Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) are incorporated in books to enhance students’ critical thinking. It is essential to know the level of HOTS offered in the prescribed curriculum and the extent to which it is covered in exams. This study analyses the higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) introduced in the prescribed curriculum and tested in the exams. The study used a qualitative content analysis approach to analyze each chapter’s Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and exercises questions of the grade 8th science book to categorize the question statements in view of Bloom’s taxonomy and nine predetermined categories of Socratic questions. The results indicate that the prescribed curriculum has comparatively more emphasis on developing HOTS than the tested curriculum does. The book analysis showed that SLOs support HOTS incorporation, but exercise questions and Punjab Examination Commission (PEC) exams tend towards Lower Order Thinking Skills (LOTS). Book exercises and exams should be improved and aligned with SLOs to incorporate HOTS in students. Moreover, book and exam criteria need to be revised to enhance higher-order thinking skills in students.

Self-efficacy beliefs play an important role in the development of prospective teachers as effective classroom managers. The purpose of this study was to explore the self-efficacy beliefs of prospective teachers regarding classroom management. This study used a qualitative case study research design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with two prospective teachers studying in the teacher training program at a public university. They were selected through purposive sampling. Additionally, data were analyzed using the within-the-case analysis technique. The data analysis revealed that prospective teachers have strong efficacy beliefs regarding classroom management. They were more passionate and enthusiastic about teaching. However, one participant was not confident in implementing strategies related to diversity. Though this is a small-scale study comprising of only two brief case studies, it is hoped that the participants’ detailed descriptions in this study will provide some guidance to school principals, administrations, curriculum developers, teacher trainers, and policymakers.

The current study investigated how the teacher’s use of storytelling, among other strategies, for teaching qualitative research affected the learning experiences of research students in the Zoom classroom. This study assumes that the ability to learn through dialogic interactions between people, materials, and objects is crucial to the success of the process. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for data collection from ten MPhil (Educational Leadership and Management) research scholars at a private university. The results found storytelling to be a highly effective tool in producing reflective learning outcomes in the research class. In addition, storytelling prevented research students from being distracted in class. Moreover, digital storytelling helped research scholars build in-depth knowledge and skills of various aspects of qualitative research methods. Keywords: Reflective learning, Qualitative research, Storytelling methodology, engagement and motivation, Higher education.