School selection by parents is an important decision influenced by internal and external factors, such as location, cost, curriculum, facilities, and school reputation. This study aims to identify the main factors affecting parents’ decisions in choosing Islamic-based elementary schools. The theoretical foundation is based on consumer behavior and decision-making theories, which explain how individuals make choices based on perceived value, needs, and available information. The research employed a quantitative approach using surveys, analyzed descriptively and inferentially. The results indicate that the quality and religious values of the school are the dominant factors, including parental religiosity, quality of religious education, teacher competence, value-based curriculum, student achievement, and the development of students’ character and spirituality. Schools are recommended to focus on improving religious education, strengthening character, enhancing teacher competence, implementing a professional curriculum, and building reputation through the publication of achievements, testimonials, and creative promotional strategies. Transparency in facilities and costs is also essential to foster a positive image and increase parental trust. This study has several limitations, including the use of subjective survey data, a limited number of respondents, and a focus on Islamic junior high schools in East Java, which restricts the generalizability of the findings to other schools or regions.

Team teaching or solo teaching? Evidence from a crossover experiment on the effects of team teaching on student achievement

This study investigates the impact of classroom environment on students' psychological safety and learning motivation and further explores how psychological safety influences motivation and how motivation, in turn, affects students' willingness to communicate. These relationships are analyzed using a quantitative approach through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) implemented in R. While previous studies have often examined these variables in isolation, this study adopts an integrated approach to construct a comprehensive theoretical model, including classroom environment, psychological safety, learning motivation, and communication willingness. Moreover, it also considers how differences such as gender and urban-rural background may shape the ways in which the classroom environment affects students, offering insights into how these influences may vary across student groups. The findings are expected to offer both theoretical guidance and practical implications for improving classroom teaching approaches and stimulating greater student participation and learning achievements.

This study was based on the perceptions of students about their self-perceived SEC and its impact on mental health and academic achievements of 8th-grade students of public sector elementary schools of tehsil Sargodha. The objectives of study were to measure the level of Social and Emotional Competence of 8th Grade students, to assess the state of mental health of 8th grade students, to examine the academic achievements of 8th grade students, to measure the impact of SEC on 8th grade students’ state of mental health, and also on their academic achievements. In present study, 8th grade students were taken as population belonging to government elementary schools of tehsil Sargodha. A sample of 280, out of which 140 were boys and 140 girls were taken and obtained their perception about the SEC and mental health through self-developed questionnaire. It was found that social emotional competencies have an impact on academic achievement, girls are better in academic grades and mental health.

This study investigates the reliability, validity, and fairness of university-level calculus assessments using Rasch analysis, focusing on the progression and alignment of key concepts across midterm and final exams. A cohort of 369 students from diverse academic disciplines was assessed using standardized exams designed to align with learning outcomes. The midterm and final exams, comprising conceptual and computational items, were analyzed separately and combined to evaluate their fit to the Rasch model. Summary statistics confirmed the reliability of item and person measures, while alignment analysis highlighted conceptual continuity across assessments. The results demonstrated the assessments’ efficacy in consistently measuring student ability across different subgroups and performance levels. Wright maps and item-level statistics provided a comprehensive view of student understanding, identifying areas requiring targeted pedagogical intervention. The study revealed significant growth in student performance from midterm to final exams, with Rasch analysis enabling the establishment of a consistent scale for tracking progress over time. Findings underscored the importance of aligning assessments with learning outcomes and ensuring fairness across diverse student groups. This research highlights the potential of Rasch analysis as a tool for improving the design, implementation, and evaluation of assessments in higher education, particularly in complex subjects like calculus. By integrating these insights, educators can refine assessment practices to better support student learning and achievement.

