Secondary Students Research Articles

Risk perceptions and risk behavior among children attending a road safety education program in Greece

Abstract Background Road Traffic Injuries (RTI’s) are a significant public health concern for children, placing a considerable burden on their well-being. Greece has consistently recorded high numbers of RTI’s among adolescents. Methods A university lab (LaHeRS, HMU) offers a road safety education program for primary and secondary students in Heraklion, Greece. The program consists of two parallel sessions (practical training using a driving simulator and activity-based risk-perception training) aimed at enhancing competencies in resilience to peer influence, empowering children to engage in informed decision-making and fostering hazard perceptions skills. The current presentation reports on 800 students who attended the program between October 2023 and April 2024. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on student’s beliefs, attitudes and practices on road safety. Results A total of 800 students attended the program from the broader Crete Region. 50.5% were girls with a mean age of 12.6 (SD = 2.3) years, 60.9% secondary education students, 58% resided in rural areas. 33.9% reported using a motorcycle and 33.8% a car without a driving license. 23.3% reported experiencing a road traffic incident while commuting. 57.1% identified road safety as a problem in their place of residence, only 26.5% felt safe on local streets and only 9.1% considered other road users as watchful. Additionally, 66.8% highly valued helmet use as a precaution in short distances. 71.6% reported always wearing seatbelt in front seats and 68.9% thought seatbelts are important at back seats. 52.1% did not identify themselves as risk takers on the street, and only 22.5% felt competent in avoiding road risks. 32.9% admitted experiencing peer pressure while commuting. Conclusions Risk taking behaviors and low use of protective measures are prevalent among school aged children and need to be addressed through targeted road safety education programs and interventions. Key messages • Promoting safe behaviors and enhancing risk perception is critical among children and young adolescents. • Road safety education should be integrated into school curricula, starting from pre-school education.

The Potential of a Mobile Augmented Reality Game in Education for Sustainability: Report and Analysis of an Activity with the EduCITY App

The integration of augmented reality (AR) into education for sustainability curricula not only makes learning more engaging, motivating, and effective, but also equips students with the knowledge and skills to address pressing environmental challenges. This paper presents a case study of a pedagogical approach based on the exploration of an AR game in the EduCITY app and aims to analyse the potential of the ‘EduCITY at the UA Campus’ mobile AR game in what concerns the promotion of education for sustainability among secondary students. The game was explored in the largest annual event of the University of Aveiro—XPERiMENTA—which invited students and the wider community to participate in activities on the campuses. At the end of the activity, an individual and anonymous questionnaire to evaluate the game was applied. Students indicated that the game raises an awareness of sustainability and contributes to the development of knowledge and skills in this area. They were motivated throughout the match and managed to get a good performance out of playing. This study adds to the literature on the use of AR games in education for sustainability, by revealing that it can be an effective tool for engaging and motivating students with sustainability-related learning.

A school-based intervention to foster adherence to the Mediterranean diet in adolescents: the PROMEDLIFE project

Abstract The need to maintain the production of local foods characterized by a high nutritional index, update traditional food production methodologies by developing attractive tech-based approaches, promote healthy eating habits that meet consumers’ preferences and acceptability, as well as reducing the complexity of supply chains (Farm to Fork) must be addressed to ensure food and nutrition security. This is especially true in Mediterranean countries undergoing dietary and nutritional changes that affect their inhabitants’ health while creating many socio-economic and environmental challenges. PROMEDLIFE aims to increase adherence to the Mediterranean diet through a multi-actor approach by encouraging the adoption of a healthy eating lifestyle while decreasing the environmental and economic impact of food production and processing. It also aims to attain optimal food communication and education through training programs that target primary and secondary students as well as their families, from children to older adults. A 4-week nutritional and sensory educational intervention in high school students involves frontal lessons, a web-app for families enrolled, and games on nutrients, food groups, balanced meals and various eating occasions, healthy and sustainable diets. In addition, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, nutritional knowledge, sociodemographic and lifestyle data, picky eating, and food neophobia are investigated. Including nutritional lectures in the school curriculum of high schools promotes knowledge acquisition about healthy diet. However, a period longer than 4 weeks may be necessary to translate this knowledge into improved eating habits. The project is still ongoing, and follow-up data collection will be performed. Final analysis, including data on picky eating and food neophobia, as well as overall eating behavior at follow-up, will allow an evaluation of possible long-term changes.

