Primary Education Students Research Articles

Boundary-making between mainstream and special education. A posthuman ethnographic investigation of materialities of schooling and Danish teachers’ imaginaries and practices around ‘middle forms’

ABSTRACT This article explores production of divisions and belonging between mainstream and special education needs students in Danish primary education. The article analyses the boundary-making practices produced by teachers and materialities of schooling between mainstream education students and those with mild to moderate special needs whose schooling is divided between the mainstream classroom and special provisions within the walls of the mainstream school. The article is based on ethnographical fieldwork in two Danish public schools with teachers from 4th to 6th grade in mainstream education. Using artefacts such as empty chairs, missing names, and lavatories for specific groups of students, the analysis shows how nonhuman mundane materialities of the school and classroom do performative work in enacting divisions and belonging in mainstream education. Besides the focus on materialities, teachers’ statements on students with special needs offers insights into teachers’ imaginaries and perspectives on their responsibilities (or lack thereof) concerning students with special needs. Despite intentions to enhance opportunities for students with special needs to participate in mainstream classroom activities, this study’s main findings suggest a strong segregation between the two groups and that teachers and materialities are reinforcing and reproducing this segregation through artefacts, (dis)placements, counterproductive imaginaries, and discursive statements.

The limits of learning engagement and academic leadership within the higher education digitalization process - analysis by using PLS SEM.

There is convincing evidence that the learning environments digitalization of tools and equipment ultimately results in the speed and depth learning involvement of academia members, by raising attainment of each of the digital learning experiences. The majority of the research that was conducted on the topic of enhancing the digital skills of learners, which would ultimately lead to an increase in their active engagement, was conducted on students in primary and secondary education, leaving members of higher education outside of the scope of the study. Given the uninterrupted search for academic performance and innovation, the current research considers the technological changes that lead to the transformation of the traditional academic learning environments as previously known. The current paper considers the changes in the learners' engagement in the context of the dually digital transformation of the higher academic multi-institutional digitally-learning enhancements. An important factor to be considered regards the leadership evolution (in terms of teaching) that over time, led to a different speed contextual shift, according to its effectiveness, leading to higher or lower students learning (dis)engagement. The current manuscript aims to examine how the higher education digitalization levels could affect the student's learning engagement, under the close monitoring of the academia leadership styles practice. Data collection and analysis implied at first a qualitative approach by issuing an online-distributed survey that resulted in a number of 2272 valid responses. After performing structural equation modelling and proving a valid assessment tool, the analysis resulted into statistically proving the validity of two main hypotheses according to which students learning engagement has a positive effect on the practice of academic leadership. Additionally, results emphasized the fact that higher education digitalization has altogether a negative effect of students learning engagement. Consequently, the current study stresses on the importance of different peers' categories in the context of higher education institutions performance, with an emphasis on the different levels of students' engagement and the leadership styles evolution and practice, aspects uniformly developing within a continuously digitally transformation of the higher education environment.

Investigation of 3rd Grade Life Science Textbook Texts and Activities According to Lipman's Critical Thinking Theory

Aim: Individuals need to have a philosophical critical thinking skill in order to have a reasonable approach to the situations and events they will encounter throughout their lives and to benefit themselves and the society Philosophical critical thinking is a process that enhances individuals' capacity to interrogate, analyse, and assess. In this regard, an inquisitive critical approach acquired at an early age makes important contributions to personality development. The current study aims to examine the text and activity contents in the 3rd grade Life Science textbook according to Matthew Lipman's critical thinking theory. Methodology: Methodologically, document analysis was used in the study. In the 3rd grade Life Science textbook, the main approach in the data on text contents, activity questions and statements are that the statements have both a philosophical and critical meaning. The relevant data were analyzed according to the categories in Lipman's critical thinking approach and presented in tables. Findings: The findings revealed that the questions and statements that meet Lipman's critical thinking categories were insufficient. While the expressions among the categories were predominantly judgment formation and being criterion/measure based, the least common categories were context sensitivity and self-correction. Highlights: In this context, it is essential to consider the developmental stages of primary education students and contemporary educational requirements, while integrating a philosophical critical thinking approach more thoroughly into the curriculum and practices to foster an active and inquisitive student personality.

