Abstract

Student well-being has gained prominence on both the scientific and political agendas, as it is recognized as a crucial skill in addressing the economic, ecological, and social challenges of the 21st century. Relationships that students form with teachers and peers in the classroom are important for their academic, social, and emotional development. Building and maintaining positive relationships contributes to psychological growth and well-being. This article strives for a deeper understanding of the association between student well-being and classroom relationships from the students’ perspective. Mediation regression analysis was conducted between student well-being, teacher–student relationships, and student–student relationships to overcome limitations of prior studies using a unidimensional approach on student well-being and considering relationships in separate models. This study shows that both relationships are related to student well-being, however associations differ regarding different dimensions of student well-being and students’ individual factors such as gender, migration background, and socio-economic status. Providing a multi-dimensional approach on student well-being as well as taking both relationships into account adds to a profound understanding of processes in classrooms. Insights on these relations can help educators, schools and researchers develop strategies to foster relationships in the classroom and, in succession, enhance well-being in school.

Introduction

Adolescents are growing up in a rapidly changing world characterized by uncertainty, information overload, and competition. This increasing complexity and challenges may lead to anxiety disorders, mental health conditions, depressive symptoms, and a range of psychological and emotional disturbances (Green et al., 2012). Therefore, student well-being (StudWB) has advanced to the scientific and political agenda and is considered as an important skill that is crucial in facing the mentioned 21st century economical, ecological, and social challenges (OECD, 2018). Although recognizing the need to not only focus on students’ academic outcomes but also taking their well-being into account, research on StudWB is still diversified and a wide variety of definitions are applied in academic and policy circles (Diener et al., 2009; Dolan et al., 2008; Land et al., 2007; OECD, 2017; Seligman, 2011; UNESCO, 2016). To comprehensively address StudWB a multidimensional approach is needed considering both student’s subjective positive and negative experiences in school environment, including emotional, cognitive, and physical elements (Hascher, 2007).

Building and maintaining positive relationships fulfills a basic human need (Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Ryan & Deci, 2000) and contributes to psychological growth and well-being (Gunnell et al., 2013). Considering the substantial amount of adolescents’ time spent at school, it becomes apparent that teachers and peers assume a pivotal function in the attainment of social relatedness. Therefore, in the recent two decades increasing emphasis has been placed on teacher–student relationships (TSR) and student–student relationships (SSR) in understanding the complexity of interpersonal processes in the classroom and their multiple outcomes (Endedijk et al., 2021). In line with attachment theory, teachers are important attachment figures for young people (Beam et al., 2002), especially in adolescence when critical attitudes toward school and teaching increase (De Fraine et al., 2005; Eccles et al., 1991). By establishing close and low conflictual relationships with their students, teachers provide an environment for successful learning and StudWB (Hall-Lande et al., 2007; Hascher, 2003; Koomen & Jellesma, 2015; Roffey, 2015). Moreover, teachers can be referred to as the invisible hand (Farmer et al., 2011) determining the quality of SSR. The intricate dynamics of peer relationships within classroom environments are shaped not only by the interpersonal behaviors exhibited by students themselves but also by contextual factors set by the teachers and by the nuanced interactions with a specific student. Close peer relationships in a secure and fair school environment are consistently associated with StudWB (Hall-Lande et al., 2007; Hascher, 2003; Roffey, 2015). Despite the ongoing research on TSR and SSR, studies mainly disregard the simultaneous coexistence of both types of relationships within the classroom as well as individual student factors, such as gender, migration background, and socio-economic status (SES).

Conclusion

In the recent years, there has been a growing interest on researching StudWB driven by the recognition of its significance as a vital skill in addressing the 21the century challenges. Thus, investigating the interplay of StudWB and predictors such TSR, SSR and individual student factors holds importance in understanding StudWB and classroom processes. To our knowledge this is the first study that has examined the association among the three constructs by using a multidimensional approach on StudWB as well as considering TSR, SSR and StudWB in one mediation regression model. In conclusion, findings illustrate the importance of social relationships in the classroom for multiple dimensions of StudWB. Specifically, the current study contributes to the field by highlighting, that relations between StudWB, TSR, and SSR differ regarding different dimensions. Associations also vary regarding students’ gender, migration background and SES. Therefore, our study provides useful information for teachers and researchers to develop strategies and intervention to foster relationships in the classroom and enhancing student well-being.

Abstract

Although knowledge drives organizational growth, limited teamwork skills have hindered effective knowledge sharing and utilization across departments and individuals in higher education institutions (HEIs). Thus, this paper develops a pertinent knowledge-intensive teamworking model for HEIs. Educational background, leadership, and social media adoption were independent variables, while knowledge acquisition, development, application, revision, and knowledge-intensive teamwork were dependent variables. Using an online questionnaire, a quantitative investigation of 918 people across different HEIs tested hypotheses based on PLS-SEM findings. Results showed that educational background, leadership, and social media adoption are integral enablers in smoothing knowledge management operations, while the synergistic combination of process phases drives teamwork. Consequently, outcomes establish foundations for fostering a continuous learning culture, accountability, and cooperation in HEIs.

Introduction

Most management and technology research has focused on the technical efficiency of social media [1]. Information technology revolutionized education over three decades ago, and more recent research has examined various impacts on the workplace, such as training and communication [2,3]. Social media adoption in higher education institutions (HEIs) depends on strategic aims, resources, and cultural factors [4]. Furthermore, the adoption of technology by HEIs is contingent on organizational strategy and differs among HEIs in the same education system [5]. The use of social media in education has drawn interdisciplinary interest [6,7] as HEIs shift communication from one-way to interactive to regularly engage stakeholders [8]. Continual society-wide communication needs frequent updates across media, especially social platforms. Different methods can shape how HEIs utilize social media as key channels, enabling stakeholder conversations. Communication frequently starts on blogging platforms and spreads across media as users access multiple integrated channels, facilitating tailored, multi-way exchanges without time barriers.

