Real School Research Articles

Testing the Effectiveness of Retrieval-Based Learning in Naturalistic School Settings

While the learning benefits of retrieval activities have been clearly demonstrated in laboratory settings, evidence on their usefulness in naturalistic school settings is still scant. The goal of the present studies was to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of retrieval-based learning in children (fourth and sixth grades) when school teachers themselves design and implement retrieval activities relating to genuine curriculum contents. Three studies were conducted in a public elementary school with fourth and sixth graders and their teachers. Two of the studies involved mathematics and one dealt with social sciences. Teachers used learning activities that required students to recall part of previously taught concepts, while different concepts in the same unit were worked through with those learning activities that were normally used by each teacher. Two out of three studies revealed that, relative to business-as-usual learning activities, performing retrieval activities during classes led to better performance in the assessments at the end of the lessons. Overall, our finding provides preliminary evidence that retrieval activities can enhance learning in elementary school children when they are devised by teachers in the exercise of their professional duties. These results have important practical implications and suggest that, if teachers are aware of the value of retrieval activities in fostering meaningful learning, these activities could be successfully embedded in their daily duties even when considering the constraints imposed by school reality.

Student Teachers, Professional Development and Effectiveness: The Role of Resilience in Enhancing the Culture of Learning and Teaching

Student teachers in their initial teacher training get time to visit schools and observe and put various theories into practice. Practice teaching is the beginning of the journey towards professionalism. Yet many student teachers who visit schools in South Africa witness grim realities in different schools. Several South African education experts have written about two kinds of school systems; one is schools serving the affluent families whilst the other, numerous schools serve the indigent families and children who are faced with adversity in society. This case study examines the role of teachers in engendering hope and emotional strength among learners who face hardships. Exposed to challenging conditions in their practice teaching schools, the 10 student teachers tried to develop themselves as well as the learners through the fostering of resilience. The conclusions found that facilitating resilience among learners who face adversity is one powerful remedy in creating affable school climate and invitational classrooms. Teachers who instill this in their classrooms may have a long fulfilling career as teachers who are both life-long learners and professionally matured whilst their learners overcome their personal challenges as they face classrooms with emotional stability.

One-On-One Technology Mentoring for In-Service Teachers: The Experiences of Future ICT Coordinators

With the increasing demands of technology integration by the institutions, educators felt the need to develop themselves professionally. In this study, as a way of professional development, we focused on one-on-one technology mentoring for in-service teachers because the experiences of mentors would shed light on professional development programs in the context of both mentors’ progress and mentoring in-service teachers. Mentors for teachers were assigned to facilitate teachers’ ICT usage and ICT integration skills. The mentorship implementation lasted two semesters with 42 mentors’ participation. The determination of the content of the mentoring process was completely based on the needs and interests of the teachers. After the implementation, the perceptions and experiences of the mentors were asked and coded through content analysis. According to the analysis, the responses of the mentors were grouped into five main categories; (a) affordances of the technology mentoring process, (b) the contribution of the project to the teachers, (c) the contribution of the project to the mentors, (d) the challenges experienced by the mentors, and (e) the weaknesses of and the suggestions for the mentoring process. The findings of this study indicated that future ICT coordinators believed that one-on-one technology mentoring in real school settings is an effective way not only for training in-service teachers but also for creating awareness of being an ICT coordinator and developing ICT mentoring skills.

Characteristics of schools for girls: a case study

Single-sex schools account for a minimal percentage of alternative forms of education in Poland. Debates around such institutions focus on the issues of work efficiency in the context of academic achievements and dilemmas related to the social functioning of students. Most research on singlesex education is based on the positivist paradigm and uses quantitative methods. However, there are no monographic descriptions that consider the interpretative paradigm. In response to this gap, the author conducted a study of the culture of the girls’ school using qualitative methods – a case study based on the method of ethnography. The aim of the research was to conduct an in-depth study of a selected institution and describe its culture applying anthropology-based concept. I was interested in what image of the institution emerged based on individual interpretations of its members. The aim of the study. The main research questions concerned the specificity of the functioning of the staff in particular – the relations and key program assumptions. I tried to find out which aims are declaratively important and which are implemented by members of the school community. An important topic was also their perception of social relations and the style of working of the staff. The next task was to analyse and interpret the meanings that my interviewees attached to selected aspects of the school’s operation. The actions taken can be defined as constructing and reconstructing the model of the studied reality. The main aim of the analysis was to hear the “voice from the field” in order to understand better the meanings that the interlocutors attach to the everyday life at school. Research methods. The basic procedure for collecting data were interviews, partially structured and indepth, as well as observations of various school situations (both formal and informal). I interviewed parents, teachers, representatives of the board, and other school employees, I conducted focus group interviews (FGI) with students, I shadowed the headmaster, and analysed the documents. I used Atlas.ti software for the data analysis, which facilitated assigning and classification of codes and then combining them into broader categories. Conclusions and recommendations. Research has shown that adult respondents interpret the school reality in a similar way. Both parents and school employees emphasized the importance of values in constructing the school’s working style and the unique climate of families connected with the school. Social relations and emotions accompanying them were a significant problem, which on the one hand was a challenge for everyday work, and on the other hand, the expected style of functioning. The female character of the school manifested itself mainly in these dimensions. To a lesser extent, it was reflected in the style of work that would be in line with the stereotyped interests of the students. The results of the study apply to the specific case of the studied school. The methodology can be used many times in relation to any institution of this type.

