Educational Opportunities Research Articles

Digital Divide or Digital Bridge? Evaluating the Impact of ICT Integration in South Africa’s Rural Schools

The advent of the knowledge economy necessitates the development of specific skills pertinent to 21st-century citizens, such as global competitiveness and the proficient use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for personal and economic advancement. In response, nations worldwide, both developed and developing, are reforming educational curricula and promoting the integration of ICTs in teaching and learning. South Africa is no exception and through policy initiatives aimed to enhance educational opportunities by equipping all schools with laptops and tablets by 2013. Rural schools were to be given particular attention through the development of eLearning. This study explores the alignment between eLearning policy directives and their implementation in rural schools. The research engaged five school principals and one district official, employing semi-structured interviews and document analysis as data collection methods. The findings reveal that teachers lack training to effectively integrate ICTs into educational practices. Despite a revised implementation strategy from 2013 to 2025, progress remains minimal and disproportionately favours smart schools within the province rather than a universal application. The study advocates for the KwaZulu-Natal education department to prioritise comprehensive ICT integration training for teachers across all educational phases. Furthermore, it recommends an expansive distribution of devices in form of tablets and laptops to include primary schools and calls for a national curriculum overhaul to meet the needs of the 21st-century learner. Teachers are also encouraged to proactively seek professional development opportunities independently of departmental offerings.

Building a Future for School-Based Menstruation Health and Hygiene (MHH): Evaluating Implementation of a Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Policy in Chicago Public Schools

Menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) inequities disproportionately impact communities who are marginalized. In 2018, Illinois passed the Learn with Dignity Act (LWDA) requiring schools to provide menstrual products in bathrooms, yet little is known about its impacts. This evaluation examined LWDA implementation across Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and identified barriers, facilitators, and lessons to inform future MHH policy implementations. A qualitative study was conducted by thematically analyzing interviews with CPS staff (n = 36) from October 2020 – September 2021 in partnership with CPS Office of Student Health and Wellness (OSHW). Staff reported inadequate LWDA and MHH education and inconsistent menstrual product availability. Structural, systemic, and cultural implementation barriers hindered student access to products and created inequities based on age, gender, and income. Staff investment and student education were implementation facilitators. Staff awareness of policy implementation protocol, student MHH education, and addressing access inequities are key factors for consideration in future policy implementations. Through the WSCC model, these findings demonstrated the importance of strengthening MHH policies and policy implementation to promote student health, well-being, and educational opportunities.

A Comparative Analysis of English Language Student and Teacher Training in Inclusive Education and Specific Learning Difficulties in Canton Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The aim of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of topics on inclusive education and Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs) provided in initial and continuing training opportunities for English language students and teachers in Canton Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study follows a convergent mixed methods design with an explanatory nature. A questionnaire was used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data on student and teacher views about training in inclusive education and SpLDs at the English Department of the University of Sarajevo and the formal English language teacher professional development programs in Canton Sarajevo. The results suggest that teachers are exposed to more topics on inclusion and SpLDs in their professional training compared to students and potential future English language teachers in their initial training, with a focus on strategies of reflective practice to inclusive language teaching and language learning processes of students with SpLDs.

Learning and constructions of us and them in teachers’ collaborative groups

ABSTRACT Background Many studies have pointed to the importance of trust and inclusiveness in teachers’ collaborative groups. Here, we investigate how teachers negotiate dividing lines between “us” and “them” in moment-to-moment interaction. We also examine relationships between these negotiations, local arrangements, and teachers’ opportunities to learn. Methods We analyzed video recordings of two teacher groups, both oriented toward equitable mathematics instruction. We coordinated microinteractional analyses of four episodes with analyses of local arrangements that shaped interaction. Findings In both groups, participants worked to construct a sense of solidarity as “us.” Yet the threat of being positioned outside this “us”—as one of “them”—narrowed opportunities for teachers in both groups to engage in the vulnerable work of grappling with tensions and contradictions together. The salience of this threat was greater in one group than the other, however. We trace this to local arrangements that were differently designed, with different affordances for constructing “us” and “them.” Contribution The social negotiation of exclusion and belonging in teacher groups is highly consequential for teacher learning. Better supporting teacher learning is not just a matter of remediating individuals’ skills or dispositions; it requires learning environments designed to support engagement with the tensions inherent in teaching..

