This year-long, multiple case study followed a small group (N=6) of graduates from an initial licensure Education Preparation Program (EPP) into their classrooms to observe their first year as licensed teachers in United States public schools. The study’s purpose was twofold: 1) to explore the extent to which this group used formative assessments in their classrooms to positively impact student learning, and 2) to examine strengths and areas for improvement within our EPP based on our observations of the teacher participants’ practice and impact on their students. Multiple data sources were collected and analyzed. Based on participant interviews, survey data, and observations, findings indicate that our EPP coursework and clinical experiences contribute to beginning teachers’ effective use of formative assessments to impact student learning. However, findings support recommendations for EPP continuous improvement. This study highlights the importance of completing self-studies to determine strengths of an EPP and areas for improvement so EPPs, teachers, and K-12 students have greater success. To increase the effectiveness of teacher training, EPPs must continuously evaluate the efficacy of their educator preparation programs including evaluating their graduates’ ability to transition from pre to in-service teachers and implement effective pedagogical practices that promote student success. Keywords: formative assessment, educator preparation, continuous improvement
{"title":"Examining Early Career Teachers’ Formative Practices to Inform and Support Continuous Improvement","authors":"Alicia Wenzel, Katrina A. Hovey, Anne C. Ittner","doi":"10.30958/aje.10-1-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.10-1-5","url":null,"abstract":"This year-long, multiple case study followed a small group (N=6) of graduates from an initial licensure Education Preparation Program (EPP) into their classrooms to observe their first year as licensed teachers in United States public schools. The study’s purpose was twofold: 1) to explore the extent to which this group used formative assessments in their classrooms to positively impact student learning, and 2) to examine strengths and areas for improvement within our EPP based on our observations of the teacher participants’ practice and impact on their students. Multiple data sources were collected and analyzed. Based on participant interviews, survey data, and observations, findings indicate that our EPP coursework and clinical experiences contribute to beginning teachers’ effective use of formative assessments to impact student learning. However, findings support recommendations for EPP continuous improvement. This study highlights the importance of completing self-studies to determine strengths of an EPP and areas for improvement so EPPs, teachers, and K-12 students have greater success. To increase the effectiveness of teacher training, EPPs must continuously evaluate the efficacy of their educator preparation programs including evaluating their graduates’ ability to transition from pre to in-service teachers and implement effective pedagogical practices that promote student success. Keywords: formative assessment, educator preparation, continuous improvement","PeriodicalId":36453,"journal":{"name":"Athens Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49270408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
To examine the effects of the sudden shift to online instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the early months of 2020, we sought to get a firsthand understanding of the experiences of teachers who were required to make the change to full online teaching. Teaching online requires technological knowledge, but it also requires a different pedagogy in order to keep students engaged and motivated to learn. Many educators indicated that this was a significant challenge. Our goal was to illuminate teachers’ experiences in order to include their voices in changes to educator preparation programs. A total of 699 complete survey responses were received representing educators in several grade levels working in nine states in the United States. Qualitative analysis revealed that many responses were related to extant research on teachers’ self-efficacy. Thus, this paper will shed light on the experiences of educators during the first semester of 2020 including the months of January through April, and teachers’ perceived efficacy. We find that teachers felt more efficacious regarding aspects of online teaching over which they felt an internal locus of control, such as delivery of curriculum and their own skill in the use of technology. For items over which they had less control, such as parental support and involvement, student motivation, and student access to adequate technology, teachers indicated much less efficacy. The majority of responses paint a complicated and somewhat dismal picture of the loss of personal connection with their students. Based on these data, recommendations for both education preparation programs, and policy are discussed such as districts and schools must provide sufficient professional learning opportunities and create a culture of collaboration amongst teachers that can assist them in building internal school capacity for good online instruction for their students. The COVID-19 pandemic should be used as an opportunity to evaluate gaps in digital equity and make positive strides to ensure all students, regardless of race, disability, economic background, or geographic location, have full access to quality online education. Keywords: teacher preparation, educator preparation, online teaching, COVID-19, self-efficacy
