Education Reform Research Articles

Bridging the Corequisite Divide: Lessons Learned from a Large, Minority Serving Community College

ABSTRACT The corequisite model is a promising developmental education reform effort that is helping students transition into college-level coursework more quickly. The purpose of this Brief is to offer recommendations to college leaders, faculty, and staff involved with implementing the corequisite model at their institution. Our recommendations are from a multi-year, mixed-methods research project conducted at one of the nation’s most racially, ethnically diverse community college systems in Texas. We use quotes from our interviews with corequisite faculty (51) and students (42) to represent broader themes on improving student success within corequisite courses. These interviews informed our recommendations to enhance classroom instruction, professional development, and implementation of the corequisite model. As the corequisite model continues to gain popularity across the country, we hope readers will consider our recommendations to ensure students receive the best support to ultimately improve equity outcomes in developmental education.

Development and inequality: A long‐run view

AbstractWe provide a comprehensive review of the literature on the drivers of long‐run development and inequality, and new datasets for their study. Three distinct elements emerge in the 10 articles of this special issue that broadly characterize the field. First, development should be understood from a multidimensional perspective and when considering long‐run patterns a wide array of indicators must be used, ranging from material living standards to health, education, and gender. Second, the construction of widely used development metrics has to be critically reviewed to arrive at more accurate narratives of how the world developed. Third, the drivers of development and global inequalities are best analyzed and understood from a long‐term perspective. Some sweeping trends with major consequences for countries and regions alike took many years to unfold, such as the emergence of the modern state, or the implementation of large‐scale education reforms. In sum, this special issue shows that global inequalities are the result of long‐term persistent forces that have operated through periods of decades (and centuries), involving institutional change, demographic processes, and cultural persistence (among others). A better understanding of patterns and explanatory factors of development over the long term is key to tackle current‐day challenges for development and inequality.

Re-Viewing Sumitro’s Policy and Industrial Maturity: Powering Downstream and Manufacturing Industries for Economic Growth and Sustainable Society

During the 1950s, Sumitro Djojohadikusumo contributed in a significant manner to the construction of the economy of Indonesia, along with other figures, namely Mohammad Hatta, Sjafruddin Prawiranegara, and Djuanda Kartawidjaja. During this period, Sumitro promoted policies to drive industrialization in Indonesia and self-reliance to transform Indonesia from a colonial economy into a developing nation. Soemitro Djojohadikusumo’s economic policies were pivotal in shaping Indonesia’s post-colonial economy; focusing on production and industrial sovereignty, he emphasized reducing dependency on imports by fostering domestic industries, especially strategic sectors like heavy industry and natural resource processing, which he saw as crucial to national sovereignty. Soemitro also promoted stimulating economic activities through both public investment and private sector engagement, aiming to diversify the economy and drive sustained growth. Many of the challenges Soemitro addressed, such as infrastructural gaps and weak technological readiness, which remain relevant today. This research analyzes to what extent the economic policy shaped by Sumitro impacts Indonesia’s development. This analysis has significance in understanding Indonesia’s contemporary economic planning and trends, particularly in terms of economic policy shaped by the newly elected President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto. Analysis of Sumitro’s policy is conducted through the lenses of the industrial maturity concept, which is relevant to growth theory, resource-based view, and development economics. Indonesia’s pursuit of industrial maturity is crucial for transforming its raw resource-based economy into one that competes globally by adding value to domestic production. The need to revitalize manufacturing and strengthen downstream industries is critical for boosting competitiveness and integrating circular economic principles that emphasize sustainability. Soemitro’s vision of empowering society aligns with modern approaches to creating a more inclusive economy. However, infrastructure bottlenecks, a lagging education system, and regulatory complexities continue to slow the progress. Addressing supply chain challenges through regional industrial clustering and focusing on efficiency will be vital for overcoming these barriers. Further empirical research is needed to explore how infrastructure, education reform, and regulatory simplification can enhance Indonesia’s industrial maturity and sustainable economic development.

