Digital learning outcomes and sustainable learning in higher education: The roles of music-integrated pedagogy and deep learning orientation.

Increasing cultural diversity requires effective educational strategies to support nursing students' cultural awareness and readiness for culturally competent practice. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used. Forty-three fourth-year nursing students completed a single-group pre-test/post-test study without a control group using the Cultural Competence Assessment Tool. Four weekly sessions were delivered. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 students and analyzed inductively. Post-test cultural awareness and total cultural competence scores were higher than pre-test scores (both p < .001; dz = 1.07 and dz = 0.67). Self-assessment scores increased in awareness and cultural sensitivity, whereas no significant change was found in self-assessed cultural practice. Qualitative findings highlighted language barriers, limited cultural knowledge, and the method's concise, awareness-raising nature. Pecha Kucha appears to function mainly as a reflective, awareness-oriented pedagogical approach that supports readiness for culturally competent practice, rather than as an intervention producing immediate behavioral competence.

Exploring students' perceived negotiation of critical thinking with teachers, peers, and AI in EFL learning.

Lexical diversity is quite significant in reflecting language proficiency in high-stakes English tests that depict whether a candidate is capable of knowing and using various and appropriate vocabulary. However, there is very little comparative linguistic research on investigating the differences in lexical diversity of the major proficiency tests. This research fills this gap with a comparison and analysis of lexical diversity measurements of IELTS and TOEFL answers. It involves a corpus-based methodology, where with the help of computational tools, Type-Token Ratio (TTR), Measure of Textual Lexical Diversity (MTLD), Hypergeometric Distribution D (HD-D), and VOCD are measured. Results show that IELTS answers are more lexical than TOEFL answers, which are more controlled lexical due to integrated task designs. These results highlight the impacts of the test design on the production of language. Language test evaluation studies also utilize the research paper to offer information on how to improve test scores, scoring rubrics, and how a pedagogical approach to English language learners may be provided in the high-stakes testing environment.

Accounting is widely regarded as a complex subject, and traditional teaching methods often fail to fully engage students or enhance learning outcomes. This study investigates the effectiveness of gamification and vocational programmes as pedagogical approaches to improve student engagement and academic performance in accounting education. A quantitative research design was employed, with primary data collected from 254 undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in accounting and vocational accounting programmes across India. Measurement scales were adapted from validated studies, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied using SmartPLS 4.0 to test the proposed hypotheses. The results indicate that gamification has a significant positive effect on student engagement (β = 0.683, p &lt; 0.001) but does not directly influence academic performance (β = 0.017, p = 0.448). Conversely, vocational programmes positively affect both engagement (β = 0.264, p = 0.014) and academic performance (β = 0.903, p &lt; 0.001). These findings suggest that while gamified interventions enhance motivation, participation, and collaboration, practical and skill-based vocational training is essential for improving measurable learning outcomes. This study contributes to the accounting education literature by demonstrating the complementary roles of gamification and vocational programmes, emphasizing the importance of integrating motivational and performance-oriented pedagogical strategies. For educators and curriculum designers, combining gamified learning with vocationally oriented activities offers a promising approach to increase engagement, reinforce conceptual understanding, and prepare students for real-world professional challenges. The study also provides implications for curriculum design, policy development, and future research on hybrid pedagogical models.

This study was conducted to identify the challenges in English language learning among junior high school students in Talipao National High School–Main in terms of demographic profile, and the extent of challenges in grammar, vocabulary acquisition, spelling, pronunciation, and sentence structure; it also aimed to test whether there was a difference in the extent of challenges in terms demographic profile, and identify the correlation among identified language domains. This study utilized descriptive-correlational research design and involved 100 student-respondents carefully chosen through purposive sampling. Data were gathered using an adapted questionnaire and were processed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test and ANOVA, and Pearson R. Findings show that most of the respondents were from age raging 15 to 16 years old, are a female, classified to different grade levels, majorly came from a family that belongs to low-income level. The results revealed that the students faced considerable challenges in all domains of English language learning, all indicated “Agree”, which describes pervasive and multi-faceted challenges in learning English language. There was no significant difference among the dimensions only when grouped according to grade levels; and there was a high to very high significant correlation among grammar, vocabulary acquisition, spelling, pronunciation, and sentence structure. It highlighted the necessity for holistic and grade-specific instructional methods. A connection to enhancing pedagogical approaches and creating targeted strategies to improve students’ command of the English language was established by the results.

