Conference Agenda

Introduction

Changes in adolescence are frequently accompanied by the decline in well-being (Orben et al., 2022), positioning schools as a key setting for universal preventive programs that promote mental health (Seligman & Adler, 2018). Multicomponent positive psychology interventions (MPPI), as an approach to mental health promotion, aim to strengthen multiple facets of well-being simultaneously (Tejada-Gallardo et al., 2020). However, empirical evidence remains mixed concerning the persistence of these benefits over time, especially after intervention completion and when booster sessions are added (Wright, 2021). To capture adolescent flourishing, combining subjective and psychological well-being, in a developmentally sensitive manner, the EPOCH framework (Engagement, Perseverance, Optimism, Connectedness, Happiness; Kern et al., 2016) offers both a conceptual model and a practical structure for school-based well-being curricula. Building on these gaps, the present study aimed to examine whether, and how adolescents’ flourishing changes across three distinct phases of a school-based MPPI grounded in the EPOCH model: (1) the core intervention phase, (2) a no-intervention interval, and (3) a booster phase (implemented in one experimental group).

Methods

A longitudinal quasi-experimental design was implemented in a public general secondary school (Zagreb, Croatia) with 166 third-year students (M age =17.1; 60% girls). Intact classes were assigned to one of three conditions: Group A (MPPI + two booster sessions; n = 70), Group B (MPPI only; n = 48), and Group C (active control with alternative content not targeting flourishing; n = 48). The MPPI consisted of six weekly sessions (one 45-minute session per week) grounded in the EPOCH model (Kern et al., 2016). This was followed by a 6-week no-intervention interval, after which two booster sessions were delivered to Group A.

Flourishing was assessed at six time points (T1–T6) using the EPOCH Measure of Adolescent Well-being (Kern et al., 2016). The three phases were operationalized as: Phase 1 (T1–T3) core intervention (baseline, mid-point, immediate post), Phase 2 (T3–T4) follow-up without intervention, and Phase 3 (T4–T6) booster phase. Change trajectories were analyzed with latent growth curve modeling (structural equation modeling), comparing no-growth, linear growth, and piecewise specifications in the experimental groups.

Results and discussion

Change trajectories differed across conditions and were best captured by different growth specifications. For Group A (MPPI + boosters), the linear growth model fit best and indicated a small but statistically significant overall increase in flourishing from T1 to T6 (slope M = 0.0, p < .05). This pattern did not support the expected phase-specific shifts: flourishing neither declined during the no-intervention interval nor showed a distinct additional increase during the booster phase. For Group B (MPPI only), the piecewise model fit best, showing a significant increase during Phase 1 (Slope 1 M = 0.1, p < .05) followed by no significant change during Phase 2 (Slope 2 M = −0.0, p = .82). Contrary to expectations of a post-program decline, flourishing remained stable over the follow-up interval. For Group C (active control), the no-growth model fit best, indicating stable flourishing across the study period.

A brief, EPOCH-based multicomponent school program was associated with improved flourishing during the intervention phase, with short-term maintenance thereafter. Contrary to the a priori trajectory assumptions, there was no robust evidence of post-program decline within the observed interval. Moreover, while Group A continued to improve across the full period, the data did not clearly indicate a distinct incremental “booster effect” beyond an ongoing positive trend.

Educational significance of the research

These results support the feasibility of implementing brief, structured, EPOCH-aligned well-being content within the usual school practice. Methodologically, they underscore the value of phase-sensitive longitudinal modelling for evaluating school-based interventions, as it allows the testing of theoretically specified post-program and booster-related dynamics rather than relying exclusively on pre–post differences. Practically, the findings suggest that core intervention content may be sufficient to generate improvements and short-term stability in adolescent flourishing, whereas booster sessions may require more specific optimization (e.g., timing, dosage, or mechanism-focused content) if the intended goal is to produce detectable additional gains beyond maintenance.

Traditional grading systems have long been criticized for fostering extrinsic motivation, surface-level engagement, and educational inequities (Butler, 2025; Chamberlin et al., 2023). Research indicates that numerical grades often undermine deep learning and self-regulation (Panadero et al., 2021) while increasing stress and limiting learner autonomy (Butler, 2025). In response, this study explores future-oriented scenarios for a gradeless school, integrating futures thinking, systems thinking, and exponential thinking to envision systemic change in assessment culture.

Futures thinking supports scenario-building (Colin et al., 2022) that anticipates how intrinsic motivation and self-regulation can flourish in environments centered on formative feedback rather than point accumulation. Teachers become facilitators of inquiry and co-designers of dialogic feedback cycles. Systems thinking frames grade removal as a systemic intervention influencing students, teachers, families, and the wider education system (Kuijpers et al., 2024). Ensuring trust requires multimodal feedback tools – badges, mastery transcripts, and portfolios – while curricula and school culture shift toward competency-based progression. Exponential thinking underscores technology’s accelerating impact (Patel et al., 2024): AI-supported learning pathways, adaptive diagnostics, and real-time analytics can scale personalized feedback and deepen data-informed reflection. Together, these lenses outline a learner-centered, flexible, and future-ready shift from grades to growth.

This study explores how removing traditional grading can reshape education by developing future-oriented scenarios for a gradeless school. Using futures, systems, and exponential thinking, it identifies the systemic, technological, and socio-cultural conditions needed for learner-centered and equitable assessment models. Rather than viewing gradelessness as a purely pedagogical change, the study situates it within broader sociotechnical imaginaries that influence both AI-driven assessment tools and assumptions about autonomy, equity, and personalization. Through this lens, it examines how trends highlighted by a STEEP+V analysis intersect with these imaginaries to inform transformative pathways for assessment and school culture.

Two intensive eight-hour workshops, facilitated by experts in futures research, were conducted to design scenarios for a gradeless school. The process included describing the future school and mapping its context (key topics, stakeholders); categorizing themes across micro-, meso-, and macro-systems; identifying signals, trends, and impact factors using the STEEP+V framework (Cheah, 2023); applying the “ride two curves” approach (Hichert & Schultz, 2024), and mapping axes of uncertainty.

Ten participants – teachers, university lecturers, school leaders, education innovators, researchers, and parents – worked in two groups. After the first workshop, preliminary scenarios were validated through consultations with education experts. The second workshop refined these scenarios and reflected on the design process.

Both scenarios envision dismantling traditional hierarchies and fostering inclusive, learner-centered education, yet they differ in emphasis. Scenario 1 responds to post-democratic challenges, prioritizing community-based governance, democratic feedback loops, and adaptability in uncertain socio-political contexts. Teachers act as process leaders, and learners select evaluators to form feedback circles. Scenario 2 emphasizes equity and accessibility, advocating for universal, free education, skill-based progression, and extensive school autonomy. It introduces systemic freedoms – personalized learning paths, time- and location-independent study – and leverages AI-supported portfolios for qualitative assessment. While both scenarios promote formative feedback and stakeholder collaboration, Scenario 1 emphasizes civic engagement, whereas Scenario 2 focuses on structural equity and technological innovation.

The STEEP+V analysis reveals interconnected forces that shape the future of education. Social fragmentation, demographic aging, and declining youth engagement signal growing uncertainty. Technological advances, such as AI and digital literacy, offer promise but raise ethical and environmental concerns. Economic pressures, including consumerism, protectionism, and the gig economy, risk deepening inequality. Environmental challenges, including climate crises and overconsumption, demand sustainable practices. Politically, tensions between centralized control and autonomy, along with shifts in governance, complicate the reform process. Value trends emphasize minority rights, data protection, and AI ethics, while materialism and instant gratification undermine intrinsic motivation. These dynamics necessitate educational models that strike a balance between innovation, equity, sustainability, and democratic resilience.

Gradeless schooling represents more than a pedagogical adjustment; it is a systemic transformation that requires aligning technological innovation, equity, sustainability, and democratic resilience. Futures thinking, systems thinking, and exponential thinking provide complementary lenses for navigating this complexity. By integrating participatory governance, multimodal feedback, and AI-driven personalization, education can move toward a model that prioritizes growth over grades – empowering learners to thrive in uncertain, interconnected futures.

Introduction: Theoretical background, aims, and research questions

Suppose a simple t test yields a significant result and returns a p value of .03. That means you have found the probability that the null hypothesis is true, right? Wrong! Okay, but you can deduce the probability that the alternative hypothesis is true, right? Wrong again! A significance test does not provide a hypothesis’ probability. In fact, a p value is the probability of the observed (or more extreme) data, given the null hypothesis is true. Despite the eager efforts of statistic instructors, the vast majority of psychology students (alas as well as their supervisors) have tended to misunderstand the p value for many years. They usually confuse it with a hypothesis’ probability (e.g., Lyu et al., 2020).

To address this challenge, the present work offers three educational innovations: The first innovation is a novel yet valid methodological approach to assess p value misconceptions. Previous studies dichotomously assessed whether their learners agree with incorrect statistical statements (e.g., Haller & Kraus, 2002). However, this approach does not allow us to differentiate between misconceptions and missing concepts. A student who agrees with an incorrect statement (e.g., that a p value refers to a hypothesis’ probability) could do so either because of actually endorsing that misconception or because of simply guessing (i.e., having missing concepts). To clarify this, the present approach combines answer correctness and subjective certainty. It should replicate the aforementioned high prevalence of p value misconceptions among psychology students (Hypothesis 1).

The second innovation is the development and testing of a short, novel digital intervention to reduce these misconceptions. It is aimed at undergraduate psychology students who have already passed an introductory statistics course. It features extended refutation texts (cf. Tippet, 2010) based on the pedagogical concept described by Haller and Kraus (2002). These texts explain and refute misconceptions by contrasting null hypothesis testing to Bayesian testing. They should effectively reduce participants’ p value misconceptions in ~10 minutes (Hypothesis 2).

Finally, negative attitudes and even anxiety towards statistics are quite common (e.g., Lethbridge et al., 2024). Those negative attitudes might hinder the reduction of p value misconceptions, though. Tackling this challenge in a rather unorthodox approach, the present study offers a third innovation, namely testing a positive mood induction right before the main intervention. More specifically, funny video clips (such as a bouncing dog and rope swing fails) should boost the intervention’s potential effectiveness (Hypothesis 3).

Methods

In this study, 157 undergraduate psychology students (120 female, mean age = 23.36 years) took part in an online experiment. It featured a 2x2 factorial design. Factor A referred to whether participants received either funny or neutral videos before the intervention. Factor B referred to whether or not participants received the aforementioned extended refutations texts. Participants’ misconception scores before and after the intervention were assessed using a combination of answer correctness and subjective certainty.

Results and Discussion

For a start, the results revealed a high prevalence of p value misinterpretations (Hypothesis 1). Indeed, 98% of the participants made a least one mistake in the pretest. The actual misconception score however, which combines correctness and certainty ratings, indicates a mixture of actual misconceptions and missing concepts. Furthermore, planned contrast analyses revealed a large positive effect of the digital intervention on reducing the participants’ misconceptions (Hypothesis 2). Finally, the prior positive mood induction via the funny videos did indeed yield an additional medium positive effect on reducing the participants’ misconceptions (Hypothesis 3).

Educational Significance of the Research

The present approach of combining correctness and certainty ratings allows gaining a more fine-grained picture of p value misinterpretations. For instance, the high subjective certainty in endorsing the statement that a p value allows deducing the alternative hypothesis’ probability indicates the presence of an actual misconception rather than just a missing concept. The brief intervention in this study offers an effective short-term remedy for such misconceptions. Of course, its intended use is not to replace traditional long-term courses. Rather, students who have already passed an introductory course could benefit from this highly efficient and convenient digital intervention. Finally, the present findings underscore the potential of funny videos to induce positive mood and to lighten learning about statistical misconceptions.

Introduction.

The transition from high school to university represents a pivotal educational and developmental moment, frequently coinciding with broader processes of increasing autonomy and identity consolidation. Building on the concept of emerging adulthood (Arnett, 2000; 2014) and related sociological approaches to youth transitions, this contribution conceptualises the move into higher education as not only an academic step but also a social and symbolic transition. Key thresholds during this phase include entering new institutional environments, assuming greater responsibility, and gaining recognition as an autonomous subject within formal systems.

For gender-diverse youth, these transitions are often complicated by a mismatch between lived gender identity and legal or administrative records, including the continued use of a deadname. Such discrepancies can intensify vulnerability precisely at a stage when recognition, belonging, and institutional inclusion are particularly salient. This contribution explores how educational institutions respond to these challenges and asks: How do institutional practices shape the transition experiences of gender-diverse youth from secondary to higher education, and what forms of responsiveness can support more inclusive educational pathways?

Methods.

