Along with traditional academic knowledge, 21st-century skills are crucial for equipping students with a competitive future. Project-based learning (PBL) cultivates these competencies among learners as an instructional approach. This research aimed to construct and analyze a PBL framework designed to weave 21st-century skills into high school education. Data collection involved a survey questionnaire based on an extensive literature review administered to students from ten government-run girls' high schools, where mathematics was taught using the PBL approach. Employing Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via the Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) software, the study meticulously calculated chi-square values, modification indices, and standardized estimates to validate the framework's effectiveness. The results showed a significant enhancement in collaborative learning, problem-solving, critical thinking, and positive attitudes toward mathematics among students, mediated by the PBL approach. The Heterotrait-Monotrait Ratio (HTMT) values were below the threshold of 1, confirming discriminant validity and ensuring that each construct was unique. The observed substantial correlations between PBL and educational outcomes, ranging from moderate to significant, attest to these variables' interconnectedness and mutual reinforcement. Overall, the structural model and subsequent analyses underscore PBL's pivotal role in promoting active learning and student engagement. This approach advocates its adoption as a forward-thinking educational strategy.

In today’s modern world, students must be equipped with twenty-first century skills, particularly those related to solving real-life problems, to ensure competitiveness in the current global economy. The present study employed project-based learning (PBL) as an instructional tool for teaching math at the primary level. A convergent mixed-methods approach was adopted to determine whether the PBL approach has improved students’ twenty-first century skills, including collaborative, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Thirty-five students of the experimental group were treated with PBL, while 35 students of the control were treated with the traditional teaching method. ANCOVA test for “critical thinking skills” showed a significant difference between the experimental and control group (F = 104.833, p = 0.000 < 0.05). For collaborative skills, results also showed a significant difference between the two groups (F = 32.335, p = 0.000 < 0.05). For problem-solving skills, the mean value of experimental (25.54) and control group (16.94) showed a high difference after the intervention. The t-value (8.284) and the p value (p = 0.000) also showed a highly significant difference. Observations of the classroom also revealed the favorable effects of employing PBL. PBL activities boosted the level of collaboration and problem-solving skills among students. Students could advance their collaboration abilities, including promoting one another’s viewpoints, speaking out when necessary, listening to one another, and participating in thoughtful discussions. During the PBL project, students’ active participation and effective collaboration were observed, significantly contributing to its success.

Engaging in research is a critical component of medical education, fostering critical thinking and evidence-based practices. Despite its importance, undergraduate medical students in Pakistan face significant barriers to research engagement. This study explores the challenges hindering their participation in research activities. A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 45 undergraduate medical and dental students from a public medical university in Pakistan. Participants were purposefully selected to provide diverse perspectives. Data were analyzed thematically to identify recurring barriers and challenges. Four key themes emerged: (1) Time constraints, as academic workloads and clinical rotations left limited time for research; (2) Lack of extrinsic motivation, knowledge, and research ability, including insufficient training and limited institutional incentives; (3) Inadequate financial assistance and poor maintenance of research facilities, with students highlighting a lack of funding and outdated infrastructure; and (4) Lack of support from research mentors and training, emphasizing the need for effective mentorship and structured research programs. These barriers collectively hinder students' ability to engage meaningfully in research. The study highlights the urgent need for systemic reforms in medical education, including integrating research training into curricula, improving mentorship programs, providing financial and infrastructural support, and incentivizing research participation. Addressing these challenges can foster a culture of inquiry, empowering students to contribute to advancements in medical science.

Project-Based Learning (PBL) has been lauded as a robust alternative to traditional, didactic instructional methods. Despite its growing adoption, comprehensive syntheses of its effect on student learning remain scarce. This study aims to fill this gap by systematically reviewing and meta-analyzing the impact of PBL on students’ academic performance across various disciplines. Employing the PRISMA guidelines, we evaluated 70 research articles published between 2010 and 2023 that quantitatively measured PBL educational outcomes. Our analysis, facilitated by advanced meta-analysis software, revealed a consistent, moderate to substantial enhancement in student performance under PBL compared to conventional teaching. The aggregate mean weighted effect size (d+) was 0.652, indicating a significant and positive influence of PBL on academic achievement. This effect persisted across different sample sizes and time frames within the study period. The findings underscore PBL’s superiority in fostering academic success, particularly in science subjects. Consequently, this article contributes to the scholarly discourse by delineating the specific conditions and magnitudes of PBL’s effectiveness and recommends its broader implementation in educational strategies. Based on the robust findings of this meta-analysis, the study strongly suggests education institutions integrate PBL, particularly in science education. Additionally, the study advocates for continuous, empirical research to refine and optimize PBL methodologies, ensuring their evolving effectiveness and adaptability in the dynamic landscape of educational pedagogies. Keywords: Meta-Analysis, Academic achievement, Project-based learning, Effect size.