General Background: The growing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education has introduced new opportunities for digital learning and academic support. Specific Background: Along with AI adoption, students’ academic achievement is also associated with internal learning capacity such as self-regulated learning, digital literacy, and the management of study load. Knowledge Gap: However, limited studies examine these variables simultaneously within a single analytical framework to understand their relationship with academic achievement. Aims: This study analyzes the relationship between Artificial Intelligence usage frequency, self-regulated learning, digital literacy, study load, and student academic achievement. Results: The findings indicate that the frequency of AI usage does not show a significant relationship with academic achievement, while self-regulated learning, digital literacy, and study load show significant positive relationships with student academic achievement. Digital literacy and study load also do not moderate the relationship between AI usage frequency and academic achievement. Novelty: This study proposes an integrated conceptual examination of Artificial Intelligence usage together with self-regulated learning, digital literacy, and study load in explaining student academic achievement. Implications: The results suggest that universities should prioritize strengthening self-regulated learning, improving critical digital literacy, and designing proportional study loads to support the optimal use of AI in the academic learning process. Highlights • Self-regulated learning shows a positive relationship with student academic performance.• Digital literacy and study load are associated with higher academic achievement levels.• Artificial intelligence usage frequency is not the primary determinant of academic scores. Keywords Artificial Intelligence; Self-Regulated Learning; Digital Literacy; Study Load; Academic Achievement

This study investigates the impact of perceived teacher support on the English academic achievement of senior elementary school students. A total of 239 fifth-grade students from a primary school in Hebei Province participated in the study. Using a mixed-methods approach that combined quantitative questionnaires and qualitative semi-structured interviews, the research examined the level of students’ perceived teacher support and its relationship with English academic achievement. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between perceived teacher support and English academic achievement, indicating that higher levels of perceived support are associated with better English performance. Regression analysis further confirmed the positive predictive effect of perceived teacher support on academic achievement. The study underscores the importance of fostering positive teacher-student relationships and offers practical insights for English teaching in primary schools.

Purpose of the research. To conduct a meta-analysis to identify and systematize the relationships between key teachers’ personnel characteristics (professional competence, motivation, psychological climate, participation in further professional education, and others) and academic results of students. Materials and methods. The meta-analysis included 35 scientific articles published between 2019 and 2025, selected from Russian and international electronic bibliometric databases. The selection criteria were relevance to the topic, the presence of an empirical sample, and quantitative results. We used content analysis and comparative analysis methods to systematize the data, summarizing the findings in thematic summary tables. Results. The analysis established that the greatest influence on student academic achievement comes from a teacher’s professional competence (high correlations r = 0.675 – 0.89), their intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction (β = 0.34 –12.56; r = 0.88 – 0.94), and the quality of the teacher-student relationship (moderate to high correlations r = 0.41 – 0.725). Systematic further professional education shows a consistent positive association with academic performance (r = 0.678; β = 0.31). The influence of factors such as gender matching, salary, and length of service proved weak or statistically insignificant and highly context-dependent. Conclusion. The meta-analysis results confirm that educational effectiveness is largely determined by a complex of a teacher’s psychological, pedagogical, and personal characteristics, rather than by their formal parameters alone. The most effective directions for educational policy are investing in competence development, supporting motivation and a positive psychological climate, and creating systems for teachers’ continuous professional development.

Effective curriculum implementation in secondary schools is widely recognized as a critical determinant of teaching quality and student learning outcomes, with school leadership playing a central role in translating policy into practice. This study presents a systematic literature review examining school leadership practices that shape secondary school curriculum implementation, drawing on empirical studies published between 2015 and 2025. Following a rigorous search strategy across major academic databases, eighteen peer-reviewed studies meeting predefined inclusion criteria were synthesized. The review identifies instructional leadership as the most consistently reported and influential practice, particularly in aligning instructional strategies with curricular goals, monitoring teaching practices, and ensuring curriculum fidelity. Complementing this, distributed leadership and Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) emerged as key approaches that strengthen teacher collaboration, shared accountability, and continuous professional development. Equity-oriented leadership was found to address inclusion and reduce disparities in student outcomes, while ICT-enabled leadership reflects emerging demands associated with digital transformation and post-pandemic educational contexts. Collectively, these leadership practices demonstrate a dual influence on curriculum implementation by enhancing both implementation processes—such as collaboration, professional learning, and inclusive practices—and outcomes, including student achievement, equity, and consistency of curriculum delivery. Despite robust international evidence, the review reveals significant gaps in Philippine-based research, particularly in empirical assessments of curriculum implementation fidelity and student learning outcomes. The findings underscore the need for leadership capacity-building, evidence-based policy alignment, and context-sensitive research to support effective curriculum implementation. This review contributes to the literature by synthesizing leadership practices that inform both theory and practice, offering implications for policymakers, school leaders, and researchers seeking to strengthen secondary school curriculum implementation.

