Support Teachers Research Articles

An Experiential Journey: A Year of a Professor Using AI in the Classroom and Research

This paper explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education and research, highlighting its potential to transform traditional teaching methods and enhance academic inquiry. The use of AI in education is examined, focusing on its ability to streamline administrative tasks, provide personalized instruction, and support teacher professional development. The benefits and challenges of AI adoption in the classroom are discussed, including its impact on teacher burnout and the potential disruption of teacher-student relationships. Additionally, the paper explores the applications of AI in scientific research, emphasizing its role in data analysis, literature review, predictive modeling, and collaborative research. The experiences of a professor who integrated AI into their classroom are shared, and the decision-making process, adjustments made, and the importance of balancing AI-driven instruction with interactive in-class activities are discussed. The paper highlights the need for ongoing evaluation, adaptation, and human-AI collaboration to ensure AI's responsible and effective integration in education and research.

Analisis Kesulitan Belajar Matematika pada Materi Diagram Batang Siswa Kelas IV SDN Kalicari 01 Semarang

Mathematics learning is considered challenging for many students, with some sh. owing little interest or motivation to engage with the subject. This is often due to difficulties encountered during the learning process. This study aims to analyze students' difficulties in learning Mathematics, specifically focusing on bar diagram topics. The research employs a qualitative method with a descriptive approach. Data collection techniques include interviews, observations, and documentation. Data analysis involves data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. Findings from the study reveal that the majority of Grade IVA students at SDN Kalicari 01 Semarang experience difficulties in remembering technical terms such as X-axis, Y-axis, and frequency. They also struggle with explaining bar diagram concepts in their own words and recalling the steps involved in creating bar diagrams. Efforts to address these challenges include implementing a more structured learning approach, actively interacting with class and support teachers for guidance, and utilizing aids or interactive media to enhance student engagement and comfort in learning. Additionally, remedial activities are conducted to help students improve their grades and assist teachers in assessing student learning progress

Using Poetry and Disability Memoir to Explore Veteran Teachers’ Emerging Awareness of Ableism

Abstract This study explored how thirteen veteran teachers grappled with an emerging awareness of the pervasive nature of ableism in education during a professional development series utilizing disability memoir and critical reflection. Grounded in disability studies in education and studies in ableism, this poetic inquiry explored the research question: how does professional development centering ableism and disability memoir support teachers to critically reflect on their beliefs and practices related to inclusion? Findings are shared through polyvocal transcription poems highlighting the conflicts teachers experienced learning about ableism. The poems captured the difficult initial steps on teachers’ journeys towards embracing inclusive mindsets.

Teachers' Pedagogic Competence in Strengthening Character Education of Students in Elementary Schools : Exploring Effective Strategies

This study aims to explore effective strategies for improving teachers' pedagogical competence to strengthen learners' character education at the primary school level. The research method used was a literature study with a qualitative approach. Primary and secondary data were obtained from books, documents, and journals that were of the same relevance as this research. After the data was obtained, the data analysis technique for this research used content analysis. The results of the study found that teachers must master educational technology to improve teaching effectiveness and student engagement. It involved using digital tools for assessment, teaching, and communication with students and parents. Teachers needed to develop 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication. These skills were important to help students become individuals who are ready to face future challenges. Teachers should apply an adaptive pedagogical approach, tailoring teaching methods to students' individual needs, interests and abilities. It includes differentiated learning, formative assessment and the use of adaptive technology. Character education should be integrated in the curriculum by teaching universal and contextual values. A holistic approach, including project- and problem-based learning, is important to develop a strong student character relevant to modern challenges. Continuous professional training and development for teachers is key to ensuring they are up-to-date with best practices and innovations in education. This involves workshops, online courses, mentoring and collaboration within communities of practice. Modern assessment and reflection are important for monitoring student progress and evaluating teaching effectiveness. The use of formative and summative assessments, technology in assessment, and regular reflection by teachers and students can improve the quality of learning. Collaboration with parents, communities, educational institutions, government and non-profit organizations can strengthen character education and support teachers' pedagogical competencies.

