Expand Learning Opportunities Research Articles

Tracking in Israeli high schools: social inequality after 50 years of educational reforms

This paper provides an overview of tracking in Israeli upper secondary education and assesses its effect on the attainment of higher education degrees and earnings. Since the early 1970’s, the Israeli education system has gone through three major reforms that profoundly transformed tracking and sorting mechanisms in secondary education. All three aimed at reducing social inequality in educational attainment through structural changes that expanded learning opportunities and replaced rigid top-down sorting mechanisms with concepts of differentiation and choice. Utilising a data set that includes a large representative sample of Israelis born between 1978 and 1981 who were fully affected by the reforms, the analysis shows that there is a clear link between social background and track placement. Track placement, in turn, is associated with attainment of higher education degrees and income. Moreover, tracking mediates a large proportion of the association between parental class and these two adult outcomes. We also show that the low-status academic tracks that replaced the vocational tracks did not improve the life chances of low-achieving students from disadvantaged social groups.

Design principles as cultural artifacts: Pedagogical improvisation and the bridging of critical theory and teaching practice

ABSTRACT The apparent disconnect between the theoretical breadth of critical pedagogies and practice-based research creates challenges for educators wanting to implement critical pedagogy frameworks. I offer a case-study of a critical arts after school program, Hip-Hop Learners, to explore the ways design principles functioned as cultural artifacts, mediating the relationship between critical theory and pedagogical practice. Drawing upon ethnographic and theories of action methodologies, the primary design principles of Hip-Hop Learners were apprenticing youth in domain practices and dispositions, supporting heterogeneity in learning pathways and interests, and fostering youth agency in shaping their learning trajectories. These design principles were most salient when educators responded to students’ needs in the moment, reflecting a practice called pedagogical improvisation. Pedagogical improvisation helped connect the theoretical value of the design principles to their pedagogical actuality, demonstrating how design principles were not static theoretical constructs but fluid and pedagogically contextual artifacts for expanding learning opportunities. These findings offer insights for supporting critical educators by interrogating 1) the exogenous and endogenous nature of design principles as cultural artifacts, 2) pedagogical improvisation to support critical reflection and praxis, and 3) the risks of replicating teacher-centered pedagogies.

Digital education as a method of reducing pedagogical goals and objectives

The article focuses on a comparative characteristic of predigital and digital education. The study methodology deploys the differentiation of philosophical and scientific paradigms. Pre-digital education is associated with the classical paradigm. Accordingly, the parameters of pre-digital education include the notions of finite and true knowledge, a singular type of learning algorithms, a balanced learning process, and the deterministic influence of educational programs. The indicators of digital education are identified within the framework of the non-classical and post-non-classical paradigms. The non-classical form of digital education is characterized by the presence of alternative educational programs, the polysemantic object of study, infinite knowledge, and pragmatic orientation. This form of education accentuates the subjective and personal context, the opportunities for plural explanations, and the technologies for studying the singular, the local, and the fragmental. Digital education contributes to modeling infinite discourses and intersubjective practices. All educational innovations within digital education appear as a way of ontological and gnoseological construction. Digital education enhances the role of interdisciplinary education. The competencies of “cross-cutting” and extensive understanding of a complex subject appear. Students should be focused on the results of teaching in various disciplines. A consequence of the expanding learning opportunities is the necessary reduction of pedagogical goals and objectives.

