Conference Agenda

Although significant resources are yearly allocated to the professional development of adults in Latvia, there is a lack of evidence on whether the implemented professional development policies and activities has brought the expected practical results, resonating with the insights arrived at worldwide (Kennedy, 2019; Botma et al., 2015; Hughes et al., 2021, etc.), revealing the encountered challenges when transferring the acquired knowledge into practice. The problems still exist despite some early research on transfer of learning (Curry et al., 1994) and many follow up publications on the transfer and impact of professional development. (Borg, 2018; Brion, 2020, 2023; Kennedy, 2016; King, 2014; Blume, et al., 2010; Curry et al., 2005)

Besides, these problems are compounded by the lack of clarity about what effectiveness of transfer really means, and also the lack of evidence on how to transfer professional development results into practice effectively. Despite the concept of transfer is being thoroughly explored, it still requires an in-depth look into the factors influencing the process of applying and transferring training results into practice. (Blume, et als, 2010)

In the context of Latvia, only indirect evidence can be provided on the existence of such transfer. For example, the report "Results of adult education survey" (CSBL, 2018) mentions that 50.7% of respondents in formal education and 65.3% in non-formal education indicated adult education having led to better job performance. Besides, with teachers being one of the most relevant target groups when learning and professional development are in the focus, it should be noted that in 2018, 88.6 % of teachers in Latvia admitted a positive impact on their teaching practices over the 12 months prior to the survey (OECD, 2020). One of the most recent studies on teachers' work and professional development, (UL Interdisciplinary Centre for Educational Innovation, 2023) points to the need for a qualitative transformation of the professional development system for teachers, including the development of a targeted and goal-oriented support system within the organization. Measuring the impact and quality of implementation of professional development was another important finding, as well as preparing professional support staff for different needs.

Nowadays understanding of the nature, implementation and results of professional development has evolved, and there are many definitions, models and approaches to the concept, most of them related to the teacher professional development. The current study seeks to further elaborate the definition of the concept by focusing on holistic perspective of processional development, thus including various forms of learning - formal and informal learning, training, workplace learning, coaching, mentoring, etc.

To find evidence-based solutions for developing effective and efficient ways of professional competences of adults and assessing of the transfer of its results into practice in Latvia, first of all, it is necessary to raise awareness of the existing knowledge base, conduct a conceptual feasibility study, and identify indicators for the transfer of professional development results which in the current situation sufficiently reflect the transfer efficiency revealing also methodological concerns (including the recognition that self-reflected evidence produce ’inflating’ effect; see Blume, et al., 2010) related to the measurement and conclusions.

Three research questions are stated for systematic literature analysis:

1) What characterizes effective professional development? 2) Which theoretical concepts in the scientific literature represent the transfer of adult professional development into practice? 3) What processes and indicators show effective ways of transferring results professional learning outcomes into practice?

In times of global instability because of climate change, international conflicts, war, and increased migration, the interest in adult education has become global. Adult education is seen as the potential driving force for paving the way for human rights, emancipation, citizenship, multiculturalism, equality, and sustainable societies, and brings hope for a peaceful world (UNESCO, 2022). For this reason, UNESCO emphasizes the need for enabling participation in adult education for more individuals over the world. Swedish municipal adult education, MAE, is the largest in the world per capita (Fejes & Henning Loeb, 2021), and therefore, may seem successful. However, viewing participation in itself as a measure of quality in education is questionable, as the educational mission is often complex and related to the national educational system context, which sets the conditions for practice. While UNESCO concludes that most countries have reported progression in quality in adult education, the trends within Swedish MAE are contrasting. Swedish MAE is facing severe challenges in terms of quality, such as many students leaving MAE without passing (65% of all registered students in 2022, according to the Swedish National Agency for Education, 2023), increased detection of grade fabrications (Fejes, Runesdotter & Wärvik, 2015), and mass exodus of professional practitioners (Portfelt, 2021). While the reasons for this condition have mostly been studied from a critical policy analysis perspective, there is a lack of school improvement research. There is consequently a call for such research studies (Fejes & Henning Loeb, 2021).

This study reports on the research project Leadership and school improvement within Swedish MAE that started in 2019 in collaboration between a researcher (author) and two practitioners working within MAE. The collaborative practice was set up as an action research approach, and the multimethod project evolved over time. The research set-up contrasts with the dominating trends in international research on adult education, and responds to a lack of studies using multimethod and/or quantitative methods (Boeren, 2019; Fejes & Nylander, 2019). We eventually came to study eight local MAE institutions in terms of internal quality work and indirectly, their surrounding practices. Analytically, we defined quality work as the practitioners’ systematic work with supporting each student in their learning and progression, based on the students’ individual pre-conditions, learning capacity, and needs, as far as possible to succeed in their studies.

The aim of this study is to explore the preliminary findings from the research project and shed light on how practices emerge in the local MAE institutions in terms of quality work, and what prefigures practice. Research questions are;

- How is the quality work of the local MAE institutions carried out in practice?

- What aspects enable as well as constrain the systematic quality work of the local MAE institutions?

The study uses the theory of practice architecture, TPA, as an analytical framework (Kemmis et al., 2014). Here, practice is defined as social processes that emerge in the interplay between individuals, cultures, and structures, as a result of historical as well as ongoing processes. The focus is on practices and how they are brought into the site. Kemmis et al. (2014) emphasize that practices are constituted by the sayings, doings, and relatings that interplay in relation to the studied phenomena in a specific practice. The sayings, doings, and relatings are prefigured by practice architectures that are present or emerging into the site; sayings by cultural-discursive arrangements, doings by material-economic arrangements, and relatings by social-political arrangements.

The development of information and communication technologies, the spread of various social networks, the development of AI, has greatly impacted organizations, the way how they manage communication. This is especially true about the industries where communication is directly related with selling their product, tourism and hospitality industry among them.

Communication is a complex, social and never-ending process which takes place in a definite socio-cultural environment. Communication has been defined as ‘the exchange of knowledge (founded upon information exchange)' (Gontier, 2022), ‘a transmission of information that implies the emission of the message’ (Matias & Cardoso, 2021, 133), ‘a unique, powerful, and complicated form of human behaviour' (Waldron 2022: 1), and ‘the use of symbols that represent ideas, which then create meanings that can be shared’ (Topić, 2023, 537).

Communication happens in different contexts, among different interlocutors and for various purposes. In ECER2022, the author presented the article on intergenerational communication problems in tourism enterprises (Luka, Šakytė-Statnickė, Budrytė-Ausiejienė, 2023). In ECER2023 teaching/learning initiatives to organize adult learning to solve intergenerational communication problems were presented (Šakytė-Statnickė, Budrytė-Ausiejienė, Luka, Drozdova, 2023). The contribution of ECER2024 will focus on internal organizational communication, its challenges and the skills and knowledge necessary for efficient internal communication and the methodologies on how they could be developed.

Theoretical framework is based on the theories of organizational communication, focusing on internal communication, and the development of knowledge and skills required for efficient internal organizational communication.

Business communication refers to information exchange between a company and its employees ‘based on an examination of the structure and operation of communication networks and systems’ (Kraljević, Russo, 2022, 112). Communication in organizations is divided into internal and external communication. In turn, internal communication may be further subdivided into two-way symmetrical communication (a dialogue between the management and the employees) and asymmetrical communication (upward or downward) (Balakrishnan, Angusamy, & Rosli, 2024).

The latest research presented in literature higlights the following knowledge and skills crucial for efficient internal organizational communication: 1) knowledge of understanding internal communication and its role within an organization, organizational culture, crisis management, strategic use of digital media and understanding multicultural and global issues 2) oral communication skills, listening, empathy, flexibility to change, teamwork, interpersonal communication and leadership (Yue, Thelen, 2023; Gomes, Santos, Martins, 2023; Verčič, Špoljarić, 2020; Verčič, Men, 2023; Waititu, Barker, 2023).

Therefore, it is essential to apply such teaching/learning methods that would increase the employees’ essential knowledge and develop skills mentioned above in various contexts, practising symmetrical and asymmetrical communication situations. Integration of digital and analogue learning methods and tools may be beneficial therein (Orr, Luebcke, Schmidt, et al., 2020). It is especially important because in the future the contrast between a physical and a virtual space will become less and less important, the two spaces will probably merge.

Reciprocal questioning is of utmost importance as well. In practice, learners are trained to ask generic questions of each other, following the teaching of a piece of content. For example: What is the main idea here? How would you compare this with . . .? Collaborative learning groups, jigsaw groups, chatrooms, concept mapping, problem-solving tasks are other opportunities (Biggs, Tang, 2011).

