ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Financial Management Decision-Making of School Finance Committees in Public Primary Schools in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa
Author: Sebidi, Simon Diatleng
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Money Management,Decision Making,Advisory Committees,Foreign Countries,Educational Finance,Public Schools,Elementary Schools,Governing Boards,Knowledge Level,Federal Legislation,Educational Legislation

Subject to the South African Schools Act, 84 of 1996 section 16(1), the governance of every public school is vested in its governing body and it may perform only such functions and obligations and exercise only such rights as prescribed by the Act. Section 30(1a) of this Act demands school governing bodies to establish committees and appoint members of the School Governing Body (SGB) to such committees based on expertise. With this study I investigated the financial management decision-making of school finance committees in public primary schools in the Mpumalanga province in South Africa. A qualitative approach was applied in the study. Focus-group interviews were used to collect data from the purposefully selected 2 public primary schools in which the finance committee members were involved. A case study design was applied. Thematic data analysis was used to analyse the collected data. All the participants demonstrated awareness of their financial management decision-making roles. Participants revealed that they did not perform their roles effectively due to their illiteracy levels, limited understanding of financial management legislation, inadequate training, interference of the principals in the management of finances, poor consultation and communication. I recommend to the Department of Education to provide financial committees with adequate support and training, to capacitate principals in the area of human relations and resource management and consider appointing financial management advisors at the circuit offices within districts to assist in guiding, monitoring and evaluating the financial management processes in schools on a regular basis.
More than a Principal: Ubuntu at the Heart of Successful School Leadership in the Western Cape
Author: Kramer, Michael
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Principals,Instructional Leadership,Leadership Styles,Administrator Characteristics,Values,Administrator Attitudes,Leadership Responsibility,Caring

School leadership matters. After teachers and teaching, school leadership is the most important determinant of learner achievement in school. Despite this, there is still uncertainty regarding what successfulschool leadership is and what successful school leaders do in non-Western contexts. In this mixed methods study I explored successful high school leadership in South Africa. Specifically, a questionnaire was administered to 38 principals from academically high-achieving schools from a range of socioeconomic contexts throughout the Western Cape, and 14 principals were interviewed. An integrated analysis reveals the paradox of uniqueness and universality of successful school leadership in South Africa, outlining that while there is no single best approach, various similarities exist between successful school leaders and established international literature. I found that successful principals adapt to their context, amalgamate transformational, instructional and distributed leadership styles, set direction, develop people, constantly realign the school with teaching and learning, and, importantly, strive to make a difference in the lives of others. It is about leading with Ubuntu. By highlighting these characteristics and practices, I offer theoretical, practical and personal advice to current and aspiring school leaders, academics and policy makers.
An Investigation of Sociomathematical Norms Perceived by Students Regarding the Legitimacy of Solutions
Author: Gülburnu, Mehmet
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Behavior,Norms,Mathematics Education,Problem Solving,Middle School Students,Grade 7,Foreign Countries,Student Attitudes

With the study reported on here we aimed to determine what learners perceived as normative in the mathematics classroom. For this reason, we focused on negotiation of the problem solutions and we attempted to determine the sociomathematical norms perceived by learners (SNPS). Audio recordings of dialogues among learners, individual reports, and interviews were used as data collection instruments. The research participants were learners in the seventh grade. The study was conducted over a period of 10 weeks covering the second semester of the academic year. Three SNPS (functionality, inclusiveness, connectivity) regarding the legitimacy of the solutions were determined. The determined norms contributed to the understanding of learners' mathematical preferences, thus bringing more inclusive and complementary understanding about the norms perceived by the learners to the literature. It has been observed that learning opportunities emerging through the negotiation of norms contribute to collective mathematics learning by shaping the interaction among class members. In this context, it was deemed necessary to continue research on norms perceived by learners to create general ideas of mathematics learning and teaching.
Promoting Formative Assessment Practices in Senior Phase Mathematics Classrooms Using Meaning Equivalence Reusable Learning Objects
Author: Adesanya, Lydia Omowunmi
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematics Education,Mathematics Teachers,Student Evaluation,Formative Evaluation,Teacher Workshops,Teacher Education,Faculty Development,Teaching Methods,Lesson Plans,Pedagogical Content Knowledge