Exploration on Innovation Platforms Construction for Improving the Talent Cultivation Quality of Agricultural Built Environment and Energy Engineering Major in Agricultural University

Amidst the global transformation of energy structures and the acceleration of agricultural modernization, the cultivation of talents confronts unprecedented challenges and opportunities for agricultural built environment and energy engineering (ABEEE) programs at agricultural universities. This paper focuses on the role and practical pathways of innovative platform construction in enhancing the quality of talent cultivation in this field, aiming to explore an educational reform path that aligns with the development needs of the new era. Initially, the paper analyzes the current issues in ABEEE professional education at agricultural universities, including the disconnection between theory and practice, inadequate cultivation of innovation capabilities and the lack of distinct professional characteristics et al. Based on these insights, the necessity and urgency of constructing innovative platforms is emphasized in this work. It can effectively promote interdisciplinary integration, bolster practical operation skills for students, further strengthen their scientific research and innovation capabilities by establishing industry-university collaboration platforms with enhanced professional characteristics, scientific research innovation platforms, and virtual simulation teaching platforms et al. Finally, the necessary of continuously optimizing the functions and services of these innovative platforms, strengthening exchanges and cooperation with other higher education institutions are highlighted according to the current existing problems and challenges. This research can not only provide a novel perspective and thoughts for educational reform in agricultural universities, but also serves as a reference for talent cultivation model innovation in other fields.

Language-in-Education Planning for Foreign Languages in Morocco: Analyzing the Historical and Structural Impacts of History, Social Class, Ideology, and Power Dynamics

The present paper analyzes language-in-education planning for foreign languages within the Moroccan educational system. These policies have been adopted and/or implemented as part of three successive educational reforms that the state has undergone in the last 25 years (e.g., the National Charter 1999, the Emergency Program 2008, and the Strategic Vision 2015). Despite the state’s advocacy for varying foreign language instruction, these policies have been marked by a consolidation of French instruction as a primary foreign language and a shift to using it as a medium of instruction for science and technology subjects in middle and secondary education as part of language alternation pedagogy. The study adopts Tollefson’s (1991) Historical-Structural Approach as a conceptual framework to analyze how the constructs of history, class structures, ideology, and power dynamics have influenced language-in-education planning to perpetuate the social, economic, and political privileges of a francophone-oriented elite. The latter have employed their economic and political power to influence the indecisive aspect of the language-in-education policies—both covertly and overtly—to increase socioeconomic inequalities and injustices, including linguistic disparities between the elite and lower social classes. This dominant position of French within the educational system has also been motivated by external influences, manifested in the heavy political and economic relationship with France, the former colonizer.

Explanation of the Meaning and Exploration of the Path of Collaborative Parenting between Home, School and Society

With the deepening of education reform, the importance of collaborative parenting between home, school and society is becoming more and more prominent. The purpose of this paper is to explain the connotation, significance and importance of home-school-society collaborative parenting, and to explore its realization path. Collaborative parenting refers to the participation of families, schools and communities to form educational synergy and promote the overall development of students. Collaborative parenting between home, school and community is the inevitable pursuit of the implementation of moral education, an important guarantee for the healthy growth of students, and a necessary condition for the creation of a favorable educational environment. In order to efficiently realize the synergistic education of home, school and society, it is necessary for the government to strengthen coordination, schools to play a leading role, families to fulfill their main responsibilities, and the community to actively participate in the support, so as to build a good parenting system.

A Practical Study on the Integration of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education and Professional Education in Higher Vocational Colleges

Innovation and entrepreneurship education is an important carrier to stimulate higher vocational students’ innovative spirit, and entrepreneurial enthusiasm and enhance vocational students’ professional quality and professional spirit. This paper analyzes the problems and challenges of the integration of innovation and entrepreneurship education and professional education in higher vocational colleges from three aspects: value connotation, innovation and entrepreneurship education system and practical teaching base. Based on the current innovation and entrepreneurship education reform practice in some higher vocational colleges, this paper puts forward the practical path of the integration of innovation and entrepreneurship education and professional education in higher vocational colleges, which provides a reference for the innovation and entrepreneurship education reform in higher vocational colleges.

Accessing the Impact of Policy Reforms on the Rights to Education: A Comparative Study of Emerging and Developed Economies (Nigeria and the U.S. )

This study examined the impact of education policy reforms on the right to education in emerging and developed economies, focusing on Nigeria and the United States. It analyzed how policy interventions shaped access to education, the quality of educational outcomes, and equity in both countries. The key research questions investigated the effectiveness of education reforms in improving access, addressing regional and socioeconomic disparities, and ensuring quality education. The study adopted a comparative case study methodology, analyzing secondary data, policy documents, and education statistics from both nations. Theoretical frameworks such as Human Capital Theory and a rights-based approach to education were used to evaluate the policies' impact. Findings revealed that while Nigeria made significant strides in increasing school enrollment through policies like the Universal Basic Education (UBE) program, it struggled with quality, funding, and regional disparities. In contrast, the U.S. achieved widespread access to education but faced persistent challenges related to racial and socioeconomic inequities, influenced by the shortcomings of standardized testing and uneven funding allocation. The study’s implications suggested that addressing policy implementation, funding, and equity issues is essential for advancing the right to education. Recommendations were provided to strengthen reforms, improve funding mechanisms, and promote equitable access to quality education in both contexts.

