Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-03-06DOI: 10.1016/j.ijer.2026.102975
Yongxiang Xie
Prior research has shown that education systems shape inequality of educational opportunity (IEO). However, two critical aspects of education systems have received limited scholarly attention: the stratification of general upper secondary education (SGUSE) and the high-stakes testing (HST) for transition from lower to upper secondary education. Drawing on data from the 2015 and 2018 cycles of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), along with existing literature and online sources, this study examines how SGUSE and HST moderate the association between family background and children’s academic achievement. The study finds that in education systems characterized by high SGUSE and HST for transitioning from lower to upper secondary education, the association between family background and children’s academic achievement is significantly stronger. These results suggest that the structure of upper secondary education affects IEO at the lower secondary stage.
{"title":"Education systems and social background inequality of educational opportunity: New evidence","authors":"Yongxiang Xie","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.102975","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.102975","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prior research has shown that education systems shape inequality of educational opportunity (IEO). However, two critical aspects of education systems have received limited scholarly attention: the stratification of general upper secondary education (SGUSE) and the high-stakes testing (HST) for transition from lower to upper secondary education. Drawing on data from the 2015 and 2018 cycles of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), along with existing literature and online sources, this study examines how SGUSE and HST moderate the association between family background and children’s academic achievement. The study finds that in education systems characterized by high SGUSE and HST for transitioning from lower to upper secondary education, the association between family background and children’s academic achievement is significantly stronger. These results suggest that the structure of upper secondary education affects IEO at the lower secondary stage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"138 ","pages":"Article 102975"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147418697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102916
André Fabrício P. Cruz , Wille Dingsor S. Pereira , Natália G. Ribeiro , Jaciara N. Sousa , Mônica Thaís S. Macedo , Thais de Oliveira F. Baldo , Marcelo P. Baldo
Anxiety has emerged as a major mental health concern among university students worldwide, with important implications for academic engagement, learning processes, and quality of life (QoL). Academic demands, socioeconomic vulnerability, and health-related factors are key determinants of anxiety symptoms in higher education contexts. This study aimed to evaluate the association between anxiety symptoms and QoL among Brazilian university students. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with 1616 undergraduate students enrolled in higher education institutions in Montes Claros (Minas Gerais) and Guanambi (Bahia), Brazil. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7), and QoL was measured with the EUROHIS-QOL-8 index. Multiple linear regression models were applied to examine the association between anxiety and QoL, adjusting for sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral variables. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms was markedly higher among women than among men. Anxiety scores were negatively correlated with all QoL domains. Students in the highest anxiety quartile exhibited significantly lower QoL scores across all domains, particularly regarding satisfaction with health, energy for daily activities, and self-satisfaction. These associations remained robust after multivariable adjustment. In conclusion, anxiety symptoms were highly prevalent among university students and independently associated with poorer QoL. Beyond immediate effects on well-being, academic anxiety may compromise concentration, academic performance, persistence in higher education, and the development of professional skills, potentially affecting future employability and career trajectories. These findings highlight the need for preventive mental health strategies and institutional support programs within higher education to promote student well-being, academic success, and long-term professional development.
