Primary School Classrooms Research Articles

Influence of the building energy efficiency on indoor air temperature: The case of a typical school classroom in Serbia

Greenhouse gases emission as well as total energy consumption in buildings of public importance, such as schools, municipal buildings, health care centers, can be significantly reduced by increasing buildings? energy efficiency. Buildings? energy consumption adds up to 37% of total energy consumption in the EU countries. In the Republic of Serbia this amount is significantly higher, about 50%. School buildings are considered as one of the most diverse structures from the point of energy-efficient design and construction. The main aim of this paper is to determine the most appropriate settings for possible improvements in energy efficiency and temperature comfort inside a typical primary school classroom in Serbia. The energy efficiency analysis was performed during the heating season for the naturally ventilated primary school classroom located in the eastern Serbia region. The analysis was performed using novel CFD model, suggested in this paper. The suggested model was used to solve two hypothetical scenarios. The first scenario simulates the temperature field in classroom with current energy characteristic envelope of the school building. The calculated numerical data from the first scenario were compared with in-situ measurements values of temperature and wall heat fluxes and showed satisfying accuracy. The second scenario was simulated to indicate possible improvements, which would allow energy consumption decrease and thermal quality enhancement. The analyzed results, calculated using the suggested numerical model under the second scenario conditions, showed that using appropriate set of measures, it is possible to obtain desired temperature comfort levels without need for increase in the building energy consumption.

Pedagogy and Diversity: Difference or Deficit

Schools—their curriculum and pedagogy—assume the middle-class child as the norm, effectively rendering other childhoods and life-worlds as being deficient. Shifting away from this assumption, and acknowledging diversity, is usually understood as requiring an ‘attitudinal’ shift on the part of teachers. Teachers are usually held ‘guilty’ of having negative attitudes towards children of the poor. Explanations for the pedagogy generally then refer to these attitudes, and ‘corrective action’ then attends to an attitudinal change. The idea of ‘multiple childhoods’ is gaining influence in the teacher education curricula as providing an alternative normative framework that can enable teachers to work with, and retain, diversity. Some recent research into the manifestation of ‘difference’ in the primary school classroom indicates that differences are experienced by teachers as learning difficulty issues that need a curricular and pedagogic response. The child’s home culture, home support for schooling and home socialization seem to enter into the pedagogy in more ways than can be addressed by changing the ‘teachers’ attitudes’. ‘Educability’ is a central (folk) concept for teachers who engage with and try to address the learning requirements of children, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds (and particularly social classes lower than themselves). Four studies on teachers’ experiences of ‘difference’ are drawn upon to engage with and to evolve an understanding of the specific implications of for pedagogy and educational aims.

Academic self-concept formation and peer-group contagion: Development of the big-fish-little-pond effect in primary-school classrooms and peer groups.

How do peer groups influence academic self-concept formation? We evaluate developmental issues in the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE; negative effects of class-average achievement on math self-concept [MSC]) and its generalizability to peer-group-average achievement (1,017 primary-school students tested in Years 4 and 6, 46 classes, 130 peer groups). The effects of peer-group-average and class-average achievement on MSC were both negative when we considered these two contextual effects separately. However, the effect of peer-group-average became nonsignificant in models with both contextual effects; the negative effect of class-average achievement was relatively unaffected. Results for peer-group-average achievement contradict predictions based on local dominance theory (that the BFLPE should be more negative for peer-group-average achievement than the more local frame of reference, a contrast effect) and social comparison choice studies (that peer-group-average achievement effects should be positive, an assimilation effect). Unsurprisingly, we found BFLPEs based on class-average achievement and gender differences favoring boys in both Years 4 and 6. However, consistent with theories of the cognitive development of social comparison and gender socialization/intensification processes, we also found negative effects of class-average and gender differences favoring boys on change in MSC (MSC in Year 6 controlling for MSC in Year 4) over this critical late-childhood period. Our results support the robustness of the BFLPE based on class-average achievement and developmental processes underpinning it, but do not support the posited effects of peer-group-average achievement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

Study on the Teaching Model of the Intelligent Classroom in Chinese Primary School

The advent of the "Internet+" era has deepened the integration of information technology and subject teaching, and the "smart classroom" has injected fresh blood into the reform and innovation of the traditional classroom. In the context of artificial intelligence, some students are still not interested in Chinese learning, and the phenomenon of teachers filling the classroom still exists. This paper analyzes the characteristics of the intelligent classroom of primary school Chinese in the context of artificial intelligence and refines the three-stage teaching application model of "individual learning, mixed learning, and extended learning" in the intelligent classroom with the tablet computer as the carrier. This article hopes to solve the current problem of Chinese teaching and learning by promoting students' Chinese learning through good intelligent education.

