Open research questions in Innovative Education and Learning Practices

What the literature leaves open

• The study recommends that: 7.1 Policymakers must develop national implementation guidelines for TVET teacher education; encourage collaboration among higher education institutions, TVET colleges, and industry stakeholders; develop national monitoring and evaluation indicators for WIL implementation; and create dedicated funding mechanisms to support TVET lecturers' workplace learning. 7.2 Universities must institutionalise the proposed WIL framework within TVET teacher education programs, establish dedicated WIL units for partnership coordination and placement management, integrate workplace learning outcomes into the curriculum design and assessment practices, and develop partnership agreements with TVET colleges and industry 7.3 Industry partners must regard workplace mentoring as a strategic contribution to skills development, participate in the curriculum development and assessment processes, and collaborate with the university to ensure quality WIL programmes. 7.4 Future research must pilot and evaluate the proposed framework across multiple universities, examine lecturers' occupational competence, and conduct comparative studies between the South African and international TVET WIL models.

  Developing an Activity Theory-Informed WIL Framework for South African TVET Teacher Education · 2026 · DOI

• 2 Shared objectives versus ambiguous responsibilities The study found that while stakeholders shared a commitment to lecturer development, responsibilities were often poorly defined. The finding on poorly defined responsibilities is also documented by Agoki and KisiaMaasai (2017).

  Developing an Activity Theory-Informed WIL Framework for South African TVET Teacher Education · 2026 · DOI

• The following recommendations were made based on this study: • Making the classroom atmosphere safe and encouraging: Absenteeism is commonly rooted in anxiety, lack of enthusiasm, or poor student-lecturer relationships. It is therefore the responsibility of lecturers to create a warm, safe, and encouraging classroom environment for their students. • Respect towards others: The Ubuntu ideology and the constitution both instill the value of respect for others. Building a stronger lecture-student relationship requires respect for one another because humans do not live in silos. When lecturers treat their students with respect and value their opinions, this can build trust amongst them, and this can improve class attendance and performance. • Improved pedagogic praxis: Students learn differently; as such, lectures should cater to all learners. If pedagogic praxis can be improved by incorporating different teaching styles can 59 Yusuf Eko Nahuddin and Riski Febria Nurita, “Freedom of Speech in the Context of Constitutional Law: Maintaining the Balance Between Freedom and Public Order,” International Journal of Sustainable Law 2, no. 1 (2025): 7–11. 60 D. Ademi, “Digital Rights: A Critical Analysis of the Status of Online Freedom of Expression in Kenya. Analysis of Chain Mediating Effect,” 2024. 61 Rahmadilla Putri Berliana and Wahdan Najib Habiby, “Teacher Perceptions and Implementation of a Democratic Classroom Atmosphere in Elementary Schools,” Jurnal Cakrawala Pendas 10, no. 2 (2024): 318–35. 62 Abdul Rahim Mansyur, “Wawasan Kepemimpinan Guru (Teacher Leadership) Dan Konsep Guru Penggerak,” Education and Learning Journal 2, no. 2 (July 31, 2021): 101, https://doi.org/10.33096/eljour.v2i2.113. 63 Hayani Wulandari and Isa Nurhaliza, “Mengembangkan Potensi Guru Yang Profesional Dalam Proses Belajar Mengajar,” Didaktik: Jurnal Ilmiah PGSD STKIP Subang 9, no. 2 (2023): 2487–2509. Journal of Education and Learning Technology (JELT) 146 Mohlaloka, S. M. B. & Ntlhare, L. A./ Journal of Education and Learning Technology / Vol.7 No.2 Special Issue (2026) pp 137 - 150 encourage class attendance. Lecturers can use, for example, demonstrations, group discussions, and real-world applied teaching.

  Students’ voices concerning pedagogic praxis and curbing absenteeism – A case study of a university of technology in South Africa · 2026 · DOI

• These difficulties are not understood as being solely linked to formal diagnoses, but rather as situated experiences that emerge in the interaction between individual conditions and the pedagogical, relational, and organisational contexts of VET.