The profile and aberrant driving behavior of juvenile traffic law violators in Greece

Abstract The majority of juvenile offenses in Greece are related to road traffic violations. Juveniles in Crete region are required to attend an educational program offered by LaHeRS lab (HMU), in collaboration with the Prosecutor’s Office as part of reformative measures. The current presentation reports on the profile and aberrant driving behavior of juvenile offenders who attended the program between 2023-2024. The Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) was administered to 181 juvenile offenders. Participants were males (97.8), with a mean age 18.6 (SD = 1.2), resided in rural settings (51.8%) and secondary students 60.7%. The mean age of the first offence was 15.8 (SD = 1.1, min 13 - max 18). Participants scored low in all DBQ scales (covered violations mean=6.1, sd = 7.5; unintentional violations mean=0.9, sd = 1.6; lapses mean=8.9, sd = 10.5). No statistically significant difference was found in DBQ scores between those who had and did not have a driver’s license, as well as between those from urban or rural areas. The three DBQ subscales significant correlated (p < .001). Among other risky behaviors, 54.9% reported exceeding the legal speed limit, 66.3% reported aggression feelings when driving behind a slow vehicle, 34.5% used mobile phones while driving, 17.7% reported alcohol use while driving. Surprisingly, 85.5% stated high confidence addressing risks on the roads. Key messages • Early interventions on aberrant driving behavior among adolescents is crucial. • Educational programs should be tailored to address the unique needs of juvenile traffic law violators.

The effects of assessment instruction and test anxiety on divergent components of creative problem-solving tasks

IntroductionThis study looked at how an assessment instruction and test anxiety (TA) can influence divergent thinking (DT) components of creativity in a playful robotic problem-solving task.MethodsWe measured TA and creative performance (TD) under assessment and non-assessment conditions in 122 secondary students engaged in creative problem solving (CPS).ResultThe aspects of DT (fluidity and originality) showed a tendency to be impacted by assessment instruction. Thus, under non-assessment conditions, the learners show higher fluidity and better originality in the first occurrence of the CPS task. In the second occurrence, time spent on CPS decreases. Moreover, the originality turns to be impaired in the second trial and only student under assessment maintain their engagement in the activity. No correlation was found between TA and DT, and no gender or age differences were observed. The results suggest that TA does not influence the performance of the students involved in creative problem-solving processes.DiscussionWe discuss the findings in relation to game-based learning specificities. The assessment instruction in playful activities can be perceived as a positive challenge and even the students showing higher levels of test anxiety do not perceive it as a threat. Furthermore, if time constraints are minimized, the impact of assessment instruction on creative performance might be further reduced. The finding of this study opens promising perspectives to the research on innovative forms of school assessment and creative problem solving.

Prediction of mental health risk in adolescents via a smartphone app: a feasibility pilot study

