Educational Pathways Research Articles

Data from the Mixed Methods Project PICE (Parental Investment in Children’s Education)

The Parental Investment in Children’s Education (PICE) study focuses on Switzerland and investigates parental strategies, resources, and aspirations and how they shape their children’s educational pathways. It contrasts families with a migration background to those without. PICE is a mixed-methods add-on-study of TREE (Transitions from Education to Employment). Within PICE one interview with young adults (N = 73, around age 20) and two interviews with one of their parents (N = 50) were conducted. The data are available for scientific analyses via SWISSUbase. They have reuse potential for analyses on parental investments, migration biographies as well as for methodological research on mixed methods.

Assessing Emotional Intelligence as An Innovative Dimension in The Attainment of Quality Education: A Mauritian Insight

This paper aims primarily to report the findings of the research project which attempted to explore the extent to which Emotional Intelligence (EI) influences the attainment of Quality Education (QE) within the public secondary educational setting in Mauritius. This paper is motivated by the fact that reason and emotions need to be aligned with a view of cultivating the integrated development of the powers of both the mind and the heart to ensure a sustainable education pathway. This study espoused an iterative approach to research design, subscribing to a mixed method while targeting a large population sample for generalisation of results. The perception of QE and EI were assessed through quantitative and qualitative data which were collected through survey questionnaires for educators and school leaders and discourses from regional directors following semi-structured interviews conducted. Analysis of results gathered from educators, school leaders and zone directors related to state-owned secondary schools indicated a positive impact of EI on QE in contemporary times.

Assessing dentists’ awareness of the orthodontic–restorative interface

ObjectivesAwareness of the interface between restorative and orthodontic treatments is essential for dentists to facilitate a meaningful interdisciplinary approach by integrating the knowledge and skills of different dental disciplines into patients’ treatment to enhance outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate General Dental Practitioners’ (GDPs) awareness of the orthodontic–restorative interface. MethodsThis was a mixed-method study involving the collection of a) quantitative data via a bespoke online questionnaire and b) qualitative data through open questions. A weblink was created to the questionnaire using Opinio®. The questionnaire was distributed to GDPs practising in the UK. Clinical vignette-based questions assessed GDPs awareness and the results were categorised into two groups: aware and unaware. Two months after the primary survey, respondents were sent an email with follow-up (reliability) survey. Reliability responses were compared against the primary responses to assess the repeatability using intraclass correlation coefficient. Data were analysed using independent t-test and X2 test. Results118 complete responses were received. 63 GDPs (53.4 % [95 % CI 44 %–63 %]) demonstrated a good understanding of the orthodontic–restorative interface. These GDPs were characterised by greater age (t = 2.75, p = 0.007) and experience (t = 3.54, p < 0.001). Qualitative data showed that respondents perceived orthodontic-restorative treatments as minimally invasive and aesthetics enhancing. ConclusionsOrthodontic-restorative treatment aids in minimal invasive dentistry. GDPs lack adequate awareness of the orthodontic–restorative interface in relation to patient care and communication with patients. More quality and structured undergraduate and postgraduate training are imperative to facilitate GDPs to understand and utilise aspects of orthodontic-restorative treatments to raise the standard of patient care. Additionally, to support these patients, the educational pathway between GDPs and specialist orthodontists is crucial. Clinical SignificanceGDPs ability to assess and carry out orthodontic-restorative treatments would conserve natural teeth. Dependable access to orthodontic services would encourage GDPs to refer challenging cases to specialists or dentists with enhanced skills. When the circumstances call for it, patients should be given orthodontic-restorative alternatives, regardless of the potential consequences of their acceptance of the procedures.

