Authors:Aylin Baysan, Usman Naeem Abstract: In today’s educational landscape, active learning is often overlooked during lectures, seminars, and tutorials. The aim of this study was to investigate perceptions of online and face-to-face lecture formats and their impact on the learning experiences of undergraduate dental students in Years 3–5. This qualitative study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of different lecture formats at the Institute of Dentistry for undergraduate dental students in Years 3–5. There were two specific questions asked to dental undergraduate students with additional free-text questions. In total, 120 of 221 undergraduate students participated in this study between October 2019 and February 2020, and only 42 participants included the free-text comments. Three core themes related to the blended learning approach were identified: (1) scheduled versus recorded lectures, (2) duration of academic lectures, and (3) neurodiversity and learning experiences. The results showed that the learners perceived the traditional didactic lectures as the least effective format. There is not a “one fits all” lecture format that would accommodate a neurodiversity-based approach that focuses on the strengths, abilities, and interests of students. Hybrid lecture formats in combination with online teaching coupled with small group tutorials could be suggested. There is a unique challenge in the post-COVID-19 era for both educators and learners due to the lack of clinical practice and heavy reliance on online methods of teaching in Dentistry. Therefore, the implication of these results on the planning and financing of programmes could be discussed in Higher Education. PubDate: 2023-09-22T00:00:00Z
Authors:Mustafa Gazioğlu, Neslihan Karakuş Abstract: This study aims to reveal the impact of multisensory learning model-based tale-telling on listening skills. The research was carried out under a hybrid research design using both quantitative and qualitative research methods together. The study group of the research consists of 13 fifth-grade students in total who were studying in a public school during the 2020 to 2021 academic year. Students were involved in the research voluntarily and with parental permission. The following data collection tools were used in the research: “Attitude Scale Towards Improving Listening Skills with Tales,” which was created by the researcher, tale diaries, and tale self-evaluation forms. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods were used to analyze the research data. T-test analysis was applied to the quantitative data after transferring them to the SPSS data analysis program; on the other hand, content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. As a result of the research, it was concluded that the multisensory learning method-based tale-telling has a positive impact on the attitudes of the fifth-grade students towards tale listening. In light of the results, it was concluded that parents were satisfied with the activities for multisensory tale-telling, students have understood the plots of the tales correctly, themes were remembered correctly by the students most of the time, and parents have shown a positive attitude towards tale listening. PubDate: 2023-09-22T00:00:00Z
Authors:Luiz Sanches Neto, Luciana Venâncio, Luciano Nascimento Corsino, Willian Lazaretti da Conceição, Ewerton Leonardo da Silva Vieira, Samara Moura Barreto, Elisabete dos Santos Freire, Isabel Porto Filgueiras, Dawn Garbett, Alan Ovens Abstract: Understanding the role teachers must play in fostering social justice is one of many tasks student teachers learn on practicum. This self-study is a collaborative endeavour between eight Brazilian teacher-researchers who work in multiple teaching positions and settings in different regions of the country. Our assumption within the broader research scope is that being a teacher-researcher has commonalities related to social justice whether teaching in K-12 schools or higher education. We have reconfigured a collaborative, four-stage methodological approach to practitioner research. In this paper, we investigate how one teacher-researcher and university professor – Luiz, the first author – has been transforming his practice towards social justice through the self-study of teacher education practices. His initial dilemma concerned his students’ practicum experiences. Through the prompting of his co-authors and critical friends, Luiz reflected on his decisions and assumptions. He presented his analysis to the group which generated the discussion which forms the basis of this paper. The contribution this paper makes is two-fold. One is to exemplify the rigorous method we used to generate alternative perspectives through self-study. The other is to explore the impact of deeply seated social injustices on our teacher education practices. PubDate: 2023-09-22T00:00:00Z
