School Resources Research Articles

An Urgent Need for School-Based Diversion Programs for Adolescent Substance Use: A Statewide Survey of School Personnel

PurposeThere has been growing interest in reserving punishment as a last resort to address substance use in schools. However, there is significant variability in adoption of alternative approaches. This study reported school personnel's perceptions of diversion programs, identified characteristics of schools/districts that currently have diversion programs, and defined barriers of implementation of diversion programs. MethodsOne hundred fifty six school stakeholders from Massachusetts' K-12 schools, including district administrators, principals and vice principals, school resource officers, guidance counselors, and nurses, completed a web-based survey in May–June 2020. Participants were recruited through e-mail distributed via professional listservs, direct school outreach, and community coalitions. The web survey queried beliefs, attitudes, and actions that schools take regarding substance use infractions as well as perceived barriers to implementing diversion programs. ResultsParticipants endorsed strong beliefs that punishment was an appropriate school response for student substance use, particularly for nontobacco-related infractions. Despite these personal beliefs, diversion programs were rated as more effective but less commonly used than punitive approaches (37% of respondents reported having diversion programs in their schools/districts vs. 85% used punitive approaches) (p < .03). Punishment was more likely to be used to respond to cannabis, alcohol, and other substances compared to tobacco (p < .02). Primary barriers of implementing diversion programs included funding, staff training, and parental support. DiscussionBased on school personnel perceptions, these findings lend further support for a transition away from punishment and toward more restorative alternatives. However, barriers to sustainability and equity were identified that warrant consideration when implementing diversion programs.

Student safety and casualty mitigation during an active school shooter simulation: an exploratory study

PurposeReducing fatalities and increasing the number of students able to remain safe during an active shooter event is paramount to the health and well-being of schools and communities. Yet, methodological limitations and ethical concerns have restricted prior research on security measures during school shooter lockdown drills. This study aims to fill that gap by using virtual reality (VR) to statistically examine the effectiveness of active shooter response protocols in a simulated high school.Design/methodology/approachUsing a full factorial, within-subjects experimental design, this exploratory investigation used VR technology to investigate whether automatic classroom door locks, centralized lockdown notifications and the presence of a school resource officer (SRO) significantly impacted student safety and casualty mitigation. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 37 individuals who volunteered to participate in 24 school shooter scenarios within a simulated virtual environment.FindingsMultiple one-way analysis of variances indicated significant main effects for automatic classroom door locks and SRO presence. Automatic locks yielded faster lockdown response times, and both factors were significantly associated with higher numbers of secured classrooms.Originality/valueFindings from the current study address the gap in existing literature regarding evidence-based school safety protocols and provide recommendations for using VR simulations to increase preparedness and reduce fatalities during an active school shooter event.

Effects of a single cash transfer on school re-enrollment during COVID-19 among vulnerable adolescent girls in Kenya: Randomized controlled trial

COVID-19 related school closures in Kenya were among the longest in Africa, putting older adolescent girls nearing the end of secondary school at risk of permanent dropout. Using a randomized-controlled trial we evaluated a logistically simple cash transfer intervention in urban areas designed to promote their return to school. There were no required conditions for receiving the transfer and the intervention is interpreted as a labeled cash transfer. It had substantial significant effects on re-enrollment of adolescent girls, with greater effectiveness for older girls and even for some not enrolled earlier in the school year. The program effectiveness demonstrates feasibility of the approach and underscores the potential importance of additional resources for schooling during the pandemic, when a large majority of households had suffered income losses.

Role of Reward System on Teacher Motivation in Public Secondary Schools in Ilala Municipality

This study sought to link performance, the level of teachers’ motivation and the reward systems existing in public secondary schools in Ilala Municipality. The study involved a total of 397 respondents including teachers, quality assurers, and heads of schools as key respondents to whom questionnaires and interviews were administered (only 20 participants were involved in the interview out of 397). Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study findings revealed that there was no relationship between the level of teachers’ motivation and the reward systems existing in public secondary schools. While the reward system such as timely salary payment, the existence of timely rewarding system with clear performance standards set for rewarding, and existence of fair opportunities for professional development among teachers are linked to performance. However, findings further revelaed that the majority of teachers were demotivated by factors such as lack of transport, office space, housing facilities, poor working conditions, such as, shortage of classrooms, which resulted into having packed classrooms. Other factors include unclear reward system and low salaries compared to other professions. It is recommended that rewarding systems should be clear and communicated to teachers. Ilala Municipality should ensure the availability of teachers houses in school proximity, adopting clear guidelines for rewarding teachers, ensure that teachers are paid reasonable salaries, improving teacher working environment such as ensuring availability of teaching resources in schools. It is also recommended that, future research should be expanded to other regions of Tanzania; and includes more variable; such as issues of workload, stress and stress management and mental health towards employees’ performance. The analysis techniques also should include multilevel analysis as it is expected to have groups and nested data. To conclude, the government should improve teaching and learning environment.