焦虑已成为全球大学生的主要心理健康问题，对学术参与、学习过程和生活质量（QoL）有着重要影响。学业需求、社会经济脆弱性和健康相关因素是高等教育背景下焦虑症状的关键决定因素。本研究旨在评估巴西大学生焦虑症状与生活质量的关系。对巴西蒙特斯克拉罗斯（米纳斯吉拉斯州）和瓜南比（巴伊亚州）高等教育机构的1616名本科生进行了横断面分析研究。使用广泛性焦虑障碍7项量表（GAD-7）评估焦虑症状，使用eurohs - QoL -8指数测量生活质量。采用多元线性回归模型检验焦虑与生活质量之间的关系，调整社会人口统计学、临床和行为变量。焦虑症状在女性中的流行率明显高于男性。焦虑评分与生活质量各域呈负相关。焦虑程度最高的四分位数学生在所有领域的生活质量得分都明显较低，尤其是在健康满意度、日常活动精力和自我满意度方面。在多变量调整后，这些关联仍然很强。综上所述，焦虑症状在大学生中非常普遍，并且与较差的生活质量独立相关。除了对幸福感的直接影响外，学业焦虑还可能影响注意力、学习成绩、高等教育的坚持和专业技能的发展，潜在地影响未来的就业能力和职业轨迹。这些发现强调了预防性心理健康策略和高等教育机构支持计划的必要性，以促进学生的健康、学业成功和长期的专业发展。
{"title":"Anxiety in the academic environment: impacts on quality of life and well-being of university students","authors":"André Fabrício P. Cruz , Wille Dingsor S. Pereira , Natália G. Ribeiro , Jaciara N. Sousa , Mônica Thaís S. Macedo , Thais de Oliveira F. Baldo , Marcelo P. Baldo","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102916","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102916","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Anxiety has emerged as a major mental health concern among university students worldwide, with important implications for academic engagement, learning processes, and quality of life (QoL). Academic demands, socioeconomic vulnerability, and health-related factors are key determinants of anxiety symptoms in higher education contexts. This study aimed to evaluate the association between anxiety symptoms and QoL among Brazilian university students. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with 1616 undergraduate students enrolled in higher education institutions in Montes Claros (Minas Gerais) and Guanambi (Bahia), Brazil. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7), and QoL was measured with the EUROHIS-QOL-8 index. Multiple linear regression models were applied to examine the association between anxiety and QoL, adjusting for sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral variables. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms was markedly higher among women than among men. Anxiety scores were negatively correlated with all QoL domains. Students in the highest anxiety quartile exhibited significantly lower QoL scores across all domains, particularly regarding satisfaction with health, energy for daily activities, and self-satisfaction. These associations remained robust after multivariable adjustment. In conclusion, anxiety symptoms were highly prevalent among university students and independently associated with poorer QoL. Beyond immediate effects on well-being, academic anxiety may compromise concentration, academic performance, persistence in higher education, and the development of professional skills, potentially affecting future employability and career trajectories. These findings highlight the need for preventive mental health strategies and institutional support programs within higher education to promote student well-being, academic success, and long-term professional development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 102916"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102885
Maria João Antunes , Orlanda Tavares , Carla Sá , Ana Rita Luz
Vocational education in Portugal has improved secondary school qualifications, but its impact on higher education remains limited. Government efforts to facilitate this transition have been only partially successful. This paper explores vocational students' perceptions of the accessibility and relevance of HE, with a particular focus on how socio-economic background, educational pathways and labour market challenges influence their aspirations. Using a qualitative approach, data was collected through focus groups and interviews. Findings highlight systemic inequalities, financial constraints and limited cultural capital as key barriers to participation in HE. Economic pressures lead students to prioritise immediate employment and practical skills, while social influences, particularly from family and peers, reinforce doubts about the value of higher education. Many see it as unattainable or unnecessary. To reduce inequalities and improve access, targeted interventions such as improved careers guidance, financial support and better integration of theory and practice in the curriculum are essential.
