International Journal of Learning and Teaching

The Role of Problem Based Learning in Food Safety Education

Meryem Badayman, Ekin Dincel Kasapoglu — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0300

This study aims to examine how the problem-based learning (PBL) approach is addressed in food safety courses within food engineering education and to analyze the development trends of this research field based on existing literature. Food safety education is inherently a problem-oriented field requiring risk analysis, decision-making, and problem-solving skills in real-life contexts; therefore, student-centered teaching approaches such as PBL are considered highly relevant. The study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach, integrating bibliometric analysis and qualitative content analysis. Academic publications indexed in the Web of Science (1995–2025) and Scopus (2002–2026) databases were analyzed based on predefined criteria. In conclusion, although PBL shows strong potential in food safety education, the research field itself is still emerging and requires more systematic, diverse, and application-oriented studies to support its wider adoption in educational practice.

Keywords: Food engineering; food safety; content analysis; problem-based learning

Gardening and farming activities during COVID-19 to bridge informal and formal education

Nanda Appaji, Gungurumale Laxminarasimhacharya Janardhana — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0300

The COVID-19 pandemic, school closures, and resulting learning deficiencies created universal challenges for teachers, parents, and students. This study aimed to understand how garden activities connect to textbook concepts. We collected responses from 8,923 students (Lower Primary School, Higher Primary School, and High School) and 24,255 family members using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results showed that Lower Primary School students were more involved in the activities than those in Higher Primary or High School. Among parents, fathers provided more exposure to skills than mothers. High School students gained more skills and knowledge, and their grasp of textbook concepts was better than that of students in Lower or Higher Primary. Future research could examine how linking garden and farming modules to classroom learning affects formal education.

Keywords: Concept mapping; experiential learning; family involvement; formal education; gardening

Synergy of science-education-business (SEB) collaboration in the establishment of research universities: the case of Azerbaijan

Khalida Huseynzade — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0300

This article examines the role of science–education–business (SEB) collaboration in the establishment of research universities in Azerbaijan, with particular emphasis on its pedagogical implications. The purpose of the study is to analyze how SEB collaboration influences learning processes, curriculum design, teaching methodologies, and competency-based student outcomes. The research adopts a qualitative design based on document analysis, comparative evaluation, and SWOT analysis of national strategies, institutional frameworks, and international reports. The findings indicate that Azerbaijan possesses foundational scientific capacity and an emerging institutional framework supporting SEB collaboration; however, the integration of collaboration mechanisms into pedagogical design and curriculum development remains uneven. While partnership-driven models foster experiential and problem-oriented learning, limited commercialization capacity and fragmented university–industry linkages constrain their full impact. The study concludes that strengthening the pedagogical integration of SEB collaboration and enhancing technology transfer mechanisms are essential for advancing research universities and aligning higher education with innovation-driven economic development.

Teachers’ perceptions and practices in the implementation of the merdeka curriculum: A comparative analysis across educational level

Helmi Muzaki, Yuni Pratiwi, Titik Harsiati, Afiyahtun Isnaeni — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0300

Implementing the Merdeka Curriculum requires teachers not only to understand the concepts but also to translate them into authentic learning practices. This study aims to analyze the gap between teachers' perceptions and practices at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels in applying the principles of the Merdeka Curriculum. Using an explanatory mixed-methods design, data were obtained through perception questionnaires and video observations of learning to map teachers' understanding and validate their instructional actions. The results show that teachers at all levels gave high ratings to their understanding of PjBL, differentiation, HOTS, and authentic assessment. However, classroom observations revealed that implementation was still partial: PjBL tended to be short assignments, differentiation was almost invisible, authentic assessment did not yet use systematic instruments, and HOTS development was dominated by low-level analytical activities. Senior high schools showed the most stable implementation, while elementary schools were in the early stages of adaptation. These findings confirm the existence of a consistent perception–practice gap at all levels. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of more practical pedagogical training and sustained support for schools so that the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum can progress more deeply and evenly across contexts.

Keywords: Curriculum; Teacher Perception; Learning Practices.

Questioning strategies in discourse analysis assessment

Santosh Kumar Behera Kunu, Barkat Turqui — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0300

The first step in the successful elaboration of discourse analysis assessment is to ensure that the foreign language teacher carefully conceives the questions and understands what should be asked. Many students spend their time writing around a question by failing to grasp immediately the core of the assessment. They are consequently unable to perceive what the instructor wants to discuss. Therefore, a large spectrum of questions in discourse analysis assessment may intimidate the students simply because of the language in which they are presented. The result in such cases is usually an aimless rambling in an answer filled with vacuous words and memorized facts. To propose a remedy to this kind of problem, the present work is based upon the hypothesis that extols the assessment of both content knowledge and language skills in discourse analysis. A quantitative research methodology has been adopted, and a survey questionnaire has been used as a research tool. Moreover, the main objective of this research work is to provide a practical procedure that would train FL students to present a critical assessment founded on the knowledge which they have acquired, not memorized, from the lectures and readings, about the prior indispensability of native and target culture contributions.

Keywords: questioning strategies; discourse analysis; assessment; language skills.