Primary School Teachers Research Articles

Language and Literacy Education in Austria: Teachers’ Perspectives

This study examines the critical role of language and literacy in educational contexts, emphasizing their significance in human development and social inclusion. Drawing on a diverse range of literature and research, this study explores the interconnectedness of language acquisition, literacy development, and educational practices. Highlighting language and literacy as fundamental human rights, this study underscores the importance of inclusive and equitable education. Through qualitative methods, including online questionnaires (n=18) and interviews (n=8) with teachers, this study investigates the implementation of language and literacy education in Austrian primary schools as well as the challenges faced by educators in this domain. The findings reveal diverse teaching methodologies employed by teachers, ranging from shared book reading to digital tools, while also identifying obstacles, such as multilingualism, professional training deficiencies, and student engagement issues. The study’s findings strongly support the need for targeted interventions to improve educational outcomes. Specifically, the challenges identified—particularly multilingualism and training gaps—underscore the necessity of ongoing professional development tailored to teachers’ specific needs. Enhancing teacher training programs with a focus on multilingual pedagogy and culturally responsive teaching can directly address these obstacles. Furthermore, the findings suggest that improving student engagement requires innovative and adaptable teaching methodologies, such as integrating digital literacy tools more effectively into the curriculum.

Primary Language Instruction from the Perspective of the Cooperative Principle

Generally speaking, our communication needs to communicate with others in good faith. In the process of communication, it is more important to communicate the minds of the listener and the speaker to achieve the purpose of resonance. In primary language instruction, whether teachers and students can communicate successfully determines whether classroom activities and language knowledge can be carried out smoothly. However, due to the limitations of pupils' knowledge level and the stage of learning English at the beginning, the primary school teachers have brought greater pressure. If teachers can make good use of the cooperative principle of pragmatics, students can understand the content taught by teachers, and teachers' teaching work can be carried out smoothly.

Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity among Primary School Students in Split, Croatia

The rising prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents is a global public health concern, significantly contributing to noncommunicable chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. In Croatia, obesity rates are alarmingly high, affecting both children and adults. Data from the Institute of the Public Health of Split-Dalmatian County were analyzed to identify trends in body mass index (BMI) among primary school students in Split, Croatia and possible connection with sports participation and parental education levels. A longitudinal analysis of students was conducted across three medical examinations during primary school education. The findings showed an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity from 23.4% in the first to 30.2% in the fifth grade, returning back to 23.4% in the eighth grade. Significant differences among students were associated with parental education level. Boys who participated in sports demonstrated a higher BMI in the first grade but there was no difference in BMI in later grades. Sports participation had no significant impact on the BMI of girls. The study underscores the critical role of parental education in influencing children’s weight status and highlights the necessity of tailored public health interventions to address these trends from an early age. The implementation of comprehensive strategies, including educational programs and policy measures as part of the national health policy, is the only way to combat childhood obesity and promote long-term health benefits.

ETwinning in Science Learning: The Perspectives of Pre-service Primary School Teachers

<p style="text-align:justify">eTwinning is a community of European schools that promotes networking and transnational collaboration projects. Therefore, as part of the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) initiative, we decided to explore how the research projects on scientific topics familiarize pre-service primary school teachers with eTwinning. 251 pre-service primary school teachers from Spain, Iceland, and Slovenia designed and carried out joint research projects on scientific topics. The aim was to gain insight into their self-assessment of their knowledge of the platform, the limitations of working with it, and their responses. An electronic questionnaire was used as the main instrument for data collection. It turned out that the pre-service teachers enjoyed this international collaboration, but also found it challenging. By the end of the projects, they were familiar with the eTwinning platform, although the least engaged prospective teachers recognized that they needed strong support and considered the platform a non-intuitive environment. Overall, they were willing to use the platform with pupils in the future, which is in line with the aim of the ITE initiative.</p>

TVARUMO ASPEKTAS RENGIANT STEAM PROJEKTUS PRADINIAME UGDYME

STEAM education is identified as one of Lithuania's educational priorities and has been taking root in primary education over the last decade in the form of various creative and/or exploratory projects for students. As education experts analyze the aims and outcomes of STEAM education, it is noticeable that the rapid increase in the number of STEAM projects is resulting in a decrease in the number of relevant real-life problems and solutions that incorporate sustainability aspects. To find out how future primary school teachers consider sustainability in STEAM projects, a qualitative research methodological approach (focus group discussion) and qualitative content analysis were applied. The results of the study revealed that primary teachers perceive sustainability in STEAM projects as environmental knowledge, encouraging students to be responsible consumers, and teaching them how to find and make reasonable solutions to problems. The results of this study do not allow for drawing broad and generalized conclusions, but point to the need to review more carefully the information and assignments presented during the placement year from the sustainability perspective, to encourage students to design and implement different STEAM project models and to critically evaluate them in the context of students' sustainability competence development, and to encourage the primary teachers' readiness to develop sustainability competences in STEAM projects remains a relevant area for further research. Keywords: STEAM project, sustainability, future primary school teachers

Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) Systems for Comprehensive Fire Safety Education in Primary School

In the evolving landscape of educational technology, immersive virtual reality (IVR) has emerged as a promising tool to enhance safety education for primary school students. Traditional fire safety methods, while foundational, face challenges in engaging young learners actively. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the intricate dynamics of integrating IVR technology into fire safety education for primary school students. By examining students' perceptions, assessing engagement levels, and evaluating learning outcomes, the research seeks to offer nuanced insights into the potential benefits and challenges associated with VR-based safety education. Conducted as a qualitative study, 25 semi-structured interviews were performed with primary school students (Grades 4-6 in China), employing a three-step thematic analysis. The research explores students' experiences with IVR fire safety simulations, comparing them with traditional methods, and addressing practical considerations for integration. Preliminary findings suggest positive perceptions, heightened engagement, and improved learning outcomes among students exposed to VR simulations. Practical challenges, including logistical considerations, were identified. The comparison with traditional methods illuminated strengths and weaknesses, guiding educators and policymakers. This research contributes to the intersection of education and technology by offering novel insights into the potential of IVR simulations in fire safety education. The study's significance lies in informing pedagogical practices, addressing practical challenges, and promoting safety awareness among primary school students, guiding future educational technology initiatives.

Data Set on Forecasting Gender Trends for Primary School Teachers in Somalia from Academic Years 2015/2016 - 2025/2026

This analysis examines forecasting gender trends for primary school teachers in Somalia from the academic years 2015/2016 to 2025/2026. For male teachers, the data reveals an increase from 5,587 in 2015/2016 to 10,812 in 2021/2022, with predictions suggesting further growth to approximately 14,673 by 2025/2026, despite some short-term fluctuations. In contrast, female teachers rose from 498 to 1,838 during the same period, followed by a slight decline to 1,774 in 2022/2023. Forecasts indicate a temporary decrease to about 1,567 in 2023/2024 but anticipate a significant rebound to nearly 2,924 by 2025/2026. The findings highlight a trend of increasing male representation and fluctuating female participation among primary school teachers in Somalia, underscoring the need for targeted policies to address these gender dynamics.

PELATIHAN INOVASI MEDIA AJAR INTERAKTIF UNTUK PEMBELAJARAN PERKALIAN SEDERHANA DI SEKOLAH DASAR

Innovations in teaching media are essential for improving the quality of learning, especially in basic mathematical concepts such as multiplication. This article discusses community service activities in the form of training in creating interactive teaching media for simple multiplication learning. The training is aimed at primary school teachers in Rayung Village, Kepohrejo Village, Kudu District, Jombang Regency with the aim of improving their skills in creating technology-based learning media. The method used in this training is Participatory Action Research (PAR). The results of the activity showed that the participants were able to create and use technology-based interactive teaching media well, and were able to increase students' interest and understanding of multiplication materials. In conclusion, the training is effective in providing teachers with new skills and potentially improving the quality of learning in primary schools.

The Effect of Steam Approach to Economics Media Based on Bima Local Wisdom in Elementary Schools

The purpose of this article is to contribute new learning concepts about critical thinking in social sciences, especially economics, as well as the belief that social character is not developed in Indonesian schools. We investigated how primary school teachers self-reported applying what they had learned about economics to their daily social views. With the aid of educational media, this experimental study aimed to ascertain the extent to which the STEAM method influences the meaning of studying economics from early in life. According to the findings, very few pupils comprehend how economics affects both the environment and them in day-to-day living. Not only did we discover that the STEAM technique had a significant effect on pupils' thinking processes. However, they also discover the impact of their characters. There are significant differences in the level of understanding of learning, one of which is influenced by local wisdom. The implications of these findings for sharpening primary school pupils' comprehension of social science courses are explored. We suggest that social science learning be implemented using many of the latest approaches. Focusing on improving character based on local culture is not enough to use the traditional approach that has been implemented so far.

