Julija Melnikova

This study examines how school leaders experience, interpret, and enact participatory leadership within a regulated public education system. Although participatory leadership is often conceptualized as a redistribution of authority, less is known about how it is experienced and made workable under conditions of institutional regulation and formal accountability. A phenomenology-informed interpretive approach was used to explore the lived experiences of six Lithuanian school leaders engaged in participatory decision-making (PDM). The findings reveal participatory leadership as a lived and continuously negotiated practice situated within a regulated institutional lifeworld shaped by accountability structures, hierarchical relations, political oversight, and institutional timeframes. Within this context, participation was constituted through four interrelated dimensions: normative orientation, leadership agency, selective organizational learning, and relational infrastructure. These dimensions were not uniformly enabling: leaders’ judgments could both expand and delimit participation, organizational learning involved inclusion as well as exclusion, and trust emerged as a fragile relational condition. Based on these findings, the study develops a non-linear interpretive model of participatory leadership as an interdependent and contextually enacted practice. The study contributes to participatory and distributed leadership scholarship by foregrounding how institutional conditions acquire practical meaning through leadership interpretation, judgment, and everyday enactment.

This study aimed to examine the relationships among school leadership, infrastructure and equipment, teachers’ readiness for using technology, and techno-work engagement. Techno-work engagement was conceptualized as a positive, fulfilling state characterized by technology-related vigor, dedication, and absorption, and was measured using the Techno-Work Engagement Scale (TechnoWES). Leadership, infrastructure and equipment, and teachers’ readiness for using technology were assessed using SELFIE, the European Commission's self-reflection tool based on the European Framework for Digitally Competent Educational Organisations (DigCompOrg). Survey data from 1493 Lithuanian general education school teachers were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM). The measurement model demonstrated good fit and supported teachers’ readiness for using technology as a higher-order construct reflected by pedagogy: supports and resources, classroom implementation, and assessment practices. SEM revealed that leadership positively predicted infrastructure and equipment, teachers’ readiness for using technology, and techno-work engagement. Teachers’ readiness for using technology emerged as the strongest direct predictor of techno-work engagement. Infrastructure and equipment did not have a significant direct effect on techno-work engagement but positively predicted teachers’ readiness for using technology. These findings indicate that organizational digital conditions alone are insufficient to foster positive technology-related work engagement. The study contributes to research on school digitalization by highlighting the central role of teacher-level readiness in linking institutional conditions to positive technology-related work outcomes.

The article analyses the legal regulation of the application of formative assessment and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in general education schools in Lithuania. The study was conducted by using document analysis and thematic framework analysis. The sample consisted of currently valid legal acts adopted by state authorities regulating the implementation of formative assessment in general education schools (n = 11) and the use of AI in the education sector (n = 4). The findings indicate that formative assessment is established in legal acts as a continuous, learning-oriented form of assessment grounded in teacher–student interaction, feedback, and the monitoring of individual student progress; however, its regulation lacks full coherence. The use of AI in general education schools is regulated in a fragmented manner, with a lack of clear definitions, implementation guidelines, and principles explicitly linked to formative assessment. It is concluded in this paper that while the existing legal framework provides conditions which are conducive to formative assessment, it insufficiently addresses the challenges posed by the integration of AI in the educational process, thus necessitating targeted improvement of the body of legal regulation.

This study develops and validates a three-level model of digital learning conditions that reflects the progression from ICT accessibility (“access”) to pedagogical use (“use”) and their influence on student learning outcomes (“impact”). Drawing on secondary analysis of the PISA 2022 ICT Familiarity Questionnaire and applying complex-sample regression together with the logic of structural equation modelling (SEM), the study examines how ICT resources, usage practices, and digital feedback (ICTFEED) interact and how they are associated with Lithuanian fifteen-year-olds’ achievement in mathematics, reading, and science. The three-level model includes: (1) ICT infrastructure—access to technology at home and at school and students’ perceived quality of technological resources; (2) ICT learning practices—use of digital tools in subject lessons, inquiry-based activities, and school-related work outside the classroom; and (3) digital feedback and its relationship with academic achievement. Results show that neither home nor school ICT availability predicts students’ experience of receiving digital feedback. The only significant infrastructure-level predictor is the perceived quality of school ICT resources (ICTQUAL). Digital feedback is most strongly predicted by ICT use in inquiry-based learning and by ICT-supported schoolwork outside the classroom, whereas ICT use in subject lessons has only a minimal effect. Across all domains, digital feedback is negatively associated with student achievement, even when ICT access, resource quality, learning-use variables, and digital leisure are controlled for. This pattern suggests that ICTFEED functions primarily as a compensatory mechanism, being more frequently used with lower-achieving students rather than serving as a direct enhancer of academic performance. The proposed three-level model offers a structured framework for interpreting students’ digital learning experiences and highlights the key components of school ICT ecosystems that shape digital assessment practices and learning outcomes.

Increase of time management effect is in permanent focus in social sciences, e.g. education, economics, political science, international relations, etc. For the increase of time management effect, education plays the decisive role by providing time management training in educational institutions at all levels. The main aim of this work is to shape a framework for time management training in educational institutions starting from pre-primary school moving through higher education and further to adult education. Exploratory research of qualitative nature is leveraged. The exploratory research is rooted in the interdisciplinary methodology. Analysis of theoretical sources with open access is based on concept review. The finding is that there are several time concepts built on a variety of constructs by different scientific disciplines. Time concepts developed in social sciences can be used among these social sciences. The concept of research constructs allows finding a novel way for grouping of different interdisciplinary approaches applied to time into the external and internal ones. This in turn helps mold four methodologies for time management. Benefits and drawbacks of each methodology are highlighted. The four methodologies are designed to target gradually and sequentially specific needs of individuals in time management training.