Project-based and games-based learning are usuful as well (Council Recommendtion, 2018) as they incraese learner engagement.

The aim of the research presented in ECER2024 is to analyze internal organizational communication goals, practices, benefits and challenges in tourism and hospitality enterprises and offer teaching/learning methods to eliminate the existing problems.

Research question: What challenges of internal communication do tourism and hospitality industry companies face and what teaching/learning methods may be applied to educate employees in managing more efficient internal organizational communication?

Since the students of the high school continue to study all the profile subjects in English after completing the basic school, it is more difficult for them to study in English. Each year, when analyzing the results of the final summary evaluation of 12th-grade students, it was determined that the majority of students do not understand the command words in chemistry, biology, physics, and informatics, some terms, and the meaning of dialect words found in context. To this end, in the course of studying the methods of light learning of the subject in English, we decided that it is better to consult with English experts and try one of the most common methods of their use "parallel text". In the vast majority of articles and books published in Scholar.google.com, the definition of parallel text is a text within its translation. Based on the research of world-class scientists and educators:

Michael Cysouw and Bernhard Wälchli (2007) highlight the role of parallel texts in facilitating theorists' work, transcribing texts like the "Biblical" in 400+ languages.Alex M. Kushnir (2018) emphasizes accessing master-level translations using parallel texts for a deeper understanding.MOHSEN GHADESSY and YANJIE GAO (2000) mention the importance of parallel texts for designing dictionaries and teaching translation methods.

Yudina (2022) notes the use of parallel texts in learning Russian and provides an example in physics.

Among the articles listed above, some authors prioritize not providing a full translation version of the script during task compilation. Therefore, we decided to take into account the level of knowledge of students before using the method of "parallel text". The study was attended by high school students with a basic and average level of English. In the study, educational materials in physics were given in two different directions. First, an English translation of team words and some terms was offered for students who were constantly confused about the meaning of team words. In the second direction, 70-80% of the context of the assignment was translated for students with very low English levels, and command words and keywords were underlined. The reason we gave the text is that when the students studied in English, the translation in their native language was given so that they could not search the context for a long time. It is noted that many world-class teachers and psychologists adhere to this direction. According to experts who use the method, it is not necessary to provide a full translation of the parallel text to avoid the risk of students becoming dependent on translation in their native language, rather than the context given in English. Another solution to avoid ingenuity, interactive lessons were organized, where students discussed the material in English, and teachers drew attention to the importance of working independently with English texts. Particular attention was paid to the quality of translation of educational materials. It was noted that the translation not only accurately represents the meaning of the original, but also adapts to the level of language proficiency of students. That is, by the level of education of students, the level of assignments was given.

The main objective is to assess parallel texts' effectiveness in enhancing understanding of physical concepts in English. The study aims to address issues like command word comprehension, terminology understanding, and English language difficulties. Key questions include the impact on students' understanding of physics concepts and the effect on language achievements and motivation.

The study also highlights the importance of accurate translations adapting to students' language proficiency levels. Interactive lessons and discussions in English aim to prevent dependence on native language translations.

The primary objective of the present investigation was to empirically examine the potential correlation between the emotional intelligence of students and their reading comprehension. The study focused on 53 eleventh-grade students from Nazarbayev Intellectual School in Turkistan, Kazakhstan, selected from two classes. A reading comprehension test, specifically the IELTS reading comprehension section, was administered to assess the students' reading comprehension abilities. Additionally, the participants completed the USMEQ-i, as developed by Yusoff (2010), to measure their emotional intelligence. Statistical analyses, employing the Pearson Product Moment formula and Regression Analysis through the SPSS program, were conducted to ascertain both the correlation and the influence between emotional intelligence and reading comprehension.

The findings revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between students' emotional intelligence and reading comprehension, as indicated by an r-value of .661. Furthermore, it was determined that students' emotional intelligence exerted an influence of 43.7% on their reading comprehension.

The concept of Emotional Intelligence (EI) originated in 1990 with Salovey and Mayer, aligned with earlier work on social intelligence and Gardner's intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences. Daniel Goleman popularized it in 1995 with his book "Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ." Emotional intelligence involves using emotions to guide thinking and action, as well as facing challenges. It combines emotions and intelligence, considering emotions as valuable sources of information for navigating the social environment.

Reading comprehension is now recognized as a multifaceted skill, involving both lower-level and higher-level processing. This complexity affects slow readers, leading to a lack of motivation and self-efficacy in processing target language reading. Consequently, individuals with poor reading comprehension struggle to grasp the essential meaning. To address this issue, there's a suggestion that developing students' emotional intelligence is crucial. High emotional intelligence, as highlighted by Downey et al. (cited in Abdolrezapour, 2013), is linked to enhanced motivation, planning, and decision-making. These emotional competencies positively impact academic performance.

Human behavior is influenced by emotions, and individuals with strong emotional intelligence can manage their emotions effectively, leading to clearer thinking. Reading comprehension, a cognitive task, can be challenging, with readers sometimes feeling bored, hindering cognitive processing. Bryant (2007) suggests that reading comprehension involves emotional processing. Emotional intelligence integrates intellect and emotion, considering emotions as valuable sources of information for sense-making (Salovey & Grewal, 2005). Proficiency in comprehension correlates with emotional intelligence, as language learning involves communication, and understanding and controlling emotions are integral (Fani, 2015b).

This research supports Nurhasnah's (2014) discovery of a significant positive correlation between students' emotional intelligence and reading comprehension in eighth-grade students. The correlation between emotional intelligence and comprehension proficiency is expected, given that language learning involves communication, understanding emotions, and the ability to control them. However, it differs from Ghabanchi and Rastegar's (2014) study, where emotional intelligence showed a weak correlation compared to intelligence quotient and reading comprehension.

The study emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence in English language education, as supported by the influence of emotional intelligence (43.7%) on reading comprehension. This aligns with Motallebzadeh's (2009) findings, suggesting that reading comprehension is significantly influenced by emotional intelligence. Dehkordi and Bidabadi (2015) also acknowledge emotional intelligence's impact on EFL learners' reading comprehension, while Zarezadeh (2013) asserts that emotional intelligence affects English language learning. Recognizing emotional intelligence as a crucial component in education, Elias (2004, as cited in Fatum, 2008) and Downey et al. (2008, as cited in Abdolrezapour, 2013) highlight its contribution to increased motivation, planning, and decision-making, positively influencing academic performance.

Since the beginning of the 21^st century, the use of web-based learning technologies has been growing rapidly at all levels of education, higher education included. The growth reached the peak during the COVID-19 pandemic when education institutions worldwide had to move traditional face-to-face teaching online. Therefore, it is not surprising that numerous studies have explored the best practices and challenges of online learning (Adedoyin & Soykan 2023, Baczek et al. 2021, Carrilo & Flores 2020, Mishra et al. 2020, Tam 2022, etc.). Research has been also focused on effective ways of using web-based learning technologies in different fields of study, including engineering, science and business studies (Buzetto-More 2015; Pal & Patra 2021), sports education (van der Berg and de Villiers 2021), teacher training (Kidd & Murray 2020), teaching and learning English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and as a Foreign language (EFL) (Aldukhayel 2021; Alharbi & Meccawy 2020; Allen 2015; Balula et al. 2020; Bradley et al. 2010; McLain 2019, Taskiran et al. 2018; Wang 2015), to mention just a few.

In the field of translator and interpreter education, the most recent research has been carried out in two major streams. The first one has been focused on the use of translation technology and the development of translator and interpreter curriculum and competencies (Braun et al. 2020; Flanagan & Christensen 2014; Kenny & Doherty 2014; Massey & Ehrensberger-Dow 2011; Mellinger 2017; Moorkens 2018; Pym 2013, etc.). The second one has explored effective teaching methods that integrated digital tools in translator and interpreter training as well as analysed trainers’ and trainees’ experience of using such tools (Hirci & Pisanski Peterlin 2020; Lee & Huh 2018; Pisanski Peterlin & Hirci 2014, etc.).

The research literature demonstrates that even though the use of web-based learning technologies has been widely investigated in higher education contexts in many foreign countries, in Lithuanian higher education their use has been under-investigated. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, no research has been conducted in the field of translator and interpreter training yet. To fill in the gap, the present study set out to gain a deeper understanding of undergraduate translation students’ experience of using web-based learning technologies and the interpretation of their use from the students’ perspective. To this end, two research questions were addressed: (1) what is the undergraduate translation students’ experience of using web-based learning technologies in their studies? and (2) what are the benefits and drawbacks of their use as seen by the students themselves?

