ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Does the Amount of Jumping with Respect to Positions during Volleyball Matches Affect the Team Success at the End of the Season?
Author: Akarcesme, Cengiz
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Athletes,Team Sports,Females,Success,Foreign Countries,Muscular Strength,Performance

In many sports like volleyball, jumping, balance and explosive strength which are biomotor abilities have become more important day by day to succeed. Athletes focus on games at game period so the time that they spend for improving their biomotor abilities can be less. Therefore, performance that obtained in preparation period and sustaining that performance in whole season affect significantly team rank at the end of the season. In the lights of these informations, the affect of amount of jumps with respect to different positions was investigated in major league of Turkey in 2013-2014. There were 149 female volleyball players between the ages 17-27 (age 24.19 ± 2.42) in this study. 12 teams competed with each other and 125 games that is 455 sets were evaluated. Moreover; videos were analyzed three times by experts. Number of jumps in serve, block, spike and setting were recorded. Spearman Brown Order Differential Correlation Coefficient was used for determining the relations between dependent and independent variables and descriptive statistics in analyzing datum. In addition to this, Multiple Linear Regression Analysis was used for investigating regression level between independent and dependent variables. As a result of this, middle blockers jumped the most (M=155.86, SD=39.77) while opposites jumped the least (M=73.31, SD=23.49). The amount of jumps of wing spikers (r= -0.130, p&lt;0.05) and middle blockers (r= -0.185, p&lt;0.01) was negatively related with team success at the end of the season in low level. The total amount of jumps in different positions was negatively related with team success at the end of the season in low level too (r= -0.156, p&lt;0.01). Setters, wing spikers, middle blockers and opposites were listed with respect to regression factor (ß) and their importance level for team success at the end of the league. In conclusion, number of jumps in different positions at game time affects team success positively.
&quot;If He/She Had Been Like the Rest of Us.&quot; How Do Young People Describe Their Schoolmates Who Are Different from Others in the Group?
Author: Saarinen, Minna
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Secondary School Students,Vocational Education,Social Influences,Peer Relationship,Peer Groups,Social Isolation,Social Attitudes,Special Needs Students,Disabilities,High School Students,Interpersonal Competence

The article examines issues related to peer interactions and group joining in upper secondary schools in Finland. The study elaborates on how young people describe students who are left out/excluded or who remain outside the social networks. The study also elucidates on how a student can join the group. The research is motivated by the current educational ethos, which emphasizes inclusion and tolerance. The data were collected from an upper secondary school and vocational and technical institute. The students were asked to recall the prior high school year and write an essay on the topic. A total of 49 students wrote about their memories. The data were analyzed using inductive content analysis, and the study found that students are either excluded or included due to the social skills they possess. Those who do not exhibit the same approach to being in a group will stay on the sidelines. The essays also described factors that connect students, such as hobbies and leisure activities. Similarity in many external factors (e.g., the family's economic situation) unites students. Contrary to expectations, young people described themselves, and not just others, as outsiders.
Mastery Learning in the Classroom: Concept Maps, Critical Thinking, Collaborative Assessment (M3CA) Using Multiple Choice Items (MCIs)
Author: Zandvakili, Elham
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mastery Learning,Multiple Choice Tests,Concept Mapping,Critical Thinking,Formative Evaluation,Academic Achievement,Concept Formation,Teaching Methods,Taxonomy,Comparative Analysis,Thinking Skills,Value Judgment,Cooperative Learning

M3CA is a model of mastery learning developed in a college classroom, and an acronym for Mastery, Concept Maps, Critical Thinking, Collaboration and Assessment. The M3CA model is a formative model of skill based mastery learning and assessment that produces high levels of academic achievement and empowers students with a feeling of fairness. Mastery is based on students' creation of concept maps, and the steps toward mastery include learning the skills of: critical thinking, prioritization (evaluation), individual and group synthesis, group evaluation (prioritization), and the application of multiple choice items to assess the facts, concepts and knowledge embedded in the concept maps. Multiple choice items created by and collected from teams of students are available for all to see and used in their assessment. Each step toward mastery is observable, transparent, and open to public view by the students.
The Impact of Hikmah (Wisdom) Pedagogy on 21st Century Skills of Selected Primary and Secondary School Students in Gombak District Selangor Malaysia
Author: Wan Yusoff, Wan Mazwati
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Students,Secondary School Students,Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,Indonesian,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Islam,Critical Thinking,Creative Thinking,Caring,Cooperative Learning,Case Studies,Intervention,Student Attitudes,Communication Skills,Test Results,Language of Instruction,Second Language Instruction

