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The study aimed to investigate the Effect of Academic Stress on Students' Academic Achievements and Its Implications for Their Future Lives. A correlational research design was employed through stratified random sampling (n[subscript i] = 270, where female = 80 and male =190) to collect pertinent data through a questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed. Firstly, academic stress highly affects students' academic achievement, with females being more stressed (65.20%) than males (59.60%), which leads to a high dropout rate and low graduation rate. Secondly, about 69% were accustomed to drinking alcohol, chewing Khat, absenteeism, and smoking whereas about 31% were regularly engaging in unsafe sex, physical fights, smoking shisha, and poor personal sanitation. Thirdly, there were significant positive relationships among sex, age, academic batch, and student's cumulative grade point average. To conclude, academic stress hinders good academic achievement, increases college dropout rates, low graduation rates, and lack of self-confidence. It leads to drinking alcohol, absenteeism, chewing khat, reduced academic morale of students, and failure in completing assignments on time. Therefore, university authorities should ensure a good academic environment for the students and minimize academic stress through appropriate course load, appropriate lecture hours, proper lecture schedules, and non-congested lecture halls.

This literature review examines the main factors in a child's life that directly impact the development of emergent literacy skills. The literature in this review was collected from several peer-reviewed articles and government-certified websites. As discussed in the literature, the development of emergent literacy skills is dependent upon a child's phonological awareness. The review identified the home literacy environment (HLE) as an area that is influential in developing emergent literacy skills, as a result of providing a continuation from school to home. Other key factors include the dynamic of the classroom and programming or interventions provided. Overall, this literature review demonstrates the importance of emergent literacy. The author concludes that the home literacy environment, classroom dynamic, and interventions/programming provided are the main factors in a child's life that affect early literacy development.

Learner-Centered Teaching (LCT), as opposed to teacher-centered practices, actively engages students in the learning process. In this paper, we discuss the importance of adopting LCT strategies in family science courses to improve student learning outcomes. Family science is particularly apt for LCT because of the interpersonal focus of the discipline. To help fill an important gap in the literature, seven LCT strategies are articulated within the specific context of family science. We highlight the following seven approaches: small group activities, questioning, think-pair-share discussions, gaming, in-class writing, low-stakes quizzes, and flipped classroom design. In addition to describing the approaches, we discuss class size, adapting the techniques for online courses, and working with students who require accommodations. Finally, we share evaluation data from students that speaks to four of the seven LCT strategies. Our hope is that this paper will offer ready-made ideas that family science instructors may adopt. To conclude, we discuss implications, challenges in implementing LCT, and areas of future research.

The current practices and shortcomings of engineering students' English language teaching (ELT) syllabi were examined from the perspectives of learners and teachers in English as a foreign language (EFL) context. The syllabi included content that had little impact on students' communicative competence in English (CC-E). Students were generally concerned about their professional communication abilities. In this study, the researchers collected data from ten engineering-focused universities in Bangladesh. These universities' existing ELT syllabi (ELT-S) were examined, seeking the current practices and pitfalls. The study sampled 152 participants from the selected universities. The study followed a mixed-method approach. In the qualitative technique, content analysis, focus group discussion (FGD), and interviews were employed for data collection, while survey questions were used in the quantitative approach. The study's findings revealed that the existing English syllabi of those selected universities required updating and modification to meet the identified professional requirements regarding the type, credit allotment, content, classroom practices, class size, policies, etc. The improvements included redesigning English syllabi, material, and teaching methods to improve engineering students' communicative abilities. A uniform curriculum with at least one English language sessional course per semester in all engineering majors was strongly recommended.

Background: South Africa is a country with a reading crisis: 81% of Grade 4 learners are unable to read for meaning in Grade 4. Teaching methods and practices have been identified as a primary cause; there is an over-reliance on choral methods, very little focus on meaning, weak feedback and assessment, and little interaction with books. Aim: This article reports on the kinds of knowledge required to teach Group Guided Reading (GGR) and the extent to which teachers enacted this knowledge in their practice, using Shulman's (1987) knowledge categories. Setting: The research was carried out in three no-fee, township primary schools where isiXhosa was the language of learning and teaching (LoLT), in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Methods: The research took the form of a case study of three teachers, who were given support, including coaching, to implement GGR. Data were generated through classroom observation and stimulated recall interviews using videos; the data were analysed using Shulman's knowledge categories (1986, 1987). Results: Teachers demonstrated sufficient pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) to put GGR into practice. However, no assessment was observed, and two of the teachers chose not to put the learners into reading ability groups, both of which are core elements of GGR. Conclusion: New methods of teaching do not always take account of local circumstances. Contribution: Group Guided Reading was developed in countries where classes are small, and classrooms are spacious and well-equipped.

