It is important to understand how assessment in Higher Education (HE) can be made more inclusive. This paper presents how assessment in HE can be made more inclusive through the meaningful participation of disabled students, with a particular focus on choice.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is the principle framework of this research. UDL principles can provide an inclusive approach in teaching but are frequently absent from assessment practices. HE Institutions provide accommodations to those students who qualify. However, accommodations are often applied in a wholesale manner according to disability diagnosis, without consideration of the specific needs of the individual. UDL is a helpful tool to support analysis but the framework was lacking on assessment so was enhanced through the application of relevant inclusive pedagogy literature.

A questionnaire was used to collect data from a range of teacher education students. By asking students how best they can be supported, they are able to participate more in decisions about assessment, as the group most impacted by such decisions. The research sought to understand the challenges faced by disabled students in HE assessment and how best they could be supported to be successful, focusing on how choice could be used to provide a more inclusive approach. The enhanced UDL framework was then used to guide a thematic analysis of the responses.

The findings show that the requirements for inclusion of all are varied, and the changes required are not universal, even for students with the same disability or condition. All participants discussed the importance of choice in some area of the assessment process, such as structure, timing or formatting. Consequently, choice needs to be more carefully consider in HE assessment and there needs to be a flexible and varied approach to assessment design, in order to support all students to be successful.

This paper concerns the characteristics of teaching quality. It is well-established that teachers are central to education systems and that teaching quality is vital for educational improvements to support students’ learning (OECD, 2021). This paper presents findings from the Teacher-led Learning Circles (T3LFA) project which facilitated professional learning and development to advance teachers’ leadership of effective formative assessment practices to benefit students’ learning. The T3LFA project was led by Education International and implemented over three years (2020-2023) in seven countries: Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Malaysia, South Korea, Switzerland, and Uruguay.

The theoretical framework combined identification of six key features of effective professional learning and development (Campbell et al., 2022) and four evidence-based Assessment for Learning strategies and linked practices (Lysgaht et al., 2017, 2019). Two overarching research questions are explored. In the Teacher-led Learning Circles:

• What promising teacher-led formative assessment practices were identified?
• What professional learning and teacher leadership processes supported teachers’ formative assessment practices?

The data are from: teacher pre-survey (n=171, 99% response rate) and post-survey (n=121, 70% response rate); a teacher codification framework questionnaire for examples of promising formative assessment practices (113 responses); questionnaires for local facilitators (n=27, 63% response rate), local union representatives (n=10, 59% response rate) and national researcher (n=7, 100% response rate); and National Country Reports (n=7, 100% response rate).

The findings indicate statistically significant improvements in teachers’ confidence in and embeddedness of practice for teachers’ use of effective formative assessment strategies and linked practices in the categories of Learning Intentions and Success Criteria, Questioning and Classroom Discussion, Feedback, and Self- and Peer-Assessment. The findings also indicate positive improvements in professional learning and development processes to support teachers’ formative assessment practices. Reported benefits included teachers’ increased knowledge and use of formative assessments with benefits for students’ learning, progression, confidence, agency, and academic achievement.

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) play a crucial role in achieving targeted educational outcomes. In the state of Haryana, India, an M&E mechanism has been meticulously established to ensure accurate data collection by mentors in classrooms, the implementation of structured pedagogy by teachers, and the mastery of weekly competencies by students to achieve Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) by grade 3. This study delves into the practical application of the M&E framework to conduct effective review meetings across 22 districts in Haryana. The research methodology encompasses a comprehensive analysis of observations from 18 District Project Implementation Unit (DPIU) review meetings, alongside in-depth interviews with 4 District Elementary Education Officers, 4 FLN coordinators, and 8 members of the State Project Implementation Unit team. These qualitative insights are complemented by quantitative data from 8669 schools, meticulously collected during mentoring and monitoring activities. This extensive dataset has been analysed to track progress on seven Key Process Indicators (KPIs). Review meetings, a critical component of the M&E framework, were evaluated using detailed pre-meeting, during-meeting, and post-meeting checklists that involve 16 distinct parameters. These parameters ensure a thorough assessment of the meeting's effectiveness in facilitating targeted actions. The study underscores the significance of quality data collection and the need for consistent training for district officials on M&E practices. Such training is pivotal for enhancing the capability of officials to conduct meaningful review meetings that drive actionable outcomes. The findings from this research highlight the transformative potential of structured review meetings in applying M&E tools. By fostering a culture of accountability towards educational goals, these meetings significantly contribute to the mission's success. The study demonstrates how systematic M&E processes can profoundly impact nearly one million students in Haryana. In conclusion, this research emphasises that robust M&E frameworks and effective review meetings are indispensable for achieving educational targets.

