International Journal of Education and Practice

Lesson study as a catalyst for enhancing EFL teachers’ instructional efficacy and professional development

2026-02-13T00:54:18-06:00

More recent lesson study studies have moved away from forming a judgment on teachers' competence and students' learning to focus on teachers' efficacy. This paper analyzes eight English teachers from a local university in the Mekong Delta, who are organized into four lesson study teams to enhance their professional development in teaching English as a foreign language. Using thematic analysis of qualitative data from interviews and observations, the findings indicated a positive impact of lesson study on teacher efficacy. In terms of the three important areas of instructional approaches, classroom management, and student engagement, teachers showed a rise in confidence. Particularly, they showed an improved ability to choose and modify strategies during instructional delivery in a lesson study session, while reflecting on and evolving through peer feedback. Classroom management skills are advanced by effective use of time management, positive reinforcement, and joint refinement of techniques and practices based on direct observation. Furthermore, strategies that encouraged relevance, interactive methods, and collaborative learning substantially improved student engagement. Results highlight the importance of lesson study as an effective means for teacher professional development and the improvement of pedagogy. The paper emphasizes the importance of collaborative learning, reflection, and feedback between peers in promoting teacher efficacy. These results provide clues for educators and policymakers in promoting the quality of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ practice.

Difficult concepts in chemistry as seen by Moroccan high school students: A survey in the Fez-Meknes region

2026-02-13T01:16:50-06:00

This quantitative study investigates the conceptual difficulties in chemistry education among second-year baccalaureate students in Morocco’s Fez-Meknes region, focusing on identifying difficult concepts and comparing perceptions between different groups. We administered a reliable questionnaire (Cronbach’s alpha =0.86) to 250 students and 13 teachers across four urban and rural high schools, evaluating the perceived difficulty of 26 chemistry concepts on a four-point Likert scale. Results revealed that students identified nine concepts as particularly challenging (mean score >2.5), including chemical kinetics (temporal monitoring by conductometry and pressure measurement), density and mass density, electrochemistry (spontaneous transformations and batteries), organic chemistry nomenclature, and chemical transformations. Statistical analysis showed significant differences between teachers’ and students' perceptions (p=0.007) with teachers identifying 12 difficult concepts compared to students' nine, and consistently rating concepts as more difficult. The school environment had a significant impact (p=0.045) with rural students identifying 11 difficult concepts versus 9 for urban students and reporting higher difficulty levels while we found no significant gender-related differences (p=0.814). Based on these findings, we recommend adapting teaching approaches with active and contextualized methods, enhancing teacher training programs, and encouraging collaboration between educational stakeholders to make chemistry learning more accessible and effective, particularly for students in rural areas.

The impact of writing instruction based on ethnopedagogical approach assisted by GenAI and multimedia on students' writing ability

2026-02-13T02:02:25-06:00

This study aims to investigate the impact of writing learning based on an ethnopedagogical approach assisted by GenAI on essay writing skills. This study used a quasi-experimental method involving 250 students from Senior High School of Muhammadiyah Tegal. The groups were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received an ethnopedagogical approach-based writing learning intervention assisted by GenAI, while the control group received a conventional intervention. Data analysis used in this study included ANOVA, t-test, and Post Hoc test to investigate the impact of the intervention on students' writing skills. The results showed that writing learning based on an ethnopedagogical approach assisted by GenAI and multimedia mediated by Vygotsky's theory was not only able to improve essay writing skills in the dimensions of task achievement, grammar, vocabulary, coherence, and cohesion but also able to improve the ability to develop written ideas on socio-cultural themes. Improvements in students' task achievement aspects were seen in the quality of essays in terms of completeness of information, accuracy of information, and minimum word count. Improvements in grammar use were seen in the use of essay writing grammar, vocabulary complexity and sentence use, and improvements in cohesion and coherence were seen in the organization of cohesive and coherent ideas. Thus, ethnopedagogical-based and GenAI-assisted instruction not only improved the quality of essay construction but also the quality of essay content. This study suggests that support with writing instruction and learning environments offers significant potential if designed appropriately.

