School Grades Research Articles

Educational outcomes school year nine in children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A nationwide registry-based study from Sweden.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) constitutes approximately 25% of pediatric cancers, and with contemporary protocols, the 5-year survival rate is over 90%. Despite improved survival, neurocognitive impairments from treatment raise concerns. This registry study aimed to explore the impact of ALL treatment on educational outcomes from school year nine in Swedish children. A population-based cohort of 503 children diagnosed with ALL from 1990 to 2010 was identified from the Swedish Childhood Cancer Registry and matched with five controls each. Assessed variables were delayed graduation, high school eligibility, total merit value, school grades in Swedish, English, mathematics, and physical education, and results in national tests. Analyses were performed between cases and controls and by sex, age at diagnosis, and risk group. Our results showed that, compared to controls, cases had higher odds for delayed graduation, poorer results in physical education, and higher rates of absence in national tests in English and mathematics. Children in the standard-risk group (treated with first-line chemotherapy only) exhibited similar results to matched controls whereas children in the high-risk group (treated with cranial irradiation, hematological stem cell transplantation, or/and for ALL relapse and thus likely received also radiotherapy) had lower total merit value compared to controls. We conclude that Swedish children diagnosed with ALL between the years 1990-2010 mainly exhibited comparable educational outcomes to controls, although children in the high-risk group had lower results. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating especially children with high-risk ALL in order to identify those requiring educational support and for designing targeted interventions.

Implementing and evaluating the School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) model in Norwegian primary schools

ABSTRACT The Norwegian version of the School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) model was tested in two quasi-experimental evaluation studies with 65 primary schools (grade 4–7). The impact of the N-PALS model on externalising behaviour and learning climate in class was tested at 28 elementary schools that implemented the full-scale model, while 17 schools implemented a short version with emphasis on the universal level, and 20 schools served as controls with regular practice. After 3 years, the staff at the schools implementing the full model reported significantly fewer behavioural incidents and more use of praise and encouragement compared to the staff at the control schools. And four months after the collective training of staff at schools implementing the universal short version, significantly fewer negative behavioural incidents were reported. School size and implementation quality moderated the outcomes in the two studies. In conclusion, the school-wide intervention model effectively reduced the negative behavioural incidents and improved the learning climate and social relations in the classrooms.

Validating scores from the short form of the Music Self-Perception Inventory (MUSPI-S) with seventh- to ninth-grade school students in Germany

The Music Self-Perception Inventory-Short (MUSPI-S) is a theoretically based instrument consisting of 28 items with subscales that assess music self-concept globally and in six specific areas. The present study sought to validate a German translation of the MUSPI-S using a sample of 444 secondary school students. In addition to participants’ scores from the German translation of the MUSPI-S, associated data included demographic background variables, self-reported school grades in various subjects, and interest in the school subject of music. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the hypothesized factor structure and measurement model for MUSPI-S scores. Latent factor correlations among MUSPI-S subscale scores and correlations of these scores with school grades and interest in the school subject of music aligned well with theoretical expectations and previous research. Findings also provided evidence for strict measurement invariance of scores in the German MUSPI-S across subgroups of gender, school year (i.e., grade level), and musical activity. MUSPI-S subscale factor-level means did not reliably differ among seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-grade students but favored females over males and musically active over non-active students on nearly all subscales. Overall, this evidence supports the use of the German translation of the MUSPI-S in assessing a wide range of important self-perceived musical abilities for research and practical assessment purposes.

Features of the development of strength and flexibility of middle school children by means of fitness with elements of martial arts

