University of Teacher Education Styria

Integrating digital technologies in science education requires innovative methods to bridge theoretical knowledge and practical classroom application. This study examines a seminar at an Austrian university that was redesigned to address pre-service chemistry teachers’ professional knowledge regarding technology implementation in high school classes via a service-learning approach. By combining questionnaires with formative evaluation through reflective learning diaries, our study captures the multifaceted nature of professional knowledge acquisition. Central to this work is the use of natural language processing within a Computational Grounded Theory framework to analyze students’ reflective diaries. We employed techniques such as word embeddings and topic modeling to extract latent themes and patterns in student texts. We revealed that, despite mixed results from conventional self-report measures and deductive qualitative content analysis, students’ written reflections offered rich insights into their learning processes when we investigated them through the lens of natural language processing. Along the diary entries, our analysis uncovered shifts in emphasis from, e.g., broad cultural perceptions of teaching and learning to more detailed considerations of lesson planning and technology integration. These nuanced insights underscore the complementary value of natural language processing in identifying underlying patterns of reflective practice that traditional assessments may overlook. Although the study is limited by its small sample size and methodological constraints, the findings suggest that incorporating computational techniques can enhance the formative assessment of free writing in teacher education programs. Overall, the results motivate us to advocate for the integration of computational text analysis as a promising tool in evaluating and fostering the complex interplay of professional knowledge and reflective practice in technology-enhanced science education.

This chapter explores the innovative integration of remote laboratories into educational frameworks, providing theoretical insights and practical applications. The objective of this chapter is to demonstrate the efficacy of remote laboratories in enhancing science education across diverse educational levels by presenting three exemplary remote laboratory exercises developed within the OnLabEdu project. These remote labs, including the Characteristic Curve Lab for measuring electronic components, the Human Eye Lab for modeling the human eye, and the Leslie Cube Lab for studying thermal radiation, are important learning assets. We provide insights into concrete tasks designed to deepen students’ understanding of complex scientific concepts. These tasks are designed to add significant value to learning at the school or university level. This chapter offers educators a comprehensive ideas for implementing and optimizing remote labs to enrich the learning experience. It does so through detailed descriptions, application scenarios, and user feedback.

Background The European Green Deal has rekindled interest in the mining of critical raw materials within Europe’s borders. The Weinebene lithium deposit, near Wolfsberg (Austria), deemed uneconomic as late as the 2000s, has attracted interest from developers because of the widespread demand for the metal for battery technology and in the electro-mobility sector. Based on a multi-scalar analysis, the main objective of this study is to investigate local citizens’ and politicians’ perceptions of potential environmental and socio-economic impacts of the Wolfsberg project. We deploy an interdisciplinary political geology approach that assesses its geological feasibility, social acceptability and the associated power relations, in the light of European debates around so-called ‘green extractivism’. Results The exploitation of the lithium deposit seems to be promising from a geological point of view: the Weinebene hard rock, vein-type spodumene deposit was assessed at 12.9 Mt grading 1% Li2O, and the planned mine could provide 10,500 tpa LiOH/year for a period of 20 years, which would be around 4.5% of global production in 2021. However, the main results of the study show that conflicts are emerging around local environmental impacts, for example, the increase of traffic. Such environmental impacts resulting in greater CO2 emissions contradict decarbonisation objectives and ecological transitions. Local youth and politicians have highlighted the possibility of local mineral production, job creation and economic development. Nevertheless, politicians have criticized the company’s communication policy. Conclusions The geological analysis suggests adequate lithium resources. Otherwise, the Wolfsberg project is undermined by the lack of an open public dialogue on its future. Local residents and politicians are barely involved in the planning and permitting stages. The company European Lithium is confident of starting extraction soon, but in reality this is still uncertain. More widely, our results point towards the need for a strong degrowth strategy to generally reduce mineral consumption in Europe while also stopping destructive mining projects in the Global South. Local public perceptions have to be taken more into account when it comes to the future of lithium extraction in Europe’s ‘backyard’. Mechanisms need to be developed to fully integrate local residents into decision making processes.

