Alison S. Marzocchi, Amelia Stone-Johnstone, Kristin Kurianski, Roberto C. Soto
With evidence mounting on the benefits of equity-minded and active mathematics instruction, increasing numbers of mathematics faculty members are seeking to transform their instruction. Yet, many lack the skills and/or confidence to make the transition. To support faculty in meaningful instructional improvement, the authors of this paper facilitate frequent and innovative professional development (PD) guided by a community of practice framework. PD is intentionally designed to be incremental and supportive. Using one-on-one interview data from ten faculty participants who participated in PD on equity-minded and active mathematics instruction, we report on three crucial characteristics of a community of practice: the domain, the community, and the practice. Findings have implications for mathematics departments that aspire to support instructors to transform their teaching. Incremental PD guided by a community of practice framework could support faculty through the challenges of instructional transformation.
{"title":"Supporting Mathematics Instructors’ Transition to Equity-Minded Active Instruction Using a Community of Practice Framework","authors":"Alison S. Marzocchi, Amelia Stone-Johnstone, Kristin Kurianski, Roberto C. Soto","doi":"10.3390/educsci14091001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14091001","url":null,"abstract":"With evidence mounting on the benefits of equity-minded and active mathematics instruction, increasing numbers of mathematics faculty members are seeking to transform their instruction. Yet, many lack the skills and/or confidence to make the transition. To support faculty in meaningful instructional improvement, the authors of this paper facilitate frequent and innovative professional development (PD) guided by a community of practice framework. PD is intentionally designed to be incremental and supportive. Using one-on-one interview data from ten faculty participants who participated in PD on equity-minded and active mathematics instruction, we report on three crucial characteristics of a community of practice: the domain, the community, and the practice. Findings have implications for mathematics departments that aspire to support instructors to transform their teaching. Incremental PD guided by a community of practice framework could support faculty through the challenges of instructional transformation.","PeriodicalId":11472,"journal":{"name":"Education Sciences","volume":"147 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142208668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ann-Kathrin Dittrich, Irma Eloff, Wietske Boon, Lucas Weinberg, Maryam Rabani Nia, Kgadi Clarrie Mathabathe, Evi Agostini
This study focuses on the design and implementation of the Teacher Education and Sustainability Scale (TESS), an instrument to assess the professionalism of teacher educators in relation to sustainability in the context of Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite the importance of the SDGs, there is very little research on the identity of teacher educators in relation to sustainability. The Teach4Reach 2.0 project, an international collaboration between the University of Pretoria, the University of Vienna and the University of Innsbruck, aims to fill the research gap in the quantitative measurement of this key area by examining the professionalism of teacher educators in relation to sustainability in order to strengthen their identity. The TESS questionnaire was developed in a structured four-stage process that initially included AI-generated items and was followed by expert refinement and a testing phase with participants from Austria and South Africa. The findings discuss the process of developing the TESS questionnaire and include a critical reflection on AI and on the need for targeted professional development for teacher educators in the field of sustainable development.
