as a wide variety of books, writing materials in learning centers, accessible environmental prints, and representations of children's diversity in reading materials. This level of quality is not considered sufficient to adequately support the language development of 4- to 6-year-old children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds (Cunningham, 2010). These findings underline the importance of teachers' professional development to better support emergent literacy through the physical environment of early childhood classrooms.

Summer camps are widespread in many countries and have a long history. Their contribution to children's and young people's leisure and recreation is widely acknowledged, as is their usefulness as an educational resource. That large numbers of children and young people across Europe attend summer camps is well-known; according to Eurofound (2020), most of the twenty-seven countries analyzed record student attendance at camps, and in twelve countries (including Spain) over 50% of young people take part. However, another study carried out in the member countries of the European Union (Plantenga & Remery, 2017) stated that when the availability, use, and quality of this service was assessed, it was seen that out-of-school services lacked structure and quality. Despite being an especially important and relevant topic in political discourses and international organizations, most countries do not define the service clearly and precisely (OECD, 2011). According to Eurofound (2020), many European states centralize their planning of educational leisure at national level, including the laws and decrees that underpin how these activities are organized. But camps are implemented locally, and municipalities play a significant role in designing and providing this leisure activity, both during the year and during holiday periods. Coinciding with previous publications (Eurofound, 2007), the formula for success was to be found in public-sector support, community involvement, integration between services and spaces, and the inclusion of minorities.

This research study considers third-level student experiences of electronic portfolio (ePortfolio) implementation during their education that occurred during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the purpose of this study was to identify the main challenges students face and document their experiences at an Irish higher education institution (HEI). The main challenges identified by students were a lack of time, lack of technical support, a lack of feedback received, and a dislike of information technology (IT). The key findings will provide insight about how ePortfolios can be better supported and implemented.

Open Educational Resources (OER) and renewable assignments that create OER are closely related and promote access to knowledge, collaboration, and community engagement. Through both, PhD students can contribute to the advancement of open education while enhancing their own learning and professional development. Despite many advantages, OER and renewable assignments are widely underutilized in U.S. institutions of higher education. To enhance nationwide adoption, PhD programs may be an important context for using and creating OER because many PhD students will become faculty members in the future. This survey research collected data from April to December 2022 to explore the prevalence and perceptions of OER and renewable assignments among the 72 PhD programs in the top 100 ranked social work programs in the United States. Thirty of the 72 programs were represented in the sample. Most of the respondents (68%) reported using OER materials in at least one course, with audiovisual and textbooks the most reported type of OER used. In contrast, a few (6%) of the respondents reported their programs used renewable assignments. Lack of knowledge or awareness was the most commonly cited reason for not adopting OER or renewable assignments. Representatives from programs that had adopted OER had higher perceptions of positive student impact from OER use or creation than those from programs that had not adopted OER (Mann Whitney U = 61.0, p = 0.058). Our findings indicate a reasonably widespread adoption of OER as course materials in social work PhD programs in the United States. There is an opportunity for increased adoption of renewable assignments to both create suitable, high quality OER materials for use in social work PhD programs and to train future social work faculty in the logistics of creating and using OER.

This research aimed to (1) study the current situation and existing problems of undergraduate students 'understanding of intangible cultural heritage, (2) develop a curriculum of intangible cultural heritage based on experiential learning theory, and (3) compare undergraduate students' understanding of intangible cultural heritage before and after teaching. The sample group was 50 students who were selected to attend the Intangible Cultural Heritage curriculum in the spring semester of 2023. The research tools were (1) Lesson plans (2) a Questionnaire on the current situation and existing problems of undergraduate students 'understanding of intangible cultural heritage, (3) an Interview form on the current situation and existing problems regarding students' understanding of intangible cultural heritage, (4) understanding intangible cultural heritage test, (5) Observation of Students' Behavior form, and (6) Interview form on opinions about teaching. This study was conducted in three steps: (1.) The study on the current situation and existing problems of undergraduate students 'understanding of intangible cultural heritage, (2.) The development of a curriculum of intangible cultural heritage based on experiential learning theory, and (3.) The experimental and improvement of curriculum. The results of the study showed that: 1) The current situation and existing problems of the intangible cultural heritage of college students have three aspects: students, teachers, and the school environment. The most important current situation and existing problems of undergraduate students 'understanding of intangible cultural heritage was the school environment aspects. 2) The Curriculum of intangible cultural heritage based on experiential learning theory includes 6 elements: Principle, Goal Contents, Learning process, Learning resource, and Evaluation. The learning process consisted of 4 steps: (1) Concrete Experience, (2) Reflective Observation, (3) Abstract Conceptualization, (4) Active Experimentation 3) The curriculum based on experiential learning theory can improve undergraduate students' understanding of intangible cultural heritage.