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated remote work and learning, disrupting traditional HEI teamwork models and requiring new virtual collaboration approaches [9]. This research extends knowledge management theory by examining how social media enables leadership, knowledge sharing, and co-development in virtual teams. Specifically, it provides empirical support for the knowledge management cycle model of Kang and Hau [10] by demonstrating how social media can facilitate key stages of knowledge acquisition, sharing, and revision in virtual settings. The findings reveal how social media-enabled leadership, through modeling knowledge-sharing practices and incentivizing participation, is critical for overcoming motivational barriers to collaborative knowledge activities online [11]. This paper advances the theoretical understanding of the interconnected relationships between social media adoption, leadership influence, and iterative knowledge improvement critical for virtual team effectiveness in higher education institutions. Moreover, a key contribution is providing empirical evidence on the affordances of different social media platforms for enabling specific collaborative activities in virtual HEI teams. The findings provide actionable guidance to HEI leaders on effective social media policies and professional development to optimize virtual teamwork. This research also contributes a new conceptual model of social media-enabled knowledge-intensive teamwork tailored to the HEI context.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted higher education institutions, catalyzing a shift towards remote and online learning. In this context, social media has become an integral platform enabling knowledge-intensive teamwork, allowing seamless communication and collaboration regardless of location. Specifically, social media can promote the development of such teams in several key ways. Online discussions and forums can be leveraged to share information and resources, discuss ideas, brainstorm solutions, and provide feedback among team members. Video conferencing tools facilitate virtual meetings and presentations, helping members stay connected and engaged. Additionally, knowledge management systems allow the centralized sharing and accessing of documents while tracking progress – optimizing coordination. Consequently, social media facilitates effective knowledge-intensive teamwork in higher education after COVID-19 by providing ubiquitous channels for cooperation.

In conclusion, high-performing knowledge-based teams in higher education are predicated on an innovation-centric framework requiring integrated organizational and procedural alignment. Positive relationships among knowledge skill-building, leadership support, and cultural enablement underscore the need to embed holistically developmental, technological, and structural conditions that foster learning and innovative capacity at individual and team levels. Internally, sustained idea flows via cooperation enable continuous adaptation and improvement as contexts shift.

Abstract

To solve the problem of distance education and cope with emergencies, online education has become one of the common educational methods in recent years.

Objects
This study aimed to explore the relationship between the teacher-student relationship (TSR) and mental disorders of university students in online education.

Measures
2032 full-time undergraduate and graduate students from a comprehensive university in China participated in the online survey. The Chinese version of the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21 Items, the Chinese version of the Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI), and the 7-item Teacher-Student Relationship Perception Questionnaire were administered to the students.

Results
We found that higher quality of perceived TSR and a lower level of mobile phone addiction were associated with better mental health among undergraduate and graduate students during online education. Mobile phone addiction mediated the relationship between TSR and mental disorders, and hometown setting moderated the relationship between TSR and mobile phone addiction. Specifically, a higher quality of perceived TSR was associated with a lower level of mobile phone addiction. In addition, for students with low-quality perceived TSR, those who came from rural areas had a higher level of mobile phone addiction than those who came from urban areas. In contrast, when students had high-quality perceived TSR, the differences between students from urban and rural areas in mobile phone addiction were insignificant.

Conclusion
The results of this study are of great significance in improving the mental health and mobile phone addiction of undergraduate and graduate students during online education and reveal the urban-rural differences in the impact of TSRs during online education.

Introduction

Teacher-student relationship (TSR) refers to the connection between teachers and students in the process of educational communication (Xiang et al., 2022). A positive TSR is defined as students’ perception that they partake in positive interactions with their teachers and that their teachers express a supportive attitude toward their educational requirements (Collie et al., 2016). A close and effective TSR can stimulate learning behavior, support young students in addressing their needs, and make them feel safe and secure in the school environment (Khalilzadeh & Khodi, 2021). On the contrary, unhealthy TSRs can lead to a lack of security among students and are considered to hinder and interfere with students’ attempts to meet their needs in school (Hamre & Pianta, 2001).

In recent years, many schools have changed their teaching mode from traditional classroom education to online education. This shift, marked by changes in communication tools, decreased interaction frequencies, and altered classroom environments, holds profound implications for students’ well-being (Hebebci et al., 2020). Online education has brought convenience to students and faculty and reduced campus conflicts (Vagos & Carvalhais, 2022). However, the advantages of traditional classroom settings, which include enhanced teacher-student interactions, a conducive environment for understanding and focus, and a pace of learning that fosters interactivity and less dependency on technology, still exist (Saurabh et al., 2021). In addition, the findings of a longitudinal study by Hewson (2018) shed light on the significance of the living environment under online education, which might lead to more inequality. Since mobile phone dependency and low academic engagement are already prevalent social and psychological issues in rural areas of China (Zhen et al., 2020), this change in the learning environment may widen the educational inequality between students from urban and rural areas. For these students from rural areas, the transition to university life, often coupled with the challenges of adapting to an urban or online educational setting, underscores the need for strong, supportive TSRs (Chen, 2022; Srinivasan et al., 2021).

Results

3.1. Scores of participants in teacher-student relationships, mobile phone addiction, anxiety, and depression
Descriptive data for participants’ scores in perceived TSR, mobile phone addiction, anxiety, depression, and hometown setting are presented in Table 1. Among them, 1439 were female (71.63 %), while 570 were male (28.37). The findings indicated that the mean score for perceived TSR was 3.52 ± 8.82, the mean score for mobile phone addiction was 37.96 ± 13.06, the mean score for anxiety was 10.61 ± 9.58, and the mean score for depression was 11.84 ± 9.77. More participants came from urban areas (67.94%) and were undergraduate students (75.26%).

3.2. The distribution of scores of participants in the teacher-student relationship, mobile phone addiction, anxiety, and depression
Fig. 2 shows the distribution of the DASS-21-anxiety score. 44.35 % of the participants had minimal anxiety, 4.93 % had mild anxiety, 19.16 % had moderate anxiety, 10.05 % had severe anxiety, and 21.05% had extremely severe anxiety. Regarding the DASS-21 depression score, this distribution was 42.71%, 10.25%, 27.82%, 12.24%, and 6.97%. Undergraduate students had the lowest prevalence of minimal anxiety (36.18%) and depression (36.51%) and the highest percentage of extremely severe anxiety (26.92%) and depression (7.87%). Moreover, the lowest average scores for TSR and the highest average scores for MPAI were also among undergraduate students. In addition, no matter their educational level, students from rural areas had lower average scores in perceived TSR (overall difference was −0.08) and higher average scores in anxiety (overall difference was 1.26) than students from urban areas. However, these differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

Abstract

Aims
We investigated teacher emotions and individual students’ engagement in real-time classrooms and considered the role of teachers’ involvement level.