Abstract Background The prevalence of mental health problems in adolescents is a global public health concern. Machine learning (ML) can analyse multidimensional data collected by phone sensors (passive tracking) and symptom self-reporting (active tracking) to model and predict mental health states. However, research in adolescents is lacking. This study investigated the feasibility of using ML to predict mental health in a non-clinical population of adolescents from active and passive data collected through the Mindcraft mobile app. Methods We recruited 103 secondary students (aged 14-18) who first completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and then used the Mindcraft app for two weeks. The app integrates sensor data (location, steps, noise, light, battery, app usage) and self-reports. We extracted 85 sensor-based features and 19 from questionnaires to develop a gradient-boosted ensemble ML model. This model identifies students with abnormal SDQ scores and was evaluated using leave-one-out cross-validation. Results All students completed the active questionnaires; 67 also provided passive sensor data. 31 had abnormal SDQ scores. Using passive data, the ML model reached a balanced accuracy of 0.64 and an AUC score of 0.57. Incorporating both data types improved accuracy to 0.67 and AUC to 0.70. Feature importance scores showed step count and questionnaire on racing thoughts and hopefulness as most significant. Conclusions Our findings affirm the potential of integrating passive and active data collection to monitor mental health in real-world settings. Our ML model demonstrated moderate accuracy in predicting adolescents’ mental health risk measured with a behavioural screening questionnaire. This study will guide the development of a ML-driven, personalised mobile intervention for early symptom detection and mental health self-management, which might constitute an innovative and scalable tool for mental health prevention and intervention in adolescents. Key messages • This study shows the feasibility of using active and passive data to predict mental health risk in adolescents. • This study informs the development of a personalised machine learning-driven mobile intervention.

Stakeholder Collaboration in the Education of Australian Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

Abstract Effective collaboration between key stakeholders increases the educational opportunities and outcomes of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although the value of collaboration between the central members of a student’s network has been widely cited, how collaboration occurs between different stakeholder groups in the education of Australian primary and secondary students with ASD is not widely known. The aim of this review was to identify the factors that influence collaborative practices between three primary stakeholder groups supporting the education of Australian students with ASD: family, school, and community. Through this lens, we analysed the intent of the collaborative practices as well as the specific details of the collaborative practices identified across the research literature published since the implementation of the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Commonwealth of Australia, 2006). Results from this review indicate existing motivations and processes of collaboration, as well as directions for future research and practice.

Grammatical and rhetorical reasoning in upper secondary students’ collaborative talk about a literary text

This paper explores different talk types and characteristics of grammatical and rhetorical reflections in L1 students’ collaborative talk about a literary text (n = 12, aged 15–17). The data is drawn from an intervention of contextualized grammar teaching in Swedish upper secondary school. To illuminate different talk types and the characteristics of the grammatical and rhetorical reflections, a deductive and inductive analysis in NVivo was carried out. The findings partly confirm previous results concerning rules of thumb and grammatical misconceptions. The current study also indicates that there is a relationship between talk types and prompted questions, and the quality of grammatical and rhetorical reasoning. When students are trying to locate a grammatical concept, the talk type is mainly characterized as cumulative and disputational, whereas linking grammar and rhetoric is exploratory. This paper discusses explanations for these relationships along with strategies for teachers when facilitating and supporting the development of students’ metalinguistic understanding.

Exploring lower secondary Malaysian teachers’ perceptions of using the listening materials in the ‘Pulse 2’ textbook

As Malaysia’s education is going through major reforms, an impact from the recent global development worldwide, various efforts have been put forward to ensure the Malaysian education system is globally competitive. One of the crucial steps taken was to align its English language education system to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). In implementing the CEFR-aligned curriculum in the Malaysian classrooms, the Pulse 2 Textbook was introduced as the key resource. Although the initiative to bring in Pulse 2 textbook was a welcomed approach, just like any policy implementation, the textbook brought various challenges. This hindered both teachers’ and students’ capability to fully participate in the curriculum and accomplish the required language proficiency outcomes. The study reported in this paper is one part of a larger study on CEFR-aligned curriculum in the Malaysian classrooms. Since this study was one of very scarce studies that explored the practicality of the foreign, CEFR-aligned English textbook to teach listening skills, the focus was to explore teachers’ perceptions. Specifically, the study investigated teachers’ level of satisfaction, pedagogical approaches, and challenges in using Pulse 2 for teaching listening skills to lower secondary students. A phenomenological qualitative research design using open-ended interviews was applied to gain a detailed understanding of teachers’ perceptions of using the listening materials in the Pulse 2 textbook. The sample consisted of five teachers currently employed as lower secondary English language teachers in a government school in Semenyih. Data was analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s Six-phase Thematic Analytic Process. Coding was done using the In-Vivo coding method to develop themes for discussion. The study found that overall, teachers were satisfied with the materials in the textbook to be used in teaching listening skills. Although teachers still faced issues of cultural content and lexical suitability, activities from the textbook were easily modified and adapted for students of various proficiencies to achieve curriculum objectives. However, much still needs to be done in terms of improving school infrastructure, supplying quality equipment and providing professional development support to teachers to ensure that they can accurately and confidently carry out the listening activities outlined in the Pulse 2 Textbook. This study has crucial implications that suggest a need for a more inclusive and supportive approach to managing both the pedagogical requirements and professional development of teachers involved in teaching listening skills to lower secondary students using the Pulse 2, CEFR-aligned textbook.

