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        <title>Frontiers in Education | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Frontiers in Education | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-08-19T03:39:22.718+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1894156</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1894156</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Design guidelines for educational chatbots: supporting international students’ acculturation in higher education]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Sylvie Studente</author><author>Filia Garivaldis</author><author>Julia Sargent</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study explored acculturative stressors experienced by HE international students studying in the UK and investigated their views on the potential of chatbots in supporting acculturation. To achieve these objectives, a two-phased mixed methods study design was designed. Firstly, 45 postgraduate international students participated in a longitudinal study across six months completing the Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students, (<br>Sandhu and Asrabadi, 1994), the Social Connectedness Scale, (<br>Lee and Robbins, 1995), and a demographics questionnaire including a measure of self-perceived English Proficiency. These measures were analysed using frequency data, repeated measures ANOVAs, and Pearson product moment coefficients. Participants were given the choice to opt in for phase two, a semi-structured interview focusing upon the use of chatbots to support acculturation in HE. 19 interviews were undertaken, and transcripts analysed using thematic analysis. Findings indicate that different acculturative stressors and their intensity impact students at different times during the adjustment process. A key assertion of this work is that belongingness and acculturative stress are strongly linked, and that belongingness relates to three levels: social, academic and institutional, all important for acculturation. As a result of these findings, this article presents recommendations on how chatbot technology can be applied as a complementary resource to HEI's current services to assist the facilitation of social connections, academic support and collaborative learning.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1913451</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1913451</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The Socratic Challenger: a structured GenAI-assisted workflow for undergraduate research inquiry]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Aram Mikaelyan</author><author>Erin A. McKenney</author><author>Olivia L. Mathieson</author><author>Dhvani Toprani</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools are increasingly used during early stages of academic inquiry, yet their role in supporting research-question development remains unclear. This mixed-methods study evaluated an eight-step GenAI-assisted workflow implemented in an undergraduate ecology course. The workflow alternated AI-supported exploration with literature verification, revision, and human feedback. The study population comprised students enrolled in the course, and all 45 students who consented to research use of their coursework were included; therefore, no sample-size formula was applied. Quantitative data consisted of ordinal ratings of the perceived contribution of each workflow step, while qualitative data consisted of students’ written reflections. The rating items corresponded directly to the eight implemented workflow stages, and qualitative themes were independently reviewed and refined by two researchers. Quantitative results showed that perceived usefulness differed modestly across steps (Friedman χ2 = 14.53, p = 0.0426; Kendall's W = 0.046), although the median rating for every step was “Helped a lot,” and no pairwise comparison remained significant after correction. The ratings showed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.745). Qualitative analysis indicated that students viewed AI primarily as a thought partner that helped them narrow and refine ideas, while the broader scaffolded workflow supported progress through literature engagement, structured pacing, and feedback. Together, the findings suggest that GenAI can support undergraduate research inquiry when embedded within a structured process that requires students to verify evidence, evaluate suggestions, and retain responsibility for the final research question.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1796641</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1796641</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Educational stress, anxiety, and academic success among Palestinian university students]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Issa Abuiram</author><author>Noor Hassline Mohamed</author><author>Praneetha Palasuberniam</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundStudent success is a complex concept that combines personal engagement with measurable performance. Within the specific educational environment of Palestine, unique contextual challenges are frequently linked with elevated levels of educational stress and anxiety, which are in turn inversely associated with academic outcomes. This study investigates the relationship between academic success, educational stress, and anxiety symptoms among Palestinian university students.MethodsA cross-sectional design was employed with a sample of 1,397 students. Data were gathered using translated Arabic versions of the Academic Success Inventory for College Students (ASICS) and the Educational Stress Scale for Adolescents (ESSA), alongside the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale. The analytical framework utilized descriptive statistics to characterize the sample and a four-step hierarchical regression analysis to determine the relative predictive power of demographic, social, and psychological factors on academic success.ResultsDescriptive findings indicated that the majority of students experienced moderate to severe symptoms of educational stress, with over half the sample reporting elevated anxiety symptoms. