European Journal of Education最新文献

The influence of continuing professional development (CPD) on English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers' agency and pedagogical effectiveness has been limitedly explored to date. To address the gap, this study employed three questionnaires in China looking at 516 teachers' perceptions of CPD, agency and effectiveness. The results of structural equation modelling (SEM) and multiple regression analysis demonstrated a significant positive correlation among the three constructs of CPD, teacher agency and effectiveness. It also found that approximately 59% and 46% of the variability noticed in teachers' effectiveness and agency could be predicted by the cumulative effect of CPD. The study presents a discussion of the results and details the implications for EFL teachers and teacher trainers concerning the benefits of CPD for teachers and teaching.

This phenomenological study explores the challenges confronting teacher education in Türkiye, a context shaped by a series of educational reforms in recent years. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 purposefully selected teacher educators, working at nine different faculties of education across the country. The content analysis revealed three central themes: the divide between the Ministry of National Education and the Faculties of Education, limitations of the current teacher education curriculum, and low professional quality among teacher educators. Key challenges include weak collaboration between the Ministry of National Education and faculties, variations in institutional priorities, limited participation in designing programs, an overly theoretical curriculum, inadequate and ineffective practicum, and low faculty quality attributed to non-merit-based recruitment, limited teaching experience, and lack of innovation and growth mindset. These findings underscore the need for more participatory policymaking, a stronger emphasis on practice-oriented approaches, and enhanced professional development for teacher educators.

Guided by the framework of socio-emotional learning and technology-enhanced pedagogy, this study examines the role of AI-based emotion recognition in shaping educational outcomes, including teacher feedback quality, classroom dynamics and teacher job satisfaction. Findings indicate that AI-based emotion recognition significantly enhances classroom interactions and feedback quality, which in turn positively influences teacher job satisfaction. The study highlights the interconnectedness of emotional, pedagogical, and technological factors, offering novel insights into how AI tools can foster emotionally responsive and effective teaching environments. By emphasising the theoretical and practical implications, this research underscores innovative pathways for integrating emotionally intelligent AI in education, while encouraging consideration of ethical and contextual factors.

Previous studies on the impact of robot-assisted language learning (RALL) interventions on second language (L2) learners' speaking skills have yielded contradictory results. To clarify the interrelationships among these variables, the present study employed a meta-analysis to synthesise previous studies. A total of 89 potential studies were screened, with 15 meeting the inclusion criteria based on rigorous methodological standards. The included experimental studies varied considerably in design, sample size, intervention type and measurement tools. To ensure comparability across studies, quantitative outcomes were standardised using Hedges'g, minimising small-sample bias. Effect size calculations and meta-regression analyses were conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (version 4), with moderators including learners' anxiety, academic level and sample size. RALL has a statistically significant positive effect on L2 speaking skills, with pooled effect sizes demonstrating both consistent and substantial impacts when accounting for heterogeneity across studies. Meta-regression revealed that higher anxiety levels and larger sample sizes were significant positive predictors of effect sizes, whereas academic level showed no significant influence. These results suggest that while anxiety is often conceptualised as a barrier, it may under certain conditions motivate learners to engage more actively in RALL tasks. The findings highlight both the potential and limitations of RALL, emphasising the need for cautious interpretation given the small number of studies and variability in contexts. Future research should further investigate contextual and demographic moderators, as well as long-term outcomes, to refine understanding of how RALL can be effectively integrated into L2 speaking instruction.

The role of psychoaffective factors in second or foreign language (L2) listening has sparsely been reported in the literature. Moreover, the influence and interplay of learner emotions and motivation on L2 learners' listening self-efficacy remains underexplored. To bridge this gap, the present research explored how adolescent English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' L2 listening motivation, along with the mediating impact of negative and positive emotions, predicts self-efficacy in L2 listening. To achieve this, 302 adolescent learners (33 male and 269 female) studying English were voluntarily recruited and a battery of questionnaires was administered. The results of the structural equation modelling showed that L2 listening motivation has a significant and direct effect on L2 listening self-efficacy. Moreover, all the mediators (i.e., enjoyment, boredom and anxiety) showed significant contributions to L2 listening self-efficacy. L2 listening motivation, in turn, had a significant effect on all the positive and negative emotions. The analyses also revealed that L2 listening enjoyment, boredom and anxiety are strong mediators in the model. While enjoyment demonstrated a positive impact on the relationship between L2 listening motivation and self-efficacy, boredom and anxiety contributed negatively. The findings are discussed in alignment with the relevant educational theories, and pedagogical implications are provided for L2 teachers and trainers regarding the emotional dynamics of L2 listening instruction.