Do Computer-Based Accommodations Matter? An Evaluation of Bundled Accommodations for Secondary Students With Mild Intellectual Disabilities

Objectives: To investigate the effectiveness of accommodation policies and teaching practices for secondary students with mild intellectual disabilities, the present study compared the probability that the secondary school accommodated students- if they received assistive technology, computer, and various combinations of accommodations for the provincial math and literacy assessments in Ontario, Canada- would acquire levels of academic achievement comparable to non-accommodated counterparts. Methods: A total of 217 bundled packages, consisting of multiple accommodations, for secondary students with mild intellectual disabilities were examined by an adjusted odds ratio method in the present study. Results: Our results suggest that the probability of achieving the literacy standards differed among students with mild intellectual disabilities in relation to who did or did not receive specific combinations of accommodations. We found that accommodations that involved computer and/or assistive technology were more beneficial for literacy, rather than the math assessment, for accommodated students with mild intellectual disabilities. Conclusion: Our findings help identify the computer-based accommodations that produced significant differential effects on literacy in students with mild intellectual disabilities. Implications for education and future research are also discussed in this paper.

Assessment of the Scholastic Performance and Cognitive Functions in Malnourished Children of Primary and Secondary Class Students

Abstract Background: Malnutrition is the consequence of a combination of deficiencies in protein, carbohydrates, and micronutrients. It includes undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies. Malnutrition is associated with both structural and functional pathology of the brain and reflects in poor scholastic performance and less cognitive functions in children. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the scholastic performance and cognitive functions in malnourished children of primary and secondary classes studying in a school. Methodology: The study was conducted on 375 school children of primary and secondary classes. The nutritional status was assessed using the World Health Organization growth charts and classified based on their weight, height, and body mass index with malnutrition considered with values <−2 standard deviation for the age group. The scholastic performance was assessed using the school annual examination records and classified as good or poor scholastic performance with cutoff mark criteria of 50%. The cognitive function was assessed using the child mini–mental state examination (MMSE) test with the mean score for the age group. The scholastic performance and cognitive function were compared between the normal and malnourished groups. The variables were compared with respect to age, gender, standard, and P value obtained to see its significance. The variables were compared between the two groups in each class and test results were obtained. The correlation between each of the variables was also done. Results: Malnourished children were more in the primary classes (30%) than the secondary classes (13.2%). The scholastic performance in the normal group was increased than the malnourished group in both primary and secondary classes. The cognitive function based on the child MMSE score was also more in the normal group than in the malnourished group in both primary and secondary classes. There was a positive correlation between scholastic performance and cognitive function. Conclusion: The study results showed that the scholastic performance and cognitive function were decreased in the malnourished group than the normal group in both primary and secondary classes, implying that malnutrition affects the functionality of the brain and can cause long-term effects like poor cognition.