The paper draws on mixed-methods research conducted at two public universities in Poland, complemented by broader national-level analyses of institutional practices in higher education. The empirical basis includes qualitative interviews, quantitative survey data, and interdisciplinary expert input from the fields of law, psychology, sociology, sexology, and ethics. The study informed the development of institutional recommendations aimed at improving the situation of transgender and non-binary students within university settings. While grounded in the Polish context, the analysis addresses challenges that are common across many higher education systems, particularly those characterised by rigid administrative structures and limited legal recognition of gender diversity.

Results and Discussion.

The findings indicate that the beginning of university education is often perceived by gender-diverse youth as an opportunity to establish a more coherent and self-affirming position within society and educational institutions. At the same time, this expectation is frequently undermined by administrative procedures that rely on legal names and binary gender classifications. Experiences of misgendering and deadnaming emerge as especially detrimental, negatively affecting students’ sense of dignity, safety, and belonging.

Importantly, the analysis shows that supportive practices are not dependent solely on individual goodwill but can be embedded at the institutional level. Measures such as the consistent use of self-identified names and pronouns in everyday academic interactions, flexible internal procedures, and clear institutional guidelines contribute significantly to more inclusive educational environments. The findings further highlight the importance of involving gender-diverse students themselves in the development of such measures, recognising them as knowledgeable partners in shaping institutional responses.

Educational Significance.

By focusing on the transition from secondary to higher education, this poster highlights a critical yet occasionally overlooked moment in educational trajectories. It underscores the shared responsibility of high schools, which prepare young people for adult participation, and universities, which constitute their first sustained encounter with adult institutional life. Increased awareness of the specific challenges faced by gender-diverse youth can support the development of more responsive educational practices and promote equal participation in academic communities.

Introduction

This poster presentation looks at writing not just as a skill, but as a tool for social participation in higher education. I’m working within the Languages as a Tool for Social Participation research framework, and I argue that composing and writing are not just tools for producing effective writing but rather, are forms of social justice work that aids students in becoming active, engaged citizens of the world. In contemporary writing studies, we often argue that language functions as a primary tool for social participation, shaping who can access knowledge, whose voices are legitimized, and how learners engage in academic, professional, and local communities (Norton, B., & Toohey, K, 2011). From this perspective, composing and writing are not neutral academic skills but socially situated practices that mediate power, access to knowledge and resources, and participation across varying social spheres.

My research draws on genre theory and multimodal composition. The study conceptualizes writing as an epistemic practice through which learners generate knowledge and participate in disciplinary, professional, and social/community discourse. Genre theory positions writing as social action shaped by community norms, while multimodal composition recognizes meaning-making across linguistic, visual, and digital resources (Barwashi & Reiff, 2010; Palmquist, 2023). Together, these frameworks foreground language as a condition for participation, agency, and equity across disciplines. As instructional delivery increasingly includes in-person, hybrid, and virtual formats, this study examines how instructional delivery modes and teaching diverse composing shape opportunities for equitable and ethical social participation.

Methods

This study combines a review of writing studies scholarship within the contexts of literacy equity, access, diversity, and inclusion. It also includes the preliminary analysis of course data from students across multiple writing courses over the past year. In my research and review of writing studies scholarship, I draw on genre theory and multimodal composition to show how social justice-focused writing helps students navigate various discourse communities and participate in knowledge-making across various environments and audiences. The quantitative component analyzes data collected from surveys and student work from entry-level and upper-division, writing-intensive undergraduate courses delivered across in-person, hybrid, and fully virtual formats at a large, west coast research university in the United States. The study examines how different writing instruction delivery modes—face-to-face, hybrid, and virtual—either expand, engage or exclude or limit equitable and ethical social participation opportunities. Some variables in the research include performance on genre-based assignments, revision frequency, and levels of participation. My course designs are categorized by the emphasis on incorporating assignments that promote genre awareness, generate feedback opportunities, and multimodal composing practices.

Results

The initial study shows that writing instruction founded in genre theory, multimodal composition Across disciplines, is framed as a means of entering communities, negotiating authority, and participating in knowledge production. Results are ongoing; however, preliminary results show that writing courses intentionally designed around genre awareness, feedback, and multimodal composing tend to increase literacy equity in terms of access, engagement, and usability in virtual, hybrid, and in-person learning environments.

Discussion

Initial findings suggest that instructional delivery choices are not modality-neutral but shape who can participate meaningfully in academic, professional, and social writing practices. When delivery modes align with genre-based and multimodal approaches, composing becomes a site of both disciplinary learning and social participation for students. In contrast, writing courses relying primarily on high-stakes, text-only assessments may reproduce inequities by limiting opportunities for revision, feedback, and multimodal expression.

This poster contributes to discussions about the future of higher education by positioning writing as both scientific discovery and social justice work. For educators, the findings highlight the ethical implications of instructional design decisions. For institutions, the study supports the development of inclusive writing curricula that expand access to disciplinary participation across modalities. The Gallery Walk participants are invited to discuss how genre, modality, and multimodality can be intentionally aligned to promote equitable participation in their own contexts.

Introduction

Spacing one’s practice is known to be more effective than massing (Dunlosky et al., 2013). Nevertheless, learners tend to cram shortly before a test, which may be due to their perceptions of higher effort and greater motivational demands associated with spaced practice (Rea et al., 2022). This raises the question of how learners can be effectively supported in adopting spaced practice. Implementing gamification elements in a digital learning platform may be a promising approach, as they have the potential to enhance motivation and engagement (Sailer & Homner, 2020).

The present study aims (1) to investigate how learners implement massed and spaced practice schedules when practice is unsupervised and therefore more self-regulated than in typical spacing experiments, and (2) how integrating gamification elements influences the amount of practice and final test performance. To address these aims, we are currently conducting a preregistered laboratory experiment with self-regulated learning phases in an unsupervised digital learning environment.

Methods

The study followed a 2 × 2 between-participants design with practice schedule (massed vs. spaced) and gamification (no vs. yes) as factors. The primary dependent variables were study behavior (operationalized as the number of practiced vocabulary pairs) and final test performance (assessed with a cued recall and a multiple-choice test).

The study consisted of three phases. The first phase took place in the laboratory. Participants (planned N = 204, based on an a-priori power analysis) were randomly assigned to the four conditions and completed a tutorial explaining the learning platform and practice schedule.

In the second phase, all participants completed four Swedish vocabulary units within 24 hours outside the laboratory. Each unit consisted of a study phase and a practice phase. During each study phase, participants viewed a table containing ten Swedish words and their German translations. Time on task was self-regulated. In the subsequent practice phase, participants were shown the ten Swedish words in randomized order and had to type in the corresponding German translations. After each response, the correct vocabulary pair was displayed as immediate feedback. After completing all four units, participants in the massing conditions completed three practice tests directly afterwards, whereas practice in the spacing conditions was spread across seven days.

In the third phase, one week after the last practice session, learning performance was assessed in two laboratory-based final tests (massed groups: day 8; spaced groups: day 15). Participants completed a cued recall test followed by a multiple-choice test. Neither test was time limited. Gamification was implemented using a badge system. In total, participants could earn nine main badges: one for completing the tutorial, one for each vocabulary unit, one for each practice round, and one for completing the final test. Participants could monitor their progress on a badge overview page, where unlocked main badges were displayed in color, whereas locked badges appeared in black and white.

Results and Discussion

Data collection is still ongoing. Regarding study behavior, we expect participants in the massed conditions to practice more vocabulary pairs during the practice phase than participants in the spaced conditions. Furthermore, we predict participants in the gamified conditions to practice more vocabulary pairs than participants in the non-gamified conditions. We also expect that the difference in the amount of practiced vocabulary pairs between the spaced and massed conditions will be reduced when gamification elements are implemented.

Regarding final test performance, we predict better performance in the gamified conditions than in the non-gamified conditions. In addition, we expect that gamification will amplify the spacing effect on final test performance, such that the spacing effect will be larger under gamified conditions.

Educational significance of the research

From an educational perspective, the present study aims to contribute to a better understanding of whether the robust spacing effects observed in experimenter-regulated settings translate to situations in which learners need to make use of provided practice opportunities to benefit from a spaced practice schedule. Moreover, they may indicate that learning platforms can support learners in adhering to spaced practice schedules by incorporating features like gamification elements rather than merely providing opportunities for spaced practice.

Introduction: The PROMOS project ITAT-11-023 is a cross-border initiative that strengthens the Italian–Austrian biomedical innovation ecosystem by connecting universities, research institutes, SMEs, and innovation clusters to support technology transfer from academia to market and clinical practice. PROMOS runs as Interreg Italy-Austria project in 2024-2026, and it directly addresses a growing challenge in higher education: expectations for societal and economic impact among PhD students and early-career researchers are rising, while doctoral training structures have only partially adapted to support the development of innovation and entrepreneurship-related competences (McChesney et al., 2025; Muñoz et al., 2020; Plantec et al., 2023; Wróblewska et al., 2024).

PROMOS responds to this gap through a targeted training strategy that combines flexibility with experiential learning, in a post-pandemic scenario using formats that align with PhD students and early-career researchers needs and working realities.

For that, it was implemented a blended approach combining a pilot Micro-Credential (MC) program delivered via Moodle platform including asynchronous content with live workshop; and intensive in-person Innovation Camps (IC) focused on individual coaching towards boosting entrepreneurial skills of early career researchers.

This study examines how the combined Micro-Credential and Innovation Camp approach supports PhD students and early-career researchers in developing innovation-relevant competences. In particular, it explores how in-person Innovation Camps influence engagement, learning progression, and networking opportunities compared to online training (Chandran et al., 2021), and how this blended format can be further refined to better meet current academic and professional requirements.

Methodology: The MC was delivered through the Moodle e-learning platform as a flexible, self-directed learning pathway for PhD students and early-career researchers. It combines complementary formats to support the development of innovation-relevant competences while fitting research-intensive schedules. Based on the preliminary stakeholder survey (n=134), the MC covers science communication, intellectual property, and entrepreneurship, integrating theory with practical application. Science communication includes asynchronous content and a live workshop led by external experts, while intellectual property training is delivered as fully online, focusing on patents, applied exercises, and a case-based approach. Entrepreneurship training addresses market analysis, strategic positioning, pitching, and storytelling. Pre- and post-training surveys were used to assess perceived learning outcomes.

The ICs were delivered as intensive, one-week, in-person bootcamps in May 2025 (Lakeside Science & Technology Park Klagenfurt, Austria) and January 2026 (NOI Techpark Bolzano, Italy). The camps combined team-based project work with mentoring from a start-up coach, consultations with start-ups members, and sessions led by academic and industry experts. The program concluded with five-minute pitch presentation rehearsals for upcoming Innovation Meetings and structured feedback from both academic and industry perspectives. Participant experience was evaluated through structured pre- and post-camp surveys focusing on networking, learning and co-creation, individual work, format perception, and overall satisfaction.

Results and Discussion: Preliminary results indicate a positive learning impact of the PROMOS training formats, particularly for the in-person Innovation Camps. In the first camp (n=7), all seven participants completed the pre-camp survey and five completed the post-camp survey. Despite the limited sample size, results show a clear learning progression, especially in content-related dimensions such as subject delivery, subject co-creation, and individual work, suggesting a steep learning curve during the intensive in-person format.

In the second camp (n=7), two participants completed the pre-camp survey and seven completed the post-camp survey. While data collection has been completed, analysis of learning outcomes and networking effects is ongoing. For the Micro-Credential program, participation included 11 learners in Science Communication, 9 in Intellectual Property, and 10 in Entrepreneurship. Final post-training survey results will be available in the end of February after the piloting phase.

Educational Significance of the research: This project contributes to the understanding of how innovation-oriented competences can be effectively developed within doctoral education. By combining MC with in-person ICs, the PROMOS approach addresses a persistent gap between traditional PhD training and the growing expectations for societal impact, entrepreneurship, and cross-sector collaboration. The findings provide evidence on the added educational value of experiential, face-to-face learning in a post-pandemic context, particularly for engagement, networking, and applied learning. More broadly, this study informs the design of flexible, scalable training models that better align doctoral education with contemporary academic and professional requirements for PhD students and early-career researchers.

Introduction

With the introduction of mandatory subjects like Austria’s "Basic Digital Education", schools face the challenge of teaching digital literacy not merely as user skills, but from a holistic point of view. Theoretically grounded in the "Frankfurt Triangle", this requires balancing technological understanding with socio-cultural reflection and interaction (Eichstetter, 2024). However, current educational practice often has difficulties in uniting all three areas and bridging the gap between abstract criticism of the system and the reality of students' lives.

To address this problem, this study uses the concept of Computational Empowerment, which extends traditional education by fostering learners to ask not only how technology works, but also how it can be changed (Iversen et al., 2018). Computational Empowerment aims to transform students from passive consumers to (design-) protagonists (Iivari & Kinnula, 2018; Iversen et al., 2017), active agents, who are able to co-create their digital world. A possible theoretical tool to foster this is the concept of "Enacted Utopias" (Sannino, 2020). In this approach, students not only discuss theoretical alternatives to current algorithmic systems, but also actively "enact" them by creating prototypes through media production and role-playing.