Better close to home? Geographical and socioeconomic constraints on gendered educational transitions at the upper secondary level

Educational decisions are affected by geographical accessibility, which may have far-reaching consequences for young people’s future educational pathways. In this paper, we examine the extent to which geographical distance to educational institutions may moderate young people’s applications to upper secondary education in terms of both the track and the gender-(a)typicality of vocational fields of study they apply to. Our study relies on rich register-based data of complete cohorts of 16-year-olds applying to Finnish upper secondary institutions, linked with geographical information on their closest educational alternatives. We find that travel time to the academic track is more decisive than the distance to vocational schools, with geographical accessibility being more significant for boys’ rather than for girls’ application patterns. Moreover, distance sensitivity varied by social origin, with daughters of low-educated parents and sons of medium-educated parents particularly likely to adjust their upper secondary application to the geographical accessibility of educational alternatives. However, we find some indications that particularly girls from lower-educated social backgrounds are more prepared to consider fields of study not typical for their gender if they are more geographically accessible than key alternatives. No such gender-atypical substitutions were evident among boys. We discuss the implications of these findings in the context of explanatory approaches based on risk aversion and (gender) socialization.

Exploring the Training Path of Music Teacher Education on Professionalism

Music education is the unity of the practical activity of music and the practice of education, and has a dual character. In school music education, the practical activities of music have the characteristics of presentational and expressive; the practical activities of education have the characteristics of goal and normative. For a long time, due to the ambiguous understanding of the dual nature of music education practice, it has led to insufficient integration of the music and education disciplines, unclear pathways for music teacher education and training, and little effectiveness in teaching and learning. Therefore, it is necessary to follow the characteristics of their respective disciplines on the basis of finding a point of integration of the disciplines and realizing the integration and unification of the two, so as to improve the mechanism of music teacher education and training.

Interrupting the Criminalization of Information in the Academic Library Classroom

Libraries have long been involved in conversations around book banning and censorship. The American Library Association noted that librarians and information workers in 2022 witnessed the most documented attempts at banning books ever recorded. This is in lockstep with contemporary examples of legislative efforts to censor, ban, and by extension criminalize information. The criminalization of information is one that has a direct impact on library users as well as academic freedom. In an effort to best support scholars at all levels in the University, academic teaching librarians will need to develop strategies to approach the information classroom. Understanding that book bans and censorship are a form of criminalization allows us to be in conversation with scholarship that focus on how to combat criminalization such as abolitionist pedagogy. This article introduces core concepts of abolitionist pedagogy as a means to create new educational justice pathways and to interrupt information criminalization.

Age at First Migration and Educational Attainment of Young Adults in Indonesia

First migration is an important milestone that signals the beginning of one’s migration career. Variations in the timing of the first migration signify critical contextual factors that shape individuals' life trajectories, including their educational pathways. This study aimed to examine the variations in the age at first migration of young Indonesians by their educational attainment. This study analyzed data from the migration and education modules from all waves of the Indonesian Family Life Survey. Survival analysis approaches were used to estimate the probability of first migration among the 2,075 observations during young adulthood. This study found that people with low levels of education migrate for the first time at younger ages, possibly after terminating their schooling. Meanwhile, education-related motives are critical in explaining the high migration propensity around the age of 18–19 years by the tertiary-educated group. Despite the varying intensities, the relationships between education and migration were consistent across cohorts. These findings suggest that positive and negative educational selectivity were observable in the age schedule of the first migration of young adult Indonesians.

Typological Groups of First-Year Students by Educational Strategies in Conditions of Individual Learning Trajectories

The typological analysis of the first-year students’ educational strategies in the conditions of experimental learning within individual learning pathways have been considered in the article. Using the heuristic potential of the typological approach in relation to the data of a mass questionnaire survey of first-year students at the Tyumen State University, two parts of type-forming features were identified and the corresponding empirical indicators were formed. Using the methods of factorial and cluster analysis, three modal typological groups of first-year students have been discerned, and each of them has its own educational strategy at the university. Conclusions have been drawn about the expediency of building such a typology at the beginning of the student's educational pathway, as this enable to make timely management decisions on the development of desirable and correction of undesirable learning strategies, as well as the possibility of further monitoring measurements.