{"title":"Assessing the Professionalism of Teacher Educators in Relation to Sustainability: Developing the Teacher Education and Sustainability Scale (TESS)","authors":"Ann-Kathrin Dittrich, Irma Eloff, Wietske Boon, Lucas Weinberg, Maryam Rabani Nia, Kgadi Clarrie Mathabathe, Evi Agostini","doi":"10.3390/educsci14091000","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14091000","url":null,"abstract":"This study focuses on the design and implementation of the Teacher Education and Sustainability Scale (TESS), an instrument to assess the professionalism of teacher educators in relation to sustainability in the context of Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite the importance of the SDGs, there is very little research on the identity of teacher educators in relation to sustainability. The Teach4Reach 2.0 project, an international collaboration between the University of Pretoria, the University of Vienna and the University of Innsbruck, aims to fill the research gap in the quantitative measurement of this key area by examining the professionalism of teacher educators in relation to sustainability in order to strengthen their identity. The TESS questionnaire was developed in a structured four-stage process that initially included AI-generated items and was followed by expert refinement and a testing phase with participants from Austria and South Africa. The findings discuss the process of developing the TESS questionnaire and include a critical reflection on AI and on the need for targeted professional development for teacher educators in the field of sustainable development.","PeriodicalId":11472,"journal":{"name":"Education Sciences","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142208611","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In this critical literature review, we examine how middle-level pedagogies, specifically critical pedagogies, impact students’ academic, physical, and socioemotional development. This literature review examines critical pedagogies research in middle-level education, focusing on methods that address systemic inequities and center diverse and historically marginalized student populations. Examining the literature from 2013 to 2023, key findings indicate that critical pedagogies, including culturally responsive teaching practices, diverse instructional approaches, and decolonial and antiracist strategies can impact student engagement and development. When used purposefully to foster equity, these approaches disrupt institutional power dynamics, promote social justice, and support diverse student needs. However, there is a lack of research on these pedagogies when in practice for a sustained amount of time, as well as a lack of inclusion of literature with student voices. Because of this, we call for future research to include the perspectives and voices of middle-level students to better understand and refine critical pedagogical practices.
{"title":"Advancing Middle Grade Research on Critical Pedagogy: Research Synthesis","authors":"Amy Walker, Bogum Yoon, Jennifer Pankowski","doi":"10.3390/educsci14090997","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090997","url":null,"abstract":"In this critical literature review, we examine how middle-level pedagogies, specifically critical pedagogies, impact students’ academic, physical, and socioemotional development. This literature review examines critical pedagogies research in middle-level education, focusing on methods that address systemic inequities and center diverse and historically marginalized student populations. Examining the literature from 2013 to 2023, key findings indicate that critical pedagogies, including culturally responsive teaching practices, diverse instructional approaches, and decolonial and antiracist strategies can impact student engagement and development. When used purposefully to foster equity, these approaches disrupt institutional power dynamics, promote social justice, and support diverse student needs. However, there is a lack of research on these pedagogies when in practice for a sustained amount of time, as well as a lack of inclusion of literature with student voices. Because of this, we call for future research to include the perspectives and voices of middle-level students to better understand and refine critical pedagogical practices.","PeriodicalId":11472,"journal":{"name":"Education Sciences","volume":"102 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142208608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Sensory Classroom Teacher Questionnaire (SCTQ) is a psycho-educational tool designed to empower teachers in creating sensory-rich, inclusive environments that promote diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusivity through the application of sensory ergonomics. Unlike other tools that focus on isolated strategies, the SCTQ takes a holistic approach by optimizing the overall classroom environment to meet the sensory and ergonomic needs of learners, particularly those with ADHD and sensory integration/processing challenges. This makes the SCTQ especially vital in diverse and under-resourced quintile schools, where creating sensory-optimized, inclusive environments is essential for fostering equitable learning experiences. By addressing sensory needs through thoughtful classroom design, the SCTQ not only strengthens learners’ cognitive development and socio-emotional well-being but also improves behavior regulation, physical comfort, and overall functioning. This manuscript is part of a larger exploratory mixed-methods study that validated the SCTQ using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Here, the focus is on the qualitative aspect, utilizing thematic analysis to explore data from 23 focus group interviews with 88 Grade 1, 2, and 3 teachers from various Quintile 1–5 schools in Gauteng, South Africa. Guided by the enactivism paradigm, the study emphasizes the crucial role teachers play in creating and adapting sensory environments. Their insights were key to refining the SCTQ, ensuring it is practical, developmentally appropriate, culturally, linguistically, contextually, and socio-economically relevant. Developed through collaboration among researchers, specialists, and teachers, the SCTQ supports sensory ergonomic practices, raises awareness of ADHD and sensory integration/processing challenges, and supports both learners’ potential and teachers’ well-being, contributing to a more sustainable and positive educational experience.
