The effect of high-stakes examination systems on teacher beliefs: Egyptian teachers’ conceptions of assessment

Egypt is currently attempting to introduce a greater formative use of assessment while maintaining a public examination system. This study investigates teacher beliefs about the purposes of assessment in Egypt, using the Teachers’ Conceptions of Assessment (TCoA) inventory. The TCoA inventory elicits responses about four main factors: Improvement, School Accountability, Student Accountability and Irrelevance. A large sample of (n?=?507) Egyptian pre-service and in-service teachers completed an Arabic version of the TCoA inventory. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the Egyptian teachers’ responses against the pre-existing New Zealand model, which was found to be inadmissible. Consequently, an ecologically rational three-factor model was found. The model yielded a strong positive relationship between Improvement and Student Accountability, consistent with previous studies. It is argued that greater changes to the examination system are required if teacher beliefs are expected to be more positive about the priority of formative, improvement-oriented uses of assessment.     

The effect of culture and belief systems on students’ academic buoyancy

Increasingly, learner motivation is implicated in student failure at universities. This has led to intense research into internal or external variables that might buoy resilience to failure. This research investigates the impact of strong cultural connectedness and strong belief systems on the academic buoyancy of international students studying at an Australian University. For this purpose, we surveyed 102 tertiary students at a Sydney university. Results demonstrate that, in the event of academic failure, students’ academic buoyancy remains high if they have support through strong cultural connections and from their belief systems. We further endeavored to identify if academic buoyancy was fed by intrinsic or extrinsic motivation. This research contributes to the understanding of the sources of strengths available to international students from primarily collective cultures studying overseas. There are implications for educational practice in terms of identifying students ‘at high risk’ if they are unable to draw strengths from cultural connections and belief systems.     

The effect of narrative-based E-learning systems on novice users’ cognitive load while learning software applications

Educational technology research and development - When novice users try to learn to use a software application that includes a variety of high element interactivity tools, the complex structure of...     

The impact of engineering curriculum design principles on elementary students’ engineering and science learning

The Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards propose that students learn core ideas and practices related to engineering as well as science. To do so, students will need high-quality curricular materials designed to meet these goals. We report an efficacy study of an elementary engineering curriculum, Engineering is Elementary (EiE) that includes a set of hypothesized critical components designed to encourage student engagement in practices, connect engineering and science learning, and reach diverse students. To measure the impact of the curriculum, we conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial in 604 classrooms in 152 schools in three states. Schools were randomly assigned to either the treatment curriculum or to a comparison curriculum that addressed the same learning goals but did not include several critical components. Results show that students who used the treatment curriculum (EiE) regardless of demographic characteristics outperformed students in the comparison group on outcome measures of both engineering and science content learning. The results show that curriculum design affects student-learning outcomes.     

The effect of student teaching experience and teacher beliefs on pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy and intention to use technology in teaching

The student teaching experience has been considered important in establishing pre-service teachers’ beliefs and attitudes towards their teaching. However, few studies have investigated the effect of student teaching experiences as an educational intervention for increasing technology integration – especially pre-service teachers’ pedagogical beliefs as an internal barrier to technology integration. Thus, this study examined how technology-centred student teaching experiences differently affect pre-service teachers with different teaching beliefs with regard to self-efficacy and intention to use technology. Participants were 55 pre-service teachers in a student teaching practicum. The findings revealed that technology-centred student teaching experiences increased pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy regardless of their teacher beliefs. Additionally, pre-service teachers with traditional teacher beliefs had a low level of intention at the outset but significantly increased their intention after experiencing technology-centred student teaching; however, those with constructivist teacher beliefs showed no meaningful differences in their intention levels. Implications for teacher education and the limitations of this study are discussed.     

