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This study aimed at investigating the undergraduates' soft skills in a private HE institute in Lebanon from various perspectives. The study adopted a mixed-method approach for collecting and analyzing the data. Two different surveys, compiling major features of incorporating soft skills into USAL's study programs, were administered. 108 undergraduates and 23 instructors from different majors competed the surveys. A focus group interview was conducted for student affairs office personnel (SAO) to examine its role in developing undergraduates' soft skills. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 while qualitative data were classified into themes and analyzed against the quantitative data and USAL's policy and regulations. Findings indicate, from a triangulated perspective, that USAL's undergraduates have revealed an average level of soft skills although they admit their significant importance for employability and career advancement. In addition, USAL's role in developing undergraduates' soft skills appears satisfactory with respect to the curriculum, the instructors' responsibilities and conducts, and SAO liabilities. Challenges impeding the process of integrating soft skills are pinpointed and discussed. Recommendations for the betterment of investing soft skills within USAL' context, policy and practice, are shared.

Demonstrating higher-order thinking skills is crucial for thriving in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. In science education, inquiry-based learning has increasingly been recognized as a potent approach to stimulate students' higher-order thinking skills. While prior research has shown evidence of its positive impact on student achievement, no study has critically synthesized its effect on students' higher-order thinking skills in the context of science learning. Thus, this study conducted a meta-analysis following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. The study extracted twenty-six (26) effect sizes from twenty (20) studies, involving 1,349 students exposed to both inquiry-based and conventional approaches. Using the Comprehensive Meta-analysis Software, effect size (Hedges g) was calculated to determine the magnitude of the effectiveness of inquiry-based approaches. The overall weighted effect size of g = 0.893 demonstrates that inquiry-based approaches have a significantly large and positive impact on students' higher-order thinking skills. Moderator analysis suggests that regardless of students' educational level, scientific discipline, or level of inquiry, the use of the inquiry-based approach in teaching scientific concepts maximizes students' higher-order thinking skills. Although various inquiry-based approaches were effective when combined with other instructional strategies for teaching scientific concepts, only a few studies integrated technology into the implementation of inquiry-based approaches in science. Given the positive findings of this meta-analysis, science teachers are further encouraged to adapt inquiry-based approaches to enhance their teaching practices and support students in strengthening their higher-order thinking skills.

Because intercultural communication has become one of the most demanded skills in the current digitalized world, many educational institutions aspire to graduate students who possess intercultural skills and are able to successfully communicate with people from diverse cultures. However, intercultural communication has not received much attention in the Lebanese context, especially in schools. To this end, this paper examines the Lebanese high school directors' perceptions of intercultural communication. As pragmatists, the researchers employed quantitative and qualitative methods to better understand the problem under investigation. Using a snowball sampling, they surveyed the perceptions of 55 Lebanese directors in private and public high schools and interviewed two informants in the Center for Educational Research and Development. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Then, the derived conclusions were compared to ensure trustworthiness of the findings. Major findings showed that though intercultural communication is a learning outcome in most schools, it is mostly taught at the knowledge level in the foreign language classrooms. Assessment of this outcome is neither systematic nor consistent. It was also shown that directors in private schools tend to be more informed than those in the public sector. Recommendations are made for enhancing intercultural communication skills in Lebanese educational institutions.

The impact of digitalisation on everyday life has necessitated the need for learners to acquire digital competence as part of their education. In order to prepare students to become digital citizens, it has become necessary for teachers to acquire and implement digital competence in the classroom. This study applied the DigCompEdu framework to Lebanese schools and teachers to examine the digital competences of teachers and their alignment with Ministry of Education & Higher Education (MEHE) standards. This study followed a cross-sectional descriptive design and involved 170 in-service teachers in Lebanese schools. This study found that whilst schoolteachers' practice meets all MEHE indicators, there is a significant need for training to schoolteachers in using digital tools and resources to promote collaboration in the learning process. The findings highlighted the importance of digital competences in schools and the need for ongoing training and support for teachers in this area.

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale in a Lebanese sample. The study includes 236 Lebanese citizens (54.2% women; M[subscript age] = 30.14). Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a hierarchical model yielded a good fit, with the CAAS measuring four distinct dimensions that can be combined in a higher-order career adaptability factor in a Lebanese sample. Results showed that the overall CAAS and sub-dimensions were highly reliable. Pearson correlation coefficients demonstrated that the CAAS' scores were related to those of basic values and life satisfaction. The CAAS constitutes a promising measure to be used in Lebanese career counselling.