The Impact of the Initial Teacher Education Reaccreditation Process on Teacher Educator Identity

ABSTRACT This article reports initial findings from a research project that focused on the impact of the reaccreditation process and its outcomes on teacher educators in four institutions in England where Qualified Teacher Status accreditation was removed, despite leading successful programmes as detailed in Ofsted inspections and National Student Survey data. Whilst the outcomes of the reaccreditation process were mentioned in the mainstream press, the impact of this policy on teacher educators had only been reported anecdotally. This research fills a research gap to document impact on teacher educator identity and provides an evidence base to inform teacher education policy debates. Data were gathered through focus groups using a triad collaborative enquiry approach, based on the lesson study model, where researchers took on different roles: clarifier, observer, and questioner. This method formed part of a constructed focus group and built on a process of semi-structured and unstructured creative tasks. Initial findings identified the shifting context university educators perceived in relation to policy constraints, including a greater top-down, centralisation that negated the opportunity for teacher educators to provide a contextualised, evidence informed approach to teacher preparation. This contributed to the impact of the reaccreditation process on teacher educators’ professional identity, self-efficacy and agency.

Cryptocurrency Purchases Among Young Adults: Behaviors and Educational Opportunities

Cryptocurrency Purchases Among Young Adults: Behaviors and Educational Opportunities

Understanding potential determinants of menstruation-related school absenteeism in Zimbabwe: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) plays a vital role in protecting the dignity, safety, privacy, and wellbeing of girls and women. In low- and medium-income countries, students often face challenges to manage their menstruation in schools. In 2019, Zimbabwe conducted the first national formative research to inform MHH programming in schools. This study conducted a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the national formative research to explore potential determinants of menstruation-related school absenteeism in Zimbabwe. The analysis included 1,393 students from 50 schools, and the main outcome variable measured if students ever missed school due to menstruation. Multivariate analysis employed nested logistic regression models after controlling for the complex survey design. The results revealed that 20.6% of students had ever been absent from school due to menstruation-related issues. Students' age, challenges with concentration, physical sickness, and pain were significantly associated with school absenteeism in this context. Presence of a reliable school water source and availability of adequate handwashing resources at sanitation facilities were protective factors. The evidence-based MHH programming can be further advocated and scaled up to promote students' good health and wellbeing, maximize their educational opportunities, and develop their fullest potential in life.

A professional development course inviting changes in preservice mathematics teachers’ integration of technology into teaching: the lens of instrumental orchestration

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can provide rich learning opportunities in classroom teaching, which requires teachers’ effective instrumental orchestrations. However, there is a lack of research regarding the development of teachers’ instrumental orchestrations. In this study, we designed and implemented a professional development course, aiming to explore whether the course could change preservice mathematics teachers’ instrumental orchestrations. To this end, an analytical framework of instrumental orchestrations within a GeoGebra environment was established. Data were collected from Chinese preservice mathematics teachers, including the videotapes of their simulated lessons, GeoGebra files, written documents, self-reflections, online speaking, etc. In the results, three participants’ changes in instrumental orchestrations were presented as main cases. It was found that the three preservice mathematics teachers’ types of instrumental orchestrations did not change, but the frequencies of those increased significantly. The changes in didactical configurations were mainly reflected in the layout of GeoGebra, and the changes in exploitation modes were mainly manifested in the techniques teachers use and the management of mathematics tasks. In addition, it was revealed that theoretical support (instrumental approach), technical support (knowledge about using GeoGebra), and community support (“Same Content Different Designs” activity and communicating and discussing with others) were useful course elements inviting changes in instrumental orchestrations. In this regard, this study contributes to providing a promising professional development course that can be used in teacher training so as to improve teachers’ instrumental orchestrations.

Enacting the signature pedagogies of arts education in the online learning environment for primary teacher education

ABSTRACT In Australia, where initial teacher education is offered both on-campus and in a fully online mode, future primary-school generalist teachers study teaching across the school curriculum. This includes the arts curriculum where opportunities for future teachers to engage in authentic arts learning themselves are generally seen as essential for developing their arts teaching capabilities. However, a number of university educators have reservations about being able to do this effectively in the online environment because of the practical, experiential, and performative nature of arts learning. This study reviews the learning design of two compulsory arts education units in a fully online Bachelor of Education (Primary). It uses the “signature pedagogies” conceptualisation of the distinctive, durable, and pervasive pedagogical features of a discipline and explores whether arts education’s signature pedagogies can be sustained in the online environment. Using qualitative content analysis methodology, the study shows that the learning design preserves arts education’s signature pedagogies in the online context, though the expression of these is re-imagined for this learning environment. Augmented by survey data from students’ unit evaluations, the study shows that online teacher education can offer meaningful arts learning in units designed for future primary-school teachers.

