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This quantitative study assessed infographics' perceptions, preferences, and effectiveness as a learning tool among Pakistani undergraduate medical students. The research focused on understanding the impact of infographics on knowledge acquisition, comprehension of complex medical concepts, and bridging the gap between theoretical learning and clinical practice. The study utilised a self-evaluated questionnaire developed through a meticulous literature review, self-evaluation, and expert input. The questionnaire covered demographics, perceptions, preferences, effectiveness in knowledge acquisition, impact on understanding complex medical concepts, and linking theoretical learning to clinical practice. The research was conducted at Shahida Islam Medical College, Lodhran, Punjab, Pakistan, and involved undergraduate medical students across various academic years. Data collection occurred between November 10 and November 30, 2023, with 229 participants. Quantitative analysis was conducted using SPSS, involving one-sample t-test, paired samples t-test, independent samples t-test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis to address specific hypotheses. Findings indicate a strong positive perception and preference for infographics among undergraduate medical students. Infographics were perceived as effective in enhancing knowledge acquisition, positively impacting the understanding of complex medical concepts, and bridging the gap between theoretical learning and clinical practice. Statistical analyses supported these perceptions, demonstrating significant relationships and explaining variance in students' perceptions and knowledge acquisition. This study highlights the substantial role of infographics as valuable tools in medical education, emphasising their positive impact on undergraduate medical students' learning experiences. The findings support the integration of infographics into medical curricula to enhance knowledge acquisition, comprehension, and application in real-life clinical settings.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the role that technology plays in the education of students with hearing impairments. The paper delves into ambitious topics like assistive technologies and languages, access and inclusion, teacher education and practice, and the challenges encountered. The research employed a quantitative approach, selecting 172 teachers from Punjab's special education department as a study sample using a simple random technique. Primary data was collected using a self-developed questionnaire. The collected data was, therefore, analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Overall, the findings presented a positive outlook, demonstrating how technology enhances the learning experience, communication, and academic performance. The study clearly highlights several challenges, including insufficient specialized tools, inadequate teacher training, financial constraints, and more. The study highlights the significance of precision, aggregative processes, and teamwork in addressing the challenges of limited resources, teachers' preparedness, and accessibility. recommendations include incorporating specialized digital tools, focusing on continuous teacher professional learning, requesting funding, and creating awareness and/or cultural shifts. Such findings provide an understanding of the possible pros and cons of technology integration, which will help educators create an inclusive learning environment for students with hearing impairments.

The study was planned to explore the challenges faced by distance learners during paperless assignment process. This initiative was introduced a couple of years ago at a distance learning university in Pakistan. Target population comprised on distance learners of M. Phil Education and MBA (col) sessions 2017 to 2019 programs running online through Learning Management System (LMS). Total Population Sampling (TPS) technique was followed and all distance learners of both programs were engaged. It was mixed-method research comprising both structured and open-ended information. The instruments employed were two questionnaires: one on Likert Scale and the other was open-ended. The reliability coefficient was 0.71, and the open-ended questionnaire was validated through six subject experts. The structured questionnaire was sent to all 563 students and in response 132 students filled out the online questionnaire. Quantitative data was analyzed through descriptive statistics while qualitative data was analyzed through NVivo software. The main problems highlighted were study material relevance and late delivery, understanding and processing of paperless assignments, access and skills of ICT, financial constraints, evaluation of paperless assignments, and instructors' feedback. Students suggested that textbooks should be revised and delivered in time, connectivity issues should be resolved, free internet packages should be introduced, LMS training should be conducted, in time feedback in descriptive form by instructors must be provided to the distance learners.

This study investigated the effect of social distancing on academic and social learning of primary school students during pandemic in Pakistan. For this research study, a mixed-methods convergent parallel research design was employed. Through a questionnaire, quantitative responses were collected from 120 parents whereas for qualitative responses, face-to-face interviews were conducted with twenty parents. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyze the quantitative data, whereas thematic analysis was used for analyzing qualitative data. According to the study results, parents perceived that social distancing affected the academic and social learning of their children during the pandemic in the shifted phase from offline to online mode, although there were variations with respect to the demographics selected for this study. Based on the parents' interviews, the majority agreed that social distancing had a negative effect on children's academic and social learning, in addition to tempering their communication skills and disrupting the psychological health, which consequently generated a learning gap. It is recommended that the concerned authorities may take such initiatives to address and mend the learning loss of children relevant to their academic and social skills in the post-pandemic era.

The objective of this study was to find effect of Jazz smart classroom's online quiz on academic achievement of students at secondary school level. Experimental design was used in which two groups were selected one was control and other was experimental group. Experimental group was given a treatment of six weeks by using Jazz Smart Classroom's Online Quiz. A sample of 30 students of class 10 was selected. Convenience sampling technique was used. Instrument used for collection of data was pre-test and post-test. Twenty lessons were delivered by using Jazz Smart Classroom's Online Quiz. Same pre-test and post-test used. The test was validated by the experts from University of Okara. The reliability of test was determined by reliability analysis with SPSS. The t-test was used for the comparison of data of control and experimental group. The results of experiment showed that the mean scores of students in post-test which were taught by using Jazz Smart Classroom's Online Quiz scored significantly higher than those taught by using traditional method. Some recommendations were made for teachers and students to use online quiz for better teaching and learning. Government should take an initiative to use Jazz Smart Classroom's Online Quiz in high schools.

