ABSTRACT Architectural management is a relatively underexplored discipline in Croatia, where it is often confused with design management and insufficiently integrated into professional practice and continuing professional development (CPD) frameworks. This study investigates the state of architectural management among Croatian architectural firms through an online survey of members of the Croatian Chamber of Architects (CCA), comprising 216 respondents, of whom 142 employers form the analytically relevant sample. The survey examined firm demographics, use of professional standards, fee-determination practices, management skill self-assessment and perceived challenges. Results reveal that 89.4% of surveyed firms are micro-enterprises with fewer than five employees, underscoring the dominance of SMEs in the sector. Most architects rely on simplified fee-determination methods – such as cost per square metre or percentages of construction costs – rather than structured scope-of-services standards, while over 70% identify low fees and unclear regulation as key challenges. Although respondents report relatively high self-assessed management skills, correlation analysis shows that demand for management education is not suppressed by confidence in existing abilities, suggesting that the underdevelopment of architectural management is structural rather than individual. This study provides the first systematic, survey-based assessment of architectural management in Croatia and positions its findings within broader European debates on professional fragmentation, fee formation, and firm resilience. While recent CCA reforms represent progress, the results highlight the need for deeper integration of management principles into professional standards and CPD frameworks to support the long-term sustainability of architectural practice. HIGHLIGHTS Survey reveals low use of professional service standards among architects. Findings show weak business and financial skills in architectural firms. Market fragmentation dominates the architectural practice landscape. Architectural education lacks management, entrepreneurship and practice focus. Low architectural service fees and complex regulations weaken professional stability.

A second language is referred to any language that learned and used by an individual besides their mother tongue. Teaching second is considered as a key challenge for the language teachers due to diverse learner needs, limited resources, and evolving pedagogical demands. This review article critically examines the major difficulties faced by teachers in second language classrooms, including linguistic diversity, varying levels of learner motivation and proficiency, inadequate teaching materials, and insufficient professional training. The study synthesizes findings from existing literature to identify common barriers that affect the effectiveness of second language teaching and learning. The review concludes that institutional support, improved teaching resources, and effective training programs are essential for helping language teachers overcome these challenges and enhance the quality of second language instruction.

Nursing students face unique cognitive challenges as they navigate the dual demands of academic coursework and clinical education. These demands can strain cognitive resources, resulting in cognitive overload, hindering their ability to process and retain information, and underscoring the need for educational strategies that optimize working memory and support learning. This integrative review synthesizes what is known about factors that impact cognitive load and explores strategies to mitigate cognitive overload in nursing education. Guided by Whittemore and Knafl's methodology for integrative reviews, 5 electronic databases were searched for articles published between 2020 and 2025. A total of 22 articles were included in this review. Strategies to reduce intrinsic and extrinsic load include scaffolding, multimodal instruction, emotional regulation, and student support mechanisms such as real-time coaching and cognitive aids, which support learners' cognitive processing. Aligning instructional design with cognitive principles enhances learning, reduces cognitive load, and improves outcomes.

The explosion of short-format digital media has been a major influence in changing both modern patterns of attention and ways of processing information, as well as, educational demands. With sustained reading, interpretive analysis, and extended writing established as the building blocks of English education, microlearning emerges as both a pedagogical prospect and an epistemological issue in English education. A qualitative study investigation is discussed on the topic of the impact of microlearning and short-form instructional content on cognitive engagement and academic performance in English language and literature classes. Based on the attention theory, cognitive load theory, media ecology and constructivist learning frameworks, the study uses semi-structured interview with English teachers and higher education students to expect the perceptions and practices realized in the classroom and perceived learning results. Thematic analysis indicates that the microlearning can improve the first engagement and accessibility and understanding of the concept, whereas the effect on the deep cognition processing is conditional on the assimilation into the overall instructional structure. With reduced tolerance to lengthy reading, participants give an account of faster intake of information, and more dependence on visual-digital stimuli that has been described as a rewiring of attention. Nonetheless, the microlearning when properly scaffolded can serve as an attentional support as an alternative to profound literacy practices. The research presents a Hybrid Attention Pedagogy theory which combines micro-activation modules with prolonged analytical interest. The outcomes are relevant to the existing discussion of digital cognition and can be used to give qualitative information to the future design of engaging in English education under the highly digitalized signals of instructional settings.

