Education Reform Research Articles

The 2017 Curriculum Change in Ecuador: Representations From the School Culture

Aim: The aim of this study is to analyze the social representations related to the 2017 curriculum change and the educational policies implemented for curriculum development in Ecuador, evaluating the perspective of teachers, educational administrators and academics. Theoretical Framework: The research is based on theories on social representations, educational change and school culture. These theories provide a framework for understanding how the perceptions of educational actors influence the implementation of curricular reforms. Method: A qualitative approach was employed with a descriptive phenomenological design. In-depth interviews were conducted with teachers, an educational administrator from Zone 4 of the Ministry of Education, and academics to capture their experiences and perceptions. Results and Discussion: The results revealed that cultural resistances within the educational institutions hindered the fulfillment of the pedagogical objectives of the reform. Interrelationships were observed between social representations that affect the implementation of the curriculum. Implications of the research: This research highlights the importance of actively involving educational stakeholders in curriculum change processes to overcome cultural barriers and achieve successful educational reform in Ecuador. Originality/value: The study contributes to the understanding of the influence of social representations on school culture and how they impact the implementation of curriculum policies, offering new perspectives on the promotion of educational change in the country.

Research on the Infiltration of Scientific Spirit in High School Biology Teaching Under the Background of Curriculum Ideology and Politics

Curriculum thinking and politics is an exploration of moral education reform and a strategic measure to carry out the fundamental task of cultivating people. High school is a key period for students to form correct values. In addition to ideological and political courses, other courses also need to play the function of educating people, and take courses as the carrier to provide value guidance to students in the process of knowledge imparting and ability training. High school biology is a fundamental course in natural sciences and an important carrier for cultivating students’ scientific literacy. However, through questionnaire surveys and interviews at internship schools, it was found that the infiltration of scientific spirit into high school biology teaching is not ideal. Teachers have insufficient understanding of ideological and political education in the curriculum, and they cannot fully tap into educational materials in textbooks. The methods for infiltrating scientific spirit are relatively single, making it difficult to balance ideological and political infiltration with knowledge teaching. This article selects the scientific spirit as an ideological and political element based on the needs of national development and the characteristics of the discipline, and permeates it into biology teaching. Finally, the teaching effectiveness is evaluated through various methods. The aim is to enrich the theoretical research of thinking and politics in senior biology curriculum, and to provide teaching reference for teachers to cultivate students’ scientific spirit in biology teaching. After conducting questionnaire surveys and interviews with students and teachers, the following conclusions were drawn: firstly, although the teachers and students of the school have a limited understanding of ideological and political education in the curriculum, most of them support the integration of ideological and political education into biology teaching. Secondly, some teachers still place more emphasis on imparting knowledge in their teaching and have not fully utilized the educational value of biology. The implementation of ideological and political education in biology teaching is not ideal. Thirdly, overall, the penetration of scientific spirit in biology teaching is not satisfactory and needs further strengthening. In summary, teachers need to strengthen their exploration of textbooks and deepen their understanding of teaching design in their daily teaching process, in order to continuously improve their ideological and political education for students and fully leverage the educational value of biology. Integrating scientific spirit into biology teaching is not only in line with the ideological and political concepts of the curriculum, but also in line with the core competencies of the discipline, which can better leverage the educational value of biology.

Leadership Training for Teachers and Students’ Classroom Performance in China

This study investigates the impact of leadership training on teachers' classroom performance and student achievement in the context of Chinese schools. The research aims to address the gap in understanding the specific effects of leadership training on teaching practices and classroom dynamics in China. Drawing upon Transformational Leadership Theory and Social Cognitive Theory, the study explores how leadership training can inspire and motivate teachers, enhance instructional quality, and foster student success. The research indicates that while educational reforms in China have emphasized the professional development of teachers, including leadership training, there is limited empirical evidence on the effectiveness of such programs. The study finds that transformational leadership practices are increasingly prevalent, with positive effects on school culture and teacher motivation. However, challenges persist, such as the gap between theoretical training and practical application, which can hinder the effective implementation of leadership training programs. The study highlights the importance of comprehensive professional development programs that align with teachers' experiences and involve active learning. It also underscores the need for targeted and practical leadership training that directly addresses classroom challenges and enhances teachers' self-efficacy. By examining the impact of leadership training on teaching practices and student performance in Shaanxi province, China, the research provides valuable insights for educators and policymakers. The findings suggest that effective leadership training can significantly contribute to the enhancement of educational quality and student achievement in China.

