Cogent Education

This article examines two key practices in shaping Holocaust remembrance: Educational trips to Poland for Israeli youth and Holocaust films. Both educational tour guides and cinematic directors face challenges in representing trauma, navigating between historical realism and fragmented, implicit representations that reflect the post-traumatic experience. By analyzing the methods employed by tour guides alongside a corpus of Holocaust films, we explore the balance between these two modes of representation. The application of cinematic categories to the context of educational trips allows for a nuanced discussion of emotional experiences during these journeys and offers insights into how participants can be effectively prepared for their emotional engagement. We argue that integrating objective historical facts with measured exposure to the trauma’s intensity fosters a productive emotional and cognitive stance, which is crucial for ethical remembrance.

This study explores the pervasive issue of social ostracism and bullying among university students in Kazakhstan and Türkiye, underscored by Goffman’s (1963) stigma theory. It investigates how societal norms and categorizations contribute to the marginalisation of students based on various identities, leading to ‘spoiled identities’ and the amplification of these behaviours through digital media. Employing a multiple case research model within a qualitative methodological tradition, the study involves 10 students from Kazakhstan and 27 from Türkiye, utilising semi-structured interviews to collect data. The findings reveal that social ostracism and bullying are multifaceted phenomena deeply rooted in differences such as religious beliefs, political orientations, and socio-economic status. Key factors contributing to these issues include the influence of social media, lack of empathy, and prevailing social hierarchies. The effects on students’ academic, social, and emotional well-being are profound, leading to decreased engagement, isolation, and psychological distress. While some students are unaware of university support mechanisms, those who have accessed such services report positive outcomes, highlighting the importance of visibility and accessibility. The study calls for comprehensive strategies addressing both the immediate and underlying factors of social ostracism and bullying, advocating for policy development, supportive interventions, and a commitment to fostering inclusivity.

This study explored the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in finance education, focusing on student perceptions, emotional reactions, and educator experiences. Quantitative data were gathered using the Synthetic Index of Use of AI Tools (SIUAIT) instrument, administered over three semesters. The findings revealed that finance students perceived AI tools as essential for enhancing their learning experience. Notably, Financial Engineering students exhibited higher proficiency and more positive perceptions of AI tools compared to students in other disciplines, such as Engineering and Business. An observational study utilizing eye tracker technology and facial expression analysis highlighted the emotional dynamics between AI-enhanced and traditional lecture-based classes. Positive emotions, such as joy and surprise, were significantly more prevalent in AI-enhanced environments, contributing to a more engaging and emotionally positive learning experience. However, an increase in fear was also observed, which could be considered a negative activating emotion that, ultimately, still fostered learning. Semi-structured interviews with educators revealed both the opportunities and challenges of AI integration. Educators acknowledged AI’s benefits in enhancing pedagogy but expressed concerns about over-reliance and ethical implications. Thematic analysis identified key dimensions: knowledge, usage, and ethics in AI. The study concluded that AI tools could significantly transform finance education, offering enhanced learning experiences and better preparing students for future careers. However, a balanced approach, addressing ethical and psychological impacts, was essential to maximize benefits and minimize potential drawbacks. Future research should explore AI’s long-term effects and its correlation with academic performance.

E-Learning is a means to support the digitalization of education that accommodates students’ learning needs anytime and anywhere. The use of E-learning in higher education has become increasingly massive since the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher education institutions accommodate students’ learning needs by utilizing self-developed LMS (Learning Management System) or through other free learning platforms. This research aims to analyze the factors that influence the successful implementation of e-learning in higher education, including system quality, information quality, service quality, and education system quality. Researchers also use student learning styles as a moderating variable. This research was conducted at universities in Indonesia, and it focused on auditing and electronic data processing courses. The data analysis technique uses Moderated Regression Analysis (MRA). The research results show that system quality and service quality influence the success of e-learning implementation, and learning style cannot moderate this relationship. These findings reflect that the successful implementation of e-learning will show different results according to the focus of the student’s field and period of study.