Education on sustainability is a crucial goal that requires a transformative shift in teacher education to drive meaningful changes oriented to action. A cross-sectional study with an exploratory design investigated preservice science teachers' perceptions regarding teaching sustainable citizenship, specifically focusing on the climate crisis and earthquakes-tsunamis. The study was conducted in two Chilean universities with similar teacher preparation programs. The team designed a podcast series, which was used and evaluated by the 13 participants through action research. Three group discussions explored their perceptions of the resources, as well as the aims and challenges of teaching sustainable citizenship and the podcasts. We used Grounded Theory steps, including triangulation by the researchers to ensure reliability, to qualitatively analyse the data. The results reveal a constraint on teaching in areas where the participants lacked the necessary preparation and background knowledge as students and preservice teachers. The main challenges were related to interdisciplinarity, the social dimension of socio-scientific issues and context-responsive teaching methods. The perceived aims were the development of students' critical thinking, informed positioning, and encouraging active citizen participation. Preservice teachers found the podcast series to be a valuable new epistemic and pedagogical resource that can support their efforts to teach sustainable citizenship and implement pedagogical strategies. The autonomous usage of the device triggered reflection processes, particularly regarding the human rights perspective, which unveiled the socio-political dimensions inherent in science education. It promoted personal re-positioning as active citizens and educators and empowered them to seek out and pursue the changes needed to reshape future classrooms. We discuss these findings in the context of teacher preparation and the use of educational technology in teacher education.

This study discusses the change and challenges of ICT use in secondary schools in Bole Sub City, Addis Ababa. The use of ICT in today's teaching and learning process is essential. Six secondary schools, eighty-seven teachers, six principals, and six department heads served as respondents for the investigation of the study, and information was obtained through questionnaires and interviews. The opinions and stands of department heads, principals, and instructors about the application and difficulties of ICT education in the teaching and learning process were ascertained using the descriptive survey method. The respondents' perceptions and attitudes were examined using the mean score and standard deviation to examine quantitative data. The results demonstrate that, even in cases where ICT is used in schools, significant obstacles exist to overcome. These obstacles include a lack of resources, poor Internet access, power outages, a shortage of time or restricted time for ICT use, a lack of technical support, a lack of funding from the government, and a lack of training.

Background: The recent migration of early childhood care and education function brought with it many changes that affect the workplace well-being of practitioners and centre managers, yet little research has reported on the voices and experiences of those working on the ground. Aim: To find out the current state of well-being of practitioners working in resource-constrained contexts to help us theorise how might they take action to improve it. Setting: Early childhood care and education centres in rural and township areas in six different provinces. Methods: The first author conducted 10 semi-structured focus group interviews with 80 practitioners recruited by collaborating researchers at various universities. All ethical protocols were adhered to. The focus groups were audio-taped, transcribed and thematically analysed independently by the two authors before reaching consensus. Results: Two themes were identified: (1) participants experienced negative emotions arising from both internal and systemic aspects that were affecting their well-being. (2) Several factors promoted the well-being of practitioners despite their difficult circumstances. Conclusion: Based on the findings, it appears that close collaboration among practitioners within centres and, with other external stakeholders, was an important factor for enhanced well-being. Drawing from action learning theory, we suggest how practitioners can collaborate to sustain their well-being while addressing the challenges they face. Contribution: This collaborative action learning approach can be applied not only by ECCE centres, but to any organisation wishing to improve the well-being and practice of their members.