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the final model was statistically significant, explaining 23.2% of the total variance in academic success. Anxiety symptoms emerged as the factor most strongly associated with lower academic success, followed by symptoms of educational stress. Conversely, high baseline GPA, robust teacher student relationships, female gender, earlier years of study, a medical and health field of study and good sleep quality were significantly associated with higher success. Demographic factors, including family income, participant age, and geographical governorate, were not independently associated with academic success once psychological, health, and relational factors were controlled.ConclusionsThe results underscore the critical need for comprehensive mental health support, sleep hygiene awareness, and targeted educational interventions within Palestinian university environments. Institutional strategies should prioritize reducing academic anxiety and stress while actively fostering supportive teacher student relationships.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1826174</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1826174</link>
        <title><![CDATA[“Should I tell my teacher?” Student AI disclosure practices, stigma, and self-regulated learning in higher education]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Daniel H. Chang</author><author>Michael Pin-Chuan Lin</author><author>Jing-Yuan Huang</author><author>Jeeho Ryoo</author>
        <description><![CDATA[As generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools become popular in education, questions about when and whether students disclose their AI use have emerged as a critical concern for academic integrity and self-regulated learning (SRL). Using SRL as an interpretive lens, we examine undergraduate students’ AI disclosure practices, investigating how their worries about negative consequences, AI usage behaviours, and demographic factors relate to their willingness to disclose AI use in academic settings. Drawing on survey data from 78 undergraduate students enrolled in an online education course, we developed study-specific survey items addressing worry, disclosure, and AI use. Given the developmental status of the instrument, we retained two preliminary composite indicators, worry and disclosure to teachers, and analyzed less internally consistent peer-disclosure and AI-use items individually. Our findings reveal a pattern of co-occurring worries: fear of teacher judgment and fear of social stigmatization are strongly correlated, and both are associated with students’ active concealment of AI use. Interpretively, we describe two contrasting response patterns among students: a transparent-disclosure pattern, in which disclosing AI use to instructors appears to reflect part of SRL processes, and an anxious-concealment pattern, in which heavier AI users report less transparency with teachers. A further finding is that anxiety is not associated with reduced disclosure to teachers directly, but is associated with increased peer-only sharing and complete secrecy. Exploratory analyses also suggest demographic patterns worth further study, with academic discipline showing the largest association with disclosure and a marginal indication that monolingual students may disclose less than multilingual students. Given the sample size, we reserve our interpretations and treat these as hypotheses for future work rather than established effects. These findings suggest that institutional AI disclosure frameworks may benefit from addressing both policy compliance and the affective and disciplinary dimensions of students’ SRL decision-making.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1858044</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1858044</link>
        <title><![CDATA[How leading a math circle fosters personal growth: a multiple case study of undergraduates conducting STEM outreach]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Emily L. Atieh</author><author>Jan Cannizzo</author><author>Andrey Nikolaev</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study examines a university-community engagement initiative through which undergraduate STEM students lead math circles, afterschool enrichment programs that welcome children of all mathematical abilities in Grades 4–6 (U.S.A.) to engage in mathematics-focused games and hands-on activities. In particular, we sought to generate an in-depth understanding of how the undergraduates describe their experience in the program and how it shapes their own personal and professional growth. Using a multiple case study approach, we collected and analyzed data from weekly reflections, observations, and end-of-semester interviews for three of the undergraduates in the program. Qualitative analysis consisted of iterative rounds of inductive coding to generate themes pertaining to teaching beliefs and strategies, identity, and personal and professional development, amongst others, followed by a cross-case analysis. Case narratives revealed unique journeys throughout the program for each participant, though all three expressed positive sentiments about the experience and its impact on them. Four cross-cutting themes were identified: the central role of relationship-building as an effective engagement strategy, the influence of prior beliefs about authority and their role on instructional decisions, the importance of reflective teaching to challenge prior assumptions, and the function of the program overall as a space for personal growth and identity affirmation. These shared experiences and positive impacts highlight the potential of math circles as an effective model for embedding service learning and community engagement within the undergraduate curriculum while supporting students’ personal and professional development. They also underscore the importance of providing ongoing training and support to undergraduate leaders as they navigate new scenarios throughout the semester.