Methods
The sample included 20 teachers in Taiwanese public primary schools and four target students for each teacher (80 target students in all). Teachers reported their own emotions and each student’s engagement at the end of each lesson for a calendar week (nti = 249).

Results
T-tests showed that teacher-student relationships are a reflection of teachers being relatively more involved with students they had both close and conflictual relationships with. For students with whom the teacher was relatively more involved, multilevel structural equation models (MSEM) showed they were more engaged in lessons and had a stronger effect on teachers’ positive and negative emotions.

Conclusion
This study expands the understanding of teacher-student dyads in the real-time classroom by demonstrating the effect of individual students’ engagement on teachers’ positive and negative emotions by taking teachers’ involvement levels into consideration.

Introduction

Teacher and student emotions play an essential role in students’ learning and also in teachers’ teaching careers and their well-being. Investigating teachers’ emotions is important for understanding teachers’ needs and challenges of teaching (Schutz, 2014). Although research has mostly focused on the dynamics between teachers and students generally in the classroom, teachers do react differently to individual students in the classroom and this, in turn, has an impact on both teachers and students (Newberry & Davis, 2008). To understand how students and teachers can foster each other’s positive emotional experiences in the classroom in a reciprocal way, it is important to investigate teacher-student dyads and their relationships and behaviours. However, to date, little is known about teacher-student dyads regarding their behaviours, relationship qualities, and emotional experiences in the classroom.

There has been a growing interest in understanding emotional experiences in school settings with researchers increasingly investigating the importance of linking teachers’ emotions with their students’ engagement and emotions in the classroom (e.g., Frenzel et al., 2021). Drawing on Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory (Fredrickson, 2004), teachers’ positive emotions could enhance their own well-being and their ability to deal with the challenges of their work. Theoretical models regarding teacher emotions and well-being suggest that teacher emotions reflect their reactions towards the behaviours of particular students in the classroom (Frenzel, 2014; Spilt et al., 2011). Interestingly, negative student behaviours do not necessarily lead to teachers’ negative emotions. Thus, it is important to consider and investigate how teachers interpret the dyadic relationship with a student. However, most research has focused on finding links between students’ negative behaviour (e.g., teachers’ perceptions of student disruptive behaviour) and higher levels of teacher stress and burnout, and lower levels of well-being. We argue that it is crucial to investigate the effect of individual students’ positive behaviour (e.g., engagement) on teachers’ emotions. Since teachers might experience higher levels of conflict and closeness with students who exhibit more disruptive behaviour from the teachers’ perspective (Spilt & Koomen, 2009), the meaningful effort teachers put into specific students may contribute to teachers’ emotional reactions to students’ behaviours (Spilt et al., 2011).

Results

4.1. Descriptive analysis
Table 2 summarises descriptive results (e.g., means, standard deviations, correlations) of the variables. Means, standard deviations, and intercorrelations of variables are presented as occurring across lessons, students, and teachers (Level 1), between students (Level 2-a), and between teachers (Level 2-b). Generally, teachers reported relatively high positive emotions across lessons, students, and teachers (M = 3.62–3.64) and relatively low negative emotions (M = 1.86). Teachers’ average rating of individual students’ behavioural and emotional engagement was higher than the midpoint of the 5-point Likert Scale. Overall, the correlations revealed a positive relationship between teachers’ positive emotions and student engagement and a negative relationship between teachers’ negative emotions and student engagement.

The intraclass correlation (ICC) demonstrated that between-teacher variability of teacher emotions ranged from 0.60 to 0.61, indicating that most of the variance was from variation between teachers, although a substantial variance accounted for between-lesson variation (approximately 0.38 and 0.40 for positive and negative emotions). Note that there was no between-student variance. This is because teachers rated their own emotions once per lesson (as did each of the four students). Teachers did not report their emotions for each student separately.

Abstract

Adult obesity has remained a key health concern globally. Theory-based social marketing interventions are considered effective for improving dietary and physical activity (PA) behaviours. However, their application in universities is not yet established. This review aimed to identify social marketing strategies targeting healthy eating and/or PA behaviours of young adult university students and outline the intervention effectiveness. Literature search, screening, and data extraction followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews. PubMed/Medline and Scopus databases were searched for intervention and exploratory studies published between January 1, 2000, and September 20, 2023. Twelve articles were selected based on the eligibility criteria. Although different in study design, all studies reported improved healthy eating-related outcomes, while three showed improved PA-related outcomes. One study incorporated all six of the social marketing benchmarks, but the majority identified two. Most studies focused on behavioural objective, formative research, and marketing mix in their intervention design. Four studies incorporated behaviour change theories in development of the social marketing campaigns. Social marketing using social media could be a significant approach for improving healthy eating and PA in young adult university students when behavioural change theories and all social marketing benchmarks are adopted. More generalizable longer-term investigation into the effectiveness of this approach in university young adults is needed to tackle adult obesity related health issues.

Introduction

Obesity has remained a global epidemic and represents a key risk factor for the development of many chronic diseases [1]. This epidemic is reflected by the prevalences and trends of adult obesity in Australia and the US, with females showing higher rates of becoming obese than males [2,3]. For example, approximately 12.5 million Australian aged ≥18 years were categorized as overweight or obese in 2017/2018, equivalent to 2 in 3 adults being overweight or obese [4]. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australian aged ≥15 years has also demonstrated a steady upward trend, with a combined incidence of 60 % over the period 2006 to 2019, particularly those living in rural and regional city urban areas [5]. This trend aligns with recent observation from five US national studies where obesity incidence increased from age 15 years into young adulthood [6]. Similarly, obesity prevalence rates among Canadian young adults (≥18 years) increased from 23.9 % in 2007/09 to 26.4 % in 2012/13 [7]. These trends highlight the need for more efficient interventions targeting key modifiable risk factors to prevent and manage obesity in young adults. Obesity in young Australians, Americans, and Canadians (aged ≥18 years) is attributed to several risk factors such as poor diet, physical inactivity, sedentary behaviours, low socioeconomic status, and stressful life events [8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14].

