Description

Forum for Education Studies (FES, eISSN: 3029-2956) is an esteemed, open-access, peer-reviewed journal that is committed to enriching scholarly conversation with original works. Covering an array of subjects, including pedagogical strategies, education governance, and the role of technology in education, the journal welcomes contributions from and extends valuable resources to academics, teachers, and policy influencers. Please refer to the Focus and Scopes of the journal for more details.

Latest Articles

  • Open Access

    Article

    Article ID: 2727

    Artificial intelligence in teacher education: Examining critical thinking and creativity through AI usage

    by Xianfeng Li

    Forum for Education Studies, Vol.3, No.2, 2025;

    The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in teacher education has raised important questions about its impact on higher-order cognitive skills, particularly critical thinking and creativity. This study investigates the mediating role of critical thinking in the relationship between AI usage and creativity among pre-service teachers. Grounded in Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) and Dual-Process Theory, the research conceptualizes critical thinking as a second-order reflective construct comprising adaptive exploration (AE) and systematic validation (SV). Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 107 pre-service teachers at a teacher training institution in Southwest China. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the relationships among AI usage, critical thinking, and creativity. Results indicate that AI usage significantly enhances critical thinking (β = 0.560, p < 0.001), which, in turn, has a strong positive effect on creativity (β = 0.707, p < 0.001). Moreover, critical thinking serves as a partial mediator, amplifying the effect of AI usage on creativity (β = 0.397, p < 0.001, VAF = 65.89%). These findings underscore the necessity of fostering AI-supported critical thinking skills in teacher education. As generative AI technologies become increasingly prevalent in digital learning environments, integrating adaptive exploration and systematic validation into pedagogical strategies is essential for cultivating both critical thinking and creativity. The study contributes to the discourse on digital learning innovations and teacher education by providing empirical evidence on AI’s role in enhancing cognitive development.

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  • Open Access

    Article

    Article ID: 2501

    Meta-analysis reveals the effectiveness evaluation of blended learning models across different academic disciplines

    by Feng Shi, Yuqing Wu, Rufeng He

    Forum for Education Studies, Vol.3, No.2, 2025;

    With the rapid development of modern electronic information technology, blended learning has gradually gained attention and acceptance among universities and individuals. Most studies indicate that, due to the combination of teacher guidance and active student participation in blended learning models, their effectiveness often surpasses that of traditional, single-learning methods. However, different disciplines possess unique characteristics, and there is currently a paucity of research exploring the effectiveness of blended learning across various academic fields. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of blended learning models in different academic disciplines using meta-analysis methods, through a comprehensive quantitative synthesis of 18 relevant experimental and quasi-experimental studies. The results reveal that blended learning demonstrates a moderately high level of effectiveness in the humanities (g = 0.795, P < 0.01) and an exceptionally high level of effectiveness in science and engineering disciplines (g = 1.017, P < 0.01). Lastly, this study offers suggestions on effectively implementing blended learning, considering three aspects: discipline characteristics, learning resources, and evaluation criteria.

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  • Open Access

    Article

    Article ID: 2471

    Giftedness in the picture: what do teachers believe is needed for gifted students to become and maintain engaged for learning at school?

    by Saskia Snikkers-Mommer, Aziza Mayo, Alexander Minnaert

    Forum for Education Studies, Vol.3, No.2, 2025;

    Teachers often experience uncertainty regarding their learning support of gifted students, who can show strong task involvement but by no means self-evidently demonstrate engagement with school-task learning. Through inductive and deductive analyses of in-depth interviews with eight teachers, this study explores teachers’ understandings of the needs of gifted children in becoming and maintaining engaged with school learning as well as their own roles in this process. Teachers identify student- and context-related factors that matter for engagement. They describe substantial differences between students in what it takes to become and maintain engaged. For all students, becoming engaged seems to require an autonomy-supportive environment, while the provision of structure appears essential for them to maintain engaged. It is an ongoing challenge for teachers to find the best possible and fair balance between supporting autonomy and providing structure. It requires vigilance and constant monitoring to make it tailored to the child’s educational needs.

