Primary Education Settings Research Articles

Parent's Perspectives on Boarding Schools in Primary Education Settings: The Case of Std Vi and Vii in Magharibi B District Unguja

This paper is set to determine the Parents' perspectives on boarding schools in Zanzibar. The study is expected to provide insights into the Parents' perspectives and experiences regarding boarding schools in primary school settings, especially for STD VI and VII. The study will shed light on the benefits, challenges, and potential outcomes associated with boarding in primary school settings from different parents. The study utilized the Social Learning Theory developed by Albert Bandura, which is a psychological framework that emphasizes the role of observation, imitation, and modeling in the learning process. This theory highlighted the impact of models in shaping behavior, both positive and negative, and demonstrated how children could imitate aggressive behavior they witnessed in adults. In this study, data was gathered directly from primary sources through various methods such as interviews, Questionnaires, and group discussions in order to give chances for any respondent to give out his or her view about boarding schools in primary education settings in confidence and freeway. The findings indicate that parents prefer boarding schools as they provide a conducive learning environment, help in students' social development, and safety in boarding schools is well-managed. Also, boarding schools have adequate resources and facilities and communication between parents and boarding schools is effective. The study concludes that parents hold varied perspectives on boarding schools, emphasizing their perceived benefits such as conducive learning environments, social development opportunities, and well-managed safety protocols. These positive views are complemented by concerns about resource adequacy, communication effectiveness, and the rigidity of the boarding school environment

Religious Character Formation Through Islamic Habituation in Primary Education

The general background character education plays a crucial role in shaping moral and ethical behavior in students, particularly within primary education settings. In Islamic educational institutions, there is a notable emphasis on integrating religious values into character development, with a focus on habituation practices to reinforce these values among students. However, there is limited empirical research that specifically examines the effectiveness of Islamic habituation as a method for strengthening religious character in primary education. This study aims to explore the implementation and impact of Islamic habituation on religious character formation among students at Muhammadiyah 1 Sidoarjo Elementary School. Findings reveal that the systematic application of Islamic habituation, including practices such as daily prayers, gratitude, and the 5S culture, significantly enhances students' moral behavior and engagement in religious activities. This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing evidence of the positive outcomes of religious habituation in an educational context, emphasizing its role in character education. The results suggest that integrating Islamic habituation into primary education not only fosters individual moral development but also promotes a supportive community environment conducive to religious learning, thereby reinforcing the importance of character education within the broader educational framework. Highlights: Systematic Islamic habituation practices enhance students' moral behavior. Integration of religious values fosters a supportive community environment. Empirical evidence contributes to the understanding of character education in Islamic contexts. Keywords: Islamic Education, Character Formation, Habituation, Primary Education, Moral Development

Exploring teacher discourse patterns: Comparative insights from novice and expert teachers in junior high school EFL contexts

Effective teacher discourse is critical in improving English as a foreign language (EFL) education, particularly in junior high schools in China, where students are at a crucial stage in their language development. As junior high school students are at a pivotal developmental stage, this research investigates the discourse patterns employed by novice and expert teachers to assess their impact on students' engagement and language acquisition. Despite the extensive research on teacher discourse in higher education, a significant gap remains regarding its application in compulsory primary education settings. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the current classroom discourse patterns of EFL teachers in junior high schools to identify the distinctions between novice and expert teachers and explore the factors contributing to these differences. This mixed-methods study includes qualitative and quantitative analyses. Verbatim transcriptions of six classes were used to create a corpus exceeding 20,000 words. The data were analysed using cross-tabulation in Excel and Chi-square tests in SPSS 22.0, complemented by semi-structured interviews with selected teachers. The theoretical framework is grounded in Long's（1996）interaction hypothesis, which underlines the significance of communication in facilitating language proficiency through meaningful interaction, and the analysis follows Sinclair and Coulthard's（1975）discourse patterns. The initiation-response-feedback (IRF) and initiation-response-0 (IR0) emerged as predominant patterns among both novice and expert teachers. Novice teachers predominantly relied on the basic IRF pattern, while expert teachers exhibited greater flexibility and more frequent use of variant patterns, such as IRFR, I[RnFn] and [InRn]F. Such adaptability among expert teachers creates a more interactive and engaging learning environment, thereby enhancing student participation and language acquisition. The study also identifies a novel variant structure, IRnF, used more frequently by expert teachers, underlining the benefits of group work in fostering teamwork and independent thinking. Expert teachers demonstrated a greater propensity to adapt their discourse strategies to foster a more production-oriented learning environment, which was the main factor driving the teachers' differing discourse patterns. This study significantly contributes to the analysis of teacher discourse in the junior high school EFL context, providing empirical evidence and practical insights that bridge the gap between theory and practice. By elucidating the distinct discourse practices of novice and expert teachers, this study offers valuable recommendations for teacher professional development and highlights the importance of employing varied and interactive discourse structures to improve EFL teaching effectiveness. The study also provides valuable insights for educators striving to improve their instructional practices and the language acquisition in EFL classrooms.