In this paper the impact of Hikmah Pedagogy (HP) on critical, creative, caring and collaborative thinking and communication skills of students in primary and secondary schools through the subjects of Malay (also known as Bahasa Malaysia) and English languages were investigated. The participating teachers were trained by experts from the Center for Teaching Thinking, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and they were observed and supervised to ensure HP was implemented correctly. This study employed the case study method to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative data were collected before and after the intervention of the HP using the Cognitive Behavior Checklist. Mid-semester and final examination results were used to gauge improvement in English and Bahasa Malaysia. These data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The qualitative data were collected through interviewing teachers individually at the beginning and focus group discussion (FGD) at the end of study. The data were analysed qualitatively to identify the emerging themes. The findings show that when students were given opportunity to ask questions based on the given stimulus materials and to voice out their opinions in the dialogic approach of HP, they demonstrated the ability to reason well; think about their own thinking; to think caringly and collaboratively. Students showed improvement in their communication skills in both languages which were indicated by the increase in their examination results, particularly in writing and oral skills.
Towards an Optimal Person-Environment Fit: A Baseline Study of Student Teachers&apos; Personality Traits
Author: Kok, Rümando
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Personality Traits,Preservice Teachers,Student Characteristics,Preservice Teacher Education,Gender Differences,Personality Measures,Instructional Program Divisions

This research sets out to conduct a baseline study on personality traits of student teachers to assess the possible implications for an optimal person-environment fit or unfortunate misfit. A non-experimental quantitative research design was used and data were obtained by administering the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) to 835 student teachers at the North-West University in South Africa. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results indicated a much lower than expected score on agreeableness and a much higher than expected score on neuroticism. The only desirable personality trait presented in the specific sample was extraversion. The undesirable scores in the four personality traits are discussed in terms of the potential implications of a misfit between student teachers and the teaching environment; and of the sole desirable personality trait in terms of an optimal person-environment fit. Gender differences were noted in the personality domain agreeableness. Future research is indicated to determine the usefulness of personality assessment in the selection of student teachers in other teacher training contexts. The NEO-FFI shows promise in this regard.
What Messages about Teacher Professionalism Are Transmitted through South African Pre-Service Teacher Education Programmes?
Author: Rusznyak, Lee
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Professionalism,Teacher Education Programs,Preservice Teachers,Moral Values,Foreign Countries,Physical Characteristics,Work Environment,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Student Attitudes,Teaching Methods,Accountability,Personality Traits

Promoting teacher professionalism is regarded as a strategy to address the disparate quality of learning in South African classrooms. Through a qualitative analysis of initial teacher education (ITE) programmes offered by five universities, this paper analyses the messages of teacher professionalism transmitted to pre-service teachers. Findings show that professionalism in teaching is variously conveyed to pre-service teachers as being located in their personal appearance and attributes; within their personal morals and shared ethical imperatives; in the kinds of workplace relationships they build, and in their use of formal knowledge for reasoned judgment in practice. The Specialisation Dimension of Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) (Maton, 2014) is used to show that when teacher professionalism is presented as highly individualised traits, the possibilities of developing shared knowledge-based teaching practices is reduced, and the importance of conceptuallyinformed judgments is obscured. This shuts down possibilities for systemic improvement. Conversely, if teacher professionalism is primarily located in what teachers know and can do with that knowledge, the social, moral and affective dimensions of teaching are underemphasised. Ideally, approaches to teacher professionalism ought to introduce students to teaching as a communally-owned practice, based on shared knowledge that enables reasoned judgment. The paper draws on the conceptual tools offered by LCT to suggest how social and epistemic relations can be weakened and strengthened to enhance the construct of teacher professionalism offered to prospective teachers through their ITE programmes.
Johannesburg&apos;s Inner City Private Schools: The Teacher&apos;s Perspective
Author: McKay, Tracey
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Urban Areas,Private Schools,Foreign Countries,Teacher Attitudes,Teaching Conditions,Profiles,Teacher Characteristics,Foreign Nationals,Teacher Qualifications,Teacher Salaries,Job Satisfaction,Working Hours,Instructional Materials,Financial Support,Social Change,Racial Segregation,Public Schools

