Horațiu Catalano

Teachers' occupational stress is an important topic in educational research, with implications for their well-being and performance. This study analysed the relationship between grit, defined as passion and perseverance for long-term goals, and the perception of occupational stress among primary school teachers in Romania, in the context of school year reorganisation from 2 semesters to 5 modules. This exploratory cross-sectional study included a sample of 158 primary education teachers from the northwestern region of Romania. Work-related stress was assessed through a questionnaire adapted from "School Teachers Job Stressor Scale" (Naono-Nagatomo et al., 2019), and the grit level was measured using the scale developed by Duckworth (2016). The results revealed differentiated levels of occupational stress, the highest being associated with the reorganisation of the academic year. The correlation analysis indicated significant negative relationships between grit levels and certain stress dimensions, particularly self-assessment of professional skills and peer relations, while the relationship with the overall stress was not significant. The qualitative data supported these findings, suggesting that grit facilitates stress management in specific contexts without equally influencing all dimensions of work-related stress. These preliminary findings emphasise the multidimensional nature of occupational stress and highlight the need for future research with larger, more representative samples to replicate and extend these associations.

Grit, defined by perseverance and passion in achieving long-term goals, can be considered a predictor of students' academic engagement and success. The present study investigates the relationship between students’ level of Grit and the engagement they demonstrate in their educational path. Student engagement can be characterized by active participation in learning activities, increased motivation for achieving performance, and self-study related discipline. The study has made use of the questionnaire-based survey as a quantitative data collection method and the focus group method as a qualitative method. The level of engagement was assessed through the Academic Engagement Scale (Academic Engagement Scale), developed by D. Rovan and collaborators (2016), having 15 items, structured across three dimensions: behavioral, emotional and cognitive. To measure the level of Grit, the Grit Scale has been used which has been developed by A. Duckworth and consists of 10 items. The sample of participants consisted of 76 students, enrolled in the specialization Primary and Preschool Educational Pedagogy. The results showed that a high level of Grit can enhance student involvement in learning activities, thus leading to better results and implicitly to increased performance. In order to be able to improve both the level of Grit and academic engagement, it is important to provide students with attractive, personalized learning experiences according to their individual needs. Keywords: Grit, academic engagement, academic success, students

Background/Objectives: Academic engagement plays a central role in students’ learning outcomes and persistence in higher education. However, the mechanisms through which amotivation influences engagement remain insufficiently understood, particularly within conditional self-regulation frameworks. The present study examined a conditional self-regulation model in which amotivation predicts academic engagement through forethought and self-reflection under different levels of perceived performance control. Methods: Data were collected from 530 university students from Western Romania. A moderated parallel mediation model (PROCESS Model 59) was estimated to test whether forethought and self-reflection mediate the relationship between amotivation and academic engagement and whether perceived performance control moderates these pathways. Results: The results indicated that amotivation maintained a robust direct association with academic engagement across levels of performance control. Perceived performance control moderated the amotivation–forethought pathway, while self-reflection showed conditional indirect effects depending on control levels. Conclusions: These findings suggest that motivational deficits operate within a context-sensitive regulatory architecture in which control beliefs shape the activation of self-regulatory processes. The results contribute to understanding academic adaptation under motivational constraints and highlight the role of perceived performance control in students’ self-regulation systems.

This research analyses the impact of the National Programme for Reducing School Dropout (NPRSD) on the academic performance of 8th form students, with emphasis on the results obtained in the subject of Romanian language and literature. The study is based on a pre-experimental design and was conducted in rural areas, involving two comparable educational units. The experimental group benefited from remedial and support activities within NPRSD, including additional preparation sessions, digital educational resources and a hot meal. The primary method of data collection was the analysis of school documents; the assessment tool was the National Evaluation mock exam, applied before and after the intervention. The results indicate a significant improvement in academic performance within the experimental group, reflected by an increase in the average marks and a reduction in the number of students with marks below the passing threshold. Statistical analysis highlighted a significant positive effect, supported by the t-test for paired groups and Cohen’s d-index.

The development of literacy skills among young school children is an important factor in achieving academic success, having a direct impact on their ability to understand and use information effectively. In the current educational context, digital storytelling is an innovative and engaging resource that can contribute to young school children’s development of literacy skills. This study analyzed the impact of digital stories use on the emergent literacy of primary school children, highlighting their benefits in the development of reading, comprehension and reflection on a written text skills. The study used a mixed-method research design, combining both quantitative (standardized tests) and qualitative (focus-group) methods to gain a detailed insight into the impact of digital stories on the development of literacy in young school children. The participants were 25 second graders who underwent an educational intervention using digital stories. The assessment of students' progress was carried out through the application of the Learning Strategies Assessment Questionnaire (SMALSI), the Reading Comprehension Strategies scale, the focus being placed on aspects such as reading, monitoring and re-reading texts, as well as self-testing to ensure content comprehension. The quantitative analysis followed the variations in scores obtained in the pre-experimental and post-experimental stages, and the qualitative component included parent and teacher focus groups on students’ literacy level. The results of the study highlighted that exposure to digital stories significantly increases literacy levels in the post-experimental stage compared to the pre-experimental stage.