In the past two decades, the Government of Pakistan has significantly invested in higher education (HE) to bring structural reforms in funding, governance, and quality assurance mechanisms. Their overarching mission has been to fuel national socioeconomic development by ensuring equal access to HE. Given this, the present study aimed to address the following research question: To what extent have current HE reforms in Pakistan enabled equitable access to HE? To address this question, this study drew from a social justice-centered framework to track trends in HE access that is, broadly and based on socio-economic status, gender, urbanicity/rurality, and region/province. Using secondary data from diverse sources including the HEC, Academy of Education Planning and Management, and the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, we conducted descriptive longitudinal analyses. Findings underscore that the system has failed to provide equal access to HE in several ways and discuss some possibilities for policymakers in equalizing the opportunities.

Purpose -- Balochistan, which makes up roughly 44 percent of Pakistan's total land area, is home to 6 percent of the nation's inhabitants. Due to long distances and low population density, service delivery is particularly challenging. The province's educational services are impacted by natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, droughts, and migration. Disaster risk reduction is a widely recognized concept that emphasizes appropriate education to lower an individual's personal, familial, and communal vulnerability. The role of the school is crucial in Disaster Risk Reducation (DRR) education. As a result, the study's goal was to explore the approaches adopted for the inclusion of DDR through teaching in classroom and school activities. Methodology -- A focus group discussion with three groups of Pakistan studies and Geography teachers was conducted that consisted of 10 male and 14 female members. Findings -- Findings demonstrate that the current textbook continues to teach students less about disaster risk reduction; teachers include knowledge from their personal experience in planning lessons about DRR. School assemblies, child clubs and activities designed by school management, and social organizations play a prominent role in DRR education. Further, the role of teachers and school management was identified in psycho-social support during disasters and pandemics. Significance -- The study concludes that in addition to extracurricular activities and the teacher's role, prior disaster experience, school, and social organization played a significant role in DRR education in rural Balochistan. The study results will assist curriculum developers, policymakers, and education leadership in developing more effective school disaster management plans. The results will also clarify how schools and teachers can close the knowledge gap in disaster preparedness education. Organizations working on disaster risk education and education in emergencies will also benefit from additional research to respond to the need readily and effectively.

This study examined problem-based learning in blended learning classrooms for practicing mathematical problems in an emergency situation, such as Covid-19. For this purpose, a three-week program was framed in contrast to traditional teaching, aiming at enrichment and not remediation, for a group of fifty students' studying mathematics in a science program. The formative experiment research method was used for this study and practiced at public sector Higher Secondary School in Jehangira, district Swabi. The data were collected through a self-developed questionnaire verified by experts and were analyzed by using simple frequency distribution. Findings were mostly positive, indicating that students found problem-based learning productive in practicing mathematics, for example, solved samples helped them in answering similar problems, course work was completed timely, and use of smartphones with peers in groups helped them in better understanding the problems. The findings also revealed some concerns such as poor availability of network/internet services or non-affordability of having smart phone or internet packages, and parents' unwillingness for allowing smartphones and using the internet.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has led to a transformation in higher education worldwide. AI tools provide academic support to students anywhere and anytime to enhance their knowledge and skills. Those facing difficulties have been relying on traditional support and guidance. However, this support has experienced difficulties, including availability and accessibility. This study examines the potential of AI-powered tools to address these challenges, aiming to make academic support more accessible, efficient, and effective. This study focuses on understanding the determinants of AI tools' acceptance and use for academic support among students, influencing student satisfaction and academic performance in Pakistan and Malaysia. The research on AI tool acceptance and use in the higher education Institutions (HEI) context is still new and less explored in Pakistani and Malaysian higher education institutions. A theoretical model based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and other factors was employed to identify factors that affect AI tool adoption in higher education. The survey research design was employed, and the total sample size was 305 respondents, with 203 students from Quaid-e-Awam University of Science and Technology (QUEST), Pakistan, and 102 students from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). A "Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) Analysis" was employed to assess the research model and hypotheses using SmartPls 4.0. In Pakistan and Malaysia, students are more concerned about using AI tools to improve their academic performance. The findings indicated that performance and effort expectancy, information accuracy of AI tools, pedagogical fit to meet the student's expectations, and student interaction with tools were important factors in predicting the acceptance and use of AI tools among students of both countries in higher education, and the rising use of these AI tools has improved students' satisfaction levels and significantly impacted students learning outcomes in both countries. Additionally, student engagement and personal innovativeness have not significantly affected the use of AI tools among students in both countries. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of AI tool adoption in the unique contexts of Pakistan and Malaysia, contributing to the broader discourse on technology integration in higher education.

The present study used control-value theory to investigate the varied effects of students' achievement emotions on their academic outcomes, both at the attitudinal (academic satisfaction) and behavioral (academic performance) levels. The study found that the simultaneous effects of positive, negative, activating, and deactivating achievement emotions differ from their unique effects on academic outcomes. The study analyzed survey data from 2747 participants (N[subscript 1] = 2335 Pakistani undergrad students and N[subscript 2] = 412 international students studying in Pakistan). Overall, the data indicate factors that lead to the (dis)similar impacts of achievement emotions on academic performance and provide support for the proposed mediational effects. Notably, different emotions may have comparable or differing outcomes. The elements of positive expectation and involvement create equal or unique effects of positive emotions (hope and optimism) on academic achievement. Cognitive resources and the degree of awareness may provide equal or different academic outcomes for negative emotions (anger and boredom). For combinations of activating emotions (hope and anger) and deactivating emotions (optimism and boredom), level of dominance may influence academic accomplishments.

