Elementary Teachers Research Articles

Cultivating the Competencies: An Examination of Learning Skills in Elementary Education

The learning skills cover numerous abilities toward learning, understanding, and applying knowledge. These skills generally include critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, communication, information literacy, and adaptability. This study was designed to determine the extent to which learning skills have been integrated into the Single National Curriculum (SNC) for elementary education and to collect qualitative data about how workable this integration is. A qualitative document analysis approach and interviews of Elementary School Teachers were used to collect data. The findings indicated that learning skills are being integrated into the SNC but, students do not apply them to their daily lives. The reasons for this problem are several: untrained teachers, insufficiency of resources, heavy pressure of society on grades, outworn methods of teaching, less use of technology, community, and parental support, and most importantly, a vast difference between the curriculum design and its actual implementation.

Fostering Students L2 Writing Skills and Intercultural Awareness Through Digital Storytelling In Elementary Education

This paper presents a study conducted in a Greek Elementary school and explores the impact of Digital Storytelling (DST) on developing children’s second language (L2) writing skills and their intercultural awareness. The development of digital technologies has enabled the use of different multimedia tools to reconfigure traditional storytelling. The researchers’ aim was to reinforce a learner-centered approach to the teaching of writing by provoking influence in innovation of pedagogical practices that personalize learning. L2 learners of diverse cultural backgrounds attending the fifth grade (n=21) of a Greek state elementary school, were involved in composing, sharing and reflecting upon stories from their own cultural backgrounds. The researchers built an interculturally-oriented language framework for better addressing young learners’ literacies, ensuring they work in a stimulating environment, spending time online and engaging with digital applications. Qualitative and quantitative mix methods were used to estimate the feasibility of the intervention, including a pre- and post-test, teachers’ journals and focus group discussions with the L2 learners. Variables of the study were fifth graders in the context of an elementary school in Greece (independent variable) and their writing skills in Greek as a second language (dependent variable). Data processing, by means of a pre- and post-test, revealed that the DST approach provided students with opportunities to acquire improved communicative competence through writing creatively. Journal data indicated that DST application in a game-based context enhanced task engagement, encouraging young learners to use interactive media in a digital environment. Young learners’ intercultural competence development was also shown to be supported through the DST approach. In the focus group discussions, participants stated their interest and satisfaction in the approach and the methods applied. All in all, the results imply that the approach implemented has the potential to be used as a meaningful technology integration approach as far as language teaching and learning is concerned. The findings additionally explore pedagogical implications for future teaching practices in order to enhance and extend the approach and methods employed.

Favorite Lecturer Characters of Elementary Education Teacher Prospective Students

This research aims to discover the character aspects of lecturers most preferred by Elementary education students and the impacts and implications on the character of prospective teacher students. The method used in this research is qualitative field research with phenomena studies. Primary data were obtained from students through a questionnaire using a form instrument and unstructured interviews with an open pattern. The results showed that of the 13 aspects of lecturer character that were the most favored aspects of prospective Elementary School teacher students mapped from lecturer personality and educational competencies, namely lecturers who were able to place themselves, had high self-confidence, were tolerant, and understood students' character. The impact on students is increased motivation and self-confidence, more positive relationships, increased academic achievement, and development of student soft skills. The implications of the character of a favorite lecturer for the character of prospective teacher students are the formation of an Inclusive Learning environment, increased student psychological well-being, and strengthening of a positive academic culture.

Stressprävention in der Elementarpädagogik: Mentalisieren und Bindung als Ressourcen im pädagogischen Alltag

The quality of the educator-child relationship as well as the ability to mentalize appear to be protective factors against stress that can improve the well-being of elementary educators given their high workload. Educators who have positive mental models of relationships experience more positive affect in their inter­actions with children, which promotes their well-being. Moreover, an appropriate perception of mental states allows for a more constructive approach to stressful situations, even in the presence of insecure in­ternal working models of relationships, because negative affect can be identified and regulated. In a study of prospective elementary educators (N = 216), we observed the expected correlations between attachment behavior and mentalization ability with well-being and stress levels. Mediation analyses showed that men­talization capacity partially explained the influence of attachment behavior on stress and well-being. The results suggest that mentalization training could support well-being and improve the abilities of elementary educators in stressful conditions.