The structure of students’ beliefs about the use of representations and their performance on the learning of fractions

Cognitive development of any concept is related with affective development. The present study investigates students’ beliefs about the use of different types of representation in understanding the concept of fractions and their self‐efficacy beliefs about their ability to transfer information between different types of representation, in relation to their performance on understanding the concept. Data were collected from 1701 students in Grade Five to Grade Eight. Results revealed that multiple‐representation flexibility, ability on solving problems with various modes of representation, beliefs about the use of representations and self‐efficacy beliefs about using them constructed an integrated model with strong interrelations in the different educational levels. Confirmatory factor analysis affirmed the existence of differential effects of multiple‐representation flexibility and problem‐solving ability in respect to cognitive performance and the existence of general beliefs and self‐efficacy beliefs about the use and the role of representations. Results suggested the invariance of this structure across primary (Grades Five and Six) and secondary education (Grades Seven and Eight). However, there are interesting differences concerning the interrelations among those cognitive and affective factors between primary and secondary education.     

The effect of an historical perspective on prospective teachers’ beliefs in learning mathematics

Many learners hold traditional beliefs about mathematics that can hamper their learning in the discipline. To address this issue, a “history-based” intervention program entailing problem-solving and writing activities that instigate cognitive conflict was implemented. Data sources were pretest and posttest scores of a 12-theme questionnaire designed for this study called “Prospective teachers’ beliefs questionnaire about mathematics learning” and written reflections of prospective teachers. The survey of the prospective teachers beliefs related to the nature of mathematics and the way it is learned, taught, and practiced showed a great majority of them failed to hold progressive beliefs. Fortunately, the intervention program has helped the prospective teachers revise and correct their beliefs, thoughts, and understandings. Study of the prospective teachers’ written reflections and observations of their oral presentations during whole-class discussions strengthen the results of the quantitative study.     

The relation between students’ motivational beliefs and their use of motivational regulation strategies

The goal of this study was to investigate the relation between a set of pre-decisional beliefs including students’ task value, self-efficacy, and learning and performance goal orientations and five post-decisional, implementation strategies students use to regulate their effort and persistence for the academic tasks assigned for a specific class. A group of eighth grade students (N=114) completed a self-report survey that assessed these four motivational beliefs and the frequency that they used five motivational regulation strategies including self-consequating, environmental control, interest enhancement, and mastery and performance self-talk. Results from a series of multiple regressions indicated that the motivational beliefs, as a group, could be used to explain students’ reported use of each of the regulatory strategies examined. Further, results indicated that task value, learning goal orientation, and performance goal orientation individually explained three or more of the regulatory strategies, whereas self-efficacy was not related significantly to any of the five regulatory strategies studied. Findings are presented and interpreted in light of their significance for models specifying both motivational and volitional aspects of self-regulation.     

Impact of a content and methods course sequence on prospective secondary mathematics teachers’ beliefs

In this article, we report on a study of beliefs about mathematics, teaching, and proof conducted with six prospective secondary mathematics teachers as they completed a two-semester sequence of a content course and a methods course. The initial beliefs of the participants were identified using interview and survey data, and potential shifts in beliefs were examined through further interview and survey data combined with classroom observations and written work. While their beliefs about mathematics and proof appeared to be relatively stable, their beliefs about teaching shifted from a more teacher-centered view to beliefs that foreground the activities and understandings of the students. These shifts are analyzed using the construct of belief structures, and activities and events from the courses that may have facilitated the shifts are identified. The results are consistent with the literature in some respects, such as the stability of the participants’ beliefs about mathematics. On the other hand, our results present new information about how prospective secondary mathematics teachers’ beliefs about teaching may be impacted.     

The effect of the planet’s number on dynamic characteristics of planetary gear systems

Considering the effect of planet’s number on the dynamic characteristics of the planetary gear system, a translation-torsion lumped-parameter model of 2K-H spur planetary gear system was established. Through the analysis of numerical solution, the results show that 1) When the planet’s number is more than 3, the order of the natural frequency will become the same; 2) When the planet’s number increases, the natural frequencies of planet mode remain invariant, but when it comes to rotational mode and translational mode, the higher order natural frequencies increase and the lower order natural frequencies decrease; 3) The planet’s number has a great impact on the higher order natural frequencies and a little impact on the lower order natural frequencies; and 4) To avoid the resonance, we can appropriately increase or decrease the number of the planet.     

