Progressive scaffolding of forensic science students crime scene investigation skills through authentic simulated crime scene assessments

Textbooks play a key role in mathematics learning by structuring concepts and influencing teaching methods as well as students’ perception of the subject. The contextualization of mathematical concepts, by integrating real-world problems, is essential to encourage the application of knowledge to concrete situations. This study compares mathematics textbooks from Morocco, Canada, and China to analyze their pedagogical approaches, particularly regarding contextualization. Based on the theory of realistic mathematics education (RME), it examines how these textbooks make mathematics more concrete and relevant for students. By providing an international comparison, this study contributes to a better understanding of pedagogical practices and highlights the importance of appropriate contextualization to improve mathematics learning. It emphasizes the impact of editorial choices on how students perceive and engage with the subject. The analysis reveals that Chinese and Canadian textbooks offer a greater variety of contextualized problems and representations, which enhances students’ understanding. In contrast, Moroccan textbooks adopt a more abstract approach, limiting students’ motivation and performance.

<p>Despite the growing interest in psychological contracts in the organizational literature, their application in the context of higher education remains poorly recognized. This article attempts to fill this gap by providing qualitative empirical evidence on how students of economic programmes in two universities – Poland and Mexico – understand and perceive the psychological contract. The study aimed to capture the architecture of the student psychological contract and to identify cultural similarities and differences in mutual expectations between students, lecturers and the academic institution. The study was conducted using a comparative case study and the individual in-depth interview (IDI) method, in which 273 students participated – 147 from Mexico and 126 from Poland. The collected data was analyzed thematically, which allowed for the identification of three components of the contract: transactional, relational, and ideological. The results show that although students' priorities differ depending on the cultural context – with procedural elements dominating in Poland and relational elements in Mexico – the psychological contract in both groups has a trilateral structure based on interdependence, trust, and responsibility. The common denominator remains the need for consistency between the declared values of the university and actual institutional practice. The article contributes to the psychological contract theory in higher education, emphasizing the importance of cultural context and practical implications for managing academic relations in diverse educational environments.</p>

ABSTRACT Education for sustainability is widely recognised as central to building more equitable and sustainable futures. However, discrepancies remain in how confidently Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) educators understand and implement the social pillar of sustainability (Maidou, Plakitsi, and Polatoglou). This study draws on theories of education for sustainability that foreground social justice across the interconnected economic, social and environmental pillars (Santone). Comprehensive approaches require attention to the socio-cultural and socio-political dimensions shaping children's lives and communities (Venkataraman). Yet limited understanding of the social pillar can constrain educators' capacity to enact socially just pedagogies and address structural inequalities (Boldermo and Ødegaard). Focusing on the English ECEC context, where sustainability is increasingly referenced in policy, including the Department for Education's sustainability strategy and climate action planning, the study explores how educators conceptualise social sustainability and how these interpretations influence everyday pedagogical practice. Framed within a participative praxeological paradigm (Pascal and Bertram, 2012), data were collected through questionnaires and a follow-up focus group. Ethical approval was guided by the EECERA Ethical Code (2025) and the LIEY Ethical Handbook (2025). Findings reveal gaps in conceptual understanding and limited confidence in linking the three pillars, highlighting the need for stronger professional learning to support socially just, sustainability-informed ECEC practice.

ABSTRACT This conceptual paper presents a theoretical framework for pedagogical engagement with perpetuators of structural injustice – a social position that has recently garnered academic attention. The ‘social connection model of responsibility’ (Young) and the concept of the ‘implicated subject’ (Rothberg) serve as key frameworks for conceptualising this position and have been taken up by scholars in the field of education. The paper offers a critical examination of these concepts and their development within educational theory. Against this backdrop, Rothberg’s concept is revised through the lens of the sociology of knowledge, and a Pedagogy of Multidimensional Implication is developed. This pedagogy comprises three interrelated components: raising awareness, fostering solidarity between people with diverse experiential backgrounds, and preparing the ground for political action. Together, these components are intended to offer a pedagogical response to structural injustices such as racism, global inequality, climate disaster, and classism by addressing their interconnected nature.

