Small School Research Articles

Are business schools at small liberal arts universities cost prohibitive or cost savvy?

PurposeFinancial struggles affecting universities across the United States have caused debate about whether business schools are cost prohibitive or cost savvy, especially for small liberal arts universities that lack large endowments and are highly dependent upon student enrolment. In other words, are they too expensive for small schools to operate? The presence of a business school necessitates hiring business faculty with comparatively high salary expectations.Design/methodology/approachThis paper analyses the cost effectiveness of business schools at four small liberal arts universities.FindingsOur results show that cost is most strongly correlated with class size and adjunct instruction as opposed to faculty salaries.Research limitations/implicationsThus, class size and the implementation of adjunct instruction can make having a business school not only affordable but also advantageous.Practical implicationsBusiness schools offer a way for universities with missions centred around developing the whole person through a liberal arts education to remain a going concern in such a volatile climate.Originality/valueThis paper uses proprietary data to analyse the cost of faculty in different disciplines.

Examining the General Perceptions of the Parents on the Concept and Implementation of Central Schools in Bhutan

This paper attempts to examine the general perceptions of the Parents on the Concept and Implementation of Central Schools in Bhutan. These days we have mixed feelings on the implementation of central schools in Bhutan. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the level of perceptions of the parents on the implementation of Central Schools in Bhutan.
 The first section is the statement of the problem on the introduction of central schools in Bhutan. This is followed by the general-purpose and specific objectives of carrying out this study. In the next section, this paper presents the significances of carrying out the study and finally concludes with the main guiding question and sub-questions.
 The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. The sample consisted of more than 100 parents from three Gewogs of Samdrupjongkhar. The finding of the study revealed that with the coming of the Central schools, the other small schools are deprived of the facilities. Therefore, it is recommended that the facility has to be equally distributed and the current system of the detachment of lower campus from upper campus has to be continued.

Training Primary School Teachers to Organize Collective Forms of Work in Small Rural Schools

There appears to be an urgent need to improve the system of training qualified specialists for small schools who can respond to modern changes in education, meet socio-economic needs of the village, follow the major trends in the development of school theory and practice and creatively implement the acquired professional knowledge and skills under the conditions of small different age groups. The paper aims to determine pedagogical conditions, develop and theoretically justify a methodology for training future primary school teachers to organize collective forms of work in small rural schools and experimentally verify its effectiveness. The methodology for training future primary school teachers to organize collective forms of work in small rural schools involves acquiring the content of professional training in a specially modelled pedagogical environment by students during the whole period of university study. The following empirical methods were used: observations, surveys, expert assessment, an analysis of products of students’ creative activity, pedagogical experiment, methods of mathematical statistics (a chi-square (c2)) statistic). An analysis of the results obtained from the control experiment shows some positive dynamics in the readiness of future primary school teachers for this activity (the percentage of students with a creative-and-interpretive level has increased by 16%, whereas the number of students with a fragmentary-and-formal level has decreased by 17.1%), which proves the effectiveness of the developed methodology. The experimental work has significantly enriched the axiological potential of future teachers from small rural schools and developed their system of psycho-pedagogical knowledge about the organization of collective activities of pupils from different age groups, as well as their skills needed to plan, design and organize inter-age interaction in its various forms and conduct a reflective analysis of their pedagogical activity.

Classification and Influential Factors of Longitudinal Changes in the Below-Basic Academic Proficiency Level

