Narratives represent depictions of factual or fictional events that coherently incorporate explicit or implicit messages, meanings, and interpretations. Although they can play a significant role in the teaching and learning process at all levels of education, the evaluation methods for assessing student achievement through narratives are not always clearly defined. Therefore, the aim of this exploratory study is to examine the possibility of defining and applying assessment criteria for student responses presented in narrative form, in relation to the intended learning outcomes in the domains of knowledge acquisition and the development of socio-emotional competencies. The analysis was conducted on students? assigned narratives, in which they were required to describe personal experiences using concepts and theories covered in the lesson. The study presents assumptions for identifying assessment indicators, explicates their connection to educational goals and learning outcomes at both course and lesson levels, and introduces two main domains for evaluating student achievement: the acquisition of factual and conceptual knowledge and the assessment of socio-emotional sensitivity (including emotional awareness and expression, empathy/perspective-taking, and conflict resolution). The paper further provides a detailed explanation of the quantification process for each indicator and includes examples of student narratives that illustrate the proposed evaluation approach. Finally, the study highlights the advantages, as well as the limitations, of this method of student achievement assessment.

This paper examines the significance and role of thematizing queer issues in teaching German as a foreign language in primary and secondary schools in Serbia. A quantitative empirical study was conducted with German language teachers in Serbia to explore their attitudes towards the LGBTIQ+ population and their (un)willingness to incorporate queer topics into German language lessons. For the purposes of the research, a translated survey from the study by K?pper et al. (2017) was used. Out of 115 surveyed teachers, data were considered only from those who fully completed the survey (n=68). The results of the statistical data analysis revealed that most teachers hold relatively neutral attitudes toward the LGBTIQ+ population, and their views on including queer content vary depending on the marital status and age of the respondents. A qualitative analysis of the responses highlighted arguments both for and against implementing gender-sensitive teaching. Arguments in favor include the relevance of the topic, protection against violence and discrimination, and the development of empathy. Counterarguments include insufficient support for teaching staff, potential negative reactions from parents, and ideological disagreements.

The education paradigm oriented towards key competence development has shaped national curricula across the world, including Serbia. In line with this trend, the academic year of 2020/21 saw the introduction of the Economics and Business elective into grammar schools. Considering that every educational change requires monitoring and evaluation to provide decision-makers with information based on research data, this paper presents the findings of a qualitative study conducted as part of a larger mixed-methods evaluative research project. The study aimed to provide a deeper insight into teachers? opinions and experiences regarding certain characteristics of this elective program and its implementation in the third and fourth grades of grammar school in Serbia. It encompassed three semi-structured group interviews involving 19 teachers (55.6%) who taught this elective (six to eight respondents per group). A five-phase inductive-deductive qualitative analysis was conducted. Based on teachers? narratives, three themes were identified pertaining to experience with implementing the Economics and Business elective: 1) Program Content Contributes to the Youth?s Quality of Life and Education; 2) Program Implementation is Dynamic, Comprehensive, and Supportive of Teacher Autonomy; 3) Challenges in Program Preparation and Implementation. Teachers recognized the contents encompassed by the Economics and Business elective as relevant to grammar school students? education. Inquiry- and project-based learning constituted a didactic-methodical solution that afforded teachers greater organizational freedom and autonomy while simultaneously motivating students to be more engaged in class. The observed challenges and difficulties in implementing the program were mostly organizational. The paper features recommendations for further program improvement.

This paper aims to develop an analytical matrix for the systematic study of local education policies in Croatia. By conceptualizing key dimensions of education policies, it defines a framework for analyzing strategic documents, development plans, and decisions made by local government units. The proposed analytical matrix is based on qualitative content analysis and enables the coding and interpretation of aspects such as funding, school management, stakeholder participation, and educational priorities. The structure of the matrix is designed to ensure data comparability and to facilitate the identification of patterns in the creation and implementation of education policies. The developed methodological tool provides researchers and policymakers with a systematic approach to analyzing local education policies, offering deeper insights into their characteristics and challenges. As a result, the study contributes to advancing research and practice in the field of education policy.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have gained increasing attention in higher education. This study presents a systematic review using bibliometric analysis and meta-analysis to examine the impact of MOOCs on learning outcomes. Bibliometric analysis identifies key themes, while meta-analysis synthesizes findings for a comprehensive understanding. A total of 116 publications from the Scopus database were analyzed to visualize the conceptual structure and emerging themes. Twelve experimental studies were further examined to assess MOOCs' effects on Actual Learning, Perceived Learning, and Satisfaction. Data analysis using OpenMEE calculated aggregate mean differences, forest plots, and publication bias. Results show that MOOCs significantly impact learning outcomes, with an overall effect size of 0.683 (strong). Specifically, Actual Learning had a strong effect (0.847), while Perceived Learning (0.354) and Satisfaction (0.284) had moderate effects. These findings confirm that MOOCs can significantly improve learning outcomes in higher education. The study concludes that both the theoretical development and practical implementation of MOOCs should consider these differentiated impacts across learning dimensions. The findings of this study are expected to offer meaningful pedagogical contributions to curriculum development, instructional practices, and institutional policies aimed at enhancing the effective integration of MOOCs in higher education settings

