Good Teaching Practices Research Articles

Book Review of Disciplinary Literacy and Gamified Learning in Elementary Classrooms: Questing Through Time and Space

Disciplinary Literacy and Gamified Learning in Elementary Classrooms: Questing Through Time and Space is a handbook for launching quest-based learning activities in the elementary classroom. The work collates resources that support content area learning and multi-modal literacy. Students are centered in the learning activities as creators and players, thus making learning an active and engaging experience. Each unit articulates the learning standards, lesson objectives, and evaluation methods, effectively serving as a paradigm of best practices in teaching. This resource is complemented by an online resource hub for each unit of study, which includes a supplementary website, videos, and printable lesson plans.

I am a scientist: Overcoming biased assumptions around diversity in science through explicit representation of scientists in lectures.

The lack of diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is a significant issue for the sector. Many organisations and educators have identified lack of representation of historically marginalised groups within teaching materials as a potential barrier to students feeling that a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) career is something that they can aspire to. A key barrier to addressing the issue is providing accessible and effective evidence-based approaches for educators to implement. In this study, we explore the potential for adapting presentation slides within lectures to 'humanise' the scientists involved, presenting their full names and photographs alongside a Harvard style reference. The intervention stems from an initial assumption that many formal scientific referencing systems are demographic-neutral and exacerbate prevailing perceptions that STEM is not diverse. We adopt a questionnaire based methodology surveying 161 bioscience undergraduates and postgraduates at a UK civic university. We first establish that students project assumptions about the gender, location, and ethnicity of the author of a hypothetical reference, with over 50% of students assuming they are male and Western. We then explore what students think of the humanised slide design, concluding that many students see it as good pedagogical practice with some students positively changing their perceptions about diversity in science. We were unable to compare responses by participant ethnic group, but find preliminary evidence that female and non-binary students are more likely to see this as good pedagogical practice, perhaps reflecting white male fragility in being exposed to initiatives designed to highlight diversity. We conclude that humanised powerpoint slides are a potentially effective tool to highlight diversity of scientists within existing research-led teaching, but highlight that this is only a small intervention that needs to sit alongside more substantive work to address the lack of diversity in STEM.

Brief Report: Polynomial Regression Mixture Modeling for Heterogeneous Effects of Informant Congruence

Using data from multiple informants has long been considered best practice in education. However, multiple informants often disagree on similar constructs, complicating decision-making. Polynomial regression and response-surface analysis (PRA) is often used to test the congruence effect between multiple informants on an outcome. However, PRA assumes the congruence effect on the outcome is homogeneous across individuals. To investigate unknown heterogeneity in the congruence effect, we introduce polynomial regression mixture modeling (PRMix). We demonstrate how PRMix enhances congruence research by allowing researchers to investigate individual differences in the congruence effect. The differential congruence effects between latent classes are illustrated with response-surface plots. We provide practical suggestions for using PRMix and discuss future research directions in methodology.

Athletics is Education

While participation in intercollegiate athletics has historically been classified as extracurricular, sports have the potential to serve as an educational avenue in postsecondary institutions if reframed through a higher education lens. Through a synthesis of research on traditional college students’ and athletes’ educational experiences, the current article highlights the unique nexus of higher education and Division I intercollegiate athletics by extending Chickering and Gamson’s (1987) seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education to intercollegiate athletics. First, the Seven Principles are briefly presented in their original form relating to the traditional higher education environment: (1) encourage contact between students and faculty, (2) develop reciprocity and cooperation among students, (3) encourage active learning, (4) give prompt feedback, (5) emphasize time on task, (6) communicate high expectations, and (7) respect diverse talents and ways of learning. Next, these factors are reconsidered and applied to the educational development of Division I intercollegiate athletes. Finally, implications of applying this framework and further integrating the educational components of collegiate sport to cultivate improved experiences for athletes are provided.

Challenges and Opportunities of Meta-Analysis in Education Research

Meta-analyses are systematic summaries of research that use quantitative methods to find the mean effect size (standardized mean difference) for interventions. Critics of meta-analysis point out that such analyses can conflate the results of low- and high-quality studies, make improper comparisons and result in statistical noise. All these criticisms are valid for low-quality meta-analyses. However, high-quality meta-analyses correct all these problems. Critics of meta-analysis often suggest that selecting high-quality RCTs is a more valid methodology. However, education RCTs do not show consistent findings, even when all factors are controlled. Education is a social science, and variability is inevitable. Scholars who try to select the best RCTs will likely select RCTs that confirm their bias. High-quality meta-analyses offer a more transparent and rigorous model for determining best practices in education. While meta-analyses are not without limitations, they are the best tool for evaluating educational pedagogies and programs.

