Flexible Teaching Research Articles

Flexible Music Teaching and Risk

Literature is needed to address lifeworlds of music teachers outside the scope of K-12 public school settings. This article presents narrative inquiry investigating the experiences of a teaching artist musician. I employ a social phenomenological framework and draw on literature involving sense of self and work–life balance. With a former research participant, I inquired into earlier issues of work–life balance and multiple music teaching roles. Data were collected through interviews and observations, which took place in person and online. I drew narratives from data in discussions with the participant. Themes included that a re-prioritization of music teaching and musical roles might be a continual process requiring flexibility and risk. This study supports nuanced understandings of a broadly defined music teaching profession and the challenges associated with sustaining such a career. Implications point to a consideration of what preparation might be helpful to a music teacher outside a K-12 public school setting and what professional choices are available for teaching artist musicians.

VIETNAMESE EFL TEACHERS’ USE OF THE SET OF NEW ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS TIENG ANH 11 AS RESOURCES FOR ACHIEVEMENT TESTS

The paper reported on part of a study investigating Vietnamese upper secondary school EFL teachers’ use of the set of new English textbooks Tieng Anh 11 as resources for achievement tests. To carry out this research, both qualitative and quantitative approaches including questionnaires and interviews were used to collect the data from research participants at some upper secondary schools in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. The findings of the study showed the teachers’ practices in using the set of new English textbooks Tieng Anh 11 for achievement tests. They reported adapting the exercises and activities, following the teaching procedures, and referring to the book maps in the set of new English textbooks Tieng Anh 11 to organize revision, design one-period tests and semester exams. Especially, using the accompanying workbooks to revise what students learned accounted for the highest rate. Besides, major challenges of the upper-secondary school teachers in using this set are also uncovered through the results. The teachers mostly have difficulties in finding the relevant materials matching the prescribed test formats as well as the required language competence in the set of new English textbooks Tieng Anh 11, lacking the test formats and scoring criteria associated with achievement tests. From the research findings, some implications were suggested for teachers’ flexibility in teaching and test preparation processes, and for improving the set of new English textbooks Tieng Anh 11.
 
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TPS-Flipgrid: Transforming EFL speaking class in the 21st century

Innovative teaching model in the 21st century is of necessity because in this digital transformation era, lecturers deal with tech-savvy students. These students should be taught differently; it can be done by integrating teaching technique with newly-updated and technological-based media or platform. In English Education Study Program, the lecturer still made use of conventional technique and it was monotonous and uninteresting. The present qualitative research with case study design was mainly intended to fathom out the students’ perceptions and the benefits of implementing TPS-Flipgrid in EFL speaking class. The implementation of TPS-Flipgrid in the present qualitative research with case study design for the sake innovating EFL speaking class has brought the language learning into certain level. The research clearly figured out that the perception of the third semester students was positive. They thought that TPS-Flipgrid was an innovative and flexible teaching model; besides, this model could invite active involvement and equalize classroom and online face-to-face interaction. The teaching model has successfully improved the students’ speaking performances and their 21st century life skills such as collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking. Considering the significant results of applying TPS-Flipgrid, the implementation of this teaching model should be continuously carried out and improved

How Does Pedagogical Flexibility in Curriculum Use Promote Mathematical Flexibility? An Exploratory Case Study

Flexibility has been increasingly valued in mathematics education to better prepare students for lives in the rapidly changing society of the future. Although there has been conjecture that teachers’ flexibility plays a substantial role in facilitating students’ mathematical flexibility, there has been little examination of how teachers can use a flexible curriculum to develop mathematical flexibility (MF) in authentic classroom environments. This paper elaborates the notion of flexible curriculum use, referred to as pedagogical flexibility (PF) in curriculum use, as the competence to expand pedagogical space and make alternative pedagogical decisions when planning and enacting a curriculum that differs from the routine practices provided in the intended and written curriculum. We develop a framework for PF in curriculum use to identify and characterize teachers’ curriculum use to promote MF. In an explorative case study with one middle school teacher, we analyzed what and how specific aspects of PF in curriculum use promote potential and actual MF in the learning of central tendency measures. Findings indicate that the teacher could expand his pedagogical space by carefully differentiating the pedagogical considerations of the curriculum and could find alternative approaches by making associative and reflective connections among them. This provides insight into how PF in curriculum use can promote students’ potential and actual MF.

