UNESCO practices under the SDG4 and COVID-19 response framework: Topic modeling from 2003 to 2021

This study focused on the impacts of COVID-19 on SDG4 to resolve inequality through education and explored UNESCO's educational practices. We used text mining to analyze strategic and crisis-related reports published by UNESCO from 2003 to 2021 and LDA topic modeling analysis was used to determine their latent contexts. Two topics related to education strategies were 'sustainable development' and 'system and organization'. According to the themes, non-formal, formal and informal learning and skills and TVET topics were derived for lifelong learning, school and teacher, emergency and peace, policy and framework in the theme of crisis and conflict. Finally, latent topics during each MDGs, SDGs and COVID-19 period showed insignificant changes. However, compared to before the 2014 MDGs, strategic discourses tended to be discussed in detail. Moreover, we noted the change in global discourse from globalization to digital innovation. After the pandemic, the international community has emphasized the role of teachers and improved internet access for interaction. Such recommendations were intended to bridge the gap between countries including developing countries. As an alternative, UNESCO has suggested various partnership practices but there are nevertheless limitations that cannot be solved through a partnership or educational support. Therefore, reaching SDG4 requires global efforts to change the world by coordinating specific target countries and various social factors surrounding the countries' interior and exterior. © 2023 by the authors.

Simulation modelling in a BIM environment: The case of school re-opening during Covid-19 pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic influenced the way that buildings are used and experienced. In particular, educational facilities were among the most affected by the pandemic in terms of use processes. This paper presents a methodology developed to reorganise spaces in a school building, a real case study, to allow safe reopening. Social distancing and availability of learning spaces were taken into account to simulate the use of the educational facility according to the emergency protocols. Based on a digital survey of the existing building, a building information model was generated and used as a basis for spatial analysis and crowd and agent-based simulations. Additionally, interactive games and training videos were developed as communication tools to inform end users about the new rules to be respected inside the building. The digital approach adopted for the analysis of use processes as well as for communicating the results to the end users allowed them to experience the school fruition processes within a virtual environment before the school reopening. Future works could deal with the application of the same methodology in other schools, as well as in different contexts, going beyond the specificity of the pandemic emergency, and for other types of buildings. © 2023 ICE Publishing: All rights reserved.

Does intrinsic motivation mediate perceived artificial intelligence (AI) learning and computational thinking of students during the COVID-19 pandemic?

The concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI), born as the possibility of simulating the human brain's learning capabilities, quickly evolves into one of the educational technology concepts that provide tools for students to better themselves in a plethora of areas. Unlike the previous educational technology iterations, which are limited to instrumental use for providing platforms to build learning applications, AI has proposed a unique education laboratory by enabling students to explore an instrument that functions as a dynamic system of computational concepts. However, the extent of the implications of AI adaptation in modern education is yet to be explored. Motivated to fill the literature gap and to consider the emerging significance of AI in education, this paper aims to analyze the possible intertwined relationship between students' intrinsic motivation for learning Artificial Intelligence during the COVID-19 pandemic;the relationship between students' computational thinking and understanding of AI concepts;and the underlying dynamic relation, if existing, between AI and computational thinking building efforts. To investigate the mentioned relationships, the present empirical study employs mediation analysis based upon collected 137 survey data from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid students in the Institute for Educational Science and the School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering during the first quarter of 2022. Findings show that intrinsic motivation mediates the relationship between perceived Artificial Intelligence learning and computational thinking. Also, the research indicates that intrinsic motivation has a significant relationship with computational thinking and perceived Artificial Intelligence learning. © 2023

