International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research

Empowering University Curriculum System Development with China’s New Quality Productive Forces: A Case Study of Power Electronics Technology Course

2026-03-26T00:40:27+03:00

In response to the national strategic demand for cultivating talent aligned with New Quality Productive Forces (NQPF), this study aims to reform the educational paradigm of the “Power Electronics Technology” course in higher engineering education. A progressive ideological and pedagogical integration model termed the “Three Teaching Objective, Five Measures, Five Assessments methods, and A calculation method for objective attainment degree.” is designed and implemented. This reform was applied to the 2023 grade students of the course, with the 2022 grade serving as a comparison group. The intervention involved restructuring course content, innovating teaching methods, and overhauling the assessment system. The key finding was a 24% increase in the average course attainment degree for the 2023 grsde compared to the 2022 grade, demonstrating the model's effectiveness in enhancing learning outcomes. This study provides a replicable, data-driven reform framework that successfully translates the macro-concept of NQPF into micro-level curricular practice, offering a valuable solution for engineering education innovation in the context of technological and strategic transformation.

AI-Facilitated Self-Directed Learning and Mathematics Performance: A Mixed-Methods Study on ChatGPT Use among Generation Z Students

2026-03-26T00:40:14+03:00

The rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT has raised important questions about how AI-supported learning relates to students’ self-directed learning (SDL) and mathematics achievement, particularly among Generation Z learners. This study examined the relationship between AI-facilitated SDL and mathematics performance using a convergent mixed-methods design among junior high school students in accredited public schools in the Philippines. A total of 272 Grade 7–10 students completed the Self-Rating Scale of Self-Directed Learning (SRSSDL) and an AI/ChatGPT Use and Engagement questionnaire, and their responses were linked to standardized mathematics assessment scores. In addition, 73 students participated in focus group discussions to describe how they used ChatGPT for mathematics learning. Quantitative results showed that most students demonstrated moderate SDL readiness (47.79%), while 29.41% exhibited high SDL and 22.79% showed low SDL. SRSSDL scores were strongly and positively correlated with mathematics performance (r = .849, p < .001), whereas ChatGPT usage showed a weak but significant positive correlation with performance (r = .227, p < .001). SRSSDL and ChatGPT usage were not significantly related (r = .080, p = .187). Multiple regression indicated that SDL readiness and ChatGPT usage significantly predicted mathematics performance (R² = .746), with SDL emerging as the dominant predictor (β = .836, p < .001) and ChatGPT usage contributing a smaller but significant effect (β = .159, p < .001). Qualitative thematic analysis yielded three themes: (1) Personalized support and motivation, (2) Challenges in critical thinking and overreliance, and (3) ChatGPT as a learning companion, indicating that the benefits of ChatGPT depend on how intentionally and critically it is used. Integrated findings suggest that while ChatGPT may provide supplementary support, SDL readiness remains the primary driver of mathematics achievement, and responsible AI use practices are necessary to minimize risks such as overreliance and reduced independent reasoning.

Entrepreneurship Education, Curriculum Transformation, and Artificial Intelligence: A Bibliometric Analysis from the Global South

2026-03-26T00:40:00+03:00

This study examines the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI), entrepreneurship education, and curriculum transformation in the Global South. Using a systematic bibliometric analysis of 253 publications from 2019–2024 indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and JSTOR, the study maps publication trends, intellectual structures, and collaborative networks shaping this emerging field. The analysis identifies four key themes: AI-enabled pedagogical innovation, digitalisation and curriculum redesign, entrepreneurship education in developing contexts, and global research collaboration. Guided by Activity Theory, the study conceptualises AI as a mediating artefact shaping interactions between pedagogy, technology, and institutional contexts. The findings highlight the transformative potential of AI in advancing entrepreneurship education while revealing persistent challenges related to infrastructure, policy, and digital inequality. The study contributes theoretical and policy insights for fostering inclusive, contextually responsive, and innovation-driven curriculum transformation in Global South higher education.

The Impact of Anger Control and Zero Violence Training on Preventing Teacher Violence: A Quantitative Study from Timor-Leste

2026-03-26T00:39:44+03:00

This study examines the impact of anger control and zero-violence training on the prevention of violent teaching among elementary school teachers in Timor-Leste, which can have implications for the professionalism of teachers and the safety of schools. The quantitative type of research was used, where an ANOVA and multiple regression analysis were performed to evaluate the data set of the sample of 40 trained teachers in the Baucau municipality. The result showed that zero-violence training has significantly improved teachers’ approach to non-violent instructional practice in the classroom. In contrast, the Anger-Control Training did not generate a measurable effect. These findings suggest that system-based feature interventions that focus on classroom actions and relationships between educators and students are more efficient compared to separate programs for managing emotions. This study contributes to the international debate on violence-free education because it points out the significance of evidence-based but culturally appropriate teacher training in post-conflict situations. Reinforcements involve the incorporation of zero-violence training in both pre-service and in-service teacher preparation, the establishment of continuous professional monitoring, and the utilisation of the program in rural areas of Timor-Leste.

From Usefulness to Trust: How AI Shapes Learning Attitudes in Higher Education

2026-03-26T00:39:31+03:00

This study also investigates the moderating role of artificial intelligence satisfaction and the mediation role of perceived trust in the relationship. The total sample in this study consisted of 145 respondents who were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and bootstrapping procedures with the help of the SmartPLS version 4 application. The results of the analysis show that perceived usefulness does not have a positive and significant relationship with learning attitudes. Contrarily, perceived trust and artificial intelligence satisfaction have a positive and significant relationship with learning attitudes. The next expression, perceived usefulness has a positive and significant effect on perceived trust. Then, in indirect testing, perceived trust successfully functions as a mediator in the relationship between perceived usefulness and learning attitudes, but not with artificial intelligence satisfaction which acts as a weakening factor in the relationship between perceived usefulness and learning attitudes.