Substantial variability exists with regard to autism service provision around the world. Service disparities observed in many low- and middle-income countries may be driven, in part, by limited autism knowledge; however, measurement limitations have made it difficult to quantify autism knowledge across countries. The current study uses the autism stigma and knowledge questionnaire (ASK-Q) to quantify autism knowledge and stigma between different countries and demographics. The current study compiled data from 6830 participants collected using adapted versions of the ASK-Q administered in 13 different countries, representing four different continents. Structural equation modeling was used to examine how autism knowledge varied across country and individual factors. Results reveal cross country variability with a large, 17-point difference between the countries with the highest knowledge (Canada) and the lowest knowledge (Lebanon). As expected, countries with higher economies had higher levels of knowledge. We also documented differences based on country worldview, participant occupation, gender, age, and education level. These results help to identify specific regions and populations that might most need greater information about autism.

The economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic since 2019 forced both public and private schools in Lebanon to close for an extended period of time. Many topics were suspended from the curriculum due to decreasing the number of learning days. The predominant causes of learning loss are lengthy gaps or cutouts in students' education. This study aims to investigate the impact of school closure on students' learning, specifically the learning loss in biology at the secondary level during the period between 2019-2022. This is a mixed research: qualitative data was collected through document analysis to compare the topics covered in biology and the official exams for grade 12-Life Science section during the last two academic years with those covered and implemented before the dual crisis; and quantitative data through teachers' questionnaire implemented to address the biology learning loss. The results revealed a huge learning loss in biology, more than 50 % of the biology program was not covered in grades 10, 11-S and 12-LS, and a decline in the quality of the official exams. Similar results were obtained in a parallel study addressing Lebanese secondary students' learning loss in mathematics. [This research was presented at ICSES conference held in Antalya between 10 and 13 November, 2022.]

Very few Lebanese students have been able to perform at the highest level in mathematics and science in TIMSS, leading to the belief that current curricula and/or pedagogies are not supporting our highly able students to realize their potentials. In this research, we investigate how the national Policy documents and the mathematics and science centralized curricula, and textbooks address the needs of highly able students. Teachers' perceptions and role in providing for the educational needs of highly able is also examined. Through qualitative methods, the following data sources were used to address the research aim: policy document analysis, curriculum analysis, and teacher interviews. Findings indicated no specific policy for highly able students in Lebanon and little evidence of curricular provisions and attention to the needs of highly able learners in the mathematics and science national curricula and textbooks. The resultant data also provided important insights into the limited knowledge of teachers in the area of supporting highly able learners. The findings of the current study will inform the efforts of the policy makers and the Ministry of Education faced with the challenge of effectively educating their most able students.

Research has previously examined the role of the epistemological background of students in accepting or rejecting the theory of evolution. In this study, the participants were 11 undergraduate biology major students in a private university in Beirut, Lebanon. We collected data through semi-structured interviews, and we extracted the patterns regarding how they perceived tentativeness, what constituted acceptable evidence for them to accept the theory of evolution and the role of religion in their lives. Our findings indicated that, unlike their professor, students uncertain about the theory or rejecting it did so due to the tentative nature of science. They also rejected historical evidence as valid evidence in science, struggled to form a cooperative relationship between evolution and religion and refused common descent because they considered humans as superior organisms. We discuss the implications of those results for curriculum and instruction.

The complexities of Internet sources have caused more challenges to school students, leading them in many cases to copy-paste ideas into their written assignments. Facing these challenges requires adopting and implementing evidence-based practices. This article builds on a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental study which investigated the effect of Internet Reciprocal Model (IRT) to lessen occurrences of copy-paste trend in the writing pieces of Grade 8 ESL students (n = 172) in three private schools in Saida, Lebanon. Eight teachers were randomly assigned to experimental and control conditions along with their respective classes. The researchers collected pre and post-data on online research and comprehension assessment tool. Supported with current research and informed by the principles of the social-cognitive, socio-cultural, and the new literacies theories, regression analyses revealed a strong positive degree of association at post-test between the intervention and the subscale that measured copy-paste trend, indicating that teaching online research skills through one comprehensive model would decrease the copy-paste behavior. Theoretical and pedagogical implications were discussed. Recommendations for school policies and further research were provided.

Despite widespread enthusiasm for remedial education programming with refugee populations, there is little rigorous evidence on how to design and implement such programs. We employ a cluster-randomized design of non-equivalent treatment groups to test the impact of access to two types of program enhancement: longer program duration and the addition of skill-targeted social and emotional learning (SEL) activities for Syrian refugees enrolled in Lebanese public schools. We find that, compared to 10 weeks of programming, 26 weeks marginally increases students' literacy skills (ES = 0.04) and significantly improves behavioral regulation (ES = 0.31), but students reported less positive perceptions of their public school environment (ES= -0.83 to -0.89) and remedial tutoring site (ES= -0.15 to -0.24). We also find that the addition of skill-targeted SEL activities to 26 weeks of programming results in higher student reports of school-related stress compared to programming without skill-targeted activities (ES = 0.21). Implications for program and policy are discussed.