This study contributes to the literature by documenting the working conditions as well as the socio-economic and demographic profile of teachers employed in Johannesburg's inner city low-fee private schools. A total of 42 teachers, working in 10 randomly selected inner city private schools, participated in a self-administered questionnaire survey. It was found that most were under 50 years of age, Black-African and foreign born (as were many of the owners of the schools). There were three distinct groupings: South African citizens, Zimbabwean nationals and other foreign nationals. Some were found to be underqualified; others had tertiary qualifications but not in education. Most were working there as a stop gap measure until they had completed their degrees or had a better job offer, either in a public school or in the private noneducational sector. Most expressed unhappiness with their low salaries, long working hours and poor working conditions. They lamented the lack of adequate teaching and learning materials, as well as negligible educational infrastructure such as libraries, laboratories and sports fields. Many wanted the South African State to support low-fee private schools better, both financially and managerially. The paper concludes that the embedded apartheid resource backlog of poor infrastructure and under-qualified teachers cuts across both public and at least some private schools.
The Circuit Managers as the Weakest Link in the School District Leadership Chain! Perspectives from a Province in South Africa
Author: Bantwini, Bongani D.
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Administrators,Administrator Attitudes,Foreign Countries,School Districts,Leadership Effectiveness,Academic Achievement,Administrator Role,Administrator Effectiveness,Government School Relationship,Instructional Leadership,Principals

The role of circuit managers is an essential component of school district leadership, which provides a necessary bridge between schools and government. School districts play a vital role in continuously collaborating, guiding and leading, and challenging schools to raise standards. In this paper, we draw on a subset of semi-structured interviews with education leaders in the Eastern Cape province, on their perspectives on the circuit management role. From these interviews, circuit managers were labelled as the 'weakest link' in the educational leadership chain. We explore the cause, nature and the extent to which circuit managers are perceived to be the weakest link and the implications thereof. Our discussion engages various factors that lead to Circuit Managers being considered the weakest link in the education leadership chain and these include: poor circuit office structure, the high vacancy rate of Circuit Managers, and external interference. We argue for the strengthening of the Circuit Offices and suggest ways in which they could be utilised to add more value in the efforts to improve the quality of basic education in the public schools.
Integrating Positive Psychology Principles and Exercises into a Second-Language High School Curriculum
Author: Gush, Marianne
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Psychology,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Indo European Languages,Official Languages,Well Being,Intervention,Self Actualization,Foreign Countries,Hidden Curriculum,Textbooks,High School Students,Content Analysis,Teaching Methods

This study reports on the development of a textbook for a school subject (Grade 8 Afrikaans second language--an official South African language). A framework for the textbook was developed by drawing from Maslow's self-actualisation and Hettler's wellness approaches, and merging these with Seligman's PERMA and the psychosocial system approach, as well as the 24 character strengths identified by Peterson and Seligman. Positive Psychology interventions were then included systematically to match the existing framework. Positive Psychology therefore provides the framework and context for language learning, which takes place and is possibly even enhanced through the themes and context. Using existing school subjects as a means to provide wellbeing-enhancing activities to learners in a natural, but structured, framework is realistic, as it makes use of existing school infrastructure and staff, while producing what could be a powerful tool to facilitate growth and wellbeing.
Inter-Rater Agreement in Assigning Levels of Difficulty to Examination Questions in Life Sciences
Author: Dempster, Edith R.
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Interrater Reliability,Difficulty Level,Science Tests,Biological Sciences,Exit Examinations,Test Items,Test Reliability,Private Schools,Public Schools,Standards

Public perception of &quot;declining standards&quot; in school-leaving examinations often accompanies increases in pass rates in schoolleaving examinations. &quot;Declining standards&quot; to the public means easier examination papers. The present study evaluates a South African attempt to estimate the level of difficulty, as distinct from cognitive demand, to exit-level examination papers in Life Sciences. A team of four expert raters assigned a level of difficulty ranging from 1 (easy) to 4 (very difficult). Invalid items were assigned a difficulty level of 0. The reference point was &quot;the ideal average South African learner.&quot; Discussion and practice was conducted for 12 examination papers, followed by individual analysis of four examination papers. Inter-rater agreement for the final four papers was low. Raters assigned most items to difficulty levels 1 and 2, indicating that unreliability may be caused by the instrument having too many levels. Raters' predictions of levels of difficulty supported the actual mark distribution for private school candidates, but not for public school candidates. The &quot;ideal average South African learner&quot; is an unsuitable reference point in the unequal educational landscape of the public school system. We recommend that the instrument be modified by reducing the number of levels of difficulty and removing the hypothetical reference point.
Effectiveness of Individual and Group Investigations in Developing Integrated Science Inquiry Skills
Author: Kazeni, Monde
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Science Process Skills,Science Instruction,Inquiry,Teaching Methods,Grade 11,Secondary School Science,High School Students,Competence,Student Attitudes,Science Achievement,Group Activities,Independent Study

