ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Funds of Knowledge and Agentic Strategies of Three- and Four-Year-Old Children in South Africa
Author: Daries, Glynnis
Date: 2021-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Preschool Children,Knowledge Level,Preschool Education,Child Care Centers,Child Behavior,Imagination,Empowerment,Personal Autonomy,Play

In South Africa, little is known about the funds of knowledge of young children, and how they use this resource to affirm their agency in early childhood centres to build their childhood experiences. With this article we contribute knowledge through exploring the strategies that young children use to show their agency and thereby their funds of knowledge in a marginalised context. The funds of knowledge approach is helpful for illuminating meaning-making endeavours that foreground agentic actions that are imaginative, creative and beyond normative expectations. The study reported on in this article was conducted in Bloemfontein, South Africa, at 4 early childhood centres. Data were obtained through observation of 30 three- and 4-year-old children. The findings suggest that young children engage in agentic strategies of avoiding, ignoring and challenging adult control, pretend-play, imitation of adults and peers, and gendered negotiations, as efforts to contest a largely teacher-controlled environment. The insights from this study contribute to the understanding of the kinds of practices in which young children routinely engage, but which are often disregarded and undervalued by teachers. The agentic imagery of children, together with intersections of other imagery, needs to be part of the knowledge mix to inform teacher development and policy on early childhood care and education of children between birth and 4 years old in South Africa.
The Influence of Parental Demographics on School Choice Decision-Making in Western Gauteng, South Africa
Author: Blake, Beverley
Date: 2021-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Parent Attitudes,Parent Aspiration,Parent Background,Predictor Variables,Educational Attainment,Native Language,Income,Decision Making,School Choice,Middle Class,Urban Schools,Foreign Countries,Elementary Secondary Education

Major political changes since 1994 have initiated the pace of change in the South African education system. Parents' values, traditions and practices that served in the past were no longer relevant in the new dynamic educational environment. Parental school choice and &quot;the right to choose&quot; movement has subsequently come to the fore. The purpose of this article elucidates findings regarding the demographics of active school choice engagement among middle class parents in Western Gauteng, South Africa. The study, situated in the Gauteng province, South Africa, followed a conclusive research design with a post positivist paradigm. Parent questionnaires were distributed to different types of urban schools to establish the perceptions of parents regarding the factors, anxieties, aspirations and strategies influencing school choice decision-making. Findings reveal that language, income and education not only have a definitive influence on active school choice engagement but also affect the level of importance attached to specific school choice factors. Education in South Africa can thus be viewed as a unique complex system embedded in a political, cultural and economic context.
Exploring Age-Old Xhosa Values in the Teaching of Sexuality Education
Author: Msutwana, Nomawonga Veronica
Date: 2021-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Sex Education,Females,Women Faculty,Cultural Influences,Adolescents,Teaching Methods,Health Behavior,Life Style,Social Values,Sexuality,Secondary School Teachers,Foreign Countries,Grade 8,Grade 9,Grade 10,Grade 11,Grade 12,Photography,African Culture

Research demonstrates that teachers' cultural perspectives influence how they teach sexuality education; however, it is not clear how this occurs. Therefore, in my study, I explored how Xhosa teachers' cultural perspectives influenced their practice of teaching sexuality education to adolescent Xhosa learners. I purposively selected 9 female Xhosa teachers and took them through the photovoice process, adopting a critical paradigm and drawing on a participatory visual methodology in achieving this aim. The findings reveal 2 themes: on the one hand, the participants used the past as a lens by drawing on some age-old cultural values and adhering to a didactic model of teaching, and on the other, they shifted towards a new practice by innovating their teaching method and refocusing on a safe lifestyle. The participants stated that the values of assertiveness and passivity were necessary for girls to navigate their adolescent sexuality successfully, even though the 2 values seemed contradictory. This presents a dichotomous dynamic, calling for the scrutiny of the Xhosa culture as it relates to sexuality. This work has implications for teacher professional development and training, as innovative and participatory methods are appropriate for use within sexuality education.
Secondary School Students&apos; Ability to Work with the Tasks Designed for Biology Olympiad
Author: Novák, Matej
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Secondary School Students,Biology,Competition,Science Achievement,Science Activities,Task Analysis,Eligibility,Difficulty Level,Science Education,Science Tests,Test Results

