ADHD symptoms and the teacher–student relationship: a systematic literature review

This systematic review integrates the existing literature regarding relationships that students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have with their teachers, in mainstream inclusive primary, secondary and high school settings. Theoretical approaches and methodical choices were considered in understanding the literature and considering possible research areas. The methods used in the reviewed literature show that investigations in this research field have predominantly used quantitative surveys. Several theoretical approaches have been used, with attachment theory the most-prominent. The findings indicate students with ADHD generally feel less close to their teacher than do their non-ADHD peers, which agrees with the teachers’ perceptions. Thus, teachers experience less emotional closeness, less co-operation and more conflicts in their relations with their students with ADHD than with other students. Teachers’ rejection of ADHD students poses a risk factor for not only school failure, but also peer exclusion and rejection, leading to low self-esteem and loneliness.     

Teacher educators’ identity: a review of literature

Research suggests that the development of a teacher educator identity is a central process in becoming a teacher educator. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the concept of teacher identity. However, teacher educator identity seems to be still under-researched. In this article, a review of literature on teacher educator identity is provided. Fifty-two research papers were analysed to identify challenges and tensions teacher educators experience during their induction, factors which influence the development of their professional identity, and the features that induction programmes should have. The findings suggested that new teacher educators generally develop negative self-views about their abilities and professional identities. Self-support and community support activities were found to facilitate teacher educators’ transition and enhance their identity development. Key features of academic induction were identified as acting as a learning community, cultivating supportive and professional relationships, encouraging self-enquiry and research and involving teacher educators in reflective activities.     

Towards a learning-oriented assessment to improve students’ learning—a critical review of literature

Learning-oriented assessment (LOA), a concept coined by Carless, has emerged in Europe, Canada, the USA, and the Asia-Pacific Region as an alternative assessment methodology. LOA evolved from both summative assessment and formative assessment, and its framework comprises three integrated components, assessment for learning, assessment as learning, and assessment of learning. While a few studies have provided information about the connections among assessment for, of, and as learning, the purpose of this review is to summarize what is state of the art of LOA, and we aim to examine the history and the nature as well as the strategy of developing LOA. We conducted a transformed critical review of LOA to address these questions. To be specific, the related studies were searched between January 1971 and December 2016, using specific inclusion criteria to remove irrelevant documents. Results provide the publication types of the selected studies and the reported approaches to LOA, trace the evolution of classroom assessment from summative and formative assessment to LOA in order to clarify the historical foundations of LOA, and indicate its nature from the dimensions of components, functions, conceptual frameworks, and principles, as well as to illustrate strategies for using it in the classroom. The findings of a deep analysis of 48 publications were then used to define a holistic framework for LOA and a dynamic framework for its development and also yield important recommendations for practice and future research. Finally, we propose the conclusion.     

Modes of modelling assessment—a literature review

This paper presents a critical review of literature investigating assessment of mathematical modelling. Written tests, projects, hands-on tests, portfolio and contests are modes of modelling assessment identified in this study. The written tests found in the reviewed papers draw on an atomistic view on modelling competencies, whereas projects are described to assess a more holistic modelling competence but obstacles regarding reliability of assessing projects are identified. The outcome of this investigation also indicates that the criteria used in frameworks or modes of assessment seldom are derived from a theoretical analysis, but more often based on ad hoc constructions, experience from assessment situations or empirical studies of students’ work. Finally, this study suggests that an elaborated view on the meaning of quality of mathematical models is needed in order to assess the quality of students’ work with mathematical models.     

Discursive positioning of beginning teachers’ professional learning during induction: a critical literature review from 2004 to 2014

This study reports on findings from a critical literature review, from 2004 to 2014, in relation to the positioning of beginning teachers’ professional learning during induction. The study uses theoretical frameworks drawn from competing discourses: an instrumental standpoint based on performativity and a dialectical standpoint based on a transformative view of good teaching as an advanced specialised practice. A critical analysis was conducted, using a systematic literature review that yielded 14 peer-reviewed papers, to discursively position teachers’ professional learning and pinpoint questions for future study. Findings showed that while studies reported positive outcomes they were often atheoretical and framed within narrow chains of logic that neglected important strands, such as, teacher “knowledge-of-practice”. The study raises important questions not only about the positioning of beginning teachers’ professional learning but about meaningful professional learning for all teachers across the continuum of teacher education.     

Images of the future for education? Videoconferencing: a literature review

In the past two decades, as new capabilities for video communication have emerged, their use in educational contexts has steadily increased. Initially located in higher education, the use of videoconferencing for a broad range of learning purposes is now established in many schools. Although a considerable body of literature exists that describes the experience of videoconferencing using traditional pedagogies, much less has been published on the contextual factors that lead to effective learning outcomes and innovative uses of videoconferencing. The purpose of this review is to establish a baseline for researchers interested in the area. In focusing on educational uses in both higher education and mainstream schooling, the review examines the affordances and barriers to effective teaching and learning, with what are increasingly robust and easy‐to‐use technologies. The paper concludes with a call for further research into the more innovative possibilities of videoconferencing.     