Mobile learning has ushered in a transformative era in education, compelling educational institutions to reimagine their pedagogical approaches. This shift is particularly evident in teacher training programs, where mobile learning is increasingly integrated into traditional education. The success of these integrated systems hinges on educators' willingness to adapt to these evolving paradigms. Nevertheless, a notable gap exists in the research landscape concerning the challenges of adopting mobile learning in teacher training and its consequential impact on teachers' professional capabilities. This study aims to bridge this gap by identifying the factors influencing teachers' satisfaction and performance within mobile learning training courses and establishing the intricate relationships between these variables. This study was conducted in a quantitative research framework and collected data from 563 schoolteachers through an online survey. These respondents were actively engaged in mobile-based training courses at the Provincial Institute for Teacher Education (PITE) Sindh during their mandatory training programs in the academic year 2022-23. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the proposed hypotheses rigorously. The study's findings unveil a robust and significant nexus between several critical factors and educators' experiences when utilizing mobile learning for training. Specifically, content quality, information quality, system quality, prior experiences, and mobile self-efficacy contributed strongly to task-technology fit, ultimately enhancing teachers' engagement, and yielding improved outcomes. Moreover, the study elucidates a clear correlation between factors encompassing understanding, Instructors' prompt feedback, teachers' expectations, and instructor quality within the context of training course design. These factors collectively positively influence teachers' satisfaction and performance, enhancing content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and professional dispositions. This holistic approach to mobile learning positively influences teachers' satisfaction and, ultimately, enhances teachers' overall performance. This study provides valuable insights to guide educators, institutions, and policymakers in effectively embracing and implementing mobile learning to benefit teachers and, ultimately, the broader field of education.

Knowledge management has been a proven tool to foster organizational performance, innovations, and individual knowledge workers' productivity. A stream of empirical studies has demonstrated with contradictory results that each single organizational knowledge management process -- knowledge creation, knowledge sharing and utilization -- can enhance the knowledge workers' productivity in isolation. In contrast, our study argues with the support of Nonaka's theory and alignment theory that knowledge utilization is the only frontline and primary knowledge management process which can enhance knowledge workers' productivity while other knowledge management processes (knowledge creation and knowledge sharing) support and supplement each other as well as improve knowledge utilization. This means that shared and created knowledge will not enhance the productivity of knowledge workers until organizations strive for knowledge utilization. This study used data collected from 336 knowledge workers in the Telecom industry of Pakistan and examined it using partial least squares modelling. The findings indicated that knowledge utilization is the sole frontline and primary knowledge management to enhance the productivity of knowledge workers. Hence, knowledge utilization can only influence productivity indirectly by increasing the utilization of knowledge created and/or shared.

This research investigates disciplinary variations using syntactic features in Pakistani academic writing (AW). The corpus of this research is developed from 160 dissertations across four disciplinary divisions and analyzed through AntConc. Results reveal heterogeneous and homogenous use of the said features. Heterogeneity is seen in relation to the frequency of different types of clausal, intermediate, and phrasal features. Regarding the homogeneity, results reveal that the highest and lowest used features were similar across the four disciplinary divisions. That is, clausal coordinating conjunctions and WH complement clauses (highest and lowest used clausal features), nouns and prepositional phrases (highest and lowest used phrasal features), and adverbs and noun+to-clauses (highest and lowest used intermediate features) are observed to remain the same across the four disciplinary divisions. These results conclude that Pakistani AW does not reflect disciplinary variation. The practice is contrary to the expert convention. Therefore, Pakistani academic writers are suggested to appropriately use the syntactic features as per the expert conventions in their disciplines.

Through this research work, the researcher studied the causes of dropouts in Government Secondary Schools of Punjab (Pakistan). Specifically, the researcher employed a descriptive design to examine and discuss the problems facing the educational institutions and to make recommendations that can be employed to increase the opportunity for student's success within the Province of Punjab. The objectives of this study were to investigate the trend of dropouts at Secondary Schools in Punjab. Several attempts were made by the Government of the Punjab to reverse this trend. The reason of dropouts was studied through the opinion of 32 boys Secondary School Teachers of Public sector along with 160 Parents and 160 Dropout Students from District Kasur, Punjab (Pakistan). Data collected were analyzed by using the SPSS. The class repetition, mismanagement, lack of basic facilities like drinking water, toilets, electricity, desks etc, cleanliness, communication gap between teachers and parents, harsh behavior of teachers and too much homework from school came out as major causes of dropout. The secondary school teachers fixed the responsibility of dropping out on parents and the children. The authorities should take vital steps to minimize the dropout rate by improving schools and by starting Parents awareness campaign about the importance of students' education.

