Search Results (484)

According to European organizations, intercultural competence is considered a prerequisite for achieving social cohesion. Even though its development calls for a lifelong learning approach, the formal education system has a primary task in its development through all school subjects, i.e., the entire school curriculum. In the last twenty years, international and European organizations have emphasized the importance of religious education in developing students’ intercultural competence. The Republic of Croatia has applied European recommendations in its educational documents and defined intercultural competence as one of the fundamental competencies in the national educational curriculum. The question arises of how religious education in the Republic of Croatia helps students achieve and develop intercultural competence concerning knowledge of other religions and worldviews. This paper is focused on Catholic Religious Education in primary and secondary education. Data are collected using semi-structured interviews among nine Catholic RE teachers in Zagreb County, Republic of Croatia. Qualitative research is based on findings of a quantitative survey conducted among Catholic religious education teachers in 2022. The research questions are: (1) Why are guest lectures and visits to religious communities less represented forms of learning in confessional Religious Education? (2) Which methods are used to develop specific dimensions of intercultural competence (conflict resolution, analytical and critical thinking, attitudes)? (3) Does interreligious learning lead to changes in students’ behaviour, and what are the obstacles to interreligious learning? This paper aims to examine the methodical approaches of RE teachers in the development of intercultural competence, as well as the obstacles they encounter in the process of imparting knowledge about other religions and worldviews within Catholic religious education. Results have shown that the teaching process remains at an informational level; the development of attitudes, critical thinking skills, and conflict-resolution skills is lacking. The absence of experiential learning can largely be attributed to external factors, such as administrative obstacles and teacher’s/parents’ attitudes. Full article

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is a sustainable development skill that involves learners actively monitoring and adjusting their learning processes, which is essential for lifelong learning. Learning feedback plays a crucial role in SRL by aiding in self-observation and self-judgment. In this context, large language models (LLMs), with their ability to use human language and continuously interact with learners, not only provide personalized feedback but also offer a data-driven approach to sustainable development in education. By leveraging real-time data, LLMs have the potential to deliver more effective and interactive feedback that enhances both individual learning experiences and scalable, long-term educational strategies. Therefore, this study utilized a quasi-experimental design to examine the effects of LLM-based feedback on learners’ SRL, aiming to explore how this data-driven application could support learners’ sustainable development in computer programming learning. The findings indicate that LLM-based feedback significantly improves learners’ SRL by providing tailored, interactive support that enhances motivation and metacognitive strategies. Additionally, learners receiving LLM-based feedback demonstrated better academic performance, suggesting that these models can effectively support learners’ sustainable development in computer programming learning. However, the study acknowledges limitations, including the short experimental period and the initial unfamiliarity with LLM tools, which may have influenced the results. Future research should focus on refining LLM integration, exploring the impact of different feedback types, and extending the application of these tools to other educational contexts. Full article

This study aligns with the Rural Pact’s Long-Term Vision for European Rural Areas by encouraging multi-level collaboration and stakeholder engagement to address rural needs. Using a Human Ecology perspective, it challenges rural stereotypes, promotes spatial justice and aims to reduce rural–urban disparities by fostering social innovation and youth entrepreneurship in rural areas. A thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews identified six key dimensions and their sub-dimensions within a transformative social–ecological model. The notable sub-dimensions include “Local Experimentation and Creativity” in Civil Society, “Higher Education Institutions and Lifelong Learning” in Knowledge and Skills, “Formal Institutional Monitoring at the National Level” in a Political and Institutional Context, and “Profiles—Young Age and Gender” in Entrepreneurship. Full article

Museum education involves using a museum’s resources and collections to facilitate learning for diverse audiences. It includes activities like tours, workshops, and interactive exhibits that promote active, inquiry-based learning. Focused on accessibility and inclusivity, museum education aims to engage visitors, enhance their understanding, and foster a deeper appreciation for cultural, historical, or scientific content to foster active citizenship and lifelong learning in a non-formal learning context. Museum education uses collections and exhibits to engage audiences through hands-on, inquiry-based learning. By integrating digital tools and interactive technologies, it enhances learning through immersive and distance-based experiences. This approach promotes active engagement, critical thinking, and meaning-making, transforming traditional teaching methods. Museums serve as inclusive spaces where knowledge—embodied in artifacts and digital mediators—supports cognitive, emotional, and social development, fostering deeper connections with culture and history. Full article

