Journal of Education, Society & Multiculturalism Feed

An Assessment of Gender Deprivation in Land Allocation for Residential Property Development in Selected States of North Central Nigeria

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study assesses the extent, determinants, and institutional dimensions of gender deprivation in land allocation for residential property development in selected states of North Central Nigeria. A mixed-method research design was adopted. Data were collected from 354 respondents comprising land applicants, estate developers, and officials from state land administration agencies. Descriptive statistics, Relative Importance Index (RII), chi-square analysis, and logistic regression modeling were employed. Results show that women constituted only 28.4% of land Allotees between 2015 and 2024. Patriarchal inheritance practices (RII = 0.892), high documentation costs (RII = 0.861), bureaucratic bottlenecks (RII = 0.833), and limited access to mortgage finance (RII = 0.801) were identified as major determinants. Logistic regression results reveal that income level, education, awareness of land rights, and marital status significantly influence women’s probability of securing residential land allocation (p < 0.05). The study concludes that gender deprivation is structurally embedded in socio-cultural norms and institutional inefficiencies despite formal legal equality. Policy reforms toward gender-responsive land governance, digital land administration, subsidized titling processes, and affirmative allocation frameworks are recommended.

AI-Supported Scientific Knowledge Development in Higher Education: The Role of AI Literacy among University Students

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The research investigates how digital competence, prior experience with AI technologies, and attitudes toward artificial intelligence influence students’ AI literacy, as well as how AI literacy contributes to the development of scientific knowledge supported by AI tools. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted with 274 university students. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability testing, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The findings reveal that digital competence, experience with AI technologies, and positive attitudes toward AI are significant predictors of AI literacy, jointly explaining 52% of its variance. Furthermore, AI literacy significantly influences AI-assisted scientific knowledge development, accounting for 40% of the variance in this outcome. These results demonstrate that students with higher levels of AI literacy are better equipped to use AI tools for exploring academic information, analyzing scientific knowledge, and generating scholarly ideas. The study highlights AI literacy as a key competence for effective and responsible engagement with artificial intelligence in higher education. By emphasizing the importance of developing students’ AI-related skills and understanding, the research contributes to the growing body of literature on AI in education and underscores the need to integrate AI literacy into higher education curricula to enhance academic learning and knowledge development

Artificial Intelligence in School Management. A Systematic Review

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This article addresses a significant gap in the literature by synthesizing peer-reviewed evidence on artificial intelligence (AI) applications in school management, focusing on administrative decision-making, resource allocation, operational support, and educational leadership. The review follows PRISMA guidelines and draws on approximately forty peer-reviewed studies published between 2018 and 2026, retrieved from SpringerLink, Sage Journals, ScienceDirect, ERIC, and Google Scholar. To contextualize AI-enabled administrative functions, the analysis also incorporates research from organizational studies, management information systems, business process management, and cybersecurity. Particular attention is given to explainable AI and stewardship, including formal modeling approaches for administrative processes and techniques that enhance the transparency and accountability of algorithmic decision-making. The review further examines financial management, student data protection, cybersecurity, interoperability, federated learning, and the integration of large language models into school information and ERP systems. Three key themes emerge. First, AI can improve administrative efficiency, reduce workload, strengthen data-informed decision-making, and optimize organizational processes. Second, successful implementation depends on robust governance frameworks, ethical guidelines, AI literacy among staff and leaders, effective data protection and cybersecurity measures, interoperability planning, and adequate digital infrastructure. Third, core dimensions of educational leadership— including professional judgment, relational trust, contextual understanding, creativity, and ethical accountability—remain indispensable and should be preserved as AI adoption expands. Based on these findings, the article proposes three research hypotheses concerning the relationship between AI-driven automation and administrative workload, the role of AI governance frameworks in shaping stakeholder outcomes, and the moderating effect of organizational support on the relationship between AI integration and institutional performance. The review also identifies methodological limitations in the existing evidence base, which remains dominated by conceptual and qualitative studies. Overall, AI offers substantial potential to transform school management, but its effectiveness depends on sustained investment in governance, technical safeguards, AI literacy, transparency, and equity-oriented implementation practices.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Research on Indigenisation of Knowledge in Africa

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study aimed to explore the dynamics of knowledge production on the indigenisation of knowledge in Africa. A bibliometric analysis approach was used to map the research trends on the indigenisation of knowledge in Africa between 1994 and 2024. Within the scope of this study, the study utilised the VOSviewer software to analyse 163 studies selected from the Scopus database systematically. This approach allowed the researchers to map co-authorship, co-citation and networks of keywords. The findings revealed insignificant research attention on the indigenisation of knowledge between 1994 and 2017, with just 13 publications. In terms of countries’ research output, South Africa has the highest with 119 (73%) publications. While Chilsa, B is the most productive author in the indigenisation of knowledge research, South Africa has the highest co-authorship networks and citations. This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric overview, identifying key research trends and gaps, and offering a forward-looking perspective to guide future inquiry in this field.

The Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools by Students: Opportunities and Challenges

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study aims to explore the use of artificial intelligence tools among students, focusing on both the opportunities and challenges associated with their integration into academic activities, as well as the variability of usage patterns across different student profiles. The research adopts a quantitative design based on a structured questionnaire administered to a sample of 215 students from the University of Bucharest and Valahia University of Târgoviște. The instrument evaluates two main dimensions: the frequency and type of AI usage, and the perceived utility and benefits of these tools in the learning process. The results indicate that the year of study represents the most significant factor influencing both the frequency of AI usage and the perceived utility of these tools (p = .001 and p = .000, respectively), with third-year students demonstrating the highest levels of engagement and efficiency in AI use, while first-year students show lower levels of utilization. In contrast, variables such as age, level of study, and specialization do not produce statistically significant differences, suggesting a relatively homogeneous adoption of AI tools across these categories. The findings highlight that artificial intelligence functions as a widely accessible and democratized educational resource, supporting productivity, information processing, and academic task completion. At the same time, the study emphasizes the need for structured institutional support, particularly in the early stages of academic training, as well as the importance of promoting responsible and ethical use of AI to mitigate risks related to overreliance, information accuracy, and academic integrity.

The Impact of Positive Peer Pressure on Academic Performance

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Peer pressure in adolescence plays a pivotal role in influencing behaviours and attitudes among learners pursuing secondary education. Self-identification and Social image are pivotal at this stage of their development. The prevalence of peer pressure in secondary schools among adolescents is most likely to negatively influence their academic performance. Therefore, this study aims to examine how positive peer pressure can boost the adolescent’s self-confidence, self-esteem, encourage a sense of belonging and promote the development of a strong sense of self-worth and enhanced academic performance. Drawing on established psychological theories such as Social Learning Theory and Social Identity Theory, this study reviews existing literature on the topic and identifies key factors of peer pressure that contribute to academic performance. Regarding the methodology, this study applied a qualitative approach. Data was collected from 15 participants using semi-structured individual interviews, focus-group interviews and field notes. Thematic analysis was used to analyse and interpret data. The findings revealed that positive peer pressure enhances self-esteem and self-confidence, encourages positive decision-making, positive choices and promotes constructive behaviour that culminates in academic excellence. Learners who excel in their academic performance support, encourage others who need assistance with their studies

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Learning Process among Students

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study investigates the impact of artificial intelligence on the learning process among students, focusing on cognitive, behavioral, and performance-related dimensions, while also exploring the variability of AI adoption across different student profiles. The research employs a quantitative design based on a structured questionnaire administered to a sample of 215 students enrolled at the University of Bucharest and Valahia University of Targoviste. The instrument evaluates two core dimensions: the general perception of AI and the role of AI in facilitating the understanding and assimilation of academic information. The results reveal that the year of study represents the most significant factor influencing the effective use of AI, with advanced students demonstrating a more strategic and efficient utilization of these technologies. In contrast, first-year students tend to exhibit a more exploratory and less structured approach. Statistically significant differences were also identified in relation to academic specialization (p = .045) and age (p < .05), indicating that both disciplinary context and generational factors shape how AI is used as a cognitive support tool. However, no significant differences were found between Bachelor’s and Master’s students, suggesting that academic level does not fundamentally alter AI-supported learning processes. The findings highlight that artificial intelligence functions as a cognitive amplifier in the learning process, enhancing efficiency and performance, but its effectiveness depends on the user’s academic maturity and ability to critically engage with information. The study underscores the necessity of integrating AI literacy and critical thinking skills into higher education curricula in order to ensure a balanced and responsible use of these technologies.