This presentation focuses on the interactions between teacher presence and student flourishing. Drawing on the PERMA framework established by Seligman, the “Calm, Clear, Kind” framework of Patricia Jennings and the work of Dr Stuart Shanker, we explore how teacher presence - mindfulness, embodiment and self-regulation support student social-emotional and academic flourishing. Cultivating the conditions for positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishment in classrooms is dependent on teacher-student and student-student relationships.

Research is conducted through classroom practice, interviews and professional learning sessions. Presenters will share evidence-based approaches to create compassionate and equitable classrooms through teacher presence, instructional / assessment practices and curriculum design.

This work is significant as we are witnessing high levels of stress for both teachers and students. In addition, student disengagement and social media distraction are impacting student mental health and personal relationships.

This work crosses a number of the sub-themes of the conference including: quality teaching, curriculum design and equitable teaching practices.

In the course of their school careers, students experience and develop many facets of their being, but what about their identity? Like their minds, identities are built and shaped by their experiences, particularly at school where they spend most of their days. The construction of children's sense of identity is influenced not only by their daily social interactions, but also by the content to which they are exposed. Do they recognize themselves in stories or classroom activities? Do they feel comfortable sharing cultural or religious practices at home? The aim of this study is to document teaching practices and how they might support the identity construction of preschool and primary school students. This research is gounded in identity construction theories and critical pedagogy. In order to illustrate some examples of the possible impacts of certain teaching practices that can influence students' identity construction, we will be using data collected as part of an ongoing ethnographic research (Lafortune et al. 2022-2027), as a pilot for this study. While several studies in Quebec have analyzed these issues with racialized minority adolescents and adults (Magnan, Darchinian and Larouche, 2016), very few have focused on elementary-aged students as they experience the construction of their identity consciousness, from preschool to elementary school. We now know that identity is a dynamic process reflected in daily interactions and choices (Dubet, 1994). Identity awareness is a process by which the individual gathers and becomes aware of the different components of his or her identity, starting with individual identity, which takes root from the age of 5-6 (Mucchielli, 2021). Primary-age children are therefore constantly developing their identity awareness, particularly at school, where they spend most of their time. This paper is part of the “curriculum design for equitable education” theme as it explores current teaching practices and curriculum choices.

This doctoral study explored early childhood teachers' (ECT) attitudes towards inclusion-based pedagogical practices to assess their readiness for Universal Design for Learning (UDL) implementation in Irish early childhood classrooms as an effective, equitable pedagogical tool for quality teaching for inclusion and a more equitable world. This research aimed to gain a deeper insight and understanding of the variability in ECT attitudes and opinions about their inclusive practices through the lens of UDL. One key pedagogical approach to promote a fair and equitable education for all children is the UDL framework (Flood & Banks, 2021; Galkienė & Monkevičienė, 2021). However, most research has focused on UDL in higher education, with limited attention on UDL in early childhood education. High-quality early childhood education ensures all children's equal access and participation, including those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, ethnic minorities, and those with diverse learning needs (Curristan et al., 2023).

Social justice in education guided my theoretical framework for this study as I sought new knowledge regarding equitable teaching practices. Using Q methodology, I combined qualitative and quantitative research techniques to study in-depth, subjective views carefully and systematically. I took a constructivism/interpretivism paradigm in line with the principles of Q methodology to explore and analyse ETC's subjective views (Ramlo & Newman, 2011; Watts & Stenner, 2012). Using Q's unique analysis to identify patterns of responses within the Q sorts, this research found three distinguishing viewpoints on implementing inclusive pedagogical practices in early childhood education underpinned by characteristics of UDL. While there were distinguishing viewpoints, there was also consensus and agreement among teachers about the importance of valuing and honouring all children's preferences, views, and choices within an inclusive child-centred practice, enriching children’s learning opportunities and shaping quality inclusive teaching practices for equity in early childhood classrooms.

According to Icelandic law, the preschool is the first level of the school system and shall be characterised by inclusion and cooperation. Moreover, a new Act on the Integration of Services in the Interest of Children’s Prosperity guarantees the right support for children and their families. With immigrants accounting for 20% of Icelandic population, the focus is on ensuring schools are prepared to respond to the needs of immigrant children. Municipalities have been developing innovative practices to meet this diversity.

The aim of the study was to explore how the collective inquiry between teachers, special education teachers, teaching counsellors, principals and a refugee reception manager in one municipality evolved into an interprofessional learning community and analyse its impact on the inclusion of immigrant children in ECEC.

A professional learning community is a community of peers who share experiences and learn together in a purposeful way with the aim of empowering the children. Leading from the Middle (LfM) endeavours to support those professionals who are closest to the work of teaching and learning so they can collaborate purposefully, responsibly and transparently.

