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When teachers explain science concepts—for example, the solar wind, or plasma waves—some methods seem to be quick-acting and others long-lasting. Still others pose as many problems as they seem to solve. How, for example, does a parent explain how there can be solar wind without any air in space? How does a teacher explain how there can be plasma waves without any water? Locating metaphor between thinking and speech rather than within one or the other, we work out a single scheme to analyze two conversations with adult Koreans. These suggest that a text studied some ten years ago in middle school science class, replete with striking visual images, has left little more than everyday concepts. Instead of trying to use the striking visual images to refill gaps in the memory, however, the questions asked by a skilled science teacher suggest ways in which thinking could be freed from the middle school dogma of only three matter phases (solid, liquid, gas). To understand a metaphor like "solar wind", we need to replace fixed matters of fact with some more elusive facts of matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers have a critical opportunity to decide how to position transnational funds of knowledge of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Positioning theory investigates how views of self and others are applied in social interactions. This scoping literature review identified nine studies that used positioning theory to trace the participation of adolescent CLD students in classroom discussions. The review was limited to peer‐reviewed studies set in school and afterschool classes in the United States. The findings provide a variety of real‐world examples of students and teachers negotiating their identities and navigating participatory opportunities. In response to how the findings revealed the far‐reaching influence of the teacher, this article introduces a model illustrating the intersection of two key components of teaching style: teacher beliefs and positioning of transnational funds of knowledge. Four teacher profiles represent four stances: The Culturally Responsive Teacher, The Wide Net, The Silencer, and The Idealist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Przegląd Elektrotechniczny is the property of Przeglad Elektrotechniczny 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.)

Background: Previous research has uncovered disparities in children's attitudes toward science based on gender, income, parenting, geographical location, and school resources, among other factors. However, less is known about socioeconomic influences on science attitudes within the evolving rural middle class. The present study investigated the relationship between indicators of socioeconomic status on middle schoolers' attitudes toward science in a predominantly middle class, white, rural sample within the midwestern United States of America. Methods: Parents were asked for demographic information and consent for their child participating in the study. Middle school children were invited to complete a short survey quantifying their attitudes toward science. Results: Science attitudes did not vary based on gender. However, students with at least one parent that earned at least a bachelor's degree or from a household income exceeding $90,000 had more positive attitudes toward science than those whose parents did not obtain a college degree or whose household income was less than $90,000, respectively. Regression revealed that household income and parent's assessment of their child's interest in a scientific career significantly predicted a child's attitudes toward science, but gender and highest degree earned by a parent did not. Conclusion: This study found differences in children's science attitudes within a rural, predominantly middle-class population. This finding contributes to the literature by revealing differences in science attitudes relating to higher levels of parental education (bachelor's degree) and income ($90,000) than previously identified. This highlights additional opportunities to support children's science growth and promote equitable science opportunities for everyone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Methods Results Conclusion In today's world, which is progressively oriented towards science and technology and facing a growing demand for skilled professionals, it becomes essential to identify the factors that encourage individuals to pursue careers in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Previous research has shown that affective‐motivational factors, math performance and gender influence STEM occupational and academic choices in adulthood. However, few studies examined how these factors may influence STEM choices as early as middle school. This study aims to assess how math anxiety, math self‐efficacy, math performance and gender influence STEM school choices during middle school.We longitudinally assessed a group of 109 students (Year 6) over three school years, with measurements taken on three different occasions.Findings indicated that individuals who made an STEM school choice experienced lower math anxiety, higher self‐efficacy and math performance and were predominantly male. Furthermore, the results indicated that both math anxiety in Year 7 and self‐efficacy in Year 6 made the most substantial unique contributions to the STEM school choice.Math anxiety and math self‐efficacy seem to be both crucial in influencing middle school students' STEM choices, offering new perspectives for early interventions aimed at promoting more informed school choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The timing of parental unemployment can impact children's educational transitions. Previous research has mostly examined transitions to higher education, proxying timing in relation to children's age and often focusing on selective populations. We study unemployment's intergenerational effects at multiple stages of the educational career, and define timing relative to important crossroads within and across school years for a broader population of children. Further, we build on suggestive patterns in prior studies and test if and how parental unemployment's effects vary depending on the availability, level, and combination of private insurance (parental wealth) and public insurance (unemployment benefits). We rely on Dutch administrative data on cohorts of students born between 1992 and 1998 and observed around the time of the Great Recession. With a negative-control design, we find that paternal unemployment in 6th grade decreases children's chances of enrolling in the general and academic secondary-school tracks, but only in families with lower wealth. Effects are moderate and partly flow from lower performance in a high-stakes test in 6th grade. These effects are reduced when households receive larger unemployment benefit amounts, particularly above median values. In addition, paternal unemployment in 6th grade has long-term negative effects on postsecondary enrolment for children with lower relative wealth. Differently, we do not find evidence of timing effects for spells of paternal unemployment occurring around high-school graduation, nor when examining the timing of maternal unemployment. These findings can inform remedial interventions aimed at mitigating the negative effects of disruptive events on children's education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why are most African American students in lower-track classes in racially diverse schools? How does the nexus of home, school, and community impact African Americans' academic placement in a racially and economically diverse school district? This research used ethnographic methods to explore 38 African American middle school students' perceptions and experiences of academic placement in a racially diverse middle school and a segregated and disinvested African American neighborhood. This research introduces the term Plessy's Tracks to acknowledge the sustained racial caste system that manifests through lower-track classes and devalued homes and communities. Findings suggest students face multiple challenges and systemic inequalities when self-selecting classes. Also, racially segregated homes and communities have shaped racialized tracking while producing Black placemaking in homes, classrooms, and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of REMAH Journal is the property of Research & Development of Human Recourses Center (REMAH) 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.)