For the possibility of using competitive tasks from the Biology Olympiad (BiO), either directly or after certain adaptations for everyday teaching tasks in the teaching process, it was aimed to determine if students could work meaningfully with them. The success of 2nd-year secondary school students (n = 113) in solutions of tasks (n = 5) designated for BiO was compared with the solutions by the regional round BiO's participants. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's multiple comparison test were used for the statistical evaluation of the data. The research shows that secondary school students achieved an average success rate of 47.58 ± 12.51% and BiO participants 62.69 ± 9.86%. Within the results of all selected tasks, at least someone of the class of the secondary students achieved similar results in each of the tasks as BiO participants. That indicates that secondary school students were able to work meaningfully with BiO tasks which confirmed students' eligibility for work with these tasks.
&quot;I&apos;m Not a Teacher&quot;: A Case of (Dys)functional Parent-Teacher Partnerships in a South African Township
Author: Sibanda, Rockie
Date: 2021-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Partnerships in Education,Parent Teacher Cooperation,Teacher Role,Parent Role,Parent Participation,Barriers,Elementary School Teachers

Teachers collaborating with parents is an axiom of successful school programmes. The parents' role should be supportive and complementary to the teachers' pedagogical function. A functional or dysfunctional parent-teacher partnership is a predictor of children's success or failure in school. The functionality of parent-teacher partnerships is often measured through student achievement. The aim of this article was to illuminate how a coordinated parent-teacher partnership can be supportive to children's schooling. Focus is on teachers' teaching role complimented with the supportive and monitoring role of parents. Data were collected through interviews with parents and teachers at a township primary school. I engage the concern that a lack of parental involvement affects parent-teacher partnerships in township schools. Findings of this study demonstrate teachers' lack of understanding of the sociocultural and economic circumstances constraining parental involvement, resulting in a chasm of understanding between teachers and parents on how to collaboratively support children's learning positions at school and at home.
Educators as Mediators in Teaching English as First Additional Language in Grade 6 Inclusive Classrooms in South Africa
Author: Tabane, Ramodungoane
Date: 2021-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Role,Language Teachers,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Grade 6,Elementary School Students,Inclusion,Learning Problems,Barriers,Classroom Environment,Student Needs,Foreign Countries

Educators are one of the stakeholders in the education system working to ensure learner success. According to the &quot;Minimum Requirements For Teacher Education Qualifications,&quot; educators must fulfil 7 roles in their quest to impart education. In the study reported on her, we investigated Grade 6 educators' knowledge and use of mediation as one of their roles in teaching English as First Additional Language (FAL) in Grade 6 inclusive classrooms. We further investigated how educators responded to learners who had diverse learning needs in English as FAL in Grade 6 inclusive classrooms. Six educators who taught English as FAL were purposively selected to participate in this study. Data were collected using qualitative research methods such as in-depth interviews and observations, in addition to document analysis. The participating educators indicated that large classes, a lack of training on inclusive education, and the scarcity of teaching resources made their mediation roles in teaching English as FAL in Grade 6 inclusive classrooms very challenging.
The Influence of Group Life-Design-Based Counselling on Learners&apos; Academic Self-Construction: A Collective Case Study
Author: Maree, J. G.
Date: 2021-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Group Counseling,School Guidance,Career Exploration,Counseling Effectiveness,Intervention,Lifelong Learning,Holistic Approach,Academic Achievement,Occupational Aspiration,Self Efficacy,Self Management,Social Influences,Grade 7,Early Adolescents,Career Counseling,Foreign Countries

The purpose of this study was to explore how life-design-based counselling can influence young learners' academic self-construction within a group context. The study involved a qualitative mode of enquiry with 12 participants. Life-design-based intervention strategies, together with various (postmodern) qualitative techniques, were used to gather data. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data and identify themes and sub-themes. The findings indicate that the participants exhibited enhanced academic self-construction in general after the intervention. More specifically, they displayed improved future aspirations as they made sense of their current learning. Future research could assess the feasibility and value of life-design counselling as early as the primary school years, as it seems to hold numerous benefits for young individuals that may positively influence their life-long career development.
Learning Progressions in Lower-Secondary School Science Education in Japan
Author: Kinoshita, Hiroyoshi
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Instruction,Secondary School Students,Scientific Concepts,Lesson Plans,Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,Portfolios (Background Materials),Units of Study,Time Management,Student Evaluation,Energy,Instructional Effectiveness

This research examined whether incorporating learning progress (LPs) in teaching can help Japanese lower-secondary school students systemically understand science concepts. A teaching plan incorporating the learning progressions (LPs) concept was developed. Next, a lesson was conducted for 36 third-year students of a public lower-secondary school in Japan (Hiroshima Prefecture) from the unit of &quot;Ions and Atoms.&quot; Then, the portfolios used in the class and the assessment questions after the class were analyzed. The results show that some students understood the concepts systemically at the grade level indicated by the LPs; however, some students did not. The results of this study suggest the following: (1) teachers should examine the appropriate teaching methods in the target unit and incorporate teaching to allow students to engage with what they are learning; (2) students should understand the lower-level concepts related to the target unit based on LPs, and if the level of understanding is insufficient, teachers should incorporate time to review and reconstruct the concepts.
District of Columbia Embeds Antiracist Lens in Update of Social Studies Standards
Author: Sutter, Jessica
Date: 2021-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Studies,Academic Standards,Educational Change,Elementary Secondary Education,State Standards,Planning