School Bullying from Multiple Perspectives: "A Qualitative Study"

The study aim to identify the reality of school bullying from the perspective of the victims, bullies, educators, and workers in one of the private schools at Nablus city. The researchers employed the qualitative research method that was based on face-to-face interviews. Moreover, the age range of the selected sample was between 13-16 years old. The study's findings revealed the forms of bullying at the school, its causes, and the school policy to tackle it. Most of the results were characterized by having a problematic definition of "bullying." Moreover, the school was confused about dealing with bullying in all its forms, and there was a clear strategy to address the problem. The study recommend the necessity of school-based bullying prevention and treatment programs designed to reduce the bullying phenomenon at schools.

The quality of common rooms for 5–9 year old children in Polish schools

ABSTRACT The article presents the results of a large-scale Polish project aimed at examining the quality of early childhood education and care using the SACERS research tool. Although the SACERS scale consists of 47 items, this article focuses mainly on the data concerning the assessment of space and furnishings of 140 school common rooms in terms of the first subscale: ‘Space and Furnishings’. According to the SACERS, the results prove that the quality of space and furnishings in Polish school common rooms for 5–9-year-old children is inadequate. An in-depth study of one area shows that the child's need for privacy and the need to create and mark space are not satisfied. The furnishings for gross motor activities and the access to host facilities (e.g. a sports field, school library, canteen) are better. The research results show that the philosophy of organising space in the SACERS differs from the school reality. This article aims to help educational authorities, schools, and other subjects to maximise the use of educational environments. A multifaceted study conducted on a large sample provides empirical evidence in favour of the concern for the quality of school common rooms.

Enabling School Librarians to Serve as Instructional Leaders of Multiple Literacies

Research has demonstrated that school leaders have little to no understanding of the instructional leadership role of the school librarian and have received little to no training in how to lead this population (Lewis, 2018; 2019). Though the standards of the school library field state that school librarians should be equipped and able to serve as instructional leaders of multiple literacies in K-12 education, barriers exist that inhibit this from becoming a reality in many schools. One of these barriers is a lack of administrative support in the form of a district library supervisor to develop a vision for and provide support to the district’s school library program and its personnel. Very little research has been conducted to examine the support needs of in-service school librarians (Weeks et al., 2017), and no research has been conducted to explore how to equip existing leadership to effectively lead its population of school librarians in a school district that lacks an official district library supervisor. The purpose of this study is to explore how school district leaders can foster the development of an effective school library in which school librarians serve as instructional leaders of multiple literacies.

EDUCAÇÃO INCLUSIVA: LEGISLAÇÃO BRASILEIRA E A INCLUSÃO

Today the inclusion of students with disabilities is a reality in Brazilian schools, a right guaranteed by law. guaranteed by law. This article provides insight, through legislation, into the historical construction of inclusion, allowing the elucidation of concepts relevant to the education of people with disabilities. of inclusion, allowing the elucidation of concepts relevant to the education of people with disabilities in the regular school system. the education of people with disabilities in the regular school system. In addition, it allows us to perceive the history of school inclusion in Brazil in parallel with the historical vision of inclusion in the regular school system. in Brazil in parallel with the historical view of disability in the country, as well as to analyze if the legislation guarantees the effective inclusion of students with disabilities in the regular school system. legislation guarantees the effective inclusion of students with disabilities in the regular school system, as well as to regular school system, and also to reflect on the current laws that address inclusive education and their guidelines. The research used a qualitative literature review methodology, based on the legislation on inclusive education, the subject of the project. on inclusive education, the subject of the project. In addition, it was conditioned to the concept and vision of the main authors in the studies of this topic. the main authors of studies on this topic, such as Silva, Ferreira and Mantoan, which were conducted in journals, articles and the Internet. in journals, articles and internet. It is concluded that legislation, in spite of the advances and setbacks throughout history, is indispensable for the throughout history, is indispensable to guarantee and ensure the entry and permanence of these students in regular school, however, it is However, legislation alone does not guarantee the full inclusion of these students, since this depends on the However, legislation alone does not guarantee the full inclusion of these students, as it depends on numerous factors, including the involvement of the management team, teachers, and other and others responsible for pedagogical practice, as well as the elimination of barriers that may impede the full inclusion of these students. that may impede the full inclusion of these individuals in society.