ABSTRACT Mathematical digital competency (MDC) refers to an amalgam of students’ mathematical and digital competencies. We surveyed n = 372 secondary school pre-service-teachers (PSTs) in Germany and England to investigate their beliefs about students’ MDC. Furthermore, we scrutinized how PSTs’ beliefs about students’ MDC relate to PSTs’ beliefs about potentials and risks of teaching mathematics with digital mathematical tools, their self-efficacy and their epistemological beliefs. We found that PSTs acknowledge the benefits of digital mathematical tools yet frequently oppose the notion of an amalgam of students’ mathematical and digital competencies advocating instead for a pedagogical approach that emphasizes students’ capacity to be able to think about, explain and do mathematics without digital mathematical tools. Furthermore, we found that PSTs’ beliefs about students’ MDC were uncorrelated with PSTs’ self-efficacy beliefs and epistemological beliefs. Based on these results, we discuss possible contradictions in PSTs’ belief systems and how the results may help to better prepare future PSTs for developing students’ MDC. Furthermore, we suggest that teachers’ beliefs about students’ MDC are a critical part of teachers’ own MDC.

ABSTRACT This study explored teachers’ perceptions of culturally responsive personalised learning (CRPL), a pedagogical approach which draws on practices associated with personalised learning and culturally responsive teaching to integrate students’ contexts into teaching. CRPL emphasises adapting teaching to meet students’ individual needs, fostering student engagement and agency, and promoting equity and inclusion in education. Drawing from a nationally representative survey of 1,087 K-12 public school teachers in the United States, this study examines educators’ perceptions of and reported practices related to CRPL and the role of educational technology in its implementation, and how these attitudes and reported practices vary by school and teacher background characteristics. Findings reveal a gap between teachers’ reported value of CRPL and its frequency of implementation, with differences observed based on experience, school context, and access to resources. Educators in urban schools and schools serving more racially or ethnically diverse student populations were more likely to value and apply CRPL, while experienced teachers reported lower engagement with such practices. These findings may underscore the need for targeted professional development, supportive policies, and equitable resource distribution to foster CRPL adoption.

ABSTRACT Background Service-Learning (SL) is a pedagogical approach that combines academic learning with community engagement. In Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE), research on SL often focuses on preservice teachers’ technical skills and social responsibility, while affective experiences and the perspectives of other participants remain largely unexplored. This study examines these aspects, to show how approaching SL through a pedagogy of love, emphasizing care and affective engagement, can support socially inclusive and emotionally attuned educational practices. Purpose The study explored the lived experiences and affective responses of participants in a Critical Service-Learning (CSL) course-based programme within initial PETE in collaboration with a Special Education Center (SEC). By involving preservice Physical Education (PE) teachers, children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), SEC staff, and the children’s families, the programme sought to promote social inclusion. Methods Visual ethnography was employed to align with the study’s objectives, collecting data through photographs, field journals, group reflections, and focus groups. The analysis integrated narrative and visual within a holistic, non-linear framework. The researchers’ positionality was addressed. The lead researcher combined an etic academic viewpoint with an emic perspective as a parent, managed through ongoing reflexivity, while the rest of the research team contributed their expertise in qualitative research. Findings A descriptive presentation of eight sets of photographs and participants’ accounts is shared in the Findings section, enabling an integrated understanding of visual and narrative data. These findings are then explored in the Discussion section, where they are interpreted through the theoretical framework of a pedagogy of love, organized around four thematic dimensions: preservice teachers’ pedagogical and relational learning, their emotional challenges, their growth through care, and community members’ experiences of joy and discovery. SL enhanced empathy, ethical awareness, and professional commitment among the preservice teachers. Children showed increased motivation, while staff and families recognized strategies that challenged traditional learner-teacher roles. PE became a space for inclusion, shared affective learning, and social justice, all guided by a pedagogy of love that fostered transformative emotional, ethical, and relational development across the community. Impact statement This study highlights how SL in PETE can support preservice teachers’ relational sensitivity, ethical awareness, and professional growth, while fostering inclusion, engagement, and meaningful learning for children with SEN, aligned with a pedagogy of love. By attending to affective dimensions and the experiences of the different groups, the findings extend understanding of the relational and emotional dimensions of SL, often overlooked in previous research.

