Research-based Program Research Articles

Innovative Assessment Practices Aligned with India’s National Educational Policy-2020

The National Education Policy -2020 [1] is the latest education policy of India, which strives to achieve benchmarks in the development of the educational scenario of India leading the students towards achieving the aspirational goals of 21st century education. NEP 2020 advocates for multidisciplinary education, multiple entry-exit and research-based programmes which mandates for a swift transition from traditional methods of assessment to innovative assessment techniques which would be more flexible, comprehensive and competency-based that would ensure a deeper understanding of subject matter than just memorizing facts. It aims to promote critical and higher order thinking and applying their knowledge to real-world situations. The primary objective of the article is to throw light on some non-traditional and innovative assessment techniques that align with the vision of NEP 2020. The researchers have employed the content analysis approach to explain these innovative techniques such as- experiential learning, holistic education, present opposite’s point of view, plot a family tree, Adaptive Learning Assessment and so on. However, further research may enlighten more such approaches according to the changing scenario in the global context and a comprehensive guide to apply these techniques.

"Dementia Doesn't Mean That Life Doesn't Have More Wonderful Things Ahead": A Qualitative Study Evaluating a Canadian Dementia Support Services Program.

Community support programs can improve quality of life for people living with dementia and their care partners. Important to the successful implementation of such programs is close engagement with end-users to gain a better understanding of their needs. This study describes the perspectives of people living with dementia, care partners, and health-care providers on the First Link® dementia support program provided by the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia (ASBC). Following a large-scale survey (N=1,164), semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants to explore in greater detail the different needs and themes that emerged from the first phase of the study. The interviews explored: 1) experiences with the program; 2) future planning; 3) meaning of independence; and 4) impact of the program on emotional and physical well-being. A total of 48 participants were interviewed in this study. Knowledge and education were key factors that helped participants manage the impact of dementia. Learning about dementia, the experiences of others, strategies on how to manage symptoms, what to plan for in the future, and how to access different services in the community, was tied to increased feelings of confidence and comfort, and decreased stress. Participants also provided suggestions for improvement of the First Link® dementia program such as further embedding the program into the patient journey, providing more services in remote areas, providing education for health-care providers, and increasing awareness of the program. By emphasizing the lived experiences and needs of those living with dementia and their caregivers, this work will inform future research-based program evaluations globally and, in turn, improve the existing services to support people living with-and impacted by-dementia.

EEG neural substrates of cognitive engagements for research-based learning with contemplative education in the young child

One becomes aware of the evidence of cognitive insights following attending the research-based learning program with contemplative education, electroencephalography (EEG), and electrodermal activity (EDA) were used to track the improvement of emotional and cognitive states. Research-based learning (RBL) and teaching models were developed to enhance research characteristics and cognitive training for children in the 21st century. To date, there have been no reliable cognitive tools to monitor the cognitive insight of the child who attends the course. The EEG, EDA, and cognitive scores of thirty healthy students participating in a research-based program for an hour per week were evaluated prior to the course, 3 months, and 6 months after the program started. The cognitive tests included a standard progressive matric (SPM) test, arithmetic test, Eriksen flanker task, and biofeedback sessions. The same procedures were determined in the comparative students’ group. After six months of taking the program, students in the RBL group showed a significant improvement in their SPM and arithmetic test scores. A significant increase in beta and gamma activity was detected in the temporal cortex of the RBL group during the SPM test. A more significant enhancement of frontal theta power was observed during the arithmetic test. This study shows that contemplative education and research-based learning improve cognitive abilities, indicating a significant increase in EEG quantity for cognitive engagement and the ability to confer individual differences in cognitive abilities.