본 연구에서는 초등학생과 중학생의 기초학력 미달이 종단적으로 변화하는 양상에 따라 잠재계층을 분류하고, 잠재계층 분류에 미치는 영향요인을 분석하였다. 이를 위해 『한국교육종단연구2013』의 1차년도부터 5차년도 데이터를 활용하여 잠재계층성장분석(LCGA: latent class growth analysis)과 3단계 접근법(3-step approach) 분석을 실시하였다. 잠재계층 분류 결과, 초기에는 기초학력 미달이 아니었다가 학년이 올라감에 따라 기초학력 미달로 바뀌는 ‘기초학력 미달 전환형’, 지속적으로 기초학력 미달에 해당하는 ‘기초학력 미달 유지형’, 지속적으로 기초학력 미달이 아닌 상태인 ‘기초학력 미달 무관형’의 3가지 유형으로 구분되었다. 주요 연구 결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 초·중학교 학생들의 학업성취수준 기초학력 미달 비율은 학년이 올라감에 따라 점점 증가하였다. 둘째, 학생들이 기초학력 미달로 전환되거나 기초학력 미달을 유지하는 데 있어, 학생의 성별, 학업 자아개념, 수업태도, 가정의 사회경제적 지위는 초등학교 5학년 때부터 중학교 3학년 때까지 지속적으로 유의미한 영향을 미쳤다. 셋째, 학생의 진로성숙도가 높을수록 기초학력 미달 전환형이나 기초학력 미달 유지형에 포함될 확률이 높은 것으로 나타났다. 넷째, 부모의 학업적 교육지원은 기초학력 미달 유지형으로 분류되는 데 있어 5개년 동안 지속적으로 영향을 미쳤다. 다섯째, 학생들은 중학교에 진학하게 되면 초등학교 때보다 학교의 영향을 더 많이 받는 경향을 보이는데, 교사가 개별화 수업방식을 많이 활용할수록, 교사의 성취압력과 열의가 높을수록, 학교폭력 경험이 적을수록 학생들이 기초학력 미달로 전환되거나 기초학력 미달을 유지할 확률은 낮아진다. 여섯째, 학생 수가 500명 이하인 소규모 중학교에 다니는 학생일수록 기초학력 미달 전환형과 기초학력 미달 유지형으로 분류될 확률이 높았다. 마지막으로 주요 연구결과를 중심으로 기초학력 미달을 방지하기 위한 정책적 시사점을 제시하였다.This study aimed to identify the latent classes depending on longitudinal changes in the below-basic academic proficiency levels of elementary and middle school students as well as to test the determinants of the classes. The data for this study was drawn from the Korean Education Longitudinal Study 2013 of the Korean Educational Development Institute and latent class growth analysis (LCGA) and the 3-step approach were employed as the analytic method. The results presented that students were classified into three latent classes: ‘Transition to Below-Basic’, ‘Maintenance of Below-Basic’, and ‘Irrelevance with Below-Basic’. The main findings are as follows. First, the percentage of students performing below-basic gradually increased. Second, students’ gender, academic self-concept, attitude in class, and family’s socio-economic status continuously and significantly influenced the possibility of being in the ‘Transition to Below-Basic’ or ‘Maintenance of Below-Basic’ groups from fifth grade to ninth grade. Third, the higher the student’s career maturity, the more likely they were to belong to these groups. Fourth, parents’ academic support for their children positively affected the possibility of being part of the ‘Irrelevance with Below-Basic’ group during the five years. Fifth, students tend to be influenced by school more in middle school than in elementary school. The more individualized the instruction the teacher utilized, the higher their achievement pressure and enthusiasm; additionally, students experiencing lower levels of school violence were less likely to belong to the ‘Transition to Below-Basic’ or ‘Maintenance of Below-Basic’ groups. Lastly, students who attend small middle schools were more prone to belong to the ‘Transition to Below-Basic’ or ‘Maintenance of Below-Basic’ groups. Based on these major research results, the policy implications for preventing below-basic academic proficiency were considered.

Plan of work of a social teacher in a school for suicide prevention

According to the suicidal state in the world, Kazakhstan ranks third after China and Russia. This situation among children and young people gives reason to think about the education of children in preschool age, especially in primary school. Starting from the youngest years, it is necessary to instill in their consciousness and sense of valuing their own life and the lives of others. In order to focus the attention of social educators on this problem, we offer a plan of work with students and their parents. An important way to overcome suicide and deviant behavior among adolescent children is, firstly, to provide preschool organizations with social teachers; secondly, to work with primary school students, to strengthen a separate social teacher; thirdly, to include an event on the prevention of suicide and deviant behavior among students in the work plan of a social teacher of small schools.

