Classroom Instruction Research Articles

Evaluating MOL-Magsaysay Maritime Academy’s Educational Program: Performance of First Graduates and Stakeholders’ Feedback

MMMA’s Educational Program provide students with an opportunity to develop the necessary technical skills (Hard skills) and personality traits (Soft skills) to become a well-rounded and a successful seafarer and individual. MMMA’s Educational Program includes two areas of activities and experiences that are designed to enhance the student’s learning. Specifically, this includes the approved CHED-MARINA prescribed and regulated Maritime Academic Curriculum underpinned on the STCW Convention, and MMMA’s own Leadership Training Paradigm, anchored on the Transformational Leadership through Coaching principle. This paper aims to determine whether MMMA’s educational program effectively prepares students for their maritime industry careers. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate MMMA’s educational program by obtaining key stakeholders’ and employers’ feedback based on the work performance of the first graduates, and exploring whether there is a relationship between the 3-year classroom instruction performance and the 12-month onboard training performance. By examining both classroom and onboard performance outcomes and key stakeholders’ and employers’ feedback, the study seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the academy’s impact on its graduates’ readiness for the maritime workforce. The research utilizes a descriptive-correlational approach. Preliminary findings indicate that the majority of the first graduates have demonstrated strong academic competence and skills during the 3-year classroom instruction and the 12-month shipboard training, both in the areas of technical skills (hard skills) and personality skills (soft skills) based on the results of the document analysis. Correlation results also showed that there is a linear relationship between the manifestation of soft skills during the 3-year academic classroom instruction and the 12-month shipboard training, but there was no relationship on the technical skills. On the other hand, satisfaction ratings provided by the two groups of stakeholders, namely the faculty and the industry partners/ employers expressed some serious concerns on the manifestation of the cadets’ personality skills or soft skills particularly in discipline and leadership based on their interactions with cadets and occasional feedback from the ships. Nonetheless, some areas for improvement have been identified, such as the need for enhanced soft skills and further alignment of academic training with industry-specific demands. The study concludes that MOL-Magsaysay Maritime Academy’s educational programs have been effective in preparing the first batch (Batch 2018) of graduates for successful maritime careers. The insights gained from the stakeholders’ feedback will be instrumental in refining the academy’s educational program and training methods in terms of the leadership training paradigm, anchored on the principle of transformational leadership through coaching, to better meet industry needs in general, and stakeholders’ needs in particular, and enhance future graduates’ employability and performance. On the technical side, new trends and regulations in the areas of digitalization and environmental regulations needs to be incorporated in the educational program. Keywords: MMMA (MOL-Magsaysay Maritime Academy); Educational Program; Technical Skills; Soft Skills

THE USE OF ENGLISH MEDIUM INSTRUCTION IN MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOMS IN JAPANESE LANGUAGE TEACHING

Purpose. This article examines the use of English medium instruction (EMI) for teaching Japanese as a foreign language (JFL) by non-native speakers with a focus on multilingual classrooms. It also explores teachers’ positive and negative beliefs about using EMI in classroom settings for JFL instruction. Methods and procedure. 274 non-native Japanese language teachers from around the world (57 countries) voluntarily participated in a survey, answering a questionnaire on Google Forms and Jotform. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed. The research instrument was piloted before the main study and was found to be effective and adequate to elicit the desired data. The research questions aimed to identify whether there were any relationships between the use of EMI and the multilingual classroom. Findings. The results showed a clear correlation between the extensive use of EMI and the multilingual character of JFL classrooms. Translanguaging turned out to be a common practice adopted by non-native Japanese teachers regardless of the primary language of instruction. The article concludes that EMI can be a valuable tool for JFL instruction in multilingual classrooms. Based on the investigation of the teachers’ beliefs, the results showed a changing positive attitude towards English employed in JFL classrooms. Implications for research and practice. The findings can be used to further investigate EMI in JFL instructional practices in multilingual classrooms, improve the quality of JFL instruction and facilitate the integration of multilingual education into foreign language teaching. Future research can explore the effectiveness of EMI in different JFL contexts and investigate the impact of EMI on students’ language learning outcomes.

