School System Research Articles

The impact of alcohol consumption on the quality of life of college students: a study from three Slovak universities

Alcohol consumption can influence an individual's quality of life, with the impact varying based on several factors such as the amount of alcohol consumed, frequency of consumption, individual tolerance, and overall health. Slovakia is among the countries with the highest incidence of liver cirrhosis in the world, with alcohol representing a significant risk factor. Therefore, it is important to identify at-risk groups and the potential impact of various factors. The primary objective of this study is to examine the relationship between alcohol consumption and quality of life among college students in the Slovak Universities. A cross-sectional study was conducted in December 2021 and January 2022. The study included college students with an average age of 22.3 years. Participants were surveyed about their alcohol consumption and quality of life using the standardized Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) questionnaires. These questionnaires were distributed through online school systems. In the study, 88.7% of the students reported drinking alcohol. A low AUDIT score was recorded for 67.1% of the total participants (2573 students). A medium score was found in 23.3% of the participants (893 students). High scores were identified in 2.4% of the participants (92 students), and very high scores were found in 2.2% of the total participants (86 students). Mild pain was reported in 33.8% of cases, while moderate pain was reported in 5.2% of cases. Mild depression and anxiety were reported in 31.1% of the cases, and moderate depression and anxiety were reported in 13.5% of the cases. There is a statistically significant relationship between AUDIT and EuroQOL variables (p < 0.001). This suggests that the association between alcohol use (measured by AUDIT) and health-related quality of life (measured by EuroQOL) is unlikely to be due to chance. Higher alcohol consumption was associated with a poorer quality of life in Slovak college students. Our results suggest a meaningful connection between alcohol consumption behaviors and overall quality of life, highlighting the potential impact of alcohol use on health outcomes. Further research is warranted to explore the nature and causality of this relationship, which could inform interventions aimed at improving health-related quality of life through alcohol use reduction strategies. The association between higher alcohol consumption and poorer quality of life in Slovak college students raises important questions about causality and the complex interplay between alcohol consumption and one’s overall well-being. The significant relationship between higher alcohol consumption and poorer quality of life suggests the need for targeted public health interventions aimed at reducing alcohol consumption among college students. Programs focusing on awareness and education about the negative impacts of excessive drinking could be implemented to promote healthier lifestyles.

Accountability management system of superior elementary school for digital transformation

The purpose of this research is to find out i) the quality of the accountability management system of superior schools, ii) elementary school digital transformation capabilities, and iii) the relationship between the quality of the accountability management system for superior schools and the digital transformation capabilities of elementary schools in Indonesia. The research approach used is quantitative. The research location is in public elementary schools in Malang City. The population of this research is all 195 public elementary schools. The research sample is 22 public elementary schools. The research subjects were school principals, class teachers, and subject teachers totaling 51 people. Data collection is done by using a questionnaire. Elementary schools with superior school accountability management systems have the ability to drive their digital transformation capabilities. Excellent school accountability management systems and school digital transformation capabilities guarantee equal access to education for all students. Implications for improving teaching and learning are also discussed in this paper. The variables studied can be used to determine the priority scale for planning, implementing and evaluating superior school accountability management systems in digital transformation, in increasing teacher competency.

Elites and Education: Caroline Benn and the Policy Intellectuals of the British Labour Party, Circa 1950–1990

ABSTRACT This paper revisits and reassesses the intellectual and practical contribution of Caroline Benn (née DeCamp, 1926–2000) to politics, policymaking and practice at a crucial turning point in English education, which I call the ‘long comprehensive moment’ between 1950 and 1990. It articulates a strong sense that her involvement in significant public events warrants close investigation before it disappears from professional memory. The American wife of Tony Benn, one of the most influential post-war socialists in Europe, Caroline Benn stands out for her commitment to an educational system in which all young people could develop their talents to the full. Based on her newly available archive, containing thousands of documents, historically informed network ethnography is used to map her on-going effort and provide a detailed descriptive account of the ideological power and pervasiveness of the idea that a school system designed for an elite is not about social engineering, whereas comprehensive education which values all children, all parents, all neighbourhoods, equally is.