Providing Authentic Assessments for SMPN 03 Lebong and MAN Rejang Lebong Teachers in Support of the Merdeka Curriculum Implementation

All schools, both middle and high school levels, are preparing to implement the Merdeka Curriculum in the following year. Learning innovations in the Merdeka Curriculum must be accompanied by the ability to assess learning outcomes and processes appropriately. Assessments are no longer based on paper and pencil tests but must authentically assess student skills. Through authentic assessment as an alternative assessment, students are accustomed to carrying out work according to job demands, where tasks are designed to follow real-world replication. Authentic assessment has the potential to improve learning for students ready to work in the real world. The ability to design authentic assessments is provided in this activity through the I-CARE design at SMPN 03 Lebong and MAN Rejang Lebong. This activity was attended by 30 teachers from both schools. The results show that the majority of teachers can distinguish between diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment functions, besides being able to understand the types of authentic assessment and being able to design authentic assessments to support student-centered learning by the character of the Merdeka Curriculum.

Teacher curricular sensemaking: Revealing salient moments of a science teacher's (un)certainty in relation to opportunities for students' scientific sensemaking

AbstractThis study explored a middle school science teacher's curricular sensemaking in interaction with their use of an educative storyline curriculum, aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards, that was intentionally designed for more opportunities for students' scientific sensemaking. Using a phenomenological case study methodology, we examined how the focal teacher perceived and resolved (un)certainties in their understanding that emerged in their interaction with the curriculum (i.e., their curricular sensemaking), and how the teachers' curricular sensemaking impacted opportunities for students' scientific sensemaking. Findings served to expand our notions of how teachers engage in curricular sensemaking, when this sensemaking occurs, and what teachers make sense of as they experience a new, reform‐oriented curriculum for the first time. In particular, the focal teacher found two types of (un)certainty to be salient at various time points during his curriculum use: (un)certainty around students' scientific sensemaking through particular science practices and (un)certainty about how to navigate the storyline curriculum using students' ideas to drive learning forward. Cutting across these types of (un)certainty, our findings suggest the need to (1) support teachers in problematizing their own understandings about particular science practices and the extent to which their previous instruction aligns with reform‐oriented conceptualizations of those practices, (2) build teachers' capacity to differentiate between various causes of student discomfort and uncertainty so that students' needs and scientific sensemaking goals can be attended to simultaneously, and (3) provide teachers with opportunities to consider how they might use a variety of participation structures to move learning forward while preserving students' rights and responsibilities for the scientific sensemaking.

Navigating school belonging in Qatari schools: A mixed‐methods study of student perspectives

AbstractA sense of school belonging is essential for adolescent development, though there is limited research investigating ways to improve students' sense of school belonging in Qatar. With 116 Qatari secondary school students, the current study explored student perspectives of ways teachers and schools could improve their sense of school belonging. Students responded to a survey including open‐ended questions and a descriptive scale measuring the usefulness of established belonging strategies during remote learning, in‐person, or all the time (both). Encouragement and support from teachers were found to be useful all the time, with school activities during breaks and opportunities to make friends only being useful during school‐based learning. From the examination of open‐ended responses using a hybrid qualitative approach with inductive and deductive coding, two overarching themes each at the teacher‐level and school‐level were found, defined by several subthemes. Belonging practices at the teacher‐level included caring and supportive teachers and teachers treating students as people. Belonging practices at the school‐level included student engagement and a positive and supportive school environment. For Qatari students practices such as prioritising supportive student–teacher relationships, introducing policies which promote a respectful, fair and safe environment, and offering school wide‐extracurricular activities that encourage peer connections are important to develop their sense of school belonging.

Insegnanti di sostegno e educazione inclusiva: una ricerca su atteggiamenti, autoefficacia, autovalutazione di conoscenze e competenze, e comportamenti in classe

SUPPORT TEACHERS AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: A STUDY ON ATTITUDES, SELF-EFFICACY, SELF-ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, AND BEHAVIORS IN THE CLASSROOM Abstract This exploratory study analyzes attitudes toward inclusion, self-efficacy in implementing inclusive education, knowledge, and skills for managing pupils with special needs, and behaviors implemented for school inclusion in a sample of 391 support teachers without specialization. The results highlight favorable attitudes towards inclusion but reveal the persistence of beliefs that justify the separation of students with special needs. Teachers report a good level of self-efficacy in inclusion but perceive themselves to be less competent in managing classroom dynamics. Many teachers, while perceiving themselves as skilled in managing relationships with colleagues and planning, perceive gaps in the knowledge and skills needed to implement effective inclusive education. Especially self-efficacy in implementing inclusive education appears to be related to knowledge, skills, and inclusive behaviors. This research suggests the need to strengthen the training of support teachers and promote inclusive behaviors to ensure effective inclusion.