This paper builds on a case study of a multicultural team in a Riverside municipality. The municipality has around 12.000 inhabitants and six preschools with a total of 30 languages spoken. Data included observations, interviews with various professionals and reviewing relevant documents, such as meeting minutes. Data were analysed through thematic analysis.

Findings shed light on the importance of including diverse actors in the development of preschool practices to ensure all children’s well-being, participation and learning. Furthermore, having the authority, expertise, and confidence to implement new strategies collectively to educate all children is crucial for the development of ECEC. The study can inform teachers, teacher educators and policymakers worldwide on how effective partnerships with preschools can promote equity and inclusion.

In 2022-2023, an action research project was launched in collaboration with three schools to document the experiences of black pupils in primary schools in Quebec, Canada. The project has three main objectives: to identify the forms of racism encountered by the pupils; to document the strategies and resources mobilized by those involved to meet these challenges; and to support their agency by working with them to identify, implement and consolidate the most effective resistance strategies and transformative practices.

The project is based on critical and anti-racist theories, with a particular focus on anti-black racism in educational settings. The methodology is based on a two-year ethnographic study within the three schools, involving observations in various areas of the school environment, individual and group interviews with school staff, pupils and their parents, and immersion in certain school activities.
The preliminary findings presented in this communication are based on data collected from 26 teachers through ethnographic observations and individual interviews. These results reveal various forms of racism affecting black pupils and highlight the tensions and discomfort caused by this issue in the primary school context. Situations are often reduced to simple interactions between children, obscuring the systemic issues. Two trends emerge: on the one hand, most teachers deny racism and justify unfair processes and practices; on the other hand, a minority of teachers show a relative awareness of these issues but express a fear of making mistakes and a feeling of powerlessness in the face of the challenges and changes to be made.

This communication will explore these tensions in teaching practice. It will emphasize the need to move beyond diversity- focused approaches to promote far-reaching change, aimed at a genuine quest for justice and equity for all pupils.

Providing effective reading instruction is essential for student success - not only in school but also later in life concerning employment, health, and even civic participation (cf. Castles et al. 2018). Developing critical literacy (Comber 2015) also lays the groundwork for a critical stance toward developments and issues in an increasingly digital world. Weaker learners seem to profit from more explicit reading instruction by stressing phonological awareness and multisensory teaching (Kormos & Smith 2024, Gerlach 2019).

In Germany, recent empirical studies (cf. Stanat 2023) in the area of reading in EFL in 9th grade show a widening gap between those students who achieve or exceed the standards (around 60%) and those who do not meet the standards for their 1st school degree (around 24%), also from a socio-economic perspective.

To prepare future EFL teachers for this pressing need to overcome this social gap in the development of reading competencies, we have developed a concept of an inclusive digitally-mediated reading task (Caruso et al. 2021; Eßer et al. 2018; Roters, in preparation). It adheres to the principles of meaning-based communicative language teaching within the framework of a task-based digital storytelling approach. The perspective of digital storytelling is threefold: it is integrated in inclusive tasks, in their lesson planning and part of a digital portfolio in their professional journey from BA to MA. In reflecting upon their specific situations, pre-service teachers will tell their stories about their experiences learning EFL. Pursuing an individual research question on reading may empower pre-service teachers in their reflective practice from early on, allowing them to build up professional growth through research (Roters 2015) and an inclusive mindset (Blume et al. 2021). Results from a content analysis and task examples will be presented considering research on EFL teaching, inclusive language teaching, and concepts of EFL reading competence.

Pakistan is a small yet geographically and culturally varied country that lies in the heart of South East Asia. Although the government activists and organisations exert for a more just and equitable society, social justice remains a significant challenge in Pakistan. Since 2020, the field of software technology and artificial intelligence (AI) have opened wide-ranging opportunities for exploration and invention on a global scale. This research proposal aims to explore the potential of technology and innovation in addressing social injustice. The study will investigate how digital tools, AI, block chain, social media activism and other emerging technologies can be leveraged to promote equity, transparency and inclusivity across various social and educational sectors. While delimiting the research to AI and bias mitigation and social media activism, the study will engage Kimberlé` Crenshaw’s Intersectionality Framework(1989) to examine inequality (e.g race, gender, class) to analyse how technology impacts different groups and address multiple layers of social injustice. Also it will explore the Digital Inclusion Frame work - ensuring that all individuals and communities, including the most disadvantaged-both socially and intellectually etc have an access to and usage to: information and communication. It focuses on access, skills and usage. The research will employ mixed methods approach combining quantitative data analysis with qualitative interviews and case studies. This comprehensive approach will provide a nuanced understanding of the tensions and synergies involved in creating a new social contract for effective education. The 150 samples aged 18-25 years will be collected through random sampling method, belonging to different educational and social strata of the society. The findings will contribute to the development of guidelines and policies that promote a more equitable and inclusive educational landscape

Research aim

The aim of the article is to present the mobile approach to education as an innovative factor of social cohesion. A feature of contemporary society is its mobility. It manifests itself in various forms – spatial and social, virtual and real, voluntary and forced. In a mobile society, education should also be mobile.