Impact of Learning Styles on Students’ Retention of Information

This study investigates the impact of Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic (VAK) teaching methods on student retention within the context of China's evolving educational landscape. Acknowledging the country's significant strides in educational reforms and technological integration, the research aims to empirically determine the effectiveness of these teaching methodologies have on enhancing student engagement and information retention. The study is of critical importance as it seeks to inform educational practices and policies, with the goal of improving instructional strategies to align with diverse learning preferences. The research fills a notable gap in the empirical literature regarding the comparative impact of VAK methods on student retention in China, where traditional lecture-based methods are still predominantly employed. Findings from this study could influence teacher training programs and contribute to the development of a more inclusive educational system that caters to the varied learning styles of students. Through a synthesis of existing literature and the researcher's observations of differing engagement and retention rates with traditional versus varied teaching methods, the study provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of integrating visual, auditory, and kinesthetic elements into teaching practice. The research aligns with a body of studies that have demonstrated the effectiveness of VAK methods in enhancing learning outcomes, although it acknowledges the variability in outcomes based on context, subject matter, and individual learner differences. This paper also recognizes the importance of ongoing assessment and customization of teaching strategies to meet the specific needs of students in diverse educational settings.

Tax Saving Strategies And Financial Planning For Salaried Employees

This study explores tax-saving strategies and financial planning among salaried employees in India, finding moderate awareness of tax-saving options and a preference for investments in insurance, mutual funds, and post office schemes. The research highlights a need for improved financial literacy and advocates for educational reforms and government support to help employees manage taxes effectively and secure their financial future.

Aesthetic Learning Spaces: An Investigation into the Status in Danish Early Childhood Teacher Education

The aim of this article is to delve into and discuss the past and present conditions of aesthetic learning spaces in the Early Childhood Teacher Education (ECTE) program in Denmark, and how these conditions impact its learning environment. The investigation encompasses a variety of data sources and research methods aimed at capturing both the intricate and broader aspects of the focal question. The investigation includes (1) a discussion of educational reforms and how they affect aesthetic learning spaces, (2) a discourse analysis examining the descriptions of new iterations of aesthetic learning spaces, including makerspaces and playlabs, and (3) qualitative interviews with students and educators conducted during a building workshop. The study’s key discovery is that aesthetic learning spaces in ECTE have undergone a shift, becoming spaces that emphasize generic skills and academic abilities, as opposed to domain-specific tools and techniques. In the article, this transformation is connected to broader societal trends and analyzed through the lenses of sociological, educational and creativity theories, drawing upon the work of scholars such as Richard Sennett, Lene Tanggaard and John Krejsler. At the article’s conclusion, future topics for study are suggested.

