K12 Schools Research Articles

The micropolitical landscape of publicly discoverable policies for generative AI in large US school districts

ABSTRACT While the use of generative AI (genAI) in K12 schools is increasing, it is poorly understood from a policy perspective. There are significant tensions in technology integration in education between public interests for social good and pressure from educational technology companies to view schools as markets. This study examined genAI policy efforts in the 50 largest US school districts by student enrolment in fall 2023 and spring 2024. A content analysis of documents from districts, states and media sources revealed micropolitical, rather than top-down, activities where districts were attempting policy making about genAI in varied ways and at varied paces. Educational technology vendors seemed to be opening space for substantial influence in policy decisions simultaneously. Understandings about these micropolitical activities of policy making have the potential to support shared decision-making and co-responsibility as important opportunities for disrupting current dynamics of influence on educational policy making in US schools.

Dance Teacher Education at Shiv Nadar Schools: Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities

ABSTRACT With India’s long tradition of dance as a form of cultural preservation and current policy expectations, it is inevitable that dance practices in Indian K12 schools will experience growth. Given the status of dance teacher education in the country, it is unclear if current and future dance educators are prepared to meet this expansion. In this article, the authors report on a qualitative research project that, through semi-structured interviews with K12 dance teachers in the Delhi NCR region of India, sought to better understand teacher preparedness and to hear from the teachers themselves about what issues, challenges, and opportunities they face. The results are organized into the broad themes of a) navigating ourselves as dance teachers, b) navigating dance in schools, and c) navigating dance in India. Based on these results, suggestions are made for future professional development.

Creating Space for Equitable Academic and School Librarian Relationships

Though school and academic librarians both are information science professionals tasked with teaching and supporting information literacy on their campuses, biases inherent in educational institutions create a hierarchy between the two groups. This divide creates inequity in partnerships. Using Tamarack Institute’s Collaboration Spectrum Tool (2017) we seek more precise language to describe these partnerships in order to create conversations as equal colleagues rather than through the divide of secondary and higher education. As the outreach and education librarian tasked with building relationships with students and educators in our local K12 schools, we hope to reimagine our relationship with school librarians in order to strengthen libraries at all levels and support students in becoming proficient in information competency skills.

Refining the Assessment Literacy Competence among K12 EFL Teachers

Language assessment literacy as a relatively new term denotes teachers’ understanding of the assessment construct both theoretically and practically. Given the importance of assessment in the teaching and learning process, the main purpose of the current study is to investigate the general and skill-based language assessment literacy levels of EFL teachers working at K12 schools in Türkiye and to analyse their needs both in pre-service and in-service years. Considering the purpose of the study, a mixed-method research design was employed. At the initial phase of the study, the quantitative data were collected by means of the Language Assessment Knowledge Scale (LAKS), and 272 EFL teachers working at K12 schools in Türkiye participated. Descriptive and inferential analyses were run, and results showed that the participants’ mean score in LAKS was 31.59 out of 60. The participants demonstrated the highest level of knowledge in assessing reading, while assessing listening was identified as the area where teachers had the least expertise. In the second phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with volunteers to learn more about the teachers’ opinions on language assessment knowledge and their needs. Qualitative findings complemented the findings from the questionnaire by revealing details about the reasons of the participants’ scores in LAK scale.

Capturing The Characteristics of Technology Leadership in Appraising Digital Learning Throughout K12 Education in Malaysia

Technology leadership is being reinvented to speed up the technology integration in educational institutions. Previous research revealed that lack of information and communication technologies (ICT) training, teacher ICT competency, and access to ICT resources were the main barriers to leaders and teachers integrating ICT in schools. This study intends to determine the technology leadership criteria in ensuring the implementation of digital learning in Malaysia K12 schools successful. This research uses systematic literature review, focus group discussion (FGD) and Modified Delphi technique to identify the criteria dan characteristics of technology leadership in implementing digital learning. A total of 20 articles dated from 2018-2023 and seven participants participated in the FGD were used to identify the enablement criteria in technology leadership. A total of 33 items were found in the selected articles and emerged in FGD. These items were later validated using Modified Delphi technique by 14 panel of experts. Finally, 36 items were consensually agreed by the panel of experts to be the enablement criteria to appraise technology integration. These items were then proven to be aligned with the characteristics of ISTE Standards for Education Leaders.

