Search Results for
"education"

There is great potential in the introduction of gamified, interdisciplinary learning approaches in various education environments. This paper explores the effectiveness of Musical Mastermind, a gamified educational tool combining music education and computational thinking to promote interdisciplinary learning. The game, which uses a microcontroller-based LED matrix, challenges students to decode musical sequences, bridging artistic creativity and logical problem-solving. Rooted in the constructivist and experiential learning theories, Musical Mastermind integrates gamification into education, aligning with STEAM principles to foster holistic skill development. The game combines music theory and coding, encouraging exploration, problem-solving, and collaboration. The study was conducted in a seventhgrade classroom using the micro:bit, a cost-effective microcontroller. The students began with an introduction to music and coding, and then created and decoded musical sequences while engaging in collaborative gameplay. A mixedmethods approach was employed, utilizing pre-and post-test assessments, observational analyses, and feedback surveys to evaluate learning outcomes. Results showed significant improvements in music theory comprehension, computational thinking, and problem-solving skills. The students demonstrated high levels of engagement, teamwork, and perseverance, with increased motivation and a stronger connection between music and technology. © 2025 IEEE.

This review critically examines recent teaching methods in computer network practicum and introduces augmented reality (ar) as a transformative enhancement. it begins by analyzing various traditional learning approaches used in computer network education, assessing their strengths and limitations. the review then highlights the potential of ar in revolutionizing the practicum learning experience. findings indicate that ar significantly boosts student engagement and understanding, particularly in applying course material to improve comprehension. ar's interactive and immersive qualities create a dynamic learning environment, fostering a deeper grasp of computer networking concepts. however, the review also identifies challenges in ar integration, including technical infrastructure needs, cost implications, and the necessity for educator training. addressing these, the article proposes thoughtful design considerations for ar-based practicums, emphasizing user-friendly interfaces, scalability, and effective integration with conventional teaching methods. The integration of AR in computer network practicums marks a notable advancement in educational technology, with broader implications for learning and technology fields. © 2025 Nirsal Nirsal; published by UIKTEN. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 License.

This study investigates the relationship between teacher support, academic self-efficacy, and internship attendance in a cohort of application-oriented university interns in Wenzhou, China. With a quantitative research design, data were collected from 152 interns by means of online surveys employing validated instruments to measure the three variables under study. Using the application of multiple regression and bootstrap methods, findings indicated that teacher support was a predictor of internship participation (β = 0.485, p < 0.01), and academic self-efficacy was a partial mediator for this context (indirect effect β = 0.204, 95% CI [0.119, 0.338]). The findings suggest that the construction of strong support mechanisms for instructors, as well as the development of students' academic self-efficacy, can enhance internship results in higher education settings where practical applications are emphasized. Institutions of higher learning ought to implement specific strategies aimed at creating these factors in a bid to enhance the quality and effectiveness of their internship programs. © 2025 by author(s).

Switzerland sought to reform its VET system by introducing a Recognition of Prior Learning process designed to help low-qualified workers gain formal qualifications. Policy makers believed it would improve labour market opportunities for participants, increase the proportion of the population with post-compulsory education, and alleviate the shortage of skilled workers. Unfortunately, participation levels have been significantly below expectations (Luomi-Messerer 2024; Maurer 2019). It is important to decipher the structural reasons behind these numbers rather than assuming low-qualified workers failed to take advantage of a process designed to help them improve their situation (Cort, Mariager-Anderson, and Thomsen 2018). This paper applies policy mobilities and assemblage theory (PMAT) to analyse the gap between political intentions and actual utilisation, as suggested by Lewis and Spratt (2024). The analysis reveals that while RPL is highly mobile, the characteristics that enhance its mobility are precisely those that generate friction with the institutional logic of the Swiss VET system and hinder institutional change. The assemblage analysis reconstructs the friction points between the two elements and their logics of action more precisely, highlighting why RPL implementation has not fulfilled expectations. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

This paper examines how working-class vocational students in Turkey perceive their stigmatisation and relative failure within the education system. The findings reveal that these students experience deep disorientation, anxiety, and humiliation. While they exhibit partial awareness of structural constraints, they often internalise beliefs in individual agency and personal responsibility to explain their circumstances. Drawing on Ramsay’s concept of temporal displacement–originally developed in the context of forced migration–the study reinterprets educational marginalisation through a temporal and affective lens. It argues that Turkey’s integration into global capitalism, through economic liberalisation, labour deregulation, the privatisation of education, and the valorisation of individual responsibility, produces new forms of displacement and dispossession. These processes limit students’ prospects for social mobility and thrust them into a condition of uncertainty. At the same time, they erode collective moral frameworks and solidarities, replacing them with neoliberal ideals of grit, resilience, and self-blame. By illustrating how global capitalist transformations are lived and internalised in national and educational contexts, the study contributes to critical debates on vocational education and offers insights with relevance beyond the Turkish case. © 2025 The Vocational Aspect of education Ltd.

