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The mathematical knowledge for primary teachers has been guided by policy since the National Strategies Programme was introduced in 1999. Research regarding the National Strategies focussed on the outcomes of the policy rather than in terms of teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT). Teachers respond to policy in a variety of ways according to how they make sense of it within their current practice. This paper focusses on teachers' perceptions of the effect of their policy enactments on their MKT and vice versa. A qualitative methodology included semi-structured interviews in order to explore the perceptions of thirteen primary teachers from five schools in a borough of London. Tension occurred when teachers considered that policy superseded their MKT or they perceived that they needed guidance to teach the new National Curriculum. There are implications for teachers who associate MKT with policy, which is subject to change and therefore temporal in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a global consensus to develop computational thinking (CT) in primary education, but the biggest obstacle to promoting CT is teachers' lack of sufficient CT. This study explored the effects of micro: bit educational robotics (MER) programming activities on primary teachers' CT and programming attitudes (PA) while considering the teachers' gender effects. We implemented a single-group pre-test and post-test experiment with 56 primary teachers in China. We also measured teachers' CT and PA levels before and after the MER activities intervention. The results showed that MER activities significantly enhanced teachers' CT and PA and had different effects on each dimension of their CT and PA. The analysis of variance by gender showed that male teachers had significantly higher overall CT and PA scores than female teachers. However, female teachers performed better on collaborative skills in CT, indicating that female teachers also have the potential to develop CT. In addition, we found the mediating effects of PA, which means that MER activities affect CT through PA. Furthermore, PA predicted CT positively, suggesting that PA could be a key factor in enhancing CT. This study clarified the mechanism of gender and PA influence on CT during the MER activities intervention, which provides references for future researchers to conduct teacher training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Opuntia Brava is the property of Universidad de Ciencias Pedagogicas de Las Tunas, Centro de Documentacion e Informacion Pedagogica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An experimental science curriculum for primary school was introduced in Croatia for the 1st time in the 2023/24 school year. This is taking place against the backdrop of a shortage of teachers from various science subjects, especially physics. They are increasingly being replaced by non-professional teachers, often those with a Master of Primary Education, which gives access to the profession of primary junior grade teacher. In this study, the subject matter knowledge (SMK) in science of 44 pre-service teachers aiming for the above-mentioned degree is examined using the SMK test. The test contains 40 trends in international mathematics and science study (TIMSS) items from the 4th-grade science content domain Physical Science and allowed us to compare the achievement of our respondents with the achievement of pupils who participated in the TIMSS assessments. The results show that the percentage correctness of the pre-service teachers on the SMK test was statistically significantly higher than that of the 4th-grade pupils. However, the correlation coefficients showed that the pre-service teachers had greater difficulties with the items with which the pupils had greater difficulties, and vice versa. This applies in particular to the items on forces and motion and to the items from the cognitive domain of reasoning. The reason for the unsatisfactory science SMK of our respondents could be the incompatibility of the university science curriculum with the demands placed on pupils in the relevant school subjects and International science assessments such as TIMSS. The results of this study confirm and extend the contribution of existing research and should serve as a basis for subsequent research as well as for the design of a further course of science education reform in Croatia and in the countries of the region.

This article explores strategies for inclusive education and intercultural communication in primary schools. The primary objective of this study was to identify effective practices that address the challenges faced by primary school educators, such as inadequate training, limited resources, and managing large class sizes. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data collected through surveys of 75 novice teachers in Sofia, Stara Zagora, and Pazardzhik, Bulgaria. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis to identify trends, strategies, and barriers to current practices. The results highlighted the predominant use of differentiated instruction, cooperative learning, and culturally sensitive teaching as key strategies for fostering inclusion and intercultural communication. Based on these findings, this study recommends enhancing teacher training programs, improving access to resources, and promoting co-teaching partnerships between primary and resource teachers to better support inclusive practices in primary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental science curriculum for primary school was introduced in Croatia for the 1st time in the 2023/24 school year. This is taking place against the backdrop of a shortage of teachers from various science subjects, especially physics. They are increasingly being replaced by non-professional teachers, often those with a Master of Primary Education, which gives access to the profession of primary junior grade teacher. In this study, the subject matter knowledge (SMK) in science of 44 pre-service teachers aiming for the above-mentioned degree is examined using the SMK test. The test contains 40 trends in international mathematics and science study (TIMSS) items from the 4th-grade science content domain Physical Science and allowed us to compare the achievement of our respondents with the achievement of pupils who participated in the TIMSS assessments. The results show that the percentage correctness of the pre-service teachers on the SMK test was statistically significantly higher than that of the 4th-grade pupils. However, the correlation coefficients showed that the