This article presents how the District of Columbia's (DC's) state board has designed and coordinated a collaborative process to revise social studies standards that will ideally facilitate learning the long, interconnected arcs of history, economics, politics, and geography that run through the American past, helping students make connections between history and the present, where they are active agents of civic change. While the new standards will not be implemented until the 2022-23 school year, the state board has planned these revisions with a rapidly changing world in mind and prioritized the critical examination of history as an essential skill for all DC students.
Perceived Productivity in Open-Plan Design Library: Exploring Students&apos; Behaviors and Perceptions
Author: Kim, Yujin
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Libraries,Space Utilization,Productivity,Library Development,College Students,Users (Information),Cooperative Learning,Library Facilities,Building Design,Student Satisfaction

In higher education, libraries are facing drastic spatial changes, transforming areas traditionally used for housing books to spaces for interaction and shifting from individual to team-based learning. This study (a) identifies space uses; (b) examines the environmental satisfaction, support for productivity, and perceived productivity depending on space; and (c) tests their relationships. The results of 66 survey responses suggest that students still come to the library for individual study, and students in quiet zones show high environmental satisfaction. Environmental satisfaction is indirectly associated with creativity, while environmental support with acoustic comfort is directly related to concentration.
I Do It Better: How Social and Emotional Learning Environment Enhances Assessment for Learning Strategies in Science Classrooms
Author: Sathasivam, Renuka V.
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Emotional Learning,Classroom Environment,Formative Evaluation,Peer Evaluation,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Assessment Literacy,Teacher Competencies,Science Teachers,Teacher Student Relationship,Discussion (Teaching Technique),Feedback (Response),Elementary Secondary Education,Foreign Countries

This paper describes part of a more extensive national study on Malaysian teachers' classroom assessment practices. The main study used a priori coding framework containing four-level performance ratings (i.e., Distinguish, Proficient, Basic, and Unsatisfactory). The findings revealed that a large majority of teachers' practices were at an unsatisfactory level. Among the 30 science teachers, only two teachers were categorised at the Basic level; the rest were at the unsatisfactory level. The present study used a qualitative approach to compare two teachers at basic and unsatisfactory levels and investigated if teachers' social and emotional competencies (SEC) affect the implementation of three Assessment for Learning (AfL) strategies. Three video recordings for each teacher were the main source of data. The findings revealed that the teacher with SEC increased student engagement. The research findings have implications on educational assessment policy and, particularly, teacher education programmes to incorporate elements of SEC to improve teachers' AfL skills.
Developing Advocacy in Teacher Leadership
Author: Manner, Jane C.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Advocacy,Teacher Leadership,Faculty Development,Leadership Training,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Teacher Evaluation,Graduate Students,Teaching Methods

The term teacher leadership is one that can refer to a differing set of skills and understandings, depending on the context in which it is employed. Providing leadership in a classroom, for example, can be quite different from providing leadership to the profession. Many states, including North Carolina, have developed leadership standards for practicing teachers. These standards emphasize classroom leadership, but also address leadership of the profession, with an emphasis on advocacy. This study evolved from the consistent observations of graduate faculty that the latter form of leadership appeared poorly understood and enacted by teachers. Although teachers seemed clear that leading classrooms and leading schools were essential aspects of their practice, they did not often seem to consider leadership of the profession or advocacy as an element within the purview of their responsibilities. These limiting perceptions on the part of contemporary educators are likely to propagate a narrow and incomplete view of teacher leadership. This study addressed the question of whether or not particular course instructional strategies could influence teachers' views of themselves as advocates and leaders of the profession, and found highly significant results.
Transitioning from Face-Face to Online Learning: Creating Safe Spaces for Academic Advisement in the Face of a Global Pandemic
Author: Tamakloe, Deborah
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Change,Conventional Instruction,Web Based Instruction,Electronic Learning,Academic Advising,College Students,Educational Environment,Coping,Academic Achievement,Problem Solving,COVID-19,Pandemics,Student Adjustment,Safety,Models

