Mohammad Beirat

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the challenges special education teachers face when employing artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to teach students with disabilities in inclusive schools in Jordan, and to examine the relationship between these challenges and selected variables. Methods: A descriptive approach was used. The sample included 137 male and female teachers conveniently selected from inclusive schools. A scale was developed to assess challenges of AI use, consisting of 30 items distributed across three dimensions: knowledge, training, and support; logistics and infrastructure; and preparation and implementation of educational programs. Results: Findings revealed significant challenges across all scale dimensions. Significant differences emerged based on educational qualification, with diploma holders facing greater challenges than those with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Teachers with less than five years of experience reported fewer challenges than those with more than five years. Private school teachers encountered fewer challenges than public school teachers. Conclusions: The study recommends developing supportive policies and legislation to promote AI use in inclusive schools.

Background of Study: Inclusive education is a growing priority in Zambia, yet many teacher education programs rely on a single special education course to prepare teachers for inclusive classrooms. This raises concerns about the sufficiency of such training in equipping educators with the necessary competencies. Aims and Scope of Paper: This study aims to critically evaluate the effectiveness of a one-course special education module in preparing both pre-service and in-service teachers for inclusive classroom settings in Zambia. It explores the perceptions and lived experiences of teachers undergoing this training. Methods: Guided by Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and a pragmatic philosophical stance, the study adopted an interpretive phenomenological design with a qualitative approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with 10 student teachers and 5 practicing teachers, selected purposively. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: Findings reveal that while the course provides basic conceptual understanding of inclusive education, it falls short in areas such as practical application, mentorship, and continuous professional development. Participants expressed a lack of preparedness in handling the complexities of inclusive classrooms. Conclusion: The study concludes that a single-course model is inadequate for preparing teachers for inclusive education. It recommends comprehensive reform in teacher education programs, including longitudinal training, integration of assistive technology, and structured mentorship to enhance teacher readiness and align training with inclusive education goals.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Enablers and Disablers

The current study examined university students’ insights into generative AI writing tools regarding their familiarity with, perceived concerns about, and perceived benefits of these tools in their academic work. The study used a cross-sectional descriptive research design, and data were collected using a questionnaire instrument. The participants were ninety-five undergraduate and graduate students from a College of Education at a university in Jordan. The results show that university students show moderate familiarity with generative AI writing tools (M = 3.14, SD = 0.81), especially in engagement but lacking technical knowledge. They also have moderate concerns (M = 3.35, SD = 0.85), particularly about misinformation and data security. Despite these concerns, students recognize the benefits (M = 3.62, SD = 0.81), especially regarding the capabilities of these tools in simulating creativity and fostering innovation. In addition, the results showed that gender and educational level appear to have little effect on familiarity, concerns, and perceived benefits regarding these tools. Based on the findings, the study recommends enhancing students’ familiarity with generative AI tools through providing technical training, hands-on opportunities, and ethical discussions. In addition, the study recommends addressing students’ concerns regarding generative AI writing tools by improving data security related to generative AI, providing ethical guidelines regarding the use of these tools, and boosting AI literacy. Finally, it is recommended to enhance students’ perceptions of the benefits of generative AI writing tools by highlighting the creative potential of these tools within the educational setting, using these tools to offer personalized learning experiences that adapt to individual learning styles, and promoting collaboration through generative AI writing tools.

Mutual Knowledge Between Spouses About Their Characteristics and Its Relationship to Their Educational Level, Jourdan

هدفت هذه الدراسة الكشف عن درجة الرّضا الزوجي لدى عيّنة أردنية، كما هدفت الكشف عن وجود علاقة ارتباط بين عمر الزوج والزوجة ودرجة رضاهما الزّوجي، واستكشاف أي منهما حقق أعلى مستوى من الرّضا الزواجي. وتكونت العيّنة التي تم اختيارها عشوائيًا من (390) زوجًا و (390) وزوجة في سلطة إقليم البتراء التنموي السياحي في الأردن. وقد تبنى الباحثان المنهج الوصفي وطورا مقياسًا للرضا الزوجي شمل (21) فقرة موزعة على أربعة مجالات (مالية، أبوية، عاطفية، وصنع القرار). وأشارت نتائج الدراسة التي طُبّقتْ خلال الفترة الزمنية ما بين 13/9/2020 إلى 30/11/2020 إلى أنّ درجة الرّضا الزوجي لكل من الزوج والزوجة على المقياس العام كانت متوسطة، وأنّ الأزواج لديهم رضا زوجي أعلى مما لدى الزوجات. بالإضافة إلى وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية في الرّضا الزوجي بالنسبة لمتغير العمر ولصالح الفئة العمرية الأكبر من 40 سنة. وقد أوصت الدراسة بإجراء دراسات تتعلق بالمستوى المعرفي للخصائص الزوجية، ومستوى الفروق بين الأزواج وعلاقتهم بالرّضا الزوجي، إضافة إلى تناول متغير فرق العمر بين الزوجين على عينات أخرى من المجتمع الأردني، وإجراء دراسات لفحص أسباب تدني مستوى الرّضا الزوجي لدى...

The current study aimed to identify barriers to the integration of people with disabilities into general education in the light of Jordan's 10-year integrated education strategy (2019-2029) from the viewpoint of inclusive schools in Jordan and based on variables such as gender, educational qualification, and years of experience. The study used the descriptive approach, and the sample consisted of (21) male and (17) female directors in the General Bani Kinanah in Irbid Governorate. A questionnaire was used (prepared by the researcher) and it consisted of (6) fields and (39) indicators that were verified as being valid and reliable. The results indicated that the overall level of the tool's fields as a whole was low, with arithmetic average of (1.22) and a standard deviation of (0.107), and that the averages of arithmetic ranged from (1. 14-1.30), where the fields of awareness, information, and lobbying ranked first, with average arithmetic of (1.30) and at a low level, while the field of human resources and capacity-building was last, with average arithmetic of (1.14) and at a low level. The results also showed no statistically significant differences at the level (α = 0.05) attributable to variables (gender, educational qualification, years of experience) from the point of view of the principals of inclusive schools in Jordan. Awareness of these barriers has implications for raising the professional capabilities of the cadres working in education, developing public education curricula and strategies to comply with integration requirements, and developing inclusive education programs in universities to support educational practices in public schools.