In response to the educational demands of the 21st century, Physical Education (PE) has evolved toward a more comprehensive model, requiring innovative approaches from teachers. Educational sport remains essential; however, excessive competitiveness in some traditional sports often fails to motivate students. For this reason, the adoption of Alternative Sports (AS), such as Cornerball, is proposed. Cornerball, a playful–sporting variant, combines elements of wall and rebound sports with a divided court. It is played in mixed-gender pairs within a 90-degree corner divided by a net at the center, with players alternating participation on each hit. This novel approach seeks to enhance student motivation, promote physical activity, and convey values in an engaging manner. The main objective of this paper is to design a didactic proposal for the implementation of Cornerball in PE classes. Its potential to foster active participation, coeducation, sports values, cooperation, and healthy lifestyle habits is highlighted. This new alternative sport emerges as an attractive and challenging option, contributing significantly to the evolution of Physical Education toward a more holistic and motivating approach.

High-alert medications (HAMs) cause a lot of safety issues in paediatric healthcare settings, and medication errors have three times the potential to harm this group than in adults. This quality improvement study was conducted to assess nurses' knowledge of HAMs, the barriers to safe HAM administration and the impact of targeted education. This quality improvement project assessed the knowledge of HAM administration before and after structured training among paediatric nurses in critical care units. Barriers to safe medication administration were identified through questionnaire responses, including both knowledge-related and organisational obstacles. Knowledge gain was measured using paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. An exploratory regression analysis was conducted to investigate the associations with knowledge improvement. This study included 335 nurses. The improvement in knowledge regarding administration increased significantly after training, from an average score of 4.87 to 9.41. Main obstacles to safe medication administration identified include lack of knowledge (39.4%), unavailability of reference texts (34.6%) and ambiguous dose calculations (32.0%). Those under 25 years old, as well as those having less than 2 years of experience, recorded the absolute highest gains. Self-rated competency improved minimally, although those indicating low confidence dropped to below 10%. A great demand for additional education in HAMs was noticed, where 82% were asking for more training. Structured training significantly improved theoretical HAM knowledge and identified critical system barriers (lack of references and ambiguous protocols). Continuous education represents an essential foundation for subsequent medication safety quality improvement initiatives. For paediatric critical care nurses, these findings establish a knowledge foundation and identify system barriers essential for improving paediatric HAM safety.

As the demand for citizenship education in higher education increases, this study aims to propose a ‘Co-Living Lab’ educational model that prioritizes ‘relationship-building’ with community members and to analyze its educational effectiveness. To this end, a mixed-methods approach was employed, utilizing course evaluations, team reports, text mining of reflection papers, and in-depth interviews with 120 students who attended the ‘Social Innovation Living Lab’ course at K University over four semesters. The research findings are as follows: First, the Co-Living Lab model, designed through the stages of ‘joint problem finding’, ‘horizontal cooperation’, and ‘sharing and diffusion of results’, led to high student satisfaction. Second, the results of text mining and correlation analysis showed that students focused more on the ‘process’ than the ‘result’ of the project. Through relationships with ‘people’ encountered during this process, they tended to ‘think (reflect)’ deeply about ‘society’. Third, in-depth interview analysis confirmed that students redefined community members from mere service providers to cooperative partners, fostering empathy for others and a sense of community solidarity. In conclusion, this study suggests that for Living Lab activities to function as genuine citizenship education beyond instrumental technical problem-solving, ‘relationship-building’ with the community must come first. Furthermore, it presents the potential of the ‘Co-Living Lab’ as a practical educational model for the mutual growth of universities and local communities.

This study examines the imperative of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies within university-based professional education and delineates the strategic tasks required for their effective implementation. First, the paper presents a conceptual overview of DEI, tracing its evolution alongside related frameworks, including corporate social responsibility and environmental, social, and governance criteria. Although DEI discourse has primarily matured within the corporate sector, its underlying values are increasingly relevant to a wide range of organizational forms, including public institutions, healthcare facilities, and higher education. Given their strong public mission, universities are uniquely positioned to integrate DEI as a core component of institutional responsibility. Furthermore, this study argues that the broad application of DEI must be tailored to address the distinctive demands of professional education—such as law, medicine, and pharmacy—which are characterized by specialized pedagogical approaches, rigorous accreditation requirements, and specific ethical mandates. Professional education functions as a critical gateway to socially influential roles; therefore, the integration of DEI values constitutes not merely an administrative direction but an ethical necessity. This paper proposes the development of field-specific standards and independent implementation frameworks that respect the professional and institutional autonomy of these programs. Ultimately, universities can cultivate a more inclusive academic environment, which in turn contributes to more equitable professional services for society at large.