Successes and Challenges in Higher Education Teaching and Learning

Higher education globally has been affected with Covid-19 pandemic which majorly affected the academic year in 2020. Although some institutions still delivered their lectures online in 2021 and 2022. This paper dealt with successes and challenges of higher education teaching and learning before Covid-19, during Covid-19 and the way forward after the pandemic. This paper is a desktop review paper that has put into consideration the authors experiences before, during and after the pandemic. The paper also looked at the global objective while it put into consideration the Sustainable Development Goa (SDG)l 4 which dealt with the education sector. The next thing that was dealt with in this paper is the massification which helped to address the South African challenges and how they were tackled. The role of technology was also written about and the challenges were dealt with. The latter part of this paper also looked at cheating during online assessments and also recommending that all contact lectures must be recorded so that students can have access to the lecture clip at any point in time. This can enhance their performance and increase the success of teaching and learning / pass rate. These are some of the future recommendation that can be considered. This paper also provided some recommendation that can be utilized in future so that both lectures and students are well equipped and prepared for the unknown. © 2023 International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research. All rights reserved.

The impact of virtual learning on students' educational behavior and pervasiveness of depression among university students due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: One of the worst pandemics of recent memory, COVID-19, severely impacted the public. In particular, students were physically and mentally affected by the lockdown and the shift from physical person-to-person classrooms to virtual learning (online classes). This increased the prevalence of psychological stress, anxiety, and depression among university students. In this study, we investigated the depression levels in Saudi Arabian university students who were learning virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic and examined its impact on their educational proficiency. METHODS: The study focused on two points: first, examining the depression levels among undergraduate students in Saudi Arabia, by adapting the Zung (Self-Rating Depression Scale) questionnaire. Second, whether there is an association between the levels of depression and various distress factors associated with virtual (online) learning resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on students' educational behaviors. The questionnaire was prepared using a monkey survey and shared online, via email, and on WhatsApp groups, with participants in two universities, a public and private university in the largest city of Saudi Arabia. A total of 157 complete responses were received. Data were analyzed using SPSS-24, the chi-square test, descriptive statistics, and multilinear regression. RESULTS: The results indicated that three-fourths of the university students suffered from different depressive symptoms, half of which had moderate to extreme levels of depression. Our study confirmed that a boring virtual (online) learning method, stress, fear of examinations, and decreased productivity were significantly associated with increased depression. In addition, 75% and 79% of the students suffered from stress and fear of examinations, respectively. About half of the students were associated with increased depression. The outcome also indicated that female students experienced extreme depression, stress, and fear of examinations more than males. CONCLUSION: These findings can inform government agencies and representatives of the importance of making swift, effective decisions to address students' depression levels. It is essential to provide training for students to change their educational experience mindset, which might help decrease "depression and stress-related growth." There is also a need to search for a better virtual teaching delivery method to lessen students' stress and fear of examinations.

Half-full or half-empty? The impact of influential events pre- and intra- COVID 19 pandemic on enrolment, progression and completion of online courses

The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in 2019 brought an enormous uncertainty and unexpected consequences to the world and in Mexico, students, staff, and professors of higher education were no exception. The online lifestyle became vital for continuous education through various means of remote learning including alternative credentials offered via Massive open online course (MOOCS). Upon announcement of lockdown across the country, Tecnologico de Monterrey, a leading university in Mexico and Latin America, provided free access to the content of Coursera to its community to facilitate a sustained learning environment for all the members. The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and related news have negatively immersed the community in an environment of fear and anxiety. To monitor the learning progress of the members, understand their response to unprecedented circumstances and provide the community with timely support, we have monitored the course pursuit, progression and the status of completion in Coursera registered by 36,591 users. The data provided insight to the gender of the users enrolling to 6 distinctly different categories of courses and the degree of commitment they demonstrated to the undertaken learning activities. The results showed Computer Science and Programming as one of the most requested course types, and, together with Engineering MOOCS greatly dominated by male users. A timeline of influential events that took place nationally and/or internationally over the course of the 11 months from January 2020 to February 2021 was comprised and compared to the registration, progression and completion of the courses in an attempt to understand the response of our community to the milestones of this concerning global health event. While the results highlight a general struggle to remain motivated and finalize the registered courses, the national and international positive and negative connotations created considerably different responses in participants across different time periods. The current article takes a close look into dynamic of the users of the online courses across this challenging milestone. © 2022 IEEE.