Authors Kevin McCaughey and Rick Rosenberg demonstrate techniques for using board games to stimulate student-centered language practice that is flexible, productive, engaging, and fun. The article includes tips for efficient game play and for using games with a variety of levels and class sizes. The authors show that playing board games for language practice can be educational AND entertaining.

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.

In the main, convergent mixed-methods study on which this article reports, we explored Grade 12 accounting teachers' experiences of teaching in large classrooms in the Manzini region of Eswatini. As part of teachers' experiences, the methods that the teachers used to teach were also explored. Purposive sampling was used to select 25 accounting teachers from 10 schools (5 schools from rural areas and 5 schools from urban areas) who taught accounting classes with more than 35 Grade 12 learners. The selected teachers completed questionnaires for the quantitative component of the study. Purposive sampling was used to select 10 participants who were interviewed and observed on the basis of meeting the criterion set out above for the qualitative component of the study. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for quantitative data analysis, and thematic analysis for qualitative data analysis were used. We found that the most dominant methods used by teachers to teach accounting in large Grade 12 classes in Eswatini were group discussions, question and answer, lecturing and demonstration methods. With the study we extended awareness of methods that teachers in emerging economies can use to cope with teaching accounting in large Grade 12 classes, and we propose further approaches to be considered to make teaching this subject in large classes sustainable.

STEM education plays a key role in influencing and orienting students' interests towards STEM fields and careers. This influence is multifaceted, involving not only STEM content and experiences but also teachers, schools, and personal factors. The purpose of this study is to explore the factors impacting the academic performance of 951 tenth grade students in STEM subjects (physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and information technologies) who are attending public and private schools in two provinces of Turkey. Using a correlational research model, the study assessed how students' personal characteristics, teacher effectiveness and school characteristics affect achievement in STEM courses. Data were collected using the 'Factors Affecting STEM Achievement Questionnaire (FA-STEM-A)', a 20-item questionnaire divided into three sub-dimensions. Analyses focused on the relationships between student characteristics, teaching quality, school infrastructure and STEM performance. Structural equation modelling revealed that positive student characteristics, especially fondness for STEM subjects and confidence in STEM abilities, moderately increase achievement. In contrast, negative factors attributed to teachers and schools, such as inadequate classroom activities, lack of educator expertise, inadequate technological resources, and large class sizes, hindered student performance. These findings emphasize the important influence of both inherent student qualities and external educational conditions in determining STEM education.

Teaching based on active methodologies emphasizes the importance of giving students a leading role in the learning process. With the implementation of the European Higher Education Area, universities have undergone a reform that significantly increased student involvement in the teaching-learning process. The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) responded to this change by introducing its own educational model: IKD i[superscript 3]. The general objective of this research is to explore the effect of the IKD i[superscript 3] strategy on the teaching staff of the UPV/EHU. The study aims to identify the active methodologies adopted by the teaching staff and the reasons behind the use (or not) of these methodologies. A total of 403 teachers participated in the study, and their opinions were gathered freely to accurately represent their viewpoints. The results reveal that teaching staff at the UPV/EHU utilize active methodologies, with the most frequent being problem-based learning, cooperative learning, and the case study method. The reasons for incorporating these methodologies vary and include both benefits for students and advantages related to teaching, while the rationale for not using active methodologies is based on the lack of training, time constraints, and having a large number of students. Interestingly, the teachers who expressed these arguments were primarily those who were not familiar with or actively participating in the IKD i[superscript 3] educational model. We believe that while our findings validate the UPV/EHU's IKD i[superscript 3] educational model, they also highlight the importance of universities not only having an educational model but also fostering a culture that encourages the active engagement of teaching staff. This commitment is essential to effectively develop and implement such a model.

Background: Like other professional training programs, social work pedagogy has long recognized the value of experiential learning for professional development. Despite social work's rich experiential learning literature involving field education, direct practice courses, and program evaluation, there is a dearth of literature examining how to make learning in the policy classroom experiential, particularly for large class sizes. Purpose: We asked, "How might electoral candidate debates provide experiential learning opportunities for large classes?" Approach: The authors organized municipal and federal election candidate debates attended in-person and online by over 300 undergraduate students in a social work policy class at a Canadian university. Integrating our experiences as instructors/organizers and a teaching assistant, within a social constructivist framework, we used Kolb's experiential learning theory, and critiques thereof, to analyze reflective assignments from 73 students. Results and Conclusions: Candidate debates, when facilitated appropriately, can encourage students in large courses to work through the stages of experiential learning and consider related concepts and possible links among social justice course content and social policy, social work practice, and political engagement. Implications: The paper contributes to a broader understanding of the opportunities and constraints associated with employing experiential learning in the large social work classroom and beyond.

