Journal of International Education and Practice

A Case Study of School Counselors-in-Training Addressing Diversity in Child Maltreatment

2025-08-04T14:36:15+08:00

School counselors-in-training are required to develop attitudes, knowledge, and skills throughout their training programs to address child maltreatment. Diversity might influence how school counselors-in-training acquire this information. This study examines how school counselors-in-training address cultural considerations in child maltreatment. We utilized a multiple case study to interview three school counselors-in-training who were completing their internship. We identified five themes and four sub-themes from the data. The five themes were (a) context, (b) awareness, (c) perceptions and beliefs, (d) training development, and (e) family support. The results provided context to how school counselors-in-training consider cultural differences in addressing child maltreatment.

An Empirical Study of Print Awareness and Foundational Concept Development in Early Childhood

2025-09-04T17:43:18+08:00

This study investigates the relationship between print awareness and the development of early mathematical concepts in preschool-aged children, emphasizing the pedagogical potential of fairy tales as an integrated instructional tool. Grounded in emergent literacy and early numeracy theory, the research examines how interactive storytelling, specifically, the reading of The Three Little Pigs, can be used to assess foundational skills such as letter and word recognition, text navigation, counting, ordering, classification, and basic arithmetic. A semi-structured interview methodology was employed with a sample of 50 children aged 4 to 5 years from a kindergarten in Edessa, Greece. Data were collected through a specially designed questionnaire embedded within the storytelling session. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses revealed that while children demonstrated moderate proficiency in counting and symbol recognition, significant gaps were observed in book handling, number recitation, and computation processes. No statistically significant gender differences were identified. The findings underscore the need for targeted, developmentally appropriate interventions that bridge literacy and numeracy domains in early education. The study advocates for the strategic use of story-based learning to support dual-domain skill acquisition and highlights key practices, such as interactive dialogue, visual aids, and mathematically enriched narratives, that can enhance early learning outcomes.

Reimagining Education through the Metaverse: Trends, Challenges, and Innovations on Emerging Trends and Future Directions

2025-09-11T11:52:47+08:00

The Metaverse, conceptualized as the convergence of digital virtuality and physical reality, is emerging as a powerful medium with the potential to transform education. Through immersive, multisensory, and interactive environments, it enables new forms of learner engagement that extend beyond traditional classroom boundaries. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from 98 peer-reviewed studies published between 2010 and 2023, retrieved from both international and domestic databases. Employing the PRISMA methodology, the review critically examines current applications of Metaverse technologies in education, their reported outcomes, and the challenges that hinder widespread implementation. Findings reveal that the Metaverse enhances remote and hybrid learning, supports personalized and experiential instruction, and expands access to non-formal and distance education. It further promotes collaboration, creativity, and situated learning experiences that align with twenty-first-century skill development. Nevertheless, significant barriers remain. These include the high cost of technological infrastructure, unresolved concerns about data security and ethical use, and limited teacher readiness to design and facilitate immersive environments. The review contributes to the literature by clarifying how the Metaverse is currently integrated into education, identifying critical obstacles to adoption, and highlighting gaps related to sustainability, accessibility, and long-term learning outcomes. These insights provide a foundation for informed policy development, curriculum innovation, and future research aimed at the responsible and equitable integration of Metaverse technologies into educational practice.

A Pilot Survey of Perceived Competence of Pre-Service School Practitioners in Inclusive Education for Students with Special Needs

2025-08-04T14:37:33+08:00

Inclusive education provides a learning environment that enriches learning of all students. Attitudes about inclusive education are essential to its implementation (Sharma et al., 2021;^[18] Wray et al., 2022).^[²¹^] Therefore, school practitioners need training to advance their attitudes, knowledge, skills, and actions (Sharma et al., 2021;^[18] Wray et al., 2022).^[21] This study examines the pre-service school practitioners' training and perceived competence in inclusive education for students with special needs. We developed a survey aimed to gain insight into training and perceived competence. Survey results related to training suggest that teacher education and special education majors might benefit from additional training in universal design for learning, co-teaching, and flexible grouping, where school counselor majors might need more training in all categories of inclusive education. Survey results related to perceived competence results suggest that most pre-service school practitioners perceived themselves to be very capable of implementing inclusive educational practices.

From Virtual Exchange to Local Action: Advancing Global Citizenship Education through Transnational Telecollaborative Projects in Latin America

2025-09-12T10:10:37+08:00

This study investigates how transnational telecollaborative projects can advance Global Citizenship Education (GCE) in Latin American secondary schools by linking virtual exchange with locally grounded civic action. Using a mixed-methods case study design, the research examines two projects developed through a six-week teacher training program in Argentina, implemented with partner schools in Peru and Mexico. Data were collected through pre- and post-project surveys, teacher reflections, student-created digital artifacts, and reflective discussions, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic coding guided by UNESCO’s GCE competency framework, with triangulation across sources to ensure reliability. Findings indicate that in the inequality project (Argentina–Peru), 87% of students reported increased awareness of how discrimination operates across cultural contexts, while 91% expressed stronger commitment to ethical digital behavior. In the climate action project (Argentina–Mexico), 73% of participants adopted new sustainability practices and reported greater confidence using English for authentic intercultural communication. Across both initiatives, 85% of students indicated feeling more responsible for contributing to social or environmental change, while teachers reported professional growth in digital pedagogy, project-based learning, and intercultural facilitation. The results highlight the transformative potential of transnational telecollaboration in developing the cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioral competencies essential to Global Citizenship Education (GCE). They also show that low-cost, technology-enabled models can overcome barriers to traditional exchange and offer scalable, inclusive strategies for action-oriented global learning in underrepresented contexts.

