Search Results for
"Higher education"

Feedback is crucial for teacher professional development, yet most studies focus on a single source (e.g., experts or peers). Longitudinal comparisons across sources and analyses of underlying mechanisms are rare. This study therefore investigates how different feedback sources influence teacher learning outcomes. A total of 522 teachers participated in a 13-week professional learning program, including three weeks of reflective practice. Participants were divided into three groups: NF (no external feedback), EF (expert feedback), and AF (AI feedback). Teaching videos, instructional design artifacts, and reflective journals were analyzed to assess outcomes. Teachers in the EF group achieved significantly higher learning outcomes than those in the AF group, who, in turn, outperformed the NF group. These findings underscore the distinctive value of expert feedback in providing depth of insight and contextual sensitivity, while also indicating that AI feedback, although timely and adaptive, cannot fully replace expert judgment. Cross-Lagged Panel Network (CLPN) analysis identified key behaviors and sequences across groups and revealed detailed temporal patterns within behavioral clusters. Qualitative interviews further demonstrated that feedback effectiveness is shaped by the interaction of three dimensions—Time, Object, and Level (TOL)—which form the basis of a framework with 16 elements. The study highlights the complementary strengths of AI adaptability and expert insight, suggesting that multi-source feedback enhances teacher professional development by integrating process support with higher-order regulation. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd

Vocational education and training involve several actors working together in a skills ecosystem. This paper focuses on the role of training agencies (TAs) in the transitions in this system. They interrelate with schools, workplaces, and the apprentices themselves to enhance the quality of the apprenticeship training. Using rich data from one Norwegian county, we present evidence on the transition from school to apprenticeship. Further, we analyse whether TAs contribute to apprenticeship completion as well as the variation across TAs using regression analysis, controlling for socio-economic differences across apprentices, and we distinguish between the perspectives of the workplace and the apprentice. We find that the probability of passing the final examination and achieving the trade certificate is significantly higher for apprentices in TAs than for apprentices with a contract directly with an independent private firm. In addition, there is a large variation in completion rates across TAs and across approved training establishments that are not a part of a TA. © The Author(s) 2026.

The rapid advancement of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 demands that vocational high school graduates possess not only technical expertise but also higher-order thinking skills, particularly critical thinking. However, many learning practices in vocational education remain limited to procedural instruction with minimal emphasis on cognitive development. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Flipped Project-Based Learning (FPjBL) model integrated with mockup and Augmented Reality (AR) media in enhancing vocational students’ critical thinking skills compared to conventional learning approaches. This study uses a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design, namely pretest-posttest control group design. The research sample was grade X and XI students from six state vocational high schools in the Solo Raya area, consisting of 216 students divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group used the FPjBL model with mockup and AR media, while the control group used conventional learning. Data were collected through critical thinking ability tests and learning motivation questionnaires. Data analysis used ANCOVA and multiple linear regression. The results showed that the experimental group experienced a significant increase in critical thinking skills compared to the control group (F (1,213) = 104.192, p <.001, partial η2 = .329). The analysis and explanation indicators showed the greatest increase. Linear regression shows that learning motivation, media perception, and student activity significantly affect critical thinking skills (R2=.613). These results confirm that integrating Integration Media Mockup and Augmented Reality with FPjBL effectively strengthens students’ critical thinking and can be adopted in vocational education curricula to better prepare learners for the complex challenges of Industry 4.0. © The Authors.