Support Teachers’ Awareness and Adaptability in Classroom Management Using the Sensory Circuit Program to Cope With Special Needs Student’s Behavior

This research aims to analyze and describe: (1) the awareness of the support teachers on the sensory circuit program, and (2) the adaptability of support teachers in using the sensory circuit program as a model of classroom management to cope with behavioral problems of special needs students at XYZ School South Kembangan. The research used ten indicators, fourteen questions, and five informants with an evaluation study approach. The data validity is obtained using triangulation techniques, informants’ analysis, and comparing relevant theories related and previous research. Analysis of the interview result consists of nine related quotations of awareness and twenty related quotations of adaptability showed that four out of five support teachers’ levels of awareness and adaptability are increasing. The result also found the influenced factors of the teachers’ awareness and adaptability level which included (1) consistency of hands-on practice, (2) students’ background needs, and (3) good teamwork.

A critical endeavour? Supporting teachers’ journeys towards critical engagement with curriculum in physical education through cross-border dialogue

ABSTRACT For decades, scholars have advocated for critical perspectives in Physical Education (PE), encouraging more creative and inclusive ways of thinking about and doing PE. Unfortunately, this critical work has had limited impact on how PE is conceptualised – within curricula or by teachers - both in the United Kingdom (UK) and internationally. As such, there is a pressing need to consider how we might advance this agenda. Working with PE teachers from across the four home nation of the UK (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), we organised a series of workshops to enable PE teachers from across these contexts to reflect on and discuss their respective curricula. This novel approach – of engaging in cross-border dialogue - was found to have potential for fostering critical thinking around PE curricula. Indeed, teachers were supported to begin thinking more critically through learning about other curriculum contexts and considering alternative possibilities for PE and their learners – though persistent challenges around blocks of activity and teaching games were acknowledged. We argue that these teachers are on the (challenging) journey of becoming critical, but time and support is necessary to interrogate prevailing discourses in PE and allow new ways of thinking to emerge.

Key aspects of successful science fair projects

ABSTRACT Students’ projects are a valuable way to gain experience with real science and motivate them towards a career in science. However, a description of a successful project is missing. To identify the key aspects of successful projects, we analysed biological projects presented in the national round of the Students’ Professional Activities. Particular projects presented in 10 years were evaluated based on, eg, branch of biology, number of authors, cooperation with experts, use of statistics or laboratory versus fieldwork, and county (region of origin within Czechia). Several different variables (eg, statistical analysis or additional work suggestions) pointed to the influential role of the supervisor, under whose guidance projects are more likely to be successful. Additionaly, projects carried out in the laboratory likely ranked better than those carried out in the field. Furthermore, we traced the influence of supportive teachers and show a high influence of the region on projects’ ranking revealing a potential socioeconomic inequity in access to science in Czechia. The trend of doing more biology work in the laboratory is reflected in increasing the percentage of laboratory-based projects over the ten years. We present a summary of how to conduct successful science projects.

Inclusive teaching practices implemented in primary school bilingual programmes in Spain: Teachers’ views and associated factors

Promoting plurilingualism and the provision of inclusive and good-quality education are currently two converging challenges. However, despite the difficulties expressed by teachers in catering to diversity in their bilingual classrooms, the implementation of inclusive practices has received little attention. This study aims to analyse how teachers perceive their use of inclusive practices in primary school bilingual programmes and to identify associated sociodemographic characteristics. In total, a sample of 300 teachers completed the ad hoc designed Inclusive Teaching Practices in Bilingual Education scale. The results of the survey showed that inclusive practices associated with the dimensions of linguistic aspects, materials and resources, and assessment are more frequently used than those associated with methodology, groupings, and collaboration with teachers and families. Moreover, those teachers who were English specialists, were more experienced at teaching in a bilingual programme, used English to a greater extent in the classroom, were highly proficient in English, and who received help from a support teacher used inclusive practices more frequently in their classrooms. Overall, teachers in bilingual education have a positive perception of their use of inclusive practices, but more work is needed regarding collaboration and providing a more personalised approach to education through appropriate scaffolding strategies and feedback.

