ABSTRACT In the field of higher education, the strong correlation between teacher strategies and student engagement has been widely acknowledged. However, existing research has not yet provided comprehensive and nuanced evidence to fully elucidate the dynamics and complexity of this relationship. To address this gap, this study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining interviews with 30 university teachers and students with a survey of 3,819 undergraduates across four higher education institutions. This study identifies six effective teacher strategies that promote student engagement, namely selecting relevant teaching materials; adopting nontraditional teaching models; designing distributed course assessments; delivering clear expositions of knowledge; promoting meaningful classroom interactions; and attending to students’ learning status and needs. This study reveals that excessive use of technology is the direct cause of the ineffectiveness of teacher strategies (except for attending to students’ learning), while teacher care is a latent factor for sustaining the effectiveness of teaching strategies. As a caring teacher strategy, attending to and responding to students’ learning status and needs not only has a great impact on students’ learning engagement but also enhances the effectiveness of other strategies. These findings underscore the critical importance of instructors actively monitoring students’ learning states and responding promptly and appropriately to their evolving needs within real-world teaching contexts. Moreover, this study not only provides new insights into the relationship between teacher strategies and student engagement but also offers more targeted recommendations for college educators to improve teaching quality in complex educational contexts.

ABSTRACT In Swedish higher education, student evaluations of teaching (SETs) have become a central instrument for quality assurance and pedagogical revision. While student feedback can provide valuable insights into their lived experience of courses, an overreliance on such evaluation risks elevating satisfaction over learning and sidelining the professional judgment of university teachers who understand curricular progression across multiple study years. Grounded in research-based pedagogy and long-term program coherence, this paper argues for a balanced approach that integrates student perspectives with the expertise of educators. Drawing on Biggs’ theory of constructive alignment, Bernstein’s pedagogic device, and Bourdieu’s field theory, the study develops a dialogic model of curriculum development that explains how academic judgment mediates between learning experience and teaching expertise. The discussion is situated within the Swedish context, which rests simultaneously on democratic and scientific ideals. It also generates implications for higher-education policy and teaching practice internationally.

With the rapid integration of AI into higher education, teachers' psychological responses are critical for technology adoption. This study examines AI self-efficacy and AI anxiety among university teachers in a Chinese university. It investigates the relationship between these two constructs and explores differences based on gender, age and academic major. A quantitative survey was administered to 350 teachers selected through stratified random sampling based on major. Results showed that both AI self-efficacy and AI anxiety were significantly above the neutral midpoint (M = 4.48, SD = 0.76; M = 4.35, SD = 0.85). AI self-efficacy was strongly and negatively associated with AI anxiety (r = - 0.59, p <0.01) and remained a significant negative predictor after controlling for gender, age, and major (β = - 0.112, p = .026). Female teachers reported higher anxiety and lower self-efficacy than male teachers, whereas computer science teachers reported the highest self-efficacy and the lowest anxiety. These findings suggest that university teachers may feel simultaneously capable of using AI and apprehensive about its broader implications. The study provides evidence from Chinese higher education and highlights the value of differentiated institutional support that addresses both teachers' confidence in using AI and their professional concerns.

ABSTRACT We examined Professional Learning Communities in university settings and their association with teacher job satisfaction. The findings revealed that Professional Learning-Academic Communities (PLACs), 1) were negatively associated with job burnout and positively contributed to job satisfaction, and 2) served dual roles that aligned with the Job Demands-Resources model. These results suggest that PLACs can be considered valuable for promoting teachers’ job satisfaction.

ABSTRACT Despite the critical role of lesson study (LS) in teacher education and professional development, limited research has explored the effectiveness of Chinese lesson study (CLS) in promoting teaching competence in initial teacher education longitudinally. To address this gap, the present research aimed to examine the development of pre-service EFL teachers’ teaching competence in CLS and identify the factors influencing this development. The study adopted a case study in an initial teacher education programme in China. Fifty-seven pre-service EFL teachers participated in two rounds of CLS in their first academic year. Quantitative data were collected through English Teachers’ Teaching Competence Questionnaire, while qualitative data were obtained from interviews and reflective journals. The results showed the effectiveness of CLS in fostering EFL pre-service teachers’ teaching competence and revealed that professional guided reflection, cross-boundary collaboration among university teacher educators and school mentors, and the establishment of learning communities among pre-service teachers were the main contributors to teaching competence growth. This study enriches the international LS literature with longitudinal empirical evidence and offers insights into how multi-stakeholder collaboration and peer learning support pre-service teachers’ teaching competence in diverse contexts.