The article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of the development of flexibility and strength of schoolchildren aged 13-14 under the influence of martial arts fitness. The purpose of the study is to determine the effectiveness of using fitness exercises with elements of martial arts for the development of flexibility and strength abilities of secondary school children. The research involved 20 boys and 20 girls who studied in the 8th grade of a secondary school. The following methods were used to solve the research tasks: studying and analyzing literary sources on the research topic; pedagogical experiment; pedagogical testing of the level of physical abilities development, methods of mathematical statistics. To conduct the pedagogical experiment all participants of the experiment were divided into two groups: experimental (10 girls and 10 boys) and control (the same composition). The essence of the experiment was that for children who were included in the experimental group during 5 weeks during physical education lessons an experimental variable module on fitness with elements of martial arts was introduced. When developing the variable module on martial arts fitness, we adhered to the requirements for variable modules in the current physical education curriculum for schools. Girls and boys in the control group attended physical education classes based on the educational material of the variable module gymnastics. The study proved that the use of a variable fitness module based on the use of classical aerobics exercises and martial arts elements during physical education lessons in middle school contributes to a statistically significant improvement in flexibility (forward bending) and strength (flexion and extension of the arms in a lying position and lifting the torso from a lying position in 30 seconds). At the same time, such exercises are emotional and can have a positive impact on adolescents' functional fitness, well-being, and mood.

Conceptual Guidelines for Teaching Mathematics in the Second Grade of General Education Schools

Conceptual Guidelines for Teaching Mathematics in the Second Grade of General Education Schools

Шкала родительского стресса: адаптация на русскоязычной выборке матерей школьников

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective. </strong>Adaptation of the Parental Stress Scale by J. Berry and V. Jones on a sample of mothers of Russian schoolchildren – first and fourth grade students of elementary schools in Nizhny Novgorod and the Nizhny Novgorod region. <br><strong>Background. </strong>Modern parenting research highlights the complex nature of parenting experiences, the diversity of parental practices, the changes associated with the child's upbringing and the dynamics of the family system, and the combination of both positive and negative emotions in parenting. However, there is a noticeable shortage of tools in the Russian-language literature to measure both parental satisfaction and parental stress. <br><strong>Study design. </strong>The study was conducted using an online survey within the “Longitudinal study of factors of school failure”, implemented in Nizhny Novgorod and the Nizhny Novgorod region. <strong>Participants. </strong>The study included a sample of 900 mothers of fourth grade and 1120 mothers of the first grade school students. <strong>Measurements.</strong> Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and McDonald's Omega coefficients were used for psychometric data analysis. The PERMA Profiler questionnaire and correlation analysis were used to assess validity based on convergent and discriminant evidence. The data was analyzed in the Jamovi 2022 and R programs. <br><strong>Results. </strong>Factor analyses of the internal structure suggest two factors, including 8 items each. The subscales “Parental stress” and “Parental satisfaction” demonstrate a high level of internal consistency. The assessment of validity based on the convergent and discriminant evidence confirms the reliability and validity of the instrument. <br><strong>Conclusions. </strong>The scale demonstrates good psychometric properties and can be used for parenting research, as well as in applied projects to improve parental competence and emotional support for parents.</p>

Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students - National Youth Tobacco Survey, United States, 2024.

Use of tobacco products in any form is unsafe, and nearly all tobacco product use begins during adolescence. CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) analyzed data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey to determine tobacco product use among U.S. middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) students. In 2024, current (previous 30-day) use of any tobacco product was reported by 10.1% of high school students (representing 1.58 million students) and 5.4% of middle school students (representing 640,000 students). Among all students, e-cigarettes were the most commonly reported tobacco product currently used (5.9%), followed by nicotine pouches (1.8%), cigarettes (1.4%), cigars (1.2%), smokeless tobacco (1.2%), other oral nicotine products (1.2%), heated tobacco products (0.8%), hookahs (0.7%), and pipe tobacco (0.5%). During 2023-2024, among all students, the estimated number who reported current use of any tobacco product decreased from 2.80 to 2.25 million students; e-cigarette use decreased (from 2.13 to 1.63 million students); and hookah use decreased (from 290,000 to 190,000 students). Among high school students, current use of any tobacco product decreased from 12.6% to 10.1% of students, and e-cigarette use decreased from 10.0% to 7.8%. Among middle school students, no statistically significant changes occurred. Evidence-based strategies can help prevent initiation and promote cessation of tobacco product use among U.S. youths.

Trends in Marijuana Use among Adolescents in the United States.