Despite the significant increase in the empirical research on inclusion of students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Lebanon, no scoping reviews (ScRs) have yet been carried out on this topic. The purpose of this study is to explore research foci and findings in published empirical research literature on inclusion of students with SEND in Lebanon using Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) ScR framework. This ScR examined 59 studies obtained from research databases (ERIC, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, EBSCO Essentials, EBSCO Open Dissertations, and Shamaa), Lebanese institutional databases, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate. This study shows that there are 10 research foci in published empirical research literature on inclusion of students with SEND in Lebanon: 'interventions for students with SEND', 'evaluation of inclusive education (IE)', 'attitudes towards IE', 'profile of inclusive teacher', 'barriers to IE', 'facilitators to IE', 'profile of student with SEND', 'inclusive school selection', 'mechanisms for measuring school inclusiveness', and 'mechanisms for sustaining school inclusiveness'. The most represented research focus is 'interventions for supporting students with SEND' with 22 studies, yet the least represented research foci are 'mechanisms for measuring and sustaining school inclusiveness' with one study for each. Limitations of the ScR are presented. Recommendations for policymakers and practitioners are provided, and directions for future research are proposed.

This paper is a comparative study of teacher job satisfaction in Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon. This study will examine the extent to which demography, teacher satisfaction in online classes, and teacher-student interaction, affect their job satisfaction. The study will also examine the challenges that confront teachers in the process of online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study adopted a quantitative approach. To achieve the objectives of this study, the author utilized responses from 431 teachers working across Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon. The study revealed that the perception of teachers and teacher-student interaction in online classes influenced the job satisfaction of teachers. The findings revealed that teacher job satisfaction in (Israel) and (Jordan and Lebanon) were independent of demographic attributes. The online classes also came along with their challenges such as, attitude of students toward learning via online classes, to technical problems affecting the speed and pace of learning in online classes which all the countries' teachers ranked high.

Dyslexia is the most common learning disability. Knowledge about dyslexia is thus essential for its prevention and early identification. Despite recent advances in dyslexia grounded in the science of reading and the science of teaching reading, it remains unclear the extent to which different professionals who work with children diagnosed with dyslexia actually know about the disorder. This study examines the knowledge of professionals working with children with dyslexia in Lebanon. We administered a 29-item online Qualtrics survey to 175 professionals including speech-language pathologists, special educators, and psychologists. Using exploratory factor analysis in the exploratory structural equation modeling framework, we compared one-, two-, and three-factor models and selected the one factor solution as optimal. Results indicate that the instrument is valid as a measure of dyslexia knowledge in this population. Furthermore, participants held both correct knowledge and misconceptions about dyslexia. We conclude with limitations, recommendations for future research and practice. [Note: The page range (39-74) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct page range is 38-74.]

Within the scope of this study, a psychoeducation program based on multicultural competencies and Berry's acculturation model was developed to improve the adjustment process of international students. In this study, an explanatory sequential design was used. The study group consisted of 34 international students who volunteered for the study. The quantitative results of the study indicated that the Culture-Based Adjustment Program significantly affected the personal and social adjustment of international students. However, it did not significantly affect the adjustment to the university environment, emotional adjustment, dating relationships, and academic adjustment. The qualitative analysis yielded five major categories: (a) expectations, (b) contributions, (c) evaluation of the program, (d) leader, and (e) suggestions. The findings of this study highlight the importance of psychoeducation programs in the adjustment process of international students.

Learners are expected to discuss and debate, using scientific evidence, the Socio-Scientific Issues (SSI) that often overlap with personal experiences and ethical dilemmas. This study investigated the reasoning of 24 Grade 8 Lebanese students when arguing about a scientific scenario as opposed to an SSI. It also examined how students make decisions and reason about SSIs. Results showed that students' reasoning is more emotional in socio-scientific contexts than in scientific ones. Also, scientific reasoning was based on macroscopic (observed) characteristics of the phenomenon in an SSI but was based on microscopic (cellular/molecular details of mechanisms) features of the phenomenon in scientific contexts. Cultural, social, and ethical considerations influenced students' decisions and reasons when constructing arguments. We discuss the results in light of the literature on reasoning about SSIs and provide instructional implications on how to teach argumentation within SSIs to enhance student reasoning.