pre-service teachers had greater difficulties with the items with which the pupils had greater difficulties, and vice versa. This applies in particular to the items on forces and motion and to the items from the cognitive domain of reasoning. The reason for the unsatisfactory science SMK of our respondents could be the incompatibility of the university science curriculum with the demands placed on pupils in the relevant school subjects and international science assessments such as TIMSS. The results of this study confirm and extend the contribution of existing research and should serve as a basis for subsequent research as well as for the design of a further course of science education reform in Croatia and in the countries of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, students' misconceptions have been investigated and recorded. However, in recent years, the design of teaching methodologies has also taken these empirical findings into consideration. This study investigates Greek preservice primary teachers' misconceptions of thermal concepts and their ability to apply their knowledge to explain phenomena and problems of everyday life. The results revealed that preservice primary teachers hold numerous alternative conceptions of heat-related phenomena and concepts. Only a limited number of them can apply their scientific knowledge to explain everyday phenomena. Findings from the scenario-based questions, which required students to select the appropriate concept from a list of options and then explain the phenomenon described, align with existing literature. Students' responses highlighted the coexistence of two culturally driven situations, i.e., scientific knowledge acquired in the classroom and everyday knowledge shaped by their sociocultural environment. The study's analysis raises questions about whether the school environment meets the needs of modern society in terms of adequately equipping the future citizens of our country with scientific literacy skills. Furthermore, it points to the necessity of curricula reforms for students to be able to respond to rapidly changing scientific and technological developments, providing them with the necessary resources to interpret, judge, and evaluate daily life problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bartin University Journal of Faculty of Education is the property of Bartin University Journal of Faculty of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The current study aimed to investigate the impact of Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy counseling program in enhancing the psychological resilience of basic education teachers in the Dhofar Region, south of the Sultanate of Oman. The experimental study sample consisted of (60) male teachers in cycle two of basic education in Dhofar Governorate with low psychological resilience scores. This sample was randomly divided into two equivalence groups: one experimental group and the other control group. Each group consisted of (30) male teachers. The counseling program was applied for the male teachers in the experimental group rather than the control group to develop psychological resilience with them. The researchers have used the psychological resilience scale (prepared by the researchers) and a counseling program based on mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (prepared by the researchers). The results of the study indicated that there were statistically significant differences at level (0.01) between the mean scores of the experimental and the control group in the post-test on the psychological resilience scale in favor of the experimental group. There are also statistically significant differences at the level of (0.01) between the mean scores of the experimental group in both the pre-test and post-test on the psychological resilience scale in favor of the post-test. This revealed the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in increasing the level of psychological resilience among male teachers as the scores of teachers rose significantly on the pre-test. In addition, the study has also concluded with finding non-statistically significant differences at the level of (0.05) between the mean scores of the experimental group in both pre-test and follow-up tests on the psychological resilience scale. The results emphasise continuing mindfulness-based cognitive therapy's effectiveness in increasing psychological resilience among male teachers. In the light of the results, it can be recommended by: Organizing workshops and open discussion forums between teachers, as this approach will significantly motivate social relations, reinforce confidence among teachers, and enhance occupational performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying STEM education to primary schools leads to many practical benefits, in line with the trend of general education innovation. The Ministry of Education and Training deployed Official Dispatch 3089/BGDDT-GDTrH dated August 14, 2020 on implementing STEM education in schools at 3 levels: STEM lessons, STEM experiences, STEM scientific and technical research. However, in current reality, the quality of STEM education in primary schools still has many limitations from teachers and administrators. This article reviews and analyzes the current status of STEM education in primary schools in Ho Chi Minh City, thereby developing measures to manage STEM education capacity development activities for primary school teachers to meet the 2018 General Education Program.

Bu araştırma temel eğitimden ortaöğretime kadar olan süreçte matematik dersi yürüten öğretmenlerin Teknolojik Pedagojik Alan Bilgisi (TPAB) algılarını bütüncül bir yaklaşımla incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Öğretmenlerin TPAB’leri cinsiyet, fakülte türü, alan, mesleki deneyim süreleri ve öğrenim düzeyine göre incelenmiştir. Araştırmada “Öğretmen Bilgi Formu ve TPAB Ölçeği” olmak üzere iki tane veri toplama aracı kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın örneklemi 343 öğretmenden oluşmaktadır. Verilerin analizinde betimsel istatistik, bağımsız gruplar t-testi, tek yönlü varyans analizi ve Welch testleri kullanılmıştır. Öğretmenlerin TPAB algıları cinsiyet ve mezun olunan fakülte türüne göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir biçimde farklılaşmazken, öğretmenlerin öğrenim düzeyi, mesleki deneyim süresi ve alanlarına göre anlamlı bir biçimde farklılık göstermiştir. Ortaokul ve lise matematik öğretmenlerinin TPAB algılarının birbirine yakın olduğu, lise matematik öğretmenlerinin TPAB algıları en yüksek iken sınıf öğretmenlerinin ise en düşük olduğu tespit edilmiştir.

