Small School Research Articles

Spatiotemporal Distribution of Small Pelagic Fish Schools in the Western Algerian Coast

Spatiotemporal Distribution of Small Pelagic Fish Schools in the Western Algerian Coast

A Pioneer in Caribbean History: Franklin Knight Reflects on Cuba

Lillian: Let's start with you telling a little about yourself.Franklin: I was born in 1942 in Jamaica. I went to elementary school, of course, and took the mandatory “Eleven-Plus” general examination in 1953. I then left elementary school and for a year attended a small private high school with my two older brothers. The school system was a little different from the United States. I know that well, because when I came here and told a group of Wisconsin school kids that I had spent six years in high school, they said, “You must have been very dumb.” To which I replied that “that was not the opinion of my teachers.” I didn't realize then that in the United States students spend four years in high school. In Jamaica we spend six, combining middle and high school years. You get in at age 12 or 13 and graduate at 18 or 19.

Hunting of the Reef Needlefish Strongylura incisa (Belonidae) for Small Schooling Pelagic Fishes on Shallow Lagoonal Reefs of Innafushi Mini-Atoll (Indian Ocean, Maldives, Ari Atoll)

The tactics of the reef needlefish Strongylura incisa while hunting for small schooling pelagic fishes is described and photographically documented for the first time. Small flocks of reef needlefish enter the lagoon of the mini-atoll through passages in the reef at the beginning of the tide to hunt small schooling pelagic fishes, which move over the reef into the lagoon of the mini-atoll. In the lagoon, needlefish spread, and part of the flock (only a few) enter the reef itself, while the main part of the flock continues to move along the edge of the lagoonal reef in the direction of schools of small pelagic fishes moving through the reef and cuts the schools into supra-reef and lagoonal parts. Then the reef needlefish move onto the reef and begin to solitary hunt prey at a depth of only 10–15 cm. At such an insignificant depth a school of small pelagic fish loses the ability to turn synchronously. When attacking by a reef needlefish, members of the former school make individual chaotic movements and thereby become easier prey for the needlefish. However, hunting in shallow reef waters poses risks of collision with coral branches on the bottom for the reef needlefish.

Exploring the integrated pedagogical model of training of educational counseling management skills, intended for primary education teachers: experimental research

The article represents an experimental study of the implementation of the Integrated Pedagogical Model for the training of educational counseling management skills, developed based on the determination of the theoretical foun-dations, the establishment of the dimensions and values of the management of educational counseling of students and parents in primary education. The approach to training managerial skills in the educational counseling of teachers at the level of knowledge, application and integration is elucidated, the results obtained in the pedagogical experiment are analyzed and interpreted.At the same time, the article summarizes the training actions carried out, the results of the synthesis test, carried out six months after the basic research and the satisfaction of the parents following the educational advisors regarding the family education of children of small school age. The fact of the functionality of the training program and the implemented pedagogical model is mentioned

Earth worlds and Indigenous dream-making: A reflection on teaching for beauty, repair, and balance

Based on long-term educational relationships with Indigenous communities in Peru, the U.S., and Canada, this article reflects on place-based Indigenous education in and out-of-school. From small community-based schools to tribal tertiary learning spaces, Indigenous educational leaders counter schooling as an instrument of coloniality/modernity by centering their knowledges toward relationships of interdependence for good human and planetary living. Confronting ontic and epistemic threats, Indigenous educators and students energize educational design and practice. I propose these processes as Indigenous dream-making, the daily work of honoring the beauty of Native earth worlds, repairing harms to the earth and her beings, and balancing difficult realities with good living. In this time of increased attention to sustainability in education and climate change action, bold Indigenous educational processes challenge human communities to learn in and across earth worlds and to teach for compassionate interconnection that can supplant the course of destructive relentless development.

