Even though agent-based modelling is seen as committing to a mechanistic, generative type of causation, the methodology allows for representing many other types of causal explanations. Agent-based models are capable of "integrating" diverse causal relationships into coherent causal mechanisms. They mirror the crucial, multi-level…

Modelling roles of mathematics in physics has proved to be a difficult task, with previous models of the interplay between the two disciplines mainly focusing on mathematical modelling and problem solving. However, to convey a realistic view of physics as a field of science to our students, we need to do more than train them to become fluent in…

Developmental researchers commonly utilize longitudinal data to decompose reciprocal and dynamic associations between repeatedly measured constructs to better understand the temporal precedence between constructs. Although the cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) is commonly used in developmental research, it has been criticized for its potential to…

A wide variety of methodological choices and situations can affect the quality of peer nomination measurements but have not received adequate study. This article begins by focusing on systematic nominator missingness as an example of one such situation. We reanalyzed findings from a recent study by Bukowski, Dirks, Commisso, Velàsquez, and Lopez…

This article analyses and discusses dilemmas, ambivalences and problematic issues related to research ethics. This is done firstly by making a distinction between procedural research ethics and particularistic research ethics. Such a distinction reflects a theoretical construction and generalization. In practice, there can be a very close…

In this Perspectives article, the author grapples with the personal challenges of attempting to do ethical and high-quality research in the post world of the maturing 21st century. Among the challenges addressed are matters of purported relevance of research, equity research conducted by nonmembers of equity-seeking groups, the impact of rankings…

Mulla Sadra's philosophy has an ontological approach. However, his explicit texts or philosophical foundations in social issues such as education and especially the curriculum and its relationship with learning methods can be extracted. Mulla Sadra's different approach to learning has distinguished his educational system from other educational…

The COVID-19 pandemic has held a mirror to our society: exposing the cracks and blemishes of our many systems, highlighting the inequalities that exist, and revealing the disproportionate effects this disease has on definite segments of our communities. COVID-19 is considered a global emergency mirroring another ongoing global emergency: climate…

Missing data are ubiquitous in studies examining preventive interventions. This missing data need to be handled appropriately for data analyses to yield unbiased results. After a brief discussion of missing data mechanisms, inappropriate missing data treatments and appropriate missing data treatments, we review the current state of missing data…

The research studies presented in this special issue rest on two assumptions: firstly, that limitations in verbal short-term memory and verbal working memory (vSTM/WM) capacity are likely to be related to impairments in syntax, and secondly that this relationship is likely to be causal, with impairments in vSTM/WM causing impairments in syntax. In…

Emotion knowledge has not been explored in children with cerebral palsy (CP). To evaluate differences in emotion knowledge between children with CP and their typically developing peers (TDP), and explore its associations with affective regulation and behavioral psychopathology. 36 Children with CP and 45 TDP completed the Emotion Matching Task…

Students in the physical sciences--physics and chemistry--often take multiple-choice exams for introductory courses. Some students will write a lot on their exams, while others write very little. Does the student doing more scratch work on their exam perform better than one who does not write as much? We analyzed multiple-choice exams in physics…

This paper challenges the widely held assumption that teaching writing inevitably equips students with the critical thinking skills required to succeed in college and beyond. The paper reviews the literature on the relationship between writing and the development of critical thinking skills, and critically reflects on the author's experiences in…

The relationship between education and organizational financial efficiency can be described as tense and ambiguous. Therefore, issues of educational leadership inspired by models stemming from the business sector are currently hardly dealt with. Consequently, not much attention has been given to findings from the field of Business Financial…

The traditional theories behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism and connectivism are regarded as essential theories of learning. However, transformational learning theory works with critical thinking in adult learning. This process is based on their experience and it is followed by the steps of thinking and transformation process in perspective…