Effectiveness of Multimodal Microlearning for In-service Teacher Training

To meet the growing demand for continuing professional development of practising teachers, the integrated in-service teacher training (INSET) programme aims at making permanent improvements on the quality of teaching and learning for Junior Secondary School (JSS) Teachers in Sierra Leone. Within this context, a toolkit for School-Based Teacher Development was created and microlearning identified as an ideal mode to deliver the toolkit content. In this paper, we present the design considerations that informed this decision as well as challenges and lessons learned from the first implementation of the INSET project for junior secondary school teachers in Sierra Leone. A multimodal approach was considered and implemented to mitigate Internet access challenges and to expand learning opportunities. These include a mobile app version of the Toolkit, offline access to microlearning resources on the TeacherFutures platform via the Moodle mobile app, a mobile app version of one INSET module, an e-portfolio to be used by participants in sharing their learnings as demonstrated and practised during a face-to-face roll-out seminar, and finally, WhatsApp groups in which different schools engaged in discussions based on the questions on the Toolkit. Preliminary findings indicate a strong preference among participants for the use of WhatsApp as the main channel of communication within the communities of practice; and very limited use of the main e-learning Moodle platform and e-Portfolio. This necessitates a need to critically evaluate the effectiveness of the design of a multimodal approach for delivering microlearning content. From this, we seek to establish a set of design considerations, capacity building and technical support issues derived from analysis of data emerging from the ongoing project rollout. This will inform future integration of Microlearning resources in the teacher training project.

La inclusión de niños sordos en educación básica en una escuela de México mediante el diseño de recursos digitales

La gran variedad de situaciones a las que se enfrentan las personas sordas desde el nacimiento las ha llevado a diferentes tipos de escolarización. El sistema educativo mexicano ha generado diversos procesos de inclusión educativa sustentados en los derechos de los individuos. Entre las ofertas educativas a nivel básico, en el estado de Querétaro, en la extensión del Instituto Queretano Marista (EIQM), se ha iniciado un estilo de inclusión a través de la lengua de señas mexicana (LSM) y la enseñanza de español.
 El objetivo de esta investigación fue diseñar y aplicar una herramienta digital para la enseñanza del español de los alumnos sordos en educación básica. El trabajo se realizó en cuatro fases utilizando la investigación basada en el diseño (IBD). La primera fase estuvo enfocada al análisis de problemas, la segunda consistió en el desarrollo de soluciones e innovaciones tecnológicas que pudieran favorecer la enseñanza de español, la tercera consistió en la aplicación de las soluciones de forma iterativa (es decir, a modo de prueba y error) y la última fase permitió enmarcar los principios de diseño acordes a las necesidades del alumnado. El desarrollo de los recursos digitales incluyó la realización de animaciones 2D, videos y juegos. El equipo de profesionales estuvo conformado por intérpretes educativos, personas sordas y profesores de grado.
 Los primeros resultados obtenidos demuestran cómo las herramientas digitales son complementos que se aplican en el aula para favorecer los procesos de aprendizaje del alumnado sordo y un acompañamiento a profesores y tutores para la enseñanza de la lengua española. La investigación expone que las herramientas digitales basadas en el juego, recursos visuales y kinestésicos, así como la evaluación procesual favorecen la atención y la repetición para la comprensión de la segunda lengua en alumnos sordos. La investigación demuestra que no solo la tecnología, sino también la cultura pueden ofrecer oportunidades para el aprendizaje de las personas sordas.

Immersive virtual field trips and elementary students’ perceptions

AbstractIn response to the increased attention and interest related to the application of virtual reality with head‐mounted displays in education, this study examined the elementary students’ perceptions of using immersive virtual field trips (VFTs) in the classroom. Reflection papers from 25 students were analyzed and triangulated with field notes from class observations and teacher interviews. The content analysis revealed that VFTs were perceived to be efficient with regard to time and cost, to expand learning opportunities, but lacked physical interaction. Elementary students also suggested immersive VFTs are engaging, real, and provide an increased perception of virtual presence. However, they also expressed concerns about health and safety, psychological side effects, technical malfunctions, and low social interaction.

Navigating Partnership Model for Expanded Learning Opportunities: A Case of the State of Oklahoma

Bibliography: Jang, Chang Sung: Navigating Partnership Model for Expanded Learning Opportunities: A Case of the State of Oklahoma, IJREE – International Journal for Research on Extended Education, Vol. 7, Issue 1-2019, pp. 107-113. https://doi.org/10.3224/ijree.v7i1.08

Lifelong learning ecologies in online higher education: Students' engagement in the continuum between formal and informal learning