While the lack of educational opportunities limits the future of most people in Ethiopia, they pose dire consequences to young people in migration hotspot areas. Using input-process-outcome-context-education quality framework, this study investigated the quality of education in eight migration hotspot areas of Ethiopia and its association with migration. A random sample of 1,187 participants (793 students, 262 teachers and 132 parents) completed a survey. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results indicated that participants' overall rating of education quality was low. Over a third of participants perceived that input, process and outcome components of education in migration hotspot areas have a quality problem. Over 80% of the participants believed that poor quality of education could be a cause for migration. More specifically, a significant portion of the participants (37%) reported that there was no pedagogical centre in their respective schools; continuous assessment was practiced rarely (36%); and creativity and discovery among students was almost non-existent (40%). The participants' ratings indicated that the top five factors that contribute to the poor quality of education are low level of teacher competence, poor student motivation, poverty, value attached to education and large class size.

Inevitably having large-size classes creates a huge number of challenges but also benefits that motivate the higher education institutes to recruit large-size student bodies. This paper aims to identify the focus of scholars in this field, how the concerns have been addressed as well as a pedagogic basis for large-class management and delivery, then further to determine gaps in the existing literature of large-size classes. Using PRISMA, this research systematically reviews 131 articles between 1976 and 2024 on an international basis. Building upon the findings of the systematic literature review (SLR), the study introduces the Input-Process-Output-Outcome (IPOO) model of education. Then, the research discusses a range of strategies proposed in academic research to effectively address the challenges posed by large class sizes. These strategies include pedagogical approaches/strategies, perception and behaviour-based means, technological tools/strategies, and perception-driven digitised strategies. The article identifies research gaps in the existing literature, particularly regarding stakeholders' perceptions of large class sizes. It emphasises the need for further investigation into the diverse perspectives held by stakeholders regarding the pros and cons of large class environments. The findings underscore the importance of challenging negative and neutral perceptions of large class sizes. Additionally, the study highlights the role of marketing strategies in shaping perceptions of class size and suggests avenues for future research in education business. Finally, the results of the bibliometric analysis reveal specific geographical or disciplinary focuses. The study provides insights for policymakers on developing effective policies to manage large class sizes and suggests future research avenues in education business and policy.

This quantitative survey-based study examines 366 Czech and 532 Turkish preschool teachers' compassion levels and psychological well-being. The Adult Compassion Scale and Psychological Well-being Scale were used as the data-collection tools, and Mann-Whitney U testing and Kruskal Wallis-H testing were used for data analysis. Although Turkish preschool teachers' compassion levels were found to be higher than Czech participants, the Turkish preschool teachers' psychological well-being was lower. While participants' compassion did not differ significantly across gender, parent/non-parent status, or the presence/absence of children with special needs in their classrooms, significant differences were associated with age, seniority, personal education level, marital status, age group of children taught, class size, and faith. While psychological well-being did not differ significantly across presence/absence of special-needs children, seniority, personal education level, age group of children taught, or faith, there were significant differences across gender, age, parenthood, marital status and class size. There was also a positive and moderately significant relationship between the preschool teachers' compassion and their psychological well-being.

Creativity has been proven to be a core competitiveness in the twenty-first century. Although many experimental studies have confirmed that game learning can improve creativity, some studies have contrary results. Currently, there are very few, and primarily incomplete, meta-analyses integrating experimental studies of educational gaming's impact on creativity. The current meta-analysis included 29 articles from 2002 to 2022, containing 116 effect sizes and 4,159 student subjects. The results showed that the overall mean weighted effect size was 0.84, indicating that game learning significantly positively affected students' creativity compared with non-game learning. In addition, the mean effect size was moderated by digital content, teaching strategies, educational stages, publication sources, and class size but not by patterns, disciplines, and experiment duration. Accordingly, this study provides new insights and suggestions on improving creativity via game learning design and implementation as a reference for researchers, teachers, game designers, and developers in the field of creativity.