Authors:Santiago Fabregat-Barrios, Xavier Fontich, Carmen González-González-de-Mesa Abstract: Literary education aims to promote the teaching of reading from an academic, social, and personal perspective. At present there is a consensus on the central role that the school institution plays, which can be translated into explicit and implicit approaches. The objective of this article is to explore Spanish Secondary school teachers’ beliefs about literary education to determine their proximity to each of these two approaches, as well as the coherence within such beliefs, unpacking the relationships between adherence to principles and declared practices. To obtain the data that supports the study, the Beliefs About Literary Education of Secondary School Teachers (BALESST) scale has been elaborated. 1,544 Secondary Education teachers from the 17 Spanish communities and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla have responded to the scale. For the analysis of the data, the statistical packages of IBM SPSS Statistics, 24.0 and G* Power 3 have been used. The results suggest that Spanish Secondary school teachers are in an eclectic position in the debate between explicit and implicit literary education, reveal relevant discrepancies between the two factors that make up the scale (adherence to principles and declared practices), and allow identify majority and minority representations and practices among teachers. PubDate: 2023-09-22T00:00:00Z
Authors:Gavin T. L. Brown, Catarina Andersson, Mikael Winberg, Torulf Palm Abstract: IntroductionTeacher conceptions of feedback ideally predict their feedback practices, but little robust evidence identifies which beliefs matter to practices. It is logical to presume that teacher conceptions of feedback would align with the policy framework of an educational jurisdiction. The Teacher Conceptions of Feedback (TCoF) inventory was developed in New Zealand which has a relatively low-stakes, formative policy framework.MethodsThis study surveyed 451 Swedish teachers working in Years 1-9, a policy context that prioritises teachers using multiple data sources to help students learn. The study used a translated version of the TCoF inventory, but isolated six items related to formative feedback practices from various factors.ResultsA six-factor TCoF was recovered (Praise, Improvement, Ignore, Required, PASA, and Timely), giving partial replication to the previous study. A well-fitting structural equation model showed formative practices were predicted by just two conceptions of feedback (i.e., feedback improves learning and students may ignore feedback).DiscussionThis study demonstrates that the TCoF inventory can be used to identify plausible relations from feedback beliefs to formative feedback practices. PubDate: 2023-09-22T00:00:00Z
Authors:Marisa G. Filipe, Sónia Frota Abstract: IntroductionAlthough it could be expected that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted preschool children’s abilities associated with later reading skills, research has not yet addressed the topic. Our study focused on the impact of the pandemic on phonological awareness (PA) and rapid automatized naming (RAN) abilities that have been shown to reliably predict later reading skills.MethodsA cohort of 82 typically developing European Portuguese children (mean age = 64.5 months, SD = 3.47), enrolled in their last year of preschool and dramatically affected by COVID-19 lockdowns, were assessed for PA and RAN skills.ResultsCompared to pre-pandemic normative data, our findings revealed lower average scores on the PA subtest (t = −10.85; p PubDate: 2023-09-22T00:00:00Z
Authors:Margaret Terry Orr Abstract: This reflection addresses the need for research on how leadership preparation features develop candidates’ leadership skills and practices, as aligned to recent research on how principals best influence student learning. It reviews the nature of leadership preparation research, the investments in preparation programs, how the field has promoted leadership preparation research, and new developments in related research. Guskey’s program evaluation framework—which emphasizes evaluating the effects of professional learning on what candidates learn and do and the impact on their organizations—is useful in highlighting current shortcomings in how preparation features have been evaluated and identifying areas for further, more strategic research. PubDate: 2023-09-22T00:00:00Z
Authors:Umesh Ramnarain, Rumbidzai Ncube, Timothy Teo Abstract: Evidence suggests that learners actively construct knowledge and improve digital literacy when Information Communication and Technologies (ICTs) are used effectively. However, ICTs have not been exploited adequately in a science classroom. Early research argues that teachers’ pedagogical beliefs are potential barriers to delaying effective ICT integration in teaching and learning. In South Africa, research is silent regarding investigating Life Sciences teachers’ pedagogical beliefs translating into ICT integration. Hence, this study intended to close the knowledge gap and add to the body of knowledge. This study adopted a qualitative design to investigate three South African Life Sciences teachers pedagogical beliefs in Gauteng province. Qualitative