Building the Future with Architecture

AbstractThe Confluence Institute for Innovation and Creative Strategies in Architecture was founded by architect Odile Decq in Paris in 2014 as a small private school exempt from the usual politics and traditionalism of the French architectural academies and university institutions. As the name suggests, it is pedagogically constructed to encourage students to intensively and creatively interact with other disciplines – not just those typically associated with architecture, but also fields related to the body and the visual arts. Associate Professor Nicolas Hannequin examines its ethos and some of the work.

Capability Level and Development Priority of Learning Environment and Diversity of Learners’ Domain

Creating a conducive learning environment has been a target to build a supportive and peaceful classroom where diverse learners were engaged for them to learn better. This research analyzed the Teacher’s capability level in performing each objective and the lived experiences of teachers on the performance of the two domains. In this, a convergent parallel mixed-method research design was used in which both quantitative and qualitative methods were conducted simultaneously. Eighty-five (85) respondents in the quantitative part and sixteen (16) informants in qualitative part of a small school category of Tarragona District, Division of Davao Oriental. The researchers used a survey questionnaire which was adapted from Results based Performance Management System of 2018. Interviews and focus group discussions were also held. The majority of the respondents had the age bracket from 25 to 30 years old, with Teacher I regular permanent status, rendered from 0-3 years in service, and earned bachelor’s degree as highest educational attainment. Data analysis revealed that the Teacher’s capability level in performing each objective was high. Qualitative findings revealed that teachers managed classroom structuring properly; similarly, they ensure a well-ventilated classroom, arranged seats, and organized resources and instructional materials. The teachers managed and checked learners’ behavior; similarly, they set classroom rules, remind rules from time to time, impose positive reinforcement, and apply intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The teachers used differentiated, developmentally appropriate learning experiences; similarly, they gave tasks that were suited to the interest and learning capabilities of the students.

Combating the Coronavirus Pandemic in Small Schools

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of distance education in primary schools has become a much-discussed topic. It is therefore no surprise that the issues related to it have come to the forefront of many researchers. There is, however, at least one group that has stayed relatively unnoticed, and it is so-called small schools. Thus, we conducted a qualitative study based on the phenomenological approach, searching for answers to our research question: What has been the experience of the directors of small schools with distance education during the pandemic? Our findings offer an in-depth insight into the life of six schools through the eyes of their directors. Semi-structural interviews with school directors helped us reveal three key factors that, in our opinion, had the greatest influence on the form of distance education. These are (1) the factor of ICT competence of all actors, (2) the factor of organization of educational settings, and (3) the factor of the teaching methods and forms used in education. Furthermore, we conclude the result section with a subchapter that captures the positive aspects of distance education as perceived by the addressed school directors.

Physics Graduate Record Exam does not help applicants “stand out”

One argument for keeping the physics GRE is that it can help applicants who might otherwise be missed in the admissions process stand out. In this work, we evaluate whether this claim is supported by physics graduate school admissions decisions. We used admissions data from five PhD-granting physics departments over a 2-year period (N=2537) to see how the fraction of applicants admitted varied based on their physics GRE scores. We compared applicants with low GPAs to applicants with higher GPAs, applicants from large undergraduate universities to applicants from smaller undergraduate universities, and applicants from selective undergraduate institutions to applicants from less selective undergraduate institutions. We also performed a mediation and moderation analysis to provide statistical rigor and to better understand the previous relationships. We find that for applicants who might otherwise have been missed (e.g. have a low GPA or attended a small or less selective school) having a high physics GRE score did not seem to increase the applicant's chances of being admitted to the schools. However, having a low physics GRE score seemed to penalize otherwise competitive applicants. Thus, our work suggests that the physics GRE does not, in fact, help applicants who might otherwise be missed stand out.