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1923896</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1923896</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Sustainable leadership and future-ready school development in secondary schools in Irbid Governorate: the indirect explanatory role of organizational learning]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Tamara Nije Dawoud</author><author>Luai Taleb Obaidat</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThis study examined future-ready school development as a school-level organizational improvement issue and investigated its association with sustainable leadership, with organizational learning considered as an indirect explanatory link, in secondary schools in Irbid Governorate, Jordan.MethodsUsing a quantitative cross-sectional, correlational-explanatory design, data were collected from a sample of 355 secondary-school teachers using a questionnaire measuring sustainable leadership, organizational learning, and future-ready school development. The instrument showed acceptable psychometric properties (Cronbach's alpha = 0.928–0.954; CR = 0.938–0.959; AVE = 0.559–0.599). Structural validity was evaluated using a three-factor CFA with WLSMV estimator (CFI = 0.916, TLI = 0.911, RMSEA = 0.083, SRMR = 0.065), and discriminant validity was assessed via HTMT (0.874–0.900) alongside Fornell–Larcker criteria. Harman's single-factor test accounted for 50.38% of variance. Regression-based mediation analysis was conducted using 5,000 bootstrap samples.ResultsResults revealed high perceived levels of sustainable leadership (M = 4.10), organizational learning (M = 4.14), and future-ready school development (M = 4.13), with strong positive correlations among all three variables. Mediation analysis supported a statistically significant indirect association involving organizational learning (indirect effect = 0.4440, 95% CI [0.3381, 0.5503]).Discussion/ConclusionFindings suggest that organizational learning serves as a critical explanatory mechanism connecting sustainable leadership with future-ready school development in teachers' perceptions. The study underscores the necessity of fostering sustainable leadership, school-level learning routines, data-informed decision-making, and institutional memory, while recommending longitudinal, multi-source, and multilevel research designs for future inquiry.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1830243</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1830243</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The role of school management teams in monitoring and evaluating teachers’ self-regulated learning implementation in primary school in the Lejweleputswa District, South Africa]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy</category>
        <author>Keneilwe Bridgette Sephiri</author><author>Awelani M. Rambuda</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study investigates the role of school management teams in monitoring and evaluating teachers’ implementation of self-regulated learning in South African primary schools. Self-regulated learning is increasingly recognised as a critical factor for learner autonomy, motivation, and academic achievement. However, limited attention has been given to school management teams’ role in supporting and quality-assuring its classroom implementation. Using a qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen school management team members who were purposefully sampled across five primary schools. Thematic analysis revealed that school management team members’ value self-regulated learning. However, monitoring practices are often inconsistent, compliance-focused, and constrained by limited self-regulated learning knowledge, time pressures, and administrative demands. Collaborative classroom observations and reflective discussions emerged as practices that enhance self-regulated learning integration. The study concludes that strengthening school management teams’ capacity, formalising self-regulated learning evaluation frameworks, and providing systematic feedback mechanisms are crucial for improving self-regulated learning implementation. The findings contribute to educational leadership literature by identifying organisational conditions and capacity-building priorities necessary for effective self-regulated learning oversight.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1872857</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1872857</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The illusion of teaching competence in AI-mediated education]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Mona Bădoi-Hammami</author><author>Silvia-Raluca Matei</author><author>Sorin Ivan</author><author>Corina Colareza</author><author>Ruxandra Paraschiv</author><author>Carmen-Mihaela Băiceanu</author><author>Claudia-Simona Popa</author><author>Larisa-Ileana Casangiu</author><author>Iuliana Lungu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The accelerated integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has intensified debates on the reconfiguration of teaching competence and the professional status of the teaching profession. Although recent research has increasingly examined teachers’ digital competence, AI literacy, and attitudes toward technological tools, the pedagogical and