Examining the mediating effect of real and cyber self-control on cyberbullying and health risk behaviors among secondary vocational students in China: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundCyberbullying and health risk behaviors are pervasive issues for secondary vocational students that not only detrimentally impact their academic achievement but also pose a significant threat to overall health. The purpose of this study was to understand the current situation of cyberbullying and health risk behaviors among secondary vocational students in China and to explore the relationships among cyberbullying, self-control, self-control over internet usage, and health risk behaviors through a mediation model.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study. From March to April 2023, a self-administered questionnaire was completed by a cluster sample of 1184 students from grades 1 to 3 at three secondary vocational schools in Jilin Province. The researchers utilized a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Cyberbullying and Cybervictimization Scale (CAV), the Adolescent Health Related Risky Behavior Inventory (AHRBI), the Self-Control Scale (SCS), and the Internet Usage Self-Control Scale (IUSCS-CS) to assess the prevalence and impact of cyberbullying and health risk behaviors. Descriptive statistics, spearman correlation analyses. Finally, the Process plug-in V2.16.3 was used to analyze a mediation model for the data.ResultsAmong secondary vocational students, 839 individuals (70.86%) experienced cyberbullying and 1036 individuals (87.50%) had one or more health risk behaviors. A chi-square test showed that the differences in cyberbullying incidence were statistically significant (P < 0.05) for being children, type of accommodation, residence, ethnicity, purpose of using the internet, and family composition. Statistically significant differences in health risk behaviors were observed based on gender, type of accommodation, residence, ethnicity, academic achievement, classmate relationships, purpose of using the internet, and family composition (P < 0.05). Health risk behaviors and cyberbullying were correlated (r = 0.60), health risk behaviors and self-control and internet usage self-control were negatively correlated (r = -0.42, -0.50). Mediation analysis indicated that self-control (0.02, 0.08) and internet usage self-control (0.08, 0.17) partially mediated the association between cyberbullying and health risk behaviors.ConclusionsSecondary vocational students exhibit a high prevalence of cyberbullying and health risk behaviors. The study confirmed that self-control and internet usage self-control has an important role in mediating cybeibullying and health risk behaviors. Adolescent health promoters should develop targeted strategies to enhance the self-control of secondary vocational school students to mitigate their engagement in health risk behaviors.

Self-regulatory and metacognitive instruction regarding student conceptions: influence on students’ self-efficacy and cognitive load

Self-regulatory and metacognitive instruction regarding student conceptions can help students become metacognitively (or more specifically, metaconceptually) aware of their conceptions and self-regulate their intuitive conceptions in scientific contexts when they are not appropriate. Two approaches have been found effective in enhancing conceptual knowledge: (a) self-assessing one’s conceptions and (b) acquiring conditional metaconceptual knowledge about why and in which contexts specific conceptions are appropriate or not. However, it is unclear how these approaches influence other cognitive and affective variables, such as self-efficacy and cognitive load. Nevertheless, it is essential to investigate whether making students aware of their intuitive conceptions affects their self-efficacy and to what extent reflecting on one’s conceptions requires additional (meta-)cognitive resources. Thus, we conducted an experimental intervention study using a 2×2 factorial design with N = 602 upper secondary biology students. Becoming metaconceptually aware of one’s (intuitive) conceptions did not lower students’ self-efficacy but enabled more accurate beliefs about their abilities. However, the self-assessment increased mental load, which partly suppressed the beneficial effect of the self-assessment on conceptual knowledge. In contrast, the instruction on conditional metaconceptual knowledge did not result in higher mental load and, thus, aligned more with students’ cognitive capacities. Furthermore, students with more pronounced general metaconceptual thinking reported lower mental load, implying that regular instruction focusing on metaconceptual thinking may reduce load. Thus, it is suggested to continuously promote students’ metaconceptual thinking and to embed metaconceptual activities (e.g., self-assessments) repeatedly across longer instructional units.