Youth employment is a critical global issue with major implications for economic inclusion and social stability. This study examines the individual and structural factors shaping young people's transitions into the labour market, aligned with SDG 8.6, which targets reducing youth not in education, employment or training (NEET). Using data from 39 high-, middle- and low-income countries, the study applies descriptive statistics and logistic regression to analyse how education, socio-economic conditions and institutional indicators influence youth employment outcomes. While education enhances employability, broader structural variables—such as unemployment rates, population size and GDP per capita—also play significant roles. Higher national unemployment reduces youth transition chances, whereas larger populations correlate positively with labour market entry. Notably, higher GDP per capita is linked to lower employment transitions, indicating unique challenges in wealthier nations. The study calls for integrated policies that align education and labour markets, address systemic barriers and promote inclusive youth employment solutions.

Grounded in social constructivist and affective learning perspectives, this study addressed a key research gap concerning how teacher interpersonal behaviours and emotional factors jointly influence Mongolian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' engagement in technology-mediated classrooms. Despite extensive research on teacher–student interactions and learner affect in other regions, Mongolian trilingual learners in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China remain underrepresented in empirical inquiry. To bridge this gap, the present study examined the relationships among teacher interpersonal behaviours, communication apprehension, self-efficacy, willingness to communicate and academic engagement. Participants were 588 Mongolian trilingual undergraduates selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected via five validated scales, and analyses were conducted using SPSS Version 27 for descriptive, correlational and regression analyses, and AMOS Version 24 for structural equation modelling (SEM). Results revealed strong positive correlations among the main constructs, with SEM indicating that teacher interpersonal behaviours (β = 0.42, p < 0.001) positively predicted self-efficacy, willingness to communicate and engagement, while communication apprehension (β = −0.36, p < 0.001) negatively affected these outcomes. The model explained 64% of the variance in academic engagement, supporting the hypothesised relationships. These findings highlight the critical role of supportive teacher–student relationships and the need to address emotional barriers in digital learning environments. The study contributes theoretically by extending engagement models to trilingual, technology-enhanced EFL contexts and practically by offering pedagogical recommendations for fostering affective support and reducing communication apprehension to optimise learner participation.

This study explored the profiles of academic, instrumental, and emotional support provided by foreign language (FL) teachers using latent profile analysis (LPA), and further examined their associations with students' emotions and engagement in FL learning, as well as demographic variables (e.g., gender, age, SES). A total of 2610 secondary FL learners (46.1% male) in China, aged 13–18 years (M_age = 14.86, SD = 1.415), participated in the study. Data on FL enjoyment, anxiety, boredom and engagement were collected using student-reported scales. The LPA revealed three distinct teacher support profiles: high, moderate and low. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) indicated that the high teacher support group reported significantly greater enjoyment and engagement in FL learning, as well as lower levels of anxiety and boredom, compared to the other groups. Interestingly, the moderate teacher support group, not the low teacher support group, reported the highest levels of anxiety. Female students more often fell within the moderate-support group, whereas older students clustered in the low-support group. Students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds tended to cluster in the moderate-support group. These findings underscore the central role of teacher support in shaping emotional and behavioural outcomes in FL learning and highlight demographic patterns that may inform differentiated instructional and professional development practices.

The primary objective of this study was to examine the effects of mathematical modelling activities on students' science achievement and motivation to learn science when incorporated into science instruction. A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest control group design was employed within a quantitative research framework. Fifty fourth-grader students (25 in the experimental and 25 in control groups) participated in the study. Data were derived from a science achievement test and a science motivation scale before and after the intervention. In the experimental group, in addition to the activities included in the official science curriculum, modelling-based learning tasks designed by the researchers for the Properties of Matter unit were implemented to promote mathematical thinking. The control group, on the other hand, continued with the official curriculum without any instructional modifications. Data were analysed using statistical software to compare the mean scores of both groups. The results of the analysis indicated that the implementation of mathematical modelling activities in the Properties of Matter unit significantly improved the academic performance of students in the experimental group. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of their science learning motivation.

Owing to the rise of the ‘always-on’ culture, it is important to address the negative impacts of workplace telepressure. Based on the conservation of resources theory, we develop a comprehensive theoretical framework that explicates how and when workplace telepressure influences creativity in educational settings. Using a time-lagged survey design, we collected data from 294 secondary school teachers in China. The results support our hypotheses that workplace telepressure is negatively related to teacher creativity. Resilience mediates the relationship between workplace telepressure and teacher creativity. Furthermore, contact quality with coworkers moderates the indirect effect. Specifically, the direct effect of workplace telepressure on resilience, as well as the indirect effect on teacher creativity through resilience, is stronger and significant when contact quality with coworkers is low. The findings enrich the workplace telepressure literature and offer novel insights and avenues for fostering teacher creativity.