One such life event is the transition to university life [15]. It represents a critical period where changes in lifestyle behaviours (e.g., decrease in physical activity (PA) and fruit/vegetable intake) and weight gains are more commonly documented [15]. Starting university in Australia, Canada, and the US is influenced by several barriers perceived to healthy eating/lifestyle such as unsupportive institutional environment, availability/cost of healthy foods, neglect of PA, easy access to fast food, peer influence on unhealthy eating behaviour/physical inactivity, insufficient sleep, and stress [16, 17, 18, 19]. Students appeared to maintain those detrimental behavioural patterns such as excessive screen time and physical inactivity during the transition [20,21]. Alarmingly, a higher psychological distress risk was found in students who followed unhealthy patterns of behaviour such as physical inactivity and unhealthy diet while studying transition to university courses [22, 23, 24]. Different types of interventions have been used to improve dietary, PA, and weight-related outcomes (e.g., body fat, lean mass, waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference) in the university setting, including strategies promoting healthy food purchases, online education and using web resources, and social media/technology devices [25].

Results

Our search identified 32,928 records for possible inclusion, with 32,571 duplicates removed. A total of 357 articles were screened by title and abstract for inclusion, and 325 articles were excluded based on Table 1. Of the 32 full-text articles that we screened as potentially relevant, 12 met the inclusion criteria (Table 1), which involved more than 52,280 university students/young adults (aged 18–35 years). A PRISMA flow diagram of articles inclusion is summarized in Fig. 1. The results were divided into two themes: university setting and young adults.

Abstract

The implementation of university sustainability affects brand perceptions by conferring attributes related to commitment and reputation, especially by students. The proper management of sustainability is related to an improvement in the university brand perceived by its stakeholders, including students. For this reason, this research aims to analyse whether university sustainability positively affects brand positioning among university students. For this purpose, a theoretical and quantitative mixed-method investigation is proposed that allows the establishment of a structural model in which the relationships between the dimensions of university sustainability with the dimensions of brand positioning are evident. The empirical analysis found that some dimensions of university sustainability, such as the institutional framework, campus operations and some dimensions of the substantive functions, positively affect brand positioning in university students and generate commitment to the university from both the prestige and reputation of the brand.

Introduction

One of the main challenges for organizations of the twenty-first century is to implement sustainability in their strategy, structure and processes [1,2]. This challenge has been raised for universities at the United Nations Conference for Sustainable Development in 2012 (Rio + 20) [3], so it remains a challenge that must transcend the ecocentric perspective and seeks to develop as a model of inclusive social transformation, that encompasses human well-being, environmental care and economic development [4]. In this regard, the university is the main promoter of change in companies and state institutions. In this way, universities are responsible for training citizens and future professionals who will be responsible for implementing ways of working that contribute to Sustainable Development [5]. Consequently, the importance of the present study lies in the fact that sustainability allows universities to achieve better economic results by reducing costs and decreasing the regulatory burden, as well as increasing brand positioning, prestige, and social responsibility actions with the community [6,7]. In addition, it favours competition in obtaining students, sustaining their programmes and obtaining high-level faculty [8].

Thus, this study addresses the existing theoretical gap regarding the relationship between sustainability and university brand positioning, given that in the Colombian context, there are no studies that address this relationship. Although there is research on the implementation of sustainability as an organizational model and models for its evaluation in Colombian universities [9,10], the impact of sustainability on the management of the university brand and its positioning in the context of Higher Education Institutions in Colombia has not yet been developed.

Conclusions

To conclude, the main theoretical and managerial implications are presented, as well as the limitations and future research on the issue.

6.1. Theoretical implications
The previous sections have developed the empirical contribution of the analysis of the proposed model for which theoretical assumptions were validated or refuted. However, this research addressed an analysis of the positioning of the university brand for which some dimensions were proposed that were not clearly defined and which are also consistent with the advances in university branding studies [53,60,72]. In addition, the incidence of sustainability as an organizational model on the positioning of the university brand is addressed, where a satisfactory validation of the dimensions of sustainability was addressed and the results of the analysis of its influence on identity, image and perceived quality were found, as constitutive of the positioning of the university brand. The studies on the issue evidenced the existence of a gap in the conceptualization of the determinants of positioning in university branding. Thus, theoretical and empirical demonstrations of identity, image and perceived quality as dimensions of this construct and its impact on the commitment to institutional support for sustainability are a recent theoretical contribution to the issue. The present research makes a contribution to university branding by establishing the way in which the dimensions of sustainability are generators of brand positioning in students. Thus, it was possible to establish that the dimensions of sustainability, such as institutional framework, campus operations, education, research and extension, are determinants of prestige, uniqueness and relevance over the competition. Therefore, they are aspects that influence the choice of the university by the students and at the same time are elements that affect the loyalty and satisfaction of the brand promise. Likewise, a theoretical contribution was made that had not been addressed, by establishing how the dimensions of sustainability affected the constituent elements of positioning, such as perceived quality, image and identity of the university brand, in being able to propose the central aspects of sustainability in the management of the university brand.

Abstract

As big data becomes an apparent challenge to handle when building a business intelligence (BI) system, there is a motivation to handle this challenging issue in higher education institutions (HEIs). Monitoring quality in HEIs encompasses handling huge amounts of data coming from different sources. This paper reviews big data and analyses the cases from the literature regarding quality assurance (QA) in HEIs. It also outlines a framework that can address the big data challenge in HEIs to handle QA monitoring using BI dashboards and a prototype dashboard is presented in this paper. The dashboard was developed using a utilisation tool to monitor QA in HEIs to provide visual representations of big data. The prototype dashboard enables stakeholders to monitor compliance with QA standards while addressing the big data challenge associated with the substantial volume of data managed by HEIs’ QA systems. This paper also outlines how the developed system integrates big data from social media into the monitoring dashboard.