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated skin disease characterized by lifelong persistence and fluctuating symptoms. The clinical similarities among its subtypes and the diversity of symptoms present challenges in diagnosis. Early diagnosis plays a vital role in preventing the spread of lesions and improving patients’ quality of life. Methods: This study proposes a hybrid model combining multiple transfer learning and ensemble learning methods to classify psoriasis subtypes accurately and efficiently. The dataset includes 930 images labeled by expert dermatologists from the Dermatology Clinic of Fırat University Hospital, representing four distinct subtypes: generalized, guttate, plaque, and pustular. Class imbalance was addressed by applying synthetic data augmentation techniques, particularly for the rare subtype. To reduce the influence of nonlesion environmental factors, the images underwent systematic cropping and preprocessing steps, such as Gaussian blur, thresholding, morphological operations, and contour detection. DenseNet-121, EfficientNet-B0, and ResNet-50 transfer learning models were utilized to extract feature vectors, which were then combined to form a unified feature set representing the strengths of each model. The feature set was divided into 80% training and 20% testing subsets and evaluated using a hard voting classifier consisting of logistic regression, random forest, support vector classifier, k-nearest neighbors, and gradient boosting algorithms. Results: The proposed hybrid approach achieved 93.14% accuracy, 96.75% precision, and an F1 score of 91.44%, demonstrating superior performance compared to individual transfer learning models. Conclusions: This method offers significant potential to enhance the classification of psoriasis subtypes in clinical and real-world settings. Full article

Information literacy (IL) plays an essential role in digital inclusion as it enables people to make use of the information available in multiple mediums on the Internet through digital devices. This study intends to examine the effect of IL on lifelong learning (LL) through the mediating role of creativity among news reporters in Pakistan using a quantitative research approach. The survey was conducted using an online questionnaire from the registered news reporters of press clubs in the four provinces and the federal territory of Islamabad, Pakistan. A total of 758 responses were received and analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results indicated that the IL of news reporters positively influenced their lifelong learning through both direct and indirect pathways. Furthermore, the nexus between IL and LL was influenced by the mediation of creativity. These findings have practical implications for academia and the media industry, highlighting the invaluable role of IL in enhancing lifelong learning and creativity to attain a sustainable competitive advantage. These results may inform educational programs for journalism students and existing journalists to impart IL skills. This research contributes to the available literature on workplace IL, especially in the context of media professionals. Full article

The Blue Economy is a multi-layered economy in its content, although it only reflects the relation between the sea and business. Shipping plays an essential role in this economy, as it holds the largest market share. Sustainable shipping, however, requires the sustainability of a number of the components that make it up. One of the most important components is the training of marine personnel, and particularly the ship’s crew. Over the past two decades, the Lifelong Learning strategy has been firmly established in shipping, manifested through a variety of practices. In order to ensure the continuous and sustainable training of ship’s crews, the companies have introduced annual seminars, which aim to familiarize the officers with current business topics. This article analyzes the delivery methods and quality of training in six seminars conducted by four different shipping companies carried out in three different countries. The scientific method “interview” was used for gathering the necessary information for analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of this type of training, and the way it was conducted. A significant number of deck officers and engineers, participants in all seminars, were surveyed to create a clear picture of the quality of such education and training. Collected data were used for the analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) associated with the surveyed fleet officer’s seminars. A comparative analysis of this type of postgraduate training was made, while taking in mind higher marine education and training. The article summarizes the authors’ experience of their sea service as Officers of the Watch and Masters on board of merchant vessels, as well as participants in postgraduate education and training. Conclusions for close cooperation between shipping companies and maritime educational institutions are made. Full article

This qualitative study explores the perceptions and experiences of six newcomer parents from different countries (Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Chile, Russia, and Ukraine) regarding their collaboration with Norwegian schools. Semi-structured in-depth interviews, ranging from 55 to 80 min, were conducted in participants’ native languages and English. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. Four major themes emerged, as follows: (1) “Journeying Through Integration within the Norwegian Educational Landscape”; (2) “Collaboration: Dialogic or Monologic?”; (3) “Language and Communication Barriers”; and (4) “Navigating New Horizons”. The findings highlight that despite the challenges, participants expressed appreciation for the support they received from schools and teachers. The findings also indicate the need for schools to improve communication and cultural understanding to foster meaningful collaboration with newcomer parents. Schools must also provide more opportunities for parent involvement in decision-making processes. This study adds to the limited literature on newcomer parents’ perspectives on school collaboration and provides insights for policymakers, educators, and school administrators to enhance the educational experiences of newcomer students and their families in Norway. Full article

