Academy of Education and Social Sciences Review
Not a member yet
183 research outputs found
Sort by
Role of Exercise in Reducing Anxiety and Depression Among Adults
Full text linkThis study investigated the relationship between exercise duration and psychological well-being, with particular focus on symptoms of depression and anxiety among adults. The study aimed to examine whether regular engagement in exercise is associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression, and whether gender differences exist in these psychological outcomes. Adults from various universities participated in the study. Participants were divided into two groups, including regular exercise performers and non-performers. Data were collected using a demographic information form along with standardised measures of anxiety and depression. The findings indicated that individuals who engaged in regular exercise reported lower levels of both anxiety and depression compared to those who did not exercise. Greater time spent exercising was associated with better psychological outcomes. In addition, gender differences were observed, with females reporting comparatively higher levels of anxiety than males. Overall, the results suggest that regular exercise may play a meaningful role in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. These findings highlight the potential value of incorporating physical activity into mental health promotion strategies. However, the use of convenience sampling and a cross-sectional research design may limit the generalizability of the results
Exploring The Use of Differentiated Instruction in Elementary Grades: Issues and Challenges
Full text linkThe research focuses on teachers’ perspectives on the use of Differentiated Instruction (DI) in Elementary grades, highlighting their awareness about the phenomenon, teaching strategies, issues and challenges they face during implementation. This study includes the perspectives of 8 elementary teachers of Private Schools of Karachi, Pakistan, employing semi- structured interviews and class observations. The findings of the study revealed that although most of the teachers had a general insight into Differentiated Instruction involving grouping according to readiness level, flexible and adjustable approaches, implementation was constrained. Many challenges were discovered, including limited access to resources, large class sizes, inadequate training and time and a lack of parental awareness and leadership support. A gap between theory and teaching practice was indicated, highlighting the importance of professional development, administrative support and collaborative planning meetings opportunities. The results indicated the influence of situational factors on the implementation of Differentiated Instruction in elementary grades. While exploring the situational factors affecting Differentiated Instruction, the study contributes significant insights into how teachers can meet the diverse needs of the learners by tailoring and customising their instructional practices, given limited resources in classrooms. An in-depth analysis of the challenges is obtained from the findings and recommendations that are essential for practical DI implementation
Challenges of Flipped Classroom in a Blended Learning Environment at Higher Education
Full text linkThe fundamental idea behind the flipped classroom is the alternative method of traditional lecture in which a large amount of information is imparted to numerous students at a time. Lecturing may not be effective at promoting levels of learning beyond knowledge and comprehension. The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges faced by teachers that come across during the teaching – learning process through the method of flipped classroom in a blended learning environment. Using an exploratory design having quantitative approach, this study targeted teachers currently serving at the private and public universities in Karachi, Pakistan to collect data regarding the students’ engagement and their workload in the flipped classrooms using questionnaire. The findings reveal the increased students’ engagement yet increased workload of teaches. Therefore, the study recommends the educational institutes to arrange workshops for teachers to reduce their challenges for the implementation of the flipped classroom in a blended learning environment at higher education
Entrepreneurship Education in the Age of Generative Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities, Challenges, and Pedagogical Shifts
Full text linkGenerative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly reshaping higher education, yet empirical evidence on its role in entrepreneurship education remains limited. This study investigates how GenAI is used in entrepreneurship classrooms and whether it supports pedagogical adaptation and entrepreneurial learning outcomes. It also examines whether students’ technological readiness and AI literacy moderate these relationships. Guided by a conceptual framework linking GenAI use, pedagogical change, learning outcomes, and student preparedness, data were collected from 203 students enrolled in entrepreneurship programs. Mediation and moderation analyses with bootstrapping were used to test direct, indirect, and conditional effects. Contrary to largely techno-optimistic claims, results show no significant relationship between GenAI use and pedagogical change, pedagogical change and learning outcomes, or GenAI use and learning outcomes. Technological readiness and AI literacy also did not significantly moderate these paths, and no moderated mediation was found. The findings indicate that simple access to, or superficial use of, GenAI does not automatically improve teaching practices or entrepreneurial competencies. The study contributes empirical evidence and calls for stronger instructional design, student preparation, and more rigorous longitudinal and multi-method research
Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Perspective on Artificial Intelligence Integration in Advanced Nursing Research and Practice
Full text linkArtificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare systems, medical research, and educational practices. In nursing education, AI technologies are increasingly being integrated to support learning, research activities, and clinical decision-making. Understanding undergraduate nursing students’ perspectives on AI integration is essential for preparing future nurses to work effectively in technology-driven healthcare environments. This discussion paper explores undergraduate nursing students’ perceptions regarding the integration of AI in advanced nursing research and practice. The study discusses the perceived benefits of AI, including enhanced learning experiences, improved research efficiency, and support for clinical decision-making. It also examines challenges such as ethical concerns, data privacy issues, limited AI literacy, and the risk of overreliance on technology. The paper further highlights the implications of AI integration for nursing education and suggests that nursing curricula should incorporate AI literacy, digital competencies, and ethical training. The findings emphasise the importance of preparing undergraduate nursing students to effectively use AI technologies while maintaining the human-centred values of nursing practice. Integrating AI-related competencies into nursing education can contribute to improved research capabilities, enhanced clinical practice, and better patient outcomes
