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Secondary School Biology Teachers’ Knowledge and Practices of Formative Assessment in Tanzania
10-19Views:308Using formative assessment (FA) practices in teaching and learning is essential to understanding students’ learning and making informed decisions about students’ academic performance. This study examined secondary school biology teachers’ knowledge and practices of FA in Tanzania. Using a mixed-methods research approach and convergent mixed-methods research design, the study employed simple random and purposive sampling techniques to select the study area and teachers, respectively. A questionnaire and observation checklist used to collect data from 55 teachers in secondary schools. The Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 was used to compute descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that though teachers had theoretical knowledge of FA practices, they failed to implement them, particularly Socratic questioning, portfolios, and constructive feedback. This study concludes that teachers did not implement FA practices in the surveyed schools. Thus, there is a need of regular in-service training to develop teachers’ practical competences in FA practices to enhance classroom teaching and students’ learning in biology.
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Teachers’ Practices in Fostering Children’s Critical Thinking at Pre-Primary Level in Kongwa District
1-9Views:289Critical thinking skills is one of the most important 21st century skills and one of the most vital indicators of the quality of education children are receiving. In enhancing these important skills, it is very important to unfold teachers’ practices in fostering children’s critical thinking skills. Therefore, this study investigated teachers’ practices in fostering children’s critical thinking skills in pre-primary level in the Kongwa District of the Dodoma Region, Tanzania. The study employed a qualitative research approach with a phenomenography research design. The total sample of the study was 35 respondents, selected through the criterion purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and classroom observation. Data analyses were done through the thematic analysis framework of Braun and Clarke (2021). The findings revealed that teachers’ practices which include teachers’ preparations, the use of instructional strategies, social activities, teaching and learning materials, and creating classroom learning environment helps children to think critically. The study recommends the quality assurers should maintain monitoring and supervision of teachers’ classroom practices in promoting the critical thinking skills of children.
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Assessing Language Learners’ Knowledge and Performance during Covid-19
38-46Views:444The new reality created by the COVID-19 caused a lot of changes in the educational sphere. The transition from face-to-face to distance learning was not smooth in Ukraine because distance learning was not a common practice in the country before and teachers were unprepared for teaching online. This unusual situation prompted us to start our qualitative research primarily to get insights into the altered daily routines of teachers and educators. In particular, we were interested in how they assessed their students’ performance online. This article focuses on secondary school language teachers (n=65) and language tutors at the tertiary level (n=18). The research findings have revealed that teachers gave feedback through different digital applications like Google Classroom. Oral performance was evaluated either synchronously or asynchronously. The most crucial implication is that teachers should improve and further develop their digital skills and distance teaching and assessing skills in order to provide quality education in the modern form.
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Children’s Literature in Transcarpathian Schools for Teaching English as a Foreign Language
108-120Views:428Since the origins of formal foreign language teaching, literature has always played an important role. Currently, modern language teaching trends suggest starting foreign language learning as early as possible; thus, the use of children’s literature in foreign language teaching is undergoing a revolution. This situation encouraged us to examine the use of children’s literature and the attitude of foreign language teachers to it. This article focuses on primary and secondary school English language teachers in a western county of Ukraine (N = 118). The results of the qualitative research revealed that the teachers’ general attitude to the use of children’s literature is positive; they are aware of their advantages but still avoid using these materials. Most teachers do not apply children’s literature in their foreign language teaching because the school curriculum is too congested and fast-paced, they do not have access to appropriate authentic children’s literature, or they were not taught how to utilize authentic children’s literature during their university years. Results suggest that teachers should be encouraged to use children’s literature, though there is no universal solution. The first suggestion is for schools themselves to support teachers, but it would be a significant step forward if this approach were also to be taken in in-service training.
