ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Issues and Challenges in Special Education: A Qualitative Analysis from Teacher&apos;s Perspective
Author: Allam, Fely C.
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Barriers,Special Education Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Students with Disabilities,Elementary School Students,Children,Learning Disabilities,Inclusion,Educational Needs,Teacher Education,Educational Resources,Parent Participation,Public Schools,Foreign Countries

The general purpose of this study is to determine the issues and challenges of special education (SPED) teachers in teaching children with learning disabilities in the City Division of Ilagan Isabela, Philippines. The 15 SPED teachers were served as the respondents of this study using purposive sampling technique. Qualitative Research Method (QRM) was utilized to determine the issues and challenges of the teachers. Thematic analysis was employed to interpret the data. The analyses on the sharing of the key informants regarding their collective description of their challenges as SPED teacher led to the emergence of five distinct themes that include, choosing appropriate strategy and motivation; identifying individual needs; challenging but fulfilling; acceptance and patience; and respect one's right. Most teachers teaching children with learning disabilities did not receive any special needs education training from the school, they feel that they are not qualified to teach the children with learning disability. Moreover, teachers assigned in SPED classes lack of strategies in dealing with learners with disabilities. This study revealed that the classrooms for children with learning disabilities in Division of Ilagan at large have poor learning environment to support the SPED such as lack of budget, curriculum guide, Instructional Materials (IMs) and even school facilities. It could be concluded that placement of learners with special needs in an inclusive classroom with ordinary learners is not enough with no proper support. Learners with disability did not receive all the necessary support and services for accessing the curriculum facilities; and stakeholders' supports is very minimal to support the needs of the students enrolled in SPED classes. On the other hand, issues and problems were solved technically to sustain the positive working environment among school heads, teachers and stakeholders. The Department of Education Training and Development in collaboration with regional in service officers should organize continuous professional development opportunities on inclusion strategies of learners with SPED needs. The implementers of the SPED programs shall strictly adhere to the policies, and the strong support of the stakeholders shall be encouraged by formulating active organization spearheaded by the school head.
Biozobots: An Investigation into Using Robotics in an Introductory Biology Course
Author: Galloway, Cynthia
Date: 2021-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Robotics,STEM Education,Metabolism,Teaching Methods,Botany,College Students,Visualization,Active Learning,Educational Environment,Comparative Analysis,Science Tests,Learner Engagement,Scientific Concepts,Undergraduate Students

Creating meaningful learning environments that support university students in their early STEM courses has become a focus of interest for many universities. This research investigated an active learning environment where students used Ozobot robots to visualize complex concepts such as Metabolism, Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration in an Introductory Biology course. Three conditions were employed over three semesters including a Control, Non-reflective, and Reflective condition. In both the Non-Reflective and the Reflective condition, students programmed robots to visualize concepts in the three topics of interest. Quantitative analysis using Kruskal Wallis revealed significant differences on unit tests between the Reflective and the other two conditions. No difference was found between the Control and the Non-Reflective condition. Qualitative analysis revealed three themes Engagement, Visualization, and Social.
Building Community in a Pre-Service Teacher Cohort during a Pandemic
Author: Bradley, Nancy A.
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: COVID-19,Pandemics,Preservice Teacher Education,Communities of Practice,Elementary School Teachers,Graduate Students,School Closing,Online Courses,Distance Education,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Masters Programs,Teaching Methods,Preservice Teachers,Group Activities,Field Trips,Internship Programs,Experiential Learning

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 impacted not only how students in our public and private schools were taught, but also how the professors prepared preservice teachers to become future teachers. Striving to build a community of practice among a new cohort of M.A.Ed-Elementary Education preservice teachers, faculty worked collectively to transition from face to face to virtual instruction, selected materials that encouraged hands-on learning, adapted assignments to allow for the building of community among our students, and built positive relationships with students to allow for open lines of communication. Though we felt like we were building the bridge while crossing it, the ultimate goal was to form a cohort of preservice teachers that supported one another as a community during the transition to an online learning environment while managing the challenges of both the in-person and hybrid field placements.
Effect of Games towards Children&apos;s Mathematics Performance
Author: Ompok, Connie Cassy
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Games,Game Based Learning,Performance Factors,Mathematics Skills,Mathematics Instruction,Instructional Effectiveness,Preschool Children,Preschool Education,Rural Schools,Foreign Countries

