6th Grade Research Articles

Development and validation of STEM motivation scale for middle school students

Understanding motivational beliefs such as expectancy and value that shape students’ persistence and decision to pursue a STEM career, obtaining valid and reliable measures for these dimensions, and developing strategies using this data are critically important to ensure students’ persistence in the STEM pipeline. Therefore, this study aims to develop a tool to measure middle school students’ STEM motivations within the expectancy and value concepts framework. The trial version of the scale was conducted on 967 middle school students in the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. The study group was randomly divided into two groups. EFA was conducted on the data obtained from the first sub-group (n=479), and CFA was performed using the data obtained from the second sub-group (n=488). The results of a series of CFA performed to test three different models developed based on the theoretical structure, Model 3, the second-order single-factor structure composed of 5 sub-dimensions was found to be a successful model. This measurement tool would allow determining motivational beliefs within the expectancy-value concept that can be targeted to encourage students’ interest in STEM fields, as well as help design interventions for these structure(s), and evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions.

THE IMPACT OF ACCOMPANIMENT IN THE INSTRUMENT (VIOLIN) EDUCATION COURSE ON THE MUSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE STUDENT AND THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON THE COURSE

The aim of this research was to investigate the impact of piano-accompanied practice on the musical development of the students who are taking violin courses in fine arts high schools, as well as their perspectives on the violin courses. In line with this goal, studying with accompaniment and studying with a metronome were compared. The study group of the research; comprised of 8 students who were selected for the experimental and control groups from 9th to 12th grade violin students studying at Afyonkarahisar Fine Arts High School during the 2021-2022 academic year. In the research, the 'Post-test Control Group Model' was used. Various evaluation criteria were examined. "Interim Observation Form", "Post-test Experimental/Control Groups Scoring Schelude" and "Post-Study Questionary Form on Perspectives towards Violin Courses" for the participating students were created. During the 8-week experimental, the experimental group practiced with recorded accompaniments of the pieces, while the control group practiced with predetermined metronome speeds. Week 1 (deciphering phase) and Week 10 (post-test recordings) were not included in the 8-week training phase. In week 5, interim observation records were taken and in week 10, post-test records were taken. The 'Interim Observation Form' and 'Post-test Experimental/Control Groups Scoring Schedule' were evaluated by five experts. Based on the statistical analyses and the answers provided by the students in the question form, it was concluded that piano-accompanied violin education had a positive impact on the musical development of the students and their perspective on violin courses.

Boundary-making between mainstream and special education. A posthuman ethnographic investigation of materialities of schooling and Danish teachers’ imaginaries and practices around ‘middle forms’

ABSTRACT This article explores production of divisions and belonging between mainstream and special education needs students in Danish primary education. The article analyses the boundary-making practices produced by teachers and materialities of schooling between mainstream education students and those with mild to moderate special needs whose schooling is divided between the mainstream classroom and special provisions within the walls of the mainstream school. The article is based on ethnographical fieldwork in two Danish public schools with teachers from 4th to 6th grade in mainstream education. Using artefacts such as empty chairs, missing names, and lavatories for specific groups of students, the analysis shows how nonhuman mundane materialities of the school and classroom do performative work in enacting divisions and belonging in mainstream education. Besides the focus on materialities, teachers’ statements on students with special needs offers insights into teachers’ imaginaries and perspectives on their responsibilities (or lack thereof) concerning students with special needs. Despite intentions to enhance opportunities for students with special needs to participate in mainstream classroom activities, this study’s main findings suggest a strong segregation between the two groups and that teachers and materialities are reinforcing and reproducing this segregation through artefacts, (dis)placements, counterproductive imaginaries, and discursive statements.