The role of education and social background in the changing political involvement of adolescents – a comparative approach

Political involvement differs according to youngsters’ social background, but the role of students’ own educational pathways in that social gradient is less clear. We investigate whether track position and the school composition mediate and/or moderate the social gradient in the development of students’ political involvement. Examining schools in Ghent (Flanders, Belgium), Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) and Bergen (Norway) – we investigate whether these determinants for change in political engagement during upper secondary education differ between educational systems. Results from multilevel conditional change models show that the role of social background in changes in political involvement matters across the studied educational systems, but the role of track and school composition varies. In Barcelona, all the impact from social background on the increase in political involvement can be accounted for by track position, whereas in the Flemish system, the increase in political involvement is higher among those in academic tracks if they have low social background rather than high. There is more variance between schools in Ghent, and ethnic school concentration is associated with a smaller increase in political involvement there. The Norwegian system has little between-school variance and small differences between tracks.

The distribution of science communication teaching around the globe

In the context of a special issue of this journal focused on teaching science communication, we present a map of the geographical distribution of 122 science communication teaching programmes from 31 countries around the world. This mapping study resulted from a collaboration between members of the PCST Teaching Forum and the research team at GlobalSCAPE, a research project funded by the European Commission to explore the global state of science communication. Our findings highlight the concentration of these programmes in the U.S.A. and Europe, and the dominance of English as the language of instruction. We ponder the causes and implications of the disparities in opportunities for studying science communication in other world regions and languages. The dearth of science communication educational pathways in developing countries may limit the professionalisation of the field, as well as research and evidence-based practice that is locally needed and relevant.

TACTICS VR Stroke Telehealth Virtual Reality Training for Health Care Professionals Involved in Stroke Management at Telestroke Spoke Hospitals: Module Design and Implementation Study.

Stroke management in rural areas is more variable and there is less access to reperfusion therapies, when compared with metropolitan areas. Delays in treatment contribute to worse patient outcomes. To improve stroke management in rural areas, health districts are implementing telestroke networks. The New South Wales Telestroke Service provides neurologist-led telehealth to 23 rural spoke hospitals aiming to improve treatment delivery and patient outcomes. The training of clinical staff was identified as a critical aspect for the successful implementation of this service. Virtual reality (VR) training has not previously been used in this context. We sought to develop an evidence-based VR training module specifically tailored for stroke telehealth. During implementation, we aimed to assess the feasibility of workplace deployment and collected feedback from spoke hospital staff involved in stroke management on training acceptability and usability as well as perceived training impact. The TACTICS VR Stroke Telehealth application was developed with subject matter experts. During implementation, both quantitative and qualitative data were documented, including VR use and survey feedback. VR hardware was deployed to 23 rural hospitals, and use data were captured via automated Wi-Fi transfer. At 7 hospitals in a single local health district, staff using TACTICS VR were invited to complete surveys before and after training. TACTICS VR Stroke Telehealth was deployed to rural New South Wales hospitals starting on April 14, 2021. Through August 20, 2023, a total of 177 VR sessions were completed. Survey respondents (n=20) indicated a high level of acceptability, usability, and perceived training impact (eg, accuracy and knowledge transfer; mean scores 3.8-4.4; 5=strongly agree). Furthermore, respondents agreed that TACTICS VR increased confidence (13/18, 72%), improved understanding (16/18, 89%), and improved awareness (17/18, 94%) regarding stroke telehealth. A comparison of matched pre- and posttraining responses revealed that training improved the understanding of telehealth workflow practices (after training: mean 4.2, SD 0.6; before training: mean 3.2, SD 0.9; P<.001), knowledge on accessing stroke telehealth (mean 4.1, SD 0.6 vs mean 3.1, SD 1.0; P=.001), the awareness of stroke telehealth (mean 4.1, SD 0.6 vs mean 3.4, SD 0.9; P=.03), ability to optimally communicate with colleagues (mean 4.2, SD 0.6 vs mean 3.7, SD 0.9; P=.02), and ability to make improvements (mean 4.0, SD 0.6 vs mean 3.5, SD 0.9; P=.03). Remote training and deployment were feasible, and limited issues were identified, although uptake varied widely (0-66 sessions/site). TACTICS VR Stroke Telehealth is a new VR application specifically tailored for stroke telehealth workflow training at spoke hospitals. Training was considered acceptable, usable, and useful and had positive perceived training impacts in a real-world clinical implementation context. Additional work is required to optimize training uptake and integrate training into existing education pathways.