Artes visuales para la inclusión de la diversidad sexual en la formación del profesorado de educación primaria

In this paper, we propose training primary school teachers on issues of sexual diversity. As the main objective, we propose to know if future primary school teachers are receiving this type of training, subsequently providing proposals to improve this situation of formative precariousness that exists regarding the inclusion of sexual and gender dissidence in school. Among the secondary objectives, we highlight the need to use attractive tools to deal with these issues in the classroom. We observe that, in relation to sexual diversity, visual arts and art education offer us the opportunity to incorporate images, works and artists who are working on these issues, using as a tool the Museari online museum. We use the case study as a methodology. After having incorporated these actions in the classroom, all the participants respond a questionnaire. After the results, the conclusion we draw is that the training experience in sexual and gender diversity and inclusion has been interesting and novel for them, having encouraged reflection on how to incorporate these issues into the dynamics of the primary school classroom.

Learning about materiality through tinkering with Micro:bits

This paper discusses two pilot projects in Art and design education at the teacher training at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. In the second round of drafts for the new curriculum of Art and design digital knowledge is described as stretching from using simple digital resources to master and shape your own digital products. It is no longer limited to two-dimensional visual modelling as previously drafted. This is in our view a new approach in a subject where making, tinkering and designing allows for explorations in both 2D and 3D. Given that we want to encourage the use of the digital together with the use of physical materials, the pilot case studies demonstrate the importance of bringing coding and the material aspects of tinkering, making, and creating into play. The BBC Micro:bit was used to make coding and mechanical control part of projects made with traditional material. Further research and development should be undertaken to bring such practices into classrooms in primary and lower secondary schools.

Study of Developing Stereotyped Thoughts Scale Toward Science Courses

The study aims to develop a scale for determining the stereotyped thoughts of primary school classroom and elementary science teacher candidates toward science courses. Descriptive survey model, one of the quantitative research patterns, is used since the study follows the process of scale development. In sample determination, first stratified sampling and then easily accessible sampling method are used. The study groups consist of 611 pre-service teachers, wherein 302 was for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) while 309 was for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). For the validity of the scale, the number of content validity rate (CVR) was determined in line with the opinions of 14 experts and the scale items were arranged. For the construct validity of the scale, EFA was performed and total item correlation and item factor loadings were found to be at the desired level. As a result of the validity-reliability analysis of the study by adopting a Likert-type scale development model, a 28-item scale structure with Cronbach alpha internal consistency coefficient .81, consisting of five factors, was obtained, which explains 58.63% of the total variance.

Dilemmas in the integration of technologies in a Primary school classroom: the dialogue between teacher agency, curriculum and digital technologies

ABSTRACT The current study describes and analyse the day-to-day integration of digital technologies in a Year Three Primary Education classroom in Spain. The process of integrating technologies in the classroom and the difficulties and contradictions encountered are analysed in accordance with two key theories: teacher agency and the prescribed curriculum conveyed through textbooks. It is a qualitative research with an intrinsic case study, consisted of participant and non-participant observation, in-depth interviews, focus groups and document analysis. Results show that interactions between various personal, contextual and structural aspects, and their various combinations, forges and restructures teachers’ ICT practices, revealing the difficulties teachers experience in introducing technology-based innovations to the current curriculum. The observation of the process exposes a series of beliefs and contradictory practices that compromise the teacher’s agency in terms of her capacity to meet her initial objective of autonomously managing the curriculum.

