Technology use in physical education: the teachers’ challenges

Physical education (PE) is tactile, practical, and participative, making it more challenging to integrate technology than other academic subjects. This study intends to analyse the challenges faced by physical teachers while using digital technology in PE. This research included physical education teachers (PETs) from nine secondary schools in Selangor, Malaysia. Qualitative research design was applied in this study and the data was collected via semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. The technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework is used to analyse PETs technology education practises and issues. Results revealed that there were seven themes emerged for the obstacles: i) lack of infrastructure; ii) lack of financial support; iii) lack of training; iv) time and space management; v) perception and attitude towards PE; vi) student-related constrains; and vii) lack of educational resources. These findings can be useful to support education in the 21st century whereby the teachers should get extensive technology training to improve their digital skills, as well as regular and ongoing technology integration training

DIMenGeComS in action: evaluating its effectiveness on Mendelian genetics education

The primary goal of this study is to improve the understanding of Mendelian genetics among Grade 8 students through the use of digital interactive Mendelian genetic comic stories (DIMenGeComS). This research contributes to the field of education by providing an innovative and engaging method to teach complex genetic concepts. Utilizing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods research design, this study involved pretests and posttests to measure the effectiveness of DIMenGeComS. The key findings indicate a significant improvement in the students’ comprehension of Mendelian genetics as specified by normalized gain scores in sections such as Linnaeus (0.57), and Sampaguita (0.69), all of which were medium to approaching high-class gain and had significant probabilities (p0.0001) less than 0.05 level of significance. These results suggest that DIMenGeComS can be a valuable tool in science education, offering the potential for further research into its application in other areas of the curriculum

Activity preferences of Gen Z in rural communities: key insights for improving the Philippine PATH-Fit program

This study explored the activity preferences of Generation Z (Gen Z) students in rural communities to enhance the implementation of the Philippine physical activity towards health and fitness (PATH-Fit) program. Utilizing a qualitative-ethnographic approach, insights were obtained from 20 selected Gen Z students through expert-validated open-ended questions. The findings highlighted seven key preferences: lessen the lectures, holistic activities, sports and physical activities, comfort, accessibility, and convenience, community and outdoor activities, activities to deviate from technology, and activities that do not add stress. The study revealed that Gen Z students in rural areas prefer PATH-Fit activities that are engaging, diverse, and supportive of their overall well-being. They favor fewer lectures to allow for more interactive learning experiences that integrate social, mental, and emotional aspects alongside physical activities. Additionally, they seek activities that are comfortable, accessible, and convenient, valuing easy access and minimal hassle. Community engagement and outdoor experiences are also crucial to them, as are opportunities to disconnect from technology and avoid stress. These preferences emphasize the need for a well-rounded and adaptable approach to physical education (PE) that aligns with Gen Z students’ diverse needs and well-being in rural communities

Awareness of generative artificial intelligence in chemistry education among trainee teachers

Recent developments in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) are progressing swiftly, significantly impacting education. Therefore, this survey study aims to identify the level of awareness of GenAI in chemistry education among trainee teachers from the aspects of general knowledge and use in chemistry education through survey. The sample selection was carried out through random sampling involving 100 chemistry trainee teachers in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris. The questionnaire contained three parts, the demographics of the sample, the level of awareness of GenAI in among trainee teachers in the aspect of general knowledge and the level of awareness of GenAI among trainee teachers in the aspect of chemistry education. This research instrument obtained expert validity of 91.9% through percent of agreement and a reliability value of 0.92. The study reveals that trainee teachers exhibit a moderate level of awareness regarding GenAI in chemistry education, encompassing both general knowledge and its application in this domain. The implications underscore the importance of understanding how trainee teachers perceive and utilize GenAI, enabling academic institutions to devise more effective teaching methodologies incorporating GenAI tools

Bandwidth-immediacy-social connectedness framework for rural secondary school’s extended m-learning experience

Mobility, instant access to knowledge, social interaction, and flexibility in terms of time, location, and pace are just few of the many benefits that mobile learning (m-learning) provides. To build an ideal m-learning platform, a framework acts as a plan that directs the construction of a unified, user-friendly, and efficient m-learning environment. Through the utilisation of Stanford’s bandwidth-immediacy matrix as a foundational framework, the purpose of this study is to investigate the possibility of incorporating social connectedness as z-axis in between the bandwidth and immediacy axes by proposing a 3-dimensional matrix called bandwidth-immediacy-social connectedness in blue zone framework, shorten as BISC-B framework. A progressive web application (PWA) called bridging the urban-rural knowledge dissemination and learning gap (BURDLe) was developed with the implementation of BISC-B in order to fulfil the objectives of this study. BURDLe was evaluated for 2 weeks by students and teachers from Bachok, Kelantan, a remote Malaysian district. This study collected data sequentially using explanatory methods. Quantitative and descriptive analysis were used to summarise questionnaire data. Conversely, interviews were qualitatively analysed to validate the questionnaire results. The result of this study has revealed that social-connectedness is a factor that can influence the m-learning experience, along with bandwidth utilisation and immediacy

