Teacher Comfort Research Articles

Improving teacher comfort and self-efficacy in asthma management

Background: Asthma is common among urban school-age children. Though teachers should be prepared to assist children during an asthma attack, studies show they lack self-efficacy in managing asthma.Objective: To assess feasibility of implementing an asthma workshop for elementary school teachers, describe themes of questions raised, and determine workshop’s impact on teachers’ comfort and self-efficacy in asthma management.Methods: We developed and implemented an asthma workshop for teachers from four Bronx elementary schools (2012–2014). Teachers completed a questionnaire evaluating their comfort and self-efficacy in asthma management before and after the workshop. Questions asked during the sessions were recorded and analyzed for themes. Paired t-test and McNemar tests compared before/after scores.Results: 65 out of 70 teachers (92.9%) participated in the educational sessions. Teachers asked questions about school policy for inhalers, medication administration guidelines, and physical activity and asthma. 64/65 (98.5%) teachers completed pre/post surveys (mean age 39.7 years; mean years at the school 8.0). Post-intervention, more teachers reported knowing how to manage an asthma attack (93.8% vs. 64.1%, p < .0001); and felt comfortable assessing (50.8% vs. 30.8%, p = 0.019) and handling an asthma attack (52.3% vs. 33.8%, p = .023). The overall mean self-efficacy score increased post-intervention (43.0 vs. 38.1, p < .0001), as did 8/12 individual self-efficacy items. Post-workshop, 95.3% of teachers agreed that teacher in-service asthma education should be done annually.Conclusions: An asthma workshop was successfully implemented in the school setting and improved teacher comfort and self-efficacy in managing asthma. Annual training may improve teachers’ confidence in assisting students with asthma.

Cultural adaptation and reliability of the questionnaire of sex education in schools.

Sexuality is embedded in a social and cultural origin and its approach must go beyond biological aspects. Questionnaire on Sex Education in Schools (QUSES) assesses the knowledge, comfort, motivation and involvement of teachers in relation to sex education. This article aims to culturally adapt and verify the reliability of QUSES. The Experts Committee realized the Cultural adaptation and content validation. The Cronbach's alpha and its stratification were tested for reliability. It was applied to 100 teachers with an average of 44.45 (9.62) years of age. Words and phrases were modified, maintaining the equivalences of the original version. Question of knowledge was the most modified due to regulatory differences between countries. Reliability data was similar to the original instruments and were considered good. The lowest values were α = 0.741 for subscale of efficacy of results, α = 0.812 and α = 0.849 for subscale of involvement (cognitive). QUSES was culturally adapted for Brazilian elementary schools teachers presenting good reliability. It is relevant, because it evaluates sex education fully and may support in implementation and monitoring public policies related to health promotion in schools.

Optimum Glazing Configurations for Visual Performance in Algerian Classrooms under Mediterranean Climate

Daylight quality and quantity in Algerian schools show serious problems in ensuring visual comfort of students and teachers. Some problems are due to window design, which leads to excessive amount of sunlight penetration into the classrooms. The consequences are glare and heat gain. This study investigates the effective glazing pattern for classroom to achieve optimum daylight performance and visual comfort in Algerian classrooms. Field measurements of typical classrooms were carried out in a selected school in Algeria during solstice summer (under clear sky condition) and solstice winter (under overcast sky condition). The data of outdoor daylight illuminance were used to validate Integrated Environment Solution Virtual Environment (IESVE) daylight simulation. This study used three different glazing types, namely, clear, tint and reflective glass with different glazing proportions, subsequently, seven patterns of glazing window design were used for an extensive simulation exercise. The results of the investigation from the site measurements show that the work plane illuminance was found to be beyond the range of 300 lux to 500 lux, which exceeded recommended value, except for the south-east orientation with clerestory typology, which were recorded at 2.98% of daylight factor, in contrast the daylight uniformity in tested classrooms is appropriate. Furthermore, the simulation revealed that combination of 75% clear glass and 25% reflective glass with 30% wall-to-window ratio has achieved 41.41% during winter and 47.82% during summer of Useful daylight illuminance. The use of different glazing configurations shows a significant improvement on daylight distribution and the reduction of glare comparing to the reference model. However, such improvement in the quality and quantity of daylighting was inadequate which arises the need of further enhancement.