professional dimensions of teaching competence remain under-theorized. This study presents a critical integrative review incorporating systematic elements of international literature published between 2018 and 2025, aiming to examine how teaching competence is conceptualized and redefined in the context of AI use in education. The final corpus comprises 15 studies selected through explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria and analyzed using thematic and interpretive synthesis. The findings indicate a recurring tendency to operationalize teaching competence in terms of technological proficiency, AI tool use, perceived usefulness, and instructional efficiency, while the situated, relational, reflective, and decision-making dimensions of teaching are less systematically addressed. Across the reviewed literature, a discrepancy emerges between high levels of self-efficacy in AI use and limited evidence of pedagogically grounded justification, suggesting a gap between perceived competence and pedagogically grounded professional expertise. Building on this synthesis, this study introduces the concept of the “illusion of teaching competence” as a distinct theoretical construct, referring to the overestimation of pedagogical expertise derived from technological fluency and instrumental performance, and differentiating it from related constructs such as self-efficacy and competence overestimation. By articulating this concept, the study provides a theoretical lens for understanding how evaluative criteria centered on technological performance may obscure the pedagogical foundations of teaching competence in AI-mediated contexts. The findings suggest that AI contributes to the professionalization of teaching only when integrated within pedagogically grounded frameworks that support reflective practice, pedagogical judgment, and context-sensitive decision-making.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1862227</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1862227</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Association between sensor-based physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep, and mental health in university students: a systematic review]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Systematic Review</category>
        <author>Zhe Weng</author><author>Xin Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This systematic review aimed to synthesise evidence on the associations of sensor-measured physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep with depression, anxiety, mood, and broader mental health outcomes among university students. EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched, with updates conducted to January 2026. Observational studies were included if they assessed physical activity, sedentary behaviour, or sleep using accelerometers, actigraphy, or wearable sensors in university students and reported depression, anxiety, mood, self-esteem, or related mental health outcomes. Study quality was assessed using the National Institutes of Health observational study quality assessment tool. From 3,078 records, 13 studies published between 2007 and 2025 were included. Sample sizes ranged from 36 to 1,062 participants, and most studies were cross-sectional. For depression-related outcomes, TPA showed inconsistent evidence, with 1 of 4 studies reporting a significant beneficial association. Intensity-specific activity showed clearer patterns: 2 of 4 moderate-to-vigorous physical activity studies and 2 of 3 light physical activity studies reported beneficial associations. Sedentary behaviour findings were mixed, with 1 of 3 studies reporting adverse associations with depressive symptoms. Sleep-related evidence was limited, although 3 of 4 studies suggested that longer sleep or lower daytime sleepiness was associated with fewer depressive symptoms or better mood. Anxiety evidence was weak and inconsistent, while broader mental health, mood, or self-esteem outcomes showed more consistent evidence, with 4 of 5 studies reporting favourable associations. Overall, sensor-based evidence suggests that intensity-specific physical activity may be more informative than total activity for understanding mental health among university students, although the available evidence remains limited and predominantly cross-sectional.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/view/CRD42024583750, PROSPERO CRD42024583750.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1884365</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1884365</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Future orientation as a moderator of the association between bullying and cyberbullying victimization and perceived academic performance during adolescence]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Valentina Lucia La Rosa</author><author>Paolo Bozzato</author><author>Elena Commodari</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionPeer victimization, in its traditional and cyber forms, is increasingly recognized as a relational and contextual process associated with multiple domains of adolescent development, including engagement with learning and academic self-perceptions. This study examined how traditional and cyberbullying victimization relate to perceived academic performance in a sample of Italian upper secondary school students, and tested whether future orientation, understood as a core dimension of adolescent agency, moderated these associations.MethodsThe final sample included 876 students (51.4% female, age range 14–17 years) who completed self-report measures of traditional and cyberbullying victimization and perpetration, future orientation, and perceived academic performance, assessed through self-reported grade ranges. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted, complemented by bootstrap resampling with bias-corrected and accelerated confidence intervals.ResultsBoth traditional and cyberbullying victimization were independently and negatively associated with future orientation and with perceived academic performance, even after controlling for perpetration and sociodemographic covariates. Traditional and cyberbullying perpetration also showed independent negative associations with perceived academic performance, though smaller in magnitude. Future orientation moderated the association between victimization and perceived academic performance in both models (both p < .001), attenuating the negative association at higher levels of future orientation across both traditional and cyber contexts.DiscussionThese findings situate peer victimization within a broader developmental and relational ecology and point to future orientation as a promising correlate of preserved academic self-perceptions among adolescents facing peer adversity. Because all measures were self-reported and the design was cross-sectional, causal or protective effects cannot be established. Implications for school-based educational and prevention practices are discussed.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1851519</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1851519</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Joy of moving: feasibility and fidelity of a child-led setup for mobile ‘phygital’ play]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jamie McGann</author><author>Caterina Pesce</author><author>Stephen Behan</author><author>Johann Issartel</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionFundamental movement skills (FMS) are an important foundation for children's confident participation in physical activity and sport, but many children spend substantial time engaged in sedentary screen-based activities. Phygital play, defined here as digital experiences that require real physical activity with gross motor skills, offers one possible way to create more active forms of screen time. However, before such experiences can be evaluated for broader developmental or movement-related effects, it is necessary to establish whether young children can access them successfully and whether they deliver the intended active gameplay experience.MethodsThis implementation-focused pilot evaluated the mobile movement-tracking game Joy of moving in 182 children aged 4–7 years from Irish primary schools. The study examined whether children could independently complete a child-led setup process to reach gameplay and, once gameplay began, whether sessions delivered the intended dose of movement under adequate tracking conditions. An iterative three-phase design was used. Feasibility was defined as successful independent setup and access to gameplay. Fidelity was defined as “dose with quality” during gameplay.ResultsAcross three iterations of the setup flow, independent setup success increased from 42.6% to 77.4% (χ²(2, N = 182) = 16.41, p < .001). Among children who successfully completed setup, gameplay completion remained consistently high (92.3%–94.9%), while implementation fidelity (“dose with quality”) improved from 66.7% to 91.1% as refinements to the setup guidance resulted in more reliable body positioning and tracking during gameplay.DiscussionThese findings suggest that many children aged 4–7 years were able to access gameplay independently and that, following optimisation of the setup process, the intended movement experience could be delivered with high implementation fidelity.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1846353</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1846353</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Knowledge, attitude, and practice of antifungal resistance and stewardship among pharmacy students in Zambia: a cross-sectional study to inform antifungal stewardship programs]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Steward Mudenda</author><author>Bweupe Chibwe</author><author>Moses Mukosha</author><author>Webrod Mufwambi</author><author>Victor Daka</author><author>Precious Nkumbu Nachalwe</author><author>Maisa Kasanga</author><author>Kingsley Kamvuma</author><author>Martha Mwaba</author><author>Joseph Fadare</author><author>Adriano Focus Lubanga</author><author>Nathan Mugenyi</author><author>Moses Gondwe</author><author>Adron Mweshi Chimbala</author><author>Shafiq Mohamed</author><author>Jean Mukumbuta</author><author>Boris Mwanza</author><author>Muchindu Hampango</author><author>Tumelo Muyenga</author><author>Tadious Chimombe</author><author>Mubanga Makasa</author><author>Florence Mwaba</author><author>Rabecca Tembo</author><author>Mildred Zulu</author><author>Jimmy Hangoma</author><author>Amos Yared Massele</author><author>Israel Abebrese Sefah</author><author>Massimo Sartelli</author><author>Rasha Abdelsalam Elshenawy</author><author>Shazia Jamshed</author><author>John Bwalya Muma</author><author>Brian Godman</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundAntifungal resistance (AFR) is a growing global health threat, particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as Zambia, where antifungals are often accessed without prescription. Antifungal stewardship (AFS) programs aim to optimise antifungal use, yet limited data exist on pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward AFR and AFS. This study evaluated pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward AFR and AFS in Zambia.