AbstractLifelong learning opportunities are readily accessible through the hybridization of digital learning contexts—from formal to informal—in today's globally networked knowledge society. As such, expanded learning opportunities generate a continuum of learning contexts and experiences mediated through digital technology. Consequently, there is an urgent need to actively examine the interconnections and complex relations between what is learned in formal university scenarios and the everyday learning that happens outside of the classroom, particularly the informal learning that is afforded through expanded and emerging digital contexts. The current research problem illustrates that expanded and emerging professional development scenarios require new pedagogical designs for empowering lifelong learners to harness the affordances of the web across both formal and informal contexts and practices. This study outlines ways in which students shape their learning ecologies in virtual contexts to support formal academic learning in online higher education. The paper presents qualitative results from a larger mixed methods interpretive case study. The multicase and multisite study examines three fully online graduate programmes in Education and Digital Technology during the 2017–18 academic year, collecting data in the form of online programme documentation, student interviews and online participant observation. Purposeful and criterion sampling were used to select 13 participants across three sites in Spain, the UK and the USA. The study was underpinned by a lifelong learning ecologies theoretical perspective to analyse learning processes across a continuum of practices and contexts. Findings illustrate how students conceive of, as well as how they organize their learning ecologies through a unique configuration of activities, digital resources and networked social support, indicating that academic programmes and teachers have an essential role in empowering student learning ecologies across contexts, recognizing past trajectories and supporting the development of valued disciplinary practices and perspectives across a continuum of learning.

A case study on chat-mediated collaborative dialogue in L2 listening comprehension

Collaborative dialogue has been investigated in relation to language forms, vocabulary, and sentence-level writing but little attention has been given to its potential contribution to the development of L2 listening comprehension skills. This case study explores the features and dynamics of chat-mediated collaborative dialogue in a joint problem-solving process of L2 listening comprehension, drawing on a socio-cultural theoretical framework. Main data sources include chat-logs of online learner interaction saved in class online boards and follow-up individual stimulated recall interviews over 9 weeks. The findings indicate that learner-initiated text-based collaborative dialogue has a positive effect on the problem-solving process of L2 listening comprehension. Idiosyncratic patterns of multilateral interaction and role-taking prevailed in this study. Salient features that emerged in collaborative dialogue included co-construction and dialectic co-construction of comprehension, collective and emotional scaffolding for problem-solving and rapport-building, establishment of intersubjectivity, and attempts for apprenticeship. The findings have implications for the development of a collaborative L2 listening pedagogy that can foster collaborative autonomy for L2 listeners through expanded learning opportunities beyond the classroom enabled by the support of easily accessible interactive communication technology.

Expanding Learning Opportunities in Kinesiology Through the Use of Flipped Instruction

Millennial college students are typically digital natives who prefer experiential and active learning. This preference is in contrast to the traditional lecture method of teaching in higher education. Flipped instruction provides instructors with a means to integrate technology into their courses and expand active-learning opportunities. In flipped courses, students engage with technology-assisted learning opportunities outside the classroom. Corresponding in-class active-learning opportunities encourage students to apply foundational knowledge. This article summarizes research and provides an authentic case example to illustrate the way in which flipped instruction was applied in a physical education teacher education course to expand learning opportunities in the field.

Going Deep: Leveraging Universal Design for Learning to Engage All Learners in Rich Disciplinary Thinking in ELA