Migration intentions among nursing students in a low-middle-income country

BackgroundMigration among skilled labour has been noted as one of the major issues in recent times, especially among health workers. Data from the United Nations show that almost two thirds of people migrating are labor migrants and international migrants constitute 3.5% of the global migration population. Out of the millions of people who migrate across the globe, health workers, especially nurses form a greater portion of these numbers. This study explored nursing students’ intention to migrate to other countries after completing their programs.MethodA descriptive cross-sectional design approach was adopted using self-administered questionnaire that contain aspects of open-ended questions. A sample size of 226 nursing students were recruited using convenient sampling technique.ResultsThe results overall, revealed that 226 nursing students participated in the study. Out of this, most of the respondents 42.5% were aged between 25 and 30 years with majority 53.1% being males. Also, 35% of the participants were married with more than half 59.7% of the respondents being Christians. The results further revealed that most of the participants 64.2% had intention of migrating to other countries. Among those who intended to migrate, 11.7% identified lack of jobs, 39.3% identified low salaries in Ghana while 50.3% identified bad working conditions. The rest 2.8% attributed their intentions to migrate to educational opportunities. Common places of destination included Canada, USA, UK and Australia.ConclusionThe outcome of this study points to the urgent need for low-income countries such as Ghana to urgently put in measures to curb the menace of brain drain among nurses. Improvement in working condition of nurses must be prioritized to motivate their stay.

Empowering a person-centered long-term care workforce.

Currently there is a crisis in the long-term care workforce, as many workers experience poor pay, a lack of training, burnout, low quality working conditions, and physical strain, which is leading to a workforce shortage. To address this, the Alzheimer's Association Dementia Care Provider Roundtable (AADCPR) convened a panel of direct care workers to discuss and provide direction on their view of the current state of the workforce. From this panel, five touchpoints for hiring and retaining direct care workers were highlighted: high quality jobs; recruitment and reputation management; onboarding; retention; and training and career advancement. In addition, the DCPR put together a set of standards to follow to meet these needs, which includes promoting staff dementia education opportunities, creating recommendations around peer mentoring programs specific to dementia care, and increasing inclusion of direct care workers in decision-making and plans of care. HIGHLIGHTS: Presents the current state of workforce in long-term care. Provides five touchpoints that long-term and home and community-based servicesshould implement for hiring and retaining direct care workers. Recommends a set of standards to follow to meet the needs of the workforce within long-term care.

Including patient perspectives in secondary prevention: one step closer to patients needs

Abstract Introduction Including patients in the decisions regarding their health is challenging. Patients’ understanding of their health conditions and lifestyle behaviors are strongly influenced by the interactions between patients and health care providers (1). Putting their needs up-front when you are designing projects for a global approach on Secondary Prevention is even more defiant. Following up to the person-centered care approach, the best way to tailor anything is to focus on the patients’ needs, by including the patient in the choices of the services they can have/need available. Having initiated the partnership, it is also necessary to implement it and safeguard it (2). Purpose To identify the patients’ needs, regarding the Prevention Program, in order to better shape the health care services provision. Methods A qualitative design approach was carried out. A focus group was conducted with patients enrolled in the Cardiovascular Risk Prevention Program (N=8), that have participated in more than two components of the program. The aim of this focus group was to obtain feedback from patients in order to improve and develop the services included in the Secondary Prevention Program. Content analysis was performed, results were assessed with dedicated software. Results There were tree specific topics that were evidenced: communication/access; education; time. Regarding the communication/access, patients mostly outlined the need for a close-up partnership, in order for them to have faster and easier communication channel with the health care professionals team. In the education topic, patients identified the need for increasing the number of educational sessions and repeating some contents, in order to have more discussion moments. The need for increase of the interactive component of certain sessions was also outlined. Patients also identified time as an issue, considering that the sessions are during lunch time, the multidisciplinary consultations take longer than the pre-established timings, and they’re only one day per week. Conclusion(s) The obtained results were used for Program improvement, by creating new communication and educational opportunities. They also served as fuelers for safeguarding this partnerships, as patients were involved in the update and further development of the Program, that they were and are still benefiting from. Patient involvement in the development of healthcare services is a great step towards improvement of health systems performance globally.