INCIDÊNCIA E CARACTERÍSTICAS CLÍNICO-EPIDEMIOLÓGICAS DA TUBERCULOSE EM IMPERATRIZ – MA

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease transmitted by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which spreads through the airways when infected individuals cough, sneeze or speak, releasing aerosols containing active bacilli. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the incidence and clinical-epidemiological characteristics of tuberculosis in Imperatriz - Ma, between 2019 and 2023. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Descriptive epidemiological study, with a quantitative approach, carried out from compulsory notifications of new cases of the disease available via DATASUS. The incidence coefficients were calculated for each year of the disease. The epidemiological variables were treated using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: During the period under investigation, 447 new cases of tuberculosis were reported in the city of Imperatriz. The detection rate of new cases was higher in 2022 and lower in 2021. Regarding the epidemiological characteristics, most cases were male, brown race/color, pulmonary clinical form, first positive sputum culture, negative TB/HIV coinfection, DOT not performed, non-smoker, non-alcoholic and with evolution to cure. In addition, the age group of 20 to 29 years, incomplete 5th to 8th grade of PE and 6th month bacilloscopy not performed stood out. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: It is essential to invest in strategies that expand access and adherence to treatment, promote a more humanized approach in patient monitoring, and develop intersectoral actions to address socioeconomic and educational barriers.

Comparison of Food Selection with the National School Lunch Program Meal Pattern Guidelines and Assessment of Children's Food Intake and Waste Using Digital Photography in a School Cafeteria.

Background: School lunch is an important nutritious food source for children. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) meal patterns guidelines have been established to promote healthier school lunches. This pilot study compared food selection during lunch in a school cafeteria with the NSLP meal pattern guidelines. Food intake and waste were also examined in relation to food selection. Methods: In a cross-sectional design, data were collected from children in the 1st, 6th, and 10th grades from a school in the United States. The digital photography of foods method was used to assess children's food selection, intake, and waste at lunch over 3 weeks. Results were presented as percentage, frequency, and mean ± standard deviation. Results: About 48 children from 1st grade, 47 from 6th grade, and 50 from 10th grade participated each day. Food selection in these grades consistently fell below the NSLP guidelines, with 69%, 79.8%, and 86.9% of children selecting less than the guidelines for energy, respectively. On average, only 10.4% of children selected vegetables at or above the guidelines. About 41% of the selected energy, 43% of fruits, 43% of vegetables, and 56% of milk were discarded as plate waste across all grades. Conclusions: Selection of energy and vegetables was consistently below the NSLP guidelines, yet almost half of the selected fruits, vegetables, and milk were wasted by children. Initiatives to enhance meal quality and variety, along with nutrition education interventions and school policies, are needed to improve food selection and intake and reduce food waste.

An Analysis of Common Errors Made by Grade 7 Students in Writing English Paragraphs at a Secondary School in Hanoi, Vietnam

Error analysis is a technique that identifies and classifies the inappropriate forms that foreign language learners produce (Crystal, 1987), and it is considered a useful tool for helping them improve their writing skills. The study investigated the secondary students' common errors in writing English paragraphs. During the first term of the school year 2023-2024, 43 grade 7 students from a secondary school in Hanoi participated in a descriptive quantitative research project. The participants were asked to complete three writing tests at three different times to generate their written errors based on Ferris’ (2014) model of error analysis. The findings indicate that the types of errors that grade 7 students made are lexical errors, syntactic errors, morphological errors, orthographical errors, and paragraph errors. Lexical, syntactic, and orthographical errors are greatly committed by the students. Accordingly, it comes to the conclusion that secondary students in general and 7th graders in particular struggle with writing English paragraphs. The results of the research would also give the secondary teachers of English some implications, such as focusing on grammatical patterns, emphasizing irregular instances, offering adequate practice opportunities, implementing explicit instructions, and engaging students in interactive exercises, visual aids, collaborative activities, authentic materials, etc. to mitigate the students' written errors.

