The Super Smart Society, in a literal translation of Society 5.0, uses IoT, Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, for the development and inclusion of individuals in situations of social vulnerability, in Brazil. The objective is to present the reflections on the teaching-learning process, from the digital information and communication technologies in education (TDICE) combined with the socio-emotional skills for teacher training for an evaluation of meaningful learning and the reflective curriculum that take into account the integral formation of the student in Brazilian schools, through a Teaching Methodology, namely the Fedathi Sequence. This is a qualitative research of exploratory procedures. To this end, bibliographic studies are carried out on documents, articles in qualified journals, theses and dissertations on the Capes platform. The main field of study is in the public school with students and teachers from the elementary school. The results indicate that teachers and students in situations of social vulnerability need to democratize access to TDICE and this involves changes in assessment and curriculum. The relevant themes are considered, and, thus, it is intended to expand the study, for which it is supported by the research support by the Ceará Foundation for Research Support (Funcap), which articulates improvements for education that reverberate in the teaching-learning process.

Teachers play a crucial role in students’ learning and school improvement. Hence, this paper investigates the selection assessments used for teacher selection. The selection assessments and process aim to predict future performance and ensure high teaching quality in schools. This study examined the teacher selection process in centralized education systems. Greece was identified as a case study, since it is a highly centralised system. This study had two key research questions:

a) What criteria and methods assessing teaching quality have been used in Greece for the selection of elementary school teachers?

b) How valid are these assessments for teacher selection?

Analysis of policy documents and legislation in Greece was conducted to identify the criteria and methods that have been used for hiring decisions since 2000. This stydy focused only on state-funded schools because the study was interested in the centralised hiring processes. Furthermore, approximately 95% of schools in the country are state-funded.

This paper will present the different methods and criteria identified. The usual selection criteria identified in policy documents were the subject and pedagogical knowledge, the academic qualifications and the previous teaching experience. A standardised assessments and a hiring process based solely on years of teaching experience were used, whilst now there is a ranking system.

Following the presentation of the results of the qualitative content analysis, an interdisciplinary discussion will explore the validity of these assessments for predicting teaching quality. Evidence both from education research and human resources literature were used to evaluate each of the assessments and selection criteria.

This study recommends that these assessments should focus solely on the important purpose of selection. A combination of different assessment methods and criteria is recommended. Finally, more research is needed to investigate the teacher selection methods and predict future teaching quality.

In teaching and learning processes, error has long been considered negative, hindering its transformation towards more positive and constructivist horizons. Recent studies, however, emphasise its educational value, seeing it as a crucial step in the learning process and in the professional development of teachers.

Indeed, the ability to manage and transform errors is a key competence for teachers' professional development, as highlighted in international education policies promoting equitable assessment and inclusive learning.

The research explores the effectiveness of the "mediation model" in managing error into learning opportunities for teachers in initial and in-service training. The model analyses error by considering content meaningfulness, learner competence and didactic intentionality, offering a multi-level approach that connects learning content with organisational strategies.

Conducted at the University of Bergamo during the 2022-23, the study involved 21 students and 7 internship tutors from the Primary Education Sciences course. The training was structured into three phases: stimulus, case analysis and feedback of the interventions. The research focused on the mediation model’s effectiveness in developing systemic knowledge and a multi-level approach to error. Data were collected through reports and analysed using MAXQDA software.

The results show the mediation model effectively helps teachers analyse errors and manage interventions at multiple levels, promoting an understanding of personal (students' preconceptions) and environmental (formulation of assessment evidence) factors.

This approach reflects the international community's increasing focus on fair and inclusive assessment. Although further research with larger samples is needed to confirm these findings, the study highlights the importance of fostering positive and professionally prepared teacher attitudes towards students' experiences of error in the context of 'for learning' teaching and assessment. The research fits into the "Curriculum Design for Equitable Teaching" strand as it highlights how a constructive approach to error can improve teaching practice and promote greater equity in teaching and assessment.

An important citizenship skill is the ability to engage in conversation with people who hold views different from one's own. Schools can help students develop this skill by discussing controversial topics in civics classes. Because controversial issues touch on students' identities, students' backgrounds can be seen as a valuable source of knowledge in classroom discussions. Therefore, this research extends the theory of discussing controversial issues by looking more closely at the power of teachers' recognition of the value of students' backgrounds.

However, including pupils' backgrounds in discussions about controversial issues is not self-evident for teachers. On the one hand, it can help students to put themselves in another perspective. On the other hand, it can contribute to high emotions and reveal possible social divisions between students. This tension creates a dilemma for teachers. We are therefore interested in exploring the practices of teachers who do include students' backgrounds in order to better understand their reasoning.