Disproportionality monitoring for special education and stakeholder practices in a post-affirmative action landscape

ABSTRACT In this article, we examine and explore how the recent US Supreme Court case on affirmative action within higher education will shape and contextualize disproportionate minority representation and its monitoring within a K-12 public school context for students with disabilities. That is, as the litigation and ultimate judicial decision shape how institutions of higher education advance affirmative action policies for the admission of racialized and ethnic minority college students, another unanswered question remains. Namely, how will K-12 public school districts both adhere to federal policy that mandates proportionate racial representation of students with disabilities within special education categories and support teachers and school systems with compliance to federal policy? Using a legal compliance focal point theoretical perspective, this article contextualizes the affirmative action conversation as one that must include guidance to education systems and teachers working to ensure federal compliance and racial equity within special education.

Leveraging Technology to Support Teachers’ Fidelity of Universal Classroom Management Interventions: Lessons Learned and Future Applications

Leveraging Technology to Support Teachers’ Fidelity of Universal Classroom Management Interventions: Lessons Learned and Future Applications

Differences in leading and learning professional learning communities

PurposeThis study aims to understand how to develop, support and utilize professional learning community (PLCs) to build organizational capacity to support teacher learning and collaboration. Although literature highlights the importance of leadership in creating a PLC, there is little research on specific actions leaders can take to create an authentic, sustainable PLC.Design/methodology/approachWe employed a multicase study approach at three school sites within the same district. Our research was guided by the following questions: (1) How are learning communities developed and sustained in school settings?; (2) What is the role of administrators in cultivating learning communities?; and (3) What factors contribute to and hinder the success of learning communities?FindingsDespite being in the same school district, the three schools’ PLCs operated differently. The schools displayed characteristics of PLCs, with minimal implementation of all components. Developing a professional learning community at all three sites began with implementing structural factors and mandating specific activities such as weekly grade-level planning. Social factors were much more complex to control by administration, affecting the fidelity of learning and collaboration within the PLCs.Originality/valueAlthough the literature highlights the importance of leadership in creating a PLC, there is little research that supports specific actions leaders can take to create an authentic, sustainable community of practice. In addition, there is limited literature supporting how administrators use PLCs to build organizational capacity and support teacher learning. Our study contributes to building the empirical knowledge base related to these two areas.

From a Spark, a Mighty Flame: How Germinal Networks Support Teachers of Color to Promote Change in Activist Organizations and Beyond

Background: Recent research has demonstrated that social justice teacher activist networks provide vital support to teachers of Color, reducing feelings of isolation and providing high-quality professional learning opportunities. Yet, there is a need for broader scaled research that looks across multiple activist organizations to add to our understandings of these findings. Focus of Study: Our study examines the network participation characteristics of 26 activist teachers of Color across 14 activist organizations in the United States. Our research questions were: (1) How do activist teachers of Color foster social capital in networks to influence policies and actions in their organizations and beyond? (2) What relationship exists between the participation structures of networks and the involvement of teachers of Color in the activist organizations? Research Design: Our research design used a critical social network research approach informed by Black feminist thought (BFT) and research on teacher activism. Our data included interviews from the 26 teachers and documents from their activist organizations. Our analysis involved a macro-to-micro qualitative network analysis of data, which afforded a broad view of network characteristics and deep descriptions of the stories of a subset of teachers. Conclusions: We found that the teachers of Color who were involved in affinity-based groups and subgroups were often the germinators of policy and action shifts, usually related to racial and intersectional justice in their organization. We call this network phenomenon a germinal network. We explore other features of germinal networks, such as a tendency toward reflexivity and mentorship-seeking and support. This study has implications for future critical research on social networks and the design of radically inclusive and humanizing social infrastructures in education-related organizations.

The Impact of School Administrators on Teaching and Learning as Strategies for Effective Leadership: A Case Study of Jema’a Lgea

This paper explores the critical impact of school administrators on teaching and learning, focusing on strategies for effective leadership in educational settings in Jemaa Local Government Area. School administrators play a pivotal role in shaping the quality of education by creating a conducive learning environment, fostering professional development, and implementing policies that support instructional excellence. The study examines key leadership strategies, such as fostering collaboration among teachers, promoting data-driven decision-making, and encouraging innovative teaching practices. It also discusses the importance of effective communication, resource management, and building a positive school culture. By understanding these strategies, educational leaders can better support teachers and enhance student outcomes. This paper aims to highlight the essential contributions of school administrators in driving educational success and suggest best practices for sustaining a high-quality learning environment.

