Subjective well-being of language teaching professionals: An investigation in the context of English as a foreign language education in China

Bin  Chen; Honggang  Liu

doi:10.59400/fes2947

Subjective well-being of language teaching professionals: An investigation in the context of English as a foreign language education in China

Bin Chen
The High School Affiliated to Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
Honggang Liu
School of International Studies, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China

Article ID: 2947

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59400/fes2947

Keywords: subjective well-being, teacher psychology, English as a foreign language, secondary education, China

Abstract

Subjective well-being, a central construct in positive psychology, remains underexplored among language educators. To address this gap, this mixed-methods study investigated the structural dimensions of subjective well-being among Chinese junior high school English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers, profiled its manifestations across demographic groups, and identified its ecological sources within workplace contexts. Data were collected from 811 teachers via the Teacher Subjective Well-being Questionnaire, with quantitative analyses including exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, descriptive statistics, and group comparisons. These were supplemented by in-depth semi-structured interviews with four purposively selected participants, analyzed thematically through Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems framework. Key findings revealed that: (1) EFL teachers’ subjective well-being demonstrated a uni-dimensional structure in factor analyses, with items indexing instructional efficacy, institutional belonging, and perceived respect loading onto a single factor; (2) participants reported moderate levels of subjective well-being, experiencing work-related happiness only “sometimes”; (3) group comparisons showed significantly lower well-being among early-career teachers (0–5 years) and those with college degrees compared to their more experienced and better-educated counterparts; and (4) ecological contributors spanned multiple levels—positive interactions with students, colleagues, and administrators (microsystem), supportive institutional policies fostering professional growth (exosystem), and national curricular reforms prompting adaptive teaching practices (macrosystem). These findings advance theoretical understanding of teacher well-being by clarifying its conceptual structure and embeddedness within professional ecologies, while offering actionable insights for fostering teacher development through multi-level support systems.

Article Status

In press

How to Cite

Chen, B., & Liu , H. (2025). Subjective well-being of language teaching professionals: An investigation in the context of English as a foreign language education in China. Forum for Education Studies, 3(4). https://doi.org/10.59400/fes2947

Download Citation

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 4 (2025): In Progress

Section

Article

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

[1]Hiver P, Dörnyei Z. Language teacher immunity: A double-edged sword. Applied Linguistics. 2017; 38(3): 405–423.

[2]Mercer S. The wellbeing of language teachers in the private sector: An ecological perspective. Language Teaching Research. 2020; 27(5): 1054–1077. doi: 10.1177/1362168820973510

[3]Chu W, Liu H, Fang F. A tale of three excellent Chinese EFL teachers: Unpacking teacher professional qualities for their sustainable career trajectories from an ecological perspective. Sustainability. 2021; 13(12): 6721. doi: 10.3390/su13126721

[4]Fan L, Ma F, Liu Y, et al. Risk factors and resilience strategies: Voices from Chinese novice foreign language teachers. Frontiers in Education. 2021; 5: 565722. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2020.565722

[5]Gao X, Xu H. The dilemma of being English language teachers: Interpreting teachers' motivation to teach, and professional commitment in China's hinterland regions. Language Teaching Research. 2014; 18(2): 152–168. doi: 10.1177/1362168813505938

[6]Yuan R, Zhang LJ. Exploring student teachers' motivation change in initial teacher education: A Chinese perspective. Teaching and Teacher Education. 2017; 61: 142–152. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2016.10.010

[7]Chang ML. An appraisal perspective of teacher burnout: Examining the emotional work of teachers. Educational Psychology Review. 2009; 21(3): 193–218. doi: 10.1007/s10648-009-9106-y

[8]Nazari M, Nejadghanbar H, Hu G. Emotion labor and professional identity construction of TESOL teacher educators. System. 2023; 117: 103111. doi: 10.1016/j.system.2023.103111

[9]Zhang Q, Zhang J. Instructors' positive emotions: Effects on student engagement and critical thinking in U.S. and Chinese classrooms. Communication Education. 2013; 62(4): 395–411. 10.1080/03634523.2013.828842

[10]Cai Y, Liu H. Language teacher emotional intelligence: A scoping review. Forum for Education Studies. 2024; 2(4): 1599. doi: 10.59400/fes.v2i4.1599