Research on the Teaching Reform of Environmental Art Design Course under the 1+X Certificate System

The "1+X" certificate system, namely the "diploma certificate + several vocational skill level certificates" system, is an important reform task proposed in the "National Vocational Education Reform Implementation Plan". This system aims to strengthen the integration of 1+X certificate pilot and professional construction, curriculum construction, teacher team construction, etc. through the combination of academic certificates and vocational skill level certificates, in order to improve the quality of vocational education and students' employment ability. The "vocational education + additional vocational qualifications" system in foreign countries has a high degree of similarity with China's 1+X system, both of which encourage students to obtain vocational education diplomas while actively obtaining various types of vocational skill certificates, expanding students' employability, promoting the connotation development of vocational education, and connecting vocational education with the needs of economic and social development to improve the quality of talent cultivation. For environmental art majors, this system provides new opportunities and directions for professional teaching reform.

Enhancing nurse faculty resilience through self-leadership: guidelines for resource mobilization in dynamic academic environments

The purpose of the study was to develop guidelines for the facilitation of self-leadership in nurse faculty. Of the 12 guidelines developed, this paper discusses the two related to resilience through self-leadership practices, namely: encouraging reliance on internal sources for self-preservation; and strengthening the positive self-image of nurse faculty through management and peer support. An exploratory, sequential mixed-methods design was used to guide the development of guidelines. Enhancing nurse faculty resilience can be achieved by promoting engagement in self-leadership activities. These activities contribute to faculty members’ profound satisfaction, confidence in their knowledge, and overall competence. Resilience is enriched through practicing self-leadership in a supportive work environment and plays a crucial role in adapting to significant changes in the work environment. It has been identified as a key factor that facilitates the ability to persist against struggles and challenges in the workplace. The implementation of higher education reforms in South Africa has brought about increased workload, stress, and uncertainties to an already overwhelmed nurse faculty workforce, consisting of mainly female faculty. It is prudent that a supportive environment that empowers nurse faculty well-being and resilience be facilitated to ensure adaptation to a dynamic and competitive nursing education environment.

Challenges and Opportunities Faced by Contemporary Environmental Art Design Teaching Strategies

This article explores the importance and implementation strategies of comprehensive educational reform in ideological and political theory courses in universities. The article point south at comprehensive education reform is not only an inevitable requirement to adapt to the development needs of the new era, but also a key to improving the quality of ideological and political education, promoting the development of the teacher team, and building a discourse system for ideological and political education with Chinese characteristics. Faced with challenges such as globalization and informatization, ideological and political courses need to update their teaching content, introduce current hot topics, strengthen practical teaching, adopt diversified teaching methods, and fully utilize modern information technology. At the same time, it emphasizes the student-centered teaching philosophy and focuses on cultivating student’s-learning ability and critical thinking. These efforts aim to make ideological and political courses more relevant to the times and students, and contribute to the cultivation of socialist builders and successors with comprehensive development in morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor.

Leveraging Social Media and Deep Learning for Sentiment Analysis for Smart Governance: A Case Study of Public Reactions to Educational Reforms in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi government’s educational reforms aim to align the system with market needs and promote economic opportunities. However, a lack of credible data makes assessing public sentiment towards these reforms challenging. This research develops a sentiment analysis application to analyze public emotional reactions to educational reforms in Saudi Arabia using AraBERT, an Arabic language model. We constructed a unique Arabic dataset of 216,858 tweets related to the reforms, with 2000 manually labeled for public sentiment. To establish a robust evaluation framework, we employed random forests, support vector machines, and logistic regression as baseline models alongside AraBERT. We also compared the fine-tuned AraBERT Sentiment Classification model with CAMeLBERT, MARBERT, and LLM (GPT) models. The fine-tuned AraBERT model had an F1 score of 0.89, which was above the baseline models by 5% and demonstrated a 4% improvement compared to other pre-trained transformer models applied to this task. This highlights the advantage of transformer models specifically trained for the target language and domain (Arabic). Arabic-specific sentiment analysis models outperform multilingual models for this task. Overall, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of AraBERT in analyzing Arabic sentiment on social media. This approach has the potential to inform educational reform evaluation in Saudi Arabia and potentially other Arabic-speaking regions.