{"title":"‘What do I do now?’ Vocational students’ perceptions of the (Un)feasibility of higher education","authors":"Maria João Antunes , Orlanda Tavares , Carla Sá , Ana Rita Luz","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102885","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102885","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vocational education in Portugal has improved secondary school qualifications, but its impact on higher education remains limited. Government efforts to facilitate this transition have been only partially successful. This paper explores vocational students' perceptions of the accessibility and relevance of HE, with a particular focus on how socio-economic background, educational pathways and labour market challenges influence their aspirations. Using a qualitative approach, data was collected through focus groups and interviews. Findings highlight systemic inequalities, financial constraints and limited cultural capital as key barriers to participation in HE. Economic pressures lead students to prioritise immediate employment and practical skills, while social influences, particularly from family and peers, reinforce doubts about the value of higher education. Many see it as unattainable or unnecessary. To reduce inequalities and improve access, targeted interventions such as improved careers guidance, financial support and better integration of theory and practice in the curriculum are essential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 102885"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145659079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mobile-based communication is an increasingly viable strategy for delivering educational and parenting interventions in low-resource contexts. This study reports findings from a randomized controlled trial (N = 525; Mage = 36.9 years) in Mumbai, India, evaluating a low-cost parenting program delivered via audio and video messages during COVID-19 school closures. The intervention targeted families with young children (ages 3–7; 48% girls), with a focus on promoting early learning among low-literacy caregivers through a deliberately designed audio- and video-based format that required no reading. The program had no statistically significant impact on the primary outcome of parental cognitive stimulation (d = 0.10, ns). However, small-to-moderate improvements in children’s socioemotional skills were detected (d = 0.28, p < 0.05), though these effects only reached marginal statistical significance after adjusting for multiple comparisons (q = 0.05–0.07). There were no impacts on children’s academic skills, engagement with educational materials, or internalizing/externalizing behaviors. Exploratory analyses showed no differential impacts by maternal education or household food insecurity, but larger impacts on socioemotional outcomes for older children. Within the treatment group, message satisfaction and comprehension were not associated with any outcomes. Findings highlight the promise and limitations of brief, mobile-based interventions in low-resource settings. Implications are discussed for designing more intensive or interactive supports to strengthen foundational learning and parenting practices in similar contexts.
{"title":"Supporting early learning: An audio-video program for low-literate parents of young children in urban India","authors":"Anahita Kumar , Sharon Wolf , Berta Bartoli , Jasmine Bala , Vishvesh Varma , Elaine Zanutto","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102926","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102926","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mobile-based communication is an increasingly viable strategy for delivering educational and parenting interventions in low-resource contexts. This study reports findings from a randomized controlled trial (<em>N</em> = 525; M<sub>age</sub> = 36.9 years) in Mumbai, India, evaluating a low-cost parenting program delivered via audio and video messages during COVID-19 school closures. The intervention targeted families with young children (ages 3–7; 48% girls), with a focus on promoting early learning among low-literacy caregivers through a deliberately designed audio- and video-based format that required no reading. The program had no statistically significant impact on the primary outcome of parental cognitive stimulation (<em>d</em> = 0.10, ns). However, small-to-moderate improvements in children’s socioemotional skills were detected (<em>d</em> = 0.28, <em>p</em> < 0.05), though these effects only reached marginal statistical significance after adjusting for multiple comparisons (<em>q</em> = 0.05–0.07). There were no impacts on children’s academic skills, engagement with educational materials, or internalizing/externalizing behaviors. Exploratory analyses showed no differential impacts by maternal education or household food insecurity, but larger impacts on socioemotional outcomes for older children. Within the treatment group, message satisfaction and comprehension were not associated with any outcomes. Findings highlight the promise and limitations of brief, mobile-based interventions in low-resource settings. Implications are discussed for designing more intensive or interactive supports to strengthen foundational learning and parenting practices in similar contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 102926"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145940290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-11-27DOI: 10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102871
Su Xu , PanPan Yang , Yiting Chen , Lingling Xu , Bowen Xiao , Yan Li
Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and the protective-protective factor model, this cross-sectional study examined how social-emotional competencies, peer acceptance and school climate relate to bullying victimization among students in Shanghai, China. Specifically, it examined the association between social-emotional competencies and bullying victimization with the mediating role of peer acceptance and the moderating role of school climate. The final sample included 885 students (47.23 % girls, M age =10.927 years, SD = 0.786) drawn from 21 classes (average class size = 46) in Grade 3 to 5 of two public elementary schools. Participants completed validated measures assessing social-emotional competencies, bullying victimization, peer acceptance, and school climate. Moderated mediation analysis using PROCESS macro with 5000 bootstrap resamples was conducted. Results showed that social-emotional competencies are negatively associated with bullying victimization, with peer acceptance mediating this association. School climate moderated the relation between peer acceptance and bullying victimization. These findings highlighted the nuanced interrelations of individual, peer, and school-level factors in bullying victimization, and underscored the need for culturally responsive and multi-level interventions.