[11]Gu Q, Li Q. Sustaining resilience in times of change: Stories from Chinese teachers. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education. 2013; 41(3): 288–303. doi: 10.1080/1359866X.2013.809056

[12]Li Q, Gu Q, He W. Resilience of Chinese teachers: Why perceived work conditions and relational trust matter. Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research and Perspectives. 2019; 17(3): 143–159. doi: 10.1080/15366367.2019.1588593

[13]Liu B, Liu H. Exploring EFL teachers' emotional intelligence: A mixed-methods approach. Advances in Developmental and Educational Psychology. 2025, 5(1): 196–205. doi: 10.25082/ADEP.2024.01.003

[14]Cuervo H, Vera-Toscano E. Teacher retention and attrition: Understanding why teachers leave and their post-teaching pathways in Australia. Asia Pacific Journal of Education. 2025. doi: 10.1080/02188791.2025.2473356

[15]Nwoko JC, Emeto TI, Malau-Aduli AEO, et al. A systematic review of the factors that influence teachers' occupational wellbeing. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(12): 6070. 10.3390/ijerph20126070

[16]Stark K, Daulat N. Teacher well-being and teacher retention: Establishing a link. Social Psychology of Education. 2025; 28: 147. doi: 10.1007/s11218-025-10109-6

[17]Owusu D, Arthur F, Nkyi AK, et al. Profiling differences in burnout among senior high school teachers in Ghana based on their demographic characteristics. International Journal of Changes in Education. 2023; 1(2): 86–96. doi: 10.47852/bonviewIJCE32021809

[18]Carr A. Positive Psychology: The Science of Wellbeing and Human Strengths, 3rd ed. Routledge; 2022. doi: 10.4324/9781003082866

[19]El Aadmi-Laamech K, Santos P, Hernández-Leo D. Impact of basic psychological needs fulfillment on teachers' well-being in Online Communities: Designing for well-being. Computers in Human Behavior Reports. 2025; 19: 100706. doi: 10.1016/j.chbr.2025.100706

[20]Mercer S, Gregersen T. Teacher Wellbeing. Oxford University Press; 2020.

[21]Sulis G, Mercer S, Babic S, Mairitsch A. Language Teacher Wellbeing across the Career Span. Multilingual Matters; 2023. doi: 10.21832/9781800412811

[22]Devaki N, Parveen MSR, Priyanka M, et al. A vibrant ray of hope: Staff well being is key to students well being. Shanlax International Journal of Education. 2019; 7(3): 34–40. doi: 10.34293/education.v7i3.459

[23]Roffey S. Pupil wellbeing—Teacher wellbeing: Two sides of the same coin? Educational and Child Psychology. 2012; 29(4): 8–17. doi: 10.53841/bpsecp.2012.29.4.8

[24]Dewberry C, Briner R. Staff Well-Being Is Key to School Success. Available online: https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/5902birkbeckwbperfsummaryfinal.pdf (accessed on 1 August 2025).

[25]Grenville-Cleave B, Boniwell I. Surviving or thriving? Do teachers have lower perceived control and well-being than other professions? Management in Education. 2012; 26(1): 3–5. doi: 10.1177/0892020611429252

[26]Sak M. Language teacher educator wellbeing in online classes: An analytic autoethnography. European Journal of Education. 2025; 60(2): e70102. doi: 10.1111/ejed.70102

[27]Fabian M. A Theory of Subjective Wellbeing. Oxford University Press; 2022.

[28]Ryan RM, Deci EL. On happiness and human potentials: A review of research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Annual Review of Psychology. 2001; 52: 141–166. doi: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.141

[29]Waterman AS. Two conceptions of happiness: Contrasts of personal expressiveness (eudaimonia) and hedonic enjoyment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1993; 64(4): 678–691. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.64.4.678

[30]Chan DW. Subjective well-being of Hong Kong Chinese teachers: The contribution of gratitude, forgiveness, and the orientations to happiness. Teaching and Teacher Education. 2013; 32: 22–30. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2012.12.005

[31]Csikszentmihalyi M. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper Collins; 1990.