This study aims to investigate if there a significant different in pre and post of Early Mathematics performance. A single group pre-test and post-test with intervening Early Mathematics based games was used in this research. This involved assessment on the early Mathematics abilities (Ginsburg &amp; Baroody, 2003). This program was conducted among preschoolers (aged 5-6 years old) in one selected rural preschool in Menggatal district, Sabah. The school has 4 classes of 25 students each, with a total of 100 preschoolers. One sample t-test was conducted to compare mathematics ability of children before and after intervention. Mean score for pre-test is 15, while mean score for post-test is 22.32. There was a significant difference in the scores for mathematic ability in pretest (M=15.78, SD=0.99) and post-test (M=22.32, SD=0.78), t (86) (=-28.52, p = 0.000). The results show, that the use of games developed by authors are effective in improving preschoolers early Mathematics performance.
COVID-19 Practices in Special Education: Stakeholder Perceptions and Implications for Teacher Preparation
Author: Jenkins, Melissa
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: COVID-19,Pandemics,Special Education,School Closing,Online Courses,Distance Education,Students with Disabilities,Program Effectiveness,Individualized Education Programs,Student Needs,Teaching Methods,Compliance (Legal),Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation,Equal Education,Teacher Competencies,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Stakeholders,Instructional Materials,Accessibility (for Disabled),Assistive Technology,Related Services (Special Education),Interpersonal Communication,Instructional Effectiveness

In light of COVID-19, school divisions across the country closed their doors and shifted to remote instruction. In Virginia, little guidance was provided to assist educators and teacher educators with making this transition, particularly for students with individualized education programs (IEPs). In May of 2020, researchers surveyed Virginia stakeholders involved in special education to assess the effectiveness of instructional delivery and procedural compliance as it related to students' IEPs. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis reveal that while schools and school divisions were generally viewed as effective with the procedural components of a free and appropriate public education, they were less effective, or ineffective, with the provision of specialized instruction. Implications for teacher preparation programs are discussed.
Lights, Camera, Action? A Reflection of Utilizing Web Cameras during Synchronous Learning in Teacher Education
Author: Day, Jamie
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Videoconferencing,Web Based Instruction,Online Courses,Electronic Learning,COVID-19,Pandemics,Distance Education,Teacher Education,Doctoral Students,Student Attitudes,Personal Autonomy,Synchronous Communication,Expectation,Affordances

The onset of the COVID-19 world pandemic caused an unanticipated transition from face-to-face to virtual teaching in higher education. This health crisis impacted teacher education professors and students alike, as education classes shifted from in-person instruction to synchronous digital instruction. However, a significant observation was made during this transition: some education students elected to turn-on their web cameras during synchronous instruction, while others chose to turn theirs off. Therefore, an issue in digital teacher education arises. What are the advantages of students turning on their web cameras? What are the disadvantages of expecting students to turn them on? To address this critical issue, two doctoral education students reflect on their personal experiences during the virtual learning shift. Implications are also shared on the benefits of student choice in teacher education. The reflections are concluded with a call to action for research needed to address this notable research gap in digital teacher education.
&quot;But Not as Detailed as Including Teaching the Private Part&quot;: Malaysian Preschool Teachers&apos; Understanding on the Implementation of Sexuality Education in Preschools
Author: Wan Nawi, Wan Norfadillah
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Sex Education,Preschool Education,Preschool Teachers,Teacher Role,Program Implementation,Teacher Attitudes,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Teaching Methods,Experienced Teachers,Social Influences,Cultural Influences,Faculty Development,Foreign Countries

This article aimed to discuss the implementation of sexuality education in the preschool context in Malaysia based on preschool teachers' understanding. Past studies have reassured that teachers have played an important role in ensuring the success of early childhood sexuality education program. Numerous local and Asian studies have highlighted that due to the lack of training and limited assess on sexuality related resources, the implementation of this program in preschool level remained vague. To close the gap, interviews were conducted to discover Malaysia preschool teachers' content knowledge and delivery on sexuality education in the early years. Ten qualified and experienced preschool teachers from Klang Valley were recruited as the study respondents. Content analysis was employed to extract emerging themes based on the interview scripts. Findings have revealed that the respondents showed a varied understanding about sexuality education in early childhood context, where their thoughts were found heavily confined by the social and cultural norms acquired through their previous experiences, current cognitive understandings and comfort level. The analysis has also expressed a potential risk of misinterpretation on children's sexual behaviors among the preschool teachers, due to their insufficient knowledge on children's sexual development. Further to that, the local early year sexuality education was found to be delivered informally within children's routine in preschool, serving as reminder when necessary rather than pre-planned activities. This study is expected to provide implication to aid useful evidences in enhancing current sexuality education program in the preschool context, and devising comprehensive teachers training module for betterment.
A Case Study of Professional Growth of Cross-Disciplinary Preschool Education Master Students
Author: Li, Fanfan
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Professional Development,Professional Identity,Preschool Education,Masters Programs,Graduate Students,Interdisciplinary Approach,Teacher Shortage,Self Efficacy,Knowledge Level,Research Skills,Prior Learning,Student Motivation,Student Characteristics,Personality Traits,Teacher Education Programs,Foreign Countries