Purpose: We describe a series of more than a dozen studies on self-directed online learning spanning over a decade. Design/Approach/Methods: We incorporated surveys, interviews, focus groups, and content analyses into these research studies, which initially targeted the goals, motivations, and challenges of learners using open educational resources and OpenCourseWare and then focused on learning from massive open online courses (MOOCs). This research accelerated after creating a database of over 3,000 MOOC instructors, through which we explored cultural sensitivity and personalization practices in MOOCs as well as instructional design considerations and challenges, MOOC instructor professional development and career development, instructor motivation and engagement, and student and instructor perceptions of self-directed learning. Findings: This study reveals that self-directed online learners (SDOLs) seek learning environments offering freedom, choice, control, and a sense of autonomy and that both learners and instructors have intrinsic motivation for engaging in open online learning environments. Originality/Value: Based on this research with both MOOC instructors and MOOC learners, we offer instructional design guidelines to address SDOLs' needs and assist in efforts to foster a new generation of SDOLs.

Background: Early childhood development (ECD) practitioners are encouraged to implement play pedagogies and their views of play as a pedagogy in rural settings have not been captured widely. They are the main role players in implementing play pedagogies for learners' learning and development. The commitment to play can be traced through theory and ideology in early childhood programmes internationally and in South Africa. Aim: This study explored the views and beliefs of the practitioners about the use of play pedagogy in rural ECD centres. Setting: Six practitioners from three rural primary schools in Limpopo, South Africa, participated in the study. Methods: Semi-structured interviews, document analysis and nonparticipant observation were used to collect data. Results: The participants found integrating play pedagogies when planning their lessons and assessing children's progress challenging. The results showed that ECD practitioners in rural centres lack the skills and material resources to implement play pedagogies. Conclusion: The study suggests that ECD practitioners in rural areas need professional development opportunities in the implementation of play activities as a teaching pedagogy. Contribution: These findings can be used to assist ECD practitioners in rural areas in implementing play pedagogies. Educators could use low-cost, locally available materials such as natural resources, recycled materials or everyday objects to create play-based activities that could involve indigenous songs and games relevant to the children's cultural and social context. They could collaborate with parents and community members to develop and implement play-based activities, leveraging the knowledge and skills of the local community.

This study aimed to investigate distance education practices in higher education during the pandemic, focusing on lived experiences, and proposing a policy decision framework for future distance education in similar conditions. Additionally, the study aimed to establish a design framework for an Emergency Action Plan for similar crisis periods. In the study, a case study was used to provide a detailed examination of the current situation's characteristics. The study group consisted of 63 administrators from 34 universities who actively participated in decision-making during the pandemic. Data were collected through 11 online focus group interviews, and the Miles-Huberman Model was used for analysis. The study proposed a policy decision framework for distance education in the post-pandemic period, consisting of 11 headings such as blended learning, open course materials, and Distance Education Center structuring. Additionally, the study presented an emergency action plan framework consisting of six components, including keeping the technological infrastructure working and supporting face-to-face courses with distance education. This study provides valuable insights for universities in preparing for potential crises and improving their distance education practices.

The complexity of the reproductive system necessitates instructional media to facilitate comprehension, as its processes unfold internally and are not readily observable. This study aims to assess the viability of booklet sub-materials on fertilization, gestation, and childbirth, derived from the inventory findings of medicinal plants for postpartum care, as educational resources. The research and development used the Borg & Gall model which included identifying potential problems, data collection, product design, design validation, and product revision. The booklet media underwent validation by five validators using validation sheets, while the evaluation criteria encompassed format, content, and language proficiency. The validation data were analyzed using CVR (Content Validity Ratio) and CVI (Content Validity Index). The results of the booklet media validation obtained a CVR value on each criterion of 1.00 with a valid category and a CVI value of 1.00 with a valid category. The booklet on the subject of gestational fertilization and childbirth from the results of the inventory of medicinal plants for postpartum is suitable for use as a learning media.

Issues in learning, particularly the utilization of learning resources, have not been maximized to facilitate teachers in guiding students to learn certain concepts related to the surrounding environment. This study aims to analyze the motives and colors of "Sasirangan" as a source of biology learning in high schools and the knowledge of high school biology teachers in Banjarmasin regarding the existence of "Sasirangan." This survey research involved 40 "sasirangan" craftsmen from 20 "sasirangan" production houses and 38 high school biology teachers in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. The instruments used were interview sheets and questionnaires. Data analysis was descriptive using percentage techniques. The results of expert validation indicated that the interview sheets and questionnaires were suitable, with scores of 89.63 and 92.5. "Sasirangan" has great potential to become a source of biology learning, both in terms of motives and natural colors used by craftsmen. However, high school biology teachers in Banjarmasin have not fully utilized and conveyed it as a biology learning resource. While in other statements, teachers stated that they understood and explained that the existence of "Sasirangan" is very important to be conveyed in biology learning. Some teachers were able to provide information on biology concepts related to the existence of "Sasirangan."