Augmented Reality for Exploring Solids: A Study on Improving Pre-Service Teachers

Applications of augmented reality are gradually being integrated into teaching at various levels and types of schools. Augmented reality has the potential to transform the training of future teachers in the context of developing their mathematical knowledge, digital skills, and teaching competencies. The paper focuses on researching the impact of augmented reality on the learning of future primary teachers. The aim was to investigate the impact of AR applications on the development of cognitive and psychomotor skills and on students' motivation to learn. The study had a mixed research design. Using a pedagogical experiment, we investigated the effectiveness of an educational intervention based on the use of applications Augmented Reality in combination with hands on activities in the training of future teachers. The educational intervention was a set of activities that were carried out in a mixed reality environment using the 3D solids construction kit, the Polyedres augmentes and GeoGebra applications. The content of the educational intervention was the exploration of significant elements and properties of solids. We tested students' knowledge and abilities in the following areas: identification of simple solids from a picture; identification of significant elements of solids (vertices, edges and faces); identification of the shapes of faces of solids; nets of solids; simple metric tasks with solids. The study was conducted in 2024 with 152 primary education students as part of geometry courses. In line with the results of previous research in this area, we found that AR has the potential to improve understanding of geometric concepts, increase interactivity and student motivation. Augmented reality opens up new possibilities for exploring solids and their properties, as it allows for transfer between planar and spatial representation of solids and helps to develop spatial imagination.

Neither student nor teacher? Possible selves in the development of faculty identity during the practicum / ¿Ni estudiante ni profesora? Yoes posibles en el desarrollo de la identidad del profesorado durante el prácticum

The process of becoming a teacher is complex and involves enormous challenges for student teachers. Without a doubt, among the most decisive ones is the initiation into professional practice during the practicum. This qualitative interpretive study analyses the practicum reports (narratives) of 15 primary education students from the Dialogical Self Theory. The study seeks to identify the voices that nourish their professional identity, the I-positions (I-p) that arise when coping with critical incidents (CI) experienced during the practicum, and analyse how the different I-ps contribute to an agential transition of the identity from student to teacher. The results point out that the significant voices that nourish the identity of the students in training come from teachers and family members. When confronting CIs, the I-p of I-student predominated, and difficulties are experienced in deploying other professional I-ps. These also highlight the contribution of different I-ps towards the development of the students’ identity-agency, particularly of the I-p of I-future-teacher (possible self). The study offers relevant information for understanding how the student–teacher transition occurs and for reorienting practices towards identity development.

MOTIVATION AND SELF-REGULATION OF LEARNING IN HOMESCHOOLED STUDENTS

In the context of education, motivation and self-regulation of learning are dominant issues. The degree of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to learn is related to students’ academic achievement and literacy development. This study aimed to research the regulatory styles and motivation to learn among homeschooled students, with a particular focus on those who practice unschooling, a form of self-directed learning. A quantitative research strategy was employed, and data were collected using the standardised SQR-Academic questionnaire adapted for the homeschooling context. The questionnaire was completed by 143 homeschooled children (4th to 9th grade), of whom 10.88% reported engaging in unschooling or self-directed learning. The results indicated that identified regulation was prevalent among homeschooled students, who tended to exhibit intrinsic rather than extrinsic motivation. This contrasts with full-time attending students, who generally display a more external regulation style. Among unschoolers, identified regulation was equally prevalent, but the Relative Autonomy Index (RAI) values were higher, indicating a stronger inclination towards intrinsic motivation. Despite these differences in RAI between unschoolers and other homeschoolers, the differences were not statistically significant. The findings are consistent with relevant research from other countries. Future research should explore the factors that influence the degree of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in homeschooled students. Keywords: homeschooled students, intrinsic motivation, lower secondary education students, primary education students, regulation of learning, unschooled students

Do concept maps prompt long-term memory in CLIL schoolchildren?