{"title":"Teacher Perceptions of Self-Efficacy in Teaching Online During the COVID-19 Pandemic","authors":"John Rodari Meisner, Jennifer M. McKenzie","doi":"10.30958/aje.10-1-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.10-1-3","url":null,"abstract":"To examine the effects of the sudden shift to online instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the early months of 2020, we sought to get a firsthand understanding of the experiences of teachers who were required to make the change to full online teaching. Teaching online requires technological knowledge, but it also requires a different pedagogy in order to keep students engaged and motivated to learn. Many educators indicated that this was a significant challenge. Our goal was to illuminate teachers’ experiences in order to include their voices in changes to educator preparation programs. A total of 699 complete survey responses were received representing educators in several grade levels working in nine states in the United States. Qualitative analysis revealed that many responses were related to extant research on teachers’ self-efficacy. Thus, this paper will shed light on the experiences of educators during the first semester of 2020 including the months of January through April, and teachers’ perceived efficacy. We find that teachers felt more efficacious regarding aspects of online teaching over which they felt an internal locus of control, such as delivery of curriculum and their own skill in the use of technology. For items over which they had less control, such as parental support and involvement, student motivation, and student access to adequate technology, teachers indicated much less efficacy. The majority of responses paint a complicated and somewhat dismal picture of the loss of personal connection with their students. Based on these data, recommendations for both education preparation programs, and policy are discussed such as districts and schools must provide sufficient professional learning opportunities and create a culture of collaboration amongst teachers that can assist them in building internal school capacity for good online instruction for their students. The COVID-19 pandemic should be used as an opportunity to evaluate gaps in digital equity and make positive strides to ensure all students, regardless of race, disability, economic background, or geographic location, have full access to quality online education. Keywords: teacher preparation, educator preparation, online teaching, COVID-19, self-efficacy","PeriodicalId":36453,"journal":{"name":"Athens Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44860802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A detailed characteristic of teaching and learning approaches used within the new concept of Learning by Being (LBB) is given. The evolution of educational paradigms from Learning by Doing (LBD) and Learning by Understanding (LBU) toward LBB is analyzed. The basic idea of LBB is students’ ownership on cognitive goals, or the assumption of learning objectives, in other words – intrinsic motivation of students. Along with LBB, the author proposes the term of guided self-scaffolding. Both terms tend to accentuate high level of student’s intrinsic motivation. The article examines the school physics lab as an example of constructivist learning environment and analyzes several didactic approaches as inquiry-based learning, problem-based learning, project-based learning, case studies, and just in time teaching from constructivist point of view. The author enumerates the basic principles for the organization of school physics lab in a constructivist manner: provision of opportunities for students’ own thinking, giving students a certain freedom degree in identifying solution through verbalization of the problem, necessity for teacher to know a priori concepts of students, students’ effort as a mandatory condition to achieve students’ interest. The concept of “big scientific ideas” is in the core of this organization. The author emphasizes that conceptual understanding in school physics lab, which is inseparable from learning by being, is achieved through the overlapping of several learning and teaching approaches which form the core of LBB concept. Keywords: constructivist pedagogy, educational paradigms, learning by being, ownership of cognitive goals, school physics lab
{"title":"The Constructivist Principle of Learning by Being in Physics Teaching","authors":"Mihail Calalb","doi":"10.30958/aje.10-1-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.10-1-8","url":null,"abstract":"A detailed characteristic of teaching and learning approaches used within the new concept of Learning by Being (LBB) is given. The evolution of educational paradigms from Learning by Doing (LBD) and Learning by Understanding (LBU) toward LBB is analyzed. The basic idea of LBB is students’ ownership on cognitive goals, or the assumption of learning objectives, in other words – intrinsic motivation of students. Along with LBB, the author proposes the term of guided self-scaffolding. Both terms tend to accentuate high level of student’s intrinsic motivation. The article examines the school physics lab as an example of constructivist learning environment and analyzes several didactic approaches as inquiry-based learning, problem-based learning, project-based learning, case studies, and just in time teaching from constructivist point of view. The author enumerates the basic principles for the organization of school physics lab in a constructivist manner: provision of opportunities for students’ own thinking, giving students a certain freedom degree in identifying solution through verbalization of the problem, necessity for teacher to know a priori concepts of students, students’ effort as a mandatory condition to achieve students’ interest. The concept of “big scientific ideas” is in the core of this organization. The author emphasizes