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The Bodily Experiences of Music Teachers
53-59Views:214This paper deals with the specifics of a music teacher's work in kindergarten and presents an empirical study, based on the approach of hermeneutic phenomenology. In the research outcomes, the experiences of the music teacher's work in kindergarten are presented through their stories about memorable moments of their professional activity. Initially, in accordance with the theory of Max van Manen, the research data were viewed through the prism of five dimensions (lived time, lived space, lived self-others, lived things, and lived body), typical of all phenomena. The paper discusses one of them, i.e. the teachers' experience from the perspective of the lived body. The stories demonstrate how through the looks, facial mimicry, and body language, moments of the teacher's everyday routine are revealed that would otherwise be overlooked or considered irrelevant.
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Using Technology for Foreign Language Learning: The Teacher’s Role
23-28Views:923The spread of information technology has changed the role of language teachers considerably. Being a good educator and an expert in their field are not enough anymore, but teachers are expected to be modern, which means, to possess the ability to design interactive classes (often by using digital tools) and use teaching methods that engage students in a creative way. Today it is a general requirement for teachers to know their way around technology and to possess the know-how of implementing it in a way that fosters language learning. To this purpose teachers need to take into account all facets of technology use, including the advantages and disadvantages of technology-mediated tasks, their usefulness for language learning (e.g. if they are related to the topic of the lesson, are challenging enough for students), helpful resources for students, etc. Technology is regarded as a supplementary instrument to traditional teaching methods that can impact students’ motivation to learn in a positive way, provided it is used for activities that are in line with their needs and expectations. Task-based activities are considered to be especially useful in this regard, allowing students to practice their language skills in an authentic context and also develop creative thinking and problem solving abilities. Web 2.0 technologies (e.g. software programs for creating quizzes and polls, language learning websites, chat programs, wikis, etc.) offer a variety of valuable resources both for activities in the classroom and for practice at home.
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Gender Differences Among Teacher Education Students in Light of a Pilot Study
80-93.Views:168This paper aims to present the measurement tool designed to examine gender differences among teacher education students and the results obtained during the research. The theoretical section of the paper describes teachers’ and parents’ influence on children’s gender role attitudes, gender socialization and career orientation. To prepare the questionnaire, we analyzed the Hungarian and international literature and built on the results of our previous qualitative research. We grouped our questions into three dimensions: (1) gender socialization in the family, (2) parental involvement, (3) gender socialization at school and career orientation. According to our results, gender-neutral toys were more often chosen by male students’ parents, and mothers were more involved in their children’s school activities than fathers, setting higher expectations as well. Teachers and parents, especially mothers, played an important role in students’ career choice. In addition, students perceived that teachers handled them differently depending on their gender in terms of the evaluation of their academic progress and behavior as well as the frequency of compliments and punishment.
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Focus on Teacher Motivational Factors: Increasing Innovation Efficiency, Retention in the Teaching Profession
53-63Views:294The shortage of teachers and the challenge of popularizing the teaching profession are some of the most pressing problems in education today. Finding a solution to these issues is a priority task. Our research focuses on which teacher motivational factors improve professional life, create a better school atmosphere, and ensure new career paths, avoiding the harmful consequences of stress and burnout. In interviews with teachers teaching in disadvantaged schools, we tried to identify the motivational factors established by the literature, and we were curious about what factors influence someone’s becom1ing an innovative teacher. All this knowledge can be useful information for teacher training, and help to develop an incentive system for teachers in the field, preventing them from leaving the occupation. During our empirical research, we analyzed 24 interviews with Atlas ti. Our main research question was what are the motivational factors that enable teachers to make adequate professional decisions, and why their pedagogical problem-solving ideas and innovations do not remain isolated data. We investigated which motivational factors can be identified as drivers and which as barriers to the development of innovations, and which are responsible for retention in the teaching profession.
