Education Authorities Research Articles

Examining the Impact of Intercultural Education on the Levels of Intercultural Sensitivity of Primary School Teachers: Evidences From North Macedonia

The research aims to examine whether the intercultural education teachers’ previous experience affects their level of intercultural sensitivity. The research results show that prior intercultural education significantly affects the levels of ethnocentrism and ethnorelativism of teachers. Considering the results, which show that intercultural education does not impact teachers’ substantive knowledge and perceptual understanding, educational authorities should seek alternative ways to enhance it.

Teacher ethical regulation policies and teacher autonomy in China

ABSTRACT This article explores the interaction between local government’s regulation of teacher ethics and teacher autonomy in X District in China’s Shanghai. A case study was conducted, with documents collected from X District education authority on teacher ethics, semi-structured interviews with three local education bureau officers, eight school leaders, and ten teachers, and a survey of 42 school teachers between January and June 2023. The findings show that the local government tightened its regulation of teacher ethics and restricted both individual and collegial autonomy of teachers. Meanwhile, different from the view that Chinese teachers have little autonomy, teachers and schools responded to local government’s control and developed multi-level autonomy. This article presents a “Yin-Yang” framework for understanding the coexistence, development, and change interaction between government regulation and school teachers’ autonomy in teacher ethics in China and responding to international concerns on tensions in the teaching profession’s ethical regulation and aspirations.

Integration of Teaching Resources for English Majors under Local Autonomy: Collaboration and Development

In the process of local social governance, educational resources are the basic conditions for social governance, so the integration of English education resources has become the main research aspect of local governments and educational institutions. The integration of key educational resources needs to be supported by local education policies, education systems and education laws, and the corresponding regulations and laws should be improved, and the English cognitive level of the public and the environmental governance of education need to be intervened by local governments, as well as the extensive participation of the public. Laws and regulations should be improved under the guidance of the government to provide support for the integration of English education resources, and the public should widely participate in the integration of educational resources of English majors under the publicity of educational resources, so as to form a good interactive relationship to provide support for local education governance. Therefore, the necessary conditions for the integration of local governments, legal institutions, education departments and the general public, military and local English education resources play a role in promoting the development level of English and the creation of a social environment.

What’s under attack: Activism and institutional conflict within US higher education

Within the United States, the targeted efforts against Critical Race Theory, political machinations against higher education governance, and the use of surveillance on liberatory protests, reveals a complicated nexus regarding educational activism and institutional navigation. Through the Actors, Contexts, Tactics, and Strategies (A.C.T.S.) Framework, we offer an expansive understanding of the who, what, how, when, and where of activism. By applying this framework to three distinct yet interrelated examples on legislative fights against diversity, tenure and governance, and pro-Palestine activism, we illuminate the role of institutional mechanics to reimagine the institutional fatality of ‘this is just how things are’ and an inevitable political tide. In doing so, this manuscript offers a robust analysis of institutionalism, opposition, support, and transformation.

Algorithmic decisions in education governance: implications and challenges

Algorithmic decisions in education governance: implications and challenges

Comparison of EQ-5D-Y-3L Utility Scores Using Nine Country-Specific Value Sets in Chinese Adolescents.

This study aimed to assess and compare the measurement properties of EQ-5D-Y-3L utilities derived from available countries' value sets (Chinese, Japanese, Slovenian, German, Spanish, Hungarian, Netherlandish, Belgian, and Indonesian), among Chinese adolescents. From July to September 2021, a large-scale cross-sectional survey was administered across 16 cities in Shandong, China, with the objective of assessing the health status of junior high school students aged 10-18 years. Supported by the educational authorities, quick response (QR) codes and questionnaire links were disseminated to schools. A total of 97,413 junior high school students completed the questionnaire. Agreement, convergent validity, and known-group validity were determined in the nine country-specific value sets. The Indonesian value set demonstrated the highest mean health utility score (0.970), followed by the Japanese (0.961), Chinese (0.960), Netherlandish (0.948), Hungarian (0.942), German (0.938), Belgian (0.932), Slovenian (0.926), and Spanish (0.926) value sets, respectively. The utility scores derived from Asian value sets were higher than those from Europe. Good or excellent agreements (intraclass correlation coefficients >0.7) were found between each paired value set. In Bland-Altman plots, the 95% limits of agreement for any two value sets were 0.046-0.348. A strong relationship (Spearman's correlation coefficients >0.99) between any two value sets was found. The EQ-5D-Y-3L utility scores discriminated equally well for the nine value sets across three known groups. The effect size and the relative efficiency statistics showed the Chinese value sets were more sensitive in general. Referring to the Chinese value set, all the relative efficiency values in each value set were similar across three known groups, ranging from 0.9 to 1.0. A total of nine country-specific EQ-5D-Y-3L value sets showed an overall high level of agreement, strong correlation, and good known-group validity. However, the utility scores derived from nine EQ-5D-Y-3L value sets were different and the country-specific value sets were not interchangeable.

