Regular Classroom Teachers Research Articles

Yoga Education in the 21st Century: A Comprehensive Exploration of its Significance, Effect, and Connectivity in Modern Societal Contexts

Abstract: This paper aims to present a theoretical model based on a synthesis of ancient knowledge and contemporary research, as well as to argue for the integration of yoga with education in the present educational system. Resilience and overall well-being have become increasingly important in today's hectic and demanding environment. This abstract explores the value of yoga instruction as a transforming tool for dealing with the various issues people encounter nowadays. Yoga is an age-old Indian discipline that combines physical postures called asanas, breathing exercises called pranayama, meditation, and moral teachings to bring the mind, body, and spirit into balance. Regular yoga practice provides many physical, mental, and emotional benefits that have been confirmed by scientific studies. With the current state of affairs marked by high levels of stress, sedentary lifestyles, and rising mental health problems, it is essential to integrate yoga instruction into regular classroom instruction. This abstract explores how yoga's focus on self-awareness, stress reduction, and mindfulness corresponds with the modern world's need for coping strategies against life's stresses. The abstract also looks at how yoga instruction might help people develop resilience, emotional intelligence, and a positive outlook. The practice is a flexible strategy for improving general well-being because it may be applied to different age groups and fitness levels. A proactive approach to addressing the growing health concerns and fostering a culture of self-care is the incorporation of yoga into educational curricula, businesses, and healthcare systems. Additionally, by highlighting the preventative qualities of yoga in healthcare, the abstract underlines the social and economic advantages connected to a population that is healthier and more robust. The way this work compares and contrasts the results-driven current research with the process-driven old knowledge makes it special. This makes it possible to develop a more thorough theoretical model of yoga in education in the present scenario.

Teaching Students With Disabilities in Chinese Regular Education Classrooms: Outcomes and Influential Factors

Purpose Learning in a regular classroom (LRC) has become the main educational placement for students with disabilities in China. This study investigates the outcomes of LRC and their influential factors from the teachers’ experiences and perspectives. Design/Approach/Methods Seven inclusive education teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the qualitative data. Findings The results show that social participation and contribution, physical presence, academic performance, self-concept, and independence are the key outcomes of LRC from inclusive education teachers’ experiences and perspectives. Moreover, the factors influencing the key desired outcomes include the severity of disabilities and problem behaviors, professional support, teaching practice, inclusive climate, and collaboration between schools and families. Originality/Value This study provides valuable insights into the outcomes and influential factors of inclusive education in the context of LRC in China. These findings inform efforts to improve inclusive education practices and enhance the educational experiences of students with special needs.

Integrating 5E Model with Planned-Incidental Grammar Teaching Approach to enhance grammar competency of eighth-grade Odia medium school students, in a time-sensitive manner

Prompted by the challenges faced by teachers in balancing grammar and content in English classes, coupled with the poor English proficiency of rural Odia medium school students, the study aimed to devise an intervention that could balance content and grammar, thereby enhancing the grammar competency and content comprehension of eighth-grade students. Based on quasi-experimental research with a pretest-posttest nonequivalent group design, two groups were assigned treatment conditions: the 5E Model with Planned-Incidental Grammar Teaching Approach (experimental group) and the traditional Grammar Translation Method (control group) during class instructions. Data were collected from 100 school students, with 52 in the experimental group and 48 in the control group, using pretest and posttest assessments. The mixed ANOVA test results revealed significantly higher posttest scores in the experimental group compared to the control group, highlighting the positive impact of the intervention on students’ grammar proficiency. The t-test for the comprehension test suggested comparable levels of comprehension in both groups, indicating the efficiency of the new pedagogical strategy in seamlessly integrating grammar instruction into regular classroom teaching, optimizing instructional time and ensuring balance between content and grammar, making it particularly valuable for educators facing time constraints. This study underscores the need for professional development opportunities to enhance teachers’ pedagogical skills and knowledge. Further research is warranted to explore the intervention’s impact on various language skills and assess its applicability in diverse contexts, contributing to a broader understanding of its implications.