Purpose: This study explored the relation between therapy group size and language outcomes for children receiving school-based language therapy through an implementation science lens. Method: Data for the current study were gathered as part of the Speech-Language Therapy Experiences in Public Schools study. Participants included 273 English-speaking kindergarten through second-grade children with language impairment receiving business-as-usual therapy on the caseloads of 75 speech-language pathologists. Data were collected over an academic year, including weekly therapy logs, speech-language pathology questionnaires, and pre-- and post--language measures. Results: Descriptive analysis revealed that children primarily experienced small-group therapy sessions (two to four children); however, there was considerable variability in group size. Hierarchical general linear modeling indicated that caseload size did not explain group size variability. However, the number of student cancellations was positively associated with receipt of large-group sessions. Notably, a significant negative association was found between receipt of large-group sessions (i.e., five to 10 children) and language outcomes. Children who received more than the average number of sessions in large groups (i.e., more than 5% of total sessions) experienced 0.18 SD less language gain over the academic year compared to the mean (0.54 SD). No other group size configurations (i.e., individual, small group, and extra large) yielded significant associations with language outcomes. Conclusions: The findings suggest that young children receiving language-based therapy in large groups make substantially fewer language gains over an academic year. These results have considerable implications for educational policy and clinical practice, which are discussed through an implementation science frame.

Instructor performance plays a critical role in fostering student learning. Unlike the postsecondary level, many states in the United States, have substantially regulated class size in the p-12 education system with the aim of enhancing quality learning. Thus, the purpose of this research paper is to examine the correlation between instructor evaluations and class size in tertiary institutions as the findings can inform regulatory decisions regarding class sizes in postsecondary facilities. The study reviewed 97-course evaluations garnered in the Fall of 2019 from a Midwest University. The feedback of students, undertaking physical, and virtual classes, was considered regarding teachers' performance. Different course evaluations included in the study were adjunct faculty, full-time faculty, graduate level, and undergraduate level course assessments. The research findings depicted a negative correlation between class size and instructor evaluation, positing that teachers teach the same way in smaller classes as they do in larger classes. Nonetheless, the study results showed that the sizes of conventional virtual classes had a lower correlation with course performances compared to traditional face-to-face classes. In the latter, there was more engagement between teachers and students, as the latter appeared to be more active than in online classes. With the technological effect that COVID-19 has brought forth in online learning, population sizes of online classes have changed. Therefore, considering the data used for the research was collected preCOVID-19, it is essential that future studies pay considerable focus on the quality of evaluation of virtual classes to help with directing of school budget allocations toward online learning.

Early childhood teachers are instrumental in creating cognitively, emotionally, and socially supportive environments for their students and an ethic of care is an integral part fostering such an environment. One possible way to redesign schools is to integrate an ethic of care with the tenets of social and emotional learning (SEL). Although SEL practices, tools, and programs align with understandings of the theory of ethic of care, teachers may continue to struggle on a day-to-day basis as they confront barriers in implementing such supports. In this research study, we explore the barriers teachers face in their schools as they work to understand SEL and grapple to foster an ethic of care in their early childhood spaces. The study participants included 1,313 early childhood teachers (preschool through 2nd grade) from the state of Colorado who filled out an online survey. The findings revealed five dominant barriers: (a) a lack of support, (b) minimal time, (c) scarcity of resources and training, (d) large classes, and (e) a lack of fit between SEL programs and the age groups they taught. The study highlights the need to go beyond supporting teachers' knowledge, skills, and their attitudes in their efforts to foster an ethic of care.

This study investigated the motivation and motivational orientations along with the most prominent problems the students of non-English majors (SNEM) encounter in learning oral English skills (OES). To this end, a mixed method design was applied in this study by using a questionnaire to elicit quantitative data and a stimulated recall to generate qualitative data. The questionnaire was administered to 942 students, among whom 128 participated in a stimulated recall. This study took place at Universitas Dayanu Ikhsanuddin, Indonesia, during the academic year 2020/2021. The results of the questionnaire were analyzed quantitatively using the Microsoft Excel Program, and the participants' responses to stimulated recall were qualitatively analyzed by hand as prescribed by some experts. The findings revealed that SNEM are interested in learning OES, and their motivational orientation is employment. The students believe that OES: (1) will help them to get a good job; (2) is important for their future job; and (3) is beneficial for their future career. The three most significant issues that the SNEM face while learning OES are (1) insufficient class time, (2) a lack of opportunities to use English, and (3) a large class size. The findings are discussed, and some implications are provided.