Quality of Life and Social Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees Attending an Elderly Care Training in Four Mediterranean Countries: Results from the HERO Project

The progressive population ageing observed in Western countries determines a growing need for long-term care for older people. At the same time, migrants and refugees often have integration difficulties in regards to the hosting country society and labour market, with one reason being the lack of EU recognition of the educational degrees obtained in their native country. Creating educational opportunities in elderly care for migrants may facilitate their social inclusion, increase their employability, and constitute a response to the growing labor demand. The HERO project moved in this direction by planning, designing, and carrying out an original training curriculum targeted to migrants and refugees from African and Middle Eastern countries, piloted in four Mediterranean countries (Cyprus, Greece, Italy, and Portugal). The impact of the training on migrants and refugees’ quality of life was assessed through the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire, while social inclusion was assessed through semistructured interviews and participant observation carried out during the internship in elderly care facilities. Eighty-two migrants (70.7 percent women) were involved in the study. The results showed that despite the fact that the training did not have an impact on the trainees’ quality of life, it was associated with social inclusion. Four ideal types of migrant learners were drawn: “ex-professional trainees,” “fall-back trainees,” “care-oriented trainees,” and “nonprofessional care workers,” based on which as many possible educational pathways were drawn to optimise the trainees’ learning process. The study results shaped the formulation of suggestions on migrants’ education in elderly care.

Linguist is as linguist does: A comparative study on the employment and income of graduates from linguistics programs in Canada

Abstract: This study attempts to answer a perennial question asked of and by every student of linguistics: ‘What can you do with this degree?’. We address the question through an in-depth analysis of administrative and tax data from Statistics Canada (2009–2018). Specifically, this article (i) maps out educational and employment pathways of linguistics graduates in Canada, (ii) compares their earnings to graduates from other ‘competitor’ programs that future linguists consider as viable alternatives, and (iii) verifies the range of careers advertised by linguistics departments against the reality of the industries in which graduates from those departments are employed. These findings enable us to draw conclusions about the optimal and suboptimal educational and career pathways that involve a linguistics degree. Linguistics graduates tend to earn less than their peers in comparable programs, unless they pursue a lengthy educational path. The findings also point to a partial mismatch between potential careers advertised by Canadian linguistics departments and actual areas of employment after graduating with a linguistics degree. We provide suggestions for linguistics departments on how best to align the policies and practices of these programs with the ground truth of the labor market.

A Theoretical Approach to School Success within the Framework of Multicultural Schools

A multicultural school is meant to promote inclusive politics and equitable learning opportunities and that in the framework of the winding quest for high educational outcomes for each and every student, regardless of ethnicity and socio-economic backgrounds. School success is not merely the salient knowledge span, it encompasses a set of life skills, parental support, brain power and a myriad of attitudes meant to allow the school leaver not only to avoid depletion, but also to achieve high performance goals and, what’s more, to ensure fair treatment to all. Equipped with fortitude, resilience and a team spirit, the school leaver finds thus attainment by taking different educational pathways, from the theoretical to the vocational one. School success is ultimately about finding fulfilment, about leading a quality life and feeling integrated wherever one may be. Taking on challenges in exchanges among the different ethnic groups, making practical use of soft sills to stay connected and agile in such a community, grappling with the link between the school curriculum and the practicalities of the world around, all these might be the tipping point to be analyzed and addressed by the present article. Yet, in a multicultural learning environment attachment to one’s cultural values with its spillover implications is far from enough, it must align with keeping all lines of communication open for cultural exchange, even to the point where the exchanges become goals and social and emotional learning go hand in hand with academic achievement.