COVID-19’s Psychosocial Impact on American and Canadian Dental Students

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected dental education, contributing to adverse psychological outcomes, especially among dental students. In this cross-sectional study, the psychosocial state of American and Canadian dental students was explored, with special emphasis on affective, behavioral, and cognitive well-being, during and after the initial lockdown. Methods: Dental students were invited to participate in an online survey. The questions evaluated the pandemic’s effect on affective, behavioral, and cognitive responses, and learning experiences. Results: A total of 287 dental students completed the online survey. Sadness and anticipation were the strongest emotions experienced during and following the lockdown. Student worries were classified into external and internal stressors. Females demonstrated higher fear, students from larger dental schools held higher emotions of anticipation and disgust. American students held higher anticipation scores both during and following the lockdown. Canadian, third and fourth years, and students from small dental schools were more aware of which authority to contact if their patient, who presented for care, was suspected of COVID-19 infection which emphasizes the need for a preparedness protocol. Conclusions: More studies that explore the broader scope of psychological aspects are necessary. Monitoring and developing treatment strategies for emergent mental conditions among dental students is extremely important in pandemic crisis management. The study highlights the need for development of standardized protocols and pandemic related health education topics as well as psychological interventions to better prepare dental students globally during the time of crisis.

Components and Indicators of Participation in the Implementation of Quality Assurance of Small Schools Under the Office of the Basic Education Commission

The objectives of this research were to: 1) exploring the components and indicators of stakeholder participation in quality assurance practices of small schools under the supervision of the Basic Education Commission, and 2) evaluating and validating these components and indicators. The research consisted of two phases: 1) conducting a theoretical study that involved reviewing relevant literature, documents, and research studies on participation in the educational assurance process, and 2) conducting a focus group discussion with a qualified panel of 9 individuals to assess and validate the components and indicators. The research instruments included recording forms, assessment forms, audio recording devices, and cameras. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, content analysis, and narrative analysis. The findings of the study revealed the following:
 
 1. The components and indicators of stakeholder participation in quality assurance practices of small schools under the supervision of the Basic Education Commission consisted of five components and thirteen indicators. These components were: 1) strategic planning involvement with three indicators, 2) decision-making involvement with three indicators, 3) operational involvement with two indicators, 4) benefits realization involvement with two indicators, and 5) monitoring involvement with three indicators.
 
 2. The focus group discussion yielded valuable suggestions and evaluations from the panel of 9 qualified individuals. The average scores of the experts’ opinions for all components and their respective indicators were rated at the highest level. Based on the feedback received, the researcher refined the components and indicators of educational assurance participation, resulting in a final set of five components and thirteen indicators.

Nurturing interdisciplinary practice in small secondary schools

Nurturing interdisciplinary practice in small secondary schools

Embracing a Trauma-Sensitive Approach

One pathway to creating more equitable schooling is through schools becoming trauma sensitive. Students exposed to trauma are more likely to struggle in school compared to their non-trauma-exposed peers. Changing the school environment allows trauma-exposed students more opportunities to access academics. This qualitative study explores the practices and strategies employed by one elementary school (K–5) to become trauma sensitive. Based on the data, five subthemes emerged that coalesce around the overarching theme of creating a caring community to achieve a trauma-sensitive school. For the purposes of this study, a caring community is defined as a group of people sharing a common workplace who have a true interest in the well-being of others in the community. The five subthemes include (1) the faculty’s commitment to creating a safe school, (2) intentional school design to foster support (covered in Ballin, 2022), (3) a commitment to engaging families, (4) a desire to make school fun, and (5) the principal’s support of the school community. By embracing practices aligned with trauma-sensitive schooling, this small school changed the learning environment to give more children chances for success despite current and past traumatic experiences.

Effect of RISE Bundle implementation on school adoption of a student-centered return-to-learn program in Washington state.

Appropriate concussion care in school is vital for full recovery, but school return-to-learn (RTL) programs are lacking and vary in quality. Establishing student-centered RTL programs may reduce disparities in RTL care. To examine the effect of RISE Bundle (Return to Learn Implementation Bundle for Schools) implementation on high school adoption of a student-centered RTL program. A convenience sample of fourteen (4 rural and 10 urban) small and large Washington (WA) State public high schools were enrolled in a stepped-wedge study with baseline, end of study, and monthly measures over the 2021-2022 academic year. Schools identified an RTL champion who led RISE Bundle implementation in 6-week steps. Concussion knowledge and impact of RTL program on concussion care were examined. Ten schools (71.4%) successfully completed RISE Bundle implementation and established a functional RTL program. Self-reported concussion knowledge from RTL Champions increased post intervention. Establishing RTL programs facilitated provision of tailored accommodations, and perceived variation and inequities in RTL care were reduced. RISE Bundle implementation proved feasible, supported the establishment of a functional RTL program, and perceived to reduce disparities in concussion care in rural and urban WA State public high schools of varying sizes.

