{"title":"Teachers' perceptions of challenges to integrating social emotional learning professional development into EFL teacher training programs","authors":"Mona Najjarpour","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100501","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100501","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cultivating social-emotional competence is crucial for equipping English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers to navigate the intricate socio-emotional demands of the classroom. While fostering Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) within the teacher community offers a promising strategy, a significant gap exists in the dearth of such specialized programs designed to cultivate social-emotional well-being in EFL teachers. This lack of tailored initiatives raises question about the challenges hindering the integration of SEL-based professional development in EFL teacher training programs. To explore these challenges, this qualitative study elicited the perceptions of 18 Iranian EFL teachers, selected through convenience sampling. Participants completed an online open-ended questionnaire and participated in four online focus group discussions. Content and thematic analysis of the responses revealed several key challenges, including <em>content deficiency, resource scarcity, educational system priorities, limited acceptance, neglect of SEL value</em>, and <em>chronological constraints</em>. These findings advocate for a transformative shift in EFL teacher training, emphasizing the importance of teacher SEL and requiring authorities to prioritize its integration, embrace innovation, and allocate necessary resources. The implications of these findings are far-reaching, affecting materials developers, teacher professional development programs, authorities, and policymakers. By promoting SEL awareness and investing in relevant resources, these stakeholders can collectively enhance EFL teachers' social-emotional well-being, improving their ability to manage classroom challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73445,"journal":{"name":"International journal of educational research open","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100501"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144365215","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"When school discipline meets children’s rights: A systematic literature review of tensions and conflicts in the international literature","authors":"Amy Hanna","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100506","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100506","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In complex spaces such as schools, it is easy to see how children’s enjoyment of their rights may create rights conflicts where individual rights are claimed in a setting that is inherently collective. This presents tensions and oftentimes discord in decision-making in schools which are rarely debated as human rights concerns. This, perhaps, is because the ‘right to education’ is often understood as a right of access under article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), but not the features of a quality education enshrined in article 29 CRC. These features are most visible in an examination of school discipline policies which mediates the relationship between the State’s human rights obligations, duty bearing teachers, and students as rights-holders. This article presents the findings of a systematic literature review of 13 articles employing empirical, conceptual and doctrinal methodologies published between 2000–2024 which examine the human rights tensions and conflicts that arise from school discipline practice. The findings suggest that tensions and conflicts emerge between children’s education rights and school systems of rewards and sanctions, due process, and an absence of criteria for identifying, understanding and resolving human rights conflicts. I conclude by identifying several areas that require further empirical research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73445,"journal":{"name":"International journal of educational research open","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100506"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144611614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ilargi Zaballa , Maria Merino , José Domingo Villarroel
{"title":"Symmetry in children's spontaneous drawing and its progression over time","authors":"Ilargi Zaballa , Maria Merino , José Domingo Villarroel","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100477","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100477","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the evolution of the representation of bilateral symmetries in the spontaneous drawings of children throughout the stages of early childhood education and the first years of primary education. Although previous research has demonstrated that children already draw symmetrical patterns before formal schooling, the progression of this representation over time has not yet been analysed. This research focuses on how the frequency and complexity of pictorial motifs with bilateral symmetries vary between two school years. A total of 132 drawings made by 34 boys and 32 girls are analysed in two pictorial activities separated by an interval of 24 months. Three independent variables are involved: the period of pictorial activity, <em>gender</em> and <em>educational level</em>. The results indicate that bilateral symmetry is present in a large proportion of the drawings, showing a significant increase both in the frequency of its appearance and in the complexity of the motifs between the two activities. Similarly, compared with boys, girls use symmetry in their drawings earlier, and their symmetric representations are more elaborate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73445,"journal":{"name":"International journal of educational research open","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100477"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144070629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Relations of linguistic features, rhetorical moves, and writing quality in academic writing of secondary students","authors":"Undarmaa Maamuujav","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100505","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100505","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding what features characterize proficient writing and how linguistic and rhetorical features contribute to writing quality is crucial in understanding the complexity of writing and written text. To this end, this study examines the extent to which lexical sophistication, syntactic complexity, and rhetorical features predict human-judged writing quality using a learner corpus of text-based argumentative essays (<em>N</em> = 410) written by linguistically diverse students in middle and high school. Lexical sophistication, syntactic complexity, and rhetorical features were examined in connection to holistic writing quality. Analytic strategies include Pearson correlations, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural regression. Results show that observed variables of lexical sophistication, syntactic complexity, and rhetorical features are weakly to strongly correlated to