Xinghua Wang , Linlin Li , Qiyun Wang , Baichang Zhong , Yaqian Xu
{"title":"Meta–analyzing the impacts of social robots for children's language development: Insights from two decades of research from 2003 to 2023","authors":"Xinghua Wang , Linlin Li , Qiyun Wang , Baichang Zhong , Yaqian Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100702","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100702","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Robotics technologies powered by artificial intelligence are revolutionizing language learning, particularly for children who are at critical stages of language development. With the increasingly prevalent use of social robots in children's language acquisition, however, a comprehensive understanding of their effectiveness in this regard remains lacking. To address this gap, this study conducted a meta<strong>-</strong>analysis of 27 empirical publications spanning two decades from 2003 to 2023, involving 70 effect sizes and 1544 participants. The results revealed a moderate to large positive effect of social robots on children's language learning, especially for the affective dimension in social robot<strong>-</strong>assisted language learning (SRALL). The influence of social robots on language learning was moderated by the demographical factor (school levels), research designs (social robots' roles, language skills, intervention duration, language types, and control conditions), and social robot characteristics. For instance, older learners achieved higher cognitive outcomes, while younger learners showed greater affective gains. Moderately extended exposure to social robots could lead to increased effectiveness, although the impact varied depending on robot roles and the language skills targeted. Social robots were particularly useful for the improvement of speaking and mixed skill sets. While SRALL did not significantly outperform the control conditions in the cognitive dimension, it demonstrated significant advantages in the affective dimension. Additionally, anthropomorphic robots showed a higher effect size than cartoon<strong>-</strong>like robots. These findings contribute to child<strong>-</strong>robot interaction research and practice by informing the design of social robots and the development of pedagogy in supporting children's language learning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48125,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research Review","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100702"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144518546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The effect of problem-based learning approach on learning outcomes: A second-order meta-analysis study","authors":"Ayhan Koçoğlu , Sedat Kanadlı","doi":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100690","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100690","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The effect of the problem-based learning method on learning outcomes has been studied in various studies over the years. The fact that there are many meta-analyses on this subject in the literature requires determining how the method affects cognitive and affective learning outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the effect of the problem-based learning method on students' cognitive and affective learning outcomes. In addition, the effect of the method on learning outcomes was examined in terms of moderators such as study type, study quality, and subject area. The effect sizes obtained from the primary meta-analyses were interpreted through a second-order meta-analysis method covering a 30-year period. A total of 36 datasets from 22 primary meta-analysis studies were included in the analysis within the scope of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The mean effect of studies combined under a random-effects model in the study was calculated as g = 0.726, 95 % CI [0.587; 0.865]. This result means that problem-based learning has a greater effect on students' cognitive and affective learning outcomes than other methods. In addition, the results indicate that study quality is a significant moderator, with low-quality studies producing a larger effect size.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48125,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research Review","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100690"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144116170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Joram Pach , Malou Stoffels , Linda Schoonmade , Erik van Ingen , Rashmi A. Kusurkar
{"title":"The impact of educational activities on professional identity formation in social sciences and humanities: a scoping review","authors":"Joram Pach , Malou Stoffels , Linda Schoonmade , Erik van Ingen , Rashmi A. Kusurkar","doi":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100704","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100704","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Higher education programs increasingly emphasize professional identity formation (PIF) within their curricula, particularly in fields such as medicine and teacher education. Programs in social sciences and humanities (SSH) also increasingly recognize their role in preparing students for professional futures, yet knowledge on PIF in these disciplines is less integrated into the body of literature. This scoping review synthesizes knowledge regarding the impact of various educational activities on PIF within SSH programs. A comprehensive search identified 63 relevant studies. Educational activities within SSH programs were observed to contribute to PIF across three settings: classrooms and coursework, real-life projects, and internships. Three student outcomes emerged through which these activities impact PIF: formation of images of professions, experiential learning in professional contexts, and self-reflection on professional positioning. However, the fact that SSH disciplines typically are less clearly connected to specific professions, compared to medical and teaching education, complicates PIF. Furthermore, substantial variation between disciplines exists within SSH disciplines as well. The article presents a model that helps to understand how the relationship between activities enhancing professional identity (PI) and student outcomes depends on context. The model builds on the assumption that the application and effects of PI-enhancing activities can be assessed using four parameters: learning environment, student role, relevance of knowledge and support. These parameters are embedded within configurations connecting education and professional field that vary according to discipline, educational stage, professional requirements, faculty attributes, and individual student conditions. This preliminary model warrants validation through further research and holds potential to inform research and curriculum design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48125,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research Review","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100704"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144621790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katherine Vergara , Pedro O. Rossel , Valeria Herskovic