Supporting prescriber progression: a group concept mapping study

Abstract Introduction Education reforms allow pharmacists to become prescribers earlier in their career and from 2026, new registrants will be independent prescribers.1 In NHS Scotland, an operational framework supports the development of pharmacist independent prescribing.2 We wanted to supplement the operational framework by identifying our core areas of prescribing to articulate prescribing progression and inform education and training provision. Aim To develop a core prescribing framework to support safe prescribing and a spiral approach to expanding scope of practice. Methods We conducted a participatory mixed-method approach using group concept mapping methodology.3 Phase 1 (brainstorming): all hospital pharmacists working in a patient-facing clinical role were invited to enter statements on a cloud-based platform (Padlet®) using the prompt ‘In my day-to-day practice I prescribe and/or make prescribing recommendations about the following medicines / conditions …’. The statements were triangulated with electronic inpatient pharmacist prescribing data over the previous three months. Phase 2 (sorting and rating): a project group comprised of pharmacists with different levels of practice and areas of clinical expertise, individually sorted the statements into groups based on the statements’ conceptual similarity and rated each statement by level of practice (post-registration foundation, advancing, advanced) and importance for including in a core framework (5-point Likert scale). R software applied multidimensional scaling to sorting data to create a similarity matrix, cluster map and Go-Zones. ChatGPT generated cluster titles. The project group discussed the results and following a few revisions, consensus was achieved on the content of the prescribing framework. This study was not considered research and was approved by the pharmacy quality improvement team in line with local governance process. Results Forty-three pharmacists participated in the brainstorming phase and generated 158 statements. Fourteen pharmacists participated in the sorting and rating phase. Multidimensional scaling analysis identified three clusters of prescribing activities: initiating, adjusting and deprescribing. The data identified activities involving initiating medicines and autonomous decision making rated at advancing/advanced level practice while adjusting/deprescribing medicines (often with the caveat of within guidelines, protocols or team decisions) was rated at post-registration foundation level. The prescribing framework includes the activities considered important and is organised by cluster and level of practice. Discussion / Conclusion This study provides a structured conceptualisation of prescribing across the levels of practice. The prescribing framework reflects the needs of our patients and hospital inpatient service and provides a scaffolded approach to progressing from inexperienced to more advanced prescribing roles. Post-registration foundation prescribing activities focus on processes or types of prescribing, whilst advanced are more autonomous and complex. Limitations we didn’t collect clinical area of practice as part of the demographic information for the brainstorming phase and some specialities may not be represented. Further work includes a training needs analysis and developing entrustable professional activities for core and higher risk areas of prescribing (e.g. post-operative pain).

Application Of Chatgpt in The Field of Preschool Education from The Perspective of Personalized Learning

With the rapid change in science and technology, ChatGPT has become a topic of concern in all walks of life, and ChatGPT's development in education has also received extensive attention. This paper explores the application of ChatGPT in the field of preschool education against the background of John Dewey's child-centered theory in educational practice. ChatGPT's education model is of great significance to the current way of children's education, which is conducive to further optimizing the comprehensive reform of the kindergarten curriculum. Through the conclusions, it is concluded that ChatGPT can better promote the innovation and progress of education in preschool education. Based on this, this paper puts forward the following suggestions: firstly, the new artificial intelligence should be applied in preschool education from many aspects. Secondly, the use of new artificial intelligence in home, school, and social education can better realize the reform and innovation of education. Finally, the use of new learning methods can promote the development of children's abilities and provide a more personalized learning experience.

Enacting policy change in Jordanian public schools: interrogating the reproductive habitus of Al Faza’a leadership

ABSTRACT An extensive longitudinal study examining the enactment of Jordan’s Education Reform for Knowledge Economy (ERfKE) policy in public schools uncovered the pervasive influence of Al-Faza’a leadership, which is deeply rooted in tribal values of solidarity and kinship. This article analyses Al-Faza’a leadership as a culturally potent force that profoundly challenges policy change for education reform. Through a sociological study guided by Bourdieu’s theory of practice, our findings reveal Al-Faza’a leadership as a distinctive form of illusio that is all the more powerful when intertwined with the doxa of Sheikhocracy. We illustrate how Al-Faza’a leadership embodies a persistent reproductive habitus, obstructing ERfKE’s transformative potential and exemplifying resistance to externally imposed and culturally ill-suited reform agendas in Jordan’s schools. By dissecting nuanced sociocultural dynamics shaping leadership practices, the article focuses on the experiences and perspectives of public school principals charged with policy enactment. It illuminates embedded cultural practices within schools and the Ministry of Education that are steeped in long-held traditions and beliefs which undermine policy objectives. This grounded theory-building study highlights the unsuitability of imported policy ideals that assume universal applicability and emphasizes the necessity of culturally sensitive approaches to education policymaking, policy enactment, and, hence, to education reform.