This study examines the determinants of learning strategies employed by undergraduate accounting students in an emerging economy. Specifically, it investigates the impact of institution, teacher, and personal determinants on accounting students’ utilisation of a particular learning strategy. In line with Information Process Theory (IPM), a descriptive research design was adopted to conduct a questionnaire-based survey among 246 accounting students from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, Africa. Multiple regression analysis was employed to analyse the collected data. The study reveals that institutional determinants, including performance assessment and a conducive teaching and learning environment, teacher determinants such as learner-centred teaching methods, and personal determinants like intrinsic motivation and time spent studying, significantly influence accounting students’ adoption of deep learning strategies. Conversely, higher workload and engagement in extracurricular activities reduced the use of deep learning strategies, while adherence to the accounting curriculum guide encouraged surface learning.

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed preschool education, expanding beyond traditional methods to include digital learning innovations, even in early childhood education. This study investigates the implementation of Islamic education through an Online Preschool Program in Indonesia. Using a qualitative approach, the research involved 20 parents as participants over eight months. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis and analyzed using NVIVO 12 software in conjunction with Miles and Huberman’s framework. The findings highlight the diverse online preschool programs available, parents’ motivations for and challenges in enrolling their children, and the perceived benefits and impacts on both parents and children. Key results show that the Online Preschool Program effectively supports parents in integrating Islamic education at home while also contributing to children’s intellectual, social, and religious development and enhancing their readiness for formal schooling. This study fills gaps in previous research by providing an in-depth analysis of the role of online preschool programs in Islamic education during early childhood.

Although recent research on curriculum management has been extensive, the studies focused solely on public schooling sectors. Our study examined curriculum management in Indonesian Islamic schools to fill this gap, given the significant number of Islamic-based schools in Indonesia. Data for this study were collected through semi-structured interviews, passive participation observation, and document studies. The findings were organized into three themes: (1) the design of the curriculum, (2) the implementation of the curriculum, and (3) the evaluation of the curriculum. The analysis suggests curriculum management was enacted under micro, meso, and macro practices. The study revealed three key findings: the curriculum design was anchored by structural administration from the government, the curriculum implementation was based on surrounding needs, and both internal and external stakeholders evaluated the curriculum. Based on these findings, this study recommends a model for designing, implementing, and evaluating curriculum management in other contexts.

Universities have a mandate to accommodate non-sighted students, but it has been widely reported by a considerable number of visually impaired students that they confront a plethora of difficulties in their pursuit of education. The present study employed a descriptive research design to delineate and record the attributes, viewpoints, and circumstances of the twenty-five shortsighted and non-sighted students who were the subjects of inquiry in this investigation. More specifically, this mixed-method approach study aimed to underscore the difficulties faced by non-sighted students while pursuing their studies in Phonetics and Phonology at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences and the Faculty of the Arabic Language in Marrakech. Results indicated that visually impaired and non-sighted students encountered particular challenges in comprehending this university course due to the intricate nature of the structural information involved. Students with visual impairment, in this study, faced difficulties in Phonetics and Phonology as they were unable to understand the course material due to the absence of aid materials. Additionally, the final exams for these courses did not cater to the needs of non-sighted students. Finally, the study showed that a comprehensive and precise depiction of the current state of affairs of the cases examined, while relying on in-depth interviews, should be a priority.

The study explored students’ perception regarding how ethical considerations are integrated into accounting curricula at the tertiary level in Ghana, guided by both the International Education Standards (IES) and the CIPP model. It questions the effectiveness of accounting education in adequately preparing students to face ethical challenges, with a specific focus on tertiary institutions in Ghana. Using a positivist paradigm and a cross-sectional survey methodology, the study targeted final-year undergraduate accounting students in public tertiary institutions. Multiple sampling techniques, including proportionate, stratified, and simple sampling, were utilized to select 307 students for the study. The collected data underwent analysis using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (multiple linear regression). The study found a significant 70% alignment between the curricula of the sampled universities and the requirements of IES 4. Moreover, it revealed a limited use of participative teaching approaches in ethics within accounting lessons. Additionally, the findings revealed that students have a low perception of the effectiveness of accounting curricula in addressing their professional ethical needs. This perception was influenced by factors such as age, religiosity and, to a lesser extent, gender.

