Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal

Editorial - VARIA Issue

Iztok Devetak — 2025-09-23

Examining the Dynamic Nature of Pupils’ Educational Aspirations: A Longitudinal Mixed-Model Study

Boris Jokić — 2025-09-23

This paper describes the results from a fully integrated longitudinal mixed model study examining the nature of, changes in, and interaction between the upper secondary and higher education aspirations of Croatian pupils. The research was carried out over two academic years in which pupils approached the transition from single-structure elementary (primary and lower secondary) education to differentiated upper secondary education. The qualitative part of the study centred on an indepth exploration of the educational aspirations of 30 pupils from five schools using a series of 118 semi-structured interviews. The quantitative part consisted of repeated questionnaire administration (N = 823) while pupils progressed to the final year of elementary education. Generalised Estimating Equations for Repeated Measures Outcome and Latent Curve Growth Modelling procedures indicate significant changes in upper secondary aspirations and stable higher education aspirations over time. Qualitative analyses indicate five patterns of upper secondary education aspirations and three patterns of higher education aspirations. Analysis of the interaction between aspirations at different educational levels suggests that upper secondary aspiration mediates a pupil’s aspiration for higher education. These results suggest that special effort is necessary in order to inform pupils about their educational options at both the upper secondary and higher education levels.

Fifth-Grade Students’ Science Competencies: An Opportunity to Rethink Further Education for Science Competence

Matija Purkat — 2025-09-23

This paper deals with the science competences of fifth-grade students (ages 10 and 11 years) in Slovenia. The science content researched in this study comprises chemical concepts, such as aqueous solutions, states of matter, and nutrition. The science competence and science competencies that elementary school students are supposed to develop are defined. In the following, the concept of attitude towards science and its role in the construct of science competence is explained. The three components of science competencies of the 10- and 11-year-old students were measured using a knowledge test to cover content and procedural knowledge and a questionnaire to measure the attitude of students towards science. The findings reveal that procedural knowledge is the least developed among students. It is also confirmed that attitude components have an important role in interpreting overall science competency test achievements. In the conclusion, the holistic view of the development of science competencies (knowledge, skills, and attitude) is emphasised. Further study of the attitudes towards science in relation to science competence development in a broader way is suggested.

Secondary School Students’ Response to Learning the Concept of the Destruction and Transformation of an Artwork into Another Artwork in the Visual Arts Class

Daša Bojc — 2025-09-23

This empirical study aimed to introduce the concept of destruction and transformation into secondary school art education as a potential way of incorporating conceptual and contemporary artistic practices. Experts have highlighted the absence of such content in art education, emphasising the responsibility of teachers to integrate it into the learning process thoughtfully. To encourage students to engage in profound thinking about destruction and internalise the essence of conceptual art through practical experiences, we conducted a study at a Ljubljana secondary school. Here, students created their initial artwork (ready-made), a prerequisite for its subsequent destruction and transformation into a new artwork. We included two first-year classes, exploring 1) their response to the presented artworks aligned with the researched concept, 2) their attitude towards destroying and transforming their initial artwork, and 3) their response to the concept of destruction and transformation through their creative practice. Over four school hours, we gathered data through both qualitative and quantitative research techniques. The results showed that in-depth discussions of conceptual foundations led to a predominantly positive student attitude towards contemporary artworks. They not only understood but also internalised the essence of these artworks, which was vividly reflected in their practical artistic expressions. In conclusion, the study effectively introduced the concept of destruction and transformation into secondary school art education, promoting a deeper understanding of contemporary art among students while cultivating their creative and critical thinking skills.