Background: The use of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) and delivery of Physical Education (PE) concerning time allocation, resources and number of learners per class is crucial for optimal delivery to the intermediate-phase (IP) learner. Aim: This study aimed to determine the gap between the understanding and the interpretation of the content and requirements of the CAPS document, and the delivery of PE in the IP, in selected public schools in the Alberton region of Gauteng province, South Africa. Setting: Alberton, a suburb of Johannesburg, was identified. This geographical area was divided into four segments. Two primary schools from each segment were purposefully selected according to the quintile levels. Methods: A mixed method of data gathering was used. Questionnaires were administered and focus-group discussions (FGDs) were held. Participants were selected using a purposive sampling method. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analysed using direct quotes and themes. Results: The findings are in line with the results of the South African Universities Physical Education Association (SAUPEA) National Research Project in that teachers require further training on the interpretation of the CAPS document. Aspects of the CAPS document cannot be executed because of time allocation, class size, and a lack of resources and equipment. Conclusion: To adhere to the expectations of the CAPS document, the use of available facilities, equipment, number of learners per class, and time allocation in PE need improvement. Contribution: Enriching the PE curriculum through collaborating with stakeholders in local communities and governmental support.

The purpose of this research is to describe the challenges and factors causing difficulties of deaf students in mastering writing skills at inclusive universities in Indonesia. This research is focused in Central Java province because of the more universities are considered as inclusive universities. This research was conducted in September-December 2022. The subjects in this research were selected using the purposive sampling method. Based on these limits, 35 Deaf students from six inclusive universities were obtained as respondents. The data collection techniques used questionnaires, observations, interviews, and concentrated discussions. Furthermore, the data analysis steps undertaken consisted of: (a) data analysis, (b) data revision, and (c) data verification. The results of this research concluded that the challenges experienced by students were broadly related to: (a) difficulty in mastering vocabulary, (b) understanding punctuation, and (c) difficulty if mastering complex sentences. As for more specifically related to academic text writing skills, the obstacles experienced by students including: (a) composing effective sentences, (b) developing paragraphs, (c) paraphrasing techniques, (d) writing academic texts in accordance with linguistic rules, and (e) writing bibliography. Furthermore, factors causing the occurrence of the obstacles in the mastery of academic text writing skills including: (a) unaccessible learning resources, (b) less effectively interwoven communication during lectures, and (c) different sentence structure in Sign Language with Indonesian sentence structure.

This paper delves into the challenges impeding effective curriculum implementation in Nigerian higher education institutions, ranging from inadequate funding to a brain-drain crisis. Recognizing the critical role of curriculum implementation in achieving national educational objectives, the study identifies these barriers highlighted concerning the misalignment between intended and implemented curricula, underscoring the need for strategic solutions. The paper then explores the prospects of Educational Resource Centres (ERCs) as catalysts for addressing these challenges. ERCs are portrayed as multifaceted entities capable of alleviating heavy academic loads, compensating for limited school facilities, and fostering inclusive education. The discussion emphasizes the alignment of ERCs with curriculum support, the provision of multimedia resources for diverse learning styles, and the pivotal role in dynamic instruction through advanced teaching aids. Furthermore, ERCs are seen as pivotal in providing educational support services, offering professional development opportunities for educators, and facilitating teachers' involvement in curriculum planning. It concludes by asserting the indispensable role ERCs play in reshaping the landscape of education, ensuring a future where curriculum implementation is not just a challenge but a collaborative journey that aids effective implementation which fosters achieving curriculum objectives that translate to attaining national developmental targets.