In 2002, Pakistan made a notable advancement toward inclusive education by approving the national policy for people with disabilities (Durrani et al., 2017). This policy, advised by the Ministry of Women’s Development, Social Work, and Special Education, aimed to integrate students with special needs into mainstream schools, emphasizing the significance of inclusive learning environments (Ashfaq and Rana, 2015). Despite these efforts, the practical application of this policy in high schools has encountered numerous obstacles. Effective integration of students with special needs requires more than just policy implementation; it demands effective educational practices. Teachers are crucial in this process as they are the primary facilitators of learning and significantly influence these students’ academic and social adaptation. Administrative support is essential in fostering an environment conducive to including and adapting students with special needs. This study aims to investigate these dynamics in high schools, focusing on the role of teacher interactions and administrative frameworks in supporting or hindering the adaptation process for students with special needs. Understanding these relationships is crucial for identifying gaps, challenges and opportunities within the current educational system, thereby contributing to the development of more effective strategies for inclusive education in Pakistan. This study used a correlational research strategy to investigate the effects of administrative and teacher support on the adaptation capabilities of high school students with special needs. The correlational design was chosen to explore the relationships between different types of support and students’ adaptation capabilities without manipulating any variables (Seeram, 2019). The study involved 230 participants, comprising 170 educators and 60 support staff. Stratified random sampling ensured that the sample represented various school types and experience levels (Sharma et al., 2017). This sampling method helps provide a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the population under study. The demographic characteristics of the sample are summarized in Table 1. Participants were categorized based on sex, level of education, age and experience level to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the sample’s diversity. This study reveals that teacher and administrative support significantly impact students’ adaptation capabilities. Teacher support emerged as a strong predictor (ß = 0.502, p < 0.001), highlighting its crucial role in enhancing students’ adaptability. Administrative support also showed a positive and significant effect (ß = 0.211, p < 0.001), and its interaction with teacher support (ß = 0.102, p < 0.001) suggests that administrative support amplifies the positive effects of teacher support. These findings underscore the importance of a holistic support system within schools. While teachers provide direct instructional support and foster an inclusive learning environment, administrative support ensures teachers have the necessary resources and institutional backing to support students effectively (Carter et al., 2022). The interaction between these forms of support suggests that administrative efforts to support teachers can significantly enhance the overall adaptation capabilities of students (Gibbs, 2023b). Several limitations should be considered when interpreting the findings of this study. First, the data were collected using self-reported questionnaires, which may be subject to biases such as social desirability or recall bias. Second, the study’s cross-sectional design limits the ability to establish causality between the variables. Longitudinal studies would be beneficial in exploring the causal relationships between teacher and administrative support and students’ adaptation capabilities. In addition, the study was conducted within a specific context and population, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other settings. Future research should aim to replicate this study in different educational contexts to validate and extend the findings. The practical implications of these findings are significant. Schools should prioritize developing comprehensive support systems that include robust teacher support mechanisms and strong administrative backing. Professional development programs should focus on enhancing teachers’ skills in differentiated instruction, formative assessment and the use of technology in the classroom. Moreover, administrative policies should aim to provide continuous support for teachers through resources, training and collaborative opportunities. This dual approach ensures that teachers are well-equipped to address the diverse needs of students with special needs and that students receive consistent, high-quality support across their educational experience. This study uniquely explores the combined effects of administrative and teacher support on the adaptation of high school students with special needs in mainstream education, highlighting the synergistic relationship between these support systems. Using a robust correlational design and stratified random sampling, it provides valuable insights into the dynamics of inclusive education within a Pakistani context. The findings emphasize the critical role of holistic support systems, offering practical implications for enhancing educational policies and practices. By addressing gaps in existing research, this study contributes significantly to the discourse on inclusive education and the development of effective support frameworks for special needs students.