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Creativity levels of engineering graphics and design students in conventional and digital modelling
Ndlela, Lucky; Rauscher, Willem Johannes; Candiotes, Vernon John (Springer, 2026-01)
Creativity is an important skill for the 21st century, prompting schools to emphasise it as an essential educational goal. The literature suggests that a problem-based learning environment supported by digital technology has the potential to foster students’ creativity. However, little is known about the influence of digital technology on students’ creativity in the context of engineering design within the field of Technology Education. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the creativity levels of Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD) students in both conventional and digital modelling during problem solving. Using the postpositivist paradigm and a one-group pre-test post-test design, this study reports the creativity levels of 32 s-year Bachelor of Education degree students majoring in EGD. The students were tasked with designing a house individually, first using conventional modelling tools, and then using a digital modelling tool. The creativity in producing their products was measured using the Creative Product Semantic Scale (CPSS). The findings indicated that the students achieved a higher mean creativity score in the post-test than in the pre-test. A paired-sample t-test revealed a statistically significant difference between the mean creativity scores of conventional modelling and digital modelling. This finding indicates a robust association between digital modelling and enhanced student creativity, accompanied by a large effect size. This study has the potential to provide insights into classroom pedagogy for fostering students’ creativity. Future research should explore how different digital modelling tools and design problems influence students’ creativity. Additionally, research should focus on how students collaboratively solve design problems using digital tools.
Strategies and outcomes in school meal programmes : analysing the impact of domestic and international sourcing on feeding modalities
Huni, Chamunorwa; Sari, Ni Putu Wulan Purnama; Duong, Minh-Phuong Thi; Mazenda, Adrino; Budiono, Davy; Nguyen, Minh-Hoang; Vuong, Quan-Hoang (Emerald, 2026)
PURPOSE : The feeding modalities used in school meal programmes – such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and take-home rations – are influenced by various factors, including supply chain constraints and technical challenges in food distribution. The methods of supply sourcing, whether through domestic or foreign food reserves via in-kind donations or purchases, play a critical role in shaping the feeding options provided. Therefore, this study aims to examine the relationship between various supply-sourcing strategies, i.e. domestic and foreign in-kind donations and purchases and the feeding modalities applied in school meal programmes. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : The Bayesian Mindsponge Framework, combining the reasoning strengths of Mindsponge Theory and inference advantages of Bayesian analysis, was employed on a dataset of government representatives who manage large-scale school meal programmes across 126 countries. FINDINGS : The findings revealed that sourcing supplies through in-kind donations from neighbouring or distant countries showed a highly reliable negative relationship with the feeding modalities of school meal programmes, while those from the national bodies showed an ambiguous relationship. The purchasing methods – whether domestic or foreign – tended to exhibit positive relationships with feeding modalities, though these relationships were only weakly reliable. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : The findings reveal substantial room for improvement in the effectiveness of supply purchasing strategies in enhancing school meal programmes’ feeding modalities. Further research is needed to examine the impact of sourcing supplies through domestic in-kind donations on feeding outcomes. Additionally, developing strategic plans to optimize the use of in-kind donations from international organizations is strongly recommended to avoid their negative consequences and further enhance programme effectiveness.
