International Online Journal of Education and Teaching

SUPPORTING MILITARY STUDENTS: INSIGHTS FROM THE FRONTLINE

Tanya Tarbutton, Samantha Hill — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0300

This article showcases the challenges military connected students have along their educational journey including; academic, behavioral and emotional barriers. The authors have decades of experience as military spouses, parents and educators and are experts in examining the topic using a lens of authenticity. They suggest using a culturally responsive teaching framework, wrapped in compassionate teaching practices, to better service military connected children. This approach encourages educators to look for and incorporate students' strengths as areas of opportunity and as important assets in a child’s education. Examining military connected students' education through this context helps steward the children of those who serve the country.

WEIGHING THE PROS AND CONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A MIXED-METHODS SURVEY OF BULGARIAN UNIVERSITY INSTRUCTORS

Denitsa Kurshumova — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0300

Abstract

Purpose: The present study aimed to identify prevailing sentiments among the Bulgarian academic community toward AI tools and establish a benchmark for the integration of AI into education. Methods: A mixed-methods survey was completed by 910 university instructors from higher education institutions in Bulgaria. The data was analyzed through statistical and content analyses. Results: The participants showed awareness of the inevitable changes that AI would bring to the existing educational paradigm. Although they seemed quite familiar with the most popular AI tools, they acknowledged deficiencies in their preparedness and emphasized the need for training to utilize AI affordances effectively. The educators outlined the risks associated with unethical use of AI and underscored the urgent establishment of norms and guidelines. The lack of scientific data on the long-term effects of AI on students’ cognitive abilities and creative thinking emerged as a dominant concern and reason for skepticism. The instructors viewed personalized education as a positive asset of AI, aligning with diverse learner profiles, but they also considered it a threat, devaluing the role of educators and classroom dynamics. Familiarity with AI, subject area, and gender accounted for 92.83% of the variability in the instructors’ opinions on the utility of AI. Conclusion: Alongside developing educators’ expertise in AI technology, it is essential to delineate the scope, objectives, and domains of AI use.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, benefits, challenges, familiarity, higher education instructors

THE ROLE OF ZANZIBAR IMPROVING STUDENTS’ PROSPECT (ZISP) PROJECT IN ADVANCING TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Hamad Massoud Hamad, Goodluck Massawe, Onesmo Nyinondi — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0300

Education is one of the key elements in a country’s development. Therefore, Teacher Professional Development (TPD) has long been promoted as a means to foster the adoption of teaching methods. Tanzania and Zanzibar Governments have implemented several initiatives to improve the quality of education. The ZISP project was a five (5) years project from 2016 to 2021, funded by the World Bank and implemented in Zanzibar. The research objective was to assess the role of ZISP in enhancing teachers’ knowledge and skills and identify challenges teachers face. A cross-sectional study design was employed, and data was collected from 69 trainees using a semi-structured questionnaire. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, focusing on percentages and frequencies, and inferentially using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Qualitative data collected were analysed using Thematic Analysis. The study’s findings have shown that the ZISP Project improved teachers’ knowledge and skills in pedagogy, subject matter, and challenges teachers face. In conclusion, the results of the study indicate a significant enhancement in teachers’ knowledge and skills, particularly in pedagogy and subject matter knowledge. It is recommended that the government and the development partners should prepare a similar project like ZISP and expand the projects to include teachers from all subjects.

STUDENT PERSPECTIVES ON ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Mealine Kenneth, Reshma Sucheran — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0300

In South Africa, the tourism industry has experienced rapid growth, creating a demand for professionally trained personnel. Higher education institutions (HEIs) have introduced specialised tourism qualifications to address this need. Furthermore, the South African government has stressed the importance of skills development and enhancing educational quality. HEIs integrate Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programs into tourism curricula to develop students' industry readiness. This study evaluates the tourism management curriculum at a South African University of Technology (UoT) and its influence on the WIL experience of students enrolled in the National Diploma in Tourism Management between 2015 and 2019. Utilising a quantitative research approach, data were collected through a structured online questionnaire distributed to a sample of 106 graduates selected via non-probability sampling. Findings indicate that DUT’s tourism management curriculum effectively equips students with essential skills through active industry engagement. However, graduates reported a gap in technological training, particularly in tourism management systems, which they identified as critical for efficient operational performance within the tourism sector. The study results highlight areas for curriculum enhancement to better align educational outcomes with industry requirements.