A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Infrastructure Finance and Academic Achievement in Primary School Development

This cross-sectional analysis examines the relationship between infrastructure finance and academic achievement in the context of primary school development. Infrastructure investment in educationis crucial for creating conducive learning environments and enhancing educational outcomes. However, the impact of financial allocations on academic achievement remains underexplored, particularly in primary education settings. Through a comprehensive review of literature and empirical analysis, this study investigates how varying levels of infrastructure finance influence academic performance indicators such as standardized test scores, attendance rates, and student retention. It employs a mixed-methods approach, utilizing quantitative data to measure infrastructure spending and academic outcomes across a diverse sample of primary schools, complemented by qualitative insights from educational stakeholders. The findings highlight significant correlations between infrastructure finance and academic achievement, revealing that adequate funding positively affects student learning outcomes and schooleffectiveness. Moreover, the study explores contextual factors such as socio-economic status, geographical location, and administrative policies that mediate the relationship betweenfinance and educational outcomes. By shedding light on these dynamics, this research contributes to policy discussions aimed at optimizing resource allocation strategies in primary education. It underscores the importance of targeted investments in school infrastructure to foster a supportive learning environment conducive to academic success, ultimately advocating for evidence-based policies that prioritize educational equity and quality in primary school development initiatives.

VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE HOME, APARTMENT, ETC. FOR CZECH REAL ESTATE COMPANIES' CLIENTELE. INTEGRATION WITH PRIMARY EDUCATION

The article Integrating Innovative Active Learning in Elementary Schools: A Major Shift in Learning Paradigms from Theory to Practice to Enrich the Learning Journey of Elementary Students by Creating More Interactive, Engaging, and Effective Learning Environments represents This summative assessment reflects the implementation, results, and future directions of innovative activelearning strategies in primary education settings that correspond to the general theme of theoretical and methodological foundations of teaching and learning.

The Importance of Educational Data Mining and Learning Analytics for Improving Teaching and Learning: An Issue Brief

“The words educational data mining and learning analytics are frequently used interchangeably, despite their being an increase in their investigation and implementation. This may be as a result of the fact that both areas have similar conceptual components. One way to ensure precision, homogeneity, and consistency It aims to pinpoint themes that are similar to and different from one other in the two domains as they develop. This a topic modelling study of papers on educational data mining and learning analytics was carried out in the elucidate the two areas' respective themes. In particular, we used structural topic modelling to find the two domains' subjects from the abstracts. For instructional purposes, we use structural topic modelling on N 1 4192 articles. For both educational data and survey data, we infer five-topic models analytics for mining and learning. While there may be disciplinary variations in research, our findings show that beyond their various lineages, there is no evidence to indicate a clear separation between the two disciplines. the area of educational research on the uses of advanced statistical methods is trending toward convergence for improving teaching and learning, discover how to mine massive data streams for insights that may be put to use. Over the past five years, both areas have converged on a growing emphasis on student behaviour. This study topic has advanced greatly, and a variety of related words, including Academic Analytics, Institutional Analytics, Teaching Analytics, Data-Driven Education, Data-Driven Decision-Making in Education, Big Data in Education, and Educational Data Science, are now used in the paper. The main publications, significant turning points, cycle of knowledge discovery, primary educational settings, specialised tools, freely accessible datasets, widely used methodologies, primary goals, and anticipated trends in this field of study are reviewed to provide the state of the art at this time.