URBAN–RURAL DIFFERENCES IN PRIMARY SCHOOL RESOURCES IN CHINA: A CASE STUDY OF YUNCHENG COUNTY

Resources in primary schools can be classified into three types: campus, teaching, and community resources. Urban–rural differences in the resources of Chinese county schools, which are triggered by population migration and residents’ preference for high-quality schools, are a common phenomenon emerging in the context of rapid urbanization. Despite the negative effects of these resource differences on social sustainability and the increasing need to comprehensively analyze urban–rural differences in school resources, to date there has not been an effective analytical framework for resolving these issues. To address this research gap, this study develops a method using the entropy-based Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), spatial analysis, and statistical analysis for assessing resource equity in primary schools by means of the relative proximities of resources. The resource differences between urban and rural primary schools are quantitatively investigated through taking Yuncheng County as a case study. The urban–rural differences in the three types of resources are discovered and presented according to geographical location. The research findings make contributions to understanding the unbalanced distribution of school resources, promoting equity in education, and improving the social sustainability of counties. Additionally, the analytical framework has the potential to be extended to analyzing urban–rural resource differences in secondary or high schools.

Mapping of Educational Resources of Central Jakarta Junior High School

The problem of this research is that there are still many teachers who are not yet professional because teachers are the spearhead of a nation's progress. The purpose of this research is to find out the level of education, status, certification, and age of junior high school teachers in Central Jakarta. The population in this study were all teachers in Central Jakarta. Data collection techniques were carried out by means of documentation and questionnaires. In order to get an accurate assessment, the assessment of the results of the questionnaire is carried out with a descriptive quantitative assessment. The results of the study showed that there were still 194 high school level teachers, 633 auxiliary and honorary teachers, and 816 who had not been certified, and there was still a lack of young teachers. Based on the results of this study, it is suggested that public schools in Central Jakarta need to increase the level, status, and certification of teachers, and that there needs to be age consideration in accepting teachers.

Digital Resources’ Availability, Usage, and Sufficiency: Insights from Filipino Scientific Literacy Scores

This study examined how the Filipino science test scores in the Programme for International Student Assessment last 2018 are predicted by (a) gender and type of school as covariates, (b) availability of digital resources in school, and support for teachers’ digital instruction; and (c) availability and sufficiency of digital resources at learner’s home. These objectives are attained by following a descriptive-correlational design that utilized publicly accessible data of the PISA 2018 results on the OECD website. Findings of the regression analysis unveiled that sex did not conclusively predict the scores while learners from private institutions perform better. Additionally, the availability of digital resources in school and their sufficiency at home positively predicted the science scores, whereas the school’s support for teachers’ digital instruction and the availability of digital resources at home negatively predicted science scores. The availability and sufficiency of such digital devices for students at home were seemingly contradicting, hence, requiring further investigation in future studies. Keywords: Filipino learners, OECD, PISA 2018, science achievement, science learning

Coding activities in IT courses through the lenses of IT teachers

This study aims to evaluate the trend and frequency of coding/programming activities in Information Technology (IT) courses, according to different parameters. The study was conducted through a survey of a private IT (Information Technology) teachers in different levels (like primary, secondary, and high schools), with questions focusing on the extent to which coding/programming activities were integrated into their courses, the frequency of these activities, and the factors that influenced their use. The study also explored the relationship between teacher characteristics, such as their level of programming knowledge and teaching experience, and the use of coding/programming activities in their courses. According to the t-test results of the study showed that most IT teachers believed that coding/programming activities were important and useful for their students, but their use varied depending on factors such as gender, education status, age range, teacher experience, school resources, participating a programming training course and student interest. The study also found that the frequency of coding/programming activities varied across different IT courses, with some courses integrating these activities more frequently than others. The study provides insights into the current state of coding/programming activities in IT courses and highlights the need for further research to explore ways to better integrate these activities into IT education.