Introduction

Quality assurance (QA) in higher education (HE) is emerging as the higher education institutions (HEIs) find it difficult to monitor their levels of quality of services. Governments impose national QA standards in order to achieve the minimum level of quality of services provided by these institutions. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC) imposes, through its National Centre for Academic Accreditation and Assessment (NCAAA), the QA standards that all HEIs in the KSA are required to comply with for accreditation [1]. To measure compliance with these standards, in 2018, NCAAA developed 23 key performance indicators (KPIs). In 2022, NCAAA introduced a revised version of KPIs. This revised version comprises a total of 17 KPIs, and all HEIs are mandated to monitor and report on compliance. This evaluation process of compliance with these KPIs should take place during the forthcoming accreditation cycle for HEIs [2].

In addition, the increasing amount of data generated from traditional sources and through social media plays negative influence on business intelligence (BI). There is a desire to build low-cost data platforms that will be able to handle this increasing amount of data. This is sometimes known as the big data challenge [3,4].

In this paper, different BI architectures are presented. These BI architectures encompass different BI technologies that HEIs may adopt, taking into consideration their capabilities and specific requirements of HEIs. A proposed architecture is also presented to show how the big data challenge can be addressed to deal with huge amounts of data that the QA system might require particularly if the data is being linked to social media. The recent trend of measuring students’ satisfaction is through students’ comments posted on social media.

Conclusion

This paper showed how the HF-HEQ-BI framework can be applied to develop a BI prototype dashboard for monitoring quality in HEIs and a dashboard has been developed from the framework. The paper has also outlined different BI architectures that HEIs may adopt to handle the big data challenge while monitoring QA. These architectures show different configurations of BI systems that HEIs may adopt based on their requirements and available resources. The development process of the BI dashboard was discussed to show how HF-HEQ-BI FUT may be used to determine the requirements to be presented in the dashboard. HF-HEQ-BI FUT assists in determining the required visualisation for each KPI to be displayed in the dashboard. FUT is customisable and can be adapted by users to reflect the requirements of individual HEI. FUT shows how decision-makers in HEIs may select various visualisation dashboards while monitoring QA compliance regarding NCCAA standards.

A prototype dashboard was developed to illustrate the application of the framework and also to evaluate the HF-HEQ-BI framework. The developed dashboard shows a monitoring display of the mandatory NCAAA KPIs, institutional specific KPIs, additional KPIs, and social media analytics. The social media analytics presented in the dashboard included the sentiment analysis of data drawn from Twitter through Twitter API. Additionally, the proposed dashboard allows the dashboard users to represent additional KPIs related to performance monitoring in the institutions.

The developed dashboard based on the HF-HEQ-BI framework shows how data retrieved from social media is presented in summarised diagrams to handle the big data challenge. The prototype dashboard is dynamic and KPIs can be added or modified easily based on the changes in regulations or institutional directions of the strategic plans. Our future work will focus on the evaluation of the proposed dashboard to meet the big data challenge.

Abstract

Purpose
This study examined the effect of human resource development practices on employee performance, with job satisfaction as a mediating variable among academic staff at Mizan Tepi University.

Methods
A standardized Likert-scale questionnaire was administered to academic staff members selected through stratified random sampling from eight colleges at Mizan Tepi University. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including a structural equation model and t-tests, were used for data analysis.

Results
The study found a significant positive correlation between human resource development practices and employee performance. Job satisfaction was identified as a mediator between HRM practices and employee performance. Specific dimensions of human resource development practices, such as training and development, academic career development, teamwork spirit, and counseling, had significant effects on employee performance, with both positive and negative impacts observed. Additionally, academic career development, succession planning, and counseling were found to have a statistically significant positive effect on the academic staff at Mizan Tepi University.

Conclusions
This study found that training and development, academic career development, teamwork, counseling, and job satisfaction significantly impact employee performance. The results of the regression analysis using the SEM model revealed that job satisfaction, training and development, and teamwork positively affect academic staff performance while negatively affecting academic career development and counseling. Academic career development, teamwork, counseling, and succession planning were found to have a positive effect on job satisfaction. The mediation analysis indicated that academic career development and counseling partially mediate employee performance, while succession planning fully mediates it. Therefore, focusing on training and development, performance appraisal, rewards, teamwork, academic career development, succession planning, and counseling is essential to enhancing job satisfaction among academic staff at Mizan Tepi University.