Digital Socialization – Strengths and Weaknesses

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Digital socialisation has become a significant dimension of contemporary social life, as interpersonal communication, identity construction, learning, cultural participation and civic engagement are increasingly mediated by digital technologies. The goal was to analyse digital socialisation, highlighting its theoretical foundations, distinctive features, strengths and weaknesses. The theoretical framework draws on classical and contemporary contributions, including symbolic interactionism, social learning theory, socio-cultural learning theory, network society theory, participatory culture, media education, algorithmic power and the concept of the networked self. Particular attention is given to the becoming of Homo Digitalis, understood as the contemporary social actor whose identity, cognition, communication and relational life are deeply shaped by digital environments. To identify the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the digital socialisation, the research methodology consisted in three focus group interviews with 43 students and master’s students in educational sciences fields. The qualitative analysis of the itervies emphasises the ambivalent nature of digital socialisation: while it supports communication, learning, creativity, identity exploration, civic participation and digital competence development, it also involves risks such as superficial interaction, misinformation, cyberbullying, privacy vulnerability, dependence on digital validation, algorithmic influence and digital inequality. The paper concludes that education must address digital socialisation explicitly through media literacy, algorithmic awareness, ethical communication and responsible digital citizenship.

The development of self-consciousness in adolescence

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Adolescence represents a complex developmental stage characterized by significant biological, cognitive, emotional, and social changes. In contemporary society, adolescents’ self-perception is increasingly influenced by digital socialization and virtual environments, which often replace authentic interpersonal interactions and real social group experiences. The present study investigates the relationship between adolescents’ self-consciousness dimensions—private self, public self—and social anxiety.The main objectives of the research were: identifying and analyzing the factors influencing adolescents’ public and private self-consciousness and social anxiety; investigating adolescents’ perspectives regarding self-perception and the perception of others; and identifying the relationships among the investigated variables.The findings indicate that adolescents are predominantly concerned with their public self and the way they are perceived by others, while the private self appears to receive less attention. Results also suggest that increased awareness of the public self may be associated with lower levels of social anxiety in some adolescents. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of socio-emotional education and self-awareness programs within the school curriculum.

Transnational Education as a National Strategy: A Policy Analysis of the United Arab Emirates as an Emerging Global Education Hub

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Transnational education (TNE) has become a central component of the United Arab Emirates’ strategy to position itself as a global education hub and to support the transition toward a knowledge-based economy. This study adopts a qualitative secondary research design based on policy document analysis and thematic literature review to examine TNE as a national strategy in the UAE. Data were drawn from national policy frameworks, international organization reports, and peer-reviewed academic literature on cross-border higher education and international branch campuses. The analysis identified five key themes shaping the UAE’s TNE ecosystem: strategic positioning and nation branding, governance and regulatory complexity, marketization and competition, access and equity challenges, and sustainability and national capacity building. The findings suggest that while the UAE has successfully attracted international institutions and enhanced its global academic visibility, persistent challenges remain regarding regulatory coherence, inclusivity, and long-term contribution to local knowledge production. The study contributes to policy debates by emphasizing the need to shift from growth-oriented TNE strategies toward more integrated, equitable, and development-focused models.

Gender Differences in Self-Image, Personality Traits, and Career Decision-Making among Senior High School Students in the Effutu Municipality of Ghana

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study examined gender differences in self-image, personality traits, career counseling knowledge, and career decision-making among senior high school students in Ghana. Using a quantitative descriptive-correlational design, data were collected from 336 students through structured self-report instruments measuring self-image, personality traits, career counseling knowledge, and career choice factors. Pre- and post-program assessments evaluated the effectiveness of a career counseling intervention. Findings revealed significant gender differences: female students reported higher self-image, whereas males demonstrated higher personality trait scores, greater knowledge of career counseling programs, and stronger social influences on career decisions. However, no significant gender differences were found in the overall influence of personal, economic, academic, and institutional factors on career choice. The career counseling intervention significantly improved students’ career knowledge and preparedness. The study concludes that gender-sensitive career counseling programs are essential for enhancing students’ self-awareness, career preparedness, and informed decision-making among senior high school students in Ghana.

Narratives of Teachers’ Experiences of Cultural Violence in South African Farm Schools

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Cultural violence is often overlooked in studies of school violence, yet it legitimises and sustains both direct and structural violence in schools. This paper draws on Johan Galtung’s violence triangle to examine how cultural violence shapes everyday interactions, authority relations, and teachers’ professional positioning in South African farm schools. Farm schools in South Africa reflect historically entrenched hierarchies shaped by colonialism, apartheid, patriarchy, and class, which continue to inform schooling realities. Situated within an interpretivist paradigm, the study employs narrative inquiry. Four teachers were purposively selected to participate in focus group interviews to narrate their experiences of cultural violence. Narrative analysis revealed that teachers experience cultural violence through the demonisation of cultural belief systems, weaponised language, gendered intimidation, ritualised apologies, and sexualised insults. These practices operate as forms of symbolic aggression that undermine teachers’ authority and pedagogical practices while legitimising direct and structural violence. This paper demonstrates how cultural violence within micro-level educational interactions functions to legitimise and normalise violence in everyday school life.

