Integrating generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in education has gained significant attention, particularly in flexible learning environments (FLE). This study investigates how students’ voluntary adoption of GenAI influences their perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), learning engagement (LE), and student-teacher interaction (STI). This study employed a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, using data from 480 students across multiple academic levels. The findings confirm that voluntary GenAI adoption significantly enhances PU and PEU, reinforcing established technology acceptance models (TAM). However, PU did not directly impact LE at the latent level—an unexpected finding that underscores students’ engagement’s complex and multidimensional nature in AI-enriched settings. Conversely, PEU positively influenced LE, which in turn significantly predicted STI. These findings suggest that usability, rather than perceived utility alone, drives deeper engagement and interaction in autonomous learning contexts. This research advances existing knowledge of GenAI adoption by proposing a structural model that integrates voluntary use, learner engagement, and teacher presence. Future research should incorporate variables such as digital literacy, self-regulation, and trust and apply longitudinal approaches to better understand the evolving role of GenAI inequitable, human-centered education.

Children today encounter English in various contexts, with cartoons serving as a particularly influential medium. Beyond their entertainment value, cartoons also promote incidental foreign language acquisition. This article presents the findings of a study involving 240 sixth-grade pupils from Slovenian primary schools. Employing a quantitative approach, the study utilised both a questionnaire and a knowledge test to explore the relationship between English cartoon viewing and incidental vocabulary acquisition. It examined the frequency of cartoon viewing, pupils’ attitudes towards English-language cartoons, and the impact of subtitles on vocabulary test performance. The results indicate that a higher frequency of cartoon viewing, positive attitudes towards English cartoons, and the use of English subtitles are significantly associated with enhanced English vocabulary knowledge. The findings underscore the educational value of English cartoons in supporting vocabulary development and highlight the potential of engaging multimedia content in fostering incidental vocabulary acquisition in both classroom settings and out-of-school contexts. Consequently, educators should incorporate cartoon-based materials to enhance vocabulary learning, introduce authentic language exposure, and provide multi-sensory experiences tailored to varying learner preferences and proficiency levels.

Teachers' professional performance is strongly influenced by their psychological well-being, their ability to adapt to unstable and uncertain situations (especially in wartime), and their capacity to use effective strategies to manage and overcome stress. This study explored the relationships between teachers' psychological well-being, coping strategies, and intolerance of uncertainty. The Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-Being (PWB Scale), The Mental Health Continuum–Short Form (MHC-SF), The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale–Short Form (IUS-12), Brief COPE Inventory (Brief COPE) were administered with a sample of 1936 teachers of primary and secondary school from Poland (n=927) and Ukraine (n=1009). The results showed that the psychological well-being of Polish and Ukrainian teachers is positively correlated with problem-focused coping (in particular, with active coping, positive reframing, planning, and use of instrumental support) and emotion-focused coping (such as the use of emotional support, humor, acceptance, and religion). A negative correlation was found between teachers' psychological well-being and avoidant coping (such as denial, substance use, behavioral disengagement) and intolerance of uncertainty (prospective anxiety, inhibitory anxiety). A multiple regression analysis was used to identify statistically significant predictors of psychological well-being for teachers in Poland and Ukraine. As a result, both common and distinct factors that influence teachers' psychological well-being were identified, considering the socio-cultural differences that arise from the unique characteristics of the education systems in each country and the sensitivity of teachers' well-being to various socio-political changes. The findings can be used in developing programs that support teachers' psychological well-being and create conditions conducive to enhancing their professional functioning.

The current study sought to evaluate the impact of programs used to enhance the self-regulation and social interaction for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), as perceived by their families. The descriptive approach was used to collect and analyze data and derive conclusions after developing the study instruments. The study sample consisted of 150 families of children with ASD enrolled in special education centers in Amman, Jordan. The study participants were purposefully selected to respond to the two provided measurement scales. To measure the impact of the intervention programs, the researchers developed the Self-Regulation Behavior Scale and the Social Interaction Scale, ensuring the validity and reliability of both scales. The results of the study indicated that from the families’ perspective, programs for children with ASD had a moderate impact on enhancing self-regulation and a high impact on social interaction. Additionally, the findings of the study revealed statistically significant differences in the degree of improvement in self-regulation and social interaction behaviors related to the child’s gender and the severity of their disorder. However, no statistically significant differences were found related to the child’s age and gender in their level of improvement in self-regulation and social interaction behaviors.

Higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) are important for students to improve their ability to analyze, solve problems, and use critical thinking. This research aims to measure the use of flipped learning to enhance students’ higher-order thinking skills. The scaffolding, questioning, interflow, reflection, and comparison (SQIRC)-based flipped learning model is used in this research. It is a combination of online and face-to-face learning that provides opportunities for students to be more active and independent in learning. This model can improve students’ critical thinking skills, as seen from learning outcomes. This research is a quasi-experimental study using 43 students in the Introduction to Accounting course, divided into a control group and an experimental group. In the Introduction to Accounting course, HOTS is essential because this course emphasizes theory and requires the application of the theory in solving problems in accounting records. The results found that implementing the SQIRC-based flipped learning model increased student learning outcomes from pre-test to post-test, and the learning outcomes of the experimental group were higher than those of the control group.

Globalization, digitalization, and evolving national regulations have intensified the need for rigorous quality-assurance systems to secure accreditation in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). This study asks: What theoretical contributions underpin HEI accreditation, and how have research themes evolved? Employing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Bibliometric Analysis via Biblioshiny and Vantage Point, we examined 1,252 documents indexed in Scopus® (781) and Web of Science™ (471) from 2012 to May 2025. Findings delineate three production phases—Foundation Consolidation (2012–2017), Expansion and Diversification (2017–2020), and Sustained Transformation and Innovation (2020–2025)—and three thematic perspectives: (a) Teaching and Learning Quality, (b) Technology and Sustainability as Quality Catalysts, and (c) Governance, Management, and Accountability. Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) identified three Motor Theme clusters—[1] Sustainable Development and Institutional Change, [2] Technological Pedagogy and Student Experience, and [3] Governance and Regulation—led by Spain, the United States, Chile, Colombia, the UK, Australia, and India. Conclusions underscore accreditation’s dual role as a strategic lever for institutional improvement and a competitive mechanism, with emerging focus on competency, e-learning, employability, machine learning, and sustainability. Future research should explore cross-border accreditation dynamics; the impact of AACSB and NAAC standards on business-school curriculum design and program quality; accreditation’s pedagogical effects; and leadership practices for effective implementation.

This study examines the emotional labor of early childhood educators and its relationship with interactions involving children and parents, with a focus on emotional regulation and demographic influences. This study aimed to investigate the impact of emotional regulation strategies and demographic variables on educators’ emotional well-being during professional interactions. A quantitative approach was adopted, with data collected through structured questionnaires. The analysis concentrated on emotion suppression and surface acting in relation to well-being. Results indicated that teachers experienced considerable emotional burden, with emotion suppression being more prevalent than surface acting, particularly in interactions with parents. Fifty-three percent of educators reported a high emotional burden in parent-related suppression, compared to 38% in interactions with children. Additionally, 38% reported high suppression in self-regulation, while 29% experienced no burden from surface acting. Emotion suppression in parent interactions had the most significant impact on well-being (standardized coefficient = 0.4044, p < .001), followed by education level (coefficient = 0.1646, p < .001). Factors such as generation, teaching experience, salary, and certification were not statistically significant. The model explained 18.7% of the variance in emotional well-being. These findings align with existing literature that highlights the emotional burden of teaching and the psychological toll of unaddressed regulation challenges. Therefore, culturally and contextually appropriate suppression-management training, together with enhanced institutional support, is essential to reduce the emotional burden on Indonesian early childhood educators.

The evaluation of Service-Learning (S-L) projects in online environments has become increasingly relevant in educational research, at the same time as the importance of using mixed methods has risen. However, there are few studies focusing on the evaluation of virtual Service-Learning, as most studies concentrate on face-to-face Service-Learning projects. In this regard, the aim of the present research is to assess three Virtual Service-Learning (vS-L) projects using a blended (quantitative-qualitative) evaluation method, also conducted online. The evaluation was conducted by students from the National University for Distance Learning, who completed a questionnaire asynchronously and participated in synchronous focus groups within their respective groups. Data were arranged in a mixed panel (questionnaire items and focus group verbatim opinions). The questionnaires demonstrated that Service-Learning is an excellent methodology to broaden students’ skills, abilities, and competencies to better face the professional world. The focus group verbatim interventions showed that the construction of indicators improves learning. Overall, the assessment results revealed a high level of student satisfaction. The implementation of our mixed-methods approach is innovative because it is conducted entirely online and utilizes computer technology for processing the gathered information.