holistic writing quality score (<em>r</em> = 0.26 to <em>r</em> = 0.66). A three-factor model in which the lexical sophistication, syntactic complexity, and rhetorical features are latent constructs that covary with one another had a close fit and was the best-fitting model. The latent construct of rhetorical features significantly predicts writing quality score while latent constructs of lexical sophistication and syntactic complexity are strongly correlated with rhetorical features. Implications for writing research and pedagogy are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73445,"journal":{"name":"International journal of educational research open","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100505"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144711734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Integrating technology assessment, systems thinking, and system dynamics in sustainability education: The need for an interdisciplinary framework","authors":"Inga-Maria Eichentopf , Hans Dieter Kasperidus","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100535","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100535","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In today's world, multiple global and national crises are unfolding simultaneously, underscoring the urgent need to prepare professionals for complex sustainability challenges and problem-solving. This article proposes an interdisciplinary educational framework that integrates Technology Assessment (TA), Systems Thinking (ST), and System Dynamics (SD) to support the development of sustainability-related competencies. These approaches facilitate the analysis of socio-technical systems, enable anticipation of long-term impacts, and support informed decision-making under uncertainty. Drawing on these methods, a conceptual model for a holistic academic program is proposed, targeting the integration of ecological, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability within higher education.</div><div>To explore expectations on a proposed set of disciplines, a survey was conducted among students and companies. Since the study concept was developed with a view to curricular considerations at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences (Germany), the survey was conducted among fifteen students from the Energy and Environmental Management program and ten Saxony-based companies affiliated with the university. The study investigated which topics both stakeholder groups consider essential for future graduates. Results indicate substantial agreement on the importance of systemic and future-oriented thinking, communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration—core elements of the TA, ST, and SD frameworks. These findings suggest that interdisciplinary methods and the integration of generalist skill profiles may help align educational offerings with societal and labor market needs. The proposed educational approach seeks to foster a generation of professionals equipped to tackle multifaceted climate challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73445,"journal":{"name":"International journal of educational research open","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100535"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145361858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ahmed M. Abdulla Alabbasi , Mark A. Runco , Selcuk Acar , Haitham Jahrami
{"title":"The reliability and validity of problem generation tests: A meta-analysis with implications for problem finding and creativity","authors":"Ahmed M. Abdulla Alabbasi , Mark A. Runco , Selcuk Acar , Haitham Jahrami","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100472","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100472","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Problem finding (PF) is a very important part of the creative process. This suggests that careful measurement is necessary. Paper and pencil Problem Generation (PG) tests were developed nearly 40 years ago in an attempt to assess the potential for PF. The reliability and validity of these instruments have yet to be statistically examined with meta-analytic methods. This meta-analysis examined 19 previous empirical investigations of PG tests to examine internal reliability (<em>k</em> = 43, <em>N</em> = 2029), convergent validity (<em>k</em> = 125, <em>N</em> = 2573), and discriminant validity (<em>k</em> = 26, <em>N</em> = 2145). Analyses indicated that the overall random-effects weighted mean reliability was α = 0.816, <em>t</em>(42) = 26.419, <em>p</em> < .001 (95 % CI: 0.786, 0.842), indicating good internal consistency. A second analysis produced a random-effects weighted mean validity coefficient, which indicated moderate agreement between PG tests and other creativity measures, such as divergent thinking and creative achievement (<em>r</em> = 0.463, <em>t</em>(124) = 13.994, <em>p</em> < .001 (95 % CI: 0.406, 0.518). The mean correlation among the scores produced by PG tests (i.e., fluency, flexibility, and originality) was 0.590, <em>t</em>(25) = 4.714, <em>p</em> < .001 (95 % CI: 0.364, 0.750), which indicates a moderate level of discriminant validity of the indices. Data were heterogeneous in all three analyses, but moderator analyses did not explain significant amounts of variation. This is the first study to examine the reliability and validity of the PG tests using meta-analytic methods. These showed that the test is, in several ways, a valid and reliable tool for assessing PF ability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73445,"journal":{"name":"International journal of educational research open","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100472"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143854927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Chappell , L. Hetherington , S. Juillard , C Aguirre , E. Duca
{"title":"A framework for effective STEAM education: Pedagogy for responding to wicked problems","authors":"K. Chappell , L. Hetherington , S. Juillard , C Aguirre , E. Duca","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100474","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100474","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This conceptual paper articulates a new strategic framework for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) education in Europe to respond to the challenges facing educators, researchers, students and policy makers. It draws on conceptualisations developed within the EU-funded Road-STEAMer project which is creating a STEAM education roadmap for policymakers at the secondary/ tertiary intersection, particularly in projects that feature open science/schooling and/or responses to ‘grand challenges’. Grounded in the complexity of the current STEAM education landscape, the paper articulates the characteristics of effective STEAM education developed through the Road-STEAMer project, in order to demonstrate how the benefits of STEAM can be catalysed. The paper explains the Road-STEAMer characteristics (equity, disciplinary inter-relationship, collaboration, real-world connections, thinking-making-doing, creativity and inclusion/ empowerment/ personalisation) which were developed from a focused literature review and then considers them in relation to two case studies addressing the post sustainability agenda: Ocean Connections and SciCultureD. Both projects are critically discussed using the Road-STEAMer characteristics to demonstrate the use of modern educational tools in STEAM, alongside how STEAM can contribute to empowering the next generation. The paper concludes by drawing together insights into the significance of the Road-STEAMer characteristics as a strategic framing for catalysing the benefits of STEAM, emphasising the importance of collaboration between researchers and practitioners to achieve this.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73445,"journal":{"name":"International journal of educational research open","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100474"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143935074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aitor Gómez , Jose Miguel Jimenez , Ana Burgués , Sara Carbonell , Carme Garcia-Yeste
