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Faculty in the information systems (IS) and information technology (IT) fields are faced with the challenge to keep their curriculum relevant and current. What was taught two years ago will often be outdated and faculty must constantly update their curriculum on which courses should be taught as well as what should be taught within a particular course. This research continues a fifteen-year effort to help understand employer needs in terms of the skills they desire new hires to possess upon employment. This is the sixth version of this employer survey. The survey continues to report the responses of over 500 IS/IT professionals and was expanded to ask additional questions related to salary information. In addition, based on feedback from open-ended questions in a prior survey, new categories were added to the survey. Several key results and changes from prior surveys include that VR/AR (virtual reality/augmented reality) platforms showed the highest anticipated growth rate for all operating platforms in the next two years, analytics tools such as Apache Spark showed high growth rate, and JavaScript maintained the first position for programming languages.

People are social beings and therefore they interact with each other in society. While interacting, their social skill level is also very important in terms of expressing themselves. The aim of this study is to determine the social skill levels of secondary school students who participate in recreational activities. The population of the study consists of students studying at secondary school in the central district of Çorum province. The sample consists of 361 students participating in recreational activities determined by simple random sampling method. The data collection tool consists of two parts. In the first part, the "Personal Information Form" was used by the researcher to determine the demographic information of the students. In the second part, there is the "Social Skills Assessment Scale for Children", which was developed by Matson, Rotatory and Hessel in 1983 and adapted into Turkish by Bacanli and Erdogan in 2003. The Social Skills Assessment Scale for Children is a 5-point Likert-type scale consisting of 47 items and two sub-dimensions. Its sub-dimensions are 'positive social behavior' and 'negative social behavior'. Considering the results of the analysis, no significant difference was found between the students' gender, licensed sports status, and the educational status of their parents and their social skill levels. There was a significant difference in the "Negative Social Behavior" sub-dimension according to the age and class variables. While it was seen that the age and class variable of the students participating in recreational activities affected their social skill levels, it was concluded that the status of doing licensed sports, gender and parental education did not have an effect. In the light of this information, it can be concluded that the level of social skills in secondary school students does not change according to demographic characteristics in general. [This study was presented as a summary paper at the 15th International Congress of Social Sciences with Current Research, held between 21 May-23 May 2022.]

Using a relational survey design, this study examined the relationship between preschool teachers' emotional intelligence levels and their coping responses to stress. A total of 257 preschool teachers from public and private institutions in Istanbul participated in the study. Demographic information form, Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale-33-Tr (EIS), and Coping Responsive Inventory (CRI) were used to collect data. The results showed that preschool teachers' scores on the EIS and the CRI were not significantly affected by their age, education level, type of institution, or length of service. A positive and moderately significant relationship was found between teachers' EIS scores and their CRI total scores, as well as sub-scores for problem-solving, positive reappraisal, logical analysis, and seeking professional support. The EIS and the subscale of seeking environmental support in CRI, however, had a positive and low-level significant relationship. [This study was presented as oral presentation at IX. International TURKCESS Education and Social Sciences Congress, May 18-20, 2023, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul.]

Purpose: The primary aim of this paper is to illuminate the critical issue of the degree awarding gap in the UK, which significantly impacts students from lower socio-economic backgrounds and minority groups. By conducting a systematic review of existing literature following the PRISMA protocol, this study seeks to uncover the complex web of explanatory factors that mediate the relationship between contextual indicators, institutional culture, and degree awarding disparities. Addressing this gap is vital for promoting social justice, enhancing the economy, safeguarding the reputation of UK universities, and adhering to legal responsibilities. This paper endeavours to provide a comprehensive understanding of the underlying causes of degree awarding gaps and offer evidence-based recommendations for the higher education sector to mitigate these disparities. Design/methodology/approach: This study employs a systematic review design, adhering to the PRISMA protocol, to meticulously analyse the existing body of literature concerning the degree awarding gap in UK higher education. By systematically gathering, evaluating, and synthesizing relevant studies, the review aims to identify and understand the multifaceted factors mediating the link between contextual indicators, institutional culture, and the disparities observed in degree awarding. This methodological approach ensures a rigorous and transparent examination of the literature, enabling the identification of both the breadth and depth of research on the topic. Through this design, the paper aspires to uncover nuanced insights into the mechanisms driving degree awarding gaps. Findings: The review's findings reveal that degree awarding gaps in UK universities are influenced by a constellation of factors, highlighting the complexity of this issue. Key among these are unconscious bias, limited student engagement opportunities with academic staff, institutional racism, inadequate support systems, and a scarcity of social and cultural capital. These factors collectively contribute to significant disparities in degree outcomes, disproportionately disadvantaging students from lower socio-economic backgrounds and minority groups. The evidence suggests that institutional practices and culture play a pivotal role in either exacerbating or alleviating these disparities, indicating the need for targeted interventions to address the root causes of degree awarding gaps. Research limitations/implications: One strength of conducting a systematic review is its rigorous and meticulous nature, which ensures that the process is carefully planned and executed. This comprehensive approach allows for the elimination of biases, as the review systematically gathers and analyses existing literature on the topic. By adhering to a structured methodology, the systematic review enhances the validity and reliability of the findings, providing a robust and unbiased synthesis of the available evidence. This strength lends credibility to the research and reinforces the confidence in the conclusions drawn from the review. Practical implications: The practical implications arising from this information indicate that universities need to address the identified issues directly by implementing supportive strategies and interventions. By doing so, they can create a learning environment that is more inclusive and equitable, allowing all students to unlock their full potential. This may involve measures such as raising awareness about unconscious bias, promoting engagement between academic staff and students, implementing anti-racist policies, establishing comprehensive support systems, and actively fostering social and cultural capital. Such practical actions will contribute to reducing the degree awarding gaps and promoting equal opportunities for all students, ultimately leading to a more equitable and successful educational experience. Social implications: The social implications derived from this information are significant. By implementing supportive strategies and interventions to address the identified issues, universities can contribute to creating a more inclusive and equitable learning environment. This has the potential to have a transformative impact on society by providing equal opportunities for all students to unlock their full potential. By raising awareness about unconscious bias and implementing anti-racist policies, universities can foster a more diverse and inclusive community. Promoting engagement between academic staff and students and establishing comprehensive support systems can enhance social cohesion and create a sense of belonging. Ultimately, these efforts can lead to reduced degree awarding gaps and contribute to a more equitable and successful educational experience, positively influencing broader social equality and cohesion. Originality/value: This paper contributes significantly to the literature by offering a comprehensive, systematic review of the factors contributing to the degree awarding gap in UK higher education, highlighting its originality and value. By focusing on the interplay between contextual indicators, institutional culture, and degree awarding disparities, the study provides novel insights into how these dynamics contribute to educational inequities. Furthermore, the evidence-based recommendations for institutional interventions presented in this paper furnish the higher education sector with actionable strategies to foster a more inclusive and equitable learning environment. This work not only advances academic understanding of degree awarding gaps but also offers practical value to policymakers and educational institutions aiming to enhance social justice in higher education.