Principal-shared instructional leadership in differentiated instruction classrooms: its effect on pedagogical practices

This article examines the effect of principal-shared instructional leadership, learners’ characteristics, and differentiated instruction strategies support on the quality of pedagogical practices mediated by classroom interventions. This instructional strategy is used along with the implementation of the independent curriculum, and teachers have to pay attention deeply to students’ learning needs. This study was conducted as explanatory research on mover teachers throughout Indonesia, and 890 teachers participated voluntarily. Path analysis is utilized to estimate variables relationships. The study revealed that principal-shared instructional leadership and differentiated strategies positively and directly affect the quality of pedagogical practices, and learners’ characteristics only contribute to an indirect effect. The findings suggest that school principals have significant roles in mobilizing stakeholders and facilitating learning resources for providing classroom interventions appropriately for students to learn. As an implication, accomplishing the quality of pedagogical practices will be able to achieve students’ learning performances.

The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Differentiated Instruction Classrooms

The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Differentiated Instruction Classrooms

Learning Action Cells Sessions: Enhancing Classroom Instruction in the New Face to Face Classes

Learning Action Cells Sessions: Enhancing Classroom Instruction in the New Face to Face Classes

Avoiding “random acts of guidance”: Strategies for middle grades school counselors that lead to lasting learning

In a successful middle school, school counselors support young adolescents’ academic progress and personal wellbeing through a variety of methods. Classroom instruction, or classroom guidance, offers one method of providing such support and features the benefit of allowing middle grades school counselors to reach all students in their schools. However, school counselors often face challenges in designing effective classroom instruction that causes deep, long-term learning and allows students to apply new concepts or skills to their own lives. To achieve lasting learning of key mindsets and behaviors, school counselors’ lesson planning must be rooted in the science of how people learn. This article presents four research-based “laws of learning” that will help middle level school counselors avoid creating classroom instruction lessons with unintended barriers to learning in the form of strategies that contradict learning science.

The Role of Technology in Transforming Classroom Instruction: An Analysis of Blended Learning Approaches

This research explores how technology has changed teaching methods in the classroom through a blended learning approach. The research method used in this study is literature studies, which look for references appropriate to the research context. The study's findings suggest that technology can increase student engagement, facilitate access to a wider range of learning activities, and improve learning outcomes through more interactive and flexible methods. When strategically integrated into the learning process, technology improves teaching efficiency and prepares students with the skills needed for the digital age. The implications of these findings are important for education stakeholders in designing and implementing teaching practices that harness the potential of technology to improve the learning process in the classroom. Further research is suggested to conduct empirical studies involving experiments in real classrooms to measure the direct impact of technology and blended learning approaches on student engagement and learning outcomes.

Training to Improve English Vocabulary Via Audio-Visual Media For Primary Students of Silo Baru Village Dusun X Asahan District

When it is done appropriately, the transition from traditional classroom instruction to technology-based instruction in English language instruction has a lot of potential advantages. A few crucial aspects of its implementation to consider include selecting appropriate technology and emphasizing vocabulary expansion. There is a great chance that training targeted at increasing students' vocabulary following the use of audio-visuals in English language learning will boost their motivation even more. Participants from Silo Baru Village's coastal primary schools will have the chance to learn more about this technology in particular. It is hoped that by using audio-visual media to enhance vocabulary acquisition, students will become more intrinsically motivated as a result of this training activity. It is thought that since kids are really interested in studying, they would be able to concentrate more on improving their mastery of vocabulary in English. It is important to monitor and evaluate the impact of this training, both in terms of increasing vocabulary and in students' learning motivation. The data and feedback obtained from this activity will be key to assessing the effectiveness of audio-visual technology in improving the English language skills of coastal elementary schools in the new silo village of Asahan Regency.

Squeezed in: Writing Instruction Over Time

The purpose of this study was to understand the nature of writing instruction across time and grade bands. We used quantitative and qualitative analyses of teacher interviews and video records of classroom instruction of English language arts writing instruction in 97 fourth- through eighth-grade classrooms in 2010 and 2018. Video records showed a decline in writing instruction across time and grade bands. Teacher lessons focused on the first five Common Core Writing Standards with little attention to the latter five. The lessons included aspects of a writing process approach that used instructional scaffolding, models, student practice, and teacher feedback. Lessons were less likely to include the use of authentic texts, text analysis, and student discussion. Teacher interviews pointed to curricular constraints, a view of writing as peripheral, and comfort with teaching writing as hindrances to quality writing instruction. These findings demonstrate a need for curricular and instructional resources to support teachers in offering consistently quality writing instruction.