Globalisation demands proficient English educators to produce graduates competent in the English language for the 21st century. Achieving this goal necessitates optimising teacher training programs, yet challenges persist, such as ESL pre-service teachers’ unpreparedness in utilising technology. The Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, while commonly used to assess teachers’ technology integration competencies, falls short of fully incorporating 21st-century competencies and self-efficacy, both of which are essential to a teacher’s professional development. Hence, this study seeks expert consensus on modifying the TPACK framework for ESL pre-service teachers within teacher training programs. This study employed the Design and Development research design (Type 2). The Fuzzy Delphi method was used to analyse data from 12 appointed experts. The experts concurred on the need to integrate both the 21st-century competencies construct, and the self-efficacy construct into the modified TPACK framework. This research contributes to the discourse on teacher training by recognising the essential roles of 21st-century competency and self-efficacy. It can potentially enhance pedagogical practices and address the evolving educational landscape. Further investigations could explore into ESL pre-service teachers’ specific challenges, advancing scholarly understanding of effective teacher preparation.

Through the application of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and visual image analysis, this study evaluated 15 English Language Teaching (ELT) textbooks utilized in Vietnam, seeking to explore the extent to which environmental literacy (EL) content is incorporated. The analysis indicates that the knowledge component appears 29 times, Affect 25 times, and Behavior 10 times. It was observed that the Behavior aspect of EL is the least represented among the three. The range of knowledge component lacks integration, with the content predominantly anthropocentric, exhibiting a superficial approach to environmentalism. The textbooks employ abstraction and anonymization methods, sidestepping direct identification of the culprits behind environmental degradation. Instead, less influential groups namely farmers, students, tourists, and truck drivers are unfairly held accountable. The Affect component is overly simplified, failing to nurture a sense of care and empathy for the natural world. While some eco-friendly behaviors and the suggestion to write a complaint letter to a truck company are presented as realistic, there exists a distorted portrayal where littering in water is inaccurately identified as the primary factor in fish mortality, overlooking the impact of chemical pollutants. The ELT materials seem to align with the interests of factory owners and the Vietnamese government, displaying a neoliberal stance that technological advancements can address environmental challenges, while also emphasizing economic gains and consumerism through references to tourism.

This article examines the adoption and recontextualisation of the German dual apprenticeship model into the Mexican dual apprenticeship model (MMFD in Spanish) through a cultural political economy approach to policy analysis. We analysed the interests, discourse drivers, and resources of involved and absent actors as explanatory variables for MMFD’s institutional configuration. Key actors included federal education agencies, business chambers, and the German International Cooperation Agency, while the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of the Economy, and trade unions were notably absent. Consequently, MMFD reflects the interests of the governing clique and organised business—both national and international—while excluding the organised working class. The MMFD also framed youth unemployment as a consequence of skills mismatch, overlooking Mexico’s slow-growth economy under neoliberalism since the 1980s. Our qualitative case study reconstructed the policy transfer process using official documents, statistics, and 40 semi-structured interviews analysed within the cultural political economy framework. Triangulating data sources allowed us to reconfirm our findings. Mexico’s adoption of MMFD is a reference for developing countries to extract lessons for policy transfer and adoption.

Web-based discussion tools have emerged as valuable platforms in teaching and learning chemistry. Despite the increasing use of web-based discussion tools, their effectiveness in enhancing cognitive, social, and teaching aspects of organic chemistry remains underexplored. Therefore, this review aims to address the gap by synthesizing relevant literature on these key dimensions. The study adopted a scoping review literature for comprehensively mapping, exploring, and clarifying the existing body of literature. PRISMA was used to extract 57 kinds of literature from electronic databases that are Scopus, ISI, Google Scholar, ERIC, Web of Science, academia, and digital citation. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze current trends and cognitive aspects while thematic analysis was used to analyze social and teaching aspects. The results revealed that web-based discussion tools are predominately used predominantly utilized at the university level (52%) compared to secondary schools (48%) and are more common in developed countries than in least developed ones. Moreover, the study revealed that web-based discussion tools have a positive impact on fostering students’ conceptual understanding and interaction through the proper guidance of teachers. However, some critical issues such as poor internet, quality of discussion, lack of hands-on experience, complexity of molecular structures, and lack of tactile learning were identified as challenges hindering the effective implementation of web-based discussion tools.

