iosr-JRME   Volume-16 ~ Issue-5 ~ Sep. – Oct. 2026

Abstract: Background: Neuroplasticity, understood as the capacity of the central nervous system to reorganize its structure and functional connections in response to experience, today constitutes the main biological foundation of educational and rehabilitative interventions aimed at students with neurodevelopmental disorders (SLD, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability). Despite the growing body of neuroscientific evidence, a gap persists between....

Keywords: neuroplasticity; inclusive education; neurodevelopmental disorders; evidence-based education; Individualized Education Plan.

[1] Hebb, D. O. (1949). The Organization of Behavior: A Neuropsychological Theory. Wiley.
[2] Kolb, B., & Gibb, R. (2014). Searching for the principles of brain plasticity and behavior. Cortex, 58, 251–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2013.11.012
[3] Voss, M. W., Thomas, S., Cisneros-Franco, J. M., & de Villers-Sidani, É. (2017). Dynamic brains and the changing rules of neuroplasticity: implications for learning and recovery. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1657. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01657
[4] Griffa, G., Palombo, M., Yeffal, A., Lee, H.-H., Solano, A., Huang, S. Y., et al. (2026). Learning engages transient and sustained cellular mechanisms in the human brain. PLoS Biology, 24(6), e3003861. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003861
[5] Crispiani, P. (2001b). Pedagogia clinica [Clinical pedagogy]. Rome: Armando.

Abstract: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted schooling and household livelihoods, with potentially lasting consequences for pupil retention in low-cost private schools. This study examined the factors affecting lower-primary pupil retention in low-cost private schools in Kisumu East Sub-County, Kenya, following the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the study investigated household socio-economic, socio-cultural and school-related factors associated with pupil retention....

Keywords: COVID-19; pupil retention; low-cost private schools; lower primary education; socio-economic factors; parental attitudes; school feeding; Kisumu East Sub-County

[1]. Alam, A., & Tiwari, P. (2021). Implications of COVID-19 for low-cost private schools. UNICEF.
[2]. Asamba, M. (2020). Schools to re-open on October 12. Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA).
[3]. Bauer, L., Broady, K., Edelberg, W., & O'Donnell, J. (2020). Ten facts about COVID-19 and the U.S. economy. Brookings Institution.
[4]. Carvalho, & Hares. (2020). [Full bibliographic details not provided in the thesis reference list].
[5]. Epstein, J. L. (2001). [Full bibliographic details not provided in the thesis reference list].

Abstract: This study investigates innovative assessment strategies and practices within 21st-century education in Nigeria's South-West region. Employing a survey research design, the study involved 300 educators from tertiary institutions. The Innovative Assessment Practices Questionnaire (IAPQ), which demonstrated a reliability coefficient of 0.78, was utilized for data collection. Findings reveal that technology-enhanced assessments, project-based assessments, and competency-based assessments are prevalent. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was identified between innovative assessment practices and academic excellence. However, challenges such...

Keywords: Innovative Assessment, Technology-Enhanced Assessment, Project-Based Assessment, Academic Excellence, Educational Technology.

[1]. Adeyinka, A. A. (2018). Effects of technology-enhanced assessments on student achievement in mathematics. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange, 10(1), 1-18.
[2]. Afolabi, F. O. (2018). Assessment of learning outcomes in Nigerian universities. Journal of Educational Research, 12(1), 1-11.
[3]. Ajibade, A. O. (2020). Students' perceptions of innovative assessment practices in Nigerian universities. Journal of Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 45(3), 342-355.
[4]. Bennett, R. E. (2015). The future of assessment: Shaping the skills and knowledge of the 21st century. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 34(2), 5-15.
[5]. Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2018). Classroom assessment and pedagogy. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 25(4), 349-365.

Abstract: The effects of Career Mentorship on career progression of TVET trainers in Machakos County, Kenya. The study was guided by Wenger’s Social Learning Theory and a mixed-methods research design. The target population comprised six principals, twelve Deputy Principals, six Registrars, six Deans of students, 50 Heads of departments, and 150 TVET trainers working in Machakos County, Kenya. The study used a census for principals, Deputy Principals, Registrars, Deans of students, and simple and stratified random sampling for the Heads of departments, and trainers.........

Keywords: Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), career mentorship, and career progression.

[1]. Abga, M. M., & Bello, M. F. (2023). Career progression and workers’ motivation in the Nigerian public service. . International Journal of Public Administration and Management Research, 8(5), 52-63.
[2]. Adebayo, T. O., & Yusuf, M. A. (2019). Peer mentoring and professional development among TVET trainers in Nigerian polytechnics. African Journal of Technical and Vocational Education, 7(2), 87–104.
[3]. Adebayo, T., & Okechukwu, L. (2018). Effect of mentorship programs on professional development of TVET trainers in Nigerian polytechnics and technical colleges. Journal of Vocational and Technical Education Research, 10(2), 55–70.
[4]. Deng, H., Wu, W., Zhang, Y., Yu, Z., & Xu, H. (2022). Exploring the differential effects of career and psychosocial mentoring on newcomer socialization. Frontiers in Psychology , 13, Article 975064. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.975064.
[5]. Deng, J., Deng, Y., & Cheong, K. H. (2021). Combining conflicting evidence based on Pearson correlation coefficient and weighted graph. International Journal of Intelligent Systems, 36(12), 7443-7460.