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 288 randomly selected pharmacy students between August and September 2024 using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics summarised demographics and KAP responses. Associations were analysed using Chi-square and Fisher's Exact Tests, while multivariable logistic regression identified predictors of good KAP (p < 0.05).ResultsAmong respondents (55.2% female; 76.7% aged 18–25 years), most students (94.1%) knew how to define AFR, and 90.3% recognized antifungal misuse as a factor driving resistance. Nevertheless, only 18.1% showed good knowledge, 67.7% held positive attitudes (especially among fourth-year students, p < 0.001), and merely 2.4% practiced appropriately. Multivariable analysis found that being a fourth-year student increased the likelihood of a good attitude (aOR = 5.10, 95% CI: 2.28–11.43). Married students were more likely to demonstrate good practices (aOR = 2.75, 95% CI: 1.13–6.68) towards AFR and antifungal stewardship (AFS) compared to unmarried ones. Additionally, age above 33 years was not significantly associated with better knowledge (aOR = 1.29, 95% CI: 0.32–5.18).ConclusionPharmacy students in Zambia demonstrated positive attitudes towards AFR and AFS, but significant gaps in knowledge and practice remain. Strengthening AFR and AFS-related content and experiential training within the pharmacy curriculum is urgently needed to improve preparedness for clinical practice.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1831504</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1831504</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Affective engagement across metaphor-related discourse moves in statistics education]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Dennis Tay</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionStatistics education faces the challenge of sustaining engagement with abstract material. Although metaphorical instruction is common, the discourse mechanisms shaping moment-to-moment affective engagement remain poorly understood. This study examines how metaphor-related discourse moves are associated with learner arousal during one-on-one statistics tutoring.MethodsFine-grained discourse analysis was combined with continuous psychophysiological measurement. Six discourse move categories were identified through qualitative coding, including Metaphor Construction, Metaphor Scaffolding, Affective Framing, Metacognitive Prompting, Learner Response, and Boundary Cues. Skin conductance response data from 30 novice learners were aligned with coded events and analyzed using event-triggered linear mixed-effects modelling.ResultsMetaphor Construction (Cohen's d = 1.33) and Learner Response (d = 1.26) were associated with the strongest sustained arousal. Affective Framing was associated with a rapid spike (d = 0.73) with steep decay, while Metaphor Scaffolding (d = 0.62) and Metacognitive Prompting (d = 0.31) were associated with slower cumulative growth. Boundary Cues were associated with declining arousal (d = −0.23). Discourse features explained 19.9% of SCR variance, increasing to 31.2% with learner-level differences.DiscussionThe findings suggest instructional metaphor as a temporally dynamic interactional process. Pedagogical effectiveness may depend on how discourse moves are sequenced within coherent metaphor episodes.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1822824</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1822824</link>
        <title><![CDATA[“Believing, belonging, becoming”: academic confidence, perceived teacher emotional support and study engagement in research writing of sports science students]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Joseph Lobo</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionResearch writing is a required academic task that may be challenging for sports science students who are often more accustomed to performance-based and practice-oriented learning environments. This study examined the mediating role of perceived teacher emotional support in the association between academic behavioral confidence and study engagement among Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sports Science students completing undergraduate research writing in the Philippines.MethodsGrounded in Self-Determination Theory and Social Cognitive Theory, the study employed a cross-sectional design involving 124 students who had completed Research Writing 2. Data were collected using the Academic Behavioral Confidence Scale, Teacher Emotional Support Scale, and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the measurement model, structural paths, mediation effect, and predictive relevance of the model.ResultsFindings showed that academic behavioral confidence was positively associated with perceived teacher emotional support and study engagement. Perceived teacher emotional support was also positively associated with study engagement. Mediation analysis indicated a significant indirect association between academic behavioral confidence and study engagement through perceived teacher emotional support, suggesting partial mediation.DiscussionThe study contributes to student engagement and thesis supervision literature by situating confidence, emotional support, and engagement within the underexamined context of undergraduate research writing in sports science. It highlights thesis writing as a motivational and relational process in which students are required to transition from performance-oriented learning to sustained academic inquiry.ConclusionThe findings suggest that confidence-related beliefs and emotionally supportive supervision may be important conditions linked to students’ engagement during thesis writing. However, given the cross-sectional design, the results should be interpreted as evidence of associations rather than causal effects.