Pupil Learning Research Articles

Assessing the learning of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities in mainstream school physical education

AbstractIn the UK, one consequence of neoliberalism has been the development of test cultures in schools and standardised assessment strategies used to judge all pupils against within and across curriculum subjects. Few studies to date have explored the influence of this on assessing the learning of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and none have centred physical education (PE). This study used the concept of ableism and semi‐structured interviews to explore mainstream secondary school PE teachers’ views and experiences of assessing the learning of pupils with SEND. Based on the findings, we discuss the importance of schools disrupting hegemonic, ableist modes of thinking that cast pupils with SEND as being of inferior ability when compared with their peers and thus being disadvantaged by standardised, normative assessment practices. Specifically, we identify a need for senior leaders and teachers in schools to recognise the needs and capabilities of pupils with SEND, through more holistic assessment approaches that focus on social, affective, cognitive and physical learning and development. We end by discussing the significance of initial teacher education and teacher networks to support this endeavour and advocating for the amplification of the voices of pupils with SEND, given that they have expert knowledge about the perceived inclusivity of assessment in PE because they can draw upon their lived and embodied experiences.

Evidence-based teaching in Swedish compulsory schools for pupils with intellectual disabilities

Background: This study aims to identify the evidence-based teaching programs regarding communication and interaction that underpin Swedish compulsory schools for pupils with intellectual disabilities (ID). Method: This quantitative census survey fills a gap in the existing research literature, in that all qualified teachers in the schools report on the use of evidence-based teaching programs regarding communication and interaction for pupils with ID. Results: Only a small proportion of the teachers received any formal teacher training on evidence-based teaching programs or participated in any continuing professional development (CPD) on these programs. We also evidenced a teaching gap among Swedish special schools, as commonly used teaching programs differ within Swedish compulsory schools for pupils with ID. In addition, some commonly used teaching programs do not always promote interaction and learning for pupils. Discussion/conclusion: The teaching profession is in need of scientific guidance, in order to create evidence-based teaching practice for pupils with ID, which should be a focus of future studies.

Soft Skills Development in Future Primary School Teacher’s Training

The article deals with the importance of having soft skills nowadays. Through the analysis and synthesis of scientific and methodical sources, it was found that soft skills are flexible, sometimes non-special, acme competencies for the successful performance of professional duties. 
 The purpose of the article is to reveal the content and the conditions for soft skill development in the process of training future primary school teachers, in particular, during the Ukrainian language teaching methods.
 To reach the purpose of the article, a set of research methods was used: theoretical: analysis of linguistic, educational, psychological, and methodical literature on the problems; synthesis, generalization, comparison; studying the work experience of higher education institutions teachers, defining the conceptual apparatus of research; empirical: observation and analysis of pedagogical phenomena and processes, collective and individual conversations with the aim of identifying the main contradictions and shortcomings in the content, teaching methods to identify the problems of soft skills formation in the process of learning the Ukrainian language teaching methods.
 Results. It was determined that the term “soft skills” in the context of training a future primary school teacher is considered as a set of personal skills aimed at developing successful, productive learning of primary school pupils, the ability to communicate effectively with direct participants during the educational process (pupils) and indirect participants (colleagues, administration, pupils’ parents).
 It has been proven that the new communicative environment enables the productive organization of the educational process participants, encourages creativity by means of developing the potential of methodological techniques, and operations in the form of various documents (working materials) aimed at obtaining the information with a powerful didactic resource for studying professional courses. The analysis of the professional standard “Teacher of the primary school of a general secondary education institution”, which was developed on the basis of the working functions of a teacher and involves a review of attitudes towards professional qualities and changes in stereotypes of the professional development, made it possible to identify a number of soft skills that must be formed in accordance with teacher’s working functions.
 It has been found that soft skills include leadership qualities and the ability to work in a team, the ability to teach and negotiate, set and complete tasks, time management, purposefulness, effective communication skills, presentation skills, stress resistance, creativity and analytical abilities.
 The attention is focused on the communicative aspect of soft skills. An employee with strong interpersonal communication skills can formulate his needs and expectations from the team and environment and listen carefully to others. She/he should communicate with the participants of the educational process in such a way that everyone has the feeling that he was heard and understood, and even the refusal was done professionally, without leaving a residue of indifference and hostility. The exercises and tasks for forming soft skills during the course of Ukrainian language teaching methods are offered.
 Conclusions. The necessity of updating the content of educational programs and courses of the specialty 013 “Primary education” to further develop future primary school teachers’ soft skills is proven since their professional and personal success depends on soft skills formation.