Theoretical framework

The article refers to the new mobility paradigm (Sheller and Urry 2006; Urry 2009; Sheller 2018), but also to the transformative paradigm (Mertens 2021). Their common aspect is the perception of mobility as a factor of expected change. Social cohesion can be broadly described as the presence of the following features and attitudes in a given community: shared values, shared experiences, civic participation, mutual help, trust in others, social networks, social order, acceptance of diversity, well-being.

Methods

The paper presents three categories of methods used in the practice of mobile education. These are exploratory walks, study visits and field games with digital elements. Examples of their use in several countries and in different types of educational institutions are presented.

Findings

The review of the mobile approach applications shows that it is beneficial from the point of view of strengthening social cohesion in three dimensions. (1) Axio-normative dimension: Joint actions in the field, in contact with residents, especially the vulnerable ones, with civic organizations and public institutions strengthen the belief in the need for transformative change and personal involvement; (2) Resource dimension: Such practices strengthen the potential for action, knowledge and skills of participants; (3) Relational dimension: Participants establish contacts, get to know people belonging to different social categories.

Relevance to the Conference theme and specific strand

The mobile approach is an innovative way of strengthening social cohesion, including social justice, which is an important aspect of it.

Article 12 of the UNCRC, embedded in Scottish law in 2024, mandates the right of the child to fully participate in decision-making around all matters affecting them. This paper provides a synthesises of literature underpinning principles of effective learner participation through the Drama Curriculum. It proffers a framework to support leadership and evaluation of learner participation and concludes with empirical insights around practice application of the framework through a collaborative inquiry conducted in a secondary school in Scotland.

The qualitative research synthesis is based on analysis of 24 published journal articles from 2011 – 2022, using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, to produce a coherent interpretation, leading to evidence-based recommendations for practice in the form of a framework for learner participation. Empirical insights draw on data from focus groups with teachers and learners involved in the school based collaborate inquiry around the impact of the framework for learner participation in action.

This paper offers specific contribution to the conference theme, Characteristics of Quality Teaching (for a more equitable world). To be equitable, learner participation must be experienced through pedagogical approaches in the classroom. Providing opportunities to develop confidence and participatory skills in a low-risk environment prepares learners for more formal shared decision-making out with the classroom. The collaborative nature of Drama is the most emancipatory aspect. It is a powerful tool for enhancing learner participation as it; dilutes hierarchical power dynamics, encourages intergenerational learning, enables learners to explore issues of social justice, inequality, and discrimination through critical inquiry and empowers them to challenge injustice. Drama provides a safe place to engage learners in authentic participation practices that lead to positive change. This paper highlights the importance of the prominence of Drama in the curriculum if we are to fulfil the aspirations of Article 12 in the UNCRC.

Newcomer children who are integrated into reception classes are at risk of having experienced trauma, which can cause significant stress and affect their performance and school experience. Despite appropriate training, teachers may feel ill-prepared to support the social and school adjustment of newcomer children, especially if they are asylum-seekers. Inadequate understanding of their life and migratory journey may make it more difficult to adapt teaching practice to their specific needs. With the aim of promoting equitable education and social justice, it is thus essential to implement school-based innovative approaches that promote the development of positive relationships between teachers and newcomer students. The creation of identity texts in written and artistic form can support the expression of newcomers’ experience and allow teachers to better know their students, and thus better adapt their teaching practice to ensure that newcomers strive at school.

This presentation will introduce the findings from a qualitative action research implemented in partnership with two reception classes from an elementary school in Canada. The study’s objective was to document the impact of an innovative school-based intervention focusing on the creation of written and artistic identity texts on (1) newcomer children’s expression of their migratory journey, (2) the quality of the teacher-student relationship and (3) the adaptation of teaching practice. Based on the analysis of students’ identity texts, workshop facilitators’ participant observation and interviews with the teachers and students, the presentation will illustrate how the production of identity texts in class, especially through artistic modalities, contributed to the creation of a different form of understanding between teachers and students, much more personal and embodied, and on which teachers can rely to tailor their teaching to their students needs.

Research Aim

To determine if a book study as a form of professional development can contribute to individual and collective sense of efficacy in teachers leading to nuanced and equitable forms of reading instruction.

Theoretical Framework
Lave and Wenger’s (1991) situated learning theory and communities of practice lens
helps to provide the rationale for why book studies can be idiosyncratically effective among varying contexts within individual schools. As teachers read through a book together, and incorporate new information in to their critical reflection, they begin to introduce creative problem solving into their dialogue and practice (Craig, 2007).

