This study examined the semantic features of the simulated mini-lectures in the listening sections of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) based on automatized semantic analysis to explore the content validity of the two tests. Two study corpora were utilized, the IELTS…

The purpose of this preregistered cluster randomized trial was to examine the effectiveness of a universal social-emotional learning program when implemented under routine conditions in second-grade classrooms. Thirty-nine teachers and 332 students from 13 elementary schools participated in the trial. Teachers randomly assigned to the treatment…

This study develops a living history model, supported by digital history textbooks, to enhance students' historical empathy in history learning, aligning with the characteristics of Generation Z. Historical empathy refers to the ability to understand and reflect on differences in historical perspectives in depth. This study aims to design a living…

The impact of cognitive biases, particularly biased self-assessment, on learning outcomes and decision-making in higher education is of great significance. This study delves into the confluence of cognitive biases and user experience in spreadsheet programming as a crucial IT skill across various academic disciplines. Through a quantitative…

In the era of educational informatization, nurturing critical thinking skills has become a central focus. However, the current state of Chinese students' critical thinking development is concerning, prompting researchers to explore effective enhancement strategies. Based on constructivist learning theory, this study leveraged the advancements in…

This paper presents a comprehensive framework for transforming K-12 education through systematic AI integration, addressing critical gaps in curriculum development and teacher preparedness. Drawing from extensive analysis of federal initiatives, including the 2025 White House Executive Order on advancing AI education, and synthesizing insights…

This article investigates the effect of concept-based instruction (CBI), a pedagogy based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, on second language (L2) learners' writing development. A quasi-experimental intervention lasting 16 weeks was conducted involving 88 first-year Chinese university students of English. The participants were assigned to three…

Estimating astronomical scales requires multiple complex mental processes, such as spatial thinking and interpreting large numbers. As such, it is a nontrivial question how these estimates can be most efficiently assessed. There is reason to believe that results from previous studies probing astronomical scale estimates are possibly susceptible to…

English Language MOOCs (LMOOCs) employ multimodal resources to enhance second language learners' engagement and motivation. This study examined the multimodal instructional discourse in English LMOOCs in a Chinese MOOC platform, focusing on the rhetorical relations between the linguistic mode, termed verbiage, and two non-linguistic modes, namely…

With a brief half-second presentation, a medical expert can determine at above chance levels whether a medical scan she sees is abnormal based on a first impression arising from an initial global image process, termed "gist." The nature of gist processing is debated but this debate stems from results in medical experts who have years of…

This paper reflects on the importance of 'time spent' in understanding the international student experience. Short-term mobility programmes (involving stays of between 1 week and 2 months) attracting less privileged students, such as the relatively new Turing Scheme in the United Kingdom, have been hailed as a potential 'solution' to the fact…

Background: Adolescents' psychological stress has become an important problem. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are proven to be effective in school settings in the Western world, and so expanding MBIs further is a particularly important consideration. Objective: This study addresses the effectiveness of MBI in reducing psychological stress…

Individual differences in cognitive performance depend on age, skill, and type of task. Nonetheless, whether performance is measured with accuracy (ACC) or with the trade-off between responding speed and accuracy (SAT) could render subtle different relationships. Age and skill might associate more strongly with SAT performance in reasoning tasks,…

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to expand knowledge on Swedish principals' professional development (PD) from the perspectives of superintendents. In particular, the article analyzes how superintendents understand and organize PD for principals. Design/methodology/approach: Empirical data are derived from a strategic sample of ten (n = 10)…

Humans can attribute beliefs to others. However, it is unknown to what extent this ability results from an innate biological endowment or from experience accrued through child development, particularly exposure to language describing others' mental states. We test the viability of the language exposure hypothesis by assessing whether models…