Implementation of K-Means Clustering in Mapping Teacher Distribution Using Geographic Information System

The placement of teachers in Indonesia has not been evenly distributed across several regions due to inaccurate recruitment and placement processes. The quality of education, particularly in rural areas, is negatively impacted by this uneven distribution. Teachers play a crucial role in enhancing education, making it essential to address this issue. This study seeks to equilibrate the allocation of teachers in Langsa City using the K-Means Clustering method based on the number of teachers, students, and study groups at the Madrasah Ibtidaiyah, Madrasah Tsanawiyah, and Madrasah Aliyah levels. The clustering results are then mapped using the Quantum Geographic Information System. The study identifies 20 schools with a shortage of teachers, 7 schools with sufficient teachers, and 3 schools with a surplus. The utilization of the K-Means Clustering method demonstrated a high accuracy rate of 92.8%. The implications of these findings suggest that educational authorities can use the clustering results to strategically address teacher shortages by reallocating teaching resources more effectively, thus potentially improving educational outcomes in underserved areas. Moreover, the GIS mapping offers a practical tool for ongoing monitoring and decision-making regarding teacher distribution.

Self-Sovereign Identity-Based E-Portfolio Ecosystem

In Taiwan, traditional student assessments, covering academic and extracurricular achievements, have shifted from paper to electronic portfolios (e-portfolios). However, limited trust among institutions restricts students from freely sharing and using their educational data. This paper introduces a self-sovereign identity-based infrastructure aimed at enhancing personal data security within the e-portfolio ecosystem. The proposed system includes two core components: (1) a decentralized identity chain, aligning user identities across platforms and granting users full self-sovereign control; and (2) an e-portfolio application chain to manage user interactions and access permissions within the ecosystem. A trusted educational authority also audits data sources, ensuring data integrity and reliability. This infrastructure empowers users to control who can access their data, safeguarding their security, with the identity chain preventing unauthorized access and the application chain recording authorization statuses to restrict data visibility to approved parties only.

The Paths of Ecological Civilization Construction under the Concept of Sustainable Environmental Education

Ecological civilization is a new stage of human civilization development after industrial civilization, and it is an inevitable choice to cope with the global ecological crisis and achieve harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. With the deepening of China's ecological civilization construction, sustainable development education has gradually become an important means of cultivating public ecological awareness. This article first elaborates on the connotation of ecological civilization and its relationship with education, analyzes the current situation of ecological education in schools and society, and points out the existing problems. We must adhere to the integration of ecological civilization and sustainable development education, the integration of ecological civilization and educational governance, and develop education with the people as the center, building a path for the development of ecological civilization.

Tax Saving Strategies And Financial Planning For Salaried Employees

This study explores tax-saving strategies and financial planning among salaried employees in India, finding moderate awareness of tax-saving options and a preference for investments in insurance, mutual funds, and post office schemes. The research highlights a need for improved financial literacy and advocates for educational reforms and government support to help employees manage taxes effectively and secure their financial future.

Implementation of basic education management in Grobogan district: Analysis and model development

Law Number 20 of 2003 on the National Education System states that citizens have the right to obtain basic education for children aged seven to fifteen years. In addition, it is also a commitment to the implementation of Grobogan district’s regional regulation No 5 of 2019 on education implementation, especially article 12 related to the obligation of local governments to ensure the implementation of basic education according to their authority. The purpose of this study is to determine the implementation of the basic education management program in Grobogan district; analyze the factors that support and hinder the implementation of the basic education management program in Grobogan district; formulate a model for implementing the basic education management program in Grobogan district. The method used in this research is qualitative. This method was used to analyse the phenomenon of policy implementation of the basic education management program in Grobogan district. The research site was in Grobogan district. The informants are policy actors who know a lot about the basic education program in Grobogan district. The results show that the implementation of the Grobogan district education office’s policy on basic education management consists of three areas, namely (1) equalization and expansion of access to education; (2) improvement of quality, relevance and competitiveness; (3) education governance and accountability. These three areas aim to achieve the national standards of education and the minimum service standards of education.

