Education Commons^™

Multilingual Zambia - Language Issues In Primary/Secondary Schools Of The Eastern/Southern Provinces, Kenzie Steiner

NUTR/GLST 498b: Global Research Experiences in Nutrition & Health

Introduction: Zambia is a multilingual country that uses 8 different languages for instruction including English and 7 other indigenous languages.

Methods: Survey research conducted between May-June 2022 on 6-7th graders within 9 Zambian schools. Classroom observations made and teachers interviewed.

Results: In Eastern and Southern Provinces, Zambian teachers speak an average of 5 languages while students speak an average of 2. Both teachers and students say English remains the most important language followed by first languages.

Conclusion: Continued research on language-in-education policies and impacts on student performance must be conducted if “One Zambia, One Nation” is meant to promote all …

Making Meaningful Connections With Steam For Elementary Aged Students In China, Francis Stonier

The STEAM Journal

This program included a summer STEAM experience for over 130 Chinese elementary aged children. During the week they constructed and tested an egg drop package, explored the local natural history museum, learned about animal footprints and the habitats they live in, dug up dinosaur fossils, and launched rockets. For many, this was their one of their first formal experiences with STEAM activities. The experiences provided a positive introduction or continued support for STEAM at the primary level.

The Impact Of Implementing Virtual Science Notebooks On Student Science Achievement In A Primary Classroom, Emily Sherman

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project investigated the impact of implementing virtual science notebooks on primary students’ science achievement. Participants included twenty first grade students and their classroom teacher in a suburban, Minnesota school district. Students used iPads to complete virtual notebook pages after whole group instruction and independent learning time. Qualitative data collected included mid-intervention and post-intervention student and co-teacher interviews and researchers field notes and observations. Quantitative data included pre- and post-intervention rubric scores and a tally count of student inquiry. The data collected showed that students were highly engaged with their virtual notebooks and reported feeling more focused. However, …

Improving The Mechanisms Of Professional Development Of Secondary School English Teachers On The Basis Of An Individual Approach, Ozoda Makhramovna Mallaeva

Mental Enlightenment Scientific-Methodological Journal

Significantly changed meaning foreign languages in the modern world makes new demands on teachers of foreign languages. Teachers need give students not only grammatical rules, current vocabulary, but also teach them communicate with native speakers of foreign languages, respect and understand their culture. As a result, we are moving to a qualitatively new level teaching foreign languages. Integrative foreign language teacher model - it is a holistic image of a teacher who owns not only professional, but also general professional competencies, skills and knowledge. In addition, organizational and pedagogical conditions have been identified that contribute to the improvement of the …

Using Song To Teach Sight Words, Taylor Hagood Guin

Graduate Research Posters

This research is about how a group of seven kindergarten classes used a short and straightforward song to recognize the following six common kindergarten sight words: on, off, up, us, no, & go. As a current music educator and former middle grades English teacher, I wanted to create an opportunity to establish cross-curricular connections in my music classroom. For this specific experiment, seven different classes, including General Education, Self-Contained Special Education, and English Language Learning classes, were selected. They were taught these six sight word songs through the “Sight Word Song.” I selected the sight words specifically because the students …

Literature That Breaks Gender Stereotypes In A Primary Classroom, Alexis Wash

Education Masters Papers

How can literature that breaks gender stereotypes impact attitudes, interests, and interaction in a primary classroom? This action research was conducted in the researcher’s classroom with 16 first grade participants. The researcher observed participants’ disengagement towards literature that is traditionally stereotyped towards the opposite gender. This research was done to further understand how literature that breaks gender stereotypes can impact participants’ attitudes and interests towards traditional gender stereotypes with occupations, toys, colors, interaction, sports, and literature. A focus group of participants were exposed to several storybooks that broke gender stereotypes over the course of four weeks. Data collected suggests that …

Primary Specialisations In Australia: Graduates’ Perceptions Of Outcome And Impact, Susan Main, Matt Byrne, Joseph Scott, Kevin Sullivan, Annamaria Paolino, Eileen Slater, Jason Boron

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In 2014, the Australian Government established the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) to advise on how teacher education programmes could ensure new teachers were adequately prepared for the classroom. Following this, the Australian Government endorsed a key recommendation of the TEMAG Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers report, the inclusion of specialisations in primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE). This research was conducted at an Australian public university that, in 2016, had embedded specialisations in a revised primary teacher programme structure and was one of the first ITE institutions in Australia to graduate primary teachers with a specialisation. Using a mixed-methods …

Investigating Primary Preservice Teachers’ Ultraviolet Radiation Awareness And Perceived Ability To Teach Sun Safety, Joseph Scott, Robyn Johnston, Mark Strickland, Jill Darby, Elin Gray

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Issue addressed

Sun protection practices in Australian primary schools remain inconsistent. Therefore, this study investigates primary PSTs sun protective sun behaviours, ultraviolet (UV) radiation awareness and perceived ability to teach sun safety.