ABSTRACT Background and Context As automation and digitalization transform industries globally, educational systems must cultivate students with competencies in Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and Coding (RAC) to drive technological innovation. This study focuses on talented secondary students as the unit of analysis, examining how integrated learning approaches can effectively develop RAC competencies within Thailand’s educational ecosystem through industry-academic partnerships. Objective This study examined the effectiveness of four pedagogical models: Work-Integrated Learning (WIL), Project-Based Learning (PBL), Blended Learning (BLN), and Accelerated Learning (ACL). It also investigated how intrapersonal and environmental factors influence these models and identified the main elements supporting students’ perceived RAC competency development. Method A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was applied with 3,359 applicants, from which 86 high-achieving students were selected through a multi-tiered process. Quantitative analyses using repeated measures ANOVA and multiple regression assessed factor influences, while qualitative data from interviews, reflective journals, and projects were analyzed thematically. Findings The results demonstrated that WIL was the most effective approach, followed by PBL, BLN, and ACL. Intrapersonal factors exerted stronger effects on WIL, PBL, and BLN, whereas environmental factors were more influential for ACL. Five drivers of students’ perceived success in RAC learning emerged: skill acquisition, hands-on learning, industry exposure, confidence and motivation, and collaboration. Implications The study highlights the importance of prioritizing WIL and PBL in RAC education. For the CS Education community, the findings provide insights into how pedagogical approaches interact with learner characteristics and contexts, informing the design of effective frameworks for technology talent development.

ABSTRACT Computational thinking (CT) is becoming an important topic in teacher education as these skills are introduced into school curricula. Pre-service teachers (PSTs) need to learn CT, how to teach it, and how to lead a classroom where pupils are developing CT skills. In such settings, debugging is an important skill to both master and teach. To date, few studies on PSTs’ learning of pedagogical approaches for CT and debugging exist. Here, we present findings from interviews with PSTs on a design-based research project involving mathematics, science and technology comprehension in Norway and Denmark. The interviews contributed to the PSTs’ learning by stimulating reflections on professional practice. The PSTs focused on the new supervisory role of the teacher and on the positive characteristics of learning environments where debugging and fallibility are welcome. The PSTs recalled their own debugging strategies as involving considerable testing and re-adjusting code.

ABSTRACT Accounting ethics education increasingly emphasises authentic experiential learning that enables students to engage with ethical issues in realistic professional contexts. While simulations and internships are widely used, short-term, high-intensity experiences that expose students to legal accountability remain underexplored. This study examines accounting students’ affective, cognitive, and behavioural reflections after attending a court hearing involving an accounting-related fraud case. Drawing on Kolb’s experiential learning cycle and Wilson and Beard’s stimulus-based reflection model, we analyse affective, cognitive, and behavioural reflections captured through an immediate open-ended survey of 95 students at a Chinese university. The findings show a coherent experiential learning process: students reported strong affective responses, followed by cognitive re-framing of professional responsibility, internal controls, and ethics education, and culminating in behavioural intentions to resist unethical pressure and seek support. The study provides evidence that court hearings can be a feasible experiential learning intervention that integrates technical accounting knowledge with ethical judgement and broadens pedagogical approaches in accounting ethics education.

This study is theoretical and presents a practical guideline for pedagogical approaches in the social-sexual education of students and young people with multiple disabilities. It addresses the key role of communication in this group of students, as well as working with their parents and teachers. The Case study method was used to present specific cases that are good pedagogical practices for teaching students and young people with multiple disabilities on the topics of decency, appropriate touching and personal boundaries, as well as sexual abuse. The topic of violence in the context of social-sexual education of this specific group of students and young people is also examined. To ensure success in providing social-sexual education to students and young people with multiple disabilities, a comprehensive approach is necessary, this may take more time, but ensures success in providing support.