Belonging has been identified as important to student retention, engagement, achievement and wellbeing in higher education. It has been challenging for universities to foster, particularly in non-traditional student cohorts and in regional areas. This article aims to identify how belonging has been experienced and supported on four regional campuses of one Australian university (University of Wollongong) enrolling a high proportion of non-traditional students. It focuses on belonging’s role in the students’ successful progress beyond the first year of their university studies. The study examines the experiences of students through focus groups discussing what aspects of their campuses had contributed to students’ success. This study extends previous work on belonging by describing how belonging is successfully cultivated in regional campuses through specific staff and student interactions that had built a culture of community and support, and how the belonging that resulted contributed to student retention. The study’s findings demonstrate how principles from theory and research about practices that support student belonging can be successfully enacted in a university setting with students from regional and equity backgrounds.

Purpose This study investigates how teachers perceive their principals' communication of expectations, and how these perceptions differ based on teacher, principal and school characteristics, and the extent to which principals' communication of expectations is associated with student achievement. Design/methodology/approach This study leverages a variety of statistical approaches including multilevel confirmatory factor analysis, multiple regression and hierarchical linear models to analyze survey and administrative data from a state representative sample of schools in Florida. Findings First, principals communicate their expectations for raising student achievement more frequently and more clearly than they communicate their expectations for closing achievement gaps. Second, principals tend to rely on oral communication rather than written communication. Third, junior principals, middle school principals and those leading schools with lower concentrations of students in poverty communicate their expectations for closing achievement gaps less frequently and with less clarity. However, no significant differences were found in communication patterns based on principals' race, gender or school location. Fourth, although a positive relationship between communicating expectations and student achievement was observed after controlling for background variables, this relationship became less evident when adjusting for prior achievement. Originality/value This study delves deep into the patterns and mechanisms an important leadership practice – communicating expectations. It provides new empirical evidence on the role of principals' communication of their expectations in influencing student achievement, highlights gaps in communicating expectations concerning educational equity, uncovers differences in how expectations are conveyed across principals and schools with varying characteristics and offers guidelines for principals on effectively communicate expectations for both excellence and equity in school improvement.

This study investigated the effects of Peer Teaching (PT) and Inquiry-Based Teaching (IBT) strategies on the academic achievement of mathematics students in Delta Central Senatorial District. Four research questions were raised, and corresponding hypotheses were stated and tested at the 0.05 level of significance. The study employed a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent pre-test, post-test control group design. The population comprised 21,147 Senior Secondary II students from 190 public secondary schools during the 2024/2025 session. A sample of 392 students was selected from six mixed secondary schools using a multistage sampling technique. The Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) was the instrument used for data collection. Its reliability was established by administering it to 50 SS II students in two secondary schools outside the study area, yielding a reliability coefficient of 0.81 using the Kuder-Richardson Formula 21. Both pre-test and post-test scores were collected and analyzed. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to answer research questions, while inferential statistics (t-test, ANOVA, and ANCOVA) were used to test the hypotheses. Findings shows a significant difference in mean achievement scores among the instructional groups, with students taught using Peer Teaching achieving higher scores than those taught through Inquiry-Based Teaching and those in the control group. However, there were no significant differences in achievement between male and female students, under Peer Teaching or Inquiry-Based Teaching strategies. Additionally, there were no significant interaction effects between instructional strategy and sex or location on students’ mathematics achievement. Based on these findings, it was recommended that mathematics teachers incorporate these strategies—particularly peer teaching into their instructional practices to encourage active learning and peer collaboration.

Augmented Reality (AR) has emerged as a transformative pedagogical technology that enhances science learning by integrating virtual content with real-world environments. This study presents a systematic literature review examining the effect of AR-mediated teaching on the learning achievement of school students in science. Using the PRISMA framework, empirical studies published between 2020 and 2025 were systematically identified from major academic databases based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Nineteen studies met the eligibility requirements and were analyzed in terms of publication trends, geographical distribution, educational level, research design, and learning outcomes. The synthesis indicates consistent evidence that AR-supported instruction improves students’ conceptual understanding, academic achievement, motivation, and engagement compared with conventional teaching approaches. The findings highlight the pedagogical potential of AR and the need for context-specific experimental research to support its effective integration into school science curricula and inclusive educational practices.