{"title":"Impact of the peer group intervention in the dialogic model of prevention and resolution of conflicts to prevent gender violence from the school context","authors":"Aitor Gómez , Jose Miguel Jimenez , Ana Burgués , Sara Carbonell , Carme Garcia-Yeste","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The peer group intervention has been found to be effective to address violence in schools and is also effective to address particularly gender violence. The dialogic model of prevention and resolution of conflicts has as one main pillar the active positioning of the peer group as upstanders in front of any violence situation and has been found to be an effective approach to improve coexistence in schools and reduce violence. Less is known about how peer group intervention in the framework of the dialogic model of prevention and resolution of conflicts can contribute to prevent gender violence in the school context. Based on the analysis of qualitative data (interviews, focus groups and observations with a communicative orientation) collected in primary and secondary schools that are implementing the dialogic model of prevention and resolution of conflicts, this paper specifically addresses this gap. The conclusion of this study adds new evidence about the transformative potential of the peer group to prevent gender violence in schools that can be used to promote safer school spaces that protect from gender violence relying on the peer group.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73445,"journal":{"name":"International journal of educational research open","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100456"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143549907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Gambling parents and their children in Turkish society: Uncovering educational turmoil and remedial pathways","authors":"Ömer Gökhan Ulum","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100513","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100513","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the multifaceted impacts of parental gambling on children across educational, cultural, sociological, psychological, and economic dimensions. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, grounded in a robust theoretical framework integrating Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, Family Systems Theory, Social Identity Theory, Resilience Theory, and Goffman's Theory of Social Stigma. Quantitative data were collected through a validated Likert-type survey administered to 244 participants, while qualitative insights were derived from scenario-based techniques with a subset of 81 participants. The findings reveal significant disruptions in children's academic motivation and attendance due to financial instability and emotional neglect, alongside challenges in cultural identity and value transmission. Sociological impacts include heightened peer stigmatisation and social isolation. At the same time, psychological outcomes range from anxiety and depression to diminished self-esteem; economic instability further compounds these challenges, limiting access to essential educational and social resources. Notably, demographic factors such as parental age, occupation, gambling experience, and family size mediate these outcomes, underscoring the complexity of the issue. The study highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to mitigate these adverse effects, including school-based programs, psychological counselling, and community support initiatives. By addressing the nuanced interplay between familial and societal dynamics, this research contributes to the development of evidence-based policies and interventions that enhance child welfare and family stability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73445,"journal":{"name":"International journal of educational research open","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100513"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144860815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The impact of mindful pedagogy on creativity in higher education students, a systematic review","authors":"Annette Sweeney , Jolanta Burke , Trudy Meehan","doi":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100504","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijedro.2025.100504","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mindful pedagogy is a teaching strategy used in formal and informal ways in education, and creativity is an essential skill in higher education. This is the first systematic review seeking to understand this interconnection from the higher education student’s perspective. Seven literature databases were searched (Scopus, Psych Info, Academic Search Complete) including three education databases (Educational Resource Information Centre, British Education Index and Australian Education Index) from June to September 2023. The Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used. Of the 101 papers, 5 were selected and their methodological validity assessed using The Critical Appraisal Skills Checklist (CASP). There was significant heterogeneity in study aims, timeframes, samples, activities, and measurement tools. The integrated synthesis of the studies revealed that mindful pedagogy in higher education can positively impact creativity and creative confidence. Enabling this outcome is its ability to create a pathway for overcoming creative barriers thus promoting creative expression. Emerging from the comparisons between formal meditative practice and informal mindfulness in classroom activities, is the value of the informal approach, in progressing creativity knowledge, skills and competences, for applied learning and professional application. An educational framework for higher education and a mindful pedagogy toolkit, present the findings as a way of structuring the use of this pedagogical approach for creativity. Results also highlighted an impact on learner wellbeing. Using mindful pedagogy for developing creative expression in learners has potential in programme design. Further research is needed on understanding the impact from a student wellbeing perspective</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73445,"journal":{"name":"International journal of educational research open","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100504"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144535925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}