Human rights contribute to peaceful coexistence among citizens, which leads to societal and national progress as well. The present research focused on the analysis of the human rights teaching practices at higher education level in Pakistan. Fifteen (15) heads of departments, 61 teachers, and 419 students of BS programs were selected as a sample from four departments of four public universities of the Punjab (Pakistan). Human Rights (HRs) was considered as an aggregate of nine values; which were here rearranged in descending order of their rank as per their prevalence in teaching practices of the sampled teachers -- truth, integrity, respect for human dignity, freedom and responsibility, equality and justice, acceptance/appreciation of diversity, cooperation, accountability, and honesty. 'Truth' was the most focused value, and 'honesty' was the least. Human Rights Values (HRVs) were being taught less than that of the expectations of the students and teachers. Therefore, HRVs should be taught to the university students more frequently. Keeping in view greater importance of civic engagement and citizenship, Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) can offer a distinct course regarding Human Rights Education in its guiding principles for universities in its sponsorships.

Social media technologies (SMTs), online brand communities, and social customer relationship management (SCRM) Capabilities play an indispensable role in the engagement and loyalty-building of university students to achieve a sustainable university reputation. This study provides pioneering input for higher education institutions (HEIs) by developing a new integrated SCRM model through self-congruity or self-congruence theory, which examines SMTs Use, online brand communities, SCRM Capabilities, customer engagement, customer loyalty, and university reputation. Using cross-sectional data from 400 students from Pakistani public universities, structure equation modeling applies to Smart PLS 3.2.7. Results indicate that all hypotheses have significant positive relationships, except SMTs use found insignificant with university reputation. Also, SCRM Capabilities mediate between SMTs use and university reputation, while customer engagement mediates between online brand communities and customer loyalty. This study indirectly supports public HEIs sustainability. Further, these findings contribute new knowledge to literature and theory.

In this research we attempt to empirically validate a model - using signalling theory - that explains important antecedents and consequences of students' attitude towards internationally accredited business schools. Using a quasi-experimental design, we collected data from undergraduate students of eight countries across four scenarios. The results of our overall model suggest that students' concern for achievement is strongly correlated with their attitude towards international accredited schools. Students' attitude towards accredited business school is a strong predictor of school reputation and legitimacy and both influence their support intentions. The study also indicates that multiple accreditations do not moderate the relationships in our proposed model.

The current study utilized a pre-and post-intervention design to assess pre-service teachers' self-efficacy, perceived content knowledge, and perceived pedagogical knowledge before and after a teaching practicum in the Pakistani context. The data were collected in two phases. In the pre-practicum phase, data were collected from 419 pre-service teachers enrolled in B. Ed, M. Ed, and MA Education programs to assess the general level of self-efficacy for teaching ESD-related concepts, their perceived content knowledge, and perceived pedagogical knowledge concerning ESD. In the post-practicum phase, the data were collected from 215 participants who participated in the first phase and consented to participate in the second phase. One-way ANOVA, Independent sample t-test and paired sample t-test were utilized for data analysis. Results suggest significant differences in pre-service teachers' self-efficacy based on the university, program, and age. Similarly, a difference was found between pre-service teachers' perceived content knowledge based on the university they were enrolled in. The difference in pedagogical knowledge was also found based on university and gender. Further, the post-practicum analysis suggests a significant difference in pre-service teachers' self-efficacy, perceived content knowledge, and pedagogical knowledge after undergoing a teaching practicum. Conclusion, limitations, and recommendations are provided at the end of the paper.

This study examines the effectiveness of animated movies (AM) in increasing students' vocabulary and determines what students think about English language learning in Pakistan. Particularly in the education field, vocabulary is an essential factor for foreign language learning in academic achievements. This research aimed to determine whether using animated images/movies aid students in learning new vocabulary by helping them to make connections between the words they know and real-world occurrences. The research used pre-tests and post-tests to examine the impact of AM on vocabulary acquisition. Total participants (N = 64) were 12th-grade students in Lahore, Pakistan, separated into controlled and experimental groups to make a judgment. In the second semester of college, half the students (N = 32) utilized AM to acquire English vocabulary, while the control group employed the conventional technique. The results were evaluated using a t-test for an independent sample to detect significant differences between the groups. The vocabulary exam was constructed and verified as a pre and post-test. The findings revealed a statistically significant difference in receptive vocabulary, productive vocabulary, and overall score in favor of the experimental group owing to the use of (AM). It added to the growing body of information by investigating how animated videos might support EFL education.

International students comprise over 50% of the graduate student population in the life sciences in the US, over 70% of whom are Asian. Research that aims to understand international students' experiences has often treated Asian students as a monolith, discounting significant cultural and historical differences between regions in Asia that may affect students' motivations for pursuing graduate degrees, their experiences in graduate school, and their identities as scientists in training. To begin to understand the experiences of SAI students as they transition to PhD programs in the sciences, we conducted an exploratory study in which we interviewed 10 SAI students and 12 US native students during the first six months of their doctoral programs. We performed a content analysis of the interview data with the aim of identifying factors that shaped students' doctoral transitions. We then selected factors that were distinctive to SAI students. Finally, we carried out an interpretative phenomenological analysis to understand and describe the following factors that SAI students experienced as influencing their doctoral transitions: prior exposure to research; opportunities for networking; challenges with and affordances for acculturation; attitudes toward and understanding of mental health issues; financial affordances and constraints of pursuing a PhD, and barriers to communication. The results of this work have the potential to be useful to graduate programs seeking to ease SAI students' transition to doctoral programs.