Marijuana is a widely used substance in the United States (US) and worldwide. We explored trends in self-reported marijuana use among US adolescents overall as well as by gender, race/ethnicity, and school grade. Biennial data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey from 2011 to 2021 included 88,183 adolescents in grades 9th through 12th. We used percentage change as a measure of effect and the chi-square test for significance. All analyses were conducted at the national level. The percentage of adolescents who reported current marijuana use dropped significantly from 23.1% in 2011 to 15.8% in 2021 (p < 0.05). The self-report of trying marijuana for the first time before age 13 also decreased significantly from 8.1% in 2011 to 4.9% in 2021 (p < 0.05). For current use, there were similar significant decreases by race/ethnicity, with Asian, Hispanic, and White adolescents experiencing the steepest declines. In 2021, the percentage of Black adolescents self-reporting marijuana use was significantly higher (20.5%) compared to White (14.8%), Hispanic (16.7%), and Asian (5.1%) adolescents. Although current marijuana use declined significantly for both girls and boys over time, in 2021 girls were more likely (17.8%) to currently use marijuana than boys (13.6%). In 2011, the opposite was true, with boys (25.9%) being more likely to use marijuana than girls (20.1%). In US adolescents in 2021, there were decreases in self-reports of marijuana use compared to 2011. Behavioral interventions within school and family environments may be critical in mitigating the risk of marijuana use.

Optimal Test Design for Estimation of Mean Ability Growth.

The design of an achievement test is crucial for many reasons. This article focuses on a population's ability growth between school grades. We define design as the allocating of test items concerning the difficulties. The objective is to present an optimal test design method for estimating the mean and percentile ability growth with good precision. We use the asymptotic expression of the variance in terms of the test information. With that criterion for optimization, we propose to use particle swarm optimization to find the optimal design. The results show that the allocation of the item difficulties depends on item discrimination and the magnitude of the ability growth. The optimization function depends on the examinees' abilities, hence, the value of the unknown mean ability growth. Therefore, we will also use an optimum in-average design and conclude that it is robust to uncertainty in the mean ability growth. A test is, in practice, assembled from items stored in an item pool with calibrated item parameters. Hence, we also perform a discrete optimization using simulated annealing and compare the results to the particle swarm optimization.

The educational space and its impact on pedagogical dynamics: Teachers' perception of their working environment

A quality learning space provides students with an optimal environment for social relations, collaborative work and participation, thus fostering innovation and incorporating active methodologies. The aim of this study is to analyze whether the design of existing learning environments is suitable for incorporating innovation in classrooms. The methodology carried out in this study was quantitative and divided into two phases to carry out the analysis. The approach consisted of collecting data from a sample of 245 teachers using a questionnaire designed and validated by the researchers. The teachers perform their educational activity between the 3rd and 6th grades of primary school and are in educational centres in the autonomous city of Ceuta (Spain). The findings highlight the relevance that teachers believe the design of educational spaces should have in the teaching-learning process. Thus, the results show that there are significant differences with respect to age and professional experience in relation to the teacher's perception of infrastructure. Therefore, it is important to conclude by highlighting the consideration of the educational space as an essential element for the incorporation of methodological renewal in the classroom.

Validation of the Short Parallel and Extra-Short Form of the Heidelberg Figural Matrices Test (HeiQ).

Figural matrices tests are frequently used to measure fluid intelligence. The HeiQ-an operation-oriented figural matrices test-was developed to tackle limitations of previous matrices tests, mainly the possibility of excluding distractors based on superficial features instead of actively solving the items. However, allowing for a total administration time of 60 min for the assessment of one construct is not feasible in many study designs. Thus, the goal of this study was to develop three short forms of the existing HeiQ. Two parallel 20-item short forms (the HeiQ-S A and HeiQ-S B) that are comparable in content as well as on a psychometric basis and a 6-item short form (the HeiQ-XS) were generated. All tests showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha ranging from α = 0.82 to α = 0.86) and good criterion-related validity (correlations with high school grade (Abitur) ranging from r = -0.34 to r = -0.38); construct validity (correlations with the global intelligence scores of the Intelligence Structure Test 2000R were between r = 0.58 and r = 0.71). Further, all test versions showed to be Rasch-scalable, implying a uniform underlying ability. Thus, we conclude that all three newly developed short versions are valid tools for assessing fluid intelligence.