Who’s Afraid of Jadidism?: Reckoning with the Legacy of a Cold War Paradigm

Abstract Since the 1990s, scholars in the fields of Central Asian, Volga-Ural, North and South Caucasian, and Crimean history have debated the role of Jadidism in the study of the history of Muslim societies under Russia imperial rule. The concept of Jadidism – variously described as a program for teaching literacy in Turkic languages, a set of educational reforms, and a movement advocating a broad range of cultural, social, and legal reforms designed to “modernize” Muslim communities – made its first appearances in Soviet historiography in the 1920s–1930s. In the 1960s, as the Cold War reached new heights, the Jadid paradigm made its way into English- and French-language historical studies, whence it became the primary lens through which Western audiences encountered and interpreted the histories of Muslims in late imperial Russia. The opening of archival and library collections following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the embrace of new theories and paradigms in Russian studies broke the hold of the Jadid paradigm over Western scholarship. At the same time, a series of heated disputes began over the legacy of the Jadid paradigm and how best to research the intellectual history of Russia’s Muslims in a post-Cold War context. In this essay, I will present a history of the rise and fall of the old Jadid paradigm in European and American scholarship. I will consider how the study of Central Asian intellectual history has evolved since the paradigm’s decline and what this evolution and the contributions to this journal issue suggest about how historians can continue to examine the nature, extent, and meaning of Muslim reform movements without reviving the old Jadid paradigm.

Exploration of Innovative Path of College Physical Education Teaching Based on Five Education Simultaneously

Five education simultaneously has become an important concept of educational reform in the new era. As an important part of higher education, college physical education plays a unique and important role in training the socialist builders and successors with all-round development of morality, intelligence, physical fitness, the United States and labor. From the perspective of five education simultaneously , this paper explores the innovative development path of college physical education teaching. The first is bacon casting soul, excavating sports moral education resources, cultivating patriotic feelings, enterprising spirit; The second is intelligent drive, promote sports informatization, and create a new ecology of smart teaching; The third is to shape aesthetic education, cultivate sports artistic temperament, and enhance aesthetic accomplishment; Fourth, labor education, sports labor into the whole teaching process, temper the quality of will; The fifth is to promote the integration of five education and achieve cross-penetration and coordination between sports and other disciplines. In the future, college sports should continue to deepen reform and innovation, strengthen the construction of systems, resources, scientific research, teachers and other aspects, and constantly improve the quality of physical education and education level, so as to contribute to accelerating the modernization of education, building a powerful education country, and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation

The education sphere of post-soviet russia in the mirror of the labour market requirements and the needs of the population

Within the theoretical framework of social and individual needs satisfied in the sphere of education, the paper traces the main stages of educational reforms in the post-Soviet Russia, analyzes the consequences of the reforms for social development and for the labor market. It is shown that during the period of socio-economic transformations and adaptation to market realities, underestimation of specific features of educational process undermined its key functions and led to the formation of degradation mechanisms. The underlying factors exacerbating professional-educational mismatch and weakening mechanisms of social equalization are revealed. Taking into account the specifics of the sphere of education, alternative approaches to its financing are discussed.

EDUCATION AS A MAJOR CAPITAL AND THE MAIN BASIS FOR THE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF THE COUNTRY

Based on the works of philosophers of the ancient world and scientists of our time, the article analyzes the need for the existence of two components of its development in any country, namely human capital and financial and political opportunities. Attention is paid to the fact that intellectual potential is a set of resources that include human intelligence and creative ability, with its characteristic educational and qualification indicators. It is proved that higher education graduates are the intellectual core that forms the market of qualified specialists capable of becoming the economic potential of the country. It is shown that the rational use of this potential, in combination with other scientific achievements of society, contributes to the achievement of a new quality of economic development, raising living standards and preserving the environment for future generations. That is, the level of awareness and education of each individual is the molecule that lays the foundation for consolidating the country's competitive influence in the international market. To implement the above, the need for more active use of public administration in the educational process at all levels is determined, the expediency of applying legislative regulation of the process of interaction between higher education institutions and business structures is investigated, both for the establishment of joint projects and processes of commercialization and reform of education in different countries, including in modern Ukraine, and for achieving positive changes in strategic planning and economic development.