Physics Teachers’ Discourses on the Origin of the Universe and the Impact of Personal Beliefs in the Classroom

Conflicts in regular education classrooms due to differing personal views on scientific knowledge are recurrent. This article is motivated by enquiries into the significance of the topic of “the origin of the universe” in the context of elementary school curriculum, as well as concerns regarding how educators handle this topic, their academic preparation to take this tack, and the impact of students’ and teachers’ own personal beliefs on the classroom setting. Focusing on this topic, we investigated the discourses of teachers with a degree in physics, educated at the same public institution, under the same curricular framework, considering their training, teaching methods, and personal convictions. The study was conducted with open-ended interviews designed to be used in a video-communication setup. Through our analysis, it was possible to verify that teachers feel unprepared to handle the issue in the classroom due to the cultural diversity of their students and the need for greater scientific knowledge. In addition, it was determined that everyone has an independence stance about the connection between faith and science, which reduces the likelihood of conflict.

How do we know what they know? A case study of classroom-based assessment with multilingual learners

ABSTRACT We employed qualitative research methods to examine student learning in context during a teacher’s unit on 1920s-Great Depression in an 11th grade United States & Virginia History class in a standards-based setting with a high-stakes end-of-course test. We focused on four focal students (all of whom were classified as English learners at some point during their education) and collected extensive data to investigate whether these students learned and how they experienced and described their learning from regular classroom instruction. Despite receiving the same instruction, student learning, as measured by the summative assessment, differed greatly, and it was unclear if students learned the historical content. Teaching to the test (e.g., lecture-focused, didactic, narrow fact-focused instruction) did not yield improved results on the multiple-choice test. These findings problematize the use of multiple-choice testing, emphasize the need for explicit academic vocabulary scaffolds for multilingual learners, and highlight the importance of formative assessment. We argue that the conception of teacher as curricular-instructional gate-keeper needs to be expanded to curricular-instructional-assessment gate-keeper.

Invisible Educators: Understanding the Role and Impact of Casual Relief Teachers in Turkish Schools

Casual relief teachers (CRTs) are teachers who take the place of regular classroom teachers (RCTs) in primary schools when they are absent from school for various reasons such as illness, professional development activities, or annual leave. Casual relief teaching, which is not defined as an official duty in the legislation of the Turkish education system, usually occurs when surplus teachers nominated to the provincial order are assigned to crowded schools in provincial district centers. CRTs contribute to the sustainability of education activities in the absence of RCTs. The working conditions of these teachers vary, and they teach in different grade levels. In this study, the working conditions of CRTs in the context of the Turkish education system are analyzed from the perspective of different stakeholders. This study was conducted with the phenomenological research design, one of the qualitative research designs. The participants of the study consisted of school administrators (principals and vice principals), RCTs, CRTs and parents. The data obtained through qualitative interviews using individual semi-structured forms were analyzed using the content analysis method. According to the findings, CRTs were found to suffer from not having a fixed classroom, not being able to adapt to different teaching methods, experiencing various problems in classroom management, and facing disrespect from their colleagues from time to time. While serving as a CRT is an advantage for some CRTs due to family reasons, disadvantages occur in terms of having problems adapting to the school culture and forming organizational commitment. RCTs see CRTs as an important part of the education system and think that they contribute to the sustainability of teaching processes. School administrators, on the other hand, see CRTs as useful stakeholders of the school system. For school administrators, CRTs contribute to the school in terms of providing teacher flexibility and sometimes helping with administrative tasks.