Inclusion is an expectation of all mainstream schools across England yet research into strategies concerning how teachers and teaching assistants facilitate effective inclusive practice remains limited. This study explores the enactment of Florian and Black Hawkins (2011. "Exploring Inclusive Pedagogy." British Educational Research Journal 37 (5): 813–828) approach to inclusive pedagogy through the lens of teachers and teaching assistants working with children across year 4 within one primary school in London to redress this balance and identify any challenges they may encounter with this approach. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews revealed several key themes: whole-class approaches; emphasis on learners' capabilities; flexibility; commitment to ongoing professional development; diversity of needs; TA interventions; and ability-based tasks. While practitioners exemplified inclusive pedagogy on a regular basis it was difficult to implement in all aspects of classroom life, given the complex nature and diverse range of needs they encountered in mainstream classrooms. The importance of acknowledging individual needs was recognised and some key strategies to accommodate these without causing feelings of marginalisation were highlighted. Practitioners voiced positive experiences and placed great value on, working flexibly with one another to create welcoming environments for all children yet the effective deployment of TAs was not consistently realised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a model for Professional Development (PD) for in-service generalist primary teachers of science. The Remote Classroom Modelling (RCM) model is specifically designed to address salient challenges in the context of professional isolation. We share the principles that supported the design of this PD prototype, and the insights and lessons learned from a pilot of the model. We employed open-ended questionnaires, individual interviews and focus group interviews using a qualitative exploratory study to capture the experiences of teachers and students involved in this trial. Our findings suggest that the model supports primary teachers in developing: (1) their technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge, (2) their leadership, and (3) their resourcefulness in science. Our analysis reveals two important factors underpinning the successful implementation of this model: participant engagement and expert support. We discuss the applicability of this model in different settings and propose an agenda to progress the development of the RCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ben‐Peretz's (1975) concept of intended curriculum describes a version of curriculum that 'official' curriculum developers create to provide a detailed guide to what teachers are required to teach in schools. While some curricula are intended to guide learning, others give a more definitive regulation of what must be taught. Either way, they are a product of curriculum developers writing government policy that defines what is considered essential for students to know. The teacher then undertakes the technical task of interpreting these policy texts to discern how they will introduce the content to their students. Once the teacher receives the curriculum text, they begin a translation process. While the curriculum developer has a vision of how teachers will interpret the curriculum, the teacher's translation of the curriculum text is filtered through the teachers' understanding of the subject matter. This notion of 'curriculum potential' represents the culmination of the teacher's subject matter knowledge acquired throughout their education and career which serves as the reference point for curriculum interpretation. This article describes the process of curriculum interpretation used by primary teachers during the implementation of Australian curriculum reform. The study examined the interpretation process from the intended curriculum to the planned curriculum to the enacted curriculum used by the teachers and the influences impacting upon these processes. The analysis of the teachers' interpretations was demonstrated through a process for curriculum mapping developed for this study. This work will present the teachers' pathways to curriculum enactment as a hermeneutic interpretation of curriculum, revealing the teachers' curriculum potential. While frequently descriptions of curriculum potential focuss on subject matter knowledge, analysis of primary teacher curriculum interpretation necessitates a broader definition. The paper concludes that the primary teachers' interpretation process is drawn from a wider curriculum potential that intersects their knowledge of subject matter and knowledge of their students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the effects of teachers' seniority, emotional intelligence (EI), and team-member exchange (TMX) quality on their job performance in primary schools. In particular, the mediating role of TMX on the relationship between EI and job performance, and the moderated mediating effect of teacher seniority on EI-TMX-job performance relationships were scrutinised. Data were collected from 387 teachers of primary schools in Taiwan. The SPSS PROCESS macro and structural equation modelling (SEM) were applied to test the hypotheses using SPSS 26.0. The research findings indicated that primary teachers' EI positively affected their TMX and job performance. The findings also provide empirical evidence for the positive mediating effect of TMX on the relationship between EI and job performance, as well as the negative moderating effect of teachers' seniority on the linkage between EI and TMX. Recommendations are made on the enhancement of teachers' EI and the relationship of TMX in teachers' professional development programs, educational policies, and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the status of educational inclusion in resource-constrained, rural primary schools in Battambang Province, Cambodia using a mixed-method design. A Teacher Efficacy in Inclusive Practices (TEIP) scale was administered to sampled teachers and Headteachers. Classroom observations were undertaken in five schools. Interviews were conducted with selected teachers and other education officials. The findings indicate dissatisfaction with the current quality of educational inclusion and identify barriers to good practice. The paper highlights priorities for enhancing educational inclusion in rural, resource-constrained contexts and recommends a participatory and culturally sensitive framework for improving overall quality of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anadolu University Journal of Education Faculty (AUJEF) is the property of Anadolu Universitesi Egitim Fakultesi Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