Incorporating mobile learning and the CAP(E) framework in improving the receptive skills of students

PurposeGiven the persistent receptive skills challenges faced by language learners and the numerous merits of using technologically-enhanced learning in the form of mobile-assisted language learning in language teaching, this study decides to incorporate a context-analysis-practice-exploration lesson-planning framework with mobile learning to improve the receptive skills of learners. This step is necessary on the recommendation by scholarly research that while implementing technology, teacher training, digital literacy and expertise, incorporating good teaching practices and lesson planning frameworks may assist in yielding positive results.Design/methodology/approachThis study decides to utilize a mixed-method research design through an experimental approach to elicit information from 90 EFL students concerning the effectiveness of incorporating the context-analysis-practice-exploration framework in a mobile-leaning mode instructional delivery to improve their reading and listening skills.FindingsAfter collecting and analyzing data, the study found that while the participants perceived enhanced-mobile learning to make lessons enjoyable, integrating this framework and m-learning improved their reading skills. This study used notable findings to make pedagogical conclusions on the objective of this study.Originality/valueThis study contributes through empirical evidence on the effectiveness of incorporating mobile learning and a responsive lesson planning framework towards improving English as a foreign language learners' learning outcome. Besides, this study is the first to probe and unpack the effectiveness of a responsive lesson-planning framework in language education.

A Review of the RILAE Advisor Education Program 2022 Graduation Symposium

This brief review describes the main elements of the second online RILAE Advisor Education Program Graduation Symposium. Representatives of Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) described the history of KUIS and self-access learning centres, along with good teaching practices. Details of the learning advisor course and its teachers followed this introductory section. The main parts of the symposium involved three groups graduating and five experts holding speeches, each of which concerned relevant issues: language advising, well-becoming, sharing-and-caring, mindfulness, and ALMS.

Academic discourse and peer collaboration in online high school learning environments

AbstractBackgroundDialogic engagement is instrumental in promoting higher‐order thinking, motivation, and learning. Despite their dramatic uptake in the US in the past decade, there is limited evidence that online high school courses offer sufficient opportunities for students to communicate and collaborate with teachers and peers.ObjectivesThis two‐part study explores teacher perspectives and the experiences of students in online learning environments to determine if, how, and why students engage in two forms of dialogic engagement–academic discourse and peer collaboration.MethodsTo identify the extent to which teachers perceive academic discourse and peer collaboration to be valuable and feasible in online learning environments, Study 1 surveyed educators and advisors of online learning programs (n = 49). To determine whether these perspectives align with student experiences, Study 2 included a series of over‐the‐shoulder observations of five high school students engaging in their online coursework.Results and ConclusionsFindings reveal a disconnect between best practices in education and reality. Online teachers report that academic discourse is valuable and feasible, but also detail several challenges to successful implementation in online coursework. At the same time, direct observations of high school students indicate that they rarely, if ever, engage in peer collaboration and academic discourse activities.Major TakeawaysAlthough valued as a means to improve educational outcomes, opportunities for dialogic engagement are not translating to online learning environments. The solution is to develop curriculum, policies, and procedures that centre on meaningful integration of dialogic activities, motivating students to engage.

Otis-Lennon School Ability Test, Association of Benedictine Schools Achievement Test, and National Achievement Test as Correlates of Academic Performance

Believing that students take several tests whose results help describe these learners, the researcher measured the correlation between the academic performance (AP) and Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT), AP and Association of Benedictine Schools Achievement Test (ABSAT), and AP and National Achievement Test (NAT), OLSAT and ABSAT, OLSAT and NAT, and ABSAT and NAT scores of the grade 6 students of a private school in Angeles City. This is a descriptive correlational study. Using frequency and percentage, the researcher described the results of the given standardized tests and the pupils’ academic performance using general weighted average. Using descriptive statistics, the researcher learned that participants had average performance in AP and the specified tests. Using Pearson r, the researcher learned that all variables registered positive results, particularly average performance. Thus, the study arrived at significant relationships between participants’ academic performance and the named tests. The study also revealed significant relationships between participants’ AP and the tests, between OLSAT and NAT, between ABSAT and OLSAT, and between ABSAT and NAT. The study implies that the school must maintain its good teaching and learning practices and innovate to capitalize and improve general performance.

