Conference Agenda
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16 SES 12 B
Paper Session
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16. ICT in Education and Training
Paper Playing for Well-Being: SEL4@ll as a Serious Game–Based Approach to Socio-Emotional Learning and Inclusion 1: University of Greifswald, Germany; 2: University of València, Spain; 3: University of Perugia, Italy; 4: Politecnical University of València, Spain Presenting Author:Socio-emotional competencies, including empathy, emotional regulation, communication, and goal-setting, are essential for students’ well-being, positive social relationships, and long-term educational success. In school, socio-emotional learning (SEL) programmes are particularly important during periods of developmental transition, as they support students in coping with increasing academic demands, social challenges, and stress. Empirical research has consistently shown that well-designed SEL interventions improve students’ mental health, academic engagement, and social inclusion while reducing stress and school-related maladjustment (Durlak et al., 2011; OECD, 2021). Nevertheless, the implementation of structured, research-based SEL programmes remains uneven across educational systems, underscoring the need for innovative and scalable approaches that can be integrated into everyday school practice. This presentation introduces SEL4@ll (Promoting Well-Being among European Adolescents – An Inclusive and Digital Programme to Strengthen Socio-Emotional Competencies), an Erasmus+ funded initiative designed to enhance students’ socio-emotional learning, well-being, and perceived inclusion, while simultaneously reducing stress-related outcomes. SEL4@ll is implemented in German, Spanish, and Italian middle schools, targeting students aged 10 to 12 years—a developmental period characterized by heightened emotional sensitivity, increased peer orientation, and growing academic pressure (Eccles & Templeton, 2002; Viner et al., 2017). During this transition phase, students are particularly vulnerable to stress, emotional dysregulation, and declines in school engagement, making targeted SEL interventions especially relevant. At the core of SEL4@ll is a serious game, complemented by a digital teacher handbook and structured didactic materials. The intervention is designed to strengthen core socio-emotional competencies, promote students’ subjective well-being, enhance perceived social and emotional inclusion, and reduce stress by fostering adaptive coping strategies and emotional regulation. From a theoretical perspective, SEL4@ll draws on transactional stress models, which conceptualize stress as the result of perceived demands exceeding available coping resources (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). By strengthening self-awareness, self-management, and social competencies, the programme aims to expand students’ coping resources, thereby reducing perceived stress and enhancing well-being. The conceptual framework of SEL4@ll is grounded in the CASEL model, which defines SEL through five core competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making (CASEL, 2020). These competencies are closely linked to students’ ability to regulate emotions, manage stress, build supportive relationships, and experience a sense of belonging at school (Taylor et al., 2017). In addition, the programme integrates perspectives from positive youth development and life skills research, emphasizing strengths, agency, and resilience as protective factors against stress and social exclusion (Oliva, 2010; Sala et al., 2020). The serious game is structured around five thematic missions (“gates”), each targeting clusters of socio-emotional skills such as emotional intelligence, empathy, communication, growth mindset, responsibility, and justice. Through interactive narratives and decision-making scenarios, students practice socio-emotional skills in simulated real-life situations and receive immediate feedback on their choices. This experiential learning approach is designed to support emotional regulation, reduce stress responses, and foster a stronger sense of competence and inclusion. The game is web-based, multilingual, and accessible via standard browsers, facilitating implementation across diverse educational contexts. To assess its effectiveness, SEL4@ll incorporates a quantitative assessments of socio-emotional learning, well-being, perceived inclusion, and stress-related outcomes, as well as qualitative feedback from students and teachers. By implementing and evaluating the programme across multiple European countries, SEL4@ll allows for cross-national comparisons and contributes to the development of scalable, evidence-based digital SEL interventions. Overall, SEL4@ll demonstrates how serious games, grounded in established SEL and stress theories, can be used to promote socio-emotional competencies, enhance well-being and inclusion, and reduce stress among middle school students, contributing to more resilient and supportive school environments. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used Method The study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design to examine the effects of a serious game and accompanying didactic materials on students’ socio-emotional development and well-being. Data were collected via online questionnaires administered before and after a six-week intervention period. Participants The sample comprised N = 1,261 students from three European countries: Germany, Spain, and Italy. In Germany, n = 130 students participated (47.7% female; M age = 12.8 years), with 65 students in the control group and 65 in the experimental group. In Spain, the sample included n = 675 students (52.0% female; M age = 12.8 years), with 269 students in the control group and 406 in the experimental group. In Italy, n = 351 students participated (24.3% female; M age = 13.5 years), including 170 control and 181 experimental participants. Procedure All participants completed online questionnaires at two measurement points: prior to the intervention (pretest) and immediately after the six-week intervention period (posttest). The intervention combined a serious game with structured didactic materials. Measures School well-being was assessed using the Well-Being Scale by Hascher et al. (2018), comprising six subscales with three items each: Positive Attitudes to School (α = .79), Enjoyment in School (α = .73), Positive Academic Self-Concept (α = .82), Worries in School (α = .73), Physical Complaints in School (α = .82), and Social Problems in School (α = .82). School burnout was measured with the School Burnout Inventory (Hoferichter et al., 2022; Salmela-Aro et al., 2009), including the subscales Exhaustion (4 items; α = .72), Cynicism (3 items; α = .81), and Inadequacy (2 items; α = .54). Perceived inclusion was assessed using the Perceptions of Inclusion Questionnaire (PIQ; Venetz et al., 2015), consisting of Emotional Inclusion (α = .82), Social Inclusion (α = .76), and Academic Self-Concept (α = .71). Socio-emotional learning competencies were measured with the Social Skills Improvement System–SEL (SSIS; Anthony et al., 2020; Gresham & Elliott), covering Self-Awareness (α = .66), Self-Management (α = .64), Social Awareness (α = .76), Relationship Skills (α = .64), and Responsible Decision Making (α = .66). Analyses Mean differences within the experimental group were examined for the total sample. In addition, country-specific intervention effects were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Age and gender were included as covariates, and student identifiers were specified as random intercepts to account for the nested data structure. All analyses were conducted using R. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings Analyses of mean differences between Time 1 and Time 2 in the experimental group revealed a significant increase for Enjoyment in School, with mean scores rising from M = 3.36 to M = 3.64 (p = .005). The normalized change (Δ = 0.223) indicates a small-to-moderate positive effect. In addition, Inadequacy as a component of school burnout showed a significant decrease (M = 3.29 to M = 3.12, p = .036), reflecting a small reduction in students’ feelings of inadequacy (Δ = −0.136). Country-specific mixed-effects analyses revealed differentiated intervention effects. In Spain, significant positive effects favoring the experimental group were observed for overall school well-being (b = 0.47, SE = 0.13, p < .01), Positive Attitudes to School (b = 0.65, p < .001), Enjoyment in School (b = 0.39, p < .001), and Positive Academic Self-Concept (b = 0.44, p < .001). Significant reductions were also found for overall school burnout (b = −0.90, p < .01), including Exhaustion, Cynicism, and Inadequacy. In Germany, a significant Treatment × Time interaction emerged for Self-Awareness (b = 0.44, p < .05). Trend-level effects suggested increases in Enjoyment in School, Emotional Inclusion (Self), and School Satisfaction. In Italy, a significant interaction effect was found for Inadequacy (b = −0.40, p < .01), indicating stronger reductions in the experimental group. Trend-level effects suggested improvements in Self-Management and Emotion Regulation (Reevaluation), alongside a decrease in Cynicism. Overall, the findings indicate selective and context-dependent intervention effects, with the strongest and most consistent benefits observed in Spain. Across countries, reductions in burnout-related inadequacy and improvements in affective and self-regulatory outcomes suggest that the intervention holds promise, while highlighting the importance of contextual factors in shaping effectiveness. References Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). (2020). CASEL’s SEL framework: What are the core competence areas and where are they promoted? https://casel.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CASEL-SEL-Framework-11.2020.pdf Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.x Eccles, J. S., & Templeton, J. (2002). Extracurricular and other after-school activities for youth. Review of Research in Education, 26(1), 113–180. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X026001113 Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer. OECD. (2021). Beyond academic learning: First results from the survey of social and emotional skills. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/92a11084-en Oliva, A., Ríos, M., Antolín, L., Parra, A., Hernando, A., & Pertegal, M.-A. (2010). Beyond the deficit: Building a model of positive youth development. Infancia y Aprendizaje, 33(2), 223–234. https://doi.org/10.1174/021037010791114562 Sala, A., Punie, Y., Garkov, V., & Cabrera Giraldez, M. (2020). LifeComp: The European framework for personal, social and learning to learn key competence. Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2760/302967 Taylor, R. D., Oberle, E., Durlak, J. A., & Weissberg, R. P. (2017). Promoting positive youth development through school-based social and emotional learning interventions: A meta-analysis of follow-up effects. Child Development, 88(4), 1156–1171. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12864 Viner, R. M., Allen, N. B., & Patton, G. C. (2017). Puberty, developmental processes, and health interventions. In D. A. P. Bundy et al. (Eds.), Child and adolescent health and development (3rd ed., Chap. 9). World Bank. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0423-6_ch9 16. ICT in Education and Training