Many factors influence students’ career awareness and future career choices. Curricula-related learning activities that entail boundary-crossing between formal and nonformal contexts, such as museums and environmental education centres, can also broaden perspectives. Out-of-school learning can unveil career trajectories, introduce professions, spark interest in new topics, and support lifelong learning. Nevertheless, it is unclear how on-site educators of museums and environmental education centres perceive or address supporting students’ career awareness. We aimed to explore how Estonian on-site educators perceive the connection between curricula-related learning at their institutions and students’ career awareness (namely, work-related knowledge and self-awareness). The qualitative data are drawn from two datasets: (1) 27 out-of-school educators chosen by purposeful sampling participated in focus-group interviews about their practice; (2) 43 out-of-school educators filled out open-ended online surveys on career awareness education. Qualitative content analysis was used to find meaningful patterns from the dataset. Various specific examples of work-related learning activities emerged. However, career awareness was often understood narrowly or had not been previously conceptualised: students’ self-awareness was seldom explicitly perceived as part of career awareness. Moreover, supporting students’ lifelong learning or the development of sustainability competencies was explicitly emphasised only by more experienced or outstanding on-site educators. Full article

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD/Dyspraxia) is a commonly misunderstood and under-recognized specific learning difficulty (SpLD) in educational settings. This lifelong condition affects fine and gross motor coordination and significantly interferes with many activities of daily living, academic achievement, and employment opportunities. However, most Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are unaware of its prevalence within their context, even though 5% of the general population have DCD and the enrolment of students in UK Higher Education with a known disability has increased by 42.4% between 2018 and 2023. Thus, understanding the lived experiences of students with DCD within Higher Education in the UK remains a considerable gap in knowledge. Through the use of focus groups, the lived experiences of 10 students with DCD at two UK HEIs were investigated. The thematic analysis identified four main themes: ‘Awareness of DCD’, ‘Participation in Higher Education for individuals with DCD’, ‘Wellbeing’, and ‘Everyday living’. Students shared that HEIs appeared to lack awareness of DCD and felt they had an inability to specify the correct support at university. Importantly, whilst the students in the study were not always confident in identifying the specific support they needed, they shared the strategies they used to aid their university experience. The students described the physical toll that many everyday living tasks can take, which subsequently negatively impact academic participation and wellbeing. On a positive note, many of the students discussed positive experiences at university, such as enjoying their own autonomy (and flexibility) to be independent and inform strategies for their own learning. Importantly, the findings from this work highlight the complexity and heterogeneity of DCD and the need for a tailored approach to supporting individuals with this condition. Given the importance of educational qualifications to enter the workplace, and the contribution of employment to quality of life, these findings help signpost areas where HEIs can improve the experiences of students with DCD that may also enhance academic success. Full article

Literacy has moved from conventional concepts of reading, writing, and counting skills to proficiency in reading, writing, data, technology, and education for sustainable development. The transition aims to prepare students to engage in a sustainable society and the method aims to cultivate multilingualism and inclusiveness in undergraduate education via a first-year writing (FYW) program. Considering the sustainability of such a transition, this study employs a case study of the FYW program to demonstrate to what extent literacy evolves via pedagogical inclusiveness and multilingualism in higher education. The FYW focuses on how educators can ensure pedagogical inclusiveness by inviting the varied language lingua students have before they arrive at our learning community rather than learning the language itself. The new FYW curriculum includes the World English of our students and embraces multilingualism rather than focusing on error correction so that students fit the norms and rules of American English. The longitudinal data from 2010 to 2020 were collected via five surveys with different approaches, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze them. The outcomes indicated that the new premise generates better course outcomes and fosters students as confident and comfortable writers and readers. The FYW program intersects with other STEM programs to build a more sustainable undergraduate education and cultivate students’ literacy capacity for sustainable development and lifelong learning. Full article