{"title":"South African Teachers’ Insights on Improving the Sensory Classroom Teacher Questionnaire (SCTQ) for Inclusive Education and ADHD Support","authors":"Hannelie Du Preez","doi":"10.3390/educsci14090989","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090989","url":null,"abstract":"The Sensory Classroom Teacher Questionnaire (SCTQ) is a psycho-educational tool designed to empower teachers in creating sensory-rich, inclusive environments that promote diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusivity through the application of sensory ergonomics. Unlike other tools that focus on isolated strategies, the SCTQ takes a holistic approach by optimizing the overall classroom environment to meet the sensory and ergonomic needs of learners, particularly those with ADHD and sensory integration/processing challenges. This makes the SCTQ especially vital in diverse and under-resourced quintile schools, where creating sensory-optimized, inclusive environments is essential for fostering equitable learning experiences. By addressing sensory needs through thoughtful classroom design, the SCTQ not only strengthens learners’ cognitive development and socio-emotional well-being but also improves behavior regulation, physical comfort, and overall functioning. This manuscript is part of a larger exploratory mixed-methods study that validated the SCTQ using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Here, the focus is on the qualitative aspect, utilizing thematic analysis to explore data from 23 focus group interviews with 88 Grade 1, 2, and 3 teachers from various Quintile 1–5 schools in Gauteng, South Africa. Guided by the enactivism paradigm, the study emphasizes the crucial role teachers play in creating and adapting sensory environments. Their insights were key to refining the SCTQ, ensuring it is practical, developmentally appropriate, culturally, linguistically, contextually, and socio-economically relevant. Developed through collaboration among researchers, specialists, and teachers, the SCTQ supports sensory ergonomic practices, raises awareness of ADHD and sensory integration/processing challenges, and supports both learners’ potential and teachers’ well-being, contributing to a more sustainable and positive educational experience.","PeriodicalId":11472,"journal":{"name":"Education Sciences","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142208613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This systematic review rigorously explores the reciprocal relationship between teacher leadership and self-efficacy across a range of educational and cultural settings. Drawing on eleven peer-reviewed studies from 2013 to 2024 and guided by the PRISMA framework, the analysis substantiates a robust, bidirectional link: teacher leadership significantly bolsters self-efficacy, which, in turn, profoundly impacts educational practices and outcomes. The dynamics of this relationship exhibit considerable variation across cultural divides, with collectivist settings predominantly favoring a collaborative approach that enhances collective efficacy and teamwork, whereas individualistic contexts tend to prioritize personal achievement and empowerment. The findings highlight the imperative for culturally tailored professional development programs and affirm the critical influence of teacher self-efficacy in driving educational innovation and reform. Despite the richness of the insights presented, the studies’ limited sample sizes and the specificity of their educational contexts may temper the broader applicability of the conclusions. This review recommends that future research adopt longitudinal and mixed-methods approaches to deepen the understanding of these interactions across diverse cultural landscapes, thereby enriching the theoretical and practical implications for global educational advancement.
{"title":"Exploring the Interplay between Teacher Leadership and Self-Efficacy: A Systematic Literature Review (2013–2024)","authors":"Xue Luo, Bity Salwana Alias, Nor Hafizah Adnan","doi":"10.3390/educsci14090990","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090990","url":null,"abstract":"This systematic review rigorously explores the reciprocal relationship between teacher leadership and self-efficacy across a range of educational and cultural settings. Drawing on eleven peer-reviewed studies from 2013 to 2024 and guided by the PRISMA framework, the analysis substantiates a robust, bidirectional link: teacher leadership significantly bolsters self-efficacy, which, in turn, profoundly impacts educational practices and outcomes. The dynamics of this relationship exhibit considerable variation across cultural divides, with collectivist settings predominantly favoring a collaborative approach that enhances collective efficacy and teamwork, whereas individualistic contexts tend to prioritize personal achievement and empowerment. The findings highlight the imperative for culturally tailored professional development programs and affirm the critical influence of teacher self-efficacy in driving educational innovation and reform. Despite the richness of the insights presented, the studies’ limited sample sizes and the specificity of their educational contexts may temper the broader applicability of the conclusions. This review recommends that future research adopt longitudinal and mixed-methods approaches to deepen the understanding of these interactions across diverse cultural landscapes, thereby enriching the theoretical and practical implications for global educational advancement.","PeriodicalId":11472,"journal":{"name":"Education Sciences","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142226548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Annie Agnew, Matthew Kearney, Seán Ó Grádaigh, Brendan Mac Mahon, Cornelia Connolly
This article presents findings from an international study examining a synchronous hybrid approach for observing and supporting student teachers on their school placement. This novel approach emerged from previous studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and involves university tutors synchronously supervising student teachers from two locations: one tutor face-to-face in a school-based classroom and another virtually, from a remote setting such as a university campus. The qualitative case study adopts a focus group method to explore the views of participating school placement tutors from universities in Ireland and Australia about the benefits and challenges of this approach. Findings suggest that this new approach enhances supervisors’ observation and feedback practices and enables enriched collaboration and professional dialogue between student teachers and their tutors. Future research directions are also shared to advance the field.