[32]Dodge R, Daly AP, Huyton J, et al. The challenge of defining wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing. 2012; 2(3): 222–235. doi: 10.5502/ijw.v2i3.4

[33]Thomas J. Working Paper: Current Measures and the Challenges of Measuring Children's Wellbeing. Office for National Statistics; 2009. Available online: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120106154926/http:/www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/user-guidance/well-being/wellbeing-knowledge-bank/child-wellbeing/working-paper--current-measures-and-the-challenges-of-measuring-children-s-wellbeing.pdf

[34]Fisher CD. Conceptualizing and measuring wellbeing at work. In: Chen PY, Cooper CL (editors). Work and Wellbeing: A Complete Reference Guide. Wiley Blackwell; 2014. 3, pp. 9–33.

[35]Seligman MEP. Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being. Free Press; 2011.

[36]Oxford RL. Toward a psychology of well-being for language learners: The “EMPATHICS” vision. In: MacIntyre PD, Gregersen T, Mercer S (editors). Positive Psychology in SLA. Multilingual Matters; 2016. pp. 10–88. doi: 10.21832/9781783095360-003

[37]Squires V, Walker K, Spurr S. Understanding self perceptions of wellbeing and resilience of preservice teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education. 2022; 118: 103828. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2022.103828

[38]McCallum F. Teacher and staff wellbeing: Understanding the experiences of school staff. In: Kern ML, Wehmeyer ML (editors). The Palgrave Handbook of Positive Education. Palgrave Macmillan; 2021. pp. 715–740. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-64537-3_28

[39]Das KV, Jones-Harrell C, Fan Y, et al. Understanding subjective well-being: Perspectives from psychology and public health. Public Health Reviews. 2020; 41: 25. doi: 10.1186/s40985-020-00142-5

[40]Diener E, Lucas RE, Oishi S. Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and life satisfaction. In: Snyder CR, Lopez SJ (editors). Handbook of Positive Psychology, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press; 2005. pp. 63–73. doi: 10.1093/oso/9780195135336.003.0005

[41]Diener E, Ryan K. Subjective well-being: A general overview. South Africa Journal of Psychology. 2009; 39(4): 391–406. doi: 10.1177/008124630903900402

[42]Chamani S, Safaeizadeh F, Xodabande I. Investigating the relationship between language teachers' occupational self-efficacy, satisfaction and meaning at work, and their subjective well-being. Frontiers in Psychology. 2023; 14: 1219130. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219130

[43]Diener E, Lucas RE, Oishi S. Advances and open questions in the science of subjective well-being. Collabra: Psychology. 2018; 4(1): 15. doi: 10.1525/collabra.115

[44]Hone LC, Jarden A, Schofield GM, et al. Measuring flourishing: The impact of operational definitions on the prevalence of high levels of wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing. 2014; 4(1): 62–90. doi: 10.5502/ijw.v4i1.4

[45]Huppert FA, Marks N, Clark A, et al. Measuring well-being across Europe: Description of the ESS well-being module and preliminary findings. Social Indicators Research. 2009; 91: 301–315. doi: 10.1007/s11205-008-9346-0

[46]Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. OECD Guidelines on Measuring Subjective Well-Being. OECD Publishing; 2013.

[47]Bullough R, Hall-Kenyon K. Preschool Teachers' Lives and Work: Stories and Studies from the Field. Routledge; 2018. doi: 10.4324/9781315112718

[48]Reitbauer M, Fürstenberg U, Kletzenbauer P, et al. Teaching is therapy for me. The subjective wellbeing of Austrian ICLHE teachers: Learning to balance challenges and resources through teacher development. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching. 2022; 16(4–5): 366–380. doi: 10.1080/17501229.2022.2064468

[49]Song H, Gu Q, Zhang Z. An exploratory study of teachers' subjective wellbeing: Understanding the links between teachers' income satisfaction, altruism, self-efficacy and work satisfaction. Teachers and Teaching. 2020; 26(1): 3–31. doi: 10.1080/13540602.2020.1719059

[50]Henne D, Locke EA. Job dissatisfaction: What are the consequences? International Journal of Psychology. 1985; 20(2): 221–240. doi: 10.1080/00207598508247734

[51]Ortan F, Simut C, Simut R. Self-efficacy, job satisfaction and teacher well-being in the K-12 educational system. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(23): 12763. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182312763

[52]Shin DC, Johnson DM. Avowed happiness as an overall assessment of the quality of life. Social Indicators Research. 1978; 5: 475–492. doi: 10.1007/BF00352944

[53]Proctor C. Subjective well-being (SWB). In: Michalos AC (editor). Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer; 2014. pp. 6437–6441. doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_2905

[54]Pekrun R, Perry RP. Control-value theory of achievement emotions. In: Pekrun R, Linnenbrink-Garcia L (editors). International Handbook of Emotions in Education. Routledge; 2014. pp. 130–151.