Background Educators and researchers have long emphasized the need to engage students in disciplinary thinking in order to develop rich, discipline-specific practices and habits of mind. Yet, these opportunities are often under-nurtured in today's classrooms and are especially limited for students with disabilities. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is one promising avenue for supporting all students to engage in disciplinary thinking (ways of knowing, reasoning, and doing specific to the discipline). This framework for teaching and learning suggests embedding options into curricula in order to expand learning opportunities for students with and without disabilities. Researchers have yet to investigate how UDL and disciplinary thinking can complement one another. Research Question This study explores the following question: How, if at all, do teachers working within a school that explicitly promotes the UDL framework use UDL to prompt students’ disciplinary thinking in English Language Arts (ELA)? Setting The study was conducted in a fifth grade classroom of an inclusive elementary school in an urban district in the northeast United States. Participants Participants included two fifth grade co-teachers and their class of 21 students with and without documented disabilities. Research Design This qualitative case study spanned a 10-week ELA unit. Data were gathered via videotaped observations, collection of instructional materials, interviews with the co-teachers, and collection of student work. CAST is a nonprofit education research and development organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals through UDL. The analytic framework joined CAST's UDL Guidelines and common themes distilled from the literature that characterize disciplinary thinking in ELA. This framework was used as a starting place to code the co-teachers’ practice and students’ thinking. An open coding strategy was applied to capture emergent themes. Findings Data reveal that the co-teachers used specific strategies to create opportunities for all students to engage in disciplinary thinking. First, particular UDL guidelines/checkpoints were applied. For example, to support learners in “reading like writers,” the co-teachers applied strategies consistent with Guideline 6: “Provide options for executive functions,” encouraging students to develop the planning and organizational practices of expert readers and writers. Second, particular UDL guidelines/checkpoints were used in ways that are not explicitly suggested in the UDL Guidelines. For example, to support students in “reading for meaning” and “reading like writers,” the co-teachers’ strategies were generally consistent with Guideline 3: “Provide options for comprehension.” Yet, the co-teachers moved beyond “comprehension” by empowering students to construct their own sophisticated, disciplinary analyses. Conclusions The co-teachers’ instructional moves and the richness of students’ thinking offer important implications for future iterations of the UDL Guidelines and suggest that all learners can and should be challenged to engage in discipline-specific practices and habits of mind.

Atividades complementares curriculares em contraturno escolar no estado do Paraná: um estudo do macrocampo esporte e lazer

O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar um levantamento sistemático das atividades complementares curriculares em contraturno escolar no macrocampo esporte e lazer desenvolvidas nas escolas públicas estaduais do Paraná. As informações cadastrais das escolas (N=372) dos dezenove municípios caracterizados como de grande porte disponíveis na plataforma DataEscolaBrasil (MEC), foram analisadas com base na estatística descritiva utilizando-se o software SPSS versão 20.0. Os resultados apontam que cinco projetos de atividades complementares concentram 40,5% das ações nos 9 macrocampos previstos. Dentre os projetos executados aproximadamente 1/3 estão vinculados ao macrocampo esporte e lazer (35,4%). Neste macrocampo 64,9% dos projetos estão concentrados em 5 modalidades, apontando uma tendência a padronização das ações e a prevalência do esporte em detrimento das demais atividades de lazer. Conclui-se que as atividades complementares curriculares em contraturno reforçam ações em prol da educação integral e o macrocampo analisado apresenta grande potencial na ampliação das oportunidades de aprendizagem dos alunos.

Sustainability by Default: Co-creating Care and Relationality Through Early Childhood Education

In this article, based on a keynote address presented at the 68th OMEP World Assembly and International Conference held in Seoul in July 2016, it is argued that children are more in tune with sustainability than most adults and that both adults and children can benefit from intergenerational dialogue and expanded learning opportunities in so-called ecologies of learning. The idea of growing up in the Anthropocene, the new geological epoch that is shaped by one single species, home sapiens, is introduced. What does growing up in the Anthropocene mean for today’s children? A short critique is provided of the neoliberal forces that increasingly influence what happens in education and care settings and that essentially make unsustainability the default in our society. Drawing on Martin Buber’s ideas of relational ways of being in the world; Nell Nodding’s notions of care; and George Siemen’s ideas about learning ecologies, some suggestions are offered for co-creating early childhood education and care with people and the planet in mind.

Exploratory Research to Expand Opportunities in Computer Science for Students with Learning Differences

The computer science (CS) education field is engaging in unprecedented efforts to expand learning opportunities in K-12 CS education, but one group of students is often overlooked: those with specific learning disabilities and related attention deficit disorders. As CS education initiatives grow, K-12 teachers need research-informed guidance to make computing more accessible for students who learn differently. This article reports on the first phase of a National Science Foundation-supported exploratory research study to address this problem. The authors present their education research-practice partnership, initial findings, and highlights of a collaborative process that has furthered their work to support more equitable learning in CS.