{"title":"Understanding the use of physical computing in K-12 education: A systematic literature review","authors":"Katherine Vergara , Pedro O. Rossel , Valeria Herskovic","doi":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100705","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100705","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Physical computing is a field that involves the use of sensors, actuators, and microcontrollers to build systems that interact with the environment. This approach has been used in education, particularly to teach computer science, programming, computational thinking, and design concepts. This systematic review explores the use of physical computing in K-12 education, with a focus on what educational interventions are like, how they are assessed, their effects, and how students experience them. We included 43 scientific studies that describe the methodology and assessment process used in the intervention. We found that physical computing interventions have three types of expected educational outcomes: to learn physical computing itself, to improve other learning outcomes, or to improve attitudinal variables. The interventions use a variety of educational methods to achieve their goals; as well as a variety of instruments to measure outcomes. A common lesson structure has emerged, widely adopted across classrooms, including a short lecture followed by a hands-on phase, usually including teamwork to foster collaboration. Further comparative and long-term studies are needed to understand how physical computing interventions affect students, especially those who are underrepresented.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48125,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research Review","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100705"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An overview of applications and trends of STEM for learning effectiveness——An umbrella review based on 22 meta-analyses","authors":"Jijian Lu , Hanjie Si , Jiaying Xu , Tugen Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100712","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100712","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper aims to study the current status of STEM application effectiveness and the impact of different moderating variables (subject areas, teaching periodicity, educational levels, teaching methods) on STEM learning effectiveness, in order to propose future application trends of STEM education. This study adopts the umbrella review approach to search and select 22 relevant meta-analyses published in international journals, covering 1266 meta-analyses, over 23 countries, and over 226, 845 students and systematically reviews the learning effectiveness of STEM education in terms of subject areas, teaching periodicity, educational levels, and teaching methods. The overall learning effectiveness of STEM education is generally below 0.7, with an impact on learning achievement of 0.42, an impact on higher-order thinking skills of 0.57, and an impact on cognitive outcomes of 0.59. Meanwhile, moderating variables (subject areas, teaching periodicity, educational levels, teaching methods) all have an impact on STEM learning effectiveness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48125,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research Review","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100712"},"PeriodicalIF":10.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144865211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kirsti Marie Jegstad, Sissil Lea Heggernes, Evy Jøsok, Erik Ryen, Ingvill Krogstad Svanes, Hilde Tørnby
{"title":"Approaches to critical thinking in primary education classrooms: A systematic review","authors":"Kirsti Marie Jegstad, Sissil Lea Heggernes, Evy Jøsok, Erik Ryen, Ingvill Krogstad Svanes, Hilde Tørnby","doi":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100711","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100711","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this article, we investigate what characterises the international research literature on critical thinking in social studies, science education and language education in primary schools. Through a systematic review of 105 articles published in English between 2010 and 2021, we answer two research questions: 1) What characterises the research literature on critical thinking in primary schools regarding publication rate, geographical origin, method, grade level and school subject? 2) What characterises the studies focusing on classroom practices to develop critical thinking? The latter question includes three sub-questions, focusing on research methods, theoretical grounding and types of classroom approaches. The results from the review show an increased research interest in critical thinking in primary schools since 2017, especially in language education and science education. The publications were unevenly geographically distributed. The bulk of them were conducted in grades 4–6, with grades 1–2 representing the lowest number. A variety of theoretical approaches were represented, but several studies lacked a firm theoretical grounding in critical thinking theory. Through an inductive analysis, classroom approaches were categorised as textual, dialogic, digital or practical. Through the review, we show that the careful selection of subject content that can activate students in critical dialogue can be a fruitful approach to developing young learners’ critical thinking skills to foster well-rounded thinkers with a critical spirit. Further research is needed from a broader range of geographical contexts to probe the connections between different theoretical perceptions of critical thinking and their related concepts and to add knowledge about the development of critical thinking in grades 1–2.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48125,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research Review","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100711"},"PeriodicalIF":10.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144738689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Active learning strategies in video learning: A meta-analysis","authors":"Yi Zhang , Rongna Li , Zhongling Pi , Jiumin Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100708","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100708","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Active learning strategies embedded in video content have become increasingly prominent tools for enhancing learners' educational experiences. However, the literature offers varied results concerning their effectiveness. In this research, we conducted a series of meta-analyses to assess the influence of active learning strategies on learners' motivation, cognitive load, and learning performance. On the basis of our criteria, 46 articles were included, encompassing 54 studies comparing active strategies with passive video watching. Most of these studies (74 %) were conducted between 2019 and 2025 and focused primarily on adults (93 %) and STEM disciplines (75 %), with embedded questions being the most common strategy (46 %). The meta-analysis results revealed that active learning strategies had a significant positive effect on learning performance, including retention (<em>k</em> = 24, <em>g</em> = 0.33), comprehension (<em>k</em> = 33, <em>g</em> = 0.28) and transfer (<em>k</em> = 24, <em>g</em> = 0.43), and increased motivation (<em>k</em> = 8, <em>g</em> = 0.15) and cognitive load (<em>k</em> = 19, <em>g</em> = 0.19). Additionally, our moderator analysis revealed that learners’ characteristics (i.e., age) and video attributes (i.e., pace, setting) significantly influenced the outcomes associated with active learning strategies. This research, grounded in various theoretical frameworks, highlights the potential of active learning strategies to increase the efficiency and quality of video-based education.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48125,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research Review","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100708"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144621792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ebony Melzak , Kelly-Ann Allen , Rhea Jain , Marc Pruyn