An analysis of classroom management challenges to the novice elementary school teachers in Islamabad, Pakistan

This study analysed the classroom management challenges faced by novice Elementary School Teachers (ESTs) who joined the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), Islamabad, in 2022. The physical, administrative and individual challenges of the classroom were studied. Using a quantitative approach, the research focused on 661 ESTs, consisting of 249 males and 412 females. A stratified sample of 248 teachers (95 males, 153 females) was selected, and data were collected via a self-developed questionnaire. Experts confirmed the instrument’s validity and reliability were measured with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.885. Data analysis revealed that novice teachers face several challenges, including limited classroom space, insufficient furniture, and inadequate resources for science labs. They also face challenges in maintaining discipline, disruptive behaviour, and irrelevant questions from students. Furthermore, individual differences among students due to varying IQ levels, learning interests, and socio-economic backgrounds proved challenging. Overcrowded classrooms hinder novice teachers' ability to focus and provide individual attention. The study concluded that heads of educational institutions must offer consistent guidance and support to newly appointed ESTs, especially during their first year, to improve classroom management skills.

초등교사의 창의적 체험활동 경험에 관한 질적 메타분석

Objective: Using a qualitative meta-analysis, this study examines whether elementary school teachers' experiences in organizing and operating creative experiential activities are being implemented in actual school sites as intended and proposes ways to internalize the quality of these activities. Methods: Eight domestic qualitative studies on the said experience were analyzed in a larger framework of curriculum organization, implementation, and evaluation according to Novlit and Hare’s (1998) seven-step qualitative meta-analysis approach. Results: Elementary school teachers had conflicting views on teacher autonomy in organizing, managing, and evaluating creative experiential activities. Further, they differed in their experiences in different areas of creative experiential and out-of-school activities. The study also elicited opinions on how to evaluate creative experiential activities and improve professional development related activities. Conclusions: Suggestions were made for improving the creative experiential activity curriculum and follow-up research, such as providing opportunities to cultivate teacher expertise related to creative experiential activities, exploring teacher and student experiences by activity area and alternative creative experience evaluation measures.

교사용 글로벌 역량 측정 도구의 개발 및 타당화

This study aimed to develop and validate a measurement scale for assessing the level of global competencies among school teachers. The study reviewed existing literature on the subject and identified three subdomains of global competence: 'Global Awareness', 'Global Attitudes', and 'Global Practices', with each subdomain further divided into three subfactors. The initial scale consisted of 54 items, with 6 items for each subfactor. It underwent primary modification (the total of 36 items) based on a focus group interview with 5 school teachers. In addition, 9 experts in educational measurement and evaluation conducted a review of content validity using written evaluations, which led to further revisions (the total of 27 items). The main test was conducted on 262 elementary school teachers nationwide using the revised scale, and the construct validity and reliability were examined. Consequently, the finalized version of the 'Global Competence Scale for School Teachers' demonstrated good content validitiy (average value of CVI = 0.98), construct validity (TLI=0.905, CFI=0.915, RMSEA=0.065, SRMR=0.076), and reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.924).

신규교사 직무환경과 직무만족도와의 영향관계 분석

This study analyzed the perception of job environment and job satisfaction of 748 new teachers, and the influence relationship between job environment and job satisfaction. The research results are as follows. First, new teachers’ job satisfaction was at a normal level, and their perception of the work environment was at a normal and below average level, excluding job stability. Second, in the analysis of group differences in new teachers’ job satisfaction and work environment, the perception of new elementary school teachers was statistically lower than that of new teachers at other school levels. Third, both internal and external job factors were influencing the job satisfaction of new teachers. Based on the research results, suggestions were made to improve the financial compensation system and Creating conditions for participation in the decision-making process for new teachers, cooperate with homeroom teachers, develop capabilities, and establish a work environment evaluation system.