Variations in online self-regulated learning abilities among Chinese K-12 teachers across different regions and levels.

Online self-regulated learning (OSRL) is crucial for online learners' success and lifelong learning. This study investigated the OSRL characteristics of K-12 teachers in China, who embody the dual roles of learners and educators. It also analyzed the differences in OSRL abilities across different genders, education stages, and school locations, and examined the correlation between education qualifications, years of service, and OSRL abilities. A self-report measure was used to assess K-12 teachers' OSRL, with data collected from 1,443 K-12 teachers (394 males and 1,049 females) in northeastern China. Descriptive statistical analysis was utilized to explore the characteristics of their OSRL. Independent t-tests and ANOVA were employed to investigate differences in OSRL among different genders, regions, and educational stages. Correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between education qualifications, years of service, and OSRL among K-12 teachers. The data analysis revealed that K-12 teachers scored the lowest in Online Learning Self-Efficacy (OLSE), followed by Online Learning Management Strategies (OLMS), and then Online Learning Resource Management (OLRM). Notably, urban K-12 teachers exhibited higher OLSE abilities than their rural counterparts, while high school teachers scored higher in OLSE and OLMS compared to primary school teachers. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between education qualifications and K-12 teachers' OLSE, whereas a negative correlation was identified between years of service and K-12 teachers' OLSE. The findings reveal an uneven development across various dimensions of online self-regulated learning among K-12 teachers, necessitating support for the advancement of OLSE, OLMS, and OLRM. Particular attention should be given to the OLSE of teachers with longer teaching years and rural teachers. Encouraging K-12 teachers with lower education qualifications to pursue further education is also recommended. This study provides evidence and a novel perspective for teacher educators to develop online professional development programs, which is significant for optimizing online learning experiences and enhancing educational outcomes.

The Escol@s Digitais Project. An experience of working with technologies in Primary Education in Portugal

The Escol@s Digitais Project is an action-research project that was born on the initiative of the Municipality of Amadora (Portugal) and has been under development by a research team of the Institute of Education of the University of Lisbon. As part of the Education XXI line of research, it aims to support the ongoing digital transformation in all public schools of Primary Education in the municipality to enhance the quality of processes, performances, and results of learning. Seeking to deepen and consolidate existing knowledge and practices, the Project defines four objectives to be pursued intentionally throughout its term: i) valuing the work carried out within schools in the digital transition, distinguishing and promoting successful practices; ii) reinforcing the sustained integration of teaching and learning dynamics with digital, in the classroom and in other local contexts; iii) recognizing and assessing students' digital skills, bearing in mind the Portuguese Profile of Students Leaving Compulsory Schooling; iv) monitoring project activities and understand their impact on teachers and students. In this article, we present the main starting questions and the conceptual foundations and premises that underpin the intervention plan's design. Although the plan involved other dimensions, particularly related to school management, here we will emphasize the assumption of digital technologies that we assumed and how we worked with the teachers. We conclude with the presentation of the Project's assumptions and work axes.

Teachers’ Motivational Skills In Primary Reading

Teachers’ motivational skills in primary reading are essential because they inspire primary learners, foster a love for learning, and contribute to academic success, laying the foundation for lifelong literacy and educational achievement. In this context, this study aimed to determine the level of teachers’ motivational skills at the primary level. The study was tested on 86 primary school teachers using a self-made questionnaire that passed stringent validity and reliability tests. The data were statistically analyzed using the mean, t-test, and analysis of variance. The results revealed that the level of teachers’ motivational skills in attention, confidence, and satisfaction was very high, while the areas of relevance were high. The level of teachers’ motivation skills, when grouped according to the variables above, was lowest in terms of relevance. Further, no significant differences emerged in teachers’ motivational skills when grouped and compared by their profile variables. Notably, the lower motivation in the relevance dimension prompts inquiry into underlying factors affecting its perception. It calls for tailored professional development interventions to address these issues, potentially leading to more effective teaching practices and learner outcomes. Keywords: Teachers’ Motivational Skills, Primary Learners, Education, Valencia, Negros Oriental.

Every country needs a national STEM teacher corps

Every country needs a national STEM teacher corps The US National Science Foundation has initiated the National STEM Teacher Corps program to support STEM teachers. Nancy Butler Songer, Associate Provost of STEM Education, discusses her efforts to assist primary school teachers in guiding young children to create solutions for local environmental issues. In many countries, we are challenged by a shortage of well-trained and well-supported teachers. In a 2021 study, more than half (54%) of American teachers surveyed reported their likelihood of leaving the teaching field was somewhat likely or very likely. While American policy documents such as the Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2012) propose that students learn science and engineering through investigations and design, many classroom teachers lack professional development, time, supportive environments, and resources to champion students’ problem-solving, leading to solutions to local environmental problems.

