Effects of a specific numeracy educational program in kindergarten children: A pilot study

The present study compared the relative effects of 2 educational programs on kindergarten children. The experimental group took part in a numeracy-specific program, which focused on conceptual knowledge. Children were taught basic numerical skills such as understanding and handling numbers and their relations as well as counting principles. The control group participated in a more general program which involved training in procedural skills.

Results revealed significant learning effects in the children who participated in the numeracy program particularly for counting sequences and mental calculation. Since neither group was explicitly trained in mental calculation, our findings suggest that a learning transfer took place in the experimental group.     

Teachers’ intentions to use national literacy and numeracy assessment data: a pilot study

In recent years the educational policy environment has emphasised data-driven change. This has increased the expectation for school personnel to use statistical information to inform their programs and to improve teaching practices. Such data include system reports of student achievement tests and socio-economic profiles provided to schools by various state education departments’ data services. This paper reports on a pilot study that explored factors affecting Mathematics and English teachers’ intentions to engage with the statistical data their schools receive and to consider these data when making decisions about their teaching practices. It was found that most teachers perceived that such data identify weak students and some teachers (mostly mathematics teachers) thought that they can help to identify curriculum topics that need attention. Most teachers felt that the reports were not easy to understand. Confidence in dealing with statistical data was a problem for many teachers, but especially for English teachers.     

Testing Teachers: Perspectives on a pilot numeracy skills test in England

From May 2001 all teachers qualifying in England must be successful in computer-based skills tests in numeracy and literacy. The first test to be developed was the QTS Skills Test in Numeracy, which was a paper and pencil test taken on 1 June 2000 by approximately 22,000 trainee teachers. In this article I argue that the pilot test signals an unjustified departure from performance-based assessment, provides an example of inconsistency between national imperatives and teacher certification and was not robust. A small study of trainee teachers of secondary English was undertaken to explore perceptions of professional numeracy in relation to their experience in training, what was tested in the skills test and what is known about testing mathematics through questions set in pseudo-real contexts. I conclude that theoretically it would be difficult to devise an appropriate examination type test of professional numeracy and that in the event the pilot test was not successful.     

Enhancing early numeracy skills with a tablet-based math game intervention: a study in Tanzania

Educational technology research and development - The study presents results of a tablet-based math game intervention to enhance early numeracy skills of children in Tanzania. Standard level 1...     

Access to numeracy: a case study

More and more pupils with learning difficulties are being taught in mainstream settings but how inclusive is the teaching they experience? In this illustrative case study, Ruth Germain, a teacher in a mainstream primary school, looks at how Paul, a pupil with Down's syndrome, is supported during 'dedicated numeracy time'. She examines the relationships between whole-class, group and individual teaching; the nature of the support Paul receives; and his educational and behavioural responses. The article closes with a call for further research into the implications for teaching and learning of the inclusion of pupils with learning difficulties in mainstream contexts.     

Constraints on conceptual development: a case study of the acquisition of folkbiological and folksociological knowledge in Madagascar

How different are the concepts held by children who grow up in a North American middle class neighborhood and by children who grow up in a rural Malagasy fishing village? By probing Malagasy children's and adults' conceptual representations of human and animal kind, biological inheritance, innate potential and family relations, the studies presented in this Monograph address current debates about the acquisition and the nature of concepts in the domains of folkbiology and folksociology. Cross-cultural and developmental studies of this kind bear on the hypothesis that conceptual development in these domains is supported and constrained by innate conceptual content. If so, one would expect cross-cultural universality in the relevant adult concepts and their early emergence in childhood regardless of widely different input conditions. We chose to conduct these studies among the Vezo of Madagascar because the ethnographic literature has attributed to them folkbiological and folksociological theories that are radically different, even in commensurable, with those of North American adults. Vezo therefore provide a challenging test for the innate conceptual constraints hypothesis.Four studies probed aspects of biological and sociological reasoning of Vezo children, adolescents and adults through a number of adoption scenarios. Despite ethnographic reports to the contrary, we found cross-cultural convergence in adult concepts of biological inheritance, but the pattern of development of this concept differed greatly from that seen in North America. Moreover, in agreement with the ethnographic literature, we found that Vezo adults have constructed a distinctive theory of social group identity. However, we found that children's reasoning in this domain is under the influence of endogenous constraints that are overturned in the course of development. Finally, we found cross-cultural convergence in adults' concept of species kind, as well as evidence for the early emergence of this concept. In light of these findings, we discuss the nature of the constraints on children's conceptual representations, the developmental process through which the adults' concepts are constructed, and relations between Vezotheories of folkbiology and folksociology.     

