State Public Schools Research Articles

Stories of Bereavement: Examining Medical Students' Reflections on Loss and Grief.

In this qualitative study, we used thematic analysis to examine reflective essay data from students at a United States public medical school (N = 60). We sought to identify how students describe their experiences of loss and grief, as well as examine differences between students' responses to personal and professional loss. Students in both groups reported similar reactions with some expected differences: Students who experienced professional loss more often emphasized skills focused on helping patients' families. In accounts of personal loss, students appeared more focused on their own grief and helplessness. Students in both groups noted many positive as well as negative reactions. Students recounting both types of loss reported little about how they coped with grief or about receiving either informal or institutional support. Medical educators should help students develop effective coping skills in response to loss and provide better institutional support during times of bereavement.

CIÊNCIA CIDADÃ E O ENSINO DE CIÊNCIAS: REFLEXÕES PARA BOAS PRÁTICAS A PARTIR DE UM CURSO DE FORMAÇÃO.

Scientific Literacy (SL) aims to develop students' and teachers' knowledge of Science and Technology for civic education. In this sense, numerous teaching approaches have emerged seeking to promote SL aspects in the classroom. Citizen Science (CS) is an emerging approach involving the school community in research problems, allowing students to engage in scientific practices through experimental protocols. Thus, this study aimed to identify and analyze, using Social Representations Theory (SRT), the representations of a group of teachers from the Paraná State public school system participating in a CS training course, focusing on their role in CS practices and reflecting on training for good CS practices. We used a questionnaire with the Free Word Association Technique (FWAT) to identify SR, inducing terms related to 3 axes: Scientific Knowledge, Citizen Science, and Science Teaching through Protocols. The group's evocations were analyzed using Bardin's content analysis, and organized into categories and subcategories. In the Scientific Knowledge axis, there is a predominance of generalist representations; for the Citizen Science axis, representations focus on participation, but more general notions still prevail; and in the Science Teaching through the Citizen Science axis, teachers present representations of a technical and pragmatic protocol. Therefore, we understand that for more meaningful training, it is necessary to involve teachers in building practices, allowing greater participation and engagement in CC concepts.

ENSINO DE ÂNGULOS E POLÍGONOS COM USO DO SOFTWARE GEOGEBRA

The objective of this work is to describe a didactic-pedagogical sequence developed to teach angles and polygons in an 8th grade class of Elementary School of a state public school in Palmeira dos Índios, Alagoas, Brazil. The sequence is part of the Extension Project "Mathematics and Active Methods" and addresses some common difficulties in teaching geometry, such as the abstraction of formal concepts and the lack of understanding of students of the connection of these concepts with real situations. Studies indicate that the use of digital technologies facilitates visualization and interaction with mathematical concepts, promoting more dynamic and meaningful learning. In view of this, the sequence, applied in four classes, involved activities contextualized to the sport, using the GeoGebra software. The results show that, although some students still face difficulties, the interactive and contextualized approach improved engagement and understanding of formal mathematical concepts, especially geometric ones.

SOME CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT SCHOOL MEALS IN ESPÍRITO SANTO

This article aims to analyze the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) in the state of Espírito Santo from a geographical perspective. It provides a historical overview of programs aimed at family farming and fighting hunger in Brazil, highlighting the importance of issues that permeate food, such as globalization, hunger, and the land structure of Espírito Santo, as well as their consequent impact on food production in the state. The objective is to show how the Program is important for those who produce food (farmers) and for those who consume it (students in state public schools), and that it can still be improved.

School-based nutrition education programs alone are not cost effective for preventing childhood obesity: a microsimulation study