Paradigm Shifts in Education: An Ecological Analysis

Purpose The purpose of this article is to analyze educational changes, in particular transformational changes, and suggest a new approach to shift the paradigm in education using an ecological conceptual framework. Design/Approach/Methods An ecological analysis of two key factors in education: prescribed curriculum and student autonomy. Findings Paradigm shift can happen in schools, but it cannot be imposed by systems, and systems typically are unable to propose transformational changes. Such changes should happen within schools, but not affecting the entire school. Thus a “school within a school” approach is proposed with some examples. The small change could affect entire systems from the perspective of panachy theory. Originality/Value This article brings a fresh perspective on making the much needed transformational changes possible in schools. AI partnership, personalized learning, student autonomy and self-determination, self-directed learning are all fascinating and hopeful ideas that could bring the best education possible for all students. But implementing these would demand a paradigm shift in schools. Schools are the most resilient social entities, but they are also the easiest to change organizations. For over 200 years, the essence of schooling has not changed, but there have been significant changes in curriculum, textbooks, testing, and pedagogy. Today, we need schools to operate with a different education paradigm to enable students to have more autonomy and control of their learning in order to survive and thrive in the uncertain age of Artificial Intelligence. It seems apparent that the school system has successfully resisted paradigm shifts or transformational changes.

Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Beliefs About Creativity at School: A Study in the Hispanic Context

The present study examines the beliefs of pre-service science teachers on creativity in science teaching and learning and identifies factors in the school environment that, in their view, can influence students’ creativity. A total of 152 Colombian prospective science teachers participated in this study. A questionnaire, with an open and a closed part, was administered to participants. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data collected was carried out. The results revealed that (a) the concept of creativity held by the participants was incomplete and significantly diverged from expert definitions; (b) they viewed creativity as a universal potential that can be nurtured within the school system; (c) the ability to identify problems and ask challenging questions was rarely selected as a creative personality trait; (d) they demonstrated unclear ideas about the relationship between creativity and intelligence and the role of prior knowledge in students’ creativity; and (e) the subject or curricular domain was seen as an important factor influencing students’ creativity. From all this, it could be concluded that Colombian future science teachers exhibited flawed concepts of creativity based on poorly articulated beliefs, which is consistent with findings in other international studies.

Current Status and Challenges of Korean Medical School Admissions Policies

Medical school admission policies vary from country to country. In Korea, medical school admission policies reflect the policy choices made by the Ministry of Education. After the Korean War, universities implemented their own entrance exams, and since then, various admissions processes have been implemented with consideration of the fairness of the exam and the increase in private education expenses. The introduction of the medical graduate school system has led many universities to implement tests separate from the academic ability test. Currently, 40 medical schools have been approved by the government and are responsible for providing medical education, but there is a growing movement to open new medical schools in various regions. The excessive interest in medical school admissions in Korea is creating an unfavorable social atmosphere, where academies are even being operated for elementary school students to help them achieve an eventual goal of entering medical school. Furthermore, an irresponsible and sudden increase in the number of students admitted to medical school is causing a disruption in medical education. Medical schools need unconditional government support to strengthen their role in the community and the nation, and policy consideration is needed to ensure that universities are as autonomous as possible.

Eco-education: an intervention in the curriculum and in the training process of teachers in the Feira Nova-PE School System

Eco-education: an intervention in the curriculum and in the training process of teachers in the Feira Nova-PE School System

Findings from the Mighty Girls Efficacy Trial: Changes in Acceptance of Dating Violence