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  • Open Access

    Article

    Article ID: 2164

    Impact of SEL intervention ‘Lead Well’ on teacher SEL development: Insights from a field study

    by Asha B. S. Aradhya, Subbu Parameswaran, Nymisha Yadati

    Forum for Education Studies, Vol.3, No.2, 2025;

    Teachers’ social-emotional well-being is crucial for their quality of life. Their well-being is closely associated with the classroom practices, relationships and functioning with students. This study examines the impact of an intervention—‘Lead Well’ on the development of teacher SEL competencies. ‘Lead Well’ is a social-emotional learning (SEL) capacity-building program for teachers, developed by Learning Curve Life Skills Foundation, Hyderabad, India. The program aims to support, develop and promote social emotional well-being among teachers. A single group pretest and posttest design is adopted to conduct this study in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV). KGBV schools provide educational facilities for girl students (grades 6–10) belonging to backward classes, minority backgrounds and families below the poverty line in Educationally Backward Blocks. The study was conducted with teachers in the KGBV schools of Vikarabad district. Teachers were provided with the SEL capacity-building program for their own well-being for an academic year. The training was imparted in phases and regular support was provided. An end-line assessment was administered at the end of the academic year. Analysis reported a significant level of improvement in teachers’ SEL competencies (Emotional Intelligence, Engaging the Child, Shaping Attitudes, Mentor Mindset and Learning and Adaptability). The findings provide the empirical evidence on the impact of teacher-focused SEL interventions. It underscores the need for building teachers social-emotional competencies to improve classroom practices.

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  • Open Access

    Article

    Article ID: 1925

    Learning recovery post-COVID-19 in Ohio’s Appalachian communities: A multivariate causal-comparative investigation

    by Colleen Richardson, Cynthia J. Davenport, Karen H. Larwin

    Forum for Education Studies, Vol.3, No.2, 2025;

    This study investigates causal-comparative relationships between COVID-19 learning loss in reading and math for 3rd grade through 8th grade students and Appalachian status of schools across Ohio. This study further explored potential differences in learning recovery for Appalachian and non-Appalachian schools and potential factors that may impact recovery. Archival data was collected from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to support analysis of differences in average proficiency on Ohio State Testing results. The initial investigation occurred without adjustment or differentiation for socio-economic status, operationalized as eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch, and was then adjusted by this variable for enhanced analysis. The study analyzed additional information about Educational Services Center delivery models for interventions and staff support. The analysis revealed no significant difference in learning loss between Appalachian and non-Appalachian schools, although Appalachian schools demonstrated more negative decline on average over the study period. The study revealed statistically significant gains in reading in an Appalachian County with an Educational Service Center that utilizes a direct service delivery model for professional development and emphasizes targeted interventions. No significant gains were made in math from this same county. The analysis supports the need for future research into service model approaches and their potential impact on preventing learning loss and aiding in learning recovery.

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  • Open Access

    Article

    Article ID: 2379

    Shaping success: How instructional leadership influences teaching practices and self-efficacy

    by Heather Bianconi, Karen Larwin

    Forum for Education Studies, Vol.3, No.2, 2025;

    This study explores teachers’ perceptions of instructional leadership qualities that enhance self-efficacy and classroom practices through Q-methodology, using a snowball sample of state-certified teachers from Pennsylvania and Ohio. Key findings highlight leadership qualities such as positive reinforcement, support, constructive feedback, modeling, trust, autonomy, and collaboration as crucial for teacher growth and instructional effectiveness. Differences in perceptions between elementary and secondary teachers are also examined. The results are organized into five thematic profiles: Sculptors of Curiosity and Creativity, Orchestrators of Harmony and Growth, Champions of Potential and Possibility, Architects of Confidence and Curiosity, and Masterminds of Adaptability and Structure. The study provides valuable insights into leadership traits that foster teacher development and improve classroom outcomes.

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