Digital Pedagogy in Higher Education: Students’ Perceptions and Practices

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The accelerated transformations driven by digitalization have significantly impacted the educational process, leading to the emergence and consolidation of the concept of digital pedagogy. The present study aims to investigate students’ perceptions and practices regarding the use of digital tools in higher education. The research is based on an online questionnaire administered to a sample of students from various study programs, through which digitally assisted learning experiences, the frequency of technology use, perceived benefits, and encountered challenges were analyzed. The study employed a quantitative research design using a structured questionnaire with 24 items, covering three dimensions: the use of technology in learning, digital skills, and students’ attitudes towards digital pedagogy. Responses were rated on a five-point Likert scale, and the instrument demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.85). Data were collected electronically from a sample of 116 female students enrolled in pedagogy programs at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology and Educational Sciences. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis) were performed using SPSS V22. The results indicate that students reported frequent use of technology in learning, high levels of digital skills, and predominantly positive attitudes towards digital pedagogy. A strong positive correlation was identified between digital skills and attitudes (r = 0.68, p < 0.01), confirming that students with higher digital competences show more favorable perceptions of digital pedagogy. Furthermore, significant differences emerged according to the year of study: third-year students achieved the highest scores across all dimensions, suggesting greater exposure to digital tools, while first-year students, despite lower digital competences, reported higher technology use than second-year peers. These findings support the hypotheses and highlight the role of higher education in fostering digital competences and constructive engagement with digital pedagogy.

Change Management in Education. Transformation and Innovation in Higher Education

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The educational system, like any other living organism, is subject to continuous change, determined by the evolution of society, technological advances, demographic changes, and new pedagogical paradigms. In this dynamic context, change management in education becomes not only a necessity but also an essential component for ensuring the relevance, efficiency, and equity of the system. The issue of change in university education is a complex one, requiring a holistic and multidimensional analysis, both from the perspective of the diversity of factors involved and the large number of aspects it addresses.In the context of this paper, we aim to explore the concept of change management in the university education context, analyzing the challenges, strategies, and role of the actors involved in the process of change-innovation-transformation. Based on the specialized literature as well as the perceptions and attitudes of the main actors of educational change (students and teachers), we will cover various aspects, from identifying the needs for change to their effective implementation and impact assessment, emphasizing the importance of a strategic and participatory approach at the level of university education in Romania.

Influences of the Parent-Child Relationship on the Severity of Symptoms in Children with Apraxia of Speech

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is considered an impairment of motor control in speech or praxis. Most researchers agree that the basic deficit for children with CAS is a reduced or degraded ability to convert abstract phonological codes into motor vocal commands, called motor planning and/or programming. The objective of our study is identifying possible differences in the severity of symptoms in children with apraxia of speech depending on the dynamics of the parent-child relationship (conflict, positive aspects and dependency). To achieve this objective, questionnaires were developed and administered to parents of children with CAS. The results revealed statistically significant differences, p<0.05. Our results can be used within complex intervention programs.

Tutoring and Mentoring – Vital Tools in Fostering Equity, Quality, and Inclusion in Higher Education

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Tutoring and mentoring have become central pillars of inclusive and equitable higher education systems worldwide, particularly as universities confront increasing diversification, massification, and persistent structural inequalities. Although their historical roots extend back to classical tutorial traditions, contemporary tutoring and mentoring practices have evolved into sophisticated academic and psychosocial support mechanisms aligned with student-centered pedagogies, institutional inclusivity goals, and global policy frameworks such as UNESCO’s Education 2030 agenda. This article presents a theoretical integrative review offering a comprehensive understanding of the two concepts and thier implications in fostering equity and quality within higher education. Drawing on national and international literature, the article traces how tutoring and mentoring support academic success, psychosocial well-being, professional development, and student belonging. A major focus is placed on the relationship between tutoring, mentoring, and quality inclusive education, emphasising international policy contexts and empirical findings on relational pedagogy, equity of access, and disparities linked to private tutoring (“shadow education”). The paper proposes a conceptual framework that situates tutoring and mentoring as relational, pedagogical, and structural interventions necessary for building equitable, student-centered, and socially just higher education systems.

