The aim of this study was to explore how the curriculum, as a tool for boundary maintenance and social control, may impact upon inclusion, given that the end-user of the curriculum is the teacher, who subjectively interprets and implements curriculum indicators and directions according to their perceptions. To this end, a qualitative study was…

Most studies on fidelity focus on adherence (how much it is done), ignoring quality of delivery (how well it is done) as a measure of implementation, and are mainly quantitative in nature. In-depth qualitative studies assessing how much and how well curricula are implemented are scarce. Drawing on data from a qualitative study, this article…

Teachers' beliefs about teaching character values are pivotal in cultivating students' character. This study systematically reviewed teachers' beliefs towards character education in primary school. A systematic review following the PRISMA statement was applied to peer-reviewed papers published between 2011 and 2021. This review paper analyzed…

Differentiation is a key concept in the Cypriot music curriculum, last revised in 2010. This paper aims to investigate teachers' interpretation and implementation of differentiation in their music classrooms. Interviews with Cypriot classroom music teachers and focus groups with their students took place within the context of a larger research…

The current study aims to examine students' and teachers' voices and views on the outcomes of the implementation of a curriculum as relevant and appropriate to enhance students' citizenship skills by engaging them in dialogic and argumentative practices. To achieve the aim an innovative curriculum, consisting of 15 lessons per education level…

As Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) technologies revolutionize educational landscapes, European higher education institutions face the critical challenge of bridging the gap between institutional vision and practical implementation of these advanced technologies. This study examines VR/AR integration readiness through a comprehensive…

In higher education, designing online courses aligned with students' preferences impacts learning effectiveness. Our research aimed to investigate which learning design elements can affect the quality of online learning. To achieve this, we followed a systematic literature review, identified current trends and conducted an online survey outlining…

An Education of religion and ethics has been a long-standing element of the school curriculum in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, delivered as a compulsory subject to primary grades 4 and 5 as well as in secondary schools. Numerous issues concerning this practice have been raised by both the national media and the teacher's unions. In the…

While professional development has been emphasised in many countries, few comparative studies have examined the degree of teachers' participation in professional development and its effect on teachers. Using the TIMSS 2007 data, this study analyses to what extent teachers participated in professional development in 50 TIMSS countries and examines…

The "world culture" framework posits a convergence in the organisation of education across the world. On the other hand, scholars observing teaching practices inside classrooms find significant variation among nations and regions of the world. This study examined the global change patterns of classroom practices at the between- and…

For the past few years, the Republic of Cyprus has been pursuing a major educational reform across all levels of mandatory education, focusing especially on curriculum change, for the implementation of which in-service teachers have undergone a series of professional development seminars. Individual and focus group interviews with in-service…

The paper describes the importance of graphicacy as a key communication tool in our everyday lives. The need to better understand the development of graphicacy and its use in the school curriculum is emphasised. The need for a new research tool is explained and the development of a new taxonomy of graphicacy is described. The use of this tool…

Teachers' attitudes about school food environments and their readiness to implement school-based nutrition programs were investigated. A total of 1,436 primary-school teachers filled out a questionnaire on their demographic and professional characteristics and their attitudes, beliefs, and barriers for implementing health educational programs. The…

In this article the author discusses how the revised curriculum which has been recently introduced in public primary education in Cyprus can be implemented beyond the espoused level of change. This discussion is based on a study the author conducted on Cypriot primary school teachers' reflective practices. The study was qualitative and used…

The importance of formative assessment in facilitating student learning has been well established in the literature. However, defining and implementing formative assessment in classroom settings is a rather complicated task. The aim of this study is to explore formative assessment, as implemented in primary classrooms in Cyprus, and develop a…