Distance learning in primary school during the COVID-19 pandemic: results of the “SMART KIDS” experiment

The paper analyzes the results of the introduction of the distance learning form (DLF) using electronic educational resources (EER) and the teacher’s virtual classroom in primary school. The experiment took place within the framework of the “Smart Kids” All-Ukrainian project during the long quarantine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The educational process took place both synchronously and asynchronously. The present paper substantiates the model of organization of distance learning of primary school students using EER and outlines its three main components: the organization of learning; conducting online classes (explaining new material or practicing skills by students) and monitoring the quality of students’ independent performance of tasks. The results of the experiment prove that it is necessary to provide teachers and students with computer equipment, Internet access, digital resources for teaching and assessment to implement DLF. It has been established that EER in distance learning can be used both on a regular basis – in each class, and periodically – to explain new material or train skills; the quality of tasks performed by students can be monitored in the virtual office of the teacher and shape an individual trajectory of students’ development. The teachers identified the following main problems of DLF implementation: internet interruptions; problems with providing new computer equipment to students and some teachers; lack of state aid in providing EER to all participants in the educational process; limited access to students’ computers during complete isolation due to online work of parents. Despite the outlined problems, the quality of distance learning of primary school students during the pandemic using EER was positively and highly assessed by teachers.

A multi-objective optimization method based on an adaptive meta-model for classroom design with smart electrochromic windows

Electrochromic windows are one of the most promising technologies in smart windows. They offer flexible control of indoor thermal environments, lighting environments and energy. The classroom environment has an important impact on the health of primary and secondary school students, but a comfortable indoor environment often requires high energy consumption. This paper presents a multi-objective optimization method for the application of electrochromic window technology to the envelope design of primary and secondary school classrooms. Based on an envelope design method that considers the daylighting windows and viewing windows separately, the feasibility and effect of electrochromic window technology in the classroom are discussed through sensitivity analysis. Then, an adaptive meta-model method is used to improve the model's accuracy and stability. Finally, a multi-objective optimization algorithm is coupled with the optimized meta-model to generate the optimal design scheme set. The proposed multi-objective optimization method is applied to a typical classroom case in Nanjing. The results show that compared with the traditional design scheme, the indicators (TES, TDM and UDINo) of the optimized schemes are improved. Among them, TES decreased by 254 kWh at most, TDM decreased by 119.3 h at most, and UDINo increased by 65.4% at most.

A Novel Optimization Method for Conventional Primary and Secondary School Classrooms in Southern China Considering Energy Demand, Thermal Comfort and Daylighting

The classroom environment is of great significance for the health of primary and secondary school students, but a comfortable indoor environment often requires higher energy consumption. This paper presents a multi-objective optimization method based on an artificial neural network (ANN) model, which can help designers efficiently optimize the design of primary and secondary school classrooms in southern China. In this optimization method, first, the optimization objectives and variables are determined according to building characteristics, and the physical model is established through simulation software (EnergyPlus) to generate the sample space. Second, sensitivity analysis is carried out for each optimization variable, and the physical model is modified according to the results to regenerate the sample space. Third, the ANN model is trained by using the regenerated sample space, and the Pareto optimal solution is generated through the use of the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II). Finally, the effectiveness of the multi-objective optimization method is proven through a typical case of primary and secondary school classrooms in Nanjing, China. The results show that, compared with the benchmark scheme, TES decreased by 810.8 kWh at most, PT increased by 47.8% at most and DI increased by 4.2% at most.

Teachers’ use of open questions: investigating the various functions of open questions as a mediating tool in early literacy education

ABSTRACT This study identifies the various functions of open questions in whole-class teaching in language arts classrooms in primary school, and it explores how these questions may work as a mediating tool. Open questions are considered a valuable tool in classroom discourse, enhancing dialogue and students’ learning by giving the students an opportunity to elaborate on their thoughts. The analysis draws on two data sets and includes observations from four schools and an examination of whole-class teaching in 32 language arts lessons. The results show that the teacher practice of asking open questions has one core function – classroom management. The teachers also ask open questions that are more subject specific, and the material covers writing activities and orthography and grammar instruction. The functions of open questions are quite similar in the two data sets. This may indicate that the teachers’ open questions mediate an understanding of school culture and the values of the subject to the students, here how writing activities and grammar instruction should be interpreted. This article argues that we should go further than merely differentiating between open and closed questions and investigate the functions of open questions in the classroom.