Purpose: The purpose of this exploratory case study was to investigate the role of School Leaders (SLs) in building Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in schools, as well as to expand a literature-driven PLC model within the Pakistani context. Design/methodology/approach: The study involved the purposive selection of two schools affiliated with a university. The sample comprised one school leader, one academic coordinator and five teachers from each school, altogether 14 participants. The participants shared similar demographic characteristics. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data, which were analysed thematically. Findings: The findings of the study revealed that both schools have created PLCs to some extent and that school goals and culture were contributing factors in building these communities. Additionally, the SLs played a key role in promoting PLCs by encouraging teacher collaboration. The study concludes that SLs have the potential to strategize their actions to foster positive professional relations among teachers and ensure their well-being. Research limitations/implications: The study contributes to the literature on professional communities in Pakistan by validating a literature-driven PLC model. The model emphasizes collaboration among teachers, which can be facilitated by SLs. As such, the study implicates SLs in prioritizing the professional development of teachers to enhance student learning and achieve school success. Originality/value: This study is unique in expanding a literature-driven PLC model within the Pakistani context, with a focus on teacher collaboration as facilitated by SLs. The model has the potential for replication in other contexts and can serve as a useful tool for future research.

In response to the lockdown and closure of all academic institutions in Pakistan generally and particularly in Bahawalpur, the college teachers were directed by the Higher Education Department to initiate online teaching through "WhatsApp," "Zoom," "Google Meet," "YouTube" and other educational applications. The purpose of this article is to understand the voices of undergraduates towards social media in general, and "WhatsApp" in particular during the COVID-19 crisis in terms of English language learning since few studies have focused on the educational potential of "WhatsApp" during pandemic in Pakistan. To reach the aim of this research, a mixed-method research approach was adopted, including a survey and interview to collect data. We surveyed approximately 510 students from various classes at Bachelor of Science (BS) level using "Google Forms." These participants were recruited through convenient sampling. A total of 415 students returned the completed questionnaire. The survey revealed a positive relationship between social media and learning of the English language during the pandemic. The adoption of social media, particularly "WhatsApp" facilitated students with individual and active learning, a competitive environment, interactivity, critical thinking, problem solving, and discussion. The themes that emerged from the interviews suggest that "WhatsApp" served as a platform to transform conventional English language learning, offer multimedia resources and incidental English language learning. The study suggested that the implementation of "WhatsApp" was a worthwhile attempt since it yielded fruitful results even during the pandemic.

This study aimed to investigate university students' overall perception of MOOCs based on the instructional design elements of MOOCs. Due to the increase in enrollment in MOOCs, it is essential to understand students' general perception of them. Additionally, only a few studies have been conducted on MOOCs in developing countries. Given the latest trends in online learning, it is important to understand students' perception of MOOCs. Furthermore, MOOCs are one of the most talked-about and latest trends in e-learning. For this study, a quantitative research design was employed, and data were collected from 266 students studying in various universities in Pakistan, using a survey questionnaire. The data were analyzed using different statistical techniques. The results of this study indicated that each element of MOOC instructional design elicited a positive perception among students. Moreover, it was noticed that among all the elements of MOOC instructional design, active learning and meaningful connection demonstrated the strongest correlation with intended perception.

Leadership competencies contribute to the ability of teachers to perform successfully and efficiently in the modern technology era. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between digital leadership competencies and teachers' performance. The study was correctional following the cross-sectional survey method. The sample of the study consisted of 273 social sciences teaching faculty members of Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad and Virtual University of Pakistan selected through a simple random sampling technique. The reliability of the instruments; digital leadership competencies and teachers' performance were confirmed by calculating Cronbach's Alpha score; 0.969 and 0.936 respectively. After ensuring ethical considerations from participants, the data were collected by administering the Six E-Competencies model of Roman et al., (2019) consisting of 18-items and Goodman and Svyantek (1999) Teachers' Performance (TP) scale comprised of 15-items mode of 7-points Likert responses. Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling [PLS-SEM] was computed to analyze the proposed hypotheses in this study while the measurement model and structural model were assessed. The findings of the study showed a significant correlation between digital leadership competencies and teachers' performance. The study helps to enhance the performance of university teachers through the support of digital leadership by using modern technology tools.

The study was designed to investigate the perception of teaching faculty and learners regarding blended learning, i.e. the mixture of classroom and computer-equipped learning. The population of the study was comprised of students and teachers of university of Okara. The researchers used purposive sampling technique to collect the data. The interview protocol was used to collect the data. The interview protocol was drafted and finalized in the light of expert opinion. Total 15 (7 teachers and 8 students) interviews were conducted. The participants were personally contacted by the researchers and finalized the time for interview. The study concludd that the participants have sufficient understanding and know-how about blended learning. The way of teaching was adopted to disseminate educational information and up-to-date knowledge to the students sitting at home. As it was a newly adopted method so it has many procedural pros and cons thus it was the need of us to explore the perception of the teachers as well as students.

Globalization of education is widely contested in the current academic discussion due to its polarizing effects on the economy, society, and culture. Globalization and colonization have several commonalities because the origin of globalization can be traced to the colonial era. The privatization of education has also emerged with globalization. Applying a post-colonial critique and analysis, this paper will discuss how globalization is a colonial legacy that transforms Western educational policies in developing countries like Pakistan and how it creates Westernization, supremacy, and marginalization of teachers and students (Spring, 2008). Pakistan was formerly the colonized region of united India under Great Britain's empire. Globalization in education policies are rapidly changing the current educational landscape in several countries including Pakistan. The advancement of global forces enhanced standardization and privatization in the education system of Pakistan which has increased educational inequity along with the loss of indigenous language and culture. The post-colonial and indigenous scholarship in education will offer better frameworks of equitable access to quality education for all.