How the Relationship of Cultural Intelligence and Social Connectedness Fosters Psychological Well-Being Among International Students in Northern India?

Studying abroad is a popular option for students, but it is unclear yet how the links between connectedness and cultural intelligence might enhance their experiences. To fill this knowledge gap, the current study develops a conceptual model based on ‘contact theory’. This study has examined the relationship between social connectedness, cultural intelligence and psychological well-being. Data were collected from 361 international students enrolled in various northern Indian universities. In the study, consistency-based structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed model. The results of the study showed that social connectedness has a significant influence on psychological well-being, and cultural intelligence partially mediated the relationship between social connectedness and psychological well-being. Additional research recommended a number of theoretical and practical conclusions to assist higher educational institutions, government and society in developing policies for international students.

"It's Just Really Important for us all to be on the Same Page": Qualitative Evaluation of Factors that Influence Written Mobility Communication.

Poor interdisciplinary team communication is a known barrier to increasing inpatient mobility. Understanding why and how clinicians from different disciplines communicate about mobility would help inform communication improvements. This qualitative interview study aimed to describe and explore clinician perceptions about written mobility communication, and perceived barriers and enablers to this communication. A rapid deductive qualitative approach was used to efficiently capture information for local improvement. Clinicians (physical therapists, nurses, physicians, and occupational therapists) working on 3 internal medicine wards in a metropolitan teaching hospital in Brisbane, Australia were purposefully sampled and invited to participate in individual interviews. Questions were based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using deductive and inductive thematic methods. From 17 interviews, key themes identified that written communication about patient mobility is important and valued by clinicians; clinicians learn documentation on the job, often from physical therapists; clinicians are not aware of organizational responsibility for mobility communication; multiple purposes for written communication contribute to multiple locations and inconsistency; and clinicians perceive that improvement would require a multi-disciplinary and multi-level approach. Suggestions for improvement included use of a common language, consistent use of existing bedside communication tools, and clearer responsibility for written communication about mobility. Written communication about patient mobility was valued by clinicians and a range of barriers to effective interdisciplinary communication identified. Clear professional roles and responsibility for written mobility communication is important. Suggestions for improvement included an interdisciplinary language supported by multi-disciplinary education and organizational governance. Written communication about patient mobility is recognized as critical to safe, high-quality hospital care. Our findings suggest that successful mobility communication improvements must involve multiple disciplines and include clear organizational governance to support staff training, clear role responsibilities, and quality monitoring.

Scale of risk factors associated with emotional exhaustion in innovative educational environments: psychometric study of teachers

Educational innovation is a defining feature within educational institutions, necessitating a heightened emphasis on its promotion. However, exposure to these processes and participation tend to be highly demanding and exhausting for the teachers. Consequently, it becomes imperative for educational authorities to proactively monitor teachers’ involvement in innovation, utilizing appropriate instruments to identify and assess the associated risk factors. This study proposes a rigorously validated and reliable model for measuring the risk factors associated with emotional exhaustion among teachers in innovative educational environments. Employing a cross-sectional design, the study scrutinized the psychometric properties of a sample comprising 535 university teachers from the same higher education institution actively engaged in educational innovation. The results from the investigation revealed that the measurement model demonstrated robust evidence of construct validity, as ascertained through both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Predictive validity was evaluated utilizing Path Analysis, while convergence validity was assessed via Average Variance Extracted. Discriminant validity was established through the Homotrait-Heterotrait ratio, and gender invariance was validated through nested-model sequencing methods. Additionally, reliability assessments were conducted using both Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficients. The resultant measurement model, characterized by its parsimony, offers educational institutions a valuable instrument for safeguarding faculty wellbeing amidst the demands of educational innovation.