Against the backdrop of the digital transformation of education and the education reform oriented to core competencies, lesson plan design serves as a pivotal carrier connecting educational theory and practice, and its scientificity is of paramount importance. However, current relevant research in China is plagued by such problems as fragmented application of theories, the disconnection between research outcomes and teaching practice, and the lack of effective transformation paths, which make it difficult to meet the practical demands of teaching. Based on the theoretical system of educational practice and guided by three core theories including Constructivism, Cognitive Load Theory and Multiple Intelligences Theory, this study adopts a combined approach of literature research, theoretical construction and case analysis to systematically sort out the theoretical logic and practical key points of lesson plan design, and constructs an optimized lesson plan design model of the Integration of the Three Core Theories. Meanwhile, the practical transformation of the research outcomes is achieved through the development of WeChat Mini Programs. From four dimensions—technical architecture, development paradigm, performance optimization and security mechanism—the study, by combining the principles of front-end development technology with the demands of educational practice, expounds on the technical implementation path of WeChat Mini Programs as a carrier for the transformation of educational academic achievements. It also puts forward the core value, teaching approaches and solutions to learning difficulties of WeChat Mini Programs in front-end development teaching based on practical educational experience. The study finds that the organic integration of the three core theories effectively addresses the dilemma of the disconnection between theory and practice in lesson plan design and optimizes the core links of teaching. By virtue of its advantages such as light weight and ease of use, WeChat Mini Programs translate abstract educational theories into practical operational tools and provide teachers with full-process guidance for lesson plan design. The study demonstrates that this lesson plan design model boasts both academic value and practical feasibility, and its technical transformation path furnishes a new paradigm for the implementation of educational practice outcomes. It can not only improve teachers' lesson plan design capabilities and underpin teacher qualification certification and actual teaching practice, but also provide a solid theoretical foundation and practical example for front-end technology teaching and the transformation of academic achievements in the context of educational digitalization.

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are increasingly emphasized to supplement individual pursuits of knowledge in today’s learner-centric educational paradigm, the development of chat generative pre-trained transformer (ChatGPT) by OpenAI has marked a significant milestone. This AI system, designed to generate human-like dialogue and written responses, presents an exciting application in mathematics education. As accumulating research focuses on the experimentation and content analysis of ChatGPT’s responses, this study explored the perspectives and experiences of secondary mathematics pre-service teachers with the tool in their mathematics learning. Employing a mixed-method approach, the study combined quantitative surveys with 91 respondents and qualitative interviews with 20 participants, to evaluate their perceptions of ChatGPT’s ease of use, relative advantage, compatibility, and intention to use it, grounded in the diffusion of innovation theory, connectivism learning theory, technology acceptance model, and community of inquiry framework. Based on statistical and thematic analysis, the pre-service teachers exhibited a positive perception of using ChatGPT as a supplemental learning tool in mathematics, noting it as very easy to use, beneficial for efficient learning and task completion, and cognitive development, and compatible with learning citing its adaptability to learners’ needs and demands in education. However, challenges and issues such as occasional inaccuracies, functional limitations, the risk of over-reliance, and academic integrity were noted, emphasizing that ChatGPT is a valuable supplementary tool in mathematics education provided that it is used responsibly and in balance with other learning resources.

The department of Educational Management, Policy and Curriculum Studies has witnessed a phenomenal growth of over 1000% in PhD enrolments in the last two decades from about 30 students in 2006 to over 300 in 2026. This increased enrolment can be attributed to a convergence of both global and local dynamics shaping the demand for graduate education. This steep rise in enrolment has brought to the fore some challenges that erodes the persistence of the students and eventually reduces their completion rates in the long run affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of the programme. This paper gives a narration of the challenges facing the PhD students in the department and which impact on their progress from the lens of a supervisor. Global literature on students’ persistence has been reviewed so as to contextualize the narrative. The narrative is given and compared with my experiences as a PhD student.

Through the dissemination of knowledge, socialization, and moral development, folktales serve as a foundation for indigenous African education and are essential in forming values, beliefs, and cultural identity. This study investigated the function of folktales in reviving indigenous learning systems by looking at their philosophical underpinnings, cultural importance, and pedagogical integration in contemporary education. The study used ethnographic methodologies, narrative analysis, and interviews with elders, teachers, and storytellers from specific African groups. It was grounded in Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, which emphasizes learning through social interaction and cultural tools. The results showed that folktales are abundant sources of indigenous knowledge that promote social ideals, environmental awareness, and resilience. However, their use in official curriculum has been restricted due to colonial legacies and Western educational domination. The study suggests educating instructors in oral storytelling, creating indigenous educational resources, and incorporating folktales into instructional materials. It also suggests regulatory changes to support indigenous content, community storytelling initiatives, and cooperation between cultural guardians and educational institutions. The study concludes by emphasizing the value of knowledge transfer between generations and the development of culturally grounded learning environments that support African identity while meeting modern educational demands. These efforts aid in curriculum decolonization and the affirmation of African epistemologies.

