Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education research has increased worldwide in recent years. Recognition of STEM education's importance in producing highly skilled scientists and technologists and its economic benefits to society are driving this increase. However, STEM labor force gender representation is a persistent issue. A meta-analysis using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol and a thorough literature search assessed STEM gender diversity. A total of 42 STEM education gender diversity research papers were reviewed using PRISMA. These Scopus papers provide a database from 2013 to 2023. The study used text analysis and synthesis to evaluate and highlight the countries, extract key phrases, identify research issues of interest to scholars, and suggest future research directions. The research findings indicate that current publications primarily focus on developing STEM education programs to attract and provide more opportunities for women. Additionally, other research areas of interest include proposing solutions to enhance gender equality in STEM education, women's awareness, and skills in the STEM field. Furthermore, research gaps have been identified in course design, learning material development for STEM education, and establishing a direction for implementing STEM education starting from early elementary school, with the optimal period being before grade 3. These findings can help academics explore STEM research ideas in new situations. However, the investigation was limited by using only a Scopus catalog database; disregarding alternative sources may have led to material being omitted.

This study aimed to establish how teachers were capacitated to integrate Information, Communication and Technologies (ICT) towards development of 21st century skills among Early Childhood Education level learners, in the Zimbabwean primary schools. This is in the face of a conglomerate of limitations based on teacher capacity, school culture and access to the ICT resources. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design. Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires administered to 126 Early Childhood Development teachers drawn from 230 primary schools, followed by qualitative data collection through analysis of documents, focus group interviews and lesson observations with selected teachers. From analysis of quantitative and qualitative data through SPSS and ATLAS.ti respectively, it was found that teacher training colleges were strong in developing ICT literacy. However, they lacked the capacity to empower the teachers to integrate ICTs for instructional purposes. Such findings retard the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Zimbabwe Vision 2030. These goals regard ICTs as a cornerstone in the production of knowledgeable workers and qualified human resources for development of 21st skills among learners. Thus, the study recommends adoption of a model characterised by an institutional organisational context with organised internal and external support systems that facilitate sustainable provision of balanced technological, pedagogical and content knowledge for successful ICT integration in line with the national vision and global trends.

The demand for online learning is increasing yearly in higher education and training industries worldwide. To sustain this demand, online course design and delivery quality became a critical topic for research and investigation. This study aimed to reimagine the pedagogical planning and design for virtual classrooms in a higher education institution based on the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework. To achieve this goal, the researcher adopted the type 2 developmental research methods to reimagine the pedagogical planning and design for a virtual classroom considering the interconnectedness of the CoI dimensions: Cognitive Presence, Teaching Presence, and Social Presence. In addition, a closed and open-ended questionnaire was developed based on the CoI framework and employed to gather instructors' views on the benefits and challenges of utilizing a virtual classroom designed based on the CoI dimensions. The results showed that instructors had a favourable view of the benefits of virtual classrooms for delivering course content. They also reported several challenges that need to be addressed for using virtual classrooms. Study findings highlight the importance of offering customized training to instructors by higher education institutions on the best practices of virtual classrooms. In addition, findings showed the crucial role of pedagogical frameworks such as CoI for the effective design of learning activities tailored to teaching via virtual classrooms.

Covid-19 pandemic caused the biggest global on-site academic lockdown for more than a year, resulting in the largest disruption in the history of education. This review article highlights how tertiary English language education (ELE) in developing countries like Bangladesh continued during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic (from March 2020 onwards) - the 1st time long-lasting educational emergency that crippled the world. Considering this context, twenty (20) empirical papers on tertiary ELE from the COVID outbreak in 2020 to 2023 were reviewed through a Modified 5-SPICE framework where SPICE stands for Setting, Participants, Investigation type, Content and Ethical considerations applied by the reviewed articles. The thematic data analysis based on the Modified 5-SPICE framework applied Wellington’s (2015, as cited in Cohen et al., 2018) seven data analysis stages. The findings disclosed that the COVID-19 educational emergency utilized some existing educational technologies (EdTechs) and made a forced entry of some new technologies. ELE teachers and students had mixed feelings as they faced initial challenges which they gradually tried to overcome. This paper sheds light on their perspectives and complexities in addition to the future possibilities of emergency EdTechs at the tertiary ELE level. The findings are expected to assist pedagogues, policymakers, learners and other stakeholders to recognize the importance of the growing New Normal EdTechs to form a better Next Normal ELT pedagogy.

Chemical cognitive ability is a fundamental aspect of effective chemistry education, facilitating students’ understanding of essential concepts such as substance structure, chemical transformations, and atomic bonding processes. Augmented reality (AR) technology has emerged as a promising tool in science education, offering immersive learning experiences that enhance students’ comprehension of chemical phenomena. This study explored the utilization of AR applications, specifically QuimiAR, in the designing of six simulation videos focusing on chemical bonding processes. These videos were integrated into a teaching method centered around the topic “Chemical Bonding” and implemented in a secondary school classroom in Hanoi, Vietnam, comprising 32 students. Following the AR-enhanced teaching session, students’ chemistry cognitive ability was evaluated using three methods: standardized tests assessing five criteria of chemistry cognitive ability according to the Vietnamese educational curriculum; surveys gauging students’ interest and knowledge acquisition using AR; and in?depth interviews. The results indicate that AR usage significantly increased students’ engagement in learning, enhanced their understanding of substance composition and chemical bonding processes, and improved their ability to apply knowledge to solve learning challenges. This research provides practical guidance for educators in leveraging the advantages of QuimiAR software to design simulations focusing on chemical bonding, thereby fostering students’ cognitive ability in chemistry. By expanding the use of AR technology to create various chemical simulations, teachers can cultivate students’ cognitive abilities in chemistry, promoting active learning and facilitating academic success.