Compassionate Flexibility and Self-Discipline: Student Adaptation to Emergency Remote Teaching in an Integrated Engineering Energy Course during COVID-19

The global pandemic of COVID-19 brought about the transition to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) at higher education institutions across the United States, prompting both students and the faculty to rapidly adjust to a different modality of teaching and learning. Other crises have induced disruptions to academic continuity (e.g., earthquakes, hurricanes), but not to the same extent as COVID-19, which has affected universities on a global scale. In this paper, we describe a qualitative case study where we interviewed 11 second-year Integrated Engineering students during the Spring 2020 semester to explore how they adapted to the transition to remote learning. Our results revealed several student challenges, how they used self-discipline strategies to overcome them, and how the faculty supported students in the classroom through a compassionate and flexible pedagogy. Faculty members showed compassion and flexibility by adjusting the curriculum and assessment and effectively communicating with students. This was especially important for the women participants in this study, who more frequently expressed utilizing pass/fail grading and the personal and gendered challenges they faced due to the pandemic. During this unprecedented crisis, we found that a key element for supporting students’ well-being and success is the faculty members communicating care and incorporating flexibility into their courses.

Improving the academic experience of students with disabilities in higher education: faculty members of Social Sciences and Law speak out

This article describes the key elements to develop an inclusive pedagogy in the university through the testimonies of Social Sciences and Law faculty members. A total of 25 faculty members from seven different Spanish universities participated in the study, who were recommended by their students with disabilities based on their good practices. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted individually . The data were progressively analysed using a system of categories and codes. The results show three key elements to improve the academic experience of students with disabilities: disability-specific training for faculty members, a good faculty–student relationship and the willingness to make reasonable adjustments . This article proposes a well-trained faculty, who develop a flexible teaching with a positive and close relationships toward their students, as the ideal profile to serve as an example to other colleagues and universities in order to improve the quality of academic and social experiences for students with disabilities.

Instructional Strategies for Online Teaching in COVID ‐19 Pandemic

Educational institutes have closed worldwide due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The research paper explores different instructional strategies. These instructional strategies can help in implementing online teaching in higher education. The case study develops various methods for online teaching without compromising student learning. These methods will help in designing successful online study sessions. The study formulated different notions for online education in developing countries. It includes maintaining slow voice and practicing vocal functions by teachers. Furthermore, sharing resources before the class will help in creating interactive online classes. These strategies play fundamental role in enhancing student learning. The study suggested that Higher Education Commission should make collaborations with telecommunication industries. This will help in overcoming Internet-related issues. There are multiple factors that help in enhancing remote learning. These factors include getting feedback from students, offering flexible teaching and assessment policies. Recording online lectures and getting support from teaching assistants are also vital features. These instructional strategies will serve as an excellent tool in running online classes.

Student Experiences of Emergency Remote Teaching: Impacts of Instructor Practice on Student Learning, Engagement, and Well-Being

In-person teaching activities at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus were curtailed in the midst of a semester as a result of the global shutdowns imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. All instruction shifted online, and this rapid transition to emergency remote teaching had negative impacts on student learning, engagement, and mental well-being. This phenomenological study describes the results of surveys and interviews used to assess the emergency remote teaching experiences of students enrolled in second-year chemistry courses. Major student challenges included issues with motivation and engagement, personal scheduling, faculty communication, and increased stress and anxiety. This research recommends clear communication and flexible teaching and assessment methods to accommodate the assorted complications faced by our students.

Weaving sustainability in Indian higher education system

Learning outcomes The specific teaching and learning objectives are as follows: to help students manage virtual communication in cross-cultural settings and developing the trust in virtual teams. To have them assess their effectiveness in the virtual collaboration process. To design the strategies to combat the challenges involved in working collaboratively on a common computing platform. Case overview/synopsis Higher education institutions in India are facing intense criticism for failing to impart employability skills to the students. Despite being one of the largest education systems in the world, Indian universities are not listed in the rankings of best international universities. It is grappling with the challenges of adopting the right teaching methodologies that foster deep learning, which may lead to sustainability in higher education. To gain relevancy, the higher education institutions must discover the ways to transit from the knowledge-intensive to skill-intensive institutions. By introducing a virtual collaborative professional project for international business students, Professor Bose proposed a small step of moving from a rote teacher-centric to more hands-on, student-centric teaching methodology. While virtual projects are a common and successful way of enhancing cross-cultural competence in students, Professor Bose is unsure how receptive Indian students will be with this methodology. He visualizes many challenges related to the execution of the project and is worried whether he will be successful in achieving his goal of skill-based knowledge creation. While systems and institutions of higher education in India struggle to address the pressures created by globalization, Professor Bose knew that the one-size-may not fit all. “Flexible pedagogy” and personalizing the methods to suit the requirements of a majority of the students was the way forward. However, he needs to know if the faculty and students will be open to change. Complexity academic level This case is immediately valuable for the students and faculty who are the part of the courses such as “International Business” in which the global leadership challenges, managing virtual communication in cross-cultural settings and developing the trust in virtual teams are main features of the curriculum. The case could also be used effectively in the seminars conducted for the managers working in international organizations and managing the tasks in virtual teams located globally. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS: 5 International Business.

