This study comprehensively analyzes the alignment of the Technique and Technology curriculum for grades 5–8 in Serbia’s primary education system with key competencies for lifelong learning, following the 2018 Council of the European Union Recommendation. Using a mixed-method approach, specifically a convergent design as outlined by Creswell, this study combines qualitative content analysis with descriptive statistics to assess the distribution of competencies across grades. The integration of qualitative and quantitative data provides a more comprehensive understanding of the curriculum’s alignment with key competencies. Findings reveal an imbalance between theoretical and practical outcomes, particularly in digital literacy, where practical skills are prioritized over theoretical understanding. Similarly, entrepreneurial modules lack activities promoting critical thinking and initiative. The curriculum emphasizes practical skills but needs to improve its theoretical framework, especially in programming and entrepreneurial finance. It also lacks activities that develop positive attitudes, such as innovation and teamwork, which are crucial for lifelong learning. Recommendations include increasing practical Science, Technology, and Engineering (STE) projects, enhancing theoretical content in digital and entrepreneurial modules, and fostering activities that build positive attitudes. Further research is needed to track students’ attitudes towards technology and entrepreneurship across grades and to assess the impact of continuous professional development for educators on effectively integrating these competencies.

Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) requires innovative and inclusive approaches that sustain attention, foster engagement, and build digital literacy in primary education. This study examined the impact of Scratch on sustaining attention among third- and fourth-grade students (ages 9–11). A total of 89 students participated, divided into control and experimental groups, to evaluate the effects of integrating Scratch into classroom activities. Data were collected through anonymous surveys with parental consent and analyzed using nonparametric statistical tests. The results showed that Scratch-based instruction enhanced sustained attention, particularly in interactive and digital activities such as active participation, video, and web-based tasks. In contrast, traditional textbook and workbook tasks showed weaker effects. Scratch also reduced common reasons for attention loss, with significant decreases in perceptions of excessive lesson length and loss of interest. Gender differences were minimal, confirming Scratch’s inclusivity, and strong correlations between problem-solving activities indicated that engagement, collaboration, and multimedia tasks mutually reinforce attention. These findings provide empirical support for Scratch as a tool that sustains attention, reduces disengagement, and promotes equity in learning. Although limited by reliance on self-reported data and a single educational context, the study offers evidence that Scratch advances innovative pedagogy aligned with SDG 4.

This study examines the key factors influencing the quality of distance learning in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period when online learning became the dominant mode of education. Using a descriptive method and a 26-item questionnaire, data were collected from a representative sample of 360 students in Vojvodina, Serbia. The factors analyzed include computer literacy and technology access (Ph1), students’ ability to balance life obligations with study demands (Ph2), and their motivation for distance learning (Ph3). The results show that 89% of students had adequate IT access, 47% were able to reconcile study and personal obligations, and 70% reported strong motivation. Correlation analysis confirmed a statistically significant positive relationship between all three factors and students’ perceptions of well-organized distance learning, thus supporting the main research hypothesis. Beyond these findings, this study interprets digital literacy as adaptability, time management as resilience, and motivation as value orientation and future thinking—core dimensions of sustainability competences outlined in the European GreenComp framework. Distance learning is therefore positioned not only as an emergency response but also as a transformative pedagogy that integrates brain (knowledge), hands (skills), heart (values), and spirit (purpose), contributing to sustainable and resilient higher education.

The aim of the exploratory research using the quantitative approach presented in this paper was to examine the extent to which the application of ICT in religious education is a significant factor in fostering empathy. The research included 125 students of the Academy of the Serbian Orthodox Church for Arts and Conservation and the Orthodox Theological Faculty of the University of Belgrade, most of whom attended religious education during their previous education. The method of systematic non-experimental observation was applied - the survey technique was used to examine and interpret the data collected by an online, Likert-type questionnaire in three parts, constructed for this occasion: the first part was used to collect general data on the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents; in the second part, students were asked to express their opinion on the use of ICT in religious education; the third part determined the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) (Davis, 1983) in order to obtain a multidimensional measure of empathic response. The analyses included frequency, correlation, and regression approaches, along with the checks of the factor structure and reliability of the instruments used in the research. When selecting the optimal number of factors, the interpretability criterion, the Guttman-Kaiser criterion, and the criterion of retaining factors at the intersection point on the diagram were applied, and two factors were determined, the reliability of which was (INRE, a = .80) for the first, and (GIMR, a = .66) for the second factor. The results indicate that students moderately perceive ICT as useful for fostering empathy, with integrative and group activities having the greatest potential for enhancing empathy and moral development. The conclusions suggest that the introduction of structured ICT activities, interactive tools, and thematic discussions in the teaching process can significantly improve the effect of religious education in developing empathy in young people. The research recommends training teachers in the use of ICT, improving digital content, and placing greater emphasis on group work as key steps to optimise teaching. The limitations of the research include a relatively small sample size and the reliance on the respondents' self-evaluation, while future research could include a larger sample size, longitudinal approaches, and more in-depth analyses of specific ICT tools.

This paper analyses the balance between theoretical and practical teaching outcomes in Serbian primary schools' Technique and Technology curriculum. Integrating theory and practice is crucial in developing the technical skills necessary for students' success in a rapidly advancing technological society. While theoretical education fosters critical thinking and conceptual understanding, practical education enables students to apply these concepts in real-world scenarios. This research examines the distribution of theoretical and practical outcomes across grades 5 to 8, analyzing the curriculum's alignment with national and European educational priorities. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, the study reveals that while the curriculum maintains a balance between theory and practice, there is a notable dominance of practical outcomes in the lower grades, with a shift towards theoretical outcomes in higher grades. The paper offers recommendations for improving the curriculum, such as increasing theoretical content in earlier grades and enhancing practical applications in later stages, ensuring comprehensive development of students' technical competencies. The findings underscore the importance of strategically balancing theoretical knowledge and practical skills to prepare students for future challenges in the modern workforce. Future research could explore students' attitudes towards technical education and investigate how an interdisciplinary approach could further enhance the curriculum's balance between theory and practice.