Digital learning in physiotherapy education: Exploring design approaches through meta-analysis

The implementation of internet-based educational designs to enhance teaching and learning could be advantageous for higher education. There is not much research on digital methods of learning in physiotherapy education. The investigation examines and assesses methods of online learning in an effort to raise the standard of physiotherapy education. An extensive meta-analysis and evaluation of both randomized and non-randomized tests are the proposed methods of the research. A map was made of the digital initiatives and research mentioned in the list. Learning impacts for similar interventions were determined by means of meta-analysis. Five cohort investigations and ten randomized controlled trials make up the total of 15 researches included in the evaluation. Blended learning, remote learning, and the flipped classroom methodology were all used in 14 studies. In all, seven of the fifteen pieces of content were referenced in the flipped classrooms have statistically significant effects on learning, according to a meta-analysis for interaction uses on useful skills. Based on the findings, integrating pedagogical approaches is equally, if not more, more efficient than a regular classroom instruction in obtaining learning objectives. Results in online education did not show any discernible variations from traditional classroom training. It has been found that space learning and integrated learning are just as effective as traditional teaching approaches, if not more so, in the field of physiotherapy education. The meta-analysis found that using student-made videos, flipped classrooms, and interactive websites improved students' learning. Larger controlled trials are needed to validate these results. Research ought to investigate the ways in which online learning models can make possible students' assimilation in pragmatic abilities and behaviors, facilitate their understanding of concepts, enhance their memory of contents, and cultivate methods of learning. Further, it needs to examine digital learning materials and information bases.

ChokeSafe: Empowering Children with Life-Saving Choking-Management Skills.

Choking stands as the fourth leading cause of unintentional injury deaths. This research aimed to evaluate the ability of young schoolchildren to grasp and remember choking-management techniques, as well as to compare the effectiveness of instructors. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of choking training on young children. We randomly selected 180 children aged 4-8 years and divided them into a training group (120 children) and a control group (60 children). We evaluated the students' response to a choking incident with a specific scenario one day before, one day after, and two and seven months after the training, as well as once to the control group. Before the training, there was no significant difference between the groups. However, after the training, the training group's scores showed a significant increase compared to their pre-training scores and those of the control group. Even at two- and seven-month post-training, the training group's scores had decreased but remained higher than their pre-training scores and those of the control group. Choking training can benefit young children. Our research highlights the equal importance of both regular classroom teachers and specialized personnel in imparting these essential skills. However, further research is necessary to confirm these observations and explore methods for sustaining the acquired knowledge from the training.

Using personal network analysis to understand the interaction between programmes’ facilitators and teachers in psychoeducational interventions

In this study we use personal network analysis to examine the social relationships taking place throughout programme implementation. Previous literature on psychosocial intervention has used network analysis techniques to examine: (a) the interaction between participants, (b) the facilitators' link to the intervention target group, (c) the transfer of knowledge between experts and facilitators, and (d) the interaction of facilitators with each other. However, there has been little research on how facilitators connect with other figures in their organisational context, impacting both intervention fidelity and the fit of the programme to the local context. In this study we combine the analysis of personal networks with qualitative interviews with 102 teachers in 72 schools in Barranquilla (Colombia), with whom we describe the implementation of the psychoeducational programmes Pisotón and Metodologías Flexibles. The results show that programme implementation networks not only rely on facilitators but also on the contribution of the schools’ director of studies, the coupling with the regular classroom teachers, and occasional collaborations from the rest of the school staff. After conducting a cluster analysis, we detected the existence of two types of personal networks, some based on the functioning of highly cohesive teams and others with a greater level of centralisation around the head of studies. Implementation networks not only enable the implementation of programme activities, but also the integration of the programme into educational organisations. In the discussion we reflect on how the analysis of facilitators' personal networks can be used to improve the process of programme implementation.