The Application Practice of Online and Offline Blended Teaching Mode in Colleges

With the ongoing reform in education and teaching, college instructors are increasingly focused on improving classroom teaching efficiency and effectiveness. In the era of rapid Internet development, the online and offline blended teaching method has garnered widespread attention. This approach leverages the complementary strengths of both online and offline teaching. When applied to the teaching of complex systems and complex networks, it can effectively address the limitations of traditional offline classrooms, helping students grasp abstract concepts more quickly, deepen their theoretical understanding, and enhance classroom efficiency. This paper primarily discusses the concept of blended teaching, its significance, and its value, while exploring practical application strategies for this method. It aims to serve as a reference for relevant educators.

The Historical Change, Evolutionary Logic and Dynamic Mechanism of China's Major Enrollment System

The general enrollment system is a hot issue in the field of higher education reform. And the scientific cognition of its historical evolution, internal logic and dynamic mechanism is helpful to promote the reform of China's undergraduate enrollment system. From the perspective of historical institutionalism, the evolution of Chinese enrollment categories can be divided into four major historical stages: historical gestation, preliminary exploration, rapid rise and in-depth development. Tracing the hidden institutional logic behind the policy, it is found that the initial conditions, positive feedback mechanism and mindset make the change of the major enrollment system have a strong path dependence. In terms of dynamic mechanism, politics, economy and society constitute the basic factors of institutional change; learning effect, adaptive expectation and resource optimization orientation constitute the internal driving force of self-strengthening in the system; and the interest game among various action subjects constitutes the direct driving force of institutional change. In the future, the major enrollment system will accelerate the comprehensive reform of higher education through the three aspects of deepening rational practice examination, enhancing cross-cultivation and exploration, and promoting the transformation of human-oriented management, so as to enable the connotative development of higher education.

A Survey Study on the Current Status of Professionalism of Elementary School Science Teachers in Changsha County

As the main participants in the teaching of science curriculum, the professionalism of elementary school science teachers is very important to the teaching work of teachers, the scientific literacy of students as well as the reform and development of science education. Therefore, the professional literacy of elementary school science teachers in Changsha County was thoroughly researched and analyzed from three aspects: professional affective literacy, professional knowledge literacy and professional ability literacy. Through the questionnaire survey and interviews, it was found that some science teachers have the problems of lack of professional affective literacy, single knowledge structure and low professional ability literacy. These problems are mainly attributed to the teachers’ weak sense of professional development, the limitations of curriculum teaching and implementation ability, the schools’ insufficient attention to the science curriculum, and the insufficient investment in education funding. To address these problems, this paper proposes optimization paths such as clarifying development goals, strengthening practice reflection, deepening the learning and application of the new curriculum standards, raising the importance of science curriculum teaching, and increasing the investment in science education. Through these measures, we aim to enhance the professionalism of elementary school science teachers, improve the quality of teaching, cultivate students’ scientific literacy, and promote the sustainable development of science education.

Does School Education Improve Children’s Health Literacy? Evidence from a Performance-Based Survey

Abstract Background Children begin using digital sources of health information at a young age and are quickly exposed to a variety of unmoderated health content. Health literacy helps children navigate, understand, evaluate, and act on this content. But is the educational system preparing young people for these tasks? This study develops a validated, performance-based measure of health literacy and applies it to a sample of 9- to 13-year-old children (grades 4 to 7). Methods A performance-based tool to measure children’s health literacy was developed through expert consultation and qualitative and quantitative pretesting. The tool uses vignettes and quizzes and captures three dimensions of health literacy: nutrition, physical activity, and psychosocial health. The validated tool was then used in a cross-sectional survey of Austrian children aged 9 to 13 years (n = 780): Diet, Physical Activity, and Psychosocial Health. Results Results show that the performance-based health literacy scores do not correlate with self-reported scores. Girls (vs. boys) and native speakers perform better on the performance-based literacy test, while boys and children reporting more robust financial backgrounds overestimate their literacy on self-reported questions. Most importantly, the data do not show meaningful increases in performance-based health literacy across grade levels. For nutrition literacy, the study even shows a slight negative trend across grade levels. Conclusions This study questions the heavy reliance on self-reported health literacy, which is often confounded with self-efficacy and social environment. Performance-based instruments are needed to measure health literacy as an educational outcome. This study presents one of the first validated instruments. Most importantly, the study shows that the current educational system may not produce meaningful increases in performance-based health literacy, calling for deeper educational reforms. Key messages • Performance-based health literacy is a distinct concept from the subjective health literacy measures that dominate current health literacy research. • Performance-based health literacy did not increase with grade level, indicating a poor performance of the education system in strengthening health literacy.

