Exploring Factors Influencing Students’ Affective Engagement with Systems Thinking

Increasing complexity in today’s world requires skills to analyze ideas, identify connections, and view concepts holistically. Systems thinking addresses this need by focusing on the interactions and relationships among various elements. However, developing this skill requires explicit and scaffolded activities for effective learning. To explore how this can be achieved, a descriptive survey was conducted to determine whether significant differences exist in students' affective learning of systems thinking based on gender, academic grade, and birth order. These factors were examined as they relate to emotional responses, engagement, and motivation, which are critical to developing students’ ability to apply systems thinking effectively. The study involved 380 junior high school students from a public high school in the Philippines. Findings revealed significant differences in how male and female students applied systems thinking. Students with higher academic grades showed greater appreciation for its application, while birth order had minimal influence on perspectives regarding systems thinking capabilities. These findings highlight the importance of strategies that consider individual differences, such as gender-related variations and cognitive diversity, in enhancing systems thinking development. By incorporating these insights, educators can design targeted interventions, and researchers can develop strategies to foster systems thinking skills essential for addressing real-world challenges

Pedagogical Innovation: An Analysis of Teaching Practice in Mathematics Professionals to Improve Students Learning

The aim of this research was to examine the teaching practice of professionals of the Secondary Specialization in Mathematics Didactics (SSMD) in secondary education, using a qualitative research design, cross-sectional type. Furthermore, we selected 11 teachers that finished their first education cycle in SSMD as sample. Two data collection instruments; observation technique and interview were used in this study. These instruments were used to collect information on the planning of learning sessions; description of learning session; critical reflection of learning session, intervention to overcome deficiencies; and commitment to improvements. The results showed many failures in the planning process of learning sessions, as well as in the execution and subsequent reflection, intervention and commitments to overcome them; these were consequences of the work of non-specialized professionals. Also, more than 50% of the teachers observed did not start with motivation that awaken the interest of the students based on situation in the environment, an organization in teams without established criteria, the use of inadequate didactic materials and the lack of strategies applied

Factors Influencing Teachers’ Behavioral Intention to Adopt E-books for Children with Learning Disabilities in Classroom

This study investigates the factors influencing users' willingness to use e-books. A quantitative research method was employed. 600 valid questionnaires were finally obtained, with an effective rate of 93.7 %. They were from both sexes: male (n=120; 20%) and female (480; 80%). Demand satisfaction, social impact, price value, and reading habits had a positive impact on users' willingness to use ebooks, among which reading habits have the greatest impact on willingness to use. Among the factors that satisfy users' demand, content demand, social interaction demand, and leisure and entertainment demand could all positively reflect demand satisfaction, among which leisure and entertainment demands had the highest degree of reflection

Direct and Indirect Acts of Labeling Gifted Pupils in the Pro-labeling Pedagogical Situations

The labeling gifted pupils is related to the unsparing treatment of the label “gifted” which creates inappropriate teachers’ emotions and attitudes towards giftedness. Labeling should be given through “direct acts”, which include specific pro-labelled actions and speech toward gifted and can be easily identified and eliminated. However, also the “indirect acts” exist, which are hidden in educational procedures. The study aimed to identify the pro-labeling pedagogical situations and describe the direct and indirect acts of labeling. The qualitative research was conducted in elementary schools in the Czech Republic, with class observations and teacher interviews as data sources. Nine pro-labeling pedagogical situations were identified which were typical with signs such as overemphasizing the differences between gifted pupils, unavailability of activities for other pupils, accentuated selection, and rigidity. The direct acts of labelling included naming gifted pupils by specific names, explicitly expressed instructions for gifted pupils, and presenting increased expectations for their performance. Acts of indirect labeling occurred in situations where the primary purpose was to engage gifted pupil, assemble a group of pupils with a strong performer, quickly activate pupils in competitions, develop the pro-social skills of the gifted, help weaker pupils, assign extra tasks according to recommendations and assess specific tasks for the gifted. The study highlights the existence of indirect acts of labelling next to the direct acts. Limiting the theory of labeling only to direct acts can lead to legitimization and frequent use of inappropriate pro-labeling pedagogical situations against gifted pupils

Exploring Factors Affecting High-School Student Entrepreneurship Competency

Entrepreneurial competencies are increasingly recognized as essential skills for students in today's dynamic and competitive world. This study aims to identify and validate the crucial entrepreneurial competencies of Thai high school students using a 2nd-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). A questionnaire was developed to assess these competencies, administered to a sample of high school technology teachers selected using multi-stage random sampling. The results indicated that technology teachers perceive the development of entrepreneurial competencies as crucial for their students. Specifically, the analysis revealed that entrepreneurial skills, leadership skills, and innovative adaptability were most important. These findings suggest that enhancing these competencies can significantly contribute to students' overall entrepreneurial potential. The research contributes to the understanding of entrepreneurial competencies among high school students and provides a validated framework for assessing these competencies. The study's novelty lies in its validation of essential entrepreneurial competencies specifically tailored for Thai high school students, offering a framework for assessing and nurturing these competencies in an educational context

Influences of Test Anxiety on Freshman Students’ Academic Achievement at Universities