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1891432</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1891432</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Making teaching visible: video-based dialogic feedback conversations and lecturers’ interpersonal communication. An action research study in Israeli higher education]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Orit Lehrer Kanfo</author><author>Barbara Jankowiak</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study examines how higher education lecturers’ interpersonal communication can be supported and developed through a cyclical, video-based dialogic feedback process. Conducted as qualitative action research in an academic college in Israel, the study involved ten lecturers who participated in a semester-long developmental process consisting of three video-recorded lessons, three dialogic feedback conversations, written summaries, and semi-structured interviews before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis. The findings indicate a developmental sequence across the three feedback cycles, moving from awareness of communicative difficulties, through experimentation and refinement, to consolidation and transfer of change to subsequent teaching. Participants described the video-based dialogic feedback conversations as enabling them to see, reinterpret, and better understand their own teaching practices. Reported and observed patterns of change were identified across five dimensions of interpersonal communication: lesson organization, clarity of messages, contact with students, creation of interest, and creation of value. Participants experienced the process as professional, concrete, supportive, and complementary to student evaluations. The findings suggest that formative, video-based dialogic feedback can strengthen academic development by providing lecturers with practice-based guidance, supporting reflective professional learning, and enabling gradual pedagogical change. The study highlights the value of moving beyond reliance on student evaluations alone toward developmental feedback processes that help lecturers examine concrete teaching situations, reinterpret their practice, and transfer new insights to subsequent teaching contexts.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1896839</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1896839</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Retrieval-augmented generation for pedagogically aware educational AI: an expert-rated comparison of a prompt-only LLM tutor and an integrated, learner-state-aware RAG tutor]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jude A. Adenuga</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionLarge language models can produce fluent tutoring dialogue, but their educational use remains limited by weak grounding, uneven pedagogical control, and the risk of unsupported content. This study compared two controlled algebra tutoring workflows built on the same foundation model, Gemini 2.5 Flash.MethodsThe first condition was a prompt-only tutor that used the immediate task and scripted follow-up only. The second was an integrated pedagogical RAG tutor that combined a curated algebra corpus, learner-state variables, and a pedagogical response policy. In total, 24 two-turn algebra episodes were evaluated. No students were recruited, no classroom intervention was conducted, and no learning outcomes were measured. Eight expert reviewers scored anonymized response pairs for solution accuracy, conceptual support, instructional quality, instructional helpfulness, and unsupported content.ResultsThe pedagogical RAG condition received higher task-level expert ratings for conceptual support (M = 4.69 vs. 4.31), instructional quality (M = 4.61 vs. 4.29), and instructional helpfulness (M = 4.65 vs. 4.39). It also achieved a higher pedagogical-quality composite score (M = 4.65 vs. 4.33; Wilcoxon p = .00024; rank-biserial r = .86). Solution accuracy was high in both conditions and showed only a small descriptive difference (M = 4.84 vs. 4.74; p = .0769). However, unsupported content flags were more frequent in the RAG condition, occurring in 13 of 192 rating cells compared with one of 192 rating cells in the baseline condition. Fisher's exact test yielded p = .0015.DiscussionThese findings do not establish learning gains, classroom efficacy, or the separate causal value of retrieval alone. They indicate that an integrated learner-state-aware RAG architecture can receive stronger expert ratings for pedagogical text quality on a fixed task set while also introducing trace leakage and evidence-boundary risks that must be controlled before deployment]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1860194</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1860194</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Postgraduate students’ perceptions of practice mentor competency in physical education: development and preliminary validation of a questionnaire]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Tian Zhou</author><author>Luoning Fang</author><author>Wei Sun</author><author>Zhizhang Yang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionPractice mentors play an important role in connecting university-based learning with field-based pedagogical, coaching, and professional practice in physical education postgraduate training. However, existing mentor competency frameworks are often developed for general academic supervision or teacher education and may not fully capture the practice-oriented responsibilities of mentors in physical education contexts. This study aimed to develop and preliminarily validate a student-reported questionnaire for assessing postgraduate students' perceptions of practice mentor competency in physical education.MethodsFollowing literature review, policy analysis, expert consultation, and student feedback, an initial 20-item questionnaire was developed. A pilot survey was conducted with 79 postgraduate students majoring in physical education or sport-related programs for item analysis and exploratory factor analysis. A formal survey was then conducted with 307 postgraduate students for confirmatory factor analysis, reliability testing, and correlation-based validity