Background/Objectives: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and clinician-reported outcome measures (CROMs) are used in orthopaedic rehabilitation to evaluate patients’ health status and recovery. However, controversy still exists regarding their relevance and validity. This evaluation was conducted to assess the effectiveness and role of PROMs and CROMs in the orthopaedic rehabilitation outcome of patients who have undergone either total knee arthroplasty or hip arthroplasty. Methods: Outcome measures of 409 patients (68.3 ± 9.3 years; 34.2% male) with total knee arthroplasty and 308 patients (68.1 ± 10.6 years; 36.3% male) with total hip arthroplasty (control group) were assessed at baseline and after 21 days of inpatient rehabilitation. Effect sizes and correlations were analysed as they related to the use of PROMs and CROMs. To reduce statistical distortions caused by ceiling effects, we used a performance score (T2D) relying on two scores taken at the beginning and end of rehabilitation. Results: Large effect sizes (d > 0.97) for CROMs and medium effect sizes (d ≥ 0.65) for PROMs were observed in both groups. The standardised mean difference across all outcomes was 0.83 ± 0.59. PROMs worsened in 13.1% of all patients, while almost no patients showed a deterioration in CROMs. Correlations were highest between the Timed Up and Go and the Health Assessment Questionnaire scores (ρ > 0.45). Conclusions: Different and complementary assessment modalities of PROMs and CROMs serve as valuable clinical tools, providing a valid basis for interpreting patients’ health outcomes.

Introduction This paper is concerned with investigating the cognitive demands of solving force diagram tasks in different scenarios, specifically in the wind context. Methods In this study, students were trained using worked examples and then completed tasks in two different scenarios while their eye movements were monitored with eye-tracking technology. After completing the tasks, cognitive load was assessed to evaluate the impact of task complexity on cognitive processing. Eye-tracking metrics were analyzed in detail to identify gaze strategies, differences and similarities. Results It was found that a three-force scenario (surface wind formation) induced a higher intrinsic cognitive load than a two-force scenario, which is not only theoretically justified by cognitive load theory, but also confirmed by eye-tracking metrics. Although correlation analyses show no significant relationship between the ability to mentally rotate and learning success, the role of mental rotation in problem solving is highlighted by eye-tracking data. Discussion Our results contribute to a better understanding of the learning and problem-solving mechanisms involved in wind direction determination and offer possible implications for the design of more effective teaching and learning methods in this area.

In this paper, error analyses are used to reveal the nature of mathematical procedural knowledge. In particular, the aim is to empirically confirm the structure of procedural knowledge described in theory and to further differentiate the corresponding terms. In this context , the coding of the processing of procedural tasks by students at the end of their high school years (n = 455) shows that knowledge of the procedure and arithmetic/algebraic skills can be objectively reconstructed as components of procedural knowledge. The analyses show that procedural knowledge and corresponding difficulties become visible in many ways when working on relevant tasks and that anecdotal experiences about a lack of mathematical procedural knowledge among students must fall short. The didactic implication is that the support of procedural knowledge acquisition needs to be both individualised and task specific. The results also reveal interesting correlations between deficiencies and errors in the processing of procedural tasks and specific item characteristics. For example, deficiencies in knowledge of the procedure tend to occur more frequently in tasks at higher grade levels and in analysis, while specific errors in arithmetic/algebraic skills are more likely to be found in algebra and tasks that require more procedural steps.

Current work environments, driven by globalization, demographic changes, and digitalization, demand substantial adaptation, which leads to decreased employee well-being. While occupational psychology research has identified supportive mechanisms, it often lacks a deepened understanding of how interventions function. This study aims to analyze the impacts of VUCA contexts and leadership behavior on job crafting, focusing on white-collar workers. Our objective is to identify workplace configurations that safeguard employee health in dynamic settings. Utilizing the JD-R model augmented by job crafting as a theoretical framework, we conducted qualitative comparative case studies using the GABEK® methodology to analyze and systematize data. This approach captures complex organizational interrelationships through sentence analysis, transforming subjective meanings into a comprehensive network and providing deeper insights into organizational dynamics. Research findings reveal that evolving work demands, notably from digital transformations, impact knowledge management, communication, and employee well-being. IT discrepancies and communication deficits intensify work complexity, underscoring the need for enhanced management frameworks. Proactive and adaptive leadership, along with job crafting, is crucial for protecting health and enhancing performance in fast-paced digital environments. These strategies promote structured decision-making and efficient knowledge management, fostering a resource-oriented culture that enhances employee well-being and overall effectiveness.

The health status (HS) of children is influenced by a variety of factors, including physical fitness (PF) or social and environmental characteristics. We present a 4-year longitudinal study carried out with 263 primary school children. PF was assessed yearly using the German Motor Performance Test 6-18. Demographic data, leisure time behavior and socioeconomic factors were collected using questionnaires for children and parents. Based on parents' ratings in year 4, children were categorized as either "very good health status" (VGHS) or "good health status or below" (GHSB). Children with VGHS (73%) showed a larger improvement of global PF (p < 0.001), a significantly higher proportion of being/playing outside (p < 0.001), significantly lower proportions of overweight (p < 0.001), of media availability in the bedroom (p = 0.011) and of daily media consumption > 2 h (p = 0.033) compared to children with GHSB. Regarding socioeconomic factors, children with VGHS revealed significantly fewer parents with lower education (p = 0.002), lower physical activity levels (p = 0.030) 2 AIMS Public Health Volume 11, Issue 1, 1-18. and lower migration background (p < 0.001). Physical fitness (p = 0.019) and outdoors exercising (p = 0.050) were the only variables to provide significantly higher chances of perceiving one's own health as very good when tested within a complex model including all the variables studied in this work. Considering the little focus on PF in the current Austrian physical education curriculum and the favorable environmental features of the Tyrolean region, more emphasis should be given to promoting didactical and pedagogical approaches that allow schoolers to be active in the nature.