{"title":"Exploring a Synchronous Hybrid Observation Approach for Supporting Student Teachers during School Placements","authors":"Annie Agnew, Matthew Kearney, Seán Ó Grádaigh, Brendan Mac Mahon, Cornelia Connolly","doi":"10.3390/educsci14090991","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090991","url":null,"abstract":"This article presents findings from an international study examining a synchronous hybrid approach for observing and supporting student teachers on their school placement. This novel approach emerged from previous studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and involves university tutors synchronously supervising student teachers from two locations: one tutor face-to-face in a school-based classroom and another virtually, from a remote setting such as a university campus. The qualitative case study adopts a focus group method to explore the views of participating school placement tutors from universities in Ireland and Australia about the benefits and challenges of this approach. Findings suggest that this new approach enhances supervisors’ observation and feedback practices and enables enriched collaboration and professional dialogue between student teachers and their tutors. Future research directions are also shared to advance the field.","PeriodicalId":11472,"journal":{"name":"Education Sciences","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142208614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Artificial intelligence (AI) drives new modes of learning and improves the workflow of instructors. Nevertheless, there are concerns about academic integrity, plagiarism, and the reduction of critical thinking in higher education. Therefore, it is important to record and analyze university social sciences students’ attitudes toward AI, which is a significant predictor of later use of AI technologies. A sample of 190 university students (82.45% female) from a Greek social sciences department was selected. Descriptive statistics revealed that students’ attitudes toward AI were mostly positive. A principal components analysis confirmed a three-component solution of attitudes toward AI, comprising cognitive, behavioral, and emotional dimensions. Comparative analysis of the three components indicated that the emotional dimension was the highest ranked, followed by the cognitive and behavioral dimensions. Pairwise correlation analyses revealed that the strongest correlate of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional components of attitudes toward AI was the future frequency of AI use, followed by general feelings of safety with technology. In conclusion, students display more emotional and cognitive favorable dispositions toward AI. The social background of the students and the prospective future use of AI play a key role in the formulation of attitudes toward AI. University educators need to provide more teaching and learning about AI to improve students’ attitudes toward AI and future AI use.