Prehospital emergency medical care (EMC) personnel in South Africa are required to participate in continuous professional development (CPD) to maintain clinical competence. This study examined the scope and accessibility of CPD opportunities, focusing on relevance, lifelong learning, and quality assurance. A narrative review of South African and international regulatory documents and scholarly literature was conducted, supplemented by archival analysis of EMC CPD activities accredited by the Health Professions Council of South Africa between 2017 and 2020. Reflexive thematic analysis highlighted equity and adult-learning considerations. Findings revealed significant geographic disparities, with CPD concentrated in urban provinces. Activities were predominantly workshops and guideline updates, reflecting a narrow, compliance-driven model that limits collaborative, practice-based learning. Minimal practitioner involvement in topic selection and an emphasis on continuing education units further constrained contextual relevance and meaningful engagement. Quality assurance processes were inconsistent and largely dependent on the organiser. Drawing on adult education theories, including andragogy, constructivism, social learning, and self-directed learning, the study critiques current practices and proposes a practice-oriented, learner-centred framework. This reconceptualisation positions CPD as more than regulatory compliance, advancing equitable, lifelong professional growth with implications for educators, programme designers, and regulators.

Introduction. The article by T.I. Rudneva and A.M. Sanko ‘‘Instructional design as a direction of modern didactics’’ (Vestnik of Samara University. History, pedagogics, philology, 2025, vol. 31, no. 4), has attracted the interest of scientific pedagogical community. It has received reviews noting the authors’ timely attention to the problem of organizing a comfortable educational environment for the development of learners’ individuality using digital means. The didactic boom in modern pedagogical science is caused by the large-scale transformation of Russian education, the excess of resources, and the availability of a variety of information resources. However, any innovative process develops on the traditional fundamental foundations of science, and therefore, turning to pedagogical design as an effective educational model seems necessary and timely. Results. The reviews note the emergence of new didactics and its new categories, which requires a thorough understanding of their essence and purpose in both pedagogical theory and pedagogical practice. A.N. Aryutkina points out that changes in the nature of pedagogical interaction should be focused on creating a comfortable environment for participants in the educational process, whose motivation influences educational outcomes. Moreover, a creative approach to designing the educational process presupposes a symbiosis of pedagogy and art, which is represented by modern didactics. O.P. Karnikova believes that designing and managing the educational process are necessary for achieving high-quality educational outcomes. Existing educational practices need to be improved, taking into account the inclusion of students in new digital realities. Today, the quality of education depends not only on the content of instruction, but also on the personalized forms of its delivery and the methodologically determined pedagogical tools used by teachers in the digital educational environment. O.N. Berishvili draws attention to the interaction of learning subjects, which in traditional didactics occurs through the content of education, while pedagogical design is aimed at the development and application of tools that create favorable conditions for improving educational outcomes. These are different procedural components of educational practice: didactics – content; instructional design – educational resources, while the development of effective teaching methods in a comfortable environment and their application in teaching practice confirm their interconnection. S.N. Filipchenko finds confirmation of the point of view that in pedagogy there is no consensus on the essence and functions of instructional design. At the same time, he states that this is a scientific direction, represented by a set of scientific works with a common object of research – education and its common subject – the organization of the educational environment with the help of learning resources. Scientific publications since 2003 (A.Yu. Uvarov) indicate that individual authors and research teams are turning to instructional design as a promising area of research. When studying pedagogical science, students become acquainted with a new didactic category – ‘‘instructional design’’ (essence, structures, principles, models), with innovative didactics as a new form of organizing pedagogical science for learning. In this case, instructional design is a scientific discipline. N.G. Kozlova, N.B. Strekalova, N.V. Solovova and her colleagues summarize that the changes occurring in professional and pedagogical activity are accompanied by the incorporation of new concepts into its context due to the transfer of the educational process to a new digital environment. Instructional design presupposes the creation of a flexible environment with an “open architecture”– modular educational programs adaptable to different learning scenarios. The training of design specialists necessitates the definition of content and resources at the administrative level. Conclusion. All reviewers raise controversial issues: defining the competencies acquired by students in the new educational environment; assessing the effectiveness of developed educational products; and clarifying the functions of the instructional designer as a subject specialist, their competencies, and qualifications. Suggestions are expressed for the creation of a center responsible for the quality of instructional design and supporting teachers in adapting to innovative didactics.