Introducing Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in K12 Education to Foster 21st Century Skills: From Theory to Practice

This paper focuses on the interdisciplinary and collaborative approach underpinning the European funded project Edu4AI “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to Foster 21st Century Skills in Secondary Education”. The methodology has been conceived to enhance the practice of teaching from course design to content delivery, drawing inspiration from social constructivist theories, and inquiry project based learning instructional methods, combining elements from the maker movement and the educational robotics platforms. The final output of this process has been a particle handbook that comprises ready to use project toolkits, suitable to guide the seamless integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in K12 school curricula, including non-scientific ones. The paper introduces the theoretical frameworks inspiring the toolkits that have been created cooperatively with the teachers’ community and piloted in the school real contexts for validation. One of the toolkit projects is also presented in the article, outlining the corresponding learning goals in terms of both hard and transversal life skills acquired, in order to ensure correspondence with students' learning outcomes evaluation. Following the presentation of the results from questionnaires collected during the project, the article concludes with some key recommendations for practitioners willing to replicate the initiative.

Growing Project BioEYES: A Reflection on 20 Years of Developing and Replicating a K-12 Science Outreach Program.

Project BioEYES celebrated 20 years in K12 schools during the 2022-2023 school year. Using live zebrafish (Danio rerio) during week-long science experiments, sparks the interest of students and teachers from school districts, locally and globally. Over the past two decades, BioEYES has been replicated in different ways based on the interest and capacity of our partners. This article discusses several of the successful models, the common challenges, and how each BioEYES site has adopted guiding principles to help foster their success. The core principles of (a) reinforcing content that students are expected to learn in schools, while focusing on the students BECOMING scientists through hands-on experimentation and (b) establishing trust and buy-in from collaborating teachers and partners are what has led to BioEYES being sustained and replicated over the past two decades.

Process of Designing Lesson Plan in Maths Subject According to STEAM Education Orientation

Today, STEAM education is a trend and is strongly deployed by many countries around the world, especially developed industrial countries. STEAM education is one of the Viet Nam general education program orientations after 2018. Vietnam's implementation of STEM education in K12 schools has been shown through the orientations in the overall general education curriculum. This article presents some basic theoretical knowledge about STEAm education such as concepts, characteristics, and forms of organizing STEM education in Vietnam's new general education program. From there, focus on researching and proposing the process of designing Math lessons according to STEM education orientation for primary school students.

“I had no knowledge of this”: disrupting majoritarian narratives regarding Mexican American K12 students and employing documentary film in the preparation of equity-oriented school leaders

ABSTRACT This qualitative study examines the experiences of primarily Latinx and Black aspirant school leaders in a social-justice oriented principal preparation program situated within a Hispanic Serving Institution in South Texas. Through the usage of weekly journal reflections and semi-structured interviews, this action research study employs Critical Race Theory, critical race heuristics, majoritarian narratives, and counter-stories as theoretical lenses to map the perspectives of aspiring school leaders as they view the film Stolen Education a documentary highlighting the historical injustices Mexican American K12 students endured in South Texas. Findings from this research highlight the erasure of Latinx history from K12 history books; the role of linguistic genocide in the film and in participants’ family histories; and the linkages between past and present injustices for Latinx pupils in K12 schools. The authors provide a discussion and implications on preparing school leaders given a growing conservative movement to squelch social justice issues from P20 education.

School principals’ practices and their facing barriers to sustainable development in Turkish K12 schools

ABSTRACT This research aimed to determine school principals’ practices and barriers to sustainable development in Turkish K-12 schools governed by centralized management. The present research focused on sustainable school buildings (energy saving, water saving, natural school gardens), clean drinking water, healthy nutrition, recycling, centralized management system, local governments, and the education of students and families for sustainable development. The research was designed using a case study approach. The semi-structured interview technique was used. The data were analyzed deductively according to literature and research questions. The results indicated leadership skills especially distributed and transformational leadership skills for sustainable development, the collaboration of universities, colleagues, and municipalities, the education of the school public, the necessity of rewards and accreditation systems, and the importance of methods for the education of students. Also, this research emphasizes clean drinking water in low socioeconomic areas, the need for healthy nutrition, the climate condition of the region and the need for a school budget under a centralized management approach.

Benefits, Challenges, and Methods of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbots in Education: A Systematic Literature Review

In many fields, AI chatbots continue to be popular with new tools and attract the attention of universities, K12 schools, educational organizations, and researchers. The aim of this research is to review the research on AI chatbots by restricting it to the category of education and to examine this research from a methodological point of view. Therefore, we performed a systematic literature review with a sample of 37 SSCI articles published in the educational context. Within the scope of the selected studies, the advantages and disadvantages of AI chatbots in education for students and educators, as well as the types of chatbots used, year, keywords, and method were analyzed. According to the research results, increased motivation to learn and language skill development are advantages for students, while cost-effectiveness and reduced workload are advantages for educators. Limited interaction, misleading answers for learners, originality, and plagiarism are the most common disadvantages for educators. The study also includes research results and recommendations related to the methodological review.