Avoiding pitfalls in the next International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA): Lessons on financing adult education from Belém.

Civil society organisations were well organised in the sixth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI) held in Belém in 2009, and influential in framing a powerful agenda for transforming adult education. Despite some successes, however, there were also frustrations in the drafting of the Belém Framework for Action (BFA). Drawing on this experience, the author of this article argues that there are important lessons to be learned, particularly in relation to the financing of adult education. Not least in the face of crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change adding to economic challenges, he reasons, these lessons will be crucial for the outcome of CONFINTEA VII, which is to be held in Morocco in June 2022. After a review of the processes, power dynamics and struggles involved in Belém, the author outlines how pivotal issues around financing can be effectively framed and advanced in the upcoming conference.

Éviter les pièges lors de la prochaine Conférence internationale sur l'éducation des adultes (CONFINTEA) : les enseignements de Belém sur le financement de l'éducation des adultes ­ Les organisations de la société civile étaient bien organisées lors de la sixième Conférence internationale sur l'éducation des adultes (CONFINTEA VI) en 2009, et elle avaient influé sur la définition d'un agenda puissant pour transformer l'éducation des adultes. Malgré quelques réussites, la préparation du Cadre d'action de Belém avait aussi suscité des frustrations. Fort de cette expérience, l'auteur du présent article affirme que nous devons tirer d'importantes leçons de cela, notamment en ce qui concerne le financement de l'éducation des adultes. Au vu des crises telles que la pandémie de COVID-19 et du changement climatique qui s'ajoutent aux défis économiques, il déduit en particulier que ces enseignements seront cruciaux pour le résultat de la CONFINTEA VII qui se tiendra au Maroc en juin 2022. Après avoir examiné les processus, la dynamique de puissance et les luttes liées à Belém, l'auteur esquisse comment encadrer et faire progresser efficacement des questions cruciales de financement lors de la prochaine conférence.

Open Innovation of Institutional Investors and Higher Education System in Creating Open Approach for SDG-4 Quality Education: A Conceptual Review

The introduction of sustainable development goals has made sustainability a top priority for most nations. This has raised the investment into the educational system for potential growth and for creating an innovation culture in any country;the role of institutional investors in the development of financing clean energy infrastructure, entrepreneurial development, poverty reduction, and driving corporate social responsibility and firm development has been found significant. An intensive literature search of Scopus and the web of science database was explored with different relevant sets of keywords “Institutional investors AND Education”, “Institutional investors” AND “Higher education”, which drew 29 final articles between 2010–2021. This scoping review draws a new open approach for creating alternative sustainable funding for the higher education system and investment opportunities for institutional investors with government intervention. This research becomes the first that shows the road map to the higher education system in creating alternative funding through the proposed Institutional Investor & Sustainable University Funding Governance Code, which will make the higher education system independent and ease the burden on the government, as well as create a huge market opportunity for both players. This research model will scope the collaborative approach towards sustainable development goal 4—Quality education.

Fostering Equality in Education: The Blockchain Business Model for Higher Education (BBM-HE)

This paper seeks to address which business model in higher education that fosters SDG 4, is adequate for the post-pandemic period. To that end, it introduces the “Blockchain Business Model for Higher Education” (BBM-HE) and a transformed business model canvas framework based on existing literature, concepts, theories and findings relating to most of the pressing issues in higher education from the present study. To determine these issues, secondary data is used in the qualitative research design by applying inductive content analysis techniques to online reports. The originality of this study lies in the “adaptive” perspective to the requirements of the post-pandemic higher education landscape, which consists of modifications to the core elements of higher education, the integration of blockchain technology into the entire system, and a stronger approach to sustainability practice through sustainability tokens. The envisaged model sets out to provide a roadmap for all stakeholders, but most importantly, “decentralized” higher education institutions of the future and the “employable skills-seeking” proactive students all over the world, as opposed to the former “solely degree-focused and affluent” consumers of educational offerings. This study contributes to higher education literature in terms of business models, blockchains, pandemics, and sustainability.