India has signed and ratified “United Nations Convention on Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)” in the very year 2008 when United Nations opened it for signing. UNCRPD makes it mandatory for all nations to implement inclusive education at all levels and in all institutions. Hence, it is compulsory for our country, India, to implement inclusive education throughout the country, at all levels and in all institutions. In-fact, Government of India claims at all national and international forums that it has implemented inclusive education at all levels in all institutions since 2009. However, our observations and experiences in the field infer that inclusive education is still not realized to its true potential in our country at any level. To verify/refute our claim of non-implementation of inclusive education at primary level, we conducted small research among teachers of Government primary schools in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh. We targeted to assess awareness and opinion of these teachers towards inclusive education by employing descriptive survey method of research. The results obtained and inferences drawn during our research endeavour suggest that a lot of work is required to effectively implement inclusive education in our primary schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global shift toward online education, which has increased the use of technology for communication, management, and remote teaching. This study aimed to investigate how primary school teachers in China used technology during the Pandemic and to what extent they experienced Technostress, as well as the impact of Technostress on work–family conflicts and technology-induced health issues. A survey was conducted among 1,172 primary school teachers, and the results revealed that teachers exhibited a moderate to a high level of Technostress during the Pandemic, with differences observed in gender, age, and headteacher duties. Furthermore, Technostress was positively correlated with work–family conflicts and technology-induced health issues. Technology use intensity was found to directly impact work–family conflicts and personal health and indirectly impact them via the agency effects of Technostress. School support moderated the indirect relationship between technology use intensity and work–family conflicts and health issues, with higher levels of school support leading to less apparent impacts of technology intensity on work–family conflicts and personal health via the agency effect of Technostress. These findings provide timely insights for post-pandemic teacher training and technology management and suggest the importance of school support in promoting sustainable educational development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presented the practices of pupil behaviour management of Vietnamese primary teachers with a focus on primary pupils' misbehaviours, and the activities the primary teachers implemented to manage this misbehaviour. 1,545 primary pupils' parents and teachers from all three main areas in Vietnam took part in the questionnaire surveys. Mathematical statistical methods were used to analyse data along with collating the perceptions between primary teachers and parents. The results showed that pupil behaviour management had been implemented to a positive extent by the primary teachers in classroom practices. The primary teachers frequently implemented the activities of pupil behaviour management to deal with pupils' misbehaviours, and this could help prevent misbehaviour in classroom practices. Nevertheless, the study also revealed that one of the emergent problems that needs to be solved in order to achieve better pupil behaviour management is pupils' inattentive attitudes in learning. A possible reason was attributed to the teachers' less cares and the lower frequency with which interactive instruction was implemented by the primary teachers in their teaching practices. The study suggested that an appropriate strategy of pupil behaviour management for Vietnamese primary teachers needed to be designed in order to help better engage pupils in learning and to meet the requirements of the ongoing implementation of competence-based curricula. A social constructivist approach with its interactive and meaningful features was recommended for further studies to work on designing an appropriate behaviour management strategy for pupils in a Confucian heritage culture such as Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mediterranean Educational Research Journal / Akdeniz Eğitim Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Turkish Educational Research Association (TERA) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Amman Arab University Journal is the property of Amman Arab University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article focuses on the satisfaction of future teachers and the perception of pedagogical innovations by teachers at the first level of elementary schools in Slovakia. We analyze how future teachers perceive undergraduate training and how teachers implement innovations in the educational process in practice. Using a combination of questionnaires, we collected data from student teachers and first-level teachers in order to identify readiness and subjective perception of innovation in teaching. The article offers a deeper insight through open-ended items focused on innovation and brings insights into the implementation of future changes in the education system. These factors, associated with readiness for practice, predict teachers' job satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers' beliefs and attitudes are known to guide the type of activities they implement in their classrooms. A traditional conception that finger counting is merely a back-up when children fail to use more sophisticated and efficient strategies could therefore prevent teachers from encouraging children's use of fingers in arithmetic tasks. However, the potential benefit of finger counting for young learners has been recently documented and setting aside its practice within classrooms may hinder children's mathematical skill development. It is therefore important to establish whether there is a discrepancy between teacher's beliefs regarding finger counting and the latest discoveries in this field of research. To this aim, we interrogated 413 teachers from preschool to Grade 5. We found that, despite being generally positive towards finger counting, teachers think that finger counting is typical of children who present math difficulties or lack of confidence, even during the first years of learning. These results are discussed considering what is known and what remains to be determined in the current scientific literature.

