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In the context of globalization, adapting to modern educational needs and adopting innovative teaching methods have become increasingly crucial, particularly in the field of children’s aesthetic education. This study explores the integration of scaffolding instruction and AI-driven diffusion models in children’s aesthetic education, with a special focus on teaching the traditional Chinese cultural concept of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms. The study develops a specialized dataset for traditional Chinese paintings of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms and introduces a novel compound loss function to optimize the AI models’ training process, thus enhancing the quality of instructional image resources. A scaffolding teaching framework, supported by an AI-driven diffusion model, is established to provide systematic and structured guidance tailored to children’s learning needs. The experimental results indicate that the proposed approach significantly enhances students’ engagement and comprehension of traditional cultural concepts. Specifically, students demonstrated a deeper understanding of the symbolic and artistic meanings embedded in the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, which leads to enhanced cultural appreciation and critical thinking. Moreover, the approach fostered active participation in learning activities, with students exhibiting increased interaction with the educational content. These improvements were particularly evident in the way students creatively interpreted cultural symbols and applied these concepts in their own artistic expressions. This study confirms the potential of AI-driven diffusion models to support more effective teaching practices in aesthetic education, offering valuable insights for integrating modern technology with traditional cultural education and providing key theoretical and practical references for future reforms in children’s aesthetic education. These findings possess significant practical implications, particularly within the education domain. The proposed AI-driven scaffolding teaching method can be broadly applied to classroom instruction in traditional Chinese painting, and it can also be extended to other domains, namely cultural and art education. By generating high-quality instructional image resources, the approach empowers educators to implement personalized teaching strategies in classrooms with diverse cultural backgrounds, while simultaneously enhancing students’ cultural understanding and creativity. Furthermore, for distance and online education, the method possesses a potentially broad application scope, equipping educators with an effective tool for facilitating educational reform and innovation.

There is little data on the effectiveness of educational interventions in enhancing the moral reasoning of pre-service teachers. Pre-service teachers' moral reasoning is being called upon to address these challenges in future teaching positions due to the current concerns about school violence, high-risk behaviors, student personalization, and rising moral dilemmas. To promote moral thinking and personal growth in higher education, pre-service teachers need a better quality moral education. To that purpose, this study conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) on 60 articles to investigate the research trends of teachers' moral reasoning by looking for relevant publications from 2012 to 2022 in reputable journals listed by the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) and Science Citation Index Expanded from the Web of Science (WOS) database, Scopus as well as ERIC databases. Accordingly, moral reasoning education theories bases and strategies are reported, and possible research subjects for further study are suggested.

The decline in physical activity has adversely impacted physical health, with university students being particularly affected. Thus, this study examined the effect of gender and Body Mass Index (BMI) on physical activity levels among Malaysian universities and Medan State University students. The research involved 130 students from education universities in Malaysia and Medan State Universities. The data were collected using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A). The study indicated significant differences in physical activity levels among university students. This difference might be affected by gender, with male students showing significantly higher physical activity levels than female students (Sig. = 0.001 and η² = 0.082). Therefore, it is important for universities to consider such factors in designing health and wellness programs, especially to increase female students' participation in physical activity. Nonetheless, the statistical test showed no significant difference was found in physical activity levels among the different Body Mass Index (BMI) categories. This finding indicates that, unlike gender, BMI does not significantly affect the physical activity levels of university students (Sig. = 0.310). The implications of these findings suggest an urgent need for tailored health interventions in university settings, particularly Medan State University. The university can create an environment that supports active lifestyles and contributes significantly to improving students' health and well-being by providing accessible sports facilities, organizing fitness classes, and promoting active transportation options. This strategy is expected to address the challenges of participation in physical activity, particularly among female students, thereby increasing awareness and participation in overall physical activity. La disminución de la actividad física ha repercutido negativamente en la salud física, siendo los estudiantes universitarios los más afectados. Este estudio examina el género y el Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC) en los niveles de actividad física entre los estudiantes universitarios de Malasia y la Universidad Estatal de Medan. En la investigación participaron 130 estudiantes de universidades de educación de Malasia y de la Universitas Negeri Medan, utilizando el Cuestionario de Actividad Física para Adolescentes (PAQ-A) para la recogida de datos. Los resultados de este estudio indicaron que existían diferencias significativas en los niveles de actividad física en función del género entre los estudiantes universitarios, donde los estudiantes varones mostraron niveles de actividad física significativamente más altos que las estudiantes mujeres (Sig. = 0,001 y η² = 0,082). Por lo tanto, es importante que las universidades tengan en cuenta estos factores a la hora de diseñar programas de salud y bienestar, especialmente para aumentar la participación de las estudiantes en la actividad física. No obstante, los resultados de las pruebas estadísticas también mostraron que no había diferencias significativas en los niveles de actividad física entre las diferentes categorías de Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC), lo que indica que el IMC no afecta significativamente a los niveles de actividad física de los estudiantes universitarios (Sig. = 0,310). Las implicaciones de estos resultados sugieren una necesidad urgente de intervenciones sanitarias adaptadas en entornos universitarios, en particular en la Universidad Estatal de Medan. Al centrarse en proporcionar instalaciones deportivas accesibles, organizar clases de fitness y promover opciones de transporte activo, las universidades pueden crear un entorno que apoye estilos de vida activos y contribuya significativamente a mejorar la salud y el bienestar de los estudiantes. Se espera que esta estrategia aborde los retos de la participación en la actividad física, especialmente entre las estudiantes, aumentando así la concienciación y la participación en la actividad física en general.