Teacher perspectives and barriers in implementing inclusive education for Indian children with special needs: A pilot study

AbstractInclusive education is crucial for integrating children with special needs into mainstream educational settings. This pilot study explores the attitudes of teachers in India toward providing inclusive education to children with disabilities, and the challenges they face. As the Indian education system continues to evolve, there are significant gaps in teacher preparedness and the availability of resources, especially given the socio‐cultural and economic diversity of the country. The study aims to assess the perspectives of 30 primary and secondary school teachers regarding their experiences with inclusive education, focusing on their attitudes, challenges, and the resources available for supporting students with special needs. A mixed‐methods approach was employed, utilising surveys and interviews to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. The results indicate that while many teachers hold a positive attitude toward inclusive education, they face numerous challenges in its implementation, including a lack of specialised training, insufficient support services and inadequate teaching materials. Teachers expressed particular difficulty in supporting students with severe disabilities due to the lack of behavioural and psychological services in schools. This study emphasises the importance of continued teacher training and infrastructure improvements to foster effective inclusive education. It also highlights the need for policy changes, such as the integration of the Samagra Shiksha scheme and recognition of the 2016 Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, to support teachers in overcoming the barriers they face. The findings from this pilot study will inform a larger, more comprehensive study, and provide the foundation for future reforms of inclusive education in India.

The Three Main Logic of the Reform of Catering Major in Higher Vocational Colleges Integrating Curriculum Ideological and Political Education under the Perspective of Industry-University-Research Collaborative Education

In the context of the deepening of vocational education reform and integration of industry and education in the new era, the ideological and political construction of catering courses in higher vocational colleges has become an important path to improve the quality of education and cultivate compound talents. This paper takes the significance of the reform of catering majors in higher vocational colleges that integrates ideological and political courses as the starting point. This paper discusses the problems of the disconnection between ideological and political education and professional education, the lack of a school-enterprise cooperation practice platform, and the urgent need to improve the teaching staff in the current ideological and political course construction. This paper proposes strategies such as strengthening the integration of ideological and political education and professional education, deepening the construction of the practice platform of integration of industry and education, and strengthening teacher training and teaching staff construction, which provides some references for promoting the comprehensive development of catering majors in higher vocational colleges in China.

An Exploration of Innovation of Social Practice Model of Ideological and Political Courses in Colleges and Universities

Promoting the innovation and reform of ideological and political courses in colleges and universities with a social practice model is not only the basic requirement for colleges and universities to do a good job in the teaching of ideological and political courses in the new era but also the internal requirement for deepening the reform of ideological and political education in the new era and implementing the fundamental task of “cultivating morality and cultivating people.” At the same time, innovating the social practice mode of ideological and political course is helpful to solve the problems existing in ideological and political education in the past, and integrate the core connotation and spiritual concept of ideological and political education into the ideological life of college students. Based on this, this paper analyzes the basic mode of social practice of ideological and political courses in colleges and universities, and elaborates the direction and strategy of innovative social practice mode of ideological and political courses, to improve the effectiveness of ideological and political courses and promote the sustainable development of ideological and political education.

Fostering Critical Digital Literacy Through Podcasting, Collaborative Work, and Oral Interaction

Introduction: Mastering a second or foreign language, especially oral communication, is complex and challenging, influenced by external pressures as seen in Colombia's education and language policy reforms, which compel teachers and institutions to address how to develop language skills with students. Objective: This study aimed to explore how collaborative podcast development, as a critical digital literacy practice, can enhance 11th graders' oral and critical interaction in English. Methodology: Conducted in a public school, the research employs a qualitative approach within a case study methodology. Although quantitative techniques like checklists and questionnaires were used for data collection, the study maintains a qualitative design. Through semi-structured interviews with a subgroup of five students, participants reflect on their experiences of collaborative learning and interaction in English while constructing a podcast. Data was analyzed using a triangulation method. Findings: Thematic analysis revealed that collaborative podcast development promoted English oral interaction among participants, fostering collaboration, exchange of thoughts and feelings, and increased language confidence. Discussion and Conclusions: The study advocates for a reexamination of digital practices in the classroom to promote English oral interaction from a critical perspective. It recommends collaborative podcast development as a digital practice to enhance oral interaction, empowering students to use English in social and academic contexts.