The Utilization of 3D Printers by Elementary-Aged Learners: A Scoping Review

Aim/Purpose: This review’s main objective was to examine the existing literature on the use of 3D printers in primary education, covering students aged six to twelve across general, special, and inclusive educational environments. Background: A review of the literature indicated a significant oversight – prior reviews insufficiently distinguish the application of 3D printing in primary education from its utilization at higher educational tiers or focused on particular subject areas and learning domains. Considering the distinct nature and critical role of primary education in developing young students’ cognitive abilities and skills, it is essential to concentrate on this specific educational stage. Methodology: The scoping review was selected as the preferred research method. The methodological robustness was augmented through the utilization of the backward snowballing technique. Consequently, a total of 50 papers were identified and subjected to thorough analysis. Contribution: This review has methodically compiled and analyzed the literature on 3D printing use among elementary students, offering a substantial addition to academic conversations. It consolidated and organized research on 3D printers’ educational uses, applying robust and credible criteria. Findings: Many studies featured small sample sizes and limited research on inclusive and special education. The analysis revealed 82 distinct research goals and 13 educational fields, with STEM being the predominant focus. Scholars showed considerable interest in how 3D printers influence skills like creativity and problem-solving, as well as emotions such as engagement and motivation. The majority of studies indicated positive outcomes, enhancing academic achievement, engagement, collaboration, creativity, interest, and motivation. Nonetheless, challenges were noted, highlighting the necessity for teacher training, the expense of equipment, technical difficulties, and the complexities of blending new methods with traditional curricula. Recommendations for Practitioners: To capitalize on the benefits that 3D printers bring, curriculum planners are urged to weave them into their programs, ensuring alignment with educational standards and skill development. The critical role educators play in the effective implementation of this technology necessitates targeted professional development programs to equip them with the expertise for successful integration. Moreover, 3D printing presents a unique opportunity to advance inclusive education for students with disabilities, offering tailored learning experiences and aiding in creating assistive technologies. In recognizing the disparities in access to 3D printing, educational leaders must address the financial and logistical barriers highlighted in the literature. Strategic initiatives are essential to democratize 3D printing access, ensuring all students benefit from this educational tool. Recommendation for Researchers: Comparative studies are critical to elucidate the specific advantages and limitations of 3D printing technology due to the scarcity of research contrasting it with other tools. The variability in reporting durations of interventions and research environments underscores the necessity for uniform methodologies and benchmarks. Because research has predominantly focused on STEM/STEAM education, expanding into different educational areas could provide a comprehensive understanding of 3D printing’s capabilities. The existence of neutral and negative findings signals an opportunity for further investigation. Exploring the factors that impede the successful integration of 3D printing will inform the creation of superior pedagogical approaches and technological refinements. Future Research: As the review confirmed the significant promise of 3D printing technology in enriching education, especially in the context of primary education, the imperative for continued research to refine its application in primary education settings is highlighted.

Assessment of Young English-Language Learners

This article provides a comprehensive overview of formative and summative language assessment of young language learners, including the steps involved in developing a di- agnostic test of English for primary school children. The importance of determining the level of English competence in young learners is emphasized, and various assessment and teaching are explored. The article covers both formative assessment, which allows for ongoing feedback and progress monitoring, as well as summative assessment. The four essential language skills - listening, speaking, reading, and writing - are examined in detail, and strategies for assessing each skill are discussed. The article also empha- sizes the need to use assessment results for diagnostic purposes to improve teaching and learning outcomes. This article is intended for language educators and policymakers seeking to improve language instruction and evaluation in primary education settings.