In the present study, Bower and Torrington’s (2020) term ‘web-based learning technologies’ is used. It refers to the tools that are used for educational purposes, are freely available and accessible online, and enable their users to create and share digital content. The authors’ typology covers 226 learning technologies organised into 15 clusters, including text-based tools, image-based tools, audio tools, video tools, multimodal production tools, digital storytelling tools, web-site creation tools, knowledge organisation and sharing tools, data analysis tools, 3D modelling tools, coding tools, assessment tools, social networking tools, learning management systems, and web-conferencing tools.

The present research is based on perception theory, the central idea of which is that perception is a process through which knowledge of the objective world is acquired. It is this process that reveals how the interaction between an individual and the world is viewed and understood by that individual (Maund, 2003). This is relevant for the present study as it is through the interaction between the students and the educational technologies they use that the students’ perceptions can be established, which is crucial for further learning and achievement.

Higher education has experienced changes in recent years, characterized by a shift towards digitalization and online learning existing simultaneously alongside a synchronous in-person form of studies. This change was influenced by the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic that have led to the discussion about the future of educational models in a post-pandemic world. The rapid adoption of various online learning approaches raised questions among academia regarding the most effective and applicable forms of education, especially in the context of international students in a university setting.

The present research focuses on the changes in educational strategies from face-to-face (F2F) or in-person style of learning to a hybrid study approach (Munday, 2022) that combines both F2F and online forms in a post-pandemic era. It investigates the benefits and challenges of hybrid English language learning at Turiba University in Latvia, which has been a globally-focused institution for over fifteen years with 43% international students (Turiba University Handbook, 2022).

Students, as observed by Gu and Huang (2022), have had to adjust to the new modes of education which include not only adapting to Webex, Zoom, or other online teaching platforms but also engaging in digitally realized collaborative learning approaches.

The theoretical framework of the research is based on the theories about different forms of online teaching and learning (OTL), in particular a hybrid style.

The objective of the present study was to conduct a typological examination of the extensive terminology used to describe different methods of online learning styles, specifically focusing on the hybrid style of education. The study looks at the hybrid form of education from an interdisciplinary point of view, integrating such fields as language study, pedagogy, communication studies, and intercultural communication.

Increased empirical attention was paid to the study of different forms of education and approaches used during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2021 to 2023. Such concepts as online teaching, online education (Shrestha et al., 2021; Zhao and Xue, 2023), online learning (Gu and Huang, 2021), e-learning education (Bi et al., 2023), eLearning (Matete et al., 2023), online teaching and learning (OTL) (Scherer, et al., 2021, 2023), blended learning (Ashraf et al., 2022(a), Yu et al., 2022; Huang et al., 2022; Luka, 2022, 2023; Tonbuloğlu and Tonbuloğlu, 2023), bLearning (blended learning) (Galvi and Carvajal, 2022), hybrid coaching (Fidan et al., 2022), hybrid learning (Wang, 2023; Kortemeyer et al., 2023; Munday, 2022), hyflex instruction (Lohmann, et al., 2021), flipped learning (van Alten et al., 2021; Chen and Hsu, 2022), flipped classroom (FC) (Divjak, 2022), dual-mode teaching (Olsen-Reeder, 2021), remote teaching (Moser et al., 2021), and emergency remote teaching (ERT) (Yang, 2023; Sum et al., 2022), among others, were encountered and were often used to denote similar things. Although there was a rich study of education realized with the help of technological devices, there is a lack of one clear source where all definitions are provided. This terminological diversity may cause misunderstandings, so the author attempted to make the classification of them.

Academic personnel in the context of hybrid style are information curators and facilitators who must be trusted, prepared, present online, and accessible to students, whereas the role of a student is to be open, self-directed, community-oriented, and prepared (Carrasco, 2015:22-23).

The main benefits of this approach for students are that it “opens the doors to disconnected, less-privileged students who lack connectivity and financing to engage”; and gives “educational opportunity to those who would otherwise be excluded from traditional higher education system” (Gamage, 2022), as well as “helps to practice internationalization at home” (Gu and Huang 2022:2) and thus allows students to “effectively end their education” (Gamage, 2022).

Topic: IDENTIFYING FACTORS OF ACADEMIC FAILURE TO REVERSE UNDERACHIVEMENT

Research questions:

- what are the factors affecting academic underachievement?

- what are the effective ways of reversing students' academic underachievement?

- what should be considered while providing an individual approach for a student to reverse underachievement?

Purpose: to identify the factors of an academic underachievement, to idenitfy the most effective practices to combat the academic failure of students and to identify the pecularities of a successful individual approach while reveresing academic achievement.

Theoretical Framework:

Recent studies conducted on the theory of motivation were based on the AOM (Achievement Orientation Model) theory introduced by Siegel and McCoach (2003a). The AOM theory is based on Bandura's self-efficacy theory, Weiner’s attribution theory, Eccles’ expectancy-value theory, person-environment fit theory, and Rotter’s locus of control theory (Siegle, McCoach & Roberts, 2017). According to AOM theory, students’ motivation in a combination of all three areas: student’s self-efficacy, goal – valuation, and environmental perception will positively result in student’s task engagement and academic achievement. Seigle et al., (2017) stressed that these three areas can be developed in different levels, but should not be missing at all since it negatively impacts on self-regulation as well as achievement (See Figure 1.).

Self-efficacy addresses a student’s belief to be skillful and capable to complete a task where a student might ask himself “Am I smart enough?” (Siegle, Rubensein & McCoach, 2020). Researchers agree that students with low self – efficacy tend to avoid task accomplishment, therefore, the higher self-efficacy students possess, the stronger task engagement they show (Rubenstein, Siegle, Reis, Mccoach, & Burton, 2012; Siegle et al., 2017; Siegle et al., 2020).

Environmental perception refers to a student's motivation or demotivation as a result of student’s interaction with peers, parents and teachers as well as the expectation from parents and teachers, and the scale of support a student gets from the outside world (Rubenstein et al., 2012). It is assumed that students get false perceptions and find themselves in an unsupportive environment assuming nobody believes in their success, therefore these students often lack or do not develop enough learning skills important to be academically productive (Ritchotte, Matthews & Flowers, 2014).

The worldwide teacher shortage has impacted rural communities more than urban and suburban communities (Ingersoll & Tran, 2023). When a qualified teacher is not available to teach a particular course, school principals are forced to assign unqualified people or under-qualified teachers to teach the course. If the teacher is fully trained and qualified to teach (e.g., Math), but is teaching a course outside of their training and qualifications (e.g., English), we say the teacher is teaching English out-of-field (OOF) and teaching Math in-field (du Plessis, 2015; Ingersoll, 1999; 2019). Teaching OOF is not a characteristic of the teacher, but a label that describes the misalignment between the teacher’s qualifications and the course to which they were assigned. If the teacher-of-record has no training and no license to teach, then we say the person is an Unprepared Instructor.

The American federal government changed the education laws in 2015 thereby giving states the right to define teacher qualifications as each saw fit. Prior to 2015, teaching OOF was illegal except under specific and limited conditions. Since 2015, Texas has allowed principals to freely assign teachers to courses for which they have no training, and schools are no longer required to inform parents and guardians that this is happening to their children.

Teaching OOF is harmful for student learning. Several studies have found that student learn less during a school year when taught OOF compared to similar students taught in-field (Author, 2023; Clotfelter, Ladd & Vigdor, 2010; Lankford, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2002). Teaching OOF has become an issue of educational equity, because Author (2020) found that particular demographic groups of students were significantly more likely to be taught OOF, including Black students, low-income students, and students living in rural communities.

Rural communities have seen a dramatic increase in the number of Unprepared Instructors, with 72% of new teachers hired in rural schools in 2022-23 being unprepared and unqualified to teach, up from only 18% in 2012-13 (Author, 2024). Our goal for this study was to examine changes in the rates of teachers teaching OOF before versus after the federal legislative changes, and to examine these OOF patterns for core secondary course subjects (e.g., English, Math, Biology).