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has forced many institutes of higher learning across the globe to consider alternative modes of providing quality learning for students. However, developing and implementing safe spaces for academic advisement in online platforms that allow college students to explore their environment in an open and curious manner is challenging. The view that unsafe spaces put college students at risk for departure if they experience disengagement and a lack of support led this paper to explore how college students make sense of safe and unsafe advisement spaces, and how this understanding affects the ways they achieve academic success. Utilizing the PALEO framework, this paper contributes to existing knowledge on academic advisement by theorizing and offering practical ways to create tools that extend the capacity to solve problems during a global pandemic. The implications for re-imagining and coping with this new normal is discussed.
Effective Educational Leadership Training for Transformative Leadership
Author: Sebastien, Neria
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Leadership Effectiveness,Transformational Leadership,Doctoral Students,Doctoral Programs,Leadership Training,Educational Improvement,Instructional Leadership

In the required course work of many programs in Educational Leadership, doctoral candidates typically engage in various forms of analysis and synthesis about transformative leadership. Coursework in ethical education; transformational learning; creativity, inquiry, and innovative leadership; quantitative research methods; qualitative research methods, and leading organizational change form the basis of many courses of study. Evidence in the literature overwhelmingly support the position that educational leaders are highly effective, when engaging in both transformational and organizational development practices. Their effectiveness can also benefit student-learning outcomes. This paper draws from the main points of all of the aforementioned to illustrate how the effective educational leadership training can benefit student transformative educational leaders. The paper concludes that investment in educational leadership training is a pathway for large-scale education improvement.
Promoting Engagement in Active-Learning Classroom Design
Author: Young, Barbara
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learner Engagement,Active Learning,Classroom Design,Classroom Environment,College Students,College Faculty,STEM Education,Peer Relationship,Teacher Student Relationship

While the interior design of classroom spaces has evolved to support active learning methods, few studies have isolated environment changes from curriculum changes to understand the impact of space on behavior (Brooks, Walker, &amp; Baepler, 2014). Adapting an observation instrument from the Brooks (2012) study, &quot;Space and Consequences&quot;, this research extends previous work in a unique circumstance that allowed the observation of a course which alternated class meetings between two differently designed spaces. We gathered perspectives from 296 students and 9 instructors along with classroom observations which highlighted eye contact as important to both instructors and students in promoting engagement.
NASA STEM Digital Badges for Educators and Their Students: A Pilot Program Bringing STEM into Middle Schools Using NASA Langley Research Center&apos;s Centennial Celebration
Author: Colón Robles, Marilé
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Recognition (Achievement),Middle School Teachers,Middle School Students,Earth Science,Aerospace Education,Astronomy,Faculty Development,Science Activities,Computer Mediated Communication,Pilot Projects

A pilot program was developed for middle school (grades 6-8) educators and students to apply NASA real-world problems to classroom concepts through the use of digital badges, as part of NASA Langley Research Center's (LaRC) Centennial Celebration. Three sets of digital badges were developed on three of NASA's main missions: Earth Science, Aeronautics, and Journey to Mars. Each digital badge offers a total of 5 hours of professional development for educators and 2 hours of activities for students. These digital badges have introduced educators to NASA Langley Research Center's missions and 100th anniversary. Online discussion sessions, a requirement for these badges, has attracted educators new to the digital badge concepts. The LaRC Centennial badges provide a forum through which educators can learn about this new format of professional development. Educators report that these badges are worth their time and effort as part of their professional development. LaRC looks forward to building new badges in the future to expand beyond middle school and reach across the K-12 continuum.
An Examination of Reading Texts in a Journey to Turkish A1 and A2 Level Textbooks in Terms of Readability
Author: Can, Fatih
Date: 2021-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Materials,Textbooks,Textbook Content,Readability,Turkish,Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Sentences,Syllables,Difficulty Level,Foreign Countries

Textbooks, which have a very important place in educational activities, are also a widely used material in teaching Turkish to foreigners. Therefore, the texts in these textbooks play an effective role in learning. For this reason, it is very important to determine the readability levels of Turkish teaching textbooks for foreigners. The aim of this research is to determine the readability levels of the reading texts in the Turkish Journey A1 and Turkish Journey A2 textbooks prepared for teaching Turkish to foreigners. Document analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. In the study, the syllable, word and sentence lengths of the reading texts in the textbooks were calculated. The obtained data were analyzed with the Flesch formula adapted to Turkish by Atesman (1997) and the readability levels of the reading texts were determined. Then, the reading texts in the books were compared in terms of ease and difficulty. According to the results obtained, it has been determined that the reading texts of both textbooks are generally of medium difficulty, easy and very easy. In addition, it was determined that the Turkish Journey A2 textbook and the Turkish Journey A1 textbook consisted of more difficult texts. As a result, it was determined that both books consisted of reading texts suitable for A1 and A2 levels.