Method

In this mixed methods study, 16 teachers from 4 elementary schools engage in a facilitated book study of Sometimes Reading is Hard (Bright, 2021). Pre-Post Teacher Sense of Self-Efficacy for Literacy Instruction surveys (Tschannen-Moran & Johnson, 2011) and post-study interviews are used for data analysis

Findings

Result from our 2024-2025 study will be presented at the ISATT Conference. We have found that through our book studies teachers feel empowered to try innovative hypothesize that teachers’ sense of efficacy in teaching reading—as well as the grade-level teams collective sense of efficacy—will strengthen, leading to greater confidence, which will lead to the creation and implementation of new ways of teaching, time scheduling and thinking about teaching reading. Creating equitable teaching environments sometimes requires new ways of thinking and acting, and we believe that teachers new sense of efficacy through the book study will do that.

Relevance:

We have found that through our book studies teachers feel empowered to try innovative practices that create equitable learning environments because they divest of a ‘one size fits all’ stance and habit of teaching. We therefore feel that findings from our study speak clearly to the themes of Research on Equitable Teaching Practices and Curriculum Design for Equitable Teaching.

Grounded in sociocultural constructivism and equity in PK-2 classrooms, this study expands relationship[ between research and practice in PK-2 classrooms. It explores the implementation of the Science of Reading (SoR) using culturally relevant and developmentally appropriate pedagogies within self-study of teacher education. Emphasizing teaching and learning in college and primary classrooms as a socially interactive, iterative process generates and applies knowledge beneficial to the following constituents: PK-2 children, teacher candidates, and faculty. Action research using mixed methods designs was employed to examine the following questions:

1. How do field experiences within literacy foundations coursework impact candidates’ dispositions and efficacy using culturally relevant pedagogy?

2. How does integration of culturally relevant content influence design and implementation of literacy foundation lessons?

3. How will professor modeled lessons influence a teaching agenda that serves state mandates involving Simple View of Reading and culturally relevant, literacy pedagogies within Active View of Reading (AVR)?

Data collection included pre-post efficacy scales and semi-structured surveys documenting teacher dispositions pre-post child assessments; lesson plans; certification exam scores; model lessons; slide decks capturing paradigmatic and practical knowledge shared in college classrooms; and a reflection journal kept by the researcher. Quantitative analysis involved statistical differences in pre and post-test scores. Qualitative analysis used categorical coding to derive themes. Member checking enhanced trustworthiness of data analysis. Analysis was triangulated to explore reasons for shifts in scores and dispositions. Findings indicate focus on culturally relevant pedagogy has a positive impact on asset-based lessons using relevant components of Active View of Reading while prioritizing foundations of literacy concepts. This work strives to disseminate ways in which teachers and professors navigate current tension in literacy education by working with teacher candidates to understanding more equitable curricular implementation of SoR in PK-2 classrooms using AVR.

Research on child-robot interaction (cHRI) in educational contexts highlights the role of mediation ensured by the educator and the investment in affective terms. Some reviews on the use of social robots in nursery schools highlight the influence on technical, transversal and cognitive skills but also on involvement in learning and emotions. Other reviews have emphasized that when integrating robots and related intelligent tutoring systems into educational practice the focus must remain on the child-educator relationship and that the robot acts as a support for the relationship.

The proposal presents the results of an empirical study on child-educator-robot (NAO) mediation conducted during the practicum of the Bachelor Degree in Education and Training Sciences (SEF) of the University of Bari.

The quasi-experimental design included two non-equivalent groups, based on the family's adherence/non-adherence to the experiment. Each group consisted of 10 children aged 24-36 months, 4 educators (two experienced, two SEF trainees), two doctoral students as external observers. The data was collected via a perception questionnaire (for educators and trainees) and behavioral observation grids (relational contexts) and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results of the study highlight: a. mild behavioral changes between groups of children; b. changes not evident in the representations of expert educators; c. substantial changes in SFE trainee representations.

The study highlights that the introduction of the robot in the educator-child relationship in educational contexts influences novice educators more (who question the design of adequate environments), less so veteran educators (who use the robot to attract interest of children) and children (who prefer a direct relationship with the educator). It offers food for thought and in-depth analysis regarding the implementation of innovative robot-based approaches in nursery schools that put the relationship at the center, not technology as an end in itself.