This study delves into the transformative impact of a professional development model (PDM) across three affiliated private schools in Beirut, Lebanon, spanning three years, with a primary focus on nurturing teacher leadership. At the heart of this PDM, teachers assumed the role of trainers, guiding their colleagues during dedicated professional development days. Employing a grounded theory approach, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 teacher trainers and engaged with three school principals. The research reveals five central categories. Two categories revolve around the evidence highlighting the progression of teacher leadership: (1) accessing and utilising research to enhance teaching and student learning, and (2) promoting professional learning for continuous improvement. Additionally, three categories elucidate the elements instrumental in facilitating the PDM's role in cultivating teacher leadership: reciprocal empowerment, conceptual awareness, and collaborative metacognition. This model redefines traditional top-down leadership structures, allowing teachers to actively mold their professional development journey, creating a more collaborative and intentional approach to teacher leadership.

This article investigates the role of reading proficiency and reading motivation in the academic achievement of a cohort of college students enrolled in a Middle Eastern university that follows the American model of liberal arts education. Forty-eight (n = 48) students from diverse academic majors completed the adults reading motivation scale, following which we tested their reading proficiency and determined their academic achievement as a composite score based on midterm and final examinations, a course project, and class participation. Results revealed that reading proficiency and overall reading motivation are positively linked to academic achievement. However, while the reading motivational dimension of self-efficacy emerged as a significant factor in academic achievement, the dimensions of reading as part of self, reading for recognition, and reading to do well in other realms did not reach statistical significance as determinants of academic achievement. The study implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Lebanon is currently trapped in a full-scale emergency. Apart from the Syrian refugee mass influx of 2011, which had led the country to severe social and economic constraints, a civic uprising ignited in October 2019 against an incompetent government accused of sectarianism and corruption by the Lebanese people. Thousands of peaceful protesters from different religions and social classes assembled in cities across the country calling for social and economic reforms. Frustration and public anger have escalated in recent years over government's failure to manage the country's waste and economic crisis. Lebanon currently confronts a debt, fiscal, currency and banking crisis which inevitably impacted its educational sector. Unlike many countries where public schools are most commonly frequented, Lebanon relies on its private schools including Catholic Schools to educate two-third of students. The current crises are forcing working class families to pull their children out of private schools into the state system.

This paper investigates the potential that mediated text can have on expanding Lebanese young people's notions and understandings of sexuality beyond their personal boundaries and the immediate local context to uncover the portrayal of these notions within a global mediated space. It specifically seeks to examine the intersection between Lebanese youth media practices and sexual learning by identifying the extent to which watching the hit Netflix series "Sex Education," affected young people's sexual identities, knowledge and practices. Four focus groups, each comprised of six respondents, described the importance of the series in influencing young people's sexual learning and thoughts in a society where sexuality and sexual subjects are taboo. The four main discussion themes that were developed -- namely, Open Mindedness: transgression, acceptance and respect; Transformation: life skills and right choices; Gender Equality, Well-being and Health; Reliability/identification and the Need for Trustworthy Connections; and the Need to Re-educate Family and Society about Sex -- underscore the importance of the series as a learning tool, the need for the re-introduction of sexual education as part of school curricula in Lebanon, and the re-education of society more generally to help foster healthier sexual lives among young people.

Objectives: This study aims to assess (i) the health-related Quality of Life (QoL) of medical students in Lebanon, (ii) its association with their general characteristics, and (iii) to investigate the combined effects of the predictors affecting the quality of life of students. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was performed over three months, targeting 401 medical students from six universities. The 36-item Short Form survey was used to quantify the different QoL scores. Results: The physical component (PC) domains had higher scores than the mental component (MC) ones (70.2 vs. 55.9). Students aged 30 years or less had higher scores in all the PC domains than older students (70.9 vs. 59.3; p<0.010) but comparable scores in the MC domains (55.6 vs. 59.8; p>0.050). Single students had a significantly higher role-emotional score (63.5 vs. 49.0; p<0.050), and those studying in public universities had greater general health scores (57.7 vs. 53.7; p<0.050). Younger age significantly increased most of the health-related PC scores, and having chronic diseases decreased all the QoL scores except the mental health score. Conclusion: The QoL of medical students was negatively affected during the pandemic, particularly their mental health. Informed educational and health decisions are required to minimize this impact on their academic performance.

Based in Lebanon, Jusoor's Refugee Education Program has supported out-of-school Syrian refugee children since 2013 with the aim of bringing them back on the path of formal schooling. In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of all schools and educational centers in Lebanon. To keep students learning, Jusoor switched to an online learning format. This distance learning program was named Azima, or "Determination" as translated from the Arabic, in reference to the refugee children's determination to continue learning despite the adversities they face. Through the program creation, iteration, and transformation, a set of best practices emerged that could be useful for the establishment of distance education in general, and for distance education programs catering to out-of-school children or children coming from a vulnerable background in particular.