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Characteristics of Teaching Community Capital - Focus on Teachers in Reformed Public Education Institutions
48-55Views:416The issue of the effectiveness of teaching is constantly at the center of research. "Teachers count", presents the OECD report (2005), which confirms the research of the day that the work of the teacher contributes significantly to the performance of students. The question is how to capture the factors that influence school performance. The focus of the examination of the theoretical background is on the professional capital theory, with the emphasis on the examination of social / teaching capital in addition to the human capital and decision capital components. Our research is based on a secondary analysis of a questionnaire among teachers working in Calvinist institutions in 2017. The focus of our interest is on identifying the characteristics (frequency) and content (agreeing with norms) of staff capital and the need for teachers to develop collaborative networking opportunities for future professional development.
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Information and Trust in Parent-Teacher Cooperation – Connections with Educational Inequality
19-28Views:1032There is an ongoing debate on how parents and the cooperation between parents and teachers contribute to educational inequality. In this study, the assumption that information and trust in parent–teacher cooperation mediate the effects of parent socioeconomic status (SES) on student achievement in mathematics and instruction language (German) was examined. The effects of information and trust on achievement were assumed to be mediated by parent self-efficacy expectation in German. The hypotheses were tested using a sample with 1001 students from 4th to 6th grade and their parents in Swiss primary schools using questionnaires and achievement tests at the beginning and the end of a school year. Results from structural equation models with longitudinal data showed that parent trust and parent self-efficacy expectation fully mediated the effect of SES and student achievement in language instruction but not in mathematics. Information did not correlate with SES nor with student achievement, but with trust. Parental trust in the cooperation with teachers affected achievement in both mathematics and German. The model combines the research on parental involvement with the research on educational inequality in school. Teachers need to establish trust in cooperation with low-SES parents to reduce educational inequality in school.
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Investigation of Resilience among Teachers and in Teacher Education
24-36Views:639In recent decades, we have witnessed an increasingly widespread and complex use of the concept of resilience. The aim of the present study is to present a holistic concept of resilience that, thanks to its systems theory basis, can be applied very well in educational sciences, including research on teacher training, the institutional environment of teachers, their well-being at work, professional development, or even in the analysis of practical pedagogical situations. The dynamic interactive model of resilience (Shafi, & Templeton, 2020) allows for the examination of the resilience of learners, teachers and the institution, and even the examination of students, educators and teacher training institutions involved in teacher training. In the second part of the study, we present resilience development programs that have proven to be effective in teacher training and further training (BRiTE, ENTREE), which, with their complexity, are well suited to the dynamic interactive model of resilience discussed above.
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A Mobile Suitcase for Informatic Teachers Related to the “Digital” Didactic Goals of the 21st Century
63-70Views:253This study deals with the optimal equipment of a mobile case for computer science teachers, which offers the possibility to teach the skills of the curricula from primary to high school of the 21st century. First, the Single Board Computers (SBCs) in question are filtered out from previous studies and the accessory parts required are determined through a quantitative market analysis. Then, by combining the results with a qualitative analysis according to Mayring, the degree of curricular coverage of individual accessories is determined and binarized. Afterwards, the optimal equipment of the mobile case is evaluated and established based on the cost overlap by horizontal summation and vertical inclusion of the necessary accessories after recording the prices and the budget. The results were clearly presented in network diagrams and lists. This study thus provides computer science teachers and computer science professors with a budget-dependent basis for making decisions about the contents of a mobile case for computer science lessons or a computer science laboratory for learning the skills of the curricula from primary to high school of the 21st century. The study closes with a summary and an outlook.
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Present to Anyone on Any Devices? The Conflict Between Telework and Family Life for Teachers and Researchers of Helping Professions
35-41Views:202The study examined the digital work experiences of academics in human services professions (teachers, doctors, health workers, and clergy). Answers to the following question were sought after: What are the patterns related to digital work? How does work-life or family conflict (WLC) affect teleworking? It was hypothesized that digital work generates WLC. Quantitative international data were collected by the Research and Development Centre for Higher Education (CHERD–H) at the University of Debrecen in 2023, across five countries (Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, and Ukraine). A subsample of 315 academics involved in caring professions was collected and principal component analysis, ANOVA, and correlation tests were performed using the SPSS statistical program. The subsample included 114 male and 193 female teachers, 33 of whom were Romanian. Perceptions of advantages and disadvantages dominated the digital work patterns. In addition, a "digital super-power" component was identified. The ANOVA test showed that Romanian academics had a significantly higher average in perceiving disadvantages compared to others. Academics working minimal hours were considerably more open to seeing the benefits of digital technology than those with longer working hours. According to the correlation test results, there was a negative relationship between the level of WLC and the perception of technology benefits: those who detected digital advantages had lower WLC values, while those who recognized disadvantages had higher WLC values.