Formative and Shared Assessment and Feedback: an example of good practice in Physical Education in Pre-service Teacher Education

Formative and Shared Assessment and Feedback: an example of good practice in Physical Education in Pre-service Teacher Education

Effects of the Implementation of Tutored Learning Projects and Formative and Shared Assessment Systems in Pre-Service Teacher Education

The main purpose of Formative and Shared Assessment (F&SA) is to improve student learning, to improve and redirect teaching practice and to improve the teaching-learning process. This research has two objectives: (1) to analyse the results of the applicability and difficulty of the Good Practice of Tutored Learning Projects (TLP) in a Pre-service Teacher Education (PTE) subject; and (2) to examine the advantages and disadvantages of the F&SA system used in the same subject. For this purpose, a longitudinal study of a PTE subject is carried out over three academic years. The instruments used to collect information are: a structured report on Good Practice in university teaching and an anonymous questionnaire for students to evaluate the experience of Good Practice, which has been carried out and the subject’s evaluation system. The results show the consistency of the course design over the years. Students are satisfied with the TLP experience because they consider it to be useful, effective, innovative, replicable and sustainable, as well as helping in the acquisition of competences.

Promotion of Student Engagement Through the Application of Good Practices in Nursing Online Education.

The purpose of this article is to review Chickering and Gamson's principles of good practice in teaching and to illustrate their applicability to nursing online education delivery. An additional purpose is to present examples of teaching methods used by faculty to promote engagement in online education courses during the pandemic. The original 7 best practices in education, including ( a ) encourages contact between students and faculty, ( b ) develops reciprocity and cooperation among students, ( c ) uses active learning techniques, ( d ) gives prompt feedback, ( e ) emphasizes time on task, ( f ) communicates high expectations, and ( g ) respects diverse talents and ways of learning, remain evidence-based guidelines today. The authors recommend the addition of 2 new best practices: ( a ) incorporating assignment flexibility to meet student learning preferences; and ( b ) applying learning to real-life situations. Having evidence-based guidelines for supporting the role of a teacher in the online learning setting is of paramount importance.

Teaching minoritised children in South Korea: perspectives of teachers in early childhood education and care

ABSTRACT Most policies and teaching practices in early childhood education and care (ECEC) are based on the developmental paths of children from mainstream middle-class, White, European, heterosexual households. The common discourse often summed up as universalism significantly minoritizes children deviating from this “norm” and pathologizes their differences. Efforts toward bringing about changes in the ECEC field can start by examining individual ECEC teachers’ views on and teaching practices for minoritised children in various contexts. Set in South Korea, which has recently been populated by a relatively small yet exponentially growing minoritised population, this qualitative study examines ECEC educators’ approaches to teaching ethnolinguistically minoritised children. We interviewed nine ECEC teachers who have taught a small number of minoritised children throughout their careers. We found that the ECEC teachers valued sameness and harmony over difference and emphasised good teaching practice and caring for the minoritised children’s emotional needs. The teachers’ approaches seemed to be propelled by the ECEC’s dominant discourse, developmentally appropriate practice, and traditional Confucian beliefs. Using critical race and feminist theories that illuminate participants’ lived experiences and identities, we discussed that the teachers’ good-willed yet neutral approaches may have inadvertently led to inequitable practices and oppressive experiences for minoritised children.

The Diachronic Value of Teaching Principles and Good Pedagogical Practices in Learning Process: The First Public School of Commerce in Athens Case Study

The Diachronic Value of Teaching Principles and Good Pedagogical Practices in Learning Process: The First Public School of Commerce in Athens Case Study

Features of the Implementation of Environmental Education in the Urban Environment

This article discusses the features of the implementation of environmental education in the urban environment. The problems associated with limited access to natural resources and the lack of ecological zones in cities are considered. It also provides a variety of approaches to environmental education, offering methods that can help teachers and students to realize the importance of environmental conservation. The article also looks at some examples of good practice in environmental education in cities.

AS VISÕES GLOBAIS E PERSPECTIVAS FUTURAS NO ENSINO DA SUSTENTABILIDADE NA ENGENHARIA

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to map the current status of research in engineering education from the perspective of sustainability, bibliometrix and biblioshiny packages were employed to perform data mining and quantitative analysis of publications in this area of knowledge from 2012 to 2022 in the Web of Science database. The results showed that in the last 10 years, the number of articles on teaching sustainability in engineering has increased. The increase was gradual and can be divided into three stages, between 2012 and 2016 the publications ranged from 130 to 150, from 2017 to 2019 the publications went from 150 to 190 and from 2020 to 2021 it exceeded 200 articles. The top countries in terms of research development in the area of sustainability education in engineering are the United States, Spain, China, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and Italy, as well as being the most important countries for international cooperation in this area. Sustainable development, engineering education, students, education, curriculum, teaching, and sustainability were the most frequently mentioned keywords in this field in the last 10 years. Within this field, the use of active methodologies, sustainable development, good pedagogical and sustainability practices, and the construction of competencies and skills are emerging as research topics. The teaching of sustainability in engineering is a relatively new theme, however, due to the urgency of the subject many studies have been developed and many others are unfolding, however, the complexity of the theme does not exhaust the gaps in the subject