South African mathematics teachers in the Senior Phase (Grades 8 and 9) were introduced to the pedagogical tool, meaning equivalence reusable learning objects (MERLO), as a formative assessment (FA) strategy to promote and support teachers' professional growth in using FA practices in the classroom. The cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) and meta-didactical transposition (MDT) were used to frame the evolution process of teachers' praxeologies. In this study we used qualitative participatory action research that encompassed 3 phases: pre-MERLO phase, MERLO workshop and post-MERLO phase. The study was conducted in the northeast of Pretoria in the Tshwane district in the Gauteng province, South Africa. Twelve Senior Phase mathematics teachers were purposively sampled in 6 public schools before the workshop training. During the workshop training, only 5 teachers participated due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The data collection techniques included pre- and postinterviews, workshop training sessions, classroom observations, field notes, teachers' reflective journals, teachers' lesson plans, learners' workbooks and learners' worksheets, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that the teachers acquired adequate knowledge and skills to effectively structure and integrate the lesson plan of teachers' didactical praxeologies as FA activities into their mathematics classrooms. The findings also reveal that the learners showed more interest and motivation, were actively involved, developed a deeper understanding of mathematics content, and showed increased autonomy in learning. Future research could involve implementing MERLO in all South African provinces and introducing MERLO to other emerging countries. However, the findings of this study are based on a limited sample of teachers and schools, and the recommendation is that, for future studies, more teachers should be involved in the MERLO professional development.
Emotional Intelligence in Education with Stress, Case Study: Architectural Studios in COVID-19 Pandemic
Author: Zahra, Samer
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Emotional Intelligence,Stress Variables,Architectural Education,COVID-19,Pandemics,Academic Achievement,Morale,Student Motivation,Peer Relationship,College Students

This study focuses on the effect of introducing emotional support through emotional intelligence on architecture students and its impact on both their academic achievement and their overall morale and performance. The study is carried out on 252 students to measure their Emotional Intelligence and Emotional understanding levels. Two main emotional intelligence components were measured; inner motivation and dealing with others. Both were assessed using questionnaires and implementation techniques and the findings showed that the difference in dealing with students affected their overall academic achievement. As a result of these questionnaires and with a focus on the stressors faced, several interventions were carried out in the form of workshops, events, one-on-one sessions and general motivational activities.
EFL Teachers&apos; and Experts&apos; Perspectives toward Assessment Literacy in Digital Environments
Author: Estaji, Masoomeh
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Teachers,COVID-19,Pandemics,Knowledge Level,Student Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,Teacher Attitudes,Technological Literacy,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Language Proficiency,Foreign Countries,Specialists,College Faculty,Teacher Characteristics

Despite a large number of studies on teachers' assessment literacy (AL) and the increasing interest in digital assessment, there is a paucity of research on teachers' AL in digital environments (TALiDE). To bridge this gap, the current study explored the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on TALiDE, the roles, and competencies underlying TALiDE, and whether technology needs to be considered in the conceptualization of AL. The data were collected from an open-ended questionnaire and a set of interviews investigating the perspectives of 27 participants (12 experts and 15 EFL teachers). The findings, inferred from content and thematic analyses of data, reflected teachers' raised awareness as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic experience, which resulted in an understanding of new approaches to assessment and increased value of TALiDE. Furthermore, compared to the existing literature on AL, roles and competencies underlying TALiDE corresponded to five main subthemes: teacher as a knower, implementer, confident technology user, moral agent, and learner. Finally, findings speculated a potential role for technology in the AL concept. This study can provide teacher trainers, educational policymakers, and course designers with implications for designing teacher development courses and programs to integrate TALiDE into their training practices.
Inclusive Marketing Education: Understanding the Role of Gender in the Student Experience
Author: Hepworth, Adam
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Students,Business Administration Education,Marketing,Inclusion,Student Attitudes,Student Experience,Gender Differences,Equal Education,Sense of Community,Classroom Environment