This study centers on the digital serious game "The Feed" (2024) by Playing History and Suspicious Games, where players act as social media interns optimizing algorithms for profit. This simulation serves as the anchor for a material-based intervention designed to answer two research questions:

• RQ1: How can game-based learning and remixing of game elements be structured to shift students’ focus from individual user tactics toward a systemic, socio-technical critique?

• RQ2: How can educational materials be designed to scaffold teachers in facilitating Computational Empowerment?

Methods

This Design-Based Research (DBR) study investigates the sustainable implementation of Computational Empowerment in secondary classrooms (grades 7-8).

• Iteration 1: Conducted at a Middle School in Vienna (n=46, 7th grade). Students played "The Feed" and engaged in remixing by producing Let’s Plays and fake social media posts.

• Iteration 2: Conducted at the Centre for Teacher Education in Vienna with a visiting Middle School class from Lower Austria (n=22, 8th grade). The design shifted toward multiperspectivity. Students freely chose two out of five stakeholder roles (Users, Tech-Companies, Influencers, Parents, Politics) to develop utopian improvement strategies before contrasting them with the game "The Feed".

• Iteration 3 (Planned Spring 2026): An integrative "Enacted Utopia" concept, combining remixing and role-play to let students redesign possible, alternative digital futures.

Results and Discussion

The analysis of iteration 1 revealed initial findings: Although the students were very interested in producing content, for example, by imitating the approaches of influencers in their Let's Plays, the discussions showed that they still viewed the algorithm as static. The students perceived agency only in adapting their own behavior to the algorithm, failing to question the systemic power structures. The "Enacted Utopia" was limited to optimizing one's own feed, rather than changing the system.

Consequently, Iteration 2 utilized the materials to force a perspective shift. By drafting strategies from the viewpoint of regulators or developers, students enacted a systemic alternative. The subsequent gameplay provided a crucial "reality check". This contrast, facilitated by the materials, sparked a far deeper socio-technical critique than media production alone.

Educational Significance of the research

These initial DBR results point to a promising way to foster Computational Empowerment. They show that in order to become (design-)protagonists, students need spaces where they can "try out" alternatives before they can effectively criticize the current system. The study highlights that integrating serious games into constructivist design activities (remixing, prototyping) allows students to experience the formability of technology. This approach ultimately aims to empower learners to see new technologies not as inevitable forces, but as designs that can be questioned, critiqued and reimagined.

Introduction. Dyslexia is a common learning disability affecting approximately 3–7% of the global population, characterized by atypical development of reading and spelling skills despite normal age-appropriate intelligence and no sensory or neurological impairments. Multiple factors may contribute to dyslexia, giving rise to a heterogeneous group of individuals with varying symptoms. While the phonological deficit theory is the most commonly accepted explanation for dyslexia [1], other theories have also been suggested. Literature data suggest that are cases where phonological deficits could be not detected and impaired reading ability may arise from deficits in appropriate visual attention [2, 3]. Our study focused on examining the visual attention span (VAS) hypothesis with Hungarian-speaking elementary school children. We hypothesized that typically developing children would perform differently in visual attention span tasks for letters and symbols, while children with dyslexia were expected to perform similar performance across both type of tasks. Morever, children with dyslexia were predicted to have specific deficit on letter-based visual attention.

Methods. Our study involved 77 Hungarian-speaking elementary school student. 35 children were poor readers and poor spellers (at least 0.9 Sd below average on standardized tasks) with the mean age of 10.2 and standard deviation of 1.03. The other 42 children were typically developing regarding reading and spelling (within 0.5 Sd from age-appropriate). The mean age was 9.82 with a standard deviation of 1.2. Visual attention span was measure using two computerized tasks, where the two tasks had the identical design. Five different visual stimuli were flashed in the middle of the screen for the duration of 200 ms. After that two visual stimuli appeared above and below of a certain one location, and the participants had to indicate which of the stimuli was identical to the original presentation. The two tasks had a different set of stimuli: in one of them we used consonants (C, H, J, L, N and V), while in the other simple line drawings (envelope, car, flower, star, sun, house) were used. Visual attention was assessed by calculating the proportion of the correct responses.

Results and discussions. In case of the letters typical readers achieved the highest hit rate for letters in the first, third (middle) and fifth (last) positions and the same pattern was observed in the group of poor readers. Considering the letter task, we performed a 5 × 2 mixed ANOVA, using position as the within-subject variable and group (dyslexia vs. typical readers) as the between-subject variable. ANOVA did not reveal significant difference neither between the hit rate of positions nor between the results of the two groups in any positions examined. For the symbol task, the pattern of visual attention across the five positions differed from that observed for letters. In both groups, hit rate of the middle position was the highest, and a gradually decrease towards the periphery was detected. While the pattern of the two groups was identical, children with dyslexia performed significantly lower. Consistent with our expectation, visual attention span of typically developing children developed different in case of letter versus non-letter tasks. The pattern of results was similar in the group of poor readers. While a more pronounced deficit was expected in the letter-based task, the results revealed a specific deficit with non-letter task stimuli. This result agree with earlier literature data suggesting that letters are overpracticed visual symbols [3]. However, children with dyslexia appeared to be less sensitive to novel visual stimuli. Learning novel constellations of visual stimuli may be crucial in the formation of orthographic representations.

Educational significance of the research. Identifying that a student’s dyslexia is partly related to a visual attention deficit allows for more targeted instructional planning. Based on the results of visual attention assessments, teachers can implement strategies that compensate for these difficulties. Moreover, since visual attention problems can be detected as early as kindergarten or first grade, such assessments provide an opportunity for timely intervention.

Revised Abstract (Reduced to 685 words)

Introduction

Project-based learning (PBL) is used in interdisciplinary higher education to engage students in authentic problems requiring integration of knowledge from multiple domains. When students from different academic backgrounds collaborate, they face challenges establishing common ground. Diverse disciplinary perspectives bring varied methodologies, epistemological assumptions, and specialized vocabularies that create collaboration barriers (Borrego & Newswander, 2010). Without explicit attention to team formation, interdisciplinary groups may experience frustration, miscommunication, and reduced learning outcomes (Hmelo-Silver & Barrows, 2006).

Traditional icebreakers often do not address challenges of building shared understanding of collaborative learning approaches. Research on game-based learning offers a potential solution, demonstrating that games create experiential environments where learners actively construct understanding (Kolb, 1984), fulfill psychological needs for autonomy and relatedness (Ryan & Deci, 2000), and promote face-to-face interaction (Kangas, 2010).

This study presents the design and development of the PBL Game, an educational board game to support team formation in interdisciplinary PBL environments. The game creates structured opportunities for students to build interpersonal connections, reflect on prior learning experiences, and develop shared understanding of PBL principles before project work. The research addresses three questions: (1) How can game-based learning support team formation in interdisciplinary PBL contexts? (2) What design principles facilitate dialogue about collaborative learning among diverse student groups? (3) How does structured gameplay prepare students for project collaboration?

Methods

The PBL Game was developed using design-based research (DBR) methodology, emphasizing iterative design, implementation in authentic contexts, and collaboration between researchers and practitioners (Collins et al., 2004). Development proceeded through four phases: problem analysis and needs assessment; design principles development; iterative prototyping with three major iterations; and material refinement.

Design principles were informed by four theoretical perspectives: constructivist learning theory, experiential learning theory (Kolb, 1984), situated learning and communities of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991), and self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000). This integration guided game structure and mechanics development.

The game employs a cooperative journey metaphor with three progressive pathways for 3-6 participants plus one facilitator. Line 1 facilitates interpersonal connections. Line 2 prompts metacognitive reflection on prior learning experiences. Line 3 explores PBL concepts and prepares participants for collaborative work. Game mechanics ensure equal participation, with every player responding to each question. The design rejects competitive elements, focusing on conversation quality and connection.

Implementation occurred with multiple cohorts of interdisciplinary students in innovation and technology programs. Sessions lasted 60-90 minutes with trained facilitators who documented the process.

Results and Discussion

Implementation observations documented consistent engagement patterns. Students demonstrated active listening, built on responses, and expressed discovery of commonalities with teammates from different disciplines. The physical game created shared activity distinct from typical classroom interactions.

Analysis revealed the progressive structure functioned as intended. Line 1 questions established initial connections enabling Line 2 to facilitate deeper sharing about learning challenges. Line 3 discussions integrated earlier insights when addressing PBL approaches. The checkpoint system provided flexible stopping points for time-limited sessions.

Design insights emerged: removal of competitive elements facilitated authentic sharing; progressive structure provided scaffolding for trust-building; physical board-game format contributed engagement qualities not replicated by digital alternatives; questions based on universal learning experiences enabled contributions regardless of disciplinary background.

Game implementation demonstrates operationalization of constructivist, experiential, and situated learning principles. Students engaged in meaning-making through dialogue, progressed through Kolb's experiential learning cycle, and participated in establishing a PBL community of practice.

Educational Significance

This work contributes to educational practice and research. For practitioners, the PBL Game provides a theoretically grounded tool for team formation requiring minimal facilitator training, no specialized technology, and adaptation to varying time constraints. It addresses documented challenges in interdisciplinary collaboration while creating structured opportunities for relationship building and developing understanding of collaborative learning approaches.

For researchers, the study demonstrates how analog game design supports collaborative learning in higher education and documents design-based research processes for educational game development. It illustrates integration of multiple learning theories in practical application.

For students, the game creates equitable participation structures across diverse disciplinary backgrounds, promotes metacognitive reflection, and establishes shared foundations for collaboration before project work.

Future research should examine longitudinal effects on team effectiveness, explore adaptations for different institutional contexts, investigate digital versions for distributed teams, and identify specific game elements contributing to observed outcomes.

Theoretical background: The successful acquisition of foundational academic competencies, such as literacy and numeracy, builds on children’s social-emotional competencies, self-regulation, self-efficacy, and competencies for cooperative participation in group contexts (Blair & Razza, 2007; Durlak et al. 2022; Köller et al. 2022; Murano et al. 2020). Beyond their role in supporting learning processes, these soft skills are increasingly discussed as key future competencies that enable children to act confidently and overcome challenges in a changing world (BMBFSFJ, 2025; OECD, 2020). While families play an important role in their early development, early childhood education and care (ECEC) and primary school settings constitute central institutional contexts in which these competencies can be systematically fostered through everyday practice.

However, promoting future-relevant soft skills is not limited to individual pedagogical or instructional activities. Rather, it is closely linked to organizational conditions that shape daily practice, professional cooperation, and the implementation of innovative educational approaches. Institutions differ in many dimensions of organizational quality, which influence educational processes (Anders & Oppermann, 2024; Scheerens, 2015). These include, for example, educational objectives, team processes and climate, leadership behavior, and innovation readiness (Anders & Oppermann, 2024; Holzberger et al., 2022; Holzberger & Schiepe-Tiska, 2021; Scheerens, 2015; Wang & Degol, 2016).

Understanding which dimensions of organizational quality are most relevant for the promotion of future competencies and how they differ between institutional contexts is crucial for institutional development and for designing effective and context-sensitive programs.

Research question: Which dimensions of organizational quality are the most robust predictors of the extent to which future-relevant soft skills are addressed and promoted in ECEC centers and primary schools?

Method: Using a two-wave design, educators in ECEC and primary school settings were first surveyed regarding organizational quality (Time 1). The assessment covered individual and collective innovation readiness (4 items and 6 items; Diedrich et al., 2012; Quellenberg, 2009), collegial cohesion (7 items; Quellenberg, 2009), co-constructive staff practices (6 items; Fussangel et al., 2023), participatory leadership behavior (11 items; Warwas et al., 2019), and attitudes toward the usefulness of scientific evidence (4 items; Schoor & Schütz, 2021).

This was followed by a structured knowledge-transfer phase consisting of professional development activities, including materials on future-relevant soft skills. In innovation workshops and using materials provided, educators reflected on their team culture and worked on setting goals for promoting future-relevant soft skills in their institution. In the process, they also received feedback on their team’s willingness to innovate.

At Time 2 (approximately half a year later), educators reported the extent to which these competencies are addressed and promoted in their own everyday practice as well as their attitudes towards the future-related soft skills as an educational goal. Practically relevant items for four future-relevant soft skills, children’s social-emotional competencies, self-regulation, self-efficacy, and competencies for cooperative participation in group contexts, were created.

To identify the organizational dimensions with the highest predictive relevance for the promotion of future-relevant soft skills while accounting for multicollinearity among predictors, elastic net regression with cross-validation is applied (Zou & Hastie, 2005). Separate models are estimated for ECEC centers and primary schools to examine potential differences in predictive patterns.

Results: Data collection at Time 2 is currently ongoing and will be finished by the end of April 2026. The study aims to identify key organizational predictors of future-relevant soft skills promotion and to examine potential differences between ECEC and primary school.