The purpose of this study was to assess the degree colleges' preparation for the new transition phase, transferring the BA/BSc programs into ADA/ADS programs. The participants of this qualitative study were principals of Degree Colleges in the Makran division and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Themes generated from data showed that degree colleges of the Makran division were not capable of starting the AD/ADS programs properly due to shortage of human and physical resources. The findings also identified that the principals serving these colleges were not involved in the decisions taken by Higher Education Commission for the degree colleges. Recommendations based on the findings indicate that degree colleges of the Makran region require more support and facilitation from Higher Education Commission and Provincial Government before the initiation of ADA/ADS Programs. The findings and recommendations will be helpful in the preparation of Degree colleges transferring from BA/BSc to ADA/ADS programs.

This study describes teachers' perspectives on disruptive student behaviors in early childhood education classrooms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Using an ecological model, this paper describes interviews with 26 teachers working in early childhood education. The findings show that home, school, and society do not play optimal roles in children's education, which leads to disruption in classrooms. Illiteracy and socioeconomic problems at home prevent parents from playing their required roles, and schools are often overcrowded and have unattractive classrooms. Teachers are minimally qualified and have few teaching-learning materials at their disposal. Fear of violence is another factor. These factors do not support the behavioral development of young children. The three major circles (home, school, society) that comprise a child's ecology are inadequate, which leads to classroom disruption, lack of motivation, and poor behavior that endangers the continuation of education.

In many nations around the globe, including Pakistan, education is losing ground as a public good to become another market-based commodity as the state shrinks its responsibility to schooling. This presents challenges to democratic futures, and particularly for young democratic states such as Pakistan. The government of Pakistan is pouring a significant amount of money into the private provision of education, encouraged by the policies and investments of international donor-partners such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. These changes in educational provision represent the impacts of neoliberalism and globalisation on Pakistani policymaking and the growing influence of the conceptualisation of education as a private commodity. To address these trends, we offer a normative philosophical framework for a conception of education as a critical public good in Pakistan, drawing on Islamic tradition, public good theory, human rights, and common good global education theories.

This article reports data from a qualitative study conducted within the elitist English-medium schools in three cities of Pakistan to claim that theory building, and English teaching practices are still modeled on monolingual biases inherent in the orthodox notions of linguistic purism and Anglo-normative traditions of the 1990s. Orthodoxy is manifest in schools' strong emphasis on direct method and communicative language teaching, and essentialist language management where English is enforced as the sole legitimate language of academic and non-academic transactions. Native language use is attached a stigma and viewed as deficiency in the English language. Such Anglo-normative culture invokes guilty conscience in teachers and students as they disapprove native languages even when they know that they can serve as useful meditating tools for effective content transfer. Crucially, amid English gatekeepers' celebratory attitudes toward English as the sole legitimate language, some teachers still demonstrate deviation from the pervasive linguistic norms. Showing reflexivity and agency, these teachers ideologically oppose the official policy. They discursively generate spaces for negotiating and appropriating the official policies, which signifies that language policy can be a complex multi-layered process rather than a linear, discrete, or top-down phenomenon. Teachers' agency is interpreted as 'decolonial performativity'.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a discernible shift towards mobile learning tools has emerged, supplanting conventional pedagogical methods. Mobile learning (m-learning) constitutes a subset of e-learning, involving the utilization of portable devices for educational purposes. This research undertakes an examination of the impact of m-learning within the context of Pakistani English language classrooms. The study's target population consisted of university students in Pakistan. Five universities in Lahore, Pakistan, were selected using a convenience sampling method. From these universities, a sample of 100 students, enrolled in the first semester of a Bachelor of Science English language learning preparatory year course, were selected based on a simple random sampling technique. Before the experimental phase, the students underwent a pre-test assessment. Subsequently, based on the results, they were evenly divided into a control group and an experimental group. It was ensured that both groups included students of mixed ability levels. The treatment duration spanned 4 months, equivalent to 48 credit hours. The experimental group engaged in learning activities through mobile phones, while the control group adhered to conventional instructional methods. Finally, upon completion of the treatment period, a post-test assessment was administered to the students. Data analysis revealed that the experimental group (Mean: 15.93) exhibited notably superior performance compared to the control group (Mean: 10.12). This outcome highlights the positive influence of m-learning on learners' academic achievements. Furthermore, this enhanced performance reflects learners' favorable reception of mobile phone utilization within the context of English as a second language academic learning.

The primary goal of this study was to identify gaps in curriculum coverage and required skills for research support services (RSS) in university libraries in the Punjab province of Pakistan. A convergent parallel mixed methods design was used to meet its objective. To collect data for the quantitative strand, across-sectional survey with a closed-ended questionnaire was conducted. The population for the cross sectional survey was reference/research librarians working in university libraries in the Punjab province. SPSS was used to analyze quantitative data. In the qualitative strand, the curriculum documents of seven LIS/IM schools in the Punjab province were examined by using the content analysis technique. Results of both strands were compared for gap analysis. The findings revealed a gap between the skills required for RSS and the offerings of LIS/IM schools. The findings have practical implications for LIS/IM schools that will help to realign their curricula to meet market needs.