This article presents the research findings into the experience of teachers working in Chiapas, Mexico. Our objective was to document and analyze some key elements of teachers' learning about the functioning of the education system in which they are immersed; a learning that can be linked to a hidden curriculum. Using a constructivist paradigm and a biographic approach, semi-structured interviews with 9 primary teachers working in Chiapas were undertaken. Though our interpretative analysis, the learning of mistrust has been identify as an emergent and constant characteristic in all the teachers' stories. The results around mistrust were categorized in three relational fields where learning to mistrust was deemed a determinant characteristic to their practice and identity: The government and authority, their teacher colleagues, and parents. At the same time that the need for collaborative and synergetic work was observed, learnt attitudes that closed down this possibility and perpetuate the prevailing toxic climate and ongoing feelings of mistrust were also found. These attitudes have a clear implication in student's learning, altering the good functioning of schools and school climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although teacher agency is increasingly recognised by educationists in the Global South, it is not always well understood or accommodated in policy, as experienced with Universal Primary Education (UPE) reforms in Uganda. This empirical study analyses its role on the UPE reforms, the factors that shape it and its implications for curriculum making. The study adopted a qualitative case study of two UPE schools, utilising an ecological approach to understanding teacher agency. It found that UPE teachers in the selected schools were strongly achieving agency in their daily practice through different forms of 'resistance', 'mitigation' and 'cooperation'. Their agency is being shaped by ecological factors comprising of their temporal dimensions mediated by the affordances and constraints of their cultures, structures and materials, with significant implications. The study concludes that stakeholders need to better explicate teacher agency in policy and scholarship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research study was conducted to investigate how the capacity of primary school teachers can be built in terms of the Single National Curriculum. The specific objectives of the study were: 1) To develop Teaching Module for capacity building of teachers toward science in terms of Single National Curriculum, 2) To implement the Teaching Module to develop the capacity building of teachers toward science in terms of Single National Curriculum 3) To assess the capacity building of teachers toward science before and after the implementation of Teaching Module. The researcher employed a quasi-experimental "pretest-posttest control group design." The "Teaching Module of Science for Class Five" was the study's primary resource. Fifteen (15) female teachers from the Govt. Girls Middle School Churata No. 3, Tehsil, and District D.G. Khan were chosen for this study. Results revealed that developed module was effective for capacity building of teachers in single national curriculum at primary level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Instructional Technology & Lifelong Learning is the property of Instructional Technology & Lifelong Learning and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

While technology advancement and scientific innovation have created new topics and fields of inquiry in STEM education, external content experts such as university scientists/researchers have been increasingly involved to enhance K-12 teachers' disciplinary understandings and professional development (PD). However, few studies have scrutinized scientist-facilitated PD programs regarding teacher epistemology, about how and in what ways the programs impact teachers' epistemological understandings of disciplinary knowledge. To address the gap, this paper investigates the process by which teachers construct epistemological understandings and teaching practices in interacting with scientists. Informed by theories of epistemic cognition and social cognition, we conducted an interactional ethnography in a school-university partnered PD program with six primary teachers. Based on participant observation, teacher interviews, and classroom videos and artifacts, we identified three patterns of teacher-scientist negotiation: reciprocal negotiation of knowledge presentation, observation and interpretation of scientist practices, and inconsistency in knowledge translation. The teachers' professional responsibility and knowledge served as a critical filter in their decisions of selecting, interpreting, and rejecting scientist inputs, leading to respective epistemological stances and pedagogical actions. The research uncovers the situated and multifaceted negotiation of teacher epistemology and offers implications for researching and supporting their epistemological development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has gained momentum due to increasing calls for a more STEM-literate society. As teaching integrated STEM poses curricular and pedagogical challenges for most generalist primary teachers, professional development (PD) is essential to support them to develop appropriate knowledge and efficacy to teach STEM. This paper