This study explores the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) training on enhancing teacher-student relationships and improving academic performance in middle schools. Using a quasi-experimental design, the research involved 60 teachers and 600 students, with the teachers randomly assigned to either an intervention group, which received EI training, or a control group. Quantitative measures included the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), the Teacher-Student Relationship Inventory (TSRI), and academic performance assessments through grades and standardized test scores. Qualitative data were collected via semi-structured interviews and focus groups. The results indicated significant improvements in teachers' EI levels, better teacher-student relationships, and higher academic performance among students in the intervention group. Qualitative findings corroborated these outcomes, highlighting enhanced communication and classroom climate. These findings underscore the potential benefits of integrating EI training into teacher professional development programs to foster both emotional well-being and academic success among students.

Background: Premature birth remains a public health problem worldwide, involving a broader context and a multidisciplinary team aimed at combating this phenomenon as much as possible. The consumption of addictive substances by women who are pregnant can occur in different social contexts and at different stages of their lives, which modulate its extent. Obstetricians and anesthetists should consider the anesthetic maternal risks that may arise due to these addictive behaviors. The maternal anesthetic risk is higher in women who are pregnant with a medium-level of education, imbalanced nutrition, stress associated with physical or mental activity, affected sleep hygiene, and failed marriages. Objectives: The objectives of the study refer to analyzing the impact of exogenous factors and the anesthetic risk on premature birth for women who were pregnant during the pandemic period and in women who were pregnant without COVID-19 infection. The authors studied a significant sample of 3588 women who were pregnant without COVID-19 infection, among whom 3291 gave birth at term and 297 gave birth prematurely. Methods: The methods analyzed consist of studying the specialized literature regarding the impact of exogenous factors and parturient's anesthetic risk on premature birth and identifying the regional risk profile of women who are pregnant in the southeast region of Romania compared to that identified in the specialized literature. In the analytical methods, we used a linear regression to study the incidence of exogenous risk factors on anesthetic risk in women who were pregnant with premature births compared to those with full-term births. Results: The results confirm the significant impact of exogenous factors on anesthetic risk and the significant impact of anesthetic risk on premature births. The novelty of the study lies in highlighting the modification of the regional exogenous risk profile during the pandemic period in southeast Romania due to unfavorable socio-economic causes and the translation of grade I and II prematurity events to higher frequencies with an increased level of maternal anesthetic risk. Conclusions: The study findings show that the anesthetic risk is maximized in parturients with a middle school education. Additionally, the anesthetic risk of patients who are pregnant increases with the intensification of smoking adherence and its maintenance throughout the pregnancy at the same intensity. Our study aims to provide a basis for the diversification and development of community intervention programs in the post-COVID-19 era, considering the reshaping of social models and the repositioning of social principles and values. Obstetricians and anesthetists must know and promote family values to harmonize the lives of family members and provide a better life for the mother and child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discussions bearing upon the provision of intermediate (post-primary) schooling in Ireland in the nineteenth century were inextricably interwoven with debates regarding Catholic autonomy there. The establishment, in 1878, of the intermediate system, cannot be understood outside the context of Irish Catholic grievances, imagined or otherwise. This article excavates that theme within the context of the parliamentary debate that resulted in the passing of the Intermediate Education (Ireland) Bill 1878. The study does not range beyond this remit, rather, it seeks to demonstrates how hostility to the Bill, as a form of discreet funding of denominationally owned schools in Ireland, was implicit within objections to the absence of inspection, the form that payment for results might take and, on occasion, explicit in terms of antagonism to state funded Catholic intermediate-type schooling there. Intermediate schools were similar to present-day secondary schools in that they were intended for pupils who had completed primary school and entered pupils for terminal examinations. However, even in the period we are dealing with, definitions were vague. However, for the purposes of convenience, "intermediate", rather than "secondary" is employed throughout. Intermediate education should not, however, be understood in the contemporary sense of a system underpinned by public money, designed, with a compulsory attendance element, to cater for all and staffed by trained graduates. We are not concerned with individual schools, their daily operation or the development of schools by denominational communities; rather, the article excavates the parliamentary discussion with a view to better understanding the denominational and practical challenges the Intermediate Education (Ireland) Act faced before becoming legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identity matters in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) because it can affect an individual's long-term sense of belonging, which may in turn affect their persistence in STEMM. Early K–12 science classes often teach students about the foundational discoveries of the field, which have been predominately made, or at least published, by White men. This homogeneity can leave underrepresented individuals in STEMM feeling isolated, and underrepresented K–12 students may feel as though they cannot enter STEMM fields. This study aimed to examine these feelings of inclusivity in STEMM through an interactive workshop that asked middle schoolers to identify scientists from images of individuals with various racial and gender identities. We found that a plurality of students had a positive experience discussing diversity in science and recognizing underrepresented individuals as scientists. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: We observed positive sentiments from middle school students following a workshop that showcased diversity in science. This workshop uniquely encourages students to recognize that physiologists and scientists today are much more diverse than textbooks typically demonstrate and can be adapted for middle schoolers, high schoolers, and college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of online project-based learning on students' metacognitive awareness. The participants of the research were 53 students attending 6th grade. The research was carried out using the mixed method approach and it was conducted with the action research model. Pre-test and post-test quantitative data were analysed with Paired-Samples T test in SPSS 22.0 package program. Semi-structured interviews were made with 10 of the research participants and the obtained qualitative interview data was analysed in the Nvivo software. According to the quantitative findings of the study, online project-based learning improved the students' metacognitive awareness. In accordance with the qualitative findings of the study, the categories of supervision, task, monitoring and self-awareness were formed under the theme of metacognitive awareness. In the supervision category the highest frequency was determined as the time-wasting prevention code, under the task category the highest frequency was the information access code, under the monitoring category the highest frequency was the self-evaluation code for learning, and under the personal awareness category the highest frequency was the evaluation code for learning. It was concluded that the qualitative findings of the research supported its quantitative findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-class group work activities are found to promote the interpersonal skills of learners. To support the teachers in facilitating such activities, we designed a learning analytics-enhanced technology framework, Group Learning Orchestration Based on Evidence (GLOBE) using data-driven approaches. In this study, we implemented the algorithmic group formation and group work evaluation systems in a Japanese junior high school context. Data from a series of 12 collaborative learning activities were used to validate the difference in the measured heterogeneity of the formed homogeneous and heterogeneous groups compared to random grouping. Further, the peer rating and self-perception of the group work were compared for comparative reading and idea exchange tasks. We found algorithmically formed groups, considering the learner model data, either heterogeneously or homogeneously performed better than random grouping. Specifically, students in groups created by the homogeneous algorithm received higher peer ratings and more positive self-perception of group work in the idea exchange group tasks. We did not find significant differences in the comparative reading tasks. Along with the empirical findings, this work presents a paradigm of continuous data-driven group learning support by incorporating the peer and teacher evaluation scores as an input to the subsequent algorithmic grouping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) in basic education, i.e. K12 education, have often been constrained by sociocultural context and limited to pedagogical aspects, and these innovations have not yet catalyzed curriculum reform as expected. To address this research gap, this study adopted a key-competence-based subject knowledge learning tool, i.e. Smart Learning Partner (SLP), and conducted a quasi-experimental study to evaluate its effects among middle school students. A total of 400 participants in Grade 7 from four schools were followed for a period of two and a half years. The results on online learning engagement indicated that the manipulation generally succeeded in promoting students' use of SLP in the experimental schools. Furthermore, the results on academic performance showed that SLP could not only directly benefit students' learning in the first academic year but also continued to have an effect within the following one and a half years. This study contributes to the existing knowledge in two aspects: first, it extends the use of an adaptive learning cognitive map and shows positive effects in supporting the implementation of the whole curriculum; second, it presents a long-term and large-scale example of successfully integrating ICTs into the key-competence-based curriculum reform in the Chinese context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital game-based and gamified technologies hold much promise to promote the development of learners' conceptual knowledge. This efficacy study used desktop virtual reality (dVR) to investigate how the place-based digital gameful learning experience (DGLE) "Watershed Explorers", implemented as a curriculum enhancement activity, impacted students' watershed literacy as well as their attitudes towards playing and learning during dVR gameplay. Thirty-five middle school students completed a pretest-posttest content assessment measuring watershed literacy, a motivation to play with a dVR game survey, and a perception of learning with dVR games survey. Results showed that using "Watershed Explorers" as a curriculum enhancement activity can positively impact learning, especially middle school students' ability to identify their own local watershed and its connections to the ocean. Most participants perceived this DGLE as a helpful and engaging type of learning technology that can promote stimulating ways of presenting content materials and make school learning more interesting. Implications for the design of future iterations of "Watershed Explorers" to enhance learning are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has become a worldwide public health issue and the risk factors and specific mechanisms of its development have been a recent research focus. To explore the association between avatar identification and IGD among middle school students, the present study tested the mediating roles of flow and self-concept clarity within the relationship. Survey research was conducted among 730 Chinese middle school students (399 male and 331 female), aged between 12 and 19 years (Mage = 15.315; SD = 1.801), who had online gaming (including avatar) experience. The results indicated that avatar identification, flow, self-concept clarity, and IGD were significantly interrelated. Avatar identification could indirectly affect IGD through flow, self-concept clarity, and the serial mediation of flow-self-concept clarity. These findings provide implications for understanding the psychological processes by which avatar identification exerts influences on IGD and suggest possible approaches for IGD prevention and intervention among middle school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to examine how and in what ways the dimensions of the nature of science are included in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade science textbooks taught between 1926 and 2018 and to determine how these dimensions are represented in textbooks based on curricula shifts. In this study, a total of 24 textbooks allowed by the Ministry of National Education to be used in schools were examined by using the document analysis method. Textbooks were prepared according to the science curriculum published in 1926, 1948, 1968, 1992, 2000, 2004, 2013, and 2018. Textbooks were evaluated in eight dimensions, including empirical, inferential, tentative, creativity, social and cultural structure of scientific knowledge, theory-driven (subjectivity of scientific knowledge), myth of the scientific method, and the nature of theories and laws. The representation of the dimensions in the textbooks was determined by using the rubric developed by Abd-El Khalick, Waters and Le in Journal of Research in Science Teaching 45:835–855, 2008. As a result of the analyzes, it was concluded that the representation of the dimensions of the nature of science was inadequate in all examined textbooks. While most of the textbooks include empirical, inferential, and tentative dimensions of the nature of science, creativity, theory-driven, and social and cultural structure of scientific knowledge are given little attention; myth of the scientific method, the nature of theory, and laws are almost never taken into consideration in the textbooks. It has been observed that the representation of the dimensions of the nature of science is at a slightly better level in the textbooks of the 2000 and following curricula. Therefore, it is concluded that all curricula are inadequate in general because the dimensions of the nature of science are represented in a more indirect approach in the science textbooks examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discussions bearing upon the provision of intermediate (post-primary) schooling in Ireland in the nineteenth century