Education in the modern era expects institutions to help students to thrive. Not only may class engagement improve academic performance, but it may also enhance students' well-being. This study investigated class engagement and its motivation and academic achievements’ effect on university students’ mental well-being. 231 university students, with a mean age of 21.46, participated in this study. About 65% were senior students, and average GPA was 3.46 (SD = 0.32). For measurements, General Class Engagement Scale, Motivations for Class Engagement Scale, and Warwick-Edinburg Mental Well-being Short Form was employed. Academic achievement was measured by GPA. For data analysis, Pearson correlation analysis and regression analyses were conducted. Results show that class engagement, its motivations, academic achievement, and mental well-being were all positively correlated. Moreover, class engagement and its motivations positively predicted mental well-being. However, GPA was non-significant. Hence, in a group of mostly senior university students, class engagement was more significant than academic achievement regarding their mental well-being. Furthermore, about 91% of this study’s participants were honor students (above 3 GPA). Therefore, being academically successful may not always be enough to be happy and well. However, educators may help students by emphasizing class engagement.

This study used the COVID Social Mobility and Opportunities (COSMO) Study to examine home learning and parent attitudes to education during Covid-19 in relation to demographic and household financial circumstances and parent educational aspirations. The findings showed that White, female, and degree-educated parents were more likely than their counterparts to report positive attitudes to home learning, support their 16-year-olds’ learning, and contact schools during the lockdowns. Parents who experienced food poverty and reported being financially worse off after the pandemic were less likely to support home learning or contact schools but reported largely positive attitudes to learning. Also, parents who reported lower educational aspirations were more likely to support their children’s learning, reflecting their educational needs. This study contributes to our understanding of home learning during the pandemic and has implications for public policy and action regarding supporting children’s learning during health crises and reducing education inequalities.

In recent years, children and adolescents have spent more time sitting and engaging in less physical activity than recommended by health authorities. Despite widespread efforts to promote physical activity through school-based programs, the impact of specific intervention programs often remains untested. Therefore, in this pilot study, the effects of a national school-based physical activity program were assessed. A sample of 80 first- and second-grade primary school students aged between 7 and 9 years (M = 7.95, SD = 0.44) of eight classes was cluster randomly assigned to either the experimental group (EG; classroom-based physical activity breaks) or the control group (CG; conventional school lessons). Primary outcomes included objective measurements of sedentary behaviour, step counts, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during the intervention. Secondary outcomes encompassed assessments of aerobic fitness performance, executive functions, academic achievement, and scholastic well-being before and after the 20-week intervention. The results indicate that students of the EG spent less time sedentary and took more steps during school mornings than their counterparts of the CG. The physical activity program resulted in a 630-step increase and a 10-minute reduction in sitting time daily. However, there were no effects on MVPA level, aerobic fitness performance, or cognitive functions (including executive functions and academic achievement). The implications of these findings are discussed in light of comprehensive school physical activity approaches.

The mental well-being of individuals is as important as their physical health, contributing to their overall quality of life. It is, however, often neglected due to associated stigma, with people silently suffering from mental health challenges. In India, a large population is struggling with mental health concerns, especially teenagers and adolescents. With a population of around 1.4 billion, India faces an immense shortage of adequate mental health services, realizing the need for alternate strategies to fill the treatment gap. As teachers spend much time with students in school, they can contribute to their mental well-being if provided with capacity-building opportunities. This study aims to measure the impact of a teacher sensitization program in Indian government schools on mental health-related knowledge, beliefs, and the behaviours demonstrated by them in the classroom while interacting with children, creating a ripple effect towards students’ mental well-being. A total of 136 teachers who were teaching at government high schools in the district of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, were included in the study. The study used a pre- and post-design to investigate the impact of a teacher sensitization program on their understanding related to mental health. The results indicated notable improvements in teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward mental well-being, with significant improvements observed in areas such as behaviour, teachers' body language, relationships with students, and the use of effective teaching strategies. The findings highlight the importance of professional development initiatives to equip teachers with the skills to effectively support student well-being.

According to the systems perspective, the influence of various systems (e.g., family, school, community) on children's behavior at school is highly acknowledged. It is therefore accepted that problem behavior in the classroom originates from social interactions, providing a conceptual framework where problems are seen as indicative of dysfunction within the school system, thus removing blame from the individual child, the teacher, or the parents. Addressing the importance of interactions among students, teachers, and parents in this system, the present study aimed to identify and compare the types of behaviors that Greek primary and secondary teachers and parents view as problematic in the classroom. A sample of 378 teachers and 69 parents were asked to identify which behaviors were considered troublesome. Exploratory factor analysis revealed five categories of behaviors perceived as problematic by parents and teachers: Externalizing behaviors, School Difficulties, Internalizing behaviors, Attention seeking behaviors, and Hyperactivity/attention difficulties. Both teachers and parents considered externalizing behaviors to be more troublesome than other types of behavior. Teachers tend to worry less than parents about all types of children’s behaviors, except for school difficulties. The findings highlight the importance of considering diverse perspectives within the school system when designing interventions to address the specific needs of school communities while also promoting collaboration among all members of the school system.