Profiles of Primary School Children’s Sports Participation and Their Motor Competencies

Background/Objectives: Children participate in various organized and informal physical activities (PAs) in their leisure time, presenting diverse objectives and environments for motor and social development. However, current research often focuses on specific, mostly organized activities, overlooking the complexity of participation across different settings. This study aimed to (1) identify groups of children with similar characteristics based on their participation in five organized and informal sports activities and (2) examine how the groups differ regarding gender, age, BMI, motor competencies (MCs), and attendance in institutionalized care at school. Methods: The study included n = 1717 1st and 2nd graders (M = 7.60 years, SD = 0.59, 50.7% girls) and n = 1319 3rd and 4th graders (M = 9.46 years, SD = 0.57, 49.4% girls) from the “EMOKK” study, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. Data were collected via parent questionnaires on leisure sports participation, and MCs were assessed using MOBAK-1-2 and 3-4 tests. Latent profile analyses (LPAs) and univariate ANOVAs were used to identify group differences. Results: A three-profile LPA model best fits the data, revealing differences in participation across individual and team sports, optional school sports, free play on the school playground, and informal activities during leisure time. Children involved more in team sports (profiles: allrounder and very active sportsperson) participate more in informal play and present better MCs than children participating mainly in individual sports (profile: individual sportsperson). Girls were predominantly in the individual sports profile, while boys were more evenly spread across all groups. These findings highlight the importance of designing targeted interventions that promote participation in both organized and informal sports, particularly for children with lower levels of PA. Conclusions: Children show different patterns of engagement in different interrelated organized and informal leisure PA contexts. These specific patterns and the children’s MCs should be taken into account for the targeted promotion of PAs during leisure time.

Screen time and obesity prevalence in adolescents: an isotemporal substitution analysis.

We examined the associations between screen time and adolescent obesity and the associations of reallocating screen time to other activities using isotemporal substitution models. Understanding the association between screen time and obesity may provide additional insights into effective obesity prevention strategies in adolescents. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 5,180 adolescents (4th and 7th grade students) from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey 2018. Participants reported their height, weight, and average time spent watching television, using computer, using smartphone, and other after-school activities. Obesity was defined as BMI-for-age and -sex ≥ 95th percentile based on the 2017 Korean National Growth Charts. We performed multivariable logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between screen time and obesity prevalence, adjusting for potential confounders. Prolonged smartphone use (≥ 180 vs. <60m/d: OR [95% CI] = 2.75 [2.06, 3.68]) was associated with a higher obesity prevalence. Television watching (≥ 120 vs. <60min/d) was positively associated with obesity prevalence among 4th grade students (2.09 [1.51, 2.89]) but the association was not observed among 7th grade students (0.97 [0.63, 1.49]). One-hour increments of any non-screen time activities, with a simultaneous 1-hour decrease in combined screen time, were associated with a lower obesity prevalence (physical activity: 0.75 [0.65, 0.85]; sleeping: 0.69 [0.62, 0.78]; hanging out with friends: 0.80 [0.71, 0.89]; reading: 0.82 [0.69, 0.97]; studying: 0.84 [0.78, 0.90]; chatting with parents: 0.89 [0.88, 0.98]). Our data suggest that public health strategies that reduce screen time and increase time for non-screen time activities, such as physical activity, may be effective in lowering adolescent obesity prevalence.

Enhancing Spanish Patient Education Materials: Comparing the Readability of Artificial Intelligence-Generated Spanish Patient Education Materials to the Society of Pediatric Dermatology Spanish Patient Brochures.

Patient education materials (PEMs) are crucial for improving patient adherence and outcomes; however, they may not beaccessibledue to high reading levels. Our study used seven readability measures to compare the readability of SpanishPEMsfromthe Society of Pediatric Dermatology (SPD) with those generated by Open-AI's ChatGPT 4.0 and Google Gemini. Our results showed that when prompted to produce material at a 6th grade level, both AI ChatBots generated significantly improved readability scores when compared to the SPD handouts. These findings suggest that AI-generated PEMs couldbetter meet readability standards and potentially improve patient outcomes, although further studies are needed to confirm this.