The Moderating Role of School Resources on the Relationship Between Student Socioeconomic Status and Social-Emotional Skills: Empirical Evidence from China

The Moderating Role of School Resources on the Relationship Between Student Socioeconomic Status and Social-Emotional Skills: Empirical Evidence from China

Ideological and Political Resources Service System Needs Analysis

The ideological and political education in universities has shifted from political courses to professional courses, and from teacher ideological and political education to full staff ideological and political education. Many departments and individuals at Beijing University of Technology have accumulated a certain amount of ideological and political resources. In order to achieve more centralized management and greater sharing of dispersed ideological and political resources, and to make ideological and political achievements more widely applied, the school needs an ideological and political resource service system. The establishment of a system helps to strengthen the management of ideological and political resources in schools and enhance individuals' knowledge level of ideological and political resources. It is crucial to implement a standardized and practical system and connect it with the ideological and political resources of different departments and individuals. This article focuses on the requirements analysis section of the ideological and political resource system, as requirements analysis is the cornerstone of almost all software design and development processes. Without a complete process of requirements research, analysis, and modeling, it is impossible to construct the basic architecture and functions of the software, resulting in the final designed software not meeting the user's usage requirements. A good requirement analysis will enable developers to have a more accurate understanding of the specific functions of the system, arrange development time and schedule, and thereby improve the usability of the system and the completion efficiency of developers. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the ideological and political resource service system from both functional and non-functional aspects, laying a solid foundation for subsequent design and implementation of the system.

Implementasi Manajemen Strategik Dalam Meningkatkan Mutu Pendidikan (Studi Pada Pada SMAS Widya Nusantara, Bekasi)

Strategic management is a process within the organization to assist and formulate what must be achieved in order to produce something of value. The position of strategic management in an organization is very important. Because the existence of strategic management produces a framework in overcoming every strategic problem within the organization, strategic management also makes an organization think strategically and think more innovatively. Solving a problem by Realizing and Thinking more distinctions built from a more thorough analysis, max will create a useful and fruitful result. As is the case with quality education, it will be carried out properly and usefully if the school implements the strategic management that has been formulated previously in accordance with the existing vision and mission. However, judging from the existing problems, such as the lack of school management at Widya Nusantara Bekasi Private High School. Therefore the authors are interested in conducting analysis or research with the aim of analyzing and analyzing profiles, implementation and evaluation of strategic management in an effort to improve the quality of education. This research is a qualitative descriptive study conducted at Widya Nusantara Private High School, Bekasi. This study conducted research subjects to school principals, vice principals, treasurers, administrative staff, school committees and teachers. In the technique of data collection is done through observation, and interviews. The results of this study indicate that the profile of Widya Nusantara Private High School, Bekasi drives a vision, mission, goals, objectives and profile of school resources. Strategy implementation at Widya Nusantara Private High School, Bekasi is carried out through internal and external school environmental activities which are described through the school's organizational structure, teamwork and division of school assignments, study days and times, financing assets, curriculum, school promotion, new student admissions, school culture , code of ethics, school virtues, geographical environment, demographics, cultural environment and community appreciation, government regulations, developments in science and technology, involvement of school committees, partner institutions, alumni and implementation strategies in an effort to meet national education standards. The evaluation at Widya Nusantara Private High School, Bekasi is carried out continuously by involving top management and all school personnel both in the short term and long term through school selfevaluation instruments, teachers and benchmarking to improve school performance and education quality.

Teachers’ Competence and its Influence on Effective Implementation of Competency Based Curriculum in Public Primary Schools in Machakos County, Kenya