Since the introduction and proliferation of learning management systems in K-12 schools, as part of the digital transformation in education, a huge amount of data (learning analytics) has become generally available for (re)designing and evaluating education, and for evidence-informed quality assurance (Brown & Malin, 2022). This quality assurance (QA) has become increasingly decentralized in many European countries, making schools responsible and accountable for their own quality. Schools have therefore been developing their own procedures and exploring their responsibilities in the context of QA, but the use of learning analytics (LA) data regarding learning processes often remains un(der)explored.

Up till now, LA have primarily proven their potential for QA in the context of higher education. In secondary schools, they are currently mainly used at the micro level, where they are being used by (individual) teachers to identify and tailor to learners’ specific needs. However, the potential use of LA at the school (management) level, or the ways in which schools or school teams can make optimal use of these data, remains an open and under-explored question (Ifenthaler, 2021) for researchers, practitioners and policy makers alike (Gašević et al. 2016). Moreover, there is a lack of capacity to work with these data for strategic planning and quality development in schools. Teaching staff, school leaders and middle managers are often wondering how to start off with learning analytics data in this regard, and often invoke questions from an ethical and privacy perspective. Next to these general questions, there is also the issue of competencies. Even if school staff would know how these data could inform them, there is a general lack of competencies and know-how on how to get started (Ifenthaler, Mah & Yin-Kim Yau, 2019).

The QUALAS (Quality Assurance with Learning Analytics in Schools) project therefore aims to build on the available knowledge on QA and LA to identify possibilities for enhancing the capacity of educational professionals in secondary schools in Flanders (Belgium), Ireland, Italy and Spain to make appropriate use of learning analytics for quality assurance. In order to achieve these aims, we first want to identify how LA and QA are currently being coupled and put into practice in secondary education in these different jurisdictions. Additionally, we investigate how the approaches in two of these jurisdictions (Flanders and Ireland) draw on and relate to policy and initiatives of QA and LA at a European level.

We start from European conceptualisations of quality assurance, including definitions provided by the European Commission (2018). We further rely on the distinctions drawn between external and internal evaluation, and between government-based and market-based accountability in education (Eurydice, 2015). Concerning LA, we draw on a publication by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre on the use of learning analytics and its action list for educational stakeholders (Ferguson et al., 2016), and on the European Union’s Digital Education Action Plan. These definitions and conceptualisations are subsequently compared to national (or regional) policy texts and other grey literature concerning QA and LA, in order to answer the following research questions:

1. How is QA defined and linked to LA in the different jurisdictions?
2. How do schools deal with learning analytics data? What are LA used for?
3. What strategies for capacity building in the use of LA (for QA) in schools exist/are successful?
4. What learning management systems are most common/popular in secondary schools and why?

Over the last decades, pedagogical leadership has been consolidated as a key factor to promote the quality of educational institutions. It is a commonplace, but it is also highlighted in the results of educational indicators and in educational policy studies: leadership matters. Traditionally, leadership has been linked to the formal roles of management, especially to the head or principal (Fullan, 2014; González-Falcón et al., 2020), however the most recent research has highlighted on the relevant role of middle leaders (De Nobile, 2018; Gurr, 2023; Lipscombe et al., 2023) and teacher leadership (Muijs y Harris, 2003; Pan et al., 2023). It should also be noted that research has been contextualized more often in secondary education and to a lesser extent in the context of early childhood education (Heikka, et al., 2018; Fonsén et al., 2023; Cooper, 2023).

In this framework, this contribution aims to analyze the perspectives about pedagogical leadership of Early Childhood teachers. More specifically, the objective is to explore the perception of early childhood teachers about the importance of indicators of the teacher's pedagogical leadership to explore the possibilities to implement theoretical models in practice through initial and continuous training.

In the past few decades, public universities have undergone significant changes, which have reshaped academic work and workplaces (Bentley et al. 2013; Teichler et al. 2013). Technological advancements, globalization etc underline the changing role of universities in the society. The career development systems based on linear male models are no longer relevant to meet the needs of today’s society in diverse contexts. Although there has been an ongoing debate about the impacts of this global shift on the career development of academics (Bentley et al. 2013), in certain countries the linear model of an academic career persists.

When examining the careers of academics, particular attention is paid to factors influencing leaving the academia or the university. The findings underline the career age, career stage, tenure status and scientific field as the strongest predictors of intention to exit academia (White-Lewis, D.K., O’Meara, K. & Mathews, K., 2023). Nontenured academics and academics in early stages of the career report lower job satisfaction than senior academics. Focusing on the group of young academics in the beginning of their professional path in the Czech Republic brings also the focus on the position of women in the Czech republic. Women increase the number of graduates on the level of doctoral programmes in contrary to the representation of women in the number of professors and associate professors in the country in the last two decades (Cidlonská & Vohlídalová, 2015).
Quality or success in academic career from the neoliberal perspective can be linked to the H-index, number of published articles or solved grants or to the linear concept of career, i.e. the gradual acquisition of academic degrees or functions. However, the rather new theory called the Kaleidoscope Career Model (as it is rooted in social cognitive career theory) explains the phenomenon of women’s careers through three career parameters: authenticity, balance, and challenge.

To address the outlined issue, the following main research question has been set: How do the female academics in social sciences understand success in their career?

Against the background of the uncertainty and simultaneity of multiple challenges confronting the school system, such as the shortage of teachers, issues of educational inequality, and the dynamics of technological developments with constantly growing impulses for education and learning, the need for comprehensive, high-quality and thus effective further teacher training as well as support opportunities for all those involved in school development, increases. Especially regarding digitalisation, professional development plays an important role – in Germany and many other European countries as well (Butler et al., 2018; Engec et al., 2021; Fraillon et al., 2019).

In the context of digitalisation and for the quality of further teacher training and support services, professional development facilitators are considered to be highly relevant (Gräsel et al., 2020). Despite this assumption, research so far offers little knowledge about in-service trainers (Karsenty et al., 2021; Perry & Booth, 2024), although they necessarily influence the learning of teachers and thus occupy a central position in the professionalisation and support of schools (Lipowsky, 2019; Timperley et al., 2007). This may be due to the fact that defining the term ‘teacher professional development facilitators’ is rather complicated: Focusing the German context, different types of teacher professional development opportunities exist and are offered and deployed by various actors and institutions. These use different terms and understandings when describing teacher professional development facilitators; a standardised definition is non-existent. There also is the umbrella term ‘multipliers’ to describe people disseminating information and knowledge between institutions and levels of the education system, which is used in a wide variation of contexts and understandings, e.g. pupils using peer approaches, student teachers, teachers who pass on learning content from further training courses at their schools; further qualified teachers who train and advise other schools and teachers within the framework of state structures, or managers who are responsible for the conception of training and counselling.

In the paper at hand, we understand teacher professional development facilitators as persons who work within the structures of the German federal states and who educate practicing teachers as trainers and counsellors (Endberg & Engec, 2023). This definition comes close to the one issued by Perry and Booth (2024, S. 145): “Our focus is those practitioners who design, lead and deliver formal professional development activities for teachers, including workshops, courses, programmes and similar activities, whether online, face-to-face or blended”.

Considering the lack of standardized terminology, the federal and multi-level education structure in Germany, and the under-researched role of teacher professional development facilitators, our aim is to generate descriptive knowledge about the recruitment, qualification, and deployment of professional development facilitators in Germany. Moreover, we use a co-constructive approach by networking representatives of the state institutes/quality institutions of the federal states with responsibility for teacher professional development facilitators within a working group “Multipliers”, which has been initialized within the context of our ongoing research project (part of the joint project “Kompetenzverbund lernen:digital” funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and by the European Union-NextGenerationEU). Here they contribute their expertise on how concepts for the selection, qualification, and deployment of teacher professional development facilitators are implemented in their state. Discussions concerning similarities and differences between the federal states, open questions and existing challenges are encouraged in order to generate a survey to gather the necessary descriptive knowledge about the group of facilitators as “multipliers” in permanently changing circumstances in schools, school systems, countries and the whole world.

The guiding research interest therefore revolves around the question:

To what extent are there cross-national approaches, strategies and quality criteria for recruitment, qualification, and deployment of teacher professional development facilitators in the context of digitalisation?

This study examined the common characteristics of the leadership team, the main practices followed by the leadership team, and the leadership styles that are mostly followed by leaders in an outstanding school. It is partly a systematic review of works related to school leadership and leadership practices. Besides, it includes a field investigation of leadership traits in the selected schools. The qualitative approach was used and semi-structured interviews were developed based on the study’s purpose and objectives and drawing on the literature review. The findings revealed that the most important characteristics of leadership in outstanding schools are represented in inspirational shared vision, commitment, dedication, loyalty, spirituality, and care. Besides, the most common practices followed by the leadership team are represented in developing people, focus on student achievement and well-being, and redesigning the organization. Significantly, the findings reflect that the leaders adopt a highly distributed leadership style that is mixed and supported by both instructional and transformational leadership styles.