{"title":"Social-emotional competencies and bullying victimization among students of grade 3-5 in Shanghai: A moderated mediation model of peer acceptance and school climate","authors":"Su Xu , PanPan Yang , Yiting Chen , Lingling Xu , Bowen Xiao , Yan Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102871","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102871","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and the protective-protective factor model, this cross-sectional study examined how social-emotional competencies, peer acceptance and school climate relate to bullying victimization among students in Shanghai, China. Specifically, it examined the association between social-emotional competencies and bullying victimization with the mediating role of peer acceptance and the moderating role of school climate. The final sample included 885 students (47.23 % girls, <em>M</em> age =10.927 years, SD = 0.786) drawn from 21 classes (average class size = 46) in Grade 3 to 5 of two public elementary schools. Participants completed validated measures assessing social-emotional competencies, bullying victimization, peer acceptance, and school climate. Moderated mediation analysis using PROCESS macro with 5000 bootstrap resamples was conducted. Results showed that social-emotional competencies are negatively associated with bullying victimization, with peer acceptance mediating this association. School climate moderated the relation between peer acceptance and bullying victimization. These findings highlighted the nuanced interrelations of individual, peer, and school-level factors in bullying victimization, and underscored the need for culturally responsive and multi-level interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 102871"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145615726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102925
Sonia Vermeulen Steyaert
Teachers spend most of their working lives inside school buildings, yet research on the built environment has largely centred on students, leaving teachers’ occupational well-being relatively underexplored from a spatial perspective. This study aims to examine how ergonomic and architectural characteristics of primary classrooms are associated with key psychosocial dimensions of teachers’ occupational well-being.
NAn online survey was conducted with 230 French-speaking primary teachers and assessed four environmental factors—architectural configuration, acoustic quality, visual conditions, and thermal/atmospheric comfort—together with self-efficacy, work engagement, and workplace well-being. Data were analysed using partial least-squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).
The results show that classroom configuration, acoustic quality and visual conditions are positively associated with teachers’ self-efficacy. Self-efficacy, in turn, is positively related to both work engagement and workplace well-being, with work engagement showing the strongest association with well-being. Indirect effects highlight acoustic conditions and spatial configuration as the most influential environmental factors linked to overall well-being.
Overall, the model explains a substantial proportion of variance in the three psychosocial outcomes, supporting the relevance of classroom design for teachers’ professional experience. These findings underscore the importance of prioritising acoustic quality and spatial flexibility in school design and renovation, and they provide actionable insights for architects, policymakers, and school leaders seeking to create work environments that may support teachers’ professional well-being and sustainable professional engagement.
