ADVANCING GENDER EQUITY IN STEM EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF INQUIRY-BASED COOPERATIVE LEARNING AND CLASSROOM ENGAGEMENT IN CHALLENGING GENDER ROLE STEREOTYPES

Objective This study aims to fill in the gap by exploring the interrelationship among academic emotions, classroom engagement and self-efficacy in EFL learning among Chinese non-English majors in smart classrooms. Methods A total of 409 non-English majors in their first year from a Chinese university completed the revised version of the academic emotions scale, classroom engagement scale and self-efficacy scale and their interrelationship has been analysed by Structural Equation Modelling. Results Positive emotion significantly enhances classroom engagement, while negative emotion does not. Classroom engagement has a significant effect on promoting self-efficacy, which is influenced by both positive and negative emotions, with positive emotions having a greater impact. Specifically, classroom engagement mediates the relationship between positive emotion and self-efficacy, whereas it does not mediate between negative emotion and self-efficacy. Conclusion Smart classrooms can stimulate students’ positive academic emotions, increase their engagement in learning so as to enhance their self-efficacy.

The present research used a mock juror experiment (N = 360) to assess two primary goals: (1) to examine the direct and indirect effects of participant gender, stalking myth acceptance, and gender role stereotyping on guilt ratings in a stalking trial; and (2) to examine the role of perceived victim fear and distress, and defendant intended danger on perceptions of a stalking trial. Using structural equation modeling, we found an indirect effect of participant gender, and both direct and indirect effects of stalking myth acceptance and gender role stereotyping on guilt ratings. Men and participants who endorsed more traditional gender role stereotypes were associated with adherence to stalking myth acceptance beliefs. Endorsement of particular stalking myth acceptance beliefs offers a partial explanation for why women and men differed on perceptions of the defendant's intent to cause danger and the victim's perceived fear and distress. Results provide insight into the efficacy of current anti-stalking legislation that relies on a juror's capacity to evaluate an ‘objective’ interpretation (i.e., ‘reasonable person’) standard of fear for intimate partner stalking.

Student Engagement and Language Learning: What, Why, and How?

The method of evaluating student engagement in online classrooms can provide a timely alert to learners who are distracted, effectively improving classroom learning efficiency. Based on data from online classroom scenarios, a cascaded analysis network model integrating gaze estimation, facial expression recognition, and action recognition is constructed to recognize student attention and grade engagement levels, thereby assessing the level of student engagement in online classrooms. Comparative experiments with the LRCN model, C3D network model, etc., demonstrate the effectiveness of the cascaded analysis network model in evaluating engagement, with evaluations being more accurate than other models. The method of evaluating student engagement in online classrooms compensates for the shortcomings of single-method evaluation models in detecting student engagement in classrooms.

Active learning fosters critical thinking, autonomy, and deep learning. Whereas team-based learning (TBL) is common, inquiry-based learning (IBL) offers a more student-centered, inquiry-driven alternative. This study aimed to compare the pedagogical effectiveness of IBL versus TBL in medical education, focusing on academic performance, learner engagement, autonomy, and satisfaction. An innovative IBL framework, grounded in the 5E instructional model, was designed and implemented with first-year medical students (n = 548). The intervention involved five interactive clinical cases, each centered around a core medical concept. Students progressed through the cases using cascading multiple-choice questions with a conditional solution-revealing mechanism ("scratch film"), promoting autonomous exploration. A final gamified synthesis using crossword puzzles reinforced learning. Comparative data were collected across IBL and TBL sessions with quantitative performance metrics, behavioral observation, and student questionnaires. IBL significantly outperformed TBL in terms of retention of key learning concepts (64-100% vs. 14-38%; P < 0.05), as well as in the acquisition of extended concepts, reflecting deeper cognitive processing. Students in IBL groups were more engaged and solved most clinical problems independently, with minimal use of revealed solutions, indicating high levels of autonomy. Questionnaire responses confirmed a high satisfaction rate (66%), a substantial perceived impact on learning (61%), and a reduced tendency toward group cheating (40%), all statistically significant (P < 0.000). Our results suggest that IBL seems to be more effective and engaging than TBL, as it promotes deeper learning, greater autonomy, and increased motivation, with promising potential to support innovation in basic science learning in medicine.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This quasi-experimental study compared inquiry-based learning (IBL) and team-based learning (TBL) in a physiology course for 548 first-year medical students. Using an original 5E-based IBL framework, the study showed that IBL significantly improves content retention, autonomy, and satisfaction and reduces cheating. These findings underscore IBL's relevance for teaching basic sciences and its potential for scalable, ethical, and engaging curricular innovation in medical education.

The gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has drawn the attention of research and academic communities due to its impact in the Digital Society, targeting the fourth and fifth 2030 sustainable development goals of achieving quality education and gender equality. Recent studies show that women are enrolling STEM studies in smaller proportion than men and that they have a larger probability to renounce to their jobs or to take leaves. In this scenario, the involvement of educational institutions is seminal to change this trend. The School of Engineering of the University of Valencia (ETSE-UV), Spain, launched in 2011 a pilot program to promote STEM careers, focusing on increasing and retaining the number of female students choosing these studies. Building from this experience, the Girls4STEM project has been launched in 2019 with the aim of reaching female students from 6 to 18 years old, their families and teachers. In this paper, we present and motivate the project's objectives and main activities, framing them in current state of the art's literature. Preliminary results of the pilot program actions are presented, demonstrating the statistically significant impact on the percentage of enrolled female students and motivating the subsequent Girls4STEM project.

Considering problem-solving ability as an important qualification in the 21st century that could be developed by instructional methods that allow learners to construct their knowledge via questioning through cooperative learning activities, we conducted action research with the purpose of investigating the effectiveness of inquiry-based and cooperative learning on grade 10 students’ problem-solving ability and studying students’ satisfaction with inquiry-based and cooperative learning in developing their problem-solving ability. The participants were 7 grade 4 students in the Thai educational context. They were selected from a class of 20 students using the results of a placement test. The instruments were a learning management plan designed using the integration of inquiry-based learning and cooperative learning, a problem-solving ability evaluation form, and a satisfaction questionnaire. The data was analyzed using the statistics of percentage, mean score, and standard deviation. The result shows that the integration of the two methods was beneficial in improving the problem-solving skills of the majority of the participants. Participants were also satisfied with learning management throughout the semester it was implemented.

This study aims to examine the influence of inquiry-based instruction on eighth-grade male and female students’ motivation and engagement in science learning in two public junior high schools in central Taiwan. Mixed-methods methodology was adopted with 60 students (32 males and 28 females) in the experimental group and 56 students (28 males and 28 females) in the control group. The study lasted for one semester and six units using inquiry-based teaching (90–180 min each) were implemented in the experimental group. Questionnaires used for measuring students’ motivation and engagement in science learning were administered as pre- and post-tests. In addition, eight to ten male and female students from both experimental and control groups, as well as two instructors were interviewed four times throughout the semester. Quantitative data were analyzed with t test and the interview data were fully transcribed and coded. Results show that male and female students under intervention expected to do more experiments because it improved their understanding. Male and female students under intervention also used more learning strategies. However, males benefited more than females from the intervention in regard to their motivation and engagement in learning science. Males improved more in motivational constructs, recognized the value of learning science, and increased their cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement because what they learned applied to real life. In contrast, females had higher exam anxiety and lower cognitive engagement due to mathematics fear, stronger sense of pride in class, and caring too much about the right answers.

BackgroundThe objective of this study is to construct a model that can predict classroom engagement by Chinese EFL learners. Grounded in self-determination theory, this study specifically investigates how university teachers’ specific teaching styles (humorous, caring, logical, creative) influence EFL learners’ classroom engagement through the mediating role of self-efficacy.MethodsThrough convenience sampling, this study was administered on 1,064 EFL learners across seven Chinese universities and colleges representing different tiers using validated questionnaires. And structural equation modeling was employed to test the mediating role. The hypothesized model was subsequently evaluated using structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the path coefficients and overall predictive capability of the model.ResultsThis research found that the cognitive-oriented teaching styles (the logical teaching style and creative teaching style), but not affective-oriented styles (the humorous teaching style and caring teaching style), could significantly predict EFL learners’ classroom engagement. Besides, students’ self-efficacy could directly predict classroom engagement and mediated the link between teaching style (the logical teaching style and creative teaching style) and classroom engagement.ConclusionsThis study contributes to the understanding of the differential mechanisms through which cognitive-oriented teaching styles and affective-oriented styles influence EFL learners’ classroom engagement, revealing self-efficacy as the critical mediator. These findings provide concrete references for teacher training programs to prioritize logic-based instructional scaffolding and creative thinking stimulation techniques when designing pedagogical interventions aimed at enhancing learners’ self-efficacy beliefs and engagement outcomes.