Fostering a “head start” in math: observing teachers in early childhood mathematics engagement

ABSTRACTStudies show that early engagement with mathematics leads to increased math achievement later in life. Yet, early childhood teachers do not regard mathematics as critical to young learners’ development and lack confidence with helping children learn mathematics. Early childhood teacher comfort and engagement with mathematics is a critical element to promoting intentional math instruction. Research was conducted to examine the effects of an innovative professional development program for Head Start preschool teachers with the goal of increasing pedagogical content knowledge and confidence in teaching mathematics. The findings in this article focus on classroom observations that concentrated on teacher engagement with mathematics.

Towards New Design of Laser Cut Acrylic Panels for Windows

Daylight quality and quantity in Algerian schools show serious problems in ensuring visual comfort of students and teachers. Some problems are due to window design, which leads to excessive amount of sunlight penetration into the classrooms. The consequences are glare and heat gain. This study investigates the effective glazing pattern for classroom to achieve optimum daylight performance and visual comfort in Algerian classrooms. Field measurements of typical classrooms were carried out in a selected school in Algeria during solstice summer (under clear sky condition) and solstice winter (under overcast sky condition). The data of outdoor daylight illuminance were used to validate Integrated Environment Solution Virtual Environment (IESVE) daylight simulation. This study used three different glazing types, namely, clear, tint and reflective glass with different glazing proportions, subsequently, seven patterns of glazing window design were used for an extensive simulation exercise. The results of the investigation from the site measurements show that the work plane illuminance was found to be beyond the range of 300 lux to 500 lux, which exceeded recommended value, except for the south-east orientation with clerestory typology, which were recorded at 2.98% of daylight factor, in contrast the daylight uniformity in tested classrooms is appropriate. Furthermore, the simulation revealed that combination of 75% clear glass and 25% reflective glass with 30% wall-to-window ratio has achieved 41.41% during winter and 47.82% during summer of Useful daylight illuminance. The use of different glazing configurations shows a significant improvement on daylight distribution and the reduction of glare comparing to the reference model. However, such improvement in the quality and quantity of daylighting was inadequate which arises the need of further enhancement.

Environmental Quality, Health and Learning in Conventional and High Performance School Buildings

Aims: Schools are critical indoor environments that can affect the health, comfort and performance of children and teachers alike. We discuss lessons learned in an intervention study of schools and...

Физические параметры и комфортность школьной среды в оценках обучающихся и педагогов

The problem of interrelation of physical parameters of school space with the state of comfort of students and teachers in conditions of different types of educational environment is considered: "enriched", "standard" and "depleted". The hypothesis was that the assessment of comfort is interrelated with the physical parameters of the environment (temperature, air quality, illumination, acoustics, furniture) and has significant differences in the assessments of schoolchildren and teachers of schools with different types of educational environment. 416 schoolchildren and 73 teachers of three Moscow educational complexes took part in the study. Specially developed questionnaires were used. In the group of schoolchildren, significant differences in assessments of the comfort of the school space and its individual physical parameters were revealed depending on the type of educational environment and significant relationships were established between these indicators. The state of comfort of schoolchildren is determined by the type of educational environment and its physical parameters. For teachers, comfort, which is higher in comparison with the assessments of children, is determined by a favorable psychological climate and benevolent relationships.

The Life-Cycle Costs of School Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Access in Kenyan Primary Schools

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programs in schools can increase the health, dignity and comfort of students and teachers. Understanding the costs of WASH facilities and services in schools is one essential piece for policy makers to utilize when budgeting for schools and helping to make WASH programs more sustainable. In this study we collected data from NGO and government offices, local hardware shops and 89 rural primary schools across three Kenyan counties. Current expenditures on WASH, from school and external (NGO, government, parent) sources, averaged 1.83 USD per student per year. After reviewing current expenditures, estimated costs of operations and maintenance for bringing schools up to basic WASH standards, were calculated to be 3.03 USD per student per year. This includes recurrent costs, but not the cost of installing or setting up WASH infrastructure, which was 18,916 USD per school, for a school of 400 students (4.92 USD per student, per year). These findings demonstrate the need for increases in allocations to schools in Kenya, and stricter guidance on how money should be spent on WASH inputs to enable all schools to provide basic WASH for all students.