{"title":"A scoping review of the factors contributing to a sense of belonging in early career teachers","authors":"Ebony Melzak , Kelly-Ann Allen , Rhea Jain , Marc Pruyn","doi":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100700","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100700","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Teacher burnout and attrition present critical challenges for education systems globally, with up to 50 % of early career teachers (ECTs) leaving the profession within their first five years. While research has linked teacher belonging to increased resilience, job satisfaction, and organisational commitment, limited systematic understanding exists regarding how to foster belonging specifically among ECTs who face unique transitional challenges into the profession. This scoping review aims to synthesise findings regarding the factors that positively contribute to ECTs’ sense of belonging in their workplaces applying a socio-ecological lens. Four comprehensive electronic database searches yielded 4998 studies that were systematically reviewed to identify relevant research. The PRISMA-ScR guidelines were used, yielding 31 studies that met eligibility requirements. Forty-one factors were identified as contributing to sense of belonging in ECTs. Thematic analysis generated four key themes regarding the factors that contribute to ECTs belonging to their workplace. Key findings suggest that teacher collaboration, relationships with colleagues, supporting ECTs through their early-career journey, and getting ECTs involved in school decision making are critical areas to boost sense of belonging. These findings provide a starting point for future research to explore the empirical relationships between these factors and teacher belonging to guide interventions, strategies, and policies that can address teacher burnout and attrition rates globally.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48125,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research Review","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100700"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144241543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Helene Hallaråker , Elisabeth Hesjedal , Christian Brandmo
{"title":"Characteristics of interprofessional collaboration between educational psychological services and schools: A scoping review","authors":"Helene Hallaråker , Elisabeth Hesjedal , Christian Brandmo","doi":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100707","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100707","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Interprofessional collaboration is the preferred working approach for supporting children with special educational needs. Furthermore, educational psychology services (EPS) have been identified as a significant means of realizing the ideals of inclusive education for at-risk children. However, the literature on interprofessional collaboration is highly dominated by research in healthcare context with limited focus on educational settings. To address this gap, this scoping review provides an overview of research on interprofessional collaborations in educational settings, specifically between EPS and primary and lower secondary schools.</div><div>A systematic search was conducted in the PsycINFO, Pro Quest, and Web of Science databases yielding 1212 references. After screening, 156 references were reviewed in full text and 46 records were included in the final sample. These records included a wide range of methodologies (qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods) and document types (articles, doctoral theses, and handbook chapters). After extraction and analysis, our results revealed inconsistent terminology related to interprofessional collaboration and identified three levels of rationale for collaboration: individual, systemic, and a combination of both. Organizational issues were the most commonly reported challenges. Notably, few studies incorporated the perspectives of children and caregivers, and there was limited exploration of student outcomes. We conclude this review by providing implications for future research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48125,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research Review","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100707"},"PeriodicalIF":10.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144621793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Darius Endlich, Wolfgang Lenhard, Peter Marx, Tobias Richter
{"title":"Measuring spelling skills: A meta-analysis of the convergence of dictation and error detection tasks","authors":"Darius Endlich, Wolfgang Lenhard, Peter Marx, Tobias Richter","doi":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100706","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100706","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate spelling is essential for academic and professional achievement. Developing cost-effective assessments to provide early support for children experiencing difficulties with spelling is crucial. In the past, dictations have been the primary method for measuring spelling skills. However, given that reading and spelling rely on shared orthographic knowledge, detecting spelling errors might serve as a more efficient assessment approach. Recently, passive formats have gained prominence such as error identification tests or multiple-choice formats, which can be administered digitally. This study aimed to examine the relationship between active and passive methods of spelling assessment in a meta-analysis while examining potential moderators. A multilevel meta-analysis was conducted, utilizing 27 studies with 69 samples and 113 correlations. A strong positive overall correlation of <span><math><mrow><mover><mi>r</mi><mo>‾</mo></mover></mrow></math></span> = .77, 95 % CI [.74, .80] was found. Stimulus material and various forms of active and passive methods for assessing spelling skills significantly influenced the relationship as moderators, whereas grade level had no impact. No evidence of publication bias was detected. The positive relationship between active and passive methods of spelling assessment supports their interchangeable use in practice. As the number of primary studies increases, future meta-analyses could explore further moderators that may influence the strong overall correlation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48125,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research Review","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100706"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144566519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}