Personality research has traditionally explained patterns of social behaviour through the binary framework of introversion and extraversion, later expanded by the notion of ambiversion. Yet these classifications do not adequately capture individuals who participate effectively in social environments while maintaining a deliberate psychological distance from group identity. This paper introduces and elaborates on the concept of the “otrovert,” derived from the Spanish word otro, meaning “other,” to describe individuals who engage with social groups but do not rely on collective belonging for their sense of identity or validation. Through a conceptual and interdisciplinary analysis, the study examines how otroversion may represent a distinctive orientation toward social participation characterised by reflective autonomy, selective engagement, and intellectual independence. Drawing upon scholarship from personality psychology, emotional intelligence research, organisational behaviour, and educational theory, the paper situates the concept within broader discussions of cognitive diversity and social participation. It further contextualises the idea historically by demonstrating how both global and Indian intellectual traditions have long recognised the contributions of individuals who remained intellectually independent while engaging constructively with society. By examining implications for classrooms, workplaces, and collaborative environments, the study argues that recognising otrovert tendencies can help institutions better value reflective contributors whose insights often emerge from observation, analysis, and selective participation. While acknowledging that otroversion remains a conceptual construct requiring empirical validation, the paper proposes it as a useful interpretive framework for understanding forms of social engagement that fall outside conventional personality typologies. Recognising such orientations can contribute to more inclusive educational practices, more balanced organisational cultures, and a broader appreciation of cognitive diversity in contemporary society.

In today’s knowledge-driven economy, universities emphasize the cultivation of students’ innovative behaviors; however, the innovation literacy of many college students remains insufficient to meet societal and labor market demands. Grounded in the Constructivist Theory of Education, this study examined how different learning strategies contribute to college students’ innovation literacy and whether self-management mediates this relationship. The study aimed to test the hypotheses that learning strategies positively predict innovation literacy and that self-management serves as a significant mediating mechanism. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, and data were collected through an online questionnaire from 426 undergraduate students across nine universities in China. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping procedures were used to analyze the relationships among variables and to test mediation effects. The results indicated that the adoption of effective learning strategies significantly enhanced students’ self-management abilities, which in turn positively predicted innovation literacy. Moreover, self-management played a significant mediating role in the relationship between learning strategies and innovation literacy, suggesting both direct and indirect effects. These findings highlight the importance of promoting adaptive learning strategies and strengthening self-management skills in higher education. The study provides empirical evidence for designing instructional interventions and institutional policies aimed at improving students’ innovation literacy and better aligning higher education outcomes with societal needs.

Contemporary education increasingly emphasizes the development of higher-order thinking skills, particularly critical thinking, which plays a crucial role in enabling students to analyze information, evaluate evidence, and solve scientific problems. Although STEM-based learning has been widely recognized as an effective approach to promoting inquiry and problem-solving skills, its implementation at the elementary level often remains conventional and rarely integrates digital technologies systematically. This limitation creates a significant knowledge gap regarding how digitally integrated STEM learning environments can support students' critical thinking in science education. This study aimed to examine the effect of integrating a digital STEM approach on elementary students' critical thinking skills in science learning. A quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group was employed involving 60 fifth-grade students from an elementary school in Indonesia. Data were collected through a rubric-based critical thinking test, classroom observation sheets, and a teacher perception questionnaire, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-tests. The results revealed that the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in critical thinking than the control group (t = 4.87, effect size = 0.82), with notable gains across the dimensions of analysis, evaluation, and problem-solving. These findings indicate that digital STEM integration fosters more interactive learning environments that enhance students' cognitive engagement in science learning. The study contributes theoretically by strengthening the linkage between STEM Education Theory and Critical Thinking Theory. It provides practical implications for the design of technology-supported science instruction in elementary education.

his study examines how religious and nationalist character formation is cultivated through school culture at SMP Mamba’us Sholihin Tuban, an Islamic junior high school in Indonesia. Moving beyond program-based character education, this research conceptualizes character formation as a sustained cultural process embedded in daily school practices, norms, symbols, and leadership models. Using a qualitative approach and case study, the data for this study were collected from the Principal, Vice Principal, Teachers, and Students of SMP Mambaus Sholihin Tuban, through in-depth interviews, document analysis, and observations of school activities. Data were processed using content analysis, presentation, and conclusion drawing, supported by triangulation of sources and techniques to ensure credibility. Interviews were conducted with school leaders and administrators, teachers, and students, and observations were conducted. Data were analyzed using qualitative methods validated through triangulation of sources and techniques, then interpreted based on selected theories. The findings reveal that religious and nationalist values are not treated as separate domains but are integrated within a cohesive school culture shaped by routine religious practices, civic rituals, teacher role modeling, and institutional regulations. This integration fosters students’ spiritual discipline, moral responsibility, and national commitment simultaneously. The study confirms the relevance of Character Education Theory and School Culture Theory in the Indonesian Islamic education context while demonstrating how local religious traditions and national identity discourses interact constructively. The research contributes to the growing discourse on religious–nationalist character formation by offering an empirically grounded model of culturally embedded character education that may inform policy and practice in Islamic schooling contexts.