Teachers’ perceptions of enabling and hindering factors in child abuse disclosures

ContextIt is well argued in literature that teachers are ideally placed to observe and monitor children for signs of abuse and neglect, there are categories of abuse which are more difficult to observe in the school context, such as sexual abuse and rely on children ‘telling’ about their experience. For numerous and complex reasons, children find it difficult to ‘tell’; however, there are enabling factors that support children in this process. AimThe aim of this paper is to outline primary or elementary school teachers’ opinions on the enabling and hindering factors to children talking and telling about abuse in the school environment. MethodsA qualitative research study was undertaken in the Irish context with 21 primary school teachers. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with all participants and as part of each interview, teachers elaborated on the barriers and facilitators which enable children to disclose abuse in the school environment. FindingsParticular barriers to children reporting in the school environment relate to how difficult it is for children to tell, the lack of meaningful collaboration between schools and the Child and Family Agency who have statutory responsibility in the Irish context for dealing with child protection reports and the lack of training available for teachers. Enablers to children telling in the school environment include the relationship of trust built between teacher and child and the implementation of a personal safety skills programme. ImplicationsThis research highlights that teachers can create the conditions that support children talking about abuse and they must be properly supported and adequately trained to support them in doing so.

Exploring predictors of teacher efficacy among elementary and secondary school teachers in Seoul using Sparse group lasso: focusing on differences across school levels

Exploring predictors of teacher efficacy among elementary and secondary school teachers in Seoul using Sparse group lasso: focusing on differences across school levels

다문화 배경 교사의 교직 경험에 대한 자서전적 성찰

This study aims to understand the life and teaching experiences of a biracial elementary school teacher using autobiographical narrative inquiry. Data was collected through the teacher's recollections, life records related to her multicultural background, and reflective journals. What the teacher has experienced before and during her teaching career, and how these experiences are intertwined has been explored based on the data. The findings revealed that, in her pre-teaching life, based on her self-identity as a Korean, the teacher sought to challenge the social framework of a “multicultural person” that was imposed on her, and found the Korean society’s awareness of multiculturalism problematic. Her travel experiences led her to develop a new perspective on her identity, encompassing extra-racial and multiracial aspects. In the course of her teaching career, she realizes that she had internalized societal prejudices about the so-called “Damunhwa” (the Korean term referring to multicultural people and phenomena), and thus experiences negative emotions. The teacher makes pedagogical decisions based on her experiences of being “othered” in Korean society, as she actively builds relationships with multicultural students. She experiences being “othered” within the peer teachers and shows little response to it. Based on these findings, the research discusses the implications and limitations, offering suggestions for further study.

인공지능 로봇의 도덕감정 함양 가능성에 대한 검토 -초등 도덕과를 중심으로-

This study examined the possibility of cultivating moral emotions of artificial intelligence robots that are developing recently. The 2022 revised elementary moral curriculum provides an opportunity for thought by asking questions about the relationship between artificial intelligence robots and humans. For the study, we first investigated the nature and expression process of emotions from ancient Western philosophy to modern brain science and neuroscience. Based on this, we explored what kind of emotional view the currently developed artificial intelligence robots express emotions based on. As a result, current artificial intelligence robots showed responses to humans using information accumulated through facial movements and facial expressions, focusing on basic emotions, according to Ekman's theory. This may be seen as a passive form based on human physical characteristics. However, moral emotion has a complex and active character that combines understanding of moral problem situations, empathy for others, and appropriate responses to situations. Accordingly, it was recommended to clearly teach the status and limitations of artificial intelligence robots in the field of current moral emotions in elementary moral education and educate students to form desirable relationships with artificial intelligence robots.