presents a qualitative study of 17 primary teachers, 2 school principals and the PD facilitator. It explores the perceived impact of a customised three-phase STEM PD program on teacher efficacy in STEM education using Bandura's (1977) sources of efficacy as an analytic lens. The findings illustrate how particular features of the PD model were identified as contributing to the development of participating teachers' performance accomplishment, emotional arousal, vicarious experiences and verbal persuasion. In particular, there was consensus that the developmental structure of the STEM PD program, in terms of teachers' assuming increasing ownership for their STEM learning, incrementally enhanced teacher efficacy in STEM education. Implications of this study for STEM education and in particular STEM PD are discussed fully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenges before us indicate that the current model of societal development is creating problems for our planet, such as the climate crisis, the increase in inequalities, and the emergence of new phenomena of exclusion and social malaise. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development presents 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that define priorities for a more sustainable world. Education is one of the main ways to create a peaceful and sustainable world for the survival and prosperity of present and future generations. The literature highlights the importance of teachers’ socio-emotional skills and the promotion of socio-emotional skills in their students. The Emotional Education approach proposes a new pedagogical paradigm, in which the individual is encouraged to develop intra-and interpersonal skills, enabling them to deal creatively with their conflicts and those encountered in the environment, and increasing their self-confidence and emotional balance. These skills will contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the SDG. Based on these arguments, the study and systematization of social–emotional education is urgent. In this study, a documentary analysis was carried out of the programs of study offered as part of the degrees (undergraduate and master’s level) provided for the training of preschool and primary teachers in Portugal and Spain, with the aim of understanding whether these courses offer content relating to Emotional Education. Programs of study from 127 public and private higher education institutions across both countries were analyzed. The analysis revealed that in Portugal, despite an increase in interest in issues relating to emotional intelligence in schools, this interest is not yet reflected in the initial training of preschool and primary teachers (with only two universities, both private institutions, offering Emotional Education content). In Spain, there is already a considerable number of institutions (29) that offer Emotional Education, but this corresponds to only 30% of the universities listed. The results of this study indicate that there is still some distance to go to make Emotional Education an effective component of the curricula of future teachers and thus contribute to achievement of the SDGs.

It is broadly accepted that teachers’ professional identities influence how they teach and what their pupils learn. In this paper, drawing on semi-structured interviews with 22 experienced primary teachers from the Republic of Cyprus, we explore the construction of informants’ professional identities with a specific focus on mathematics teaching. Analyses, undertaken according to the constant comparison method, yielded three broad themes, implicated in differing ways in the construction and manifestation of informants’ identities: prior experiences of mathematics, mathematical competence, and images of the self-as-teacher. Overall, teachers fell into two groups, which analyses led us to construe as either mathematical victors or mathematical victims. Mathematical victors had experienced success as learners of school mathematics, from which pleasure, pride, and confidence in their mathematical knowledge for teaching emerged. Their teaching, which emphasized pupils’ attainment of similar enjoyment and success, focused on abstraction and mathematical reasoning. Mathematical victims had experienced failure as learners of school mathematics, from which anxiety and a restricted mathematical knowledge for teaching emerged. Their teaching, which emphasized positive pupil experiences, focused on affect rather than cognition and an avoidance of “traditional” teaching. However, both groups, despite their confident assertions, appeared unaware of the potential of their actions for creating new victims. The findings, which are discussed in relation to existing literature, confirm the complex nature of mathematics teachers’ identities and highlight, in particular, the need for further research into the formative role of teachers’ prior experiences of mathematics, whether positive or negative.