University autonomy is a predictor of English medium instruction in European higher education

AbstractDespite extensive research into English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) in higher education, few if any studies have explored the role of higher education autonomy in driving EMI. This paper tests the novel hypothesis that university autonomy—spearheaded across European higher education through neoliberally predicated ‘steering at a distance’ reforms—predicts EMI. The data are multilevel with higher education institutions (HEIs) nested inside education systems. The University Autonomy Scorecards (Pruvot & Estermann, 2017) operationalise university autonomy at the education-system level (n = 26) and measure four dimensions of autonomy: academic, financial, staffing, and organisational. We include ‘overall autonomy’ as the average. The European Tertiary Education Register provides HEI-level data (n = 1815), which we combine with a count of English-taught degree programmes (ETPs) to measure EMI, provided by Study Portals, the largest online portal of degree programmes. We conduct multilevel regression to analyse the relationships between autonomy and EMI. The results showed that overall autonomy predicts EMI in public universities (p = 0.002). Increasing overall autonomy by one point above the mean increases the likelihood of offering EMI by 9.5%. Academic, staffing, and organisational autonomy predict EMI in public universities, whereas financial autonomy does not. The first to quantify a relationship between university autonomy and EMI, this study offers new insights into how EMI comes about. By revealing a previously obscured interconnectedness between language shift and higher education governance, the study demonstrates the value added of an interdisciplinary approach and proposes a new line of inquiry for future research.

Explicating collegiality and change management in neoliberalism during the dynamics of higher education institutions: : A Systematic Literature Review using PRISMA Checklist

Background This paper discusses the lack of references that comprehensively describe the changes in universities owing to the ideology of neoliberalism. This research also discusses how a university maintains its function and identity when the great wave of neoliberalism massively erodes collegiality as the original philosophy of the university through a case study of the neoliberalism ideology on higher education. This study also provides a comprehensive framework for higher education management and governance changes. Methods We selected all retrieved sources based on the keywords and analyzed all the documents we obtained. This study obtained data from Scopus retrieved on October 27, 2023, using the following keywords: (TITLE-ABS-KEY ("collegiality") OR TITLE-ABS-KEY ("change management") OR TITLE-ABS-KEY ("neolibelism")) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY ("higher education"). This study utilized bibliometric analysis to ensure a structured review of the literature on collegiality, change management, and neoliberalism in higher education. Results The findings show that organizational management, leadership, education, technology, curriculum, innovation, organizational change, decision-making, and human beings are significant trajectories of neoliberalism in higher education. Conclusions This study offers other constructs for accelerating leadership success in higher education. This relates to how change leadership can navigate changes resulting from neoliberal ideology.

Kepemimpinan Perempuan dalam Lembaga Pendidikan Islam

Women's leadership in Islamic educational institutions is the primary focus of this research. This study aims to delve into the contributions, challenges, and policy implications of women's leadership in the context of Islamic education. Employing a qualitative approach and literature review method, this research analyzes various theories and related studies to compile a comprehensive overview of this issue. The findings indicate that women's leadership significantly contributes to the development of Islamic education, both academically and morally. However, challenges such as gender stereotypes, lack of institutional support, and societal perceptions remain obstacles that need to be overcome. A deep discussion on the factors influencing the success or failure of women in leadership positions provides insights into strategies that can be implemented to strengthen women's roles in Islamic educational institutions. Recommendations for educational institutions, governments, and society include enhancing inclusive leadership development programs, implementing gender equality policies, and educating the public about the importance of gender inclusion in education. The implications of this research for Islamic education policies and practices highlight the need for transformation to create a more representative and inclusive learning environment. Thus, this research has the potential to provide guidance for policymakers to enhance women's participation in Islamic educational leadership more broadly.

Contribution of Smart Learning on Students’ Academic Competences in Private Universities in Rwanda