Abstract: This paper analyzes the theoretical foundation and proposes a conceptual research model examining the relationship between the Multicultural Educational Environment (MEE) and the Social Skills (SS) of 5–6-year-old children in the Northern Midlands and Mountainous region of Vietnam. Utilizing systematic literature review, content analysis, and theoretical synthesis methods, the study synthesizes existing literature on multicultural education, culturally responsive pedagogy, and early childhood social skill development. The synthesized.........

Keywords: Multicultural educational environment; social skills; 5-6-year-old children; early childhood education; Northern Midlands and Mountains

[1]. Albritton, K., Stuckey, A., Klatka, K., & Cruz, K. (2024). Systematic review of culturally adapted SEL interventions for racially and ethnically minoritized preschool children. Journal of School Psychology, 106, 101344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2024.101344
[2]. Banks, J. A., & Banks, C. A. M. (Eds.). (2019). Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives (10th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
[3]. Becerra-Lubies, R., & Fones, A. (2016). The needs of educators in intercultural and bilingual preschools in Chile: A case study. International Journal of Multicultural Education, 18(2), 58–84. https://doi.org/10.18251/ijme.v18i2.1147
[4]. Dang, T. H., & Tran, T. T. O. (2014). Developing social skills for preschool children through play activities. Vietnam Education Publishing House.
[5]. Decision No. 1609/QD-TTg dated December 26, 2022, of the Prime Minister approving the Program "Support for Early Childhood Education Development in Disadvantaged Areas for the 2022–2030 Period".

Abstract: The study investigated the Perceived Impact of AI-enhanced Personalized Learning Tools on Senior Secondary School Students’ Academic Achievement in English Language in Ebonyi State. The study was guided by three specific purposes, research questions and hypotheses. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 7373 SS2 students. The sample size was 379 (163 male and 216 female). The data for the study was collected using a structured questionnaire with a 4-point rating scale titled “Perceived........

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, AI Personalized Learning tools, English Language, Academic Achievement

[1]. Adeoye, P., & Okafor, L. (2023). Gender differences in students’ perception of AI tools and academic performance in Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Digital Learning, 5(3), 77–88.
[2]. American Psychological Association (APA). (2021). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: APA.
[3]. Capuano, N., & Caballé, S. (2020). Adaptive and personalized learning through data-driven educational systems. Computers in Human Behavior, 107, 105–119.
[4]. Chukwuma, P., & Musa, A. (2023). The overreliance effect of ChatGPT on students’ learning outcomes in Nigeria. Journal of Educational Media and AI Integration, 5(1), 78–91.
[5]. Eze, S., & Okeke, M. (2021). Personalized learning for inclusive education in Africa. International Journal of Digital Pedagogy, 7(2), 89–103.

Abstract: This paper examines the complex nature of musical learning and its significance in personal and community experiences through active engagement, reflection, and diverse listening practices. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the neurocognitive and psychological mechanisms related to music perception and emotional responses. The concept of emergent musical cognition is introduced, illustrating how neural processes extend beyond basic auditory encoding to include adaptive predictive networks. The dynamic interplay between auditory processing........

Keywords: music education; creative thinking; cognitive growth; soft skills; interdisciplinary strategy

[1] Pauly, R. (2026). Music Education and Cognitive Development: A Longitudinal Investigation of Musical Training Effects on Executive Function and Academic Achievement. International Journal of Arts and Liberal Studies, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.63090/IJALS/3108.1673.0009
[2] McDermott, J. H. (2007). Empirical constraints on the evolutionary origins of music. Ph.D. Dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
[3] Cross, I. (2010). The Evolutionary Basis of Meaning in Music: Some Neurological and Neuroscientific Implications. Neurology of Music, July 2010, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1142/9781848162693_0001
[4] Tabas, A. & Kriegstein, K. v. (2021). Adjudicating Between Local and Global Architectures of Predictive Processing in the Subcortical Auditory Pathway. Frontiers in Neural Circuits, 15:644743. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncir.2021.644743

Abstract: This study examines the contribution of reading circles to university identity and community cohesion at Universidad Tecnológica de Altamira (UTALT), Mexico. The research emerged from an institutional concern regarding fragmentation among academic programs, uneven interaction across student groups, and the need to strengthen a shared sense of belonging. A qualitative design was used. Data were obtained from a focus group involving 30........

Keywords: reading circles, university identity, sense of belonging, community cohesion, student engagement, higher education.

[1] M. L. Pedler, R. Willis, and J. E. Nieuwoudt, “A sense of belonging at university: Student retention, motivation and enjoyment,” Journal of Further and Higher Education, vol. 46, no. 3, pp. 397–408, 2022, doi: 10.1080/0309877X.2021.1955844.
[2] K. A. Allen, C. Slaten, S. Hong, M. Lan, H. Craig, F. May, and V. Counted, “Belonging in higher education: A twenty year systematic review,” Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, vol. 21, no. 5, 2024, doi: 10.53761/s2he6n66.
[3] A. S. Dias-Broens, M. Meeuwisse, and S. E. Severiens, “The definition and measurement of sense of belonging in higher education: A systematic literature review with a special focus on students’ ethnicity and generation status in higher education,” Educational Research Review, vol. 45, Art. no. 100622, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.edurev.2024.100622.
[4] R. M. Johnson, “Reframing belonging in higher education: An intersectional ecological model for research, policy, and practice,” Educational Psychology Review, vol. 38, Art. no. 1, 2026, doi: 10.1007/s10648-025-10104-5..