Cross-cultural interactions in the context of teaching Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) as a second language in preschool

ABSTRACT In 2002, the Brazilian deaf communities’ struggles against academic failure and deaf student dropout won a linguistic policy: the LIBRAS Federal Law. This official law, regulated by Decree N.5626 in 2005, recognises LIBRAS as a national language and requires inclusive educational practices in a bilingual model in order to promote meaningful learning, interaction and participation of deaf students in all educational domains. Nearly two decades later, the Law N. 14.191/2021 has been published, establishing bilingual education for deaf people as a teaching modality on Guidelines and Bases of National Education. Despite these political movements towards an effective inclusive education, the daily reality in Brazilian schools shows there are still challenges to adopting an additive bilingual and cultural approach using LIBRAS. There are also challenges in developing fluid communication between deaf and hearing class members that would enable inclusion, collaboration and understanding of cultural differences in the educational domain. Combining ethnographic perspectives and theoretical discussion of inclusive-bilingual education in Brazil, this article describes interactions in an intercultural dialogue between deaf trainee teachers, hearing children and their hearing teacher in a second-language learning context (LIBRAS). Focussing on the ways in which relationships and communication processes are re-constructed by the participants, this study reveals different ways of representing deaf people and the learning of LIBRAS, highlighting a deterritorialised perspective from the children which moves freely between the ideological boundaries and linguistic and cultural limitations of the deaf and hearing adults.

Social and obstetric factors associated with the way of delivery: reality of a maternity school in the interior of the northeast

The study aims to identify the social and obstetric factors associated with the mode of delivery of postpartum women attending a public maternity hospital located in the interior of the state of Sergipe, in the northeast region. This is a cross-sectional study that included 1,149 postpartum women in the immediate period, carried out between November 2016 and December 2019, who underwent functional kinesiological assessment for physical therapy care. Descriptive analysis and binary logistic regression were performed using the mode of delivery as the dependent variable. The results showed that the prevalence of cesarean deliveries was of 49.24% (n=565). Most puerperal women were young, married, primiparous and with elementary education. Vaginal delivery was associated with postpartum women with married marital status (OR, 10.463; 95%CI, 2.367-46.254), multipregnancy (OR, 9.54; 95% CI, 7.19-12.65), multiparous (OR, 8.79; 95%CI, 6.66-11.62), with no pain (OR, 2.08; 95%CI, 1.63-2.65), no comorbidities (OR,1.69, 95%CI, 1.23-2.28), number of prenatal consultations from one to seven (OR, 1.534; 95%CI, 1.18-1.98), and without difficulty to breastfeed (OR, 1.373, 95%CI, 1.04-1.80). The cesarean delivery route was associated with abortion in primiparae (OR, 1.69; 95%CI, 1.192-2.415) and education at the elementary level. (OR, 2.99; 95%CI, 1.403-6.411). It is concluded that social factors (education level and marital status), obstetric factors (parity, number of pregnancies, comorbidities, obstetric care) and immediate puerperal complaints (pain and difficulty in breastfeeding) were associated with the modes of delivery.

International organizations and the technical and professional education networks in Latin America: A comparative analysis between Brazil and Mexico

This paper presents the results of a study that investigated technical and professional educational policies in both Brazil and Mexico, and the relations of these two countries with international networks of educational organizations. The focus is on the three international organizations that have had the most influence on public education policies in both Brazil and Mexico: UNEVOC, CINTERFOR/ILO, and REDUCA. Official documents, academic articles, and information available at the websites of the organizations were analyzed. The results indicate that the main objective of these networks has been the search for consensus around educational perspectives aimed at implementing models of technical and vocational professional education that meet the interests of entrepreneurs and the labor market. The results also indicate that the network activity of international organizations has contributed to consolidate educational standards, experiences and very pragmatic and restrictive instruments that directly impact the school realities of countries such as Mexico and Brazil.