Teachers commonly use examples that omit friction to teach Newton’s first and second law. Beyond the motion of planets, the flow of horizontal high-altitude winds along the isobars presents a real-world motion scenario with negligible friction. This natural phenomenon serves as an applicable context for the exploration of Newton’s first and second axioms and the vector addition of forces. This paper explores wind dynamics as a context that addresses force concepts, a relevant topic in high school physics. Here, we focus on forces affecting air parcels at high altitudes. For comparison, we also explain the wind at ground level (called surface wind), where friction plays an important role. We aim to elucidate the complexities of wind forces, offering a comprehensive understanding of how these forces interplay in real-world scenarios. Furthermore, we provide detailed examples of tasks for high school students to acquire an understanding of wind and aligning forces.

Introduction : Statins are effective in reducing high cholesterol levels; however, due to associated side effects, many patients actively seek alternative medications. This review evaluates the efficacy, side effects, patient adherence, cost-effectiveness, and accessibility of dietary supplements (DS) as a treatment option for hypercholesterolemia. Methods This narrative review compares red yeast rice (RYR), flaxseed, artichokes, bergamot, Ayurvedic mixtures (with garlic as a prominent ingredient), and statins for treating hypercholesterolemia. We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases for studies published between 2012 and 2024 using “hypercholesterolemia” in combination with a dietary supplement (red yeast rice, flaxseed, artichokes, garlic, or bergamot). The selected articles were published until 28th January 2024 with no language restrictions. Results Study results suggest that alternative treatments using dietary supplements such as flaxseed, bergamot, or red yeast rice may effectively reduce cholesterol levels, with the specific value varying based on the study. Conclusion The following natural ingredients - red yeast rice, artichoke extract, bergamot, garlic, and flaxseed - have been specifically selected for their cholesterol-lowering properties. Based on consistent usage, except for aged garlic extract, these ingredients appear to have a beneficial impact on cholesterol levels. (1) It is advisable to conduct a comprehensive cohort study to assess the efficacy of relevant dietary supplements, particularly red yeast rice, bergamot, and flaxseed, in treating hypercholesterolemia. This is important due to the varying effectiveness of alternative treatments. However, there are lingering concerns regarding the lack of supervision and quality control that require attention. (2) Further research into the specific molecular composition and the underlying mechanisms by which it reduces cholesterol levels is warranted.

We point out potential drawbacks of some of Leising et al.’s (2022a) proposed ways how personality science can be improved. We argue that it is ill-advised to use only one measure for a concept. Also, we argue that researchers should not refrain from conducting a study when a high level of statistical power is precluded. Then, we go one step further and formulate additional ideas of how to improve research. Specifically, we argue that it is a good thing to use different methods rather than only one when attempting to generalize across these methods. Moreover, we argue for a more theory-driven strategy for specifying factor analytic models, and we emphasize that high-quality research is often interdisciplinary. Finally, we point to a particular risk associated with any formal reward system.

This study aims to examine pre-service teachers' academic success longitudinally. We studied in 537 pre-service students how three criteria of success (achievement, intention to persistent and actual retention) could be predicted by demographic, cognitive, personality , and motivational variables. Applying structural equation modelling , we found distinct patterns in the predictive power of the variables across the criteria. About one fourth of the variance in achievement could be explained by verbal ability and conscien-tiousness. Intention to persist was weakly intercorrelated with actual retention; the criteria also showed distinct prediction patterns. Intention to persist could be explained by only one predictor. Intrinsic motivation accounted for almost half of the variance in the criterion. The included predictors were less powerful in the prediction of actual retention: age, verbal ability and intrinsic motivation together accounted for about ten percent of the variance. The results underscore the complex and multifaceted nature of pre-service teachers' academic success. ARTICLE HISTORY