The influence of normative beliefs on students’ enrolment choices

Peers, family, mentors and the media may influence students’ attitudes towards chemistry and their intention to enrol in tertiary chemistry courses. In this paper we report on an investigation of the perceptions students hold about their associates’ attitudes towards chemistry and chemists. Data were gathered from interviews with 37 tertiary chemistry students, for whom chemistry had differing roles in their degree. The data suggest that although many of the students’ associates subscribe to stereotypical images of chemistry and chemists, students’ choices of enrolment are predominantly based on their own previous experiences.     

Science curricula design: analysis of authors’ ideological and pedagogical principles

The study analyses the extent to which the sociological message transmitted by the Official Pedagogic Discourse of the curriculum for Portuguese middle schools contains the ideological and pedagogical principles of its authors. The research is epistemologically and sociologically grounded, placing particular emphasis on Bernstein theory of pedagogic discourse. The ideological principles underlie broad educational aims and the pedagogical principles underlie characteristics of the pedagogic practice. Data was obtained through a semi‐structured interview with the authors and documental analysis of their publications. The results suggest that the authors were distinct in the ideological and pedagogical principles they valued and that discontinuities were evident between those principles and the curriculum message. These results are discussed and their consequences in terms of scientific learning are explored.     

The impact of field experiences on prospective preservice teachers’ technology integration beliefs and intentions

This study investigated how field experiences impacted the technology integration beliefs and intentions of prospective preservice teachers. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), a three-way interaction between the type, frequency, and quality of field technology observations predicted changes in beliefs and intentions. Beliefs about the utility of technology directly predicted intentions to use technology and intentions to use Meaningful Learning approaches to technology integration. Additionally, beliefs about technology’s importance in education indirectly predicted both variables. Positive impacts of field experiences on beliefs and intentions only existed when prospective preservice teachers saw technology used frequently by skilled teachers using Meaningful Learning approaches.     

The role of autonomy supportive activities on students’ motivation and beliefs toward out-of-school activities

Physical education in elementary education usually provides children’s first contact with sports. According to the trans-contextual model of motivation, physical education teachers can positively influence children’s beliefs toward and actual leisure time physical activity behavior. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of a dance-based physical education program on motivation regarding physical education lesson participation, as well as leisure time physical activity participation. The sample consisted of 252 pupils attending Grades 5 and 6 of elementary school (M_age?=?10.48 years, SD?=?0.50 years). Participants were randomly assigned into three groups. The first group attended a physical education lesson based on various forms of dance, the second one attended lessons with Greek traditional dances only, and the third group served as active control group that attended the typical curriculum. The intervention lasted six weeks. Before and after the intervention, students completed survey-based measures of motivational climate, motivational regulations in physical education and leisure time, enjoyment, attitudes, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and intentions toward leisure time physical activity. In support of the trans-contextual model, results showed that students in the dance intervention programs scored significantly higher in perceptions of motivational climate and beliefs toward leisure time physical activity. The findings of the study suggest that dancing lessons at school can bolster more positive attitudes and beliefs toward physical education and leisure time physical activity.     

The influence of traditional beliefs on Vietnamese college lecturers’ perceptions of face

In an East Asian context heavily influenced by Confucian ideas on principles for living and behaving, ‘face’ plays a significant role in Vietnamese people’s thinking and behaviour. In the context of education, Vietnamese teachers’ concerns of saving face in classrooms have been implicitly taken for granted but not yet seriously examined in academic research. The paper addresses this gap in the research literature by presenting the results of interviews with 15 lecturers in a Vietnamese Teacher Training College. It is argued that the concepts of face and saving face are significant to the participants and their ideas of saving face are largely influenced by traditional Confucian standards in education. In particular, teachers are believed to save face by upholding the belief that they represent an unquestionable source of knowledge, maintaining a ‘noble distant image’ in relations with their students, and receiving respectful behaviours from their students. These beliefs could be one source of resistance to educational reforms regarding interactive pedagogies in Vietnamese higher education. It is argued that teachers’ concerns of saving face in Vietnamese classrooms deserve more attention from educational planners and researchers.     