Peer teaching is an established pedagogical approach in medical education; yet, traditional methods face challenges including inconsistent knowledge support, variable teaching quality, and limited scalability. Artificial intelligence (AI) large language models offer potential to augment peer teaching by providing on-demand access to medical knowledge and clinical reasoning support. However, AI integration within structured peer teaching has not been systematically evaluated in clinical education. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of AI-assisted peer teaching compared to traditional peer teaching in orthopedic clinical education, with respect to knowledge acquisition, clinical skills development (particularly clinical reasoning), student engagement, and 3-month knowledge retention. This historical cohort study compared 2 consecutive cohorts of medical students (aged 20-27 years, 108/190, 56.8% male) at the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China. All eligible students from each cohort were enrolled. The control group (2021 cohort, n=96, taught in 2024) received traditional peer teaching; the intervention group (2022 cohort, n=94, taught in 2025) received AI-assisted peer teaching with access to DeepSeek-V3. Primary outcomes were assessed using a validated 50-item multiple-choice examination (0-100 points) and a 4-station Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE; 0-100 points) with standardized rubrics (intraclass correlation coefficient>0.85). Secondary outcomes included student engagement and satisfaction (5-point Likert scales) and AI usage metrics. Assessments were conducted at baseline, postintervention (8 weeks), and 3-month follow-up. Analysis of covariance adjusted for baseline knowledge, prior AI experience, and learning interest to address observed baseline imbalances. Using independent samples t tests (α=.05, 2-tailed), the AI-assisted group demonstrated significantly higher postintervention knowledge scores (mean 79.69, SD 8.41 vs mean 75.33, SD 9.26; mean difference=4.36, 95% CI 1.84-6.87; P<.001; Cohen d=0.49). OSCE total scores were significantly higher (mean 80.95, SD 7.57 vs mean 76.24, SD 9.23; mean difference=4.71, 95% CI 2.31-7.11; P<.001; d=0.56), with clinical reasoning showing the largest effect (mean difference=2.22, 95% CI 1.18-3.25; P<.001; d=0.61). Analysis of covariance adjusted results remained significant for all primary outcomes (adjusted knowledge difference=3.52, P=.002; adjusted OSCE difference=4.52, P<.001). At 3-month follow-up (174/190, 91.6%), the AI-assisted group maintained higher knowledge scores (mean 77.36, SD 8.60 vs mean 72.84, SD 10.42; mean difference=4.52, 95% CI 1.68-7.36; P=.002; d=0.47), with similar knowledge decay rates between groups. This study provides the first systematic evidence that integrating AI tools within structured peer teaching enhances orthopedic clinical education across multiple domains, including knowledge acquisition, OSCE performance, and student engagement. Unlike prior studies examining AI as a stand-alone learning tool, this work demonstrates the synergistic potential of combining AI knowledge support with peer teaching's social learning benefits, with particularly strong effects on clinical reasoning. These findings support scalable, cost-effective implementation of AI-augmented peer teaching, though randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm causality and determine optimal implementation strategies.

Neuroanatomy is widely recognised as one of the most challenging subjects in health professions education due to its complex three-dimensional structures and spatial relationships. Technology-enhanced learning has increasingly been incorporated into neuroanatomy education to facilitate learning. This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of technology-enhanced learning interventions in teaching practical neuroanatomy skills. This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Randomised controlled trials published between 2013 -2023 that evaluated technology-enhanced learning interventions in neuroanatomy education were included using a Rayann software. Nine studies met the eligibility criteria and were analysed using the modified Kirkpatrick model to assess educational outcomes. Learner's motivation and engagement (Kirkpatrick Level 1) were consistently high. for virtual reality,3D visualisation, and stereoscopic learning modules, with students reporting increased satisfaction, confidence, and perceived understanding. Augmented reality inventions demonstrated more valuable responses, often influenced by design, quality, and implementation. Improvements in objective learning outcomes (Kirkpatrick Level 2) were reported in several studies, particularly those employing 3D visualisation and virtual reality tools. However, these findings were not consistent across all interventions. Technology enhanced learning appeared particularly beneficial for supporting cognitive engagement and visuospatial understanding of complex neuroanatomical concepts. Considerable heterogeneity was observed across intervention types, pedagogical approaches, and outcome measures. Few studies evaluated behavioural changes (Kirkpatrick Level 3) or long term educational impact (Kirkpatrick level 4). Technology -enhanced learning, particularly 3D visualisation and virtual reality, shows promise as a complementary approach to neuroanatomy education by enhancing learner's engagement, motivation, confidence, and spatial understanding. While improvement in object knowledge, outcomes were reported in several studies, evidence of superiority over conventional teaching approaches remains inconsistent. The evidence base was restricted to randomised controlled trials and was driven from undergraduate medical student populations, which may limit the generalisability of the findings. Further high -quality longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate behavioural change, long-term knowledge retention, and educational impact.

Transitioning from theory to clinical practice is a persistent hurdle in undergraduate nursing programs, largely because traditional teaching methods lack the frequent, iterative practice needed to close the practice-readiness gap. This article describes an innovative pedagogical approach that integrates Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) with Tanner's Clinical Judgment Model to develop nonlinear, algorithmic thinking patterns. Using an "If This, Then That" logic framework, students use GenAI as a "thinking partner" to build clinical logic. The process follows Tanner's 4 phases: Noticing, Interpreting, Responding, and Reflecting. Students explore consequential pathways and refine their clinical hypotheses in a low-stakes environment. The AI-augmented iterative algorithm moves students away from rote memorization and toward spatial-logical mapping, promoting metacognition, and transitioning students from linear thinking to complex pattern recognition. When used as a scaffolded, iterative tool, GenAI enhances clinical synthesis and prepares students for the "chaos of the floor."