Research on Auxiliary Devices for English Teaching under Intelligent Internet of Things

The advancement of Internet technology is promptly entering English classes, which fundamentally modifies the mode of English teaching. Internet of Things (IoT) is a better-linked and collaborative future for English education. The proliferation of smartphones and the Internet of Things (IoT) has made it easier for educational institutions to boost campus security, monitor vital resources, and broaden students' access to knowledge. Auxiliary devices and IoT devices give learners better access to everything from learning material to communication channels, and they give educators the capability to measure pupil learning process in real time. The response time is long in conventional English education, with low student satisfaction. Hence, in this study, the Internet of Things-assisted English Education Auxiliary Teaching Model (IoT-EEATM) has been proposed to increase teacher-student satisfaction. This study focuses on the education field, where the IoT can be utilized to create more important learning spaces using the Electronic Learning platform. This research suggests a system that allows learners to interact with surrounding physical objects virtually connected with a learning subject. An algorithm optimization technique is proposed, and data transformation technology is used to increase real-time teaching and management efficiency. The particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm further enhances the students' speculative abilities in English education. The authenticity and effectiveness of the particle swarm optimization method in the English teaching model are validated. The experimental results show that the proposed IoT-EEATM model improves student learning outcomes by 97.8%, satisfaction ratio by 96.4%, student-teacher interaction ratio by 98.8%, and participation ratio by 95.5%, reducing the execution time by 9.8% compared to other popular models.

The Relationship between the Level of Self-Esteem, Cooperative Learning and Anxiety in Group Tasks in the Pandemic Context

Pandemic Covid-19 changed the course of education. During the pandemic, many tough measures were being taken to stop the spread of the virus, one of which is schools closure. The purpose of this study is to determine the relation between the levels of self-esteem, cooperative learning and anxiety of primary school pupils in group tasks in the pandemic context. The participants selected for this study were 110 children (45 females, 65 males) with an average age of 8 years (range 7-9 years), attending the second grade of primary school. One of the issue that emerges from this study is the need to implement preventions activities to reduce the level of the anxiety during the pandemic context. The methods used where three test developed to analyze the main concepts of this study: The Multidimensional Test of Self-Esteem, The Raven’s Progressive Matrices and SAFA. Analyzing the results, the first hypothesis was confirmed by r = -.609 which indicates a negative correlation between self-esteem and anxiety. The internal consistency index of Cronbach's alpha indicates that self-esteem and cooperative learning are correlated (α SE= 0.72, α CL= 0.79) which indicate a good internal consistency.

“A lot of them write how they speak”: policy, pedagogy and the policing of ‘nonstandard’ English

AbstractInternational studies of talk‐intensive (or ‘dialogic’) pedagogies have demonstrated that children who experience academically challenging classroom discussion (‘dialogue’) make greater progress than their peers who have not had this experience. In England, gains in achievement have been greatest for pupils from less privileged socio‐economic backgrounds, thus underlining the importance of dialogue to social mobility. However, policy prescriptions on ‘standard English’ run counter to the principles of dialogic teaching by privileging ‘correct’ forms of expression over emerging ideas. In this article, we argue that schools can be coerced by macro‐level policy into creating meso‐level policies which police nonstandardised forms in the classroom with the assumption that this will improve literacy rates. We draw upon a corpus of Ofsted reports as well as data collected in primary schools – pupil writing and focus groups, video‐recorded literacy lessons and teacher interviews – to demonstrate that features of spoken dialect grammar occur infrequently in pupil writing, yet the narrative that spoken dialect is a ‘problem’ within education is driving policy/practice that is detrimental to classroom talk and pupil learning. We argue that this must be addressed urgently if we are to exploit the full potential of talk for learning and for addressing educational inequities.