Introduction

A framework for increasing human capital inside an organization by developing the company and its employees to boost performance is known as human resource development [1]. Through planned learning activities, human resource development practices create essential competencies that people in companies need to accomplish their present and future roles. Consequently, the concept of HR development has emerged as a strategy to enhance the capacity of existing employees in organizations to perform their duties efficiently. Human resource development (HRD) practices apply to various types of organizations within the business sector that use HRD to initiate and manipulate exchanges that include knowledge sharing, skill development, information transfer, collaboration, feedback, or mentorship. HRD also guarantees a healthy balance between the desires of individual employees and those of the entire organization [1]. According to published studies [2], the foundation of human resource development is the enhancement of organizational performance through the work and skills of people. It seeks to enhance the accomplishment of the purposes and objectives of an organization. The main aim of HRD is to prepare employees to work in the current environment to the best of their abilities and to develop these abilities in preparation for upcoming challenges. Training and development programs create awareness to contribute to employee effectiveness, job performance, and overall organizational success among employees through the use of new technologies [3]. According to Ref. [4], one of the vital traits in the field of HRD is the focus on work-based training, or what may often be referred to as informal education techniques. To accomplish their objectives, organizations must improve the skills and capacities of their workforce by supporting individual training and creating settings where knowledge may be generated, shared, and used by a variety of stakeholders as well as by individual workers. According to Ref. [5], the relationship and impact of HRD practices on job satisfaction indicate that the HRD climate has a definite impact on job satisfaction, which in turn leads to increased organizational performance. They studied the impact of HRD on the job satisfaction of employees in selected public sector enterprises and subsequently studied the impact of HRD on employees and organizational performance. According to Ref. [6], there is a significant relationship between the HRD environment and job performance, and any positive change in the HRD environment will bring about positive changes in job performance. The HRD climate refers to the overall environment, culture, and practices within an organization that support and promote human resource development. HRD practices are the primary way organizations attempt to maintain the competency levels of their employees, thus increasing their performance levels. Ineffective HRD practices can result in various problems, such as a reduction in employees’ ability to develop and apply new skills, a decrease in staff productivity, an increase in employee turnover, and lower overall performance levels within organizations [7]. Problems relating to HRD result from HRD programs failing to address organizational and staff needs. When HRD initiatives are carried out effectively, they may boost productivity and save costs associated with personnel turnover, services, strikes, and losses. HRD plays a vital role in improving job performance and overall organizational effectiveness. Some studies have addressed current HRD practices as an HRM issue. For example, new-entry academic staff, especially those who receive training in SPSS, STATA, and SEM and who have skill gaps, will be more effective as a result of HRD practices. This means that they are better equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, abilities, and competencies to perform their job tasks successfully and contribute to organizational effectiveness because the formal educational system does not adequately teach specific job skills for a position in a particular organization, so such employees will not have the requisite skills, knowledge, abilities, and competencies needed to perform a specific job. As a result, HRD activities are required to enhance their performance and to help them make substantive contributions to the organization’s growth. However, inefficient HRD practices can lead to many problems, such as reduced employee enthusiasm for learning and applying new skills, decreased employee productivity, low morale, and higher employee turnover rates [8]. One of the most prominent and well-respected jobs in the world is teaching.

Conclusions

The main objective of this study was to examine the effect of human resources development practices on employee performance and explore whether job satisfaction mediates the relationship between human resources development practices and employee performance. The study focused on academic staff at Mizan Tepi University as the sample population. The following conclusions have been drawn in light of the study’s objectives and findings:

Firstly, the analysis of demographic variables revealed that there were no significant mean differences between male and female respondents in terms of job satisfaction. However, gender affects employee performance. This suggests that gender diversity should be promoted in organizations, creating an inclusive environment and policies that eliminate gender-based discrimination.

Secondly, the results of the correlation analysis showed a positive and significant relationship between training and development, academic career development, teamwork, counseling, and job satisfaction. It implies that when the university effectively implements human development practices, such as rewarding employees, implementing succession planning, promoting academic career development, and fostering teamwork, there is a proportional improvement in employee performance. Furthermore, all the HRD practices showed significant and positive relationships with employee job satisfaction. This underscores the significance of focusing on training and development, performance appraisal, rewards, teamwork, academic career development, succession planning, and counseling to enhance job satisfaction among academic staff at Mizan Tepi University.

Abstract

Although digital game-based learning (DGBL) has the potential to enhance learning motivation and complex cognitive skills of students, its adoption and effectiveness are heavily dependent on lecturers’ acceptance. Comprehending lecturers’ perceptions and beliefs underlying their decision-making processes is therefore significant. This study examines factors determining the intention of accounting and business lecturers in Indonesia to use digital games in their courses using an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Based on data collected from 258 lecturers, the research model is analyzed using PLS-SEM approach. The results show that the proposed model can explain 52.4% of the variance in accounting and business lecturers’ behavioral intention to use digital games in class. Particularly, both perceived ease of use and usefulness are the factors significantly determining lecturers’ intention. However, DGBL frequency negatively moderates the positive effect of perceived ease of use on lecturers’ intention.

Introduction

This study raises a question of what factors affect lecturers’ intention to adopt Digital game-based learning (DGBL)1 in accounting and business courses. The question is based on the issue of DGBL’s low acceptance in the classroom, despite the fact that it is regarded as an effective approach for promoting students’ learning motivation, social skills, and complex cognitive skills (Faisal et al., 2022). Lecturers are the focus of study because they play a critical role in promoting the use of new learning technology in their courses. To answer this question, this study uses a technology acceptance model (TAM) extended by De Grove et al. (2012) as a theoretical foundation to predict the DGBL’s acceptance of accounting and business lecturers. This study also incorporates DGBL frequency into the extended TAM to explain the strength of the relationship between perceived ease of use (PEOU) and behavioral intention.

This question is relevant and timely because comprehending lecturers’ perceptions and beliefs about DGBL could help accounting educators find the appropriate strategies to promote its use in the classroom. There are two advantages of using DGBL over traditional teaching methods. First, the DGBL can provide engaging, interactive, and motivating learning experiences which are essential for an effective learning (Garris et al., 2002; Jabbar & Felicia, 2015; Tennyson & Jorczak, 2008). For example, Loon and Bell (2018) found that positive emotions stimulated by a computer simulation game enhance students’ cognitive skills. Second, the DGBL has proven to be an effective method for students to acquire complex cognitive skills, such as decision making (Pasin & Giroux, 2011; Severengiz et al., 2020; Tawil et al., 2015), critical thinking (Lovelace et al., 2016; Urquidi-Martín et al., 2019; Yang, 2015), problem solving (Eder et al., 2019; Torres & Augusto, 2017; Yang, 2015), and higher-order thinking skills in Bloom’s Taxonomy (Adams et al., 2012; Barab et al., 2012; Hwang et al., 2013; Soflano et al., 2015). These skills are important because research on students’ conceptual understanding and learning approaches revealed that accounting students generally achieved lower-order learning outcomes (Kuang et al., 2021). Therefore, promoting an instructional method that can help students acquire higher-order thinking skills should be a concern for accounting educators.

Conclusions

This study raises the question of what factors affect lecturers’ intention to adopt DGBL in accounting and business courses based on the extended TAM. This study finds that the original TAM variables: PEOU and PU affect behavioral intention, indicating the model is applicable in the context of Accounting and Business education. Additionally, learning opportunities are the only variable proposed in the extended TAM affecting lecturers’ behavioral intention. The new variable introduced in this study, DGBL frequency, was found to significantly weaken the effect of PEOU on behavioral intention, indicating a frequent exposure to DGBL is critical to enhance lecturers’ intention to accept DGBL. Overall, the proposed model can explain 52.4% of the variance in accounting and business lecturers’ behavioral intention to use digital games in the classroom.