The relationship among elementary teachers’ content knowledge,attitudes, beliefs,and practices

This study investigated 481 in-service elementary teachers’ level of mathematical content knowledge, attitudes toward mathematics, beliefs about the effectiveness of inquiry-based instruction, use of inquiry-based instruction and modeled the relationship among these variables. Upper elementary teachers (grades 3–5) were found to have greater content knowledge and more positive attitudes toward mathematics than primary teachers (grades K-2). There was no difference in teachers’ beliefs about effective instruction, but primary level teachers were found to use inquiry-based instruction more frequently than upper elementary teachers. Consistent with Ernest’s [Ernest (1989). The knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of the mathematics teacher: A model. Journal of Education for Teaching, 15(1), 13–33] model of mathematics teaching, content knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs were all found to be related to teachers’ instructional practice. Furthermore, beliefs were found to partially mediate the effects of content knowledge and attitudes on instructional practice. Content knowledge was found to be negatively related to beliefs in the effectiveness of inquiry-based instruction and teachers’ use of inquiry-based instruction in their classrooms. However, overall, teachers with more positive attitudes toward mathematics were more likely to believe in the effectiveness of inquiry-based instruction and use it more frequently in their classroom. Teacher beliefs were found to have the strongest effect on teachers’ practice. Implications for the goals and objectives of elementary mathematics methods courses and professional development are discussed.

The impact of collaboration on teachers’ individual data use

Research considers collaboration to be a significant factor in terms of how teachers use data to improve their practice. Nevertheless, the effects of teacher collaboration with regard to teachers’ individual data use has remained largely underexplored. Moreover, little attention has been paid to the interplay between collaboration and the personal factors that influence teachers’ data use. This paper addresses this research gap by defining factors that affect collaboration, and by investigating the impact of collaboration on teachers’ individual data use. The resulting research questions were answered by drawing on questionnaire data from 1,472 primary and secondary school teachers in Flanders. The findings indicate that collaboration is the main explanatory factor for teachers’ individual data use compared to teachers’ self-efficacy and attitude. Therefore, this study demonstrates the value of collaboration for future research and for creating a supportive environment for teachers’ individual data use.     

The impact of problem-based learning on engineering students’ beliefs about physics and conceptual understanding of energy and momentum

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of problem-based learning (PBL) on freshmen engineering students’ beliefs about physics and physics learning (referred to as epistemological beliefs) and conceptual understanding of physics. The multiple-choice test of energy and momentum concepts and the Colorado learning attitudes about science survey were used to collect the data. The sample consisted of 142 students enrolled in the PBL and traditional lecture classes in the engineering faculty of a state university in Turkey. The analyses showed that the PBL group obtained significantly higher conceptual learning gains than the traditional group and the change (improvement) in the PBL group students’ beliefs from the pre- to post test were significantly larger than that of the traditional group. The results revealed that beliefs were correlated with conceptual understanding. Suggestions are presented regarding the implementation of the PBL approach.     

The effect of schools on school leavers’ university participation

ABSTRACT

This paper considers the role that schools have in determining whether school leavers participate in higher education or not. It examines the association between schools and university participation using a unique dataset of 3 cohorts of all young people leaving maintained schools in Wales. School “effects” are identified, even after controlling for individual-level factors, such as their prior attainment, socioeconomic circumstances, ethnicity, and special educational needs. Schools appear to have a particular “effect” on the likelihood that a young person enters an elite university. However, the findings suggest the concept of a school “effect” on higher education participation is not straightforward – schools appear to have different levels of effectiveness depending on the gender of the young people and the nature of their higher education participation. These findings are considered within the policy contexts of school effectiveness and widening access to higher education.