Abstract Social justice education encompasses school and classroom-based activities that promote equality and justice to support the foundation of a democratic society. A variety of instructional materials can be used in these activities, and the use of films is frequently highlighted in the social justice literature. Drawing on the affective and cognitive power of art, film is considered a potentially effective medium for addressing complex issues such as social justice. This study aims to explore the experiences of pre-service social studies teachers with social justice education through the use of films. The research was designed as a basic qualitative study, involving five pre-service social studies teachers. Over a five-week implementation period, participants watched five different films focused on social justice themes. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and reflective reports, and analyzed inductively. Findings reveal that film-based instruction enhanced participants’ empathy toward marginalized groups, strengthened their critical awareness of systematic inequalities, and encouraged intentions to incorporate films into their future teaching practice. Participants recommended incorporating film-based sessions into educational settings.

Abstract Within the framework of achievement goal theory (AGT), the motivational climate is understood as a subjective meaning-making process, highlighting that students and teachers may perceive this climate differently. Previous research has focused on students’ perspectives, potentially limiting a comprehensive understanding of motivational processes. This scoping review of 44 empirical studies maps the existing literature on motivational climate from teachers’ perspectives, grounded in AGT, and provides an organized overview of study characteristics, methodological approaches, and research topics. Quantitative research was overrepresented; only three studies employing mixed-method designs. Based on the available instruments that focus on the motivational climate from teachers’ perspectives, three main types of scales were identified: those measuring holistic school climate for students, holistic school climate for teachers, and teachers’ instructional practices. Organizing the available instruments suggests a stronger alignment between research objectives and measurement tools in the future; and identifying different combinations of scale types utilized by researchers may offer new opportunities for gaining a more precise understanding of the motivational climate. The categorization of research topics reveals that incorporating teachers’ perspectives into characterizations of the motivational climate can significantly deepen our understanding of motivational processes, underscoring the value of including teachers’ perspectives for diverse research objectives. This study provides implications for future research concerning research design, instrument development, and the exploration of research topics.