Background/Objectives: Test efficacy of the social emotional learning (SEL)-based Mighty Girls program, a program culturally tailored for English-speaking Hispanic/Latino girls in seventh grade comprised of classroom sessions and a virtual reality computer game. We hypothesized that the curriculum would decrease risky sexual behaviors in a program that can be used as part of a comprehensive sex education curriculum or as a stand-alone program. Methods: A randomized group trial was conducted in which 22 low-income, predominately Hispanic schools within the Miami-Dade County Public School System were randomly assigned to intervention (consented n = 335) and control (consented n = 217) conditions. All study activities occurred after school. Primary outcome measures were resistance self-efficacy, acceptance of dating violence, sexual intentions, and sexual behavior. Assessments occurred at baseline, immediately post-intervention, 3-, 12-, and 24-months post-intervention. Changes in outcomes from baseline to 24 months were modeled using multi-level models to account for nesting of students within schools with full information maximum likelihood to account for missing data and baseline school attendance and enrollment in free and reduced lunch as covariates. Analyses are also controlled for multiple testing. Results: The program had a significant effect on reducing acceptance of dating violence at 24 months post-intervention (estimate = −0.083, p ≤ 0.05), but no effect on resistance self-efficacy, sexual intentions, or sexual behavior (p ≥ 0.58). Conclusion: Study findings demonstrate that a social emotional learning (SEL) curriculum can impact sexual behaviors such as susceptibility to dating violence. Low baseline levels for sexual intentions and behaviors as well as a high baseline of efficacy may have impacted findings for the other outcomes.

Pursuing systemic improvement through heterarchical school systems: A case of educational resources

AbstractEngland's schooling landscape is being remodelled and the move from hierarchical to heterarchical modes of governance has implications for systemic change strategies. Balancing local and networked autonomy with centralising policies complexifies choices for schools, creating tensions that this article explores through the context of curriculum resourcing policies. In particular, we consider the contemporary case of mathematics textbook schemes in England's heterarchical school system, comparing them with an earlier resource‐driven systemic change programme—the National Numeracy Strategy—which was implemented in a more hierarchical governance system. Drawing on key ideas from implementation science and data from a Wellcome‐funded study of primary teacher professional learning in mathematics in England, we exemplify the challenges of implementing centralised improvement policies in a nominally schools‐led, self‐improving, heterarchical education system. Each of the 19 participating schools had evolved a bespoke curriculum, and these hybridised ‘mashups’ of different resources were enacted with varying degrees of fidelity by teachers. We discuss the implications of this comparative case for systemic improvement, both in the use of educational resources and for policy implementation more generally.

Coaching by doing: communities of practice at Swedish sport schools in XC skiing since the 1970s

Since the introduction of a national system for upper-secondary sport schools in Sweden in the 1970s, these institutions have been an important environment for developments in training and coaching. This is particularly true for cross-country skiing, where these schools quickly became an obligatory passage point. Coaches at the sport schools, often formally employed as PE teachers, were among the first professionalized endurance sport coaches in Sweden. This article examines how communities of practice have influenced the professionalization process of XC ski coaches at Swedish sport schools. The results show how being part of this community is conditioned on personal experience of active learning, historically as a skier yourself and currently as a coach who participates in the everyday work. The strong communities of practice have enabled coaches to maintain a high degree of self-­governance and ensured that experiential knowledge remain important in relation to scientific knowledge.

The social gradient in institutional trust from 2011–2019 in the general population in Norway

Abstract Background Trust is described as the glue of healthy societies. Although Norway is among the countries with the highest levels of trust in public institutions, the increasing socioeconomic differences observed may threaten levels of institutional trust. Therefore, we aimed to investigate such differences in the general population between 2011 and 2019. Methods A repeated cross-sectional study was conducted using data on the general population in Østfold county from 2011 (N = 16673) and 2019 (N = 15935). Differences in trust toward five public institutions (healthcare system, school system, labour and welfare administration (NAV), police, and municipal council) by educational level were investigated with Chi-square tests. Logbinomial regression analyses were used to examine potential changes in high trust over time. Gender and age were included in the analyses as control variables. Results A relatively high proportion of the general population reported high levels of trust to the health care system (2011: 71%; 2019:80%), police (2011: 73%; 2019:77%), and the school system (2011: 64%; 2019:66%), whereas a lower proportion reported high levels of trust to NAV (2011: 37%; 2019:41%) and the municipal council (2011: 45%; 2019:36%). Both in 2011 and 2019 a clear social gradient in institutional trust was found for all institutions (p &amp;lt; 0.05). There was a significant increase in the level of trust in the health care system (low education:RR=1,10; middle:RR=1,12; high:RR=1.06) and a significant decrease in trust in the community council (low:RR=0,77; middle:RR=0,80; high:RR=0,83) in all educational groups from 2011 to 2019. The level of trust in NAV increased significantly in the highest education groups, while a non-significant decrease was shown in the low educational group. Conclusions The persisting social gradient in institutional trust is worrying as trust is an important factor in ensuring inclusion, social capital, democracy, and health and wellbeing. Key messages • Institutional trust is an important factor in ensuring inclusion, social capital, democracy, and health and wellbeing. • The lower levels of institutional trust found in low educational groups could be of particular concern as these groups might be more dependent on the different parts of the welfare system.