data were collected from three Life Sciences teachers through lesson observations and semi-structured interviews. Teachers were observed teaching grade 11 Life Sciences classes. The video recordings were analyzed using the Teaching Dimension Observation Protocol (TDOP) to confirm findings from the questionnaire and establish how teachers integrate technology into teaching. Lastly, interviews were conducted to triangulate findings from lesson observations and questionnaires. The teachers integrated technology in ways that supported traditional beliefs. The results indicate the complexity of the relationship between pedagogical beliefs and ICT integration in practice. Teachers reflected on challenges in ICT integration that possibly impacted on their practices of ICT integration. They referred to a lack of learner access to smart devices and issues surrounding WiFi connectivity. In addition, teachers suggested that they needed training on innovative practices in ICT integration. PubDate: 2023-09-21T00:00:00Z
Authors:Levente L. Orbán Abstract: This conceptual report describes a novel assessment technique to evaluate written assignments in universities, such as literature reviews, essays or research proposals, over the course of the academic semester in multiple milestones. The method can be adapted to undergraduate and graduate courses in disciplines with a writing requirement. Key features of this method include encouraging student self-regulation and spacing of learning, rapid scoring using quantitative elements, improving the authenticity and transparency of the written work, and guiding students towards better writing and thinking skills. The method involves the implementation of a system called version control, which is a class of software to track and manage changes to textual data, often used by programmers to track code. This report describes a use case in two psychology courses describing the logistics and marking dynamics surrounding the assessment. This protocol has been seeded on a public repository on GitHub where educators can contribute and develop the technique further. PubDate: 2023-09-21T00:00:00Z
Authors:Susana Fernández-Larragueta, María José Martínez-Martínez, Johana Muñoz-López Abstract: This article is part of an International Cooperation Project funded by the Andalusian Agency for Development Cooperation of the Junta de Andalucía, Spain in collaboration with the Mayan Technological Institute (ITMES) in San Juan de Chamelco-Cobán at the University of San Carlos de Guatemala: 2018UC006 “Maestras y maestros para niñas y niños mayas en zonas rurales diseminadas: formando los formadores.” (Teachers for Mayan girls and boys in remote rural areas: training the trainers). This cooperation project arose from the need of the university unit attached to the University of San Carlos to develop a university degree program in teacher training in bilingual infant and primary education that would consider the characteristics of the communities these new professionals would impact rural Mayan communities. In this sense, ITMES is particularly interesting for three reasons: (1) the unit is attached to the University of San Carlos, the only public university in Guatemala, as a response to the Guatemalan Constitution that indicates the need for a Mayan University; (2) the unit’s distinctive development for the formation and empowerment of Mayan culture; and (3) because its organizational structure combines receiving face-to-face instruction on weekends in the urban campus of San Juan de Chamelco-Cobán, while during the week, students carry out their personal, professional and educational activities in rural areas. Thus, a double dimension has been addressed through this international cooperation project, which has the complex task of training professionals who will work with children in rural areas but who will be trained in San Juan de Chamelco-Cobán, an urban area, the commercial and economic hub of the region, On the one hand, as will be developed further in this article, the selection and initial psycho-pedagogical-curricular training, attention to cultural, gender, and sociological diversity, of university teachers who, in the future, will be entrusted with the implementation and development of a university curriculum in teacher training aimed at and from the inclusion of children from Mayan rural communities. On the other hand, while considering the center’s organizational structure, establishing the fundamental psycho-pedagogical and organizational principles with an inclusive curricular plan will allow the training of teachers whose actions will be carried out in rural Mayan environments. As a starting hypothesis, we consider that in order to provide quality, responsible and inclusive education to children from rural Mayan environments, and beyond the traditionally technical contents that support the training curriculum legislated by the Guatemalan government, it is necessary to approach this reality by linking vitally constructed knowledge and technical contents, so that they can be formulated and reformulated