Organizational Commitment and Motivation in Promoting Change in Teaching Practices among Elementary Teachers

The researcher determined the perceived level of organizational commitment and motivation in promoting change in teaching practices among elementary teachers. Descriptive - correlational research design was utilized. The respondents of this study were one hundred fifty three (153) elementary teachers in fifteen (15) schools of Tiaong District, Division of Quezon. Survey questionnaires through Google forms were used. The researcher used statistics such as mean and Pearson product moment correlation. The significance was tested at the 0.01 probability level. Overall, based on the data gathered, the extent of manifestation as perceived by the respondents in organizational commitment obtained a mean of 4.35 and SD of 0.58 with a verbal interpretation of highly manifested, and the extent of manifestation in organizational motivation got a mean of 4.37 and SD of 0.67 with high manifestation as interpretation. Meanwhile, the respondents' perceived level of the related factors of teachers' change in teaching practices- teaching skills, knowledge, and concept is indicated by an overall mean of 4.37 as "highly manifested." Specifically, as to developing pupils learning (4.41-highly manifested), facilitating learning (4.38-highly manifested), and fostering a positive attitude toward learning (4.38-highly manifested). The findings gathered in the study led to the formulation of a conclusion that organizational commitment in terms of affective, continuance, and normative commitment and organizational motivation in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are significantly related to teaching practices in terms of knowledge skills and concept, facilitating learning, developing students learning and fostering a positive attitude. Therefore, the hypothesis is not sustained.

ASSESSMENT OF WASH IN RIVERINE PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN OJO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF LAGOS, NIGERIA

Adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene in schools are vital to achieving conducive learning and well-being of pupils. The study assessed WaSH conditions in Riverine primary schools in Ojo Area of Lagos, Nigeria. The study employed field observation and administration of questionnaires to 256 pupils using purposive sampling techniques to obtain information on WaSH facilities in private and public primary schools. The data were analysed using descriptive and Chi-square statistics while the study area map and WaSH attributes were plotted using ArcMap and Excel software respectively. The results show that 92.7% of the pupils from the public school are acquainted with WaSH. Most of the schools have adequate water and handwashing facilities. The ratio of boys and girls to toilet facilities exceeded UNICEF standard while learning material on WaSH program was generally poor. The greater percentage of the pupils from public schools indicate their satisfaction with accessibility and the quality of service derived from WaSH facilities while the adequacy of WaSH facilities was rated below average. The majority of the pupils affirmed that adequate WaSH provisions will improve their academic performance. The test statistics show a significant relationship between WaSH attributes, academic performance, and the school type. The study serves as baseline information for policymakers and school management authorities for interventions in areas of greatest WASH needs. We concluded that private schools indicate some deprivation in WaSH conditions. We recommended adequate learning aids on WaSH, toilets, handwashing materials, and waste bins for optimum academic performance and well-being of the pupils with greater priority in the private schools.

Teachers and Students’ Perception on Blended Learning on Covid -19 Epidemic Situation

This paper's purpose is to discover how tutors and pupils feel about the adoption of a blended way of learning in the English language in the higher education system in Kollam, Kerala. The research approach used in this study is a hybrid of qualitative and quantitative methods. Teachers and students were chosen at random from nine senior high schools in Kollam to participate. The procedure and data recurring are to be carried out by providing a structured questionnaire to every one of the members, which covered seven components of how they responded to the benefits for English blended method of learning for both tutors and pupils. Regarding the collection of data, an analysis was conducted based on the perceptions of teachers and students. According to the teachers, the greatest benefit was that it was difficult for them to prepare data and use the electronic media. For the present, pupils said that the primary benefit was that English blended learning may help them enhance their language skills (69 percent acumen regarding response). Blended learning must continue during this period of Covid 19, according to proposals.