This study examined high school mathematics teachers' job satisfaction and professional growth in Nepal. The data were collected from 49 high school mathematics teachers using a structured questionnaire with Likert-scale items and some open-ended questions. The quantitative and qualitative analysis revealed mixed findings. Mathematics teachers were relatively satisfied with their profession; however, various factors were important for job satisfaction and professional growth. The three most important were inservice training and educational resources, schools' infrastructure, and financial incentives. The data analysis further contends that the school education system must be free from politics, and the procedure of forming the school management committee (SMC) must be isolated from political intervention. Furthermore, school teachers are prohibited or discouraged from participating in politics as political cadres. The data revealed that the different teachers' unions need to work on behalf of teachers' welfare rather than carry forward their political parties' agendas and ideologies.

Regarding the faults of the Japanese compulsory enrollment system, premised on attendance at a specific school, a forward-looking view must be taken on the guarantee of opportunities for general education via non-physical attendance (online attendance) in which physical attendance is not the default. At this time, municipal Boards of Education are called on to "promote the guarantee of diverse opportunities for general education" and "form public school networks," while prefectures must establish new councils and comprehensive support centers for a continuous guarantee during the school age across a broad area in cooperation with municipalities. [This article was translated by Nadezhda Murray. This article was originally published, in Japanese, in "Kyoikugaku Kenkyu" ("The Japanese Journal of Educational Research"), Vol. 88, No.4, 2021.]

This study investigated factors affecting the teaching of creativity in Colleges of Education (CoE) in Ghana. A descriptive survey design was used by developing a questionnaire containing closed and open-ended questions to collect the data. The data were collected from 188 participants. The participants were selected by using a multistage sampling technique. The sample involved fashion design instructors (18) and principals (5) students (165) from five CoEs. Descriptive statistics like frequencies and percentages were used to analyze the data collected. The results revealed some challenges such as time and large class sizes, inability to cover the curriculum, lack of resources, acquisition of objectives, heavy workload and staff inadequacy and lack of in-service training. Based on the findings, the researcher made recommendations to improve the teaching and learning of creativity in colleges.

This study explored the relationship between the size of the study group and the motivation and engagement of students in online and face-to-face classes while exploring the effect of personal and academic background variables, the number of students in the study group, and the level of their motivation to study. The study included 122 participants, students in their second, third, or fourth year of academic studies, who had experienced online studies during COVID-19 as well as face-to-face studies. They had all participated in both small classes (35 students or less) and large classes (more than 35 students). The study indicates that there is indeed a significant difference in students' motivation and engagement, irrespective of the size of the study group, and the difference in motivation depends on the method of delivery, whether online or traditional (face-to-face). The research results reveal new knowledge regarding online studies and help enrich the literature on this topic, in the context of motivation for online studies and the size of the study group, which are significant causes underlying students' academic success. It is evident from the study that size does not affect motivation, which is solely the student's responsibility. The challenge of academic institutions and lecturers in the digital era is to raise students' motivation and engagement, irrespective of the study group.

This study examined the degree to which students indulge in six prominent misconducts in Distance Education Institutions (DEIs). The study also quantified how class size, instructional delivery and institutional policies predict students' indulgence in sharp practices using a general linear modelling approach. A sample of 871 participants was drawn from 1,742 final-year students across two DEIs in Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire had acceptable psychometric estimates of dimensionality, content and construct validity, as well as reliability. Sharp practices such as cheating, plagiarism, falsification, impersonation, and arm-twisting were more prevalent in large classes, whereas only inducement was higher in small classes. Class size influenced students' indulgence in sharp practices in DEIs. Instructional delivery and institutional policies negatively predicted students' indulgence in the six sharp practices. Almost all the six sharp practices correlated positively and significantly, except for impersonation and inducement. Therefore, distance education students who cheat, plagiarize, arm-twist, falsify records, induce lecturers, and promote impersonation are more likely to indulge in other forms of sharp practices. It was concluded that large class sizes, poor instructional delivery, and poorly implemented institutional policies promote sharp practices among distance education students. Based on this conclusion, key policy and research implications are discussed.

Concerns have long been raised regarding the constraints of CLT. The study aims to discern the exact as opposed to the supposed problems that are taken for granted as obstacles. A total of 95 in-service Korean, North American, Chinese, Uzbek English teachers participated in the study. The results reveal that none of the non-teacher-related external factors such as educational policy, class size, classroom layout, learners' English proficiency, and learners' motivation, was found to be significant for CLT. Amongst teacher-related internal factors such as teachers' language proficiency, teacher's motivation to teach, years in service, teacher competence, and training in instructional methodology, teacher competence was found to be significant. In addition to the influence of the constraints on the teaching methods, the study further investigated teachers' perception of their teaching. The results that teaching methods were selected for 'convenience' and external teaching environments as the No.1 precondition for their change to CLT suggest a need for a shift in teacher perception.

