This research aimed to determine the effectiveness of applying instructive simulation experiments (SE) to the development of deeper conceptual understanding, retention of static electricity contents, and engagement of 4th-grade students. The correlation between student achievements and engagement was examined. 76 4th graders (10–11 years) were assigned to one of the groups: direct – DI + SE (DSE) and indirect instruction – II + SE (ISE) group. The results indicate that the ISE group showed significantly better achievements on the highest cognitive level compared to the DSE group. The application of SE had a significantly greater impact on the perceived behavioral, cognitive, and agentic engagement of the ISE group compared to the DSE group. A positive correlation was observed between student engagement and achievements.

The aim of the study was to examine the relation between metacognitive components, declarative and procedural metacognitive knowledge and cognitive regulation, and preschool children?s performance in different problem solving tasks ? hidden pictures, classifying and sorting, the same and the different, estimation, patterns, dot-to-dot, mazes and memory tasks. The sample consisted of 347 preschool children aged 3?6. The results showed that children with highly developed metacognitive abilities, declarative and procedural metacognitive knowledge, cognitive monitoring and self-regulation of cognitive strategies, were more successful and efficient in resolving problem tasks. This relation was stronger in older children and in more complex tasks.

The purpose of this study is to examine the differences in family entrepreneurship background and personal attitudes of students regarding their future career preferences and its effects on the development of specific dimensions of entrepreneurship potential of a student population. The sample consisted of a student population from Serbia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina as EU candidate countries and Belgium as an EU member country. A sample of 1008 university students from these three countries participated in this research. Instruments used in this research were the Questionnaire of Entrepreneurial Traits (QET) and the Scale of Entrepreneurial Potential (SEP). Canonical discriminant analysis confirmed significant differences in scores on both QET and SEP scales of entrepreneurial potential between students that have family entrepreneurship background and those who do not. Differences were also shown among students who strive for self-employment, and consider establishing their own business, and students who would like to find employment in the state or private sector. Young people whose family members are engaged in entrepreneurship are influenced by their parents who started companies, parents’ personal characteristics, and parent’s model of behavior, which significantly shapes the behavior and characteristics of these young people, compared to those young people whose parents do not start companies. Young people who prefer to build a career within their own enterprise have basic characteristics that predispose them for engagement in entrepreneurship within their own company, whereby this provides them with the only way they can achieve the full capacity of their individual potential. Both these groups display a more developed initiative, independence in decision making, they are more open minded and prone to take on risks, have more developed organizational skills, and more positive attitudes towards entrepreneurship. Results of this study can help identify and foster factors that significantly develop specific characteristics of entrepreneurship potential of student populations, such as family entrepreneurship background and career preferences.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the differences between adaptive behaviour and innovative behaviour of individuals according to Kirton adaptation-innovation (KAI) model and determine how these differences impact entrepreneurial potential dimensions. Research sample consisted of student population from three countries: Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (EU candidate countries) and Belgium (EU country). Research results will be valuable for the development of entrepreneurship in EU candidate countries. Data were collected from a sample of 1,008 university students from these three countries. KAI inventory, questionnaire on entrepreneurial traits (QET) and the scale of entrepreneurial potential (SEP) were used to obtain data. The canonical discriminant analysis determined differences and structure of differences between the adaptive and innovative persons, described by KAI model and their scores on the dimensions of the entrepreneurial traits model, as well as on entrepreneurial potential model. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, the first research question concentrates on the existence of differences among students from Bosnia, Serbia and Belgium with regard to the dominant style of problem-solving according to KAI model to determine whether students from EU countries and non-EU countries differ in regard to problem-solving style. Second research question is the existence of differences in the development of entrepreneurial potential by EQT and SEP among student adaptors and student innovators according to KAI model to investigate to what extent the dominant style of solving problem contributes to differences in the development of entrepreneurial potential among students. Findings: The research has confirmed the existence of significant differences between the adaptors and innovators described by the KAI model in terms of developed characteristics of entrepreneurial potential in the student population. Results of the research prove that young innovators possess to a greater extent developed key characteristics important for entrepreneurship, as well as intellectual and organizational skills, motivational factors and social capacity, self-confidence and constitutional factors. This research also revealed key differences among students with regard to the country of origin. Practical implications: The practical implications of the research are reflected in the creation of the initial guidelines and structural support for the promotion of entrepreneurial potential in young people, where it can be concluded that it is particularly important to encourage innovation and creative approach to problem-solving, but also awareness of young individuals and development of their knowledge of entrepreneurship. Originality/value: The main objective of this research was the examination of differences between students who belong to the category of adaptors and students innovators according to the KAI model (Kirton, 1976, 1998, 2003), with regard to the researched dimensions of entrepreneurial potential, to explicitly as possible identify differences in personal characteristics of young people who are predisposed for entrepreneurship and those who are not. Young innovators and adaptors significantly differ according to the researched dimensions of the EQT and SEP models of entrepreneurial potential and young innovators possess more developed entrepreneurial potential than adaptors.

The self-explanation effect (SEE) has great potential in strengthening student learning outcomes. With adequate instructional guidance, this potential is even higher. Our study aimed to examine to what extent direct instruction (DI) and indirect instruction (II) in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education can strengthen different types of student engagement, as well as whether and to what extent the SEE can support instructional STEAM learning and enhance student engagement. The research was conducted through a quasi-experimental design. The data were collected using an instrument–the engagement scale and were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), one-way ANOVA analysis, and paired sample t-test. The study involved 103 students aged 9-10 years. The results of CFA showed that the adapted version of the instrument for measuring four types of student engagement–emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and agentic–represents a valid and reliable measure for these purposes in primary education. In addition the results of one-way ANOVA analysis and t-test revealed that the usage of DI and II proved to be successful in enhancing all four types of student engagement in the performance of STEAM activities, whereby the combination of the usage of DI with the SEE was singled out as the most successful strategy. As a significant practical implication, this research underlines the need to create appropriate conditions for introducing the SEE in the teaching of STEAM.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the relations of originality, efficiency, conformism, and entrepreneurial potential. The sample consisted of a student population from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina as EU candidate countries and from the EU member country, Belgium. Research results can help policy makers receive valuable information on how to improve student attitude towards entrepreneurship. Data was collected from a sample of 1008 university students from these three countries. The Kirton Adaptation Innovation Inventory (KAI), Questionnaire on Entrepreneurial Traits (QET), and The Scale of Entrepreneurial Potential (SEP) were applied in the research in order to obtain data. Canonical correlation analysis revealed a significantly strong relation between originality, efficiency, conformism, and dimensions of the Entrepreneurial Traits model, as well as significant relation to the entrepreneurial potential model. Findings from this study may provide data that could be used to develop and foster the entrepreneurship potential of students and help improve the economy in the region.