China entered the baby boom era with the announcement of Second Child Policy in 2015, this has led to increase of child birth rate and subsequently a growing shortage of preschool teachers. To solve this issue, Chinese State Council drafted the policy proposal on training of cross-disciplinary talents in higher education allowing people with different bachelor degree to become preschool teachers. Cross-Disciplinary Preschool Education Master Degree (CDPEM) program offered in some universities is an outcome of this policy. The purpose of this study is to explore in depth professional growth experiences of these CDPEM students. Findings of the study can be input to decision of the continuity of this policy. The study was conducted using qualitative research method. In-depth interviews of three Chinese CDPEM participants were used to collect data. These three CDPEM participants respectively have Chinese Literature, English Education and Applied Chemistry background. Findings is discussed according to the characteristics of professional growth, personalities and experiences, and strategies to overcome problem faced during the Master course. The results of professional growth experiences are summarized into four themes: professional attitude and motivation, professional ability, professional knowledge and professional philosophy. Data analysis indicated that these three CDPEM students have strong desire of professional development, and consistently striving for professional identity, however they have low self-efficacy, perceived weak professional knowledge, perceived lack of professional ability and poor research ability. The background knowledge from Bachelor degree, real-life experience, inherent motivation and attitude towards learning influence their professional development in the course. These students develop their own authentic internal strategies towards ascertaining professional identity. The external strategies are cultivation of research ability and internship as well as participation in universities joint projects. The policy of CDPEM is feasible as a short-term measure to counter shortage of preschool teachers however the shortcomings need to be overcome to ensure quality of preschool teachers produced through CDPEM program.
Issues and Challenges in Early Childhood Care and Education Centre Registration Process: What the Operators Say?
Author: Chin, Tong Hoey
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,Child Care Centers,Administrator Attitudes,Knowledge Level,Educational Quality,Educational Policy,Guidelines,Certification,Barriers,Compliance (Legal),Public Agencies,Foreign Countries

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) centre registration is an important aspect in promoting quality ECCE. Quality ECCE plays an important role in promoting holistic development for children. In the Malaysian context, ECCE is managed under a dichotomous system which is overseen by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and the Ministry of Education. The ECCE registration process involves various departments, and hence, the operators need to deal with different authorities in adherence with the rules and regulations set by each authority. The objectives of this study are to explore the perceptions of the ECCE operators on the centre registration process and to investigate the challenges faced by them in the registration process. This study adopted a mixed-method research which involves 127 respondents in the survey and 53 participants in focus group interviews. The quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using SPSS and NVivo respectively. From the findings, the operators showed high awareness of the registration guidelines and the consequences of non-registration. They also highlighted concerns in terms of the clarity of the policy information for centre registration, as well as challenges faced in the registration process. The quantitative findings were further supported by the qualitative findings, whereby the operators revealed the challenges faced in the complex ECCE centre registration process as well as the inconsistent requirements for registration. Hence, shared responsibility and effective coordination should be further looked at, in the continuous efforts in promoting quality ECCE.
Health Education Concepts in School Biology Textbooks in the United States and Singapore
Author: Aldossari, Ali Tared
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Health Education,Biology,Textbooks,Textbook Content,Cultural Differences,Science Education,Diseases,Disease Control,Prevention,Intervention,Environment,Food,Nutrition,Secondary School Science,High Schools