{"title":"University Students’ Attitudes toward Artificial Intelligence: An Exploratory Study of the Cognitive, Emotional, and Behavioural Dimensions of AI Attitudes","authors":"Argyrios Katsantonis, Ioannis G. Katsantonis","doi":"10.3390/educsci14090988","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090988","url":null,"abstract":"Artificial intelligence (AI) drives new modes of learning and improves the workflow of instructors. Nevertheless, there are concerns about academic integrity, plagiarism, and the reduction of critical thinking in higher education. Therefore, it is important to record and analyze university social sciences students’ attitudes toward AI, which is a significant predictor of later use of AI technologies. A sample of 190 university students (82.45% female) from a Greek social sciences department was selected. Descriptive statistics revealed that students’ attitudes toward AI were mostly positive. A principal components analysis confirmed a three-component solution of attitudes toward AI, comprising cognitive, behavioral, and emotional dimensions. Comparative analysis of the three components indicated that the emotional dimension was the highest ranked, followed by the cognitive and behavioral dimensions. Pairwise correlation analyses revealed that the strongest correlate of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional components of attitudes toward AI was the future frequency of AI use, followed by general feelings of safety with technology. In conclusion, students display more emotional and cognitive favorable dispositions toward AI. The social background of the students and the prospective future use of AI play a key role in the formulation of attitudes toward AI. University educators need to provide more teaching and learning about AI to improve students’ attitudes toward AI and future AI use.","PeriodicalId":11472,"journal":{"name":"Education Sciences","volume":"318 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142226550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Service-learning is a community-based learning approach that bridges academic knowledge with practical application through purposeful exploration, action, and reflection. In addition to enhancing academic learning in various disciplines, service-learning cultivates students’ self-awareness, personal values, and social responsibility, preparing them with essential skills for life beyond the classroom. However, due to its experiential nature, service-learning presents challenges for effective assessment. This study provides a concrete example of student reflections structured by the Objective, Reflective, Interpretive, and Decisional (ORID) model in practice. Content analysis was implemented by examining undergraduate students’ end-of-semester reflection papers while volunteering during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The results showed that the model provided a guided and structured format for students to reflect on their service-learning, going beyond reporting on factual details to engaging in profound reflections on the emotional, cognitive, and prospective aspects. Moreover, with the solution aspect added to the model, students could express their creativity, articulating on innovative solutions they proposed to overcome challenges and how they turned the challenges into favorable outcomes. Clearly, the model stands as a powerful tool for educators, offering deeper insights into students’ authentic experiences, fostering comprehensive, critical, and insightful reflection, and thereby facilitating the effective assessment of experiential learning.
{"title":"Beyond the Classroom: Integrating the ORID Model for In-Depth Reflection and Assessment in Service-Learning","authors":"Fatma Kayan Fadlelmula, Saba Mansoor Qadhi","doi":"10.3390/educsci14090987","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090987","url":null,"abstract":"Service-learning is a community-based learning approach that bridges academic knowledge with practical application through purposeful exploration, action, and reflection. In addition to enhancing academic learning in various disciplines, service-learning cultivates students’ self-awareness, personal values, and social responsibility, preparing them with essential skills for life beyond the classroom. However, due to its experiential nature, service-learning presents challenges for effective assessment. This study provides a concrete example of student reflections structured by the Objective, Reflective, Interpretive, and Decisional (ORID) model in practice. Content analysis was implemented by examining undergraduate students’ end-of-semester reflection papers while volunteering during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The results showed that the model provided a guided and structured format for students to reflect on their service-learning, going beyond reporting on factual details to engaging in profound reflections on the emotional, cognitive, and prospective aspects. Moreover, with the solution aspect added to the model, students could express their creativity, articulating on innovative solutions they proposed to overcome challenges and how they turned the challenges into favorable outcomes. Clearly, the model stands as a powerful tool for educators, offering deeper insights into students’ authentic experiences, fostering comprehensive, critical, and insightful reflection, and thereby facilitating the effective assessment of experiential learning.","PeriodicalId":11472,"journal":{"name":"Education Sciences","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142208615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Academic misconduct is ubiquitous, a fortiori during crisis periods. The present research examines undergraduates’ learning motivation, based on Self-Determination Theory and personality traits factors, according to the Big Five Factor Model, affecting academic misconduct across different time spans: Before, during, and after a life-changing event. Using online questionnaires, we measured the level of academic misconduct, learning motivation, and personality traits of 1090 social sciences students during five different time spans pre-COVID-19, during COVID-19 (before and after vaccination), and after COVID-19 (post and long post). The results showed significant differences in students’ self-reported academic misconduct levels among the different periods and similar misconduct levels in pre-COVID-19 and long post-COVID-19. Additionally, the findings exhibited that external motivation significantly increases academic misconduct and that two out of five personality traits (agreeableness and emotional stability) reduce their occurrences. We conclude that higher education preparedness for academic integrity during an emergency is still a desideratum and that ethical concerns should not be abandoned but rather be fully addressed during emergency periods. This could be addressed by instructors allocating tasks during emergency groups involving students with pro-social personalities (agreeableness and emotional stability) and intrinsic motivation to serve as social agents in deterring academic misconduct.
