Search Results for
"Higher education"

Based on group dynamics theory, this study employs a mixed-methods approach to explore the cultivation mechanisms and interactive relationships between leadership emergence and team psychological cohesion in English project-based learning (PBL). The research selected 160 tenth-grade students from a provincial model senior high school, with the experimental group engaging in a 12-week English PBL program. Data were collected through questionnaire surveys, classroom observations, social network analysis, and in-depth interviews. The findings reveal that: (1) Leadership emergence exhibits three-stage characteristics—exploration, differentiation, and integration phases. Individual factors such as English proficiency and personality traits, along with contextual factors including task complexity and group size, jointly influence leadership development, with 65% of teams forming distributed leadership structures. (2) Team cohesion demonstrates a four-dimensional structure encompassing task, social, learning, and emotional dimensions. The experimental group showed significantly higher cohesion than the control group (4.20 vs. 3.33), with clarity of shared goals, collective efficacy, and group norms identified as key influencing factors. (3) A bidirectional interactive relationship exists between leadership and cohesion, with leadership exerting a total effect of 0.72 on cohesion and cohesion demonstrating a reciprocal effect of 0.55 on leadership, forming a positive spiral. (4) Project activities such as collaborative tasks, cross-cultural themes, multimodal presentations, and reflective dialogues exhibit differentiated effects on cohesion cultivation. This study unveils the unique group dynamics mechanism in English PBL, providing theoretical foundations and practical guidance for optimizing instructional design and promoting students' core competencies development. © 2025 by author(s).

This article stems from a study that aimed to identify if gender influences participation in Erasmus+ International Mobility in Vocational education and Training (VET) in Portugal. Methodologically, quantitative data on VET attendance and Erasmus+ mobility participation for 2014-2020 were analysed, corresponding to the first period of the Erasmus+ Programme covering VET. Additionally, two directors, two mobility managers, and four teachers from two vocational schools were interviewed. Findings reveal an underrepresentation of women in VET and participation in mobility that stems from the ‘genderisation’ patterns of VET’s subject areas. However, in contrast to the choice of a VET course, Erasmus+ mobility in VET seems to attract women more than men, as in this case, the figures of female participation are higher. In conclusion, although gender does not seem to determine participation in mobility, it emerges as an influencing factor, shaping it through previous processes, namely choosing VET and the course options. © 2025 Instituto de Estudos Sociais e Politicos (IESP), UERJ. All rights reserved.

This study examined the impact of a GeoGebra-supported problem-based learning (GSPBL) intervention on in-service primary mathematics teachers’ understanding of three-dimensional (3D) geometry. Ninety-two teachers from a Core Primary Teachers’ College in Western Uganda participated, selected through purposive sampling. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design combined a pre-test-post-test control group experiment with instructional observations. A paired samples t-test showed that the experimental group’s post-test scores were, on average, 4.72 points higher than their pre-test scores (t = −6.565, df = 45, p < 0.001). An independent samples t-test (Welch’s correction) also revealed a significant post-test difference between groups, with the experimental group outperforming the control by 2.53 points [t = 3.780, df = 70.20, p < 0.001, 95% CI (1.20, 3.86)]. Observation data supported these results, indicating greater engagement, collaboration, visualization, and application of geometric concepts. The study concluded that GSPBL significantly improved teachers’ understanding of 3D geometry compared to traditional methods. The findings highlight the potential of technology-enhanced instruction to strengthen mathematics education. For in-service primary mathematics teachers, GSPBL offers an effective approach to developing mathematics conceptual understanding. For researchers, it provides evidence of the pedagogical value of GeoGebra as a dynamic geometry tool, and for policymakers, it underscores the need to integrate GSPBL into teacher education, enhance digital infrastructure, and support continuous professional development in technology-supported pedagogy. © © 2025 Kirabo, Batiibwe, Mbulankende and Lie.

higher education is often a path towards opportunity and social mobility, yet systemic inequalities shape access, value, and success within these institutions. Structural barriers rooted in race, class, gender, ability, and other intersecting identities persist in admissions processes, curriculum design, faculty representation, and resource allocation. Addressing these inequities requires a transformative commitment to social justice that reimagines the purpose and practices of higher education. By dismantling exclusionary systems and creating inclusive, equitable environments, colleges and universities can encourage societal change, empower historically marginalized communities, and advance a more just and equitable future. Breaking Structural Inequality and Enhancing Social Justice in higher education explores how innovative higher education organizations may advance social justice through inclusive practices. It examines the moral and social responsibility of higher education to address structural inequalities by implementing practical strategies that support historically marginalized groups, empowering them to participate in society. This book covers topics such as gender and diversity, higher education, and professional development, and is a useful resource for educators, sociologists, policymakers, academicians, researchers, and scientists. © 2026 by IGI Global Scientific Publishing. All rights reserved.