Paper ICT Educational Policies in Galicia for the Development of Digital Competence in Early Childhood Education Universidade de Vigo, Spain Presenting Author:We are living in a historical moment in which our lives are mediated by digital devices. From birth, children are exposed to digital technologies and mass media. However, research has shown that this exposure does not make them "digital natives" (Dussel, 2012; Selwyn, 2009) but rather uncritical consumers of the content and platforms they encounter. Given this reality, schools must respond to the demands of the educational agenda, which identifies digital competence as a key skill for 21st-century citizenship. In early childhood education, teachers play a fundamental role in children's development, including their digital competence. However, teachers face significant challenges when working with digital devices in the classroom, such as lack of time (Admiraal, 2022) or lack of training (Kourti et al., 2023). Therefore, the existence of educational programs and policies that support and assist teachers in implementing didactic proposals to develop students' digital competence is essential. According to the European reference framework DigComp, digital competence is "the set of knowledge, skills, attitudes, strategies, values, and awareness required when using ICT and digital media to perform tasks; solve problems; communicate; manage information; collaborate; create and share content; and build knowledge effectively, efficiently, appropriately, critically, creatively, autonomously, flexibly, ethically, reflectively for work, leisure, participation, learning, socializing, consuming, and empowerment" (Ferrari, 2012, p. 30). This competence goes beyond the instrumental ability to use technological tools (Ala-Mutka et al., 2008). The DigComp 2.2 version (Vuorikari et al., 2022) highlights the consolidation of this project as a reference framework in Europe. This framework establishes five areas of competence and incorporates 21 sub-competences for digital-era citizenship. To enhance digital competence in education, Spain has introduced the “Código Escuela 4.0” program, which is part of the Digitalization and Digital Competence Plan for the Educational System (Plan #DigEDu) (INTEF, 2023). In Galicia (region in northern Spain), various plans and programs aim to support teachers in contributing to the development of different dimensions of the DigComp project among students. These programs primarily stem from two strategies of the Department of Education: the LIA Plan (Reading, Information, and Learning) 2021/2025, led by the School Libraries Advisory Service of Galicia, and the Digital Education Strategy 2030, within the framework of the aforementioned “Código Escuela 4.0” program. In this context, where digital competence is established as a fundamental skill for digital-era citizenship and multiple plans and programs emerge to foster its development, this study aims to identify ICT educational policies in Galicia that include early childhood education and contribute to developing students' digital competence. This research is part of a broader project seeking to identify and analyse best educational practices that help form a critical digital citizenry from early childhood [Project PID2023-148530NA-I00, funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and FEDER, EU]. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used To address this objective, a qualitative research design based on content analysis (Bardin, 2002) is proposed. This methodology analyses information through an objective and systematic process of content description. The research questions are: • How many plans and programs consider the early childhood education stage? • How many early childhood education centres participate in these programs? • What characterizes ICT educational policies that include early childhood education? The research begins with a review of the programs within the LIA Plan 2021/2025 of the School Libraries Advisory Service of Galicia (https://www.edu.xunta.gal/biblioteca/blog/) and the projects under the Digital Education Strategy 2030 (https://www.edu.xunta.gal/portal/sites/web/files/estratexia_dixital_2030_ok.pdf). The search identified 15 educational policies that contribute to the development of students' digital competence in Galicia. Ten policies are part of the LIA Plan 2021/2025 of the School Libraries Advisory Service of Galicia, while the remaining five belong to the Digital Education Strategy 2030. To identify relevant educational policies, all strategy-related documents were examined for the term "early childhood" and for sections describing the policies' objectives to determine whether they met the eligibility criteria: aimed at developing students' digital competence and including early childhood education in their target population. The final sample includes three policies meeting both criteria. Two of them, Creative Library project (Resolution of July 16, 2024) and Radio in the Library project (Resolution of August 7, 2024), are part of the School Libraries Advisory Service of Galicia, while the third, Polos Creativos (ORDER of October 6, 2023), is included in the Digital Education Strategy 2030. The analysis of selected policies was then conducted. Content analysis (Bardin, 2002) was applied to the texts of the policy calls and related resolutions. This technique establishes categories for analysis, and in this study, the categories were defined deductively, creating a matrix with aspects addressing the research questions during the material exploration. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings The study identified three educational policies that include early childhood education students and aim to develop their digital competence. Regarding the number of early childhood education centres involved, Galicia has 77 specific centres exclusively for early childhood education and 562 centres combining early childhood and primary education. A total of 169 centres with early childhood students participate in the Creative Library program (Resolution of 16 July 2024), while 195 centres take part in Radio in the Library project (Resolution of 7 August 2024). Polos Creativos was not initially open to early childhood education in its first call (ORDER of April 21, 2022) but was included in the second and final call (Order of 6 October 2023) for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 school years, incorporating all early childhood education centres in Galicia. Regarding the characteristics of the analysed policies, each has distinguishing features: • The Creative Library program focuses on multiple literacies (Dussel, 2011), promoting didactic methodologies centred on thinking, designing, making, constructing, and collaborative learning. It aligns with the makerspace movement, providing schools with funding for equipment and training, encouraging the use of open-source hardware and free software such as Escornabot. • Radio in the Library project also provides funding for centres to be used at their discretion for equipment and training for both students and teachers. This program supports free technology, promoting the use of Audacity. • Polos Creativos is characterized by a pedagogical void, focusing on providing commercial, proprietary resources identical for all centres, often unrelated to actual school demands and lacking adequate teacher training (Kourti et al., 2023). All three policies emphasize the importance of involving families in the educational process. The review of ICT educational policies in Galicia highlights the limited attention given to early childhood education, a situation common to other European countries. References Admiraal, W. (2022). A typology of educators using Open Educational Resources for teaching. International Journal on Studies in Education (IJonSE), 4(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijonse.60 Ala-Mutka, K., Punie, Y., & Redecker, C. (2008). Digital competence for lifelong learning. Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS), European Commission, Joint Research Centre. Technical Note: JRC, 48708, 271-282 Bardin, L. (2002). Análisis de contenido. Ediciones Akal. Dussel, I. (2011). Aprender y enseñar en la cultura digital. Buenos Aires: Santillana. Dussel, I. (2012). Más allá del mito de los «nativos digitales». Jóvenes, escuela y saberes en la cultura digital. En M. Southwell (Comp.), Entre generaciones. Exploraciones sobre educación, cultura e instituciones (pp. 183-213). Argentina: Homo Sapiens Ediciones. Ferrari, A. (2012). Digital Competence in Practice: An Analysis of Frameworks. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Recuperado de http://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/JRC83167.pdf INTEF – Instituto Nacional de Tecnologías Educativas y de Formación del Profesorado (INTEF), con la colaboración de las ciudades y comunidades autónomas (2023). Kit de bienvenida: Código Escuela 4.0. https://code.intef.es/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/NUEVO13_23_ProyInt_R3_kit_CE4.0_Maquetaci%C3%B3n.pdf Kourti, Z., Michalakopoulos, C-A, Bagos, P.G. & Paraskevopoulou-Kollia, E-A. (2023). Computational thinking in preschool age: a case study in greece. Education sciences, 13(2), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13020157 Order of 21 April 2022 establishing the Polos Creativos educational innovation programme and setting out the procedure for the participation of public educational centres under the authority of this department. Order of 6 October 2023 extending the Polos Creativos educational innovation programme and establishing instructions for its implementation in educational centres under the authority of this department and in privately run centres supported with public funds in the Autonomous Community of Galicia for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 school years. Resolution of 16 July 2024 of the Directorate-General for Educational Planning and Innovation, calling for participation in the Creative Library project, within the framework of the LÍA Plan for School Libraries, for the 2024/25 school year. Resolution of 7 August 2024 of the Directorate-General for Educational Planning and Innovation, within the framework of the LÍA Plan for School Libraries, calling for participation in the Radio in the Library project, for the 2024/25 school year. Selwyn, N. (2009). The digital native – myth and reality. Aslib Proceedings, 61(4), 364-379. http://doi.org/10.1108/00012530910973776 Vuorikari, R., Kluzer, S. and Punie, Y. (2022). DigComp 2.2: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens - With new examples of knowledge, skills and attitudes, EUR 31006 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2022, ISBN 978-92-76-48883-5, doi:10.2760/490274, JRC128415. 16. ICT in Education and Training
