Othman Abu Khurma

Background: A growing body of research has examined students’ science achievement using large-scale international assessments; relatively few studies have focused on affective–motivational factors in early grades within a cross-national and machine-learning framework. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the extent to which affective–motivational factors predict Grade 4 students’ science achievement and to examine whether these relationships differ between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore (SGP). Sample: The study utilized TIMSS, 2023 Grade 4 data from the UAE and SGP, comprising a weighted sample of 34,842 students from the UAE and 6,530 students from Singapore. Design and methods: Four affective–motivational constructs, students’ confidence in science, digital self-efficacy, enjoyment of learning science, and value of environmental preservation, were examined as predictors of science achievement. Five plausible values of science achievement were modeled separately following TIMSS methodological guidelines. A comparative machine-learning framework was applied using linear regression, lasso regression, decision trees, random forests, and neural networks. SHAP was used to describe how each predictor contributed to the fitted model’s predictions and how these contributions differed between countries. Result: Random forest models demonstrated the strongest predictive performance, although overall explained variance was modest (R ² ≈ 0.14–0.15). Students’ confidence in science emerged as the most influential predictor in both countries, followed by digital self-efficacy, enjoyment of science, and environmental values. SHAP descriptions of the fitted model suggested that the contribution of enjoyment of science differed between countries, being larger at high levels of enjoyment in the UAE; given the modest predictive accuracy of the models, these patterns are interpreted as exploratory. Conclusion: The findings suggest that affective–motivational factors provide meaningful but limited predictive information about Grade 4 science achievement. Differences in predictive patterns between the UAE and Singapore indicate that the relationships were not identical across the two national samples; however, the study does not identify the contextual mechanisms underlying these differences.

Values education has re-emerged as a central educational concern as schooling is increasingly expected to shape judgment, conduct, and social responsibility, not merely academic attainment. In rece...

This qualitative review of the literature explores current conversations about the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on teacher education in general and pre-service teachers in particular. Recent advances in AI are beginning to influence teacher education, where curricula, practicum, and school field experience now incorporate AI in curriculum-based instruction and as a context for teaching digital literacy, not as an isolated tool. Researchers regularly situate these shifts alongside broader educational practices and policy. There is also substantial literature dealing with pressing ethical and practical questions such as data privacy and algorithmic bias, equitable access to technology, and the challenges experienced by under-resourced schools. Together, these studies indicate that teachers are redefining and reconfiguring both their own teaching and teacher education, enabled by AI in new, more flexible and responsive ways. Within this shifting paradigm, pre-service and in-service teachers are not conceived as mere end-users but as reflective practitioners who take up such tools, critically question their ramifications, and, sometimes, lead the way in utilizing AI in educational practice, including mainly pedagogical practices. To explain the shared components identified in the present review, this paper offers a post hoc conceptual synthesis of eight recurring dimensions of sustainable AI integration in teacher education.

This study aims to determine the role of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in enabling sustainable development from an environmental perspective within the framework of sustainable development goals (SDGs). The Scopus database was analyzed to review peer-reviewed sources published from 2015 to the year 2025 to identify the current trends of research, prominent authors, methodological approaches, and thematic trends in the connection of STEM education and environmental sustainability. The final inclusion criteria were based on the PRISMA screening process, which has identified 78 studies in total out of the 1,227 records initially identified as part of the review process. The findings show that the number of scholars who are interested in the intersection of STEM education and sustainability has increased significantly, especially regarding SDG 7, SDG 12, and SDG 13. Moreover, the study offers suggestions for creating better environments that encourage collaboration to unlock the full potential of STEM education in attaining sustainable development objectives. However, the finding shows that there are significant geographical differences in production and limited integration of interdisciplinary research in certain areas. The study contributes to the literature by providing a broad perspective of the research trend, and the major gaps that would be used in future research. But the results indicate notable geographical disparities in research production and limited integration of interdisciplinary frameworks in some regions. The study contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive overview of research trends and identifying key gaps that can inform future research, policy development, and educational practices aimed at strengthening the role of STEM education in achieving global sustainability goals.

School–university research partnerships (SURPs) have been widely recognised as a powerful means of bridging research to practice, with potential to improve teaching, learning and school culture (Co...

This study shows the contribution of multimedia tools to developing inquiry skills in mathematics and science for UAE secondary students. A cross‐sectional survey of 183 teachers using questionnaires assessed the frequency and influence of multimedia tools on various levels of inquiry‐based learning. Descriptive statistics and chi‐square tests were applied. Results indicate that PowerPoint was most frequently used in high‐order cognitive tasks, particularly in recording and presenting data (53.0%) and evaluating scientific questions (45.4%), as shown in the tables. In contrast, videos were more prominent at lower cognitive levels, such as implementing procedural steps (39.3%) and modeling phenomena (37.2%), whereas pictures were most frequently used in medium‐level reasoning tasks, including constructing scientific questions (43.2%) and modifying models (46.4%). Podcasts remained consistently underrepresented across all inquiry domains, generally below 15% usage. Additionally, chi‐square analyses revealed statistically significant associations between multimedia tool usage and inquiry skill levels ( p < 0.001), with small‐to‐moderate effect sizes (Cramér′s V ranging from 0.17 to 0.38). Demographic analyses further indicated that teachers with greater experience and higher educational qualifications showed statistically significant differences in multimedia integration for higher order tasks. Further research is required to explore the long‐term effects of multimedia tools on students′ inquiry skills, taking into account the students′ perspectives.

Research on artificial intelligence (AI) in education has revealed a significant gap in understanding the complex relationship between AI, self-regulation, and teachers’ pedagogical practices in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study adopts a cross-sectional study that uses exploratory survey aimed at investigating ChatGPT’s role in the future of UAE education by examining (1) how in-service teachers use ChatGPT in daily teaching, (2) its impact on their self-regulation abilities, and (3) potential changes in teaching practices resulting from ChatGPT integration. Data were collected from 311 in-service teachers from public and private schools, using a self-report questionnaire. The findings showed disparities in the perspectives of participants at both public and private schools, as well as gender levels. Public school teachers mainly used ChatGPT to generate instructional materials and facilitate classroom dialogue, whereas private school teachers focused on its application in lesson design. Private school teachers found ChatGPT easier and more effective than their public counterparts. Private school male teachers outperformed public school males by 0.56 points, and private school female teachers scored 0.52 points higher than their public-school counterparts. Regardless of educational background, private school teachers experienced better self-regulation with ChatGPT than public school teachers. The impact of ChatGPT on self-regulation varied according to teaching experience, affecting novice and experienced teachers differently from those with moderate experience. However, the findings on the impact of age are inconclusive and require further research. These results are discussed in the context of the current AI integration policies in UAE education.

This mixed-methods study investigated the dispositions and motivations of 118 K-12 teachers in Abu Dhabi regarding lifelong learning. Employing a sequential explanatory design, quantitative data were collected using a validated 40-item Likert scale survey across five domains: Goal setting, Application of knowledge and skills, Self-direction and evaluation, Locating information, and Adaptable learning strategies. Results indicated a moderate overall disposition toward lifelong learning, with the highest motivation observed in Self-direction and evaluation. Significant gender differences favored male teachers across all domains. The recommendations stress the need for developing goal-setting abilities, improving information accessibility, and encouraging adaptive learning strategies through focused professional development programs.