This study examined the effect of e-learning on junior secondary school students’ academic achievement in Social Studies in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest intact classes’ research design was adopted. A population of 233 JSS II Students from two public secondary school in Lafia will be used. The total Population sampling technique was employed, therefore the whole 233 students drawn from the two schools constituted the respondents. A Social Studies Students Objectives Academic Test (SSSOAT) was the instrument for data collection. The content validity of the instrument was done using a table of specification and the reliability was determined using the test re-test method and a coefficient 0f 0.82 was obtaine. The two research questions were analysed and answered using mean scores and standard deviation, while postulated hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using independent t-test. The findings revealed that there was a significant difference in the posttest achievement scores between the experimental and control groups (p<0,05). The experimental group had a higher posttest meant score compared to the control group. The result further revealed the difference in posttest scores between male and female students in the experimental group is statistically significant (p<0,05), it showed male students in the experimental group had a higher posttest mean score compared to their female counterparts. The study concluded that e-learning tools has an effect on the academic achievement of junior secondary school students in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa state. The study recommends among others the e-learning tools be implemented in the control group to further assess their impact on achievement scores and ensure a more balanced approach to learning across groups.

Algebraic thinking skills play an important role in mastering mathematical concepts and problem-solving; however, Linear Algebra learning still faces difficulties, particularly in understanding proofs. Therefore, a proof-based Guided Inquiry strategy is needed to help students develop deeper algebraic thinking skills. This study aims to describe the implementation of the proof-based Guided Inquiry strategy, analyze the improvement and achievement of students’ algebraic thinking skills between classes using this strategy and those using conventional learning, and describe students’ responses to Linear Algebra learning through this approach. The research employed a mixed-method approach with a quasi-experimental design using a non-equivalent control group. The subjects were two classes of mathematics education students, each acting as an experimental and control class. The instruments consisted of pre- and post-tests of algebraic thinking skills, implementation observation sheets, and student response questionnaires. Quantitative data were analyzed using N-Gain and mean difference tests, while qualitative data were obtained from observations and student responses. The results showed that the implementation of learning achieved an average score of 92% (very good category). N-Gain analysis revealed that the experimental class achieved a moderate improvement (0.401), higher than the control class (0.246, low category). Moreover, student responses were positive, with an average percentage of 84.8%. These findings indicate that integrating inquiry exploration with mathematical proof effectively enhances students’ algebraic thinking skills and the quality of Linear Algebra learning.

Incorporating a growth mindset model in competency-based education (CBE) through supportive language, role modeling, and consistent coaching enables faculty to create a learning environment that values effort and normalizes an iterative learning process. Aligning growth mindset principles with CBE enhances student motivation, resilience, and adaptability in nursing education. This article identifies growth mindset strategies that build an essential foundation for student success in CBE. Shifting the focus from assessment of learning (AOL) to assessment for learning (AFL) is crucial for fostering student achievement and agency. Effective CBE teaching consists of educators sharing experiences of overcoming challenges, mentoring in growth mindset principles, using supportive language, applying criterion-based grading practices, and encouraging intrinsic motivation. Ultimately, focusing on AFL in CBE settings encourages resilience and adaptability, creating a growth-oriented learning atmosphere that advances nursing education and cultivates practice-ready, competent professionals.

The purpose of this study remained to observe fear of failure, perceived stress and academic achievement of undergraduate students. It is theorized that around is likely Predict to negative relationship between fair of failure and perceived stress. In the present research correlational research design was used, a sample size comprised of 140 (Male=69, Female=71) undergraduate students was achieved with age range of 18-21 years old. Purposive sampling technique was used. Assessments including Fear of failure, Perceived stress scale (Sheldon Cohen, 1988) and Academic achievement scale (Rapport, 1991) was used. Analyze data are Descriptive statistics, Pearson product, regression analysis and Independent sample t-test was used to measure the connection and significance difference of the study variable. Cronbach value for academic achievement was.72 which indicated good internal consistency. Result of the analysis revealed non-significant mean differences, the finding revealed that academic achievement has highly significant negative relationship with perceived stress. The finding revealed that fear of failure and perceived stress negatively predicted academic achievement with R' value of .41% variance with F (2, 135) =1.542, P<.001. We advise that, in order to benefit exposed undergraduates overwhelmed these doubts, employing an idea of involvement might be Creative.