The Boston Naming Test is a well-known neuropsychological test widely used to evaluate linguistic abilities, encompassing object naming and word retrieval in subjects representing various clinical pathologies. Our study has two main stages: (1) a pilot study aimed at adapting the BNT to the linguistic and cultural particularities of Lebanese society and (2) norm determination for the Lebanese version of the BNT through the analysis of participants' responses. The primary goal of this study is to develop a Lebanese version of the BNT comprising 60 images adapted to the Lebanese language and culture. This version is based on normative data derived from healthy Lebanese adults aged between 50 and 88 years. The study seeks to assess the influence of age, gender, and education level on the naming performance of participants. In the pilot study, 103 Lebanese volunteers participated, while the normative study involved 280 healthy volunteers aged between 50 and 88 years. Three screening tests--Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire (LEAP-Q), and Geriatric Depression Scale 15-item (GDS)--were administered to select participants meeting inclusion criteria. The findings revealed a statistically significant effect of age and education level on the BNT (Lebanese version) total score. The total score decreased with age and increased with education. However, the effect of gender was not significant, a result confirmed by the generalized linear model. This study successfully produced a Lebanese version of the BNT comparable to the original English version. Additionally, it provided normative data crucial for evaluating naming ability, word retrieval, and detecting potential disorders associated with aging.

Asking students to evaluate teaching faculty by every ending semester in modern education is an established trend. In the higher education circles, it is validated based on a large body of research showing a relationship between these evaluations and students' achievement. The arising problem is whether this relation is positively associated or not, and the presence of a growing debate pertaining to the many factors influencing this correlation. Most of the cited research shows a link between the attitude of students and their achievement. This research studies the effect of students' grade point average (GPA), together with the type of university as public or private, and students' major, on their attitude towards faculty teaching evaluations. The results of the multiple regression show a strong relationship between GPA and students' attitude towards faculty evaluations, suggesting an ethical duality affecting grade inflation.

International actors increasingly advocate for partnerships in education in emergencies (EiE) to address the dire educational opportunities of school-aged children in sites of disaster, armed conflict, forced migration, and other humanitarian crises. This study explores the nature of partnerships in EiE. We examine the impetus behind an expansion of partnerships among diverse global actors and key characteristics, relationships, and dynamics within these partnerships. Using data collected from key informant interviews and documents from organizations involved in the Syria refugee education response (2018-2021), we detail two emerging characteristics of partnerships in EiE: (1) market-based principles in rhetoric and practice; and (2) a rise in private sector participation. While partnerships aim to improve coordination between agencies, our study uncovers the counterintuitive finding that competition characterizes the EiE partnership space more often than coordination. Furthermore, despite the education and humanitarian community's promotion of a "localization agenda"--prioritizing full participation of affected local communities as partners in education policy and implementation--our research points to a maintained hierarchy where international actors hold most influence in EiE. We discuss the practical implications of this power asymmetry within the broader context of marketized humanitarianism, and raise concerns regarding equity within unchecked partnerships.

The COVID 19 pandemic, which started to be seen in Turkey in March 2020, required some changes to the education process in our country and all over the world, and during this period, the courses were carried out online. Therefore, education activities for foreigners residing in different parts of the world in Turkish education were carried out following the new situation. However, this situation has brought various problems. This study aims to detect the errors in the written texts created online by the students studying in the form of distance education at Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University TÖMER in the spring semester of the 2020-2021 academic year. For this purpose, 26 students were given topics such as fellowship, friendship, family, travel, technology, daily life, memories, cities, and countries. Then, they were asked to write a text about any of the topics of their own choice. The texts written by the students were evaluated by content analysis from qualitative data analysis. A total of 517 errors were detected as a result of the review, and the errors were categorically collected under three headings: Narrative disorders, spelling errors and punctuation errors. Nearly half of the errors detected are due to narrative disorders (49.51%). In second place are spelling errors (32.30%) and punctuation errors (18.18%) in last place. When looking at the errors evaluated at the level of narrative disorders, it was observed that impairments caused 71% of the 256 errors detected in the grammar level and 29% were caused by disorders in the level of meaning. Accordingly, it has been concluded that the students did not have sufficient feedback from the teacher on the language level disorders in the written texts created by the students during the online Turkish teaching process and that the students did not succeed at the desired level in applying the grammar rules. In this context, it is recommended that the lecturers show the necessary sensitivity to the application process of writing skills in online Turkish teaching to foreigners.

With the growing emphasis on early mathematics education, it is imperative to explore the preparedness of early years mathematics pre-service teachers in relation to content knowledge, beliefs, and dispositions. Therefore, this mixed-methods study explored Lebanese pre-service teachers' mathematics dispositions and efficacy beliefs in the context of a mathematics methods course. The sample comprised of 11 pre-service teachers who completed a survey prior to and after completing the methods course. Additionally, they each participated in a semi-structured interview shortly after beginning the course. Results revealed pre-service teachers had the most positive beliefs with regards to how mathematics is learned, the nature and usefulness of mathematics, and personal teaching efficacy. Following the course, statistically significant differences were observed with regards to how mathematics is learned, personal teaching efficacy beliefs, and general teaching efficacy beliefs. Practical implications include the importance of subject-specific mathematics methods courses for teachers of younger children, as well as supporting the development of pre-service teachers' conceptual mathematical understanding prior to entering the profession.