As labour markets undergo rapid and profound transformations, lifelong learning is essential to ensure a responsive, competitive, and skilled workforce. Mature learners are a diverse group, but in comparison to their younger student counterparts, are more likely to have employment and/or caring responsibilities. This field note discusses the development and features of a novel online open educational resource, called "At a crossroads: Navigating work and/or family alongside study" ("At a crossroads" for brevity). The resource aimed to assist university students to both learn about the support options available to them as well as to consider how they themselves might make decisions if they experienced a conflict between their student/work/family roles. "At a crossroads" is innovative in terms of how it was developed (i.e., via survey-based research, story completion method, and consultations sessions with tertiary students) and in terms of what it is (i.e., an online interactive resource that incorporates short dramatizations, social polls, and opportunities to reflect). Our experience in developing this resource caused us to consider how making resources designed to be engaging and informative, while encouraging, positive changes, must be part of the solution. This is especially so when there is significant concern around the overall well-being of tertiary students and their course completion rates. While universities have attempted to offer a range of tools to support their students, on-demand online resources such as "At a crossroads" are easily accessed, free to use, and deliver content in an engaging manner.

Learners who learn from OER often cannot have their learning assessed or receive a credential. Open credentials offer a potential solution to this problem, combining badges or micro-credentials with competence frameworks and digital seals. This study identified the current situation of open credentials in post-secondary education in Europe, the main themes of the discourse, and the points of agreement and divergence surrounding them. The data comprised a corpus of transcriptions from 12 expert interviews and a focus group. Qualitative text analysis identified the principal themes. Findings included the following: (a) few assessments are available as open content; (b) linking OER and credentials requires detailed and expensive work on learning outcomes and assessment; (c) the aggregation of open credentials to create higher-level qualifications is a widely accepted ambition; (d) the European Union's infrastructure to support open credentials is appropriate and effective and can foster trust; (e) the outstanding challenges are organisational and practical, not technological; (f) assessment and content provisions should belong to separate organisational functions; and finally, (g) funding and support for open credentials in professional accreditation are essential for further progress.

This research focuses on prospective teachers who are a group that has a key role in teaching mathematics to future generations. A qualitative approach with an ethnographic design is used to understand and explain the culture and social life of a region by relating its role as a learning resource to developing local culture-based mathematics learning plans. This research method involves collecting data through observation, interviews, and analysis of cultural artifacts. We integrate these cultural elements into mathematics instructional planning. The results of this research show that through exploring local culture, it can be used as a reference for developing learning plans to increase mathematical literacy. Cultural studies as a learning resource are not only for instilling concepts but beyond that, they can be used to develop students' problem solving and critical thinking skills. This research underscores the importance of innovative approaches in mathematics teaching that utilize local cultural assets. The integration of cultural artifacts not only improves mathematical literacy, but also promotes the preservation of cultural heritage. The results of this research can be a guide for educational institutions and teachers in developing mathematics learning strategies that are more contextual and meaningful.

Bronze drums, esteemed artifacts saturated in cultural significance, have been integral to the heritage of ethnic communities in Southwest China for centuries. This study aims to investigate the educational and literacy perspectives regarding bronze drums in contemporary learning resources within the region. Conducting fieldwork in Guangxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan -- renowned for their rich bronze drum culture we engaged six key informants selected for their cultural proficiency and educational involvement. Interviews and documentaries were used to gather first-hand information about the cultural significance of bronze drums, how they were categorized by gender, and how they changed from being passed down orally to being written down formally. Findings highlight bronze drums as invaluable resources for contemporary education, emphasizing their role in cultural preservation and literacy development. This research encourages the utilization of cultural traditions as effective tools for education and heritage preservation, ensuring the continued relevance of Southwest China's unique heritage in a rapidly evolving world.

Chengdu's popular music, with its profound historical and cultural significance, serves as an educational resource at the intersection of music, literacy, and cultural education. This research aims to propose guidelines for the teaching resource of Chengdu popular music for fostering literacy and cultural education. Located in the culturally diverse Sichuan Province, Chengdu boasts a rich tapestry of musical traditions, from folk to hip-hop, making it an ideal research site. Two key informants, experts in folk and hip-hop music, provide valuable insights into Chengdu's musical evolution. Data analysis involves thematic analysis of questionnaires and interviews, offering a comprehensive understanding of the city's music culture. The study reveals Chengdu's historical role as a cultural crossroads and the evolution of its pop music into a distinctive force within China's music landscape. Advocating for the integration of Chengdu popular music into educational curricula, this research emphasizes the need for well-structured teaching resources to capture its cultural authenticity. The benefits of cultural education include fostering diversity appreciation, enhancing cultural understanding, promoting literacy skills, cultivating emotional intelligence, strengthening cultural identity, and inspiring creativity and expression. Chengdu popular music offers a transformative approach to fostering cultural literacy, empowering students to thrive in a globalized world.