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to describe and explain Japanese physical education (PE) teachers’ positioning in teaching and assisting Japanese Language Learners (JLLs) in middle school PE classes. We used a descriptive-qualitative design and conducted semi-structured interviews with six Japanese middle school PE teachers to understand their challenges in teaching JLLs, specifically regarding communication, maintaining a safe learning environment, and integrating JLLs into their classes. Three major interrelated and complex themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) teachers’ negotiation of their position between “facilitator” and “teacher” in class (b) teachers’ positioning through the use of instructional aids for JLLs, and (c) teachers’ dilemmas concerning equity- and equality-based assessment and evaluation for JLLs. The findings suggest that teachers may benefit from supplemental training and instructional materials regarding pedagogical approaches, instructional aids, and assessments that enhance the quality of instruction and strengthen teachers’ capacity to meet JLLs’ unique needs in PE.

This study aims to propose gamification as an active methodology to strengthen digital competencies in teachers at the Babahoyo Educational Unit. Using a quantitative-descriptive approach, a survey was conducted with 15 purposefully selected teachers to diagnose the current use of playful techniques, knowledge about gamification, level of digital competencies, and the prevalence of traditional methodologies in their pedagogical practices. Results showed that most teachers still use traditional methodology (lectures, blackboard, posters), are unaware of gamification as a pedagogical strategy, and have significant limitations in mastering digital tools and educational platforms. In response to this diagnosis, a teacher training program is proposed, structured in four training units: institutional diagnosis, pedagogical foundation of gamification, gamified instructional design with digital tools (Kahoot, Genially, Quizizz, Wordwall, Educaplay), and implementation and evaluation of gamified strategies. Each unit includes pedagogical phases, participatory activities, digital resources, and formative assessment criteria. The proposal seeks to transform teaching practice through active methodologies that increase student motivation and develop digital competencies in both teachers and students. It is concluded that gamification, applied with a pedagogical approach and comprehensive training, represents a strategic tool to overcome the limitations of the traditional approach and innovate educational practice in technical contexts.

Introduction Health professions education (HPE) faces challenges in preparing future healthcare professionals for complex environments. Educators must therefore adopt pedagogical approaches that foster adaptability and responsiveness, equipping students for real-world complexities. While considerable research has focused on how to provide faculty development, less attention has been given to how faculty navigate their roles within these complex healthcare and higher education contexts. This study aimed to explore how health professions educators navigate their multiple roles as teacher, clinician and researcher within and across intersecting communities of practice. Methods This exploratory study was undertaken at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Qualitative methods with purposive sampling were employed. Fourteen faculty members from six undergraduate departments participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data analysis followed Braun and Clark’s six-phase approach. Results Three themes were developed: negotiating role expectations, conceptualising roles within evolving contexts, and aligning multi-role performance with institutional and professional mandates. These themes highlight how the roles of health professions educators are negotiated across clinical, academic, research and institutional domains. Discussion Engagement and boundary-crossing were shaped by differing valuations of teaching, research and clinical service, often constraining participation and highlighting systemic undervaluation of teaching, especially in South Africa. Role navigation involved ongoing meaning-making, relationship-building, and drawing on clinical and research expertise to enhance teaching. Additionally, educators engaged in complex alignment work with institutional policies, professional norms and ethical obligations, acting as boundary spanners. Sustainable role integration thus requires institutional support, embedded faculty development, mentorship, and communities of practice that legitimise and support educators’ multifaceted roles. Faculty development should be situated, reflective, collaborative and responsive to contextual realities.

Introduction: Universal Design for Learning is a pedagogical approach that promotes educational inclusion by removing barriers to learning and participation for all students. Objective: To analyze the relationship between Universal Design for Learning and student academic participation in second-grade students of Basic General Education. Method: Quantitative research, with a non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational design. The census sample consisted of 40 second-grade students from the Escuela Provincia de El Oro, Guayaquil, Ecuador. For the evaluation of both variables, two questionnaires were used. The data showed a non-normal distribution, therefore the Spearman rho coefficient was used for the correlation analysis. Results: 80.0% of the students reported high levels of implementation of Universal Design for Learning, and 75.0% exhibited high levels of academic engagement. The most valued dimensions were multiple forms of engagement (M = 4.46; SD = 0.58) and emotional participation (M = 4.40; SD = 0.59). A strong and significant positive correlation was found between both variables (ρ = .784; p &lt; .001). Discussion: The results show that pedagogical practices inspired by Universal Design for Learning promote student engagement, motivation, and active participation. Conclusions: A greater implementation of Universal Design for Learning is associated with higher levels of academic participation, demonstrating its potential to strengthen inclusion and improve learning experiences.