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to present severe challenges to the education sector more than 2 years after the first case was detected. We explore the strategies South African teachers used to support continued mathematics learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic across different stages of the response to it and across different contexts. We explore these strategies, first, in relation to the initial shift to emergency remote teaching when learners needed to be reached in their homes under severe lockdown regulations, then through the gradual reopening of schools later as regulations were relaxed. Activity theory informs our perspective on the way in which teachers worked to mediate learning across school and home activity systems. Twenty-five Grade 4–7 mathematics teachers from the Eastern Cape responded to two questionnaires given at the start of the COVID-19 lockdown period and during the phased return to school. Questions focused on the strategies used to support mathematics learning. The results show that strategies focused on engaging caregivers through various technologies and getting resources into the home. WhatsApp, a free internet-based messaging service, was the most frequently used communication app across all types of schools for both messaging parents and sending instructional material and support in the form of videos, pictures and text messages. Department issued workbooks and teacher designed work packs were key resources sent to homes. Differences are evident in the range of use of different technologies across wealthier and poorer schools. Primary teachers' voices inform possible ways forward for the purpose of managing young student mathematical learning gaps and meeting ongoing learning needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the social-emotional learning model (SEL) has been researched in Vietnam for many years, studies on teachers' SEL-based teaching competence have not been the focus. This study explored the possibility of applying the SEL model to the teaching of Vietnamese primary school teachers. Our case study of 50 teachers who participated in previous SEL projects highlights three factors that prevented successful SEL application in Vietnamese schools, including (a) confusion about the SEL-based teaching perspective, (b) traditional teaching methods, (c) limited training in social-emotional skills, and mental health policies for primary school teachers. The findings have broadened and deepened our understanding of the possibility of successful application of the SEL model in the classroom, which would depend on SEL-based professional supervision, consistency in SEL-based teaching methods and SEL practice guides/manuals, and promotion or adaptation of policies for SEL-based practice and application in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bu çalışma 2000-2021 yılları arasında sınıf öğretmenlerinin yaşadıkları sorunları tematik analiz yöntemiyle belirlemek ve belirlenen yıl aralıklarında trend olan konuları tespit etmek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Bu yöntem, bir konu hakkında yapılan çalışmaların betimsel ve içeriksel olarak incelenerek, çalışmaların eğilimlerini ve sonuçlarının tespit edilmesi esasına dayanır. Bu amaçla Türkiye’de sınıf öğretmenlerinin yaşadıkları sorunlar ile ilgili çalışmalar alan yazında taranmıştır. Tarama sonucunda sınıf öğretmenlerinin güncel eğitim sorunları konusunda 2000-2021 yılları arasında yayımlanan toplam 113 (83 makale, 30 lisansüstü tezi) çalışma araştırmaya dâhil edilmiştir. Çalışmanın özelliklerini ortaya çıkarmak amacıyla araştırmaya özgü bir kodlama yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Ulaşılan çalışmalar çalışma türü, araştırmanın konusu, araştırma türü ve deseni, örneklem, veri toplama aracı ve veri analizi sonuçlarına göre incelenmiştir. Analizler sonucunda 2016-2021 yılları arasında hem yüksek lisans tezi hem makale çalışmalarında en yüksek değere ulaşıldığı, en çok tercih edilen araştırma deseninin tarama modeli, en çok kullanılan veri toplama aracının ölçek, en fazla veri analiz türünün parametrik testler, en fazla tercih edilen araştırma konusunun sınıf öğretmenlerinin tükenmişlik sorunları, en trend olan araştırma türünün nitel araştırma, en trend örneklem grubu sınıf öğretmenleri, 2016-2021 yılları arasında yabancı uyruklu öğrencilerin öğretim süreçlerinde karşılaşılan sorunlar ile uzaktan eğitim süreçlerinde karşılaşılan sorunlara yönelik araştırmaların sayısının arttığı belirlenmiştir. Araştırma sonunda elde edilen bulgulara yönelik önerilere yer verilmiştir.

Arts organisations partnering with schools have gained increased popularity as a means of delivering arts education. In the main, this has meant artists and companies offering pre-determined workshops. Although these involvements have been found to be useful, a gap in how these initiatives can enhance the teaching of arts education still exists. Therefore, this paper explores primary teachers' perspectives, regarding whether an Irish arts initiative - The Creative Schools Initiative-Scoileanna Íldánacha (CS) - impacted their teaching of arts education. A multi-site case study, this research was conducted in a purposive sample of eight Irish primary schools who had participated in the initiative. Using online surveys, both quantitative and qualitative data was collected from 50 primary teachers. Key findings indicated that, although teachers engaged positively with the initiative, it only had a limited impact on teachers’ confidence regarding teaching arts education. Consequently, strong reiterations for professional development were emphasised throughout. Bearing this in mind, this study could contribute to further development of arts initiatives such as the CS, ensuring they have a lasting, sustainable impact on the teaching of arts education in primary schools.