that conceptual understanding in school physics lab, which is inseparable from learning by being, is achieved through the overlapping of several learning and teaching approaches which form the core of LBB concept. Keywords: constructivist pedagogy, educational paradigms, learning by being, ownership of cognitive goals, school physics lab","PeriodicalId":36453,"journal":{"name":"Athens Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48071273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper examines the quality evaluations of the Greek Universities highlighting those which offer a full-fledged study program of primary education. There are eight principles-criteria according to which each university is evaluated. For each principle, scores may range from 1 (noncompliance with the principle) to 4 (fully compliance). I present and compare results of the Greek university evaluations completed by the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency (HQA). Surprisingly, no university has been graded as non-compliant in any of the eight principles-criteria. These evaluations are performed by an alleged “external” and “independent” committee. For all practical purposes, they are, nevertheless, based on subjective and biased opinions of academics affiliated with international universities with links to Greece and its universities. Independent and evidence-based evaluations paint a different picture. Universities which get perfect scores in the quality evaluation processes perform badly in the pertinent international ranking systems. As a case study, their primary education departments have lower research performance with high variability between faculty members and departments. Given that one criterion of evaluating quality is research, then not all Greek universities can be evaluated as highly performing research institutions, either in absolute or relevant terms. This criterion of quality is not satisfied by the primary education departments of Greek universities. According to this evidence, using the HQA as an agency to assess and accredit quality is useless. It should be abolished. A new system should be based on objective criteria such as independent teaching evaluations and research performance. These do not require any committee to evaluate performance and can be constructed on evidence-based policy. The latter relies solely on rigorously established objective facts. Keywords: higher education, quality assurance, HQA, teaching quality, Greece
{"title":"The Evaluation and the Accreditation Process of Greek HEIs with an Emphasis on Primary Education Departments","authors":"G. Papanikos","doi":"10.30958/aje.10-1-10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.10-1-10","url":null,"abstract":"This paper examines the quality evaluations of the Greek Universities highlighting those which offer a full-fledged study program of primary education. There are eight principles-criteria according to which each university is evaluated. For each principle, scores may range from 1 (noncompliance with the principle) to 4 (fully compliance). I present and compare results of the Greek university evaluations completed by the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency (HQA). Surprisingly, no university has been graded as non-compliant in any of the eight principles-criteria. These evaluations are performed by an alleged “external” and “independent” committee. For all practical purposes, they are, nevertheless, based on subjective and biased opinions of academics affiliated with international universities with links to Greece and its universities. Independent and evidence-based evaluations paint a different picture. Universities which get perfect scores in the quality evaluation processes perform badly in the pertinent international ranking systems. As a case study, their primary education departments have lower research performance with high variability between faculty members and departments. Given that one criterion of evaluating quality is research, then not all Greek universities can be evaluated as highly performing research institutions, either in absolute or relevant terms. This criterion of quality is not satisfied by the primary education departments of Greek universities. According to this evidence, using the HQA as an agency to assess and accredit quality is useless. It should be abolished. A new system should be based on objective criteria such as independent teaching evaluations and research performance. These do not require any committee to evaluate performance and can be constructed on evidence-based policy. The latter relies solely on rigorously established objective facts. Keywords: higher education, quality assurance, HQA, teaching quality, Greece","PeriodicalId":36453,"journal":{"name":"Athens Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47404495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many changes in all areas, including education. In this paper, we discuss the changes in the studying habits of higher education students brought about by the new modes of education. The research was conducted in Slovenia at the University of Maribor on a sample of 272 students. We investigated whether there had been changes in studying time, studying space, mode of studying and learning during lectures, social elements, and the advantages and barriers of distance learning. We found differences in certain studying habits related to the time and space of studying which are mainly associated with the prohibition of movement and socializing outside the household. We noticed a decline in motivation and its connection with lowering learning goals and students finding it harder to focus on learning. However, we also found that the new mode of studying brings greater flexibility for students, so some want to continue to study in this way. Keywords: studying habits, higher education, online education, pandemic, COVID-19