Tourism experiences have become recognized as an important factor, reflecting a positive relationship with subjective well-being. The Broaden-and-Build Theory suggests that positive experience, positive emotions, and yield lasting psychological benefits go together. However, the specific mechanisms through which memorable tourist experiences translate into subjective well-being via positive emotions have not been thoroughly explored, particularly the moderating role of psychological resilience in this process. This study used a questionnaire to gather valid responses from 665 university teachers, employing standardized scales to measure memorable tourist experiences, positive emotions, psychological resilience, and subjective well-being. The data were analyzed using SPSS software, and a moderated mediation model was constructed and examined. Memorable tourist experiences were significantly positively correlated with subjective well-being (β = 0.436, t = 14.324, p < 0.001), with positive emotions playing an important mediating role. Additionally, psychological resilience significantly moderated the relationship between positive emotion and subjective well-being (β = 0.261, t = 10.352, p < 0.001), indicating that individuals with higher psychological resilience are more adept at sustaining and integrate the positive emotions brought about by memorable tourist experiences, thereby exhibiting stronger subjective well-being. This study offers a clearer understanding of the link between memorable tourist experiences and subjective well-being, extending the Broaden-and-Build Theory's application to tourism. The findings also indicate associations between positive emotions during tourism experience and university teachers' well-being, with psychological resilience moderating these associations, providing a new perspective for practical interventions in university teacher care.

The impact of natural disasters on the professional development of teacher candidates has, to date, primarily been investigated in relation to psychological well-being and trauma. Nevertheless, the association between these extreme events and teacher candidates' personal and professional competencies, as well as their critical thinking skills, remains insufficiently addressed in the literature. In particular, for teacher candidates who directly experienced the 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye, there exists a distinct need for comprehensive research that integrates both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. This study employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. In the quantitative phase, the Personal-Professional Competencies Perception Scale (PPCPS) and the Critical Thinking Standards Scale (CTSS) were administered to 304 teacher candidates at İnönü University who directly experienced the 2023 earthquakes. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 37 purposively selected participants to contextualize and deepen the quantitative findings. A positive, significant, and strong correlation was found between critical thinking skills and personal and professional competency (r = .657, p < .01). Qualitative findings revealed that in the post-earthquake period, teacher candidates developed positive perceptions of critical thinking, particularly under the themes of developing different perspectives, empathy, and increased awareness; however, the inefficiency of distance education, communication problems, and psychological difficulties negatively affected their perceptions of professional competence. Research findings indicate that the earthquakes had a bidirectional impact on teacher candidates' perceptions of competence and critical thinking. Among these İnönü University teacher candidates, traumatic experiences appeared to enhance cognitive and critical awareness consistent with Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) theory, while simultaneously weakening teacher candidates' perceptions of professional competence, owing to distance learning disruptions and psychological challenges. These findings highlight that post-disaster teacher education processes should focus not only on academic sustainability but also on structural arrangements that support critical thinking, psychological resilience, and professional competencies.

ABSTRACT This study explored viewpoints of university teachers from different countries on effective facilitation for problem- and project-based learning (PBL). Drawing upon complexity theory, the role of a PBL-facilitator is considered as a complex and dynamic system involving personal characteristics, relational capabilities, and contextual sources. The Q methodology was applied, connecting both qualitative and quantitative research characteristics. Twenty-nine university teachers from China, Denmark, India, Poland, and the Netherlands participated in the study. Three significantly distinguished collective factors were identified: (1) challenging students to reach their learning potentials; (2) supporting students’ learning progress through feedback, resources, and ideas, and (3) caring for students as individuals by addressing their well-being, work-life balance, etc. The study also found a consensus across all three factors on key actions for effective facilitation, including establishing mutual expectations and assisting students in setting their learning goals. The findings suggest educators consider the three factors when crafting frameworks on facilitation for their own institutions and countries, aligning mutual expectations and seek common grounds with students, and leveraging professional learning communities to enhance open dialogues and share best practices for effective facilitation.