S14-3 Finnish On the Move Programme Family: Finnish Schools on the Move

Abstract Purpose Finnish On the Move Programme promotes a physically active lifestyle throughout the lifespan for different demographic groups. It is financed by the Ministry of Education and Culture. One of the programmes of this entity is Finnish Schools on the Move, which is a research-based programme for promoting physical activity in schools. Project description Schools on the Move programme has been developed in Finland since 2010 and has grown from a pilot of 45 schools into a programme that covers more than 90 per cent of Finnish schools in basic education. In ten years, we have managed to increase the awareness of the importance of physical activity in Finland. More than 90 per cent of all comprehensive schools in Finland are Schools on the Move. As a result, the school culture has become more physically active: a positive change has been observed in the organisation of activities and school premises, movement has been added to lessons and more attention has been paid to less active pupils. Based on national level physical activity surveys the proportion of 11-15-years olds meeting the physical activity recommendation has slightly increased from 18% to 29% in girls and from 30% to 35% for boys between 2010 and 2018. (Finland’s Report Card 2022. Physical Activity for Children and Youth). The Schools on the Move programme has been part of the implementation of the government programme in Finland since 2010. Between 2015 and 2019 it was one of the Government’s key projects in knowledge and education. Conclusions The objective of the programme is to increase physical activity among school-age children by making the operating culture at schools more active in various ways. Linking research and monitoring with the implementation of the programme, the strong bottom-up ideology of the school-oriented approach and the extensive cooperation networks, as well as strong commitment from the government and state funding, have been central success areas in the implementation of the programme.

Using isotopic tracers to enhance routine watershed monitoring – Insights from an intensively managed agricultural catchment

Experimental (research-based) and non-research-based watershed monitoring programs often differ with respect to sampling frequency, monitored variables, and monitoring objectives. Isotopic variables, which are more commonly incorporated in research-based programs, can provide an indication of water sources and the transit time of water in a catchment. These variables may be a valuable complement to traditional water quality monitoring variables and have the potential to support improved hydrologic process-related insights from long term monitoring programs that typically have low resolution sampling. The purpose of this investigation is to explore the utility of incorporating isotopic variables (specifically δ18O, δ2H, and 222Rn) into routine monthly sampling regimes by comparing insights gained from these variables to monitoring only specific conductivity and chloride. A complete annual cycle of monthly groundwater and surface water monitoring data collected from the Upper Parkhill watershed in southwestern Ontario, Canada was used to characterize baseline watershed conditions, evaluate watershed resilience to climate change, and examine contamination vulnerability. Study results provide an improved understanding of appropriate tracer use in agricultural regions with isotopic variables able to provide important insights into the seasonality of hydrologic phenomena, such as the timing of groundwater recharge. A comparison of monitoring variables to present-day hydro-meteorological conditions suggests the importance of a winter dominated hydrologic regime and the potential influence of changes in precipitation on groundwater-surface water interactions. Estimated transit time dynamics indicate the likelihood for rapid contaminant transport through surface and shallow subsurface flow and highlight the possible effects of agricultural tile drainage. The sampling approach and data analysis methods adopted in this study provide the basis for improving routine watershed monitoring programs in agricultural regions.

Enhancing quality of qualitative evidence in food safety and food security

Qualitative research studies make up only a small portion of all publications in the food disciplines. Despite this, these approaches have offered an in-depth understanding of several food safety and food security problems over the last few decades. However, there continues to be inadequate reporting of qualitative research specific to food contexts, which results in a lack of transparency, rigour, questioning the credibility of qualitative approaches, and challenges in its uptake and synthesis. Several reviews of qualitative evidence in food safety have found reporting to be lacking in the following areas: study title, philosophical orientation, study design, researcher reflexivity, ethical approval, and qualitative analysis. In this paper, we describe the primary hurdles new qualitative researchers face in conducting and reporting research, and present practical solutions to complex qualitative challenges. For permanent and widespread changes aimed at advancing qualitative evidence in the food disciplines, we call on food educators to integrate qualitative methods training in research-based programs; journals and reviewers to appraise qualitative studies using established reporting guidelines; and appeal to academic publishers to expand current word limits to facilitate reporting of all important aspects of qualitative research.