Motivation in Writing Using Automated Writing Evaluation at Higher Education Level in Pakistan
Full text linkArtificial Intelligence (AI) has permeated every aspect of life, including education, and significant developments in applied linguistics and natural language processing have been major in developing AI-based Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) technology over the past three decades. This experimental study hypothesised that ESL students in the experimental group would be more motivated to use AI AWE technologies to write better essays. This experimental study is significant as it addresses the gap in research on examining the students\u27 motivation in essay writing, utilising the AI-based writing evaluation tool My Access tool. The present study divides undergraduate learners into two groups, experimental and control, employing a purposive sampling strategy. The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) provides a basis for the study. The Academic Writing Motivation Questionnaire (AWMQ), having 37 measures, was modified according to the need and utilised for evaluating the writing motivation of participants. The Likert scale of the questionnaire objectively assessed students\u27 motivation levels prior to and following the intervention. The tool evaluated the five primary constructs: self-efficacy, perceived writing value, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic incentive, and overall writing motivation. A statistical analysis of the pre- and post-tests for both the experimental and control groups was conducted using SPSS software. The findings corroborate the hypothesis that AI technologies enhance students\u27 motivation to compose essays
Mediating Role of Depression between Emotion Regulation Strategies and Suicide Proneness among Male Patients with Substance Use Disorder
Full text linkThis paper was set out to explore the mediating factor of depression in the interrelationship between emotional regulation (i.e. affective suppression and cognitive reappraisal) and suicide-proneness among males with Substance Use Disorder (SUD). It used a cross-sectional quantitative design and recruited 180 male participants who were recruited through a purposive sampling technique in Karachi in rehabilitation centres that are located in urban areas. The tools that were used to obtain the data include the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), the Siddiqui Shah Depression Scale (SSDS), and the Life Attitude Schedule Short Form (LAS-SF), which are standardised tools. It was analysed with the help of mediation analyses with the help of the PROCESS Macro (Model 4), Pearson correlations, and descriptive statistics. Findings indicated that affective suppression positively correlated with depression and suicide proneness, but no positive correlation was found between cognitive reappraisal and depression and suicide proneness. Mediation analysis showed that depression mediated the correlation between both the affective suppression and suicide proneness, and the cognitive reappraisal and suicide proneness. The research concludes that depression is a very important psychological process connecting emotion regulation and suicidal risk. These results support the importance of culturally specific cognitive-behavioural and emotion-focused interventions in enhancing the process of emotion control and mental well-being of patients with SUD
Exploring the Relationship of Empathy, Materialism, Selfishness and Altruism among University Students in Pakistan
Full text linkThis study aimed to examine the role of empathy in balancing materialism, selfishness and altruism among young adults in the university students of Karachi, Pakistan. It was hypothesised that individuals with lower levels of empathy showed high materialism and selfishness and demonstrated lower tendencies of altruism. A quantitative research design was employed, with participants aged 18-25 from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Various standardised scales were used, including the Material Value Scale (MVS-15), the Empathy Assessment Scale (EAS-13), the Self-reported Altruism Scale (SRAS-9), and the Selfishness Questionnaire (SQ-24) to assess the relationship among the variables. The study further examined the gender difference among the variables. The results indicate that empathy is positively correlated with altruism and negatively correlated with selfishness and materialism. Empathy promotes prosocial behaviour and serves as a protective factor against self-centred behaviour. Moreover, gender differences show no significant difference in the variables (empathy, altruism, selfishness, and materialism). The results carry implications for education, policy making, and health care, awareness based on empathy-based training to reduce self-centred behaviour while fostering selfless behaviour, promoting community well-being
Evaluating the Impact of Instructional Strategies on Students’ Performance: Statistical Evidence from ANOVA and Tukey\u27s HSD Post Hoc Test
Full text linkThis study aimed to evaluate the most effective in-class instructional strategies that enhance the academic performance of pre and post-graduate students in Karachi, Pakistan. It reviewed the three instructional strategies, including the Lecture-Based Instructional Strategy, Activity-Based Instructional Strategy, and Constructivist Instructional Strategy. The targeted population of the study was comprised of the pre and post-graduate students currently enrolled in various public-sector universities in Karachi. The achieved scores for writing and reading English text from the students were measured along with the implemented instructional strategies in their classes. The findings reveal that the academic performance of pre and post-graduate students, in terms of writing and reading English text, differs based on the various in-class instructional strategies (teacher-centred, activity-based and constructivist). Since the constructive method was found to be producing the highest writing and reading scores, significantly outperforming both traditional lecturer-based and activity-based methods, the study recommends that teachers and curriculum developers consider the constructive instructional method
Global Citizenship Education: A Case Study of Teachers’ Practices and Challenges in an Underprivileged Primary School in Karachi
Full text linkGlobal Citizenship Education (GCE) prepares students for an interconnected world by promoting peace, respect, and sustainability, empowering them to contribute to a more inclusive society. This qualitative case study explores the challenges of integration of GCE in an underprivileged primary school of Karachi, Pakistan, focusing on the national curriculum, textbooks, teachers’ perceptions and pedagogy. Data were collected through curriculum and textbook analysis, teacher interviews, and classroom observations. Findings revealed that although the curriculum and textbooks cover core elements of GCE such as diversity, interconnectedness, and human rights, core elements of GCE, but they do not explicitly address GCE as a distinct concept. Furthermore, the lack of GCE awareness among teachers highlights deficiencies in their knowledge and training. Moreover, Socio-economic factors pose significant challenges to integrating GCE. The study underscores the need to integrate GCE into curricula, textbooks, and teacher training, emphasising the importance of national efforts to effectively implement GCE in schools to foster students’ cosmopolitan and global citizenship competencies