Square peg in a round hole: are small private liberal arts higher education institutions prepared to implement lean operational and organizational methodologies to survive?

ABSTRACT The focus of this paper is to promote the awareness of higher-education administration and faculty of the opportunities presented by developing and implementing lean operational models in their institutions. The paper provides a brief account of the author’s observations of small liberal arts colleges that are operating in non-efficient models. It also provides an insight into the author’s experience with orchestrating organisational change which included multiple transformational projects over a significant period of years in corporate America. It also provides the reader with published information suggesting that lean implementation, while difficult to sell, makes sense in the small liberal arts’ higher education environment. The first finding is that many of these institutions are failing and not operating efficiently. Second, lean operational methodologies being deployed by many higher education entities, are successful. Third, operational and organisational change is difficult to sell within a very tradition-based environment, however, it is possibly a necessity to implement for survival. There is a significant opportunity for educational leaders to consider the implementation of lean operational models to promote the success of their organisations. Failure to achieve operational success may cause significant disruption to or even failure of small private liberal arts schools. Efficiently providing quality education is good for future generations by providing venues for potential success, and that is advantageous for society. Research exists considering lean operational methodologies in higher education. However, there is a lack of literature available focusing on the specifics of small private liberal arts colleges, their dilemmas, and their needs. There is a need for these schools to survive, so educational leaders should contemplate these suggestions.

The Implementation of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (Wash) in Schools of Zone 1 Division of Zambales

The objective of UNICEF in the area of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is to contribute to the realization of children’s rights to survival and development; increase equitable and sustainable access to, and use of safe water and basic sanitation services and promote improved personal hygiene. This study was conducted by the researchers to determine how the school management implements the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) In Schools Program in Zone 1 Division of Zambales, Philippines. The study also determined the challenges of the schools in the implement the WASH Program. The descriptive research design was utilized that helped determine the data gathering tool and the statistical tools to interpret and analyze the data collected from 672 respondents (school coordinators, parents and pupils). The instrument used to gather data is the questionnaire based on the instrument used by DepEd schools to evaluate the implementation of the program and how do schools address the challenges. The findings in the study revealed that the elementary schools in Zone 1 of the Division of Zambales are mostly small schools with an average enrolment of more than 300 pupils, with 13 teachers and 13 classrooms that are located along the highway. The parents, pupils and teacher- coordinators perceived that the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) program was implemented in their respective schools however there were seldom challenges they encountered so that the school coordinator perceived that they often practice mitigating strategies to implement the program. The study further revealed that there was low negative relationship between the implementation of WASH and challenges in its implementation as perceived by coordinator-respondents while a high positive correlation between the implementation of WASH and challenges in its implementation existed as perceived by the students. There was no significant relationship between the implementation of WASH and addressing challenges

Promoting education for sustainable development in the Maldives: Exploring the link between theory and practice

This article explores the critical role of education in promoting sustainable development in the Maldives context. It presents the outcomes of a small-scale project, Playing with Solar, implemented in a small island school in collaboration with the island community. Because of the environmental and educational principles embedded in this project, it is presented as one that prioritizes sustainable development, actively engages with the community, and aligns with the key competencies underpinning the Maldives National Curriculum Framework. The Playing with Solar project is an example of transformative pedagogy aligned with sustainable development. By promoting problem-based learning, the project shows how key competencies and pedagogical principles can be operationalized in line with National Curriculum Framework syllabi that promote interdisciplinary learning, in contrast to textbook-based, transmission models of teaching.

Is small beautiful? A scoping review of 21st-century research on small rural schools in Europe

Small rural schools in many countries have historically been viewed as less desirable than their larger urban counterparts, being treated less favourably in the policy arena and facing a risk of closure or amalgamation. Within Europe, they have been the focus of a range of research studies and have been defined in different ways, based mostly on the number of pupils enrolled (typically around 100), but also their geographical isolation or small number of staff. However, the last notable attempt to review the literature in this area was carried out over 10 years ago. Since then, there has been a large volume of research conducted in many European countries. This rigorous scoping review has brought together what we know from research (published in English since 2000) on small rural schools in Europe. The most common themes identified were school leadership, the importance of context (including education policy and school closures/amalgamations), and school-community relationships. Case studies and ethnographic qualitative methods were the most popular, with a stronger use made of theoretical frameworks since the previous review. Nonetheless, the current review found still significant gaps in the literature including an under-theorization of certain topics and a lack of research with children.