Research Question: The study aims to explore the following key areas within an outstanding educational institution:

1- What are the common characteristics of the leadership team in an outstanding school?2- What are the main practices followed by the leadership team in an outstanding school?3- What leadership styles are mostly followed by leaders in an outstanding school

The study is grounded in the leadership literature, drawing from several theoretical perspectives: Leadership, School Leadership, and Leadership Styles.

The study focuses on three main leadership styles as outlined in the literature:

Transformational Leadership, Distributed Leadership, and Instructional Leadership

Draws on research and theories to identify common characteristics and practices of successful leaders

Values are central to both the theory of education and the practical activities of schools in two ways. First, schools and individual teachers within schools are a major influence, alongside the family, the media and the peer group, on the developing values of children and young people, and thus of society at large. Secondly, schools reflect and embody the values of society; indeed, they owe their existence to the fact that society values and seeks to exert influence on the pattern of its own future development through education. However, the values of society are not as uniform or unchanging as this suggests. Many groups within society have a legitimate claim to a stake in the educational process parents, employers, politicians, local communities, leaders of industry and taxpayers, as well as teachers and children themselves and within each of these groups there is a wide diversity of political, social, economic, religious. ideological and cultural values.

(J. Mark Halstead).

Instilling the value of school education is a key factor that positively affects the level of academic achievement of transition-age students. Ensuring that students perceive the value of the knowledge and skills they acquire helps them better adapt to the learning process, set goals, and strive to achieve success.

This diversity of values within society poses challenges for schools and educators. They must navigate the competing interests and perspectives of different stakeholders while also ensuring that the education provided is aligned with societal values and objectives.

Parents often have a strong influence on the values instilled in their children and may have particular expectations of what they want schools to prioritize in their education. Employers may emphasize the development of certain skills or knowledge that align with workforce needs. Politicians may have their own agendas and ideologies that they want to promote through the education system. Local communities may have specific cultural or religious values that they want schools to respect and uphold.

At the same time, teachers and students themselves bring their own values and beliefs into the educational environment. Students may come from diverse backgrounds and have different perspectives shaped by their family, culture, and experiences. Teachers also have their own values that influence their teaching approaches and decisions.

Managing these diverse values requires a delicate balance. Schools must strive to be inclusive and respectful of different perspectives, while also upholding certain core values that are essential for the functioning of a democratic and pluralistic society, such as respect for human rights, equality, and critical thinking.

Additionally, schools have a role in shaping values and promoting social cohesion. They can provide opportunities for students to engage in discussions and debates that foster understanding, empathy, and respect for different viewpoints. Schools can also promote values such as fairness, compassion, and social justice through their curriculum, policies, and the way they handle disciplinary issues and conflicts within the school community.

Many industrialized countries face an alarming decline in pupils' academic performances as reported by cross-national studies, such as PISA, PIRLS, and TIMSS. For instance, in the Netherlands—where this study was conducted—the trends of the PISA study from 2003 through 2018 show that the average levels of reading and math performance decreased by at least the equivalent of half a year of schooling (OECD, 2019).

Educational policymakers and schools in many countries are looking for ways to reverse this declining trend and improve achievement levels for all pupils. While the literature on school effectiveness and school improvement provides an impressive account of the factors that may contribute to students' academic achievement (see Hopkins & Reynolds, 2001; Muijs & Reynolds, 2003, 2017), validated evidence of the impact of specific school improvement programmes generally yields very mixed results (Coe, 2009). School improvement studies that focus on specific leadership development programs are rather scarce (see Greany & Earley, 2021).

In this study, we examined the effectiveness of the High Performing Schools (HPS) program, which focuses on improving school leadership and setting up professional learning communities (PLCs) informed by the educational, psychological, and sociological scientific literature.

The HPS improvement programme was developed by scholars and educators at the Academica University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, drawing upon the principles of high-performing organization theory, as informed by the studies of De Waal (2006), Senge (2006), and Hill et al. (2016). The programme has three key elements: whole-school CP{D, focussed on the development of knowledge and skills in teaching and learning, leadership development, based on the Zenger-Folkman model (Zener & Folkman, 2014), and the development of professional learning communities. The theory of change proposes that through the development of high quality professional learning at the school level (using professional learning communities and CPD for both teachers and leaders), we can improve teaching quality, which in turn will improve learning outcomes. In this way we combine insights from research on school improvement, teacher and school effectiveness and professional development.

The study is confirms within a Dutch context that internationally recognized factors can contribute to effective school improvement programmes here as well, although as mentioned above the primary focus on CPD in HPS makes it relatively straightforward to implement compared to some other approaches which require greater structural change.

However, what is noteworthy from the international evidence base is that while the core elements of effective school improvement are known, it is nonetheless common for school improvement initiatives to fail (Coe, 2009; Benoliel & Berkovich, 2020; Bryk, 2010). This study can help shed some light on this important question. The findings suggest that, firstly, there is a need to fully integrate all elements of effective school improvement, including teacher collaboration, and, secondly, support the importance of teacher participation and collaboration to make school improvement work. This suggestion, which joins a growing body of research on implementation of school improvement, implies that school improvement requires sustained and intensive focus to succeed (Kyriakides et al., 2021; Supovitz et al., 2019).

Individual teachers' academic optimism (TAO) is an important teacher characteristic that influences student achievement. Academically optimistic teachers believe they can make a difference, build trusting relationships with students and parents, and focus on learning (Woolfolk Hoy et al., 2008). Research confirms a strong correlation with student achievement, even after controlling for background variables such as SES and migration (Ates & Unal, 2021). At the same time, TAO is inherently malleable; pessimistic teachers can become optimistic (Hoy, 2012). Despite the essential importance of TAO, the academic community has so far had limited success in grasping how TAO is formed, how it evolves and – crucially – how it can be influenced. Therefore, understanding how teachers attribute their level of academic optimism to certain causes is an important step in expanding the knowledge base on TAO, as this can offer more insight into the mechanisms at play in creating academically optimistic teachers.

Using attribution theory, we try to capture how teachers explain high or low levels of TAO. Attribution theory states that the perceived causes of past events determine what will happen in the future (Weiner, 2010). Depending on the underlying properties of causes (locus, stability, and controllability) that teachers attribute to their degree of academic optimism, causal attributions shape teachers' affective reactions, expectations, and behaviour (Tõeväli & Kikas, 2016). In other words, teachers who attribute internally and believe they exert control over student learning are more likely to take responsibility compared to teachers who attribute causes externally, uncontrollably, and stable (Wang et al., 2015). To promote favourable attribution patterns, it is therefore important to understand those causal attribution processes (Suter et al., 2022). Consequently, knowledge about the causes teachers name for high or low levels of academic optimism creates opportunities for understanding the development of TAO.

In addition, this study examines the role of students' disadvantaged background and schools' level of academic optimism (SAO) regarding these attributions. After all, teachers' attribution process is not independent of the social (school) context (Murray et al., 2020). Previous research has already shown that school composition influences teachers' attribution processes regarding their students’ success or failure (Riley & Ungerleider, 2012). Despite good intentions, a common attribution error is over-reliance on information based on stereotypes (Reyna, 2008). These stereotypes lead to failure being internally, uncontrollably, and stably attributed to the student, negatively affecting expectations for future success. Because teachers can influence students through their attributions (Georgiou, 2008), it is important to know whether causes for high or low levels of TAO are attributed differently according to school composition. At the same time, we examine whether the degree of school-level academic optimism can be related to those attributional processes. School academic optimism (SAO) is a characteristic of the collectively shared school culture and is reflected in the degree of collective efficacy, the trust the team has in students and parents and the way a school-wide focus on learning exists (Hoy, 2012). As the degree of SAO influences normative culture and behaviour in schools (Wu & Lin, 2018), we also expect an influence on the mode of attribution. Schools with high levels of SAO believe they can make a difference, but whether this also trickles down into the way teachers attribute TAO is unknown. While that information could offer more insight into how schools can create an academically optimistic culture. This all leads to the following research questions: (1) How do teachers attribute causes for high or low levels of TAO? And (2) what role do the number of disadvantaged students and the level of SAO play in making these attributions?