STUDENT’S PERCEPTION OF SCIEnNCE LEARNING CARRIED ONLINE OR OFFLINE

This research aims to see the perceptions of SMP N 1 Sawahlunto students regarding science learning which is carried out directly and indirectly. The type of research used in this research was quantitative descriptive method. And sampling technique used in this research was the proportionate stratified random sampling. The sample in this study consisted of 60 students at SMP N 1 Sawahlunto, such as 30 student of 7th grade and 30 student of 8th grade. The data collection techniques using an instrument in the form of a questionnaire. The research result shows that online and offline science learning has its own advantages and disadvantages. Even though it is one solution when offline learning cannot be implemented, online learning has many inhibiting factors, like communication tools, internet access, and learning media. This research concluded that students of SMP N 1 Sawahlunto prefer learning carried out offline compared to online.

THE EFFECT OF READING TO LEARN (R2L) MODEL ON SCIENCTIFIC LITERACY OF LIVING THINGS CLASSIFICATION LEARNING MATERIALS

This study aims to determine the effect of R2L model on scienctific literacy competence of students on the classification of Living Things learning material. The type of this research is a quasi experiment with nonequivalent control group design. This research was conducted in the 7th grade of SMPN 7 Payakumbuh, West Sumatra. The sampling was taken by purposive sampling technique to get 32 students of class VII.I as experimental group and 23 students of class VII.II as control group. The instrument used is a test of science literacy questions as many as 16 questions with 3 forms of questions. The results showed that the use of the R2L model increase the science literacy competence of students. The important syntax in supporting the improvement of students' scientific literacy competence is at the detailed reading and note-making stages. This stage allows students to read the reading text attentively and find important words in the text.

An Analysis of English Mid-Term Test Items at the 7th Grade Students of SMPN 7 Bukittinggi

This study was motivated by several problems, such as the mismatch between the test questions and the material learned, unclear question instructions, and the lack of statistical analysis by English teachers. The main objective of this study was to identify the quality of English midterm test items for grade 7th students at SMPN 7 Bukittinggi, focusing on Validity, Reliability, difficulty level, Discrimination Power, and Distractor Effectiveness. The research method used was Quantitative Descriptive, with data collection through student answer sheets and analysis using various statistical formulas, including Point Biserial Correlation for validity, Spearman-Brown for reliability, and Narsya's formula for difficulty level and differentiating power, as well as Djumingin's formula for effectiveness. The results showed that most of the items were valid, and reliable, had a moderate difficulty level, and had good discriminating power, with only a few items showing minor problems. Overall, the English midterm exam items were considered good quality.

Development of Puzzle Learning Media based on Local Wisdom of Maluku Culture in Teaching Social Science Learning in 4th Grade Students of SD Negeri Leahari

This study aims to design learning media in the form of puzzles based on the local wisdom of Maluku culture and test its feasibility. The research was done using R&amp;D method by adapting the ADDIE model—namely Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The results of the validator’s assessment of the puzzle obtained an average percentage of 92.5% by media experts in the category “Very Feasible” to use in learning activities. The results of the response from the teacher obtained an average percentage of 97.2% with the category “Very Feasible to Use”, while the responses from students showed the category “Very Feasible” to use with an average percentage of 91.5%. The box-shaped puzzle consists of pieces of arrangeable images that display the cultural diversity of Maluku and is made from natural materials, namely sago tree fronds or ’gaba-gaba’. The cultural diversity material contained in this puzzle includes traditional houses, clothing, and dances from Maluku Province. The puzzle was designed using Canva and Adobe Illustration. In conclusion, puzzle learning media with Maluku’s local wisdom-based is very feasible to use in learning to help teachers teach about “Cultural Diversity”. Keywords: Learning Media, Puzzle, Local Wisdom, Maluku Culture

Validating the foreign language enjoyment scale for young learners: An exploratory structural equation modeling approach

Foreign language enjoyment (FLE) has garnered scholarly attention within the framework of positive psychology. However, FLE-related studies have predominantly focused on adult learners, with little exploration into FLE among young language learners (YLLs). Consequently, little is known about the factorial structure of FLE and its sources for YLLs. This study aims to develop and validate the foreign language enjoyment scale (FLES) designed for YLLs by comparing four models: confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), bifactor CFA, ESEM, and bifactor ESEM, based on Alamer's (2022) guidelines for ESEM. 510 Japanese elementary ESL learners in the 5th and 6th grades participated in this study. The analysis of the four models revealed that the bifactor ESEM outperformed the others in terms of model fit and comparative indices, identifying a three-factor model of FLE, which is consistent with prior studies on adult learners. The findings from this study not only contribute to further understanding of FLE within a less-studied population but also advance methodological approaches for scale validation in applied linguistics.

ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЯ СТРУКТУРИ І ЗМІСТУ КУРСУ ГЕОГРАФІЇ ВОСЬМОГО КЛАСУ ДЛЯ ЗАКЛАДІВ ЗАГАЛЬНОЇ СЕРЕДНЬОЇ ОСВІТИ

The article is focused on the analysis of the structure and content of Geography study in the 8th grades of general secondary educational institutions based on the model curriculum, developed by the team under the supervision of S. P. Zapototskyi. According to it, the content block related to the study of the population was removed from the 8th and instead transferred to the 9th grade course. Thus, the content of the course “Geography” in the 8th grade will encompass the following 4 chapters: Chapter I “Cartographic image of Ukraine”, Chapter II “Nature of Ukraine”, Chapter III “Natural Resource Management” and Chapter IV “Space – Territory – State”. Instead of the topic “Ukrainian and World Population” in the 8th grade, the inclusion of which in this course at one time was an unsuccessful experiment, two Chapters were introduced under the names “Natural Resource Management” and “Space – Territory – State”. Chapter “Natural Resource Management” logically completes the study of the nature of our state from the standpoint of the resource approach and perspectives of nature use, and “Space – Territory – State” is a kind of a transitional link to the study of Ukrainian and world social geography in the 9th grade. However, a more detailed analysis of the content of the topics included in the geography course covered in the 8th grade according to the model program offered by S. P. Zapototskyi and others, prompts to draw attention to some debatable issues and to offer author’s vision of improving the content of the educational discipline. The main suggestions concern the preservation of a typical physical and geographical approach to the study of the nature of Ukraine in Chapter II, In topic 1. of section IV. "Ukrainian state" a very important aspect of consideration is the affirmation of the idea that Ukraine is the inheritor of the state tradition of the Slavic tribe of the Ants. Another strength of the program is the project activity to establish the features of the formation of capable territorial communities formed after the decentralization reform. The main narrative to be relayed by topic 2 "Ukraine's place on the political map of the world" is that Ukraine is a sovereign European state, a candidate country for EU membership, which has to defend its independence from Russian aggression in a fair armed struggle. and some clarification of the content in Chapter III “Natural Resource Management”.

ПРОЄКТНА ТЕХНОЛОГІЯ ЯК ЗАСІБ ФОРМУВАННЯ ПРОФЕСІЙНО-МЕТОДИЧНИХ КОМПЕТЕНЦІЙ БАКАЛАВРА СЕРЕДНЬОЇ ОСВІТИ (ХІМІЯ)

The purpose of the article is to find out the possibilities of using project technology in the educational process on a competency-based basis by students of higher education. The article clarifies the essence and task of applying project methods in professional pedagogical training. The peculiarities and practical value of the project method for the formation of professional competences of future chemistry teachers are revealed. Literary sources on the use of project methods in educational institutions of various levels were analyzed. The stages of creating practice-oriented projects are indicated: preparatory (theoretical), adaptation, search, activity (practical), final. The relationship between project activities of bachelors and the formation of their professional competence is shown. An approximate extended plan of the methodical project is given. The role of pedagogical practice in the acquisition of professional and methodical competences in the application of the project "Methodology and technology for studying the topic "The structure of the atom" developed by student-interns is outlined. Periodic law and periodic system of chemical elements" in the 8th grade. Considerable attention is paid to the protection of pedagogical practice, which examines the results of implementing the developed project into the educational process by future chemistry teachers. The requirements regarding the readiness of future teachers to carry out the educational process in chemistry are taken into account when reporting on the completion of pedagogical practice. It was found that the project technology is an invariant component in the educational process in the training of specialists in the specialty of Secondary Education (Chemistry) and ensures the integration of scientific-theoretical and practical (acquiring experience) training of the future chemistry teacher. Involvement of students in the development of long-term and personal projects ensures the full formation of professional competencies in accordance with the requirements of the educational and professional program «Secondary Education (Chemistry)».