NEP 2020 and Indian Higher Education: Pathways to Holistic, Flexible, and Global Transformation

2025-09-16T09:15:47+08:00

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 marks a transformative juncture in the trajectory of India’s higher education system, representing the most comprehensive policy overhaul in over three decades. With a vision centered on accessibility, equity, quality, and global competitiveness, NEP 2020 introduces sweeping reforms intended to modernize and democratize Indian higher education. Key policy innovations include the establishment of the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) to streamline governance, the integration of multiple entry and exit options through the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), and a policy shift enabling top-ranked global universities to establish campuses in India, fostering internationalization and academic cross-pollination. This study employs a qualitative interpretive synthesis methodology, drawing on secondary data from government reports, academic literature, and leading media sources to analyze NEP 2020’s early implementation outcomes. Findings reveal substantial progress in institutional expansion, student enrolment, particularly among underrepresented groups, and improved representation in international rankings. However, the analysis also identifies persistent challenges, including regional disparities in enrolment and infrastructure, gaps in research quality and collaboration, and a widening digital divide, especially in rural and socio-economically marginalized communities. The paper argues that while NEP 2020 sets forth a visionary, future-oriented agenda, its realization depends on strategic execution, robust regulatory frameworks, sustained public investment, and inclusive implementation mechanisms. The policy’s long-term impact will rest on the ability of stakeholders to translate its aspirational goals into institutional and pedagogical realities.

Managerial Strategies for Involving Parents in Children’s Education in Public Secondary Schools in Ekiti State, Nigeria

2025-09-11T09:58:39+08:00

The study investigated school management strategies for engaging parents in their children's education in public secondary schools within the Oye Local Government Area (LGA), Ekiti State, Nigeria, with a specific focus on exploring managerial techniques that enhance parental involvement in students' academic performance. The study employed a descriptive research design, and the study's participants consisted of 18 government high schools. The total number of academic staff was 2,012. A proportionate stratified randomsampling technique was used to select 200 (40%) academic staff. The instrument used was the Parental Participation in Academic Performance Questionnaire (PPAP). Simple percentages were used to analyse the research question, while t-test statistics were used to test the hypothesis at the 0.05 significance level. The following were the findings from the analysis: (1) managerial strategies for involving parents include the use of modern technology such as mobile apps and other digital platforms, Collaboration with the community strategy, organising parental involvement programmes in school, promoting vibrant Parent-Teachers Association (PTA); the use of strategies such as phoning, inviting parents tovolunteer, sending letters to the parents, holdingreport days to involve parents; and the use of cultural and religious sensitivity. (2) The mean ratings ofMale and female principalson the managerial strategies for parental participation in public secondary schools were found to be statistically equivalent. It was recommended that educators, policymakers, and school administrators develop strategies to address technology usage and other obstaclesin order topromote parental involvement and student success.

Media Discourse, Public Education, and Corporate Responsibility: Critical Analysis of ESG Coverage in Israel

2025-09-22T17:48:29+08:00

This study offers a critical exploration of how Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues are represented and interpreted within Israel’s leading financial media outlets, focusing on the month of June 2024. Drawing on a qualitative content analysis of articles published in Globes, Calcalist, and The Marker, the research uncovers that much of the Israeli ESG discourse is framed not by in-depth investigative reporting, but by marketing-oriented materials, sponsored features, and corporate public relations efforts. This pattern often results in narratives that prioritize positive branding over critical evaluation. The findings reveal that global influences—especially U.S. political and regulatory debates—play a significant role in shaping local coverage, sometimes overshadowing uniquely Israeli environmental, social, and governance contexts. Among the recurring challenges identified are greenwashing practices, in which companies present exaggerated or misleading sustainability claims, and the absence of unified ESG measurement standards, which hinders reliable comparison and transparency across industries. Such deficiencies were found to weaken public trust, reduce the ability of stakeholders to make informed decisions, and limit the potential educational value of ESG media coverage. The research emphasizes the importance of fostering media literacy, so that readers can critically assess ESG claims; supporting independent journalism that prioritizes accuracy and accountability; and developing culturally adapted educational programs that reflect Israel’s social, economic, and environmental realities. Together, these measures could strengthen corporate responsibility practices and improve informed civic engagement in Israel’s evolving ESG landscape.