{"title":"Studying Habits in Higher Education Before and After the Outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic","authors":"E. Jereb, J. Jerebic, Marko Urh","doi":"10.30958/aje.10-1-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.10-1-4","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many changes in all areas, including education. In this paper, we discuss the changes in the studying habits of higher education students brought about by the new modes of education. The research was conducted in Slovenia at the University of Maribor on a sample of 272 students. We investigated whether there had been changes in studying time, studying space, mode of studying and learning during lectures, social elements, and the advantages and barriers of distance learning. We found differences in certain studying habits related to the time and space of studying which are mainly associated with the prohibition of movement and socializing outside the household. We noticed a decline in motivation and its connection with lowering learning goals and students finding it harder to focus on learning. However, we also found that the new mode of studying brings greater flexibility for students, so some want to continue to study in this way. Keywords: studying habits, higher education, online education, pandemic, COVID-19","PeriodicalId":36453,"journal":{"name":"Athens Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48633414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study tries to assess the impact of e-learning on the stakeholders, especially teachers and students, and the differences. COVID-19, the current pandemic, is taken as the context. A structural equation modeling approach is undertaken, and PLS-SEM (partial least squares) (multi-group) method is chosen. Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use are the independent constructs, with Behavioral Intention to Use being the dependent construct. Satisfaction is taken as a mediator, and Choice is used as a moderator. One hundred ninety-seven teachers and two hundred seventy-nine students comprise the sample. Results show that teachers’ perceived usefulness has a significant and positive impact on their satisfaction. For both teachers and students, perceived ease of use has a significant and positive impact on behavioral intention. Satisfaction is a successful mediator for teachers but not for the students. Choice has proved to be a good moderator for the relationship between perceived ease of use and behavioral intention to use. The study is unique as a new moderator (choice) is introduced to the modified model, and in-depth analysis is conducted to assess the relationships and the differences between the two groups. Further, it is a multi-national study enhancing its universal implications. Keywords: e-learning, pandemic, SEM, PLS, teachers, students, satisfaction, choice
{"title":"Pandemic Induced E-Learning and the Impact on the Stakeholders: Mediating Role of Satisfaction and Moderating Role of Choice","authors":"Ganesh Dash","doi":"10.30958/aje.10-1-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.10-1-2","url":null,"abstract":"This study tries to assess the impact of e-learning on the stakeholders, especially teachers and students, and the differences. COVID-19, the current pandemic, is taken as the context. A structural equation modeling approach is undertaken, and PLS-SEM (partial least squares) (multi-group) method is chosen. Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use are the independent constructs, with Behavioral Intention to Use being the dependent construct. Satisfaction is taken as a mediator, and Choice is used as a moderator. One hundred ninety-seven teachers and two hundred seventy-nine students comprise the sample. Results show that teachers’ perceived usefulness has a significant and positive impact on their satisfaction. For both teachers and students, perceived ease of use has a significant and positive impact on behavioral intention. Satisfaction is a successful mediator for teachers but not for the students. Choice has proved to be a good moderator for the relationship between perceived ease of use and behavioral intention to use. The study is unique as a new moderator (choice) is introduced to the modified model, and in-depth analysis is conducted to assess the relationships and the differences between the two groups. Further, it is a multi-national study enhancing its universal implications. Keywords: e-learning, pandemic, SEM, PLS, teachers, students, satisfaction, choice","PeriodicalId":36453,"journal":{"name":"Athens Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49170861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Samaranayake, Athula D. A. Gunawardena, Robert R. Meyer
Many students in the Unites States enter college without having decided on a focus for their studies, and thus are faced with choosing from a large number of potential majors and associated very complex sets of degree requirements which can include many courses in other areas of study. Academic advisors use academic planning tools to help students make decisions about class schedules, selecting an academic major or minor, planning for graduation, and many other academic related activities. There is a dearth of decision support systems for degree planning, mainly due to the complexity of degree requirements, and thus many existing academic planning tools utilize static documents or PDF files for displaying information pertaining to degree requirements and course prerequisites. This work considers the complexity of degree requirements and presents the design and implementation of an efficient interactive decision support system that helps students explore degree completion paths. Keywords: degree planning, academic advising, academic decision making, decision support system, college degree planning