Based on a large (N = 612) longitudinal sample in a teacher education program, we compared how three methods of personality scoring—manifest mean scores, correlated‐factors model scores, and bifactor model scores—predict academic achievement assessed by grade point averages. Furthermore, we compared predictiveness across honest responses, applicants' responses and responses collected under laboratory faking‐good instructions. To this end, a real‐life selection setting was part of our study (i.e., applicants to initial teacher education selected, among other things on their personality). We found the expected pattern of manifest mean scores (honest responses were the lowest, applicants' responses higher and faking‐good responses highest) and could demonstrate that applicant faking does not reduce personality assessment's predictiveness. Overall, correlated‐factors model scoring increased the predictiveness of honest and applicants' responses, and scoring via bifactor model even more so. No method of scoring could retrieve the predictiveness in the faking‐good response condition. Regarding the practical application within selection processes, bifactor model scores only slightly outperformed mean scores, and this only occurred in the case of small selection ratios. Nevertheless, we showed that there is criterion‐related and systematic variance within applicants' personality scores above and beyond their personality traits that can be extracted when modeled with bifactor models.

Early childhood education plays a key role in fostering child development and preparing children for school and life. The aim of the present paper is to give an overview of research topics in early childhood education research based on the analysis of 39,926 scientific articles published between 2000 and 2021 and to explore research trends over time. Therefore, a structural topic modelling approach was used. The analyses show a strong increase in publication activity over the last years as well as the diversity of research topics, which provide important insights for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals in various areas (cultural diversity, design of inclusive learning environments, educational institutions, professional development issues, educational policy and reforms, etc.). Beside topics like cultural diversity, and inclusive learning environments more specific research topics, for example self-regulation, executive functions, numeracy, language development and physical activity have been increasingly addressed in publications over the years.

ABSTRACT The translation of Familiar Stranger by Stuart Hall into German was a particular challenge, especially with regard to the concept of race. Hall uses the term ‘race’ to fan out the countless cultural meanings, which are not covered by a homogeneous theoretical conception of race. The result is the ambivalent articulation of race – as well as of colour – which unites racist as well as emancipatory meanings in the same term. This ambivalent chain of meanings has no equivalent in the German language, as the conceptual history of race cannot be detached from the context of German fascism, either theoretically or in everyday language. Another requirement was the translation of gender, not because Hall problematizes this, but because the German language is a deeply rooted genus-typifying language. With some examples of translation, we want to show how we have tried, to consciously act in the space of the displacement of culture, to recognize the specific situatedness of the heterogeneous representations that Hall talks about in Familiar Stranger, and not to unify them in favour of a homogeneous German textuality.

The aim of the current study was to analyse receptive and productive knowledge development of words belonging to 2000, 3000, and 5000 frequency levels in the Global South setting. The data were collected from 278 first-year university students after they finished both elementary and high school in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study researched the dependency of receptive and productive knowledge on a few variables, namely the students' grammatical competence, the methods of vocabulary teaching, the use of English within EFL classes, and the outside-school exposure to it. The results revealed a significant relationship between all the aforementioned variables and students' productive and receptive vocabulary knowledge. Such findings are expected to provide assistance to educators and students in similar environments, giving direct guidelines for practice leading to greater receptive and productive EFL vocabulary knowledge, i.e. showing how EFL vocabulary learning challenges can be faced to open up favorable opportunities for its development.

Background Compelling evidence suggests that schools’ infrastructure and policy represent potential predictors of health and physical activity (PA) in children and adolescents. However, the translation of these findings into practice has not been examined. This study investigated the activity friendliness of Austrian schools. Methods Using a census sampling method, principals of Austrian schools ( n = 342) were invited to participate in an online survey assessing 1) the availability of PA facilities ( e.g . playgrounds, sports courts, swimming halls) and 2) applied PA policies ( e.g . cooperation with sports clubs and involvement in PA projects). Results A total of 130 principals answered the survey which corresponds to a minimal response rate of 38%. While most schools (87.4%, n = 111) had a gymnastic hall, only one third (37%, n = 47) had access to a swimming hall. On average, the schools had 4.2 ± 2 PA facilities with significant variation between school types ( i.e ., high schools: 5 ± 2 vs . primary schools: 3.5 ± 2, p < 0.05). The most common facilities were meadow areas (89%, n = 113), sports fields (71.7%, n = 91), and playgrounds (64.6%, n = 82). Almost half of the schools were part of a PA project ( e.g . “active break”, 45%, n = 56) and offered extracurricular PA programs and courses (54%, n = 67), but only one in five (22%, n = 27) regularly conducted fitness tests. PA policies varied between school types ( p < 0.05) but almost all principals (94%, n = 117) would welcome a stronger promotion of activity friendliness at their school. Conclusion Schools are mostly activity-friendly regarding infrastructure although the limited possibilities for swimming lessons seem worrisome. PA promotion through projects, extracurricular PA offerings and fitness tests may be expanded.