Alternative Teaching Strategies in Learning Filipino Language among Dominant English Speakers

Alternative teaching strategies employed by grade school teachers were important in enhancing motivation in learning the Filipino language among students with dominant English language use at home. This qualitative research study explored these alternative strategies and their effects on the language learning motivation of the target student population. The study aimed to achieve two key objectives: (1) to identify the specific alternative teaching strategies utilized by Filipino teachers to enhance the motivation of English-dominant students in learning the Filipino language, and (2) to determine the effects of these alternative teaching strategies on the language learning motivation of the target student population. The findings of the study highlighted several effective alternative teaching strategies, including: the emphasis on the “Filipino word of the day” to enhance vocabulary acquisition and language proficiency; the incorporation of language games that integrated communication skills with learning, fostering more engaging and practical language experiences; the implementation of role-play activities to allow students to immerse themselves in real-life scenarios, enhancing their understanding and retention of language concepts; and the promotion of continuous exposure to the Filipino language in various contexts to solidify learning and improve practical application. The study also examined the effects of these alternative teaching strategies on the language learning motivation of English-dominant students. The results indicated that strategies such as encouraging language use outside the classroom, promoting engagement in reading activities, and incorporating student self-assessment and feedback had significantly improved students’ motivation, engagement, and overall language proficiency. The findings contributed to the existing body of knowledge on language education and offered recommendations for teachers to effectively motivate English-dominant students through the implementation of alternative teaching strategies.

ALFABETIZAÇÃO E LETRAMENTO: ASPECTOS DA PRÁTICA DOCENTE NAS SÉRIES INICIAIS

The literacy process is an extremely important and fundamental stage for the student’s social and educational integration, especially in contexts where written language is widely valued. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of literacy methods for children in the initial grades of elementary school. The central objective is to analyze the literacy process from the perspective of pedagogical practices, seeking to understand the factors that lead to school failure. To achieve this objective, we used a theoretical foundation based on authors such as Silva e Silva (2018), Santi (2014), Barbosa (2013), Demo (2007), Kleiman (2007), Arelaro (2015), Rego ( 2016), Oliveira (2012), Mello (2015), Mortatti (2016), among others. The methodology adopted was qualitative, involving exploratory reading and selection of relevant materials, with the aim of organizing and synthesizing ideas in order of relevance, facilitating the identification of the essential elements for solving the research problem. Literacy and literacy are complementary processes, and it is essential that innovative pedagogical practices emerge that promote the continuous qualification of literacy teachers. This, in turn, must be in constant development, aware of its responsibility in forming critical citizens committed to society. The study considers that literacy and literacy are distinct, but integrated and interdependent methods, both fundamental for the acquisition of reading and writing by students.

The diagnostic work on informa tics for students of the 9th grade to check the development of functional literacy

The article presents a diagnostic work on informatics for students of the 9th grade of a comprehensive school. The work is carried out in order to determine the level of development of functional literacy (reading, natural science, mathematical literacy) in students. The assessment of functional literacy is aimed at identifying the conditions for successful learning of students in basic school in the subject of "Informatics" and their achievement of personal, meta-subject and subject results in mastering the basic educational program in this subject. The priority of developing functional literacy is enshrined in the updated Federal State Educational Standards and is the most important condition for the development of a harmoniously developed personality. The relevance of creating a diagnostic work that reveals the level of development of functional literacy in informatics is determined by the fact that, unlike other subject areas, in informatics it is impossible to rely on the content of the tasks of All-Russian Verification Works (the All-Russian Verification Works are not carried out in the 9th grade, therefore, tasks for them have not been developed), and the tasks from the Control and Measuring Materials of the Main State Exam require significant revision to fully cover all areas of functional literacy development.The diagnostic work presents one variant, which includes the text describing a certain situation, and tasks for it, developed on the context of educational material of various subject areas. The tasks are created on the basis of life situations and are united by one theme.