Attuning digital pedagogy into English Language to empower graduating Engineers

Demand for English language proficiency among the engineering graduates with adept digital communication skills is growing in the contemporary global context. Industry 4.0 places English in the center of digital communication. It demands young engineering graduates with digital communication skills in English. This not only places importance of graduates learning English communication skills but also on the teachers to initiate novel pedagogical approaches. It is imperative to initiate these transitions during the students’ graduation stage to ensure their readiness for the industry. The digital teaching and learning in English underscores the need for a fresh pedagogical approach that aligns with the preferences of millennials, facilitating learning across virtual and traditional platforms. Smart classrooms bridge the divides between the teacher and the taught. The evolving landscape of English education calls for a pedagogy infused with technology. Post-COVID, digital pedagogy is supplanting conventional one-on-one teaching methods, integrating techniques like blended learning through Learning Management Systems (LMS), flipped classrooms, self-directed learning, and collaborative approaches. This paper argues for the integration of digital pedagogy in regular classroom teaching and learning in English. The paper suggests that the use of digital media should not stop with the resumption of offline teaching, after COVID, rather should be an integral part of pedagogy in teaching English to engineering graduates. It is believed that digital pedagogy augments learner engagement, fostering active learning. The study underscores the significance and scope of digital pedagogy in the computer-centric era. The present paper represents the findings of the empirical research which sought to compare and contrast the conventional learning mode with blended learning. Keywords: Digital pedagogy; ELT; Engineering graduates; Industry 4.0

EFFECTIVE USE OF INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMME INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES AND METHODS TO STUDENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

The research examined the effective use of IEP approaches and methods with students with visual impairment in Shinyanga inclusive secondary school in Kishapu District in Tanzania. It used a convergent parallel design that engaged both qualitative and quantitative research at the same time. The total sample population comprised 32 participants: 27 regular classroom teachers, and 5 participants including one nurse, one administrator, one special education teacher, and two students with visual impairment. The instruments used to gather data included the questionnaire, focus group discussion, and non-participant observations in the classroom. Descriptive statistical analysis was used on quantitative data through Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25 for data analysis, and for qualitative data, thematic analysis was used. The findings of the study show a moderate implementation of IEP instructional approaches and methods for students with visual impairment in the school. This was because there were insufficient assistive devices and pedagogical procedures used to identify learning needs of students with visual impairment. From these findings, the study suggested some improvements in approaches to solve problems faced by students with VI, such as the provision of accessible required resources and knowledge updates to the inclusive community. The approaches will help improves to the existing approaches level to meet students’ educational goals and the intent of inclusive education.

The effect of an escape room game on college nursing students’ learning attitude and game flow experiences in teaching safe medication care for the elderly: an intervention educational study

BackgroundIn the context of an aging population, the Gerontological Nursing course is becoming more and more important. Escape room games have been shown to have a positive effect on nursing education, but they have not been applied in the Gerontological Nursing course. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of adding an escape room game-based learning activity at the end of classroom teaching in a Gerontological Nursing course on nursing students’ learning attitude and game flow experience.MethodsIn April 2023, a total of 84 nursing students from two classes at a medical school in Northeast China were selected for the study, and the classes were divided into a test group (n = 41) and a control group (n = 43). Both groups received regular classroom teaching on “Safe Medication Care for the Elderly”, and the test group participated in an escape room game at the end of the classroom teaching. General information about the nursing students in both groups was collected prior to participation; learning attitude were measured before and after participation; and game flow experience was measured before and after participation in the test group. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests and paired samples t-tests.ResultsThere was no statistically significant difference in the general information and learning attitude of nursing students between the two groups before participation. After participation, the total learning attitude score of nursing students in the test group was (73.17 ± 1.67) and that of the control group was (61.63 ± 2.66), and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 5.196). The game flow experience of nursing students in the test group before and after participation was (63.27 ± 2.48) and (81.29 ± 2.49), respectively, and the difference between before and after was statistically significant (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 5.253).ConclusionsDuring the teaching process of the Gerontological Nursing course, an escape room game added at the end of classroom teaching can improve nursing students’ learning attitude and also help them to have a good game flow experience. These findings suggest that teaching activities based on the escape room game have considerable practical application value.