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Teacher Work and Job Satisfaction among Romanian Lower Secondary Teachers
93-100Views:451The purpose of this paper is to provide an empirical based understanding of the Romanian context of teacher work, which provides an opportunity to identify characteristics considered to affect teaching activities and gives a basis for planning and conducting other research on teachers working conditions. The paper is based on authors' research which is a secondary analysis of Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2013 database. The database contains the survey responses of teachers of lower secondary education (ISCED 2) and the principals of their schools. During the investigation cross/tables, cluster analysis, linear and logistical analyses were used. Based on our research results, we can see that the factors attributed both to the individuals and to the elements of pedagogical culture show a strong correlation with the characteristics of the teaching and the satisfaction with the teaching. Considering the factors attributed to the individuals, professional development and the total career time is the most influential factor of job satisfaction and teacher’s self-efficacy. Among the variables included in the school culture dimension, the effectiveness of teacher work, the disciplined atmosphere, the values of student/teacher relationships and the positive effects of teacher-teacher relationships indicated satisfaction and self-efficacy.
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Primary School Extracurricular Music Activities in Covasna and Harghita Counties
36-46Views:564Arts education, including music teaching (Dohány, 2010) in elementary schools is getting less and less importance in our present day education system, accordingly we find quite relevant to investigate the situation of music teaching in Romania among the Hungarian minority educationís elementary classes. This present study would like to map the extracurricular fields of music teaching in Covasna and Harghita counties in Hungarian classes through a questionnaire research made among teachers. Our objective is to investigate extracurricular musical education in elementary classes, where we would like to find out what kind of musical activities exist in this area and how intensively do pupils take part in these activities. The self-made questionnaire was sent out online in Covasna and Harghita counties, based on the teachers ‘database at the end of January in 2020. 78 elementary school teachers took part in this research. All the collected data was processed with the help of a statistical data analysing software, examining the descriptive statistical indicators. The analysis shows that few elementary class students take part in extracurricular activities.
Romanian music pedagogy research do not extend to Hungarian minority classes, thus we see it important to investigate the extracurricular activities in counties where Hungarian minorities live. -
Parent-Teacher Communication from the Perspective of the Educator
13-24.Views:2062Several, mostly quantitative, studies have already examined the relationship between teachers and parents, as well as the positive effects of parental involvement. The aim of this study is to explore how parental involvement is realized in communication between the two actors. In the framework of a qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 teachers teaching in elementary schools, and the analysis was performed using the Atlas.ti software. Based on our findings, we concluded that regular communication, common language use, a positive attitude from both parties, and the appropriate use of information and communication technology tools are essential for effective communication. The practical significance of this is that teacher trainees should also emphasize practical education, with a special focus on their ability to establish appropriate communication with parents of different socioeconomic backgrounds.
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Scouts' and educational stakeholders' perceptions of integrating scouting methods into formal education
98-109Views:897Scouting is a non-formal learning environment which implies a form of learning that is “less organised than formal learning, but still consists of planned activities and educational objectives. It is also seen as being more concerned with action, and learning by doing from experience; and more holistic, with a particular focus on developing social and emotional skills” (Bridwell et.al., 2015: 27). The Scouting Method used relies on the concept of experiential learning or learning by doing and combines it with other educational elements such as the symbolic framework, team or patrol system, gamification elements such as the badge system (Christians 2018) and active learning or personal progression so that each young person is “consciously and actively involved in his or her own development” (WOSM 1998: 47). The present paper aims to explore scouts' and educational stakeholders' (teachers and scout teachers) beliefs and opinions regarding scouting methods and the way these methods could be integrated into the formal learning environment. Qualitative and quantitative methods of analyses were used to examine and interpret the results gathered through an online questionnaire. Results show that all respondents have a positive attitude towards scouting and the methods used within their activities and they would encourage others to join the association. Even school subjects have been identified which could serve as bridging points between non-formal and formal educational situations.
