The increasing use of social media has played a prominent role in shaping opinions and forming attitudes, especially among university students. They use them increasingly to transfer information, exchange data, and disseminate topics among students and all members of society. Therefore, this study aims to examine these networks and their role in public life, especially in shaping public opinion among university students. The study adopted a descriptive survey approach to achieve its objectives. The study was conducted on a sample of undergraduate students from four Jordanian universities, totaling 832 participants selected through purposive sampling and using the equal distribution method according to variables (gender, university, specialization). The study relied on a questionnaire as a method of data collection and filling out the data from the respondents in the questionnaire. The study found that social media plays a significant role in shaping opinions, beliefs, and ideas, and that its role is unparalleled. Also, the study showed that social media had a significant impact on shaping public opinion in Jordan among university students who use social media extensively and exchange opinions, ideas, and information, contributing to shaping a series of opinions among young people and contributing to their adoption of new ideas or changing their old ones through the dialogue facilitated by these networks, as users exchange and adopt ideas, contributing to shaping a public opinion on an issue. These findings underscore the importance of understanding and leveraging social media and online platforms to effectively communicate with and engage students.

This study explores the impact of online assessments on students’ academic performance and learning outcomes at the University of Technology in South Africa. The research problem addresses the effectiveness and challenges of digital assessment platforms in higher education (HE), particularly their influence on student engagement, feedback quality, and academic integrity. A qualitative case study approach was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with ten undergraduate and postgraduate students from diverse academic backgrounds. The findings reveal that while online assessments provide flexibility and immediate feedback, they also pose challenges related to technical issues, feedback delays, and concerns about long-term knowledge retention. The study highlights the necessity of aligning assessment strategies with constructivist learning principles to enhance critical thinking and student-centered learning. Implications for theory include strengthening the application of constructivist learning in digital environments, while practical recommendations focus on improving assessment design, institutional support, and feedback mechanisms. Policy adjustments should consider inclusive and equitable access to online assessments. Future research should further investigate the long-term impact of digital assessments on professional readiness. This study contributes to ongoing discussions on online education by offering a nuanced understanding of digital assessment challenges and opportunities in higher education.

With the rapid development of modern AI painting, Chinese university fine arts education is facing numerous challenges and opportunities. This paper analyzes the impact of modern AI painting on traditional art creation and its implications for student skill development. Additionally, it explores the key areas where Chinese university fine arts education needs to transform, including curriculum, teaching methods, and teacher training, while proposing corresponding strategies.

This paper is the third in a series focused on bridging the gap between secondary and higher education. Our primary objective is to develop a robust theoretical framework for an innovative e-business model called the Undergraduate Study Programme Search System (USPSS). This system considers multiple criteria to reduce the likelihood of exam failure or the need for multiple retakes, while maximizing the chances of successful program completion. Testing of the proposed algorithm demonstrated that the Stochastic Gradient Boosted Regression Trees method outperforms the current method used in Lithuania for admitting applicants to 47 educational programs. Specifically, it is more accurate than the Probabilistic Neural Network for 25 programs, the Ensemble of Regression Trees for 24 programs, the Single Regression Tree for 18 programs, the Random Forest Regression for 16 programs, the Bayesian Additive Regression Trees for 13 programs, and the Regression by Discretization for 10 programs.

Political identity is of special significance to the political construction and social development of contemporary China. Returnee lecturers are an important part of the university teaching team and an important force in training socialist builders with Chinese characteristics. An empirical survey was conducted on 35 returnee lecturers in universities in Jinhua area by means of questionnaires and interviews. The results show that the political identity of the returnee lecturers is generally good, but there are some problems, such as political party identity, national identity, institutional identity and interest identity need to be improved. As a result, factors such as gender, political profile and length of stay abroad have a significant effect on the political identity of returnee lecturers. The paper concludes with some initiatives, such as strengthening ideological and political education, improving remuneration and promoting career development.

Balancing broad learning outcomes in graduate programs with detailed classroom learning outcomes is increasingly crucial in education systems. This study employs a qualitative paradigm through a case study method to address the gap between learning outcomes at the graduate program level and those at the course level. Using the ESSENTIA CURRICULUM framework—a curriculum design methodology derived from software engineering practices—we propose an innovative and adaptable approach for aligning program-wide and course-specific learning outcomes. The ESSENTIA CURRICULUM, named for its focus on the “essence of the curriculum”, is applied to the ICT for Research course within the M.Sc. program in University Teaching at the University of Nariño. This framework fosters a consistent educational journey centered on learning achievements and demonstrates its effectiveness through a comprehensive self-assessment process and stakeholder feedback. The implications of this research are twofold: it highlights the potential of adopting interdisciplinary methodologies for curriculum design and provides a scalable and alternative strategy for harmonizing learning outcomes across diverse educational contexts. By bridging principles from software engineering into education, this novel approach offers new avenues for improving curriculum coherence and applicability.