Art Therapy and Social Emotional Development in Students with Special Educational Needs: Effects on Anxiety, Empathy, and Prosocial Behaviour

Although our research started before the pandemic, it seems that focusing on the social emotional development of our students has become a top priority, considering that, globally, the rates of anxiety among children and teenagers are, in the actual context of the pandemic and war, skyrocketing. One valuable way to promoting positive social emotional development is to implement in schools research-based programs that support students in strengthening their social and emotional competencies. Art therapy is one of the most suitable ways to serve this purpose, for it goes beyond words and gives the students the opportunity to deeper experience and process their emotions. This research used a structured group art therapy program to reduce anxiety and improve empathy and prosocial behaviour in 20 special educational needs students with neuro-psycho-motor deficiencies, aged between 8 and 11 years, who were randomly and equally assigned either to an experimental or a control group. The intervention was performed once weekly for ten weeks. Anxiety, empathy and prosocial behaviour have been measured using specific questionnaires filled out by the students’ caregivers at the beginning and at the end of the program. After ten weeks, the art therapy group showed a significant decrease in anxiety and a significant increase in empathy and prosocial behaviour. These findings suggest that art therapy might be used in an educational context to lower anxiety and to support the positive development of social emotional competencies such as empathy and prosocial behaviour in special educational needs children with neuro-psycho-motor deficiencies.

Increasing Resident and Medical Student Participation in National Conferences with Sponsored Travel Grants via a Need-Based Method

Background Resident and medical student attendance at national conferences can be associated with significant personal financial toxicity for travel expenses. As a result, attendance at conferences favors large academic programs who have sizeable research-based programs with associated travel support. Individuals from smaller programs whose departments lack adequate funding, as well as medical students, are forced to pay out of pocket expenses to attend. To help address this deficit, the American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO) secured sponsorship from an industry partner to award ten trainees a financial travel grant via a need-based method to enable attendance at the 2022 ACRO annual meeting. Methods The ten $500 travel grants supported by the industry sponsor were advertised on the ACRO website, via email, and on social media. ACRO also contributed complimentary registration, thus the total award was $600. ACRO members in good standing with lack of departmental financial support to attend were eligible. Submission included a letter of support, copy of CV, a personal statement, and acceptance of the grant required confirmation of attending the conference in-person. Of the 10 grants, 7 were designated for residents and 3 for medical students. Need-based selection criteria was based on departmental funding, size of residency, distance from the conference, and was determined by a non-biased panel of individuals. Results: There were 26 total applications submitted for the 10 travel grants offered. Of those, 20 were current residents and 6 were current medical students. Of the resident submissions, 5% PGY-5, 40% PGY-4, 25% PGY-3, 30% PGY-2. Of the medical students, 33% MS4, 17% MS2, 50% MS1. Applications were received from 16 different states in the USA, and 3 different countries including the United States, Canada, and India. When asked about how they heard about the award, 8 responded from twitter, 5 from ACRO website, 5 from mentors, 5 from email, and 3 from colleagues. 75 residents registered and attended the ACRO 2022 conference compared to 59 for the 2020 conference. The number of medical students registered also increased from 2 in 2020 to 14 in 2022. Discussion By utilizing industry sponsored funds for monetary travel grants, we were able to further diversify the attendance at the ACRO 2022 annual meeting through supporting international residents, smaller programs, and medical students via our need-based selection method. There remains utility in travel awards to offer the future of our field an equal opportunity of attending these highly valuable conferences. Resident and medical student attendance at national conferences can be associated with significant personal financial toxicity for travel expenses. As a result, attendance at conferences favors large academic programs who have sizeable research-based programs with associated travel support. Individuals from smaller programs whose departments lack adequate funding, as well as medical students, are forced to pay out of pocket expenses to attend. To help address this deficit, the American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO) secured sponsorship from an industry partner to award ten trainees a financial travel grant via a need-based method to enable attendance at the 2022 ACRO annual meeting. The ten $500 travel grants supported by the industry sponsor were advertised on the ACRO website, via email, and on social media. ACRO also contributed complimentary registration, thus the total award was $600. ACRO members in good standing with lack of departmental financial support to attend were eligible. Submission included a letter of support, copy of CV, a personal statement, and acceptance of the grant required confirmation of attending the conference in-person. Of the 10 grants, 7 were designated for residents and 3 for medical students. Need-based selection criteria was based on departmental funding, size of residency, distance from the conference, and was determined by a non-biased panel of individuals. Results: There were 26 total applications submitted for the 10 travel grants offered. Of those, 20 were current residents and 6 were current medical students. Of the resident submissions, 5% PGY-5, 40% PGY-4, 25% PGY-3, 30% PGY-2. Of the medical students, 33% MS4, 17% MS2, 50% MS1. Applications were received from 16 different states in the USA, and 3 different countries including the United States, Canada, and India. When asked about how they heard about the award, 8 responded from twitter, 5 from ACRO website, 5 from mentors, 5 from email, and 3 from colleagues. 75 residents registered and attended the ACRO 2022 conference compared to 59 for the 2020 conference. The number of medical students registered also increased from 2 in 2020 to 14 in 2022. By utilizing industry sponsored funds for monetary travel grants, we were able to further diversify the attendance at the ACRO 2022 annual meeting through supporting international residents, smaller programs, and medical students via our need-based selection method. There remains utility in travel awards to offer the future of our field an equal opportunity of attending these highly valuable conferences.

