In education systems there is inter-connectedness with multiple sub-systems which interact with each other. This paper argues that complexity theory is well suited as a lens to research education reforms. Key elements of complexity theory that are particularly useful are applied to the South African case. Aspects of complexity theory include:…

This article is based on a keynote paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), University College UCC, Copenhagen, 22-25 August, 2017. In this paper, I problematise the idea that we live in an era of constant change with respect to education and educational research. I claim that what presents itself as change on…

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were developed by the United Nations in 2015 to encompass universal respect for equality and non-discrimination regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, and cultural diversity. Since 2000, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) have aligned with SDG 4.3 by developing higher education…

In order to socialize, get rid of stress and the routine of daily life, relax, and return to work more efficiently, people plan their vacation time in advance, work for this plan, save money and even go into debt. In this regard, this study aims to examine the relationship between the planned behavior levels of university students who tend to…

Units Coordination and Covariational Reasoning are powerful frameworks for modeling students' mathematics in arithmetic reasoning and construction of relationships between changing quantities, respectively. This case study of an advanced stage 2, 8th-grade algebra student, Daniel, investigated connections between his units coordination and…

For efficiency, Computerized Adaptive Test (CAT) algorithm selects items with the maximum information, typically with a 50% probability of being answered correctly. However, examinees may not be satisfied if they only correctly answer 50% of the items. Researchers discovered that changing the item selection algorithms to choose easier items (i.e.,…

Positioning theory has been used in research to understand how elementary student teachers are positioned while working with their mentor teacher. While this research has identified four general positions, there remains a lack of clarity about these positions, particularly in how they differ. This study explores three contrasting student…

This paper presents Big Ideas of Measurement as a framework of students' thinking about measurement. Drawing from research-based evidence, the framework is a collection of key concepts that students must develop for a robust understanding of measurement and, as such, are key aspects of students' thinking teachers should learn to notice. In a case…

In this paper duality between real world phenomenon and mathematics will be discussed. This duality exists for many years which considerably remarked in the history of mathematics curriculum. One of the good potential for filling the gap between real world phenomenon and mathematical ideas would be modelling tasks which require performing the…

The purpose of this literature review was to develop the profound living concept through a synthesis of themes extracted from scholarly literature. The problem encountered was a lack of theory and depth in the concept of profound living. The methods used in this study were a thorough literature review in which concepts were extracted from related…

In data collected from virtual learning environments (VLEs), item response theory (IRT) models can be used to guide the ongoing measurement of student ability. However, such applications of IRT rely on unbiased item parameter estimates associated with test items in the VLE. Without formal piloting of the items, one can expect a large amount of…

Vocabulary proficiency diagnosis plays an important role in the field of language learning, which aims to identify the level of vocabulary knowledge of a learner through his or her learning process periodically, and can be used to provide personalized materials and feedback in language-learning applications. Traditional approaches are widely…

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the affordances of the e-assessment system Numbas from an Activity Theory perspective. The study follows a qualitative research design combined with semi-structured interviews with six students and two teachers. The findings reveal that the students were able to perceive and actualise several affordances…

This report embarks on an exploration of the profound role philosophy has played in shaping education across various historical epochs, commencing with an investigation into the history and fundamental purpose of education. Philosophy has consistently served as a cornerstone, propelling the refinement of learning and teaching methods while…

This paper advocates for using critical intercultural and participatory pedagogy as the basis for an introductory communication course. Communication programs are often concerned with the basics -- teaching students to communicate effectively through writing and speaking. Yet the methods for teaching these two classic competencies diverge widely,…