Vol. 19 no. 1 / June 2025

Entrepreneurship is vital to national economies, particularly in small island states such as Malta, where more than half (58.3%) of registered business units are sole ownerships or partnerships (NSO, 2025). This study examined the attitudes, knowledge gaps and pedagogical preferences of Maltese university students related to academic entrepreneurship. A cross-sectional online survey conducted in May 2024 yielded 71 valid responses from 299 invited students. The study utilised exploratory, descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as exploratory factor analysis. Exploratory factor analysis identified two attitude dimensions: entrepreneurial optimism and entrepreneurial pessimism, indicating that students perceive business creation as exciting and creative, but also as risky and unrealistic, highlighting an intention-action gap. Perceived barriers were centred on educational (knowledge) and financial (business planning) factors, with observed limited funding resources and insufficient entrepreneurship training. Regarding instructional models, students preferred active learning models, including mentoring, discussions with entrepreneurs and experiential courses, over traditional lectures, emphasising the need for learner-centred delivery of entrepreneurship education content. Findings highlight the importance of embedding practical, inclusive and network-rich entrepreneurship education across curricula and providing networking opportunities for students with the business community to strengthen Malta’s entrepreneurial and innovative capacity.

This study explores the implementation of the ICT C3 curriculum within Maltese schools, focusing on teacher perspectives across state, church, and independent sectors. Using a mixed-methods approach, data was gathered through questionnaires and focus group discussions, involving 112 ICT teachers. The research assesses teacher confidence, curriculum delivery, and resource adequacy, alongside challenges related to student engagement and assessment practices. Findings reveal that while educators generally feel confident in delivering the curriculum, gaps in infrastructure, professional development, and differentiated content persist. Significant concerns include the complexity of certain topics for younger students, the misalignment between the curriculum and real-world applications, and the need for improved resources, particularly in non-state schools. Additionally, the study highlights the need for clearer distinctions between ICT C3 and related subjects such as Computing and VET IT. Teachers advocate for curriculum refinement, increased professional development, and greater teacher involvement in curriculum design. The study concludes with recommendations to enhance teaching effectiveness and student preparedness in the evolving digital landscape, emphasising the importance of ongoing curriculum updates, targeted professional training, and improved resource allocation to meet the needs of both students and educators.

This study uses zones of enactment theory to analyse the case of a primary Art teacher and the influence of personal and environmental sectors on her learning through lesson study. Our analysis draws on qualitative data and findings indicate that lesson study created social enactment zones with pupils, the teaching resources she developed and her knowledgeable others. The lesson study context and the social aspect of teacher learning were heightened by the teacher’s personal resources. Her personal resources – beliefs, knowledge and disposition for learning – enabled her to recognise learning opportunities and became better informed about changes to improve her professional practices.

Early Childhood education in Malta is presently going through a reform. The recently published policy document entitled Learning Outcomes Framework proposes a significant shift for Grades 1 and 2 (ages 5 – 7 years), namely, moving away from subject specific syllabi to a more flexible ‘emergent’ curriculum based on children’s experiences and interests. Through this approach, learning areas, such as mathematics, are targeted – directly or indirectly – as part of ongoing projects of inquiry, rather than in a structured way and as a stand-alone subject. This paper presents a case study of one school. The four Early Childhood educators therein were interviewed with regard to the change in the approach to addressing mathematics. While the teachers articulated clearly the purpose of an emergent curriculum, they expressed a number of concerns, which related to issues of collaboration, content coverage and progression, a tension with the traditional use of textbooks, and the need for training. The data illustrates the complexity of educational reform, and the importance of educators embracing the why, the what and the how of reform. I argue that school-based reflections and an ongoing in-house interpretation of the reform, might help schools embrace the change.

Fuelled by the hegemonic neoliberal agenda, education policy in Malta is progressively becoming subservient to the needs of capital, leading to the further commodification of learning in an increasingly credential society. At the same time, the conventional pedagogical discourse of education policy is that learning should serve as an inclusive liberating force for creativity, innovation, critical thinking and problem solving. This dichotomy between theory and praxis in education policy is particularly evident in the pedagogy of Systems of Knowledge, as its revolutionary potential as a progressive force for social change is appropriated by the commodification of learning, accreditation and market forces. The superficial and inapt application of critical praxis in terms of both pedagogical content and processes, infer the subordination of progressive and liberal ideals to neoliberal policies, demeaning Systems of Knowledge into another commodified tool of the privileged over an emancipatory vehicle for liberation and social justice. In this context, the paper questions; is Systems of Knowledge truly a pedagogy of the oppressed or another oppressive apparatus for
the privileged?

Due to the high proportion of learners with disabilities attending mainstream schools in Malta, Maltese educators encounter various challenges when working with autistic students in inclusive schools. In this article, the training needed by the senior management team (SMT), teachers and learning support educators (LSEs) when working with autistic students in mainstream primary schools in Malta is discussed in light of research showing that training for educators can ease the challenges of working with autistic students in mainstream schools, thus making it a positive experience. Data were collected through qualitative questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. All primary school educators in one college were invited to participate. A total of 172 educators accepted the invitation and filled out a questionnaire. Nineteen of the 172 participants agreed to participate in a semi-structured interview. The findings show that Maltese educators lack training in working with autistic students, resulting in a number of challenges for them. The findings include several suggestions put forward by the participants about what training they need.

This paper examines the roles, challenges, and lived experiences of three Learning Support Educators (LSEs) working in Maltese state schools, with a particular focus on the impact of socio-economic deprivation and systemic constraints. Two of the participants are based in primary schools. One supports a student in a socially deprived area who faces neglect and multiple life challenges. The other works as a Nurture LSE, offering essential emotional and behavioural support to children struggling with issues such as poverty, neglect, abuse, and poor hygiene. She reflects on the transformative potential of nurture groups in equipping students with coping mechanisms; while also highlighting the stigma such groups face from other educators, as well as the chronic underfunding that limits their impact. The third participant is based in a Learning Support Zone (LSZ) in a state secondary school, where she supports students dealing with complex issues including low self-esteem, family trauma, parental separation, and economic hardship. Despite holding qualifications equivalent to those of a teacher, she describes the persistent lack of recognition for her role, noting how LSEs are systematically viewed as subordinate within the educational hierarchy. Using a narrative research methodology, this study foregrounds the authentic voices of LSEs, providing insight into the often-invisible labour they perform. Their testimonies reveal the silencing and marginalisation they endure within a rigid system that undervalues their work. Bound by institutional hierarchies, resource limitations, and social stigma, these educators struggle to advocate for themselves—even as they play a crucial role in supporting some of the most vulnerable students. The findings call for urgent recognition, structural support, and a re-evaluation of the systemic positioning of LSEs within the education sector.

This is no abstract available for this book review