Improving Elementary Students’ Computational Thinking Skills through an Educational Robot Intervention: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Globally, many educational institutions recognize the importance of computational thinking and have begun incorporating it into primary education. Educators cultivate students’ computational thinking skills through block-based programming; however, a lack of digital learning tools that offer real interaction may negatively impact students’ computational thinking learning performances. This study proposes a cost-effective, block-based, programmable computational thinking educational robot developed using the open-source Arduino platform, combined with Android application development. This robot is specifically designed for use in elementary computational thinking education. To assess the impact of the proposed approach on elementary students’ learning achievement, motivation, and attitudes towards computational thinking education, a quasi-experimental design with control and experimental groups was implemented in the computational thinking curriculum at an elementary school. The experiment was conducted over a period of three weeks and involved two classes of students and one teacher. The control group engaged in computational thinking learning activities using computers, while the experimental group completed computational thinking learning activities using the computational thinking educational robot and application developed in this study. Data were collected through prior knowledge tests of computational thinking, learning motivation and attitude questionnaires, and computational thinking achievement tests completed by the students. The results indicate that the experimental group outperformed the control group in learning achievement, motivation, and attitudes, demonstrating that physical interaction in learning can effectively enhance learning performances.

한 학생 목소리 연구자의 테크놀로지 기반 초등교사교육 수업 경험

This paper reflects the author’s experience utilizing technology to raise student voice in elementary teacher education from an insider’s perspective, exploring technology-based instruction and its implications. The findings are as follow: First, as a student voice researcher, I explored various methods to respect student voice in my classroom and selected technology featuring real-time interaction between everyone in the classroom during the instruction. Second, I experienced the individual student’s learning can be transformed into collective learning when technology was incorporated. Third, as the semester progressed, I encountered the limitations of the chosen technology, yet was able to overcome them by focusing on my purpose of fostering student voice. This study aims to contribute to future discourse on technology-based instruction, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the purposes of using technology in education rather than merely its methodological aspects.

The Adaptive Approach In Digital Transformation of Primary Education: Implementation of Digitalization In Elementary Schools In Maluku

This article aims to analyze and explore the challenges faced by elementary schools in Maluku in the disruptive era, particularly regarding education transformation oriented towards digitalization. The significant changes in the education sector require elementary schools to not only focus on system innovation but also on shifting the mindset of educators in managing educational services and learning processes. This research uses a qualitative method, with a descriptive approach through in-depth interviews, observation, and literature reviews. The study found that the utilization of digital technology in elementary schools in Maluku faces various challenges, including limited infrastructure, insufficient human resource readiness, and resistance to change. However, adaptation to the disruptive era is inevitable, making it essential for schools in Maluku to immediately design effective strategies for implementing holistic digitalization. The research findings highlight the urgency of educational transformation in Maluku, where the success of digitalization largely depends on the mental readiness and skills of educational implementers. The study also shows that optimal digital transformation efforts will support the improvement of education quality amid global challenges. This article recommends developing human resource capacity and providing adequate technological infrastructure as strategic steps for advancing education in island regions. Hence, this article contributes new insights to social sciences and humanities studies, particularly in the context of elementary education digitalization in remote areas.

The Influence of STEM-Based Digital Learning on 6C Skills of Elementary School Students

Abstract The integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-based digital learning has shown a significant impact on enhancing the 6C skills (character, citizenship, critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, and communication) of elementary school students. This quasi-experimental study, involving 200 participants from primary schools, compared the efficacy of STEM-based digital learning against STEM-conventional methods in fostering these essential twenty-first-century skills. Data were collected through case study tests and analyzed to evaluate the differences in skill development between the two groups. The results indicate a noticeable improvement in the 6C skills among students engaged in STEM-based digital learning compared to those in STEM-conventional settings, with the former group achieving higher average scores across the skill set. These findings highlight the value of adopting STEM-based digital learning in elementary education to better prepare students with the competencies necessary for their future. This research underscores the positive influence of innovative learning models on developing critical life skills in elementary school students.

