Education is a fundamental human right and a crucial tool for sustainable human capacity development, which can advance the economic growth of a country. Yet for many children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), quality education remains out of reach. This study aimed to identify the barriers and challenges to enacting Sustainable Development Goal 4: “Ensuring Inclusive, Equitable, and Quality Education and the Promotion of Lifelong Learning Opportunities for All”. Through a content analysis of the relevant literature, we identified three themes: funding constraints, access and inclusion, and teacher education. Regarding funding, issues of resource allocation, technical capacity, and accountability were identified as primary factors requiring intervention strategies to become fully realized in SSA. When exploring access and inclusion, we found that incorporating students with disabilities, gender disparities, physical barriers, and inadequate curriculum are essential factors limiting quality education in SSA. Finally, teachers’ conditions and training emerged as crucial challenges to reach quality pedagogy. Some SSA countries have improved their efforts for quality education, but these barriers and challenges continue to impact education for all children. A new perspective on mitigating these impediments can address several factors responsible for the exclusion of diverse groups from accessing quality education in the SSA region.

Agricultural extension plays a crucial role in disseminating knowledge, empowering farmers, and advancing agricultural development. The effectiveness of these roles can be greatly improved by integrating technology. These technologies, often grouped into two categories–agricultural technology and educational technology–work together to yield the best outcomes. While several studies have been conducted using technologies in agricultural extension programs, no previous reviews have solely examined the impact of these technologies in agricultural extension, and this leaves a significant knowledge gap especially for professionals in this field. For this scoping review, we searched the five most relevant, reliable, and comprehensive databases (CAB Abstracts (Ovid), AGRICOLA (EBSCO), ERIC (EBSCO), Education Source (EBSCO), and Web of Science Core Collection) for articles focused on the use of technology for training farmers in agricultural extension settings. Fifty-four studies published between 2000 and 2022 on the use of technology in agricultural extension programs were included in this review. Our findings show that: (1) most studies were conducted in the last seven years (2016–2022) in the field of agronomy, with India being the most frequent country and Africa being the most notable region for the studies; (2) the quantitative research method was the most employed, while most of the included studies used more than one data collection approach; (3) multimedia was the most widely used educational technology, while most of the studies combined more than one agricultural technology such as pest and disease control, crop cultivation and harvesting practices; (4) the impacts of technology in agricultural extension were mostly mixed, while only the educational technology type had a statistically significant effect or impact of the intervention outcome. From an analysis of the results, we identified potential limitations in included studies’ methodology and reporting that should be considered in the future like the need to further analyze the specific interactions between the two technology types and their impacts of some aspects of agricultural extension. We also looked at the characteristics of interventions, the impact of technology on agricultural extension programs, and current and future trends. We emphasized the gaps in the literature that need to be addressed.

As the global demand for agricultural systems increases, agricultural education programs are implementing educational technologies to train industry professionals to meet 21st-century agricultural demands. No reviews have focused exclusively on the use of educational technologies in agricultural education. This scoping review presents a summary of 83 journal articles and conference papers published between 2000 and 2022 aimed at examining the impact of the use of educational technologies in agricultural education programs. Our results indicate: (1) most studies on this topic have been conducted in the United States in the context of agricultural sciences; (2) most of the studies implemented quantitative designs using researcher-designed instruments; (3) online/distance education technologies were the most widely used; and (4) there was a statistically significant increase in the use of simulation/digital games between 2000 and 2010 and 2011 and 2022. Based on our analysis, we discuss the methodological and reporting limitations that should be considered in future research, the pedagogical contributions of educational technologies in agricultural education, and the current and future research trends, highlighting gaps in the literature.

Education plays a pivotal role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with education for sustainable development (ESD) fostering the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for a sustainable future. ESD emphasizes holistic learning, critical thinking, problem‐solving, and participatory decision‐making. The theory of planned behavior (TPB), which serves as the guiding framework for this study, posits that intentions shape planned actions and are influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. While research underscores the importance of strategic teaching and student participation in sustainability education, empirical evidence remains limited regarding how students' attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control shape their sustainability intentions. This study examines the impact of an ESD course on voluntary sustainability actions among Japanese ( n = 106) and Nigerian ( n = 27) students. Using a quasi‐experimental design, it assesses the influence of classroom discussions and SDG communications on students' intentions and behaviors. Results analyzed with Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM) and logistic regression reveal that classroom discussions significantly enhance students' intentions and subsequent SDG‐related actions (OR = 3.95, p = 0.002). Additionally, frequent exposure to SDG communications increases the likelihood of students engaging in voluntary sustainability actions. The findings suggest that structured discussions foster attitudinal development, reinforcing sustainability as a socially endorsed behavior. Moreover, SDG messaging enhances perceived behavioral control by normalizing sustainability practices and reducing perceived barriers to action. For ESD to be most effective, it should integrate participatory learning environments and strategic communication approaches that strengthen self‐efficacy, reinforce social norms, and sustain long‐term behavioral engagement.

Addiction is a complex and pervasive condition which affects physical, social, and mental health. Research consistently shows that social support and social networks are key to the addiction recovery process (defined as a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential) and recovery communities available outside of or in conjunction to formal treatment are effective in providing such support. This study investigated social networks and psychological distress among members of The Phoenix, a sober active community that incorporates group-based exercise (e.g., CrossFit) into the recovery process. Using Social Network Analysis (SNA), we analyzed relationships within The Phoenix CrossFit programs in Denver, Colorado (N = 35) and Wichita, Kansas (N = 42). Linear Network Autocorrelation Models (LNAMs) assessed whether social network positions and connections related to psychological distress among members, and Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) explored factors that explained the presence of supportive relationships between Phoenix members. Network centrality, such as being identified as a source of support (i.e., in-degree), was associated with lower psychological distress, while peripheral positions correlated with higher psychological distress in both networks. Additionally, individuals experiencing higher psychological distress tended to seek more supportive connections, whereas those with lower distress were more frequently nominated as supportive figures. These results highlight the potential of community-based recovery resources like The Phoenix to foster social networks that promote mental well-being.

Systematic reviews are crucial for synthesizing evidence, but their manual processes, particularly abstract screening, are labor-intensive and prone to err