This study contributes to theory and practice in several important ways. First, this study extends the literature on DGBL acceptance by evaluating the role of extended TAM in explaining lecturers’ intention behavior to use DGBL in accounting and business education in Indonesia. Second, this study extends the modified TAM (De Grove et al., 2012) by adding the moderating role of DGBL frequency in explaining the relationship between PEOU and lecturer’s acceptance of DGBL. Third, this study addresses curriculum and instruction issues in the field of accounting education, which has rarely been empirically studied in the context of Asian countries. Fourth, this study contributes to empirical research by employing structural model analysis which has not been widely adopted in the accounting curriculum domain. Finally, this study informs educational game developers about the importance of collaborating with lecturers to understand their needs and assist them in developing games that align with curriculum goals. It also encourages regulators to heavily publicize the effectiveness of game-based learning to accountant educators.

Abstract

Nowadays, Java programming is used in a variety of application systems as a highly portable object-oriented programming language. To assist its self-studies by novice students, we have developed the Java programming learning assistant system (JPLAS), and implemented the personal answer platform on Node.js. JPLAS offers several types of exercise problems at different learning levels, including the grammar-concept understanding problem (GUP), the value trace problem (VTP), the mistake correction problem (MCP), the element fill-in-blank problem (EFP), the code completion problem (CCP), and the phase fill-in-blank problem (PFP). Any answer is automatically marked by string matching with the correct one on the platform. In this paper, we present an implementation of the six problem types in a Java programming course in Okayama University. We generated 109 problem instances by following its curriculum and assigned them to 58 third-year students as homework before the final examination. Their solution results reveal the difficulty difference among the problem types and confirm the validity in the Java programming course.

Introduction

Java is a powerful, general-purpose object-oriented programming language. Java was created in 1995, and is running on more than three billion devices worldwide as one of the most popular programming languages. Nowadays, Java is used in a variety of application systems, such as web applications, mobile applications, desktop applications, games, IoT application systems, and cloud service systems, as a highly portable object-oriented programming language. Thus, many universities and professional schools are offering the courses to cultivate Java programming engineers.

To assist self-studies of Java programming by novice students, we have developed the Java programming learning assistant system (JPLAS) and implemented the personal answer platform on Node.js that will be distributed to students on Docker [1].

Evaluation

In this section, we present the implementation results of the 109 instances to 58 third-year students taking a Java programming course in Okayama University.

A. Solution Performances by Problem Types

First, we analyze differences of solution performances of the students by the six problem types. Table II shows the number of students who submitted answer files, the average correct answer rate, and the average number of answer submission times for each instance by them for each problem type. From this table, it can be observed that GUP, VTP, MCP, and EFP are easier for these novice students. The average correct answer rate and the average number of answer submission times are similar in them. CCP and PFP are harder for them, where both the correct rate and the number of submission times become worse. The average correct answer rate of two CCP instances at ID = 8 and 10, and one PFP instance at ID = 12 is less than 90%. According to Table I, they are on override, overload, structure, inheritance, abstract class, and interface, which can be difficult for novices to understand. The hint function should be implemented for them, which will be in future works.

Abstract

     This study constructed a moderated mediation model to explore the impact of parent–child communication on English academic engagement. We conducted a questionnaire survey among 21,270 middle school students using various measurements: English Academic Engagement Scale, Adolescent Parent–Child Communication Scale, learning adaptability questionnaire, and English Learning Self-Efficacy Scale. The results showed that learning adaptability played a mediating role between parent–child communication and English academic engagement. Moreover, the relationships between parent–child communication and English academic engagement as well as between parent–child communication and learning adaptability were all moderated by English learning self-efficacy. These findings revealed the importance of parent–child communication in middle school students’ foreign language learning and suggested that more attention should be paid to improving middle school students’ English learning self-efficacy and learning adaptability and, therefore, English academic engagement.

Introduction

     Because the complexity of their kids’ school work has increased sharply since they entered middle school, most parents find it challenging to provide academic support for their children, especially in the foreign language, which is a compulsory course with English as course content. However, China is now promoting the educational ideas of home-school co-education. Since the promulgation of The Family Education Promotion Law of the People’s Republic of China, the government has encouraged parents to participate in their children’s education and help them grow (China, 2021). So, given that parents’ educational level, educational resources, and family economic status are all predetermined, what other methods can parents use to promote their children’s performance in learning, especially foreign language learning? This is an issue worth paying attention to.

     Studies have found that parent–child communication, as the core mechanism for parents to influence children in family factors, promotes students to develop positively and healthily (Liu et al., 2012) and affects students’ psychological state and behavioral engagement in learning activities (Zhou & Zhang, 2018). Thus, parent–child communication can be an effective way for parents to promote their children’s foreign language learning. To this end, this study will explore the relationship between parent–child communication and English academic engagement and the mechanism underlying it, with middle school students.

Results

Preliminary analyses

     As shown in Table 2, Pearson’s analysis showed that parent–child communication, learning adaptability, English learning self-efficacy, and English academic engagement were significantly positively correlated. In terms of demographic variables, grades, only child, family residence, monthly family income, and parent–child communication, learning adaptability, English learning self-efficacy, English academic engagement were significantly correlated. Therefore, demographic variables would be analyzed as control variables.

Abstract

     The purpose of this research is to determine whether the Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on the change of organisational culture in public high schools. Additionally, if there has been a change in organisational culture, to what extent does this change differ from the preferred type? Cameron and Quinn’s OCAI questionnaire was used to determine the types of organisational culture. 453 valid responses were obtained from teachers of randomly selected public secondary schools in all regions of the Czech Republic. Pre-Covid-19, the present and preferred status were assessed. It was found that initially hierarchy culture was predominant, while currently preferences for adhocracy and market culture have increased significantly, although the hierarchy type still prevails. In the type of future, respondents will see the clan of organisational culture. The shift in each type, but also in each of its dimensions in the three periods studied, provides the researcher with a theme for deeper research into the context, and for school institutions and principals to develop strategies to support the creation of a healthy organisational culture.