BackgroundAlthough interventions to change nutrition policies, systems, and environments (PSE) for children are generally cost effective for preventing childhood obesity, existing evidence suggests that nutrition education curricula, without accompanying PSE changes, are more commonly implemented. ObjectivesThis study aimed to estimate the societal costs and potential for cost-effectiveness of 3 nutrition education curricula frequently implemented in United States public schools for childhood obesity prevention. MethodsIn 2021, we searched for nutrition education curricula in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-Ed Toolkit, a catalog of interventions for obesity prevention coordinated by the federal government. Standard costing methodologies estimated the societal costs from 2023 to 2032 of nationwide implementation of each identified curriculum. Using the Childhood Obesity Intervention Cost-Effectiveness Study (CHOICES) microsimulation model, which projects the costs, health care costs saved, and cases of obesity prevented for childhood obesity prevention interventions, we conducted threshold analyses for each curriculum, estimating the cost per quality-adjusted life-year for a range of hypothetical effects on child BMI to determine how large of an effect each curriculum would need to have to meet a cost-effectiveness threshold of $150,000 per quality-adjusted life-year. ResultsThree nutrition education curricula without PSE were identified from SNAP-Ed; none had evidence of an impact on obesity risk. From 2023 to 2032, the estimated implementation costs of the curricula nationwide ranged from $1.80 billion (95% upper interval: $1.79, $1.82 billion) to $3.48 billion (95% upper interval: $3.44, $3.51 billion). Each curriculum would have to reduce average child BMI by 0.10 kg/m2 or more—an effect size that has not been reported by any of the 3 curricula, or by more comprehensive existing prevention programs—to be considered cost effective at this threshold. ConclusionsSNAP-Ed–endorsed nutrition education curricula alone are unlikely to be cost effective for preventing childhood obesity. Continued efforts to implement interventions with strong evidence for effectiveness, including PSE approaches, are needed.

Prevalence of Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases in Teachers

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) significantly impact quality of life and contribute to increased morbidity and mortality rates. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of NCDs among teachers in the state public school system of Minas Gerais during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conducted as an epidemiological web survey, it included 15,641 teachers from August to September 2020. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics, the Omnibus test to evaluate variable associations, and a multiple Poisson regression model to estimate association magnitudes. The findings revealed that 30.6% of teachers had chronic NCDs, with higher prevalence in those aged 41 and older, single, earning between three to five minimum wages, having over 20 years of teaching experience, not engaging in physical activity, being ex-smokers, self-rating their health as poor/very poor, and expressing significant fear of COVID-19. The study identified a statistically significant association between NCDs and physical activity, smoking status, self-rated health, and fear of the virus. These results highlight a high prevalence of NCDs among teachers and underscore the urgent need for enhanced prevention and health promotion initiatives within this demographic.

Creating a School Leadership Culturally Responsive Special Education Climate Through the Inclusion of Student Voice in Time of Transitions

We center the voice of Dwyan Moore, a Black 12-year-old boy, during his transition of being diagnosed with a learning dis/Ability. We do so to grapple with the problem of disproportionate representation in special education along race and dis/Ability, with particular attention to educational leadership. Disproportionate representation is a reminder of the legacies of slavery and eugenics in United States public schools. We must address this enduring inequity. How we think, feel, and discuss such issues has systemic educational and equity implications for Black, Indigenous, and Youth of Color with dis/Abilities such as Dwyan. We end by promoting critical reflection and activities among educational school leaders on how student voices and agency can be included in dis/Ability transition planning and programming.

Principals Quality Management Strategies in Administration of Secondary Schools in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

The study investigated the quality management practices of secondary school administrators in Bayelsa State. A total of 485 principals from Bayelsa State's public secondary schools made up the study's population, and it used an ex-post facto research approach. Because 485 public secondary school principals made up a reasonable portion of the total population, researchers were able to conduct their experiment using the cluster sampling approach. Researchers collected the data using a 32-item structured questionnaire. "Principal Management Strategies for Quality Secondary Education Questionnaire" was the name of the structured questionnaire. A four-point scale was used to develop the instrument: SA = 4, agree = 3, disagree = 2, and SD = 1. The reliability analysis generated a coefficient of 0.731 after the instrument's confirmation. We used the mean score to look at the survey results. Bayelsa State's principals used strategies for quality management in secondary schools, including planning, organizing, staffing, and coordinating. The research concluded that the government should select capable principals who can work closely with educators to accomplish school goals and implement quality management practices.

Storytelling Method of Instruction, School Location and Students’ Academic Achievement: Any Synergy?

Stakeholders in the education industry in Ekiti State have criticized the unsatisfactory performance of CRS students’ results in external examinations in rural schools. This study examined storytelling methods of teaching, school locations, and students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies (CRS) in Senior Secondary Schools, Ekiti State, South West Nigeria. Research questions and hypotheses were developed for the study. The design adopted for the study was a quasi-experimental research of two groups, that is, one experimental group and one control group. The Senior Secondary School Two (SSS2) students of the Ekiti State public secondary schools formed the population. The schools (rural and urban) for the study were purposively selected from Ekiti South-West Local Government Area of Ekiti State. A total of 159 students participated as the sample for the study. One instrument, ‘Achievement in CRS’ (ATCRS) instrument was used for data collection. The research hypothesis was analyzed using analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Findings from the study revealed no significant difference in the academic achievement of urban and rural students with CRS utilizing storytelling and conventional lecture methods. The study concludes that storytelling is a location friendly teaching method. The recommendations are based on the finding that teachers of CRS in Ekiti State public secondary schools should adopt the storytelling method during the instructional process to enhance students’ academic achievement in both rural and urban schools.