Spatial and temporal distribution of anchovy density in Inner Ambon Bay on dry season (December-February)

Inner Ambon Bay is a small pelagic fish fishing ground, especially anchovy. Anchovy plays important role in the skipjack fishery as live bait in Ambon city. Nevertheless, research for its resource management is rarely done. The aims of the research are to obtain information of density, vertical distribution and horizontal distribution of anchovy on Dry Season. Densities data of anchovy were collected using hydro-acoustic device at six parallel transect lines and one cross- parallel transect line. Geo-statistical analysis technique was used to describe horizontal distribution of anchovy meanwhile, to observe vertical distribution pattern, vertical anchovy data was plotted on the graph. Result shows that lower average density of anchovy was found in January while higher density was in February. On vertical distribution, anchovy was distributed from near surface to 35 m depth layer, but higher densities were found at 25 m depth layer in December and February respectively and in January at 30 m of depth layer. On horizontal distribution, lower density of anchovy occupies a large space, in contrast, higher density was in small fish schools occupy a small space and are scattered in given parts of Inner Ambon Bay but at differ locations between months.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARCHITECTURE OF FOLK SCHOOLS IN POLAND BETWEEN XIX –XX CENTURIES

The article analyzes the historical and cultural heritage of Polish rural public school architecture at the turn of the XIX and XX centuries. The evolution of the architecture of educational spaces in Poland, which took place under the influence of a combination of cultural and national traditions and a complex set of socio-political, socio-economic, internal and external factors, was considered. General concepts of styles of school facades, planning features of small schools, performed a spatial analysis of school spaces and identified its planning features.
 The architecture of Polish public schools in the second half of the 1920’s was largely influenced by the requirements of the new school reform accepted after the First World War. Elements that fit the postulates of school reform began to be used, but above all, it reflected conservative building traditions. Architects, in the spirit of the era, in the construction of school buildings referred to the ideas of modernism. The size and shape of windows has increased, corridors have expanded, toilets in schools have been designed, and even fountains for drinking water in school corridors. The size and number of classrooms and furnishings have also changed. As a result, it has formed a more comfortable and fully adapted modern school premises.
 The schools were built mainly on the initiative and funds of local communities and philanthropists. Most of the schools built during that period are still operational. The projects of these schools have developed interiors and provided typical layout of the school grounds, used advanced engineering, design and hygiene solutions that suited the spirit of the era and fully met the needs of teachers and students. That is why till now the Polish public schools are of great importance for the history of the Polish people and world architecture history.

New education at Stanmore Public School, Sydney 1919: the progressive image

ABSTRACT Visual evidence offered by a set of previously unexamined photographic images taken at Stanmore Public School in Sydney, Australia in 1919 informs this paper which considers the images’ purpose, construction, content, use, and reception. It endorses arguments that visual evidence combines with other sources to tell a richer history, and that images have potential to reveal history that otherwise might remain hidden. In the first two decades of the twentieth century, Australian educators participated enthusiastically in the worldwide movement for educational reform known as New Education. The state of New South Wales introduced new curricula and fresh methods of teaching. The Department of Education was proud of its achievements, and the photographs taken at Stanmore reflect, affirm, and promote the changes which had taken place during a period when educators were enthusiastic about making New Education available to all children in the state schools and not just to those in small private progressive schools. This situation would shift in the 1920s and 1930s. The photographs, in conjunction with other sources including archival school files, allow an approach to the school experience of small children in the Infants Department at Stanmore. The School, with the support of influential educators, consciously introduced Kindergarten and Montessori methods into newly refurbished classrooms and an expanded playground. The photographs represent both educational achievement and optimism for the future and fit well into a recently argued genre called “the progressive image”.