Teachers’ Perception about Authentic Assessment of English Learning Based on Merdeka Curriculum: A Case in Papua

Students who continue to struggle with English proficiency suggest that the use of realistic assessment in classroom instruction is subpar. As a result, the purpose of this study is to investigate the barriers to and facilitators of real assessment in the classroom and the gap between instructors' conceptions of the concept and its actual use. The research strategy used in this study is a qualitative one, namely descriptive research, and the data gathering tools include interviews and observations of English instructors in Manokwari. Two high school English instructors participated in this study. The results of this research indicate that teachers in Papua have a good understanding of authentic assessment as indicated by various detailed explanations of authentic assessment by teachers. The results obtained from interviews and observations in the implementation show the process of preparing assessments and various types of authentic assessments carried out by teachers in the classroom. However, in carried out the assessment, some of the problems faced by the teacher included the inability to manage the class, determine the assessment items and limited of time. Based on the results of interviews and observations conducted, there is a match between understanding and implementation, meaning that there is no discrepancy between understanding and implementation in class.

A Structural Equation Modeling of the Impact of Teacher Self-Efficacy on Teachers' Teaching Practice in Saudi Arabia: Evidence from TALIS 2018

This paper intends to investigate the causal relationship between teachers' self-efficacy and teacher teaching practices in Saudi Arabia using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) based on the public database of the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS 2018). In this study, 2744 teachers responded to the survey, representing lower secondary in mainstream public and private schools in Saudi Arabia. Based on the literature review and the exploratory factor analysis presented in the TALIS 2018 technical report, three constructs represent teacher teaching practices including (clarity of instructional, cognitive activation, and classroom management practices). Teacher self-efficacy includes two constructs (classroom management efficacy and instruction efficacy). After applying structural equation modeling, the main finding indicates a positive influence of teacher self-efficacy on the clarity of instructional practices, cognitive activation practices, and classroom management practices.

We’re all just looking at the stars; how behavioral economics helps us understand the barriers to education programming in Tanzania

PurposeWe’re all just looking at the stars; how behavioral economics helps us understand the barriers to education programming in Tanzania.Design/methodology/approachThis article uses a qualitative approach to explore the behaviorally normed barriers to quality classroom instruction that contribute towards low learning outcomes. Themed text analysis was applied to qualitative secondary data from seventeen classroom observations and teacher interviews collected from low-performing schools in rural Tanzania.FindingsIt was found that teachers in poor-performing schools in Tanzania were focused on the delivery of curriculum and pedagogy, with a misplaced belief that their pupils were performing adequately. The study found no evidence of teacher resistance to change; instead, the teachers were content and often happy to implement the reading program, believing that teaching phonics-based instruction improved their teaching approach. Teachers sought confirmation of their quality instructional practice from convenient yet inaccurate sources that did not include effective pupil assessment.Research limitations/implicationsAs a result of the chosen research approach, findings may lack generalizability.Practical implicationsWhile existing models of teacher change rely on logic and reason for decision-making, this paper provides evidence that teacher models of change are much more complex and irrational, aligned more closely with insights from behavioral economics (BE). Additionally, this paper justifies that traditional research frameworks that study what works provide an incomplete picture to support effective program improvement.Originality/valueThe application of behavioral economics to research and education programming focused on reducing the restraining forces rather than pushing incentives and other program components.

Meta-Synthesis of Effective Practices and Outcomes in the Use of Manipulatives for Teaching Mathematics

Use of manipulatives in mathematics classes has yielded compelling evidence of their value in improving several aspects of mathematics education. This report endeavored to gain a clearer picture of their benefits by using a meta-synthesis technique by integrating findings from 12 previous qualitative or mixed methods studies. They were evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme and summarized using a PRISMA diagram. Content analysis identified five main (5) themes: (1) activation of classroom engagement and participation, (2) building of confidence and motivation, (3) enhancement of mathematical proficiency, (4) availability and accessibility of varied resources as manipulative, and (5) teachers’ competency and careful planning. A meta-theme that emerged was Optimizing Mathematics Learning with Effective Classroom Resources through Manipulatives. Thematic study revealed that strategically integrating manipulatives into classroom instruction has a favorable influence on student engagement, confidence, motivation, and mathematical ability. By incorporating manipulatives into mathematics instruction, educators may create inclusive, engaging, and dynamic learning environments that encourage deeper conceptual comprehension.