Problem-solving methodology from an STS perspective: a proposal for the teaching of electrochemistry

This work investigates the contributions of the problem-solving (PS) methodology to the teaching of electrochemistry from an STS (science, technology, and society) perspective. The research was undertaken with 82 students from four classes of the 3rd year of high school, at a state public school in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil). Two problems were used, both complying with the characteristics of an effective problem. The research data were obtained from the problem solutions proposed by the students, as well as from the records in the field diary of the researcher. These documents were examined by content analysis, based on categories defined a priori. Analysis of the results showed that the PS methodology contributed to the learning of the students and enabled association between the electrochemistry contents and technological, social, and environmental issues.

State Public Schools and Thermal Comfort: The Case of Eemti Monsenhor José Gerardo Ferreira Gomes in the City of Sobral (CE) – Brazil

This article aims to analyze the thermal comfort of the courtyard/cafeteria of the Monsenhor José Gerardo Ferreira Gomes Full-Time High School (EEMTI), from the perspective of the Disconfort Index (DI). The research was guided by the theoretical assumptions defined by Professor Carlos Augusto de Figueiredo Monteiro (2003), who defined a theoretical and methodological framework for the understanding of the urban factor, through the Urban Climate System (UCS). The aforementioned school, located on the outskirts of the city of Sobral/CE-Brazil, underwent changes in its teaching modality in 2017, changing to the full-time education system, where students remain at school all day, eating three meals. However, the building, even though it has undergone some adaptations for this new modality, is the same as when it was inaugurated in 1977. This fact, associated with the local environmental conditions of hot semarid climate, typical of the Brazilian Northeast, makes it difficult for students to accommodate and remain in outdoor spaces. The results collected and the DI analysis indicate a situation of thermal discomfort in most of the times analyzed, even though the research took place in the rainy season for the region, which presents a lot of cloudiness and milder temperature conditions.

Assessing the Psychometric Qualities of the Data-Informed School Leadership Survey

Purpose: There is little consensus in the literature regarding a) what it means for a school leader to lead with data, and b) how to measure data-informed leadership in a reliable and valid way. This study examines the psychometric properties of an operational measure intended to assess the extent to which a school leader is a ‘data-informed school leader. The measurement invariance, reliabilities and construct and predictive validities of the Data-Informed School Leadership Survey (DISL Survey) are assessed using various psychometric statistical techniques. Methods: Using data collected from 155 teachers from 7 public schools in a southern state, the following psychometric statistics used to address our purpose: the Many-Facet Rasch (MFR) Model, Bayesian second-order Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling- Multiple Indicators, Multiple Causes analysis (Bayesian SEM-MIMIC), and reliability analysis. Findings: Results show an adequate fit from all MFR, Bayesian CFA, and MIMIC models and a high reliability (Cronbach α = .98). The DISL Survey instrument exhibits sound psychometric properties. Results likewise confirm the value of using MFR modeling and Bayesian methods to examine the psychometric properties of DISL Survey as a means of improving educational leadership measures. Implications for Research and Practice: Data from this study confirm the validity and reliability of the Data-Informed School Leadership Survey (DISL Survey) as an instrument to assess the strengths and weaknesses of Data-Informed School Leadership (DISL) and as a means for providing feedback for improving such leadership. Heretofore a measure for assessing this leadership was non-existent.

Teachers’ Remuneration and Students’ Involvement in Public Secondary Schools in Southwest, Nigeria

Student involvement is a central aspect of effective teaching. This is because students are central to the main reason why teachers are employed and, more so, the reason for school establishment. As a result, this study investigated regular teachers’ remuneration, the level of students’ involvement, and the influence of teachers’ remuneration on student involvement in public secondary schools in southwest states of Nigeria. The study population comprised all teachers in the public secondary schools in southwest states of Nigeria. A sample size of 1,080 was calculated and derived using Research Advisor’s Table at 95% degree of confidence with a 5% error margin. The questionnaire was used to elicit information from respondents. The study found that teachers’ remuneration is not promptly and regularly paid. In addition, the level of student involvement is low and teachers’ remuneration significantly influences student involvement in public secondary schools in southwest states in Nigeria. It was recommended that teachers’ remuneration be paid promptly and regularly and that the government improve teachers’ service conditions by increasing their remuneration to reflect the economic reality in Nigeria.