TEACHING ANGLES AND POLYGONS USING GEOGEBRA SOFTWARE

The objective of this paper is to describe a didactic-pedagogical sequence developed to teach angles and polygons to an 8th grade class of a public state school in Palmeira dos Índios, Alagoas, Brazil. The sequence is part of the Extension Project "Mathematics and Active Methods" and addresses some common difficulties in teaching geometry, such as the abstraction of formal concepts and the students' lack of understanding of the connection of these concepts to real situations. Studies indicate that the use of digital technologies facilitates the visualization and interaction with mathematical concepts, promoting more dynamic and meaningful learning. In view of this, the sequence, applied in four classes, involved activities contextualized to sports, using the GeoGebra software. The results show that, although some students still face difficulties, the interactive and contextualized approach improved engagement and understanding of formal mathematical concepts, especially geometric ones.

Associations Between Callous-Unemotional (CU) Traits and EmotionRecognition Abilities in School Children: The Influence of ConductProblems and Age.

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits are associated with severe conduct problems (CP) in youth. Causal theories for CU traits focus on emotion processing deficits that interfere with empathy development. However, though CU traits are consistently associated with deficits in affective empathy (i.e., emotional reactivity), the association between CU traits and cognitive empathy, which requires accurate emotion recognition, is less clear. We hypothesize that past inconsistencies in the associations between CU traits and emotion recognition may be due to interactions with conduct problems (CP) and age. To test this, a sample (N = 258) of school children in the 3rd, 6th, and 8th grades completed a computer task that assessed facial expression recognition, while caregivers and teachers reported on CU traits and CP. Results from hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated significant interactions between CU traits and CP in their associations with overall emotion recognition and with recognition of fearful and sad faces. In each case, CP showed a non-significant negative association with emotion recognition at high levels of CU traits. However, for fear and sadness recognition, CP was positively associated with accuracy at low levels of CU traits. Significant interactions between CU traits and age also emerged for recognition of fear and sadness, such that there were non-significant negative associations between CU traits and recognition accuracy in younger children, but significant positive associations in 8th grade students. These results have multiple implications as they help to clarify past inconsistencies on the association between CU traits and emotion recognition and can aid in the development of more effective interventions to prevent or treat conduct problems in young children.

Formation of personal and meta-subject results in the context of the development of reading and digital literacy in 7th grade at informatics lessons using case technology

Formation of personal and meta-subject results in the context of the development of reading and digital literacy in 7th grade at informatics lessons using case technology

Values Are Not Taught, Values Are Built

Forming values to contribute to the complete formation of the human being as responsible citizens is an educational task that is indispensable to the construction of sustainability. Consequently, this document states that achieving a construction of values that leads to true development is not possible without a teaching and learning of science that, starting from an intersystemic and therefore complex vision of the world, allows us to build them. Answering the question How can interdisciplinary science teaching contribute to generating in today’s children a genuine interest in the study and knowledge of science in general, and in the conservation of natural resources in particular? Was the objective of the methodological proposal for interdisciplinary science teaching that was previously described in the article “Teaching soil science: a strategy and warranty towards the future” (Reyes-Sánchez, 2012). This second document addresses why, how and for what purpose the formation of values and principles accompanied this methodological proposal for interdisciplinary science teaching as a qualitative pedagogical approach that was applied within two schools with children in 5th and 6th grade of basic education −10 and 11 years of age-: by amalgamating the construction of knowledge with that of values to support the appropriation of both in a playful way, seeking and encouraging in children the congruence between knowledge, thought and action. The differences in children’s opinions regarding life problems that affect the social, political and economic order before and after the pedagogical intervention are presented in a comparative manner.