Abstract This study examined the interrelationships among academic self-regulation, perceived autonomy support from teachers, and academic achievement in Norwegian upper secondary school students, while also validating a Norwegian version of the Self-Regulation Questionnaire-Academic (SRQ-A(N)). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a four-factor structure for the SRQ-A(N), confirming its construct validity and suitability as a concise measure of self-regulation. Mean level analysis of self-regulation revealed high identified regulation, elevated extrinsic and introjected regulation, and low intrinsic regulation. Girls had a higher mean level score of academic achievement and introjected regulation, but a lower mean level score of autonomy support compared to boys. Identified regulation, reflecting personal value endorsement, positively correlated with autonomy support and academic achievement (GPA), aligning with self-determination theory (SDT). Intrinsic regulation was also positively related to autonomy support, while an unexpected positive link between introjected regulation and academic achievement suggested short-term performance benefits but potential long-term psychological costs of internal pressure. Perceived autonomy support was related to introjected, identified, and intrinsic motivation and higher GPA, emphasizing the role of supportive teaching practices. The present research was limited by a correlational design, self-reported data, and a context-specific sample, suggesting caution in generalizability. Despite these limitations, the findings underscore the importance of promoting autonomous motivation through autonomy-supportive environments to enhance academic outcomes and student well-being, with the SRQ-A(N) as a valid assessment tool.

Teacher math anxiety is a significant factor influencing instructional quality and student achievement. Yet, few studies have explored which variables play a role in the levels of anxiety about teaching math, in part due to the lack of proper screening tools. In this study, we adapted two specialized instruments, the Math Anxiety Scale for Teachers (MAST15) and the Mathematics Teaching Anxiety Scale (MTAS19), to the European Spanish, and we examined their structural, convergent, and external validity within a sample of Spanish primary and secondary school teachers. Furthermore, we explored gender differences, school settings, teachers' self-efficacy and generalized anxiety symptoms to understand how those variables interact with the anxiety about teaching math. We conducted confirmatory factor analysis and reliability tests to evaluate the internal structure of both scales. MAST15 confirmed a two-factor model (general math anxiety and anxiety about teaching math), while MTAS19 demonstrated moderate fit across two dimensions (student-directed and self-directed teaching anxiety). Both scales showed high internal consistency, indicating robust reliability. The results revealed that math anxiety is closely linked to generalized anxiety and inversely related to math self-efficacy. Teaching experience was associated with lower self-directed anxiety, suggesting that professional practice helps mitigate anxiety over time. Gender differences emerged for generalized anxiety but not for math-specific anxiety. Institutional and contextual factors, such as location in disadvantaged areas, showed no significant impact on math anxiety levels. These findings support using MAST15 and MTAS19 in cross-cultural research and provide insights into targeted interventions to reduce anxiety about teaching math.

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the academic achievement of primary, secondary, high school, and university students and their breakfast habits, sleep patterns, and family demographic characteristics. The sample of the study consists of a total of 1,059 students (primary, secondary, high school, and university) studying on the European side of Istanbul. To collect the data, the Breakfast and Sleep Habits Questionnaire (KUAA), developed by the researcher, was used. In the analysis of the data, the Chi-Square Test was employed in the first stage of the study. In the second stage, the independent samples t-test was conducted to determine the relationship between certain personal variables of the students and their academic achievement. The results of the first stage indicated that students living with their families had higher rates of eating breakfast and sleeping. Students whose parents were high school graduates were found to eat breakfast at higher rates; likewise, students whose mothers were not employed and fathers were employed had higher rates of eating breakfast. The results of the second stage revealed that male students, those who ate breakfast, those who slept 8h or more, those whose parents had higher levels of education, those whose fathers were employed, those living with their families, and those at the primary and high school levels had significantly higher academic achievement. However, no significant difference was found in the academic grades of students with employed versus unemployed mothers. In the third stage of the study, students who did not eat breakfast in the mornings were asked for their reasons. Their responses centered on lack of appetite, insufficient time, and morning drowsiness. When asked why they fall asleep in class, students' answers clustered around the following reasons: especially when sleep-deprived, when the lesson was boring, and when they felt tired. The findings of the study were discussed within the framework of the literature, and recommendations were provided.