According to Inclusion Press International, inclusion is not just a 'disability issue' but about living full lives, about learning to live together and treasuring diversity and building community. When Malaysia obtained her independence from Britain in 1957, one of the main ruling was all three ethnicities (Malay, Chinese, and Indian) should live together as one multicultural nation. No individual should be excluded from any aspects of Education, Economic and Social means. After almost six decades of independence, many individuals in Malaysia are still unhappy with the social injustice due to exclusion based on several factors such as ethnicity and historical roots. In this paper the researcher would like to argue that, the minority ethnic group have been side lined due to constitutional rights and current policies. Using multiple case studies and collecting date through technology such as Facebook, Whats App and e-mail, the researcher used textual analysis to analyse the data collected. Findings show that, the participants have to fend for themselves and the social injustice caused many to leave their country of birth to move to other countries where they are treated equally for what they are and not who they are. The researcher suggests that, there is a critical need for Malaysia to overlook its Political, Economic and Education policies to ensure a new world which is just and fair.

Purpose>To showcase the importance of digital citizenship in the current era. This article compares the nine features of digital citizen provided by Ribble and Bailey (2007) with a case study conducted in a multicultural setting and identifies the tensions between ethics, religion and cultural norms in that environment.Design/methodology/approach>A case study approach has been used in this research. Why case study? Because it is unique and provides in-depth, unique and invaluable findings. Case studies researchers have contributed to the development of case study research from diverse disciplines. Historical examples of case studies go back as far as the nineteenth century with the biography of Charles Darwin (Stewart, 2014). The dominance of positivism in science in the late 1940 and 1950s in social science sidelined qualitative approaches such as case studies. Although case study research was often criticized for its inability to support generalizations, and thus, provided limited validity and value as a research design (Merriam, 2009; Stewart, 2014), case study research provides intensive analysis of an issue. A Case study is intrinsic, instrumental and collective (Stake, 1995, 2006). Case study research encourages the detailed enquiry of a unit of analysis within its context.Findings>Findings show that current society needs to be educated on the nine aspects of digital citizenship. In the current era, changes are so rapid that every now and then, there must be collaboration and cooperation between different agencies to ensure that the tension between religiosity, cultural norms and ethics would be able to find some common ground. With more knowledge and wisdom on human rights, sustainability education and project-based learning in Civics Education, teachers, students, parents and community should often meet to decide on controversial issues and find ways to ensure that each one in society has the knowledge, skills and values for digital citizenship to grow and flourish.Originality/value>The article is original in nature and has much social impact.

The limited number of studies assessing the effectiveness of the Teacher Professional Education (PPG) program from students’ perspectives, particularly in the context of Geography teachers, highlights the need to examine how professional competencies are applied in classroom practice. This study aims to analyze the impact of the PPG program on the Geography learning process based on students’ perceptions. A descriptive quantitative approach was employed, involving 105 students taught by PPG-certified Geography teachers at Ganesha University of Education (Undiksha). Data were gathered through a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test to identify differences before and after teachers completed the program. The results show statistically significant improvements (p < 0.001) across all measured aspects of the learning process, including teaching strategies, classroom interaction, and the creation of a supportive learning environment. These findings confirm that the PPG program contributes positively to the professionalism of Geography teachers and enhances the overall quality of instruction. The study concludes that PPG has a meaningful impact not only on teachers’ pedagogical competencies but also on students’ classroom experiences. The implication is that program evaluations should incorporate students’ perspectives as primary beneficiaries of learning outcomes, while policymakers and education institutions may use such evidence to strengthen teacher training frameworks and sustain quality improvements in Geography education.