{"title":"School buildings: Effects of ergonomic and architectural factors of school spaces on teachers’ well-being","authors":"Sonia Vermeulen Steyaert","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102925","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102925","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Teachers spend most of their working lives inside school buildings, yet research on the built environment has largely centred on students, leaving teachers’ occupational well-being relatively underexplored from a spatial perspective. This study aims to examine how ergonomic and architectural characteristics of primary classrooms are associated with key psychosocial dimensions of teachers’ occupational well-being.</div><div>NAn online survey was conducted with 230 French-speaking primary teachers and assessed four environmental factors—architectural configuration, acoustic quality, visual conditions, and thermal/atmospheric comfort—together with self-efficacy, work engagement, and workplace well-being. Data were analysed using partial least-squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).</div><div>The results show that classroom configuration, acoustic quality and visual conditions are positively associated with teachers’ self-efficacy. Self-efficacy, in turn, is positively related to both work engagement and workplace well-being, with work engagement showing the strongest association with well-being. Indirect effects highlight acoustic conditions and spatial configuration as the most influential environmental factors linked to overall well-being.</div><div>Overall, the model explains a substantial proportion of variance in the three psychosocial outcomes, supporting the relevance of classroom design for teachers’ professional experience. These findings underscore the importance of prioritising acoustic quality and spatial flexibility in school design and renovation, and they provide actionable insights for architects, policymakers, and school leaders seeking to create work environments that may support teachers’ professional well-being and sustainable professional engagement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 102925"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145940167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
For teachers in contemporary education settings, professional work with parents, including communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution, has become an integral part of their daily responsibilities. Emotional regulation in home–school interactions, therefore, constitutes a vital aspect of teachers’ emotional labor. Drawing on focus group interviews with 58 teachers in mainland China and employing a theory-driven thematic data coding approach, this study examines the dynamics of interpersonal emotion regulation within home–school encounters. The analysis identifies three overarching orientations in teachers’ strategies: building connections, maintaining the status quo, and strategic withdrawal, with each orientation containing two specific strategies. Compared with classroom-based regulation strategies directed toward students, teacher emotion regulation in home–school interactions is characterized by greater complexity, contextual dependence, and inherent tensions. Situated within a broader policy and reform landscape, these practices challenge teachers’ emotional resilience and professional identity, while providing limited support for the development of constructive home–school relationships. This study underscores the importance of systematic interpersonal emotional support for teachers and reaffirms the necessity of teaching as a form of humanistic, relational connective labor.
{"title":"Between connection and withdrawal: How teachers choose to regulate their emotions in home-school scenarios","authors":"Hui Dong (董辉) , Xinyue Zhou (周鑫玥) , Siyi Huang (黄思怡)","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102929","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102929","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>For teachers in contemporary education settings, professional work with parents, including communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution, has become an integral part of their daily responsibilities. Emotional regulation in home–school interactions, therefore, constitutes a vital aspect of teachers’ emotional labor. Drawing on focus group interviews with 58 teachers in mainland China and employing a theory-driven thematic data coding approach, this study examines the dynamics of interpersonal emotion regulation within home–school encounters. The analysis identifies three overarching orientations in teachers’ strategies: building connections, maintaining the status quo, and strategic withdrawal, with each orientation containing two specific strategies. Compared with classroom-based regulation strategies directed toward students, teacher emotion regulation in home–school interactions is characterized by greater complexity, contextual dependence, and inherent tensions. Situated within a broader policy and reform landscape, these practices challenge teachers’ emotional resilience and professional identity, while providing limited support for the development of constructive home–school relationships. This study underscores the importance of systematic interpersonal emotional support for teachers and reaffirms the necessity of teaching as a form of humanistic, relational connective labor.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 102929"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145940216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-01-11DOI: 10.1016/j.ijer.2026.102944
David Kyei-Nuamah
Academic freedom has recently declined due to government and other actors’ interference in university affairs. Although these acts occur in different dimensions, an elite perspective is needed in the discourse and from the leading actors at the helm of higher education governance. To this end, I present an exploratory qualitative study with 9 educational elites: a former minister of education, vice-chancellors and university presidents, and officials from educational organisations. Additionally, I examine the interrelationships between these external and internal acts that hinder academic freedom. To these elites, the problem of academic freedom mainly stems from universities’ administrative autonomy, national governments’ interference in university governance, and the permeation of external funders that run counter to academic interests. Participants rarely framed accountability and trust as the primary drivers of academic freedom. Instead, they reveal that it is closely related to political interference, funding issues that compromise academic interests, and a lack of academics’ involvement in decision-making. To protect the interests of academics and support the university, it is important to have policies and laws that shield universities from ongoing interference. Accordingly, these regulations should hold academics accountable to safeguard universities’ interests.