Background: Learning losses does not mean forgetting only curricular learning but slipping back of fundamental learning abilities that learner would have acquired during schooling. School closures in India have severely disrupted learning processes of children resulting in learning losses and social gaps in academic outcomes. Though school closure is a global phenomenon, its adverse effects on learning outcomes are unevenly distributed in the society. Purpose: The paper aims to trace the phenomenon of learning losses resulting from a prolonged school closures during COVID 19 pandemic at the national level since march 2020.The study further is directed to trace accessibilities and uses of digital resources in India. Method: The study used secondary sources of data mainly of Bihar to ascertain the trend of learning losses. The data were regenerated to measure the emerging trend. Results: Learning loss was unevenly distributed in the society. Those who were digitally equipped had compensated their learning losses during school closures. The Bihar had mere 5 per cent computer and 15 internet facilities. The rural households had only 3 per cent computer and 13 per cent internet facilities. Primary grade children especially of disadvantaged groups in Bihar suffered more because they have very limited home learning resources. Learning crisis was more prominent at elementary school level where both the home resources and digital tools were inadequate. They spent hours in surfing social media for private purposes. The phenomenon of cyber loafing was widely seen among young students, showing a serious problem of internet abuse by secondary school students. Conclusion: Despite constraints Bihar managed to continue school learning programme during COVID 19. It had a largest force of digitally-equipped teachers (about 1.25 lakh) known as Potential Learning Community (PLC) who were ready to deliver e-contents to beneficiaries. Teachers established connectivity with parents and learners who had no android mobile. They started running Schools on Mobile (SOM) classes. The paper discusses learning recovery plan such as engaging community, reallocating resources for schools, etc.

New technological developments, such as 5G networks, smart and interconnected devices, and the development of the Internet of Things (IoT), lead to a new reality in which the secure flow of data is non-negotiable. In this new reality, blockchain technology can play a crucial role, as it has the ability to provide the necessary background for the safe and inviolable operation of systems. Blockchain is a distributed ledger, in which information and data are stored and verified. These blocks of data do not have to be related to financial transactions but may concern any other type of data that needs to be securely recorded and not changed retrospectively. Although the first application of blockchain technology was about digital currency (Bitcoin), its usefulness is not limited to cryptocurrencies or the field of economics. Blockchain, especially in its last stage v3.0, has many applications in various sectors such as data storage, certification of products and services, government, insurance, health, science, and education. This paper focuses on the current and potential educational applications of blockchain and presents how this technology can be used to solve specific education problems. Nowadays, a variety of blockchain applications concerning the issue and storage of certificates and diplomas, the evaluation of learning outcomes, the support and the academic degree management, the protection of intellectual property, the cooperation between students and their professors, learning accreditation, payment for studies, formation of an academic passport (portfolio) or administration of the educational process are implemented in some HEI and institutions. The paper analyzes the features and advantages of blockchain technology, presents some of the current blockchain applications for education, as well as the benefits and challenges of using blockchain technology in the educational sector. Finally, special reference is made to applications related to the field of language learning.

The Scottish Government has a strong commitment to strengthening children's human rights, with the aim of making Scotland 'the best place to grow up and bring up children'. The Education (Scotland) Act 2016 introduced a raft of measures to boost the rights of children with additional support needs (ASN). The programme for government in Scotland, published in September 2020, included a commitment to incorporate the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child into Scottish domestic legislation. In order to examine the extent to which the rights of Gypsy/Traveller children are being respected in practice, this paper draws on an analysis of official statistics conducted as part of an ESRC funded project entitled "Autonomy, Rights and Children with Special Needs: A New Paradigm?" (ES/P002641/1), which ran from 2018 to 2020. In addition, the paper uses findings from an Independent Children's Rights Impact Assessment which was carried out in summer 2020 with a view to investigating the impact of the emergency measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the terms of the Coronavirus Act 2020, schools across the UK were closed, with widespread implications for children and young people, particularly those with additional support needs. The central aim of this paper is to explore the impact of the emergency measures on the recently enhanced rights of children with ASN, with a particular focus on the rights of children from Gypsy/Traveller backgrounds. I conclude that people living itinerant lives experience long-standing exclusion from mainstream schooling and wider society, and their marginal status has been reinforced during the recent pandemic when children's human rights have been side-lined.