Exploring the demographics of teachers who experience secondary traumatic stress

BackgroundOver the last decade, the prevalence of childhood and adolescent trauma has continued to gain public notice, forcing educational systems to explore the impact of these traumas on students, teachers, and schools. Some have implemented trauma-informed practices that are purported to be effective for supporting students in classrooms. Researchers have explored the possibility of its adverse effect on teachers as secondary traumatic stress. This study aimed to explore Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) in classroom teachers in one small urban school district. STS is said to capture how professionals working closely with traumatized populations are impacted by witnessing their clients' experiences. This phenomenon has adversely affected attrition in other helping professions yet is only recently the focus of educational research.MethodsThe author administered an attitudinal survey to measure levels of STS in one small, urban school district in the U.S. The population sample in this study mirrored that of the district's population and that of national demographics of teachers in the U.S. Descriptive statistics were used to run regression analysis against the STS data.ResultsThe findings showed that most teachers experience STS levels within the normal range. White, working-class elementary school teachers experienced higher levels of STS than their K-12 classroom teacher peers.ImplicationsThe results support a need to continue research on the impact of STS on teachers. Further investigations could inform teacher preparation programs and professional development to identify practices that can help mitigate STS in teachers.

THEORETICAL MODELS FOR DESIGNING SMALL SCHOOLS IN KAZAKHSTAN

The article traced the formation of the layout of small educational facilities built in the period from the second half of the XIX century to the beginning of the XXI century. As a result, theoretical models of new types of compact, ergonomic educational environment, which can serve for further study and application as concepts for the design of modern small schools in small villages of Kazakhstan, were developed.

Awareness of Beneficiaries on the School–On-Air (SOA) Program of the Department of Agriculture on Halal Goat Production in Maguindanao

The study was conducted to evaluate and assessed the evident of awareness of beneficiaries on the School on Air (SOA) program on Halal Goat Production of the Department of Agriculture – Maguindanao, BARMM. It was conducted in the province of Maguindanao, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Specifically, it covered six (5) municipalities with one hundred eighty (100) goat raisers who also participated in the Halal Small Ruminant School on the Air Program.
 Results showed that majority of the respondents/goat raisers have high level of awareness on the Halal Goat program based on their responses to the different survey parameters. Many of them also disclosed that thru Halal goat school on the air program their knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA) were enhanced and improved.On the other hand, some of the respondents also observed some gaps and issues in the program implementation, however, they also indicated recommendations for the improvement of future programming. Among them were, use of bilingual in the delivery of relevant information, especially to the rural farmers, regular monitoring of DA technical experts/personnel to their farms and careful use of the word “halal” which, according to them, must be supported by corresponding verses from the holy Quran whenever possible.

THE MODEL OF A NEW UKRAINIAN RURAL SCHOOL AS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR THE FUTURE

A small rural school has several orders of magnitude and fewer possibilities for meeting educational goals. The remoteness of settlements from scientific centers, the worse level of provision of the educational and material base, and the level of professional training of teachers, which does not always meet the requirements of work, caused this. A small school is not only to give students a sum of knowledge on the basics of science but also to teach them to think creatively, avoiding templates. The time under martial law in which our children are growing up is difficult. In today's whirlwind, adults can't always withstand enormous stress, so we rarely think about how our children live now. For those, we meet occasionally and for whom we are accountable to their parents and society. Education in rural schools is a cornerstone for discussion, and not only in our country. The debate continues, but in most cases, the arguments are not in favor of supporting small rural schools with small classes when there is an alternative at a reasonable distance. Rural schools in Ukraine, despite their high cost, cannot provide quality and affordable education services. The availability of premises and a few students in a class are all advantages of rural education. Success in rural areas significantly lags indicators of success in the city. And the results of the External Independent Evaluation (ZNO), both at the national level and in individual regions, confirm this every year. According to international experience and research, the most acceptable method of reform is school network optimization and the preservation of small schools only in remote, physically isolated communities, where it is simply impossible to transport students and teachers to school in an acceptable period. Optimization makes it possible to use funds and improves the quality of education in rural areas.