Conceptualising the enhancement of professional skills and competencies in information technology students in higher education

In a constantly evolving industry like IT, one cannot expect things to remain the same in a few years, and the biggest concern in the context of Industry 5.0 is whether technology will replace employment (ISCAN, 2021). Even as IT professionals, every graduate will ask the same question when they enter the industry. The competency development of IT graduates has been discussed and understood as a necessity in many studies (Alavi et al., 2021; Anicic &amp; Buselic, 2021) and a review of job advertisements online shows the changing nature of required competencies. The emphasis is not only on technical knowledge but also on various skills and competencies of the individual (Mariani et al., 2021). However, industry professionals often state they feel that IT graduates lack professional preparation in terms of skills and competencies (Guneri Sahin &amp; Celikkan, 2020; World Economic Forum, 2023). IT teaches students how to utilize, protect, manage, and trade technology to meet needs and enhance people's lives (ACM, 2018); as a result, IT practitioners' skills and competencies are more important than ever today. What is required now may differ significantly from what is required in the future (Gartner, 2022; World Economic Forum, 2019). Therefore, future graduates must be adaptable, and the skills and competencies they acquire must be dynamic and responsive to change. There is a relationship between skill development and pedagogical methods (Virtanen &amp; Tynjälä, 2018). It is increasingly important to link students with industry and allow them to interact in real-life circumstances. Signature Pedagogies (Shulman, 1998), WIL (Lesley et al., 2010), and authentic learning (Herrington &amp; Herrington, 2006) are just a few of the ways that link students to their profession. Group projects, presentations, internships, portfolios, discussions, flipped classrooms, peer review, research, case studies, authentic assessments, and gamification are some of the methods used in classrooms to teach skills such as interpersonal skills, teamwork, ethics, professional responsibility, equity, personal growth, and critical thinking. It is important to investigate whether these methods are the most suitable for developing these dynamic competencies. This research aims to explore the experiences of IT graduates and lecturers with the pedagogical methods utilized, and to investigate how effective they are in developing dynamic professional skills and competencies. The poster presents the proposal for this study. A case study method has been selected as it allows for an investigation of contemporary phenomena in depth within their real-world context (Yin, 2014). A single case (holistic) design was chosen to investigate how teaching, learning, and assessment methods can be used in IT higher education to develop IT professional skills and competencies which are required by industry. Even though the study will take place in a single setting, diverse participants with diverse experiences will be involved in data collection. This will inform the higher education sector about industry expectations and methods for developing these dynamic skills and competencies. Furthermore, it will help students understand the value of professional skills for employability, and the function of teaching, learning, and assessment methods in their educational pathways.

The INSCHOOL project:Young people with long-term physical health conditions: An in-depth qualitative study of their needs at school.

The INSCHOOL project aimed to understand the school experiences and unmet needs of young people across a diversity of long-term physical health conditions. Young people aged 11-18 years, in mainstream secondary school in the United Kingdom, with one of 11physical health conditions were invited to unique participant-driven interviews, focus groups, or written activities. Creative preparation activities were provided to give participants increased control over the data collection and prioritize their voices. A needs analysis, in combination with participatory analysis sessions with young people, identified the common needs of participants in relation to their school lives. Eighty-nine young people participated from April 2022 to2023. Analysis of their transcripts defined six common needs across all the health conditions: Need to safely manage my health at school; need for a flexible education pathway; need to be acknowledged and listened to in the right way; need to be included in and supported by the school community; need to build towardmy future; need to develop attitudes and approaches to help me cope in school. This study has generated new, actionable knowledge by identifying six major needs that young people have in relation to the intersection of their health condition and their school life. This paper shows that a commonalities approach to research and policy development is warranted given the similarities in experiences and needs. The common needs identified in the INSCHOOL project highlight six areas where future interventions could be targeted to begin making meaningful changes for all young people with long-term health conditions.