The South African Physical Sciences Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) requires learners to develop science inquiry skills, including Integrated Science Inquiry Skills (ISIS). However, the performance of learners in assessment tasks related to ISIS has been consistently poor over several years. The use of ineffective pedagogical methods to develop practical skills could partly account for this poor performance. This study compared the effectiveness of individual and group practical investigations in developing ISIS in learners. The study involved 319 purposively selected Grade 11 Physical Sciences learners in Limpopo Province, South Africa. A mixed-method approach was used to collect data. Pre- and post-tests, and practical reports were used to assess learners' competence in ISIS, while a questionnaire provided information about their opinions regarding the investigation methods used. A comparison of the performance of the two classes of learners showed no significant difference in their overall competence in ISIS. Qualitative analysis of the practical reports and learners' opinions revealed some discrepancies between the two investigation classes. The results suggest that the two approaches to practical investigations are approximately equally effective in developing learners' overall ISIS.
Embedding Values in the South African Curriculum: By Design or Default?
Author: Maphalala, Mncedisi Christian
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Grade 7,Grade 8,Grade 9,Values Education,Moral Values,Social Values,Principals,Governing Boards,Teachers,Holistic Approach,Citizenship Education,Parent Role,Teacher Role,Educational Environment,School Culture,Cultural Influences,African Culture

This article explores the way in which values education is incorporated in the Life Orientation (LO) curriculum of the Senior Phase (Grades 7-9) in South Africa. Researchers agree that in the light of the current need to regenerate morals and re-norm the nation, values are critical. From the moment they are born, children learn by observing adults; they mimic what they see, and repeat the words they utter. Parents and teachers have the greatest influence on a child's upbringing and therefore have a responsibility to teach them about the core values that help them become well-rounded citizens. Theoretically, the study on which this article is based was located in the literature on approaches to implementing values education. The study employed a qualitative perspective, with a descriptive case study design. Participants include purposively selected school principals, school governing body (SGB) members, and LO teachers. The data was collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The analysis revealed that the values in the school LO curriculum were incorporated eclectically through explicit, implicit and critical approaches. On the basis of these findings, it is recommended that the school community sustain an eclectic approach to values education that covers learners' holistic experiences.
Prison Education in Slovakia from the Teacher&apos;s Perspective
Author: Lukacova, Silvia
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Correctional Education,Foreign Countries,Teacher Attitudes,Attention,Secondary School Teachers,Teaching Methods,Teacher Education,Mainstreaming,Employees,Institutions,Vocational Schools

The present study deals with teaching practices in prison education in Slovakia. Attention is paid to secondary school teachers who, at the same time, teach adult prisoners. The aim of the qualitative research conducted was to find out in what ways, in the view of the teachers approached, prison education and school education differ and how they react to the differences. Another objective was to find out whether the teachers feel competent enough to teach prisoners. It was found out that the absence of teacher training for prison education and the power of the prison regime strongly affect teaching practice. The teachers adjusted the syllabus, the pace and demands placed on the learners to the limited conditions of the prison regime. The authors believe that the present study sheds more light on teaching practices in prison education and helps recognize such areas where specific teacher training is needed.
Improving Student Behavior in Art Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of CW-FIT Tier 1
Author: Nelson, Melanie A.
Date: 2018-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Behavior,Behavior Problems,Art Education,Intervention,Classroom Techniques,Elementary School Students,Time on Task,Positive Reinforcement,Teacher Attitudes,Elementary School Teachers,Student Attitudes,Program Effectiveness,Grade 3,Grade 5

Disruptive student behavior, a common concern for teachers, presents particular challenges for those who teach art. Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is a multitiered intervention for implementing effective classroom management strategies aligned with schoolwide positive behavior interventions and supports. CW-FIT has proven effective in general education classrooms, with its emphasis on social skills instruction, teacher praise, group contingency, and positive reinforcement. This first study of CW-FIT implementation in elementary art classrooms examined its effects on student on-task behavior. The researchers used a single-subject (AB) design in one classroom and reversal designs (ABAB) in two classrooms. Results indicated student on-task behavior significantly improved, and the teacher was able to implement CW-FIT with fidelity as well as increase her praise-to-reprimand ratios. Both teacher and students found the intervention to be socially valid. Study implications and limitations are discussed.