Analysis of the Application of Basketball Games in College Basketball Teaching

Educational games are also called "game teaching methods", which aim to effectively combine the teaching content with vivid and interesting games according to the syllabus. As a flexible teaching strategy, they are widely favored by teachers and students. In the physical education classes of colleges and universities, basketball is a traditional teaching subject, which is deeply loved by students, and therefore it is also very important in the physical education teaching system. With the reform of the teaching system, colleges and universities have gradually paid attention to innovation in teaching. Therefore, this article analyzes and discusses the application of basketball games in college basketball teaching.

How a professional development programme for university teachers impacts their teaching-related self-efficacy, self-concept, and subjective knowledge

ABSTRACT The professional development of academic teaching staff has become increasingly visible in higher education, even though there is still not enough evidence on how teachers change through such initiatives. Because flexibility in teaching is a commonly found demand, knowledge and core beliefs of one’s own ability to teach are pivotal. We present data on N = 73 instructors at a German university who participated in a comprehensive training programme on academic teaching. Self-reported data on teaching-related self-efficacy, self-concept, and subjective knowledge about teaching and learning were collected in a pre–post design at the beginning of the programme and afterwards. Improvement in all three variables was found over time.

A Study of Localization of Task-Based Language Teaching in China

Abstract In view of a series of challenges since Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) was introduced into China, we interviewed 14 front-line teachers in primary and secondary schools about their viewpoints and classroom strategies of TBLT. The results show teachers’ willingness to use TBLT. They adopt flexible teaching procedures, apply TBLT creatively, and explore task-based language assessment. The authors argue for inclusive non-doctrinaire approaches to TBLT, and propose to construct localized TBLT theory and practice with Chinese characteristics.

Nursing Education Strategies During the COVID-19 Epidemic

The ongoing new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which arose at the end of 2019, poses a severe challenge to world public health systems. Frontline medical staffs bear a great burden to provide health care services. The Taiwan government has taken rapid and decisive actions to reduce the risk of community transmission and campus cluster infection. Nursing education includes both classroom teaching and clinical practicum components. In preparing for their practicum, students must learn not only fundamental nursing care knowledge but also basic knowledge on emerging infectious diseases. All schools nationwide have complied with the Ministry of Education order to postpone the opening of the fall semester in response to the rapid evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic. Campus epidemic prevention measures were implemented through student counseling networks, and flexible teaching strategies, including online teaching and distance teaching, were implemented to protect the learning rights of students. This paper explores the strategies implemented in response to emerging infectious diseases in nursing education based on the core values of professional nursing. Examining the precautions taken at campuses and teaching strategies adopted in response to the COVID 19 pandemic may provide valuable insights that may be applied to the future development of nursing education.

La Educación Flexible: estrategia para la configuración de universidades virtuales en Colombia

El artículo revisa y reflexiona sobre la incursión e implementación de la educación flexible (EF) en la educación superior en Colombia como estrategia de formación de profesionales para la virtualización. Es decir, se identifican las fuerzas que han permitido generar una estrategia de poder/saber, y que hoy permite ir constituyendo un profesional flexible para la virtualización del trabajo, a través de una pesquisa de corte arqueológica-genealógica, en donde el uso de la arqueología permitirá ir al pasado, exactamente hasta dónde la EF hace su emergencia como estrategia de formación para la virtualización de los profesionales. Escudriñar la emergencia, remite exclusivamente a cuándo el discurso de “flexibilización” hace su aparición para la constitución de universidades virtuales en Colombia.

‘Enabled to play, enabled to explore’: children’s civic engagement, literacies, and teacher professional learning

ABSTRACT Drawing from a multiple-case study of professional learning in literacy, this article presents vignettes from a Grade 1 classroom where the professional learning focused on multimodal literacy pedagogies that combined digital and print-based resources to expand children’s meaning-making. Linking children’s opportunities for expansive literacy options and civic engagement, we focus on a lesson cycle in one teacher’s engagement in the learning. We highlight how the teacher’s pedagogy of exploration positioned children as capable meaning makers and how the children’s innovative literacy practices informed the teachers’ understandings of literacy pedagogies. These findings forward grounded examples of classroom spaces for children’s meaning-making and civic engagement that are co-produced by multimodal and flexible pedagogies where children act as curricular-informants.