Teacher educators as knowledge brokers: reframing knowledge co-construction with school partners

ABSTRACT This paper explores the contention that teacher educators are especially well placed to help teachers bridge between practical experience and wider forms of knowledge. In its focus on issues derived from practice, knowledge co-construction and professional judgement, the paper articulates an alternative, but complementary, vision of evidence-informed practice to set alongside prevailing ‘What Works’ approaches. The paper uses the concept of knowledge brokering to analyse the ways that teachers collaborated with one English school of education’s teacher educators in five different projects in the course of a single academic year. Drawing on data from semi-structured interviews, common brokering mechanisms are identified, yielding a set of principles for creating conditions, boundary crossing and reciprocal working which cut across subjects and age phases. Four distinctive attributes of teacher educators are proposed as part of reframing such collaborative relationships. The paper adds to debates about the need to reconfigure university-school partnerships for professional learning in order to identify more clearly the distinctive contribution of the university teacher educator, respond to the role tensions of teacher educators and support teachers’ critical professionalism.

The mediator role of school climate in the relationship between instructional leadership behaviors of school principals and teacher autonomy

PurposeSchool principals should create a positive school climate through instructional leadership behaviors and support teacher autonomy to reach their ultimate goals. This study examines the relationship between the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals and teacher autonomy, testing the mediating role of school climate and the moderator role of teacher seniority.Design/methodology/approachThis cross-sectional study tests the relationships between the variables with structural equation modeling. By stratified sampling method, research data from 739 teachers in six central districts of Ankara during the 2022–2023 academic year.FindingsResults showed that school principals' instructional leadership behaviors, teacher autonomy, and perceptions of school climate were above average. The study also indicates that the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals are positive and significant predictors of teacher autonomy and school climate and that school climate is a positively significant predictor of teacher autonomy. Moreover, school climate partially mediates the relationship between instructional leadership and teacher autonomy, and teacher seniority has a moderator role.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited to the opinions of the teachers working in the official primary, secondary and general high schools in the districts of Ankara in the 2022–2023 academic year on the instructional leadership of the school principals, the teachers' perceptions of autonomy and the school climate. It has been observed that there is a relationship between the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals and teacher autonomy. It can be said that the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals support teachers to exhibit autonomous behaviors in instructional strategies and processes, curriculum, classroom management, professional development and communication.Practical implicationsIt is seen that the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals affect teacher autonomy through school climate. It can be said that with the instructional leadership behaviors of school principals, the school climate is more democratic, success-oriented, sincere, supportive of teacher leadership and transforming conflicts into an opportunity for school development, thus affecting teachers' areas of autonomy. We can say that with the development of teachers' autonomy, more effective instructional strategies and instructional processes are developed, the curriculum is transferred with more permanent teaching techniques, professional communication is transformed into collective actions and more comprehensive studies are planned and implemented.Originality/valueThis study will extend the literature by revealing the complex link between instructional leadership, teacher autonomy, school climate and teacher seniority. Furthermore, this study estimates how these complex interactions emerge in non-western cultures with centralized educational structures.

Online PBPD and Coaching for Teaching SRSD Argumentative Writing in Middle School Classrooms

Teachers report a need for professional development in order to feel more confident and be more effective in providing writing instruction and intensive intervention to support middle school students. This study investigates the impacts of online practice-based professional development (PBPD) and coaching for self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) argumentative writing instruction on teachers’ implementation of the instruction. Using a pre-test–post-test design, the study also examined the effects of the SRSD instruction on students’ argumentative writing from source texts. Five middle school teachers from three regions across the United States participated in the PBPD and implemented SRSD with 55 middle school students with high-incidence disabilities or below-proficient writing skills. Following PBPD, teachers implemented the SRSD argumentative writing instruction with high adherence to dosage, fidelity of implementation, and quality. Student writing was scored for argumentative genre elements, holistic quality, total words written, and transition words. Results demonstrate that students improved on all measures. In addition, students reported feeling confident in their argumentative writing abilities. Teachers and students reported high social validity for the intervention. The benefits found in this research study provide a strong foundation supporting the application of comprehensive online PBPD with follow-up coaching to support teacher implementation of SRSD.