in a relevant way and thus generate powerful knowledge. Thus, there arises a necessity to equip a team of professionals, prospective university teachers, who are sensitive to Mayan needs and attention to diversity, with a deep and relevant knowledge of psycho-pedagogical and curricular aspects, and with a sociological contextual knowledge of the needs of the post-modern, neoliberal and digital world. To this end, our methodology encompasses three levels: (a) the selection of a group of professionals to be trained; (b) contextual analysis of the training needs of the selected group of professionals, thereby facilitating the adaption of the training program to their individual needs and circumstances; and (c) semi-structured and in-depth interviews with seven female and nine male leaders of Mayan communities. These leaders were selected using a non-probabilistic intentional sampling method, which was collaboratively determined with the ITMES team. During these interactions, we extensively explored their perspectives on Mayan identity, as well as their perceptions of the educational system and its impact on the formation of their identity as a person and as Mayans. Through the integration of these three components, we have obtained invaluable insights into (a) the evolving training needs of the instructional team and (b) the socio-educational pressures experienced by Mayan women, and the significance of “Mayan being” as an aspect of identity. This emergent data has informed the development of a comprehensive psycho-pedagogical, curricular and sociological training plan that underpins the content of this article. Thus, for the selection of the training team, the following aspects were considered: knowledge of Mayan culture and experience in rural Mayan contexts and relationship with the educational-school world. The selection resulted in a total of 29 candidates, 18 women and 11 men, with whom the training was carried out. Regarding the initial training plan for university teachers, and after the contextual analysis, we consider it necessary to correlate three dimensions: (1) the psycho-pedagogical nature of the technical dimension. In this sense, the plan has addressed aspects related to the conceptualization of teaching, and of learning and the development of the fundamental aspects of the curriculum; (2) the idiosyncratic dimension of rural Mayan communities, beyond being a transversal axis, has also been incorporated into the plan. We incorporated analyses related to gender, in general, and gender in schools, making a triangulation with the emerging knowledge from the interviews and the conceptualization of inclusion and Mayan identity as the backbone of a quality education; and (3) the post-modern sociological dimension of today’s societies. Finally, a flexible and emerging training plan of the Mayan idiosyncrasy has been designed that allows its applicability in other similar sociological contexts, adapting the plan to the individual training needs of each context. PubDate: 2023-09-21T00:00:00Z
Authors:José Ventura-León, Andy Rick Sánchez-Villena, Tomás Caycho-Rodríguez, Michael White Abstract: IntroductionGiven the profound changes caused in higher education by the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting 1.6 billion students and 63 million educators globally, there arises the necessity for quantifiable measures that capture the essence of academic co-creation. This study aimed to develop and validate a short scale that measures academic co-creation (AC-S) in a sample of higher education students.MethodsA total of 3,169 students from three Peruvian cities participated in the study (Mean Age = 25.77 years old; SD = 8.92 years); 1889 were female (59.60%) and 1,280 (40.40%) males. Qualitative and quantitative procedures were used for test construction. Item response theory (IRT) under the two-parameter graded response model (GRM-2PL) and test information function were used to examine reliability; additionally, a brief measure of academic satisfaction was used to provide evidence of relationship with another variable.ResultsThe AC-S displayed strong fit and reliability, assessed through the test information function and standard error. It also showed a moderate correlation with academic satisfaction, bolstering its validity by linking with a pertinent variable. Its brevity enhances its practicality for education and research, efficiently fitting explanatory models and educational contexts. Despite substantial sample size and advanced psychometric methods, the study acknowledges limitations in sample representativeness and cross-sectional design. In conclusion, IRT and SEM techniques compellingly support the AC-S’s reliability and validity.ConclusionThe scale’s one-dimensionality, local independence, reliability, and academic satisfaction relationship form a foundation for future exploration of co-creation-based educational models. Further studies should evaluate its performance across diverse cultural contexts. PubDate: 2023-09-21T00:00:00Z