The article analyses the characteristics of schools according to the perception teachers have regarding their commitment to using research evidence within their practice. A questionnaire focused on issues such as the use of research evidence to improve schools, as well as factors known to influence this practice, such as organizational culture, leadership style, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making processes, was administered to a sample of 462 teachers from 204 primary schools in two Spanish autonomous regions. The questionnaire responses were analysed using a two-stage factor analysis. Three clusters of schools were identified. Although teachers from a large number of schools were enthusiastic regarding the use of research evidence, others were sceptical, and most declared themselves undecided. In all cases, we observed that organizational commitment to the use of research evidence, leadership support, and debate regarding decisions were significant characteristics of those schools oriented towards the use of research evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of RumeliDE Journal of Language & Literature Research / RumeliDE Dil ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of RumeliDE Uluslararasi Hakemli Dil & Edebiyat Arastirmalari Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this survey study, it is aimed to develop a valid and reliable scale that can measure multicultural teacher competencies of primary teachers and to examine their multicultural teacher competencies. Three different participant groups were determined by convenience sampling technique. With 336 primary teachers exploratory factor analysis (EFA), with 349 primary teachers confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted. Then, multicultural teacher competencies of 419 primary teachers in the third group were determined with the scale developed. Data collected through Google forms was analyzed with SPSS 24.0. EFA, CFA, correlation, t-test, Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests were carried out in the analysis. As a result of the analysis, consisting of 22 items and three factors; both the overall reliability coefficient, confirmed by CFA, was .94, explaining 62.10% of the total variance and the reliability coefficient values for each factor were calculated as .93 for the first factor, .85 for the second factor and .86 for the third factor. In addition, it was determined that teachers had the most self-efficacy regarding the resilience sub-dimension, followed by their sensitivity to differences and multicultural pedagogical competencies. Multicultural teacher competencies differed significantly in favor of women. There is a significant difference in sensitivity to differences in favor of younger teachers. In the sub-dimension of resilience, it was determined that teachers who work in larger cities had more resilience while there was no significant difference in the context of professional experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the level of metacognitive awareness of STEAM education among primary stage teachers in Jordan. It also aimed to identify the impact of school type, experience, and specialization on the level of Metacognitive awareness. Via purposive sampling, 370 science, computer science, social science and humanities, and mathematics teachers were selected, who already know about the STEAM approach, from public and private schools in Amman and Madaba Governorates. The researcher developed a five-point Likert-type scale to measure metacognitive awareness among primary school teachers about the STEAM approach. The researcher verified the content validity by presenting the instrument to a group of experts in curricula and teaching methods to determine the extent of the clarity and comprehensiveness of the items. The researcher applied the questionnaire to a pilot of 30 from outside the sample to calculate the constructive validity and reliability. The results of the application showed constructive validity ranging between (.65 and .82). The researcher concluded that the level of metacognitive awareness among teachers with 3 years and more experience who work in the private sector is higher than those who work in the public sector. The results also showed no significant difference in the level attributed to the specialization variable. The researcher recommends that the Ministry of Education should prepare a successful education reform process in addition to adopting a unified reform plan with clear educational goals and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study on motivations concerning professional development (PD) we interviewed 95 primary school teachers in the Netherlands. We coded these data using the Unified Model of Task-specific Motivation (de Brabander & Martens, 2014) in different decision contexts concerning who decides about teacher participation in PD: school board, teacher teams, or individual teachers. We analysed the valences that teachers associated with PD activities, their experiences of autonomy, and whether and how these variables were affected by decision context and teacher age. Results show that decision contexts relate differently to valences and autonomy experiences. Positive autonomy and positive valences increased going from schoolboard to team to individual decision contexts. Whereas the literature on effective teacher PD stresses the importance of PD design features, our study is the first to empirically demonstrate the crucial influence of decision contexts. Among older teachers, teaching experience informed the selection of PD content to transfer to their classrooms. Younger teachers tended to first explore whether PD worked in their classrooms before deciding about adoption. Direct applicability emerged as a dominant criterion for evaluating PD. Decision context and autonomy regarding PD programmes play important roles in ensuring applicability. Our research revealed that the dominance of the direct applicability criterion was not motivated by student benefits alone. It was also based in an attitude of efficiency among primary teachers, reflecting growing work pressures and a general prioritisation of classroom teaching above all other tasks, including PD.

School lockdowns in response to COVID-19 have forced teachers around the world to quickly and unexpectedly shift from face-to-face to distance teaching. The struggle with the forced transition has been even more severe in the lower levels of schooling than in higher education institutions, which had already established online course delivery before the crisis. The current paper investigates Finnish primary teachers' principles for high-quality distance teaching. Twenty primary teachers were interviewed in April 2020 during the fourth week of the two-month distance teaching period. The findings from phenomenographic analysis revealed that high-quality distance teaching at the primary level requires (1) relatedness, (2) design, (3) routine, and (4) control. This study illustrates the understanding of teachers' working in a basic education system ranked among the best in the world and thus provides valuable insights for developing instructional practices in distance education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study looks into the use of digital resources amongst state primary teachers teaching the Junior Years (students aged between 7 and 11). It evaluates whether teachers are making use of digital resources, the extent to which they are doing so, and how this is affecting the acquisition of digital literacy skills. The research methodology applied focused on a mixed methods approach. Data were collected from a total of 75 participants, incorporating surveys (n=64) with semi-structured interviews with state primary teachers (n=7) and representatives from the Directorate for Digital Literacy and Transversal Skills (n=4). The results obtained demonstrate that teachers are making use of digital resources. However, they also illustrate that teachers are mainly using them as a substitute for hands-on resources and rarely encourage students to create new digital material. Consequently, students are not being fully equipped with the 21st-century skills needed to become digital citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]