Committing to an inclusive educational culture is not only ethically responsible, but it also allows students to reach their full potential. However, creating an inclusive culture presents challenges, especially when feeling included may mean different things to different people. This research examines marketing undergraduate students' inclusive experiences in the college of business. In doing so, it aims to understand inclusion from the student perspective and endeavors to create meaningful progress toward cultivating inclusion in education. The researchers approach this aim through interviewing and surveying students about their experiences. The findings indicate that individuals' differences, namely gender, play a role in shaping students' perceptions about inclusion. This research advances the literature in educational inclusion by building an understanding of how marketing students define and experience inclusion, offering insight into the role of gender in shaping inclusion perceptions, and discovering opportunities for professors to create an inclusive experience for their students.
Relationship between Mindset and Self-Efficacy among Special Education Teachers
Author: Trice, Jennifer
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: World Views,Teacher Attitudes,Self Efficacy,Special Education Teachers,Academic Achievement,Classroom Techniques,Learner Engagement,Teaching Methods

This study investigated the relationship between mindset and self-efficacy among special education teachers in Region 2 of Texas. While approximately 500,000 students are provided special education services in Texas public schools, special education students perform significantly lower on state assessments in reading and math than their non-disabled peers. Between 70-85% of special education students in the 3rd and 8th grades in Texas perform below their non-disabled peers on state assessments. Special education teachers must persevere to meet the demands of the special education population. The literature revealed a positive correlation between teachers' mindset, self-efficacy, and student achievement. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of the relationship between growth mindset and overall self-efficacy, selfefficacy in student engagement, self-efficacy in instructional strategies, and self-efficacy in classroom management among special education teachers in Texas Region 2. The concept of mindset framed this study. Mindset is a coalescence of two theories, social cognition theory and self-efficacy theory. An analysis of the relationship between special education teacher mindset and self-efficacy was conducted. The bivariate Spearman Rho was used to analyze data. The results of this study revealed that there is no statistically significant correlation between mindset and overall self-efficacy, self-efficacy in student engagement, self-efficacy in instructional strategies, and self-efficacy in classroom management among special education teachers in Texas Region 2. However, this study also indicated that positive interventions, mindset changes, and teacher self-efficacy correlate with improvements in student learning because the statistical analysis results show these variables all move in the same direction. These results can assist districts, principals, regional education service centers, and other staff responsible for ensuring successful learning outcomes for special education students.
Predictive Analytics in Education: Considerations in Predicting versus Explaining College Student Retention
Author: Paterson, Kevin
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Prediction,Data Analysis,College Students,School Holding Power,Predictive Validity,Academic Persistence

Data from a moderately-selective state university in the Midwest is used to cross-examine the most appropriate data analytical techniques for predicting versus explaining college student persistence decisions. The current research provides an overview of the relative benefits of models specializing in prediction versus explanation with particular emphasis on estimation methodologies, model specification by estimation technique, and model diagnostics, including classification tables and measurements of the goodness of fit. The predictive validity of a model of college student retention estimated using logistic regression is compared with that of discriminant analysis estimated using cognitive and non-cognitive predictors of retention. Key contributions to the literature include a unique analysis sample, a unique set of independent variables, and statistical estimation methodologies that build upon traditional frameworks, including machine learning techniques. The currents study ends with a discussion that will allow leaders in higher education and policymakers to make better data-informed decisions surrounding prediction and explanation so that they can proactively intervene with the most appropriate attrition-minimization policies.
English Language Teachers&apos; Maxims in Evaluating Materials: A Case Study from Iran
Author: Nazari, Mostafa
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Schemata (Cognition),English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,Case Studies,Sociocultural Patterns,Teaching Methods,Language Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Instructional Material Evaluation,Faculty Development,Private Education

While research on second language teacher cognition (SLTC) has significantly developed over the past three decades, this line of inquiry has not paid adequate attention to material development/evaluation as compared to the key role that materials play in teachers' daily practice. In response to this gap, in this study we adopted the theoretical stance of teacher maxims as part of SLTC, and explored eight Iranian English language teachers' maxims in relation to material evaluation. Data were collected from a researcher-adapted questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed based on content analysis. Data analyses revealed that the teachers evaluated their implemented material in light of both positive and negative aspects, with the positive sides being more pedagogical and the negative dimensions being more institutional and sociocultural. Additionally, the teachers' maxims indicated that materials should not only serve pedagogical issues, but they should also embrace emotions and sociocultural particularities so that educational stakeholders, especially students, develop socio-educational capitals. Based on the findings, we provide implications for teacher educators to run professional development courses that embrace personal, interpersonal, and sociocultural particularities in the courses to enhance teachers' awareness of the role materials play in their SLTC growth.
English Teachers&apos; Conceptions of EIL, the Associated Principles and Corresponding Instructional Practices: A Theory of Planned Behavior Analysis
Author: Ziaabadi, Fariba
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Teachers,Language Variation,Teaching Methods,Teacher Attitudes,Metalinguistics,Behavior Theories,Language Usage,North American English,Language Attitudes,Teacher Characteristics,Foreign Countries