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly reshaping medical education through personalized learning, adaptive assessments, and advanced simulations. This systematic narrative review synthesizes the theoretical development of AI in medical training, focusing on educational models, frameworks, learning outcomes, and stakeholder considerations. A literature search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar (January 2000–March 2025) identified 1,288 records, of which 48 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in qualitative thematic synthesis. No statistical meta-analysis was conducted due to methodological heterogeneity. Results Five major AI domains emerged: Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Simulation-Based Medical Education, Adaptive Learning, Generative AI, and Explainable AI. These domains align with established instructional theories and contribute to improved engagement and learning efficiency. However, concerns persist regarding learner deskilling, academic integrity, and algorithmic bias. AI integration influences multiple stakeholders, including trainees, educators, clinicians, policymakers, and patients. The field has progressed from rule-based approaches to data-driven machine learning models, enabling personalized instruction. Responsible implementation necessitates addressing pedagogical, ethical, and practical challenges, while also reducing the global digital divide. Conclusions This systematic review provides guidance for educators, researchers, and policymakers on integrating AI effectively and ethically into medical education.

ABSTRACT Civil engineering education has long relied on lecture-based instruction, creating a persistent gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills. This study develops and evaluates a theory-driven metaverse-based interactive teaching framework integrating virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) across Drawing, Mechanics, and Construction course groups. Grounded in constructivist learning theory and situated cognition, the framework enables systematic integration of immersive technologies beyond fragmented applications. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 40 first-year undergraduate civil engineering students who had not previously studied the target courses. Participants were stratified by prior academic performance and assigned to an experimental group (n = 20) or a control group (n = 20). The experimental group received immersive instruction developed with Unity3D and VR/AR, while the control group followed traditional lecture-based teaching. Teaching effectiveness was evaluated using classroom tests, student questionnaires, and instructor feedback. Results indicate that the interactive teaching group achieved significantly higher academic performance across all course groups (p < 0.05), with large to extremely large effect sizes, more balanced score distributions, and enhanced learning interest and engagement. Overall, the proposed framework improves both cognitive and affective learning outcomes and provides a scalable pathway for bridging theory and practice in civil engineering education.

This article aims to illustrate how to translate the Buddhist concept of self-negation into the language of modern educational theories. While Buddhism is recognized as an alternate resource of educational theorizing in Asia, it can remain marginal or subsidiary to Western theories unless examined in relation to the context of local modernization. Instead of directly applying Buddhist ideas to educational theories, this article examines how these ideas are translated into the language of modern education by Kyoto School thinkers in Japan from the 1910s to the present. While earlier philosophers of the School—Nishida Kitarō, Tanabe Hajime and Kimura Motomori—practice Zen and/or possess a deep understanding of Pure Land Buddhism, their postwar successors in education—Mori Akira and Yano Satoji—less frequently or only indirectly refer to Buddhist sources. Nevertheless, these prominent postwar education scholars inherit the Buddhist-derived logic of absolute affirmation through self-negation. This ongoing process of translation of Buddhist ideas into modern educational theories contributes to the development of alternative forms of modernity and postmodernity, providing a basis for dialogue on education and modernization in East Asia.

ABSTRACT This article addresses the climate crisis from an educational perspective and explores its implications for education and Bildung theory. Drawing on the German tradition of Allgemeine Pädagogik and the concept of the ‘logic of modern education,’ it understands education as the enabling of Bildung. The article pursues two aims: First, it reconstructs the core concepts embedded in this tradition to contribute to educational reflections on the climate crisis. Second, it argues that the climate crisis calls for a renewed emphasis on the ethical dimension of Bildung, conceived as a self-commitment to supra-individual responsibilities. This idea is elaborated in relation to two basic forms of modern education: teaching, which supports the development of differentiated problem awareness regarding the climate crisis, and Zucht, which encourages the educand to take a stand on what is individually and collectively desirable in light of the challenges we face.