Teaching multilingual literacy in Ugandan classrooms: The promise of the African Storybook

Abstract For over a decade, the authors have worked collaboratively to better understand and address the challenges and possibilities of promoting multilingual literacy in Uganda, a country of over 44 million people where over 40 African languages are spoken and English is the official language. This article focuses on the diverse ways that teachers promote early literacy in large multilingual classrooms, and how the innovative African Storybook digital initiative might support primary school teachers in both rural and urban areas. We begin the article with a description of our collaborative work on the African Storybook (http://www.africanstorybook.org/) and one of its derivatives, Storybooks Uganda (https://global-asp.github.io/storybooks-uganda/). Then, drawing on a collaborative study of primary school classrooms in eastern Uganda, we analyze four common strategies that Ugandan teachers use to promote multilingual literacy in their classrooms: the use of the mother tongue as a resource; songs and multimodality; translanguaging; and linguistic strategies for classroom management. We follow this with a discussion of a 2015 teacher education workshop in eastern Uganda, which illustrates how the African Storybook can help support Ugandan teachers as they navigate the challenges of large classrooms. We conclude that the African Storybook has much promise for addressing the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

How safe are the classrooms in nursery and primary schools?: The Nigerian study

Environmental pollution caused by potentially toxic elements (PTE) from various anthropogenic sources has become a global concern. An estimated 7 million premature deaths occur globally each year owing to ambient and indoor air pollution. This study assessed the concentration of PTE, level of contamination and human health risks of dust samples collected from classrooms in Abeokuta, South-Western Nigeria. Samples were collected from windowsills, chair, tables, and corners of the classrooms. Digestions of the samples were performed at College of Environmental Resource Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun state, Nigeria. PTE analyses revealed that the concentration of PTE (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn) measured were all within acceptable safe limit levels suggesting they were not contaminated. Pollution assessment tools employed (Enrichment factor and Contamination factor) revealed a descending order pattern of Cd > Pb > Zn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Fe. Source apportionment studies showed Cd, Cu, and Pb may have originated from anthropogenic sources, Cr and Ni from natural sources while Fe and Zn appeared to have emanated from mixed sources (natural and anthropogenic). The hazard quotient and hazard index values were lower than the safe limit of 1 suggesting no significant non-cancer effect to children and adult populations. Ingestion was the major exposure route for PTE followed by dermal contact and inhalation in that order. Cancer risk estimations were within the permissible limit of 10−6 to 10−4 and therefore suggests no carcinogenic effects, except for Cr. Furthermore, Cr was the predominant contributor to cancer effects and accounted for 96% for both children and adult populations. Regular monitoring of dust particulates is necessary to keep PTE contents low in the ambient air and consequently reduces human exposure to health risks.

Effect of Mediated Learning in Teacher-Child Interactions in Urban and Rural Primary School Classrooms

The objective is to analyze teacher-child interactions through Mediated Exchanges (ME) for the promotion of autonomous learning in primary education in different socio-educational contexts. We conducted a quasi-experimental study with an intervention group (IG) and control group (CG), composed of 16 teachers of students between 5 and 7 years of age, of urban and rural schools in Chile. In the IG, we implemented a feedback program. In both groups, actual classes were filmed pre- and post-program, and Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices Scale (CPM) was applied to 117 participating students. The results indicate that after the feedback, the frequency of ME in the IG increased significantly compared with the CG, in urban and rural classrooms; the children of the IG significantly increased average score ranges obtained in the CPM test. Rural and urban classrooms differed in the kind of mediated exchanges.

Comparison of Students' and Teachers' Opinions Toward Digital Citizenship Education.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the temporary interruption of educational activities in the classroom. Digitalization of the classrooms emerged as a need following that process. The objective of this study is to compare the digital citizenship levels of teacher candidates studying in the last year at the departments of classroom teaching and primary school classroom teachers and to reveal their needs. A total of 38 primary school classroom teachers and 27 classroom teacher candidates in the last year of teaching programs in North Cyprus participated in the research. This descriptive study was designed as a case study, which is a qualitative research approach. The data of the study were gathered within the frame of a grounded theory coding process and were analyzed through descriptive analysis, content analysis and the constant comparison technique. The digital citizenship levels of the classroom teachers and teacher candidates were analyzed according to the sub-dimensions of digital citizenship. As a result of the research, it was found that the digital citizenship sub-dimension scores of the classroom teachers were higher than the teacher candidates and that the teacher candidates needed digital citizenship education.