APPLICATION OF EDUCATIONAL ROBOTS IN TEACHING

<p style="text-align: justify;">Robots in education fall into two categories: robots used to teach children about STEM subjects and the more recent application of robots as teachers. The use of robots in education is largely unknown to both researchers and teachers. Developers and educators have questions about essential applications for robots used in education. Educational robots are used to enable students to acquire skills in a range of science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines, which are increasingly important in a world where technology is advancing rapidly. The potential for robotic technology to have a profound impact on society, both economically and socially, is enormous. The way people live and work in the world is largely influenced by technology. In order to make learning more pleasant and easier, the education sector is adopting robot teaching assistants in schools. Robotics can be used in education to help develop new methods and strategies. Robotics makes learning easier and thus introduces students to robotics at a young age. In primary education settings, students can learn how to build and program a robot to perform a range of basic tasks.</p>

Pedagogical Awareness in Primary Schools: The Role of Teachers in Creating Stressful Events and their Impact on Future Primary Teachers’ Development

Despite the evidence supporting the significant role of school life events on students’ learning and well-being, little attention is currently reserved for school life events in the literature. In the case of mathematics, there is an agreement that school life events related to primary teachers’ in-class practices and perceived as stressful by students, affect negatively the quality of their learning. Within a framework combining cognitive and pedagogical approaches, we investigated stressful school life events in primary educational settings and their relation to a teacher’s pedagogical knowledge. For the study, data were collected by interviewing a cohort of future primary teachers about their experiences when they were pupils. By using a qualitative text analysis approach, we identified three thematic groups of school life events. We conclude by highlighting the need for communicating to the wider academic and teacher community the vital role that stressful school life events play on students’ learning and well-being. Keywords: schools life events, pedagogy, primary teachers, primary mathematics education

Factors That Help and Hinder the Implementation of Community-Wide Behavior Change Programs.

Novel community-wide approaches that gamify physical activity through challenges and competition have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, little is known about the factors that help or hinder their implementation. This qualitative study aimed to address this gap in the literature by systematically investigating the facilitators (organizational and experiential) and barriers to successful implementation of a community-wide intervention delivered in Gloucester, the United Kingdom. A two-phased process evaluation was conducted. Phase 1 involved the thematical analysis of open question feedback from n = 289 adults. Phase 2 included three focus groups conducted with n = 12 participants. This research showed that promoting the initiative through primary education settings was fundamental to enhancing awareness and participation. Social elements of the intervention were identified as a motivating factor for, and a consequential outcome of, participation. A lack of promotion to wider-reaching proportions of the community was perceived to be a significant barrier to implementation, potentially limiting inclusivity and participation in the activity. Game dynamics, timing, and fears regarding sustainability represented further difficulties to implementation.

'She didn't know how to go back': School attendance problems in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic-A multiple stakeholder qualitative study with parents and professionals.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in school closures worldwide and unexcused absences have increased since schools reopened. Drawing on multiple stakeholders' perspectives, we aimed to (i) develop a detailed understanding of how school attendance problems (SAPs) have manifested for primary school-aged children in the context of COVID-19; and (ii) identify promising community-based intervention strategies. We used a qualitative design with two sequential phases of data collection. Phase 1 involved insight generation using qualitative surveys with parents and professionals working in primary education settings. These results were used to guide in-depth stakeholder interviews in Phase 2. Phase 1 included 29 parents of primary-school children experiencing SAPs and 19 professionals. Phase 2 included 10 parents and 12 professionals. Parents were recruited through social media; professionals were identified through schools and associated networks in Southern England. Attendance was particularly challenging for children with special educational needs and pre-existing anxiety problems. Compounding factors included COVID-related anxiety, difficulties adapting to new school routines, poor home-school communication and collaboration, and concerns about academic catch-up. Effective support was characterized by schools and families working closely together. Recommendations for practice improvements centred on early intervention, re-building parent-school relationships, peer support for parents, and improving special educational provision. New interventions for SAPs must be sensitive to the ongoing COVID-19 context. Help should be easily accessible in the community and address modifiable risk and protective factors for individual children, in family systems, and at the home-school interface.