The paper presents an empirical study that examines the academic performance in mathematics of fifteen-year-old students at the end of elementary school in Serbia. In conducting the analysis, the student results of the national test and their mathematics grades were utilized. The study covers a seven-year period 2013-19 and over 440 thousand students. Empirical findings affirm that girls exhibit superior math grades and higher achievements in national testing. However, the occurrence of Simpson?s paradox indicates a grading bias favoring girls. The results further highlight that girls exhibit a notably higher interest in attempting to solve open-ended tasks, even when unsuccessful, in contrast to boys, who leave those tasks unanswered during tests more frequently. The qualitative component of the research involved a focus group comprising teachers. It was conducted to gain insights into the teachers? perspectives and experiences regarding the gender grading gap.

A modern state?s socioeconomic and cultural development is significantly shaped by its citizens? functional literacy. Considering that basic functional literacy skills are developed by promoting emergent literacy, our research aimed to examine emergent literacy development through the lens of home environment characteristics as well as children?s behavior and parental behavior/ practices. The study involved 132 parents of children aged three to five residing in Belgrade. The data were collected using a composite questionnaire and analyzed via descriptive and exploratory statistical analyses. Although the results showed that most parents read with their children, the findings also revealed a negative trend in the use of children?s library resources. It was confirmed that children?s daily screen time was considerable. Likewise, the findings indicate that the process of promoting different forms of emergent literacy is decisively influenced by parental behavior models that comprise diverse approaches to reading and writing during everyday activities. The conclusion features recommendations that can be particularly useful to education policymakers in designing emergent literacy promotion programs intended for both parents and key actors in the education system.

The paper aimed to describe features of the environmental identity of primary school students (age 13-14) in Serbia, as well as the experiences they find most influential in shaping their environmental identity. Specifically, students from the two best-performing classes (N=34), based on their scores on environmental literacy assessment responded to an open-ended questionnaire regarding their relationship with nature and the most important experiences shaping this relationship, in both private and school contexts. The students offered evidence of features of their environmental identity in terms of: environmental affect-sensitivity, environmental concern, moral reasoning, as well as pro-environmental behavior as its correlate. Both private life and school experiences were recognized as essential in shaping positive environmental dispositions and behaviors. The most important incentives to fostering environmental identity in the school context involved: a) teacher as a role model; and b) variety of outdoor teaching activities and approaches, such as visits to locations characterized by natural beauty, exposure to degraded environments, and activities involving planting and cleaning, including group discussions on the experiences. Different students emphasize different aspects of their relationship towards nature, allowing for the differentiation of respondents into three groups that also differ regarding the incentives for environmental identity formation and class affiliation.

Burnout syndrome has become remarkably widespread, especially in the helping professions. As such, it constitutes an increasingly common research topic. The present study aimed to assess burnout in special education teachers employed at special education schools in Serbia. Likewise, it sought to analyze differences in burnout levels depending on respondents? sociodemographic characteristics and identify burnout-related factors and strategies for overcoming burnout from the perspective of special education teachers. Professional burnout syndrome was assessed using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) adapted for use in a special education teacher sample. The study involved 191 special education teachers (91.1% female) employed at schools in the Republic of Serbia. The results showed that special education teachers exhibited a certain level of burnout. In terms of sociodemographic characteristics, only respondent age and work experience positively correlated with professional burnout. There were no differences in burnout levels depending on other sociodemographic characteristics. The qualitative content analysis showed that burnout-inducing factors included a lack of support, administrative overload, and working with heterogeneous student groups. The most common burnout prevention strategies included physical activity, support from colleagues and family, and maintaining a good work-life balance. These findings highlight the need to improve working conditions and introduce support programs to decrease burnout levels among special education teachers.

Numerous studies and international assessments indicate that students show weaker results in geometry items compared to the results on items in other areas of mathematics in the lower grades of elementary school. In this paper, we discuss achievements in geometry-related tasks of students who qualified through selection for the district level of mathematics competitions. Specifically, the focus of the research is on analyzing the achievements of fourth grade students from elementary schools in Serbia, when solving geometry tasks in district level competitions in mathematics, during the period 2015 to 2024. The research is based on analysis of the content of geometry items and analysis of the performance of 18.491 students who participated in competitions over a period of ten years. We tried to identify the geometry topics in which students perform best and to explore whether students? achievements in geometry competitions differ based on gender and the developmental level of the region they come from. The obtained results show that students achieve the best results in tasks requiring clear procedural application, but that they are less successful when they need to demonstrate conceptual knowledge. Furthermore, there are no statistically significant differences in achievements between boys and girls, while students from more developed regions achieve the highest results.