were inextricably interwoven with debates regarding Catholic autonomy there. The establishment, in 1878, of the intermediate system, cannot be understood outside the context of Irish Catholic grievances, imagined or otherwise. This article excavates that theme within the context of the parliamentary debate that resulted in the passing of the Intermediate Education (Ireland) Bill 1878. The study does not range beyond this remit, rather, it seeks to demonstrates how hostility to the Bill, as a form of discreet funding of denominationally owned schools in Ireland, was implicit within objections to the absence of inspection, the form that payment for results might take and, on occasion, explicit in terms of antagonism to state funded Catholic intermediate-type schooling there. Intermediate schools were similar to present-day secondary schools in that they were intended for pupils who had completed primary school and entered pupils for terminal examinations. However, even in the period we are dealing with, definitions were vague. However, for the purposes of convenience, "intermediate", rather than "secondary" is employed throughout. Intermediate education should not, however, be understood in the contemporary sense of a system underpinned by public money, designed, with a compulsory attendance element, to cater for all and staffed by trained graduates. We are not concerned with individual schools, their daily operation or the development of schools by denominational communities; rather, the article excavates the parliamentary discussion with a view to better understanding the denominational and practical challenges the Intermediate Education (Ireland) Act faced before becoming legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active learning has been a curriculum mandate in the Indonesian education system since the 1980s. Nonetheless, practical gaps existed, as evidenced by the dominance of teacher-centered instruction in public schools. The field needs research depicting how active learning works and enhances learning. Thus, we conducted a qualitative case study focusing on one method within active learning pedagogies: cooperative learning. Specifically, we examined how one of its techniques, i.e., Jigsaw, operated and optimized English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' reading comprehension. We involved one EFL teacher and her students in eighth grade. Data were gathered through classroom observations, in-depth interviews, and analysis of instructional documents. Our data analysis revealed some missed steps in the teacher participants' lesson plans, specifically in the main learning activities sections that had the Jigsaw procedures. However, these activities were enacted in the actual classroom use. The teacher participant also modified her lessons to make Jigsaw more effective. Additionally, she tackled challenges that occurred during the process, especially in dealing with low levels of reading comprehension, unmotivated students, and limited time. For effective use of Jigsaw and considerations when making adjustments in classroom practice, we recommend that teachers understand cooperative learning principles and how they manifest in the procedures of the selected technique(s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the school culture and sense of community of a Midwestern middle school after seven years of personalized learning reform. This mixed method study identified a strong school culture based on the School Culture Triage Survey. Focus group interviews supported the survey findings and attributed the successful implementation and expansion of the personalized learning program to affiliative collegiality, autonomy/innovation, being student-centered, and intentional. These findings can be powerful for any school in instituting personalized or customized learning models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on a project implemented to help middle school teachers provide evidence-based instruction and intervention to students with mathematics learning disabilities (MLD) and mathematics difficulties (MD). Multiple sources—interviews, surveys, and field notes from formal and informal observations—were used to gather data on teacher perceptions and feedback on what worked and what did not in this professional development effort. We also examined the mathematics achievement of students with MLD and MD and compared their growth to that of their typically performing peers at the two participating schools. We highlight and discuss the key issues and concerns that emerged from this implementation study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides a step-by-step guide for teachers to enhance text comprehension among middle school students with intellectual disabilities (ID). The guide emphasizes the use of the "Get the Gist" strategy, which helps students identify the main idea of a text. The guide suggests providing explicit background information, vocabulary instruction, and instruction on main ideas. It also recommends systematic instruction with scaffolding, guided practice, peer-mediated practice, and immediate corrective feedback. By following these steps, teachers can support text comprehension among middle school students with ID. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: The purpose of this review is to identify the impact of virtual reality (VR) technology on student engagement, specifically cognitive engagement, behavioral engagement, and affective engagement. Methods: A comprehensive search of databases such as Google, Scopus, and Elsevier was conducted to identify English-language articles related to VR and classroom engagement for the period from 2014 to 2023. After systematic screening, 33 articles were finally reviewed. Results: The use of VR in the classroom is expected to improve student engagement and learning outcomes, and is particularly effective for students with learning disabilities. However, introducing VR into middle school education poses several challenges, including difficulties in the education system to keep up with VR developments, increased demands on students' digital literacy, and insufficient proficiency of teachers in using VR. Conclusion: To effectively utilize VR to increase student engagement, we advocate for educational policymakers to provide training and technical support to teachers to ensure that they can fully master and integrate VR to increase student engagement and instructional effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in fostering job creation and economic growth, underscoring the need to encourage and support youth in establishing and developing businesses. In Tanzania, where the unemployment rate stands at 2.75% as of 2021, the rising rate (from 2.2% in 2019) necessitates a profound discussion on education for poverty reduction. This study addresses three key questions: (i) from the international experiences, can the entrepreneurship education be effectively integrated into mainstream secondary schools? (ii) What strategies are preferably employed in other countries to integrate entrepreneurship into secondary education? (iii) Based on international experiences, what contextual approach can be adopted by Tanzania to integrate entrepreneurship into middle school education? By employing the PRISMA framework, document review was primarily employed to gain valuable insights. The findings highlighted the importance of teaching entrepreneurship from an early age, recommending strategies such as extracurricular activities, integration of entrepreneurship into related subjects like computer education, and offering it as a stand-alone subject, all while considering contextual factors. Although challenges persist, it is evident that Tanzania's main hurdle in entrepreneurship education and reducing unemployment lies primarily on political willingness rather than