Significance: Educational systems often implicitly expect children to enter institutional settings with well-developed soft skills, despite substantial variability in their prior opportunities to acquire them. By identifying organizational conditions that help foster the development of these competencies, this study contributes to a more differentiated understanding of how institutions can cultivate key future competencies rather than presuppose them. The findings can inform institutional development and contribute to more equitable and future-oriented educational environments.

Despite the considerable potential of digital media to support reading development in primary education, such as fostering decoding and fluency, enhancing comprehension, enabling adaptive scaffolding, and supporting formative assessment and diagnostic feedback, many teachers report limited confidence in integrating digital tools into subject-specific instruction.

Effective implementation requires more than technical familiarity. Teachers need pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) to understand key components of reading development (e.g., decoding, fluency, comprehension), technological content knowledge to select appropriate tools for specific reading skills (TCP), and technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) to meaningfully embed digital tools into everyday classroom practice.

However, research on digital media in primary education has largely focused on technological features rather than on the didactic quality of technology-enhanced reading instruction and the professional knowledge required for its implementation. Structured professional development that systematically links digital tools with differentiated reading support, particularly in heterogeneous classrooms, remains underexplored, and empirical evidence on such training formats is still limited.

Methods:

The professional development program was developed within a design-based research framework and grounded in findings from a nationwide questionnaire study on differentiated digital reading instruction in primary education. This preliminary survey identified teachers’ practices, challenges, and support needs regarding digital tools for diverse learner groups and informed the initial training design.

The multi-part program was implemented with primary school teachers (N = 46) across two iterative cycles (2024/25; 2025). A mixed-methods design combined standardized pre–post questionnaires, focus group discussions, and case vignettes.

Quantitative data were analyzed using non-parametric pre–post comparisons (Wilcoxon signed-rank tests) to assess changes in self-reported competence, knowledge of digital tools and functions, frequency of use, and attitudinal parameters. Effect sizes were calculated to estimate the magnitude of change. Qualitative data were examined using structured content analysis to identify patterns in differentiation strategies and tool selection.

Following the second cycle, results from both implementation phases were systematically synthesized to identify robust patterns across iterations and to derive empirically grounded design principles for future professional development programs.

Results and Discussion:

Across both implementation cycles, quantitative analyses (pre–post comparisons) indicate statistically significant increases in teachers’ self-reported competence in integrating digital tools into differentiated reading instruction. In particular, gains were found in (a) knowledge of specific free and AI-based tools, (b) understanding of tool functions (e.g., adaptive text simplification, audio support, vocabulary scaffolding), and (c) the ability to select tools aligned with distinct reading difficulties such as decoding problems, limited vocabulary, or reduced reading fluency. The effects were more pronounced in the second DBR cycle, suggesting that the iterative redesign improved clarity, practical applicability, and transfer into classroom practice. However, the findings also reveal a differentiated pattern of effects: while self-assessed competence and knowledge about digital tools and their functions increased significantly, changes in attitudinal parameters remained limited. In particular, teachers’ general attitudes toward digital media and their expectations that digital tools would substantially reduce workload or simplify instructional processes did not show statistically meaningful improvement, even after the iterative redesign in the second DBR cycle.

Overall, the results suggest that professional development can enhance didactic competence for addressing learner diversity through digital tools, but deeper belief-related dimensions appear more resistant to change and may require longer-term or structurally embedded interventions.

Educational Significance:

The study demonstrates how design-based professional development can systematically improve the meaningful integration of digital media in reading instruction. It identifies suitable free tools, highlights key conditions for successful implementation, and provides empirically grounded design principles for future teacher training programs.

Introduction

Audio (and video) materials, including podcasts, are being increasingly consumed at accelerated speeds (1.25×–2×). A recent survey (Ahn & Chan, 2025) indicates underlying reasons, such as time management (efficiency of being able to consume the same amount of content in less amount of time); optimality (not too fast nor too slow); attention (it is easier to pay attention due to the lack of breaks, resulting in a shorter input). Speed controls are now ubiquitous on almost all major digital platforms. Manipulating playback speed seems to be a common study behavior among learners, making it important to understand how it impacts learning processes and outcomes.

Cognitive Load Theory (CLT; Sweller, 1988) predicts that when transient information is presented faster than working memory capacity allows, extraneous load increases and learning deteriorates; this risk is amplified for spoken content because it disappears unless rehearsed or replayed. However, multiple studies show that learners can tolerate moderate increases in playback speed without measurable declines in comprehension. Early research demonstrated that accelerating speech up to approximately 1.5× often results in comparable performance to normal-speed conditions (e.g., Orr et al., 1969). More recent controlled experiments similarly found no significant performance differences between normal (1×) and moderately (1.5×) accelerated speech (and even at 2.5×; Chen et al., 2024), though they detected reductions in learner satisfaction (Ritzhaupt et al., 2008; 2015). Yet these effects shift sharply at extreme speeds: comprehension decreases, perceived difficulty escalates, and cognitive load substantially increases when speech is played at very high rates (e.g., 3×; Yang et al., 2020). These discrepancies raise important theoretical and practical questions about the optimal speed for learning, boundary conditions (e.g., prior knowledge, listening habits), and whether learners’ subjective reports accurately reflect underlying cognitive load.

Addressing these gaps, the present interdisciplinary study brings together cognitive neuroscience and educational technology to examine the impact of podcast playback speed on cognitive load, engagement, and learning performance using both subjective and physiological measures. Our aims are twofold. First, we investigate how three playback speeds: normal (1×), faster (1.5×), and much faster (2×), affect those dependent variables. Second, we conduct a methodological comparison of self-reported cognitive load measures with physiological indicators, including electroencephalography (EEG), electrodermal activity (EDA), and heart rate, recorded using Bitbrain wearable devices (2018). This combination enables a deeper examination of how learners’ subjective perceptions align with neurophysiological markers of cognitive effort under varying temporal constraints.

Methods

The study employs a within-subjects design in which each participant listens to the same podcast episodes about soundwaves in all three playback-speed conditions. Condition order will be counterbalanced to control for sequence effects. Based on an a priori power analysis, we plan to recruit at least 30 adult participants, who will complete self-report questionnaires on cognitive load (Klepsch et al., 2017), podcast-listening habits, engagement (Deng et al., 2019), and comprehension assessments following each condition. Physiological data will be collected continuously during listening. Repeated-measures ANOVA will be used to evaluate the effects of playback speed on all dependent variables, with follow-up pairwise comparisons where appropriate. Prior knowledge and podcast-listening habits will be included as covariates or moderators (depending on the nature of the effect) if preliminary tests indicate an influence on outcomes. The study received ethical approval, and data collection is planned for March 2026; the results will be reported at the conference.

Educational Significance

By integrating multimodal data in a realistic listening context, this study provides a novel contribution to both cognitive load research and audio-based learning design. Findings have the potential to inform educators, instructional designers, and technology developers about the conditions under which accelerated listening supports or hinders learning. More broadly, results may guide the development of adaptive, bio-responsive learning interfaces, including neuromorphic and neuroadaptive systems, that dynamically adjust playback speed based on real-time cognitive load signals. Ultimately, understanding how learners process accelerated audio is essential for designing effective educational technologies aligned with modern media consumption practices.

Theoretical Background, Aims and Research Questions

On the one hand, reading skills at primary school level are declining, on the other hand, reading behaviour in digital environments is increasing. Therefore, primary education faces a dual challenge: fostering strong foundational reading skills while simultaneously adapting instruction to digital formats. Under certain conditions digital tools can support reading comprehension. Yet, studies show inconsistent findings regarding digital reading comprehension: some studies report advantages for print-based reading, whereas others highlight the role of device familiarity and digital scaffolds in supporting comprehension. Hence, reading instruction should take into account not only individual reading competences but also criteria of high-quality reading instruction and evidence-based approaches.

The present study is situated within the broader discourse on educational technologies as interdisciplinary and innovative tools for addressing heterogeneity in classrooms. It builds on the XXX project (XXXXX), which developed and evaluated differentiated, cross-curricular digital reading materials for Austrian primary schools to promote reading comprehension. These materials are grounded in evidence-based approaches that are innovatively integrated in a digital learning environment.

An intervention group was divided into three subgroups. Each group received differentiated digital material with a different evidence-based reading comprehension approach: vocabulary instruction, reading strategies and the promotion of reading fluency through audio files. Quantitative (text length, sentence structure) and qualitative (lexical and syntactic complexity) differentiation ensure accessibility while maintaining common curricular topics.

Beyond questions of effectiveness, the project addresses the evaluation of the concept, focusing on students´ perception. Therefore, this study attempts to answer the questions to what extent do three intervention groups differ with regard to (a) their reading development and in (b) students´ evaluation of the lesson concept?

Methods

The study used a parallel mixed-methods design (QUAN + QUAL) to holistically evaluate the intervention in Austrian third-grade classrooms. The intervention group (N=708) was divided into three subgroups: reading strategy (n=225), audio function (n=259), and vocabulary tasks (n=220). A control group comprised 204 students.

Reading comprehension was assessed using a standardized pre–post design. Quantitative analyses (ANOVA) were conducted using SPSS V30 to compare reading development across groups. After checking for variance homogeneity, Welch-test and Games-Howell-test were applied.

To capture the students' perspectives and experiences, an online questionnaire (N = 603) was conducted with the participating students. The questionnaire consisted of 9 sections (e.g., students´ opinion on elements that support reading comprehension) and included 51 questions (e.g., “The XXX-materials use words I am familiar with.”). The results of the questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics in Excel but also with t-tests for group comparisons in SPSS V30.

Results

Preliminary results indicated significantly steeper development of reading performance for the audio group (MD=1.178, p<.001) and vocabulary group (MD=1.529, p<001) compared to the CG. No significant differences in reading performance development were found between the reading strategy group and the CG (MD=.702, p=.270). Moreover, the audio group achieved significantly better results in reading performance development than the reading strategy group (MD=1.016, p=0.042).

Students rated elements of the materials as varying in their usefulness in supporting reading comprehension. Female students (M=3.04, p=.032, d=1.079) consider cooperative task formats to be more supportive than male students. L2 learners (M=3.04, p<.001, d= .184) and students with SEN (M=2.55, p=.002 and d=1.215) find the function of having a text read aloud more helpful in supporting their reading comprehension than their peers.

Educational Significance of the Research

The mixed-methods approach contributes to research on educational technologies by demonstrating how digitally, evidence-based reading interventions can support inclusive learning processes in heterogeneous primary classrooms. The synthesis of the perspectives of researchers and students makes it possible to identify elements of digital learning environments that take individual needs into account but are also effective.

Introduction: Teacher quality is a key driver of student learning, surpassing many school-structural influences. Amid teacher shortages, selection systems must identify candidates who can teach effectively, manage classrooms, cope with demands, remain satisfied, and avoid burnout. Austria has implemented a second-career pathway in which professionals enter teaching and later complete in-service training. To support high-quality selection for this pathway, an online assessment (TESAT-SC; Authors, in press) was developed as stage two of a tri-modal certification process. TESAT-SC focuses on non-cognitive constructs shown to relate to teacher success: emotion regulation, health and recreation behavior, Big Five personality, openness to diversity, and appreciation of creativity. The present longitudinal study evaluates (1) the test quality of TESAT-SC with emphasis on social validity (candidate acceptance and perceived job-relatedness) and (2) the predictive validity (correlations with self-rated professional success). Method: Data were collected in two cohorts across multiple time points. At t0, candidates completed the 90-minute proctored online TESAT-SC; nearly all achieved conditional or unrestricted suitability and consented to follow-up contact. Short online follow-ups were administered at t1 and t2, with response rates around 45–50%. For social validity analyses, the study used all t1 respondents from Cohort 1 (N=825). For predictive validity, the study included only those respondents who were employed as teachers at follow-up and who had complete data: N=354 (Cohort 1) and N=427 (Cohort 2). Depending on employment status, participants received tailored questionnaires. The constructs assessed in TESAT-SC were measured with validated instruments: emotion regulation (situational judgment test), health/recreation (situational questionnaire), Big Five (excluding Openness), openness to diversity, and appreciation of creativity. Outcomes for predictive validity focused on self-assessed professional success, well-being, and classroom management. Results and discussion: Social validity was high. Candidates were satisfied with content and delivery and perceived a strong link to job demands. Subscale differences in job-relatedness were small: emotion regulation and Big Five were rated most relevant; health/recreation was least accepted – likely due to perceived intrusiveness – yet still above average. Predictive validity was modest but consistent: most TESAT SC constructs predicted self rated professional success with low to moderate effects; the overall score correlated at (Cohort 1) and (Cohort 2). Big Five traits – especially conscientiousness and extraversion – were strongest, matching prior evidence, whereas emotion regulation showed fewer links; health behavior, despite lower acceptance, related to at least two of three criteria. This illustrates that social and diagnostic validity need not align. Even modest validity can be practically useful in selection (Kuncel & Hezlett, 2010). Selection of second career teachers remain under researched; predictors from pre service populations may not fully transfer. The battery omitted cognitive tests (given degree requirements and restricted range), but language skills may be considered in future iterations. Openness to diversity and appreciation of creativity showed limited predictive value, possibly due to transparency and social desirability; alternative formats or reintroducing Big Five Openness are under consideration, and weightings may require recalibration. Limitations include self report outcomes, potential nonresponse bias, and faking in high stakes contexts; future work should incorporate objective, longitudinal indicators (e.g., student ratings of classroom management and instructional quality). Educational Significance: TESAT-SC appears acceptable to candidates and provides incremental, practically useful prediction of early teaching success among second-career entrants. In a system facing teacher shortages, a structured, evidence-informed assessment can help select applicants who are more likely to manage classrooms effectively, sustain well-being, and remain in the profession. Even modest validities can improve cohort quality at scale. Continuous refinement – incorporating less fakeable formats, reconsidering low-validity constructs, and potentially assessing language skills – can further enhance fairness and predictive power. Ultimately, TESAT-SC offers a defensible, improvable foundation for selecting second-career teachers and supports a more resilient teacher workforce.