Culture, Education and Theatre: The Globe Theatre’s Discourse on Climate Change

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The Globe Theatre in the United Kingdom (the UK) is a world-renowned theatre associated William Shakespeare. It is considered a cultural landmark, which stages, mainly, the famous plays by Shakespeare and, often, provides a modern interpretation of them. One of the contemporary readings of Shakespeare’s legacy involves the theme of climate change in the Globe’s theatrical production. By staging Shakespeare’s plays in a new, climate change-related way, the Globe exhibits its educational function, which consists in raising the audience’s awareness of the issue of climate change. The Globe’s approach to the issue of climate change, however, is not well-researched. In this light, the aim of the present paper is to examine the Globe Theatre’s climate change discourse in order to uncover its possible connections to raising climate change awareness among its audiences. To this end, a quantitative methodology is used in the paper in order to investigate a corpus of climate change-related texts written by the Globe Theatre’s staff. The quantitative methodology, which is based upon the calculation of word frequencies, has uncovered the Globe Theatre’s discursive focus on the issue of climate change. Specifically, the results of the study indicate that the Globe Theatre regards climate change as a universal issue, which is communicated by the Globe Theatre to the general public in an attempt to raise people’s awareness of this issue. The findings point to the Globe Theatre’s educational, humanistic and universal approach to the issue of climate change that, just like the legacy of Shakespeare, transcends the national boundaries.

Predictive factors of social skills development in children with ASD

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

One of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the deficit in social functioning. This deficit includes difficulties in initiating or joining social activities, difficulties in understanding others’ viewpoints, engaging in inappropriate behaviors, lack of eye contact, distance from people, non-functional use of language, and a lack of communicative gestures and others. The purpose of our research is to highlight the factors that influence the development of social skills of students with ASD. Thus, we have demonstrated that personal factors such as: anxiety, withdrawal, functional communication, behavioral rigidity, stereotyped behavior, atypical language, unusual behavior and social reciprocity behavior, both from the perspective of parents and from the perspective of teachers have a statistically significant influence on the development of communication and social adaptation skills of children diagnosed with ASDOur results can be used as the basis for future complex personalized intervention programs.

A Systemtic Review of Tendencies in Early Childhood Education

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

BackgroundEarly childhood education (ECE) involves motivational, behavioral, theoretical, curriculum, parental, development, mathematical, professional, social, and health tendencies. Critical milestones of development occur physically, cognitively, language, social, and emotionally, with a special focus on cognitive milestones and the role of play in child cognitive development. This systematic review takes into consideration evidence from the literature to look for patterns in ECE.ObjectivesRe-organizing, synthesizing various literature on ECE trends, milestones, cognitive milestones, and the role of play in cognitive development.MethodsScienceDirect was used to search for the data using questions such as “What are the tendencies in early education?”, “What are the important milestones for development in early childhood education?”, “What are the cognitive milestones of development for children in early childhood?”, and “How does play contribute to cognitive development in young children?” Inclusion criteria were articles reviewed by peers that were between 1985-2025, targeting children from 0-6 years. Exclusion criteria included any study that is non-empirical or non-related to Early Childhood Education. Data abstraction was for themes, findings, or citations. A basic criteria for the data selected was study type or number of study samples.ResultsMore than 50 studies were retrieved to inform the review. Some of the major themes that were covered include stable profiles of motivation, socio-cultural transformations in theory, over schooling in the curriculum, parental factors, milestones in various areas, spontaneous mathematical focusing tendencies (SFON) in math, obstacles to professionalization, using music for promoting sociability, as well as play and executive functioning or academic skills.ConclusionECE trends establish the significance of intervention and play-based learning for children. Stages of development reveal the need for monitoring, whereas play contributes significantly to cognitive development.

Assessing and Identifying Learning Barriers: Insights into Reading Difficulties Observed by Grade 7 Teachers

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

This article explores the learning barriers related to reading difficulties observed by Grade 7 teachers in their English First Additional Language (EFAL) classrooms. Utilising a qualitative research approach and case study design, the research gathered insights from twenty Grade 7 teachers at four mainstream primary schools in the Gauteng East District through purposive non-probability sampling. Data was collected through individual and focus group interviews, which were voice-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic data analysis was applied to identify recurring patterns, with direct quotes from participants grouped into key themes. The study reveals that Grade 7 learners face significant challenges such as language difficulties, oral reading difficulties, comprehension difficulties, poor concentration, and lack of interest and motivation. The study recommends that teachers develop Individual Support Plans (ISPs) to address the specific needs of learners with reading difficulties. Additionally, Continuous Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) is essential to equip teachers with the tools to adapt their instructional strategies and foster more inclusive, supportive classroom environments. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a deeper understanding of reading difficulties’ causes, prevalence, and impact. It offers practical insights for refining teaching practices, improving assessment methods, and informing educational policies to enhance literacy outcomes.