Our study explores how, why and for what purposes Dutch civic education teachers value and use their students' diverse backgrounds when discussing controversial issues in the classroom. The research takes a qualitative approach, involving in-depth interviews with ten experienced civic education teachers in the Netherlands. These teachers, who are recognised for their expertise in handling sensitive discussions, provide insights into their pedagogical strategies, challenges and reflections on how they approach students' backgrounds as a resource. The presentation will discuss the findings and their implications for teachers' professional development, as well as recommendations for educators seeking to create more inclusive and engaged classroom discussions.

This research aligns with the conference theme by highlighting how teachers can promote equity in education. By valuing and engaging students' diverse backgrounds in controversial discussions, teachers promote inclusivity and respect for multiple perspectives, ultimately contributing to a more equitable learning environment.

In 2021, a pilot project was launched to develop a writing center for an English Language Centre at an English-medium Hong Kong university. A peer mentoring model was adopted to help undergraduate students receive additional support regarding discipline-specific content, genre, structure and language while developing their general process writing skills. During the development of the model, the project drew upon literature on online writing support (Gherwash & Paiz, 2020, Severino & Prim, 2016, Tan, 2011, Thompson, 2014, & Weirick et al., 2017), community of learners (Akella, 2012, Moser et al., 2015, & Schoonheim‐Klein et al., 2012), and genre-based writing feedback (Kuiper et al., 2017, Munje et al., 2018, & Yu, 2021). Peer mentors were recruited from multiple departments, trained and assigned to mentees from related majors. The writing centre was initially run online through the Microsoft Teams platform while our university shifted from online-only classes to hybrid classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eventually, the writing centre began to provide both online and face-to-face sessions. Research was conducted during the 2023-2024 academic year. During each writing centre session, post-session reports from mentors and post-session reflections from mentees were collected. At the end of each semester, an online post-semester survey was sent to mentees and focus group interviews of both mentors and mentees were conducted. Each peer mentor was expected to submit one audio or video recording of their sessions. Initial findings have provided insights into how to best revise our model, develop training packages and support for mentors, enhance the quality of mentor feedback practices, and foster an equitable environment for the community of learners. This project is relevant to the conference theme as we are pursuing a sustainable way to provide alternative opportunities and additional support for students with diverse backgrounds including local Hong Kong, mainland Chinese and international students.

Research Aim

Although there have been many studies describing teachers’ espoused beliefs of diversity, less literature, however, examines how these beliefs are enacted, negotiated, and modified in professional learning communities. This study addresses this gap and explores how a group of teachers enacted their beliefs of cultural diversity in teaching and how their beliefs were shaped by lesson study (LS).

Theoretical Framework

This study draws upon research literature on the mulfaceted concept of diversity which often pertains to the categorical differences in race, ethnicity, class, gender, special needs, and language diversities in most mainstream literature (Fine-Davis & Faas, 2014; Gay, 2015; Heng & Lim, 2021). It aims to study how teachers' beliefs about diversity are shaped in practice, particularly within the context of a professional learning community like LS, and poses two research questions: (1) What are teachers' beliefs about teaching diverse students in Singapore? (2) How are these beliefs about teaching diverse students shaped during LS?

Methods

The study is based on qualitative research data including 14 interviews with 11 teachers from two Singaporean elementary schools serving students from lower-income families, and observation of 58 LS discussion sessions and 2 research lessons. The transcribed data were analyzed using N-Vivo 11 software and the "critical incident" technique (Bruster & Peterson 2013).

Findings

The study revealed that teachers often attributed student achievement problems to individual and family “deficiencies”, aligning with Singapore's meritocratic ideology. However, through LS, some teachers began to question these deficit beliefs and reevaluate their teaching practices, particularly after collective analysis of student work.

Relevance to Conference Theme

This research is pertinent to the ISATT 2025 conference theme of "equitable quality teaching," as it examines how teachers' adaptable beliefs about diverse student learning contribute to equitable teaching practices and inclusion in teacher education.

Due to the diversity of classrooms, educators face the challenge of making instruction equal and effective for students with unique needs (Du Plessis, 2019). The incorporation of AI-driven tools into pedagogical practices may address this challenge. Prior studies suggest that AI-generated feedback can assist language learners by providing prompt, precise, and unambiguous responses (Escalante et al., 2023; Lee, 2023). The current study investigates the influence of an AI-powered feedback system on the educational experiences and perceived academic development of undergraduate students at a university in Hong Kong. The targeted demographic included students from diverse cultural backgrounds with different expectations of higher education; students displaying a range of academic abilities; and students requiring specialized educational support. Data collection was performed by using qualitative research tools, including students' reflective journals, a survey questionnaire, personal interviews, assignment evaluations, and observations from teachers. Results indicate that the feedback generated by AI offers individual support and significantly enhances student motivation. The system responds to the learning needs of individual students in an overcoming-of-language-barriers and proficiency-level-friendly manner. It contributes to the ongoing discussion related to technology-enhanced inclusive pedagogy.

References:

Du Plessis, A. E. (2019). Barriers to effective management of diversity in classroom contexts: The out-of-field teaching phenomenon. International Journal of Educational Research, 93, 136-152.

