International Journal of Educational Research最新文献

{"title":"Gamification and active learning in project management: A replicable model for business and management education","authors":"Pablo Aparicio-Ruiz ,&nbsp;Ana María De la Torre-Sierra ,&nbsp;Elena Barbadilla-Martín","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.103010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.103010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In Engineering education, a gamification-based pedagogical tool has been introduced to enhance the teaching of project management. This innovative approach aims to equip students with essential skills to tackle contemporary engineering challenges. Recognizing the importance of project management in engineering, the study focuses on the Scrum framework, known for promoting collaboration and adaptability. It hypothesizes that a Scrum-based board game can improve students’ understanding and performance in project management.</div><div>An experimental study was conducted within a Master’s in Industrial Engineering program. A total of 112 students participated in the gamified activity (experimental group), while a control group followed traditional teaching methods. Both groups were assessed on their learning processes and exam performance. Results revealed that the experimental group showed significantly better comprehension of project management concepts, along with increased motivation and efficiency.</div><div>This research offers empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of gamification in education. It also provides practical guidelines for implementing such tools in academic settings. By fostering innovative teaching practices, the study contributes to the ongoing development of engineering competencies. Furthermore, it presents a replicable model that can be adapted to business and management education, where project management skills and active learning strategies are equally critical.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"138 ","pages":"Article 103010"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147797764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Work-related motivational and self-regulatory characteristics and academic achievement within a project-based learning context: A study of human nutrition and dietetics students","authors":"Francisco Miguel Escandell Rico,&nbsp;Lucía Pérez Fernández","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.103092","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.103092","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study primarily examined the associations between students' self-regulation-related characteristics and mean overall academic transcript grade within a Project-Based Learning (PBL) environment in Human Nutrition and Dietetics education. Secondary analyses examined satisfaction with PBL, while exploratory analyses assessed sex-related differences and student profiles. An observational study was conducted with 160 undergraduate students from two consecutive academic cohorts (2024–2025 and 2025–2026). Students' mean overall academic transcript grade, work-related motivational and self-regulatory characteristics, and satisfaction with PBL were assessed using academic records and questionnaire measures. Preliminary psychometric analyses showed adequate internal consistency of the refined willingness-to-work scale (Cronbach's α = 0.805). Multiple linear regression showed positive associations between academic achievement and persistence, sustained effort, responsibility, and carefulness in task completion, whereas several indicators related to rapid task completion, work interruption, and self-regulatory difficulties showed negative associations. Satisfaction with the PBL methodology relative to traditional learning methods was positively associated with academic achievement. Exploratory analyses identified sex-related differences in several motivational and self-regulatory variables and two differentiated student profiles according to academic achievement and motivational/self-regulatory characteristics. These findings identify statistical associations between students' motivational and self-regulatory characteristics and academic achievement within the PBL-based learning environment examined. The findings should not be interpreted as evidence of a causal effect of PBL, but rather as evidence of patterns of association observed among students participating in a common PBL learning experience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"140 ","pages":"Article 103092"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148854219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Character education with vulnerable children and adolescents in non-formal contexts: A systematic review","authors":"Idoia Correa Díaz","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.103052","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.103052","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Character education has regained prominence in educational research due to its potential to combine moral, emotional and social development with citizenship education and inclusion. Despite this, most of the literature has focused on the school context, with less exploration of non-formal settings, where social education plays a key role in supporting vulnerable children and adolescents. This systematic review, carried out according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, aims to identify, analyse and synthesise programmes and interventions in non-formal contexts that promote character development in vulnerable children and adolescents. The search was conducted on Web of Science and Scopus between March and May 2025, focusing on publications between 2015 and 2025. Of the 426 initial search results, 25 studies met the inclusion criteria. The results were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and a qualitative narrative synthesis. The findings show that most programmes are framed within models such as Positive Youth Development (PYD), values education, resilience or the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model, which share ethical foundations with both character education and moral education. These interventions mostly take place in sports and community contexts with adolescents, resulting in positive effects on self-esteem, empathy, social and emotional skills, and a sense of belonging. However, there are limitations in terms of methodological consistency, sample size and the definition of moral constructs. The results show the potential of non-formal contexts as prime settings for holistic and moral development in vulnerable populations, and the need to advance towards a common conceptual framework that builds a bridge between character education and social education, by promoting more integrated, continuous and context-sensitive practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"139 ","pages":"Article 103052"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148524188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Overeducation and wage penalties among young university graduates in Vietnam","authors":"Tuyen Quang Tran ,&nbsp;Lan Anh Tran ,&nbsp;Ngoc Bich Thi Vu ,&nbsp;Dao Van Le","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102864","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102864","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the impact of overeducation on wages among young university graduates in Vietnam from 2018 to 2022. Using an instrumental variable (IV) approach to address potential endogeneity, the findings reveal that graduates in jobs not requiring a university degree face a wage penalty of approximately -30 %. Significant gender and regional disparities in wage penalties are also observed: female graduates experience a larger penalty (-42 %) compared to male graduates (-24 %), and urban graduates incur a higher penalty (-40 %) than rural graduates (-22 %). These differences suggest that factors such as gender discrimination, occupational segregation, and regional labor market conditions contribute to the wage effects of overeducation. The study further highlights the roles of gender, field of study, and employment sector in wage determination and overeducation. Male graduates are more likely to be overeducated than females, and graduates in most fields (except health and medicine) are more prone to overeducation compared to those in education. The effects of field of study on overeducation vary by gender and region, particularly in health and medicine, science and technology, and agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 102864"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145521125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pre-primary teachers’ understanding and implementation of inclusive pedagogy for literacy acquisition in Tanzania","authors":"Veronica Kamanzi,&nbsp;Tuomo Virtanen,&nbsp;Marja-Kristiina Lerkkanen,&nbsp;Sirpa Eskelä-Haapanen","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102884","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102884","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Teachers as key actors play key role in implementing inclusive education in early childhood education. This study examines pre-primary teachers’ understanding of inclusive education and pedagogy and its implementation for literacy acquisition in diverse classrooms. Thirty teachers from 16 pre-primary schools in Tanzania were interviewed, and the data were analysed using content analysis and inductive reasoning. The study revealed that teachers had varied understandings of inclusive education and pedagogy for literacy acquisition. Some viewed inclusive education as education for all without segregation, and inclusive pedagogy (IP) as a set of strategies to support inclusion by addressing students’ diverse learning needs. Others were unfamiliar with these concepts and lacked standardized strategies for identifying learners’ needs. In implementing inclusive pedagogy, teachers emphasized the use of teaching materials and environments, differentiation and individual support, lesson assessment and feedback, collaborative and participatory learning, and emotional pedagogical love as inclusive strategies for teaching literacy to diverse learners. This work calls for professional development programmes on inclusive pedagogy for pre-primary teachers and the provision of proper teaching and assistive resources for learners with diverse literacy needs. Furthermore, structured inclusive pedagogy frameworks and practical guidelines should be integrated into teachers’ education curricula and pre-primary education policies to create a more inclusive early childhood education for literacy acquisition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"135 ","pages":"Article 102884"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145615727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Academic freedom under strain: Navigating the universalistic ideal and particularistic pressures","authors":"Sina Westa ,&nbsp;Benedikte Custers","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.102952","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.102952","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In discussions on academic freedom, the concept often remains undefined. In this article, we focus on academic freedom’s entanglement with the varying purposes of the university. We approach this by distinguishing between a universalistic purpose of the university and particularistic interests imposed upon the university. The former refers to the disinterested pursuit of knowledge and is autotelic, having a purpose in and of itself. The latter involves external demands placed on the university by actors such as the state, the church or society more broadly. In our empirical case studies, we examine a range of actors to explore how different conceptions of the university’s purposes are employed in justifying infringements on academic freedom. Based on our empirical material, we argue that academic freedom is frequently invoked by university actors to defend the universalistic purpose of the university against particularistic pressures. From the cases analysed we conclude that academic freedom is intrinsically linked to the universalistic purpose of the university, and that maintaining this link serves the wider interests of society.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 102952"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beyond preference: Economic and contextual drivers of learning format choices","authors":"Gorgodze Sophia,&nbsp;Alagardashvili Shorena,&nbsp;Giunashvili Zakaria","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102910","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102910","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the landscape of education, accelerating the adoption of online and blended learning models. This study examines post-Soviet Georgia, where universities implemented online and blended learning solely as an emergency pandemic response, providing an opportunity to study initial digital learning exposure in a traditionally face-to-face system. Utilizing latent class analysis (LCA), the research explores how students’ experiences with online and blended learning during this period shaped their future preferences for learning formats.</div><div>In 2023, an online survey (<em>N</em> = 875) was conducted across seven universities in Georgia, followed by 14 student focus groups. The analysis identifies distinct student groups based on priorities such as learning quality, environment, social interaction, and affordability. Logistic regression and qualitative insights highlight key factors shaping preferences, including travel costs, home study conditions, digital literacy, and ICT experience.</div><div>The findings suggest that, contrary to global trends that mostly highlight high student satisfaction with blended learning, a majority of students in this higher education context continue to prefer face-to-face instruction. Blended and online formats are preferred primarily when tied to specific student needs, such as financial constraints or geographic accessibility.</div><div>Apart from the cost and flexibility, which drive a significant portion of students towards online and blended learning, a supportive home environment and strong academic performance during the pandemic also increase the preference for these formats.