financial capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an examination of identity in and as practice as it relates to a group of educational practitioners known as middle leaders. Drawing on the theory of practice architectures as a site‐ontological approach for conceptualising educational leading, the paper considers an individual's identity as being informed by, and accomplished amidst, the sayings, doings and relatings of practice. Although theorising the connections between identity and practice is not new, a central argument presented is that identity occurs at the nexus of the individual and social practices. Data are drawn from an empirical study of the practices of nine middle leaders responsible for facilitating a district‐wide initiative aiming to improve literacy pedagogy in their particular primary schools. Thematic analysis of semi‐structured interviews with the middle leaders revealed 11 identity–practice framings which evolve over time and space, negotiated in response to site‐based conditions. Findings contribute to understandings about the dynamic multifaceted nature of middle leaders' identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substance use in adolescence is a significant public health issue, particularly in early-to-mid adolescence, which represents a window of risk in the etiology of substance abuse and dependence. Substance use during this development period often results from affiliation with deviant peers, who model, facilitate, and reinforce use. Existing school-based substance use prevention programs have historically aimed to build adolescent knowledge regarding the dangers of substance use and/or enhance peer refusal skills. Research finds that these programs have had some success in reducing substance use, but meta-analyses report that average effect sizes are small. In a small one-year cluster randomized trial (12 middle and high schools; N = 813 students; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04478240), cooperative learning (CL) was implemented with the support of specialized technology and evaluated for its ability to reduce deviant peer affiliation and, in turn, reduce substance use. CL is a structured approach to small-group learning that provides at-risk youth with the opportunity to build friendships with more prosocial youth, interrupting the process of deviant peer clustering. Multi-level modeling revealed intervention effects for deviant peer affiliation and alcohol use across the sample, while tobacco use was significantly reduced among non-White students; intervention effects for marijuana use were only marginally significant. Effects for dosage were found for all outcomes, suggesting that every lesson taught had a significant impact. We conclude that CL, delivered with the aid of specialized technology, represents a viable option for universal substance use prevention. Future research should attempt to combine this approach with evidence-based prevention curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study implements and investigates an innovative learning approach that incorporates Flipped Classroom (FC) methodologies and electronic assessment (e-assessment) in Context-Based Learning (CBL) in chemistry among middle school students. The study incorporated mixed methods strategies and (a) examined learners' attitudes toward and perceptions of CBL in a hybrid environment in learning chemistry by using a structured, open-ended questionnaire; (b) examined learners' awareness of the relevance of chemistry concepts and content to real-life and real-world situations by using a learning diary to examine activities initiated by the learners themselves; and (c) examined the correlation between learners' achievements on online tasks and their achievements on a final written test. The findings revealed the students' positive attitudes toward CBL in a hybrid environment using FC strategy. In addition, learning chemistry in a context-based approach helped learners see that the curriculum is relevant to phenomena that they encounter in real life and the real world. Furthermore, a strong correlation emerged between the learners' achievements on the online assignments and their achievements on a conventional written test. This study adds knowledge about attitudes toward a context-based FC approach with e-assessments among middle school students, a population that has been the topic of very little exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social-emotional learning (SEL) initiatives can have a positive effect on students' emotions and well-being. However, SEL in ESOL classrooms remains underexplored. This article reports on a qualitative study which investigated ESOL learners' perceptions of the effectiveness of SEL strategies in terms of their emotions and well-being. The study generated data using daily classroom observations, recorded classroom discussions, surveys, and artefacts. The analysis suggests students experienced positive emotions, such as happiness and feeling good and safe in the classroom as well as increased emotional awareness. The students highlighted the following strategies as being especially effective: restorative circles, letters to self, writing poetry, and classroom decorations. The findings demonstrate the need to embrace SEL practices as essential elements in ELT as they play a vital role in fostering students' and teachers' well-being, both within and beyond the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a contemporary global crisis that necessitates pedagogical innovation for the middle school dance classroom. This article describes an integrated design for a dance and science unit. Building on students' kinesthetic abilities, teachers are able to create a unit comprising a series of lessons on bird migrations effected by climate change, culminating in a final performance. Students engage in research on climate change and its effects on global bird migrations and view past performances reflecting avian formations from Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov's Swan Lake (1895) to non-Western influences on dance. Yoga poses such as Swan, Eagle, and Pigeon evolve into dance phrases. The teacher facilitates students' selection of a musical soundtrack for the choreography of an ensemble performance with props and upcycled costumes. An assessment of the dance and science unit is performed through a continuous feedback loop during practice and through a final group interview after the performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to investigate multicultural religious education in post-conflict areas, focusing on the learning strategy used in Poso to enhance sustainable peace among religious communities from January to May 2019. A qualitative method and multisite design examined two public schools sharing essential characteristics and geographical proximity. The informants consisted of 24 informants: 2 school principals, 4 vice principals, 8 teachers, as well as 10 Christian and Muslim students in sites A and B. Meanwhile, data collection methods include interviews, observation, and document analysis to obtain parallels, differences, and relationships between the two locations in the peacebuilding context. The results showed that the schools actualized multicultural content in the classroom and social activities based on humanity. Muslim and Christian teachers or students collaborated harmoniously, transcending differences in beliefs, rituals, ethnicity, and majority-minority status beyond classroom activities. The contextualization of multicultural religious education in classroom programs and social activities was according to the setting of Poso’s contemporary society, which built harmony as a relevant past-conflict resolution. This learning strategy model has supported sustainable peace in schools, Poso society, and today’s Indonesian nation.