Community service-learning (CSL) is implemented mainly in smallscale classes. To date, little is known about how large-scale CSL courses could best be designed. This study seeks to identify benefits and potential strategies for designing large-scale CSL courses. A qualitative multiple case study was performed of three large-scale university courses (> 100 students) at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Based on three core concepts of CSL, "reflection," "reciprocal learning," and "transformational learning experiences" were used as sensitizing topics in the thematic analysis. Implementing CSL in large-scale courses showed multiple benefits, such as the amount of work that could be completed and the potential to reduce students' individual workload. At the same time, realizing CSL in large-scale courses offered some challenges. This article presents nine hands-on strategies to implement CSL in large-scale courses.

To recognize and assess the job stressors that teachers face in daily practice is essential. One of the most used objective measures of stress is the heart rate (HR). This pilot study explored the use of a wearable device (smartwatch) to monitor the HR of two teachers over two weeks in the classroom. Educational context variables (subject, class size, timetable, activity learning performed) and environment variables (temperature, humidity, sun irradiance) were related with HR. The results showed significant differences on HR among the teachers according to the educational activity, time of the day, or day of the week. The environmental variables were related differently in each of the participants. The study showed the practical implications of using a smartwatch, or smart bracelet, in the field of education. It provides systematic data that be analyzed and linked to other variables, opening the possibility of measuring real-time stress in the classroom, as an alternative or complement to stress self-reports.

This study explores the perceived affordances and challenges of online teaching and learning among English instructors and students. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews from 8 online English instructors and 8 online English learners at a state university in Turkey. Using Nvivo software, content analysis was employed for data analysis. Results indicate a strong consensus among the instructors and students on the affordances and challenges of online language education. Participants view online education positively for its flexibility, accessibility, comfort, technology integration, cost-saving benefits, and opportunities for autonomy and individual development. However, concerns have also been raised about the sudden transition to online education, leaving both instructors and students feeling unprepared. Consequently, participants perceive online education as demanding and challenging. Identified challenges include difficulties in teaching language skills and using language teaching methods, lack of interaction and communication, inadequate technical infrastructure, limitations of the online platform, poor attendance and participation, insufficient teacher training, ethical concerns, large class sizes, limited online material infrastructure, low motivation and autonomy among students, and increased workload for instructors. These technical, pedagogical, and attitudinal issues collectively influence the overall perception and effectiveness of online teaching and learning. The findings underscore the need for comprehensive training, improved technical and material infrastructure, and a reevaluation of online course design to ensure a high-quality teaching and learning experience.

This paper investigated factors affecting the teaching of practical assessment tasks in the Senior Phase Technology classroom at Ehlanzeni District in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The study follows the case study design. Three teachers were purposively sampled from three different schools based on their experience in teaching Technology in the Senior Phase. This paper is grounded on the Cognitive Apprenticeship theory. Qualitative data were collected using interviews. The data was analysed thematically. The emerging themes from the study were teachers' knowledge and skills, resources and class size as contributing factors affecting the execution of practical assessment tasks in the Senior Phase Technology classroom. The study findings have adverse effects on learners' achievements in practical assessment tasks, especially in design process skills.

This paper aims to examine the obstacles hindering the successful implementation of Free Primary teaching in Kakua chiefdom, Bo district, Southern Sierra Leone, focusing on the adequacy of funding and provision of educational resources to schools. The research employed a survey design with a cross-sectional approach, involving the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data from various respondents simultaneously. The target population consisted of 600 participants, including 20 school leaders, 575 teachers, and 5 education officers from the Bo district. The sample, comprising 120 responses, included one deputy director (DD), two zonal executives of the Sierra Leone Teachers Union (ZESLTU), nine school leaders, and 108 teachers. The DD and ZESLTU executives were selected through purposive sampling, while school leaders and teachers were chosen through proportionate sampling. Interviews were scheduled with the Sierra Leone Teachers Union's zonal executives and DD. The results revealed that a majority of teachers reported overcrowded classrooms attributed to free primary education, aligning with findings from other research. The necessary number of classrooms exhibited variation, with an average deficit of 2 per school. Teachers reported inadequacies in classrooms, urinals, toilets, desks, and textbooks. However, other teaching and learning aids were generally rated as sufficient. This highlights a lack of resources in schools, potentially impeding the efforts of teachers and school administrators. Therefore, the study recommends that the government should allocate adequate funding, time, and resources to ensure the effective implementation of free primary school education without compromising quality.