Strategies, methods and policy support to improve students' academic achievement and career development across academic periods

This study explores the strategies, methods and impacts of personalized education implemented at different school stages (from kindergarten to high school). Aiming to solve the problem that the traditional education model ignores individual differences among students and based on empirical analysis, this study explores the effect of personalized education on students' academic achievement, career planning and personal development through cross-stage long-term tracking methods. Using cross-stage long-term tracking methods and experimental grouping of the entire K12 school, combined with artificial intelligence and big data tools, quantitative and qualitative data are analyzed to develop new assessment tools and scales. Data analysis will cover descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis, content analysis, and case studies to evaluate the impact of personalized education on students and test multiple hypotheses. The study also highlights the importance of ethical standards to ensure informed consent and privacy protection of participants.

Administrators' perception concerning the auxiliary (janitorial) staff: The hidden heroes of education

AbstractThe present study examined administrators' views on the working status, contributions to the education process, performance status, and employment processes of the school auxiliary staff. The research was conducted in a holistic multiple‐case study design, one of the qualitative research methods. The study group consisted of 22 school administrators who work in various K12 school settings in the central districts of a city in Turkey and voluntarily participated in the study. A maximum diversity sampling strategy, one of the purposeful sampling techniques, was employed in sample selection. The study's data were obtained using a semistructured interview conducted by the researchers. An inductive content analysis technique was utilized to analyze the data, and the results were interpreted accordingly. The study's findings revealed that administrators felt that their role is a very insignificant position in the recruitment of auxiliaries, the auxiliary staff has direct and indirect contributions to the education process, and they cause some unfavorable circumstances in some cases. In addition, it was found that school administrators think that the auxiliary staff could be efficient when employed through temporary recruitment procedures and if they have an active role in their recruitment.

A Critique of Hallinger's “Empirical Reflection”: How Systemic Racism and Systemic Sexism Can Structure Our Research “Choices?”

Hallinger in his “Critical Reflections,” which is research on the most influential content within EAQ, 1965–2020 (55 years), fails to attend to the racism and sexism embedded within his research choices. Because he fails to critically examine or problematize his research choices, he privileges the White males and their biases who dominated EAQ, UCEA, and AERA Division A for nearly two-thirds of his time period. In response, I point out the specific research choices he made that ensure the continued privileging of those older White male scholars and suggest how he could have done his research in a more equitable way. However, Hallinger is only a small fraction of a larger racism and sexism problem. The K12 school system continues to fail miserably at equity and excellence, and since we have been training many of the school leaders, we too (including me) are complicit in Hallinger's failure.

Previous Research and Introspection: A Literature Review of Transformational Leadership in Chinese K12 Schools

Previous Research and Introspection: A Literature Review of Transformational Leadership in Chinese K12 Schools

Building the comprehensive educator research program: action research as a vehicle for empowerment, growth, and professionalization in K12 schools

ABSTRACT This article presents findings from a four-year collaboration focused on building the research capacity of educators at a university laboratory school. The Comprehensive Educator Research Program (CERP) intentionally builds the research capacity of educators, leadership, and counselors throughout the school using action research within their own practice. The foundational principles of the program are reviewed, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the partners involved. Data sources included a survey of the educators involved in the program, reflections from program facilitators, and an analysis of the action research projects and dissemination outcomes from educators across the program. Findings highlight the importance of self-selection of research topics, evolving opportunities for involvement in the research process and layered support structures within and outside the laboratory school. This project has shown that teachers can produce a rigorous amount of classroom and school-based research that includes data that has historically been left out of many data-informed decisions made in educational research.

Content analysis of health-related subjects in the K12 school curricula of Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Guam, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau, and Fiji