This study aims to evaluate the responses of primary school children to the pandemic, based on the statements of their parents. In the study, the descriptive survey model was used. The study group consists of parents whose children attend a private primary school in the province of Manisa, Turkey. The 'General Information Form' and the 'Children's Response to the Pandemic Scale' were used for data collection in the study. In the data analysis, the t-test was used. As a result of the study, it was found that responses of the children whose parents aged 36 and over, who had an undergraduate degree and above, and whose families had three or more children were perceived as riskier according to their fathers. It was found that the presence of a COVID-19 history in the family and the presence of individuals who have died due to COVID-19 negatively affect the behavior of children during the pandemic. The male children were found to be more affected by the pandemic than female children. In this context, in order to support the healthy development of children, training programs can be planned and implemented to inform families about the disease and bereavement process in order to be able to support the healthy development of children. [This article was presented as an oral presentation at the International Cappadocia Scientific Research Congress held in Nevsehir on December 15-17, 2021.]

This paper investigates the potential influence of socioeconomic factors in the students' choice for tertiary education. The approach of this study combines an opinion survey, desk research and a case study. Shifting of a psychological paradigm is easier said than done. It may need social awareness about the existing problems, gaps, significance and negative/positive impact of different scenarios, and availability of potential solution. The data analysis and discussions have been done under identified key socioeconomic factors relevant to education. Parental levels of education, income, and financial status have been given priority in the discussion. Parents' involvements in education and material support have been recognized as influential factors in students' choice in university education. The language of instruction and peer group in school environment was considered finally. However, none of these factors are within the control of a person or an institute. The objective of the study is to explore factors required to establish favourable socioeconomic conditions providing students with right direction while implementing necessary policy changes to create suitable pathways in the tertiary education. The paper recommends vertical integration of teaching majors from school, to the university, to the industry which would provide many benefits.

Globally, there is considerable investment in education technologies leading to increased attention from stakeholders (Trucano, 2017). For a deeper understanding about the implementation of various technologies, research is needed to examine how teachers are incorporating them in teaching and learning. This study focused on eight countries to examine how teachers used ICT in mathematics instruction and factors that contributed to ICT use. Results show that teachers' education levels and cooperation amongst educators are associated with ICT use in instruction. The paper includes recommendations and implications for practice and future research.

Using data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, this paper compares the earnings premium and employment share of jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) across 11 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The results reveal that the STEM wage premium is higher in the United States than in any of the other comparison countries, despite the fact that the U.S. has a larger share of workers in STEM jobs. We also find evidence that the premium varies significantly across STEM sub-fields and education levels, and that the premium tends to be higher in countries with lower unionization rates, less employment protection, or a larger share of employment in the public sector.

Governments and education systems worldwide have tried using additional cash transfers to encourage school enrolment and attendance, and to reduce the attainment gap between disadvantaged students and their peers. There are now many strands of evidence on the success of such schemes. This paper presents the results of international structured reviews of the existing evidence, coupled with a natural experiment in India and Pakistan, and a summary of the new findings from a 14-year evaluation of the impact of the Pupil Premium policy in England. The paper addresses the key issue of whether funding is best provided to poorer regions, to schools, families, or individual students. The synthesised results are clear. However, the results differ slightly in terms of whether attendance or attainment is the key objective, and with the age of the students, and the level of development of any education system. Regardless, cash transfers need to have conditions attached, and these conditions must be audited. A key condition for giving money to schools, rather than individuals, should be that it is only used to provide evidence-led programmes and processes.

This study investigates the influence of environmental attitudes of Chinese students in higher education institutions (HEIs). It included 988 students at ten higher education institutions and administered an "environmental attitudes inventory" questionnaire to investigate gender, grade level of study, institution level, parental educational background, scholarships, annual household income, students' leadership experience and the extent to which variables such as participation in environment-related courses affect students' attitudes towards the environment. Furthermore, the study relied on descriptive and analytical methods. The results show significant differences in grade, school level and parents' educational backgrounds on students' environmental attitudes. In contrast, gender, scholarship, annual family income and student leader experience related to the environment did not appear as significant factors. This paper suggests that education policymakers incorporate these influences into a vision of environmental educational reform to inform the remedial actions needed by higher education institutions.

Social and economic barriers that students face during their studies can impact severely on their attainment and can be due to many factors. This study investigated how different socio-economic factors, with a focus on digital poverty and workspace availability may have affected students' attainment (during October 2021-March 2022) at university post-COVID-19. Quantitative data collected during the first teaching block of the 2021-2022 academic year using specific questions in a paper-based questionnaire indicated that a good proportion of life science students did not have access to a home internet source (35%) or proper workspace facilities (34%) and had the requirement to work alongside their degree in order to fund their studies. In contrast to the lack of internet students experienced, many of the surveyed students did have access to a personal computer within their household. Possible reasons for some of the findings, and the implications of the findings, are discussed here.

Long-term energy supply constitutes a pressing global issue. As a renewable energy resource, bioenergy can play a significant role in energy sustainability. The present study aimed to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of bioenergy amongst 412 Greek preservice primary teachers utilising a specific tool, the IBPAMS. Results confirmed the factorial validity and reliability of the Greek version of the IBPAMS. It also demonstrated that the energy and bioenergy-related knowledge of preservice teachers is moderate and poor respectively, while critical perceptions are held over the sustainability of forest-based bioenergy production. Overall preservice teacher attitudes toward bioenergy are positive. Statistical analyses showed that gender influenced the responses of the motivational and critical aspects of the IBPAMS-GR. The paper's findings have important implications for teacher preparation programs.

This paper constitutes a relatively new area that has emerged from the relationship between Special Education Need (SEN) students in normal classrooms and teachers' perspectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that could contribute to differences in attitudes of public-school teachers toward the inclusion of students with special needs in general education classes in the Arab schools in Israel. The study used a quantitative methodology, adopting an online survey method of data collection, addressed to a total number of 237 teachers working in government public schools. The findings indicated that teachers who hold a master's degree were more likely to accept the idea of integrating SEN students in regular settings and suggested that teachers' education level affected their emotional attitude towards SEN integration. These findings embody significant practical meanings. A change is needed in the way Arab society perceives students with SEN, and how this society treats their integration into the framework of regular students. A practical recommendation of this study is that the Ministry of Education should offer intensive training for a wide range of teachers to be able to deal with students with special needs.