Educational achievement and health during adolescence in second generation immigrants in Sweden

Abstract Background Over the last decades, immigration have increased markedly in Sweden. Educational achievement is essential for successful integration; however, second generation immigrants have been shown to lag behind. There is a complex intertwinement between educational attainment and health outcomes. Thus, schooling is crucial in terms of integration but also from a public health perspective. We aim to compare school performance and health in children of immigrant parents and children of parents born in Sweden. Methods In this population-based cohort study, 1723 children were followed from birth to age 20. Of these 246 (14.3%) had at least one parent born abroad. Logistic regression was performed controlling for gender, language spoken at home and sociodemographic data obtained at 3 months, 3-, 12- and 20 years. Outcome measures were school performance at age 12 (n = 984), grades from compulsory and upper secondary school (n = 1668) and register data on psychiatric diagnoses (n = 737). Self-response questionnaires on general health, long term health problems and psychiatric conditions were administered at age 20 (n = 731). Results There were no differences in reading (p = 0.676) or mathematics (p = 0.324) at age 12, eligibility to upper secondary school (p = 0.298) or university (p = 0.232) between second generation immigrants and children of native-born parents. No differences in frequency of psychiatric diagnoses (p = 0.112), presence of long-term health problems (p = 0.267) or self-reported health (p = 0.595) were shown. Conclusions The results indicate that young adults born in Sweden in the middle of the 1990’s with immigrant parents perform similarly in school compared to children of parents born in Sweden. They are not at increased risk for mental illness, long-term health conditions and report their general health equivalently to children of native-born. The comprehensive school system and child health programs used in Sweden are likely important factors to promote education and health. Key messages • In a birth-cohort of children followed into early adulthood, no difference in educational achievement or health was shown between second generation immigrants and children of parents born in Sweden. • International comparative studies are needed to highlight the importance of underlying structural and socio-cultural factors.

Cannabis use, mental health and suicide attempts among adolescents in Puerto Rico

Abstract Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance worldwide, with recent reports estimating an 11.6% annual prevalence of use in North America. Mental health, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and completed suicides, has been the focus of several studies exploring its association with frequent cannabis use. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between cannabis use, mental health symptoms and suicide attempts among adolescent students in Puerto Rico. Consulta Juvenil X is a monitoring program that aims to study the prevalence of substance use, mental health and violent behavior as well as the risk factors associated with those practices. The survey was conducted during the 2018-20 academic year. The study utilizes a self-administered questionnaire. The sample included 4,668 (54%) females and 3,977 (46%) males. Half of the sample was between seventh and ninth grade with a median age of 15 years old. The majority of the sample was recruited from the public school system in Puerto Rico (70.3%). The prevalence of marihuana use in the public and private schools participating in the study was 9.4% and the suicide attempts was 7.6%. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that students who use marihuana during the last year were significantly more likely to report depressive and anxiety symptoms after controlling for sociodemographic variables. Moreover, adolescents who use marihuana were significantly more likely to report suicide attempts after controlling for depression symptoms (OR = 3.07; 95%CI: 2.53-3.72). Findings of this study suggest that adolescents who report marihuana use seem to be at higher risk for mental health problems and suicide attempts. Understanding who is most likely to report marihuana use is important in developing interventions to prevent mental health problems and suicidal behaviors. Key messages • Findings of this study suggest that adolescents who report marihuana use seem to be at higher risk for mental health problems and suicide attempts. • Understanding who is most likely to report marihuana use is important in developing interventions to prevent mental health problems and suicidal behaviors.