Despite English teachers' acknowledgement of the plurality of English and the emergence of different varieties of the language, the actual manifestations of this plurality and the associated principles do not seem to be equally embraced in their classroom approach. Against this background, this study investigated Iranian English teachers' conceptions of English as an International Language (EIL) and their corresponding instructional practices through semistructured interviews and non-participant classroom observations. Drawing upon the theory of planned behavior (TPB), as the theoretical/analytical framework, the researchers explored the participant teachers' behavioral, normative, and control beliefs underlying their intentions and actual classroom practices with regard to EIL. Findings revealed that although the teachers acknowledged the importance of raising learners' awareness of EIL in different aspects of their language use, they still leaned towards standard American or British English in their actual instructional practices. Such propensity was informed by their attitudes toward the inclusion of EIL principles, their perceptions of the existing social pressures, and their perceived difficulty of adopting an EIL-aware pedagogy. Moreover, the participant teachers' actual classroom instructions were found to be incongruent with their beliefs about the importance of raising students' awareness regarding different English varieties. Implications for language teacher education are discussed.
Conceptualizing Rurality in Education Policy: Comparative Evidence from Missouri
Author: Burrola, Abby
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Rural Areas,Rural Education,Educational Policy,Policy Formation,School Demography,Rural Schools,School Districts,School Policy,National Surveys,School District Size,School Location,Enrollment,Institutional Characteristics

For education policies to be implemented most effectively in local contexts, policymakers must consider diverse school and community geographic characteristics. For example, rural geographies often present particularly important dynamics for public schooling, including challenges with school enrollment, school funding, and teacher labor markets. We focus on Missouri, where over two-thirds of its school districts are located in rural areas. Enrollment in these districts varies over 100-fold, yet little research describes the similarities and differences between these districts and how to appropriately distinguish between them to best advise contemporary policymaking. In this study, we analyze data from the American Community Survey, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to compare school, financial, teacher, and community characteristics to identify relationships between a district's size, location, and community qualities. We focus our analyses on a comparison of NCES' demarcation of rurality to one we construct based on student enrollment to highlight where conclusions may differ simply based on a lack of common definitional groundings. The findings help to distinguish rural communities and school districts and may prompt future rural education-focused research to appropriately tailor education policies to diverse rural contexts.
Exploring Persuasive English Language in MasterClass&apos;s Video Advertisements
Author: Koonnala, Pristsana
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Advertising,Video Technology,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Scripts,Language Styles,Persuasive Discourse,Teacher Attitudes,Comparative Analysis,Language Usage,Captions,Teaching Methods

This study examines the persuasive English language in MasterClass's video advertisements. An analysis framework was formed using twenty-four techniques to identify persuasive language, and the purposes of using different techniques in one hundred and forty-one MasterClass's video scripts. The analysis included identifying the primary argument of the scripts, evaluating language formality and style, indicating persuasive techniques and their examples, and comparing the frequency of each technique from most to least used. The findings showed that the majority of the introduction and body of the scripts were devoted to the contents: critical concepts in the lessons, class contents and activities, backgrounds and experiences of the instructors, methods and processes for developing skills, and professional tips and techniques. The script's conclusion frequently reflected the instructors' attitudes and perspectives. These contents were persuaded using various techniques with different purposes. The top ten persuasive techniques employed in the advertisements were repetition, colloquial language, inclusive language, rhetorical questions, connotations, jargon, anecdotes, hyperboles, similes, and generalizations. The results can be applied as resources for language educators to design persuasive language lessons. Besides, for those interested in creating more effective video advertisements, the findings can help prepare advertising scripts for educational purposes or commercials.