초중고 영양교사의 근무시간과 학교 배치 기준 제안 연구

The purpose of this study is to analyze the working hours of nutrition teachers to suggest the school placement criteria. the results are as follows.
 First, as a result of analyzing the working hours answered by a total of 3,565 nutrition teachers, it was found that nutrition teachers worked an average of 11.14 hours a day. Nutrition management occupied 6.17 hours (55.38%), administration 3.46 hours (31.04%), and education and counseling 1.51 hours (13.59%). Second, there was no difference in working hours among elementary, middle, and high schools, but nutrition teachers working in large cities had longer work hours than nutrition teachers working at schools in towns and villages. Third, as the number of classes increased, daily working hours of nutrition teachers increased, and nutrition teachers working at schools with 36 or more classes showed more working hours than those working at smaller schools. Accordingly, it would like to suggest more than 36 classes and more than 750 students as the main criteria for increase and support of nutrition teachers.

Accessibility of Primary Schools in Rural Areas and the Impact of Topography: A Case Study in Nanjiang County, China

In recent years, many developing countries have consolidated rural primary schools, closed small community schools, and enlarged centralized schools, which can reduce the accessibility of education to many communities. Meanwhile, expanding road networks may enable people in far-flung communities to access schools more easily. To evaluate the impacts of both trends on spatial justice in access to education, it is important to examine spatial patterns of primary school accessibility and their predictors. How do the topographic features of villages and surrounding landscapes correlate with primary school accessibility in rural upland areas? Using a digital map route planning application, this study evaluates the primary school accessibility of each village in Nanjiang County, a mountainous county in southwest China. By evaluating relationships between primary school accessibility and village characteristics, this study provides evidence corroborating frequent claims that rural remote mountainous areas have poor primary school accessibility. Additionally, by analyzing the effects of elevation and ruggedness of villages and of the zone between villages and schools as well as the mechanisms driving these effects, we find that, contrary to expectations, with increasing village elevation, a village’s primary school accessibility first decreases and then increases. The ruggedness of the terrain upon which a village is built has no significant effect. The ruggedness of the zone between a village and its nearest school exerts significant effects. These findings demonstrate that the two policies have created a pattern of spatial injustice that disadvantages peripheral villages, illustrating the need to attend to topography in efforts to provide equitable school access in rural mountainous areas.

AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF COLLABORATIVE CULTURE AS A MODEL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR IN GREEK PRIMARY SCHOOLS

The investigation of the collaborative culture in Greek primary schools with an emphasis put on Small rural and Urban all-day primary schools was the basis for conducting the study. The main purpose of the study is to highlight the ways in which teachers in everyday school practice act and shape school collaborative culture, so that if a redefinition of their role is required, feedback to focus their interest on the effectiveness of their schools of responsibility. The scope of the survey was the total number of teachers (N=782) in randomly selected primary schools in the country. The research tool used was the School Culture Survey - Teacher Form (S.C.S.-T.F.) questionnaire which evaluates and records the teachers' views on the six dimensions (collaborative leadership, teacher collaboration, professional development, unity of purpose, collegial support and learning partnership) that shape the model of collaborative school culture. The findings demonstrate that teachers adopt the model of collaborative culture to a relatively satisfactory degree, applying several forms of collaborative behavior, as illustrated by the descriptive analysis. The analysis of One-way variance (ANOVA), between the factors of the collaborative school culture in relation to the variable “Position in the school unit” revealed the existence of a significant difference for the “collaborative leadership”, “professional development”, “unity of purpose”, “collegial support” and “learning partnership” factors, while, there was no significant differentiation for the “teacher collaboration” factor. In addition, the analysis of ANOVA between collaborative school culture in relation to the variable "geographical location of the school unit” revealed the existence of a significant difference only for the “collaborative leadership”, “teacher collaboration” and “collegial support” factors. Via Independent Samples T-test, the comparative study of relationships between the factors of the collaborative culture in the two types of schools revealed the existence of a significant differentiation for “collaborative leadership” and “collegial support”, while no significant difference was observed for the other factors of collaborative school culture. Of course, the observed forms of collaboration do not support the existence of a genuine collaborative culture, however, they lay the foundations for the development of more meaningful partnerships.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0005/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

A Story of School and Nature

When I founded a small democratic school in New York City 12 years ago, I was not aware of the term outdoor education, let alone how to offer it in the middle of Manhattan! All I wanted was a place where children were trusted to direct their own learning in pursuit of their own happiness. We simply provided a loving, peaceful space for the children to be and intentionally left it for their brilliant minds and bright souls to chart our course. I share our story of how, and possibly why, the children turned their school into an outdoor school, with the hope that it inspires the creation of more such programs and that, in turn, they serve to challenge the prevalent disconnect between school and nature.