The current study aimed to investigate the problems of English language teaching in Turkey from the perspectives of pre-service English language teachers. For this aim, qualitative data were collected from fifteen 4th year preservice language teachers. Reflection papers and semi structured interviews were used in the data collection process. Based on the content analysis technique, themes and codes were formed. According to the participants, there are problems with teacher education program, teachers, learners, assessment, curriculum, and context in English language teaching in Turkey. Excessive number of education faculties and teacher candidates, no standardization among ELT departments, divergence between theory and practice, insufficient teaching practicum, absence of assessing communicative skills in YKS, unvaried assessment tools, washback effect, test anxiety, course hours, inflexible curriculum, lack of extracurricular activities, inappropriate course books, non-communicative activities, high amount of L1 use, lack of teacher autonomy, demotivation, unwillingness, fear of making mistakes and anxiety, lack of interaction, lack of self-confidence, discipline issues, crowded classes, inadequate physical and technological resources, and audit gap were stated by the preservice teachers as some of the problems of English language teaching in Turkey. The findings were discussed in line with the previous findings and educational implications were offered.

Teacher well-being is an important issue that needs to be considered within a teaching environment. However, little research exists about the relationship between teacher well-being and learner performance. In this study we used data from the 2015 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) to look at the interplay between teacher-related factors (including stress), and the mathematics achievement of Grade 9 learners from South Africa in the 2015 TIMSS. The results show that levels of teacher stress, teacher qualification, class size, as well as the type of area in which the school is situated are all significantly associated with learner achievement. The findings of this study reveal that learners who are taught by teachers who feel more stressed, have large classes to contend with, are in schools located in poorer areas, and who are less qualified, are significantly more disadvantaged with regard to their mathematics education than their counterparts who are taught by teachers who do not share these problems. These findings suggest that it is important to consider the role of positive working environments for teachers in trying to find ways to improve the mathematics learning outcomes.

The reading ability of learners in the Foundation Phase through the development of reading proficiency at an early age could determine learning. With the study reported on here I intended to explore the challenges faced by Foundation Phase teachers in teaching reading. I used a qualitative approach and employed an explanatory case study design. The study was guided by the social constructivist theory of German psychologist, Max Wertheimer. Twelve participants (n = 12) were purposively selected from 4 schools in the Vhembe district in the Limpopo province, South Africa. These were learners who performed poorly in reading. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. I recorded that the Foundation Phase teachers experienced various challenges, namely overcrowded classrooms, a lack of resources and support from the school management team and parents, and poor knowledge of reading instruction. I further recorded that teachers' inability to administer assessment tasks, as prescribed by the Department of Education, might be addressed through workshops, which might also alert teachers to the value of pre-reading and setting learning outcomes before reading lessons.

The aim of this study is to determine the teachers' views on emergency distance Turkish teaching as a foreign language after COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, the quantitative and qualitative data were collected simultaneously in the study, which was created by using the convergent mixed design of the mixed method, which is one of the basic research methods. The study group of the research consisted 137 of teachers who were obliged to switch to emergency distance Turkish teaching while teaching Turkish face to face to international students studying at Turkish Teaching Centers affiliated with universities. According to the findings of the research, it was determined that teachers faced with many technological and pedagogical problems. In addition, it was identified that before the process started, teachers did not receive any training for distance Turkish teaching and therefore started distance teaching without experience. Moreover, it was concluded that class sizes are suitable for distance teaching, writing is the most difficult skill to develop and measure in distance teaching, and there is a lack of materials to be used in distance teaching.

The study aimed at assessing teaching stress on in-service teachers' motivation and its implication for quality education in Ethiopian Secondary Schools. A correlational research design was employed. The target population for this study was one higher learning institution's three college in-service teachers who attend their upgrading degree. 358 in-service teachers were sampled out of 1078 by stratified random sampling technique to collect pertinent information through a questionnaire. Firstly, about 69% of the in-service teachers were frustrated by teaching stress; secondly, about 70% of them failed to feel responsible for low results scored by students; thirdly, about 79% of them were poorly motivated in the teaching profession. Finally, it was found that there was statistically a significant strong negative relationship between teachers' level of motivation and causes of stress (workload, resources constraints, time pressure, students misbehavior and large class size), [rho] (354) = -0.75**, [rho] (354) = 0.73**, [rho] (354) = -0.72*, [rho] (354) = 0.72** and [rho] (354) = -0.80**, [rho] < 0.05. Therefore, to sustain the quality education in Ethiopia, all education stakeholders should search for mechanisms to minimize teaching stress and increase teachers' motivation through providing professional training, incentives, and privileges in type and in kind.