Ten years on: a post-occupancy evaluation of classrooms for pupils with severe autism

PurposeThere is currently a lack of research describing the best way to design learning environments for increasing numbers of children with autism. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of classroom design on the learning and behaviour of pupils with severe autism. The research variables of interest were classroom layout; furniture, fittings and equipment (FFE); materials; colour scheme; wayfinding; lighting; acoustics; and security.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted a post-occupancy evaluation of classrooms for pupils with severe autism aged 3–19 in a school ten years after its completion. Data collection included a visual assessment of the building and an online survey to educators and administrators asking how satisfied they were that the research variables benefited pupils with severe autism.FindingsKey findings were that zoned areas for different activities met students’ needs. Withdrawal rooms off the classroom, access to shared hygiene facilities and a secure outdoor area received high ratings. The main criticisms were the lack of robustness of FFE and the inability to control temperature. Results were collated into a table of recommendations for classroom design for severely autistic pupils.Originality/valueThe findings demonstrate classroom features that support the needs of pupils with severe autism, an area with limited prior research. Some findings support previous research and some adds new knowledge to our understanding of design for this population. The results provide empirical evidence for professionals involved in designing classrooms for pupils with severe autism.

Pharo siklariben, or about difficult access to education for Roma children in Poland and Europe during the pandemic

The coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has shaken the institutional structures of many countries, including education systems. Authorities are calling for measures to limit the spread of the virus. Media and street notices remind people of the importance of 'washing hands regularly' and 'staying at home and avoiding contact with others'. The aim of this article is to analyse the learning and teaching experiences of Roma pupils in Poland. It presents research on the impact of COVID-19 on the education of Roma pupils on the example of a focus interview with 11 teachers of SP3 in Chorzów conducted in 2021. The content of the article will also include the author's four years of practical and substantive experience as a former Roma education assistant in Silesia in Primary School No. 15 in Chorzów and in Primary School No. 3 in Gliwice. In addition, the author has worked for five years with the Integration Community Centre in Chorzów, where the project "Roma of Tomorrow" was implemented.

The Grammatical Effects of Nyanja on Pupils Learning English in Selected Junior Secondary Schools of Chongwe District, Zambia

The purpose of the study was to investigate grammatical effects of Nyanja as first language (L1) on pupils learning English as a second language in Chongwe district. Chongwe district is home for people of different tribes (Soli, Chewa, Bemba, Tonga, Lozi, Lenje, Shona and Ndebele). As a result, the community is multilingual. This multilingual environment has sometimes negatively impacted on some children in the learning of English in areas such as syntax, semantics, grammar and vocabulary in English. The consequence of these negative effects has led to lack of full communication and understanding of topics taught in class and in school. The study is important in informing policy makers of the challenges that the first language (L1) creates in the learning of English. It may also act as a bridging document for existing gaps in line with the effects of Nyanja on pupils learning English language. The researcher interviewed 79 respondents that were systematically selected from each of the six different sites of Chongwe district namely kampekete, Mwalumina, Chilyabale, Lwimba, Lukoshi and Nchute primary schools. The current study employed triangulated method based on the grounded theory. It used the qualitative method for both collecting and analyzing data. The data was collected from teachers of English, other subject teachers and from basic school pupils of the six selected schools. The instruments used were questionnaires. The methods used to collect data were face to face interviews, group discussion and recordings. Thereafter data was analysed manually using descriptive explanation and narration. Among many things, the study found that learners with Nyanja background had problems in areas of spelling, pronunciation, translation, grammar, choice of register to use in correct contexts because English was introduced late to learners finding their brain optimal time to acquire language in good accent, pronunciation, fluency in English grammatical system already passed and learners brain were already anchored in Nyanja, a language with totally different stress, intonation and grammar. This assertion matches with Lundeberg (1967) when he established that brain lateralization finishes at puberty and that it leads to the end of brain’s ability to acquire language with fluency and accuracy. Therefore, the study recommended i) the alignment of English language from pupil’s first contact with the teacher in school and ii) English should be embraced as language of medium instruction in all the grades in schools.

MEASURES TO MANAGE THE APPLICATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING IN HIGH SCHOOLS IN DON DUONG DISTRICT, LAM DONG PROVINCE TO MEET THE EDUCATIONAL DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ERA

Recognizing the importance of applying information and communication technology in teaching to meet the digital transformation era of education, over the years, high schools in Don Duong district, Lam Dong province has implemented many measures to promote the application of information and communication technology and management of the application of information and communication technology in teaching, initially achieving certain results. By 2021, all high schools in Don Duong district, Lam Dong province will be equipped with multimedia classrooms with full equipment for teaching and learning of teachers and pupils to meet the era of digital transformation of education. However, the management of information and communication technology application in teaching still has many limitations. From that situation analysis, the article has proposed a number of management measures to apply information and communication technology in teaching in high schools in Don Duong district, Lam Dong province to meet the digital transformation era of education. Through testing the necessity and feasibility of seven proposed measures, it was found that: the measures are highly necessary and feasible. Keywords: Information and communication technology application management; Managing information and communication technology applications in teaching; High schools; Don Duong district, Lam Dong province; Digital transformation era of education.