This study investigated the effect of applying "participant modeling" followed by a role play on grade eleven scientific students' achievement and motivation in biology. Students usually face problems in understanding difficult biology concepts like Krebs cycle which is composed of a series of biochemical reactions with many molecules and compounds involved. The researcher designed t-shirts with information about the molecules and the reactions of Krebs cycle and students were asked to wear them throughout the teaching/learning process. Implementing participant modeling helped students to memorize the names of the molecules, their role. Then a role play was applied after modeling to relate the chemical reactions together. Nineteen students with ages ranging between 16 and 17 (N=19) enrolled in grade eleven scientific participated in this study. Data was collected using pre and post-achievement tests, and a motivation test that was implemented before and after the intervention. Results showed a significant enhancement in achievement, but no significant change occurred at the level of motivation. Ultimately, recommendations related to both methodology and future researches are offered.

The present paper attempts to answer the following research questions: (1) What are students' attitudes towards distance education during COVID-19? (2) What are students' feelings and opinions towards online education? (3) What are the impacts of distance learning on students' development of their PCK skills? And (4) What is students' academic achievement in taught online science education courses? To collect data, a total sample of 117 students enrolled in undergraduate program for science teaching at the elementary level, was used. Data was collected over three semesters, during the academic years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. The data collection tools used are: a. a questionnaire administered to students enrolled in their 2nd through the 6th semesters, at the Faculty of Education, Lebanese University, at the end of science education courses, b. students' grades in formative and summative assessments in science education courses, c. students' drawing themselves as remote learners, and d. a post-interview of a purposeful sample. Data analysis was done using interim analysis in the form of post-zoom class conferences and data validation using member check at the end of courses. Findings showed that students at the beginning of the state successive and long lockdowns were happy to learn remotely. But as time passes, they were dissatisfied with online learning, 38% of students missed the campus life and 16% lacked the interaction with their teachers and classmates. In addition, students' academic performance decreased significantly and many were concerned about the little expertise to deal with students in real classes. For 57% of students, distance learning was difficult than classroom, and 70.5% admitted that home environment was not suitable for participating in online lectures due to distractions by their families. Quality teaching and the need for evaluation the online teaching/learning process at the level of the Faculty of Education and the Lebanese University is an urgent need. [This paper was presented at ICSES Conference, Antalya, Turkey, 10-13 November 2022.]

Despite its small size, Lebanon has had its fair share of nationwide turbulences that further instigated conflict and instability among the Lebanese population. The crises have weighed heavily on the educational system in Lebanon and has impeded its operations on many fronts. However, educational leaders have attempted to adopt transformative practices in addressing the anticipated and unanticipated challenges. Educational leaders in Lebanon have learned to perceive that 'the only constant is change,' and have come to realize and acknowledge that their goals of enhancing educational experiences remain the same but the paths to achieve these goals are nonlinear.

Conditions of mass displacement and other complex crises create a need for widely accessible teacher professional development opportunities. This article reports on the forms of value created for participants through a scaled-up collaborative online peer-sharing experience developed to support teachers in challenging environments to become transformative educators. This is an approach we have conceptualised as a co-designed, massive open online collaboration (CoMOOC), since it uses massive open online course (MOOC) platforms, but extends the concept of a traditional MOOC. The CoMOOC was co-designed with teachers and teacher educators in Lebanon and hosted on two platforms to create an equivalent co-learning experience in two languages (Arabic and English). To assess the impact of the CoMOOC, we adopt a value creation approach to evaluation. This approach considers how educators' perception of their participation in the CoMOOC can support and enhance their professional practice in the long term, creating value for themselves and those affected by their practice (for example, learners, colleagues and institutions). We present evidence of the forms of value created during and after participation, collected through impact survey responses and interviews with CoMOOC participants.

The worldwide use of open educational resources (OER) has highly increased during the recent years. However, there is no clear idea about how these resources are utilized by teachers in Lebanon. Hence, this study aims at examining the extent to which the concept of OER is well known among the teachers. It also investigates the practices of OER users and explores the barriers to powerful use and sharing of OER among teachers. Nevertheless, this is quantitative research designed for analyzing the data collected from 308 teachers through an online questionnaire. The results showed that 60% of the respondents have heard about OER. Moreover, they revealed that OER users showed misunderstanding of the concept of OER due to their lack of knowledge about the open licenses. Hence, a national policy for e-learning is needed to leverage open education and ignite the power of OER by encouraging teachers to be producers of knowledge.