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The Impact of The Prestige of Institution Type on Professional Satisfaction
32-38Views:195Teachers are doing their job despite notoriously low pay, and the extrinsic and intrinsic factors that keep them in the profession are the subject of national and international research. In the present study, we investigate the subjective sense of professional success of teachers in secondary vocational education in the light of the type of institution in which they teach. Their questionnaire survey was carried out online (N=166) during the pandemic period, having been adapted to the situation. We wanted to assess factors of their sense of professional success, which are partly related to the classical role of a teacher, such as knowledge transfer, education of or cooperation with other actors in education, but also to hypothetical factors such as self-training and creativity. Our hypothesis that the prestige of the institution type and the professional satisfaction of the teacher are related was not confirmed, but the identified factors played a different role to varying degrees.
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Teaching English for Students with Special Educational Needs During the Pandemic
20-31Views:318This research aimed to examine the impact of distance learning on SEN students’ English language education, parental involvement in the education of these children, as well as the ICT tools used for their development. There is little information about the difficulties and trials these students and their teachers had to face during the COVID-19 epidemic. Moreover, parental involvement plays a significant role in school performance, but there is little information about how this was realized during distance learning. We assumed that the biggest problem was the transition from face-to-face education to the online sphere. To examine this, we conducted semistructured personal interviews with elementary school English teachers from north-eastern Hungary. The most important result of our research is that during this period only a few SEN students could receive special, individual lessons, and differentiated education was implemented to a somewhat limited extent. To conclude, more programs should be created that meet the different needs of SEN to properly educate these children, and that as many development specialists as possible, who could provide group or individual lessons, should be recruited.
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Conflicts in Physical Education Classes - A Systems Theoretical Analysis of the Teacher’s Perspective
11-20Views:334This article presents the results of a systems theoretical analysis of conflicts in physical education classes from the teacher’s perspective. Building on the state of current research, a theoretical model to analyse the development and management of sport related conflicts in the school setting is elaborated. This model is used to examine written assignments collected at university seminars on conflicts in a German sport institute. At these seminars, sport science students submitted 40 detailed descriptions of conflicts in physical education classes, which were either collected through an interview or experienced directly in their role as teachers. The empirical material is analysed using qualitative content analysis. Based on a fictive case that is developed for exemplification purposes, all collected cases are considered against the background of the developed model. It differentiates between trivial, stable, slightly, and highly escalated conflicts and examines suitable management strategies. The study concludes that trivial conflicts are common in physical education classes, that teachers use different strategies to manage them, and that this issue is dealt with differently at the organisational level. This preliminary model can be improved through further empirical research that compares different school forms and levels of education at the national and international level.
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New Possibilities in Cultural Consumption. The Effect of the Global Pandemic on Listening to Music
1-15Views:947In this study, we address the impact of COVID-19 on classical music concerts. New forms of cultural consumption and their convenience have raised the question as to whether concert halls will still be needed in the future, and whether the audience will take on the extra time and effort to be present in person at a musical artistic event. In an analysis of international surveys, we formed an accurate picture of music listening habits in the period before and during the pandemic. We also administered a survey, completed by 134 music teachers. Although the findings cannot be generalised to society as a whole, the respondents in the sample are well acquainted with the artistic setting and possess sufficient prior experience, so their opinion is relevant to the topic. Despite the convenience of the online space and the rich selection of art available, the interviewed music teachers will still prefer live music events, which offer them a more profound experience.