The integration of smart learning in teaching and learning process can be successful and increase Students’ academic competences as long as smart learning facilities are integrated. This study titled “contribution of smart learning on students’ academic competences in private universities in Rwanda” assessed the contribution of smart learning technologies on students’ academic performance and explored the relationship between smart learning and students’ academic competences in private universities in Rwanda. In order formulate research design, the study was guided by system and flipping classroom theory. The research adopted a descriptive research design. The targeted population of the study was 400 respondents who were sampled by using Yamane’s formula of sample calculation to become 200 composed by 7 Staff members, 23 lecturers and 170 students. The staff members were purposively chosen while students and lectures were simple randomly sampled. The data collection tools used in this study were Questionnaires and interview. In order to analyses data, the study adopted descriptive, quantitative and qualitative techniques. Through retesting piloted study, reliability was employed by using accurate valid measures. The results showed that the use of smart learning facilities has improved the students’ competences in campuses where 70.6 % strongly agree and 15.9 % answered agree. The study further confirmed that smart learning tools engage and motivate students’ learning process where 71.2 % responded strongly agree and 17.1% responded agree. The study concluded that there was a correlation between smart learning and students’ academic competences where Karl Pearson coefficient of correlation was 0.751, which means the smart learning, contribute to the students’ academic competences. The study recommended that through ministry of education government of Rwanda need to increase fund allocated in supporting private universities. Higher Education Council also need to increase its intensive monitoring and evaluation on the effective use of smart learning within campuses. Lecturers need allow all students to interact with computers and smart digital tools.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Job Satisfaction of Cardiothoracic Trainees in the United Kingdom: An Insight From the General Medical Council National Training Survey.

Introduction The National Training Survey (NTS) is conducted annually by the General Medical Council (GMC) to monitor and report on the quality of postgraduate medical education and training. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a significant impact on training in cardiothoracic surgery due to the unprecedented restructuring of surgical activity across the UK. We aim to evaluate how the job satisfaction of cardiothoracic surgery trainees was impacted by COVID-19 using the National Training Survey. Methods The National Training Survey in cardiothoracic surgery from 2017 to 2024 was obtained from the General Medical Council website. Job satisfaction for trainees was evaluated using 17 indicators: Adequate Experience, Clinical Supervision, Clinical Supervision Out of Hours, Educational Governance, Educational Supervision, Feedback, Handover, Induction, Local Teaching, Overall Satisfaction, Regional Teaching, Reporting Systems, Rota Design, Study Leave, Supportive Environment, Teamwork and Workload. The pre-pandemic score for each indicator was an average of 2017, 2018 and 2019, while the post-pandemic score was an average of 2022, 2023 and 2024. The overall job satisfaction per year, combining all indicators, was also analysed. Results Thirty-eight cardiothoracic centres were included in this study. There was a reduction in trainees' job satisfaction from pre- to post-pandemic surveys when comparing all 17 indicators together (scored out of 100) (73.87 versus 70.97, p<0.001). There were six out of 17 (35.29%) indicators that demonstrated a significant decrease in job satisfaction amongst trainees: Regional Teaching (70.53 versus 54.53, p<0.001), Adequate Experience (78.65 versus 72.34, p=0.003), Local Teaching (68.26 versus 62.92, p=0.037), Educational Governance (73.78 versus 70.36, p=0.033), Clinical Supervision Out of Hours (91.16 versus 87.95, p=0.005) and Clinical Supervision (91.98 versus 88.92, p=0.014). Conclusion Trainees' job satisfaction significantly decreased after the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the most recent survey suggests job satisfaction amongst trainees may be recovering, further work needs to be done to ensure training standards return to pre-pandemic levels.

A Systematic Literature Review of Synchronous E-Learning Challenges in Higher Education Institutions in Developing Nations during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the transition to online learning, with synchronous e-learning becoming a critical modality in higher education institutions (HEIs) worldwide. This shift, while ensuring educational continuity, has unveiled numerous challenges, especially in developing nations where resources and infrastructure may not adequately support such a rapid transition. Purpose: This study aims to provide a systematic literature review of the challenges encountered by students in developing nations during the implementation of synchronous e-learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses on identifying and analysing technological, pedagogical, infrastructural, socioeconomic, and health-related challenges that have impacted the efficacy of online learning. Methods: Through a systematic literature review of 43 peer-reviewed studies conducted in developing nations, dated between 2020 and 2022 sourced from the SCOPUS database, this article synthesises findings on the multifaceted challenges faced by HEIs students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study employs a thematic analysis approach to categorise these challenges and discuss their implications for educational equity, student well-being, and the resilience of higher education systems in developing countries. Conclusions: The study underscores the need for comprehensive strategies to address the identified challenges, emphasising the importance of infrastructural improvements, pedagogical support, socioeconomic interventions, and health-focused measures. It calls for a collaborative effort among educational institutions, governments, and international organisations to enhance the resilience and inclusivity of e-learning environments, ensuring equitable access to quality education in developing nations during and beyond the pandemic.