‘Life became harder with COVID-19’: exploring the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic among youth living in eThekwini district, South Africa

BackgroundIn South Africa, pervasive age and gender inequities have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and public health response. We aimed to explore experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic among youth in eThekwini district, South Africa.MethodsBetween December 2021-May 2022 we explored experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth aged 16–24 residing in eThekwini, South Africa. We collated responses to the open-ended question “Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected you in any other way you want to tell us about?” in an online survey focused on understanding the pandemic’s multi-levelled health and social effects. We used a thematic analysis to summarise the responses.ResultsOf 2,068 respondents, 256 (12.4%, median age = 22, 60.9% women) completed the open-ended survey question (11% in isiZulu). Results were organized into three main themes encompassing (1) COVID-19-related loss, fear, grief, and exacerbated mental and physical health concerns; (2) COVID-19-related intensified hardships, which contributed to financial, employment, food, education, and relationship insecurities for individuals and households; and (3) positive effects of the pandemic response, including the benefits of government policies and silver linings to government restrictions.ConclusionsWe found that South African youth experienced significant grief and multiple losses (e.g., death, income, job, and educational) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trauma-aware interventions that provide economic and educational opportunities must be included in post-COVID recovery efforts.

TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGES IN TEACHING COURSES OF AGRICULTURAL INTEREST IN VOCATIONAL UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN GREECE

The use of technology has entered in vocational education and training (VET), and there is a fundamental link between digital technologies and educational and pedagogical processes. The modern teacher must change his/her mentality and redefine his/her role from a simple provider of knowledge to a fellow traveller in the learning process, changing their pedagogical practices and promoting and successfully implementing digital technologies. The use of technology contributes to the activeness of students in the learning process and encourages individual learning and collaboration. Teachers can take advantage of students' interests and integrate technology into their classrooms, making learning effective and keeping them engaged in the lesson. This creates new opportunities for VET schools, teachers, and learners.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0621/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Education and Career Advancement Opportunities in Polish and English Nursing-A Comparative Study of Intensive Care Unit Nurses.

The aim of this study was to comparatively investigate education, job, and professional development satisfaction among intensive care unit nurses in Poland and England. A total of 258 ICU nurses from both countries were interviewed (72 Polish nurses working in Poland and 186 of various national backgrounds in England, including 50 of Polish origin). We used an 11-item structured survey followed by an open-ended qualitative interview retrospectively coded for statistical analysis. Regardless of national origin, nurses in England report significantly higher education satisfaction, attributed to better theoretical knowledge gain but not to other dimensions (such as practical knowledge or personal satisfaction). They also express greater satisfaction with job conditions regarding professional development, a state-of-the-art work environment, teamwork, and finance. The UK system is also considered significantly superior in promotion opportunities and participation in post-graduation training. In conclusion, systemic factors play a crucial role in career satisfaction and advancement in nursing, with the British band system having a clear advantage over the Polish one.

Higher education, gender, and job opportunities of engineering graduates in Ethiopia: An exploratory study

This study investigates the relationship between higher education and entry into the labor market in Ethiopia, with a focus on gender and job opportunities for engineering graduates. It uses a tracer study design to collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data from 158 engineering graduates, 18 employers, and 16 higher education teachers. The findings suggest that higher education study conditions, curriculum relevance, and acquisition of employment skills influenced opportunities for engineering graduates to find employment shortly after graduation. In contrast to much of the existing research, our small sample of 31 female engineering graduates were not disadvantaged in comparison to males when they moved into employment immediately following graduation. Recommendations are suggested for improving the quality and relevance of engineering education to address gender gaps and challenges in higher education and employment. Future research to substantiate the findings in this exploratory study is also needed.

Humanizing Pedagogy: The Human-Centric Approach to Technology Integration for Teacher Training

The rapid expansion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in education has the potential to revolutionise higher educational opportunities and promote social development for students through techno-equipped teacher educators. However, despite this intensive growth, for Sub-Saharan Africa, a substantial gap still exists between the widespread use of ICTs and their effective implementation in education. In this theoretical paper, we examine the challenges and consequences embedded in this gap in higher education, through the lens of humanising pedagogy, with a focus on the potential harm to the students’ social development. The study however makes some crucial recommendations on policy and practice through an exploration of strategies and propositions for bridging this divide to utilise the full educational potential of ICTs in the African higher education context. We argue for the adoption of humanising pedagogy in higher education for better contribution towards economic and social development through education. We conclude by presenting a suggested model, which we termed ‘Human-centric ICT integration Model’ for effective integration of the said ICTs in a humanistic approach for preservice teacher training.