</div><div>These results underscore the need for traditional higher education systems to align their offerings with students' economic needs, thereby enhancing inclusivity and satisfaction in the post-pandemic era.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 102910"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Restricted learning, engaged student. Understanding the effects of academic freedom violations on youth education and activism","authors":"Ester Gallo,&nbsp;Cristina Mazzero","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102873","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102873","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article investigates the relationship between student academic freedom, educational experiences, and activism within authoritarian contexts, adopting a socio anthropological lens. Drawing on an ex-post comparative analysis of studies on Turkey and Belarus, the research is grounded in in-depth interviews with 47 students (29 from Turkey, 18 from Belarus). First, the study develops a typology of academic freedom violations that students encounter, identifying variations along two critical axes: the source of the violations and their visibility. Each type significantly yet differently impacts students’ capability development and membership to the academic community. Secondly, the article examines the resultant forms of student mobilization, fruitfully distinguishing between activism <em>as</em> academic freedom and activism <em>for</em> academic freedom. Student experiences reveal how these interrelated strategies, employed both nationally and transnationally, evolve across time and contexts. Ultimately, this article advocates for a holistic and relational understanding of academic freedom. Such an approach acknowledges the mutual dependencies and potential discrepancies between diverse members of university communities (students, faculty, staff, governance) and recognizes the significance of experiences and responses that transcend national borders. It underscores the need to consider student perspectives and transnational dimensions in defense of academic freedom, particularly in restrictive political environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"136 ","pages":"Article 102873"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145659078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of influencing factors on primary school teachers’ research self-efficacy in practice-based research: a dual analysis based on structural equation modelling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis","authors":"Rui Jiang ,&nbsp;Fan Ma ,&nbsp;Ching Sing Chai ,&nbsp;Yushun Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.102965","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.102965","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Practice-based research (PBR) is vital for teacher professional development, positioning teachers as knowledge producers rather than passive consumers. However, the factors influencing research self-efficacy among primary school teachers remain underexplored. This study examines five intrinsic factors shaping research self-efficacy: research management, innovation awareness, research knowledge, problem identification, and research ethics. Two complementary methodologies are implemented with 673 Chinese primary school teachers: the structural equation modelling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). SEM reveals that research self-efficacy is significantly predicted by research management, knowledge, and ethics. Innovation awareness and knowledge positively predict research management, while problem identification and ethics predict innovation awareness. FsQCA identifies four profiles with high research self-efficacy: strategic manager, professional participant, ethical supporter, and effective producer. Three profiles with low research self-efficacy emerge: layman, routine participant, and constrained innovator. These findings provide practical implications for developing teachers’ research self-efficacy by strengthening key intrinsic factors through tailored developmental pathways.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 102965"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146189535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of coordination skill development on Year 4 pupils’ mathematics performance and engagement","authors":"Tamás Kertész ,&nbsp;József Bognár ,&nbsp;Zsolt Szakály","doi":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.102962","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijer.2026.102962","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Classroom lessons supported by physical activity improve primary school children's cognitive levels, attention and engagement. Research demonstrates that incorporating the development of coordination skills and associated tasks into mathematics lessons leads to positive changes in students' behaviour and their willingness to engage with tasks. The use of innovative tools and methods to support movement-based development in the classroom remains an under researched area. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative sports tool and its associated motor coordination-based methods in the teaching of mathematics to Year 4 primary school students. Pupils from a primary school in a county town participated in the study. The sample was divided into experimental group (<em>n</em> = 28) and the control group (<em>n</em> = 27). The innovative coordination tool and its specific teaching methods was employed to support the teaching and learning process in mathematics over a 10-week programme. The effectiveness of this non-traditional educational tool was assessed through algebra and geometry worksheets completed before and after the intervention. Additionally, interviews were conducted with teachers and school leaders to gain insight into understand the broader impact of the intervention on the school. According to repeated ANOVA analysis, a small effect was detected for the variables of time and group. Additionally, a large effect was observed between the pre- and post-measurement within the groups, alongside a small effect between the groups. Significant improvements in both algebra and geometry variables were found in the experimental group from pre- to post-measurement, whereas no significant differences were observed in the control group. In-depth interviews corroborated the effectiveness of the innovative sports system across cognitive, affective and social domains, from both managerial and teaching perspectives. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that 10–15 min of the coordination development programme inserted into lower primary school classroom activities over a 10-week period resulted in significant improvements in academic achievement and engagement in mathematics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48076,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Educational Research","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 102962"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147397118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}