The use of a wiki to boost open and collaborative learning in a Spanish university

Spanish universities are attempting to offer a more flexible and higher- quality education that is adapted to new social demands. As a result, they are offering a series of technological resources in both university management, as well as, in teaching and research - developments which are encouraged by the educational convergence process, occurring within the European Higher Education Area. In this article, we analyze how a group of university teachers seeks to promote an experience of active collaboration and open education amongst their students through the creation of a Wikipedia site. The goal was to promote a different, more flexible teaching system, where both the teacher and the students break away from their classic roles. This experience was started in order to achieve the following results: 1) motivate learning, 2) encourage active-collaborative learning 3) create a dictionary of the terms related to political science that helps to explain key concepts to students and the public, and 3) improve the quality of education. Despite facing certain obstacles, the results were positive: the students became committed to this practice, learned to collaborate in groups, and solved problems by interacting with their classes; their interest in subjects was increased, and useful tools for other people were created. Moreover, the teachers introduced new pedagogical methods in their classes and made learning relate to their students in a different way. In short, the results show that the use of wiki is effective in improving university teaching.

Study on the Selection of Words in College English Writing

Selection of words is an important part in college English writing. A perfect writing largely depends on the right choice of words. By means of a writing test and a questionnaire, a survey was carried out upon 100 freshmen with non-English majors from two classes to investigate the challenges of the selection of words in writing. The findings indicate that students have major difficulties in spelling, meaning conveying, concise expressing, style of words, and so on. Thus, the study puts forward some effective methods in lexical, grammatical and stylistic aspects to improve the selection of words. Furthermore, the researcher attains valuable reflection on the teaching of college English writing. The reflection includes the cultivation of students’ writing accomplishment and writing interest, the adoption of flexible teaching methods in writing class, and effective use of online writing platforms. Finally, an interview with 35 respondents has proved the teaching effect. So the study can be implemented by students and teachers to enhance the learning and teaching of English writing.

Comparison of transfusion medicine education between China and other countries and its enlightenment to China's development of transfusion medicine

This paper described main practices and development status of transfusion medicine education at home and abroad. Transfusion medicine education in foreign counties is characterized by early development of discipline construction, complete system of transfusion medicine education, mature model for training transfusion specialists, complete certification system for vocational skills as well as flexible and diverse teaching of transfusion medicine. Our country should learn from the mature experience and practices of foreign countries and speed up the introduction of national policies related to transfusion medicine education; establish a reasonable training model for medical students in blood transfusion major; strengthen the in-service continuing education for blood transfusion practitioners. Key words: Transfusion medicine; Medical education; At home and abroad; Enlightenment

“It Is a Village”: Translanguaging Pedagogies and Collective Responsibility in a Rural School District

Although rural U.S. school districts are experiencing increases in emergent multilingual learners (EMLLs), many lack the resources for employing TESOL‐specialized staff or training mainstream teachers in how to meet these students’ needs (Freeman Field, n.d.). Indeed, professional development (PD) in TESOL is a continued, persistent necessity for all teachers working with linguistically and culturally diverse students (Pettit, 2011). This article examines the role of sustained PD in shaping the beliefs and practices regarding EMLLs of educators in a rural school district. Three focal participants engaged in PD sessions on translanguaging pedagogies. Data from interviews, instructional observations, and focus groups showed articulation of a translanguaging stance. Participants demonstrated pedagogical flexibility and a collective sense of responsibility (indexed by the phrase “it is a village”) as well as other beliefs and practices characteristic of translanguaging stance, design, and shifts (García, Ibarra Johnson, & Seltzer, 2017). This study addresses a gap in TESOL research regarding how PD can shape educators’ attitudes toward and practices with EMLLs. Furthermore, by incorporating often‐overlooked members of elementary school ecologies, such as literacy coaches and world languages teachers, this study emphasizes the valuable role that these individuals can play in supporting EMLLs schoolwide.

Relationship Between Biology Teachers' Level of Creativity in Teaching and Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Awka South, Anambra State

The study assessed the relationship between biology teachers' level of creativity and academic performance of secondary school students in Anambra state. Creativity in biology education relates to the processes and particularly the personal and thinking skills that children can develop which will support deep levels of learning. It is the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful. Two research questions were answered using correlation coefficient, arithmetic mean, standard deviation and one null hypothesis tested using one-way ANOVA at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a correlational survey design. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 77 biology teachers from 21 public schools Awka Education Zone of Anambra State, Nigeria. Biology Teachers Level of Creativity in teaching Biology (BTLCTB) was the instrument for data collection. The instrument was validated by experts and reliability was established at 0.93 using Cronbach's Alpha. Result of the findings revealed that the level of creativity of a biology teacher determines how effectively he/she teach, the ability to produce original materials, flexibility in teaching, quality of ideas and adequate elaboration in the classroom with innovative skills and strategy shows the level of creativity of a biology teacher, and biology teachers with these qualities are classified as teachers with high level of creativity. Recommendations among others is that biology teachers should be encouraged to be creative in classroom, as their level of creativity will not only make their lesson interesting, but will also motivate the students for better performance.