The EDUTECH STEAM lab, established at the Department of Pedagogy in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at Klaipėda University, serves as an integral component of teacher training by implementing the principles of a Living Lab, a user-centered, open innovation ecosystem that fosters collaboration between educators, researchers and technology developers. This study explores the best practice case of how the Living Lab model, as implemented in the EDUTECH STEAM lab at Klaipėda University, enhances pre-service and in-service teacher training, facilitating the co-creation, experimentation and validation of emerging educational technologies. In particular, the EDUTECH STEAM lab plays a crucial role in preparing teachers to integrate AI-driven learning analytics, adaptive assessment models, and interactive STEAM education into real-world classrooms. The article was conducted using a systematic approach to identify and analyse relevant scholarly works on teacher education, STEAM integration, digital pedagogy, and Living Lab methodologies. The findings indicate that embedding a Living Lab approach in teacher training enhances technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), promotes formative assessment strategies, and supports personalised learning pathways for students.

STEAM education in schools is identified as one an educational priority. The aim of this article is to discuss the challenges faced by primary school teachers in implementing STEAM education. A semi-systematic analysis of scientific literature was chosen to conduct the study. Based on research findings, three key challenges faced by primary school teachers in implementing STEAM education were identified. The findings of the study suggest that teachers struggle to ensure inter- and transdisciplinarity. Most of the focus is on the integration of science and mathematics, while the inclusion of engineering, technology and the arts disciplines often remains insufficient. While digital technologies have great potential to enrich STEAM education for primary students, their integration remains a challenge. This is not only due to the lack of available technological options, but also because of the limited digital literacy of teachers, and the absence of clear methodological guidelines for how to use these tools effectively. It is therefore essential to ensure that schools are equipped with the necessary digital technologies, and that teachers are empowered to use them effectively in STEAM teaching and learning.

This study aims to develop a comprehensive professional development program to help general education teachers integrate digital learning platforms into the teaching and learning process using the ADDIE instructional design model. The program is structured around the five key phases of the ADDIE model - Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation - providing a systematic framework for effective digital platform integration. The training program focuses on equipping teachers with the necessary skills to select, implement, and evaluate digital tools in various instructional contexts. The program development process considers best practices in instructional design and technology-enhanced learning while addressing teachers’ pedagogical needs. Special emphasis is placed on fostering engagement, adaptability, and practical application of digital resources in blended and online learning environments. By aligning professional development with the ADDIE model, this study provides a structured approach to supporting teachers in effectively utilizing digital platforms for instructional purposes. Future research will focus on piloting the program and assessing its impact on teachers' digital competencies and classroom practices.

For addressing the issue of regional inequalities in access to STEM education, the STEM centres are located in Riga, the capital city of Latvia, as well as other cities, namely Cesis, Liepaja, Sigulda, and Ventspils, established in different regions of Latvia. A visit to a STEM centre in Latvia starts with the investigation of its online platform. The aim of this work is to build a framework for the analysis of online platforms of STEM centres in Latvia. The guiding research questions is: What are functions and sub-functions of online platform of the STEM centre? The descriptive study is employed in this work. The study is aimed at identification of functions and sub-functions of online platforms belonging to STEM centres. In the digital age, online platforms ensure links between STEM centres and their visitors. Online platforms of STEM centres provide important information about STEM centre’s aims, functions, facilities, and services. Online platforms also serve as a communication tool (use of emails and similar) between the STEM centre and its clients as well as stakeholders. The theoretical analysis allows shaping the framework for analysis of online platforms belonging to STEM centres. The framework is built of key functions (organisation contact information, educational programmes, and training to services) and sub-functions that online platforms are expected to present. The comparative analysis based on the descriptive study shows that only two online platforms provide the information about all the sub-functions highlighted in the developed framework. Two platforms mostly disclose the sub-functions, and one platform partly covers the necessary information. It should be noted that four STEM centres that fully or mostly reveal the sub-functions have been supported by Norway grants or belong to Riga Technical University. Our theoretical analysis is limited by the number of existing scientific literature in English. Theoretical analysis in other languages than English may advance further development of online platform for strengthening of STEM education. Another limiting factor is that online platforms were observed by the researchers who took part in this study. Interviews or surveys with the participation of online platforms’ users might lead to the creation of a framework with other key functions and subfunctions. Practical implications on a design of online platforms for STEM centres imply that online platforms should be user friendly. Another important aspect is to include all the organisations details such as name, a short description (year of establishment, staff number, etc), address and email, phone number, social media, and location on the map. In regard to educational materials, important is to give open access to the educational materials to all the users. This might increase their interest to visit STEM Centre in person. Another practical implication is to unite the five STEM centres in Latvia in one network and to establish close collaboration between them. This collaboration would support the whole approach to outdoor STEM education, the development of systemic, sequential, and gradual educational materials. This would increase learners’ understanding of STEM education as well as sustainable development of Latvia. The links between five STEM centres in Latvia should also be shown on their online platforms.