Research on peer coaching in preservice teacher education – A review of literature

This study reviewed eight studies selected from the ERIC and Education Complete databases covering the years 1997 through 2007. The goals of this study were to identify similarities and differences of peer coaching and to examine its feasibility and challenges in preservice teacher education. The four similarities among the studies identified are (i) study participants, (ii) coaching relationships, (iii) coaching duration, and (iv) coaching strategies. The differences identified were in relation to the following four areas: (i) the purposes of peer coaching, (ii) the nature of the field-based experiences of the programmes, (iii) the training for peer coaching, and (iv) the effects of peer coaching. Peer coaching appears to possess unique advantages and have much value for preservice teacher education. How barriers to the comprehensive recognition of peer coaching could be eliminated in preservice teacher education is also discussed.     

A qualitative literature review of educational games in the classroom: the teacher’s pedagogical activities

The interest towards research on learning games is continuously growing, however, the integration of games in teaching is still a somewhat unexplored area of study. In this qualitative literature review, we were interested in the pedagogical foundations that underpin empirical studies and especially in the teacher’s role/activities regarding the use of games in education. The data collection method was based on the systematic literature review models. The data consisted of 35 articles that were coded by using interpretive approach. The results indicate that the teacher’s role was pedagogically active in 21 articles. The teacher’s pedagogical activities became evident in various game-based learning processes: in planning, in orientation, during the gaming, and after the game-play sessions.     

Teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education: a critical review of published questionnaires

Teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education affect its successful implementation within mainstream schools. This paper reviews nine questionnaires which capture primary school teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion, with the aim to support researchers in selecting the most appropriate measure according to the purpose of their study. Most of the reviewed questionnaires showed acceptable reliability and validity. The Multidimensional Attitudes towards Inclusive Education Scale (MATIES) and the Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised Scale (SACIE-R) were the only questionnaires with adequate psychometric properties which addressed the affective, cognitive and behavioural components of teachers’ attitudes. As another psychometrically sound scale, the Teachers’ Attitude towards Inclusion Scale (TAIS) was found to use more up-to-date terminology and suitably addressed the cognitive and behavioural components. This paper provides a useful resource to facilitate the appropriate selection of questionnaires that measure teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion.     

Thinking about “design thinking”: a study of teacher experiences

Schools are continuously looking for new ways of enhancing student learning to equip students with skills that would enable them to cope with twenty-first century demands. One promising approach focuses on design thinking. This study examines teacher's perceptions, experiences and challenges faced in adopting design thinking. There is a lack of empirical research on the adoption and implementation of the design thinking process in educational context from the teachers’ point of view. This paper fills this gap and also provides insight on a recent initiative adopted in Singapore schools. Qualitative case study research was carried out in a school using teacher narratives. Data includes in-depth face-to-face interviews and participant observation. The findings show that teachers perceive that design thinking holds the potential for enhancing skills such as creativity, problem solving, communication and team work as well as empower students to develop empathy for others within and beyond the community. The research also highlighted several challenges such as inadequate resources, time constraints, fear of poor grades and the difficulty of shifting to a new way of teaching and learning that differs vastly from the traditional approach. The findings reveal that a piecemeal approach towards curriculum redesign for adopting design thinking may not provide the desired outcomes.     

Doctoral students on the university–industry interface: a review of the literature

Doctoral students are highly important in university—firm relationships, since they are significant producers of knowledge in collaborative research projects, they are an important channel for knowledge transfer between universities and firms, and are vital in network configurations between firms and universities. An increasing number of doctoral students interact with firms, but we know relatively little about the experiences of these students or how collaboration influences their training, research and subsequent careers. With this in mind, this paper presents a literature review of (1) theoretical assumptions concerning the roles doctoral students are expected to fulfill in university–industry relationships, and (2) empirical research of doctoral students’ interaction experience and outcomes of doctoral student-industry interaction. The aim of the paper is to develop hypotheses for further research on doctoral student—industry interaction.     

Regular primary schoolteachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education: a review of the literature

Teachers are seen as key persons to implement inclusive education. Positive attitudes are therefore argued as playing a considerable role in implementing this educational change successfully. The aim of this study is to examine what attitudes teachers hold towards inclusive education, which variables are related to their attitudes and if these affect the social participation of pupils with special needs in regular schools. A review of 26 studies revealed that the majority of teachers hold neutral or negative attitudes towards the inclusion of pupils with special needs in regular primary education. No studies reported clear positive results. Several variables are found which relate to teachers’ attitudes, such as training, experience with inclusive education and pupils’ type of disability. No conclusion could be drawn regarding the effects of teachers’ attitudes on the social participation of pupils with special needs.     