Integrating constructivist principles in an adaptive hybrid learning system for developing social entrepreneurship education among college students

Education in social entrepreneurship for college students is a gradual and evolving process that shapes their career outlook and skill development. This journey involves employing various strategies to engage with and analyze innovative concepts. Adaptive hybrid learning systems adjust course materials dynamically based on individual students' skills and learning progress, drawing from diverse learning theories and instructional interventions. Empowering students to drive positive social change is a central focus, with social entrepreneurs tackling global challenges such as poverty, unemployment, gender inequality, inadequate education, healthcare, and governance. While some students may find traditional classroom settings inconvenient and prefer the flexibility of hybrid learning, others weigh the risks and benefits of classroom instruction differently. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is utilized for empirical analysis, utilizing early-stage social entrepreneurship education as a performance measure and cultural probabilities as variables. The significance of college students' contributions through social enterprises is increasingly recognized, prompting the development of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models to forecast and assess career growth trends. The DEA-CNN framework aims to enhance adaptive hybrid learning systems by evaluating social entrepreneurs' knowledge, skills, and competencies. Social entrepreneurship not only addresses environmental concerns but also enriches cultural diversity. Many college students prioritize practical action over mere ideation, particularly in entrepreneurship.

Exploring the effects of problem-based learning on English as a foreign language students: a mixed-methods approach in Chinese higher education

ABSTRACT In this mixed-methods study, we investigated the relationship between instructional approach, students’ self-efficacy beliefs, and students’ English language proficiency, as well as the perceptions of the instructor and students regarding problem-based learning (PBL) in a College English course in China. Using path analysis, we assessed the effectiveness of PBL as compared to traditional lecture-based instruction, focusing on PBL’s impact on Chinese college students’ self-efficacy beliefs and English proficiency. We also explored the perceptions of both instructors and students regarding PBL using their qualitative feedback. Two classes of College English (N = 57) at a tier-one university in China were randomly assigned to either a PBL or a traditional lecture condition for one semester, while controlling for students’ initial English placement test scores. The results indicated that PBL instruction fostered students’ English proficiency, and students’ self-efficacy positively impacted their English proficiency, as measured by a national English standardized test. However, PBL did not impact students’ self-efficacy beliefs. Both the instructor and students held positive attitudes towards PBL instruction in the English classroom, and students made recommendations for activities and ways to improve. Further investigation of PBL’s effectiveness is needed to support English as a foreign language students’ language acquisition in a global context.

The Construction and Application of Smart Classrooms in China: A Literature Review Based on 93 Studies

The smart classroom, as a product of advances in information technology, has garnered wide attention in academia in recent years. Using the method of literature review, this article delves into the construction and application of smart classrooms in China on the basis of 93 prior studies retrieved from the database of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Research results show that there is a lack of uniform evaluation criteria for the construction of smart classrooms despite the prominent advancements in their systems and facilities, and that in the dimension of applications, there has been growing interest in the alignment between smart classroom technologies and instructional needs but a dearth of research on teaching activity design for smart classroom instruction. Recommendations are also proposed based on the issues detected, with a view to contributing to the widespread deployment and ongoing optimization of smart classrooms.

(Re)Searching Critical Thinking in a Hong Kong Classroom: A Postfoundational Reflection on Ignorant Modernity

Purpose This article takes a postfoundational lens to reflect upon my ethnographic (re)searching experience in a Hong Kong high school biology classroom to expose ignorant theoretical–methodological assumptions of researchers and teachers on critical thinking for new realizations. Design/Approach/Methods Using an encountered embodied thinking moment as a trigger, this article examines the texts/discourses collected from teachers/teaching and students/learning to unpack underlying philosophical–theoretical–methodological traps and ignorance. Findings The analysis exposes three ignorant assumptions. First is a mind–body dualism that has historically disembodied thinking as an abstract and invisible mind/cognitive activity. Second is a knowledge–skill/thinking divide that upgrades critical thinking as a transferrable higher-order skill above and external to knowledge. Third is a naturalized assumption that didactic instructions in Asian classrooms are not as conducive to thinking cultivation as (Western) student-centered pedagogies. Originality/Value My postfoundational reflections interrogate and expand these philosophical–theoretical–methodological grounds to reconstruct effective thinking curricula and classrooms.