This paper examines changes from 1996-2019 in U.S. parents' time investment at their children's schools using data from the National Household Education Survey (N [approximately equal to] 116,000). The most common way parents spend time at their child's school is by attending a general school meeting, which rose from 76% to 85% over this period. The proportion who volunteered at school rose slightly over time (36% to 38%), whereas the frequency of participating in school activities decreased slightly. Little change emerged in the proportion who attend a PTA/PTO meeting ([approximately 50%), whereas the proportion who spent time fundraising decreased (60% to 54%). Differences in time investment between high- versus low-income parents either narrowed significantly (attended school meetings, frequency of participation) or remained stable (attended PTO/PTA meeting, volunteered) over time, except for income-based differences in time spent fundraising for their child's school, which grew significantly. We discuss factors possibly related to these narrowing and persistent gaps.

The second-level digital divide concerns individual levels of digital competences and demographic indicators of digital gaps. In this paper, we have analysed empirical data that allow a thorough and differentiated look into the second-level digital divide with a rigorous methodological quantitative approach. We investigated the relationship between results from a self-assessment of one's own digital competences, and a knowledge test about digital tools among Austrian citizens (N=1109). The study explores second-level digital divides in gender, education level, age, first language, and length of time living in the country regarding respective competence levels and areas, referring to the Digital Competence Model for Austria - DigComp 2.2 AT. Results show that the digital gender divide is paramount across all competence areas, while the age divide remains strong when comparing under 18-year-olds with over 60-year-olds. Moreover, positive effects are related to education level and first language.

Official communications and media news in Greece about the COVID-19 pandemic very often involve a multitude of numerical concepts and mathematical relationships, which are presented in different forms and in various contexts. This paper reports selected findings of a survey among adults, which had two aims. First, to investigate their subjective assessments concerning the difficulties encountered in reading and understanding such numerical information, embedded in texts and presented by infographics and time-series graphs. And second, to investigate their assessments of the usefulness of such numerical information, presented in visual forms. A convenience sample of 310 adults responded to an online questionnaire. The main conclusion from the analysis of these data is that a considerable number of the participants, although relatively highly educated, assess themselves as having difficulties in reading and understanding numerical information concerning COVID-19. Namely, about 9% report difficulties with information included in textual forms, while regarding visual presentations the percentage ranges from 10% to 35%. Yet more than half of the adults surveyed assess the presentation of numerical information in visual forms as useful for comprehension. Furthermore, the distributions by gender, education, and age of participants' answers to our questionnaire generally show no substantial differences among them. These findings advise caution regarding communications or announcements that involve even simple numerical concepts and mathematical relationships concerning COVID-19 and health issues.

Widening participation has been a vehicle to facilitate access and support towards the successful completion of university studies for underrepresented groups who are less likely to pursue higher education. Yet, despite its widely accepted importance and adoption across countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom, studies to date remain largely fragmented -- often employed through the lens of a single institution, or a particular priority group. Amidst this backdrop, universities and other higher education providers are increasingly probed as to their role in supporting social capital mobility, of which widening participation plays a vital component in delivering wider societal imperatives. In addition, the COVID-19 effect has worsened university participation and completion rates, as the global pandemic has placed vulnerable students (often those involved in widening participation initiatives) in more precocious conditions than ever before. Nevertheless, the purpose of this paper is to conduct a systematic literature review comprising 102 journal articles that derive 15 meta-themes to provide a timely introspection of widening participation, show key trends over time, and chart future areas of investigation for scholars and practitioners in this space.

Dropout happens when a student withdraws themselves from school at any level of education without a certificate to account for their education. It is an educational problem in America because of its negative consequences on society. Three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma, and yet, just over half of American citizens acquire that extent of education. Out of the industrialized nations, America holds one of the most significant high school dropout rates. Half of the students who begin college will never finish. School dropouts are intelligent individuals capable of offering a lot to the world. However, because they never complete their studies, their abilities may never transpire to their full effectiveness. Hence, solving school dropouts is key to national development. Adolescents who drop out of school vary in demographics and socioeconomic status. There is also a correlation between students with disabilities and the dropout rate. This paper discusses school dropouts in the United States to contribute to its solutions. It examines the causal factors and the effects of school dropouts on individuals and society. School dropout is prevalent among vulnerable groups, and the cost to disadvantaged individuals, families, communities, and nations is high. Since school dropout status has negative consequences, moderating this dilemma benefits the individual and broader society, locally and globally.

Background: Despite the significant relationship between life satisfaction and education, less is known about the connection between life satisfaction and informal learning in the context of training and apprenticeship programs. This paper examines the influence of the LaunchCode program, a novel training and apprentice program in STEM, on participant's life satisfaction and optimism. We also explore mediating roles of STEM employment and earnings, as well as moderating role of participants' educational attainment levels. Results: We find high life satisfaction and optimism among those who completed both the training course and the apprenticeship component. In addition, we find a significant mediation effect of STEM employment on the relationships between program participation and current life satisfaction, as well as optimism, among the apprenticeship completers. Finally, we find a significant moderation effect of one's education level on the relationship between program completion and finding a STEM job, such that participants with a college degree are more likely to secure STEM employment through coursework alone. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the significance of apprenticeships in increasing life satisfaction and optimism, as well as the importance of STEM employment in explaining the significant effect of apprenticeships on life satisfaction and optimism. These findings suggest that what people do for a living is more important than how much they earn. However, while apprenticeships may offer an alternative route to the labor market, education may still facilitate connections to STEM employment in the absence of an apprenticeship.