PRINCIPALS’ LEADERSHIP STYLES ANDSCHOOL COMMUNITY RELATIONS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN EDO STATE, NIGERIA

The paper examined the leadership styles of Edo State principals and the relationships between schools and the community. Four research questions were posed in order to direct the investigation. While research questions 2 through 4 were hypothesised and tested using Fisher's z and Pearson r statistics at the 0.05 alpha level, research question 1 was directly addressed. This research used a correctional design and was a survey. The study's participants included of 136 principals of public secondary schools located in Edo State. To choose the sample size, a multi-stage approach was used. The study used a questionnaire with three components, A, B, and C, called the "Principals’ Leadership Styles and School Community Relations Questionnaire (PLSSCRQ)." Frequency counts, percentages, means, standard deviations, rankings, Pearson's r, and Fisher's Z statistics were all used in the analyses. The results showed that the majority leadership style used by Edo State's public secondary school principals is democratic leadership. In Edo State, the degree of school-community interactions is moderate. Based on the principals' age, gender, experience, and qualifications, the results also showed a substantial correlation between the authoritarian leadership style and school community relations. School administrators should keep encouraging an inclusive and participatory atmosphere where all stakeholders have a voice and are active in defining the school's policies, procedures, and activities, among other recommendations based on the findings. In order to foster collaboration and support, principals ought to cultivate and encourage community partnerships with nearby organisations and leaders

What If We All Appear? Audiovisual Workshop in Schools Located in the Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires

Abstract The outcomes of research conducted through audiovisual workshops in two public state schools located in urban poverty contexts of the Metropolitan Region of Buenos Aires reveal the manner in which students “appear” as protagonists and narrators of lives that are typically portrayed by others. The authors’ hypothesis is that this methodological approach facilitates the inclusion of students living in impoverished contexts, providing alternative perspectives on contemporary ways of life. In this context, the authors understand inclusion as the possibility of their bodies to “appear” and the creation of an alternative narrative regarding precarious circumstances. Their bodies and narratives are often silenced, and they are usually portrayed as symbols of resilience, danger or sensationalism. Their narratives are useful to discomfort the audience about social inequalities. Within this framework, the authors demonstrate how the audiovisuals by the students offer different avenues for making a presence in the political landscape, distinct from the conventional ways in which individuals experiencing poverty and precarity are conventionally depicted.

Are Socio-Economic Indicators Associated with Food Safety in Public Schools? A Study in Sergipe State, Brazil.

The Brazilian National School Feeding Programme aims to ensure food security and the right to food for public school students. To protect these fundamental rights, a comprehensive approach is needed that includes ensuring food safety. Recognising that low socio-economic conditions, inadequate food safety and child vulnerability can pose a cumulative burden on child development, this study examined food safety in public schools in Sergipe, Brazil, in the context of local socio-economic indicators. All state public schools in Sergipe (n = 314) were included. Food safety and socio-economic data were analysed using secondary sources and geographical maps. The cluster analysis identified two different groups of schools based on socio-economic indicators. While most schools presented regular foodborne illness risks, food production and temperature control had particularly high levels of non-compliance. Schools in areas with higher socio-economic indicators (Cluster 2) had better overall food safety scores (p < 0.001) compared to schools in areas with lower socio-economic indicators (Cluster 1). Cluster 1 schools also had a higher FBI risk when analysing temperature-controlled equipment violations (p = 0.001), food handlers (p = 0.005) and process and production (p = 0.004), which emerged as critical areas. These results emphasise the urgent need for targeted interventions to improve food safety in schools located in areas with lower socio-economic conditions.