Inequality in educational opportunity in Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study provides lower-bound estimates of inequality in educational opportunity from 2020 to 2021—during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. We also analyze the relationship between school- and local-specific characteristics and inequality in educational opportunity. Using school dropout status as a student’s outcome, our study reveals that children’s and parental characteristics were the most relevant circumstances at the primary level. However, at the secondary level, access to computers and the internet were more important circumstances contributing to inequality in educational opportunity. The estimated inequality in educational opportunity in 2021 is slightly higher than that in 2020, indicating an increase in inequality from circumstances beyond children’s control. School quality and local social and economic factors could be potential drivers to improve equality in educational opportunity in Thailand.

Vulnerable student digital well‐being in AI‐powered educational decision support systems (AI‐EDSS) in higher education

AbstractStudents' physical and digital lives are increasingly entangled. It is difficult to separate students' digital well‐being from their offline well‐being given that artificial intelligence increasingly shapes both. Within the context of education's fiduciary and moral duty to ensure safe, appropriate and effective digital learning spaces for students, the continuing merger between artificial intelligence and learning analytics not only opens up many opportunities for more responsive teaching and learning but also raises concerns, specifically for previously disadvantaged and vulnerable students. While digital well‐being is a well‐established research focus, it is not clear how AI‐Powered Educational Decision Support Systems (AI‐EDSS) might impact on the inherent, situational and pathogenic vulnerability of students. In this conceptual paper, we map the digital well‐being of previously disadvantaged and vulnerable students in four overlapping fields, namely (1) digital well‐being research; (2) digital well‐being research in education; (3) digital well‐being research in learning analytics; and (4) digital well‐being in AI‐informed educational contexts. With this as the basis, we engage with six domains from the IEEE standard 7010–2020—IEEE Recommended Practice for Assessing the Impact of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems on Human Well‐Being and provide pointers for safeguarding and enhancing disadvantaged and vulnerable student digital well‐being in AI‐EDSS. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Digital well‐being research is a well‐established focus referring to the impact of digital engagement on human well‐being. Digital well‐being is effectively inseparable from general well‐being as it is increasingly difficult to disentangle our online and offline lives and, as such, inherently intersectional. Artificial Intelligence shows promise for enhancing human digital well‐being, but there are concerns about issues such as privacy, bias, transparency, fairness and accountability. The notion of ‘vulnerable individuals’ includes individuals who were previously disadvantaged, and those with inherent, situational and/or pathogenic vulnerabilities. While current advances in AI‐EDSS may support identification of digital wellness, proxies for digital wellness should be used with care. What this study contributes An overview of digital well‐being research with specific reference how it may impact on vulnerable students. Illustrates specific vulnerabilities in five domains from the IEEE standard 7010–2020—IEEE Recommended Practice for Assessing the Impact of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems on Human Well‐Being selected for their significance in online learning environments. Pointers for the design and implementation of fair, ethical, accountable, and transparent AI‐EDSS with specific reference to vulnerable students. Implications for practice and/or policy Fairness, equity, transparency and accountability in AI‐EDSS affect all students but may have a greater (positive or negative) impact on vulnerable students. A critically informed understanding of the nature of students' vulnerability—whether as inherent, situational and/or pathogenic, as well as temporal/permanent aspects—is crucial. Since AI‐EDSS can exacerbate existing vulnerabilities resulting in pathogenic vulnerability, care is needed when designing AI‐EDSS.

Ecosystems for welcoming migrant students: Practices, opportunities, and tensions

This research explores how educational institutions foster the inclusion and reception of recently arrived children. Within this framework, the present article has a double objective: to map the actions and practices of welcoming newly arrived students carried out by a group of public schools in Spain; and to analyze, based on the theoretical notion of welcoming ecosystem, the rhizome of educational opportunities and accompaniment of children. This study corresponds to the qualitative phase of the project MICREATE — Migrant Children and Communities in a Transforming Europe (HORIZON 2020–822664). It describes, categorizes and analyzes, following grounded theory principles, the elements of the reception ecosystem in Spain based on in-depth interviews with school management teams, teachers and family members from a targeted sample of 15 schools with enrollment of foreign students or students of migrant origin. Based on the analysis of the interviews, we theorize about an ideal welcoming ecosystem in which all students can receive the necessary support to find their place in the community and continue learning in a meaningful way.