Perspective: Successes and Challenges in Developing a New Biomolecular Modeling and Design Summer High School Research Internship

In response to the limited research experiences for young scholars during the COVID-19 pandemic and community interest, we developed the Pre-College Rosetta Internship Opportunity (PCR-IO). The mission of PCR-IO was to offer a program to increase equitable access to computational biomolecular research. The PCR-IO program engaged rising senior high school students in a protein therapeutic design project in which they produced novel structural models using the PyRosetta and Foldit software packages. The program comprised a year-long series of activities, with an immersive summer internship that involved students in research as the cornerstone. These activities aimed to support the overarching goal of the program by expanding participating students’ social capital and technical skills, making them more likely to consider and succeed in STEM in their future endeavors. Here we describe the program’s components and rollout and discuss successes and challenges in implementing a remote computational research-based educational high school program. We observed considerable student skill development and conclude that the program created real added value to student participants’ education. We also uncovered issues associated with curriculum pace and found that the required mentorship effort exceeded our expectations. This perspective is intended to offer insight, share recommendations, and create dialog to increase propagation of research-based computational internships, and to shed light on how much novice students can accomplish with mentorship, structured curricula, and access to the research community.

Two new syntopic species of wolf snakes (genus Lycodon H. Boie in Fitzinger, 1826) from an imperiled ecosystem in the Song Giang River Valley of southern Vietnam (Squamata: Colubridae)

An integrative taxonomic analysis of species in the colubrid genus Lycodon Fitzinger, 1826 recovered two new syntopic species of the L. rufozonatus complex from the imperiled Song Giang River valley in Khan Hoa Province, of Southern Vietnam. Although L. truongisp. nov. and L. anakradayasp. nov. are syntopic, they are not particularly closely related and can be differentiated from each other and all other species in the L. rufozonatus complex on the basis of meristics, morphometrics, color pattern, and uncorrected pairwise genetic distance based on the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b. The discovery of these two new range-restricted species and a previously described range-restricted gekkonid in the genus Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1828 from the same valley, underscores the necessity of continued field work in the Song Giang River valley so as to catalog the unrealized herpetological diversity in this area and establish research-based conservation programs.