Integration of modern technologies into educational world has created a paradigm shift in traditional pedagogies, thereby opening opportunities for both challenges and potentials. This paper critically evaluates how the adoption of modern technologies in learning and teaching has been adopted in Nigerian polytechnics and the impact such adoption has on learning and teaching processes. The study examines how interactions seamlessly hold between leaners and facilitators towards improve academic outcomes in a context characterized by infrastructural constraints and varying levels of technological literacy among facilitators and students. This study used quantitative research design appraoch to investigate the objectives of the study through the collection of data from Nigerian polytechnics. The findings demonstrate that the huge benefits that the modern technologies against traditional pedagogies are real-time collaboration, access to very diversified learning resources, and flexibility in teaching are impaired by challenges resulting from insufficient technical infrastructure, limited digital skills, and natural people's resistance to changes. This research, therefore, puts premium institutional support, continuous professional development, and robust infrastructure at the front in maximizing the potential for technology-enhanced learning. Recommendations are made to policymakers, polytechnics administrators, and educators on how such challenges can be overcome to provide a conducive environment for the effective adoption and sustainability of modern technologies in Nigerian higher education institutions. This study, therefore, adds its voice to the discourse on the adoption of educational technology in developing countries with these findings, which may also serve as pointers for future initiatives that focus on the use of digital innovation toward the improvement of the quality of education.

Abstract
This study was carried out on the integrating emerging technologies in business education curricula in tertiary institutions in Anambra State Nigeria. The main objectives of the study are to examine the effect of integrating emerging technologies in business education curricula and specifically the study analyzed the effect of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on business education curricula in tertiary institutions in Anambra State and also determined the effect of block chain technology on business education curricula in tertiary institutions in Anambra State. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study was 4750 which comprises of all the final year students of the two tertiary institutions used for the study. Simple random sampling technique were used by the researcher to select the number of respondents for the study, so, the sample size for the study was 750 students. The findings of the study showed that Artificial intelligence has significance effect on business education curricula in tertiary institutions and similarly Block chain technology has significance effect on business education curricula in tertiary institutions in Anambra State. The study recommends that Institutions of higher learning should integrate the emerging technologies into the business education curricula as it enhance learning so as to upgrade the skill and competences of their students and furthermore, the three arms of the government (Federal, State and Local) should consider funding of business education programme in tertiary institutions a top priority considering the role it plays in National development.

Creating effective learning environments remains a critical challenge in education, particularly in addressing the persistent inequalities in student outcomes. Despite the potential of teacher professional development (PD) programs to enhance classroom instruction and student achievement, traditional one-off PD workshops often yield limited effects. This study aims to evaluate an innovative approach to PD through the ‘High Touch High Tech’ (HTHT) model, combining technology-driven personalized learning with teacher-facilitated, project-based classroom experiences.

The study draws on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to explain the adoption and use of the HTHT approach by teachers and students. TAM posits that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness are key factors that drive the acceptance and effective integration of technology, and this research explores how these factors influenced teachers’ engagement with digital adaptive learning tools and how students benefited from the personalized learning experience.

Using a clustered randomized controlled trial in Uruguay, we assess the HTHT model’s impact on teacher effectiveness and both cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes. Our study involved 99 schools, 114 teachers, and 2,002 5^th-grade students across treatment and control groups.

Findings show a significant increase (47%) in individualized use of the digital learning platform among students in the HTHT intervention. Students in the treatment group demonstrated improved math performance (0.33 SD, p < 0.001), with gains linked to higher completion rates of episodes in the digital platform. Importantly, students benefitted equally from the HTHT interventions, regardless of their individual student characteristics (initial achievement, gender, father’s education) and school characteristics (school types, school quintile).

This study contributes to the discourse on how technology and innovative teaching practices can improve educational outcomes, highlighting the synergistic value of integrating technology with active learning strategies. The potential of HTHT as a scalable model for improving student outcomes in diverse contexts will be discussed.

Integrating educational technologies and digital literacy into the classroom has become imperative to enhance teaching and learning experiences (Garza-Montemayor et al., 2019). When exploring the relationship between teachers and technology, Prestridge (2017) found that teachers beliefs, lack of confidence, lack of pedagogical and technological competence are key aspects for the use of technologies in the classroom. Further examination of the problem suggests that teacher education programmes provide growing, but limited preparation (Starkey, 2020) and, in cases, inadequate focus on pedagogical applications of digital technology in schools (Heitink et al., 2016).

This research proposal explores the intended pedagogical use of technologies by pre-service teachers enrolled in the ITE programmes of University of Glasgow and current use by in-service primary school teachers within Glasgow Local Authority. This study follows a mixed method, concurrent-parallel design where quantitative and qualitative data will be collected simultaneously and merged to gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon (Creswell and Plano Clark, 2017). The quantitative study will follow a descriptive-exploratory design based on the application of an online adapted version of the teachers’ digital competence (DigCompEdu) instrument. The qualitative data will be collected in the same instrument via five open-ended questions that aims to collect pre-service and in-service teachers’ perceptions on the pedagogical use of digital technologies in classrooms.

The findings will provide insights and greater understanding of diigtal teaching practices, and aim to contribute to the ongoing discourse around teacher education for a digital world, as well as gaining insight into the current state-of-the-question in Scotland and establish a baseline for further improvements to digital literacy in teacher education and career-long professional development.