BackgroundAs a component of health promoting school, a school curriculum for health education was considered a fundamental. This survey aimed to identify the components of health-related topics and in which subjects were they taught.MethodsFour topics were chosen: (i) hygiene, (ii) mental health, (iii) nutrition-oral Health, and (iv) environmental education related to global warming in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Before gathering the curricula from partner countries, school health specialists were gathered to discuss the appropriate components of a curriculum that required evaluation. The survey sheet was distributed to and answered by our partner in each country.ResultsAbout hygiene, individual practices or items that improve health-related were widely covered. However, items that imparted health-related education from an environmental perspective were not widely covered. About mental health, two types of country groups were identified. The first group included countries that taught mental health topics mainly as part of morals or religion; the second group included countries that imparted mental health topics mainly as part of health. The first group focused mainly on communication skills or coping methods. The second group focused not only on communication and coping skill but also on basic knowledge of mental health. About nutrition-oral education, three types of country groups were identified. One group imparted nutrition-oral education mainly in terms of health or nutrition. Another group imparted this topic mainly in terms of morals, home economics, and social science. The third group was the intermediate group. About ESD, a solid structure for this topic was not identified in any country. Many items were taught as part of science, while some were taught as part of social studies. Climate change was the most commonly taught item across all countries. The items related to environment were relatively limited compared to those related to natural disasters.ConclusionsOverall, two different approaches were identified: the cultural-based approach, which promotes healthy behaviors as moral codes or community-friendly behaviors and the science-based approach, which promotes children’s health through scientific perspectives. Policymakers should initially consider the findings of this study while making decisions on which approach should be taken.

“You have an affiliative leadership style. That's going to be a problem for you.”: Feminized orientations to school leadership and navigating the pipeline

All gender identity is socialized, but anything gendered feminine is marginalized. Up to this point, work on gender and education leadership has remained within the bounds of patriarchy and thus been confined to binary, hierarchical gender definitions. This study pushes past prior work to advance a more complex and messy understanding of how identity impacts aspiring leaders in their careers. The main question for this study is as follows: How do gender identity and gender performance impact the career journeys of aspiring K12 school leaders? Using Carol Gilligan's Listening Guide Method, this study contains the interviews of 18 aspiring K12 school leaders who are graduates of Education University. This study focuses on the key finding that relational leadership, which we come to understand as a feminized orientation to leadership, had a significant impact on aspiring leaders' career journeys. This feminized way of leading, keeping relationships at the center of how school leaders thought about their roles, created obstacles and barriers for them on their way to leadership and for some subjects, once they became school leaders. This study focuses on the interviews of four of the subjects: Rachel, Winston, Taylor, and Charlie. These interviews are representative of the themes around relational leadership. Rachel is a white, heterosexual woman who is at a mid-to-late career stage. She has struggled to advance into school leadership because she thinks about her colleagues first and the institution second. Winston is a white, heterosexual man who was successful in becoming a school leader but has left education all together. He found that the higher he ascended as a school leader, the more he was forced to sever his relationships with faculty and students. Taylor is a gender non-conforming school leader who keeps relationships central to his leadership but has questions about how a non-DEIJ-focused leadership position will enable him to show up. Finally, Charlie is a Black, heterosexual woman school leader who has been able to keep relationships central to her work. All four interviews demonstrate how relational leadership is marginalized, keeping white patriarchy as the framework for school leadership.

Interventions of Organizational Identification and Job Satisfaction on Person-Environment Perceptions and Work Engagement: Insights for K12 School Administrators in India

ABSTRACT Disengaged teachers in leadership roles cannot be role models for students and teachers. Expecting them to take school too far can be too much of an expectation. This paper explores how three critical attributes of person-environment fit influence the work engagement of K12 school administrators through their organizational identification and job satisfaction. Data collected from 303 private school administrators is analysed through structural equation modelling. This work provides insight to school promoters on how they can enhance their schools’ institutional memory, the performance of students and the teachers. Besides being practically insightful, this work also attempts to broaden the theory of person-environment fit concerning organizational upshots.

New Trends in Fine Arts Education in the Post-epidemic and the Implications for China-Guangzhou

Guangzhou is an economically developed city in southern China. Its art education philosophy has always been innovative and able to blend the best of East and West, but it is also in need of a breakthrough in the COVID-19 post-epidemic. This thesis looks at the current state of art education in Guangzhou’s kindergarten through twelfth grade (K12) level and universities. It compares art education in and out of K12 schools in Guangzhou and points out that teaching children’s collages by turning waste into treasure can build environmental awareness while increasing students’ interest in learning. In addition, the teaching of environmental design in Guangzhou’s universities is constantly innovating, but it suffers from problems such as inadequate teacher deployment. Each university at different levels has its talent training objectives, and issues such as its ranking and reputation in the industry affect the employment of graduates. In the face of the sudden COVID-19 epidemic, teachers also consider whether a biophilic teaching philosophy can be embedded in teaching art at all levels in Guangzhou in the post-epidemic. While Guangzhou K12 schools and out-of-school institutions are also trying to attract parents’ and students’ attention to the art curriculum through waste to treasure and outdoor excursions, it is more important that students understand how to harmonize with nature than before the epidemic.