1. Introduction

Universities operate in an era of continuous and multidimensional transformation. Digitalisation, artificial intelligence, demographic shifts, geopolitical instability, and global crises are reshaping the conditions under which teaching and learning take place (Stöcker, 2022). These dynamics challenge long standing assumptions about knowledge, academic authority, assessment, and the pedagogical responsibilities of higher education institutions. At the same time, students increasingly seek learning that fosters competence, judgement, agency, and meaningful societal engagement (Nieminen & Ketonen, 2024). Higher education is therefore confronted with the need to reconceptualise teaching—not simply by updating methods, but by developing a more comprehensive understanding of how effective learning emerges.

This contribution introduces the Relationship–Design–Orientation (R–D–O) Framework, which expands the structural logic of constructive alignment (Biggs, Tang & Kennedy, 2022). While constructive alignment offers a coherent foundation for linking outcomes, methods, and assessment, it does not fully account for the relational, contextual, and professional dimensions that shape learning in contemporary universities. The R–D–O Framework articulates these dimensions and offers an orientation tool for lecturers, educational developers, and institutions committed to intentional, reflective, and evidence informed pedagogical practice.

2. Methods

The framework was developed through multi stage qualitative consultations within a team of educational developers with extensive experience in certificate programmes in higher education. Discussions drew on recurring challenges in teaching development, long term professional observations, and feedback from programme participants. Through iterative analysis, we identified recurring themes that strongly influence teaching effectiveness but remain insufficiently systematised in traditional didactic models. This process generated three central dimensions - relationship, design, and orientation - that consistently influence pedagogical decision making across diverse teaching contexts.

3. Results and Discussion

The model places student learning at its conceptual core, represented by the established constructive alignment triangle linking outcomes, methods, and assessment. Surrounding and intersecting with this triangle are the three dimensions:

• Relationship encompasses the interpersonal, emotional, and social dynamics that shape learning - such as inclusive communication, trust building, diversity awareness, and feedback culture. These elements create the affective climate necessary for engagement and cognitive risk taking.

• Design refers to the intentional structuring of learning experiences, including the sequencing of activities, selection of methods, and orchestration of physical and digital environments. This dimension highlights the importance of deliberate pedagogical planning.

• Orientation addresses two forms of navigational work: providing students with clear direction through transparent expectations, feedback, and assessment practices; and enabling lecturers to reflect on their evolving professional roles within increasingly complex academic landscapes.

The analysis shows that these dimensions do not operate independently. Their deliberate overlap signals that effective teaching emerges from their interaction: relational practices influence design choices; design structures shape orientation work; and orientation affects relational dynamics. The shared intersection of all three dimensions marks the conceptual centre of the model: teaching as a relational, professionally situated, and context responsive practice.

These findings extend theoretical understandings of university teaching by showing that alignment, while essential, represents only one structural element within a far more complex pedagogical system. Traditional models often conceptualise teaching as a sequence of content centred decisions. In contrast, the R–D–O Framework understands teaching as an integrated set of relational and reflective practices embedded in social, emotional, and institutional contexts. This perspective foregrounds diversity, learner agency, and adaptive professional judgement as essential educational resources rather than peripheral considerations. It also highlights the normative nature of pedagogical categorisation - for example, whether feedback is understood as relational, design related, or orientational - thereby making implicit assumptions available for critical reflection.

4. Educational Significance

The R–D–O Framework offers lecturers, educational developers, researchers (e.g., in SoTL), and institutions a theoretically grounded and practically applicable orientation tool. It clarifies how multiple aspects of teaching interact and supports the development of coherent, research informed pedagogical practice. By providing a shared vocabulary and conceptual map, it strengthens reflective dialogue, enhances professional judgement, and helps institutions respond to the increasing complexity of contemporary higher education. Ultimately, the framework contributes to the overarching mission of universities: to foster meaningful, inclusive, and future oriented learning in times of rapid and permanent change.

Introduction

Student perceptions of teaching quality are widely used and relate meaningfully to achievement and motivation (Fauth et al. 2014; Wagner et al. 2016). They provide information at both the classroom and individual levels, reflecting shared student perceptions and individual experiences (Lüdtke et al. 2009).

However, research is ongoing regarding the extent to which student perceptions capture teacher-specific characteristics. Previous studies have explored teacher specificity in student perceptions through different approaches. Ruzek et al. (2022) analyzed teacher-specific effects by comparing students who experienced different teachers across subjects. Göllner et al. (2018) compared students with the same versus different teachers and found higher consistency among students sharing the same teacher, indicating teacher-specific perceptions. However, their analysis was limited to the student-level.

This study extends this approach by examining both student- and classroom-level teaching quality perceptions. Specifically, we investigate two questions: (RQ1) How stable are student perceptions of teaching quality at student and classroom levels across two consecutive school years (RQ2) How does the stability of student perceptions of teaching quality differ between students with the same versus different teachers?

Methods

Data were collected from 106 mathematics teachers and their 2,452 students (ages 9-19, M = 13.20) across 20 German schools as part of the UNITAS study (Jaekel et al. 2022). Measurements were taken in spring/summer 2018 (T1) and one year later in 2019 (T2). Of these students, 1,557 (63.5%) had the same mathematics teacher at both time points, while 895 (36.5%) experienced a teacher change. On average, 23 students per classroom participated.

Teaching quality was assessed with five scales based on three basic quality domains (Klieme et al., 2001): monitoring and disturbance management (classroom management), handling mistakes and motivational support (student support), and clarity (cognitive activation). All scales showed satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.72–0.85).

Data were analyzed using a multilevel confirmatory factor analysis with a multiple-group specification to distinguish between classrooms taught by the same teacher and those taught by different teachers over time. To control school-level differences, all variables were school-mean centered.

Results and Discussion

Regarding RQ1, ICCs indicated moderate classroom-level agreement across time (T1: 0.30–0.44; T2: 0.19–0.48). Student perceptions showed moderate stability at the student level (β = 0.36–0.53) and moderate to high stability at the classroom level (β = 0.54–0.72) across two years. Classroom-level stability consistently exceeds student-level stability across all dimensions, with mistake handling showing the strongest classroom-level effect (β = 0.72). However, these analyses do not distinguish whether stability reflects stable teacher behavior or other factors, motivating RQ2.

To address RQ2, stability coefficients were consistently higher in the same-teacher group than in the different-teacher group at both levels. This pattern suggests that teachers contribute to greater consistency in student perceptions, rather than differences due to shared classroom perceptions. The same-teacher group primarily drives higher classroom-level stability.

For the same-teacher group, classroom-level stability ranged from β = 0.77–0.88, and student-level stability from β = 0.41–0.64, whereas the different-teacher group exhibited lower stability across both levels, particularly at the classroom level (β = 0.24–0.53 across dimensions). These results suggest that certain dimensions (e.g., mistake handling) exhibit stronger teacher specificity, while others show variability in how teacher-specific effects manifest at student versus classroom levels.

Educational Significance of the research

Understanding the extent to which teaching quality dimensions capture teacher-specific information is essential for their valid interpretation and use. The dimensions with higher specificity identified in the present study allow the conclusion about individual teachers and can meaningfully inform feedback, professional development, and research on teacher effects. Likewise, Isolation of specific teacher effects enables more powerful testing of the association between teaching quality and students’ achievement.

Introduction

Metacognition refers to the regulation of cognitive performance through interacting monitoring and control processes. Monitoring is commonly operationalized using judgements of confidence (JoC), whereas control is reflected in behavioral adjustments following the assessments, such as post-error slowing (PES), defined as increased response time on trials following errors compared correct responses (Jacobs et al., 2024). Because post-error slowing depends on error awareness (Kirschner et al., 2020), we further investigated post-error awareness slowing (PEAS), as the difference in response time in JoC rating trials after aware errors in comparison to unaware errors. However, how behavioral post-error adjustments relate to electrophysiological markers of error awareness in mathematical tasks remains largely unclear.

Error processing in electroencephalography (EEG) is indexed by two event-related potentials (ERPs): the error-related negativity (ERN/Ne), a rapid fronto-central component (0–100 ms), and the error positivity (Pe), a later centro-parietal component (250–350 ms; Yeung & Summerfield, 2012). Whereas the Ne is thought to reflect automatic error detection, the Pe is commonly associated with conscious error awareness. Consistent with this interpretation, prior work has linked error-related ERPs–particularly the Pe–to metacognitive monitoring and control across domains, including mathematics (Boldt & Yeung, 2015; Voodla & Uusberg, 2021).

The present study aims to investigate: (A) whether behavioral adjustments occur following errors, in the form of post-error slowing (PES) and post-error awareness slowing (PEAS); (B) whether error-related potentials (Ne and Pe) are modulated by error awareness; and (C) whether individuals exhibiting stronger electrophysiological markers of error awareness also show greater behavioral adjustments.

Methodology

Thirty-five right-handed psychology students (21 female; Mage = 23.86, SD = 3.39; range 19–33) completed a multiplication verification task during EEG recording. The task consisted of five blocks of 108 trials, in which single- or double-digit multiplication problems were presented on the screen. On each trial, participants selected one of two response options within 2 s and subsequently provided a confidence judgment (JoC) on a 6-point scale. Error trials were classified as aware (JoC ≤ 3) or unaware (JoC ≥ 4). Because post-error slowing typically occurs immediately after an error and therefore in the confidence judgment phase, log-transformed JoC rating-time differences were analyzed between trial outcomes (error vs. correct trials; aware vs. unaware errors).

Results and Discussion

Linear mixed models revealed behavioral adjustments after errors, indicated by a 75% average increase in JoC rating times following errors compared to correct trials (β = 0.64, p < .001). Similarly, JoC rating times were on average by 15% longer for aware than unaware errors (β = 0.21, p < .001), indicating that behavioral adjustments are related to, but not solely determined by subjective error awareness. Moreover, PES was positively associated with overall task performance (r = 0.62, p < .001), demonstrating that individuals with higher ability show stronger behavioral adjustments.

Repeated-measures ANOVAs showed significantly larger Pe mean amplitudes for error than correct trials across centro-parietal midline electrodes (Cz, CPz, Pz; F(1, 34) = 14.61, p < .001, η̂²_p= 0.30), whereas Ne mean amplitudes did not differ significantly. Furthermore, Pe—but not Ne—was modulated by subjective error awareness, as indicated by significantly larger Pe mean amplitudes for aware compared to unaware error trials (Cz, CPz, Pz; F(1, 34) = 4.75, p = .036, η̂²_p= 0.12), demonstrating that late-stage error processing was indicative of subjective error awareness. The Pe difference between aware and unaware error trials was significantly correlated with PEAS (r = .40, p = .017), indicating that electrophysiological markers of error awareness are linked to metacognitive behavioral adjustments. Although the student sample may limit generalizability and defining error awareness using a JoC cutoff (≥ 4 vs. ≤ 3) may not fully capture its continuous nature, these findings support the notion that error awareness relates to metacognitive control during arithmetic problem solving.

Educational Significance of the research

The present findings provide first evidence for a link between electrophysiological correlates of error awareness and post-error behavioral adjustments in arithmetic, a domain of high educational relevance. By demonstrating how neural markers of error awareness relate to metacognitive control during arithmetic problem solving, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying metacognition, performance regulation, and learning. These results provide important groundwork for future research, including investigations in developmental populations such as children and adolescents.

Introduction

Among the many socio-environmental topics that concern us nowadays, insect biodiversity is a highly relevant field. Natural history museums provide an established informal learning environment that can bring this topic closer to the public, ideally leading to increased awareness of biodiversity.