Even More Is Required: Confronting the Teacher Pay Crisis in the United States

AbstractLow and stagnant teacher pay has been a perennial issue in the United States public school system since the early decades of the nineteenth century. Women teachers, then as now, confronted the issue head-on by organizing together. For example, women primary school teachers in Boston, Massachusetts successfully petitioned for more pay in 1835, but an emerging policy to pay women less ensured that such victories would be few and far between. Nevertheless, we can draw two critical lessons from these women teachers and their petition. First, a broader understanding of historical context and gendered narratives about labor is necessary to confront the teacher pay crisis today. Second, sharing teachers’ stories from the past now can help shape policy debates on teacher pay, turning a crisis into a new vision for the teaching profession.

Optimal Administration and Human Resource Management in Public Secondary schools in Balyesa State

The central focus of this article is on the management of human resources and the streamlined management of public secondary schools in Bayelsa State. The study involved 5,400 instructors from 75 public schools in Bayelsa State. Using the" Yaro Yamane" method, 334 teachers and 38 princtpals were selected as participants, totaling 372 individuals. Data were collected through a questionnaire named the Optimal Administration and Human Resource Management in Public Secondary Schools (OAHRMPSSQ), which is developed specifically for this research. The instrument's accuracy was verified by the human resources department of Niger Delia University, and its reliability was confirmed through a test-retest procedure yielding a reliability coefficient of 0.5. The study's findings indicate a significant influence on the impact of managing human resource on administrative efficiency in Bayelsa State's public secondary schools. Recommendations stemming from the study advocate for the implementation of human resource management policies across all public secondary schools and the timely revision of educational policies to align with the current societal development trends.

ENTREPRENEURIAL PEDAGOGY: TEACHING ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS IN HIGH SCHOOLS OF SANTA CRUZ DO CAPIBARIBE IN PERNAMBUCO

Objective: the present study aims to analyze the understanding of teachers of the subject "Life project and entrepreneurship" in schools in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe-PE, regarding entrepreneurial competencies and the entrepreneurial pedagogy method Theoretical Framework: Entrepreneurial education is indicated as a fundamental tool for the formation of new entrepreneurs, disseminating an entrepreneurial culture in the population and proving vital for a country's economy, as it enables the perception of obstacles and opportunities and their utilization to create new companies. Method: The approach of this work is qualitative with a descriptive nature, and data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 15 teachers from state public schools. For data analysis, emphasis was placed on the technique of content analysis. Results and Discussion: From the bibliographic analysis, it is noted that entrepreneurial competencies can be learned and developed, especially in the school environment, and as main contributions, it was observed that the interviewed teachers believe that the stimulation of entrepreneurial competencies during entrepreneurship education is important for the personal, professional, and social development of students. Research Implications: This research highlights the need for better teacher training in entrepreneurial pedagogy to enhance the effectiveness of teaching entrepreneurial competencies in schools. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the current state of entrepreneurial education in public schools in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe-PE. It sheds light on the perceptions of teachers regarding entrepreneurial competencies and the entrepreneurial pedagogy method, revealing both the potential and the shortcomings of the existing educational practices.

Bridging the Generational Gap between the Teachers and Students in the Utilization of Modern Technology in the Teaching Methods in Public Secondary Schools in Delta State

Purpose: The study focused on bridging the generational gap between the teachers and students in the utilization of modern technology in the teaching methods in secondary schools in Delta State. Two research questions were raised and two null hypotheses were formulated in the study. Methodology: The descriptive survey design was used. The population for this study comprised all public secondary school principals and teachers in Delta State. The sample for this study was 1533 and it is made up of 100 principals and 1433 teachers in Delta State public secondary schools selected from 12 Local Government Areas. Principals represented 50% while teachers represent 10% of the population. A self developed questionnaire was design titled “Bridging the Generational gap between the Teachers and Students in the Utilization of Modern Technology Questionnaire (BGTSUMTQ)”, validated and its reliability equally determined via a pilot study using test re-test reliability technique with a coefficient index of 0.96 was used. The research questions raised were answered using percentage for the study. The researcher employed descriptive statistic of mean scores and standard deviation to provide answers to the research questions while Pearson Product Moment Statistics was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings: The findings revealed that there are factors that are associated with the utilization of modern technology in teaching methods in public secondary schools in Delta State. The use of technology in education is influenced by the following factors such as teacher factor, organizational factor, technological factor and student factor. It also showed that there are strategies to be adopted to improve teachers and students in the utilization of modern technology in teaching methods in public secondary schools in Delta State. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: Based on the findings, it therefore concluded that as a catalyst for massive change, technology has improved our existing understanding by assisting educators and students in making the most use of cutting-edge teaching techniques in Delta State public secondary schools.