Challenges in making school social work a reality in Brazilian schools

At the end of 2019, the presence of social workers became mandatory in Brazilian state-funded elementary schools. This brief note explores the challenges schools may have in translating the new legislation from paper to practice. The goal is to frame and advance the discourse of school social work in Brazil. Among other topics, this note discusses the role of social workers in educational environments in Brazil and identifies the barriers that may exist to the exercise of the profession in these institutional spaces. Ultimately, suggestions are made on how to develop effective social work interventions in Brazilian schools.

Pengaruh kreativitas dan profesionalisme terhadap kinerja guru Sekolah Menengah Pertama Negeri di kecamatan Trimurjo kabupaten Lampung Tengah

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of teacher creativity and professionalism on the performance of teachers in SMP Negeri in Trimurjo district, Central Lampung regency. Research methodology: The research design is quantitative research or verification research. The method used in this research is an ex post facto approach with a correlational design. The objects of this research are creativity, professionalism and teacher performance. The study population was the teachers at the State Junior High School in Trimurjo District, with a total sample of 63 respondents. The data collection technique used a questionnaire. The analytical tool used is descriptive analysis, simple linear regression analysis and multiple linear analysis with the SPSS program. Results: The results of hypothesis testing partially have a positive and significant effect on creativity on teacher performance. There is a positive and significant effect of teacher professionalism on performance. Simultaneously the creativity and professionalism of teachers together have a positive and significant effect on teacher performance. Limitations: This study is still not optimal due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so the authors cannot conduct face-to-face research and observe real school conditions. Contribution: The results of this study contribute to evaluating and improving the creativity and professionalism of teachers in Trimurjo.

#COVID#BACKTOSCHOOL: Qualitative study based on the voice of Portuguese adolescents.

Due to the COVID‐19 pandemic and the exponential increase in cases, educational institutions worldwide were forced to close, making way for digital learning. After a period of confinement and an online teaching methodology, a new school year has begun. However, this new school year included the application of a wide range of measures that transformed the educative setting. The present study aimed to understand the health consequences for adolescents and young adults (AYA) during the back to school period after the COVID‐19 lockdown. This mixed‐method study included 304 participants between 16 and 24 years old (M = 18.4, SD = 2.12), female (71.1%), Portuguese (90.8%) and students (85.2%). In general, it was with a pessimistic perspective that young people in general, particularly girls and university students, understood the new school reality postconfinement, the effects on friendship relations, leisure activities and physical activity. By demonstrating AYA's ability and competence to identify and expose their problems, this study intends to raise awareness of the need for their involvement in the issues that affect them.

Possibilities for re-envisioning the work of the teacher in early childhood education. Notes for a polyphonic and participatory university practice

ABSTRACT We analyse a training proposal in the Degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of Cantabria (Spain), which consists of the elaboration of a critical and collaboratively created dictionary of concepts identified as important by the participating students. Through enquiry projects in which they adopt the role of researchers, they construct new definitions that affirm the plurality of languages and diversity of experiences and knowledge that form part of the school reality. These three enquiry projects allow us to discuss the diverse professional models of early childhood education (the maternalistic assumption, the outcome pedagogy and the critical ecology of the profession). In addition, we describe and analyse the enquiry processes employed with a special focus on listening processes for the different voices (non-directivity or respect for ideas in their interpretation and representation) and the difficulties encountered. Finally, the proposal makes it possible to explore the political and structural implications of teacher training (the theory–practice relationship and the need for an integrated training model).

Transcultural Impact of Learning to Teach Sport Education on Preservice Teachers’ Perceived Teaching Competence, Autonomy, and Academic Motivation

Purpose: To compare the impact of the experience of learning to teach sport education on preservice teachers’ (from Spain, Chile, and Mexico) perceived professional competence, autonomy, and academic motivation and to explore participants’ perceptions of their country’s sociocultural and curricular aspects that may influence sport education implementation. Method: Framed by the “pedagogy of dialogue” and a “living the curriculum” approach, three consecutive miniseasons on alternative invasion games were enacted (n = 30 lessons). A quasi-experimental pre- and posttest mixed-methods design was followed, with a total of 163 preservice teachers. The quantitative data on preservice teachers’ teaching competence, autonomy, and academic motivation were collected through three validated questionnaires. Focus group interviews and field notes were used to gather qualitative information. Results: The main quantitative analysis exposed no relevant differences among the transcultural sample of preservice teachers related to the analyzed variables. Qualitative analysis showed the power of contextual factors to filter preservice teachers’ understanding of the model. Conclusions: The dialogical nature of the approach and the miniseason structure allowed the preservice teachers to achieve a better understanding of the pedagogy of sport education and to optimize their motivation to use it in the future. The rigidity of the national curriculum and the custodial nature of school reality, however, present strong barriers to this end.