There is ongoing debate in the United States about just how diverse, inclusive, and equitable the opt-out movement--and grassroots education activism more broadly--has been over the past decade. Today, a prevailing stereotype holds that the opt-out movement predominantly mobilizes white, middle-class, and suburban parents and is therefore a force for educational privilege, not equity. However, this stereotype has never been rigorously tested and it is still an open question as to how opt-out movement participants differ from non-participants, especially along the lines of race and class. Leveraging a comprehensive quantitative dataset of New York school district opt-out rates and community characteristics as well as original case study data collected from four purposefully sampled New York school districts, this study uncovers evidence challenging the dominant narrative of opt-out participation. It finds that the opt-out movement has been active across a diversity of district contexts and, with only small qualifications, has simultaneously mobilized a diverse cross section of parents within districts. However, the most active and longest-tenured opt-out parents do appear to be whiter and wealthier than the movement as a whole. This paper concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for our understanding of the U.S. opt-out movement as well as the potential of grassroots educational activism to be a force for equity and inclusion in U.S. education politics more generally.

This paper examines responses to questions about job satisfaction and inclusion from professionals in the information technology field. Responses from over 10,000 professionals were analyzed to determine if there were differences in response to these questions based on gender of respondent. This information, along with previous research on inclusion of women in higher education and industry, are discussed to determine similarities with previous research. Results from the study are used to suggest ways that educators can use the responses to improve recruitment and retention of females in technology majors and minors.

This paper presents new estimates of the effects of the City University of New York's (CUNY's) Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) model, evaluated using a randomized controlled trial first in New York and later through a replication in Ohio. It presents longer-term effects of CUNY ASAP in New York, showing that the program's effect on associate's degree receipt persisted through 8 years and likely represents a permanent increase in degree receipt. It also presents an analysis from the pooled study samples in New York and Ohio. The findings indicate that the program had consistent effects on degree receipt across the two states but also for somewhat different levels of service contrast, such as the number of additional advising visits. [For the corresponding grantee submission, see ED616420. For the report published by MDRC, see ED611732.]

The purpose of this paper on U.S. federal higher education policy is to discuss how market-based federal higher education funding policies over the last five decades has led to consequences that have been detrimental to student access at American public colleges and universities. Evidence shows increasing inequality in higher education opportunities for low income and underrepresented students due to the redeployment to the private sector of public funding. Since the passage of the federal direct student aid funding policy, the United States has fallen from first among OECD countries in bachelor's degree attainment for 25-34 year olds to sixteenth in bachelor's degree attainment, and eleventh in lower levels of tertiary attainment for the same age group. For the first time in U.S. history, the younger generation is being less well-educated than the generation before them. This paper highlights the problematic market-based federal funding policies that have aided this educational attainment decline and increased inefficiency in higher education. It also calls for new federal funding policies and directives to incentivize states to reinvest in its public colleges and universities in order to improve affordability and decrease student indebtedness.

Immigrant community college presidents are working to ensure the unpleasant, even frightening experiences of their younger years are not replicated among the current student body. Immigrant leaders interviewed by "Community College Journal"--Dr. Steady Moono, president of SUNY Schenectady County Community College; Dr. Lin Zhou, president of Bates Technical College; Dr. Claudia Habib, president of Porterville College; and Dr. Adenuga Atewologun, president of Riverland Community College--discuss the importance of being both visible and accessible to students uncertain about their future success due to attributes they cannot control.

In recent years, more and more systematic research has been conducted in science fields, focusing on identifying alternative ideas that the students have for essential concepts and principles of physics. This has resulted in the production of essential and valuable international bibliographic information in various science fields, including mechanics. In the present paper, we focus on physics, particularly in classical mechanics, including key concepts such as weight, energy, force, action/reaction, and work. A multiple-choice questionnaire was given to senior students of primary school, middle school, and Cyprus's high school. We analyzed the percentage of correct and incorrect responses of the three survey groups to determine whether the responses were related to the group's age or representative of statistical fluctuations. For most questions, there was a statistically significant correlation with age, as opposed to gender, which does not appear to play a role in students' correct answers. In particular, our results suggest that the alternative conceptions of students, reflecting misconceptions and preconceptions, reduce with age or equivalently with the education level. Nevertheless, there are also many questions for which such a correlation cannot be established. Our study can be used in science teaching, on the design of curricula, and teachers' professional development.

Much of the current available literature on leisure characterizes it as an additional consumer good: a derivative of capitalist society, featured as a commodity and, for the most part, an industry. This paper argues that recovering the concept of leisure from the ancients, with a contemporary focus on culture and the practice of living artfully, will help us create a new understanding of leisure that will break free from the reigning popular focus on "free time." The concept of leisure (scholé) will here be set against an existential backdrop that will situate it entirely within the realm of education, to reveal important connections to what it means to be an educated self and to lead a flourishing collective life in the form of culture. This discussion will conclude with a portrait of the concept that will be of interest to democracy-oriented educators, as we set the groundwork for actualizing the concept in the practice and lives of teachers and students in today's world.

This paper presents a mixed method study examining the relationship between teacher advanced degree attainment and student achievement. This study utilizes teacher demographic data along with standardized test scores from 702 public schools in south central Texas. First, OLS regression analyses were employed to measure the relationship between the percent of teachers with advanced degrees and student achievement. The results of these analyses indicate that the percentage of teachers with advanced degrees made a statistically significant independent contribution to the variance in student outcomes on the state exam in English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. Following the analysis of the quantitative data, semi-structured interviews were conducted with principals identified as having the top 1% of teachers on staff with advanced degrees within this region. A constructivist approach was used to identify common themes for how these principals recruit and retain faculty with advanced degrees. Five themes emerged. These principals: employ a focused hiring philosophy, foster a learning organization, encourage teacher autonomy, participate in higher education partnerships, and support graduate degree attainment. Each of these themes are explored and practical suggestions for school leaders is presented.