ABSTRACT Education reproduces a poverty in social imaginaries regarding technological futures. Dominant discourses of AI in education remain narrowly framed around efficiency and techno-solutionism, limiting the critical and creative engagement needed to imagine and shape alternative futures, while these technologies increasingly shape educational practice and broader societal institutions. This article explores how drama-based pedagogy combined with speculative design can unearth and expand social imaginaries about AI in higher education. Using critical pedagogy, transformative learning theory and research on futures, fiction and speculative design, we developed a 45-min workshop with university teachers at a technical university in Sweden. Participants created and performed speculative scenes envisioning AI futures in education, generating three scenarios spanning techno-centric extrapolations of current anxieties to a post-climate-collapse reimagining of learning oriented around basic survival. We reflect on how speculative design, combined with embodied drama, enables the expression of emotions and critiques of AI futures. Our analysis suggests that this creates productive conditions for challenging dominant sociotechnical imaginaries and making visible the normative assumptions embedded in current trajectories of educational technology. We contribute to critical debates on AI in education by demonstrating how arts-informed pedagogical methods can open spaces for counter-hegemonic imagining within STEM, where such approaches remain uncommon.

This study examined the predictive roles of digital connectivity and access to online resources on global competence among pre-service teachers in Oyo State. A correlational survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised all pre-service teachers in public Colleges of Education in Oyo State, with a sample of 310 year-three pre-service teachers selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using three self-designed instruments: the Pre-service Teachers’ Digital Connectivity Scale (PTDCS), the Pre-service Teachers’ Access to Online Resources Scale (PTAORS), and the Pre-service Teachers’ Global Competence Scale (PTGCS). The reliability of these instruments was established through a pilot study, yielding Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.82, 0.79, and 0.85, respectively, indicating high internal consistency. Data were analysed using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression Analysis at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between digital connectivity and global competence (r = 0.436, p &amp;lt; 0.05). Additionally, the joint effect of digital connectivity and access to online resources significantly predicted global competence (R² = 0.62, F = 45.23, p &amp;lt; 0.01). Digital connectivity was found to have a stronger influence (β = 0.56, p &amp;lt; 0.01) compared to access to online resources (β = 0.42, p &amp;lt; 0.01). The study concludes that enhancing digital connectivity and access to online resources can significantly improve pre-service teachers' global competence. It recommends that policymakers and institutions invest in digital infrastructure and ensure equitable access to online learning resources to foster global competence among pre-service teachers

The pursuit of meaning in life is a critical determinant of psychological well-being, yet its relationship with work-related psychological processes remains underexplored among educators in regional Philippine contexts. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study examined the mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between psychological need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) and meaning in life. A cross-sectional correlational research design was employed, involving 198 college teachers from higher education institutions in Central Luzon, Philippines. Data were collected using the Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BPNS), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), and the 9-item Filipino-validated Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ). Descriptive results indicated moderate to high levels across all three constructs. Pearson correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations among need satisfaction, work engagement, and meaning in life (p &lt; .001). Mediation analysis using a bootstrapping approach confirmed that work engagement partially mediated the relationship between psychological need satisfaction and meaning in life (Indirect Effect = 0.209, p &lt; .001). While work engagement serves as a crucial motivational bridge, need satisfaction also maintained a significant direct effect on meaning in life (Direct Effect = 0.312, p = .003). These findings suggest that fostering need-supportive academic environments is essential for enhancing both faculty engagement and existential well-being.

How does the organizational innovation atmosphere in a school setting influence the development of teachers' creative performance?

Factors influencing the adoption of teaching innovations by university teachers: A comparative analysis using the FS/QCA-NCA methodology

Empowering university teachers in higher education: A generative AI-responsive competency framework

ABSTRACT What constitutes quality English language teaching is rarely a settled question, yet in Vietnamese EFL classrooms it is especially fraught. Teachers in private language centres, public schools, and universities navigate a landscape where quality is contested by at least four stakeholder groups: communicative teaching advocates aligned with national curriculum policy; market-driven institutions and parents who prioritise examination outcomes; employers and students who associate quality with native-speaker teachers; and professional bodies that frame quality in terms of pedagogical credentials and reflective practice. This paper examines tensions among these competing notions and argues that they reflect deeper ideological conflicts about what English is for, who owns it, and what professional authority an English teacher should possess. It proposes a typology of quality discourses and argues that sustainable improvement depends on greater critical awareness of the ideological assumptions underpinning each discourse.