Thinking What No One Else Has Thought: Investigating the Scientific Creativity of Primary School Students in a Science Class

Shanaia Marie Fernandez — 2025-09-23

For the advancement of humanity, scientific creativity is a crucial skill for coming up with innovations, addressing existing issues and interpreting particular scientific phenomena. The present study aimed to determine the scientific creativity level of 23 primary school students. In a single cross-sectional study, a descriptive survey questionnaire modelled on the Scientific Structure Creativity Model (SSCM) incorporated a seven-item scientific creativity test specifically designed to align with the backgrounds of primary school students. The results show that the students have a balance between a low or intermediate scientific creativity level. Of the 23 respondents, 8 have a low scientific creativity level, 8 have an intermediate scientific creativity level and 7 have a high scientific creativity level. The respondents are the most scientifically creative in creative science problem solving. The researchers recommend an intervention such as integrating the arts into the STEM curriculum to help develop students' scientific creativity.

Primary School Students’ Attitudes Towards Distance Music Learning

Jasna Šulentić Begić — 2025-09-23

Music education underwent significant adjustments during the Covid-19 pandemic, reflecting broader changes in education as a whole. Distance learning was the only way to organise learning to avoid the consequences of the pandemic. As part of this project, research was carried out in the 2021–2022 school year to determine primary school students’ attitudes towards distance music learning. A total of 503 seventh- and eighth-grade students from general education primary schools completed an online survey to collect the data. The results show that the majority of the students feel that they found suitable conditions for distance music learning, that their parents and school were supportive, that they were satisfied with the digital tools, and that they saw themselves as successful learners. The overwhelming majority of the students believe that they acquire the same knowledge through distance learning as they do at school, and that distance music learning does not require a lot of effort or cause stress. However, the majority of the students feel that there were not enough workshops and courses organised by the school and the local community in order to make distance music learning easier for them. Of the sociodemographic factors studied, only the variable related to home conditions for distance music learning proved to be partially predictive.

Preschool Teachers’ Role and Beliefs about Developmentally Appropriate Practice: A Systematic Literature Review

Misahun Shumetu Taye — 2025-09-23

This systematic literature review has examined the various functions assumed by preschool educators in promoting developmentally appropriate practice, the differing beliefs held by preschool teachers concerning it, and the factors that influence the beliefs and perceptions of preschool teachers about it. To carry out this review, a comprehensive search strategy was employed across different databases to identify relevant studies published between 2010 and 2023. The inclusion criteria comprised studies that focused on the role and beliefs of preschool teachers in promoting developmentally appropriate practice. The review includes a total of 14 studies. The results indicate that preschool teachers play different roles in promoting developmentally appropriate practice, such as creating a safe and supportive learning environment, providing diverse learning experiences customised to the specific needs and interests of each child, working in collaboration with families to ensure that children receive the necessary support at home, and advocating for the needs of young children and their families. The beliefs of preschool teachers regarding developmentally appropriate practice are attributed to various factors, including their personal experiences as learners, their training and professional development, the culture of the preschool or school where they work, and the availability of resources and support to implement developmentally appropriate practice. The findings highlight the importance of preschool teachers having a strong comprehension of developmentally appropriate practice and being able to implement it effectively in their classrooms. Moreover, it is crucial to provide preschool teachers with professional development opportunities that can enhance their beliefs about developmentally appropriate practice and help them learn how to implement it effectively.

Distance Learning and Teaching in Group Settings at Primary Music Schools in Slovenia

Jerneja Žnidaršič — 2025-09-23

During the Covid-19 pandemic, all stakeholders in education, including music teachers, had to respond to new challenges, including the adjustment of the learning process to the requirements of distance learning and teaching. The main goal of the present research was to determine music teachers' self-assessment of ICT competences and their use of teaching methods, strategies, techniques and assessment methods. A survey questionnaire was designed and the collected data were processed using the Friedman test and the Kruskal-Wallis test. The sample consisted of teachers of subjects that are taught in groups (i.e., Music Preparatory, Music Theory and Solfeggio) at public primary music schools in Slovenia. The participants reported no problems using most ICT tools and resources during the pandemic. In general, they were most confident with videoconferencing tools and least confident when recording explanatory videos unaccompanied by oral explanation. In the planning and implementation of the teaching process, they least frequently used activities of music creation and playing Orff instruments. More specifically, lessons in Music Preparatory most frequently included listening activities, while classes in Music Theory and Solfeggio focused on the transmission of theoretical musical and formal knowledge. Overall, the teachers mainly resorted to synchronous and frontal instruction. In terms of evaluation and assessment of musical abilities, skills and knowledge, they most frequently employed oral consolidation, testing and assessment, as well as student-produced recordings of rhythmic and melodic exercises.