Learning literature: undergraduates’ views, experiences, and academic achievement

The paper explores the debate over incorporating literature into English as a second language (ESL) classrooms, underscoring the importance of addressing learners’ expectations and interests. Emphasising learners’ expectations and interests not only enhances engagement but also fosters a deeper appreciation for language nuances, cultural contexts, and diverse perspectives embedded within literary works. Therefore, the study aims to understand learners’ perspectives and challenges in learning literature, and assesses the impact on their literature academic achievements. The study utilised a quantitative approach that involved seventy pre-service teaching English as a second language (TESL) teachers enrolled in several literature courses. A questionnaire with multiple-choice and open-ended questions were used to gather relevant data, and responses were analysed using frequency counts and cross-tabulations. The academic grades of the learners were analysed and cross-tabulated with the questionnaire items. Overall, learners expressed positive views of literature, enjoying the learning process and emphasising the need for scaffolding and support in understanding the literature texts covered. These findings suggest implications for educators in planning and delivering literature courses, shaping how ESL learners engage with literature

Integrating computational thinking into English writing: development of a computational thinking-integrated module

This study addresses challenges in teaching English writing skills in English as a second language (ESL) classrooms, proposing a novel approach through computational thinking (CT). A CT-integrated writing module was developed for primary school ESL teachers using the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) model and qualitative research. Incorporating constructivist and experiential learning theories, the module uses visualization tools like circle maps and flow maps across 8 units, combined with an inquiry-based approach, scaffolding, and localized materials. The 5 CT elements-decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, algorithmic thinking and logical reasoning-are embedded to enhance learning. Focus group interviews with 4 ESL experts indicate strong acceptance, highlighting the module’s usability, content, and teaching activities. The study provides a framework for CT-based instructional modules to improve problem-solving and cooperative learning in English writing education

The relationship between students’ perceptions and their engagement through self-regulated learning

The engagement of psychology students in statistics courses requires improvement because the learning material is challenging to understand. This leads to the emphasis on the teaching ability of lecturers, which is one of the external factors to increase student engagement. Internal factors such as self-regulated learning can impact engagement during lectures. Therefore, this study examines the role of self-regulated learning as a mediator in the relationship between students’ perceptions of creativity fostering teacher behavior (p-CFTB) and the engagement of psychology undergraduates in the statistics class. A mediation test using RStudio software was utilised to examine the role of self-regulated learning as a mediator, and 533 undergraduate psychology students from different parts of Indonesia participated in this study. The results showed that self-regulated learning partially mediated the relationship between p-CFTB and student engagement with the indirect effect value was greater than the direct effect. Therefore, student engagement is more affected by self-regulated learning in its role as a mediator than when it occurs without a mediator. Consequently, this study found that the role of various actors, such as lecturer behavior to foster creativity is needed to improve student self-regulated learning so that student engagement can function at its most effective

Discovering the global landscape of problem-based learning and critical thinking: a bibliometric review

This study seeks to explore recent trends in publications related to problem-based learning (PBL) and critical thinking (CT). It analyzes annual growth rate, document type, source, languages, and subject area to assess their impact. This study identified publications by countries, analyzed authorship, and highlighted the most active institutions. It examined prevalent PBL and CT themes by analyzing keyword occurrences, source titles, and abstracts. A bibliometric approach was used to map existing research on PBL and CT from the Scopus database. The data were analyzed through the VOSviewer software for data visualization, Microsoft Excel 365 for frequency analysis, and Herzing’s Publish or Perish software for citation metrics. The findings demonstrated a growing combination of PBL and CT with an increasing demand. Articles, journals, English, and social sciences were the increasing types of publication documents (TP). The United States published the most documents. Donnelly, J. from Three Rivers Community was the top researcher in PBL and CT publications. Hong Kong Polytechnic University had the highest average citations per publication. The keyword “PBL” was frequently employed, and nursing education journals significantly impacted PBL and CT publications. Simultaneously, engineering and thinking skills were frequently employed terms in the title abstract and title field

Techniques for developing the emotional stability of high school students in the process of teaching mathematics: Ukrainian experience

The purpose of the study is to find out the effective methods of the mathematics teacher’s activity for the development of students’ emotional stability in the process of solving stereometric problems. We simulated individual elements of the learning environment that can help students reduce anxiety and expand the potential for emotional resilience in math learning. Our experimental teacher tested special techniques to prevent or relieve anxiety when solving problems. It was important stimulate students’ positive feelings, reduce the impact of negative emotions, and help increase students’ endurance in a stressful exam situation. The main research tools are: observation of the emotional state of students in the process of solving problems; modeling of pedagogical situations in order to identify methods for the development of students’ emotional stability; analysis, synthesis and systematization of observations of students’ activities. When substantiating the effectiveness of techniques for developing students’ emotional stability, the Delphi method was used. Stages of implementation: selection of experts; finding out 9 key factors, conducting interviews, analyzing and processing the results. The findings contribute to the expansion of knowledge about the conditions in which students’ emotional resilience can develop. The techniques we offer can be built into most math lessons