Globalisation has led to increasing diversity in school contexts, in terms of students' backgrounds and nationalities, cultures and languages (Rijkschroeff et al., 2005). This new reality poses unprecedented challenges to schools, in their attempt to achieve equity through teaching-learning environments, to improve contextualised, multicultural settings and student-centred strategies. It is also necessary to consider the perennial social and economic inequality structure, which continues to generate inequalities in academic achievement (Broer et al., 2019). Socioeconomic inequalities are evident in most European cities, segregation is increasing, and the gap between upper and lower classes is widening (Musterd et al., 2017). There is a clear danger that education may reflect this imbalance and once again become a platform for reproducing economic and social inequalities. To counter this tendency, schools are increasingly expected to innovate, to develop effective strategies and methods, and to redesign organisational changes. All these efforts aim at transforming diversity into an asset, increasing students' motivation and engagement in learning, and empowering the whole student community in the acquisition of knowledge.

What we intend to bring to this presentation is a qualitative case study, conducted in two elementary schools in Portugal, that addresses how teachers and other members of the educational community regard interventions that are being implemented, for targeted, disenfranchised, groups of students. The selected schools depict a variety of socio-economic, ethnic and immigrant backgrounds. They face a number of challenges, dealing with low SES groups, as well as a wide range of new immigration arrivals, that present linguistic differences. These interventions, which aim at reducing both long-standing and recent inequalities, are described, analysed, and evaluated by the research participants.

Early leaving from education and training (ELET) in the European Union has been a critical objective for the improvement of equity and quality of education systems in the region, at least since the Lisbon European Council (2000), in March 2000, defined the so-called Lisbon Strategy, with the objective for 2010 of making Europe the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with better and sustainable jobs and greater social cohesion, in which the reduction of ELET was established as an objective. This has been repeated throughout the subsequent education and training strategies that have been published.

Reducing dropout remains a priority, however, the scientific literature is beginning to point to a gap in understanding how we can facilitate the return of those who have left education or training and subsequently return (Gilles & Misfud, 2016; Guerrero-Puerta, 2022; Psifidou et al., 2021). Awareness of this process can contribute to a broader integration of the school-work trajectories of young people and, at the same time, broaden the possibilities of support and accompaniment for those who decide to return (Nouwen and Clycq, 2019).

In this framework, and due to the scientific literature is very diverse, we propose -as the main objective of the study- to analyze relevant research on the topic in order to present a thematic map of the state of the art on early leaving education and training.

In the 21st century where educational organizations are harnessing their skill sets with the help of information and technology, the Knowledge transfer from pedagogy to information and communication technology (ICT) plays a vital role (Reding, 2003). Therefore, in real-life situations, it's crucial to pay attention to what stakeholders of learning organizations need even before we create a product or service. We can make better decisions by understanding their needs and comparing them with what we can offer (Madzík.et.al, 2019).

The Kano Model of Satisfaction (1984) is extensively employed by numerous educational and training institutions to assess the impact of individual service components on overall student satisfaction within broader service domains, particularly concerning academic advising or the intended digital learning outcomes (IDLO) of stakeholders in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). (Mcdowall, 2016)

In digital learning, ICT is an important medium. Therefore, designing an LMS to satisfy the needs of stakeholders of HEIs is one of the crucial factors. This study prominently incorporates the theory of attractive quality (Kano model) to analyze the needs of stakeholders for digital learning tools. Kano analysis can offer a better understanding of how stakeholders of HEIs evaluate a product and assist the development of new LMS by focusing on the most important attributes that need to be improved. (Hsu.et.al, 2019) 81
The aim of the KANO analysis for this particular research is to develop a new Learning Management System (LMS) that is designed as per the preferences of the stakeholders of HEIs.
This paper caters crucial support to any HEI on the path of incorporating digital learning tools, specifically LMS into their organization. This paper highlights the perspectives of stakeholders of HEIs in terms of acceptance and utilization of digital learning tools in their daily routines.

The newly designed LMS will offer 22 new functional factors namely from F1 to F22. These factors comprise various LMS attributes such as ease of use, interactivity index, interconnectivity, design, and layout, (Application Programming Interfaces) API integration, compatibility with various mobile devices, monitoring learners’ performances as well as Human Resource and Accounts Modules integrated.

This paper highlights the Kano Method research findings and analysis for the Ph.D. research paper of the author.

The 21st century today demands an educational structure that caters to the demands and skills of the new generation in this digital age (OECD, 2019). As per Ferri and colleagues (Ferri.et.al, 2020, pp. 2-3) it is mentioned that a digital learning system implemented properly acts as a very crucial support structure for the delivery of modern constructive coaching. 58
Rehman and colleagues (Rahman.et.al, 25) further establish facts that to cater the need of and support the “Digital Technologies”, the LMS sounds easy and faster way of education, especially in the times of current Pandemic that has made the entire education industry switch to online mode of education”.

Even though LMS’s have been popular and are widely adopted for their vast offerings that aid digital learning & education. Several authors Umar & colleagues (Umar.et.al, 2017) Brandford (2017) & Naufal (2017) have argued that LMS’s still have limitations that cannot be overlooked. Umar & colleagues highlighted some of the drawbacks of the LMS’s and one of the major factors is that they figured out the primary acceptance and endorsement of the stakeholders that means (teachers/ trainers/ educators/ students/ course designers/ administrative & management personnel as well as owners and managers of the educational institutions or organizations).

As per Anderson & Dron (Anderson & Dron, 2017) majority of LMSs are restricted to authorized users deliberately so that the higher authorities of the educational organizations can govern them.

Competence-based education (CBE) was broadened at the beginning of the 21st century in the context of discussions on the challenges and ways of modernising education, emphasising that it is innovative education: not only a new way of teaching, but also a new way of thinking (Makulova et al., 2015).CBE impacts Europeanisation on national curriculum reforms. The curriculum as a content concept has a continental European tradition and specific Anglo-American roots. It includes a detailed description of the curriculum content that teachers should transmit to students when teaching (Nordin & Sundberg, 2016). At the same time, it can be considered that CBE is a systems-change approach intended to re-shape traditional understandings of what, when, where, an d how students learn and demonstrate academic knowledge and skills (Evans, et al., 2020). This means that developing CBE must simultaneously focus on curriculum, teaching and learning. Nowadays, CBE is being integrated into more and more schools every year It essentially focuses on the development of a student's skills, knowledge (cognitive component), attitudes (affective component) and behaviour (behavioural component) (Cuyacot, E. & Cuyacot, M., 2022). Important elements of competence education are personalized learning, higher student engagement, clear learning objectives, flexibility, adaptation to diverse learners needs, strategies to ensure equity, real-world skills, and continual assessment (Levine & Patrick, 2019; Lorente, 2023). In general, CBE can be considered to be characterised by 5 dimensions: 1) learners progress after demonstrating mastery; 2) there are clear, measurable and achievable outcomes; 3) assessment is meaningful and provides positive learning experiences for learners; 4) learners receive timely, differentiated support based on their individual learning needs; and 5) learning outcomes emphasise competences that involve applying and creating knowledge as well as developing important skills and dispositions (Evans et al., 2019).

However, there are also problems in the implementation of CBE, which are related to (1) a lack of standardization - difficult to assess and compare the performance of students across different schools or regions; 2) narrow focus on specific skills or competencies, potentially overlooking the broader development of students in areas such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving; 3) too much emphasis on standardized testing to measure specific competencies; 4) inflexibility not always accommodate individual differences among students; and 5) reduced emphasis on content knowledge (Boritz & Carnaghan, 2003; Lassnigg, 2015; Edwards, 2016; Bowden, 2000; Hodge, et al., 2020).

This is particularly true for STEM education (UNESCO, 2019). According to Chalmers et al. (2017) schools face practical difficulties in integrating STEM disciplines in the implementation of Big Ideas (Harlen, 2015). This is attributed to timing, teacher skills, differing curriculum requirements and assessment criteria, and the fact that some STEM disciplines are optional. In general education an improved competence-based education content was fully introduced by 2023. Curriculum reform in Latvia will require a change in teaching and pedagogical approaches (OECD, 2020). The big ideas is central themes or key concepts that guide the teaching and learning of biology, aiming to ensure that students achieve specific learning outcomes related to understanding and engaging with the subject (Skola2030, 2019). The reform of biology content in Latvian schools aims to modernize and enhance the teaching of biology in Latvian schools. It involves changes in the curriculum, teaching methods, and assessment practices to ensure that students gain a deeper understanding of biological concepts and develop critical thinking skills.