Validating a measure to assess factors that affect assistive technology use by students with disabilities in elementary and secondary education

Purpose/Aim: The purpose of this study was to measure the predictive validity, internal consistency and clinical utility of the Matching Assistive Technology to Child & Augmentative Communication Evaluation Simplified (MATCH-ACES) assessment. Methods: Twenty-three assistive technology team evaluators assessed 35 children using the MATCH-ACES assessment. This quasi-experimental study examined the internal consistency, predictive validity and clinical utility of the MATCH-ACES assessment. Results: The MATCH-ACES assessment predisposition scales had good internal consistency across all three scales. A significant relationship was found between (a) high student perseverance and need for assistive technology and (b) high teacher comfort and interest in technology use (p = (0).002). Conclusions: Study results indicate that the MATCH-ACES assessment has good internal consistency and validity. Predisposition characteristics of student and teacher combined can influence the level of assistive technology use; therefore, assistive technology teams should assess predisposition factors of the user when recommending assistive technology.Implications for RehabilitationEducational and medical professionals should be educated on evidence-based assistive technology assessments.Personal experience and psychosocial factors can influence the outcome use of assistive technology.Assistive technology assessments must include an intervention plan for assistive technology service delivery to measure effective outcome use.

Trans Cockpit Authority Gradient and Dual Robotic Platform Intraoperative Handoffs: A New Evaluation of Teacher and Learner Comfort and Patient Safety.

Trans Cockpit Authority Gradient and Dual Robotic Platform Intraoperative Handoffs: A New Evaluation of Teacher and Learner Comfort and Patient Safety.

Teachers’ Perceptions of the Implementation of the Literacy Common Core State Standards for English Language Learners and Students With Disabilities

This qualitative study explored the experiences of U.S. teachers of English language learners (ELLs) and students with disabilities (SWDs) as they sought to align the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS) with previously used standards and instructional approaches during the first year of CCSS implementation. Open-ended interviews were conducted with 20 ELL and SWD literacy teachers to investigate (1) the teachers’ experiences as they began the alignment of their curriculum and teaching methods with the CCSS, (2) the teachers’ perceptions of the support that they received and that they still require, and (3) the teachers’ perceptions of the challenges to and potential for implementation. Four themes emerged from analysis of the interview data: alignment to the CCSS, teacher comfort level, best teaching practices, and challenges of teaching literacy. The authors conclude that broad-based alliances across schools, districts, and communities are needed to support professional development that responds authentically to the challenges revealed, as well as understanding at all levels that time and support are critical for teachers of special needs students.

Engagement with a teaching career – how a group of Finnish university teachers experience teacher identity and professional growth

The aim of this qualitative study was to identify teachers’ ways of experiencing their identity and development challenges as teachers in the social and professional context of university. Identity and development as a teacher were examined based on interviews and drawings of career paths collected from a group of university teachers representing diverse scientific fields at one research-intensive university in Finland. Based on the findings, a typology of teacher identities and classification of development themes were constructed, illustrating the experiences and drawing on the themes found in the data and comparing them to Huberman’s teachers’ career cycle as well as Åkerlind’s views on university teachers’ changes. The findings showed that those who have reached a goal-reflective and stabilised teacher identity recognise development challenges, especially in the areas of self-development and facilitation of student learning, while those who have a constructive-conflicting or unsolved teacher identity struggle with the many pressures of teaching practice and reaching teacher comfort. The learning trajectories of the studied university teachers were varied and lasted considerably longer than suggested by teachers’ career cycle views.

Fidelity of implementation of an evidence-based HIV prevention program among Bahamian sixth grade students.

The Bahamian Ministry of Education has elected to implement at a national level in all Bahamian government grade six classes an evidence-based HIV prevention intervention [Focus on Youth in the Caribbean (FOYC)]. This study explores fidelity of implementation of the intervention, factors that may influence implementation fidelity, and the impact of variations in the implementation fidelity on student outcomes. Data were collected in the first wave of national implementation in 2011, involving 35 government primary schools and 110 teachers and 2,811 students. Structural equation modeling was performed to examine the relationships among factors which facilitated or impeded teachers’ implementation of FOYC. Results indicate that teachers taught 16.3 out of 30 core activities, 24.9 out of 46 total activities, and 4.4 out of 8 sessions on average. The strongest predictor of implementation fidelity was teacher comfort level with the FOYC curriculum. Teachers who did not perceive the FOYC intervention to be important for their students or who had attended only part of a FOYC training workshop were more likely to change the curriculum. Increased duration of experience as a teacher (>10 years) was negatively associated with fidelity of implementation. Teacher’s perception of the importance of the FOYC intervention and implementation fidelity had direct positive effects on students’ HIV/AIDS knowledge, reproductive health skills, protective intentions, and self-efficacy. Youth did not appear to benefit from FOYC if two or fewer sessions were delivered. We concluded that an evidence-based HIV prevention intervention can be implemented at a national level. Prior training of teachers in the intervention curriculum, teacher perception of the importance of the intervention, and fewer years as a teacher are associated with implementation fidelity. Implementation fidelity is associated with improved student outcomes.