The government of Kenyan with an aim of enhancing the system of education standardreplaced the 8.4.4 with 2.6.3.3.3. This crucial change was deemed necessary globally since it ensures development of current job market knowledge-based skills. The study’s purpose was to carry out an investigation on teachers’ competence and its influence on effective implementation of Competency Based Curriculum (CBC). The objectives of the study are: Establishing the teachers’ competence based on; values, attitudes, knowledge and skills; to find out the extent of CBC implementation; establishing the constraints hindering CBC effective implementation and to find out the attitudes of teachers towards CBC. Curriculum Implementation Theory by Gross, (1971) was used. Descriptive survey design was applied, and it targeted 79 public primary schools, 941 TSC teachers, 79 deputy head teachers and 79 head teachers in Machakos County. Target population was 20% and it entailed a sample size of 16 schools, 16 head teachers, 16 deputy head teachers and 188 public primary school teachers selected through stratified random sampling. An interview schedule, questionnaire and an observation checklist acted as the data collection tools. Piloting of the instruments of research took place in three selected public primary schools mainly to ensure objectives coverage and clarity of content. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were applied in field data collection. Quantitative analysis of data in descriptive statistics used percentages and frequency counts. Qualitative data analysis used a thematic approach which focused on research objective through description guided by the given responses. Representation of the report for analysis used frequency tables, pie charts and bar graphs. The study findings indicated that the yearly teachers’ in-service training was adequate. Various constraints hindered effective implementation and they included lack of enough learning and teaching materials and high teacher-pupil ratio .Several recommendations were made to MOE, KICD and TSC which include: In-service training to aid in creation of positive attitude towards the curriculum for its effective implementation should be organized by MOE; the ministry should also aim at ensuring adequacy of teaching and learning resources in schools; the increased enrolment in public school require government provision in building the classrooms and more teachers need to be employed by TSC to cater for increased teacher-pupil ratio. This will aid in effective implementation Competency Based Curriculum in Kenya.

Impact of school climate and resources on principal workload stress and job satisfaction: multinational evidence from TALIS 2018 data

PurposeThe research aimed to examine the effects of school climate (school violence and community engagement) and resources (staff shortages and resource shortages) on job satisfaction mediated by the workload stress of school principals, using pooled data from 47 jurisdictions around the world.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a rigorous secondary analysis of principal job satisfaction using the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018 dataset. The mediation analysis of structural equation modeling (SEM) performed using STATA software established a structured model by controlling region-fixed effect, principal demographic and school contextual characteristics.FindingsThis study established a model detailing the associations between school climate and resources and principal job satisfaction mediated by workload stress.Originality/valueGiven the crucial role of a school principal in leading school survival and success, this study may provide one timely method to enhance job satisfaction and performance of principals during a period of constant change marked by increasing job demands.

Fairness perceptions of educational inequality: the effects of self-interest and neoliberal orientations

The Australian education system features considerable socioeconomic inequality and is a frequent source of controversy in Australian public life. Yet meaningful reform to this system has proven elusive. In this article, we examine the public’s fairness perceptions of educational inequality based on parental financial capacity, using an online survey of adults (N = 1,999) from New South Wales, Australia. We asked about the fairness of inequality in school resources and education quality, and used a scenario in which students from high-income and low-income families had achievement gaps due to differences in educational experiences. Respondents had diverse perceptions about the fairness of educational inequality, but most perceived the scenario as unfair or very unfair. The partial proportional odds models showed that self-interest and neoliberal orientations predicted people’s fairness perceptions of educational inequality. The findings of this study have implications for achieving meaningful reform of the Australian education system that is in line with public opinion.

LEADERSHIP AMIDST THE PANDEMIC: EXPLORING THE EXPERIENCES OF SCHOOL HEADS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BASIC EDUCATION-LEARNING CONTINUITY PLAN (BE-LCP)

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented significant challenges to the educational system, necessitating rapid adaptation. To address this, the Department of Education implemented the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP), which focused on the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs) and entrusted its implementation to school principals. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to gain insight into the experiences of 33 public school heads in the City of Batac's Schools Division during the implementation of the BE-LCP, specifically how they demonstrated leadership by the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH) and the challenges they faced and practices they employed to overcome them.Structured interviews were conducted to collect data, which was analyzed using thematic analysis. The study revealed that the school heads demonstrated strategic leadership abilities, efficiently managed school operations and resources, and supported remote teaching and learning with the help of teachers and parents who served as learning facilitators, using printed modular learning and supplemental materials. However, the school administrators encountered difficulties with enrollment, introducing the new teaching method, staff involvement, accessibility of instructional resources, and collaboration with stakeholders. They overcame these obstacles with the help of parents, barangay authorities, the LGU, and other stakeholders.The school heads successfully implemented the BE-LCP, demonstrating their resilience and adaptability in coping with unusual conditions and ensuring uninterrupted education for their pupils. To ensure that learning continues despite challenges or crises in the future, it is recommended that school heads remain focused on the department's vision, mission, core values, and objectives, follow divisional standards, and adhere to their mantra.