Background: The integration of the 6E instructional model into STEM education, focusing on Health and Well-Being, has gained attention for its potential to enhance students’ computational thinking and self-efficacy. However, limited research exists on how this approach addresses gender-specific needs in vocational education, particularly in terms of reducing gender disparities in STEM skills. Purpose: This study aimed to examine the impact of integrating ‘6E-oriented STEM instruction on Health and Well-Being’ into an IT course on vocational high school students’ computational thinking abilities and self-efficacy. The research also investigated whether the curriculum differentially impacted male and female students, focusing on gender-related differences in these outcomes. Sample: The study involved 67 second-year vocational high school students in Taiwan. Design and Methods: A quasi-experimental design with pretest-post-test control groups was used. Data collection included computational thinking tests and self-efficacy questionnaires administered before and after the intervention. Statistical analysis, utilizing paired t-tests and ANCOVA, was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the intervention and examine gender differences. Results: Findings indicate that the ‘6E-oriented STEM instruction on Health and Well-Being’ significantly enhanced students’ computational thinking abilities and self-efficacy. The curriculum’s human care themes had a particularly positive effect on female students’ computational thinking and self-efficacy. Additionally, gender differences were observed, with female students benefiting more from the curriculum’s focus on real-world health issues. Conclusion: The study demonstrates the potential of the 6E instructional model to improve computational thinking and self-efficacy, particularly among female students. Future research should explore the long-term effects of this approach and its applicability in diverse educational contexts, as well as investigate how curriculum design can further address gender differences in STEM education. © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Students with learning disabilities (SLDs) aspire to work after they completed their secondary school education and many of them do not know what to expect which leads to inability to be employed in the employment. The aim of this study was to explore and develop work aspiration of SLDs in Malaysia through a series of 10 workshops by developing skills, interests, preferences and support needed for their prospective workplaces. Data was collected through online workshops for 32 SLDs with the support from their parents at home, teachers and practitioners. Qualitative research was conducted to explore the work aspiration in SLDs and findings were triangulated with observations, focus group interviews and documents analysis by the participants, parents and special education practitioners. Research questions highlighted the importance and the impact of developing work aspirations in SLDs. Findings indicated that intentional conversations about work and personalised teaching and learning materials have contributed to the development of work aspirations in SLDs. SLDs displayed increased knowledge about work and enhanced self-determination skills throughout the programme. This study implies the importance of maximising the learning opportunity and collaboration between special education teachers, practitioners and families in providing support for SLDs to aspire for work which has provided a glimpse of hope for the families. This study has impacted the lives of SLDs who are commonly marginalised and unheard of by instilling the aspiration for work as mental readiness for employment. It contributes to the education ecosystem and the disabled community in bridging the unemployment gap. © Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2025.

Immersive technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) are gaining recognition as valuable educational tools. VR has been successfully applied in therapy, including treating phobias (Maples-Keller et al., Harv. Rev. Psychiatry, 2017) and pain management (Pourmand et al., Curr. Pain Headache Rep., 2018). It also supports inclusive learning by removing physical barriers and addressing diverse social and emotional needs (Hutson and McGinley, IJTES, 2023). Additionally, VR can teach life skills such as anxiety management, decision-making, and hazard recognition (Roberts-Yates and Silvera-Tawil, Int. J. Spec. Educ. 34, 197–210, 2019). However, its potential to address emotional and social challenges in education and the school-to-work transition remains underexplored (Nuryana, The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Disability, Springer, Cham, pp. 1–8, 2024). This study examines how VR supports social-emotional and motor development and facilitates the transition of students with disabilities from school to employment. Data were collected through VR-based self-awareness workshops at educational sites in Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Participants included 17 individuals: students (n = 7), special education teachers (n = 7), and vocational training specialists (n = 3). Selected results indicate that VR enhances student motivation and engagement across subjects. Teachers see VR as a powerful tool for adaptive and inclusive teaching aligned with Universal Design for Learning. However, successful implementation requires integrating both technical and pedagogical elements. While VR has great potential for inclusive education, low-threshold applications remain limited. Future efforts should focus on making VR more accessible and ensuring its effective long-term use in educational settings. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

A movement towards reduced grading practices has emerged internationally over the past few decades. Reduced grading refers to approaches aimed to limit the use and emphasis of grades in assessment, which has been shown to affect stakeholders differently and introduces unpredicted challenges (Normann et al., 2023). The movement has been embraced in various educational contexts; however, little is known about stakeholders’ perceptions of this shift away from grading. Analysing interviews with nine vocational teachers using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021a), this study explores dilemmas encountered by teachers when implementing reduced grading. The study conceptualises teachers’ ambivalence towards reduced grading as a dilemma and outlines (1) the dilemma of being faithful or truthful (i.e., adhering to policy vs. ensuring transparency for students) and (2) how navigating the faithful-truthful dilemma was stressful for teachers. The concept of being faithful encompasses teachers’ professional loyalty in the form of adhering to policies, whilst being truthful involves focusing their professional loyalty towards students’ assessment needs. Balancing the dilemma is not an easy task. Grappling with the ideals of being faithful or truthful may create challenges for teachers’ professional loyalty, potentially leading to new sources of stress among teachers of not being able to document students’ learning and defend final grade justifications. A discussion and the implications for research, practice and policy are provided. © The Author(s) 2025.

Two primary factors contributing to disparities in engineering degrees are the low female enrolment and their high dropout rates. Understanding the reasons behind female students’ choices related to engineering and the factors leading to their departure remains critical. This study presents empirical findings on the contrasting factors influencing career choices and dropout intentions among male and female engineering undergraduates. An analysis of data from 602 participants revealed significant differences in career motivations, with males being more self-oriented, whereas females demonstrated a more collectivist approach. Additionally, female students reported higher dropout intentions, correlated with more frequent experiences of discrimination and lower self-esteem. The study also identifies specific contexts within engineering campuses where female students experienced discrimination. By highlighting these differences and underscoring where discrimination occurs, this research enriches the comprehension of the challenges faced by female engineering students. These insights are vital for formulating strategies to boost female engagement and retention in engineering, targeting broader goals of diversity and equality in tertiary education. © (2024), (OmniaScience). All Rights Reserved.