Awareness and perceptions regarding autism among school teachers in Jazan region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) especially at early stages is highly important to improve the quality of life and help to decrease the disease burden. This study was performed to assess the school teachers' level of knowledge and perception regarding Autism. An observational cross-sectional study was carried out in the Jazan region among a random sample of school teachers (males and females) who are working at the governmental primary Schools, throughout the scholastic year 2019-2020. A structured validated self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. It includes three sections: sociodemographic information of the participants, the Autism Knowledge Questionnaire (AKQ), and statements exploring the teachers' attitudes toward children with autism. The study included 403 primary school teachers. The age of 47.1% of them ranged between 35 and 44 years. Slightly more than half (50.9%) were males. Overall, the total autism knowledge score ranged between 2 and 26, out of a possible 30 with a median (interquartile range "IQR") of 15 (12-18). Teachers who ever encountered a child with autism had higher significant knowledge scores about autism compared to their counterparts (mean ranks were 263.95 and 179.32, respectively), P < 0.001. Female compared to male teachers more significantly agreed that teachers not trained in special education should not be expected to deal with a child with autism, P = 0.018. Teachers aged between 35 and 44 years are more willing to have an autistic child in their class in compare to those ages ≥55 years that they would not want children with autism in their class, P = 0.036 and more interested in attending training in the area of childhood developmental and behavioral disorders, P = 0.010. Postgraduate teachers were more agreed than Bachelor holders that teachers not trained in special education should not be expected to deal with a child with autism, P = 0.001. Diploma-holder teachers were more agreed than postgraduates that children with autism are too impaired to benefit from activities of a general school, P = 0.019 and students with Autism should be given every opportunity to function in the regular education classroom whenever possible, P = 0.028. The knowledge about autism among primary school teachers is average in general, however, they expressed mostly positive attitudes towards autistic children.

TAP To SKILL: Using Self-Directed Video Prompting to Promote Independence in Inclusive School Settings

Many students who have Extensive Support Needs (ESN) struggle with increasing their independence in inclusive classrooms. Federal law is clear that all students—including students with ESN—should be educated alongside their peers without disabilities in regular education classrooms to the “maximum extent appropriate.” Self-directed video prompting is an evidence-based practice that has been proven to fade adult support while building student independence. This article provides a practical how-to guide for how teachers can support their paraeducators in using self-directed video prompting. It introduces a framework for implementation called TAP To SKILL and describes what this approach looks like in action.

Domain-specific self-regulated learning interventions for elementary school students

BackgroundSelf-regulated learning has been deemed an essential skill that must be explicitly learned and repeatedly practiced for young students. The need for research on teacher-led self-regulated learning interventions embedded in regular classroom instructions has escalated steadily. AimsWe aimed to investigate self-regulated learning interventions' effectiveness led by teachers applicable to three primary subjects (i.e., writing, mathematics, reading) based on Zimmerman's cyclical model of self-regulated learning. Samples214 Korean upper elementary school students participated in a series of three intervention studies (nStudy1 = 70, nStudy2 = 69, nStudy3 = 75). MethodsTrained homeroom teachers implemented the interventions—incorporating explicit instructions about domain-specific strategies in writing (Study 1), mathematics (Study 2), and reading (Study 3)—in Korean elementary school classrooms. Participants were assigned to one of the three groups: regular classroom instruction (REG), domain-specific strategy instruction (STR), and strategy instruction within the framework of eight-phase self-regulated learning instruction (STR + SRL). ResultsSynthesized results revealed that the STR + SRL group used more self-regulated strategies, performed better in achievement tests, and was less distracted by task-irrelevant thoughts than the STR and REG groups. ConclusionsOur interventions are compatible with domain-specific instructions in multiple subjects and can guide and prompt self-regulatory learning processes in elementary classrooms. Current findings also reiterate the importance of the teachers’ role in research-based interventions to increase ecological validity and applicability. We shed light on the potential mechanism that underlies the relationship between enhanced self-regulated learning and motivational and cognitive outcomes.