La formación inicial del profesorado de primaria en educación para la ciudadanía. Estudio de casos en Latinoamérica

This article identifies, analyzes and interprets what happens with citizenship education in the initial training of generalist teachers, in university programs in Latin America. The methodological strategy is the documentary analysis of the citizenship education curriculum in three academic programs in Chile, Argentina and Colombia, which train primary school teachers and who agree to participate voluntarily in the study. The results identify that the purposes and objectives of the programs for the initial training of generalist teachers focus on global citizenship. In the study plans, the contents planned for teaching the area are few and focused on theoretical concepts related to national citizenship, which do not favor the development of critical thinking or the political training of teachers, which are essential aspects to train students future teachers and transformative intellectuals (Giroux, 2006). The analysis concludes that general teachers are not being trained to educate primary school boys and girls as critical and democratic citizens. Academic programs have the challenge of proposing problematizing curricula, in which future teachers acquire the professional skills to analyze and understand the complexity and interdisciplinarity of social knowledge and, to guide the area of ​​citizenship in primary education in the construction of democratic culture and social justice.

"SHIELDing" Our Educators: Comprehensive Coping Strategies for Teacher Occupational Well-Being.

Teaching is a physically and mentally challenging profession that demands high emotional involvement, often leading to stress and anxiety. Understanding how teachers cope with these demands is essential for enhancing their well-being and effectiveness. This study aimed to (1) investigate personal and school-based well-being initiatives that teachers use for maintaining their occupational well-being, and (2) develop a coping strategy model that enhances teachers' occupational well-being. This study utilised a qualitative phenomenological approach to explore the coping strategies of Australian primary school teachers. The twenty-one participants interviewed employed ten diverse coping strategies classified into five personal and five school-based well-being-enabling initiatives. The personal strategies included setting boundaries, exercise and physical health, social support and interactions, mental health and mindfulness, and work-life balance. The school-based initiatives comprised supportive leadership, colleague support, flexibility and autonomy, resource availability, and proactive approaches to address challenges. A novel SHIELD model incorporating Support, Health, Interaction, Empathy, Leadership, and Development strategies was formulated as a holistic coping strategy for enhancing teachers' occupational well-being. The findings highlight the necessity of a holistic approach to teacher well-being, integrating both personal and institutional support systems. Schools can enhance teacher well-being by fostering a supportive and empathetic culture, providing necessary resources, and encouraging healthy lifestyles. The SHIELD model offers a comprehensive framework for supporting teachers and improving educational outcomes.

Teacher language awareness for CLIL in multilingual settings: insights from across UK and Dutch primary classrooms

Schools are increasingly using content and language integrated learning (CLIL) approaches to education, whereby the teaching of subject content and an additional language occurs in an integrated manner. While language and learning are inextricably linked and the rewards of CLIL many, integrated teaching requires a specialised professional awareness of how an additional language operates and is acquired within content classrooms. However, research focused on teacher language awareness (TLA) for CLIL is still sparse. Moreover, it has focused solely on CLIL teachers’ awareness of the target language, thereby disregarding the teacher plurilingual awareness (TPLA) required for effective CLIL, which is inherently multilingual and increasingly implemented in linguistically diverse settings. This study brings together the expertise of Dutch primary school teachers using CLIL to teach English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, with the expertise in teaching in multilingual settings of UK teachers supporting English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners. Using a CLIL Teaching Wall activity within interviews, it was possible to gain rich insight into the characteristics of the TLA and TPLA underpinning teachers’ ability to recognise and teach to the language demands of multilingual dual-focused classrooms.

An Examination on the Planning and Practice of Bilingual Education in Primary and Secondary Schools in Taiwan

Over the past few years, several reforms in language education have been outlined to implement the full-scale bilingualization of the education system in Taiwan. Among the 3392 public primary and secondary schools, nearly one-third of them have been implementing bilingual education in certain subjects. The vast majority of these schools have adopted Immersion, CLIL, or EMI as models for bilingual education. It has been argued that these exotic models cannot be “transplanted” to the education context of Taiwan, and he proposes the FERTILE model. Adopting this model as the theoretical framework, this qualitative study aims to examine how school practitioners plan and practice bilingual education in Taiwan. Data were collected through the document analysis of the progress reports from thirty-five primary and secondary schools and three focus group discussions (FGDs) with nine subject teachers. The findings show that the participants made considerable efforts to construct a bilingual environment and have an identical understanding about the strategies for bilingual instruction that emphasize subject knowledge and students’ comprehension. However, the participants experienced a diverse ecology of bilingual teacher learning communities and received differential support from the principals. Qualified and stable teaching manpower was identified as the key to sustain bilingual education. Implications to different education stakeholders are also discussed.