Examination-oriented education (EOE) is widely recognized by academics as an educational system that upholds equality while stifling student creativity (alienation). However, studies have yet to identify the specific pathways through which EOE maintains equality. Furthermore, analyses of educational alienation have been limited to discursive conceptual analyses rather than empirical investigations, failing to recognize the complexity of the phenomenon. This study links the concepts of educational alienation and EOE and attempts to analyze the intrinsic connection between the two based on interview, textual, and documentary analyses. This article argues that through the design of closed-campus settings and programmed evaluation criteria, EOE constructs an independent system separate from quality education, thereby, to some extent, weakening the influence of unequal quality education and maintaining educational equality.

AbstractSome families opt not to enroll their children in free public junior high schools, choosing instead those requiring rigorous entrance examinations. Attending selective junior high schools facilitates better education, employment, and higher salaries. To evaluate the significance of junior high school entrance examinations, this study investigated whether attending selective junior high schools was associated with higher educational attainment, perceived standard of living, and personal income. An online survey was conducted with 450 young Japanese individuals aged 25–39. Overall, we found that attending selective junior high schools contributes to a higher standard of living as well as to obtaining higher education; however, its effect on increasing income was found only among women, which might be influenced by sociocultural factors such as prevalence of singlehood and working style in Japan. Additionally, the differences between the effects of attending selective junior high schools and those of higher educational attainment were discussed.

Totally 624 Chinese middle school students were participated in the present study, aiming to examine the correlations between teacher support, peer support, academic self-efficacy, positive emotions, and student engagement in physical education. Our findings demonstrated that student engagement was directly and significantly impacted by both teacher and peer support. Academic self-efficacy mediated the connection between teacher support, peer support, and student engagement, while positive emotions only mediated between teacher support and student engagement. Besides, teacher and peer support indirectly affected student engagement via the sequential mediating roles of academic self-efficacy and positive emotions, respectively. Academic self-efficacy exhibited a larger mediation impact between peer support and student engagement as compared to teacher support, while positive emotions had a relatively weaker mediating effect. These findings emphasize the value of peer and teacher support in encouraging student engagement in physical education. Moreover, enhancing students' academic self-efficacy and positive emotions in the classroom plays an essential role in building a positive cycle that encourages student participation in physical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is multifold: First, to develop an educational program using artificial intelligence (AI) in middle school free semester system of South Korea. Second, to verify the program's effectiveness, the study clarified the definition of AI and AI education and considered their meaning in technology education. This study used three steps: preparation, development, and improvement. In the preparation step, this study set the theme and purpose of the AI program and selected the free semester activity type "theme selection activity." After analyzing the technology curriculum and extracting AI-related elements in the development step, this study laid out the program for 16 h of class time. In the improvement step, to augment the program's validity, the researcher revised and supplemented it as a whole through expert consultation. This research differentiated the developed program from the AI education program of other subjects and specialized it, focusing on the specificity of technology education. The study emphasized the social impact of the latest technology, ethics of AI, physical computing using AI, and technological problem-solving activity using AI. The final developed program was applied to the students, and students participated in a pretest and posttest. The study used the PATT and AI competency test tools. The PATT results showed a significant increase in the mean of both constructs in "interest in technology" and "career aspirations in technology." In AI competency, the mean of two constructs increased significantly in "social impact of AI" and "AI performance." In particular, "AI performance" showed the largest increase. There was no statistically significant change in "interaction with AI." The study results confirmed that the developed AI program was effective in technology education and career exploration, which is the primary purpose of the free semester. In addition, it was possible to confirm the technology educational value of the AI education program centered on technological problem-solving. These research results have implications for bringing AI into technology education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to see the effectiveness of animation media on the language skills of class V students at SDN 091537 Pematangsiantar. This research will be carried out in class V at SD Negeri 091537 Hutabayu which is located at Hutabayu Village, Hutabayuraja District, Simalungun Regency. This research was carried out in the odd semester of the 2023/2024 academic year. The population in this study were all fifth grade students at SD Negeri 091537 Hutabayu. In this study, the population was all fifth grade students at SD Negeri 091537 with a total of 25 students. Data analysis techniques in quantitative research use statistics, namely parametric statistics and the data analyzed is in the form of a ratio scale or interval scale. Data is taken from a normally distributed population. This research discusses whether audio-visual media is effective in improving students' speaking abilities. In this research, an experimental method was used using an initial test (pretest) and final text (posttest). From the t-test paired samples test above, a t-value of 14.713 can be obtained with a significance level of 0.000. Because the significant probability is much smaller than 0.05, namely 0.000 and tcount is 14.713 > ttable = 2.05183, then Ho is rejected. H1 is accepted. This shows that there is effectiveness of animation media on the language skills of class V students at SDN 091537 Pematangsiantar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to examine the academic backgrounds and prerequisites of physical education instructors in middle schools. Thus, a total of 59 middle school physical education teachers (average age= 41±8.3, average experience=9±3.7 years) participated in this research endeavor. Qualitative analysis was carried out through interviews, wherein participants submitted written accounts detailing their viewpoints across five distinct categories: Advancing Pedagogical and Psychological Understanding; Critical Assessment of Activities; Activity Supervision; Comprehension of Students' Psychological and Emotional States; and Individual and Professional Prerequisites. The questionnaire outcomes were utilized to identify the markers of the professional profiles of physical education instructors. The findings of this study validate that the academic profile of physical education instructors encompasses a range of dimensions. They must meet diverse requirements, and their academic role is multifaceted. The findings of this exploration may prove beneficial for the education and preparation of future physical education educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to explore the current knowledge level of breast cancer among rural women in Southwest China and analyze the influencing factors of breast cancer cognition. Methods: From May to November 2022, 1468 rural women were invited to participate in this study. Demographic information and the Chinese version of the Breast Cancer Awareness Measure (C-BCAM) were collected through one-on-one investigations. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multiple regression analysis in SPSS 26.0. Results: The study included a total of 1468 rural women with a median age of 54.0 (IQR, 47.0, 60.0).The average score of breast cancer in the study population was 73.0 (IQR, 66.0, 82.0). Among women in Southwest China, the awareness rates of knowledge on breast cancer symptoms, barriers to seeking medical help, and risk factors were 68.8%, 98.4%, and 62.1%, respectively. The awareness rate was found to increase with higher education levels (P< 0.001) and decrease with increasing age (P< 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified three variables that might influence breast cancer awareness: education level, contraceptive measures, and history of breast disease (all P< 0.05). Specifically, history of breast disease (Odds ratio (OR) = 1.907, 95% CI = 1.128 ~ 3.223), middle school education (OR = 2.155, 95% CI = 1.585 ~ 2.928), and junior college education and above (OR = 5.536, 95% CI = 1.898 ~ 16.148) were positive factors for women's breast cancer awareness. Conversely, the use of intrauterine devices (OR = 0.523, 95% CI = 0.384 ~ 0.712) was found to be a negative factor for women's breast cancer awareness. Conclusion: This study highlights the insufficient awareness of breast cancer among women in rural area of Southwest China. It emphasizes the necessity of health education to improve female breast cancer awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the effect of using the flipped classroom model on students' proportional reasoning. In this context, the study focused on students' achievement and solution strategies for proportional reasoning problems. The participants of the study were 56 seventh-grade students, who were determined by convenience sampling method. In line with the purpose of the research, the concept of proportion was taught to the experimental group using the flipped classroom model and to the control group through teaching in accordance with the mathematics curriculum. The data of the study were collected through the Proportional Reasoning Test. The results of the study showed that the flipped classroom model was more effective in terms of mathematics achievement than the teaching method in line with the curriculum. In addition, the experimental group students used more correct solution strategies and fewer incorrect solution strategies than the control group students while solving the problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional visualization technologies such as stereoscopic 3D, virtual reality, and augmented reality have already emerged in training and education; however, light field displays are yet to be introduced in such contexts. In this paper, we characterize light field visualization as a potential candidate for the future of training and education, and compare it to other state-of-the-art 3D technologies. We separately address preschool and elementary school education, middle and high school education, higher education, and specialized training, and assess the suitability of light field displays for these utilization contexts via key performance indicators. This paper exhibits various examples for education, and highlights the differences in terms of display requirements and characteristics. Additionally, our contribution analyzes the scientific-literature-related trends of the past 20 years for 3D technologies, and the past 5 years for the level of education. While the acquired data indicates that light field is still lacking in the context of education, general research on the visualization technology is steadily rising. Finally, we specify a number of future research directions that shall contribute to the emergence of light field visualization for training and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literacy skills are essential if students are to access knowledge and achieve academic success in middle school science. A key difficulty with interpreting literacy practices in any discipline is the problem of conceptualising what constitutes literacy. Our study contributes new understandings to the discipline of science where there are ongoing debates concerning the meaning of literacy and confusion regarding what constitutes essential literacies in the field. Our scoping review first identifies how literacy in middle school science is conceptualised in empirical studies published between 2006 and 2019 and, second, addresses a significant gap in understandings by identifying how dominant discourses inform practice. Specifically, our findings show the dominance of a narrow conception of literacy in the science classroom relating to skills-based pedagogic instruction. Based on our review, we conclude that the field of science requires a broadening of what constitutes literacy, and engagement with New Literacy Studies which focuses on literacy as a social practice closely interwoven with student identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether authoritative teaching at the classroom-level was associated with bullying victimisation, and how this association evolved over the course of upper elementary school (i.e. in grades 4 through 6) by estimating whether the association declined with time. Data came from the first three waves of an ongoing longitudinal project examining social and moral correlates of school bullying. Survey data were analysed from 1,830 students. Multilevel analyses showed that teachers who displayed high levels of warmth, caring, and supportiveness together with high levels of structure, control, and demandingness tended to have students who reported less bullying victimisation. This association between authoritative teaching at the classroom-level and bullying victimisation, while still significant, decreased over the course of the two-year study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We report predictive validity of the newly defined Student Risk Screening Scale - Internalizing and Externalizing (SRSS-IE 9, with 9 items) when used for the first time by middle and high school teachers from 43 schools. Methods: The sample included 11,773 middle school-aged students representing four geographic regions, and 7,244 high school-aged students representing three geographic regions. Results: Results indicated fall SRSS-IE externalizing and internalizing latent factors as well as subscale scores (SRSS-E5, SRSS-I4, respectively) predicted year-end behavioral (office discipline referrals and in school suspensions) and academic (course failures) outcomes for middle and high school students as well as referrals to special education for middle school students. Internalizing scores also predicted referrals to special education for high school students. Externalizing and internalizing scores predicted nurse visits at the middle and high school levels with all models except for subscale models of internalizing in middle school. SRSS-IE 12 subscale scores for externalizing (SRSS-E7) and internalizing (SRSS-I5) using the original 12 items were similarly predictive of these outcomes, with few variations. Discussion: We discuss educational implications, limitations, and directions for future inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the impact of perceived parent–child relationships on creative personality in middle school students according to self-concept, focusing on environmental (parent–child relationships) and individual (self-concept) factors that can influence these students' creative personalities. To this end, this study verified the moderation effect using sixth-year data (third year of middle school