Primary school pupils with hearing impairment face various obstacles to their academic and personal growth. The main aim of the study was to reveal the impact of the use of gamification methods on the mathematic achievement of primary school pupils with hearing impairment. This study used a pretest/posttest experimental strategy. The experiment was carried out in three stages. During the first stage, all participants’ mathematical achievement level was measured and their mathematical progress was monitored. In the second stage, three game methods were applied to the experimental group consistently, according to pre-prepared lesson plans. The content of games methods was developed considering the topics, goals and expected results of the lessons. In the third stage, the impact of the game methods on first grade primary school hearing impaired pupils’ achievement was assessed. Findings identified significant changes in the achievements of the experimental group. The implementation of gamification methods in mathematics lessons for first grade primary school pupils with hearing impairment resulted in a statistically significant improvement in the pupils’ knowledge of numbers, calculations, geometry, measurements, and measurement, as well as in the level of higher-order thinking skills, knowledge, and understanding, i.e., from satisfactory to basic and advanced levels in the experimental group.

The study explores the impact of integrating blended learning (asynchronous/synchronous) on the learning of students in higher education programs in Jordan, such as sciences and humanities, from the perspective of the professors. The study also examines whether there is a statistically significant difference (α = 0.05) in the level of using blended learning for student learning concerning the sciences or humanities programs. In addition, the study also explores whether there is a statistically significant difference (α = 0.05) in the level of using blended learning on student learning concerning gender. The study also highlights the main challenges that higher education instructors face when applying blended learning to their programs. Data is collected by using the quantitative method. A questionnaire was answered by 380 instructors that teach in the sciences and humanities programs of higher institutions. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The instructors were asked to state their challenges during the implementation of blended learning in their courses. The findings show that instructors who teach humanities programs are more satisfied than instructors who teach science programs. The study contributes to the aim of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Jordan to increase the percentage of blended courses for all higher education programs.

Scaffolding is a teaching strategy that provides temporary support and guidance to learners as they develop their skills. Through online teaching and scaffolding clinics for novice writers, this narrative qualitative study aimed to assist students and novice writers in improving their scientific paper writing skills. For data collection, this study utilized open-ended interviews, observations, field notes, and online discussions to gather data. The study’s findings reveal five distinct roles that teachers can assume during teaching: diagnosticians, instructors, teachers or models, proofreaders, and reviewers. In this instance, novices perceive scaffolding to play two roles: improving cognitive and interactive writing tools. However, future studies should pay more attention to the scaffolding effects of strategy, technique, and students’ levels of thought, taking into account background characteristics such as ability, sex, race, ethnicity, and learning style preference, as well as their status within the groups. This study suggests that the government should provide excellent research-based outcomes rather than a final report based only on notes because creating a scientific paper involves perseverance and cannot be accomplished in one night’s effort.

In recent years, developing green performance (GP) has become a significant challenge in higher education institutes. The present study aims to decipher the direct links between green human resource management (green HRM) and GP through the mediation of green culture (GC) and green values (GVs). The study employs a deductive approach, using data from faculty members and researchers at Egyptian public sector universities using the convenience sampling technique. The study utilizes 310 samples to infer the outcomes. Using PLS-SEM, the results demonstrate a positive impact of green HRM on GC and GVs but not on GP, although both GC and GVs are positive predictors of GP, and GC is positively affected by GVs. Furthermore, the mediation analysis exerts a positive contribution of GC in reinforcing the association between green HRM and GP and GVs and GP. Lastly, GVs also mediate the links between green HRM and GP. The study offers policymakers and university authorities’ guidelines to boost organizational culture by improving green HRM, GC, and GVs. Finally, the results enrich the depth of domain literature by adding an integrated framework that combines green HRM, GC, GVs, and GP, specifically in the context of Egyptian higher education institutes.