Escalante, J., Pack, A., & Barrett, A. (2023). AI-generated feedback on writing: insights into efficacy and ENL student preference. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20(1), 57.

Lee, A. V. Y. (2023). Supporting students’ generation of feedback in large-scale online course with artificial intelligence-enabled evaluation. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 77, 101250.

Research aim

This presentation enhances conflict-resolution teaching for Muslim students in diaspora by infusing intercultural pedagogies peculiar to Islamic thought. It draws on Averroes’ philosophical thought to identify instructional strategies to improve Islamic school curricula in diaspora. Born in 12th-century Andalusia (modern Spain), Ibn Rushd, known in Latin as Averroes, was a philosopher, chief judge, and court physician. This presentation proposes Averroism as an intercultural pedagogical model, marked by Rawiyya (intermediacy) and Tadabbur (deliberation). Within the Averroesian context, I posit a deliberative pedagogy, which contributes to conceptualizing a new social contract in education marked by conflict resolution.

Theoretical framework

This presentation introduces the Averroesian curriculum, marked by a deliberative pedagogy. Drawing on Averroes’s philosophical thought, this presentation contributes to deliberative pedagogy, a dialogical form of reasoning whose aim is to find pragmatic alternatives that serve the collective and individual good with attention to the question of utility. Averroism emphasizes intercultural, conflict-resolution competencies through the intermediacy model Rawiyya as a tool of intercultural deliberative pedagogy, and the Islamic notion of Tadabbur, Arabic for ‘to deliberate’ and ‘carefully consider’ the outcomes.

Findings

From an Averroesian point of view, conflict-resolution teaching is measured by its readiness to incorporate intermediacy and deliberation as intercultural pedagogies. For example, addressing tensions entails successfully reconciling the Aristotelian tradition with the Islamic worldview. This act of reconciliation, if achieved, would have significant educational implications.

Relevance to the Conference theme and specific strand:

This presentation resonates with reconciling tensions as it considers how students’ intellectual heritage can be part of the learning process. It provides an opportunity for students to engage with different backgrounds and educational views, which mitigates tension. It also diversifies the dissemination of knowledge and pedagogical practices, paving the way for a socially equitable and diversified classroom.

Research aims

There is very limited research on the impact of poverty on students in further and higher education in the UK. This research addresses the poverty experienced by students in Higher Education, focusing on an undergraduate initial teacher education (ITE) degree programme in a Scottish university.

Methods

Drawing on literature from America, key themes of poverty in higher education emerged: the cost of higher education; housing insecurity; the demands of part time work and food insecurity. In regard to the researched ITE programme the key themes that emerged were clothing poverty, transport poverty, food poverty and fuel poverty. This was revealed by mixed methods research. First, survey responses from 218 students (41%) on an ITE undergraduate programme (total n= 532). Second, follow-up interviews with ten student volunteers.

Findings

Findings demonstrated (1) that the students had a clear understanding of the effects of poverty, (2) the increased cost of living featured heavily in all the interviews and students mentioned how much the cost of everyday essentials had increased and they did not believe that this would improve soon and (3) the distinctive professional nature of the ITE degree programme makes specific demands on students, particularly in relation to clothing and transport.

Relevance

This research has revealed highly original findings that are being disseminated to the ITE community in Scotland and the wider UK, in order to raise awareness and attempt to improve equity and inclusion in teacher education.

In a time and society where social justice and equity are becoming increasingly important, the moral dimension of teaching comes to the forefront even more clearly, making it essential for teachers to be able to navigate this aspect. Although teaching is inherently moral in nature, many teachers and teacher educators find it quite challenging to incorporate this dimension into their actions. They feel they lack the moral vocabulary and moral skills to adequately address moral dilemmas related to social justice that arise from their practice (Van Stekelenburg et. al., 2024; Sanderse & Cooke, 2019). This lack of moral agency is the main incentive for this paper. Therefore, the main aim of this paper is to offer teachers a practical review of the literature on the conceptualization of teacher moral agency.

A combination of a developmental subject-centered socio-cultural framework of teacher agency and an integrated model of moral literacy guided the search process and analysis of the data in our scoping review on teacher moral agency (Eteläpelto et. al., 2013; Tuana, 2007).

This approach proved valuable in illuminating both the explicit and implicit expressions of teacher moral agency. The combination of frameworks could help teachers gain a clearer understanding of the moral aspects of their practice and encourage them to integrate moral qualities into their professional identity as teachers.

The results indicated that explicit references to the conceptualization and theorization of 'teacher moral agency' were significantly fewer than the implicit, more underlying terms. However, combining both frameworks allowed the concept of Teacher Moral Agency to be better understood when viewed and approached in a professional context from a developmental or learning perspective. This way, teachers can see that they can grow professionally by viewing their own practice and actions in terms of teacher moral agency.