analysis.ResultsExploratory factor analysis suggested a preliminary four-factor, 17-item structure, comprising Professional Competence, Personal Qualities, Teaching and Practice Management Capability, and Professional Ethics. The four factors explained 67.788% of the total variance. Reliability analysis showed acceptable internal consistency, with Cronbach' s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.843 to 0.864 for the four dimensions and 0.904 for the total scale. Split-half reliability coefficients ranged from 0.822 to 0.855 for the four dimensions and reached 0.887 for the total scale. Confirmatory factor analysis in the formal sample indicated good model fit: χ² = 135.613, df = 113, χ²/df = 1.200, RMSEA = 0.026, SRMR = 0.0315, CFI = 0.991, TLI = 0.989, and IFI = 0.991.DiscussionThese findings provide preliminary psychometric evidence for a student-reported instrument measuring perceived practice mentor competency in physical education. Further validation using larger, cross-regional, multi-source, and longitudinal samples is needed before the questionnaire can be used for high-stakes mentor evaluation.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1910856</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1910856</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: The role of AI in transforming literacy: insights into reading and writing processes]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>José Manuel de Amo Sánchez-Fortún</author><author>Gemma Lluch Crespo</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1916444</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1916444</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Replicating and expanding the use of artificial intelligence to support special education practice: a mixed-methods investigation]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Kathleen M. Randolph</author><author>Sarah E. Quinn</author><author>Jennifer A. Sears</author><author>Sarah K. Howorth</author><author>Catherine S. Howerter</author><author>Krystle E. Merry</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionArtificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT may help support special education practice, but evidence on their usefulness for IEP goal writing remains limited.MethodsThis mixed-methods study used a counterbalanced, scenario-based design with 111 participants from undergraduate and graduate programs across four universities. Participants wrote IEP goals in two conditions: participant-only and participant plus AI. Goal quality was evaluated with the Revised IEP/IFSP Goals and Objectives Rating Instrument (R-GORI), SMART criteria, expert ratings, and participant feedback.ResultsAI-assisted goals received slightly higher quality ratings than participant-only goals in mean comparisons, although the effect was small. In mixed-effects models, the main effect of condition was not statistically significant after accounting for repeated measures. Participants with lower comfort writing IEP goals appeared to benefit more from AI support, and there was evidence that completing the AI condition first influenced later independent goal writing. Expert agreement was moderate to good for participant-only goals but lower for AI-assisted goals, while ChatGPT showed strong consistency when scoring goals.DiscussionThe findings suggest that AI has promise as a scaffold for IEP goal development, especially for novice or less confident practitioners, but it should complement rather than replace educator preparation, judgment and experience. Human review, individualization and training remain essential for producing high-quality, instructionally useful goals.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1862047</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1862047</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Automating language input: investigating the effect of AI-generated contextual flashcards delivered via Anki on EFL learners’ sentence-level fluency]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-08-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Romila Karrar Farh Karrar</author><author>Abbas Hussein Abdelrady</author><author>DafaAllah Osman Omer Ibrahim</author><author>Mowafg Masuwd</author><author>Raad Abdulkareem Nsaif</author><author>Khuloud Alouzi</author><author>Mohamed Hmouma</author><author>Tasnim Zeat</author><author>Salem Hussin Ramadan Aladi</author><author>Bushra Alfallah</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The present research explored whether AI-powered contextual flashcards facilitated through Anki had a positive impact on learners’ sentence-level fluency in EFL settings. This research employed a quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control-group research design. Sixty EFL learners from the University of Zawia participated in the study and were allocated into either an experimental or control group where they received six weeks of AI-generated contextual flashcards or traditional instruction, respectively. The experimental group exhibited significant improvements from pretest to posttest (M = 10.45, SD = 2.11 to M = 17.82, SD = 1.95; t(29) = 14.52, p < .001), while the control group showed only marginal improvements (t(29) = 4.21, p < .01). Additionally, a significant difference was found between groups on the posttest (t(58) = 9.63, p < .001), d = 2.48. These results were discussed in relation to theories of second language acquisition and cognitive theory of learning. Findings suggest contextualized input combined with retrieval practice and spaced repetition can help learners develop fluency. Moreover, this study adds to the growing body of work related to AI-assisted language learning by showing its efficacy in developing fluency for communicative competence.]]></description>
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