The growing demand for quality education in the globalization era requires students to develop strong mathematical conceptual understanding alongside essential 21st-century competencies. However, international assessments such as PISA indicate that students’ conceptual mastery in several ASEAN countries remains relatively low, partly due to instructional approaches that are less contextual and culturally relevant. In response, ethnomathematics-based learning has been proposed as an alternative model that integrates local cultural contexts into mathematics instruction to enhance meaningful understanding. This study aims to quantitatively synthesize empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of ethnomathematics-based learning models in improving students’ mathematical conceptual understanding and to examine the influence of moderator variables. A meta-analysis was conducted on 26 eligible studies published between 2018 and 2025, selected through purposive sampling from the Google Scholar database. Effect sizes were calculated using Hedges’ g under a random-effects model, followed by outlier detection, heterogeneity testing, moderator analysis, and publication bias assessment. The results reveal a statistically significant and very high pooled effect size (g = 1.21, p < 0.0001) after outlier removal, indicating strong effectiveness compared to conventional instruction. Despite substantial heterogeneity, moderator analyses highlight variations across educational levels, mathematical topics, cultural contexts, and learning models. Overall, ethnomathematics-based learning demonstrates robust empirical support as an effective approach to strengthening students’ mathematical conceptual understanding.

Work-Based Competency Testing (Uji Kompetensi Keahlian/UKK) plays a strategic role in ensuring the competence and quality of vocational high school (SMK) graduates. However, the implementation of UKK in Light Vehicle Body Engineering programs often faces challenges, particularly the limited and suboptimal involvement of the world of work, which reduces the relevance of competency standards to industry needs. This study aims to analyze the management of work-based competency testing in vocational schools and to examine how industry involvement is integrated into each management stage. This research employed a qualitative approach using a case study design conducted at SMKN 8 Bandung and SMKN 14 Bandung. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, direct observations, and documentation studies. The data were analyzed using an interactive model consisting of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that work-based UKK management is systematically implemented through the stages of planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating, with active participation from industry partners. Industry involvement from the initial planning phase to the final evaluation stage enhances the alignment between competency testing and industry standards, increases the credibility of the certification process, and contributes to improving graduate quality. The study concludes that effective work-based competency test management strengthens the link and match between vocational education and industry demands.

Islamic education, with its rich intellectual heritage, faces the ongoing challenge of adapting classical scholarship to meet contemporary educational demands. This study investigates the pedagogical methods of Badru-d-Dīn Al-ʿAynī, a prominent medieval Islamic scholar, and explores how his approaches can inform modern Islamic education curricula. The research aimed to identify and assess the relevance of Al-ʿAynī’s teaching methodologies particularly his use of commentary, harmonisation of scholarly opinions, and contextualization of knowledge for current pedagogical practices. A qualitative systematic review was employed, analysing both primary texts authored by Al-ʿAynī and secondary literature on Islamic education reform and curriculum development. The findings reveal that Al-ʿAynī’s methods provide a comprehensive pedagogical model that promotes critical engagement, intellectual pluralism, and contextual learning principles that align closely with modern constructivist and inquiry-based learning approaches. The study also highlights practical strategies for integrating these classical methods into Islamic curricula, including interactive learning, interdisciplinary teaching, and digital adaptation of traditional texts. Challenges identified include language barriers, institutional resistance, and the complexity of classical texts, which must be addressed through translation, teacher training, and curriculum innovation. It was concluded that integrating Al-ʿAynī’s pedagogical philosophy into modern education can revitalise Islamic learning by bridging tradition and modernity, fostering analytical and ethical competencies in students, and ensuring the continued relevance of classical Islamic scholarship in the twenty-first century. The research contributes to the discourse on Islamic educational reform by offering a historically grounded yet forward-looking framework for curriculum development

Inclusive Qur’anic education demands pedagogical approaches that respond to the diverse cognitive, emotional, and sensory characteristics of children with special needs, as conventional memorization models often emphasize technical accuracy while overlooking how the Qur’an is experienced and embodied in daily learning. This study examines Qur’anic memorization as a lived religious practice through the implementation of the Tajdied Method at Mumtaz Elementary School, Sidoarjo. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected through classroom observations, in-depth interviews with Qur’an teachers, inclusive facilitators, and students, as well as institutional documentation. The data were analyzed thematically within a living Qur’an framework. The findings reveal that the Tajdied Method—integrating rhythmic movement, melodic recitation, and mnemonic reinforcement—encourages affective involvement and embodied engagement with the Qur’an. Memorization is thus positioned not merely as a cognitive achievement but as an emotionally mediated and socially situated religious experience. Learning outcomes varied, influenced by attention span, sensory sensitivity, emotional regulation, and teacher–student interaction. This study contributes to living Qur’an scholarship by reframing Qur’anic memorization among children with special needs as an experiential, contextual, and socially embedded religious practice.