Presentations from the 10th International Conference on Zebrafish Development and Genetics, Madison, Wisconsin, June 20–24, 2012

Presentations from the 10th International Conference on Zebrafish Development and Genetics, Madison, Wisconsin, June 20–24, 2012

The Influence of School Culture on Environmental Education Integration: A Case Study of an Urban Private School System

As a discipline, environmental education (EE) has been criticized for lacking empirical evidence on the behavioral outcomes of its programs. While the behavioral outcomes of EE activities are often associated with the youth learner, teachers are one target audience of EE training programs who have received increasing attention with regards to behavior change. Previous research has identified numerous barriers to teaching EE in the classroom. Barriers include a lack of natural spaces to conduct EE activities, little administrative support, limited time, and lack of teacher comfort and confidence with science. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how Trinity School’s culture has influenced EE integration. A number of domains emerged from the data regarding characteristics of the school which have influenced EE integration, including: administration, freedom in curriculum and exploration, and collaboration among teachers. A series of domains also emerged regarding barriers to teaching EE, including: comfort, lack of time, lack of interest among teachers, politics, and dangers and safety concerns.

Development and validation of a preschool teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward science teaching questionnaire

Little is known about preschool teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward science teaching, in part, because the field lacks valid and reliable measures of these teacher-related factors. To address this need, the current study developed and validated a rating scale (P-TABS) using a statewide sample of Head Start teachers (N=507). A series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. Generalizability and invariance of the final factor solution was examined across important subgroups of the standardization sample (i.e., teacher ethnicity, education level, and years of teaching experience). Three distinct factors were identified (Teacher Comfort, Child Benefit, and Challenges), with strong evidence for validity found for the first two factors. The P-TABS expands the availability of reliable and valid assessment tools for measuring preschool teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward science teaching and for examining how these teacher-related factors affect classroom practices and student outcomes.

Especially social: Exploring the use of an iOS application in special needs classrooms

A five-month exploratory study was conducted with iOS mobile devices in two Toronto area schools with students in grades 7 through 12. Both classrooms were identified as Special Education classes by the Ontario Ministry of Education, and each student was identified as having exceptionalities requiring additional support and differentiation within the curriculum to support their success. Participants used MyVoice, a mobile application that is customizable through a website, which allows users to input vocabulary words and link words with pictures. The application can also be used to speak on behalf of users. Based on findings that technology perceived to be 'fun' by students has the potential to improve motivation in learning contexts, we aimed to (i) assess the degree to which the use of iOS devices and the MyVoice application affects attention and motivation levels for students with special needs, and (ii) identify factors that had the greatest influence on the integration of the technologies with existing curricula. Results indicated a strong potential for successfully integrating mobile technology within special needs classrooms, with a high-degree of student support for using mobile devices to enhance classroom experiences. The results also highlighted the challenges of incorporating these technologies into curriculum in terms of practicality, teacher comfort, and the limitations of the device. We find that the differentiation enabled by the multi-modal features of the application and device has positive outcomes on student perception of success, and that increased self-confidence in areas of the curriculum fostered a more robust sense of community among special needs students. We conclude with study implications for information processing theory.