students) from the Seoul Longitudinal Educational Study 2010 Panel, utilizing SPSS 26.0 and the PROCESS macro. The results revealed that the self-concept of middle school students moderated the influence of parent–child relationships on creative personality. Specifically, it was found that as the level of self-concept increased above the average the positive relationship between parent–child relationships and creative personality strengthened. Based on the study's findings, theoretical and practical suggestions for creating a home and educational environment to promote creativity during adolescence were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational number proficiency is predictive of later mathematics achievement, especially for rigorous mathematics courses, such as Algebra I. Students with learning disabilities (LD) in mathematics struggle to make adequate progress on rational number concepts and skills that lay the foundation for successfully completing secondary mathematics courses. However, recent research has demonstrated that utilizing effective instructional design, such as the use of a number line with systematic and explicit instruction, can result in academic progress for students with LD in mathematics. This article presents teachers with a four-step teaching sequence utilizing the number line and effective strategies for teaching students with LD in mathematics to introduce fraction-to-decimal relationships in upper elementary, a prerequisite for middle school mathematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we discuss the types of knowledge used by six middle school students as they engaged with a debugging task designed to integrate ideas from computer science, mathematics and science. Our findings show that the computational thinking practice of debugging is a rich source of opportunities to integrate these different disciplines. The analysis illustrates how the types of knowledge the students did and did not use at each step of the debugging process were related to their ability to succeed at each step. Our work contributes to theory and practice by uncovering implications for studying debugging through two refined frameworks and for designing debugging tasks to support transdisciplinary learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the immediate and six-month follow-up effects of medical education simultaneously provided by a practitioner and a science teacher on middle school students regarding self-medication and knowledge of the healthcare system. Methods: Two groups were constituted: the learning group (L group), with students receiving an interactive medical education, and the control group (C group), which included students without medical education. Both groups were evaluated by using a six-multiple choice question (MCQ) evaluation form: three times for L group - just before the medical workshop (T0), immediately after the medical workshop (T1) and at six-month follow-up after the medical workshop (T2) - and only the evaluation at T0 for students in C group. Results: In L group (n=219), medical education improved all results of the evaluations related to self-medication skills (p<0.001) and knowledge of the healthcare medical system (p<0.001). Students retained their knowledge over time as no significant gap has been identified between T1 and T2 evaluations. Age, gender, grade and students' level did not have any impact on the results of L group. Students in L group had equivalent results to those in the C group (n=195) at T0 but the results increased at T1 (p<0.001) and T2 (p<0.001). Conclusion: Interactive medical education in middle school co-animated by a medical practitioner and a natural science teacher improves long-term teenagers' awareness of the current public health challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescence is a critical transition period and is at high risk for drug/substance abuse. In Myanmar, drug use is common among adolescents and is a public health concern. There are no studies of drug abuse prevention among Myanmar adolescents. Intentions to avoid drug abuse can be a protective factor for preventing drug abuse among adolescents. This study investigated the effects of sex, parental history of drug/alcohol abuse, self-efficacy, parental marital status, and family functioning on the intention of drug abuse avoidance among Myanmar adolescents. Methods: This is a predictive correlational study. The Biopsychosocial model was used as the theoretical framework of this study. A convenient sampling method was used to collect data from 157 students aged 13–18 years in a government school, middle school level and high school level, Pinlaung Town, Southern Shan State, Myanmar during the COVID-19 pandemic and political protests. G* power software was used to calculate the sample size. Data was collected by four self-administered questionnaires: a socio-demographic questionnaire, Thai Family Functioning Scale (TFFS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), and Intention of Drug Avoidance Scale (IDAS). Multiple linear regression was employed to analyze the data. Results: Five predictors, including biological sex, parental history without drug/alcohol abuse, self-efficacy, parental marital status, and family functioning, explained 24.4% of the variance in the intention of drug abuse avoidance among Myanmar adolescents (R2 =.244, F (5,151) = 9.738, p =.000). In addition, only three factors, family functioning (β =.31, p <.001), biological sex (β = -.25, p <.01), and self-efficacy (β =.16, p <.05) statistically and significantly predicted the intention of drug abuse avoidance among Myanmar adolescents. Conclusions: Family functioning, female gender, and self-efficacy predicted the intention of drug abuse avoidance among Myanmar adolescents in Pinlaung Township, Southern Shan State, Myanmar. Implications of this study: The results of this study have implications for all stakeholders through research, education, practice, and policymaking leading to improve the intentions of drug abuse avoidance among Myanmar adolescents. Furthermore, the results of this study specifically contribute to create psychoeducational intervention programs for increasing intention to avoid substance use by promoting family functioning and self-efficacy of adolescents. This is especially proper for male adolescents who have less intention to avoid substance use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to measure the level of health awareness among middle school students and to identify the significance of the difference in health awareness according to the variables of gender and grade level. To achieve the objectives, the researchers adopted the health awareness scale which consisted of (30) items formulated in the style of declarative phrases, in front of each of which there were three alternative answers: "It applies to me completely," "It applies to me to some extent" and "It does not apply to me completely." At the time of correction, the grades (3, 2, 1) are given for the items formulated with the measurement of the concept of health awareness, and the correction is reversed for the items formulated reflecting the measurement of the concept of health awareness, so it becomes 1, 2, 3. The validity of the scale was verified through its apparent validity and stability through the use of Cronbach's alpha equation. The scale was applied to a sample of research from (350) male and female students who were selected by stratified random sampling. The data was analyzed and processed statistically using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results showed that the level of health awareness was weak among preparatory school students. The results also showed that there were no statistically significant differences in health awareness due to the variables of (gender), and grade level. In light of the results, the researchers presented a set of conclusions, recommendations, and proposals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]