There is, however, an issue with insects as a subject: they are often tiny, easily overlooked in favor of more impressive exhibits, and the insects themselves are fragile, not robust enough to be handled by thousands of visitors.

This is where virtual reality (VR) technology comes into play: VR allows its users to access scenarios that are otherwise difficult or even impossible to experience – such as the insect collection of a museum.

But simply showing visitors the collection is likely not enough to create appreciation for its contents. According to Yang (2015), there are two approaches to teach appreciation of nature: a cognitive approach (focusing on scientific knowledge), and a non-cognitive approach (focusing on imagination and intuition).

The overarching aim of this project is the creation of VR exhibits that will be integrated into a museum exhibition. To that end, we are exploring what effects the exhibits have on visitors, with a focus on whether they can positively influence them towards the topic of insect biodiversity.

In this study, we investigated two research questions, using an exhibit consisting of five insect collection boxes that were part of a previous exhibition about parasitoid wasps:

(1) How do virtual and real objects compare regarding affective, motivational, behavioral, and cognitive outcomes?

(2) How do different instructions (knowledge-based vs emotion-based) affect these outcomes?

Methods

In this lab study, we used a 2x2 between-subjects factorial design, with the two independent variables instruction (knowledge-based vs emotion-based) and virtuality (reality vs VR).

We have had a total of 135 participants across four groups. Participants had to be at least 18 years old and speak German at native level. Students and practitioners in the field of biology were excluded.

The 45-minute session was split into four parts: pre-intervention survey, instruction, intervention, post-intervention survey.

Empathy, behavior, attitudes, and disgust towards insects were measured both pre- and post-intervention, whereas knowledge retention, emotions, and situational interest were measured post-intervention.

The instructions contained general instructions for the intervention, as well as group-specific instructions that primed participants towards either an emotion-based or a knowledge-based interaction with the exhibit.

During the intervention, participants had 15 minutes to freely interact with the curated insect collection boxes. They were supplied with a magnifying glass to inspect the insects in more detail. The boxes and magnifying glass were either physically present or recreated virtually and seen through a VR-headset.

Results and Discussion

There was no significant difference between groups, neither main effects nor interaction effects, regarding any of the outcome variables. We did find significant change over time for the four outcome variables measured pre- and post-intervention. Three of them showed an increase (empathy: p<.001, d=1.03; behavior: p<.001, d=0.68; attitudes: p<.001, d=0.78), while disgust decreased (p<.001, d=-0.92).

Within our study setup, the difference between virtual and real objects, as well as the difference between the two types of instruction, seems to be negligible. This implies that in this case, virtual exhibits can be used in place of real objects without a significant loss of meaning and/or learning.

As the design of the VR was very basic and meant to replicate real objects as closely as possible, this also opens up the opportunity to create virtual exhibits that could outperform real objects, by expanding their design, e.g. by highlighting important information.

On a short-term scale, we did find positive effects of the exhibits on participants’ view on insects. For future research, it would be interesting to measure the long-term effects of the exhibits, to see if these positive effects continue over a longer timeframe and possibly lead to a lasting change.

Educational Significance

Learning is a matter far beyond reciting facts. Awareness of and engagement for the world around us is an increasingly important topic in today’s educational environment. Our study shows that even comparably small interventions in an informal, free-choice learning setting can positively influence how people feel about biodiversity, introducing them to new perspectives and creating deeper connections that can foster future development.

Introduction

While education research develops evidence-based and innovative approaches, these approaches do not find their way into classrooms (Wilhelm et al., 2021). To target this issue, the use of evidence-based curriculum materials was explicitly demanded in the reform of the official curriculum in Austria in 2023 (BMBWF, 2025) and the curricular aims were aligned with their underlying ideas. From a communication perspective, these ideas represent a (hidden) reform message that remains implicit due to the curriculum’s formal structure. In this communication process, textbooks play a central mediating role, as they influence what ultimately happens in the classroom (Remillard & Heck, 2014). However, it remains unclear to what extent these textbooks accurately reflect the reform message and thus mediate the implementation of the underlying ideas.

A research project at the University of Graz investigates how the reform message which is embedded in the physics curriculum is transferred to officially approved textbooks in Austria. For this, the project focuses on how an exemplary reform message with regard to a set of evidence-based curriculum materials for introductory optics, the sender-receiver-optics curriculum (Haagen-Schützenhöfer & Hopf 2020), is reflected in officially approved textbooks. This leads to the following research questions:

RQ1: What ideas that are suggested in the sender-receiver optics curriculum are embedded in the curricular aims of the Austrian curriculum?

RQ2: What ideas that are suggested in the sender-receiver optics curriculum can be found in officially approved Austrian textbooks?

Methods

To address these questions, in a first step the central ideas of the sender-receiver optics curriculum are identified together with the developers of this curriculum. In a second step, the optics sections of the Austrian curriculum and the optics chapters of the nine officially approved textbooks are analyzed using a qualitative content analysis (Kuckartz & Rädiker, 2024). For this analysis, the representation of essential features (REF) (Obczovsky, 2025) builds a guiding framework. The REF provides different categories of features or ideas that correspond with design-decisions made by developers, such as the selection of specific content key ideas, their order, analogies, experiments and representations. While these categories will serve as deductive main categories, inductive subcategories are developed based on the textbook chapters and the Austrian curriculum. In a final step, the results of the content analysis are compared with the central ideas of the sender-receiver optics curriculum.

Results and Discussion

Preliminary findings reveal notable variations along the communication process. For example, a central idea in the optics curriculum is that instead of “light source” ("Lichtquelle") the term “sender” ("Lichtsender") is used. Consistently referring to objects that emit light continuously as “sender” and objects that reflect light as “reemitting sender” emphasizes the concept that “light is sent off from these objects, which is the relevant condition for their visibility” (Haagen-Schützenhöfer & Hopf 2020). Although the use of a sender-receiver model is explicitly addressed in the Austrian curriculum also the word light source appears in the curricular aims. In textbooks both terms are used to varying extends.

Conventionalizing the transfer as a communication process, the individual perception and acceptance of the reform message are hypothesized to be critical factors. This is particularly relevant for textbook authors, who interpret and implement these ideas in their materials, as well as for teachers, who rely on these textbooks to implement these ideas into their classroom practices. Understanding how both groups perceive and accept the reform message is therefore essential for understanding the transfer process. This will be subject of the next steps in this research project.

Educational Significance of the research.

For initiating change in educational systems and bring innovative ideas into school practice, it is neither sufficient to develop and provide innovative resources for teachers nor to establish innovative official curricula. By identifying obstacles and influential factors in the transfer of these ideas via official curricula to classroom practice this project may be able to give suggestions for curriculum writers, textbook authors and other stakeholders along the transfer process. These suggestions may help to bring innovations into the classroom and foster a sustainable development of educational practices in the field of STEM+.

The sustainable development of modern societies depends on citizens who are scientifically literate and capable of understanding complex socio-scientific challenges. STEM education plays a key role in fostering these competencies by promoting scientific reasoning, problem-solving skills, and evidence-based decision-making. Contemporary science education research emphasizes inquiry-based, interdisciplinary, and learner-centered approaches as essential for connecting scientific knowledge with real-world sustainability issues. However, many traditional teaching formats struggle to achieve this connection in engaging and meaningful ways.

In response to this challenge, the Science Education Network Lower Austria has developed a portfolio of innovative STEM education resources, including a science education app, inquiry-based teaching materials, and educational games. The aim is to make scientific concepts accessible, relevant, and applicable to societal and environmental contexts. This poster presents these various tools.

The development and evaluation of the STEM resources followed a design-based research approach, allowing iterative refinement through cycles of design, implementation, and reflection. The resource portfolio includes a digital science education app, hands-on inquiry materials, and educational games such as board and card games that address interdisciplinary STEM topics and sustainability-related challenges.

The resources were piloted in formal and informal educational settings with learners of different age groups. Data collection methods included classroom observations, learner feedback questionnaires, and reflections from educators.

The results indicate that the combination of digital, inquiry-based, and game-based STEM resources creates a highly engaging learning environment. Across all formats, learners engaged in key inquiry practices, including questioning, hypothesis formation, and reflection on real-world implications. Educators highlighted the interdisciplinary structure of the resources as particularly valuable for fostering systems thinking and connecting STEM content to sustainability goals.

This research demonstrates the potential of a diversified STEM education resource ecosystem to support sustainable development. By integrating digital tools, inquiry-based materials, and educational games, the presented approach addresses diverse learning needs and educational contexts. The findings suggest that such resources can enhance scientific literacy, promote sustainability-oriented thinking, and support educators in implementing science literacy principles in STEM education. Overall, the project contributes to science education by illustrating how innovative learning formats can meaningfully align STEM education with the goals of sustainable societal development.

Introduction: Observing and documenting language development processes is one of the key tasks of educational professionals in childcare facilities. The KITaG (Day Care Act) 2019, in §3 under ‘Principles of education, training and care in day care facilities’, refers to the following legal basis: ‘In order to promote development in line with the child's needs, it is necessary to observe and document the child's developmental processes in compliance with the educational concept and data protection regulations’ (KiTaG, 2019, p. 5). Currently, in Rhineland-Palatinate, the 9-point plan (BM RLP, n.d.) for strengthening basic skills focuses on continuous learning assessments followed by individual support. Early observation of language skills in elementary education forms the basis for effective language support and education (cf. Ruberg & Rothweiler, 2018), which is highly relevant during the transition to primary school.

Against this background, the present research project focuses on the development and piloting of an observation procedure integrated into everyday life for four-and-a-half-year-old children, which assesses the language skills of children growing up with German as their first or second language. Following the design-based research approach (cf. Collins, 1992), the piloting takes place after redesigns in close cooperation with practitioners, which are presented in a comprehensible manner using conjecture maps (cf. Sandoval, 2014).

Methods: In an initial needs analysis of implementation criteria (cf. Hasselhorn et al., 2014) for language observation integrated into everyday life, a questionnaire survey was conducted with educational professionals (n=580). The poster presentation explores the sub-research question of which criteria are relevant for the successful implementation of an observation procedure for educational professionals. The qualitative sub-data is evaluated using Mayring's (2010) qualitative content analysis.

Furthermore, the poster will present results from the first redesign for the development of observation tasks in the second sub-question. This will involve using quantitative data from online questionnaires and qualitative data from the workshops to further refine the initial prototypes of the developmental products. These results will be collected in various research settings between March 2026 and July 2026 and are intended to provide an initial glimpse into the collaboration between research and practice based on the Design-Based Research approach.

Results and Discussion: Both quantitative and qualitative data show that practicality is important for an observation method to be integrated into everyday life: "The language observation procedure should be directly applicable in the everyday life of children at the daycare centres, directly integrated into the daily routinegroups” (Pos. C/398). At the Conference in September 2026, the latest results of the language observation procedure, which was designed according to design-based principles, will be presented and discussed.

Educational Significance of the research: The findings from the DBR study aim to show that observation integrated into everyday life is an essential prerequisite for support in the day-to-day life at the daycare centres. Furthermore, the DBR approach demonstrates an important aspect of how research and practice can work together and develop materials. Regarding the professionalization of early childhood education professionals, this current topic places the focus of educational diagnostics at the centre.

Introduction

Scholars emphasise the transformative potential of gamification in educational contexts, highlighting its capacity to enhance student engagement and motivation (Sánchez-Martín et al., 2020; Händel et al., 2023). While face-to-face gamification is said to increase students’ activation, virtual gamification appears to be more effective in enhancing students’ 21st century skills, promoting digital competencies, collaborative and interactive learning, fostering inclusivity and creativity and strengthening problem-solving skills (López-Pernas et al., 2019). Among game-based approaches, educational escape rooms are gaining popularity as an engaging learning tool. Although research on educational escape rooms exists, studies on virtual escape rooms that are set in a metaverse remain limited (Makri et al., 2021). The term metaverse refers to a virtual world that integrates technologies such as artificial intelligence, mixed reality, immersive digital environments across virtual and physical spaces (Samala et al., 2023). These environments are said to offer the potential for developing educational escape rooms where participants, represented as avatars, navigate virtual spaces, engage in real-time communication, and interact dynamically with digital tools (Davis et al., 2009).

The aim of this research is to explore this claim further and study innovative gamification-based teaching practices through the implementation of a virtual escape room within a metaverse environment, including an evaluation of its implementation together with teacher training students. Based on this background, the main research question is: How do teacher education students experience and evaluate a metaverse escape room?

Methods

We present the results of a digital ethnography where we explore and understand the value of “digital cultural representations that simulates cultural ideas, values, and experiences” (Underberg & Zorn, 2013, 9) for teacher education. This escape room was developed, implemented and evaluated in three teacher training courses (with one session per course) at the University of Graz (Austria) with 61 bachelor students. Data were collected immediately after each escape room session (n=23+16+22) with a written and anonymous survey using LimeSurvey to document the students' experiences. We analysed data from this case study using qualitative content analysis with inductively developed categories (Mayring, 2021).