To address the learning disadvantages that students might face in a foreign language (L2) environment, this research explores the impact of concept mapping on enhancing long-term memory retention among Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) pupils. The research design is quasi-experimental and involves sixty Spanish primary education students non-randomly assigned from a Spanish-English semi-public bilingual school. The main hypothesis investigated is that concept maps serve as effective teaching instruments for enhancing long-term memory. During training, new information was systematically integrated with students’ prior knowledge to aid long-lasting retention of instructional content. The study examines the use of concept maps in a CLIL classroom as a complement to traditional teaching strategies and instructional design, focusing on improving the recall of previously learned information. Findings show that concept maps are reliable tools for assisting CLIL students whose mother tongue (L1) is not English, significantly reducing forgetfulness because of the precision of the transmitted information. The study shows the potential of concept mapping to improve learning outcomes in L2 settings by providing visual, accurate, and structured learning aids.

BOSHLANG‘ICH TA’LIM YO‘NALISHI TALABALARIDA INNOVATSION KASBIY KOMPETENTLIKNI RIVOJLANTIRISHNING NAZARIY ASOSLARI

This article describes the theoretical foundations of the development of innovative professional competence of primary education students. The formation of this competence is one of the urgent tasks in modern educational processes and is important in increasing the effectiveness of pedagogical activity. The article analyzes the definition, importance and application of innovative methods in education, as well as the psychological and pedagogical basis of this process. From a scientific point of view, what kind of pedagogical conditions are necessary for students to acquire the skills of effective use of innovative teaching methods and technologies.

Pedagogical Business Training Activities for Majors in Primary Education Students from a Management Perspective: A Quantitative Survey

The mission and purpose of this study is to analyze and evaluate the survey results on 06 measures to manage pedagogical training for primary education students at universities in the Mekong Delta. This study conducted a survey method with 315 people including 53 managers, teachers, 205 students and 57 former students of majors in primary education through survey questions focusing on assessing the necessity and feasibility of management measures such as organizing awareness raising for managers, teachers and students; enhancing innovation in planning; enhancing direction and supervision of training activities; innovating inspection and evaluation of training activities; Strengthening the conditions of facilities, equipment, staff and financial resources for training activities; innovating models, organizing feedback, adjusting and improving the training process. The results of quantitative research combined with qualitative assessments have identified the necessity and feasibility of the proposed measures, based on which universities in the Mekong Delta can apply them to innovate management activities and improve the quality of pedagogical training for majors in primary education students at universities in the Mekong Delta.

Self-perception of efficacy and attitudes towards physical activity and sport in schoolchildren

This study aimed to know the self-perception and attitudes towards physical activity and sport in Primary Education (PE) and Secondary Education (SE) schoolchildren from educational centres in Cantabria, depending on sex and educational stage. A total of 1,164 students participated (387 from 5th and 6th years of PE and 777 from SE) aged between 10 and 17 years (M = 12.92; SD = 1.92). An ad hoc questionnaire of 11 questions on self-perception (6 items) and attitudes towards physical activity and sport (5 items) was used. PE students have a better self-perception and attitude towards physical activity and sport than SE students in all the variables studied, except for the attitude that “The practice of physical-sports activity is good for health” (p = .197). In the gender factor, boys perceive themselves as having greater physical condition and capacity than girls in terms of physical activity and sports (p < .001) and better performance when compared with boys of the same age and same sex (p < .001). PE students perceive themselves as having better attitudes and more competence than SE students, at the same time that they have more fun and enjoy themselves and would be more willing to practice more physical activity and sport. In terms of gender, boys perceive themselves as better than girls and enjoy and have more fun than girls.

Extended Learning through After-School Programs: Supporting Disadvantaged Students and Promoting Social Sustainability

After-school programs in Romania are not mandatory, and most of the time, they are funded by parents. In Romania, over 41.5% of students come from disadvantaged families that cannot afford to finance after-school activities. In recent years, there have been only a few free after-school programs for disadvantaged students. Our study aimed to measure the impact of such an after-school program, which mostly uses alternative teaching methods, on several aspects of learning improvement at the level of disadvantaged students in primary and secondary education. The research results revealed a significant improvement in the education of children after they participated in after-school programs for a large range of learning results. Among the intervention actions, mathematical competencies, basic competencies in science and technology, and digital competencies were identified as the main predictors of high learning performance. The results also revealed that a longer length of such programs had a positive effect on educational performance and the socio-emotional development of disadvantaged students. It was also shown that the impact of intervention is more pronounced in the case of young students and adults who followed the “Second Chance” programs. The results support the effectiveness and importance of such projects in promoting holistic and sustainable education and in providing valuable information to decision-makers regarding the impact of after-school programs on the education of disadvantaged people to improve social sustainability.