Examining the effect of teachers' adaptations of a middle school science inquiry‐oriented curriculum unit on student learning

AbstractReform based curriculum offer a promising avenue to support greater student achievement in science. Yet teachers frequently adapt innovative curriculum when they use them in their own classrooms. In this study, we examine how 19 teachers adapted an inquiry‐oriented middle school science curriculum. Specifically, we investigate how teachers' curricular adaptations (amount of time, level of completion, and activity structures), teacher self‐efficacy (teacher comfort and student understanding), and teacher experience enacting the unit influenced student learning. Data sources included curriculum surveys, videotape observations of focal teachers, and pre‐ and post‐tests from 1,234 students. Our analyses using hierarchical linear modeling found that 38% of the variance in student gain scores occurred between teachers. Two variables significantly predicted student learning: teacher experience and activity structure. Teachers who had previously taught the inquiry‐oriented curriculum had greater student gains. For activity structure, students who completed investigations themselves had greater learning gains compared to students in classrooms who observed their teacher completing the investigations as demonstrations. These findings suggest that it can take time for teachers to effectively use innovative science curriculum. Furthermore, this study provides evidence for the importance of having students actively engaging in inquiry investigations to develop understandings of key science concepts. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., J Res Sci Teach 48: 149–169, 2011

"T� y yo": A Multimedia Starter Pack for Beginners. Early Start Spanish Program (review)

Reviewed by: "Tú y yo": A Multimedia Starter Pack for Beginners. Early Start Spanish Program Krista Chambless Rowe, Isla, and Ian Killberry. "Tú y yo": A Multimedia Starter Pack for Beginners. Early Start Spanish Program. Kent, UK: Early Start Languages Europa House, 1999. ISBN 0-9536977-0-3. Over the past several decades much research has emerged indicating that second language learning should begin as early as possible in a child's life. Unfortunately, due to a lack of funding and qualified teachers, the number of elementary foreign language programs in the United States is declining (www.cal.org). Early Start Language Programs has created "Tú y yo", a video-based program for elementary age children that can help alleviate this problem. The "Tú y yo" program is relatively inexpensive and is designed to be taught by regular classroom teachers with little or no knowledge of the target language (Spanish). The program includes a DVD with 16 different language lessons focusing on the same curricula found in traditional elementary school programs: colors, counting, days of the week, family, etc. The videos were filmed at schools in Spain; so, the language and culture the students see is authentic. It should be noted that language and culture in this program is representative of Spain and does not necessarily reflect the language and culture of the rest of the Spanish-speaking world. In addition to the DVD, the teacher is provided a manual with detailed step-by-step lesson plans, worksheets, crafts, and game ideas to reinforce the vocabulary from the video. The step-by-step lesson plans are very flexible and are easily modified to fit the teacher's comfort level with the language. Each lesson is designed to be as short as 10 minutes, or as long as [End Page 719] 30 minutes, depending on the time available. Additional detailed descriptions of games that can be played with vocabulary from any lesson are found at the end of the manual. In this reviewer's opinion, all of the material, from the worksheets to the games, is creative, fun, and pedagogically sound. At the beginning of each lesson, the authors have included a section called "How Spanish Works." This section is intended to explain simple grammar points. It can be helpful to the nonspecialist teacher with some prior knowledge of the language. However, for a teacher with no prior knowledge of the language, it could be confusing. For the teacher with more advanced knowledge of the language, the program provides additional words and phrases that can be taught. In addition, the manual provides some ideas for informal assessment of the student's language skills with clear and easy to understand forms. The authors include a discussion of the pros and cons of introducing the written language to young learners, but they leave the ultimate decision to each teacher. In my opinion, this is problematic because most traditional classroom teachers (non-language specialists) do not have enough knowledge about second language acquisition to make an informed decision on the inclusion or exclusion of the written word. The program should clearly state whether or not the written word will be introduced. At the beginning of the manual, the authors clearly explain the components of the program and its design. Included are a brief discussion of the four communication skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and a diagram of the "four stages in pupils developing active use of the new language." However, the authors do not discuss any second language acquisition theories or the various types of elementary foreign language programs: FLEX, FLES, or Immersion. Nor do the authors state any clear objectives to be accomplished through use of the program. According to the program designers, the regular elementary classroom teacher, rather than a language specialist, should decide the objectives for the program. However, the designers fail to take into account that most regular classroom teachers lack the background and knowledge of second language acquisition theory to develop these omitted components. The most positive aspect of the program is its attention to cultural awareness. From the very first lesson on greetings, discussions about culture emerge. Students see the children and adults greeting each other with...

Психологические особенности личностной безопасности педагогов в образовательной сфере постконфликтного региона

&#x0D; The arisen two long military campaigns on the territory of the Chechen republic have caused a decrease in a level of psychological safety in the educational environment. And to present day it needs a support for increasing a level of comfort of teachers working in comprehensive schools of post-conflict region. In this connection a research of psychological features of teachers from the Chechen republic has been carried out.&#x0D;