This study examines the impact of homeschooling, an increasingly popular alternative education, on learning motivation and the factors influencing families' decisions to homeschool. Employing a meta-analytical approach, this study aims to synthesize existing literature on these topics, offering a comprehensive overview of current knowledge. A search conducted on the Web-of-Science database yielded 18 relevant studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The decision to homeschool is inherently intertwined with family choices, influenced by personal family beliefs and values, dissatisfaction with conventional schooling, special health conditions, and religious or moral guidance. These decisions often reflect diverse cultural and societal contexts, emphasizing the contextual nature of homeschooling choices. Overall, results indicate a significant positive impact of homeschooling on learning motivation, as it enhances students' engagement and learning interests. Additionally, the study incorporates a PRISMA diagram and a table outlining the characteristics of the incorporated studies. This meta-analysis provides an updated overview of the homeschooling phenomenon and its implications for future education and practice.

Information and communication technology (ICT) is a concern in educational settings in developing and developed countries. Studies have shown that the increasing interest in integrating ICT into teaching practices has pressed teacher education institutions to incorporate 21st-century skills in training pre-service teachers to develop these skills for their classroom instruction in the future. However, studies on the integration of ICT in business education are lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine pre-service teachers’ professional competence in integrating ICT into business education during teaching practice, in Lesotho. A systematic literature review examined pre-service teachers’ professional competence in integrating ICT into business education. Hence, an integrative method of analysis was used to extract the influencing factors on the competence of pre-service teachers in integrating ICT in the teaching of business education. The findings revealed that pre-service teachers’ ICT professional competence is influenced by self-efficacy, which relates to the beliefs they hold about their capabilities to integrate ICT into business education. Furthermore, the findings revealed that professional competence is influenced by attitudes toward using ICT, inadequate training, and institutional infrastructure. Teacher education institutions should improve their training programmes to adequately meet the needs of pre-service teachers and develop policies regarding the integration of ICT in their curriculum. If teacher education does not address these issues, pre-service teachers will continue struggling with the integration of ICT in their teaching. Therefore, teacher education should refine its curriculum and support the integration of ICT into business education.

Portfolio assessment is considered to be one of the more advanced approaches to enhancing the proficiency of English among second language (ESL) students. The research examines how ESL learners' writing processes involved in portfolio creation influence their overall writing performance, specifically focusing on electronic portfolios (EPs) and paper-based portfolios (PPs). The research also identifies the challenges that Saudi ESL learners face when using the writing portfolio. A mixed-method approach was adopted for the research. The quantitative method consists of ESL tests distributed among one hundred and twenty male ESL learners at Yanbu Industrial College in Saudi Arabia to determine the effect of various writing portfolios on students’ writing performance. A qualitative method, which consists of classroom observations, document analysis, and interviews with twelve ESL students and seven ESL teachers from different universities in Saudi Arabia, has also been utilized. The research highlights the fact that although there is no significant difference between paper-based (PPs) portfolios and electronic portfolios (EPs) in developing students' performance in writing, specific pedagogical approaches should be implemented in assessing the writing portfolios, such as the students’ reflections and their peers' assessments, to raise their awareness of language structures. ESL teachers should also adopt a correction method that only highlights common mistakes to help students notice their errors and avoid charging them with negative feelings of excessive corrections. The research’s outcome could raise ESL teachers’ awareness of the best pedagogical methods of evaluating the writing portfolio and provide some strategies to help students develop their writing performance.

In the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) education, the efficacy of various instructional approaches has been a subject of ongoing concern. Traditional teacher-led methods have been challenged by the emergence of video-based instruction, raising questions about which approach yields the more effective learning outcomes. This study investigated the impact of student- and teacher-made video implementation versus traditional teacher-led methods on EFL class outcomes. Standardized tests were used to assess the English proficiency levels of 214 students who registered for EFL classes in a higher education institution in Cuenca, Ecuador. A quantitative methodology with quasi-experimental type and Solomon four-group design was applied to examine the effects of these different instructional approaches, comparing groups both with and without pre-tests. The students were organized into groups at random. The results were arranged into two sections, one comparing post-test scores and the other focusing on mean differences among those who experienced both pre-test and post-test assessments. Notably, statistically significant differences were observed in post-test evaluations within the groups that received pre-tests, indicating that it influenced post-test outcomes. However, the most important finding was that the intervention group had a better mean difference in English level than the control group. The findings highlight the importance of considering pre-tests when designing effective instructional strategies and suggest further investigation into the dynamics of video-based versus teacher-led instruction in EFL education.

This study addresses researchers’ concerns about the effectiveness of integrating AI-assisted app design and training into university-level translation courses. It aims to explore how this integration influences students’ motivation, reflective practices, academic performance, and the quality of language translation. Employing a mixed-methods research approach with a two-group post-test-only design, the study uncovers the transformative influence of integrating an AI-based translation assistant. Purposive sampling techniques were utilised to conduct interventions and focus groups with students majoring in Philology enrolled in the 3 ECTS course in Industry-Specific Translation at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. The findings from the Independent Samples t-test revealed significant improvements in motivation, reflective practices, academic performance, and translation quality among students in the experimental group (EG) compared to the control group (CG). Thematic analysis using the Speak web-based tool indicated an overall positive sentiment (0.224), highlighting Positive and Very Positive sentiments. The Neutral category suggested a balanced perspective, while the combined Slightly Negative and Negative categories represented less favourable sentiment. This research contributes valuable insights to the discourse on AI in language education by addressing gaps in related literature. We suggest avenues for future research into linguistic nuances and contextual challenges, advocating ongoing exploration to maximise the benefits of these technological interventions. Ultimately, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the impact of AI integration in language education and underscores the need for continued exploration and adaptation in this area.