The goal of this work was to build the leadership aptitude of managers in the Enrollment Management Group (EMG) at Duquesne University and to study the efficacy of an intervention--two specific and intentional leadership working sessions. The project used an improvement science framework with survey and interview methods to determine to what…

Teacher empathy is important for students and teachers. However, this complicated construct has varying, non-linear consequences. For instance, teacher empathy can improve grades (Gehlbach et al., 2022), reduce school-based discipline (Okonofua et al., 2016) improve teacher interpersonal decision making (Aldrup et al., 2022), but also increase…

To broaden the scope of innovation that leverages contemporary technologies, education sectors worldwide are depending more and more on creative technological tools. On the other hand, not much research has been done on how these tools are adopted and used, or how they can improve decision-making in non-Western contexts. As a result, the goal of…

In public schools across the country, student needs are both diversifying and intensifying. At the same time, public school districts are facing increasing resource constraints, including declining enrollment, teacher workforce shortages, and reduced federal funding. These conditions make the need to prioritize the most effective strategies for…

Systems thinking (ST) is an essential competence for future life and biology learning. Appropriate assessment is critical for collecting sufficient information to develop ST in biology education. This research offers an ST framework based on a comprehensive understanding of biological systems, encompassing four skills across three complexity…

This study investigated changes in motivation, self-efficacy beliefs, and a range of emotions, including enjoyment, hope, pride, curiosity, anxiety, boredom, apathy, confusion, and shame, from a complex dynamic systems theory (CDST) perspective over a 2-year period in the Hungarian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Using the same…

Transformative learning within Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) environments brings about profound changes in students' perspectives through critical reflection and self-directed learning. It allows students to challenge assumptions, embrace inclusivity, and integrate theory into practice. Transformative learning in nursing education in the…

The National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) has been in a multi-year partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to provide principal leadership training through the PA Inspired Leadership (PIL) program. Over the years, the relationship has deepened and expanded to include direct partnerships with districts who are…

This study aimed to design, develop, and validate the RSiSTEM framework, a robotics-based simulation learning model intended to foster students' problem-solving and systems thinking competencies within STEM education. The research followed a two-phase developmental design. In Phase 1, the framework was constructed through a systematic synthesis of…

Online education continues to surge in popularity. However, terms used to describe and define online education vary. In addition to unclear definitions and understanding, online education practice comes with challenges. While educational institutions see its value, they struggle with implementation. Undoubtedly, online education is disruptive. A…

This article is premised on the observation that in educational research there is an increasing use of terminology and concepts related to the field of complexity and the study of complex physical, biological, and social systems. As we are at an early stage in this cross-fertilization of complex systems ideas and methods in educational research,…

In this article, we propose a framework for understanding career guidance policy. We use a systems theory approach informed by Gramscian theories of politics and power to make sense of this complexity. Firstly, we argue that career guidance policy is made by and for people and that there is a need to recognise all of the political and civil…

This study aims to cement the link between systems thinking (ST) and education for sustainability by presenting an example of systems education for young children. A systems education guidebook focused on water and a learning framework based on the guidebook were developed, together with two ST assessment instruments (a shared reading and a…

Government policies are forcing universities to narrowly emphasise employability, which does not bode well for the Creative Industries (CI). Despite being one of the fastest-growing and diverse employment sectors, CI degrees have been criticised for failing to deliver adequate employment prospects. The employability focus, which serves 'the…

Context is a key concept in developing realist causal explanations but its conceptualisation has received comparatively less attention. We conducted a review to explore how context is conceptualised within realist reviews and evaluations. We purposively selected 40 studies to examine: How is context defined? And how is context operationalised in…