298 Sleep Stability and Academic Performance in College Students

Abstract Introduction There is considerable research demonstrating poor sleep patterns in college students; however, few studies actually examine sleep stability over a typical undergraduate career. Considering that the transition to college involves significant shifts in independence and potentially creating a foundation of lifelong behavioral patterns, it is important to identify whether these poor sleep patterns change throughout college. Additionally, studies show that shorter sleep duration predicts poorer academic performance. In the current study, it was expected that students would report poor sleep on average, and that poorer sleep would predict worse academic performance. Methods Participants included 27 full-time first-year undergraduate students who completed an online survey every spring for four years to examine sleep habits as part of a larger longitudinal study on the transition to college at a small liberal arts school. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to assess total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency, and quality; the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) was used to determine sleepiness. Semester GPA was obtained via college registrar records. Results Repeated measures ANOVAs revealed no differences in participants’ sleep variables (TST, sleep quality, sleep efficiency, and sleepiness) across all four time points. Average TST was 6.85 hours per night, and overall sleep quality (PSQI) was poor (M = 6.12). Mean sleep efficiency was 86.70%; mean ESS score was 5.35. Preliminary analyses revealed no significant differences between GPA values over the course of the four years; sleep factors did not predict GPA. Conclusion Overall, students reported short sleep, poor sleep quality, decent sleep efficiency, and borderline higher than normal daytime sleepiness. However, sleep factors and GPA were stable over all time points. These results suggest that poor sleep habits start early and continue throughout students’ college career, as opposed to developing throughout college, or starting out poor and improving. Surprisingly, preliminary results indicated that sleep factors did not predict academic performance. Limitations include subjective sleep assessments, limited testing, and small sample size; however, this longitudinal study sheds interesting light on the general sleep patterns of college students over the course of their entire academic career. Support (if any) None.

“Much more chewing”: a case study of resistance to school reform in rural New York during the early twentieth century

ABSTRACT Between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as the United States was transformed from an agrarian nation to an industrial one, significant changes in the nation’s economic, social, and political structures, and the challenges that ensued, led to a multitude of diverse reform movements and a surge of regulatory measures from the federal and state governments. State governments played a particularly significant role in education reform by establishing new standards and regulations and taking steps to implement them in the nation’s schools. State education officials often met with resistance to reform from the residents of small rural school districts, who had enjoyed a long history of local control and resented the state’s interference. Conflict became more complicated when the residents within a rural community differed among themselves about school reform. This historical study investigates and analyses two documented disputes between the New York State Education Department and two common school districts in the Town of Conklin, Broome County, which occurred during the early 1900s. The physical condition of the schoolhouses led to both conflicts, and rural school consolidation and community infighting were additional factors that marked the second dispute. Both cases highlight the forces of local democratic governance and the central authority of the state over local schools and its role in the process of school reform. The Conklin cases are discussed and analysed within the larger contexts of localism, state-local tensions during the Progressive Era, rural school consolidation, and the reform initiatives of the New York State Education Department during this historical period.

Psychological Characteristics Of Emotional Intelligence Formation In Small School Age

The article describes the results of a study of the formation of emotional intelligence in older preschool children. The definition of emotional intelligence is given, a two-level structural model of this concept is presented, as well as the model and methods of development and formation of emotional intelligence in preschoolers. From the earliest stage of life, children have a lot of emotions. They show various feelings such as anger, fear, joy, pride, shame, etc. This whole system of feelings forms the emotional sphere of human life. Emotions give children information about their condition and that of the other person. Positive emotions make children feel safe and secure. On the contrary, negative emotions signal danger and displeasure.

Facilitating differentiated instruction in a multi-grade setting: the case of a small school

Facilitating differentiated instruction in a multi-grade setting: the case of a small school