{"title":"An Interactive Decision Support System for College Degree Planning","authors":"S. Samaranayake, Athula D. A. Gunawardena, Robert R. Meyer","doi":"10.30958/aje.10-1-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.10-1-6","url":null,"abstract":"Many students in the Unites States enter college without having decided on a focus for their studies, and thus are faced with choosing from a large number of potential majors and associated very complex sets of degree requirements which can include many courses in other areas of study. Academic advisors use academic planning tools to help students make decisions about class schedules, selecting an academic major or minor, planning for graduation, and many other academic related activities. There is a dearth of decision support systems for degree planning, mainly due to the complexity of degree requirements, and thus many existing academic planning tools utilize static documents or PDF files for displaying information pertaining to degree requirements and course prerequisites. This work considers the complexity of degree requirements and presents the design and implementation of an efficient interactive decision support system that helps students explore degree completion paths. Keywords: degree planning, academic advising, academic decision making, decision support system, college degree planning","PeriodicalId":36453,"journal":{"name":"Athens Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45444925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bullying refers to degrading actions, recurring and prolonged, exerted by minors on an equal. Physical or virtual assaults and insults, rejections or intimidations that hinder the victims’ school activity and cause them to feel continually threatened are examples of bullying and cyberbullying, which have serious repercussions, not only on the emotional well-being and academic performance, but also on physical and mental health. It is necessary to build a citizenship engaged to education (Global Citizenship Education) to prevent bullying, and to work in other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The solutions must involve families and teachers, particularly in the context of regulated education, where participation can be promoted in a more planned and controlled way. Expert approaches insist on the relevance of the school to prevent aggression and discrimination through critical and reflective attitudes towards the violence that surrounds these situations. It is about teaching students to reject them ab initio as inappropriate. The aim of this paper is to identify the characteristics of the interventions aimed at the prevention and detection of physical and psychological violence among school children in various settings and populations, specifically in Spain, as well as their results and controversial aspects. Keywords: bullying, violence, harassment, prevention, global citizen education, sustainable development goals
{"title":"Forestalling Bullying in Primary and Secondary Schools in Spain","authors":"Elia Saneleuterio, Rocío López-García-Torres, Teresa Fernández-Ulloa","doi":"10.30958/aje.10-1-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.10-1-1","url":null,"abstract":"Bullying refers to degrading actions, recurring and prolonged, exerted by minors on an equal. Physical or virtual assaults and insults, rejections or intimidations that hinder the victims’ school activity and cause them to feel continually threatened are examples of bullying and cyberbullying, which have serious repercussions, not only on the emotional well-being and academic performance, but also on physical and mental health. It is necessary to build a citizenship engaged to education (Global Citizenship Education) to prevent bullying, and to work in other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The solutions must involve families and teachers, particularly in the context of regulated education, where participation can be promoted in a more planned and controlled way. Expert approaches insist on the relevance of the school to prevent aggression and discrimination through critical and reflective attitudes towards the violence that surrounds these situations. It is about teaching students to reject them ab initio as inappropriate. The aim of this paper is to identify the characteristics of the interventions aimed at the prevention and detection of physical and psychological violence among school children in various settings and populations, specifically in Spain, as well as their results and controversial aspects. Keywords: bullying, violence, harassment, prevention, global citizen education, sustainable development goals","PeriodicalId":36453,"journal":{"name":"Athens Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46486975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Constantinos Xenofontos, Sinem Hizli Alkan, Paul Andrews
Estimation is an essential competence with a developmental role in the learning of various mathematical topics. Yet, as previous studies highlight, this competence is either excluded or ambivalently included in intended curricula around the world. The current study investigates the estimation-related opportunities in the primary curricula of three Eastern Mediterranean countries (Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey). Our analyses are framed by four forms of estimation (computational, measurement, quantity, number line). As with previous studies in other contexts, computational estimation and measurement estimation are extensively addressed in the curricula of Cyprus and Turkey, yet without any meaningful justification for their inclusion. All three curricula fail to recognise the importance of number line estimation and quantity estimation, the two forms with the most significant developmental implications for the later learning of other mathematical concepts and areas of mathematics. Among the three curricula under scrutiny, the Greek is the one with the fewest and most superficial references to estimation. In closing, we discuss the implications of this study and suggestions for future research. Keywords: computational estimation, measurement estimation, number line estimation, quantity estimation, intended curricula, Eastern Mediterranean countries