Schoolchildren’s Thinking on the Subject and Teachers of Physical Education According to Gender and Educational Grade

The objective of this study was to understand the perceptions of Primary (PrE) and Secondary Education (SE) students in Cantabria about the subject of physical education (PE) and their teachers. A descriptive, comparative relational analytical cross-sectional design was used. A total of 1164 students (387 from PrE and 777 from SE) answered an ad hoc questionnaire on their satisfaction with their PE classes (eight items) and teachers (nine items). The results indicate that the PrE students were more satisfied than the SE students regarding the following statements about PE: more hours per week (p < 0.001); classes and subjects that I like the most (p < 0.001); I enjoy and have fun (p < 0.001); interesting and motivating (p < 0.001); and useful for life (p < 0.001) and easy (p = 0.006). The boys’ responses reflected higher values than the girls’ on all the previous items (p < 0.005). Regarding their thinking about their PE teachers, statistically significant differences were found in the PrE students’ responses compared with those of the SE students for the following: explains well and is easily understood (p = 0.006); stimulates and encourages participation (p = 0.050); cares and is interested in the students (p = 0.031); treat boys and girls the same (p < 0.001); and I prefer a woman because she understands me better (p = 0.021). Therefore, the male and primary-stage students showed more positive attitudes towards PE. In general, there was a favorable disposition towards PE and towards teachers, which must be taken into account to achieve SDG 4.

SOME FEATURES OF THE ORGANIZATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES IN EDUCATION

Psychological services is one of the areas of application of psychology. Its features, first of all, depends on how effective its interactions with academic psychology are. In the article three areas of psychological services in elementary schools and its scientific, applied and practical features. İn the article, it is indicated that psychological servicesat schools based on the unity and inseparable interaction of these three areas. Separating them from each other is scientifically one-sided but practically it is harmful. Some features of organizing psychological services for students in primary education

Some Measures to Train the Capacity of Teaching Circuit Geometry Content in Primary School for Students in Primary Education, Tan Trao University

Some Measures to Train the Capacity of Teaching Circuit Geometry Content in Primary School for Students in Primary Education, Tan Trao University

Primary education students’ beliefs about the nature of mathematics, self-efficacy, and mathematics educators; a descriptive study from Indonesia

ABSTRACT The significant role of mathematical belief studies has been recognised several decades later. These beliefs have been found to be significantly associated with performance and problem-solving. However, empirical studies of these beliefs in Indonesia are scarce. This study investigates students’ beliefs on the nature of mathematics, self-efficacy, and their perceptions of mathematics educators. The findings of this study revealed that Indonesian students strongly believe anyone could attain proficiency in mathematics. At the same time, students had less confidence that they could understand difficult mathematical tasks and less confidence in showing that they were good at mathematics. Notably, boys’ students exhibit stronger beliefs in their understanding of the course, including the most challenging topics in mathematics, compared to their girls’ counterparts. The implications of this study significantly contribute to the existing literature and inform teaching practices.

Gender Differences and Critical Thinking: A Study on the Written Compositions of Primary Education Students

The development of critical thinking is essential to the treatment of gender perspective in Primary Education. For this reason, this study focused on determining the critical ability of primary students depending on gender, analysing the possible connections between the participants’ breadth of thought and spelling competence. The methodology was based on a humanistic–interpretative ad hoc approach to categorical organisation. A total of 636 Primary Education students from the Region of Murcia (Spain) participated in a field activity in which they created a written composition based on a pretext that contained an image showing a controversial gender situation; this illustration incited a critical response in the creation of each story. The compositions were analysed individually and qualitatively using the Atlas.Ti software (v.8.4). The most relevant results appear to prove the higher critical ability of the girls who participated in this study, and additionally show connections with the spelling competence of these students. However, the critical thinking and spelling values shown were still far from what would be expected of a developed society.