Methods

A convenience sample of undergraduate PSTs (N = 275; mean age = 23.13 years) enrolled at one Western Australian university completed an online survey. Descriptive analyses provided features of the data. Factors associated with sun protection behaviours and perceived knowledge and skill to teach sun safety were explored using multivariable logistic regression models.

Results

Lesser than 10% of participants reported using sun protective measures daily (midday shade …

Targeted Teacher Education To Improve Primary Preservice Teachers’ Knowledge And Understanding Of Uv And Effective Sun Protection Measures For Children, Joseph J. Scott, Robyn S. Johnston, Natasha Bear, Sonia Gregory, Sally Blane, Mark Strickland, Jill Darby, Elin S. Gray

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Teachers are responsible for children at school during peak ultraviolet (UV) times of the day. It is paramount that teachers have knowledge and understanding of UV to effectively protect themselves and their students. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effect of a short intervention on preservice teachers’ sun protective behaviours, knowledge and perceived skill to teach sun safety. Participants (n =161; median age=20 years) attended a 45-minute preservice teacher sun safety intervention and completed pre- and post-test surveys. Post-intervention, most participants indicated they felt: i) more informed about the dangers of UV and risks of developing …

Online Education Practices And Teaching Team Compositions In Australian Preservice Primary Science Education, James Deehan

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Australian Initial Teacher Education (ITE) has long been marred by instability, scrutiny and high academic workloads. University wide workforce changes and the proliferation of online education require ongoing consideration as these factors have the potential to both enrich ITE and exacerbate existing issues. As subsect of ITE, preservice primary science education faces unique hurdles as establish student-centred, authentic practices have historically been delivered by tenured staff in traditional face-to-face settings. This paper aims to explore online teaching practices and teaching team composition in Australian preservice primary science education via interview and survey data collected from 17 academics in a Type …

The Primary Dilemma: Determining And Overcoming Barriers To A Focus On Prekindergarten Through Grade 3, Sarah Turner Lukas, Sarah Turner Lukas

Dissertations

In 2017, reporters of national data in regard to reading ability among American, fourth grade students indicated low proficiency and achievement gaps. These results were also consistent within the state and district under study. There is a need to increase the focus on prekindergarten and primary grade education taking place prior to the grades in which federally mandated, accountability assessments for student learning take place. The purpose of this study is to determine the potential barriers to a paradigm shift at the state and district levels from a focus on state-assessed grade levels to prekindergarten and primary grade levels. The …

The Effects Of Community Building Music On Transition Time In An Early Childhood Montessori Classroom, Rachel Branum, Brady Howard

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research study was to determine how community building music would affect the transition time in a primary Montessori classroom. The researchers were two female preschool teachers in public Montessori schools. The participants, aged three to six years old, were involved in a daily clean-up time, which took place before the study began. The teachers added a music intervention for four weeks to see if the dynamics of clean-up time would change. The teachers documented the research study using qualitative and quantitative data tools. The data tools included student surveys, teacher journals, a timer log, and …

Social Value And Its Impact Through Widening Participation: A Review Of Four Programs Working With Primary, Secondary & Higher Education Students, Jioji Ravulo, Shannon Said, Jim Micsko, Gayl Purchase

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In 2017 the Office of Widening Participation conducted a program- wide analysis of the Social Return On Investment (SROI) to evaluate the impact of four Widening Participation programs at Western Sydney University (WSU). The programs evaluated were Fast Forward, Strive Towards Educational Participation and Success (STEPS), First Foot Forward, and Pasifika Achievement To Higher Education (PATHE). The overlapping aim amongst the four programs is to increase higher education participation rates, particularly for students coming from low socio-economic backgrounds. The SROI framework provided a holistic analysis by intertwining qualitative and quantitative data. The analysis showed that each program-albeit with differences-produced a …

Primary School Teachers’ Experience Of Mathematics Education: A Phenomenological Study, Sarah Jane Tamburri

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Researchers and policymakers agree that all children can learn mathematics, and research has shown that teaching practices have a significant impact on student learning and achievement. Therefore, it is important that teachers are supported in their development as professionals and mathematics educators. This research gives a voice to a small number of primary school mathematics teachers, providing insight into their experience of mathematics education, from their perspective. In-depth interviews form the basis of data collection and these have been analysed through a transcendental phenomenological approach. The insights gained into teachers’ experiences and perspectives provide a deeper understanding of their role …

Infographic: Students, Teachers And Private Tutoring, Jo Earp

Teacher infographics

Two new UK surveys shine a light on how many secondary school students have used a private tutor outside school, and how many primary and secondary teachers have carried out tutoring in their own time.