School staff perceptions of the impact of school counselling on young people, the school and integration into the school system

AbstractIntroductionThis research explored the views of staff in secondary schools on school counselling for young people. Data were drawn from the Effectiveness and Cost Effectiveness Trial of Humanistic Counselling in Schools (ETHOS) study, an RCT of school counselling across 18 state‐funded secondary schools in London.MethodsQualitative semi‐structured interviews were held with school staff (n = 16) from a sub‐sample of 10 participating schools from the RCT. The interviews explored the perceived impact of school counselling on the school and students. Thematic analysis was conducted using the NVivo qualitative data analysis software.ResultsThree key themes were identified: (1) school context: rising mental health need and varying provision for mental health; (2) school staff perspectives on the impact of counselling: increased openness and improvements in mood, dedicated space to open up, putting skills into practice, one size does not fit all, and role of personal connection; and (3) long‐term impact of counselling in schools: integration as central to success and counselling as a stepping stone for further support.ConclusionThis research provides insights into school staff views of secondary school counselling in the context of delivery through a research trial. Effective ways of integrating counselling services into schools are identified.

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and Substance Misuse in Secondary Schools

Amid a proliferation of highly potent opioids, school systems have sought to invest in programs for preventing substance misuse. School teams often prioritize early screening and intervention to prevent student substance misuse; however, given the limited resources of many schools, it is crucial to understand the extent to which commonly available data and existing frameworks are relevant for prevention efforts. In this study, we examined (a) how commonly available data on substance misuse (office discipline referrals [ODRs]) relate to self-reported substance misuse and (b) how positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) implementation across tiers relates to these substance-related outcomes. We found that self-reported substance misuse is significantly related to substance-related ODRs, but that self-report rates are much higher than ODR rates. We also found that Tier 2 PBIS implementation was associated with significantly lower rates of both self-reported substance misuse and substance-related ODRs. These findings suggest that aspects of PBIS implementation could be beneficial in preventing substance misuse, but more research is needed to understand what specific school-based practices best address these student behavioral health needs.

Improving sense of school belonging in Indian schools: Student perspectives

AbstractStudents’ sense of school belonging is associated with healthier psychological functioning and improved academic outcomes. Currently, most research on school belonging has been conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, resulting in school belonging practices and interventions largely biased towards Western school systems and cultures. This study sought to identify Indian students' perceptions of teacher‐level and school‐level factors that could contribute to a sense of school belonging. Open‐ended survey questions were used to qualitatively explore how teacher‐ and school‐level practices contributed to the school belonging of 93 Indian students aged 12–19. Data analysis followed manifest content analysis, identifying themes within teacher‐level and school‐level domains of enquiry. Results reveal valuable insights into factors influencing school belonging from the students’ perspective. These findings can inform the development of targeted interventions to support Indian students in rebuilding their sense of school belonging, improving their wellbeing, and enhancing their academic success. The research also contributes to a broader understanding of school belonging practices and their cultural sensitivity, benefiting educators, policymakers, and researchers worldwide.

Pluralism and the Culture of Education in the United States

ABSTRACT This article describes educational pluralism as a common approach to schooling in which the government funds a wide variety of schools and holds all of them academically accountable. Educational pluralism implies a diverse structure (i.e., schools that differ from one another in meaningful ways) and a common academic content (i.e., all schools teach many domains of knowledge). Second, the article outlines the philosophical premises of educational pluralism, the history of educational uniformity and curricular diversity in the United States, and the risks and potential benefits of educational pluralism for social cohesion. Finally, it highlights current tensions that pertain to both the structure and the content of education in the United States, and offers potential resolutions based on the successes and failures of school systems around the world.

Impact of School Gardens on Nutrition Education Among Limited-Income Communities in Alabama.