Dominic’s Story: The “Pedagogy of Discomfort” and Learner Identity in Flux

ABSTRACT The “boy turn” in research on gender and education has sought to understand how social practices and schooling contribute to the process of orientation to particular identities. This paper applies the theories of affect to explore the story of an underprivileged, low-achieving Samoan boy, as he engaged with learning Chinese in an Australian primary school classroom. Through an ethnographic lens, observational, journal entry and interview data reveal that learner identity is not a fixed thing; rather, it is contradictory in nature and constantly impacted by curricular and pedagogic regimes. In this paper, I argue that pedagogic practices, which appear to generate affects and open up spaces for embodying a desire to learn, need to be brought to the fore in classrooms. Research on the affective dimensions of boyhood can add to our understanding of boys’ experiences with learning and learner identity, so as to positively influence educational practice today.

Constructing a design framework and design methodology from educational design research on real-world educational technology development

Educational design research (EDR) seeks to contribute to both practice and theory by developing solutions that improve educational practice and generating usable and generalisable knowledge. Most EDR researchers tend to focus on reporting their research contributions to educational practice. Therefore, there is a need for disseminating research that pays more attention to the theoretical contributions of EDR so that those outside a particular EDR project can benefit. This paper focuses on the theoretical contributions, particularly the design framework and design methodological knowledge, of a 6-year EDR enquiry that aimed to develop educational technologies that promote primary school mathematics learning and classroom practice. Informed by the literature and direct experiences of working in collaboration with teachers and various disciplines during this iterative study, a design framework for developing real-world educational technologies and guidelines for conducting EDR are proposed. The design framework highlights four essential aspects—content, pedagogy, practice, and technology—that should be considered when developing educational technologies to ensure their educational benefits, feasibility, and successful real-world utilisation and adoption. The proposed guidelines for conducting EDR, such as exploring design alternatives and employing appropriate design construction and evaluation methods, can assist other researchers, including a single doctoral student, in embracing opportunities and overcoming the challenges that may emerge.

Effect of competitive acoustic environments on speech intelligibility

Excessive noise and reverberation times degrade listening abilities in everyday life environments. This is particularly true for school settings. Most classrooms in Italy are settled in historical buildings that generate competitive acoustic environments. So far, few studies investigated the effect of real acoustics on speech intelligibility and on the spatial release from masking, focusing more on laboratory conditions. Also, the effect of noise on speech intelligibility was widely investigated considering its energetic rather than its informational content. Therefore, a study involving normal hearing adults was performed presenting listening tests via headphone and considering the competitive real acoustics of two primary-school classrooms with reverberation time of 0.4 s and 3.1 s, respectively. The main objective was the investigation of the effect of reverberation and noise on the spatial release from masking to help the design of learning environments. Binaural room impulse responses were acquired, with noise sources at different azimuths from the listener’s head. The spatial release from masking was significantly affected by noise type and reverberation. Longer reverberation times brought to worst speech intelligibility, with speech recognition thresholds higher by 6 dB on average. Noise with an informational content was detrimental by 7 dB with respect to an energetic noise.

Binaural Speech Intelligibility in a Real Elementary Classroom

Since the fundamental phases of the learning process take place in elementary classrooms, it is necessary to guarantee a proper acoustic environment for the listening activity to children immersed in them. In this framework, speech intelligibility is especially important. In order to better understand and objectively quantify the effect of background noise and reverberation on speech intelligibility various models have been developed. Here, a binaural speech intelligibility model (BSIM) is investigated for speech intelligibility predictions in a real classroom considering the effect of talker-to-listener distance and binaural unmasking due to the spatial separation of noise and speech source. BSIM predictions are compared to the well-established room acoustic measures as reverberation time (T30), clarity or definition. Objective acoustical measurements were carried out in one Italian primary school classroom before (T30= 1.43s±0.03 s) and after (T30= 0.45±0.02 s) the acoustical treatment. Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) corresponding to signal-to-noise ratio yielding 80% of speech intelligibility will be obtained through the BSIM simulations using the measured binaural room impulse responses (BRIRs). A focus on the effect of different speech and noise source spatial positions on the SRT values will aim to show the importance of a model able to deal with the binaural aspects of the auditory system. In particular, it will be observed how the position of the noise source influences speech intelligibility when the target speech source lies always in the same position.