More time for learning

In 2012, things weren’t looking good for Grant Beacon Middle School in Denver, Colo. Enrollment numbers were declining, students weren’t reaching required academic levels, and the Denver Public Schools district designated the school as on watch. By implementing a plan that emphasized expanded learning opportunities — adding five hours to the school week during which students engage in enrichment activities — the school turned around. Attendance and test scores are up, suspensions are down. Key elements of success were starting with a vision, choosing the right partners, including student voice, hiring a full-time coordinator, and offering high-quality programming.

Expanding Learning Opportunities for Graduate Students with HyFlex Course Design

The purpose of this study was to explore students' perspectives regarding HyFlex course design. The main feature of HyFlex is blending synchronous online student attendance and face-to-face student attendance (hybrid) in a single course and allowing students to choose when and how they attend (flexible). The course in this study implemented HyFlex principles to expand learning opportunities of adult graduate students in a higher education setting. The data collection sources included interviews of six graduate students, class observations, recordings of class meetings, students' course work, and relevant online course artifacts. Results indicated that participants perceived HyFlex to be a good way to accommodate student needs and their life circumstances, increase student access to course content and instruction, differentiate instruction to meet adult students' different learning styles and strategies, and give students a sense of control over their learning.

Accessing the Classroom Discourse Community Through Accountable Talk: English Learners’ Voices

This case study draws on Gee's (1989) D/discourse theory to investigate English learners’ (ELs’) perspectives regarding Accountable Talk (AT)—a structured, discourse-intensive instructional approach—after a yearlong implementation in three content-based (mathematics) middle school classrooms. Interviews with 21 ELs (3 Advanced Placement, 18 comprehensive)1 revealed that students perceived AT as a means for (a) improving the quality of classroom interactions, (b) having expanded learning opportunities, and (c) getting ahead in school and life. In particular, students felt that by establishing shared norms for talk, explicitly teaching them verbal and nonverbal features of the school Discourse (e.g., active listening strategies), and increasing their access to peer experts and to opportunities to take on roles of authority (i.e., teachers/helpers), AT enabled their classroom participation on a more equal footing. These results suggest that giving the school-based Discourse a name (such as AT) and explicitly teaching about its principles may benefit culturally and linguistically diverse students by facilitating their socialization into the community of practice. At the same time, the study revealed that teacher perceptions and practices may limit the benefits of AT for ELs.

Connected and Ubiquitous: a Discussion of Two Theories That Impact Future Learning Applications

Mobile media break down traditional barriers that have defined learning in schools because they enable constant, personalized access to media. This information-rich environment could dramatically expand learning opportunities. This article identifies and discusses two instructional design theories for mobile learning including the major differences between those theories and other online instructional design theories. It also presents a detailed argument for the use of mobile learning in a particular case study.

Afterschool programs that support homeless youth: igniting hope and opportunities in the midst of trauma, uncertainty, and displacement

Across the United States, many afterschool and out-of-school time programs are making constructive and lasting impacts on the lives of homeless children and youth by providing expanded learning opportunities and positive youth development outcomes in a safe space. In this brief, we profile two youth-serving organizations and the After School Division of the California Department of Education to illustrate how afterschool programs can be part of the solution for homeless children and youth. Staff from these organizations shared their practices, successes, challenges, and lessons learned. Most importantly, they shared a message of hope and a vision for what is possible in the midst of trauma, uncertainty, and displacement.

Green Technologies Enabling Virtual Learning Environments

The ubiquity of the Internet has created options for educators and business professionals to expand learning opportunities through virtual learning environments (VLEs). This article discusses how green technology trends and practices such as Cloud computing, 3D printing, big data, digital badges, The Internet of Things, and real-time group meetings support green initiatives by reducing time and costs, while increasing energy efficiency. Furthermore, the impact of these emerging technologies have on the environment in regards to energy, renewable resources, recycling, and e-wastes are discussed. As technology has quickly evolved into more sophisticated forms, it has opened the options for educators and business professionals to expand learning opportunities into virtual learning spaces referred to as VLEs in this article. Major technology trends discussed that are disrupting the status quo are Cloud Computing, 3D printing, Big Data, Digital Badges, the Internet of Things, and the management of manufacturing and recycling of device e-waste. Implications and Future Research Directions are given.