Preferowana i rzeczywista codzienność szkolna w perspektywie uczniów

This study contains an analysis of school reality and refers to its perception by individuals directly engaged in it, namely the students (teachers’ perception has been excluded) who experience and face various situations occurring at school environment. The purpose of this project was to explore various aspects of school life from students’ perspective in actual and preferred terms. The research was carried out among 1,036 students of elementary school, from grade 4 to grade 7, and middle-school from grade 2 to grade 3. The research tool was TROFLEI questionnaire (Technology-Rich Outcomes-Focused Learning Environment Inventory). The study has enabled identification of those aspects of everyday school reality which are of utmost importance to the students. The results moreover revealed a gap between the actual and the preferred states for all characteristics between elementary school students and middle-school students. The study results suggest a change of teaching methods and styles in Polish school and rejection of the schematic approach to pay attention to students’ personal development and relationships between students themselves and between students and teachers. All that is a precondition for a friendly atmo[1]sphere at school and underpins a successful realization of its function.

Vulnerable and Forgotten: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Autism Special Schools in England

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused, and continues to cause, unprecedented disruption in England. The impact of the pandemic on the English education system has been significant, especially for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). While it was encouraging that the educational rights of children and young people with SEND were highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, Government decision-making appeared to be centered around the needs of pupils in mainstream schools. In this article, co-authored by an academic researcher and senior leaders from the Pan London Autism Schools Network (PLASN; a collective of special schools in London and the South East of England, catering for pupils on the autistic spectrum), we reflect on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on special schools in England. We document and discuss a range of challenges experienced by PLASN schools, including the educational inequalities that were exposed and perpetuated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the manner in which the needs and realities of special schools were overlooked by the Government. We also detail the creative and innovative solutions implemented by PLASN schools to overcome barriers that they encountered. These solutions centered on facilitating holistic approaches to support, ensuring clear and regular communication with families, providing effective support for home learning, and promoting collaborative ways of working; all of which align with good practice principles in autism education more generally, and are essential elements of practice to maintain post-pandemic. We additionally reflect on how the COVID-19 pandemic could be a catalyst for much-needed change to the SEND system: leading to better educational provision, and therefore better outcomes, for pupils with SEND.

Strategic planning from a focus on equity: myth to reality in schools

Guidelines related to strategic planning in educational centers are described, particularly in the Arturo Prat Chacón Cadet School (Chile), deepening from an equity-centered approach, starting with the Equity Continuum, this with the purpose of advancing towards strategic planning that promotes actions for a critical transformation in schools. From the methodological point of view, the research is situated, of a qualitative descriptive type, of a non-experimental nature, supported by documentary analysis with an instrumental case study. The research contributed to establishing indicators and descriptors that the educational center leader must consider in a strategic planning and implementation process that truly promotes equity, namely: Fluid and transparent communication with all members of the institution; understanding of the cultural differences that affect the lives and learning of the educational community; immersion in the culture and communities that make up the school; valuing the culture, heritage and experiences of the members that make up the educational community; timely attention to critical institutional nodes, where equity and social justice should be the pillars in the statement of objectives of the school.

Earth Observation as a Facilitator of Climate Change Education in Schools: The Teachers’ Perspectives

Climate change education (CCE) fosters the skills and behavioral patterns of students in regards to climate-related challenges and risks. Despite its importance, the integration of CCE in schools is challenging due to the interdisciplinary nature of climate science and the obstacles and demands of everyday school reality. Here, we examine the case of satellite Remote Sensing (RS) for Earth Observation (EO) as an innovative tool for facilitating CCE. We focus on Greece, a country that, despite being a hot spot for climate change, shows a low level of CCE integration in schools and awareness for EO-based educational resources. Based on interviews with in-service teachers, our research reveals the following: (a) there is a high interest in how satellites depict environmental phenomena; (b) EO is considered an efficient vehicle for promoting CCE in schools because it illustrates climate change impacts most effectively; (c) local natural disasters, such as intense forest fires and floods, are more familiar to students and, thus, preferable for teaching when compared to global issues, such as the greenhouse effect and sea level rise; and (d) educators are in favor of short, hands-on, EO-based activities (also known as “activity-shots”), as the most useful material format for integrating climate change topics in their everyday teaching practice.