Children and mothers in war: an outcome study of a psychosocial intervention program

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects on children (age: M = 5.5 years) in war-torn Bosnia and Herzegovina of a psychosocial intervention program consisting of weekly group meetings for mothers for 5 months. An additional aim was to investigate the children's psychosocial functioning and the mental health of their mothers. Internally displaced mother-child dyads were randomly assigned to an intervention group receiving psychosocial support and basic medical care (n = 42) or to a control group receiving medical care only (n = 45). Participants took part in interviews and tests to provide information about war exposure, mental health, psychosocial functioning, intellectual abilities, and physical health. Results showed that although all participants were exposed to severe trauma, their manifestations of distress varied considerably. The intervention program had a positive effect on mothers' mental health, children's weight gain, and several measures of children's psychosocial functioning and mental health, whereas there was no difference between the two groups on other measures. The findings have implications for policy.     

Parents supporting learning: a non-intensive intervention supporting literacy and numeracy in the home learning environment

In Australia, emphasis in early childhood education policy is placed on the importance of the role of the family as a child's first educator, and finding effective ways to raise the effectiveness of parents in supporting children's learning, development and well-being. International studies demonstrate that the home learning environment (HLE) provided by parents is closely associated with children's cognitive outcomes: literacy activities at home are likely to predict children's literacy abilities and numeracy activities at home are likely to predict children's numeracy abilities. However, studies focusing on building the capacity of primary caregivers to increase informal learning opportunities, such as enhancing children's literacy and numeracy learning in the HLE, have rarely been the focus of research. This study uses a sample of 113 four-year-old children to explore the association of specific aspects of the HLE with different child outcomes while controlling for child and family characteristics. In addition, a non-intensive, yet purposeful and systematic intervention to draw parents’ attention to the principles of dialogic reading and the principles of counting was introduced. Study findings suggest that parents responded positively to this approach, and that literacy and numeracy aspects of the HLE were specific predictors for children's numeracy and literacy competencies.     

A pilot study of the Australasian Readwell program

Abstract

The “Readwell” program is an Australian‐designed approach to remediation of children's reading difficulties. Although used in most Australian states, the program has not been evaluated. This quasi‐experimental pilot study reports on a first phase of an evaluation of the program. It involves a preliminary examination of the program with a group of 18 grade six and seven students with significant reading delays. It was conducted over a ten‐week period during which students received 45‐minute group instruction with the Readwell program each day. In addition, interviews with the students and their teachers were conducted to examine perceived outcomes of the program. Surveys with selected parents of students who had completed the program 12 months previously were also conducted to gauge the endurance of students’ gains in reading competence. Some comparisons with the literature reporting on Reading Recovery programs are also included and some initial conclusions are draw in relation to the place of the Readwell program in remediation practices for students with a reading difficulty.     

A Mathematics intervention for low-performing Finnish second graders: findings from a pilot study

Evidence-based practice is highly appreciated and demanded in the field of education, especially in relation to extra support provided for children struggling with learning. Currently, there is a lack of intervention studies in the area of mathematics. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a short mathematics intervention programme on second graders (M_age?=?8?years, 2?months) with low performance in mathematics, in a quasi-experimental, intervention-control setting. A group of low-performing second graders (LOWi, n?=?11) was taught twice a week for eight weeks on the mathematics topics of number word sequence skills, counting skills and conceptual place value knowledge. The intervention’s effectiveness was examined by comparing the mathematics performance of the LOWi group to those of two groups consisting of low performing (LOWc, n?=?13) and typically performing children (TYPc, n?=?64), who followed their business-as-usual mathematics instruction. The LOWi group made significant improvements in mathematics but did not show significantly better gains, compared to the LOWc and TYPc groups, immediately and three months after the intervention. We discuss the implications for educational practice and intervention research.     

Confidence in prior knowledge,self-efficacy,interest and prior knowledge: Influences on conceptual change

This study explored how confidence in prior knowledge, self-efficacy, interest, and prior knowledge interact in conceptual change learning. One hundred and sixteen college students completed an assessment of confidence in prior knowledge, self-efficacy, interest, prior scientific understanding, and prior misconceptions before reading a refutation text on seasonal change. Students’ misconceptions and scientific understanding of seasonal change was then assessed before and after reading a refutation text, and again at a two week delayed posttest. Three profiles of students emerged based on their confidence in prior knowledge, self-efficacy, interest, prior scientific understanding, and prior misconceptions. The profiles included: (1) Low (low confidence, self-efficacy, interest, and prior scientific understanding and high prior misconceptions), (2) mixed (high confidence, self-efficacy, and interest, but low prior scientific understanding and high prior misconceptions), and (3) high (high confidence, self-efficacy, interest, and prior scientific understanding and low prior misconceptions). Results indicated that the mixed profile appeared to be most productive for conceptual change and that learner characteristics most productive for conceptual change learning may differ from those most productive in other learning situations.     