Are the Benefits of Emergency Remote Education Truly Benefits? Ethical Dilemmas and Research Results on Emergency Remote Education from the Perspective of Prospective Teachers and the Foundations of Pedagogical Study Programmes

Tatjana Hodnik — 2025-09-23

Commencing in March 2020 and continuing during the 2020/2021 academic year, all university education was forced to introduce emergency remote education due to restrictions imposed in countries affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. In the present empirical study, which includes a representative sample of students from one of the education faculties in Slovenia, data was obtained on the conditions and implementation of study programmes via emergency remote education. The areas of study were the material conditions for studying, the pedagogical process in emergency remote education, the ethics of the rules of performance and assessment, and the academic community. The study provides an analysis of the changes that took place in the implementation of the pedagogical process during emergency remote education from the students' perspective and an examination of the extent to which it provided equal opportunities for students. The results show that the success of students in their studies depends on technical conditions and the environment; that rapid transitions from one type of studying to another (from emergency remote education to hybrid or entirely at the faculty) are not recommended; that the teaching process was based on the concept of face-to-face teaching, partly adapting to different conditions on this basis; and finally, that the â€œdesire for comfortâ€ entered into the assessment of the quality and fairness of the educational process. Based on the values of our professional ethical judgement and the results of the study, we conclude that higher education teachers should be aware that providing comfort to some students who have the appropriate conditions for studying or simply preferring to teach from the comfort of home are not adequate reasons to maintain online delivery of courses compared to the criteria of justice and quality in education.

Arts Education for Children with Disabilities: A Systematic Literature Review

Lia Mareza — 2025-09-23

Research, testimonies and descriptions of successful projects and initiatives have shown the benefits of well-planned inclusive arts education for students with disabilities. The group of students with disabilities is diverse. The only thing they have in common is a disability that prevents them from taking advantage of the general curriculum without specialised support. Teaching students with disabilities is a requirement for all teachers, regardless of their subject-matter expertise. The goal of this research is to provide a thorough knowledge map of the intellectual framework of the field of study of arts education for students with disabilities. Using the PRISMA method to analyse articles published between 2012 and 2022, a systematic literature review methodology was used. An overview of the study's articles, authors, top journals and research themes is given. The findings indicate the existence of three themes in the research of arts education for children with disabilities. In summary, this paper reviews key findings from the research analyses and suggests future research trajectories for the arts education area.

The Big Five Factors of Personality Traits and Leadership Practices of Academic Department Chairs: A Predictive Study

Mohammed Ali Assiri — 2025-09-23

This study investigated whether the big five factors of personality traits can predict academic department chairs' leadership practices. The study had a predictive research design; the data were collected from 424 participants in the 2023 academic year, and the instruments of this study were two questionnaires. The study found that the big five factors of personality traits predict the leadership practices of academic department chairs. Two factors of personality traits, conscientiousness and openness to experience, were statistically significant and predicted the practices in modelling leadership. Four factors (agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness to experience, and extroversion) were statistically significant and predicted leadership practices in inspiring a shared vision. Three factors (neuroticism, extroversion, and conscientiousness) were statistically significant and predicted leadership practices in challenging processes. Two factors (conscientiousness and openness to experience) were statistically significant and predicted leadership practices enabling others to act. Three factors (conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness to experience) were statistically significant and predicted leadership practices encouraging the heart. The study recommended that academic leaders be required to consider personality traits as an important dimension in selecting and assigning academic department chairs and other academic leaders at all levels at higher education institutions.

Milena Košak Babuder, Vesna Bilić, Nika Obed, Tanja Virant and Milena Valenčič Zuljan, [Special Needs Students and Peer Violence], Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana, 2024; 248 pp.: ISBN: 978-961-253-322-9

Nevenka Maras — 2025-09-23