The effect of national school health strategy components on the quality of health services: An Analytical research in Baghdad Governorate

Purpose: The research objective is to diagnose the extent to which the National School Health Strategy contributes to the quality of health services. Theoretical framework: The quality of health services can provide schools with benefits through building a healthy school community in line with the sustainable development goals, especially regarding quality education, good health, and well-being and through school health, we may be improving the health and well-being of elementary and secondary students, and the necessity of providing healthy foods reduction of fat content in school meals, and awareness to prevent the use of tobacco products and drugs. Design/methodology/approach: The research relied on the descriptive -analytical method and the research sample is a random sample of primary schools (governmental and private). The research tool is represented by using a questionnaire to collect data. Findings: Although there is a big school community represented by students compared to their society, studies in most countries of the world are still limited in discussing the quality of health services provided to them and the limited solutions. Research, Practical &amp; Social implications: We suggest future research to evaluate the national school health strategy: a comparative study between two governorates. Originality/value: The results indicate that commitment to implementing school health programs positively affects the quality of health services provided to students of school age and that any defect in their application reflects negatively on the health of students currently and society in the future.

Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Key Competencies Determining Entrepreneurial Intention in Peruvian Secondary Students

In the current global context, characterized by increasing competitiveness and dynamism, entrepreneurship has emerged as a fundamental driver of economic development and job creation. This study aims to compare the levels of entrepreneurial competence and intention among fifth-year high school students in Chepén and Pacasmayo, Peru, as well as to identify the key entrepreneurial competencies that significantly influence entrepreneurial intention. Additionally, it seeks to examine the moderating roles of self-assessed entrepreneurial capabilities and perceived risk in starting a business on the relationship between competencies and entrepreneurial intention. Additionally, it seeks to examine the moderating role of self-assessment of entrepreneurial capabilities and the perception of risk in starting a business in the relationship between competencies and entrepreneurial intention. The study is based on Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior. The sample included 305 students, divided between 205 from Chepén and 100 from Pacasmayo, who participated in a structured survey. The results of the structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis revealed that creativity, risk-taking, and initiative significantly influence students’ entrepreneurial intentions. However, competencies such as problem solving, networking, achievement orientation, teamwork, and autonomy did not show significant relationships with entrepreneurial intention. Moreover, neither the self-assessment of entrepreneurial capability nor the perception of the risk of starting a business had significant moderating effects on the relationship between entrepreneurial competence and intention. The discussion highlights that these findings contribute to understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying the formation of entrepreneurial intentions among high school students and offer valuable guidance for designing educational programs that enhance key entrepreneurial competencies. In conclusion, this study represents a significant advancement in comprehending the role of entrepreneurial competencies in shaping entrepreneurial intentions among secondary school students and opens new avenues for future research in this field.

The Influence of Wind Musical Instruments on the Orofacial System.

The main objective of this study was to assess whether there are differences in the muscular and occlusal levels between wind players and the general population, in addition to assessing the different repercussions depending on the embouchure type. Two cohorts were chosen: one of them comprised intermediate students related to the practice of a wind instrument (n = 39), and the other one, harmonized with the former, comprised secondary students that served as a control group (n = 19). Overjet, overbite, presence of lip abrasion and/or erosion, Angle's molar class, Little's irregularity index, dental abrasion, presence of labial herpes, presence of tooth sensitivity, and presence of articular noises muscle pain were evaluated. Significant statistical differences between the groups were found regarding overjet, overcrowding of teeth, lower lip erosion, and dental abrasion, which was higher in musicians. Lastly, within the group of musicians, it was proven that tooth sensitivity was higher in the group of brass musicians. Wind instrument practice may be a risk factor for developing some orofacial involvement, and there are no differences among the various existing mouthpieces.

Impact of school adjustment and study habits on English language achievement among senior secondary students

In the present study, we aim to investigate the impact of school adjustment and study habits on English language achievement among senior secondary students. This study is contrary to expectations; neither school adjustment nor study habits individually demonstrated a significant correlation with English language achievement. However, the combined effect of both factors revealed by regression analysis was significant at the 0.05 level, suggesting that they collectively contribute to predicting English language proficiency. These findings highlight the complex interplay of factors that influence language learning and the importance of considering multiple influences beyond individual variables.