Financial and Tax Literacy: A Child’s Early Exposure to Financial Concepts during the Educational Process

Aims: The viability of states today is largely based on the collection of tax revenues, which are considered as necessary for them to carry out their specific functions. Thus, the aim of this text is to discuss the development of citizens' tax culture, not as an isolated economic phenomenon but, as a phenomenon directly linked to their general financial literacy. Because it is the writer's belief that simply complying with the mandate to fulfill the tax obligation is not enough for the citizen to understand his contribution to the finances of his country, or, better, to appreciate this contribution in the context of understanding the ways in which the world moves financially. Methodology: It is a big question on how financially educated the modern man is and to what extent this financial education, his literacy or financial literacy, includes the concept of tax in its content to a sufficient extent to awaken consciences. In this text, the focus is on the exact age / educational stage at which this path to financial and tax literacy can begin, so that it can be integrated in a systematic way into the formal educational process. In order to draw conclusions about the appropriate stage for initiating financial awareness, the trends in the global financial literacy landscape were explored. This analysis aims to determine when it is considered appropriate to teach children financial concepts and how financial literacy is linked to making appropriate financial decisions and tax awareness at different age stages. An effort was carried out to evaluate the current financial and tax knowledge and behavior of Greeks. The research was exclusively bibliographic, i.e., a meta-analysis based on previous qualitative and quantitative studies. Results: Concerning the introduction of systematic financial and tax education for adolescents in schools, the studies accessed suggest that the age range of 12-14 marks a significant milestone for young people to begin delving into the more intricate concepts of the modern economy. Tax awareness among adolescents could arguably be attainable from around age 11 or 12, as they start demonstrating financial comprehension comparable to that of adults. Discussion: The findings of this research showed that the level of financial literacy in Greece depends on demographics, such as the geographical location and the gender of young people. Other factors are also important, but removing geographical and gender restrictions, combined with the provision of training programs already in the upper grades of Primary School, can improve financial awareness and develop the tax culture of citizens. This development requires the implementation of subjects in the curriculum, the training of the teachers so that they are able to teach children even 11 or 12 years old, the distinction of the concept of ethics from tax ethics and its teaching at an earlier age stage, and the drawing from international educational practices, i.e. leveraging successful financial literacy programs worldwide in order to obtain valuable insights for designing effective youth training initiatives.

Early parenting styles and children’s social skills in China: a longitudinal exploration of mediating mechanism

ABSTRACT This study examines the development of children's social skills during the crucial transition from kindergarten to grade school. It explores the long-term connection between parenting styles and children's social skills. This study conducted a three-year longitudinal survey involving 121 children and their parents. The results show that early authoritative parenting styles were significant positive associated with children's social skills in second grade, and early authoritarian parenting styles were significant negative associated with children's social skills in second grade. Child-parent relationship closeness and receptive language skills mediate the association between early parenting styles and second-grade children's social skills. We propose that improving the closeness of the child-parent relationship and enhancing children's receptive language skills could effectively enhance children's social skills. This provides theoretical support for intervention programmes aimed at improving children's social skills.

Online Plain Language Tool and Health Information Quality

Complex and ineffective health communication is a critical source of health inequity and occurs despite repeated policy directives to provide health information that is easy to understand and applies health literacy principles. To evaluate the effectiveness of the Sydney Health Literacy Lab Health Literacy Editor, an easy-to-use online plain language tool that supports health information providers to apply health literacy guidelines to written health information. This randomized clinical trial, conducted online in Australia from May 2023 to February 2024, included a convenience sample of health information providers with no previous experience using the Health Literacy Editor. Analysts were blinded to study group. Participants were randomized 1:1 to the intervention or control group. Participants in the intervention group were provided access to the Health Literacy Editor and a 30-minute online training program prior to editing 3 prespecified health texts. The Health Literacy Editor gives objective, real-time feedback on words and sentences. Control participants revised the texts using their own standard health information development processes. The preregistered primary outcome was the text school grade reading score (using a validated instrument, the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook). Secondary outcomes were text complexity (percentage of text using complex language), use of passive voice (number of instances), and subjective expert ratings (5-point Likert scale corresponding to items on the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool). A total of 211 participants were randomized, with 105 in the intervention group and 106 in the control group. Of 181 participants in the intention-to-treat analysis (mean [SD] age, 41.0 [11.6] years; 154 women [85.1%]), 86 were in the intervention group and 95 in the control group. Texts revised in the intervention group had significantly improved grade reading scores (mean difference [MD], 2.48 grades; 95% CI, 1.84-3.12 grades; P < .001; Cohen d, 0.99), lower text complexity scores (MD, 6.86; 95% CI, 4.99-8.74; P < .001; Cohen d, 0.95), and less use of passive voice (MD, 0.95 instances; 95% CI, 0.44-1.47 instances; P < .001; Cohen d, 0.53) compared with texts revised in the control group in intention-to-treat analyses. Experts rated texts in the intervention group more favorably for word choice and style than those in the control group (MD, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.25-0.63; P < .001; Cohen d, 0.63), with no loss of meaning or content. In this randomized clinical trial, the Health Literacy Editor helped users simplify health information and apply health literacy guidelines to written text. The findings suggest the tool has high potential to improve development of health information for people who have low health literacy. As an online tool, the Health Literacy Editor is also easy to access and implement at scale. ANZCTR Identifier: ACTRN12623000386639.