Assessing Equity and Emotional Wellbeing: A Critical Look at NAPLAN in Australian Schools

The National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a pivotal educational reform in Australia that aims to assess students' literacy and numeracy skills. Since its introduction in 2008, NAPLAN has sparked significant debate regarding its effectiveness and equity. This paper critically examines the promises and pitfalls of NAPLAN, focusing on its impact on educational equity, the socio-emotional well-being of students, and school management practices. While NAPLAN is designed to address inequalities and improve educational outcomes, research suggests that it may inadvertently exacerbate disparities between schools, particularly affecting students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Furthermore, the high-stakes nature of the test can induce anxiety among students and educators, particularly in low-performing schools. This paper also includes a case study of Croydon Community School, an alternative secondary school in Melbourne, to illustrate the diverse impacts of NAPLAN on student performance, socio-educational advantage, and cultural diversity. In conclusion, while NAPLAN provides valuable data on student performance, it must be complemented by broader assessment practices and policies that prioritize diversity and inclusion to fully address its limitations.

Research on the relationship between physical literacy and demographic variables and interpersonal support for physical exercise among adolescents in China.

In recent decades, the concept of "Physical Literacy" has emerged as a significant breakthrough in enhancing the physical health of children and adolescents. This concept has become the guiding principle and future direction for physical education reform in Western countries. As China's economic and social development enters a new phase, the negative impact of insufficient physical activity on adolescent health remains a significant challenge to the strategies of "Healthy China" and "A Leading Sports Nation." The unique value of physical literacy, which emphasizes the importance of regular physical activity, aligns perfectly with the developmental needs of the nation, the era, and individuals. Given the crucial role of interpersonal support in the development of adolescents' physical literacy, this study employs questionnaire surveys and statistical analysis to investigate the current state of physical literacy among Chinese adolescents. It explores the predictive relationship between parental support, teacher support, and peer support on physical literacy, aiming to provide guidance for the future development of adolescents' physical literacy. The research findings indicate significant differences in the five dimensions of physical literacy (attitude, sports knowledge, emotion, athletic ability, and physical fitness) among adolescents of different grades and residence type. Additionally, there are notable gender differences in the dimensions of sports knowledge, emotion, and athletic ability. The interaction effect of gender and grade is particularly evident in the emotional and physical fitness dimensions. There is a significant correlation between interpersonal support and all dimensions of physical literacy. After controlling for variables such as gender, grade, and family background, interpersonal support for adolescent physical exercise was found to have a significant impact on all dimensions of physical literacy. Among the forms of support, peer support was identified as a more powerful predictor of physical literacy compared to parental and teacher support.

Education’s primary motive of overall human development in India: Case based perspective of Dayalbagh Educational Institute

The Indian higher education system faces significant challenges in integrating value-based education, sustainability, and consciousness, often prioritizing academic achievements over holistic development. This case-based research explores how Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI) effectively addresses these challenges by incorporating sustainability, value, and consciousness into its educational framework. DEI was selected for its distinctive approach, which emphasizes moral and social responsibility, fostering not only academic success but also the ethical development of students. The study draws on document analysis and observations to illustrate how DEI’s educational practices serve as a model for other institutions. The research underscores the urgent need for educational reforms in India that go beyond traditional metrics of success, addressing the gaps in moral education and sustainable practices. By fostering critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and social responsibility, DEI demonstrates how an education system can prepare students for future challenges while promoting a deeper consciousness about their role in society. The findings suggest that integrating value-based education with sustainability and consciousness not only enhances students’ holistic development but also contributes to broader goals of national development. DEI’s model offers practical insights and evidence for other educational institutions to adopt similar strategies, ensuring that future generations are better equipped to address societal challenges with a strong ethical foundation. This research thus provides a comprehensive view of the essential elements needed in modern education to create responsible and conscious global citizens.

Strategies for Enhancing Young Children's Scientific Inquiry Skills

In recent years, with the continuous advancement of educational reform, the importance of scientific education in early childhood has become increasingly evident. Early childhood is a critical period for cognitive development and interest cultivation. Through scientific inquiry activities, young children’s cognitive development, problem-solving abilities, and curiosity about the surrounding world can be effectively promoted. However, the implementation of early childhood scientific inquiry education still faces numerous challenges, such as a lack of systematic theoretical guidance and insufficient strategies for improvement. This study aims to enhance the existing theoretical foundations of young children's scientific inquiry abilities and proposes specific strategies for improvement to foster the comprehensive development of children's scientific literacy.