The global pandemic due to COVID-19 has changed the way of teaching, and Online Learning came to the forefront. The aim of this study is to investigate primary school teachers' perceptions on Online Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. A case study was conducted with 14 teachers from 5 Primary Schools in Greece. A thematic analysis of the semi-structured interviews showed six themes: Motivation, Support, Strategies, Benefits, Challenges and the Future of Online Education. First of all, teachers showed their initial stress, progressively their high motivation and, at the end, their tiredness. In addition, teachers perceived as important the support from different groups of people, including students' parents, colleagues, the school principal and family members. They also used a variety of instructional strategies for the implementation of Online Learning, such as the use of asynchronous online platforms, the use of educational videos and internet-based learning materials. Moreover, teachers perceived that they have benefited from this experience by digitising new teaching material and by maintaining the learning process. However, they have faced a considerable number of challenges, such as lack of resources, technical problems, lack of training and difficulty in the participation of all the students. Finally, teachers were uncertain about the future of Online Learning without denying its possible use as a complementary tool. To conclude, implications for practice and for future research are discussed. Keywords: perceptions, teachers, primary education, online learning, pandemic COVID-19

This paper investigates how students perceive their participation in Statistics class activities. Effective pedagogical practices depend on knowing how students interact with data-related tasks. To gauge the self-reported levels of engagement, interest, and perceived relevance of Statistics activities, the study polls students in grade 12. To fully understand the perspectives of students, the study uses a quantitative strategy that includes quantitative surveys. The implications of this study add to the conversation about statistics education. The results guide the development of curricula, instructional strategies, and educational policies to encourage meaningful participation and enhance student outcomes in statistics. A generation that is data literate and capable of using data for informed decision-making is created by adapting teaching strategies to students' needs and interests. The needs and goals of the students can be used to improve statistics programs. Keywords: statistics, engagement, pedagogical practices, teaching strategies

There is a significant expansion of universities in the Western Balkans and an increasing number of students enrolled. In a region where economic growth is sluggish and youth unemployment is high, education is one of the key proxies to determine future development. This rapid expansion of universities has not been accompanied by the provision of resources to maintain ambitious standards, quality, and relevance. This study examines the factors leading to a deterioration of education quality, tackling teaching competencies, infrastructure, and professors’ ethics. Using original data, this study investigates the HE quality from the perspective of two main stakeholders – professors and students – in Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia. The study points out to outdated teaching methods, lack of enrolment quotas and skill mismatch with the labour market. It all boils down to low institutional monitoring criteria and lack of admission quotas, creating space for unethical behaviour and massivization of HE. Keywords: teaching quality, massivisation, skill mismatch, unethical behavior

Ethical dilemmas are multifaceted and complex, comprising a diverse set of viewpoints, values, beliefs, and attitudes. They rarely have a purely right or wrong answer. Not everyone will have the same answer to an ethical dilemma. Hence, teaching ethics is about helping students build critical thinking skills so that they can consider contradictory viewpoints to come out with the best course of action in the face of conflicting choices. Post pandemic, online teaching is now a norm. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of online debate in teaching ethics. Using Kialo Edu’s free argument mapping and debate web tools in a synchronous online workshop, we conducted an undergraduate Ethics and Laboratory Safety module, where the students engaged in collaborative and real-time debates on an ethical statement. Feedback was collected through an anonymous online survey to evaluate the impact on student learning. The results showed a positive impact on their learning experience. This study highlights the potential of online synchronous debate in promoting active student participation and critical thinking in ethical dilemmas. Keywords: online learning, ethics, online debate, critical thinking, Kialo

The potential of continuous learning, sustainable development and mentoring in adult learning and working life has long been identified. However, the connection between mentoring, continuous learning and sustainability has been limited in research. This study addresses this research gap and answers the question: What are mentors' perceptions of the connection between mentoring and continuous learning and sustainability? The data consists of interviews with mentors (N=10). The data was analyzed using a thematic analysis based on a data-driven approach. The results show that mentors' perceptions of mentoring and continuous learning are related to the temporal, content and contextual dimensions of learning. In mentoring, past, present and future phenomena related to the working life are addressed and learned. The aspects of context awareness, relationality, and transferability were also evident in mentors´ reflections. The connection between mentoring and continuous learning is deeply linked to sustainability issues, offering support to new generations as they navigate the transition into the evolving workforce. This support is structured to promote ecological, economic, and social sustainability. The sustainability of working life is also strengthened by mentors' opportunities for continuous learning. However, more research is needed to develop mentoring programmes in order to unlock the broad potential of mentoring. Keywords: mentoring, continuous learning, sustainable development, working life, sustainability

Social work practices around the world began to take root in the West from the second half of the 19th century. Social work started to be institutionalized from the beginning of the 20th century and social work education spread throughout the world following the opening of the first social work schools in Western countries. In Türkiye, university education, which was organized under the name of Social Work Academy in 1961, continued to be conducted within the Social Work Department of Hacettepe University. As of today, social work undergraduate education is given in seventy universities in Türkiye. In this study, it is aimed to look at the current situation and future of social work education from the perspective of students, academics, and social workers. The participants of the research, which was designed in a qualitative method, consist of four students, four academics, and four social workers. It was planned to conduct interviews with the participants using semi-structured questionnaires. The data obtained were subjected to content analysis and thematic coding was done first, and then main and sub-themes were created. The findings of the study were discussed in the light of current literature. Keywords: social work, undergraduate, education, strengths, and weaknesses qualitative method