Application of integrated contextual learning for developing students` terminological competence

2026-02-13T21:51:22-06:00

The growing contemporary global economic and cultural integration demands the training of highly skilled professionals with extensive proficiency in a subject-specific foreign language across various specialized fields. The significant transformation of the Kazakhstani education system within the context of multilingualism and digitalization revealed the insufficient effectiveness of teaching non-language subjects in English, a lack of a general unified system of teaching foreign language terminology, a shortage of quality textbooks, and a deficit in the quality of specialist training. The issue of developing a specialized foreign subject-content terminological competence as a secondary linguistic identity has become particularly significant. This study proposes a comprehensive integrated contextual learning approach that incorporates all essential dimensions of efficient terminology instruction, including structural coherence, innovative methods, and relevance to authentic contexts. The study explored the usage and effectiveness of integrated contextual learning in terminology teaching to enhance students’ trilingual professional terminological competence in English, Kazakh, and Russian. Literature review relies on a conceptual framework and terminological analysis within language acquisition training and its approaches. Employing a mixed-methods design, the research combines a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews to investigate learners’ experiences at different educational stages. Results confirm that contextualized, logically structured tasks supported by digital tools and interactive strategies, such as role-playing and group projects, significantly enhance the acquisition of interdisciplinary terminology in English. This approach, with cross-linguistic implementation, is suggested for a wide range of international learning settings beyond the Kazakhstani educational system.

Assessing the impact of creative leadership on learning outcomes: A mediated-moderated model of self-efficacy and teacher–student relationships

2026-03-07T01:46:36-06:00

This study examines the impact of creative leadership (CL) on learning outcomes (LO) among students in Beijing, China, focusing on the mediating role of self-efficacy (SE) and the moderating influence of teacher–student relationships. The research aims to deepen understanding of how leadership practices influence student achievement through psychological mechanisms and relational contexts, especially within vocational education. A quantitative approach was used, involving 231 students from vocational institutions in Beijing. Data collection employed validated scales measuring CL, SE, teacher–student relationships, and LO. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS tested the hypothesized direct, mediated, and moderated relationships. The analysis included assessments of reliability and validity, along with bootstrapping techniques to verify statistical significance. Results show that CL significantly improves LO both directly and indirectly by enhancing students’ SE. Additionally, teacher–student relationships positively moderate the relationship between CL and SE, amplifying its effect. The mediated-moderated model indicates that the indirect influence of CL on LO is stronger when teacher–student relationships are high. This research contributes to leadership and educational psychology literature by integrating CL, SE, and relational dynamics into a comprehensive framework. Practically, the findings emphasize the importance for educators and policymakers to promote leadership practices that foster creativity and supportive teacher–student relationships, leading to sustainable improvements in academic performance.

Influence of basic need satisfaction, teacher self-efficacy, work-experience of teachers: Twenty-first-century skills instruction

2026-03-12T03:48:45-05:00

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of basic need satisfaction (BNS) and teacher self-efficacy (TSE), as well as work experience, on instructional outcomes related to twenty-first-century skills in schools. The rapidly evolving global landscape necessitates those teachers integrate twenty-first-century skills into classroom instruction. Despite a few studies on teachers’ ability to integrate innovative skills in instruction, limited empirical evidence exists regarding the influence of intrinsic motivation on the instruction of innovative pedagogical skills. Guided by Self-Determination Theory and Social Cognitive Theory, a conceptual model is developed to guide the influence on the instructional framework of twenty-first-century skills. Data are collected from 658 secondary school teachers across the southern states of India. For data collection, the study uses standardized instruments: the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale, the Basic Need Satisfaction at Work Scale, and the Twenty-First-Century Teaching and Learning Survey. The results of correlation, mediation, and moderation analyses have addressed the objectives of the study. Teacher self-efficacy shows different types of mediation effects on various components of basic need satisfaction, autonomy, competence, and relatedness, in its association with the instruction of twenty-first-century skills, which emphasizes their differential importance. Furthermore, work experience shows no moderation effect, suggesting the need for professional support for all teachers, regardless of experience.

Strategic leadership in higher education: Navigating the impact of artificial intelligence on university governance, teaching, and research

2026-03-17T01:40:13-05:00

This research paper explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the field of higher education, in terms of how it can improve the delivery of instruction, automate administrative processes, and open up research possibilities. A descriptive survey design of analytical nature was used, targeting academic, non-academic, and managerial workers in 20 public universities in the South-South Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria. The sample size of 800 participants was chosen using a stratified random sampling technique, comprising 400 academic staff, 350 non-academic staff, and 50 management staff. Three research questions and hypotheses guided the study, along with the Artificial Intelligence in University Leadership Questionnaire (AIULQ), a validated 20-item tool with a reliability coefficient of 0.81, obtained through Cronbach's alpha. Data analysis included calculating the mean and standard deviation of responses to research questions, and hypothesis testing at a 0.05 alpha level using One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results indicate that AI can enhance data-driven decision-making, virtual academic advising, and adaptive learning platforms. The paper also discusses ethical challenges such as algorithmic bias, data privacy, academic integrity, and the digital divide. It recommends that universities develop specific principles for the use of AI in research, academia, and administration. The findings are highly relevant to stakeholders, including teachers, university administrators, and educational reform policymakers.