Ai] Explore!: An Educational Game for Developing Programming Skills and Algorithmic Thinking

The game [ai] explore! was developed to introduce the algorithm behind the popular science exhibition. The idea behind the [ai] explore! exhibition was to show the application of mathematics and computer science in solving real engineering problems by creating the exhibit using the mathematical algorithm Heat Equation Driven Area Coverage (HEDAC). The algorithm is based on scientific research and has many applications: exploration and search in unknown space, painting, planning agricultural spraying, scanning 3D objects, etc. The exhibits show the process by which the algorithm paints objects with a virtual brush and explores their shape. By surveying the high school students, it was shown that new mathematical and engineering results can be explained and turned into a playable game. After playing the game, students respond positively to the game presented and state that they have a good understanding of the HEDAC algorithm presented and how it works. This motivated us to investigate [ai] explore! as an educational game for teaching mathematics and computer science. The aim of the research described in this paper is to investigate the potential of the developed game as an educational game. The game-based learning (GBL) approach is increasingly used to increase student motivation and engagement in STEM lessons. The main research question is: How do primary school teachers and students perceive the usefulness of the game [ai] explore! in supporting teaching and learning of computer science concepts? We have developed and implemented teaching scenarios on how the game [ai] explore! can be used as an educational game in computer science lessons. We show that the game has great potential to teach primary school students programming. In addition, the game promotes algorithmic thinking and computational thinking skills in general, which are valuable not only in computer science but also in other fields such as mathematics, where a systematic and analytical approach to problem-solving is required.

Primary Education’s Stakeholders Behavioural Intention to use Prospective Game-based Learning for Waste Awareness

Despite some efforts to design games to raise primary school students’ awareness of the waste problems, there is a lack of research studying the directly involved stakeholder’s behavioural intention to use the games. Prior studies have explored the users’ games acceptance of the games that have already been developed. However, we believe that understanding the user’s acceptance from the beginning of the game design process is also crucial. This research investigates the factors that influence the behavioural intention to use prospective game-based learning (GBL) for waste awareness among primary school parents, teachers, and students. An online survey based on the UTAUT 2 was distributed to each stakeholder, supplemented by a video demonstrating an Augmented Reality-based mobile game interaction scenario. The sample of participants included 135 parents, 47 teachers, and 129 primary school students from Malang, Indonesia. The internal consistency of game acceptance from the surveys was evaluated through Kruskall Wallis. Results show that Effort Expectancy is the factor with the highest acceptance value while Facilitating Condition has the lowest value. The three stakeholders argued that the prospective GBL seems easy to play and learn, but in contradiction, the adults are concerned that they cannot assist in teaching how to use the game and cannot provide the necessary technology. The cultural background seems to influence user game acceptance. Indonesians are known to be quite open to new technologies like GBL, although the facilitation condition might be low. Furthermore, there are some significant differences between the student-parent and student-teacher groups, but not in the parent-teacher group. Findings indicated that Indonesian teachers are more ready to adopt GBL than students and their parents. By understanding the perceptions and attitudes of these groups, educators and researchers can develop strategies to address any concerns or doubts they may have and promote the benefits of GBL.

An Appraisal of Teachers’ Professional Development in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja-Nigeria

This study assessed the professional development (PD) of primary and secondary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Nigeria. A mixed-method research design was adopted, where questionnaires and oral interviews were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. A sample of 109 teachers from four purposively selected schools was used in the study. The findings revealed that a significant proportion of teachers (about 86%) have accessed PD; and about half,48.6%, of the teachers have benefited from government-sponsored professional development programmes between 2020- 2022. The appraisal of teachers’ work is not regular. While the perceptions of the impacts of PD were mixed, most of the teachers rated it as good and excellent. Factors inhibiting effective PD are diverse, the most important ones being inadequate funding, poorly organised PD and non-personalised PD for teachers’ needs and interests. It is rec commended that more funding should be channelled to PD; more personalised PD opportunities with input from teachers should be provided; as well as regular appraisals and the provision of feedback on teachers’ work.