Social constructivism theory embraces peer-to-peer communication that helps students understand, examine, and discern the process of knowledge construction. The Social Constructivism Flipped-Classroom Model (SCFCM) inverts the traditional classroom paradigm by providing content outside of class, often through online materials, and devoting in-class time to active learning and discussion. This study aims to investigate the impact of the SCFCM on the conceptual understanding of photocatalysis, a crucial process in environmental science and chemistry, particularly in relation to sustainability and sustainable development. Photocatalysis, being a self-sustained process, holds potential for addressing global challenges such as renewable energy and pollution reduction, both of which are central to achieving sustainable development goals. A quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test design was employed at a public sector university, involving forty-three (43) students in each of the flipped- and non-flipped-classroom groups. Assessment tools, including pre- and post-tests and an interest survey, were used to gauge students’ conceptual understanding of photocatalysis and their degree of learning interest. The same chemistry teacher, one who had eight years of teaching experience, taught both groups. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) results comparing students’ performance showed a significant difference in the performance of students in the experimental group compared to the control group. The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) results, however, revealed substantial differences in attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction between the experimental and control groups. The findings highlight that the SCFCM improved students’ understanding of complex photocatalysis concepts and demonstrated its relevance to sustainable development, offering valuable insights into the potential of this teaching approach for Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) education, especially in addressing sustainability challenges.

The use of smartphones has enormously increased among students around the world. Few studies have focused on this critical issue in Pakistan. This study examined the influence of Smartphone addiction in Pakistan. A survey questionnaire was utilized to collect data consisting of three dimensions: (a) Smartphone usage, (b) textbook use, and (c) self-study. A total of 401 university students responded to the survey. The data were analyzed by calculating descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, and ANOVA. The results showed significant differences in students' perceptions of all three dimensions of the questionnaire regarding gender, age, Grade Point Average (GPA), and year (academic session). Male students were found to have a higher tendency towards Smartphone use than female students compared to textbook use and self-study. The results of this study have broader policy implications for researchers and teachers of higher education.

The purpose of this study is to bridge this gap by investigating trauma, identifying successful identification techniques, and offering suggestions on how teachers can support students after they have experienced trauma. This research utilizes a quantitative method to look at how teachers in higher education can help their students deal with trauma that can arise from personal, academic, social, or systemic stressors. For this purpose, 101 educators were randomly selected from different public and private universities of Multan, Pakistan, to contribute to new areas of interest in pedagogical perspectives. Quantitative data analysis was done in SPSS v.23 to test the hypotheses related to the direct impact of trauma awareness (TA), social-emotional learning (SEL), and mental health collaboration (MHC) on trauma-informed education practices (TIEP) of educators, as well as their indirect effect through educators’ professional development (PD). Results reveal that trauma awareness (TA), social emotional learning (SEL), and mental health collaboration (MHC) are significant predictors of trauma-informed education practices (TIEP) and professional development (PD) of educators at the higher education level. These findings indicate that educators who are at a better level of TA, SEL, MHC, and PD are more likely to implement supportive strategies to improve trauma-affected students’ psychological as well as academic performance in their classroom settings. This study has analyzed the effectiveness of pedagogical methods on the learning behavior of trauma-affected students by employing the theoretical lens of trauma theory and social-emotional learning theory. While major determinants of TA, SEL, MHC, TIEP, and PD are empirically and statistically examined to understand the proper form of their relationship.