In asynchronous courses, it is a challenge to create community, dialogue authentically, build trust, be vulnerable, and critically reflect. We drew from Kondo’s (2024) humanizing and culturally sustaining pedagogy (Freire, 1970/2000; Ladson-Billings, 1995) to examine the extent to which pre-service teachers engaging with reflection protocols developed students’ critical consciousness and understanding of their own identity, biases, and positionality—which are critical to inclusive education (Golloher & Middaugh, 2021).

The focus of this analysis is predominantly one reflective presentation assignment. Students were tasked with choosing three of six possibilities: two questionnaires (Stansberry Brusnahan et al., 2023) and four activities (Kondo, 2024). The following disclaimer was included:

Please approach these reflections with candor and a willingness to sit in some momentary discomfort. While we expect you will challenge yourself, the extent to which you engage with these reflections is entirely up to you, as is what you are willing to share in your presentation and reflection.

The pre-service students created individualized presentations that they posted to a discussion board on an online learning platform along with a 300 word reflection responding to the following prompts:

• What did you learn about yourself by engaging in reflective activities?

• Would you consider yourself a reflective person by nature, or was this a new experience for you?

• What emotions did you experience as you reflected?

• Which experiences, questions, emotions, or reactions were the most challenging for you, and why?

• What will you take away from this experience?

Besides the reflection presentations, we draw data from the discussion board posts, replies to peers, and anonymous responses from the course evaluations. While the depth of students’ engagement in critically conscious reflections varied, most students reported being challenged, having new and revelatory understandings of themselves and their future students, new and renewed commitments to equitable teaching.

Historically, the U.S. education system has been inconsistent in addressing issues of injustice and inequity (Adams & Bell, 2016). Educators, community members, and researchers are facing obstacles in addressing these issues in their classrooms. Researchers emphasize that fundamental education goals should be to allow students to understand the difference between equality and equity, address inequitable structures, and build their awareness of self, others, and social systems (Ladson-Billings, 1995; Paris, 2012; & Gay 2018).

In the journey of addressing social justice inequities, uncertainties in how students respond arise because of inexperience with topics, conflict between the social relationships of what is taught in schools to what may be discussed at home, and the impact of social and political pressures (Flores-Koulish & Shiller, 2020). Therefore, this teacher research focused on understanding how students responded to a unit that investigated systemic racial oppression in society and the environments educators must create to engage in critical conversations. Hence, the research questions that guided the author’s work were:

• What happens when sixth-grade students engage with a social studies unit that explicitly centers the history and influence of racial oppression?

• How do students respond to classroom experiences that encourage the critical analysis of racial oppression?

The author of this study designed a five-week unit on oppression taught and engaged in reflective journaling to capture her thoughts and reflect on how her positionalities intersected with the teaching and learning throughout the unit.

Findings revealed that students recognized the impact of hidden societal messages and how society devalues particular identities of minoritized groups. Students also demonstrated an in-depth understanding of the erasure of human experiences and histories. Further, educator lessons learned included the importance of creating brave spaces and the impact of brave spaces on student emotion, the development of critical consciousness, and the humanization of marginalized groups.

Research aim

The aim of the research is to investigate the attitudes and opinions of pre-service students regarding Differentiated Instruction as a characteristic of Quality Teaching (QΤ) in the Greek Primary School.

Theoretical framework

Research on QΤ is intensifying, especially in recent years, due to the challenges of the modern school where students coexist in classrooms that are differentiated on the basis of a combination of parameters such as cultural and ethnic background, etc.

QΤ is a complex conceptual construct and therefore researchers have developed a variety of frameworks and models to observe and investigate QΤ, such as the lesson observation form for assessing QΤ by researcher W. van de Grift which includes a variety of dimensions such as Differentiated Instruction, etc.

From the literature review it is found that there are not enough studies where the research subjects investigating QΤ are external observers such as future teachers.

Methods

The research was conducted among students of the Department of Primary Education at the University of Ioannina (Greece). During the Teaching Practice in Primary Schools they observed the teachers' teaching for 2 weeks.

They were then asked to complete a structured questionnaire with 42 "closed" type five-point Likert-type questions (1=not at all and 5=Extremely) exploring QΤ. This study analyses the questions related to Differentiated Instruction.

The sample of the study consists of 222 students. Convenience sampling was used to select the sample.

Findings

From the processing and analysis of the responses, it is clear that the statements of pre-service students in all the questions, regarding Differentiated Instruction as a characteristic of QΤ in Greek Primary Schools, are neutral and tend to be positive since the average ranges between 2.5 and 3 (3=moderate).