Bichronous online learning is the intentional blending of asynchronous and synchronous online learning experiences. Twelve award-winning online instructors participated in interviews to discuss best practices they use, and benefits and challenges in bichronous online courses. When sharing best practices for bichronous online courses, online instructors explained how they combined best practices in asynchronous and synchronous online learning. Asynchronous online best practices included course design and structure, resources, and instructor presence; and synchronous online best practices focused on formats, activities, and content of synchronous sessions, and community-building. The best practices, benefits and challenges discussed in this paper have implications for instructors who currently teach in a bichronous online format or may be considering it in the future, and for instructional designers and administrators who work with faculty on offering courses in this modality. Based on the data, the intentional blending of synchronous and asynchronous components has a lot of potential to enhance students' online learning experiences.

Instructional materials that integrate students' cultures make teaching and learning relevant to students. However, there is a lack of culture-based and research-based teaching resources in mathematics that are deemed pertinent to Kalinga's full-modular learning and cognizant of the framework for Philippine mathematics teacher education's principle on realistic mathematics. As such, this study aims to recontextualize the Kalinga tribe's "batek" and "laga" into an Ethnomathematical Teaching Resource (ETR) through the Second Generation of Didactical Engineering (SGDE). Nine elementary teachers and two teacher-trainers participated in the preliminary phase, which was arranged into an ethnomathematical study, first teacher interview, and pretest. These were the basis of the design and a priori assumptions organized into Teaching Strategies (TS), Mathematical Content Knowledge (MCK), and appropriateness test. Subsequently, the realization phase tested the assumptions by administering the ETR, second interview, Communication Index (CI), and post-test. As a result, the a posteriori analysis and validation showed that teacher participants' exposure to the ETR provided potential TS, improved their MCK, and made appropriate to their level. Consequently, the recontextualization process of the cultures described in the study strengthens the awareness and responsibility of the Kalinga teachers to their cultural community. This also contributes to the preservation of the practices.

Diverse learners attending online K-12 schools deserve high quality and accessible educational programs. This research studies the preparation, knowledge, and practices of online middle school general and special education teachers in relation to supporting the needs of diverse learners, namely students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD). A study of the literature indicated online teachers need training and development related to meeting the needs of students with disabilities and researchers call for more studies analyzing the preparedness and support of our teachers to meet the needs of diverse learners. This study responds to this need for action through a quantitative approach to examining the perceptions of middle school teachers across nine online public schools seeking to understand their preparedness, knowledge, and pedagogical practices related to teaching students with SLD in online schools. Teachers expressed a lack of preparation when reflecting on their pre-service training programs, in-service new teacher training and ongoing professional learning. In online schooling, it is necessary for teachers to have technological knowledge and skills to effectively teach all students. The findings from this study support an intervention that aims to improve online middle school teachers' knowledge and skills related to teaching students with SLD in online school environments.

Owing to an exponential increase in the number of courses offered online, it is crucial to understand this mode of delivery on a deeper level. In this study, associations among course performance, the use of online resources (i.e., online homework assistance, practice questions and practice tests), mode of delivery (online versus in-person), and session length (Fall/Winter for 8 months versus Spring/Summer for 10 weeks) were examined. Archival data were used from an educational website for an introductory statistics course at a medium-sized Canadian university. Anonymized data were retrieved from 738 students enrolled in the course between 2018 and 2021. Course performance was measured by final course grades and use of resources was assessed in terms of the number of site visits and downloads. It was found that use of online resources was significantly and positively correlated with course performance. However, session length and mode of delivery did not yield significant differences in terms of final course grades. Future studies could examine potential moderators in the relationships between the use of resources with the session length, the delivery method, and course performance to see the effectiveness of the resources in various course delivery models (in-person, hybrid, synchronous online, asynchronous online, etc.).