Women's empowerment is an important goal of the educational processes around the world. Women in developing countries need support and motivation for attaining higher education and empowerment. This qualitative-exploratory study sought to explore the perceptions of Pakistani female university academics living inside predominantly patriarchal social structures regarding their motivation for and issues in attaining higher education and empowerment. The study also aimed at understanding the notion of empowerment and areas where women academics have achieved empowered status. The study also investigated women academics' access to higher education, and its impact on their current social positioning in a traditional social setup. A total of 30 purposefully selected women academics from public sector universities in Northwest Pakistan constituted the study sample. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that patriarchal social structures in and outside workplaces influence women academics' motivation for higher education and empowerment. However, some motivational factors, including economic stability, professional identity in society, intellectual fulfilment and support of fathers and husbands seemed instrumental in contributing to women academics' pursuits of higher education and attainment of positions in academia.

Workplace spirituality is recognised as the inner state of individuals and an aspect of their working life. In the study reported on here we aimed to unearth the effects of teachers' demographic factors (gender, age, nature of job, academic qualification, marital status, designation, teaching experience, and district) towards workplace spirituality in secondary schools. This study was a descriptive research and a cross-sectional survey research design was applied. The participants were 3,050 secondary school teachers. The participants were selected using stratified proportionate random sampling. The Workplace Spirituality Scale (WPS) developed by Petchsawang and Duchon (2009) was used along with a list of demographic variables to meet the study objectives. Different statistical techniques (t-test, mean, SD, one-way ANOVA and post hoc analysis) were applied for data analysis. The results indicate that teachers were satisfied and agreed with the practices of workplace spirituality in secondary schools. Moreover, the results reveal that the teachers' demographic factors (gender, designation, nature of job, academic qualification, marital status, teaching experience, and district) had significant effects on their workplace spirituality. From the results we recommend that the management of educational institutions should treat teachers equally and fairly without any discrimination for equal nurturing of workplace spirituality among teachers.

The current investigation aimed to explore how and to what extent technology tools and web-delivered language learning platforms impact the academic performance of English language learners (ELLs) at the tertiary level. The study used a quantitative experimental research method employing a single-group pre-test and post-test design. A total of N=525 undergraduate computer science students partook in this research. The participants enrolled in their first semester at the Faculty of Information Technology in a private sector university in Lahore, Pakistan, were selected using a simple random sampling technique. The data were gathered in two phases: a pre-test was administered in the first week, and a post-test was conducted in the sixteenth week. The Reading Comprehension and Use of English assessments adapted from ETS TOEIC -- a credible instrument in terms of validity and reliability -- were used for this purpose. The investigators applied frequency analysis in the form of percentages to get various descriptive statistics. They utilised Spearman's rank-ordered correlation and Kruskal-Wallis H tests to verify the findings of the descriptive statistics, address the research question and respond to the statistical hypotheses. Despite diverse linguistic and technological barriers, the results revealed a positive impact of technology tools on ELLs' academic performance. The study proposed that taking undergraduates from other disciplines and exploring other variables affecting ELLs' performance and confidence need further consideration.

This study explores the influence of external examination on teaching and learning Mathematics at the secondary schools affiliated with provincial and private examination boards in Pakistan. This study was conducted in two phases by employing the explanatory sequential mixed-method. First, the Mathematics examination papers of the last five years from both provincial and private examination boards were reviewed and analyzed to understand (1) the cognitive complexities required to solve the questions, (2) the frequency and variety in which the questions were repeated, and (3) the chapters of prescribed books whereby the questions were selected in the examination of last five years. In the second phase, semi-structured interviews, with teachers and students were conducted, along with participatory observation to understand how the examination patterns shape their teaching and learning. The findings revealed that the external examination directly influences teachers' teaching, and indirectly students' learning. Both the positive and negative effects of the external examination were found on the teaching-learning strategies of teachers and students respectively. The study also contributes toward filling the gap in the existing literature on assessment practices. Furthermore, it aims to encourage external examination bodies and policy-makers to reflect upon their current policies as well provides suggestions to school teachers and management.

The fact that politics exist in Pakistani organizations is true for the education sector too. This research distinguished whether maintaining and moving to higher positions in a brief time frame in the hierarchy of a higher education institution, is through belongingness or is it through labor and capability. This study investigated the existence of politics among the teachers of public sector higher education institutions and is structured around the Perceptions of Organizational Politics (PoPs) developed by Kacmar and Carlson (1997). The perceptions of organizational politics were measured by three variables, general political behavior, going along to get ahead, and pay and promotion policy. Data were collected in two phases: the first phase included the collection of quantitative data from 367 university faculty which was analyzed using SPSSv-22.0. and in the second phase, 15 university Deans/HoDs were interviewed for triangulation. The results of the research established that politics exists at the university level where teachers and professors act the same way as workers in any other organization. The research likewise brought to the fore a solid relationship between workers' apparent contentment with regards to paying and advancement and organizations' compensation and advancement guidelines.