The study aimed to investigate the Influence of Test Anxiety on Freshman Students’ Academic Achievements at Eastern Ethiopian Public Universities. A correlational research design was employed through stratified and systematic random sampling techniques to collect pertinent data from 353 freshman students. The quantitative data collected through the questionnaire were analysed by stepwise multiple linear regression, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Karl Pearson’s Coefficients of Correlation to answer the basic research questions and hypotheses. Firstly, the cognitive, behavioural, and emotional components of test anxiety respectively contributed about 50%, 29%, and 40% negatively to the variation of grade point average as a measure of academic achievement among freshman students. Secondly, test anxiety resulted in significant gender differences in students’ academic achievement. Finally, female students were more susceptible than their counterpart males to test anxiety. To conclude, the cognitive, behavioural, and emotional components of test anxiety were found to be the most influential variables that negatively affected freshman students’ academic achievement. To go over the main point, test anxiety matters for students during and before the exams because of fear of failure, competition with other classmates, and friends, or fear of losing the race competition influences the performance of students

Manifestations, Dynamics and Influencing Factors of EFL Learners’ Engagement in the Blended Learning Context

Learner engagement in blended learning contexts has been a hot topic in educational research for decades. This study adopted the diary method to investigate the manifestations, dynamic changes and influencing factors of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners’ engagement in blended learning contexts with an aim to have a deeper understanding about the fundamental nature of engagement in language learning. A total of 42 pieces of diary entries by two participants within three weeks were collected and analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings showed that learners’ behavioral engagement was manifested by routine learning behaviors and learner autonomous behaviors; cognitive engagement indicated by cognitive learning strategies and selfregulation strategies and emotional engagement manifested by both positive emotions such as enjoyment and confidence and negative emotions such as anxiety and frustration. Learner engagement in blended contexts was featured with a layer technological color and with some native characteristics. Individual learner’s engagement was varying with the day, showing non-linear changes. The trajectory of learner engagement stems from the dialectical interplay between individual factors and sociocultural environment. The findings have much pedagogical implications that teachers should take targeted measures to promote and sustain learner engagement

Promoting Emotional and Psychological Well-being in Students through a Self-Help ChatGPT Intervention: Artificial Intelligence Powered Support

The current study investigates the efficacy of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered interventions, in particular ChatGPT, for promoting emotional and psychological well-being among university students. While mental health issues continue to rise among university students, innovative approaches to accessible and scalable support are much needed. We employed a mixed-method approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. A self-help ChatGPT intervention was administered to university students, with effectiveness measured through a structured questionnaire and open-ended questions capturing user experience, emotional impact, and suggestions for improvement. . The results showed that the participants generally felt comfortable using the tool, and the outcomes regarding emotional support were positive, with high ratings for ease of communication, empathy, and practical advice provided. Students found the intervention effective in managing stress, anxiety, and other emotional challenges. However, some limitations were noted, especially regarding complex emotional issues. Cronbach's alpha for the questionnaire was high, showing internal consistency and reliable results. The majority of the students expressed satisfaction with the tool but at the same time recommended enhancements for further personalization to handle more subtle emotional responses. Overall, this study suggests that AI-powered support tools like ChatGPT can play an important role in enhancing the emotional well-being of students and offer a promising complement to traditional mental health resources. The potential for such interventions to achieve broader use requires further study and refinement

Mobile Learning in Mathematics Education: A Review of Research Trends and Keyword Analysis

Mobile learning (M-learning) has emerged as a transformative and innovative tool in mathematics education, providing flexible access to educational resources and garnering increasing attention. Despite extensive research, a systematic exploration of M-learning in mathematics education remains limited. To address this gap, this study employs a systematic literature review (SLR) method to analyze 58 publications from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, covering the period from 2015 to 2024. Articles were assessed and selected using rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure a comprehensive analysis. The findings reveal a consistent growth in M-learning research, with a 50% increase in annual publications post-2020. Geographically, Europe contributed 27.87% of studies, followed by Asia (24.59%) and North America (13.11%). Research methods evolved over the decade, with qualitative studies dominating earlier years (2015– 2018) and a shift towards quantitative (38%) and mixed methods (28%) post-2020. Frequently used keywords such as "mobile learning," "mathematics education," and "game-based learning" reflect the field's primary focus areas. These insights offer valuable guidance for researchers, educators, and policymakers, fostering the effective integration of M-learning in mathematics education and shaping future research directions in digital education

Exploring the Impact of Using - ChatGPT in Light of Goal Orientations and Academic Self-Efficacy

The emergence of generative AI, especially ChatGPT, has significantly impacted various institutions, including higher education, leading to increased debates among educators about its use. This study aimed to explore how student characteristics—particularly motivational goal orientations and academic selfefficacy—affect the intensity and manner of ChatGPT usage. It also investigated the consequences of using ChatGPT on Students' procrastination, academic performance, and academic flourishing. The study used scales measuring goal orientations, academic self-efficacy, ChatGPT usage, procrastination, and academic flourishing with a sample of 527 (242 male, 285 female) students from Damanhour University (73.2% undergraduate; 26.8% postgraduate). Academic performance was assessed through CGPA, and data were analysed using a structural equation model (SEM) to evaluate the proposed model’s adequacy. Findings revealed that students with high academic self-efficacy and learning goal orientation and prove performance goal orientation were less likely to use ChatGPT. Conversely, students with high levels of avoid performance goal orientation used ChatGPT more frequently. ChatGPT usage was associated with increased procrastination and decreased academic performance but did not significantly impact academic flourishing. Additionally, academic self-efficacy and the three goal orientations had varying indirect effects on students through their ChatGPT usage