Mapping Educational Pathways through Focus Groups: Children and Young People on the Impact of Inclusive Socio-Educational Practices

As school became a primary instance of socialization and acculturation, and school education expanded across practically every country in the world, and reached virtually all children/young people, during an increasingly longer period of the life cycle, school failure and dropout emerged as cross-cutting educational and sociopolitical issues. Nonetheless, the voices of the actors engaging in initiatives aimed at overcoming school failure and dropout are seldom heard. Project EDUPLACES (PTDC/MHC-CED/3775/2014) proposed to do just that, through interviews, questionnaires and focus groups with parents/families, children/young people, teachers/other staff and community representatives. This paper explores the outcomes of eight focus groups involving a total of 57 children/young people, with a particular emphasis on the discourses emanating from the participants in Mediation and Study Support practices. As we discuss how initiatives aimed at overcoming school failure and dropout address issues such as inclusion, participation, learning, empowerment and community development, focus groups emerge as a relevant tool for navigating the meaning(s) of educational success.

Post‐secondary vocational education for youth leaving care: Examining a potential pathway to successful outcomes

AbstractPost‐secondary educational outcomes for care‐experienced youth are poor. This has been a consistent finding across studies in many countries. Most studies do not distinguish between different types of post‐secondary educational pathways and outcomes, however. There has been limited attention to the potential for post‐secondary vocational education (PSVE) as a viable educational path that may lead to positive employment and social outcomes. In this paper we examine PSVE for care leavers by reviewing available data, examining policy context and utilising relevant theories. We offer next steps in policy, practice and theory development.

Whole-of-Rural-Community Approach to Supporting Education and Career Pathway Choice

Rural communities and partnerships are critical in career education, promoting pathways into work and further education and training. Families, teachers, and employers all may influence young people and adults who are considering pathway choices. This research aimed to equip these ‘key influencers’ with the knowledge and confidence to have supportive pathway conversations with rural young people and adults. The focus was not on those needing help with education/career choices, but rather those who influence their decisions. We used a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach in three communities to address the question: How can a whole of community approach best equip key influencers to inform and support rural student post school pathways? Community working parties were established to work alongside researchers to select, trial and evaluate of whole community, place-based, coordinated career education interventions, which targeted communities’ individual geographic, demographic and employment context. Communities were resourced with a local pathway broker and small budget for interventions. Individual interventions and the overall project approach were evaluated. Findings suggest that rural community-researcher partnerships can be effective in equipping key influencers with confidence and knowledge to inform and support education/career pathway choices. Community partnerships can take account of community assets and allow for interventions that address community contexts. Partnerships should foster community ownership to deliver education/career pathway information interventions that are flexible, accessible, sustainable, place-based, and authentic. This paper sets out a model for partnerships that effectively equips key influencers in rural communities to support education/career pathway choices.

CTE-focused Dual Enrollment: Participation and Outcomes

Abstract Recent policy efforts have attempted to increase the number of dual enrollment courses offered within Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways, and there is evidence to suggest that this practice is widespread. However, there is very little research on student participation in CTE dual enrollment and on its impacts. This study examines participation in the CTE Dual Enrollment Pathway in North Carolina, finding that about 9 percent of North Carolina students participated in CTE dual enrollment courses in eleventh or twelfth grade and disparities in participation among subgroups were less than for college transfer dual enrollment courses. Using a propensity-score weighing approach that compared outcomes for participating students with a weighted group of nonparticipants, the study found that participation in CTE dual enrollment was positively associated with college credits earned in high school, graduation from high school, and overall enrollment in college within one year after high school. The study also examined results by subgroup.