We begin the last article of this special issue by contextualizing the current landscape of higher education, in 2024. Then, employing a kitchen table dialogue approach, we summarize the diverse articles featured throughout this edition, shedding light on insights that stir both our spirits and intellect. Further, we delve into three key themes…

This study explores the potential benefits of integrating Industry 4.0 technologies into educational settings, focusing on Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Augmented Reality, Big Data, Blockchain, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things, Metaverse, Robotics, and Virtual Reality. The aim is to develop learning environments that are more…

LGBTQ+ students from diverse ethnic backgrounds studying in higher education institutions (HEI) continue to face high levels of marginalisation due to the intersections of their identities. These students have distinct needs and require specialised support that are currently not being met. This scoping review aims to consolidates literature of…

This study investigates the predictors of reading proficiency among 15-year-old Romanian students using data from the PISA 2018 assessment. For many years, a significant proportion of students have not met the basic proficiency level in reading, as measured by PISA. Previous research indicates that family background is the strongest predictor of…

Both challenges and opportunities are inherent with a growth in Chinese international students in UK Higher Education. However, teachers from the West may not understand the differences in Chinese educational practices, which can lead to negative stereotyping of these students as passive and problematic. This paper rejects this deficit…

This exploratory qualitative research focuses on the experiences of those who facilitate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) social justice educational interventions (SJEIs), such as safe zone, safe space, and ally training. Although persistent in higher education LGBTQ+ SJEIs remain an understudied area for empirical…

Mathematical skills significantly predict students' educational paths. Mathematical achievement varies depending on the student's socioeconomic status (SES). However, the extent of the SES gap for specific mathematical skills remains unclear. In this cross-sectional study, we examined age variations by SES in three mathematical skills, applied…

Diversity within schools can enrich education. However, without systemic cultural competence, numerical diversity may undermine educational goals when student needs are not met in appropriate ways. Because student experience and engagement drive educational effectiveness, student perceptions of school climate can provide necessary feedback to…

This study investigates college ESL instructors' experiences in teaching online ESL courses. It explores the differences in teaching focus and online modes for teaching speaking, listening, reading, and writing courses. It also investigates how ESL instructors' perceived level of technology competence varies across different online teaching modes…

Women are over-represented in some sectors of higher education and underrepresented at doctoral institutions, particularly at the highest professor rank and at institutions with high prestige (Carr, 2021, Blackmore, 2015; Brewer et al., 2002; West & Curtis, 2006). This study explored gender disparity in the context of societal and…

The situational model of bystander behavior is a validated 5-step process for understanding intervention in bullying and sexual harassment, yet the individual-level and contextual-level factors that facilitate the progression from one step to the next are not well understood. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether individual…

Self-regulated learning (SRL) has gained increasing attention in educational science over the past four decades. Especially within the context of the lifelong learning debate, regulatory strategies play a crucial role, as they are essential not only within schools and classrooms but also in lifelong learning contexts. Concurrently, the discussion…

Purpose: School principals should create a positive school climate through instructional leadership behaviors and support teacher autonomy to reach their ultimate goals. This study examines the relationship between the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals and teacher autonomy, testing the mediating role of school climate and the…

Educational environments created by combining traditional learning environments and technology have grown, especially in recent years and have become an indispensable part of education. Therefore, with this research we aimed to evaluate students' attitudes towards blended learning. To gather university students' opinions on the effectiveness of…

Teachers are students' first contact in the classroom and the ones with whom they experience their relationships most intensely after those with their own classmates. Relationships with teachers and their actions in the classroom are of great relevance in how students develop their careers. Young people at risk of exclusion, which has been…