The impact of school resources on student enrollment: an empirical investigation of different category public schools in Pakistan

The impact of school resources on student enrollment: an empirical investigation of different category public schools in Pakistan

Secondary School Learners’ Migration Impact in Urban Schools in South Africa

This study employed a qualitative research approach to explore the impact of learner migration in urban secondary schools of OR Tambo Inland District in the Eastern Cape Province, RSA. The study was triggered by the observation of increasing learner enrollment in urban schools whereas declining in rural schools. The study was grounded on the assumption that understanding the factors that contribute to learner migration will help to identify its impact and come up with ways of mitigating the situation. The study adopted an interpretive-constructive paradigm where a case study research design was employed. Verbatim accounts and natural meaning units were used to present and analyse data. The study found that there is an influx of learners from rural to urban schools. Learners migrate to urban schools in pursuit of better quality education in urban schools. This according to findings leads to overcrowded classes and shortages of resources in urban schools. The study recommended that attention be given to rural schools as they sometimes lack necessary resources like infrastructure and human resources. The study also recommended that urban school teachers be equipped with the necessary skills on how to deal with overcrowded classes. This research adds to the existing literature on learner migration. Keywords: Learner Migration, Overcrowded Classes, Quality Education, Rural Schools, Urban Schools

Influence of Teacher’s Self-Worth on Secondary School Learners’ Academic Performance in Kakamega County, Kenya

Teachers are charged with the responsibilities of leadership management in schools in Kenya. Teachers, as decision-makers, are continually faced with problems managing school resources and funds. Since principals have a lot of responsibilities, it is necessary that they be well informed on aspects of good leadership. Despite the government's efforts to ensure that there is effective management of schools, several cases of uninformed decision-making, poor leadership approaches, and dishonesty have been reported in several learning institutions, which may influence the final academic performance of the learners. Some of the substandard academic students’ performance has been linked to the lack of self-efficacy of teachers in their profession. Self-efficacy is one of the eight core competencies in the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Other studies have addressed the issue of teacher leadership approaches in schools, however. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the level to which teachers' self-efficacy affects learners' academic performance. The study adapted the non-experimental research design, which is the ex-post-facto survey research design and correlation research design. Data was collected through questionnaires, interview schedules, document analysis, and focus group discussion. Qualitative data was received in verbative, transcribed, and reported in themes and sub-themes. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages, while inferential statistics involved Pearson correlation. The study revealed a statistically significant result between components of teachers’ self-worth and secondary school learners’ academic performance (r=.68, p&lt;.05). The study recommends that school leaders, especially principals, should cooperate with teachers to create and reform the school environment so that it can foster students' interest in learning and improve their academic performance. In addition, school heads need to adopt a transformational leadership style—a kind of leadership that inspires people to attain greater or amazing outcomes.

Impact of American Education System under the Covid-19 Pandemic Period

With the specific change of COVID-19 influence, our society was facing a huge challenge in operating the several concepts, especially in educational field. This paper observes the extremely effects of the pandemic on the American educational system during the current three years, suggesting the specific changes in students achievement gaps, inequality of school resources, variety of pedagogical approaches and impacts on students mental and physical health. Besides, it also focuses on the differences of school structure, including class structure and teachers attitude to see if it mainly affect students learning under such unnormal circumstance. The results shows that the pandemic of COVID-19 definitely brought negative impacts on learners, especially for low-income families. Students with weak educational treatments before. For example, Hispanic, Black, and indigenous will face the increasing possibilities of loosing their educational chances due to the lack of school resources, difficulties in accepting new techniques and other problems that happened during the pandemic period. Based on these findings, our government can absolutely understand the problems and teaching needs faced by students under COVID-19 period, and better make corresponding plans to help more children get effective learning opportunities in a fair and equitable way.

Educational Inequality: The Role of Digital Learning Resources

The digital technologies employed in education have skyrocketed due to widespread online learning during the pandemic. Subsequently, the recent development has brought into question whether new digital learning resources online tools that students can use to supplement their learning challenge the century-old class inequality in education. As we return to face-to-face learning, it is critical to evaluate whether digital resources can be combined with conventional school resources to uplift students' academic achievement in low-income households. The methods of literature review of past papers and theoretical investigation are applied in this paper to discuss empirical observations and offer explanations. Sources of materials include the United States Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. By synthesizing classical Bourdieus theory of capital and a nascent digital pedagogical framework, the author finds that, contrary to popular clamor, digital learning resources are not benefiting the lower class significantly. In fact, digital inequality is emerging from three compounding factors: access, surroundings, and the self. By discussing the learning environment, parents' background, self-regulation, and motivation, this paper not only underscores the interacting components that amount to the corruption of meritocratic education but also advances the inquiry into online resources and possible future pathways for the empowerment of low-income students.