[55]Falecki D, Mann E. Practical applications for building teacher wellbeing in education. In: Mansfield CF (editor). Cultivating Teacher Resilience. Springer; 2021. pp. 175–191. doi: 10.1007/978-981-15-5963-1_11

[56]Shin S, Mercer S, Babic S, et al. Riding the happiness curve: The wellbeing of mid‐career phase language teachers. Language Learning Journal. 2021; 51(2): 195–207. doi: 10.1080/09571736.2021.1979632

[57]Zee M, Koomen HMY. Teacher self-eﬃcacy and its eﬀects on classroom processes, student academic adjustment, and teacher well-being: A synthesis of 40 years of research. Review of Educational Research. 2016; 86(4): 981–1015. doi: 10.3102/0034654315626801

[58]Seligman M. PERMA and the building blocks of well-being. The Journal of Positive Psychology. 2018; 13(4): 333–335. doi: 10.1080/17439760.2018.1437466

[59]Schopes K, Lacomba-Trejo L, Valero-Moreno S, et al. The impact of resilience and subjective well-being on teacher burnout during COVID-19 in Chile. Psicología Educativa. 2023; 29(2): 167–175. doi: https://doi.org/10.5093/psed2023a12

[60]Jimerson SR, Haddock AD. Understanding the importance of teachers in facilitating student success: Contemporary science, practice, and policy. School Psychology Quarterly. 2015; 30(4): 488–493. doi: 10.1037/spq0000134

[61]Mameli C, Biolcati R, Passini S, et al. School context and subjective distress: The influence of teacher justice and school-specific well-being on adolescents' psychological health. School Psychology International. 2018; 39(5): 526–542. doi: 10.1177/0143034318794226

[62]Diener E, Suh EM, Lucas RE, et al. Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin. 1999; 125(2): 276–302. doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.125.2.276

[63]Rinas R, Dresel M, Daumiller M. Faculty subjective well-being: An achievement goal approach. International Journal of Educational Research. 2022; 115: 101942. doi: 10.1016/j.ijer.2022.101942

[64]Yıldırım K. Main factors of teachers' professional well-being. Educational Research and Reviews. 2014; 9(6): 153–163.

[65]Renshaw TL, Long ACJ, Cook CR. Assessing teachers' positive psychological functioning at work: Development and validation of the teacher subjective wellbeing questionnaire. School Psychology Quarterly. 2015; 30(2): 289–306. doi: 10.1037/spq0000112

[66]Babic S, Mercer S, Mairitsch A, et al. Language teacher wellbeing in the workplace. Theory and Practice of Second Language Acquisition. 2022; 8(1): 11–34. doi: 10.31261/TAPSLA.11514

[67]Blazek T, Morrison HJ, Sulz LD, et al. Prioritising teachers' health: The impact of ‘unstructured wellness time' on educator wellness. Health Education Journal. 2025; 84(7). doi: 10.1177/00178969251332470

[68]Börü N, Apaydın Ç, Yalçın OM, et al. The effect of collectivist culture on teachers' wellbeing: Mediating role of social justice leadership. International Journal of Educational Management. 2025; 39(4): 898–915. doi: 10.1108/IJEM-10-2024-0642

[69]Mercer S. An agenda for well-being in ELT: An ecological perspective. ELT Journal. 2021; 75(1): 14–21. doi: 10.1093/elt/ccaa062

[70]La Placa V, McNaught A, Knight A. Discourse on wellbeing in research and practice. International Journal of Wellbeing. 2013; 3(1): 116–125.