Effectiveness Of Sight Word And Repeated Reading Interventions In The Primary Classroom, Jordan Ackerman

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of my research is to determine if sight word interventions and repeated reading interventions are effective when it comes to increasing reading achievement in primary age students. These interventions are fast paced and focus on intentional teaching practices of reading skills that are critical for emerging readers. Each intervention lasted 5 minutes. One group received direct, explicit teaching and practice of sight words. The other intervention allowed students more freedom in reading a familiar book, to gain confidence and improve their fluency.

The Impact Of Within-Class Grouping Vs. Within-Grade Grouping, Johannah Bloemendaal

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to compare two types of ability grouping and if one type had more of an impact than the other in a primary classroom. In this study, one type of ability grouping, known as within class ability grouping was implemented in one second grade classroom in 2017-2018. Another type of ability grouping was implemented the next year where all three of second grade classrooms were grouped according to ability, which is considered to be within grade ability grouping. Students were assessed with the AddVantage+MR (AVMR) assessment to determine placement. Then they were placed …

Behavioral Effects Of Outdoor Learning On Primary Students, Makena Cameron, Samantha Mcgue

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Children have an innate sense of curiosity about nature. “When children come in contact with nature, they reveal their strength” (Montessori, 1967, pg. 69) and therefore, outdoor education can be a useful learning tool for students. Whether being outdoors or bringing the nature-based activities inside, children have the opportunity to work with all of their senses. A growing number of schools around the United States have begun adding outdoor learning to their curriculum (Lieberman & Hoody, 1998) to bring a positive outcome to students’ behavior. Outdoor learning provides another environment that children can thrive in and hopefully benefit from. As …

The Effects Of Purposeful Vocabulary Instruction, Kelsey Raasch

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The goal of this action research project was to identify the effects of purposeful Tier II vocabulary instruction in a second grade classroom in a suburb of Minnesota. The study participants included 21 second grade students. Students took a baseline assessment to identify comprehension and vocabulary skills before the study was done. After the baseline assessment, students participated in the following interventions focusing on Tier II vocabulary words: once weekly shared reading with Tier II vocabulary words, learning and incorporating ten Tier II vocabulary words into sentences, and completing a partner performance assessment on one Tier II vocabulary word from …

Perceptions Of Primary School Principals In Singapore About Their Role As Justice Agents, Kit Wah Antonia Teng

Doctoral Dissertations

Justice in school is central to both the Catholic church and the government of Singapore. Both institutions have expectations of principals as justice agents to serve the needs of every student by means of equality and equity in educational provision to all students. There is limited research on how principals of Catholic and government primary schools in Singapore perceive their role as justice agents and how they fulfill this expectation.

This qualitative research examined the experiences of primary school principals in Singapore in their enactment of educational leadership for justice. Of the 10 principals interviewed, 4 were principals of Catholic …

A Study On The Impact Of A Music Looping Technology Intervention Upon Pre-Service Generalist Teachers’ Self-Efficacy To Teach Music In Primary Schools, John Nathan Heyworth

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In Australia, in the current climate of economic rationalism in which there has been an increasing emphasis on literacy and numeracy, funding for specialised subjects like music has been reducing. As a result, generalist classroom teachers are being given more responsibility for delivering effective music education in primary schools. However, the time dedicated to training pre-service teachers in music education in tertiary institutions has diminished. Further, time constraints involved in building pre-service knowledge and skills in teaching music may impact many pre-service teachers’ beliefs about their ability to teach music.