MỐI QUAN HỆ GIỮA HÀNH VI GÂY HẤN VÀ KĨ NĂNG TỰ CHỦ CẢM XÚC Ở HỌC SINH TRUNG HỌC CƠ SỞ

The goal of this paper was to explore the relationship between aggressive behavior and emotional self-control skills in middle school students, along with examining the current status of reactive and proactive aggression and emotional self-control skills in students. A total of 1,235 students in grades 6, 7, and 8 in Hanoi, Nghe An, and Ho Chi Minh city participated in the study by answering a set of questions including the Proactive and Reactive Aggression Questionnaire (PRQ, Raine et al., 2006); Aggression Scale (AS - Aggression Scale, Orpinas and Frankowski, 2001); The Basic Empathy Scale (BES, Jolliffe et al., 2006) and emotional self-control skills scale. Research results from this quantitative research illustrated that middle school students demonstrate aggressive behavior at an average level, mainly occasionally performing this behavior but the proportion of secondary students regularly performing aggressive behavior was quite high. There was a negative correlation between aggressive behavior and emotional self-control skills in students; emotional self-control skills and empathy were predictors of aggressive behavior. The analysis, interpretation of results, as well as limitations of the current study, were also discussed in the discussion section of this paper.

Unleashing think-aloud data to investigate self-assessment: Quantitative and qualitative approaches

BackgroundThink-aloud is a process data method that provides detailed insights into students’ cognitive, emotional, and motivational processes. This makes it an ideal method for investigating self-assessment as, the vast majority of times, it occurs internally without obvious external cues. In this paper, we present a methodological overview based on three previous empirical studies, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze think-aloud data and explore the ‘black box’ of self-assessment. MethodsA total of 67 secondary education students and 126 university students participated concurrently thinking-aloud while self-assessing academic tasks they had previously completed. ResultsWe compare our two methodological approaches to analyzing think-aloud data, highlighting the coding schemes, data analysis techniques, and the critical decisions made during the think-aloud process. ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate how think-aloud can be effectively employed through complementary quantitative and qualitative methods, providing a comprehensive understanding of the self-assessment phenomena.

The Impact of Sociological Situations, Psychological and Psychological-Situational Characteristics on Curious in Foreign Languages Learning Behaviors of Secondary Students of the Northern British International School

Background and Aim: This research explores the impact of sociological situations, psychological characteristics, and psychological-situational characteristics on the curiosity and behaviors of secondary students learning foreign languages at the Northern British International School. In today's globalized world, proficiency in foreign languages is crucial for academic and professional success. Understanding the factors that influence students' motivation and behaviors in learning languages like German and Chinese can help educators develop effective strategies to enhance their engagement and performance. Materials and Methods: The study involves 42 students from grades 7 to 12 enrolled in foreign language courses at the Northern British International School. A purposive sampling method was used to select the participants. Data were collected using a questionnaire designed based on a comprehensive review of relevant literature. The validity of the instrument was ensured by expert evaluation, and its reliability was tested using Cronbach’s alpha. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were employed to analyze the relationships between sociological situations, psychological characteristics, and psychological-situational characteristics with students’ foreign language learning behaviors. Results: The analysis revealed that psychological-situational characteristics had the strongest influence on foreign language learning behaviors, followed by sociological situations and psychological characteristics. The regression model indicated that these factors collectively explained 60.3% of the variance in learning behaviors. Specifically, positive learning environments and supportive relationships were found to significantly enhance students' curiosity and engagement in language learning. Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of creating a supportive and stimulating learning environment that considers both individual and contextual factors. Educators and policymakers should focus on fostering positive sociological and psychological-situational conditions to enhance students' curiosity and motivation to learn foreign languages, ultimately improving their proficiency and academic performance.