Cannabis Use During Adolescence and Young Adulthood and Academic Achievement

Cannabis use during adolescence and young adulthood may affect academic achievement; however, the magnitude of association remains unclear. To conduct a systematic review evaluating the association between cannabis use and academic performance. CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to November 10, 2023. Observational studies examining the association of cannabis use with academic outcomes were selected. The literature search identified 17 622 unique citations. Pairs of reviewers independently assessed risk of bias and extracted data. Both random-effects models and fixed-effects models were used for meta-analyses, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach was applied to evaluate the certainty of evidence for each outcome. Data were analyzed from April 6 to May 25, 2024. School grades, school dropout, school absenteeism, grade retention, high school completion, university enrollment, postsecondary degree attainment, and unemployment. Sixty-three studies including 438 329 individuals proved eligible for analysis. Moderate-certainty evidence showed cannabis use during adolescence and young adulthood was probably associated with lower school grades (odds ratio [OR], 0.61 [95% CI, 0.52-0.71] for grade B and above); less likelihood of high school completion (OR, 0.50 [95% CI, 0.33-0.76]), university enrollment (OR, 0.72 [95% CI, 0.60-0.87]), and postsecondary degree attainment (OR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.62-0.77]); and increased school dropout rate (OR, 2.19 [95% CI, 1.73-2.78]) and school absenteeism (OR, 2.31 [95% CI, 1.76-3.03]). Absolute risk effects ranged from 7% to 14%. Low-certainty evidence suggested that cannabis use may be associated with increased unemployment (OR, 1.50 [95% CI, 1.15-1.96]), with an absolute risk increase of 9%. Subgroup analyses with moderate credibility showed worse academic outcomes for frequent cannabis users and for students who began cannabis use earlier. Cannabis use during adolescence and young adulthood was probably associated with increases in school absenteeism and dropout; reduced likelihood of obtaining high academic grades, graduating high school, enrolling in university, and postsecondary degree attainment; and perhaps increased unemployment. Further research is needed to identify interventions and policies that mitigate upstream and downstream factors associated with early cannabis exposure.

REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA DE LITERATURA

This text aims to address the topic of the Systematic Literature Review (RSL), and its application to the teaching and learning of mathematics in the initial grades of elementary school. The aim is to establish a line of guidance that makes it possible to particularize and direct the child’s knowledge, in such a way that facilitates their learning, highlighting research on themes that deal with the interpretation of texts, both in reading and writing statements and mathematical problems, within the native language.

Virtual Classroom Management Best Practices of Grade School Teachers of St. Paul University Surigao: A Phenomenology

This hermeneutic interpretive phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of grade school teachers managing virtual classes during the COVID-19 pandemic at St. Paul University Surigao. Eleven teachers from various grade levels were interviewed, and data was analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Five emergent themes were identified: 1) Teachers’ perception of classroom management, 2) Teachers’ authority and management of virtual classes, 3) Benefits of online classes, 4) Challenges in conducting virtual classes, and 5) Best virtual classroom management practices. The study found that teachers demonstrated resilience and adaptability in transitioning to online teaching, while highlighting both the benefits (e.g., flexibility, cost savings) and challenges (e.g., internet connectivity, student engagement) of virtual classrooms. Based on these findings, a "Simulacrum" model of best practices for virtual classroom management, aligned with the university’s vision and values, was proposed. The study offers valuable insights for educators navigating online teaching and emphasizes the importance of continued support and professional development in this evolving landscape.