This study explores the relationship between cultural capital and lifelong learning within the context of sustainable education for gifted students. The research measures the cultural capital, lifelong learning skills, and critical-reading abilities of gifted students and examines whether cultural capital influences their lifelong learning and critical-reading proficiency. Additionally, participants’ perspectives on lifelong learning and critical reading were collected. Employing a mixed-methods design, the study synthesizes both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative results demonstrate a significant positive correlation between critical reading and lifelong learning skills, with the impact of cultural capital on both variables being supported by qualitative findings. Students with higher levels of cultural capital clearly outperform others in these areas, as reflected in both the quantitative data and qualitative insights. Cultural capital is identified as a significant determinant of students’ academic and cognitive abilities. Furthermore, critical-reading skills were found to positively influence students’ self-confidence. Based on these findings, it is recommended that support for gifted students be tailored to address individual and social differences. The study underscores the need for educational programs to be restructured to prioritize the development of critical thinking and lifelong learning competencies. Full article

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a lifelong neurological disorder impairing the coordination and planning of motor and sensory tasks. Its functional manifestation includes difficulties in various aspects of daily living, making early diagnosis and management essential. This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study targeted healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province who work with children under the age of 18. The questionnaire was completed through field visit interviews and electronically via social platforms from October 2023 to March 2024, collecting data on demographics, professional experience, familiarity with related disorders, and awareness of dyspraxia symptoms. Of the participants, 21.2% had previously diagnosed at least one child with dyspraxia, with family physicians comprising 30% of those diagnoses. The overall mean knowledge score was 17%, ranging from 8.3% to 23.1%. The most recognized symptom was motor learning difficulties (22.7%), followed by gross and fine motor skill delays (22.3%). Notably, 65.15% of respondents were unsure about the gender distribution of dyspraxia. The findings align with international studies, showing significant knowledge gaps among healthcare providers in the Eastern Province. These findings also emphasize the need for targeted health promotion programs, promotional activities, and media involvement for enhancing public health outcomes, early identification, and better management of DCD. Full article

In an era characterized by rapid technological advancements and shifting workforce demands, higher education institutions must continuously evolve to foster lifelong learning and career adaptability. This paper presents an updated framework for integrating microcredentials—such as digital badges, certificates, and other forms of recognition—into traditional academic programs. By acknowledging and validating specific skills and competencies, microcredentials can enhance student motivation, engagement, and employability in an increasingly dynamic job market. The updated framework emphasizes a more integrated, personalized, and agile approach to learning, addressing emerging challenges in assessment, quality assurance, and institutional adaptation. Moreover, this study investigates the perspectives of employers and students regarding the value and effectiveness of microcredentials. It explores how employers perceive microcredentials as valuable tools for skill verification and hiring decisions, while students view them as critical for enhancing their employability and advancing their careers. This paper examines recent advancements in microcredentialing, discusses the evolving landscape of lifelong learning, and offers insights into how these innovations can bridge the gap between formal education and professional practice. With strategic implementation, microcredentials can significantly contribute to a more responsive and effective higher education system, preparing students for success in a continually changing environment. Full article

This study comprehensively analyzes the alignment of the Technique and Technology curriculum for grades 5–8 in Serbia’s primary education system with key competencies for lifelong learning, following the 2018 Council of the European Union Recommendation. Using a mixed-method approach, specifically a convergent design as outlined by Creswell, this study combines qualitative content analysis with descriptive statistics to assess the distribution of competencies across grades. The integration of qualitative and quantitative data provides a more comprehensive understanding of the curriculum’s alignment with key competencies. Findings reveal an imbalance between theoretical and practical outcomes, particularly in digital literacy, where practical skills are prioritized over theoretical understanding. Similarly, entrepreneurial modules lack activities promoting critical thinking and initiative. The curriculum emphasizes practical skills but needs to improve its theoretical framework, especially in programming and entrepreneurial finance. It also lacks activities that develop positive attitudes, such as innovation and teamwork, which are crucial for lifelong learning. Recommendations include increasing practical Science, Technology, and Engineering (STE) projects, enhancing theoretical content in digital and entrepreneurial modules, and fostering activities that build positive attitudes. Further research is needed to track students’ attitudes towards technology and entrepreneurship across grades and to assess the impact of continuous professional development for educators on effectively integrating these competencies. Full article