Paper Implementing Digital Personalised Learning Innovations in Conflict-Affected Education Systems: Evidence from Ukraine 1: War Child Alliance, UERA, Uman National University, Ukraine; 2: War Child Alliance; 3: University of Notre Dame Presenting Author:The ongoing war in Ukraine has severely disrupted the education of millions of children. Can't Wait to Learn is a free educational digital application developed by War Child Alliance in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine to mitigate educational losses. Before its adaptation in Ukraine, the Can't Wait to Learn application, developed by War Child Alliance, had been implemented and tested in multiple countries, proving its effectiveness in improving children's learning outcomes. (Brown et al., 2020; Turner et al., 2022; Douaihy & Stannard, 2025).) This study examines the implementation and adoption of this digital personalised learning (DPL) innovation in Ukrainian primary schools operating under conditions of armed conflict and systemic disruption. The Aim of the study is to examine how teachers implement Can’t Wait to Learn in conflict-affected schools in Ukraine, and to identify the factors that enable or constrain its adoption and sustained use. Objectives - to assess variation in teachers’ implementation of the DPL innovation across intervention schools. - To identify teacher-, school-, and system-level factors that drive or hinder adoption and implementation. - To examine how the conflict context (e.g. air alerts, displacement, shifts to distance learning) influences implementation trajectories. - To evaluate the extent to which observed adoption processes align with, or diverge from, established theories of innovation adoption. Main Research Questions: 1. How can a personalised digital learning (DPL) innovation be used in conflict-affected schools to mitigate educational losses? 2. What factors drive and/or hinder the adoption and implementation of the DPL innovation in conflict-affected school settings? Secondary Research Questions 1. To what extent does the adoption process of the DPL innovation in conflict-affected Ukraine align with broader theoretical approaches to innovation adoption? 2. How did the conflict context influence teachers’ implementation practices and decisions to sustain or discontinue use? Conceptual and Theoretical Framework. The study is grounded in Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations theory (Rogers, 1983; Pineda et al, 2023), which posits that the adoption of new ideas, practices, or technologies within a social system occurs over time through a process influenced by factors such as perceived advantages, compatibility with existing values, simplicity, trialability, and observable results. It is viewed through the lens of digital transformation and educational resilience (Eurydice / IEA, 2025; Cirus & Simonova, 2021; Lytvynova & Demeshkant, 2022). Building on this framework, the study adopts a context-sensitive extension of diffusion theory to account for: · Crisis-induced disruptions and instability; · Non-linear and interrupted adoption processes; · The role of teacher agency under constrained conditions; · Implementation stability and dosage as critical dimensions of adoption in crisis contexts. The conceptual framework integrates: · Prior conditions (school readiness, access to devices, connectivity, teacher training, perceived needs); · Implementation processes (dosage, consistency, patterns of classroom use); · Contextual shocks related to armed conflict; · Adoption outcomes, including confirmation, adaptation, or discontinuation. This approach allows the study to test the explanatory power of diffusion theory under conditions of systemic disruption and to propose refinements relevant to conflict-affected education systems. By situating digital personalised learning within European policy discourses on digital education and system resilience (European Commission, 2020; Eurydice, 2023), the study contributes to ongoing European debates on how education systems can sustain learning continuity under conditions of systemic shock. Firstly, the study provides mixed-methods evidence on digital learning implementation in active conflict settings. Secondly, it extends diffusion of innovations theory by incorporating crisis-related disruptions and implementation stability. Thirdly, it generates actionable insights for scaling and sustaining edtech interventions in fragile and unstable education systems. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The study uses a mixed-methods explanatory quasi-experimental research design. The design is school-level and implementation-focused, enabling analysis of variation in adoption patterns across schools and the influence of teachers’ implementation decisions within a context of systemic disruption. Schools across Cherkasy region of Ukraine were invited to apply to participate in the study; 36 were randomly selected and randomly assigned to the intervention or comparison group. Students in Grade 3 were then randomly selected; 15 from each school. Teachers had a professional development course where they learned to use the CWTL in their classrooms and were recommended to use the following implementation model: students use the application individually for 7–10 minutes during math and language lessons five times a week; teacher-led discussions and reflections on student progress are conducted (not necessarily every session); pre-downloaded videos are used in the absence of internet access). At the same time, teachers had the freedom to use the CWTL as they wished in order to observe and analyse the variation in adoption