The study aims to understand the foremost challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study adopts the PRISMA approach to screening the selection of journal articles and review papers according to the research aims and the inclusion criteria. The journal articles and review papers were extracted and stored in Microsoft Excel and Google Scholar, Academic. Microsoft, Semantic Scholar, Elsevier, and Emerald Insight databases searched relevant documents using formulated keywords. A statistical technique was applied using the M.S. Excel analysis tool (PivotTable and an independent t-Test) to analyze data and determine the differences between teachers and students. The review revealed the evidence that the majority of the studies were primarily focused on the individual developing countries and results from other developing countries were not considered. In addition, the foremost challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic were inadequate skills and training, inadequate Internet/Infrastructure, lack of supporting resources and lack of online student engagement and feedback. Finally, the independent t-test reveals there is no statistically significant difference in challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both teachers and students encounter similar challenges. The systematic review raised concerns that higher learning needs to effectively implement long term strategies and support teachers and students in getting into online teaching and learning.

Inclusive education (IE) has become one of the top issues on the international educational agenda over the past two decades. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) (2013a) developed an IE policy to cater for learning, health, and psychosocial needs for Palestine refugee students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across its five fields of operation; however, the implementation of this policy in UNRWA schools across Lebanon is still weak and inconsistent. The purpose of this study is to assess IE provision for Palestine refugee students with SEND at an UNRWA lower elementary school in Lebanon. The study employed quantitative approach and adopted descriptive design. Data were collected through questionnaire surveys and structured classroom observations from 142 purposefully and conveniently sampled participants, including teaching staff, parents of students with SEND, and their children in grades 2 and 3. The results showed that students with SEND receive an IE to a large extent, yet teachers' inclusive teaching practices are inconsistent, in addition to poor availability of assistive technologies (AT) and exclusion of students with SEND from classroom routines procedures. The large extent of IE provision for students with SEND reflects UNRWA's commitment to providing high-quality IE for all children, including students with SEND. Recommendations for policymakers and practitioners are provided, and suggestions for future research are presented.

The pandemic has abruptly compelled education systems to change and adapt to a new situation. Across different communities and contexts, the sudden and unplanned transition to distance learning induced by the pandemic has generated many challenges, but has simultaneously offered several opportunities. One of its most widely appreciated effects is the increased involvement of families in the school system. This study was conducted in a refugee community in Lebanon, addressing the needs of out-of-school Syrian children through a distance learning programme for early childhood education and basic literacy and numeracy. Through a phenomenological design, this study investigates the parents' or caregivers' role and the challenges they faced in facilitating the process of distance learning during the pandemic period. A total of 68 parents and caregivers participated in 07 focus group discussions. According to the findings, distance learning can be significantly hampered by the lack of a stable internet connection and a minimum level of digital devices. At the same time, the effectiveness of the process can be greatly affected by the caregivers' logistic and pedagogical readiness to support their children while they were enrolled in a distance learning programme. External support from schools or civil society organisations can improve the caregivers' readiness and positively affect the children's learning outcomes.

English language has become a cosmopolitan language. It is the lingua franca of the 21st century. This fact has turned learning the language to a must since it is the international language of communication. As teachers of English for more than 20 years, we have come to realize that to be successful in class, we need to learn and use English as a tool that helps us access information from other cultures and be able to transfer this knowledge and skill to our learners. We also need to provide our learners with enough exposure to English as used in context. However, this is not enough to turn our learners into 21st century citizens of the world. We need to help them become critical thinkers. This has become even harder with the move to online learning due to COVID 19 pandemic. This paper aims at exploring the perceptions of English language instructors in four local Lebanese universities regarding 21st-century critical thinking skills and the instructors' abilities to promote such skills in their classes. Twenty-seven teachers filled a questionnaire, and five participants were interviewed. Descriptive data were analyzed. The data revealed the perceptions and practices of these instructors. The study concludes with recommendations.

Despite its flexibility, remote learning is a complex process which depends on several elements considered as pillars of online learning and which affect each other. The purpose of the study is to reveal the learners' feeling of social isolation while learning remotely as well as the effectiveness of online communication channels in ensuring learning support through content sharing with teachers and colleagues. Moreover, the learners' self-regulation skills were reflected through their practices while learning as well as through the value of being a part of the digital community. The learners' evaluation of their remote learning experience, their attitudes towards passing through this experience again and their suggestions to improve virtual learning were also examined in the last section of the survey. This study sheds light on the social isolation barrier while learning online as 49% of students reported that they always felt isolated. In fact, this disconnectedness was not compensated by online communication especially that around 31% of learners declared that using online communication with teachers and colleagues never helps them with the learning process. Moreover, 55% of learners stated that they never prepare questions before joining online discussions or watching videos in virtual learning. Therefore, the lack of teaching presence - associated with the lack of learners' regulation skills -leads to the absence of learning presence in online learning. The results reflected the perspectives and attitudes of learners towards online learning as 44% of learners described their online learning experience as "bad, unsuccessful, and characterized by failure". Moreover, 63% of learners stated that they were not interested to pass through the online learning experience again. To improve the implementation of online learning, 55% of respondents suggested enhancing the teaching strategies whereas 47% of participants recommended improving the infrastructure and providing the required facilities. So, for integrating online learning, a viable strategy needs to be developed and made aligned with all the opportunities and challenges of online learning in the Lebanese context.