Studying overseas may offer myriad riches of extraordinary experiences, especially due to the opportunities to immerse into a different academic culture. However, for some, the difference may be a hurdle that brings them into a mental roller coaster along with their academic career. In this reflective paper, against the backdrop of my overseas studies experiences, I recount my bumpy journey of battling the so-called impostor syndrome which prevented me from being productive until I found the lights at the end of the tunnel and finally found a way to move on with my journey and earned my degree. Self-appreciation and community support seemed to be the most important influences that may have led me to be free from the syndrome and to finally achieve my main objectives.

The purpose of the article is to compare and contrast higher education and research among public relations and journalism students of middle-class and working-class origin. The paper applied Bourdieu's theory of "habitus" to analyze prejudices against the working class, explores whether working-class students express an anti-education view, and whether the appreciation of education (and research in particular) is a predominantly middle-class attitude. Focus groups and an online questionnaire were used to obtain views of students at a university in Northern England. Triple coding (open, axial, selective) was used and the data was then analyzed and presented using thematic analysis. Findings show that early socialization about education as well as students' type of neighborhoods (habitus) influence studies' views of higher education and research in particular. While the findings show some similarity with views in the literature of the middle-class being more inclined to value education, these findings show that this is true only for those who grow up in middle class areas whereas middle-class students who grew up in working-class areas show working-class attitudes toward education. Equally, working-class students who grew up in middle-class areas show what is usually perceived as a middle-class view of education. Both groups of students show a tendency toward embracing a consumerist view of higher education.

Background: The presence of African women in mathematics has been nearly invisible. The underrepresentation of African women in this field is a result of their historical socio-political marginalisation. The mathematics discipline is politicised, racialised, and gendered to systematically oppress African women. The mathematics fields continue to be a masculine and white male dominated field, which reinforces and preserves masculine culture which is hostile and unwelcoming to women. African women mathematicians are further oppressed because of their racial and gendered identities in fields that are ideologically founded on proving the racial, gendered, social, cultural, and intellectual inferiority of Africans. Aim: The article aims to exemplify the lived experiences of African women doctoral students in the mathematics disciplines in South African universities. The article critically interrogates the factors that influence the participation, progression, and retention of African female doctoral students in the mathematics disciplines. Setting: The article comes from a larger study which investigated the reasons why African doctorate students do not become academics after they receive their doctorates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines in South African universities. This paper focuses on the experiences of 10 African female doctoral students at five universities in South Africa. The universities were selected because they ranked in the top five in South Africa. Two of the institutions are historically Black universities and the rest are historically white institutions, with one historically Afrikaner-speaking university--between 2019--2021. Methods: This article employed a qualitative research methodology, where semi-structures interviews were conducted with 10 African female doctoral participants in mathematics disciplines in five South African universities and is underpinned by the theory of intersectionality. Results: The findings reveal how interlocking systems of oppression continue to influence the recruitment, retention, and progression of women in the mathematics discipline, thereby providing insight into the mechanisms that need to be altered and/or put in place to actively recruit African female doctoral students and retain them in academic positions. Conclusion: The article concludes that despite the mathematics field proclaiming neutrality and objectivity nevertheless, African women still experience racism, sexism, and classism. The experiences of African women in mathematics are vital to understanding the reasons why there is a high attrition rate of African women in the mathematics discipline in academia and why they do not become academics when they could transform this discipline.

The processes of social confinement caused by the global health crisis (COVID-19), have forced professors to assume new research competencies that allow them to improve science indicators and contribute to the research culture in the digital era for the Latin American region. This article analyzes the research culture of Latin American professors in 20 countries in the digital era, and their relationship with the production of scientific papers indexed in the Journal Citation Report (JCR) between 1996 and 2019. A questionnaire (with validity and reliability criteria) with a Likert-type scale was applied to 2,215 professors selected from five international scientific events. The main results show that 78% of the professors have less than 15 years of teaching experience, with ages under 44 years of age and 38.9% of them with an undergraduate academic level, 62.5% of whom responded that they have never published in indexed journals, and that they do not know the proper application of paradigms and research designs. On the other hand, 23.86% of the total citations are self-citations. Therefore, the results reflect a significant relationship between the research culture of professors and Latin American scientific production. Finally, Latin American professors have found themselves in economic, political and social circumstances that affect good research and scientific publication practices, leaving a training gap in research competencies in the new digital era.

Using a two-stage, matched design, we found dual enrollment students enrolled in college within one year of their expected high school graduation at higher rates than control students who did not take college classes in high school (OR = 3.06). For students that matriculated within one year after high school, compared to control, treatment students showed higher rates of persistence (OR = 1.30), and completion of "any" degree (OR = 2.08), a two-year credential within two years (OR = 2.87), and a four-year degree within four years (OR = 1.61). And five years after high school, treatment students had higher earnings (g = .079). Subgroup findings revealed no significant moderation effects of the treatment by income, race, gender, or achievement level. Prior quantitative studies have largely failed to consider the role of academic achievement, so that is an important contribution of this paper. Ours is also the first study we are aware of to examine the impact of dual enrollment on earnings. While awaiting future research replicating our achievement and earnings results, results suggest dual enrollment is a promising strategy for increasing postsecondary success and earnings after college.

Research has largely been silent on English Learner (EL) persistence and completion in U.S. community colleges, yet studies conducted across higher education report that only one in eight ELs completes a bachelor's degree (Kanno & Cromley, 2013). Many interventions have been proposed to improve college student persistence and completion. This paper examines two such interventions at one Oregon community college: ESL Bridge to College (an academic contextualized model of developmental education) and PASS Lane (a career contextualized model). Using descriptive statistics, we tabulated EL participants' persistence and completion rates. Results show that average persistence and completion rates are higher for participants of these two programs compared to the general student population and to former ELs who were enrolled prior to the creation of the PASS Lane and Bridge programs. More research is needed that controls for participants' background characteristics like academic ability, motivation, socioeconomic status, prior education, and external commitments to determine whether the programs themselves caused this increase in EL persistence and completion.