Evaluating the impact of vocabulary instruction on oral vocabulary, phonemic awareness and nonword reading

AbstractVocabulary teaching has traditionally focused on word meanings to aid reading comprehension, however evidence also suggests that vocabulary knowledge influences phonemic awareness and word reading. Vocabulary instruction concentrating on the sound structure of new words alongside meaning (combined sound-meaning vocabulary instruction) improves vocabulary for learners with speech and language difficulties. Emerging research suggests it may deliver similar results as a classroom strategy for young children. Researchers have questioned whether combined instruction would additionally enhance phonemic awareness and phonic decoding. A teaching intervention with 273 children aged 5–6 in the United Kingdom compared meaning-based instruction, combined instruction and usual classroom instruction (age-matched controls) over 24 weeks with three testing points. A daily vocabulary lesson incorporating evidence-based principles was delivered by classroom teachers. After intervention both instructional groups performed significantly higher than controls on taught vocabulary, and all groups performed equally on phonemic awareness and nonword reading. Delayed post-test results require more cautious interpretation due to the lack of a hierarchical design. Combined instruction resulted in the highest taught vocabulary and phonic reading outcomes; phonemic awareness in the combined condition was significantly higher than controls. Results tentatively suggest that combined instruction is an inclusive approach for whole-class use in early schooling.

Leading Elementary School Science: Taking a Multilevel Distributed Perspective to Explore Leadership Practice

Purpose: Most empirical work using a distributed perspective to frame research on leadership practice uses the school as the unit of analysis, focusing on how leadership is stretched over people and aspects of the situation within schools. This study investigates leadership practice for elementary science, using a multilevel distributed framework, to understand the interrelationships among educational leaders operating at various levels—from classrooms, to schools, to educational systems, and, beyond, to the educational sector. Research Methods/Approach: Using an embedded, comparative case study design, we analyzed leadership practice for elementary science reform in 13 school districts in the U.S. as leaders worked to bridge from the Next Generation Science Standards learning ideals to classroom instruction. Data collection included interviews, observations, and documents. Findings: Leading elementary science reform involved three core components of leadership practice: (1) garnering attention for science in a situation that prioritized the instruction of English Language Arts and mathematics; (2) cultivating and channeling essential relationships not only within the system but also in the broader education sector to access the resources needed to (re)build an educational infrastructure for elementary science instruction; and (3) supporting the use of educational infrastructure in everyday practice in schools. Implications: This study makes the case for using a multilevel distributed leadership perspective to frame studies of leadership practice to understand how efforts at different levels interact in shaping the practice of leadership.

Building a Science of Teaching Reading and Vocabulary: Experimental Effects of Structured Supplements for a Read Aloud Lesson on Third Graders’ Domain-Specific Reading Comprehension

ABSTRACT Purpose This study contributes to the science of teaching reading and vocabulary by illustrating how a ubiquitous classroom practice – read alouds – can be enhanced by structured supplements. This experimental study examines whether and to what extent providing structured supplements can improve student comprehension outcomes by helping teachers foster discussions about academic vocabulary that support schema transfer as students make connections between known and new topics. Method A total of 80 third-grade teachers and their students (N = 965; 32% Black, 31% Hispanic, 25% white, 9 Asian, 48% Male) were randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions. Treatment students received a single social studies read aloud on the story of Apollo 11 with structured supplements while control students received the same read aloud story but without structured supplements. Students were from linguistically, economically, and ethnically diverse backgrounds. Results Effect sizes from hierarchical linear models indicated that students in the treatment condition outperformed students in the control condition on four measures of domain-specific reading comprehension: recall (ES = .17), near-transfer (ES = .17), mid-transfer (ES = .18), and content comprehension (ES = .18). Further exploratory analyses using structural equation modeling revealed that teacher language scaffolds – that is, temporary dialogic supports in which teachers went above and beyond the intervention script – explained 66% of the treatment effect on domain-specific reading comprehension. Conclusion Results from this study suggest that read alouds, when enhanced with structured supplements designed to facilitate schema transfer, can increase the amount of academic vocabulary teachers use during classroom instruction and improve their students’ ability to comprehend disciplinary texts.