The plant blindness and the humans-as-non-animals bias cycles in the educational system. The need to overcome them

ABSTRACT Plant blindness is the inability to see or consider plants as living beings. In this work we show that primary, secondary, and high school education students exhibit this tendency to not see plants as living beings, or to tend to see animals more readily as such, and also a tendency to not perceive humans as animals. The same thing happens with future teachers, completing a cycle in which those who are learning, and those who will later teach, harbour the same biases. These findings suggest that to break this cycle it is necessary to work with pre-service teachers at the university level so that they are aware of this phenomenon and willing to embrace a more balanced and accurate interpretation of nature, teaching youth the importance of interpreting the environment in which they live.

Physical Activity Levels and Body Mass Index in Sport Education. Is There a Difference?

ABSTRACT Purpose: The goals of this study were: (1) to assess students’ physical activity levels in a sport education season according to the phases of the model, adjusted for body mass index; (2) to uncover the contribution of the phases of the model to the World Health Organization recommendations; (3) to understand its impact in students with overweight/obesity. Methods: A total of 42 primary education students with a mean age of 10.68 ± 0.69 years, enrolled in one year 5 (10–11 years) and one year 6 (11–12 years). Physical Education lessons of the same school agreed to participate. Students in both groups experienced a 14-lesson learning unit in team handball through the sport education. Each participant wore an ActiGraph GT3X accelerometer to measure physical activity levels, counts/minute and steps counted. Cole and Lobstein cutoff points were used to determine groups based on body mass index (thin, normal-weight, overweight/obese). Results: The results showed that the overweight/obese group achieved scores for moderate to vigorous physical activity and sedentary time that were not significantly different from the normal-weight group. According to the phases, the preseason was the most active and contributed most to the World Health Organization recommendations in all groups. Conclusions: Sport education could be considered an appropriate pedagogical framework to help overweight/obese children achieve moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary scores similar to their normal-weight classmates. Key elements of sport education include performing roles, learning work routines, and having the autonomy to choose games/tasks, all of which promote physical activity amongst all students.

The Use of Animation and Augmented Reality in Teaching Computer Programming

This paper presents the main difficulties in learning computer programming faced by primary and secondary education students and examines whether Augmented Reality (AR) and animation can contribute to more effective teaching of this subject. The benefits of AR and animation in learning programming are presented and analyzed, and an overview of related applications developed in recent years is provided, as evidenced by the literature. Finally, conclusions are drawn, and suggestions for future research in this specific field are made.

Developing Skills in Designing Experiential Learning Activities in Mathematics Teaching for Primary Education Students at Tan Trao University, Tuyen Quang Province

The enhancement of educational practices through the integration of experiential learning activities in mathematics teaching is increasingly recognized as essential for fostering student engagement and comprehension. This study delves into the development of skills required for designing such experiential activities among primary education students at Tan Trao University in Tuyen Quang Province. By implementing a structured training program, this research aims to equip future educators with both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary to create dynamic and interactive mathematics lessons. The methodology encompasses a blend of qualitative and quantitative approaches to assess the effectiveness of the training program. Pre- and post-training evaluations, along with detailed observations and interviews, provide a comprehensive understanding of the improvements in the students' abilities. The results demonstrate a marked enhancement in the competency of the students to design and execute experiential learning activities, reflecting a deeper understanding of pedagogical techniques and a more profound engagement with the subject matter. The findings underscore the transformative potential of experiential learning in primary education, highlighting how such approaches can make abstract mathematical concepts more tangible and relatable for young learners. This study also addresses the challenges and obstacles encountered during the implementation of these activities, offering insights and recommendations for overcoming such barriers. Furthermore, the research contributes to the broader discourse on educational innovation by illustrating the impact of well-designed experiential activities on student motivation and academic performance. It emphasizes the need for ongoing professional development and support for educators to continuously refine their teaching strategies in response to evolving educational demands. This study not only reinforces the value of experiential learning in mathematics education but also provides a practical framework for developing and implementing these activities. By preparing primary education students at Tan Trao University with these essential skills, the research paves the way for a more interactive, engaging, and effective educational experience for future generations. This underscores the critical role of innovative teaching methodologies in nurturing the intellectual and personal growth of young learners, ultimately contributing to the advancement of primary education in Vietnam.