The aim of the article is to find out how the implementation of CBE approach in Latvian schools improve the learning of biology. To do this, the research question was stated: What are the opinions of biology teachers on the implementation of the Biology I curriculum developed by Skola2030?

In contemporary workplaces, employers increasingly value soft skills such as effective communication, teamwork, and adaptability, making it imperative to explore and understand the social skills cultivated during university education (Sa-Nguanmanasak & Khampirat, 2019; Poláková et al., 2023). Social skills, identified as pivotal employability skills for graduates, extend beyond the confines of academic knowledge, playing an instrumental role in shaping successful trajectories (Owusu et al., 2022; Thomas et al., 2023).

Recognizing their significance, higher education institutions (HEIs) have adopted a holistic approach, emphasizing the concurrent development of social skills alongside academic skills (Arhuis-Inca & Ipanaqué-Zapata, 2023; Khampirat, 2021). This strategic emphasis aligns with the multifaceted nature of success, not only in the labor market but also in personal life and future careers, as asserted by García-Álvarez et al. (2022). Within the sphere of employability, the essence of social skills lies in their transformative impact on graduates' ability to navigate a rapidly evolving professional landscape. The capacity to motivate others, a key facet of these skills, translates into effective team collaboration and leadership (Ćurlin et al., 2020; Garrote & Moser, 2021). The ability to build and maintain relationships, as highlighted by Ćurlin et al. (2020) and Garrote & Moser (2021), serves as a cornerstone for networking and collaborative endeavors.

As the labor market continues to demand a workforce equipped with a diverse skill set, the trajectory of higher education is marked by an imperative to produce well-rounded individuals. Social skills, therefore, emerge as catalysts for success, influencing personal and professional growth (Shen & Wang, 2023). This comprehensive skill set becomes a hallmark of graduates prepared not only with academic proficiency but also with the interpersonal acumen and adaptability necessary for a dynamic world (Lee et al., 2024; Narimani et al., 2023; Poláková et al., 2023). The evolving landscape of work and career trajectories underscores the enduring relevance of social skills, positioning them as a linchpin in the paradigm of contemporary education and employability (Aliu & Aigbavboa, 2023).

Therefore, the objective of this research proposal is to assess social skills in alignment with the requirements of the labor market. To address this objective, the study formulates the following research questions:

Q1: Which social skills align with the demands of contemporary labor markets?

Q2: What is the proficiency level of social skills among Thai students?

Q3: Is there a difference in social skill levels between students who have experienced internships and those who have not?

Networks hold a meeting during ECER. All interested are welcome.

One of the most urgent problems observed in the educational process is the low functional literacy of students. Developing functional literacy in young people is one of the planned steps in the education system in the age of modern education and technology. This is because the main indicator in the educational system is the performance of tasks based on reading literacy, which is analyzed, summarized, and evaluated at a comparative level around the world. In this regard, it is important that students can sort the knowledge and information they have acquired and apply it to their needs in life. That is why every teacher needs to form skills with professional, public, and scientific information to increase reading literacy by working with students' functional literacy tasks in their subject.

Our research aims to create a person who, paying attention to the environment, not only understands the changes in the environment but also decides based on them. We sorted and interpreted the surrounding information, selected information, and considered ways to implement it.

Expected result:

- Pupils will be able to determine the purpose of the text and distinguish its form;

- Know the basic sequence of working with text;

- Make logical connections using their knowledge and ideas;

- Learn to critically reflect and formulate;

- Learn to evaluate the ability to use skills in life situations;

- Read information selectively and think logically;

- Quickly overcome difficulties and obstacles encountered in life;

- Know how to solve problems and communicate in the implementation of their ideas.

Functional literacy is the knowledge and skills formed by a person adapting to the social environment as a result of connecting school education and the multidisciplinary activities of a person in everyday life. The main feature of functional literacy is the ability to solve life problems based on applied knowledge in various areas of a changing society [1]. Functional literacy is considered to be the main factor contributing to lifelong learning, which overcomes the obstacles faced by people in the cultural, political, social, and economic spheres and finds solutions through creative ideas. That is why functional literacy shows the highest potential in society. This is to prevent our society from getting out of the social crisis in some directions.

In the PISA program, texts on personal (30%), social (30%), educational (25%), professional (15%) topics must be selected to form public opinion in accordance with their needs in life. As PISA coordinator, Andreas Schleicher strongly supports this approach, emphasizing the importance of Pisa in providing a comprehensive assessment of how well education systems are preparing students for real challenges[6].

Another aspect to consider when developing a task should be in a system that emphasizes the search, selection, integration and interpretation of Information, Analysis and evaluation. Together with our colleagues, we discussed the topic: "how to improve the reading literacy of students?"we will discuss the issue""." We were looking for an answer to the question and conducted an informal professional conversation. During a professional conversation, we decided that the problem can be solved by changing from the level of understanding and knowledge to the level of analysis, discussion, decision-making. A series of lessons on general topics:" biodiversity"," nature protection " was developed. We planned to use graphic and mobile texts during the lesson. Why were graphic texts chosen? This is because, through a collaborative approach, it is concluded that it will be more effective to work with graphic and moving text to develop reading skills, increasing reading literacy.

The contemporary "Age of Uncertainty” requires the ability to respond effectively to global challenges, such as climate change, economic instability and inequality, human rights violations, military-political conflicts, and pandemics, and others. In this context, the task of the formation of agency, that is, the ability to act and transform the surrounding reality, to make decisions and take initiative in various contexts and spheres of public and personal life without external control or support is becoming increasingly important for education systems (Manyukhina, 2022; Sorokin & Froumin, 2022).

Agency is defined as the ability of an individual to act, exercising control over his/her life, the ability to set and achieve goals (Cavazzoni et al., 2021), proactively influence the environment, including the transformation of existing and the creation of new forms of interaction in various spheres of public life (Udehn, 2002). Agency is expressed in the ability to be an active participant, guiding and shaping one's life path (Schoon & Cook, 2021). It also implies the optimization of resources, overcoming or transforming constraints on the way to achieve self-set goals (Zimmerman & Ceary, 2006), both in individual subjective reality and in objective social reality. The variety of approaches to the definition of agency and the difficulties in unifying the methodology for measuring this construct are primarily due to its multidimensional (umbrella) character (Schoon & Cook, 2021; Schoon & Неckhausen, 2019).

Education is extremely important from the point of view of the agency formation. The construct of agency is based on two components (Cavazzoni et al., 2021; Abebe, 2019; Veronese et al., 2019): personal characteristics ("self-efficacy", "personal autonomy", "optimism”, “self-esteem”, "internal locus of control"), and structural capabilities (socio-economic conditions, the territory of residence, the role of family, and the formal requirements of the institutions). This idea helps to understand the role of education in the formation of appropriate qualities and skills of schoolchildren in the learning process (Manyukhina, 2022). It is noted that institutional and pedagogical practices can contribute either to the expansion or limitation of the manifestation of agency (Ruscoe et al., 2018; Sirkko et al., 2019; Kirby, 2019).

At the same time, educational practices that are implemented outside strictly formal school education, including the participation of schoolchildren in extracurricular activities and private lessons, can acquire special importance from the point of view of the formation of proactive behavior. A number of studies have shown that extracurricular activities make a significant contribution to the formation of such qualities as perseverance, independence, self-confidence, creativity, and social activity (Baker, 2008; Durlak, Weissberg, Pachan, 2010; Baharom et al., 2017). The students who study privately tend to practice longer, "smarter," and more efficiently as they establish practice objectives, maximize time and concentration through shorter but generally more productive practice segments (Hamann, Frost, 2000).

At present, literature lacks tools for assessing agency of children and adolescents comprehensively, in various spheres of manifestation (Sorokin, Froumin, 2022; Cavazzoni, 2021). Also, there are no general models allowing to correlate different types and levels of children’s agency with individual and structural factors, including educational practices.

The purpose of this study was to search for predictors of schoolchildren’s agency at the individual and school levels.

Research questions:

- What are the individual characteristics of students (gender, age, socioeconomic status, parental level of education, participation in private lessons, and extracurricular activities) are significant predictors of the agency level?

- What significant predictors of agency level can be found at the school level (number of students, number of young teachers, proportion of students with low/high socioeconomic status, and others)?

- How does the significance of these predictors change when they interact with each other?