Extended matching sets questions for online numeracy assessments: a case study

Extended matching sets questions (EMSQs) are a form of multiple‐choice question (MCQ) consisting of a stem (the question or scenario) with an extended number of possible answers. Although there is no consensus on their absolute format, for the purpose of this paper a multiple‐choice question with ten or more alternative answers is considered to be an EMSQ. Faced with the limitations imposed by virtual learning environment software, I have conducted a case study into the use of the EMSQ format in online assessment of numerical and statistical ability which shows that properly constructed questions of this type can play a valuable role in assessment of numeracy. The extended format was found to work well on screen and resulted in an increase in both student marks and student satisfaction when compared with other answer input formats. This case study indicates that the EMSQ format has much more widespread applicability for online assessment that its traditional uses.     

Beyond conceptual change learning in science education: focusing on transfer,durability and metacognition

The frequently encountered problems of students being unable to utilize schoollearned science in different contexts, and of students forgetting what they have learned in a short time after initial instruction, are two important problems for classroom practitioners. This paper advocates a shift in focus of conceptual change learning research in order to address these problems. It draws upon four overlapping areas: conceptual change learning is the broad subject area that sets the epistemological background; transfer and durability of scientific conceptions are the two problem areas under scrutiny, while metacognition is seen as potential mediator of improvement. The paper offers a brief review of existing literature on the four areas; it proposes confronting the two problems by incorporating metacognitive instruction in the learning environment of primary school science; and it reports on recently completed research.     

Effectiveness of a psycho-educational staff training program on attitudes of staff in a long-term care facility: A pilot study and framework

Managing Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) is a significant challenge for staff working in long-term care facilities. This study examines the effectiveness of a psycho-educational training aimed at changing staff’s attitudes. The results indicated that participants’ attitudes toward dementia were more positive, person-centered, and hopeful; some participants’ attitudes were unchanged or altered negatively after the training sessions. The conclusiveness of evaluation findings was limited due to time constraints for staff to participate in the complete educational program and the small dataset. Further research is indicated to revise the methodology of the training to ascertain if the framework regarding education on dementia influences staff’s attitude and the overall well-being of the residents.     

通过归因训练提高学生学习自信心的实验研究

学生学习的积极性很大程度上取决于学生完成学习任务的自信心。有强烈的自信心，可以“移山填海”；缺乏自信心，不可“反掌折枝”。通过对学生进行归因训练的实验研究，向教育者提供一条培养学生自信心的途径。     

Spontaneous focusing on quantitative relations as a predictor of rational number and algebra knowledge

Spontaneous Focusing On quantitative Relations (SFOR) has been found to predict the development of rational number conceptual knowledge in primary students. Additionally, rational number knowledge has been shown to be related to later algebra knowledge. However, it is not yet clear: (a) the relative consistency of SFOR across multiple measurement points, (b) how SFOR tendency and rational number knowledge are inter-related across multiple time points, and (c) if SFOR tendency also predicts algebra knowledge. A sample of 140 third to fifth graders were followed over a four-year period and completed measures of SFOR tendency, rational number conceptual knowledge, and algebra knowledge. Results revealed that the SFOR was relatively consistent over a one-year period, suggesting that SFOR is not entirely context-dependent, but a more generalizable tendency. SFOR tendency was in a reciprocal relation with rational number conceptual knowledge, each being uniquely predictive of the other over a four-year period. Finally, SFOR tendency predicted algebra knowledge three-years later, even after taking into account non-verbal intelligence and rational number knowledge. The results of the present study provide further evidence that individual differences in SFOR tendency may have an important role in the development of mathematical knowledge, including rational numbers and algebra.     

Evaluation of a four-prong anti-plagiarism program and the incidence of plagiarism: a five-year retrospective study

Maintaining academic integrity and preventing students from cheating and plagiarising academic work are challenges faced by higher education institutions. These areas have become even more problematic with the growth of the Internet and readily available information, which increase the temptation for students to copy and paste information directly into academic work. Institutions have turned to various strategies to mitigate these aspects. This retrospective research study examined a four-prong anti-plagiarism programme and its impact on the incidence of plagiarism in a Post-Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy programme. The results showed that, using a combination of a structured education module related to plagiarism, Turnitin plagiarism detection software, implementation of policies and procedures, and support from the institution’s writing centre resulted in significant differences in the rate of plagiarism (P < .001) over the five-year period. The rate of plagiarism in year 1 (0.96%) was 2.7 (95% CI, 1.4–5.3) times the rate in year 5 (0.35%, P = .004). The rates of plagiarism in years 2, 3, and 4 were 0.74, 0.35, and 0.30%, respectively. Using a combination of these strategies may help higher education institutions address episodes of plagiarism and improve academic integrity.