Case-Based Learning and its Application as a Teaching Tool for Medical Graduates in Competency-Based Medical Education in Clinical Microbiology

Background: Microbiology is taught using traditional methods, and its practical application is scarce among medical practitioners. As a result, “active learning” is essential to aid pupil learning. One such strategy is case-based learning (CBL), which helps to improve understanding as well as therapeutic applications of microbiology in everyday practice. Aim: CBL was first used as a teaching and learning method in clinical microbiology for medical students. Methodology: At IQ City Medical College and Hospital in Durgapur, an educational intervention study was undertaken for the 2nd phase MBBS students. A total of 82 people took part in the study, and two groups were formed. After sensitizing the faculty using CBL, the project was carried out. The first group was given a CBL, whereas the second group was given a didactic talk with crossover. A pre- and post-test was done, and student and instructor perceptions were recorded and assessed. Results: CBL was warmly received by both students and teachers. Students and teachers’ perceptions were rated on a Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. In comparison to Didactic Lecture, around 76.8% of students believe that in CBL, we interact more with teachers, followed by 65.9% who believe that CBL has helped me retain the material and its clinical application, and 62.2% who believe that CBL has stimulated self-study. Conclusion: CBL in microbiology is an effective technique for improving and changing students’ attitudes toward microbiology’s applicability in clinical practice. It also helps students gain a better understanding of microbiology.

Consequences of National Testing of Primary School Pupils Through the Eyes of Teachers

The study deals with the consequences of national testing at the primary school level on the processes of education, teachers’ work in the classroom and the teaching profession. It is based on the international discourse about the consequences of large-scale testing and investigates Slovak teachers’ opinions and measures they have implemented under the influence of testing in their own instruction and school. The research, carried out by the questionnaire method on a sample of 786 (2017) and 940 (2020) respondents, confirms that teachers perceive national testing as too far from instruction and inconsistent with educational standards. They do not believe it can fulfil the set goals, but, on the other hand, because of it, they narrow down instruction to prepare for tests and take measures that do not change the quality of pupil learning.

Teachers’ Strategy to Develop Higher Order Thinking Skills in Reading Class

This research aims to find out the strategies used by the teachers and the inhibiting factors that can influence the development of HOTS in Reading Class. It applied qualitative approach with case study research design. The subject of the research were two English teachers of Senior High School. The techniques of collecting the data were used observation and interview. The data were analyzed using the qualitative method there are data reduction, data display, and drawing conclusions. The finding of the research shows that there were 5 types of teaching strategies, including informing learning objectives, divergent questions, group discussion, giving feedback and giving motivation. The most dominant strategy used by the teacher was divergent question. Meanwhile, the learning objective and group discussion was the least prominent, with only 3 data. Then, five inhibiting process such as time, pupil learning ability, pupil’s mastery, planning domain, and class environment can influence the development of HOTS.

Teachers’ Strategy to Develop Higher Order Thinking Skills in Reading Class

This research aims to find out the strategies used by the teachers and the inhibiting factors that can influence the development of HOTS in Reading Class. It applied qualitative approach with case study research design. The subject of the research were two English teachers of Senior High School. The techniques of collecting the data were used observation and interview. The data were analyzed using the qualitative method there are data reduction, data display, and drawing conclusions. The finding of the research shows that there were 5 types of teaching strategies, including informing learning objectives, divergent questions, group discussion, giving feedback and giving motivation. The most dominant strategy used by the teacher was divergent question. Meanwhile, the learning objective and group discussion was the least prominent, with only 3 data. Then, five inhibiting process such as time, pupil learning ability, pupil’s mastery, planning domain, and class environment can influence the development of HOTS.