BIBLICAL HEBREW: TEACHING AND LEARNING THE ALPHABET WITH AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS

Ayodeji Francis Fasuba — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0300

Sound mastery of the Biblical Hebrew alphabet is required for proficiency in Biblical Hebrew. This study examined Biblical Hebrew: teaching and learning the alphabet with audio-visual aids. Alef-Bet-Song and video lectures on Biblical Hebrew alphabet downloaded from YouTube were integrated into the lessons and taught during instructional process. A Quasi-experimental research design (involving experimental and control groups) was adopted for the study. 100 level undergraduate CRS students in four universities from south-west Nigeria formed the sample for the study. Achievement Test in Biblical Hebrew alphabet (ATBHA) was utilised for data collection, while research hypotheses were analysed using t-test. Findings revealed that the integration of audio-visual resources within the lecture format has a statistically significant effect on students' learning outcomes. In addition, it was affirmed that there is significant difference in the retention level of students exposed to Biblical Hebrew alphabet utilising lecture method complemented with audio-visuals after treatment. It was therefore recommended that Lecturers of Biblical Hebrew should adopt lecture method complemented with audio-visual aids during instructional process of Biblical Hebrew alphabet, and that they should align themselves with the trend of integrating available technologies, social media platforms, and audio-visual aids into their lessons for improved learning outcomes.

EXPLORING INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY IN ASSESSING MATHEMATICS LEARNING IN EARLY GRADES: A BIBLIOMETRIC PERSPECTIVE ON RESEARCH PATTERNS, GAPS, AND TRENDS

Reuben Sungwa — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The integration of technology in early childhood education has the potential to transform learning, particularly in early mathematics. However research on its use in assessment remains fragmented, with significant disparities between high-income and low-income regions. This study addresses the gap by analyzing trends, gaps, and patterns in technology-enhanced assessment in early childhood mathematics education. Utilizing a bibliometric approach, data from the Dimensions database (2010–2023) were analyzed using publication trends, citation metrics, and network mapping tools. The findings reveal a significant rise in research post-2020, dominated by contributions from high-income countries such as the United States and Russia, while resource-constrained regions remain underrepresented. Leading authors, including Daphina Bassok and Anna Rorem, and key institutions like the University of Virginia have significantly shaped the field. Influential journals such as Sustainability and Computers and Education highlight interdisciplinary approaches to bridging the digital divide. Despite progress, notable research gaps persist in addressing equitable access and implementation challenges in low-resource settings. This study provides valuable insights to guide future research, policy, and practical interventions aimed at fostering inclusive, technology-driven assessments that enhance mathematics learning for young learners worldwide.

SEEING THEMSELVES AS TEACHERS: PRESERVICE TEACHERS' DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHER IDENTIFY AND SELF-EFFICACY WITH THE EARLY FIELD EXPERIECE

Yuko Iwai — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0300

This study examines forty-eight preservice teachers' teacher identity and self-efficacy during their first field experience in an elementary Professional Development School (PDS) site. They engaged in three half-day field experiences per week, observed their mentor teachers' lessons, developed and taught lessons, and reflected on their field experience during one semester. Data including pre- and post-surveys on teacher identity and self-efficacy, reflection journals, written commentaries for planning ELA lessons, and written reflection commentaries about delivery of ELA lessons, were collected to examine their development of teacher identity and self-efficacy. By the end of the field experience, they reported more confidence in engaging students in learning. They also reported that they developed instructional strategies to teach content and to manage the classroom. Field experience plays a key role in shaping preservice teachers’ professional identity. Hands-on experiences in the classroom offered them opportunities to develop their self-efficacy in student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management. Implications for teacher educators and teacher education preparation programs are included.

MANAGING TRANSITIONAL CHANGE: STAFF PERSPECTIVES FROM TECHNICAL UNIVERSITIES IN GHANA

Jonathan Essel — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The study focuses on examining the perspective of staff on organisational transition change of Technical Universities in Ghana. It employed case study research design. The study sampled participants purposeful and acknowledged the necessity of ethics in the investigative process. The Seven Drivers of Change model was employed as a theoretical framework to interrogate the issues at hand. The study found that the perspective of staff on the conversion of polytechnics into technical universities or organisational transition change was influenced by some organisational politics, which influenced some biases on staff to fully accept the change. The study also revealed that employee mistrust and lack of confidence influenced organisational transitional transformation. The impact on institutional identity and culture and academic heterogeneity were all revealed to influence organisational transition change. The study concluded that policymakers should examine and include stakeholder input as well as comprehensive consensus building when implementing organisational management and change procedures.