Amidst the backdrop of globalization, there has been a marked increase in international student enrollment across global higher education institutions. This study targets the exploration of psychological well-being among these students in Jordanian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic, delving into their mental health, coping strategies, support systems, and the impacts of global events. Through a cross-sectional approach, data from 400 international students were collected via a comprehensive online questionnaire, covering demographics, Psychological Well-being Scale, Coping Strategies Inventory, Perceived Support Scale, and the Impact of Global Uncertainties Scale. Analysis conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 27 included descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVAs, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Results showcased a demographic profile with a mean age of 28.45 (SD = 6.55), gender distribution of 48.25% male, 39.75% female, and 12% other, spanning disciplines like Engineering, Science, Arts, Business, and Medicine, from first-year undergraduates to graduate-level students. Psychological well-being outcomes revealed 37.5% of participants reported high well-being, 45.0% moderate, and 17.5% low; 62.5% utilized adaptive coping strategies while 37.5% resorted to maladaptive ones; perceived support levels were high for 30.0%, moderate for 50.0%, and low for 20.0% of the students; the impact of global uncertainties was felt highly by 40.0%, moderately by 45.0%, and minimally by 15.0%. The study underscores the varied experiences of international students concerning their psychological well-being, coping mechanisms, and perceived support in the face of global uncertainties, offering critical insights for higher education institutions to formulate targeted support systems and policy measures aimed at enhancing international students' well-being and academic achievement in challenging times. Keywords: international students, psychological well-being, global uncertainties, coping strategies, higher education institutions

This study targets university students of development and management in the social and health care field, and its goals were to discover 1) how does group supervision suit supporting college students, 2) what benefits can students receive from supervision and 3) how can group supervision be developed? The Tampere University of Applied Sciences’ supervisor training program piloted a supervision program for master’s degree students (N=30) in management in September 2021. The purpose of the study was to chart the possibilities of supervision in advancing students’ team formation and commitment to their studies. The master's students in management were divided into teams of 4-6 people and each team was supervised by one work supervisor. There were five team meetings during the six months. The supervisor trainees could practice their skills while the master’s students could process feelings related to their studies and receive peer support in their challenges. The results show that team formation was successful and deepened during the process. The supervision received by individual teams affected the entire group’s class spirit and commitment. Developing the contents of supervision should focus on good planning, structure and initiation. The supervisor’s role was emphasized in development, particularly their approach, activity and reinforcing dialogue between participants. Based on the positive experiences, collaboration between the supervisor training and master’s students will be continued and developed further. Keywords: work supervision, Master’s student, team commitment, team spirit, Finland

Leadership assessment is analysed in 3 investigations: a) a quantitative study carried out with scientists (R&D), where a distinction between chief/leaders (units’ director or chief) and subordinate members in academic units of research was made; b) 2 qualitative studies also carried out at the third-level: the first one with PhDs from 4 National University of Cuyo Schools and the second one with PhDs/ PhD students from Argentina and other countries who participated in internationalization programmes in France. The latter is based on the hypothesis that the highest level of education achieved, added to the immersion in another culture after having undergone a national process of selection before the mobility programme, could result in a greater valuation of the of the so-called social and management competencies, which, according to the OECD, are nowadays essential. Assessment was observed through different techniques. Study 1: the core variables were Mobility, Product, and Professional Satisfaction in relation to Leadership. Two questionnaires were used, and indexes and 7 grids were created. Studies 2 and 3 (qualitative): the hierarchical evocations technique was used to capture the “meaning” underlying behaviours. Results: a) the only constant variable in the group of scientists (“soft sciences” and “hard sciences”) was the negative evaluation of their bosses. b) In the groups made up by PhDs who were not scientists, leadership as such does not emerge, although a certain degree of relevance is given to the psychosocial/relational competencies as a factor of Professional Achievement, Mobility and Satisfaction. Keywords: leadership, scientists, PhDs/PhD students, competencies, professional mobility, satisfaction at work

This descriptive qualitative case study aims to find out the pre-service science teachers (PST)’ confidence about instructional practice in outdoor setting, their knowledge about the plants and it explores the two research questions: To what extent do the preservice science teachers have confidence to teach in the outdoor settings? (1) and What are the preservice teachers’ knowledge about the plants that they see on a daily basis? (2). To do this, it was reported the entire activity of two voluntary pre-service science teachers (PST)’ work to label the plants at the faculty garden. The data collection encompassed rounds of semi-structured interviews, observations and a portfolio was prepared. The protocol addressed preparation for the connection to everyday life, their General Biology Course and for their collaboration. Preservice science teachers labelled in total 124 plants from 14 species by focusing on mostly the trees. They reported that their main challenge is to label the family Pinaceae, although they have seen these plants almost daily for over two years. They reported that this practice-based instructional work at the faculty garden enhances their knowledge and confidence to teach in the outdoor settings. Keywords: biology education, outdoor learning environments, out-of-school teacher education, pre-service teacher education, science education