Using Game-based Learning Methods to Demystify Cyber Security Concepts for Adult Learners

The digital society we live in today has compelled both businesses and individuals to become increasingly dependent on the internet and online services. With the increasing cyber security threats and attacks, there is a growing demand for cyber security professionals and a need for every individual to be cyber literate and cyber-aware. But cyber security is often regarded as extremely complex and quite technical, which acts as a roadblock in educating the adult population about cyber security. 'Play as a natural means for learning' is commonly exploited in early learning and primary education settings. But it is seldom used in secondary education and rarely considered in an adult learning context. This paper presents a game-based learning resource developed as part of the 'Gamified Intelligent Cyber Aptitude and Skills Training' (GICAST) course to introduce cyber security topics to adult learners. The course is targeted at adult learners who work in low-skilled and low-paid jobs and have no formal degree-level qualification. The aim was to demystify cyber security concepts and equip the low-confidence learners with the confidence to engage in learning and gain additional digital skills to enhance their career options. This paper provides an overview of the GICAST project, the game design principles and the game mechanic employed to achieve the intended pedagogic outcomes. The paper illustrates how the power of games helped demystify a complex area of cyber security among adult learners. This is demonstrated in the evaluation results and findings from the study on the effectiveness of game-based learning methods in enhancing learner engagement and motivation to learn among adult learners.

The Youngest Bilingual Canadians: Insights from the 2016 Census Regarding Children Aged 0–9 Years

In this study, we used 2016 Canadian Census data to examine home bilingualism among children aged 0–9 years. Across Canada, 18 percent of children used at least two languages at home, which rose to more than 25 percent in large cities and the Canadian territories. English and French was the most common language pair in Quebec and Ontario, and various other pairs were spoken in most provinces. In the territories, 17 percent of children spoke an Indigenous language and English, and we discuss specific opportunities and challenges for Indigenous language revitalization. The presence of bilingual adults in the home and immigration generation were the strongest predictors of children’s home bilingualism. We conclude by discussing how policies can encourage child bilingualism, such as by supporting children’s home language in early and primary education settings. Such policies must be tailored to the needs of the specific communities to optimally support bilingual children and their families.

Families’ comfort with LGBTQ2s+ picturebooks: Embracing children’s critical knowledges

This article shares conversational research (Thomson et al., 2012) that we undertook with parents in one of children’s primary education settings: the home. We investigated the question: what are the comfort levels of families, with young children, as they encounter picturebooks featuring diverse gender and sexual identities? Over the past 10 years in Canada, including New Brunswick, these picturebooks have increased in production (Bouchey, 2021; Miller Oke, 2019) complexity (Sullivan & Urraro, 2017) and circulation. Yet some educators in the early years of school remain uncomfortable reading these texts with young children, their concerns, in part, related to imagined backlash from heteronormative families (Goldstein 2021) and deeply entrenched constructs of childhood innocence (Kintner-Duffy et al., 2012; Martino & Cumming-Potvin, 2011, 2016; Robinson, 2013). Scholarship and our research confirm that most children know and can communicate their sex and gender identities by two years of age (Pastel et al, 2019; Stevenson, 2019) and are able to engage critically with picturebooks featuring diverse gender and sexual identities as they get older. Through our conversations with mothers, we learned that all families were comfortable with each picturebook category presented: gender expression, gender identity, gender harassment, and family composition. Interpreting our conversations through Queer Theory (Butler, 1990, 1993), we also learned how particular picturebooks serve as entry points to family discussions about diverse gender and sexual identities and how important access to diverse picturebooks is to provide these opportunities. Specifically, each of the nine mothers shared picturebooks that supported their child/children/families with being and knowing related to gender variance, who you can love, and/ or what games, hobbies and clothes are acceptable.

Persistent association between family socioeconomic status and primary school performance in Britain over 95 years

In Britain and elsewhere, the influence of family socioeconomic status (SES) on education is already evident in primary school, and it persists and increases throughout the school years, with children from impoverished families earning lower grades and obtaining fewer educational qualifications than children from more privileged backgrounds. Reducing the effect of family background on children’s education is a pivotal aim of educators, policymakers, and researchers, but the success of their efforts is poorly evidenced to date. Here, we show for the first time that over 95 years in Britain the association between family SES and children’s primary school performance has remained stable. Across 16 British population cohorts born between 1921 and 2011 (N = 91,935), we confirmed previous findings of a correlation between family SES and children’s school performance of 0.28 [95% Confidence Interval 0.22–0.34], after adjusting for cohort-specific confounders. Contrary to the popular assumption that family background inequality has increased over time, we observed only minimal differences in the association between family SES and school performance across British cohorts. We argue that education policies must prioritize equity in learning outcomes over equality in learning opportunities, if they seek to disrupt the perpetuation of social and economic inequality across generations. We speculate that the influence of family SES on children’s education will only noticeably weaken if primary education settings become better equipped to meet and remediate the children’s differential learning needs.