The objective of the study was to examine the effect of mobile-assisted vocabulary learning using the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) English Vocabulary Profile word lists on L2 students' vocabulary knowledge at a university in Pakistan. A quasiexperimental study was conducted with sixty samples divided into the experimental (n=30) and control (n=30) groups. The treatment for the experimental group comprised ten weeks of mobile-assisted vocabulary input from the chosen word lists. The Vocabulary Size Test (Nation & Beglar, 2007) was administered as pre-test and post-test to measure the impact of the word lists. Results from the independent "t-test" showed a significant effect of the treatment on the experimental group, and improvement was observed in the mean score. When the post-test mean scores of the control and experimental groups were compared, findings indicated that there was a difference in the mean scores and the mean difference between groups was significant. The primary conclusion of this study is that the mobile-assisted vocabulary input did significantly help improve the experimental group's mean score, illustrating its impact on the group's vocabulary knowledge. This, essentially, points to the fact that this method for vocabulary learning can be recommended for L2 learners and may be used to improve their vocabulary in line with the CEFR levels.

Social media propagation carries the capacity for global communication and societal wellbeing, digital trading, entertainment, and the centre of engagement. The consequences of over-engagement in social media lead to depression, stress, and low performance. This study unfolds tendencies of excessive use of social media towards general anxiety and individuals' traits of emotional intelligence. The researcher adopted a questionnaire to collect data from participants (n = 340) through the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale by Spitzer et al. (2006), Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire--Short Form by Cooper & Petrides (2010), Social Media Addiction Scale by Young (2009), and Social Media Engagement Questionnaire (SMEQ) by Przybylski, Murayama, DeHaan, and Gladwell (2013). The findings demonstrated that social media addiction diffuses general anxiety disorder with positive and strong relationships. A weak association is found between obsessive use of social media applications and emotional intelligence. Though, Social media engagement lightens emotional intelligence traits of personality at a moderate level. An obsessive behaviour towards social media can predict general anxiety disorder more than emotional intelligence. While social media engagement with proper management can benefit emotional intelligence.

The aim of the study was to compare the quality of literacy skills of 4th grade students at Formal primary schools and non-formal basic schools in Islamabad. A comparative analysis was conducted to compare the writing and numeracy skills among the 4th grade students of Formal and Non-formal schools. The research was descriptive in nature. The population of the study consisted of 100 students (50 students from formal primary school and 50 students from non-formal basic school).All the students taken for study were girls. The researchers adopted purposive sampling technique and collected data through a self-developed achievement test. The study concluded that the non-formal basic school students were lower in writing skill as compared to Formal primary school students, but they were equal in numeracy level. The study recommended that students at non-formal schools should be treated equally with Formal schools and training of teachers should be made mandatory in field of literacy specially in writing and numeracy skills. Gamification, playful pedagogy, pencil grip exercises, and using latest apps for writing and numeracy skills were recommended for both formal and non-formal schools.

During unusual times involving discontinued face to face sessions in formal education settings, mobile learning (m-learning) involving social networking sites has become a popular alternative since students are always in possession of handheld electronic devices. When connection through technology was the only option due to social distancing in current pandemic, students who were already active extensive users of social networks found online learning as a new way of getting formal education. The objective of this study was to explore how the state of student's behavioral intention for social media based online learning is driven by external factors like subjective norm and self-efficacy. To fulfill this aim, this study uses a quantitative approach to study the factors that mediate the decision behavior of students towards social media employed as a learning platform and use of m-learning involving social networks. A sample of management science students (n= 255) from four universities participated in the research. Analysis of data suggested that subjective norm and self-efficacy were significant predictors for student participation in e-learning initiatives involving social media and networks. The proposed serial mediation model revealed that self-efficacy and perceived usefulness in that order were playing a positive significant role in student use of social networking for learning. No significant differences were observed between either gender when self-efficacy, perceived usefulness, and use of social media in education were considered.

This study investigates the challenges faced by Pakistani and Chinese English language instructors in developing communicative competence among senior high school students, and highlights the fundamental loopholes. Employing a thematic analysis within a qualitative comparative case study, the findings reveal learners' substandard prior knowledge as the biggest loophole in both Pakistan and China, which causes instructors to overuse local languages. There exists misalignment in curriculum, instruction, and assessment; consequently, the instructional practices are drastically examination-oriented producing rote-learners, and significantly hamper the development of communicative competence. Pakistani syllabi appear to be outdated. There is unavailability of modern linguistic resources in Pakistan while the Chinese instructors evade using them despite their availability. Chinese teacher-student interaction and Pakistani parental involvement are bleak. Findings suggest that respective governments should pay attention to their junior high school systems for developing students' prerequisite knowledge and implement leaner-centered instruction. Pakistani senior high school syllabi should be modified.

This study extends the general understanding of the antecedents of academic dishonesty by examining what can happen when students are treated unjustly by teachers, a phenomenon referred to as teacher injustice. Based on Conservation of Resources theory (CoRT), the study investigates the mediating role of classroom connectedness and the moderating role of trait conscientiousness in the teacher injustice-academic dishonesty relationship. Self-report data were collected in three waves from Pakistani secondary school students to test the moderated-mediation model. Findings demonstrate that teacher injustice is positively related to academic dishonesty through classroom connectedness and that conscientiousness buffers the negative effects of teacher injustice on classroom connectedness. Given the results, this study suggests certain potentially effective measures to educational institutions to control the incidence of teacher injustice and cultivate conscientiousness in students. It also hopes to inspire future research, and advance education management theory and practice.