{"title":"Academic Integrity Crisis: Exploring Undergraduates’ Learning Motivation and Personality Traits over Five Years","authors":"Yovav Eshet","doi":"10.3390/educsci14090986","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090986","url":null,"abstract":"Academic misconduct is ubiquitous, a fortiori during crisis periods. The present research examines undergraduates’ learning motivation, based on Self-Determination Theory and personality traits factors, according to the Big Five Factor Model, affecting academic misconduct across different time spans: Before, during, and after a life-changing event. Using online questionnaires, we measured the level of academic misconduct, learning motivation, and personality traits of 1090 social sciences students during five different time spans pre-COVID-19, during COVID-19 (before and after vaccination), and after COVID-19 (post and long post). The results showed significant differences in students’ self-reported academic misconduct levels among the different periods and similar misconduct levels in pre-COVID-19 and long post-COVID-19. Additionally, the findings exhibited that external motivation significantly increases academic misconduct and that two out of five personality traits (agreeableness and emotional stability) reduce their occurrences. We conclude that higher education preparedness for academic integrity during an emergency is still a desideratum and that ethical concerns should not be abandoned but rather be fully addressed during emergency periods. This could be addressed by instructors allocating tasks during emergency groups involving students with pro-social personalities (agreeableness and emotional stability) and intrinsic motivation to serve as social agents in deterring academic misconduct.","PeriodicalId":11472,"journal":{"name":"Education Sciences","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142208618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Claudia H. Aguayo-Hernández, Alejandro Sánchez Guerrero, Patricia Vázquez-Villegas
This study aims to understand university professors’ perspectives on the learning assessment process, including its importance during teaching and learning, their conceptualization, and their considerations in their practices. The research used a grounded theory approach to recognize evaluation as a dialogical and intersubjective space. The methodology consisted of an open survey and a semi-structured interview with faculty professors from a university in northern Mexico. The findings highlighted the importance of educational institutions, emphasizing that faculties prioritize evaluating quality based on relevance, alignment with learning objectives, continuity throughout the process, and feedback. These aspects align with recent approaches that consider evaluation as a process that promotes learning, as evidenced by the high saturation rate in the theoretical sampling. Furthermore, the study revealed that the institution’s educational model, curricular design, and evaluation policies significantly influence the faculty members’ perspective. As a result, educational institutions must consider these factors when formulating an evaluation model, thereby making the research directly applicable to the work of educational policymakers and university professors.
{"title":"The Learning Assessment Process in Higher Education: A Grounded Theory Approach","authors":"Claudia H. Aguayo-Hernández, Alejandro Sánchez Guerrero, Patricia Vázquez-Villegas","doi":"10.3390/educsci14090984","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090984","url":null,"abstract":"This study aims to understand university professors’ perspectives on the learning assessment process, including its importance during teaching and learning, their conceptualization, and their considerations in their practices. The research used a grounded theory approach to recognize evaluation as a dialogical and intersubjective space. The methodology consisted of an open survey and a semi-structured interview with faculty professors from a university in northern Mexico. The findings highlighted the importance of educational institutions, emphasizing that faculties prioritize evaluating quality based on relevance, alignment with learning objectives, continuity throughout the process, and feedback. These aspects align with recent approaches that consider evaluation as a process that promotes learning, as evidenced by the high saturation rate in the theoretical sampling. Furthermore, the study revealed that the institution’s educational model, curricular design, and evaluation policies significantly influence the faculty members’ perspective. As a result, educational institutions must consider these factors when formulating an evaluation model, thereby making the research directly applicable to the work of educational policymakers and university professors.","PeriodicalId":11472,"journal":{"name":"Education Sciences","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142208616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}