[71]Liu L, Liu P, Yang H, et al. The relationship between distributed leadership and teacher well-being: The mediating roles of organisational trust. Educational Management Administration and Leadership. 2022; 52(4): 837–853. doi: 10.1177/17411432221113683

[72]Jeliseh MT, Valizadeh M, Zohrabi M, et al. Enhancing language teachers' well-being through positive psychology interventions: A mixed-methods study focusing on gratitude journaling. Psychology in the Schools. 2025; 62(10): 4276–4292. doi: 10.1002/pits.70005

[73]Dörnyei Z. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methodologies. Oxford University Press; 2007.

[74]Rose H, McKinley J, Baffoe-Djan JB. Data Collection Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. Bloomsbury Academic; 2019. doi: 10.5040/9781350025875

[75]Bronfenbrenner U (Ed.). Making Human Beings Human: Bioecological Perspectives on Human Development. Sage Publications Ltd; 2005.

[76]Bryman A, Cramer D. Quantitative Data Analysis with SPSS Release 8 for Windows: A Guide for Social Scientists. Routledge; 1999. doi: 10.4324/9780203459621

[77]Field A. Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics, 4th ed. Sage Publications Ltd; 2013.

[78]Hair Jr. JF, Black WC, Babin BJ, Anderson RE. Multivariate Data Analysis, 8th ed. Cengage Learning, EMEA; 2019.

[79]Green S, Salkind N. Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data, 8th ed. Pearson; 2017.

[80]Plonsky L, Gonulal T. Methodological synthesis in quantitative L2 research: A review of reviews and a case study of exploratory factor analysis. Language Learning. 2015; 65(S1): 9–36. doi: 10.1111/lang.12111

[81]Bandura A. Self-efficacy: The Exercise of Control. W. H. Freeman; 1997.

[82]Bakker AB, Demerouti E, Sanz-Vergel A. Job demands-resources theory: Ten years later. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior. 2023; 10: 25–53. doi: 10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-120920-053933

Editor-in-Chief

Dr. Surapati Pramanik

Nandalal Ghosh B.T. College, India

eISSN

3029-2956

Publication Frequency

Quarterly

Indexing

Polish Scientific Bibliography

About the Publisher

Academic Publishing insists on taking academic exchange and publication as the main line, carrying out comprehensive management based on science and technology, and fully exploring excellent international publishing resources. Within 5 years, it will form a strategic framework and scale with science (S), technology (T), medicine (M), education (E), and humanities and arts (H) as the main publishing fields. Academic Publishing is headquartered in Singapore and based in Malaysia, with the United States and China providing the main scientific and academic resources. At the same time, it has established long-term good cooperative relations with other publishing companies, scientific research communities, and academic organizations in more than a dozen countries and regions. Academic Publishing uses English and Chinese as its main publishing languages, mainly publishing books, journals, and conference papers in print and online. The vast majority of publications follow the international open access policy, providing stable and long-term quality and professional publications. With the joint efforts of the expert team and our professional editorial team, our publications will gradually be indexed by international databases in stages to provide convenient and professional retrieval for various scholars. At the same time, manuscripts we accept will be subject to the peer review principle, and cutting-edge and innovative research articles will be preferentially accepted for peer reference and discussion. All kinds of our publications are welcome for peer to contribute, access, and download.

more

Volume Arrangement

2025

2024

2023

Featured Articles

Diachronic analysis of Spanish scientific production on teaching methodologies in Primary Education: A scientometric and conceptual perspective (2000–2023)

The evaluation of science is essential to ensuring the quality, validity, and reliability of scientific results. Science needs to undergo a review process to ensure the rigorousness of scientific output. This evaluation provides a solid basis for political and economic decisions related to the design and execution of research projects, the establishment of new lines of research, or the identification of areas of specialization. This paper analyses diachronically the Spanish scientific production related to the implementation and development of teaching methodologies in primary education and indexed in the Scopus and Web of Science databases during the period 2000–2023. This analysis is carried out on the one hand, from a scientometric perspective, based on the analysis of indicators such as diachronic production, the journals with the highest scientific productivity, and the most productive institutions, and, on the other hand, from a conceptual perspective, trying to define its relationship with other areas of education. The general results of this study reveal two clear stages: the first, up to 2010, with little scientific production; and the second, from 2011 onwards, characterised by a general growth. The relationship between this field and others such as initial teacher training, ICT, and didactics is also evident.