Introduction

     There is no consensus among the authors on the definition of organisational culture. Despite this, the authors recognize that organisational culture is an important subsystem of an organization, a determinant of organisational effectiveness and the quality of work life of organisational members (e.g., Deal & Kennedy, 1982, Schein, 1992, Cameron & Quinn, 1999, Schein & Schein, 2016, Miranda-Wolff, 2022). Organisational culture is defined as a phenomenon consisting of individual elements (Schein, 1992). According to Schein’s model, the most commonly cited elements of organisational culture are artifacts, norms, attitudes, values, and basic assumptions (Schein, 1992). In other words, the basic values, attitudes, and beliefs that exist in an organization, the patterns of behavior that result from these shared meanings, and the symbols that express the connection between the beliefs, values, and behaviors of organisational members (Denison, 1990). Organisational culture is the result of a learning process. It is the result of the accumulation of experiences passed on to individuals through the socialization process; it provides continuity, reduces employee uncertainty, and affects their job satisfaction and emotional well-being; it is a source of motivation and can be a competitive advantage (Lukášová, 2010).

     Organisational culture can be viewed from different perspectives and relationships (e.g. Handy, 1993, Deal & Kennedy, 1982, Trompenaars, 1993, Hall, 1995, Goffee & Jones, 1998 and others). For the research presented here, a typology of organisational culture was chosen following the Cameron and Quinn (1999) model.

Conclusions

     The aim of the research was to use the OCAI method to identify possible changes in the types of organisational culture and its dimensions in public secondary schools in three situations, namely, pre-pandemic, post-pandemic and preferred type.

     The organisational culture was also found to be affected by the pandemic. The clan type rating decreased during the pandemic, but as a preferred type, it achieved an exceptional rating compared to the other three types. The rating of the hierarchy type has gradually declined, and as a preferred type it has the second highest rating. The rating of the adhocracy type increased significantly due to the need to find new ways of working and using technology during the pandemic, but it reached the lowest value as the preferred type. The market type rating was not affected by the pandemic. However, as a desired type, it has only slightly higher preferences than adhocracy.

      As Furnham and Gunter (2015) stated, cultures that are “good” in one circumstance or time period may be dysfunctional in another circumstance or time period. Because culture itself is created and manifested in different ways in different organizations, it is not possible to say that one culture is better than another, only that it is different in some way. There is no such thing as an ideal culture, only an appropriate or suitable culture.

Abstract

Teachers are at the front lines of implementing artificial intelligence (AI) in education. They are expected to develop an adequate understanding of AI and become educated users as well as educators. Their readiness for the use of AI is critical for the success of AI-enhanced education. The present study conceptualized AI readiness from four components: cognition, ability, vision, and ethics in the educational use of AI, and investigated their interrelationships and their implications for teachers’ work. The data from 3164 primary school teachers were collected and analyzed by partial least square structural equation modelling and cluster analysis. This study found that cognition, ability, and vision in the educational use of AI were positively associated with ethical considerations. The four components of AI readiness all positively predicted, whereas perceived threats from AI negatively predicted, AI-enhanced innovation, which in turn positively predicted teachers’ job satisfaction. This study identified three clusters of teachers based on their AI readiness levels. Teachers with high levels of AI readiness tended to perceive low threats from AI and demonstrate high AI-enhanced innovation as well as high job satisfaction. However, teachers from different socio-economic regions and of different genders showed no significant differences regarding AI readiness and its impact on their jobs. This study empirically validated the importance of AI readiness for teachers’ work and has important implications for the development of strategies and policies facilitating successful AI-enhanced education.

Introduction

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been increasingly used in a variety of fields (e.g., industry, finance, and education) to promote innovation and increase work efficiency (Ng et al., 2021). In education, AI is touted as a seemingly almighty tool, supporting or even replacing teachers’ work by automatically tracking students’ progress, assessing their performance, and providing personalized help (Albacete et al., 2019; Chounta et al., 2022; Tarus et al., 2018). Teachers can rely on AI to make informed decisions on orchestrating teaching practice so as to better support student learning (Van Leeuwen & Rummel, 2020).

Nonetheless, in reality, intelligent tools for education are rarely used consistently in K-12 classrooms (Ferguson et al., 2016). Schiff (2021) found that much practice and research related to the educational use of AI did not deliver promised changes and benefits. Among the multiple reasons leading to this controversy, for instance, the quality of AI and users’ preferences (Luckin et al., 2022) and ethical concerns (Holmes et al., 2022), an essential culprit could be the techno-centric approach vehemently promoted by some in the educational field, which stresses the role of AI but ignores the agency of teachers who can decide whether, what, when, and how AI technologies are used in the first place (Luckin et al., 2022). Teachers are on the front lines of AI deployment, bridging schools’ AI policies and students’ needs, thereby the critical role in the successful implementation of AI in schools (Felix, 2020). However, many teachers may not be actually ready for AI-enhanced education, though they are mostly aware of the potential benefits that AI can bring to education (Chounta et al., 2022). Their inadequate AI readiness may partially contribute to the gap between rapid advances in AI technologies and comparatively slow and unsatisfactory adoption of them in education (Luan et al., 2020; Luckin et al., 2022).

Discussion

Although AI has been increasingly utilized in education and has been found to be beneficial and powerful for student learning (Smakman et al., 2021; Xia et al., 2022), little attention has been paid to the needs and challenges faced by teachers in AI-enhanced teaching (Celik et al., 2022; Langran et al., 2020). Teachers are seen as one of the crucial stakeholders in AI-enhanced education (Celik et al., 2022; Seufert et al., 2021). Therefore, their perspectives, needs, and experiences are vital to the successful integration of AI in school settings (Holmes et al., 2022). In order to effectively implement AI in the classroom, teachers must be prepared in terms of cognition, ability, vision, and ethical considerations related to the use of AI in education (Luckin et al., 2022). This study therefore aimed to empirically examine the concept of AI readiness among 3164 primary school teachers who had experiences using AI technologies in their work. In what follows, we discuss the important findings of this study by relating them to previous research on similar topics.