{"title":"The external and internal acts that hinder governance, autonomy and academic freedom: Perspectives from selected higher education elites in Africa","authors":"David Kyei-Nuamah","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.102944","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.102944","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Academic freedom has recently declined due to government and other actors’ interference in university affairs. Although these acts occur in different dimensions, an elite perspective is needed in the discourse and from the leading actors at the helm of higher education governance. To this end, I present an exploratory qualitative study with 9 educational elites: a former minister of education, vice-chancellors and university presidents, and officials from educational organisations. Additionally, I examine the interrelationships between these external and internal acts that hinder academic freedom. To these elites, the problem of academic freedom mainly stems from universities’ administrative autonomy, national governments’ interference in university governance, and the permeation of external funders that run counter to academic interests. Participants rarely framed accountability and trust as the primary drivers of academic freedom. Instead, they reveal that it is closely related to political interference, funding issues that compromise academic interests, and a lack of academics’ involvement in decision-making. To protect the interests of academics and support the university, it is important to have policies and laws that shield universities from ongoing interference. Accordingly, these regulations should hold academics accountable to safeguard universities’ interests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 102944"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145978876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Social exclusion is a common topic among college and university students, and its causes exacerbate psychological distress and negative behavioral outcomes. This study investigates the prevalence of social exclusion during physical activity among college students, focusing on social support as a mediator and examining self-esteem, campus social environments, and group exercise involvement as moderators. A cross-sectional quantitative survey design was employed, collecting data through systematic sampling procedures. Surveys were delivered offline and online in a structured way to 1610 participants. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4 was used to analyze the data. The results indicated that social exclusion had a direct and negative effect on exercise behavior, β (-0.41), p < 0.001. Social support played a mediating role and was totally mediated, β (0.36), p < 0.001. Self-esteem declined as a result of social exclusion, β (-0.38), p < 0.001, and this decline caused reductions in exercise levels. Campus social climate had a direct effect on campus social climate, β (0.33), p < 0.005, and supported group climate in decreasing social exclusion effects, as well as participating in group exercise, β (0.40), p < 0.001. Overall, the model explained 48 % of the variance in exercise behavior (R² = 0.48). This study provided a new combination of psychological and behavioral constructs to explain how the process of social exclusion leads to inactivity in terms of physical activity. Social support was a mediating factor that can be implemented in school settings. This research explored how students are socially excluded from physical activity and the significant protective function of social support. Specifically, this research recommends that universities or medical health practitioners provide opportunities for interventions that work on inclusive group behaviors and build supportive university contexts for physical health initiatives alongside psychological well-being interventions.
社会排斥是大学生普遍存在的问题，其成因加剧了大学生的心理困扰和不良行为后果。本研究调查了大学生体育活动中社会排斥的普遍程度，重点研究了社会支持作为中介，并考察了自尊、校园社会环境和团体运动参与作为调节因子。采用横断面定量调查设计，通过系统抽样程序收集数据。调查以结构化的方式在线下和线上对1610名参与者进行了调查。采用SmartPLS 4的偏最小二乘结构方程模型（PLS-SEM）对数据进行分析。结果表明，社会排斥对运动行为有直接的负向影响，β (-0.41), p < 0.001。社会支持起中介作用，并被完全中介，β (0.36), p < 0.001。自尊心下降是社会排斥的结果，β (-0.38), p < 0.001，这种下降导致运动水平的减少。校园社会气候对校园社会气候有直接影响，β (0.33), p < 0.005；支持群体气候对减少社会排斥效应有直接影响，β (0.40), p < 0.001。总体而言，该模型解释了48%的运动行为差异（R²= 0.48）。这项研究提供了一个新的心理和行为结构的组合来解释社会排斥的过程是如何导致身体活动不足的。社会支持是一个中介因素，可以在学校环境中实施。本研究探讨学生体育活动被社会排斥的原因及社会支持的保护作用。具体来说，本研究建议大学或医疗保健从业者为包容性群体行为的干预提供机会，并在心理健康干预的同时，为身体健康倡议建立支持性的大学环境。
{"title":"Understanding the impact of social exclusion on exercise behavior: exploring mediating and moderating mechanisms among college students","authors":"Yanni Zhang , Heng Gao , Xinguo Yuan , Changfang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102883","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102883","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Social exclusion is a common topic among college and university students, and its causes exacerbate psychological distress and negative behavioral outcomes. This study investigates the prevalence of social exclusion during physical activity among college students, focusing on social support as a mediator and examining self-esteem, campus social environments, and group exercise involvement as moderators. A cross-sectional quantitative survey design was employed, collecting data through systematic sampling procedures. Surveys were delivered offline and online in a structured way to 1610 participants. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4 was used to analyze the data. The results indicated that social exclusion had a direct and negative effect on exercise behavior, β (-0.41), <em>p</em> < 0.001. Social support played a mediating role and was totally mediated, β (0.36), <em>p</em> < 0.001. Self-esteem declined as a result of social exclusion, β (-0.38), <em>p</em> < 0.001, and this decline caused reductions in exercise levels. Campus social climate had a direct effect on campus social climate, β (0.33), <em>p</em> < 0.005, and supported group climate in decreasing social exclusion effects, as well as participating in group exercise, β (0.40), <em>p</em> < 0.001. Overall, the model explained 48 % of the variance in exercise behavior (R² = 0.48). This study provided a new combination of psychological and behavioral constructs to explain how the process of social exclusion leads to inactivity in terms of physical activity. Social support was a mediating factor that can be implemented in school settings. This research explored how students are socially excluded from physical activity and the significant protective function of social support. Specifically, this research recommends that universities or medical health practitioners provide opportunities for interventions that work on inclusive group behaviors and build supportive university contexts for physical health initiatives alongside psychological well-being interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 102883"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-06DOI: 10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102888
Ofir Sheffer
Since the early 21st century, the international aid community has recognized education as a fundamental right and a stabilizing force during crises. Following the Hamas attack on October 2023, thousands of Israeli families were displaced to evacuation centers. Civil society organizations, including youth movements, mobilized to provide educational and emotional support. Among them were 18–19-year-old gap-year volunteers who assumed unexpected roles as educators.
This qualitative study draws on interviews and ethnographic observations of 22 such volunteers, exploring how they navigated uncertainty, emotional strain, and blurred personal-professional boundaries while sustaining daily routines for displaced children and youth. Their accounts reveal how non-formal education served as a civic response before formal state systems were in place. The analysis situates their work within debates on youth activism, showing how civic agency emerges through care, responsibility, and community rebuilding.
The discussion highlights both the transformative potential and the structural vulnerabilities of relying on very young, non-certified educators in emergencies. The study’s limitations include its small, context-specific sample and its focus on volunteers from Israeli youth movements. Despite these constraints, it contributes to international debates on education in emergencies and youth civic engagement, offering new insight into how young people act as agents of stability and meaning in times of collective crisis.
{"title":"“It’s like being a band-aid until someone comes to dress the wound”: Gap-year volunteers as emergency educators in evacuation centers","authors":"Ofir Sheffer","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102888","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102888","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since the early 21st century, the international aid community has recognized education as a fundamental right and a stabilizing force during crises. Following the Hamas attack on October 2023, thousands of Israeli families were displaced to evacuation centers. Civil society organizations, including youth movements, mobilized to provide educational and emotional support. Among them were 18–19-year-old gap-year volunteers who assumed unexpected roles as educators.</div><div>This qualitative study draws on interviews and ethnographic observations of 22 such volunteers, exploring how they navigated uncertainty, emotional strain, and blurred personal-professional boundaries while sustaining daily routines for displaced children and youth. Their accounts reveal how non-formal education served as a civic response before formal state systems were in place. The analysis situates their work within debates on youth activism, showing how civic agency emerges through care, responsibility, and community rebuilding.</div><div>The discussion highlights both the transformative potential and the structural vulnerabilities of relying on very young, non-certified educators in emergencies. The study’s limitations include its small, context-specific sample and its focus on volunteers from Israeli youth movements. Despite these constraints, it contributes to international debates on education in emergencies and youth civic engagement, offering new insight into how young people act as agents of stability and meaning in times of collective crisis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 102888"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145693288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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