The transition stage to pre-primary school represents a key event, in which the support received from family and teachers is essential in facilitating the transition and in ensuring an effective adjustment to the school environment. Our study aimed to investigate the impact of mathematical prerequisites on cognitive development, compared to the impact of reading and writing prerequisites, from the perspective of parents and early childhood educators. Thus, we quantified the impact of reading–writing and math prerequisites on children’s transition from kindergarten to school, analyzing the challenges, opportunities, and possibilities that arise. The sample consisted of 685 parents and 188 teachers, using the preschool prerequisites screening standardized questionnaire developed by the company Cognitrom, a questionnaire-survey, and the focus group method. Initially, the fidelity of the research instrument was assessed by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The data distribution was tested using the skewness and kurtosis coefficients. Subsequently, descriptive analyses were carried out in order to provide an overview of the data collected by performing a multiple linear regression analysis. In addition, the Phi coefficient and V Cramer’s V coefficient were used to analyze the association between the research variables. By corroborating the obtained results, we can state that, from the parents’ and early childhood teachers’ perspective, math prerequisites have a greater influence on children’s cognitive development in the transition process from kindergarten to school compared to reading–writing prerequisites, confirming the general hypothesis.

Early education leaders need to embrace transformational leadership styles that promote growth and achievement to contribute to the success of the entire community. Research in this area is necessary because, according to conversations with school inspectors, the leaders of early education institutions in Romania need an adequate understanding of leadership styles, as seen by the lack of professional development courses available. Our research aimed to assess the impact of transformational leadership style on early education leaders' success as measured by operational indicators such as effectiveness, satisfaction, and extra effort. In this study, we employed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQX5) and focus group method. To determine the dominating style of the leaders in the study, correlations, regressions, and the Chi-square test were used to analyze the data. The findings indicate a connection between transformative leadership and a growth mindset that characterizes leaders. These aspects lead to high effectiveness and stimulate the individual towards continuous personal and professional development. We can conclude from the investigation that the outcomes of the leader's behavior are closely related to their leadership style and growth mindset.

The parenting styles adopted by parents have a particularly important role in creating and maintaining a child’s wellbeing. Psychological and educational research has been consistently concerned with the relationship between parenting practices and child wellbeing. Multiple factors, including cultural, economic, societal and demographic, can influence this relationship. This study aims to examine the association between the wellbeing of rural children and authoritarian, democratic, and permissive parenting styles. The study was conducted between February and March 2024 and those who werw involved were 115 pupils between the ages of 13 and 14 (M = 13.13, SD = 0.33) together with their respective parents. In order to measure parenting styles, Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire in short form (PSDQ) was used, whereas The Stirling Children's Wellbeing Scale (SCWBS) was used to gauge children's wellbeing. The results of the Pearson analysis have shown that the democratic parenting style positively correlates with the manifestations of wellbeing (positive emotional state, positive outlook on the future). Conversely, the authoritarian parenting style correlates negatively with the wellbeing dimensions, while the permissive parenting style does not correlate with any of the aforementioned dimensions.

In an increasingly digitised society, the development of computational thinking has become essential for everyone. Computational thinking is defined as a process of breaking down a problem into steps that are simple enough to understand, identifying solutions that can lead to automation. New generations should have the opportunity to develop this skill from early childhood, so future teachers need to develop the skills to create innovative learning contexts. This study explores the need for initial training of students majoring in elementary and early childhood education to create learning contexts that facilitate the development of students' computational thinking. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were used to identify future teachers' perceptions of the need for initial student training to build the skills required to design learning settings that aid the advancement of computational thinking in toddlers and students. In terms of qualitative methods, the focus group method was used, discussing with students based on the questions How would you describe the concept of computational thinking? Can computational thinking be included in the teaching process? What types of activities could be carried out? As quantitative methods of data collection, a questionnaire survey was used, applying a questionnaire consisting of 24 items. The results showed that the introduction of a course based on computational thinking can significantly influence the way future teachers teach.

This study explores the characteristics of authentic school leaders in rural Romania and their impact on teacher efficacy. Rural schools in Romania face distinct challenges, including limited resources, socio-economic constraints, and difficulties in attracting and retaining qualified staff. Understanding how leaders navigate these obstacles to create a supportive educational environment is critical. The research addresses key questions: How do rural school leaders exhibit qualities such as transparency, ethics, efficacy, and self-awareness? What impact do these qualities have on teacher efficacy and professional growth? Data was gathered through surveys assessing leadership practices from the perspectives of both school leaders and their evaluators, considering different stages of teachers' professional practice (PP) and professional development (PD). The analysis revealed notable patterns, such as higher self-awareness among entry-level teachers and significant efficacy reported by mid-level teachers and those with 'gradul II' certification. These findings indicate a complex relationship between leadership practices and stages of teacher development. A significant observation was the disparity in transparency scores between 'gradul I' teachers and those with over 25 years of experience, suggesting areas for further research. Additionally, lower scores in ethics and efficacy among entry-level teachers point to the need for targeted support and development initiatives. The study highlights the critical role of authentic leadership in rural schools and offers insights into how effective leadership practices can strengthen teacher efficacy. By identifying strategic areas for improvement, the research provides valuable guidance for policymakers and educators working in challenging educational contexts.