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the relationship between analysis of rape myths acceptance and gender role stereotype among university students. Method: First-year students at two three-year colleges in Jeonnam and two three-year colleges in Jeonbuk (n=406) were selected by convenience sampling. Of these, responses from 386 (95.8%) were analyzed. Result: Rape myths acceptance in male students was significantly higher than female students (t=5.400, p=.00). In terms of gender role stereotype, male students were significantly higher than female students (t=3.869, p

Facing a gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, various ongoing efforts have been made to promote gender equality in STEM education. However, female students continue to be underrepresented in academic fields and STEM-related careers, both nationally and globally. This study addresses the issue of persistent gender imbalance by identifying the key dimensions and factors influencing STEM identity among female students. Utilizing the systematic literature review (SLR) approach, 51 empirical studies published between 2016 and 2025 were identified through databases such as Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus. Data were extracted and analyzed through a thematic method guided by Carlone and Johnson’s identity framework, which encompasses interest in STEM, competence and achievement, recognition by others, and a sense of belonging. The findings indicate that the formation of STEM identity among female students is influenced by complex interactions between individual characteristics (such as self-efficacy and motivation), interpersonal relationships (such as family, teachers, and peers), institutional structures (such as inclusive pedagogy and access to mentors), and broader societal influences (such as stereotypes and cultural expectations). These dimensions reinforce each other, and imbalances between them—for example, high levels of competence without recognition—can weaken the formation of identity. The study highlights the need for multi-level interventions that target student engagement, teacher training, inclusive school environments, and a national framework addressing systemic gender bias. Identification of female students’ constructs and ways to navigate their STEM identities can help stakeholders, including educators, policymakers, and the STEM industry, create a more equitable and supportive ecosystem to encourage long-term participation of women in STEM fields.

This study explores the perceptions of secondary level English teachers on inquiry based teaching. I used phenomenological approach for this study and semi-structured interview was used for data collection which enabled me in capturing the perceptions of purposefully selected participants. The participants were four secondary level English teachers of Rupandehi district. Moreover, this study was based on socio-constructivism theory of Vygotsky. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis approach. The findings of this study revealed that secondary level English teachers had good perceptions towards using inquiry-based teaching as it enhanced students’ classroom engagement and fostered an effective and meaningful learning experience. The study pointed out a number of opportunities in using inquiry based teaching such as active participation of students, developing discovery skills, the development of critical ability, creativity, problem solving ability, reasoning skills, learners’ autonomy, etc.The findings also indicated that problem in handling technology, lack of motivation and transformation, assessment issues were the challenges while implementing inquiry based instruction in the classroom. The study is expected to have a great significance in improving the 21st century language pedagogy using inquiry based tasks or problems.

The lack of interest from learners and their struggles to engage in classroom activities can impede the learning process. In this article, I discuss a framework that has proven effective in my teaching environment, fostering both initial and sustained engagement among learners throughout a course. The CLARA model, adapted from Mercer and Dörnyei (2020), outlines key principles of learner engagement upon which educators can draw to design their teaching approaches, with the aim of enhancing learner engagement and improving learning outcomes. As an illustrative example of this model’s effectiveness, I hope to demonstrate how, as a class, we used CLARA to inform our approach. This involved identifying climate action as a theme for our classroom, challenging ourselves to find ways in which we could work on this topic, and creating climate action comics as an interesting, challenging, and effective output for learner creativity and engagement.

A number of researchers in computer-mediated communication have pointed towards its potential to stimulate learner participation and engagement in the classroom. However, in many cases only anecdotal reports were provided. In addition, it is unclear whether the pedagogical set-up or the technology involved is responsible for changes in learner attitudes. We have conducted bilingual MOO (object-oriented Multiple-User Domain) projects based on tandem learning for the past three years, and collected extensive learner data on native-speaker/non-native-speaker discourse during that time. In this paper, we will look in detail at issues such as topic negotiation and initiation, both in the learner’s L1 and L2. For instance, some researchers on native-speaker/non-native-speaker discourse have claimed that native speakers initiate the majority of topics, and that non-native speakers preferably initiate a topic by using questions. An analysis of learner data will be compared to existing research on face-to-face native-speaker/non-native-speaker discourse. This comparison provides us with an empirical basis to assess whether a combination of tandem learning and a synchronous communication technology like the MOO can support learner participation and engagement in the language classroom. We will also discuss whether the technology or the pedagogy is responsible for any differences in learner engagement.

The study investigated teachers’ communication skills in relation to students’ classroom engagement in mathematics learning. The study area is Makurdi Local Government Area in Benue State, Nigeria. This study adopted a cross-sectional research design. A sample of 34 teachers and 204 students were drawn from twenty schools. Two researcher-structured instruments were used for data collection: Mathematics Teacher’s Communication Skills Questionnaire (MTCSQ) and Students’ Engagement in Mathematics Questionnaire (SEMQ). Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and independent t-tests were used to address the research questions and test the hypotheses. It was found that there is significant difference among the mean ratings on behavioural, and emotional engagements of students in mathematics classes taught by teachers with poor, fair, and good communication skills. There is no significant difference among the mean ratings on combined and cognitive engagements of students in mathematics classes taught by teachers with poor, fair, and good communication skills. Equally found was that the differences between male and female students’ mean engagement in mathematics for poor, fair, and good communication skill classes were not statistically significant. It was then recommended that teacher communication skills should be fashioned in ways to accommodate and strengthen each component of students’ engagement. Subject Classification: 97C70