  Staying home as speaking out: Absence as a reflection on support in work-based learning · 2026 · DOI

• The findings of this study indicate a need to reconceptualise assessment content and structure in ways that more accurately reflect the developmental, situated, and relational nature of youth work practice. In particular, the use of uniform critical questions across levels risks flattening distinctions in learner © 2026 Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice 144 Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice | Vol 14 | Issue 1 (2026) Assessment methods in youth work education and their impact on students in placement progression. Revising these questions to be level-specific would enable assessment to more clearly evidence the transition from emerging competence at Level 4 towards autonomy, professional judgement, and leadership at Level 6. Such differentiation would support clearer expectations for students and more robust judgements of progression for assessors. Participants’ accounts also highlight limitations in assessment practices that rely predominantly on retrospective written reflection. To more fully capture learning as it occurs in practice, there is a strong case for formally integrating observed practice and artefact-based tasks into assessment design. The inclusion of supervisor observations, practice documentation, and workplace-produced artefacts would allow assessment to attend to the real-time enactment of skills, ethical decision-making, and relational competence that are central to youth work pedagogy. Ensuring coherence between assessment content and sector expectations is also essential. Alignment with the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement (QAA, 2019), National Occupational Standards (NYA, 2020), and wider youth work literature would strengthen the credibility and transparency of assessment processes. Assessment tasks should more explicitly address areas such as governance, safeguarding, budgeting, partnership working, and evaluation, which participants identified as central to professional practice yet inconsistently assessed. Broadening the scope of assessment in this way would better prepare students for the complexities of contemporary youth work roles. In line with dialogical and inclusive pedagogical principles, offering a wider range of evidence formats represents a further enhancement to assessment practice. Allowing students to submit video recordings, podcasts, or creative artefacts alongside written work can improve accessibility and more accurately reflect the diverse ways in which youth work knowledge is generated, demonstrated, and communicated in practice. Such flexibility also recognises the multimodal nature of professional competence within informal education settings. The study also points to the need for greater flexibility and clarity within placement processes and support structures. Rigid placement timelines were experienced as misaligned with the realities of work-based, part-time, and non-traditional learners.

  Assessment in Youth Work Placements. Explore and understand the perceptions of students and placement agencies regarding current assessment methods used in youth work placements. · 2026 · DOI

• Introduction In international discourse, empowerment is frequently highlighted as a key goal of adult education (Boyadjieva & Ilieva-Trichkova, 2023; Veloso & Guimarães, 2014). Over the past three decades, use of the term empowerment has increased exponentially across academic papers in a range of fields. McLaughlin (2023) even describes empowerment as a ‘buzz-word’ (p. 3), emphasising its widespread proliferation. It also plays a significant role in political discourse.

  Empowerment and adult education · 2026 · DOI

• Despite its longevity and popularity as an explanation of early teacher learning, the apprenticeship of observation has never been used to account for secondary-level programs intended to spark interest in the teaching profession; consequently, little is known about what is learned about teaching in these programs, or about the nature of the learning done by the high school student participating in such programs.

  Understanding the Aspiring Educator: A Narrative (Re)examination of the Apprenticeship of Observation · 2026 · DOI

• 2 Future research To develop knowledge on remote learning through the CHAT framework, the sugges- tions below can be considered in future research: • • Investigate the role of Extended Space: Future research should examine how both physical and digital spaces affect the learning experience, including students’ interactions, their involvement in classes and knowledge creation. • Develop Guidelines for Hybrid Learning: Based on empirical findings, future studies should focus on creating clear, evidence-based guidelines for implementing and optimizing hybrid, learning models, ensuring they cater to diverse learner needs. Discover Education (2026) 5:485 Page 31 of 35 One possible limitation of this study would be the uneven empirical visibility of certain components of the activity system; particularly “Division of Labor”.

  Navigating digitally mediated educational environments in crisis situations through an adapted Cultural-Historical Activity Theory framework · 2026 · DOI

• Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, the following recommendations are proposed: 1. Educational institutions and school leaders may strengthen support systems that provide clear guidelines, collaborative opportunities, and efficient workflows for learning resource developers. 2. School administrators and policymakers may promote supportive and creative environments that encourage collaboration, reflective practice, and professional engagement among learning resource developers. 3. Curriculum developers and education policymakers may review and enhance policies to ensure responsiveness to the experiences and professional needs of learning resource developers. 4. Teacher education programs and professional development providers may implement training programs focusing on instructional design, reflective practice, creativity, and professional growth. 5. Schools and educational divisions may establish collaborative communities of practice to encourage knowledge sharing, peer support, and continuous improvement in instructional material development. 6. Educational institutions may implement developmental support programs that include mentoring, professional development workshops, and recognition initiatives to sustain the growth and well-being of learning resource developers. REFERENCES Abraham, D., & Padmakumari, P. (2024). A methodological framework for descriptive phenomenological research. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 47(2), 125–134. https://doi.org/10.1177/01939459241308071 Ainin, M. J. D., & Bauyot, M. M. (2024). Quantifying the impact of teachers instructional practice and ICT technology integration on teachers’ readiness level in the 21 st century. International Journal of Research Publications, 149(1). https://doi.org/10.47119/ijrp1001491520246521 Báez-Bargellini, G., & Meneses, A. (2023). Multiliteracidad en la asignatura de Lenguaje. Ocnos Revista De Estudios Sobre Lectura, 22(2). https://doi.org/10.18239/ocnos_2023.22.2.346 Chang, C., & Wang, Y.-H. (2021). Using phenomenological methodology with thematic analysis to examine and reflect in MOOCs. Education Sciences, 11(5), 203. instructors’ experiences commonalities of on https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11050203 Colaizzi, P. F. (1978). Psychological research as the phenomenologist views it. In R. Valle & M. King (Eds.), Existential phenomenological alternatives for psychology (pp. 48–71). Oxford University Press. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. 521 International Journal of Education, Learning, and Pedagogical Sciences (INJELPS) Crowther, S., & Thomson, G. (2020). From description to interpretive leap: Using philosophical notions to unpack and surface meaning in hermeneutic phenomenology research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19.

  Dynamics and fulfillment of learning resource development: A phenomenological study · 2026 · DOI

• Before discussing the results of our study, some of the most central limitations to the study’s research’s design and scope have to be pointed out. The open-ended assignment for the participants to record the respective lessons in which they covered the conceptual understanding of quantity caused two challenges: First, because the implementation was not mandatory, four participants omitted “How many?”. The participants’ decisions were not necessarily due to content-related reasons but often based on personal preferences and sometimes because they did not review all curriculum material provided. Although this is an interesting observation, this study's scope did not permit to further examine their reasoning. Only four participants implemented the learning activity and their implementations’ alignment with the intended learning goals varied greatly. While analyzing and comparing distinct cases is valuable to gain deeper insight into teachers' use of curriculum material, the study's small and diverse sample does not capture all possible variations and does not allow to generalize the results. Next, the amount of available data varied between the participants. In some cases, this was due to some technical difficulties with the lesson recordings. For example, Mona and Patricia recorded their first lessons without sound because the external microphones were not properly connected to the video recorder. Mona luckily was able to repeat the recording with another one of her classes. Patricia, however, had no such opportunity. Because of this there was only a lesson recording of 20 minutes available to analyze in Patricia’s case. However, these 20 minutes showed Patricia's enactment of the learning activity “How many?”. While some technical difficulties would have been avoided if we had recorded the lessons ourselves, we wanted the Richter & Bruns / International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 20(2), em0883 11 / 15 teachers (and the students) to act as naturally as possible given the circumstances. We deemed that our presence would impede this more than if the teachers recorded themselves. DISCUSSION Fidelity of implementation is a key factor for successfully delivering educational innovation through curriculum material (Century & Cassata, 2016). Thus, it is important to understand how and why or why not teachers implement curriculum material appropriate to its desired outcomes when they design their lessons (e.g., Century & Cassata, 2016; Cobb & Jackson, 2015; Coburn, 2003; Maass et al., 2019; Morris & Hiebert, 2011). The aim of this study was to investigate potential origins of (mis)alignments between teachers’ classroom implementation and the intended learning goals of curriculum material.

  All a question of the goal? Re-tracing (mis)alignments between teachers’ implementations of curriculum material and intended learning goals in the context of early childhood educator training in Germany · 2026 · DOI

• TRs are generally positioned as compliance tools to monitor apprentice progress; however, focusing on the under-researched WBT role, the paper addresses how these practitioners navigate tensions between regulation and personalised support.

  “Just a tick box exercise?” An analysis of work based tutor intervention in supporting work-integrated learning · 2025 · DOI

• There is a gap in the literature on the possible affordances, complexities and limitations of micro-credentials experienced in practice and following the voices of practitioners’ lived experience points bring us to understanding new ways of doing things (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000).

  The multiple affordances, complexities and limitations of micro-credentials - practitioner voices · 2025 · DOI

• Thematic analysis reveals three stages of critical awareness development: (1) initial awareness, recognizing social injustice; (2) critical analysis, fostered through real-life case learning; and (3) orientation to action, though still limited to activities like information sharing or peer discussions.