Implementation of Problem-Based Learning Strategies in instilling Disciplined Attitudes of Students in Class V of Ogotulo Small Remote Elementary School, Sidoan District Parigi Moutong Regency

Discipline that is applied should be socialized consistently by teachers to students by providing an understanding of the importance of discipline in learning to be able to achieve optimal results, through coaching. In this regard, the description in this study departs from problem-based learning strategies in instilling a disciplined attitude of students in Class V of Ogotulo Small Remote Elementary School, Kec. Sidoan Kab. Parigi Moutong.The purpose of this study was to find out the form of implementation of problem-based learning strategies in instilling a disciplined attitude of students in Class V of Ogotulo Remote Small Elementary School, the constraints of problem-based learning strategies in instilling a disciplined attitude of students in Class V of Ogotulo Remote Small Elementary School, and strategic solutions problem-based learning in instilling a disciplined attitude of students in Class V of Ogotulo Small Remote Elementary School, Kec. Sidoan Kab. Parigi Moutong.This research uses descriptive research with a qualitative approach, data collection techniques through interviews, observation, and documentation studies, data analysis techniques used are data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing, so that the data analysis techniques are inductive, deductive, and comparative.The results showed that the implementation of problem-based learning strategies in instilling discipline in students in Class V of Ogotulo Small Remote Elementary School included: (a) the teacher raised problems, (b) students chose problems to be discussed, (c) stages of the process of scientific thinking, (d) collect data, (e) students read, study, and discuss data, (f) solve problems, (g) prepare reports, and (h) analyze and evaluate. Obstacles to problem-based learning strategies in instilling student discipline in Class V of Ogotulo Small Remote Elementary School include: (a) students do not have interest, (b) it takes quite a long time, (c) lack of time, (d) the teacher has not accustomed, (e) students tend to be passive, and (f) conventional learning. Solutions to overcome the obstacles to problem-based learning strategies in instilling student discipline in Class V of Ogotulo Small Remote Elementary School, namely: (a) the teacher becomes a facilitator, (b) students learn in depth, (c) students understand violations of regulations, and (d) the teacher guides students.

소규모학교의 고교학점제에 대한 교원 및 전문가 인식 분석

Objectives This study attempted to explore the effective operation plan of the high school credit system in small schools through in-depth interviews with teachers and experts on the difficulty of operating the high school credit system in small schools by G Office of Education following the introduction of the high school credit system.
 Methods To this end, 1st to 9th in-depth interviews (May 2022 to September 2022) were conducted with teachers in charge of the high school credit system in small schools and professional education staff in charge (regional offices and provincial offices of education). In the first interview, the content of the interview between the person in charge of the high school credit system in a small school and the participants in the inter-school joint curriculum was intensively discussed. In the ninth interview, cases of joint education courses between local unit schools were discussed, and the interview materials were recorded and transcribed.
 Results G Through interview analysis on small school high school credit system operation cases, (1) course application and opening, (2) teacher supply and demand, (3) work increase, (4) academic schedule adjustment and travel distance between schools, (5) Opinions were identified in six aspects, including the use of school facilities and local resources, the formation of consensus, and the shift in perception. In addition, implications were derived by analyzing the current status of high school credit system operation in small schools, cases of joint curriculum operation between schools, demand for vitalization of joint curriculum between small schools, and demand operation model for vitalization of joint curriculum between small schools.
 Conclusions First, regional consultative bodies should be activated so that communication between teachers centered on the Office of Education becomes routine beyond exchanges at the level of current subject research associations in the region. Second, it is urgent to establish a human resource pool using external instructors and improve the stable supply of teachers. Third, the school work organization for the operation of the high school credit system must be reformed. Fourth, the principle of adequacy of the teacher's workload should be applied.