Exploring the foundations of effective decision-making and moral leadership in education

2026-03-18T01:31:05-05:00

This study explores the key skills leaders need for effective decision-making in schools, with a novel focus on the ethical dimension’s direct influence on leadership outcomes. The purpose of the research was to record the views of teachers (permanent and substitute) in Kozani on the conditions that must be met for proper decision- making and what role ethics plays in making these decisions and the character of the leader. Previous research has examined leadership traits while our study uniquely captures the views of teachers (both permanent and substitute) in Kozani, Western Macedonia regarding the role of ethics in shaping leadership character. The research questions address ethical decision-making, how ethical leadership affects teachers' professional and personal lives and the criteria for evaluating teachers and school principals. A sample of 160 primary school teachers responded to eleven closed-ended questions. The findings highlight that key leadership qualities include decisiveness, legal knowledge, organizational skills, innovation and strong analytical thinking. Ethics is considered crucial depending on the leader's intellectual, cognitive, and emotional state. The sample was collected using systematic sampling, ensuring generalizable and representative results. This study provides strong evidence that ethical leadership is essential for effective decision-making in education with potential implications for leadership training programs. This study underscores the necessity of incorporating ethics-centered training into leadership development programs for school principals and educators, ensuring that ethical considerations are systematically integrated into decision-making in educational environments.

Literacy volunteers and TaRL: A phenomenological study in Indonesian elementary education

2026-03-18T03:13:52-05:00

This study investigates the lived experiences of university student volunteers implementing the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach to support early-grade literacy in Indonesian elementary schools. Using a descriptive phenomenological design, the research draws on in-depth interviews and direct observations with 20 purposively selected volunteers assigned to urban and rural schools in West Nusa Tenggara. Findings reveal that the volunteers conducted diagnostic reading assessments, grouped students by ability rather than grade, and applied differentiated strategies to address varied reading levels. Instructional practices ranged from phonics and syllable recognition for beginners to sentence building, expressive reading, and story-based tasks for more advanced learners. While the volunteers demonstrated creativity and commitment, they faced persistent challenges, including limited access to engaging printed materials, inadequate learning media, under-resourced libraries, minimal parental involvement, and concerns about the sustainability of literacy programs. These constraints often required them to improvise, create low-cost teaching aids, and conduct sessions outside formal classrooms. The study highlights the potential of volunteer-led, community-based interventions in bridging foundational literacy gaps, particularly in low-resource settings. It also emphasizes the need for institutional collaboration, consistent material support, and sustainable program structures to ensure lasting impact. By documenting the human dimensions of TaRL implementation, this research offers practical insights for policymakers and educators seeking scalable approaches to early literacy development.

Fostering digital competence in pre-service mathematics teachers through learning analytics and mobile app use

2026-03-18T20:15:16-05:00

The rapid integration of digital technologies into higher education highlights the need to understand how mobile applications contribute to the development of digital competence in teacher education. This study investigates the relationship between mobile app usage behaviors and competence growth among pre-service mathematics teachers, combining the DigCompEdu framework with behavioral learning analytics. By addressing an underexplored higher education context characterized by high mobile connectivity but limited formal EdTech integration, the research offers insights rarely captured in studies conducted in digitally mature systems. A quasi-experimental quantitative design was implemented with 98 undergraduate pre-service mathematics teachers at O. Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University. Digital competence was measured at two points (pre-test and post-test) using a validated survey instrument (Cronbach’s α = 0.685). Learning analytics indicators session frequency, app diversity, and self-rated productivity were analyzed through linear regression, Pearson correlation, and non-parametric tests. Results indicate that depth of engagement, reflected in session frequency, is a stronger predictor of competence growth than tool diversity alone, while self-rated productivity shows a positive, though non-significant, trend. These findings extend the DigCompEdu framework by linking its competence domains to objective behavioral indicators and metacognitive self-assessment measures. The study offers transferable methodological and practical insights for curriculum designers, teacher educators, and policymakers aiming to integrate digital tools into teacher preparation programs in diverse higher education contexts.