This study investigates the inclusion of health education concepts in biology textbooks in the United States of America and Singapore. It employs a content analysis methodology to examine biology textbooks, considering the theme as a unit and dividing health concepts into four main fields. The findings for both countries indicate that the field of &quot;diseases and epidemics&quot; occurred most frequently, followed by &quot;disease prevention and treatment,&quot; then &quot;environment.&quot; Finally, &quot;food and nutrition&quot; occurred least frequently. The overall scores for the textbooks of these two countries, with regard to the inclusion of health concepts, reveal a significant difference in favour of the USA. Based on these findings, the researcher recommends that school textbooks should increase their coverage of health concepts, especially in the fields of the &quot;environment&quot; and &quot;food and nutrition,&quot; in order to provide students with more accurate, reliable health information and experiences that are consistent with current needs.
Learning Mathematics from Home during COVID-19: Insights from Two Inquiry-Focussed Primary Schools
Author: Kalogeropoulos, Penelope
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: COVID-19,Pandemics,Elementary School Teachers,Elementary School Students,School Closing,Online Courses,Distance Education,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Mathematics Instruction,Student Motivation,Learner Engagement,Teaching Methods,Inquiry,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries,Barriers,Planning,Program Implementation,Student Evaluation

In early 2020, due to the COVD-19 pandemic, Australian schools were closed and students began an unprecedented time of remote learning. The current study aimed to understand how teachers planned and implemented mathematics learning programs for their students, the challenges they encountered, as well as the degree to which their students were motivated or engaged when learning mathematics at home. Two teachers from two Australian primary schools who shared a similar contemporary teaching and learning philosophy emphasising inquiry-based learning were interviewed, and students were surveyed anonymously about their engagement (cognitive, emotional, social and behavioural) when learning mathematics from home. Findings indicated that both teachers were concerned about effectively catering for all students and assessing student progress and engagement with the tasks. Survey data revealed most students displayed positive engagement with remote learning experiences, except for the lack of opportunity to learn mathematics with and from their peers.
Artefacts as &quot;Co-Participants&quot; in Duoethnography
Author: Huang, Patrick
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Ethnography,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Applied Linguistics,Adult Education,Teacher Certification,Language Teachers,Social Media,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Educators

Duoethnography is an emerging methodology in English language teaching (ELT)/applied linguistics where two or more participants critically examine a shared phenomenon or experience as a way to challenge assumptions and develop new understandings of critical events (Lowe &amp; Lawrence, 2020). It is a flexible tool with an emphasis on interaction, both between people, and people and various physical or digital artefacts (e.g., documents, academic literature). In this paper, we outline our duoethnography on our experience with the Certificate for English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) with a focus on how academic literature and social media pervaded our inquiry. We highlight how academic articles and social media were used as artefacts in our study and how their role as &quot;coparticipants&quot; enhanced our investigation.
Game-Assisted Assessment for Broader Adoption: Participatory Design and Game-Based Scaffolding
Author: Rushton, Evan
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: 21st Century Skills,Game Based Learning,Teaching Methods,Computer Games,Computer Simulation,Feedback (Response),Barriers,Integrated Learning Systems,Instructional Design,Formative Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,Student Evaluation,Cooperative Learning,Problem Solving,Computer Mediated Communication,Educational Games,High School Teachers,Middle School Teachers

21st Century Standards and the Deeper Learning movement emphasize the ability to think critically and solve complex problems, to work well in teams, and to communicate effectively. While traditional classroom activities can meet these objectives, digital games and simulations provide unique affordances. When designed to incorporate formative assessment functions, games and simulations can capture detailed data on learners' performances and provide learners with immediate feedback. In spite of their strengths, barriers exist to practitioners' adoption of game-based and simulation-based formative assessments. Adoption can be slowed where product designs do not account for unique local requirements of classrooms and schools. The current work investigates reduction and removal of barriers to adoption of games and simulations among classroom instructors through use of the Integrated BEAR Design System (IBDS). The IBDS provides a design process that accounts for local requirements by engaging practitioners in principled design and development of game-based formative assessments. The paper summarizes the IBDS and a single case in which the IBDS was applied to design a game-based formative assessment for collaborative-problem solving, Little Fish Lagoon. The game is accompanied by a stand-alone chat system, Libra Text, that allows collaborating players to send text messages to each other while they use the game. Study participants were six instructors from six U.S. schools. The participating instructors planned for broad adoption of the multiplayer collaboration game in their local classroom settings. The authors illustrate their use of the IBDS with the participating instructors in order to co-develop formative assessments that fit their local needs using data collected from the Little Fish Lagoon educational game and the Libra Text chat tool. The benefits of the IBDS, its implications for learning designers, potential improvements, and needed future research are discussed. The paper is expected to be of interest to learning and assessment designers working with educational games and simulations, and others interested in barriers to adoption of new technologies in general.