Authors:Seungyeon Park Abstract: With the large increase in international doctorates at higher education institutions in the United States, little attention is being paid to former doctoral students’ cross-cultural experiences during their reentry to their home countries. Based on the re-acculturation theory as a conceptual framework, this qualitative inquiry aimed to explore how study participants perceive their reentry. The findings were explained using six subthemes: (a) the renewal process, (b) ambivalence of reentry, (c) homing instinct, (d) environmental context, (e) midpoint of repatriation, and (f) different research atmospheres. The findings reveal the importance of doctorates’ flexibility to cope with each country’s academic atmosphere and respect academic cultural differences. The findings provide insight into the challenges that international kinesiology professionals face during their reentry and how they resolve these difficulties for readjustment to the academic atmosphere of their home countries. PubDate: 2023-09-20T00:00:00Z
Authors:Robert Kalyesubula, Mitra Sadigh, Bernard Okong, Richard Munana, Ivan Weswa, Estherloy A. Katali, James Sewanyana, Janice Levine, Majid Sadigh Abstract: The approaches to global health (GH) partnerships are as varied as the programs available across the globe. Few models have shared their philosophy and structure in sufficient detail to inform a full spectrum of how these collaborations are formed. Although contributions from low- to middle-income countries (LMICs) have markedly grown over the last decade, they are still few in comparison to those from high-income countries (HICs). In this article, we share the African Community Center for Social Sustainability (ACCESS) model of GH education through the lenses of grassroots implementers and their international collaborators. This model involves the identification and prioritization of the needs of the community, including but not limited to healthcare. We invite international partners to align with and participate in learning from and, when appropriate, becoming part of the solution. We share successes, challenges, and takeaways while offering recommendations for consideration when establishing community-driven GH programs. PubDate: 2023-09-20T00:00:00Z
Authors:Liam O’Hare, Patrick Stark, Alastair Gittner, Carol McGuinness, Allen Thurston, Andy Biggart Abstract: IntroductionThe main aim of this pilot study was to compare the efficacy of using different spaced learning models during school examination revision on pupil attainment. Spaced learning is using intervals between periods of learning rather than learning content all at one time.MethodsThree spaced learning models with different inter-study intervals (ISI’s) were co-designed by teachers and researchers using research evidence and practice knowledge. A pilot randomized controlled trial compared the three ISI models against control groups in 12 UK secondary schools’ science classes (pupil n = 408). The effects on attainment of each model were assessed using pre and post-tests of science attainment.ResultsThe results showed that all three models were feasible for use in a classroom. The spacing model using ISI of 24-h spaces between and 10-min spaces within revision sessions was the only significant one for improving attainment against a control group (effect size d = 0.19, p = PubDate: 2023-09-19T00:00:00Z
Authors:José Castro Silva, Marco Ferreira, Patricia Pacheco, Ana Almeida Abstract: The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) is a widely used self-report scale with the original twenty-three items and its abbreviated version of nine items to assess workers’ engagement. This paper reports a validation study of the UWES-17 and UWES-9 using confirmatory factor analysis, its convergent validity and invariance across gender in a sample of 921 Portuguese school leaders. The main findings support a bidimensional conceptualization of work engagement measurement. The Portuguese version of UWES-9 is proposed as a reliable and robust (CFI = 0.97; TLI = 0.95; RMSEA = 0.073) tool to assess work engagement amongst Portuguese school leadership. The 9-item UWES is a reliable instrument to assess work engagement among Portuguese school leaders and could be used as an effective screening tool in educational contexts. PubDate: 2023-09-18T00:00:00Z
Authors:April Chatham-Carpenter, Michelle Malone Abstract: IntroductionThe stress and strain due to various aspects of the pandemic affected teaching and learning. Relating between instructors and students, and between students, may never be the same. Adjustments to teaching and learning may still need to be made due to the lingering effects of the pandemic, especially as zoom classrooms continue to be used within communication and other disciplines.MethodsIn this study, the researchers interviewed 15 communication instructors, using indepth semi-structured zoom interviews, about their experiences in the pandemic classroom and how they attempted to build relationships and connections with students during the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsThe researchers found