patterns. Quantitative data provides evidence on implementation intensity (dosage), disruptions, attendance and student learning outcomes, while qualitative data provide information about the participants’ experience and opinions on the CWTL, the implementation variations, contextual constraints, and mechanisms underlying adoption and discontinuation. Data Sources and Research Instruments The quantitative data included: - Student Academic Assessments in numeracy and literacy, administered at baseline and endline; - Teacher Survey, administered at baseline and endline; - Implementation Dosage, Disruptions and Attendance Data, gathered weekly during the whole implementation period Qualitative Data included: - Classroom Observations - Key Informant Interviews with teachers, school leaders, programme team, and policy-makers. - Focus Group Discussions with students and caregivers Quantitative and qualitative findings are triangulated to: - Explain observed implementation variations, - Identify mechanisms linking implementation decisions, context, and outcomes, - Assess alignment with and divergence from diffusion theory. Ethical Considerations The study adheres to ethical standards for research in conflict-affected settings, including: • Informed consent from all participants, • Protection of participant confidentiality and anonymity, • Sensitivity to trauma-related risks, • Flexible data collection approaches to minimise burden on schools and teachers. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings The study is expected to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how digital personalised learning innovations are implemented and adopted under conditions of instability and how they help to mitigate learning losses and continue education amidst disruption. Expected Findings First, the study is likely to find substantial variation in implementation modes, intensity and consistency across schools, despite broadly positive teacher attitudes towards digital learning at baseline. High motivation and perceived value are expected to be necessary but insufficient conditions for effective implementation. Second, teachers’ decisions on how the DPL innovation is used are expected to play a decisive role in further adoption of the innovation. Third, the findings are expected to show that conflict-related disruptions interrupt linear adoption pathways. Air alerts, shifts to distance learning, and emotional strain on teachers are likely to push schools back and forth between stages of adoption, challenging the smooth progression from implementation to confirmation. Fourth, the study is anticipated to reveal that dosage and implementation stability, rather than intensity alone, are critical mechanisms linking innovation adoption to learning outcomes. Periods of intensive but erratic use are unlikely to produce the same educational benefits as sustained implementation. Fifth, when assessed against Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations theory, the adoption process in conflict-affected Ukraine is expected to only partially align with established constructs. Specifically, the study is likely to demonstrate that diffusion models require adaptation to account for systemic disruptions, teacher wellbeing, and institutional fragility. Expected Outcomes - Description of various implementation patterns in conflict-affected schools. - Evidence on the relationship between implementation characteristics and student learning growth. - Demonstration of how the context shapes teachers’ adoption decisions. - An extension of diffusion of innovations theory incorporating crisis-induced non-linearity and implementation stability as a core dimension. References 1.Brown, F. L., Farag, A. I., Hussein Abd Alla, F., Radford, K., Miller, L., Neijenhuijs, K., … & Jordans, M. J. D. (2020). Can’t Wait to Learn: A quasi-experimental mixed-method evaluation of a digital game-based learning programme for out-of-school children in Sudan. Journal of Development Effectiveness, 15(3), 320–341. https://doi.org/10.1080/19439342.2020.1829000 2.Cirus, L., & Simonova, I. (2021). Pupils’ digital literacy reflected in teachers’ attitudes towards ICT: Case study of the Czech Republic. SN Computer Science, 2(3), 231. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42979-021-00567-y 3.Douaihy, L., & Stannard, L. (2025). Scaling and adapting digital personalised learning in crisis-affected areas: A comparison of the Can’t Wait to Learn programme in Lebanon and Ukraine. Revue internationale d’éducation de Sèvres, HS-4. https://doi.org/10.4000/146vx 4.Eurydice / IEA. (2025). Digital transformation of education as a strategic path to resilience and innovation. Eurydice. 5.Lytvynova, S., & Demeshkant, N. (2022). Distance learning in primary school during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of the “SMART KIDS” experiment. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2204.03472 6.Pineda, A. M., Reia, S. M., Connaughton, C., Fontanari, J. F., & Rodrigues, F. A. (2023). Cultural heterogeneity constrains diffusion of innovations. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.02931 7.Rogers, E. M. (1983). Diffusion of innovations (3rd ed.). Free Press. ISBN: 0029266505 8.Turner, J. S., Taha, K., Ibrahim, N., Neijenhuijs, K. I., Hallak, E., Radford, K., Stubbé-Alberts, H., de Hoop, T., Jordans, M. J. D., & Brown, F. L. (2022). A proof-of-concept study of Can’t Wait to Learn: A digital game-based learning program for out-of-school children in Lebanon. Journal on Education in Emergencies, 8(1), 76–109. https://doi.org/10.33682/8v7u-q7y3 | ||