Do Virtual Campuses Provide Quality Education? A Study on the Perception of Higher Education

In recent years, there has been an increase in the use of technologies in all aspects of daily life, especially in educational contexts. Indeed, in most universities, using a virtual campus as a support for teaching is now a general practice, even in face-to-face teaching. However, although there are multiple studies on the quality of education and services provided by virtual campus platforms, as well as statistics on the use of the various tools and forums, very few studies have considered students’ perceptions of the quality perceived by students concerning the pedagogical use that teachers make of virtual campuses. Even fewer studies have examined this as a function of what year the students are in. In order to examine this more thoroughly, an ad hoc questionnaire was applied to 783 students enrolled in the first three years at various universities in Spain, covering all knowledge areas. The results show that first-year students had more positive opinions of the quality of their teachers’ virtual-campus practices than students in subsequent years. More specifically, those first-year students perceived greater encouragement and motivation from the teaching staff and more communication between teachers and students. These findings suggest the need for good teaching practices that consider motivation, communication and collaborative groups, not only during the first year, but also throughout university courses in order to ensure quality education.

Oral Didactics in an Actional Approach: Manifesting Emotions and Involving the Limbic System in a Face-to-Face and in a Hybrid Context

In oral didactics, the nature of the interactions which are established among the members of the group grant a cognitive, socio-affective and behavioral dimension in order to implement collaborative tasks, linking conviviality and pragmatism. In collaborative distance learning, teachers and learners are able to share experiences as well as new IT tools, while multimodal and open approaches can facilitate exchanges among the participants who put pragmatic learning modes into practice. As a result, the promotion of new training requirements through the adoption of good educational practices, cultivates the knowledge of an action-centred creative potential. Therefore, acting and co-acting in a group’s face-to-face or even in a hybrid context becomes a new challenge for oral learning, since digital media can also condition the sensations but also the behavior of users, a fact which has consequences on the biological and neurological rhythm and psychological life of people involved in the learning process.

Student Experiences of Assessment and Feedback in the National Student Survey: An Analysis of Student Written Responses with Pedagogical Implications

The National Student Survey (NSS) indicates that students are less satisfied with Assessment and Feedback versus other dimensions of the NSS in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the United Kingdom (UK). HEIs generally rely on quantitative Likert responses within the NSS to assess the quality of their provision while ignoring written comments. However, we propose that analysis of written comments is essential to understand students’ lived and multidimensional experiences. Therefore, we utilised a Framework Analysis to investigate students' written responses for assessment and feedback in the 2020 NSS. We identified high (n = 4) and low-scoring (n = 4) departments as those that scored the highest and lowest on assessment and feedback at an HEI institution in the UK. These groups scored above and below the NSS national average for assessment and feedback of 72.6% (Office for Students, 2020), at 84.6% and 66%, respectively. Our analysis of 10,628 words revealed five main themes of interaction and experience, assessment clarity, assessment fairness, timing, inspiration for the present and future, and eleven sub-themes. We used the frequency of words concurrently with these themes to identify areas of good pedagogical practice. For example, high-scoring departments provided easy-to-follow lectures (Theme 1) and assessment guidance (Theme 2), students perceived feedback as fair (Theme 3), tutors were appropriately responsive to students' attempts at communication (Theme 4), and assessments had clear applicability to future employability (Theme 5). Our findings highlight the suitability of our approach for academics and HEIs to improve their understanding and provision of assessment and feedback. We provide recommendations to improve assessment and feedback at a unit, program, and HEI level.

Article on Impact of Good Governance on School Performance of Nepal

This article deals with the impact of good governance on school performance in Nepal. Good governance and its impacts on school performance is a burning as well as searching issue in the field of the educational sector of Nepal. The purpose is to explore and to discuss the findings of the impact of good governance on school performance through critical analysis of the literature review. This article is based entirely on the secondary sources. The finding of the study is that the good governance practices play the significant role in school performance in Nepal. Further, other major findings of this review include low school performance, less participation of stakeholders, lack of transparency and accountability, and corruption in the education sector. The reason for the low performance of schools in Nepal is the lack of good governance. If we adopt good governance practice in education, we can easily ensure/achieve a better school; better performance is the implications of this literature review.