The discussion of normative issues in educational philosophy has always been one of the central issues of interest within academic circles, particularly concerning the role of normative cognitive structures in the cognitive development of an individual and learning efficiency within the learning and cognitive process. Experimental psychology has greatly helped to uncover the learning mechanisms through the real-time monitoring of brain cognitive activities through the use of electroencephalography (EEG). The study combines educational philosophy and experimental psychology to investigate the role of normative cognitive structures within the learning process. The experimental design involves behavioral tasks and the collection of EEG data, where the experimental group showed improved cognitive integration capacity and efficiency of task execution by adhering to normative tasks. The EEG results showed the impact of normative compliance on cognitive brain processing. The findings of this study show that not only was the performance of the learners improved by adhering to the norms, but it also showed brain activity in certain areas. The study lends support to the theoretical aspects of normative issues in educational theory and serves as a theoretical base for the design of curriculum and cognitive interventions.

In the context of digital transformation, technology has infused new vitality into Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) theory in English teaching. By examining key Chinese literature from 2015 to 2025, this article follows how ZPD and English instruction are integrated within technology-aided setups. The results indicate a ten-year shift from using single tools to having anintegrated, multi-technology ecosystem. This transformation, which is centered on personalized paths, immersive scenarios, and collaborative learning, boosts the efficiency as well as the students' capabilities.However, there are still quite a number of severe challenges existing, such as the unbalance between tool rationality and value rationality, the conflict between personalization and impartiality, and the gap between data and theory.This paper puts forward that future advancement ought to go beyond simply making use of technology. It endeavors to create a human - oriented, adaptable and equitable intelligent learning ecosystem, and also puts forward practical approaches and policy recommendations to guide the high - quality development of this domain.

The changes have taken place in higher education due to globalization, technological development, and shifting workforce demand. The traditional one-way lecturer-centered pedagogy is less adequate in preparing students to address the 21st-century requirements of critical thinking, teamwork, and lifelong learning. This paper aims to explore the potential and practice of progressive pedagogy in an under-resourced institution of higher education in Nepal using the Deweyan philosophy of experientialism. Higher education faces a critical challenge in overcoming the limitations of traditional lecturer-centred pedagogy. Qualitative approaches were used to interview five experienced teachers at Myagdi Multiple Campus, Beni Bazaar, Nepal, employing a thematic analysis to determine the significant pedagogical practices. Eight central themes were identified: transforming the nature of authority of the teacher into a facilitator, experiential learning through workshops, democratic management of the classroom, learning that corresponds with the real world, formative holistic assessment, adaptation to technology, relationship pedagogy, and transformation advocacy. This study showed that progressive pedagogy which is a viable pathway in transforming higher education in Nepal to prepare students for global competitiveness, has been practiced despite the size, resources, and cultural issues, reflecting how global educational theories and practices are being interpreted from a South Asian perspective.

Against the backdrop of in-depth globalization and multicultural coexistence, art education, as the core carrier of aesthetic education, undertakes the important mission of cultural inheritance, aesthetic cultivation, and cross-cultural communication. At present, China's art education still has problems such as a single content, superficial integration of multiculturalism, and an imbalance between local and foreign cultures, which makes it difficult to meet the educational requirements of the new era. Supported by multicultural education theory, aesthetic education theory, and cultural symbiosis theory, this paper systematically explores the necessity, practical value, existing problems and their causes of multicultural integration in art education by adopting literature research method, investigation research method and case analysis method, and puts forward targeted practical paths from six dimensions including educational philosophy, textbook construction and teaching methods. The research aims to promote art education to break through the traditional paradigm, realize the organic unity of inheriting local culture and learning from excellent foreign cultures, improve students' aesthetic literacy and cultural confidence, and provide theoretical reference and practical guidance for the high-quality development of China's art education.

The advancement of biotechnology, cerebral interfaces for computers for educational applications, and computational intelligence in general will convert human assets into artificially intelligent autonomous systems adept in cognitive tasks and technical operations, achieving greater efficiency than humans. This narrative study examines sociotechnical studies, educational theory, and multidisciplinary philosophical theory to identify the crucial "non-algorithmic" competencies required for success, notwithstanding the prevalence of automation in modern practices. This investigation highlights that individual value is changing from efficiency to custodianship. The emphasis is on the categories of competencies. First, how to maintain one’s individuality in an ecosystem where technology keeps evolving, second, how to leverage the ethical activity in a situation that is mixed, and finally, how to utilize judgment to avoid impartial maximization while maintaining the subjective value. To modify the post-human issue about being a producer to steward, a custodian of qualitative and emotional attributes that cannot be digitalized, the summary outlines that STEM-based educational milieu must execute a post-humanities program that focuses on comprehending metaphysical knowledge and espousing non-traditional flexibility.