Amidst growing concerns over research misconduct in academic institutions, this study examines the complex causal mechanisms that influence research integrity among university faculty. In this article, we explore how the interplay between personal attributes and institutional environments influences ethical research behavior, drawing on perspectives from both individual and organizational dimensions. We analyzed data from 109 university teachers across six key conditions, including factors related to individual endowment and the organizational environment, using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). The results revealed that no single factor is a necessary condition for ensuring research integrity. Four distinct causal pathways were identified as sufficient to promote integrity, reflecting the principle of equifinality. These findings revealed the various combinations of internal and external factors that can yield similar positive outcomes. Based on the results, promoting research integrity requires a contextualized approach, where universities should tailor interventions and institutional policies to the specific characteristics and needs of their faculty members. This configurational understanding enhances theoretical insights into ethical behavior in academic settings and offers practical guidance for fostering a culture of integrity in higher education.

Purpose Motivated by the Feminist Pedagogy, the purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions, practices and challenges of university teachers toward gender-inclusive pedagogy in the context of Public Sector University in Sindh, Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research and case study approach were used for this study to explore the notion of gender-inclusive pedagogy at higher education level. Similarly, purposive sampling technique has been adopted for the selection of 12 university teachers as a sample size for this study. The data have been obtained through the semistructured interviews followed by verbatim transcription and thematic analysis. Findings The findings revealed that university teachers hold positive perceptions toward gender-inclusive pedagogy and believe that it is necessary to provide equal and equitable opportunities to all the students including female students. Furthermore, there are several inclusive pedagogic practices like collaborative pedagogy, critical pedagogy, countering gender stereotype and stigmatization in the classroom and gender-responsive pedagogy. This study puts light on gender-sensitive teaching strategies to develop equal opportunities at the higher education level in Pakistan. Furthermore, challenges include gender stereotypes, curriculum rigidity, faculty resistance and workload pressures and lack of professional training. This helps in the socialization toward building an education environment friendly to various students and improved quality of higher education in Pakistan. Practical implications This study carries significant implications of policy and practice in the higher education context in Pakistan. It highlights the urgent need for universities to integrate gender-inclusive pedagogy into curriculum planning, teacher training and quality assurance process to advance Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 and SDG 5. In addition, institutions must develop professional development frameworks in higher education, address cultural and structural barriers that limit gender-responsive teaching, and establish clear institutional guidelines to support an equitable learning environment. These insights provide a foundation for future research on scalable, context-sensitive strategies that promotes gender equity across higher education sector in Pakistan. Originality/value This study stands as one of the first to discuss university teachers’ attitudes toward and implementation of gender-inclusive pedagogy in the context of Pakistan’s higher education institutions.

Workplace bullying is a growing concern in academic institutions because it can lead to a negative effect on the psychological well-being of teachers, their confidence in their work, and their interpersonal functioning. This paper has investigated how workplace bullying has impacted self-esteem in university teachers and how defense styles mediate the relationship between workplace bullying and self-esteem. This research used mixed-method explanatory sequential research design. During the quantitative phase, a total of 119 university teachers, 61 males and 58 females, were sampled working in selected public and private universities in South Punjab, Pakistan. Workplace bullying, self-esteem, and defense styles were measured with standardized measures, including the Workplace Bullying Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Defense Style Questionnaire. The quantitative data were analyzed using correlation, regression, independent sample t-tests, and moderation analysis through SPSS. During the qualitative stage, semi-structured interviews were carried out with 10 university teachers in order to learn more about the reasons of workplace bullying and the potential ways of its reduction. These results revealed that workplace bullying had a significant negative impact on the prevalence of self-esteem, which implies that the greater the levels of bullying, the lower the levels of self-esteem. It was also found that defense styles significantly mediated the relationship between workplace bullying and self-esteem, but did not significantly mediate the relationship between workplace bullying and self-esteem. The gender-based results showed that female teachers were more likely to report higher levels of workplace bullying than male teachers, but no significant difference in gender in the defense styles. Based on the qualitative responses, workplace setting, misuse of power, personality differences, incompetent authority, and workload were found to be the most significant causes of workplace bullying. The study recommends creating awareness, fair administrative policies, open communication, empowerment, counselling and a healthy working environment to reduce bullying and to boost the self-esteem of educators.

Relationship between Mental and Vocal Health in Occupational Voice Users: A Systematic Literature Review.

Influences of Preventive Voice Training on the Vocal, Mental Health, and Voice-Related Self-Concept of University Teachers and Academic Advisers: A Pilot Study