Left behind? The effects of digital gaps on e-learning in rural secondary schools and remote communities across Nigeria during the COVID19 pandemic.

The COVID19 pandemic has contributed to a digital economy by emphasising the importance of digital infrastructure while exposing the digital gaps between countries and communities. For example, during the period of COVID19, schools were closed with no option of online learning due to a deficit of infrastructure around educational technologies. Inequalities in digital access have impeded educational gains made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Though significant studies have been carried out on digital learning, there is currently a dearth of knowledge on students' digital gaps and needs in remote communities in Nigeria. To this end, this research study explored the digital gaps and needs of rural secondary schools in remote communities and its implications on e-learning across 6 Nigerian states, namely Kwara, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Adamawa, and Kano during the COVID19 era. The study adopted a concurrent embedded mixed method design approach to collect data from rural secondary schools from 6 Nigerian states. Findings from the study identified a lack of ICT strategies and policies in Nigeria, socioeconomic status, poor internet connectivity, electricity, and a high poverty level as the primary drivers of digital gaps in remote communities. Therefore, addressing the digital gaps among students in remote parts of Nigeria will be crucial to achieving the targets of SDGs, particularly SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030.

Factor Associated With Teacher Satisfaction and Online Teaching Effectiveness Under Adversity Situations: A Case of Vietnamese Teachers During COVID-19.

How teachers perform and react to the world-wide pandemic and how the epidemic affects an education system may also be used as new conditions to consider the way to enhance SDG4 in developing countries. Regarding that concern, this study investigated 294 teachers' perspective on their teaching effectiveness and satisfaction during COVID-19. The findings underlined the significant roles of support from various stakeholders, school readiness toward digital transformation, and teachers' anxiety over teacher satisfaction. Notably, teachers' newly absorbed technological and pedagogical skills do elevate their teaching effectiveness but do not lead to higher satisfaction during the pandemic.

Global Education Governance in the Context of COVID-19: Tensions and Threats to Education as a Public Good.

This article discusses the failure of global governance to defend and reinforce education as a public good and its public provision and regulation. Challenging the framing of states and the private sector as being equally important for the achievement of the SDGs, it calls for a reimagination of the role of global governance and an accountability structure that places the economic, social and environmental consequences of policy and financing modalities at the centre.

Girls and women in the educational system: The curricular challenge.

This Viewpoint argues that, while efforts must continue to achieve universal primary and secondary education at the global level for both boys and girls, the concern with access and thus enrollment and completion parity has blinded many governments from seeing the crucial need to examine what is actually learned in school. Stronger concern with curriculum would bring a stronger focus on the formal knowledge conveyed in schools and on the ways in which this knowledge might (or might not) facilitate a substantial change in the social relations of gender.

SDG 4 and the COVID-19 emergency: Textbooks, tutoring, and teachers.

COVID-19 once again revealed the inherent weaknesses in relying on classroom-based schooling and ICT to sustain learning, a danger already familiar from earlier man-made and natural disasters. A lack of textbooks and lack of guidance for caregivers to support home-based learning limited the effectiveness of efforts to provide continuity of learning. These same elements are the key to preparing better for the next crisis and keeping SDG 4 on track.

Education as the path to a sustainable recovery from COVID-19.

COVID-19 has disrupted education for millions of children across the globe. The education community is re-imagining and re-designing to build back better. This Viewpoint takes the principles behind UNESCO's Futures of Education initiative to highlight their importance in post-COVID-19 recovery. The pandemic has shown how communities can come together to educate children. The article argues that, post-COVID-19, education systems should recognize community-driven support systems, use technology to overcome the digital divide in learning, and focus more on SDG 4.7 and its links to climate crises.