specific immediacy strategies used by instructors, with participants indicating they attempted to use the more traditional teacher nonverbal immediacy behaviors such as eye contact, facial expressions, physical distance, and touch, but were hampered by the wearing of masks, practicing social distancing, and moving to online teaching modalities where student engagement was limited at best. Instructors also adapted verbal immediacy behaviors, as they used various strategies for inviting participation, providing feedback, and being real to develop connections with students, as well as building in specific teaching structures into their pandemic classrooms. In addition, participants indicated they used a variety of additional immediacy-related strategies and behaviors to build relationships once moving to blended HyFlex or online teaching. These strategies were used consistently, as instructors seamlessly moved between the online synchronous classroom, the blended classroom, and the face-to-face classroom with masking and physical distancing required.DiscussionOur research revealed that there were unique ways relationships were built, typically using different types of media to enact teacher immediacy in nuanced ways. We argue that looking at such teaching using both media multiplexity and embodied pedagogy perspectives can enhance the teacher immediacy literature by demonstrating how teacher immediacy was changed during the pandemic, as media richness increased the likelihood of developing relationships between teachers and students through an embodied pedagogy of caring using technological tools. PubDate: 2023-09-18T00:00:00Z
Authors:Li Ke, Eric Kirk, Rebecca Lesnefsky, Troy D. Sadler Abstract: Research on socio-scientific issues (SSI) has revealed that it is critical for learners to develop a systematic understanding of the underlying issue. In this paper, we explore how modeling can facilitate students’ systems thinking in the context of SSI. Building on evidence from prior research in promoting systems thinking skills through modeling in scientific contexts, we hypothesize that a similar modeling approach could effectively foster students’ systematic understanding of complex societal issues. In particular, we investigate the affordances of socio-scientific models in promoting students’ systems thinking in the context of COVID-19. We examine learners’ experiences and reflections concerning three unique epistemic features of socio-scientific models, (1) knowledge representation, (2) knowledge justification, and (3) systems thinking. The findings of this study demonstrate that, due to the epistemic differences from traditional scientific modeling approach, engaging learners in developing socio-scientific models presents unique opportunities and challenges for SSI teaching and learning. It provides evidence that, socio-scientific models can serve as not only an effective but also an equitable tool for addressing this issue. PubDate: 2023-09-18T00:00:00Z
Authors:Vânia Carlos, Mário Rodrigues, Bárbara Matos, Lurdes Gonçalves, Fernando Ribeiro, Margarida Fardilha Abstract: We are in an era where keeping students focused and interested can be challenging. Furthermore, it is relevant, in avoiding students dropping out and increasing students’ achievements, to research how student engagement can be nurtured and how this aspect is influenced by teacher attitude and the teaching and learning (T and L) approaches. With the purpose of engaging a large biochemistry class of first-year students (n = 170 in the pilot study and n = 147 in the full project) from the Biomedical Sciences degree at the University of Aveiro in Portugal, a combination of two different learning methodologies was implemented: Team-based Learning (TBL) and Spaced Learning (SL). The main objectives of this pedagogical innovation were to promote collaboration between students, keep students engaged throughout the semester, and keep the teacher satisfied through the participation of students in class and positive feedback. A typical class involved various steps which combined different facets of TBL and SL: a bibliography was provided one week in advance to the students for them to get familiarized with it; in class, the students answered an individual quiz, followed by a group quiz; the next step was solving a problem. Meanwhile, an SL break occurred in which students did distracting activities (usually physical activities). Lastly, a short seminar in the form of a Q & A occurred to clarify any doubts. The assessment of this class involved different individual and group components. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through focus group interviews, questionnaires, and observation techniques. After analyzing the results, in general, we can conclude that students seem to prefe learning with TBL and SL than with traditional methodologies. Students emphasized the SL as a positive strategy. Furthermore, they acknowledge that teacher attitude was crucial for their engagement. PubDate: 2023-09-15T00:00:00Z
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