Many EFL [English as Foreign Language] learners reach university unable to exercise control over their own learning in terms of setting goals, monitoring progress, evaluating activities, and organizing time and resources. To address this concern, an experimental research study was carried out in a Lebanese English medium university. The study attempted at developing the students? learning process awareness through implementing the Exploratory Practice [EP] instructional technique in their writing classes. Then, the effects of this implementation were investigated. The study included an experimental group of 16 students and a control group of 23 students. Quantitative data were collected from a questionnaire devised to measure students? learning process awareness which according to reviewed literature is one dimension of autonomy (Lamb & Reinders, 2007). The qualitative data were derived from record keeping, classroom observations, and video recording. The results showed a significant improvement of the experimental group in terms of students? learning process awareness. Hence, this study recommends implementing EP in the context of teaching writing to develop students? learning process awareness and empower their writing autonomy.

This article reports the results of a qualitative study of the effectiveness of a critical reading instructional intervention based on teacher/student conferencing (TSC) and differentiated instruction (DI) in improving the participants' understanding and evaluation of published educational research. TSC and DI entailed using a subset of teaching strategies including pre-teaching, self-selection of critiqued articles, cooperative learning, embedded instruction, extended instruction, reflection to scaffold students' challenges, providing constructive feedback, enabling students to describe their feelings, assessing own learning, and setting goals and plans for further development. A cohort of 11 (n = 11) novice graduate students took part in a 15-week course during which they critiqued several published journal articles and reflected on their experience. Results of a thematic analysis of the participants' reflection logs revealed that their initial feelings of apprehension and anxiety transformed into growth in their self-efficacy as consumers and designers of educational research. Likewise, the participants benefitted from the instructional intervention under study in becoming more proficient readers and in developing supportive relationships. The study implications, limitations, and suggestions for further research that would explicate what specific teaching strategies categorized under TSC and DI were most effective in achieving the study outcomes are discussed.

Increasing research shows pubertal development accelerates following threats while it decelerates following deprivation. Yet, these environmental stressors are unlikely to occur in isolation. We investigated how war exposure and energetic stress impact pubertal development using data from the longitudinal Biological Pathways of Risk and Resilience in Syrian Refugee Children study. Our sample included 1,600 male and female Syrian refugee children and their caregivers who lived in temporary settlements in Lebanon. We hypothesized that (a) energetic stress suppresses pubertal development; (b) war exposure accelerates pubertal timing in boys and increases risk of menarche in girls, but only when energetic stress is low; and (c) when energetic stress is elevated, effects of war exposure on pubertal development will be attenuated. Among boys, we did not find support for Hypothesis 1, but Hypotheses 2 and 3 were supported. Exposure to morbidity/mortality threats accelerated pubertal timing; this effect was attenuated under conditions of elevated energetic stress. Among girls, we found support for Hypothesis 1, but not for Hypotheses 2 and 3. Elevated energetic stress decreased the risk of menarche in girls. Neither war exposure, nor any interactions with energetic stress, predicted risk of menarche. Sensitivity analyses revealed a significant interaction between bombing exposure and the amount of time since leaving Syria. Bombing decreased the risk of menarche, but only for girls who had left Syria four or more years prior to data collection. We discuss implications for translational efforts advocating for puberty screening in medical and mental health settings to identify trauma-exposed youth.

The increased interest in school psychology has been accompanied with an expansion of in-house psychological and rehabilitation services worldwide and in Lebanon. This study aims to explore current practices of school-based psychologists in Lebanese schools in an attempt to understand their role and inform the design of national strategies. A mixed methods design was used including a review of existing academic curricula, laws and regulations and published local research studies; interviews with stakeholders, and a survey filled by school-based psychologists. In addition, 7 university curricula, 7 theses, and 3 dissertations were reviewed, 14 stakeholders were interviewed and 49 school-based psychologists filled the survey. Conclusions suggest that there is no consensus about the title of this profession and its scope of practice, and the required knowledge and training to practice. This study highlighted the need to further make strategic decisions and establish this professional profile, in addition to making the needed amendments to the university curricula and the legal framework of the rules and regulations.