Formative assessment as a means of forming the pupil's learning trajectory

The article examines the types of assessment in the modern school. The importance of formative assessment for the formation and development of personality, to achieve the designed learning outcomes, their correction and selection of tasks for individual work by each pupil to improve results is analyzed. Models of teaching in a modern school are described, and those that promote the development of individuals with «growth intelligence», for which formative assessment is used, are identified. The authour determines the principles and functions of formative assessment, the methods of formative assessment and the list of most often used methods in practice by teachers. Particular attention is paid to the benefits of using digital tools for formative assessment and to the fact of their active use by teachers, especially in blended learning. The paper proposes to design the assessment process: designing assessment by a teacher in a course and in a topic with the creation of a visualized plan for pupils and designing assessment in class with pupils through joint setting of diagnostic goals, involving pupils in planning learning activities in accordance with principles of systematicity, planning, differentiation. The value of feedback for the formation of an individual educational trajectory is determined and the conditions of its effectiveness are given. The paper notes the importance of both formative and final assessment and their integrated use: formative assessment – to provide feedback and correction of learning, final – to record learning outcomes. Conclusions are made on improving the progress of pupils in learning when planning a course, topic and lesson, which includes assessment planning, with the active position of each, conscious participation in the creation of the educational process, adjusting their own trajectory

Number Manipulation Strategy: A Model of Experiential Instruction and Interest in Arithmetic Learning of Pupils of Lower Basic Level in Enugu State, Nigeria

The study investigated the efficacy of the number manipulation strategy (NUMAS) as a model of experiential instruction and interest in arithmetic learning for pupils of lower basic levels. The population of the study consisted of 1205 lower basic III level pupils of the 2018/2019 session in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area (L.G.A.) of Enugu State. A sample of 121 primary five pupils from 4 schools out of 53 primary schools in the study area was randomly sampled. The 121 pupils were composed of 42 males and 79 females used for the study. The study was guided by four research questions and four hypotheses. The hypotheses were tested at a p<.05 level of significance. The instruments used for the study were Arithmetic Test (ART) and Mathematics Interest Inventory Questionnaire (MIIQ) developed by the researcher. The ART and MIIQ instruments were faces validated by experts and their reliability indexes were 0.85 and 0.79 respectively, established using Cronbach alpha and split-half methods respectively. The data obtained with the instruments were analyzed using mean, standard deviations (SD), t-test and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) statistics. Mean and SD was used in answering the research questions, while t-test and ANCOVA statistics were used in testing the hypotheses at P<.05 level of significance. The findings of the study showed that NUMAS is effective in teaching arithmetic, especially in enhancing the addition and subtraction skills acquisition of the pupils. Gender was found not to be a significant factor of variance in arithmetic achievement when the teaching of arithmetic is NUMAS based. The use of NUMAS was recommended to teachers, lower basic mathematics textbook authors and stakeholders in education, to ensure that NUMAS is adopted and adapted for use in Mathematics classroom instruction and learning.

Highly Effective Learning and Application Thereof to Roma Pupils Elementary Education System in Slovakia

Fragmentation of educational content, caused by the scientific-subject structure of the traditional school, in many cases inhibits the motivation and activity of pupils in the educational process. The saturation of knowledge, skills, and competencies— especially of roma pupils in elementary education—is thus underestimated and in many cases lags behind the standard level of the majority of pupils. It follows that the effectiveness of elementary education—especially for roma pupils—increases proportionally with the relevancy and a certain attractiveness of teaching organizational forms and methods whereby it is implemented. One of the alternative solutions for increasing the level of effectiveness of elementary education (inter alia) of roma pupils is the pedagogical concept of highly effective learning based on an integrated thematic teaching system. It turns out that in this context this concept can be considered as a motivating and activating element expanding the knowledge level of pupils, while at the same time enriching them educationally. It integrates strategies that are focused on the discovery, action, cooperative, authentic, and confluent learning of pupils. This paper deals with the issue of the educational concept of highly effective learning in terms of its application to roma pupils in the first grade of elementary education. It presents the current results of a pedagogical experiment as the elementary empirical method of research in the field of social climate, creativity, and the level of knowledge of pupils within the elementary first-grade educational environment.