Results and Discussion

The virtual escape room features a video-based storyline that draws students into an online adventure set in the metaverse 'SoWork', a three-dimensional, multi-user environment (Samala et al., 2023). Students work online either individually or collaboratively in small groups, using laptops to create and act with personalized avatars. The adventure begins with a video-based story that takes them in the city of Lysandra, where they start their mission to solve the mystery of Professor Esmeralda Elmsworth, who has disappeared after an important breakthrough. To progress in the activity, students should find and solve quizzes. To assist in solving these quizzes, the room contains a collection of various multimedia items hidden within the virtual setting. These items, including posters, images, audio clips, videos, and text documents, contain content from the course as well as vital clues to help students solve quizzes. Upon successfully completing the challenges, students unlock the next phase by entering a password and completing a final quiz.

Our survey results indicated that the majority of students (57%) had a positive evaluation of the experience, with 14% rating it as excellent. While participants appreciated the immersive activities, they noted several challenges, including the complexity of the tasks, technical issues and the need for clearer instructions. The level of collaborative engagement varied: some students worked together on a single device, while others coordinated via digital platforms to solve the escape room’s puzzles. Although teamwork fostered a cooperative spirit, the limited timeframe occasionally prevented deeper learning, with some groups dividing tasks in ways that reduced information retention. Fifty-one per cent (51%) of students reported higher motivation than in traditional courses, and a generally cooperative atmosphere emerged. Overall, there was broad support for integrating virtual escape rooms into future teaching practices, though concerns were raised about preparation time and classroom suitability.

Educational Significance of the research

This project aims to introduce a playful approach to both teaching and learning, while showcasing innovative teaching methods and the pedagogical potential of metaverse escape rooms (Makri et al., 2021; López-Pernas et al., 2019). This presentation discusses findings of our case study and can inform the development of similar escape room activities across different subject areas and academic courses.

Introduction: Theoretical background, aims, and research questions

Numbers, indicators, and mathematical models increasingly shape public debates about sustainability, making it essential to address these topics in education. The UNESCO captures this educational goal by intending to structure learning along cognitive, socio-emotional, and action-oriented dimensions to contribute to all seventeen sustainable development goals. In mathematics education, this is demanding because tasks must connect context and mathematics in ways that go beyond superficial dressing of procedures. Pre-service teachers face the challenge of designing tasks that make deliberate choices about data sources and reference values so that results invite interpretation and judgement rather than routine calculation. Reflection serves as a professional tool for revising and improving one's own materials, but it requires explicit support in teacher education. Against this backdrop, this research asks which local and global sustainable development goals pre-service teachers address in their self-designed mathematics tasks and to what extent these tasks meet authenticity criteria. Additionally, it explores how they reflect on their own task designs in a theory-informed way after a short intervention and what depth of reflection can be identified.

Methods

This exploratory study involved forty-one pre-service secondary mathematics teachers at the University of Graz during the second half of their Bachelor's Education programme. As part of their course assessment, the participants designed three sustainability-related mathematics tasks aligned with the curriculum for lower secondary education. After submitting their tasks, the participants received an eleven-page synthesis detailing quality features of modelling and sustainability tasks, including facets of authenticity and openness. Following this reading assignment, reflections were collected anonymously using open prompts to support candid responses about their design processes and their tasks in relation to the literature. The collected data comprised one hundred twenty-three tasks and the corresponding written reflections. The tasks were coded for their primary sustainable development goal, local or global framing, and task authenticity. The reflections were analysed using a tailored coding scheme to determine whether the text represented no mention, task-related description, or deeper reflection such as justificatory statements and consideration of alternatives.

Results and Discussion

The analysis of the submitted tasks revealed a strong clustering around areas where individual behaviour is positioned as a central lever, such as consumption and lifestyle themes. Only twenty-two and a half percent of all tasks were framed with a global focus, suggesting that pre-service teachers tend to select topics that are readily adaptable into familiar calculation formats rather than addressing structural global interdependencies. Regarding authenticity, tasks were frequently set in realistic settings, but authentic data and figures were not used systematically. This lack of authentic data often co-occurred with predominantly procedural question formats that remained weakly connected to authentic decisions or judgements. The short intervention supported professional learning, as many participants appropriated key concepts from the literature and articulated concrete revision intentions regarding authenticity. However, the reflections frequently remained descriptive rather than achieving a criteria-based depth, such as weighing alternatives or deriving consequences for redesign.

Educational Significance of the research

The findings highlight that designing authentic sustainability tasks is a criteria-based challenge that requires explicit support from mathematics teacher educators. Although almost all participants reported conducting an online search, the scarcity of authentic data use demonstrates that access alone does not guarantee appropriate data selection, positioning source evaluation as a distinct competence to be fostered. The tendency for reflections to remain descriptive indicates a structural challenge, showing that deeper reflective competence regarding authenticity and thematic diversity requires explicit teaching and sustained scaffolding. While short and low-threshold formats starting from the participants' own tasks appear promising, written reflections alone may provide only indirect evidence of learning. Therefore, reflection could be supported more effectively as a learnable genre through dialogic formats, which would help teacher educators better prepare pre-service teachers to address key design challenges in education for sustainable development.

Introduction

Recent curricular reforms emphasize cross-curricular themes as an important element of learning. In Austria, the 2023 curriculum mandates 13 cross-curricular themes intended to situate subject learning within broader societal, ecological, and economic contexts that are likely to shape students’ future lives (BMBWF, 2023).

For mathematics, these themes provide opportunities for modelling – a process understood as translating real-world situations into mathematical representations, working within the model, and interpreting results with respect to the original context (Maaß, 2010). However, the quality of such tasks does not automatically result from thematic labelling. Research indicates that it depends on task design, particularly regarding task authenticity (Schlüter & Besser, 2024) and openness (Schukajlow et al., 2023).

As textbooks translate curricular intentions into concrete learning opportunities (Valverde et al., 2002), they play an essential role in shaping how cross-curricular themes are realized in practice. Yet, despite the growing importance of cross-curricular education, little is known about the quality of modelling tasks in mathematics textbooks within this context. The present study therefore addresses the following research questions focusing on Grade 5 textbooks: “In which cross-curricular themes do mathematics textbooks include modelling tasks?” (RQ1) and “To what extent do these tasks exhibit openness and authenticity?” (RQ2).

Methods

A criteria-based document analysis was conducted on five Austrian Grade 5 mathematics textbooks. First, all tasks assigned to one of the 13 cross-curricular themes were identified (N = 443). Second, from this corpus, tasks additionally labelled as addressing “modelling and problem solving” were selected (n = 133).

The analysis proceeded in two phases. To answer RQ1, tasks were categorized according to their cross-curricular theme. To answer RQ2, a deductive coding framework was applied. Authenticity was operationalized across four dimensions derived from existing literature (Schlüter & Besser, 2024): authenticity of context, question, data, and figures. Each dimension was coded dichotomously as authentic or non-authentic with an additional code for absence of the dimension. Openness was operationalized based on the framework in Schukajlow et al. (2023), distinguishing between openness of the initial state, the problem-solving process, and the end state. Each component was coded as closed, moderately open, or highly open.

All tasks were independently double-coded, and disagreements were resolved through consensus procedures.

Results and Discussion

With regard to RQ1, modelling tasks are present in nearly all cross-curricular themes, yet their distribution is uneven. While themes such as Economic, Financial and Consumer Education contain comparatively high proportions of modelling tasks, others – including Environmental Education for Sustainable Development – show fewer modelling tasks than suggested by their curricular positioning (BMBWF, 2023).

With regard to RQ2, most tasks display low to moderate levels of openness. Openness is most frequently observed in the problem-solving process, whereas open initial states – which require identifying missing information and forming assumptions – and open end states – which allow for multiple results – are rare. These latter components, however, are central to the modelling cycle (Maaß, 2010). Authenticity scores predominantly cluster in the mid-range. Real-world contexts are mostly present, potentially due to the cross-curricular themes. In contrast, authenticity of questions, data, and figures varies. Tasks that combine high degrees of openness and authenticity remain rare.

The findings therefore indicate a structural tension between curricular intentions and textbook implementation. Cross-curricular framing alone does not guarantee modelling quality.

Educational Significance

From a future-oriented educational perspective, modelling is intended to enable learners to engage with complex societal challenges through mathematical reasoning (BMBWF, 2023; Maaß, 2010). By systematically analyzing textbook tasks that address modelling within cross-curricular themes, this study provides a criteria-based insight that may inform curriculum implementation, textbook development, and consequently teaching practice. In this way, the study contributes to the discussion on how mathematics education can more consistently connect subject learning with interdisciplinary and socially relevant contexts in preparation for learners’ future lives.

Introduction

Ongoing debates on the future of physical education (PE) highlight how normative ideals of “good” bodies and performance can reproduce exclusion and marginalization of children whose bodies, abilities, or movement preferences do not align with dominant standards (e.g. Giese & Ruin, 2018, 2019; Azzarito, 2019). Such orientations can result in unequal opportunities of participation and learning (Giese & Meier, 2023). In response, sport pedagogical discussions call for approaches that center embodied subjectivity, diversity and children’s lived experiences, rather than assessment and comparison (Giese & Ruin, 2018, 2019; Lambert et al., 2024).

Aesthetic-compositional movement practices such as collaborative dance and choreography enable creative, relational engagement that challenges performance logics, values diversity and allow “various bodies” to become visible in different ways (Howahl, 2018; Keane, 2025; Kirk, 2019). Situated within these debates, the StuDance project, a university-based PETE initiative, brings primary school children and student teachers together to collaboratively develop and perform choreographies in dance and circus arts. The study explores how children involved in StuDance perceive body and corporeality in PE and whether and how their perspectives challenge dominant body and performance logics.

Methods

The study adopts a qualitative interpretative design. Fifty-six primary school children participated in the study. Using a participatory visual research approach by Clark’s Mosaic framework (2005, 2011), children created drawings of their project experiences. These drawings functioned both as data and prompts for fifteen semi-structured group interviews (N=15) exploring children’s views of body, movement and PE more broadly. Visual and verbal data were analyzed together using thematic analysis following Braun’s and Clarke’s (2012) six-phase model. Analytic rigor was supported through collaborative coding and communication validation (Maher, 2025).

Results and Discussion

Across drawings and interview sequences, children rarely framed their bodily experiences in terms of outperfoming “others” or meeting fixed performance benchmarks. Instead, they described and depicted StuDance as a shared and co-constructed process: dancing together, coordinating movements, supporting classmates and “making a goal work” emerged as central themes. Visual representations portrayed heterogeneous bodies in collective formations rather than individualized or idealized physiques, suggesting that difference was experienced as part of joint activity rather than as a deficit. These patterns indicate that aesthetic-compositional projects such as StuDance can open pedagogical spaces in PE in which bodily difference and performance comparison appears less relevant. In this context, bodies are experienced as expressive and relational rather than primarily measurable and comparable (Giese & Ruin, 2018, 2019; Ruin & Giese, 2023). The children often spoke in terms of “we” rather than “I” when reflecting on their experiences, further underscoring the collective orientation of meaning-making.

At the same time, some children referred to external evaluation, for example performing for an audience or “doing it right”, indicating that dominant performance logics do not simply disappear automatically in alternative pedagogical settings. The findings thus point to a productive field of tension: while StuDance opens possibilities for more inclusive, meaning-oriented bodily experiences, traces of assessment culture remain present.

Educational Significance of the Research

From a future oriented education perspective, the findings highlight the potential of PE as a key site for exploring alternative ways of relating to bodies, difference and learning. Embodied and participatory approaches such as StuDance can foster forms of cooperation, recognition and reflexivity, dimensions that risk being marginalized when curricula are dominated by body and performance metrics (Giese & Meier, 2023; Lambert et al., 2024). For PETE, the study underscores the importance of preparing future teachers to engage with alternative PE concepts and visual-participatory formats that both challenge normative assumptions and make children’s perspectives on performance, body and movement visible (Kirk, 2019; Azzarito & Kirk, 2013; Alfrey et al., 2025). Rather than focusing solely on new technologies or competencies, rethinking the future of PE also requires attention to the embodied and relational conditions under which participation becomes possible and meaningful for all learners.