In this article, we analyze the relationship between class sizes and examination results in higher education. Data from the University of Stavanger, collected in the Common Student System (FS) in the period from 2011 to 2021, shows that there is a negative correlation between the number of students enrolled on courses and examination results. An increase in the number of students taking a course reduces the average scores. We also show that the difference in examination results for different class sizes decreases when the course level increases.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an 18-day summer tutoring program in which graduate student tutors delivered 15 minutes of differentiated reading instruction (DRI) and a 30-minute interactive read-aloud (IRA) lesson each day. Students in grades K-5 (N = 179) attending a summer program at one urban elementary school completed a lesson-specific combination of pretest and posttest measures of letter-sound knowledge, decoding skills, oral reading fluency, and academic reading attitudes. Students were assigned to groups targeting phonemic awareness and word recognition (PAWR), word recognition and fluency (WRAF), fluency and comprehension (FAC), or vocabulary and comprehension (VAC) based on skill profiles. Paired-samples statistical tests were used to analyze pretest and posttest measures, and tutors were observed with a checklist to document implementation fidelity. Results indicated significant gains on specific subskill mastery measures of letter-sound knowledge for students in PAWR groups and decoding skills for students in PAWR and WRAF groups. Results were not significant for a curriculum-based measure of oral reading fluency for students in FAC groups and were significantly negative for students in VAC groups. There were no significant differences in gains based on instructional group size. There was no evidence of summer learning loss on academic reading attitudes. Tutors were able to implement DRI and IRA lessons with acceptable fidelity. These findings suggest that a summer tutoring program delivered by graduate students can improve targeted reading skills without negatively impacting reading attitudes.

With the development of education technology, Smart classroom has evolved to version 2.0. Currently, the meta-analysis literature on the effects of smart classroom-based instruction on academic achievement ignores the impact of technological changes and time on the effect sizes. This study incorporated the impact of technological changes and time, and proposed an integrative algorithm suitable for meta-analysis of students' academic achievement in applying education technology. The research results indicate that the overall average weighted effect size is 0.8, revealing that smart classroom-based instruction has a larger positive effect on students' academic achievement than non-smart classroom-based instruction. In addition, the average effect size is affected by moderator variables such as smart classroom type and year, learning management system and year, teaching strategy, sample size (experimental group), and school location, but is not affected by educational stage, learning domain, and experiment duration. The advantages of the proposed algorithm include: (1) using this algorithm, we can understand the changes in the effect size with the different types of education technology and the passage of time; and (2) this algorithm provides a quantitative analysis process, which can be used as a reference for the related research.

Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) feature prominently in higher education and can impact an academic's career. As a result, they have attracted considerable research attention in order to identify evidence of bias and the influence of factors beyond an educator's control. This study investigates the influence of seven factors on a large dataset of student evaluations (N = 376,805) of academics teaching at an Australian university. Students were invited to rate their experience at the end of each teaching period using an online survey instrument. The following factors are analysed comparing means between relevant groups to verify if: (i) SET is dominated by students with strong feelings; (ii) revenge reviews are given by angry students; (iii) larger units are rated lower than smaller units; (iv) different expectations/ratings are given by students of different gender and backgrounds; (v) reticence of international students lowers overall ratings; (vi) bigoted students skew results for some staff; and, (vii) SET surveys during examinations disadvantaging academics teaching units with examinations. Overall, while statistically significant differences were found, they represented only small or trivial effects, with medium effects in only two limited cases. The results highlight the importance of explicitly reporting effect size of statistically significant results, and the benefits of representing differences visually in ways that avoid over-emphasising differences.

Classroom management practices are critical to the success of teachers and students, and a growing number of programs have been developed to improve these practices. However, there has been less investigation into observational tools to assess classroom management and exploration of whether it can be measured consistently by observers across elementary, middle, and high school classrooms. Moreover, there is a need to determine how classroom management practices vary as a function of school settings and classroom contexts (e.g., class size and racial composition). The current study aimed to examine classroom management practices using the Assessing School Settings: Interactions of Students and Teachers (ASSIST), an observational measure administered by trained external observers across 3,263 classrooms. A series of analyses indicated that the ASSIST demonstrated partial MI across contexts, and was particularly robust across class size and racial composition, which enabled us to contrast latent mean differences across developmental levels. Latent means of classroom practices across elementary and middle school were similar, whereas elementary school and high school classrooms differed significantly. The findings provide evidence that the ASSIST is similarly measuring classroom management across classroom contexts but is sensitive to mean differences in classroom management across classroom contexts.