New realities for Polish primary school informatics education affected by COVID-19

In the paper, the authors discuss the first research effort to explore the transition from traditional teaching into distance teaching in Polish primary schools enforced by COVID-19. The first research question was addressed to primary school students and was dedicated to furnishing them with ICT equipment for crisis-prompted distance informatics learning. According to the obtained results, almost all Polish students during the pandemic have a technical opportunity to participate in distance learning and to use digital devices to develop their digital competences. Hence the second research question was addressed to the experts, demystifies whether the accessibility and the availability of ICTs could increase students’ informatics learning outcomes in out-of-school primary education settings. The obtained results reveal the significant importance of out-of-school informatics education in pandemic time. Moreover, in the first wave of pandemic, distance informatics education had the same or similar effect as if students learn informatics by themselves, without school lessons and teachers’ support. The obtained results should strengthen teachers and school leaders in making informed decisions during the shift into distance informatics education. Also, by investigating participants’ informatics learning outcomes and teacher preparedness and choices when implementing distance education, authors hope that the study may be helpful for policy-makers with the progressive changes in education and government support for informatics, especially in Poland, in making informed decisions to aid the transition into distance education as well as developing preparedness plans for future pandemics.

“I’m just a TA”; From mixing paints to managing safeguarding and class teaching: An exploration of teaching assistant's perceptions and roles in school

This small-scale piece of research listened to the stories, experiences and perceptions of teaching assistants to hear their lived experiences of the role of teaching assistant. To hear how expectations have altered with/without legislative and framework guidance and consideration of the individuals who take up teaching assistant roles, in a climate where there is a succinct lack of legal requirement for any training or qualifications to be undertaken prior to or during the job role. The findings indicated that there appears to be an ethos within primary educational settings that teaching assistants can ‘do it all’ at ‘all times’, that there is a lack of clarity in role and responsibilities across the ‘unqualified staff’, and furthermore that they self-position as “Just a TA”.

Widening the focus of school readiness for children with disabilities in Malawi: a critical review of the literature

ABSTRACT In recent years, school readiness has become increasingly contested by early childhood researchers resulting in a lack of agreement on how it should be conceptualised and assessed, particularly in relation to children with disabilities. This article responds to some of these arguments by carrying out a critical examination of the literature surrounding early childhood education and care, assessment procedures, and cultural background in relation to school readiness. Evidence from the review revealed that there are few assessment instruments that capture the contextual aspects of children’s early learning and development, such as their cultural background, linguistic diversity or level of impairment or disability. We draw on the evidence to propose a holistic model of school readiness that can be used to help us to understand the transition of children with disabilities into primary educational settings in a low-income country in sub-Saharan Africa. We conclude that children’s assessment instruments should provide an accurate yet nuanced picture of children, within their context, alongside information that can support them into primary school. In doing this, it is vital to use contextual measures that are inclusive of children with different abilities and consider the constraints that may prevent them from going to school.

Implementing a maker culture in elementary school – students’ perspectives

ABSTRACT This study investigated students’ perspectives on working and studying within a maker culture context. Participants were fifth-grade students (n = 18) in a Finnish elementary school who worked on a fabrication project for five days. The data consisted of student questionnaires (n = 18), group presentations (n = 5) and the final fabrication products (n = 5). The findings indicate that students were satisfied with their maker projects in terms of their own contribution as well as their group’s work. Students reported that they learnt various skills, including technical skills, English language and study skills. Although digital fabrication was emphasised in the project, students mostly fabricated the elements for their final product using traditional fabrication methods. The findings from this study can be helpful for designing effective maker projects in primary education settings.