{"title":"Estimation in the Primary Mathematics Curricula of Cyprus, Greece and Turkey: A Privileged or Prevented Competence?","authors":"Constantinos Xenofontos, Sinem Hizli Alkan, Paul Andrews","doi":"10.30958/aje.10-1-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.10-1-7","url":null,"abstract":"Estimation is an essential competence with a developmental role in the learning of various mathematical topics. Yet, as previous studies highlight, this competence is either excluded or ambivalently included in intended curricula around the world. The current study investigates the estimation-related opportunities in the primary curricula of three Eastern Mediterranean countries (Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey). Our analyses are framed by four forms of estimation (computational, measurement, quantity, number line). As with previous studies in other contexts, computational estimation and measurement estimation are extensively addressed in the curricula of Cyprus and Turkey, yet without any meaningful justification for their inclusion. All three curricula fail to recognise the importance of number line estimation and quantity estimation, the two forms with the most significant developmental implications for the later learning of other mathematical concepts and areas of mathematics. Among the three curricula under scrutiny, the Greek is the one with the fewest and most superficial references to estimation. In closing, we discuss the implications of this study and suggestions for future research. Keywords: computational estimation, measurement estimation, number line estimation, quantity estimation, intended curricula, Eastern Mediterranean countries","PeriodicalId":36453,"journal":{"name":"Athens Journal of Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44740577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights asserts that education is a fundamental human right for everyone. Education promotes equality, but this can only be possible in the absence of social injustices within school systems. Social justice in education entails challenging any inequalities that may exist in the education system. This study focused on examining South African township high school learners’ definition of their right to education and views on its implementation. Using a qualitative approach, 45 high school learners (26 female and 19 male) who were purposively sampled from two township public high schools participated in semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews. The study was grounded in the social constructivism paradigm and data were analysed thematically. The findings of this study showed several shortfalls in the implementation of the right to education in the two schools. Despite a few positive developments, learners generally felt dissatisfied with the implementation of their right to education. Based on these findings, this study recommends the need to monitor activities in public schools to ensure that the right to education is fully implemented, to promote social justice in schools. Keywords: public school, right to education, social justice, the Constitution of South Africa, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, township
{"title":"Townships’ High School Learners’ Views on the Implementation of the Right to Education: A Social Justice Perspective","authors":"Lucia Munongi","doi":"10.30958/aje.10-1-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.10-1-9","url":null,"abstract":"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights asserts that education is a fundamental human right for everyone. Education promotes equality, but this can only be possible in the absence of social injustices within school systems. Social justice in education entails challenging any inequalities that may exist in the education system. This study focused on examining South African township high school learners’ definition of their right to education and views on its implementation. Using a qualitative approach, 45 high school learners (26 female and 19 male) who were purposively sampled from two township public high schools participated in semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews. The study was grounded in the social constructivism paradigm and data were analysed thematically. The findings of this study showed several shortfalls in the implementation of the right to education in the two schools. Despite a few positive developments, learners generally felt dissatisfied with the implementation of their right to education. Based on these findings, this study recommends the need to monitor activities in public schools to ensure that the right to education is fully implemented, to promote social justice in schools. Keywords: public school, right to education, social justice, the Constitution of South Africa, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, township","PeriodicalId":36453,"journal":{"name":"Athens Journal of Education","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42745868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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