Optimal consumption of traditional green leafy vegetables among young children aged 2–6 years in South Africa : a scoping review
Semenekane, Nkululeko Milton; Pretorius, Beulah; Schonfeldt, H.C. (Hettie Carina) (Springer, 2026-01-10)
BACKGROUND : One major global public health concern is the incidence of micronutrient deficiencies in young children, which significantly impacts populations in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Traditional Green Leafy Vegetables (TGLVs) are an essential component of regular diets in many cultures around the world. It has been part of the food system for decades and its consumption has been associated with numerous health benefits and bioactive compounds. OBJECTIVE : To map the available evidence on the consumption, nutritional benefits, cultural significance, or potential challenges towards the consumption of traditional green leafy vegetables in the diets of young children aged 2–6 years. METHODS : A comprehensive search strategy was used to identify relevant literature tailored to PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, CAB Abstracts and other sources. The selection criteria were based on the Arksey and O’Malley framework and guided by PRISMA with extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The search was mainly focused in South Africa (296 articles). After removing 139 duplicates, a total of 157 research articles were screened. In the data extraction phase, 36 articles were selected. RESULTS : The review revealed that TGLV consumption among young children in South Africa varies considerably by region, socioeconomic status with urban versus rural settings. Sample sizes ranged from 30 to 1530 participants which includes young children, caregivers and household heads. CONCLUSION : The review findings provide a foundation for developing contextually appropriate, evidence-informed recommendations to optimise TGLV consumption among young South African children, which may provide a long-term solution to ongoing nutritional challenges while preserving cultural food identities.
Emerging strategies for targeting vasculogenic mimicry in breast cancer treatment
Sekoba, Nare; Demetriou, Demetra Danielle; Chauke-Malinga, Nkhensani; Mabeta, Peaceful Lucy (Springer, 2026-01-20)
Breast cancer represents the most commonly diagnosed malignancy worldwide and is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Approximately 2.3 million new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed worldwide in 2022, accounting for 11.6% of all cancer cases, with approximately 670,000 associated deaths. Breast tumors frequently present with abnormal and highly vascularized networks, promoting accelerated growth and contributing to metastatic potential. Increased vascularization often indicates a more aggressive cancer and significantly affects breast cancer treatment. While angiogenesis offers potential therapeutic targets, it also complicates treatment strategies. Anti-angiogenic drugs such as bevacizumab, which target vascular endothelial growth factor-A signaling, have shown potential in limiting tumor growth. However, their success has been limited, as tumors can develop resistance through alternative pathways. Aggressive breast cancer cells, regardless of estrogen-receptor status, can form vessel-like structures through vasculogenic mimicry. This phenomenon also enables them to evade anti-angiogenic treatment and contributes significantly to tumor resistance to various therapeutic interventions. Moreover, vasculogenic mimicry-positive breast cancer patients exhibit high tumor grade, increased invasiveness, metastasis, and poorer survival outcomes as compared to vasculogenic mimicry-negative breast cancer patients. At present, there are no clinically approved therapies that specifically target vasculogenic mimicry in breast cancer. The intricate molecular mechanisms involved in vasculogenic mimicry within breast cancer present considerable challenges to the development of effective therapeutic strategies. Achieving therapeutic breakthroughs that address this phenomenon would represent a major step in the management of breast cancer. This review examines key molecular pathways that regulate vasculogenic mimicry in breast cancer and assesses the potential of targeting vasculogenic mimicry for therapeutic intervention.
Reasoning and proof in mathematics education : a systematic literature review
Lessing, Mary-Jane; Ogbonnaya, Ugorji Iheanachor (Springer, 2026)
This study presents a systematic literature review of 80 publications on reasoning and proof in mathematics education from 2019 to 2024. This review examined the distribution of the studies across mathematics content areas, educational levels, year of publication, and countries. In addition, it examined the instructional strategies and interventions that promote students’ reasoning and proof, the common challenges students encounter in understanding and engaging with reasoning and proof in mathematics, and teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes towards reasoning and proof. The results show that most studies focused on geometry, with an apparent increase in research activity between 2019 and 2023. There were studies from 29 nations, thus signifying that reasoning and proof in mathematics education are internationally important. Türkiye, the United States, and Indonesia were the top three countries where the studies were carried out. Most of the studies were at the pre-service teacher education level, followed by the secondary school education level. The Guide-redirecting Warrant Construction instructional approach was found to be effective in improving students’ reasoning and proof. Furthermore, students have difficulty with reasoning and proof, which is aggravated by teachers’ low proficiency in these areas. The study identified important gaps in the literature and offered recommendations to address them.