This paper reports on a narrative review of the criticality of problem-solving and troubleshooting skills for undergraduate Electronics Engineering students and its significance for industry readiness. The review was undertaken to understand the problems and troubleshooting skills learned and possessed by the Electronics Engineering training programme for students in higher education. It is argued that the curriculum designed for undergraduate engineering students does not include troubleshooting. The essential criticality of troubleshooting in electronics engineering education is well described in this review. The narrative review of the literature covered peer-reviewed papers that focus on problem-solving and troubleshooting and were published in English between 2000 and 2022. Findings from the articles meeting relevant criteria were synthesised into themes. The review found that although problem-solving is seen broadly as a critical skill required for engineers in engineering education, most engineering programmes emphasise design problem-solving, such as in designing products, engineering processes, systems, and methods. Other essential problems involving technical troubleshooting and problem-solving skills are critical for their future career development but are inadvertently neglected in the curriculum. The study considered some implications for curriculum reform in Electronics Engineering programmes. The study further offers insights into the complexities and gaps in the Electronics Engineering curriculum and novice undergraduates’ troubleshooting skills.

Online learning has become a daily mode of modern education, and its effect on learning outcomes has also been widely discussed. Engagement, satisfaction and academic performance are often used to measure learning outcomes, while factors such as physical motorization, information presentation and embodied learning experiences are often used to explore learners’ learning processes. In this study, we examined 120 college students who underwent different information presentation and physical motorization interventions and measured data on multiple variables. A hypothetical model based on embodied learning experiences mediating information presentation and physical motorization to influence learning outcomes was fitted and tested using structural equation modeling. Results confirmed hypotheses that learning outcomes are not directly influenced by information presentation and physical motorization; On the contrary, they are indirectly influenced through embodied learning experiences. Pay attention to the embodied learning experience of learners in online learning, optimize information presentation and physical motorization, provide opportunities for learners to encourage engagement, stimulate satisfaction and improve academic performance to enhance learning outcomes. Taken together, it is recommended that a deeper understanding of the fully mediating role and characteristics of embodied learning experience be gained and that its use be supplemented to help improve learning outcomes and teaching practice.

Indonesian higher education rarely employed e-learning until COVID-19. Many students tried online learning for the first time during the pandemic. After the pandemic ended in 2022, universities switched to blended learning, but student adaptation, system integration, and learning effectiveness remain challenges. This study examines these challenges and proposes strategies to enhance e-learning post-pandemic. Using the updated DeLone and McLean IS Success Model and the Expectation-Confirmation Model, it explores factors influencing students’ continued use of e-learning in blended learning. Data were gathered from 297 university students, surveyed electronically, who first experienced e-learning during the pandemic. Analysis was conducted using PLS-SEM. The findings indicate that satisfaction serves as the most significant predictor of ongoing e-learning utilization, with flow as the subsequent factor. Perceived usefulness does not directly influence continued use; however, it significantly contributes to system satisfaction. The quality of information is essential for enhancing the utility of systems. The findings corroborate previous studies, highlighting the significance of technology and service quality in improving user experience and engagement. The study provides actionable insights for universities to improve blended learning by emphasizing system reliability, utility, user support, information quality, and content. These factors are essential for enhancing student satisfaction and maintaining the sustainability of e-learning practices.

The policy of merging education institutions to improve efficiency and reduce public expenditure has gained popularity in many European countries. However, although this phenomenon is observed in adult education, there is currently a paucity of evidence on the subject within this field. We integrated novel data from 101 mergers of adult education centres in Germany between 1995 and 2017 with longitudinal performance data (n = 21,032) and used Poisson pseudo-marginal-likelihood fixed effects analysis to examine the impact of institutional mergers on funding levels, educational provision, and efficiency. Our results show that those institutions that were involved in a merger experienced significant reductions in institutional funding and hours of educational provision post-merger. However, the effects were smaller when we controlled for organisation-specific trends, suggesting that some of the reductions were a continuation of pre-merger consolidation trends rather than solely due to mergers. In terms of efficiency, positive effects were observed in the short run, but estimates for the medium and long run were relatively small and not statistically significant. Moreover, there was considerable variation in efficiency estimates, highlighting the heterogeneity of outcomes across cases. Thus, our study provides limited evidence to support the hypothesis that the analysed mergers have led to improved efficiency.