Alteridade e exclusão: o olhar para o outro no poema e na narrativa

This article aims to present two text analytical exercises from the artistic-literary sphere that address increasingly necessary and urgent themes to discuss in the classroom: refugees and black women, minorities that are still absent from many curricula. The analytical exercises of the poem “Army (chusma) of black roses” (2017), written by Cristiane Sobral, and the narrative Two boys of Kakuma (2018), written by Marie Ange Bordas, serve as a proposal for reading activities with students in the final years of elementary education, as they deal with relationships of otherness. These exercises are based on the perspective of Dialogical Discourse Analysis (Brait, 2008), originating from the extensive work on Mikhail Bakhtin and the Circle, in which the other is constitutive of the self. The theoretical foundation is based on the self-other relationship posited by Bakhtin, ([1920/24] 2020) and the concept of otherness (Amorim, 2004). As a result, in our analyses, we point out the centers of values present in literary texts based on the relationship between self and other and, through linguistic-discursive analysis, we lead readers to reflect on themselves and their other.

Motivation, A Key Booster for Teachers’ Performance: A Case Study on Public Schools in North Macedonia

The quality of an educational system is closely connected with the quality of its teachers. Thus, research into the elementary teachers’ motivation is of a high importance. The main purpose of this study is to describe and identify the level of teachers’ motivation, factors influencing teachers’ motivation and its impact on teachers’ job performance in public elementary schools in the municipality of Chair, Republic of North Macedonia. Furthermore, this study examines teachers’ work consumption and organizational engagement as they relate to teaching performance. Teachers’ motivation was examined through focus groups with the principles of 10 elementary schools and a questionnaire administered to the teachers of elementary education. A sample of 319 teachers participated in the survey. The questionnaire was developed based on literature review. The findings of the study revealed that teachers’ high motivation is closely related to their students’ result. The factors that influenced teachers’ motivation were their salary level, the working conditions related to infrastructure and the interpersonal relations and communication with the leaders of the institutions and/or colleagues. After analysis numerous recommendations were given to help educational institutions provide better support to teachers and improve their levels of motivation and their job performance, such as providing a satisfying work infrastructure, key resources, and professional development opportunities, increasing salaries and giving acknowledgments and recognitions to motivate teachers’ and thus increase their job performance and satisfaction.

Investigation of Effective Teaching According to Pre-Service Teachers’ Views and Their Teaching Methods

The study examined how prospective teachers defined effective teaching; the methods and techniques used by pre-service teachers during their teaching practicum and their reasons to use; and how these instructional techniques fit specific teaching principles. The participants in this study were 18 university seniors registered in the Elementary Education Department at a state-university. The data were obtained from an Information Form completed by participating pre-service teachers, their prepared lesson plans, video recordings of practicum teaching experiences, and observation notes. Collected data were analysed through descriptive analysis. Findings showed that pre-service teachers often mentioned following a student-centred approach. They emphasized the roles of an effective teacher as using different teaching methods, techniques and materials as well as guiding students, making learners more active and paying attention to students’ individual differences. In terms of students’ roles in effective teaching, they mentioned students should actively participate in class, take responsibility for learning, think critically, and transfer their learning to new situations. It was determined that pre-service teachers had sufficient knowledge in the selection of methods and techniques. Pre-service teachers frequently included the 5E learning cycle model, question-answer and drama methods in their lessons. Suggestions were provided based on research findings.

Harmony of Transformational and Transactional Leadership Styles towards Positive Change in Teachers’ Motivation, Attitude, and Performance

This study aimed to establish correlations using a correlational research design. It was guided by the Full Range Model which emphasizes the effectiveness of combining transformational and transactional leadership. A sample of 134 public elementary and secondary school teachers from 21 schools in Calauan Sub-Office, Laguna Province, was surveyed to examine these relationships. The instrument used was a researcher-made survey-questionnaire which underwent multiple validation stages. Based on the results, there was a very high level of transactional and transformational leadership styles among school heads, positively correlating with teachers' motivation, attitude, and performance. Specifically, transactional leadership behaviors such as contingent rewards and active management significantly influenced these factors, along with transformational leadership dimensions of idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. These findings emphasize the critical role of leadership in fostering positive teacher outcomes. Recommendations include the investment in leadership development programs focusing on expanding beyond transactional approaches towards transformational leadership. Initiatives should sustain and deepen transformational practices, capitalize on teacher motivation and positive attitudes, and reinforce effective performance through targeted interventions and continuous professional development.