Introduction

Recent changes in education policy emphasize promoting school-to-school support and school-led improvement to enhance resource sharing and build a professional learning network for high-quality and balanced education (Ainscow et al., 2006; Muijs, 2015; Muijs et al., 2010; Liu, 2018). In China, the government encourages prestigious public schools to support weaker public schools, with supporting teachers sent from prestigious schools to implement improvement missions. Existing studies have focused on the willingness of supporting teachers to rotate to weaker schools and its influencing factors (e.g., Du et al., 2018; Zhang et al., 2023), with limited research on how these teachers undertake the support work (e.g., Zhong et al., 2018; Zhang & Ye, 2023; Qian et al., 2023). The assessment culture differences between supporting and weaker schools greatly influence the process and assessment of school improvement. The supporting schools and teachers often represent a student-centered educational philosophy, in line with the Chinese new curriculum reform, while weaker areas often focus on test and score-oriented education. However, little research exists on how supporting teachers actively engage in assessment reform to promote teaching and learning reform in supported schools. Therefore, this paper aims to explore how supporting teachers employ their assessment literacies to foster teaching and learning reforms in the schools they support and the strategies they use to span across boundaries.

Boundary spanning practice and boundary object

The concept of 'boundary spanning' arises when individuals venture into unfamiliar territory and must navigate and merge elements from different contexts to create hybrid situations (Engeström et al., 1995). Those who engage in this practice are known as boundary spanners, connecting various communities of practice and facilitating relationships between them (Wenger, 1998). Their activities involve establishing routines that uphold connections between different communities of practice or stakeholders and providing a platform for ongoing engagement in professional activities. To achieve this, leaders may utilize boundary objects (Star and Griesemer, 1989) , which are tangible items or artifacts that exist within multiple communities of practice, serving as a means of translation within multi-site work relations and requirements. The role of individuals as boundary spanners requires the ability to manage and integrate diverse discourses and practices across social boundaries. Additionally, educational infrastructure is essential to foster interactions and networks across schools or communities of practice, support boundary practices, and sustain improvement (Spillane et al., 2016).

Teacher assessment literacies framework

Assessment is a vital element in education, impacting teaching and learning. Teachers' assessment literacy involves understanding the assessment process, the interaction between assessment and teaching, and the ability to conduct assessments effectively (Stiggins, 1991). The focus has shifted towards "assessment for learning," emphasizing teachers' ability to review students' learning and performance data and develop programs that support student learning. Teacher assessment literacy is a dynamic and context-dependent social practice, involving the articulation and negotiation of classroom and cultural knowledge to achieve student learning goals through assessment (Adie et al., 2020; Ataie-Tabar et al., 2019; Baker & Riches, 2018; Schneider, Deluca, Pozas & Coombs, 2020; Willis et al. 2013). Scholars have redefined the framework of teacher assessment literacy, emphasizing aspects such as selecting appropriate assessment methods, interpreting results, providing student guidance, and using assessments for instructional design and school improvement (Brookhart, 2011). There is also a growing emphasis on the ethical dimensions of teacher assessment, including managing ethical conflicts, upholding fair assessment ethics, and addressing student cheating (Pope et al., 2009; Pastore et al., 2019).

Quality assurance (QA) in education has become increasingly decentralised in many European countries over the past decades, making schools increasingly responsible for the monitoring, safeguarding and development of their own quality. Although the main concern of quality assurance in schools is to develop the quality of teaching and learning; different, more school-level approaches to QA can be taken, for instance by drawing on a distinction between external and internal evaluation (Eurydice, 2015). Although quality assurance mechanisms are embedded in educational systems’ regulations, several initiatives and evolutions overarch the differences across jurisdictions in Europe. The European Commission’s Education and Training working group, for instance, points towards the need for capacity building in quality assurance processes (European Commission, 2018).

This capacity building is linked primarily to the pursuit of evidence-informed quality assurance in schools (Brown & Malin, 2022). As part of their (internal) evaluation procedures and quality development, schools are stimulated to make use of different sources of evidence (Wiseman, 2010) to further develop their quality and inform their decision making. Following the digital transformation in education, huge amounts of digital resources and data have been introduced and proliferated in schools for (re)designing and evaluating education, for instance through the introduction of digital learning management systems and Learning Analytics (LA). LA assess, elicit and analyse static and dynamic information about learners and learning environments for the optimisation of learning processes and environments, as well as for educational decision making in organisations (Ifenthaler & Drachsler, 2020; Rodríguez-Triana, Martínez-Monés, & Villagrá-Sobrino, 2016).

Despite its potential, the actual use of LA is still rather scarce in K-12 education compared to the context of higher education (Andresen, 2017; Gander, 2020). Existing literature focused on higher education points to organisational readiness, (Clark et al., 2020), characteristics of data(systems), the ethical issues around the use of LA (Cerratto Pargman & McGrath, 2021; Tzimas & Demetriadis, 2021), and staff readiness (Mandinach & Abrams, 2022) to play an important role in the successful use of LA. In K-12 education, however, LA are currently primarily used at the micro level to identify learners’ needs and tailor instruction to meet these needs (Wise & Jung, 2019). The use of LA by educational professionals, f.i. at the school (management) level, has therefore not yet reached its full potential. This could be due to the fact that K-12 students are mostly minors and even more pressing ethical considerations and caution in the use and processing of learning analytics data are at play. Furthermore, the way secondary schools are organised is very different from higher education. However, the fact remains that schools’ own data regarding learning processes remain largely un(der)explored (Ifenthaler, 2021) due to, i.e., lack of awareness of the vast amount of data available and a lack of capacity to work with these data (Datnow & Hubbard, 2016; O’Brien, McNamara, O’Hara, & Brown, 2019).

In this contribution, we present a systematic literature study conducted as part of a larger Erasmus+ KA project titled ‘QUALAS’ (Quality Assurance with Learning Analytics in Schools), which aims to promote capacity building in secondary schools in Flanders (Belgium), Ireland, Italy and Spain to use (different) LA data for quality assurance (QA); according to the key principles for QA put forward by (European Commission, 2018). Our overall aim is to identify and put into practice possibilities for enhancing the capacity of educational professionals in secondary schools to make appropriately use of learning analytics for quality assurance.

As a first step, we addressed the following research question: what affordances and constraints does existing literature identify for the use of learning analytics in the context of quality assurance in secondary education?

The aim of this proposal is to explore how quality, quality assurance and evaluation of school units are connected in the field of school leadership More specifically, the intention is to examine the possibility of making a structural model that examines the interaction being developed between these concepts.

The implementation of quality assurance systems is one of the cornerstones of any educational system, while at the same time is being understood as a way to improve the quality of school units (Buzdar & Jalal, 2019). More specifically, the quality assurance of school units is a mechanism to ensure the provision of high-quality education, to identify and solve problems in the educational system in order to improve its quality. On the other hand, information is collected about the quality of the education provided (European Commission, 2020; Alaba, 2010). Within the framework of quality assurance of school units, quality should be ensured for the main stakeholders of the educational process. The adoption of quality assurance procedures in school units has many advantages, such as the establishment of high standards, the improvement of educational results, the recognition of the strengths and weaknesses of the educational system (Alaba, 2010). Moreover, improving the quality of education is the first strategic objective set by the Council of the European Union for the period 2021-2030 (2021/C 66/01).

As it is concluded from the above the quality assurance of school units is aimed at ensuring that the objectives set are achieved and includes, among other things, evaluation procedures (Onuma & Okpalanze, 2017). Evaluation of school units is a key component of quality assurance (Eurydice, 2004) and these two concepts appear to be directly linked, as evaluation is one of the procedures that can be used to ensure the quality of schools in conjunction with others, such as the monitoring of the educational system or even the evaluation of teachers (Euridice, 2015). The association of school quality assurance with school evaluation has been a major topic for many researchers (Gardezi et al., 2023; Onuma & Okpalanze, 2017), but no model of their interaction has been proposed so far.

School leadership is a key factor of quality education in schools as it affects school operations in many ways (Anastasiadou & Anastasiadis, 2019). However, the role of school leadership is also crucial for the quality assurance systems used to support schools (Afriadi et al., 2023). More specifically, school leadership has a positive direct impact on quality assurance (Hartati et al., 2019), whereas there is a direct and indirect effect of leadership on quality (Bellibaş et al., 2020). This intercorrelation can create a dynamic organizational entity with novel opportunities (Shattuck & Olcott, 2022). Last but not least, school leadership has become a critical factor for school evaluation in the effort of making schools more autonomous and more accountable as required in recent years (Pont, Nuche & Moorman, 2008).