Introduction: In response to teacher shortages, Austria has introduced pathways for second-career teachers (SCT), i.e., professionals transitioning from other occupations into teaching. Initial evidence from the selection process and early career outcomes suggests that SCT report high job satisfaction, low intention to quit, and low dropout rates, despite experiencing substantial workload (Weissenbacher et al., 2026). While these findings indicate a generally successful integration into the teaching profession, the mechanisms underlying this apparent paradox - high workload combined with high satisfaction - remain insufficiently understood. Quantitative analyses based on the Teacher Student Assessment Austria–Second Career (TESAT-SC) show that personality traits and attitudes (e.g., extraversion, agreeableness, openness to diversity) significantly predict indicators of self-assessed job success (Weissenbacher et al., 2026). However, the explained variance remains modest, suggesting that relevant factors influencing satisfaction are not fully captured yet. This points to the need for a deeper understanding of SCT first year experiences. This study aims to complement quantitative findings through qualitative insights. Specifically, it investigates how SCT themselves explain their satisfaction and dissatisfaction in the profession. By analyzing open-ended responses, we seek to uncover underlying mechanisms and dimensions of satisfaction that may not be represented in current assessment tools. The study addresses the following research questions: (1) What factors do second-career teachers identify as contributing to their job satisfaction? (2) What factors contribute to dissatisfaction or challenges in their early teaching experience? (3) How can these qualitative insights inform the further development of the TESAT-SC? Methods: Participants were individuals who had successfully completed the TESAT-SC in the first year (December 2022 – August 2023). Data was collected in Oktober 2023. Only participants, who already started teaching where included in the analysis (N=387). Participants answered a short 10-minute online survey consisting of multiple standardized measures. Satisfaction was assessed using a Likert scale, followed by an item on reasons for satisfaction and dissatisfaction, with an additional open-ended field for participants to elaborate on their responses. This qualitative dataset was analyzed using thematic analysis following the approach of Braun & Clarke (2013). Results and discussion: From the thematic analysis eight overarching themes emerged, reflecting both intrinsic and extrinsic dimensions of the teaching profession. The most prominent theme was work environment and collegial relationships, followed by work content and pedagogical activity & meaning and societal contribution. In contrast, structural conditions such as workload and organization and salary were mentioned considerably less often. Those findings indicate that, apart from work environment and collegial relationships, teachers’ satisfaction is mainly driven by intrinsic factors, which help outweigh and buffer the effects of workload. Educational Significance of the Research: The findings of this study have important implications for both research and practice in the context of teacher recruitment and retention. By providing an understanding of what drives satisfaction among second-career teachers, the study contributes to the development of more comprehensive models of teacher success. The findings suggest that existing assessment tools such as the TESAT-SC may benefit from considering additional dimensions such as meaning, social integration, and perceived societal contribution; however, these constructs are complex and difficult to operationalize, making their direct inclusion in standardized assessments challenging. They also highlight the importance of school-level conditions, such as supportive leadership, collegial relationships, and structured onboarding, in fostering satisfaction and retention. Overall, satisfaction appears to be driven less by workload and more by purpose, relationships, and professional fulfilment, underlining the value of combining quantitative and qualitative approaches to improve recruitment and support strategies.

Introduction

Our study addresses mathematical argumentation and reasoning in school contexts and investigates to what extent future mathematics teachers are able to criteria-based perceive and differentiate structural and content-related features of students’ arguments. Mathematical reasoning is anchored as a key competence in German-speaking curricula. Consequently, it is essential for mathematics teachers to recognize structural and content-related qualities of students’ arguments and to foster them systematically within learning processes.

According to Jeannotte and Kieran (2017), mathematical reasoning can be understood as a form of communication through which mathematical statements are derived from other statements. To describe the structure of mathematical arguments, Toulmin’s model of argumentation is frequently employed. This model distinguishes between data (facts), claim, warrant, and, if necessary, backing. The warrant establishes the connection between data and claim. Interestingly, Meyer and Schnell (2020) report that teachers in interview settings tend to attribute only minor importance to the explicit articulation of general rules. In addition to structural aspects, the mathematical content of an argument (Meyer & Schnell, 2020) as well as typical sub-processes such as generalizing, validating, or conjecturing (Jeannotte & Kieran, 2017) can be identified. The mathematical context of our study is graphical differentiation of functions in upper secondary school. Although this topic offers substantial opportunities for conceptual reasoning, classroom practice is often dominated by procedural solution strategies and rule-based shortcuts (Fischer, in press).

Methods

To investigate prospective teachers’ perceptions, cartoon-style picture-text vignettes were developed that depict justification-rich classroom situations. The vignettes are based on authentic student quotations from pair interviews with first-year university students in mathematics and mathematics teacher education.

Each vignette contains two contrasting classroom situations in which students are asked to graphically differentiate a function and justify their reasoning. While teacher support and the overall justification process are comparable in both situations, they differ with regard to the argumentation structure and the mathematical content of the students’ contributions. In some arguments, for instance, a structural backing that would substantiate the applied rule, is missing. The design of the vignettes is grounded in Variation Theory of Learning (Kullberg et al., 2024). According to this framework, critical aspects of a learning object become discernible through systematic variation. In the present study, structural and content-related dimensions of the students’ arguments are deliberately varied in order to examine whether prospective teachers notice and evaluate these differences.

Data were collected from two groups of prospective teachers at different stages of their studies: one group prior to attending university courses on differential calculus and one group after completing such courses. In addition to evaluating the classroom situations presented in the vignettes, participants solved tasks on graphical differentiation themselves. By comparing their evaluations of the two situations, we examined whether differences in structure and mathematical content of the students’ arguments were recognized.

Results and Discussion

Preliminary findings indicate that the developed vignettes are suitable for eliciting different dimensions of professional multi-criterion noticing (Buchbinder & Kuntze, 2018) among prospective teachers. Furthermore, differences between students at different stages of study emerged, as they considered varying numbers of these dimensions (e.g., mathematical content, argumentation structure, teacher support) in their evaluations. A qualitative analysis of individual responses also reveals differing normative beliefs regarding the use of rule-based or recipe-like procedures in calculus tasks.

Educational Significance of the research

Overall, the study contributes to the development of diagnostic instruments aimed at fostering professional noticing of (school) mathematical argumentation processes in teacher education. For a reasoning-oriented mathematics classroom, it is essential that prospective teachers develop an awareness of both structural and content-related qualities of students’ argumentations.

Adolescence represents a critical developmental period marked by profound cognitive, emotional, and social changes, alongside heightened vulnerability to mental health problems. In Germany, recent large-scale reports indicate increasing psychological distress, reduced school well-being, and limited access to preventive mental health support for young people. Schools are therefore increasingly recognized as key settings for universal mental health promotion. However, despite a growing body of evidence on resilience-focused interventions, comparatively little is known about how such programs can be effectively implemented under real-world school conditions and how implementation support influences student outcomes.

This contribution presents a mixed-methods implementation and evaluation study of resilience-promoting learning programs delivered through the Digitale Drehtür (DD), a cross-regional educational initiative originally designed to support gifted and high-achieving students through online enrichment. As part of the DD “Selbst-Werkstatt,” two resilience-focused programs—Implicit Theories and Mindset and Attribution – My Thoughts—were implemented with students in grades five to nine at secondary schools in Hesse, Germany. The study aims to (1) identify feasible and sustainable implementation concepts for school-based resilience promotion, (2) examine barriers and facilitators from the perspective of teaching staff, and (3) assess the extent to which implementation support affects students’ socio-emotional outcomes.

Using a quasi-experimental design, three waves of data collection were conducted between 2024 and 2026 across different school types (Gymnasium, comprehensive schools, and faith-based schools) and instructional formats (ethics, religion, German, class teacher periods, and project days). Schools either received structured implementation support—comprising co-planning workshops, ready-to-use lesson plans, in-class support, and reflective feedback—or implemented the programs independently. Quantitative data were collected via student pre– and post–questionnaires assessing key resilience-related constructs, including implicit theories, goal orientation, self-efficacy, attributional style, and general well-being. In later waves, instruments were shortened and optimized to reduce burden and increase feasibility.

To complement outcome data, an extensive qualitative process evaluation was conducted. Data sources included lesson observations, teacher interviews, focus groups, and students’ written and visual artifacts produced during the intervention. Teacher interviews and focus groups were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, while classroom observations focused on instructional practices and implementation fidelity. Students’ written responses were analyzed using a response complexity model to capture engagement and depth of reflection beyond questionnaire scores.

Preliminary findings highlight the central role of implementation conditions in shaping both teacher acceptance and student engagement. Teachers emphasized the importance of curricular integration, clear lesson structures, time efficiency, and opportunities for participatory adaptation. Implementation support was perceived as particularly valuable in lowering organizational barriers, increasing confidence in addressing mental health topics, and embedding resilience promotion within regular teaching rather than treating it as an add-on. Quantitative results across waves indicate small to moderate improvements in selected socio-emotional outcomes, with trends suggesting stronger effects in schools receiving implementation support, although results vary by construct, age group, and contextual factors.

Overall, this study underscores that the effectiveness of school-based resilience promotion cannot be separated from questions of implementation. By systematically combining outcome evaluation with qualitative process data, the project contributes practical, empirically grounded implementation concepts that can support schools in sustainably integrating mental health promotion into everyday teaching. The findings address a significant gap in the literature and offer transferable insights for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to strengthen adolescent mental health through school-based interventions.

Introduction

Metacognition, defined as the ability to monitor and control one’s cognitive performance, is central to learning and academic performance. Research in children has shown that individual differences in metacognitive monitoring predict both concurrent and future mathematical performance (Bellon et al., 2019). However, it remains unclear whether self-assessment measures—such as Global Prediction (GP), Judgement of Learning (JoL), and Judgement of Confidence (JoC)—are similarly related to learning outcomes in adults acquiring novel arithmetic procedures. While GP reflects a global, task-level estimate of expected accuracy prior to testing, JoL captures prospective, item-level predictions of future performance, and JoC captures retrospective, item-level confidence ratings after responding. Across these self-assessments, metacognitive calibration—the correspondence between self-assessment and actual performance—has been identified as a key index of metacognitive monitoring accuracy, with JoC calibration being particularly linked to children’s arithmetic performance (Bellon et al., 2019).

The present study investigated for the first time whether metacognitive calibration scores—calculated for the various metacognitive self-assessments—predict learning outcomes and test performance in adults acquiring a novel arithmetic algorithm. Base on previous research demonstrating a significant association between JoC calibration and children’s arithmetic accuracy, we hypothesize that JoC calibration will predict final test accuracy in adults, even when controlling for baseline performance and individual ability differences.

Methods

Behavioral data were collected from 65 adults (42 women; mean age = 23.8 years, SD = 4.1) who completed a two-day computerized arithmetic paradigm (“pound arithmetic”) designed to simulate learning a novel algorithm (e.g., 4 # 14 = ?). Participants applied the formula “2×B−A+3” and selected the correct answer from three options. Each day consisted of a training phase (51 problems with feedback) followed by a test phase (33 problems without feedback). On Day 1, metacognitive monitoring measures—GP, JoL, and JoC—were collected. All ratings were recorded on a continuous scale from 0–100, and calibration scores were computed for each measure. Day 2 repeated the training-test procedure with new problems, without metacognitive measures, to provide additional practice and assess participants’ final performance. Participants also completed assessments of arithmetic fluency, reading fluency, and fluid intelligence, which served as control variables.

Results and Discussion

Correlation and linear mixed-effects regression analyses revealed that all monitoring calibration scores derived from GP, JoL, and JoC were significantly associated with test accuracy (r = .40–.57). These associations were stronger on Day 1 (r = .70–.72) than on Day 2 (r = .40–.57), suggesting that metacognitive monitoring was particularly predictive of initial learning performance. Importantly, when controlling for Day 1 baseline performance, only JoC calibration uniquely predicted Day 2 accuracy (b = 0.27, p = .034), alongside baseline performance (b = 0.48, p < .001). This effect remained significant after accounting for arithmetic fluency, reading fluency, and fluid intelligence (JoC: b = 0.29, p = .032; baseline: b = 0.39, p < .001). No other metacognitive calibration score explained additional unique variance beyond baseline performance and control variables.

These findings indicate that JoC calibration reflects a core aspect of metacognitive monitoring supporting arithmetic learning in adults. The results are consistent with prior evidence in children (Bellon et al., 2019; Vo et al., 2014) and align with recent adult research linking confidence judgments to neural indices of performance monitoring (Taghizadeh et al., submitted). A limitation of the present study is the brief, two-day training period, which may have constrained the assessment and generalizability of the observed effects. Future research should investigate longer training periods to determine whether the predictive value of JoC persists over time and whether interventions targeting metacognitive monitoring could enhance long-term learning outcomes.

Educational Significance of the Research.

The present study has important implications for both educational practice and the broader understanding of adult learning. The finding that JoC calibration predicts subsequent performance highlights the value of accurate self-assessment and extends evidence on metacognitive monitoring from children to adults acquiring novel skills. Beyond its practical relevance, this result advances theoretical understanding of how specific components of metacognitive monitoring operate during adult skill acquisition. By linking JoC calibration to performance, the study demonstrates that self-evaluation is linked to learning trajectories and accounts for unique variance in outcomes. Future research should further investigate the mechanisms underlying this association.