The relationship between teachers’ self-efficacy and classroom management practices in secondary schools

This study explores the intricate relationship between teacher self-efficacy and classroom management practices in secondary schools in the Mansehra district of Pakistan. Teacher self-efficacy, defined as the belief in one’s ability to manage and influence classroom environments effectively, has been identified as a critical factor influencing both teaching performance and student outcomes. The research employed a mixed-method approach, gathering data from 62 teachers and 310 students using both online surveys (via Google Forms) and physical questionnaires to ensure a diverse and inclusive participant pool. Data analysis was conducted using two complementary tools: SPSS and Smart PLS. SPSS was used for descriptive statistics and inferential analyses, such as t-tests, chi-square tests, and measures of central tendency, to offer an overview of group differences and relationships between variables. Meanwhile, Smart PLS was employed for Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), a technique suited for complex models and smaller sample sizes. This method allowed for the analysis of both direct and indirect relationships between the study variables—teacher self-efficacy, teaching practices, and classroom management. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between teacher self-efficacy and classroom management practices. Additionally, teaching practices were found to mediate this relationship, indicating that higher levels of self-efficacy not only directly improve classroom management but also enhance teaching performance, which in turn contributes to better-managed classrooms. These results suggest that interventions aimed at enhancing teacher self-efficacy can have far-reaching effects on educational outcomes. The study highlights the need for focused teacher development programs that foster self-efficacy, thereby improving classroom management, student engagement, and overall academic success.

Artificial Intelligence in education: A comprehensive study

This comprehensive study delves into the multifaceted role of AI in education, exploring its applications, benefits, challenges, and future implications. The purpose of the study is to show how AI in education helps educators identify gaps in student knowledge and provide targeted feedback to improve learning outcomes. As a methodology, the library method and the study and review of various documents have been used in this research. The study examines the diverse range of AI technologies employed in educational settings, including intelligent tutoring systems, personalized learning platforms, educational chatbots, and virtual reality simulations. Furthermore, the study delves into the numerous benefits that AI brings to education. It highlights how AI-powered analytics and data-driven insights enable educators to gain deeper insights into student learning patterns, identify areas for improvement, and tailor instructional strategies accordingly. Additionally, AI-driven tools promote inclusivity by providing personalized support to learners with diverse needs and learning styles. Despite its transformative potential, the study also acknowledges the challenges and ethical considerations associated with integrating AI into education. Data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the digital divide are examined in detail, emphasizing the importance of responsible AI deployment and ethical guidelines. Looking ahead, the study explores the future implications of AI in education and the evolving role of educators in AI-enabled classrooms. It discusses how AI technologies will continue to evolve, offering new opportunities for collaborative learning, skill development, and lifelong education. In conclusion, this comprehensive study underscores the profound impact of AI on education and the need for thoughtful implementation strategies that prioritize equity, inclusivity, and ethical considerations. By harnessing the potential of AI, education systems can better prepare learners for the challenges and opportunities of the future.

Enhancing adult learner success in higher education through decision tree models: A machine learning approach

This article explores the use of machine learning, specifically Classification and Regression Trees (CART), to address the unique challenges faced by adult learners in higher education. These learners confront socio-cultural, economic, and institutional hurdles, such as stereotypes, financial constraints, and systemic inefficiencies. The study utilizes decision tree models to evaluate their effectiveness in predicting graduation outcomes, which helps in formulating tailored educational strategies. The research analyzed a comprehensive dataset spanning the academic years 2013–2014 to 2021–2022, evaluating the predictive accuracy of CART models using precision, recall, and F1 score. Findings indicate that attendance, age, and Pell Grant eligibility are key predictors of academic success, demonstrating the strong capability of the model across various educational metrics. This highlights the potential of machine learning (ML) to improve data-driven decision-making in educational settings. The results affirm the effectiveness of Decision Tree (DT) models in meeting the educational needs of adult learners and underscore the need for institutions to adapt their strategies to provide more inclusive and supportive environments. This study advocates for a shift towards nuanced, data-driven approaches in higher education, emphasizing the development of strategies that address the distinct challenges of adult learners, aiming to enhance inclusivity and support within the sector.