Social changes have resulted in an increase of students living in households that do not include both a mother and a father, reducing the efficacy of common survey questionnaire approaches to measuring student socioeconomic status (SES). This paper presents two studies conducted to develop and test a new,more inclusive set of student SES items appropriate for students from a range of household types. In the first study, we held group interviews with 57 students in Grades 4, 8, and 12 who lived in four nontraditional household types. The study goal was, first, to understand how students thought about their household members and learn what they knew about the educational background and employment status of their caregivers and, second, to develop draft items based on these findings. In the second study, we held 51 individual cognitive interviews with a similar sample to evaluate draft item clarity and function.We found that although students may live with a broad range of family members and other adults, they understood the term caregiver to refer to a person who provides resources and support. Students found it easier to answer items when the items included the titles of their caregivers. Our results demonstrate that a customizable approach to measuring student SES allows more students to report information about their caregivers than the current standard of asking about mothers and fathers. We provide recommendations for student SES measurement and potential next steps for research on this topic.

The effect of high-stakes language tests on teaching and learning a language is usually known as washback. The true nature of test washback can be understood only by taking account of the educational, cultural, political and social contexts in which the test operates. Nevertheless, little research has explored the factors that affect the nature of washback. This paper reports on a study that explored the factors that affect the washback of the Secondary Education Examination (SEE) English test on students and parents in Nepal. The data generated through oral diaries (n=72) and semi-structured interviews with students and their parents (n=24) indicate that several factors including economic factors, social prestige associated with the test performance, parents' educational background, and perceived importance of English affect the nature of a high-stakes tests' washback. Finally, some of the pressing policy, pedagogical and research implications are discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the different levels of transformational leadership between male and female principals and their relationships with teachers' Innovative Work Behavior (IWB) in Malaysian secondary schools. In total, 477 teachers from various secondary schools were randomly selected as respondents (218 are working under female principals, while 259 of them are under male principals). This study revealed that the respondents agree that male principals practice transformational leadership higher than female principals. However, the female principals were highly influential on the teachers' IWB compared to their male counterparts. This study provides a glimpse of the teachers' innovative behavior improvement resulted from transformational leadership by male and female school principals.

These days, academic development is a crucial tool used to build new competencies that result in boosting employee performance. Thus, the research examines the association between staff development and employee performance as mediated by job satisfaction in Dembecha and Machikel districts, in Ethiopia. The researchers used a correlational research design by collecting data from 351 teachers with questionnaires and interviews. Initially, the validity and reliability of scales were checked. As findings, teachers had a high level of staff development, satisfaction, and performance. Moreover, there were no statistically significant differences in teachers' job satisfaction and performance regarding gender, education level, and length of service. There was a positive relationship between staff development, teacher job satisfaction, and performance. Furthermore, job satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between academic development and employee job performance. This study empirically highlighted that to make teachers professionally satisfied and highly performed, various methods of staff development activities should be considered, and the state government should give appropriate inducements to gain new skills that will improve their competencies. This paper also contributes to the theory and literature on teachers' development, job satisfaction, and performance by adding knowledge in the context of Ethiopian situation. This is anticipated to inspire further researchers.

This study analyses the relationship between a firms' growth and the educational diversity of their workforce. It differentiates itself from other studies by using two measures of human capital diversity--one for education levels and one for fields--instead of one. The results show that workers with more diverse specializations than the workforce of competitors benefit the firm's growth and extensive margin of trade. Contrastingly, above-average workforce heterogeneity in education levels does not seem to affect firms' performance. Furthermore, it is shown that the association between human capital diversity and firms' performance differs among sectors. Compared to previous studies, which concentrated on one particular industry or one measure of educational diversity, this more comprehensive approach allows reconciling some of the contradicting results. The study shows that the mixed results in existing papers can result from dissimilar impacts of various measures of human capital diversity on firm performance or its differences among sectors.

In India, the National Education Policy 2020 recommends ensuring universal access to high-quality early childhood care and education for children aged 3-6 years by 2030. Using the 75th round of National Statistical Office data (2017-2018), this paper analyses the regional and socioeconomic inequalities in access to pre-primary education. Also, we investigate the specific role of households' economic status and educational attainment in explaining these inequalities. We find considerable regional (rural/urban) and socioeconomic inequalities in access to pre-primary education in India, with girls and children belonging to historically disadvantaged social groups (scheduled castes and scheduled tribes) less likely to attend early childhood education, particularly in rural areas. We find that a substantial portion of the rural-urban gap in access to pre-primary education can be removed by controls for households' economic condition and household head's educational status. In addition, we find gender and socioeconomic inequalities in the household investment in early years education. These findings highlight the need to put policy efforts and commitments to reducing barriers to accessing pre-primary education for children in disadvantaged conditions in India.

The crisis during the pandemic restrained the livelihood of women and disrupted their economic opportunities. Specifically, during the height of the lockdown, when people were restricted from going out, the livelihood of women who sold and peddled seafood products was greatly affected. This paper unfolds women's socio-demographic profile and knowledge regarding the laws for protecting women's rights in the lexis of the Republic Act No. 9710, also known as the Magna Carta of Women, and their economic condition in the informal economy during the pandemic. This descriptive mixed method quantitatively surveyed 70 women and another 10 women for the Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). The findings have shown that women in the informal economy were predominantly in the middle and late adulthood stage, married, the majority had a low level of education (i.e., elementary & high school levels) and were the breadwinners in the family. Also, the average size of each family consisted of 7 members with an average family monthly income of 7,407 pesos. The themes unearthed that informants perceived the Magna Carta of Women as unfamiliar and vague concepts, inconsistent implementation, and responsive leadership. On the other note, informants highlighted that the imagery of women in society gained parity in gender roles. It was revealed that women struggled with delayed assistance, parental obligations, prejudice, and partial treatment.