Relevance to the Conference theme and specific strand

Abstract is relevant the sub-theme: Characteristics of QΤ

This study examines how teachers navigate and redefine their roles during two crises: the COVID-19 pandemic (in alternative schools) and the Iron Swords war in Israel (in evacuee schools). We aim to broaden understanding of teachers' roles, characteristics, work, and tensions, focusing on the interplay between teachers' perspectives, community expectations, and adherence to governmental instructions.

Employing Tyack and Tobin's (1994) "grammar of schooling" framework—which describes persistent organizational, curricular and relationship patterns in schooling—we analyze how educational structures are challenged and reshaped during crises. This approach reveals hidden structures and work (Bowker & Star, 1999) in emergency educational settings.

Our multiple case study incorporates data from four evacuee schools during the Iron Swords war (2024) and twelve alternative schools during the COVID-19 pandemic (2021-2022). Methods include semi-structured interviews with 65 educators, on-site observations, and thematic analysis.

Preliminary results expose hidden aspects of teachers' roles, uncovering three main tensions:

1. Holistic student well-being versus academic achievement
2. Trauma-informed pedagogy versus normalcy and resilience
3. Maintaining community obligation and routines versus academic instruction

We propose a triangular model of the teacher-educator role—parental work, therapeutic perspective, and academic teaching—which maps onto these tensions. The first tension lies mainly on the parent-academic axis, while the second tension aligns with the therapeutic corner. SEL lessons represent the therapeutic-academic side. This model has implications for educational practice and policy.

This research addresses the conference theme by exploring how teachers reconcile work-related tensions and suggesting a model that manifests tensions between established norms and crisis-driven necessities. It illuminates the process of negotiating a new social contract in education, where teachers' roles expand beyond traditional boundaries. Future research could explore the applicability of this model in non-crisis educational settings.

The passive learning phenomenon, common in teacher-centred classrooms, persists in classrooms globally despite continuous calls for learner-centred pedagogies. The educational landscape is in dire need of a shift to not only promote learner-centredness but also to move towards autonomy-supportive pedagogical approaches. This paper aims to elucidate and explore the potential of the ‘Altered Flipped Classroom Pedagogy’, a context-specific active learning intervention, to enhance learner engagement and participation in an everyday high school classroom. It originates from Bergman and Sams’ seminal work on the topic. It was, however, ‘altered’ to meet the needs of the South African context, where only an estimated 20,35% of the public high schools in the country have access to technology for teaching and learning purposes. The Flipped classroom was selected as instructional pedagogy as it is founded on socio-constructivist theories of learning that increase the potential for active engagement. Additionally, the research is situated within Self-Determination Theory, as the design of the intervention addresses learners' need for autonomy, relatedness and competence. Using volunteer sampling, high school teachers attended an online training session and received a training manual before implementing the intervention. Data was primarily collected via semi-structured interviews and triangulated using three alternative qualitative methods after undergoing the process of thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The primary findings demonstrate the potential of the AFCP to increase learner engagement, participation, and motivation. Further findings also highlight the positive effect on learner autonomy and the activation of learners’ self-determined behaviours thereby increasing the richness of learners’ learning experiences. When learners become more autonomous, they grow their ability to think independently, to problem solve and to take greater ownership of their learning. This intervention directly speaks to curriculum design for equitable teaching as it was developed to suit various educational contexts within the diverse South African educational landscape.

Research Aim

Presenting several long-term projects in cities in Israel, enabling school clusters (10 schools and more) to experience deeper learning and teaching in specific subject matter or generally in all the schools' teaching through the use of Attentive Teaching mode of instruction.

Theoretical framework

The need for Deeper Learning in American schools is emphasized in Mehta and Fine (2019). The pedagogy is the goal of the exceptional schools that they analyze, looking for the combination of: mastery, identity and creativity. Attentive Teaching (Schur & Guberman, 2023) cultivates the individual nature of the understanding that students experience in the classroom allowing the students to connect their knowledge, identity and creativity with observations and understanding of environments or texts or concepts in any subject matter and any age.

Methods

Implementation of Attentive Teaching in schools, starts with enabling leading teachers to get two years of training in Attentive Teaching, and then lead the school implementation of the teaching and learning method for two or three more years.

Findings

Three Long term projects of implementations of Attentive Teaching will be described:

1. in Arab East Jerusalem 15 primary schools

2. English Attentive Teaching in 12 high-schools in Arab East Jerusalem

3. Intervention in 10 primary and high-schools in Kiryat Shemona, the northern part of Israel

The leading teachers experience mediated interactions where they draw and explain their points of view of the learnt topic. Products from their experiences will be presented.

Relevance to the Conference theme and specific strand

As the conference deals with quality teaching and influencing equity in society, the presentation relates to an implementation of innovative teaching and learning in areas of low socio-economical populations, with the aim of influencing whole areas in long term projects.