A developmental research-based teacher education: designing and implementing a new program for preservice teachers in France

ABSTRACT In many countries, preservice teachers’ (PTs) education programs neglect the importance of connecting research and practice. Reconciling training and research remains problematic for PTs, who often encounter difficulties in making connections between the academic knowledge acquired in university and their experiences in the classroom. This context inhibits the development of their professional skills. Taking this observation as our starting point, the aim of this article is to conceptualize and to illustrate an alternative approach in order to establish a reciprocal link between training and research, sketching the outlines of a developmental research-based program of teacher education. We begin by studying different training-based approaches to research and their respective limitations, identifying the key principles and steps of a developmental research-based approach to teacher education. Then, we illustrate these principles using data from empirical studies. Finally, we discuss the conditions required for the implementation of such an approach to the teacher education of PTs in France.

Enhancing Early Childhood Educators’ Skills in Co-regulating Children’s Emotions: A Collaborative Learning Program

The aim of this article is to introduce a research-based work-integrated collaborative learning program that focuses on early childhood education and care (ECEC) professionals’ skills in co-regulation of emotions. The collaborative learning program draws on the theoretical framework that acknowledges the situated and socially shared nature of regulated learning and emotion regulation as well as years of research highlighting the importance of versatile and sensitive adults in supporting children’s learning of regulation skills during their early years. The program aims to improve professionals’ shared awareness of children’s emotion regulation development and abilities to identify and develop practices that support children in learning these skills, so that professionals can provide conscious and consistent co-regulation of emotions for children in everyday interactions. The design of the program has been developed by considering the aspects of effective collaborative and professional learning. This paper focuses on describing the theoretical grounding and implementation of a 32-week long collaborative learning program for ECEC professionals in Northern Finland (N = 450). Also, the development of a video-stimulated questionnaire (VSQ) for assessment of professionals’ learning during the program will be described. VSQ measures professionals’ abilities to identify and interpret everyday ECEC interactions from the point of view of (co-)regulation of emotions. Developing research-based collaborative programs that increase systematic support for children to learn regulation skills is essential, as these skills affect children’s lives well into adulthood. They set a basis for children’s learning and social skills and general wellbeing.

State Department and Provider Agency Utilization of Evidence-Based Program Registries in Behavioral Healthcare and Child Welfare.

Evidence-based program registries (EBPRs) are web-based compilations of behavioral healthcare programs/interventions that rely on research-based criteria to rate program efficacy or effectiveness for support of programmatic decision-making. The objective was to determine the extent to which behavioral health decision-makers access EBPRs and to understand whether and exactly how they use the information obtained from EPBRs. Single State Authorities (SSAs) and service provider agencies in the areas of behavioral health and child welfare were recruited nationally. Senior staff (n = 375) responsible for the selection and implementation of programs and/or policies were interviewed by telephone concerning their visits (if any) to 28 relevant EBPRs, the types of information they were seeking, whether they found it, and how they may have used that information to effect changes in their organizations. At least one EBPR was visited by 80% of the respondents, with a median of three different registers being visited. Most visitors (55%) found all the information they were seeking; those who did not desired more guidance or tools for individual program implementation or were unable to locate the program or practice that they were seeking. Most visitors (65%) related using the information obtained to make changes in their organizations, in particular to select, start or change a program, or to support the adoption or improvement of evidence-based clinical practices. EBPRs were shown to be important resources for dissemination of research-based program effectiveness data, leading to increased use of evidence-based practices in the field, but the study also identified needs for greater awareness of EBPRs generally and for more attention to implementation of specific recommended programs and practices.