In many countries around the world, stakeholders engaged in driving education reform policy use teacher professional development to improve the quality of teacher learning, expecting a positive effect on the quality of teaching. Given the high level of expectations for professional development, it is crucial to identify the characteristics of effective teacher professional development. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review of professional development interventions for mathematics teachers. We sought to identify the characteristics of interventions with positive and statistically significant effects on students' mathematics achievement. Our review includes 12 professional development interventions which included elements of structured pedagogy intervention (i.e., teacher training, on-site teacher support, and resources for teachers and students), in addition to initial professional development and follow-up workshops. Utilizing technology has proved to be beneficial for student learning, but less so for teacher learning. The results of the reviewed studies indicate that changes in instruction can be implemented incrementally, beginning with less complex interventions and progressing to those that are more complex and demanding. Furthermore, we conclude that professional development interventions that seek to improve student learning outcomes in mathematics should include on-site teacher support, mentoring and feedback, teacher-focused resources, and classroom learning materials.

This research explores lecturers' perceptions of digital libraries as a learning resource for the industrial era 4.0 that can be used anytime and anywhere to solve the low interest in developing lecturers because of the difficulty of accessing references to conventional libraries, which require lecturers to visit the library building. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 lecturers, and data analysis was performed using thematic analysis. The analysis results found four main themes: benefits, challenges, recommendations, and positive and negative impacts of digital libraries. The research concluded that the existence of a digital library can make it easy for lecturers to browse the references needed quickly, easily, and flexibly just by entering the library's website page. This research contributes to solving the problem of lecturers in Indonesia over the limited learning resources in conventional libraries that are difficult to access online and require particular visiting time because they have to come directly during library operating hours. Therefore, support from the government, university leaders, and the wider community is needed to develop a digital library system to facilitate lecturers in Indonesia having adequate learning resources for the industrial era 4.0.

Geographic education in recent years has undergone major transformations in school curricula, moving from a memorization practice to a critical reflection based on the students' local reality. This is included in official teaching documents. On the other hand, the application of this new approach to applicability problems, largely due to the lack of elements focused on teaching resources that facilitate this process or the training of professionalized teachers before this conceptual change. This is present in the Brazilian semi-arid region, with the insertion of coexistence contextualized with the semi-arid region in the quest to work on education along the lines of applicability of the student's knowledge. That said, we have such an objective here, providing some reflections to reach such a path, an active and participatory teaching.

Principals' instructional leadership bolsters and supports teaching and learning. The study aimed to explore the principals' classroom observation practices and their influence on teaching and learning in public secondary schools in Machakos Sub-County, Kenya. Weber's (1996) instructional leadership model served as the foundation for the study. The research employed a mixed-methods approach using a convergent parallel design. The target population of the research is 3434 and has a sample size of 350 participants, encompassing 10 principals, 40 teachers, and 300 students. The participating schools were selected using a stratified random sampling method. The collected data was cleaned, processed, and analyzed using SPSS 25. Quantitative data was analyzed using percentages and displayed in frequency tables. Qualitative data was labeled, appropriately coded, and transcribed under specified themes. The findings of the study revealed that the principals regularly carried out supervision in the classrooms and ensured that students' behaviors were controlled in the classrooms by setting class rules. The research recommended that the Ministry of Education, along with the relevant educational agencies, should provide in-service training for principals on their roles as instructional leaders to enable them to proficiently discharge their functions; there should be an increase in the provision of the necessary learning resources to help enhance teaching and learning.

This study determined the level of home learning support given by the parents and the level of reading performance of primary pupils in Alat-Alatin Elementary School, a multi-grade school in Lopez West District, Lopez, Quezon. This utilized the quantitative method anchored by a descriptive-correlational design. Moreover, the researchers used a survey questionnaire consisting of 15 questions pertaining to parental involvement, home learning resources, and home literacy practices to determine the level of home learning support given by the parents and conducted a reading session to determine the reading performance of the primary pupils. The study found that home learning support is sometimes given to primary pupils, and the level of reading performance of the primary pupils in Alat-Alatin Elementary School during the implementation of modular distance learning is at a frustration level. Using Spearman's rho non-parametric statistical tool, the Alpha level is 0.05. Since 0.395 is greater than the alpha level (0.05), the null hypothesis is accepted. Therefore, based on the result, there is no significant relationship between home learning support extended by the parents and the reading performance (in both oral reading and comprehension scores) of the pupils. Furthermore, the researchers designed Project BASA (Be A Servant Alat-Alatinian), a reading intervention program in distance learning settings that aims to improve the reading performance.