We sought to determine the impact of school gardens and nutrition education on student fruit and vegetable consumption from limited-income communities in Alabama. Third grade students at 99 Alabama schools with and without gardens on-site were randomized to receive either nutrition education or to a wait-list control group. Multi-level models were used to assess the effects of treatment and control with and without school gardens. Students attending schools with gardens demonstrated highest consumption of fruits and vegetables prior to treatment. Nutrition education alone translated into significant dietary improvements. Both gardens and education translated into greatest dietary improvements. Devising financially accessible, practical, and culturally relevant ways to improve student health through garden and nutrition education may help improve student diet. Forming comprehensive Extension, SNAP-Ed, and school collaboration to support gardens, nutrition education, and healthy school policies and systems can be a way to support and sustain healthy student learning environments. Combined gardening and nutrition education is associated with increases in fruit and vegetable consumption among majority rural, Southern students from limited-resource communities.

Voices of Elementary Computer Science Teachers: Computer Science Integration Rationales and Practices

Objectives . Computer Science (CS) education has become increasingly prevalent in elementary schools because of multiple rationales, such as the importance of computational literacy and the growing demand for CS-related workforce preparation. As elementary CS standards continue to be adopted by many states, more examples and voices from the field may help educators understand what effective computational thinking (CT)/CS integration looks like in practice. Method . We employed a descriptive qualitative approach to study eight award-winning K-8 CS teachers and aimed to answer three research questions: (1) What were elementary CS teachers’ rationales for CT/CS integration? (2) How do elementary CS teachers integrate CT/CS into their classroom practices? (3) What are the needs of CS teachers for meaningful CT/CS integration in elementary schools? Data were collected through interviews, a questionnaire, and artifacts and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings . Our findings of elementary CS teachers’ rationales for CT/CS integration encompassed its essential nature as a literacy skill, its potential to promote equity in education, and its alignment with standards across various disciplines. To support CT/CS integration at the elementary level, CS teachers described important aspects with examples from their instructional practices: (a) Real-world applications; (b) hands-on activities; (c) strategies to scaffold and guide student learning; (d) collaboration with classroom teachers; and (e) support from professional development (PD). Conclusion . The study results shared CS teachers’ voices from practice and shed light on the urgent need for more support and PD opportunities for both homeroom teachers and CS teachers in elementary schools, as well as the crucial need for multiple levels of support within K-12 school systems. Continuous efforts in creating systematic and sustainable PD plans and supporting collaborative professional communities for teachers within the instructional context are a must to help prepare our elementary students with the essential CS knowledge and skills they need to thrive in this technology-rich society.

The Impact of Lockdown in Cyberbullying in Primary Education: Transitions of Cyberbullying and Bullying.

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a worldwide socio-sanitary crisis, continuing to impact societies worldwide. With many school systems shifted to online education, the current study presents a unique opportunity to investigate relevant phenomena related to serious health issues during the schooling and later in life, cyberbullying and bullying. This study began just before the COVID-19 lockdown was declared and resumed 5 months later allowing to explore 2 main objectives: first, to explore whether cyberbullying increased during the lockdown, and second, to analyze transitions from to time of bullying and cyberbullying. The participants included 792 students from sixth and seventh years of Primary Education (Meanage = 10.81, SD = 0.85) in Ecuador. This is a quantitative longitudinal study. Cyberbullying and bullying scales were used for data collection before the lockdown in January and February 2020 (T1), and after 5 months of lockdown, at the end of the same academic year in July 2020 (T2). Descriptive, comparative and predictive analyses, a latent transition analysis was used to identify latent status of cyberbullying and bullying behavior at T1 and T2. The results revealed a significant increase of cyberbullying after 5 months of the lockdown. Interestingly, only a small percentage of students who were uninvolved in cyberbullying and bullying in T1 remained uninvolved in T2. The discussion explores the dynamics of cyberbullying involvement and examines changes in the roles and groups of bullying and cyberbullying after 5 months of lockdown. The political- and school-related implications of these findings are thoroughly discussed.