  The Making of Critical Consciousness among Marinalizes High School Students in Sociology Education · 2025 · DOI

• This research introduced ten ECEC leaders and mentors, within a specific local authority in England, to the democratic nature of pedagogic mediation and provided a community of practice within which this could be explored.

  Pedagogic mediation for praxis development: supporting leaders and mentors in the English ECEC context · 2024 · DOI

• Evidence-based Facts: The conducted literature overview proves that the scope of the research issues addressed is generally extensive, but the issues of the social dimension of learning about the teaching profession at various stages of teachers’ professional careers as well as informal, extraformal and incidental learning in the work environment still remain underexplored.

  Teachers’ Learning in the Workplace – (Un)Recognized Research Fields of Teachers Education · 2024 · DOI

• While limited to a single field site, the research points to potential in developing a culture of conversation as appropriate, ethical and more effective relationships and sex education CPD strategy.

  From pedagogies of exposure to cultures of conversation: exploring discomfort and engagement in relationships and sex education (RSE) continuing professional development · 2024 · DOI

• Conclusions A nuanced CHAT analysis of trainee learning and development and the broader partnership model of training in Scotland has not been studied in this way before and therefore makes a significant contribution to research in this area.

  Expansive and expensive EP training: A CHAT analysis of the EP training programme in Scotland · 2023 · DOI

• Originality/value This study addresses existing gaps in the literature on workplace expansive learning, by opening up a novel perspective for detailed empirical enquiries that demonstrate the role workers may play in supported expansive learning processes and ensuing transformations of their workplaces.

  Toward a new beginning: exploring the instructional dynamics of expansive learning with workers in a youth supported housing unit · 2022 · DOI

• The methodological implementations and insights are presented and combined, and methodological strengths and challenges are discussed, with the aims of (1) building knowledge about IL measures in workplace settings that is currently lacking, (2) finding additional measures for the complex IL construct, and (3) considering the scope of the practices that can be measured.

  Workplace information literacy · 2021 · DOI

• Purpose Although there is a large body of literature available on the foundations of workplace learning (WPL), little is known about designated research methods that systematically combine intervention, design and learning at work.

  Action design research as a means for organizing workplace learning: case studies of e-learning platforms · 2021 · DOI

• Findings The findings suggest that a wide range of employer-valued transferable key skills (together with improved self-confidence, psychological resilience, and emotional maturity) may be gained via informal modes of workplace learning, but that some of the activities carried out by worker-learners during placement may vary widely.

  Emotional challenges and pre-placement preparations: a cross-disciplinary, longitudinal study of “learner-worker” undergraduates (in an Irish HEI) · 2020 · DOI

• Cross-professional collaboration in schools is a prerequisite for professional teaching practice and thus for professional development in many post-industrialized societies, yet little is known about how teachers with different professional backgrounds make meaning of and internalize cross-professional collaboration and how inequities in legitimacy and power in cross-professional collaboration affect professional learning.

  Collaborating alone? Teachers’ and pedagogues’ unequal cross-professional collaboration and what it means for their professional learning in Danish schools · 2020 · DOI

• School-based VET and apprenticeship training have been parallel routes in the Finnish VET system, but relatively little is known of their characteristics regarding students’ experiences.

  Vocational Education and Learners’ Experienced Workplace Curriculum · 2019 · DOI

• Most often categorised as ‘informal’ or ‘implicit’, such professional learning and development is under-researched; resonant of an iceberg whose biggest proportion lies submerged and unseen, with only its tip exposed, the bulk of professional development and learning activity remains unexamined by researchers, who tend predominantly to focus on ‘explicit’ professional development.

  Implicit and informal professional development: what it ‘looks like’, how it occurs, and why we need to research it · 2018 · DOI

• Guest Edited Special Issue - Editorial Abstract by
\nMadeleine Sclater (Glasgow School of Art, UK) and 
\nProfessor Vic Lally (University of Glasgow, UK)
\n
\nThe nexus of Technologies, Learning and Cultures is a complex area of study that is currently under-researched.

  Foreword: Technologies, learning and culture across disciplines: International perspectives · 2018 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Innovative Education and Learning Practices

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• Teachers’ professional development in formal online communities: A scoping review · Teaching and Teacher Education · 2021 · 94 citations

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