This study comprehensively explores cogenerative dialogue in science education from a sociocultural perspective. Analyzing 120 papers and theses from January 2001 to December 2022 in Korean and English journals, we examine their objectives, themes, methods, learners, educational levels, participants, researcher roles, coteaching connections, and program durations. Our data analysis reveals growing diversity in cogenerative dialogue research objectives and subjects across countries. Consistent patterns emerge regarding researcher roles, participant groups, and program durations. This research offers insights into the evolving cogenerative dialogue landscape in science education, informing future investigations and highlighting trends in this field. The findings presented not only shed light on the current state of research but also provide direction for future investigations, highlighting trends and distinctive features in various facets of cogenerative dialogue-related studies. Specifically, we offer suggestions for the need for research in Korean science education contexts and more broadly in the Asia-Pacific region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient medical records are records relating to the patient's identity, diagnosis, action, and to the treatment that has been given to the patient. Thus, medical records must be protected from damage, but damage to medical records is still found in every hospital. Purpose: This study attempts to investigate the causes of damage to hospital medical record materials. Methods: this is literature review, and the research was obtained from google scholar and the portal garuda, using full text articles. The measured results were factors that cause damage to medical record documents. Results: The main factor were still officers with a low level of education, namely high school graduates. This has an impact on filing officers to be not disciplined in maintaining medical record documents, and the absence of implementation of training related to management and storage management in the filing section. The machine factor was that there was no medical record rack available in accordance with the number of medical record documents. The method factor was that there was no SOP for maintaining medical records. The material factor was the raw material for the map using thin paper. The media factor, namely the storage space, has not been avoided from the dangers of water, fire, and biological damage. Conclusion: Based on 5M factors, the factors that have the highest influence on damage to medical record documents are the elements of people, machine, and material. While the factor that causes the least damage to medical record documents is the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to conduct a systematic analysis of literature published between 1 January 2018 and 1 September 2022, exploring factors influencing the progression or development of temporomandibular disorders (TMD), diagnosed using the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) or Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD). Three electronic databases were reviewed to identify papers that examined TMD factors using DC/TMD or RDC/TMD. Inclusion criteria encompassed original research published in English between 1 January 2018 and 1 October 2022, online, and complete DC/TMD or RDC/TMD studies on human participants aged 18 or older. Two authors independently assessed the risk of bias using The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Analytical cross-sectional studies' Critical Appraisal Tool. Of 1478 articles, 11 were included. The studies revealed strong associations between TMD and factors such as female, poor sleep quality, depression, oral parafunction, anxiety, somatization, and anatomical features. However, variables such as education, living conditions, socioeconomic status, marital status, chronic pain, and stress did not exhibit statistically significant correlations. Based on the obtained data, it can be concluded that the causes of TMD are largely related to psychological factors, which supports the biopsychosocial theory of the disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity of teachers is half that of the student population in Australia. Despite government policies to support internationally trained teachers (ITTs), there remain major structural and institutional barriers working against access to the profession: an information gap, the lack of professional advice, the absence of programmes to help teachers gain accreditation and the lack of mentoring or support programmes. This paper focuses on ITTs undertaking volunteer teaching in community languages schools; these are community-run organisations where over 100,000 children across Australia learn their home language. These sites were selected as they represent a key pathway into further study and employment for ITTs. Findings are drawn from online survey (n=954) and interviews (n=62) exploring professional strengths, needs and experiences. The key finding is the exclusion and 'problematisation' of ITTs, rather than recognition of the social, educational and economic benefits represented by this group. The article explores recent government-funded provision of pathways to teacher accreditation and the extent to which these address the barriers identified. There is a discussion of how such a model may be embedded in mainstream teacher education pathways.

School infiltration is an important aspect of family parenting research in recent years. This study reexamines the evaluation mechanism of higher education access path to explore the feelings of schooling winners (also Gaokao winners). Different from stratified education's understanding of family authority, this study proposes to deconstruct the rough understanding of stratified type, presenting a more historical and life-sense process of education acquisition and family parenting mode permeated by school education. This paper mainly uses the method of narrative analysis to explore the family parenting experiences of eight successful participants in higher education. The study found that Chinese family parenting was heavily influenced by schooling. Through discipline, empathy, and home-school cooperation, families reinforce the ideals and goals of schooling (high scores) in the field outside the school. Thus, participants expressed negative views and feelings about teachers, classmates and families. After completing the admission examination of higher education, some participants take the initiative to try to repair the relationship and adjust themselves to reach a reconciliation; Others are still growing up in the distressing experience.

This study assessed the impact of education for women at all levels (primary, secondary, and tertiary) on economic development and child welfare in Nigeria. The choice of these two domains was to give a thorough assessment economic impact of women's education. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) was used to test for the stationarity of variables. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bound test with the aid of data obtained from World Bank indicators was employed for the analysis. The analysis revealed that the more women with secondary and tertiary education, the better the economic growth and child welfare in Nigeria. Hence, the paper concluded that the government should make and implement appropriate policies to boost women's education enrolment at all levels.

There is an ongoing debate in the literature about the ways of using technology to enhance students' Computational Thinking (CT). This special issue further enriches this debate by investigating how educational technology could be used, and for which purposes, to facilitate learning CT. It includes six papers demonstrating the innovative design of curricula and the use of various technologies to teach CT for students in different educational levels. Based on these papers, this special issue points out that more research is needed to investigate the best educational practices that could be used to teach CT rather than focusing on the technology itself. It also reveals that future work could cover smart learning analytics and precision education to better model students' individual differences, hence effectively supporting learning CT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]