Developing Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge/Skills of Lifelong Learners from Basic to Advance Learning: Exemplars, Challenges and Future Direction

Developing conceptual and procedural knowledge or skills of learners is ‘part and parcel’ of the roles of educators involved in teaching science and social science subjects. This article aims to espouse numerous educational reforms implemented locally, regionally, and internationally during the past decades, with exemplars and challenges elaborated. The mixed-method approach is selected as a research framework that includes the collection of qualitative data (mainly from documentary analysis, interviews, observation, and open-ended responses) and quantitative data (mainly from survey questionnaires). This article reports mainly qualitative findings that are summarised from mixed-modes of analysis on data collected through systematic review and ‘multiple-case design’, including ‘cross-case and within-case analysis’ on how conceptual and procedural knowledge and skills of learners could be enhanced through the implementation of various technology-integrated project-based programmes incorporating various effective strategies anchored on hybrid approaches in replacement of traditional methods. Case exemplars are illustrated with how these programmes serve as platforms for basic education and foundation courses from basic to advanced learning among lifelong learners. The analysis of a local programme to promote Year 4 students’ (N = 33) primary science learning using the 5E constructivist model revealed that students were mentally engaged in learning science concepts, interacting with new experiences, and able to correct misconceptions with enhanced conceptual and procedural knowledge and skills on the taught topics ‘Scientific Skills, Life Processes of Humans, and Properties of Materials’ as reflected in their increased mean scores of science achievement analysed statistically. The implementation of the ‘Learning Science and Mathematics Together’ (LeSMaT) student-centered regional learning programme that provided a guide for expected project output is also illustrated with an exemplar of how learners’ conceptual and procedural knowledge and skills in ‘environmental education’ were enhanced through the preparation of the project required for this program. The analysis of social science learning involving building foundation knowledge in economics through an international research-based internship programme revealed that students’ conceptual and procedural knowledge and skills in ‘economics’ were enhanced with the input on research methodology and the need to produce a report, which tied in with theories and the experience of their placements in various business settings that provided real-life experience related to economic issues faced during the pandemic. In the end, the significance and implications of the study are discussed with ideas for how to move forward.

Project LifeLab Food and Health – Innovative Teaching for the Future: Development of Student Active Learning Tasks for Home Economics Education in the 21st Century

Food and Health, previously referred to as Home Economics, is a mandatory school subject in Norway. It has the unique advantage of giving all students, regardless of their social background, practical skills and knowledge, life skills that are important for their future health. In the LifeLab Food and Health project, we have developed a research-based and innovative teaching programme and evaluated how it is perceived in a school setting in Norway. This teaching programme is for use in Food and Health teacher education, but also in the education of primary and lower secondary school students in the same subject. LifeLab Food and Health consists of learning tasks in which students in the sixth and ninth grades in school gain first-hand knowledge and an understanding of life skills that are important to manage everyday life. In this paper, we present the learning activities developed and how the students experienced them. Examples of such learning tasks are tasks revealing the science behind dietary guidelines and the promotion of a healthy diet through student active tasks. Our aim is to establish LifeLab Food and Health as a “best practice” within master’s education in Home Economics at the University of Agder in Norway.

Dreaming of The Peaceful Ways: An Evaluation of The Indonesian Deradicalisation Program

The Indonesian deradicalization program conducted by Indonesian National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) comes under public scrutiny due the number of terrorist recidivism with a total of 47 individuals during 2018 until 2020. This indicates that the ongoing deradicalization program has not been successful and effective and it requires a massive change across all levels. This article aims to analyse the Indonesian deradicalization programs which has been adopting the peacemaking criminology approach and how it is implemented. Employing a qualitative study through desk research and informal interviews as the data collection techniques, this article examines various problems and challenges that are hampering the peacemaking-based deradicalization programs in Indonesia, including the problem of database on the ex-convicts, methods of approach and assessment, reliance on the top-down approach conducted by government institutions, pandemic challenges, and inconsistencies with the legal or judicial aspects. Adapting to the social change approach by including the involvement of the non-government stakeholders is important for deradicalization program to work. This article recommends that the evaluation of deradicalization policies in Indonesia should consider the re-focusing of deradicalization goals by aiming at behavioural changes rather than mindset and ideological changes, incorporating gender aspects in deradicalization programs, research-based programs formulation based on intersecting multidiscipline research fields and the possibility for the deradicalization as well as disengagement privatization programs to increase the effectiveness and reduce inefficiency.