Within these constraints, digital technology may provide a key to …

Storytelling And Emotional Response To Conflict, Angela K. Boris

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This research was conducted to assess the impact of daily oral storytelling and emotional response to conflict in preschool aged children. Research was done in a Montessori primary classroom with 23 students between the ages of two-and a-half and six years old. Quantitative data included tallies and averages of the total number of conflicts per week and per child and a conflict checklist to monitor any changes in language and behavior used in times of conflict. Qualitative data included observational field notes to evaluate children’s responses to and repetition of oral storytelling and a reflective journal to record any changes …

Using Unannounced Standardised Patients As A Quality Improvement Tool To Improve Primary Care, Heike Schutze, Elizabeth Harris, Mark Fort Harris

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the 2nd International Conference on General Practice & Primary Care, 18-19 September 2017, Zurich, Switzerland

Primary Goals, Information-Giving And Men's Understanding: A Qualitative Study Of Australian And Uk Doctors' Varied Communication About Psa Screening, Kristen Pickles, Stacy M. Carter, Lucie Rychetnik, Kirsten Mccaffery, Vikki A. Entwistle

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives (1) To characterise variation in general practitioners' (GPs') accounts of communicating with men about prostate cancer screening using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, (2) to characterise GPs' reasons for communicating as they do and (3) to explain why and under what conditions GP communication approaches vary. Study design and setting A grounded theory study. We interviewed 69 GPs consulting in primary care practices in Australia (n=40) and the UK (n=29). Results GPs explained their communication practices in relation to their primary goals. In Australia, three different communication goals were reported: to encourage asymptomatic men to either have a PSA …

Let’S Give Them Something To Talk About: Supporting Primary African American Students’ Language Through Dialogic Reading, Jessyca Denise Bryant

Dissertations

Abstract Using an action research approach, the African American teacher–researcher investigated the appropriation and effectiveness of dialogic lessons and culturally relevant books to develop and improve primary-grade African American students’ language and literacy skills. Specifically, this study investigated whether changes in the kinds of questions posed during reading interactions resulted in extended thoughts, more complex sentence constructions, and the inclusion of new vocabulary words. Dialogic reading is an invaluable tool for teachers to utilize with students challenged with language differences upon entering school. Lessons were expressly designed to engage and scaffold students in their development of language and literacy skills. …

Victorian Teacher Supply And Demand Report 2012 And 2013, Paul R. Weldon, Chandra Shah, Glenn Rowley

Dr Paul Weldon

This report provides forecasts of the supply and demand for teachers in Victoria from 2014 to 2020. The teaching workforce includes all teachers from K to 12. This is the tenth in the series of such reports, the first of which was released in 2001. Unlike previous reports, this one includes a section on Early Childhood and has more extensive analysis of the future demand for teachers in the state.

Victorian Teacher Supply And Demand Report 2012 And 2013, Paul R. Weldon, Chandra Shah, Glenn Rowley

Teaching and learning and leadership

This report provides forecasts of the supply and demand for teachers in Victoria from 2014 to 2020. The teaching workforce includes all teachers from K to 12. This is the tenth in the series of such reports, the first of which was released in 2001. Unlike previous reports, this one includes a section on Early Childhood and has more extensive analysis of the future demand for teachers in the state.

From Arrays To Algebra, Lorraine Day

Lorraine Day

By identifying the learning experiences that need to be developed in the primary school, and how secondary teachers can build on these experiences, ensures solid algebraic understanding and a smooth transition between primary and secondary mathematics. Using concrete materials, within a concrete-representational-abstract pedagogical approach, may be seen as one among many methods that contribute to the overall process of developing algebraic skills. Linking an area-based model to previous understandings involving numbers should assist the conceptual understanding of algebraic expansion and factorisation to ensure that students are not just fluent in algebraic manipulation but also understand how the processes work.

Relationships: The Key To Successful Transition From Primary To Secondary School?, Anne Coffey

Anne Coffey

Although change can be considered an inevitable part of life, the process itself can be both challenging and confronting. This is no less the case than for early adolescents as they negotiate the transition from primary to secondary school. Whilst this transition can be considered a regular part of the formal school experience, it can represent a significant challenge to all who are involved including students, parents and teachers. As schools plan to support these stakeholders through the process an understanding of the issues faced by each group is important. Whilst transition may be fraught a focus on the relational …

Transition Strategies In Early Childhood Settings, Crystal P. Cunningham(Black)

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to determine if daily lessons in yoga, mindfulness, and transition skills positively affect the transition from lunch to recess in a Montessori environment. The seven‐week study involved 17 children between two and a half to five years old. Data collection included a pre-and post‐assessment and observations which documented the type of disruptions, amount of disruptions, and the resolution to the disruptions. Results of the pre-and post‐assessments revealed that practice of the skills needed in a transition resulted in more independence. The mindfulness exercises resulted in less distractions while waiting in line during a transition. …