Situating inservice teacher training in reform community of developing holistic competence to engage practice

This article investigates the situating of inservice teacher training (TT) in teaching-learning, education, and other sector reform communities for developing holistic competence to engage practice. It vignettes a holistic inservice TT resilience to situate in an often transient reform community of developing capacity to engage practice, including competence-based education (CBE) reform that often spews vague ideas in pieces amid low incentive and commitment to undergo practice. To assist, this article adopts the situated learning lens to investigate the extent to which contextualising inservice TT in authentic teaching-learning reform community resources develops competence to engage practice. In this holistic regard, the article mixes text, interview, and questionnaire methods involving 420 Cameroon inservice TT-CBE reform community subjects as part of the global education-for-all-practice reform flow. From findings, few teachers undergo narrow inservice training and lead few partners in reform oration, resenting few means and evading complex teaching-learning reform community practices. Inservice TT’s bare oration of public education policy and reform community changes prepares teachers to facilitate teacher-centred acquisition of less competence than what learners need to engage practice. The article opines ongoing inservice TT preplanning-research, onsite activity, and outcome sustainability themes to further situate in authentic reform community resources to develop holistic competence to engage complex practice.

Teacher competency development model of higher vocational schools in Shandong province, China

Teacher competency is fundamental to successful vocational education reforms and quality enhancement. The rapid economic transformation and industrial upgrading in Shandong Province require highly skilled talents, prompting the implementation of modern vocational education (MVE) reform. However, the current competency of vocational teachers (VTs) often falls short of MVE standards, and there is an urgent need for a development model suitable for regional characteristics as a guide. In this study, we aim to assess the current state of VT competency development in Shandong Province and propose an integrated competency development model tailored to its specific needs. Our research employed a mixed-methods design, incorporating a cross-sectional survey of 280 VTs and 140 administrators and semi-structured interviews with management personnel. We conducted the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on a comprehensive survey questionnaire and identified six key determinants of VT competency development. Based on these findings and expert interviews, we developed an integrated competency development model, comprising the teacher’s personal qualities and educational philosophy, educational technology competence, digital teaching competence, social policy, professional identity, and school culture and support. This model offers practical implications for designing effective teacher training programs and establishing supportive institutional environments, ultimately aiming to enhance the quality of vocational education through improved teacher competency.

Integrating LLMs and software-defined resources for enhanced demonstrative cloud computing education in university curricula

This paper explores the integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Software-Defined Resources (SDR) as innovative tools for enhancing cloud computing education in university curricula. The study emphasizes the importance of practical knowledge in cloud technologies such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), DevOps, and cloud-native environments. It introduces Lean principles to optimize the teaching framework, promoting efficiency and effectiveness in learning. By examining a comprehensive educational reform project, the research demonstrates that incorporating SDR and LLMs can significantly enhance student engagement and learning outcomes, while also providing essential hands-on skills required in today’s dynamic cloud computing landscape. A key innovation of this study is the development and application of the Entropy-Based Diversity Efficiency Analysis (EDEA) framework, a novel method to measure and optimize the diversity and efficiency of educational content. The EDEA analysis yielded surprising results, showing that applying SDR (i.e., using cloud technologies) and LLMs can each improve a course’s Diversity Efficiency Index (DEI) by approximately one-fifth. The integrated approach presented in this paper provides a structured tool for continuous improvement in education and demonstrates the potential for modernizing educational strategies to better align with the evolving needs of the cloud computing industry.