Application Of Appropriate Technology For Automatic Bird Pest Removal And Automatic Fish Feed In The Minapadi System In Beutong Nagan Raya District

The purpose of this research-based service program is to apply the research results of the proposing team's research for community empowerment. The application of the research results was carried out on the program of application of appropriate technology for automatic fish feed and automatic bird repellent on the Minapadi jajar legowo system which is a system of planting rice with fish cultivation in one rice field area simultaneously and the jajar legowo planting system with a spacing of 25 cm . The technology used is automatic feeding and automatic bird repellent. Automatic feeding is done by using a mini water pump that has been modified with the help of a digital timer so that the feed automatically dispenses the feed at the time we specify, which is 3 times a day. The second technology is automatic bird repellent using extracts of herbal ingredients (jengkol) with the help of an automatic sprayer. This technology aims to increase the income of farmers with high productivity of rice yields and increase local fish production. The activity was carried out for 5 months in Beutong Nagan Raya District. The observed results include the feed that comes out of the automatic device as much as 15 gr/second, adjusted for the number and weight of fish. Meanwhile, the air pollution that comes out every 10 minutes is 5 units in a 25m2 plot.

Experiences of Students, Teachers, and Parents Participating in an Inclusive, School-Based Informal Engineering Education Program

Many youth on the autism spectrum possess interests and strengths for STEM-related postsecondary pathways, yet there are few research-based programs to support those interests and competencies including complex problem solving and social communication. This qualitative study explored the experiences and perceived outcomes of students, teachers, and parents participating in an inclusive, strength-based, extracurricular engineering design program entitled the IDEAS Maker Club. Twenty-six students, 13 parents, and nine teachers in the program completed interviews and program logs while researchers conducted classroom observations over 2 years. Thematic analysis identified five common themes: (1) positive student experience and engagement, (2) skills acquisition, (3) development of interest in STEM and related careers, (4) social relationships and community, and (5) safe spaces that supported self-determination.

K-12 Educators’ Perceived Support of English Learners’ Education.

K-12 Educators’ Perceived Support of English Learners’ Education. Kennedy O. Ongaga, Ph.D.; Rebecca Y. Stallings, M.H.S.; Mary M. Ombonga, Ph.D. Abstract The current study used a survey design to examine educators‟ perceptions of district and schools‟ support of English Learners‟ (ELs‟) education in a large midwest school district in the U.S. Participants included 16 elementary and secondary school principals and 61 staff working directly with EL students. Results revealed that participants perceived only moderate support for the education of ELs at the district level. At the building level, principals were perceived to be strongly supportive of the educational needs of EL students. However, high school educators rated principals‟ support lower than K-8 educators. Participants were moderately favorable towards schools‟ practices to involve the community in support of ELs and their families. Female educators rated schools lower on the scale of involving the community than their male counterparts. Given the upsurge of EL students in U.S. schools, there is an urgent need for districts and school leaders to prioritize research-based programs and practices that have the potential to improve teachers‟ pedagogical skills and the educational outcomes and experiences of ELs. Full Text: PDF DOI: 10.15640/jehd.v10n1a1

A Narrative Inquiry into a Newcomer School Principal’s Professional Development for ELLs

This paper employs narrative inquiry (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000) as the methodology to uncover a school principal’s experiences and perceptions related to ELL teacher professional development. It recognizes educators’ personal practical knowledge as the greatest driving force in their professional growth. Through reflecting on her professional development experiences and narrating her personal practical knowledge in action, this study has provided some practical considerations in designing and enacting ELL teacher professional development. More often than not, teacher professional development focuses on the “best practices” and “research-based programs,” but provides little input from the recipients about their experiences and perspectives. This study strives to break this prevalent model of professional development by gearing towards how an educator/administrator perceives the problems in teacher professional development for ELLs and how to best address their problems. It is hopeful that this study will shed important light on how to construct positive professional development that benefits teachers and ELL students both theoretically and practically.