Forum for Education Studies

The Development and Challenges of STEM Education Research in China: A Content Analysis Based on CNKI-CSSCI Journals (2011-2024)

Yu-Shen Fang — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In the context of the innovation-driven development strategy, STEM education has become a key initiative in China for cultivating innovative talent and enhancing national competitiveness. However, it remains to be seen whether academic research can effectively guide practice alongside the vigorous promotion at the policy level. This study employs content analysis to examine 41 CSSCI source journal articles included in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) from 2011 to 2024, aiming to depict the current state of STEM education research in China and to explore its challenges. The study finds that STEM education research in China exhibits a distinct policy-driven characteristic, with its development trajectory highly synchronized with national policy cycles, but it lacks intrinsic motivation. In terms of research themes, there is a flourishing of "theoretical construction" accompanied by a scarcity of "empirical validation," highlighting a "knowing-doing gap." Spatially, research resources are highly concentrated in developed regions such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Wuhan, notably within normal universities. Educationally, the focus of research skews toward basic education, resulting in the neglect of higher education and vocational training stages that are directly related to industry needs, leading to a disconnection in the talent cultivation chain. Furthermore, the research subject is singular, with key stakeholders such as enterprises being absent, resulting in insufficient top-level design and mechanism research on the collaborative ecosystem of industry, academia, and research.

AI in Iranian higher education: A mixed-methods study of ethical tensions and L2 learning challenges

Hossein Isaee — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This mixed-methods study examines how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are reshaping English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning and teaching within Iranian higher education. Drawing on survey data from 46 students and semi-structured interviews with six EFL instructors and six students, the study explores (1) the extent of students’ AI use, (2) their motivations for using AI, (3) instructors’ attitudes toward AI integration, and (4) perceived risks related to ethics, equity, privacy, and academic integrity. Descriptive findings indicate that more than 85% of students regularly use AI tools (most commonly ChatGPT, Bard, Quillbot, and Grammarly) for idea generation, language refinement, task structuring, and grade maximisation. Interview data demonstrated a clear “assisted learning” orientation among students but also highlighted ethically problematic practices involving plagiarism, overreliance, and strategic paraphrasing to avoid detection. Instructors expressed marked scepticism, with the majority viewing AI as a catalyst for academic dishonesty and a threat to creativity, deep learning, and assessment validity. Despite recognising AI’s potential benefits, both students and instructors voiced substantive concerns regarding data privacy, job displacement, inequity, and algorithmic bias. Collectively, the findings reveal a complex landscape in which AI is simultaneously valued, distrusted, and inadequately regulated. The study concludes by outlining implications for ethical governance, AI literacy integration, and the development of context-sensitive EFL pedagogies in Iranian universities.

Influence of psychosocial predictors and school counseling interventions on female secondary school students’ learning outcomes in science

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Efforts to address gender disparities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education remain limited in many developing countries, particularly where psychosocial barriers and inadequate school counseling systems intersect. This study examined the combined influence of psychosocial predictors and school counseling interventions on female secondary school students’ learning outcomes in science. A quantitative correlational survey design was employed involving 360 female senior secondary school students and 30 school counselors drawn from 30 public schools with functional counseling units. Data were collected using standardized instruments measuring psychosocial factors, counseling access, and science achievement records. Findings of the study indicate that psychosocial factors significantly predict science learning outcomes, with self-efficacy emerging as the strongest positive predictor, while internalized gender stereotypes exert a significant negative influence. Furthermore, higher levels of counseling access were associated with greater science self-efficacy, interest, and achievement among students. Among counseling strategies, self-efficacy enhancement workshops were rated as the most effective intervention. The results provide evidence for the integrated influence of psychosocial factors and school counseling interventions in explaining gender disparities in science education. It indicates that strengthening gender-responsive counseling systems may support improved confidence, engagement, and achievement among female students in science.

Experiential learning, employability, and entrepreneurial intentions in Indian higher education: A systematic review and policy perspective

Nisha Suryavanshi, Sumita Srivastava, Shweta Khemani, Hans Kaushik — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This systematic literature review synthesizes evidence from 30 scholarly publications to examine the intersection of experiential learning, employability skills development, and entrepreneurial intentions within Indian higher education. The review reveals that experiential learning approaches—including internships, live projects, industry partnerships, and hands-on entrepreneurship programs—significantly enhance both employability outcomes and entrepreneurial intentions among Indian students. Key findings indicate that experiential learning positively influences entrepreneurial intention (β = 0.042), with entrepreneurial self-efficacy serving as a critical mediator that amplifies this effect (β = 0.090). Collectively, experiential learning, self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial attitude explain 89.6% of the variance in entrepreneurial intentions. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emerges as a transformative framework emphasizing skill-based experiential learning across all educational levels, aligning the curriculum with industry requirements, promoting vocational training, competency-based education, and lifelong learning. However, significant implementation gaps persist, including inadequate funding, limited industry-academia collaboration, insufficient mentorship infrastructure, and challenges in faculty preparedness for experiential pedagogy. The review identifies critical policy imperatives: establishing comprehensive entrepreneurship ecosystems within universities, enhancing faculty entrepreneurial experience and training, creating institutional start-up funds, strengthening university-industry partnerships, and addressing gender-specific barriers to entrepreneurship. These findings provide evidence-based guidance for policymakers, educational administrators, and curriculum designers seeking to transform Indian higher education into a catalyst for employability and entrepreneurial capacity building in alignment
with national development goals.

Teacher self-efficacy and principal support: Key factors in retaining Ohio educators during the Great Resignation

Ariel A. Hayes, Karen H. Larwin — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Teacher retention continues to represent a significant challenge for educational systems in the United States,particularly following the disruptions associated with COVID-19 and the Great Resignation.This quantitative study examined the relationship between teacher self-efficacy, perceptions of principal support, and educators’intentions to remain in the profession among 146 public and community school teachers in Ohio.Participants completed the Teachers’Sense of Efficacy Scale and an adapted Principal Efficacy Scale,along with demographic and retention-related survey items. Results indicated that the pandemic and broader workforce instability substantially influenced educators’professional outlooks,with many respondents reporting consideration of career changes or departure from PreK–12 education. Teachers who reported stronger self-efficacy beliefs, particularly in student engagement,instructional strategies,and classroom management,were significantly less likely to consider leaving the profession. Similarly, educators who perceived higher levels of principal support, especially in instructional and moral leadership domains, demonstrated stronger retention-related attitudes. Significant grade-level differences also emerged,with secondary educators reporting lower perceptions of principal support than elementary educators. Although most respondents endorsed higher salaries and retention incentives as beneficial, financial considerations alone did not emerge as the strongest predictors of retention intentions. Findings suggest that improving teacher retention requires comprehensive strategies that extend beyond compensation and address leadership quality,professional support systems,workplace conditions,and opportunities for teacher growth and efficacy development.