Sofia Terzi^1,2,*, Katerina Zourou³, Ioannis Stamelos¹, Konstantinos Votis⁴

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.89, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cmc.2026.084524 - 13 August 2026

Abstract Higher Education (HE) institutions and Lifelong Learning (LLL) providers increasingly issue digital certificates, yet prevailing solutions often lack interoperable credential schemas, verifiable provenance, and privacy-preserving verification at scale. In parallel, European initiatives promote verifiable credentials and cross-border recognition, but there is limited evidence on how Hyperledger Indy components—Redundant Byzantine Fault Tolerance (RBFT) consensus, Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs), Anonymous Credentials (AnonCreds), and revocation registries—can be integrated into existing learning platforms while satisfying software service-quality and governance requirements. This paper presents a permissioned, privacy-preserving blockchain architecture for secure issuance and verification of educational verifiable credentials (VCs) and evaluates… More >

Dan Wang^*, Zahari Ishak

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.3, pp. 381-396, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.079557 - 30 June 2026

Abstract Academic stress remains a major concern for college students in China in the post-COVID-19 context. This study examined the effectiveness of an eight-week Social Emotional Learning (SEL) intervention in reducing academic stress and enhancing selected social-emotional competencies among first-year students in a Chinese higher education institution. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. Participants were 196 first-year students assigned to an experimental group (n = 98) and a control group (n = 98) in a quasi-experimental study. Quantitative data were collected through validated pre- and post-intervention measures of academic stress, self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving… More >

Zhipeng Ye^1,2,*, Eng Hoe Wee², Jiajian Wang³, Xiang Li¹, Dake Lin⁴

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.3, pp. 321-328, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.073646 - 30 June 2026

Abstract This study investigated the mediating role of goal orientation and the moderating role of business insights in the relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intention. Survey data were collected from 1097 Chinese undergraduates (68.5% female; M_age = 20.13, SD = 1.14) using psychometrically validated instruments. Conditional process analyses were performed via the SPSS PROCESS macro (Model 14; 5000 bootstrap iterations). Results revealed that entrepreneurship education enhanced entrepreneurial intention both directly and indirectly through goal orientation, supporting partial mediation. Notably, business insights moderated the goal orientation–entrepreneurial intention relationship to be weaker, such that the indirect effect was More >

Ahmad Almufarreh¹, Rogaia Hassan Osman Hassan^2,3, Ashfaq Ahmad⁴, Muhammad Arshad^2,5,*, Choo Wou Onn⁶

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.88, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cmc.2026.082264 - 15 June 2026

Abstract The explosive increase in connectivity has multiplied the volume and speed of network traffic, putting the world at greater risk from sophisticated and emerging cyber-attacks. Smart learning environments, which rely on cloud-based learning management systems, virtual classrooms, and interconnected educational devices, generate large volumes of dynamic network traffic that must be continuously monitored to protect sensitive academic data and ensure uninterrupted learning services. In this study, three supervised machine learning classifiers, namely Random Forest, Logistic Regression, and k-Nearest Neighbours (kNN), are designed and evaluated for anomaly detection using the UNSW-NB15 benchmark. Models are trained and… More >

Sumaira Shafiq¹, Naveed Ejaz², Munam Ali Shah^3,*, Rashid Kamal², Adnan Sohail¹, Sheraz Aslam^4,5,6

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.88, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cmc.2026.081534 - 15 June 2026

Abstract Lecture videos are widely used in modern education, yet answering questions from them remains challenging. Relevant information is often distributed across time and expressed through multiple modalities, including speech, slides, and visual content. Existing VideoQA approaches, including recent retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) methods, typically rely on static text representations or global video features. Consequently, they may retrieve evidence that is semantically relevant but temporally misaligned, leading to inaccurate or weakly grounded responses. In addition, dependence on external knowledge sources can introduce hallucinations and reduce reliability in educational settings. To address these limitations, we propose a temporally More >

Guofeng Qu^1,2, Fengwei Jia^1,2, Jing Liu³, Xishuai Wang³, Guoyue Tang⁴, Zhonghu Gu⁵, Yuyang Nie^1,2,*, Cong Liu^1,2,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.076017 - 28 May 2026

Abstract Background: Physical exercise is recognized as an effective means of alleviating academic stress, and physical education (PE) classes constitute a primary source of such activity for middle school students. This study aimed to delve into the diversity of PE class participation patterns among these students, examine their relationship with academic stress, and specifically investigate the mediating role of self-compassion in this process. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 849 Chinese middle school students. Data were collected via online questionnaires using validated measurement instruments, which included the degree of participation in PE classes, academic stress, and… More >

Pablo Luna^1,*, Lidia Losada², Débora Rodrigo-Ruiz³, Alba Rodríguez-Donaire¹, Javier Cejudo¹

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.28, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2026.078092 - 28 April 2026

Abstract Objectives: There is a growing global concern regarding mental health and well-being in educational settings, especially in contexts of socio-educational exclusion. Active educational interventions offer an effective approach to enhance students’ mental health and personal and social well-being. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a psychosocial intervention program based on the Sports Education model (SEM) on subjective well-being (positive and negative affect) and externalizing problems (aggressiveness, hyperactivity, and behavioral problems) in youth students from a highly vulnerable socio-cultural community belonging to an ethnic minority with significant socio-educational support needs associated with socio-educational exclusion. Methods:… More >

Lauren Martin^1,*, Henry D. Mason², Juan A. Nel³

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.2, pp. 301-307, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.073424 - 29 April 2026

Abstract This study explored how psychology educators in South Africa can be professionally developed to embed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles into their pedagogy, thereby enhancing psychological flexibility among postgraduate students. Using a Collaborative Action Research approach, seven educators and thirteen students participated in a ten-month intervention comprising four iterative cycles of training, implementation, and reflection. The thematic analysis found that ACT-informed pedagogy not only promoted student resilience, present-moment awareness (mindfulness), and values-based engagement (authenticity) but also catalysed shifts in educator identity toward more reflexive teaching. Students cultivated resilience by learning to tolerate emotional discomfort More >

Linda Naidoo^*, Mariette Coetzee

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Vol.36, No.2, pp. 161-170, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpa.2026.073305 - 29 April 2026

Abstract This study tested the internal reliability and validity of a 28-item Employee Empowerment scale within a higher education context. A sample of 452 university employees (N = 452) from a South African higher education institution, comprising academics (46%), administrative staff (33%), and professional and managerial staff (21%), participated in the study. The participants were required to complete an employee empowerment questionnaire. The exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis identified a three-construct measurement model for employee empowerment: management support, autonomy and decision-making, and access to information and resources. The results revealed that the research instrument More >

Nourdine Aliane^*

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.87, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cmc.2026.078545 - 09 April 2026

Abstract The rapid advancement of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies has increased demand for flexible autopilot platforms suitable for both research and education. Among available options, the open-source Pixhawk/PX4 autopilot has emerged as a leading solution due to its modular architecture and robust software ecosystem. This survey examines the adoption of the Pixhawk/PX4 platform in research and education. The survey covers the analysis of the Pixhawk/PX4 autopilot software development APIs, its compatibility with ROS middleware and MATLAB/Simulink environments, and environments for software/hardware-in-the-loop simulations. Additionally, it explores the integration of Cutting-Edge technologies to enhance UAVs performance. By More >