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The Evolving Concept of (Language) Assessment Literacy. Implications for Teacher Education
120-130Views:710Language teachers’ assessment knowledge and skills have received considerable attention from language assessment researchers over the past few decades (Davison & Leung, 2009; Hill & McNamara, 2012; Rea-Dickins, 2001; Taylor, 2013). This seems to be linked to the increased professionalism expected of them in classroom-based assessments. However, teachers seem to face a number of challenges, including how large-scale standardized language exams influence their classroom assessment practices. Teachers’ assessment literacy, therefore, needs to be examined in order to explain their assessment decisions. In this paper, we review the concept of (language) assessment literacy, how it has evolved and how it is conceptualized currently. Recent interpretations seem to reflect a multidimensional, dynamic and situated view of (language) assessment literacy. Implications for teacher education are also highlighted by presenting research findings from studies that explored teachers’ and teacher candidates’ assessment literacy in various educational contexts. As a result, we can identify some common patterns in classroom assessment practices as well as context-specific training needs. Finally, we make a recommendation for tackling some of the challenges language teachers are facing in relation to classroom-based assessment in the Hungarian context.
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Digital Tools of Universal Music Education
60-66Views:1000The purpose of this article is to present various solutions concerning music education aided by computer technologies. The article applies public music education. The author attempts to provide an answer to questions concerning the role of music teachers working with new media , which requires them to constantly improve and expand their skills. How are they able to utilise new technological achievements while at the same time blending them with well-proven, traditional methods of music teaching/learning, without falling prey to the dangers of modern media ? Any attempts at using innovative solutions are bound to cause numerous challenges for students, teachers, and the entire education system. However, the effects of such actions could contribute to the improvement of the quality of music education in society, which justifies the efforts. The intention of the author is attempt to look into the future on the basis of the existing data sources, analyses and global pedagogical trends and to search for theoretical and practical solutions, which may influence the formulation of the paradigms in modern music teaching.
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Introductory Survey on Challenges Encountered by University Teachers in Online Teaching of STEM Subjects During COVID-19 Lockdown
22-32Views:4622020 will be remembered for COVID-19, a pandemic that forced the world to lock down and urged most educational providers to promptly implement e-learning solutions. In this paper, we point out some challenges faced by university teachers who had almost no earlier practice in online teaching. Nine lecturers working in different universities from Brazil, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, India, Macedonia, and Slovakia – all teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects – were interviewed to share their online teaching experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown. The aim of this introductory small-scale research paper is to provide a basis for future research regarding the influences that the COVID-19 situation has had on educational processes, as well as to assist educational providers in foreseeing and eliminating the possible problems of lecturers when establishing an online educational environment. Some conclusions are formulated from the interview survey, and possibilities for further research are described.
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Digital Diet and Relevant Minority Aspects during Home Preschool Education
121-130Views:204The aim of the present research is to provide an outline of the home education situation of Hungarian children enrolled in educational institutions in Romania. The research focuses on the perspective of early childhood teachers and education experts. Our objective is to identify the factors influencing the digital diet in minority preschool education and investigate whether this phenomenon, along with practices in home education, have specific distinguishing features as compared to trends in mainstream education. Approaches to digital diet and preschoolers’ use of digital tools are basic components of our interpretative framework. We set out to investigate this pedagogical phenomenon in the light of minority education, considering the educational situation in dispersed and block regions. Our descriptive study, built on a questionnaire (own design), presents the good practices in home education focusing specifically on minority aspects. Our sample consisted of 403 early childhood teachers and 14 minority education experts resulting from convenience sampling. The investigation reveals a more liberal home education style. According to experts, the national regulatory framework for home education gives rise to conflicting interpretations and specific minority provisions and recommendations are less straightforward. During home education, the proportion of the areas of development and that of learning content is distorted, and the language of instruction as a factor influencing the digital diet becomes especially prominent. Research results did not focus primarily on the minority features of home education and the digital diet but rather on regional and local distinguishing features.