In modern education, there are issues of rote learning, lack of value orientation, disengagement of learners and socio-emotional stress. It is a conceptual qualitative study that explores relevance of Indic pedagogy to modern day curriculum design and classroom praxis. Using thematic analysis of available literature, the research arrives at the main Indic principles: Purnatva (whole-person development), Anubhava (experience learning), Dharma (value education), Swadhyaya (reflection), Guru-Shishya (mentorship), and Lokavidya (contextual learning). Based on these themes, this study postulates the Modern Indic Pedagogy Curriculum Framework (MIPCF), a five-layered model that incorporates philosophy, pedagogy, curriculum, practice and assessment. The framework proposes a secular, learner-centered, and value-integrated model, which is consistent with the current educational demands and National Education Policy 2020.

Anxiety symptoms among medical students often emerge at the intersection of sustained academic pressure, anticipatory uncertainty and early professional socialisation, complicating their distinction from transient stress responses. Instruments employed in this context are therefore expected to operate consistently across subgroups while preserving conceptual clarity under non-clinical conditions. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), widely adopted as a brief screening measure, has shown variable factorial behaviour across populations, particularly when applied to student cohorts. Using confirmatory factor analysis with robust weighted least squares estimation, the latent structure of a culturally adapted Spanish version of the GAD-7 was examined in a sample of medical students enrolled across all academic years at a public university. Model performance was evaluated through multiple fit indices suited for ordinal data, alongside estimates of convergent validity based on average variance extracted and reliability assessed via both Cronbach's α and McDonald's ω. Measurement invariance across sex was explored through a sequence of increasingly constrained multi-group models. The unidimensional configuration originally proposed for the scale remained statistically coherent, despite minor tensions between absolute and incremental fit indicators commonly reported in comparable university-based samples. Convergent validity estimates suggested that the latent construct accounted for a substantial proportion of item variance, while reliability coefficients fell within the upper range observed internationally. Invariance testing supported comparability at the configurational and scalar levels, although full metric equivalence was less stable. Rather than resolving ongoing debates regarding the internal structure of the GAD-7, these findings situate its psychometric behaviour within the specific demands of medical education, where anxiety-related symptoms may fluctuate between normative adaptation and clinically relevant distress. This positioning invites further examination of how screening instruments perform when anxiety is shaped as much by institutional context as by individual psychopathology.

This study aimed to determine the extent of effects of in-service training programs on the professional development and work performance of teachers in public elementary schools in Binangonan Sub-Office, Division of Rizal, during the School Year 2024 - 2025. The respondents of the study were the teachers in a public elementary school, composed of 420 teachers. A descriptive correlational research design was employed, utilizing a researcher-made questionnaire checklist as a tool in gathering the needed data to determine the extent of effects of in-service training programs on the professional development and work performance of elementary teachers in selected public elementary schools. The result of the study implies that in-service training programs are highly effective in promoting teacher development, particularly in fostering professionalism, personal growth, and instructional competence. However, the relatively lower rating in technical skills presents an opportunity for improvement, emphasizing the importance of future training that addresses the demands of digital and technology-integrated teaching. The results also indicated that their commitment to their duties may also suggest a beneficial impact of in-service training programs on their work effectiveness. The findings concluded that personal skills, technical skills, evaluative skills, and professionalism did not significantly predict teachers’ work performance. Despite this, the results underscore the need for continuous professional development. It is therefore strongly recommended that school administrators consistently implement in-service training programs to keep teachers abreast of current educational trends, enhance their technical competencies, and support their capacity to adapt effectively to the evolving demands of the profession.

This study aims to analyze the influence of education level, work experience, type of occupation, and number of dependents on the income of recent migrant workers in Denpasar City, both simultaneously and partially. The research applies a quantitative approach using data analysis to examine the relationships among variables. The results show that education level, work experience, type of occupation, and number of dependents simultaneously have a significant effect on migrant workers’ income. Partially, education level has a negative and significant effect on income, while work experience and number of dependents have a positive and significant effect. Employment in the formal sector tends to provide higher income compared to the informal sector. These findings indicate a mismatch between formal education and labor market demands, as well as the importance of work experience in increasing income. This study is expected to serve as a reference for policymakers in formulating strategies to improve human resource quality and the welfare of migrant workers in Denpasar City.