India, with the third largest higher education system globally, has the lowest gross enrolment ratio compared to G20 nations. The National Education Policy 2020 has made a strong recommendation to enhance the gross enrolment ratio for higher education to 50% by 2035. This figure stood at 19.4% in 2010 and 28.4% in 2021–22. The study, therefore, analyses the nature of the growth of higher education in India from 2000 to 2020 and carries out Panel regression to investigate the gross enrolment ratio at the state level, primarily affected by the number of universities and the growth in the number of colleges per million population. The analysis reveals a need for significant expansion of higher education in India in the future, or it will result in a case of elusive inclusive development—wherein India will miss the 2030 global agenda concerning Sustainable Development Goal 4 on higher education and the 2035 National Education Policy target. The study recommends that higher education should be closely monitored by the states at the district level, providing high-quality and affordable online education to realise the preferred outcomes.

The year 2024 marked nine of the 15-year timeline towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Consequently, questions arise regarding the progress made. Based on a survey (n=290), key informant interviews (n=31), and archival sources, this paper explored the role and perspectives of academic staff in localising the SDGs within Zimbabwean universities. Despite high awareness of SDGs among academics, with 82.07% indicating prior knowledge, there remains significant gaps in the promotion of SDG-related initiatives in core mandates. Few academics have published SDG-related works, highlighting a disconnect between awareness and scholarly output. Institutional engagement and readiness for SDGs localisation appear limited, with a significant proportion of respondents expressing unfamiliarity with institutional policies and SDGs projects on the ground. The study also identified several barriers to effective SDG localisation, including inadequate funding, demotivated staff, a lack of top management support, and additional workload without proper incentives. While there is a clear recognition of the importance of SDGs and their commitment to their integration within Zimbabwean universities, significant challenges impede their full localisation. The study recommends enhanced financial resources, institutional support, and policy development to empower academics and institutions to meaningfully contribute towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.

Peru faces substantial social and economic inequality. Rural communities experience social exclusion through the undervaluation of their cultural heritage and native languages, creating significant barriers to their personal and professional growth. Higher education scholarships aim to address this issue, yet educational institutions—typically based in urban areas—often present a disorienting environment for these students, affecting both their academic performance and overall experience. This study proposes an audiovisual literacy program for scholarship students at a private university in Peru, designed to enhance their identity and development within an urban setting. Findings suggest that such a program can foster positive change by reinforcing students’ sense of identity, valuing their cultural heritage, and strengthening their connection to the university environment.

This paper presents a critical content analysis of the curriculum development process within the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) using the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) framework. As a part of the globally recognised International Baccalaureate (IB) framework, the IBPYP has undergone significant growth. The study comprehensively examines eight key documents related to IBPYP curriculum development, with a focus on cultural components. It explores the program’s historical evolution, educational philosophy, curriculum structure, and pedagogical approaches. Additionally, it analyses changes in cultural components. The research reveals that the transformation of the IBPYP from a theoretical framework to a practical curriculum signifies a strategic shift towards enhancing adaptability and relevance in diverse international contexts. The analysis identifies distinct phases in the IBPYP’s document development: introductory, explanatory, and expectant. These phases reflect changes in curriculum content, terminology, and instructional strategies over time. This paper discusses the IBPYP’s cultural components, evolution strategies, the transition from theory to practice, and challenges encountered. By shedding light on the IBPYP’s development, it provides valuable insights for the future of international education. In summary, this research offers a deeper understanding of the IBPYP and its ongoing evolution, serving as a reference for shaping the direction of international education.