Young EFL Learners Collaboratively Writing a Dialogue During a Regular Classroom Lesson

A growing body of research has explored collaborative writing (CW) among young learners. Nevertheless, studies have mainly focused on tasks such as the dictogloss, which is rather uncommon in regular classroom teaching and has neglected activities that are more common. In addition, research has focused on language-related episodes (LREs) without considering other important episodes including those that involve the teacher. Finally, only one study has explored to what extent the decisions made within LREs transfer into the written product. With these research gaps in mind, the present study examined CW of 12 pairs composed of 10 to 11-year-old learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) who jointly wrote a role-play. Drawing on audio recordings of pair work interactions and documentary analysis of students’ written work, the study has found that in addition to LREs, students frequently engaged in content-related and activity-related episodes with the teacher’s involvement being rather limited. Despite the teacher’s presence, a high proportion of LREs was resolved incorrectly or left unresolved. Nearly all correctly and incorrectly resolved LREs were also incorporated into the jointly written role-play. Students focused predominantly on the language targeted by the activity (lexical phrases) and attended to other language aspects minimally.

Horse Interaction as Motivation for Development of Literacy Skills in Emergent Readers

Two hundred kindergarten and first grade students participated in a program to develop early literacy skills through horse interaction. The program uses a series of three-horse interaction experiences to increase motivation to read. During the introduction to the horse, students are provided with a copy of the book they will read over the next six weeks. The students participate in horse-focused activities over the next six weeks during regular classroom instruction along with practice time reading the book. At the end of the program, students attend a field trip to a farm where they are invited to read aloud and engage in further interaction with horses as a reward for their work. Early literacy skills and literacy success indicators were measured through a pre-/post-test as well as qualitative data collected from teachers and parents. Results show statistically significant increases in literacy indicators. Students also demonstrated an increase in horse knowledge.

Special education in pedagogical projects of the undergraduate courses at the Federal University of Maranhão/UFMA

This study investigates the initial training of Basic Education teachers – Kindergarten, Elementary and High School –, through the analysis of the Pedagogical Curricular Projects of the undergraduate courses offered at the Federal University of Maranhão-UFMA, Campus Dom Delgado, to work with target audience of Special Education students in regular education classrooms. Fourteen projects were analyzed through descriptive, bibliographical and documentary studies. The results showed that Special/Inclusive Education was superficially identified in the Curriculum Pedagogical Projects of the undergraduate courses at the UFMA in most of the analyzed material, indicating the invisibility of this area in the initial teacher training courses; and the relevance that needs to be given to the theoretical-practical aspect in teacher training for school inclusion.

THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES FOR THE DISSEMINATION OF CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC – THE CASE OF THE CONFUCIUS INSTITUTES IN BULGARIA

Under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the dissemination of Chinese culture and language has met unprecedented difficulties and challenges. By expounding the new difficulties and problems faced by the Confucius Insti tutes in Bulgaria during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the lack of teachers, students’ dropping out, teaching resources shortage, and frustrated interest in learning, this paper analyzes the effective strategies which contribute to ensuring regular classroom teaching and promoting cultural exchange during the pan demic. The practical and effective adjustment includes utilizing existing resourc es, improving TCFL teachers’ information literacy, strengthening localization construction of teachers and teaching materials, and enriching Chinese culture dissemination through the Internet, which not only leveled up Chinese language teaching outside of China, but also successfully popularized Chinese culture across national borders. Those practices actively promoted the cultural exchange between Bulgaria and China, and expanded the impact of Chinese culture in Bulgaria, giving a valuable reference in Chinese language teaching and culture dissemination in the post-pandemic era to other Central and Eastern European countries, and the countries along the Belt and Road as well.

Concept Retention among Senior High School Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Students Exposed to a Strategic Intervention Material (SIM)

Using strategic intervention materials (SIM) in Science class is essential for achieving students' needed competencies, which they could have succeeded in regular classroom instruction. This study examines the retention of concepts among Grade 11 learners in Central Philippines after exposure to teacher-made Strategic Intervention Materials (SIMs). It utilized the Quasi-Experimental Research Design, Post-test Post-Post-Test, Experimental Group only design. To determin0e the significant difference in the level of proficiency right after and a semester after exposure to SIMs intervention Wilcoxon signed-rank test for paired samples was employed. Results showed that the SIMs helped students exceed the core knowledge, skills, and understanding requirements. Learning is best transferred through authentic performance tasks which made retention of Science concepts evident.0