In an effort to contribute to contemporary debates about alternative ways of teaching moral education, this qualitative study explored moral dilemmas identified by young adolescents and how they made moral choices to resolve the dilemmas. Data were gathered for textual analysis through a modified framework of participatory action research using participant observation, focus group transcripts, interviews and student journals. The data were interpreted using a revision of Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development, extended to suit the multicultural Malaysian setting, and here called the Zone of Collaborative Development. Participants were 22 16-17-year-old non-Muslim adolescents from different cultural backgrounds attending three different types of secondary schools. Moral Education (ME) in Malaysia (MEM) is designed to cater to this group while Muslim students study Islamic Studies. Findings show that students were concerned about moral issues and values not covered in the current ME curriculum. The moral dilemmas identified were relational and context dependent. Students named autonomy, self and mutual respect, trust, freedom and tolerance as main conflicting themes in their real-life moral dilemmas. The study suggests that including students' voices in MEM in this way might better engage students' interest and connecting the subject with students' everyday lives.

PurposeIn the context of international education and English as a global language, this paper focuses on the perceptions of English education in China from the perspective of Chinese international students to analyse further and derive valuable educational perspectives and methods for English education.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a qualitative research methodology (Salkind, 2010) and focused on four Chinese international students as case studies. The primary research methods encompass semi-structured interviews and journal entries. The data were processed through various steps (Creswell, 2010), including organizing field notes, transcribing video recordings, translating data, conducting multiple reviews of raw data, classifying data using thematic analysis and open coding (Mojtaba and Sherrill, 2019), refining codes, constructing categories, interpreting data (Chen, 2004) and addressing the research questions.FindingsAlthough China’s English education provides students with basic English skills, its criteria for “being good at English” differ from international standards. China’s English education presents an imbalance of linguistic skills cultivation, with an overemphasis on grammatical accuracy, rigid linguistic rules and a formulaic knowledge system. Evaluation standards in China’s English education contain minimal content related to intercultural communication competence (ICC). Therefore, the obstacle to students’ intercultural communication is rooted in evaluation standards, not merely in the often-criticized exam-oriented education system. Greater attention should be directed towards revising these evaluation standards rather than focusing solely on constructing an ICC framework, as such competence is emphasized at the policy level but is largely overlooked in practical implementation.Research limitations/implicationsThis study presents implications and suggestions for the improvement of English language education in China.Originality/valueThis study offers a nuanced and student-centered perspective on English education in China by foregrounding the lived experiences and reflections of Chinese international students. Unlike previous research that often critiques exam-oriented instruction in a generalized manner, this study reveals that the core limitation lies in the evaluation standards, which neglect intercultural communication competence at the practical level. The research contributes original insights by shifting the focus from commonly discussed systemic features (e.g. rote learning, testing) to the deeper implications of how “English proficiency” is defined and measured. By employing qualitative methods and thematic analysis, this study highlights the disconnect between educational policy rhetoric and classroom realities, offering valuable implications for curriculum developers, educators and policymakers aiming to foster globally competent English learners.

The decline in physical activity has adversely impacted physical health, with university students being particularly affected. Thus, this study examined the effect of gender and Body Mass Index (BMI) on physical activity levels among Malaysian universities and Medan State University students. The research involved 130 students from education universities in Malaysia and Medan State Universities. The data were collected using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A). The study indicated significant differences in physical activity levels among university students. This difference might be affected by gender, with male students showing significantly higher physical activity levels than female students (Sig. = 0.001 and η² = 0.082). Therefore, it is important for universities to consider such factors in designing health and wellness programs, especially to increase female students' participation in physical activity. Nonetheless, the statistical test showed no significant difference was found in physical activity levels among the different Body Mass Index (BMI) categories. This finding indicates that, unlike gender, BMI does not significantly affect the physical activity levels of university students (Sig. = 0.310). The implications of these findings suggest an urgent need for tailored health interventions in university settings, particularly Medan State University. The university can create an environment that supports active lifestyles and contributes significantly to improving students' health and well-being by providing accessible sports facilities, organizing fitness classes, and promoting active transportation options. This strategy is expected to address the challenges of participation in physical activity, particularly among female students, thereby increasing awareness and participation in overall physical activity. Keywords: Physical Activity, University Students, Gender Disparities, BMI Effects, Education

This paper is based on a participatory action research. The research is based on a process of resolving real-life moral dilemmas in the Moral Education classroom. It critically analyses the types of real-life moral dilemmas that a selected group of secondary students thought about. It also indicates the moral choices that they make based on their negotiation skills and cultural background. Participants in this study were twenty-two 16-17 year old adolescents from three different types of secondary schools in a Form Four Moral Education classroom in Malaysia. They were from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, but within a non-Muslim community of students. Moral Education in Malaysia is designed to cater for this group while Muslim students study Islamic Studies. Findings show that students were concerned about moral issues and values that were relational and context dependent. Multiple factors contributed to the problems they described. These factors included national legislation, Malaysian culture, ethnicity, and religion as well as the effects of history, in particular the Japanese occupation.