Incorporating critical thinking in the pedagogical content of a teacher education programme: does it make a difference?

Recent educational policies, national reports, and voluminous literature stress that critical thinking (CT) is an essential skill in any stage of schooling for producing critical thinkers and ensuring better learning. The importance of teaching CT has been raised in teacher education programmes because students are supposed to teach this skill in schools in the future. This study therefore assesses the effects of a CT-based pedagogical course on student teachers’ content knowledge and CT disposition. A pre-test–post-test experimental study was carried out in a vocational pre-service teacher education programme in Turkey. Although the students who were exposed to CT-based instruction showed better progress in both academic achievement and CT disposition than in traditional instruction, this result was not statistically significant according to the Mixed Factorial ANOVA and ANCOVA results.     

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the nipple-areola complex： Report of a case and review of literature

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the nipple-areola complex is extremely rare. Less than ten such cases have been reported in English literature so far. Herein we describe a 52-year-old female presenting with a 1.5 cm× 1.1 cm×0.7 cm nodular lesion over her left nipple, and leiomyosarcoma was proved by pathological examination of the excised specimen. Positron emitted tomogram (PET) revealed no abnormal signal other than the primary site. Microscopically, this poorly circumscribed tumor was composed of interlacing bundles of smooth muscle cells with bizarre and pleomorphic nuclei, as well as prominent nucleoli. Its mitotic count was up to 7 mitoses per 10 high power fields (HPF). Immunohistochemical study of tumor cells revealed positive stain for α-smooth muscle actin and vimentin; and negative for cytokeratin, CD34 and S-100. Left simple mastectomy was undertaken and no residual mass lesion was noted on the resected specimen. Related literatures about the diagnosis and treatment for breast leiomyosarcoma will be presented here.     

On the issues of digital competence in educational contexts – a review of literature

In this review focus is on how digital competence in educational contexts has been addressed in international research over the last 10 years in terms of policy, organizational infrastructures, strategic leadership as well as teachers and their teaching practices. The analysis shows that although research on digital competence in educational contexts has increased, knowledge on digital competence related to organizational infrastructures and strategic leadership are sparse. The analysis indicated that most research focuses on the specific competence needed by teachers and therefore tends to neglect the influence of broader contextual conditions in the wider school setting. Based on the review, three suggestions for further research can be provided. Firstly, to address research on organizational infrastructures and digital competent leadership. Secondly, to elaborate on theoretical frameworks that can close the gap between research on policy, organizational infrastructures, strategic leadership as well as teachers and their teaching practices. A third suggestion is for researchers to become involved in the development of new approaches that can enhance digital competence in educational contexts. It can be concluded that digital competence might not benefit from being regarded as an isolated phenomena on the level of single actors. Rather, it can be regarded as an organizational task, influenced and driven by several contextual factors embedded within and across a wider school organization.     

Forty years later,a systematic literature review on inclusion in physical education (1975–2015): A teacher perspective

The first objective of this work is to systematically list the international studies about the inclusion of students with disabilities in physical education (PE) from the teachers' perspective. Sixty studies met our selection criteria and are listed. The second objective is to analyse the content of the literature according to the inductive and thematic approach of Thomas and Harden (2008). Our thematic analysis highlights: a) the factors that influence PE teachers' positive or negative attitudes and predispositions towards the inclusion of students with disabilities and b) the factors that can positively influence the inclusion of students with disabilities in PE classes, according to the teachers' representations. Based on these sets of factors, we propose some adapted PE training content for PE teachers. These training content proposals form the basis of research perspectives.     

Do extra-curricular activities in schools improve educational outcomes? A critical review and meta-analysis of the literature

Secondary schools tend to sponsor a large number of extra-curricular activities (ECA) yet little is known about their contribution to students’ educational outcomes. This meta-analysis aims to determine what it is about ECA participation that supports positive educational outcomes. Furthermore, this study challenges the theoretical assumptions about the benefits of participation in ECA. 29 studies (all except for one based on data collected in the United States) met the search criteria for inclusion in the analysis. Most effect sizes on academic achievements yielded from non-specific ECA, academic clubs and journalism were small, as were participation in performing arts, sports and leadership activities on a range of educational outcomes. Although the results show associations between participation in ECA and educational outcomes, causal effects could not be confirmed. It is concluded that the lack of evidence supporting the causal effects, and thus the common theoretical assumptions about the effects of ECA on educational outcomes, is due to methodology limitations in these studies.     

Influencing student beliefs: The design of a “high impact” teacher education program

The purpose of the study was to investigate a teacher education program that has been documented as having strong influence on the teaching beliefs and subsequent actions of program graduates. Data collection included formal and informal interviews, non-participant observation, and document analyses. The results indicate that the following nine program features are logical candidates for explaining why students appear to retain the influence of the program: (a) thematic approach, (b) cohort groups, (c) constant programmatic reinforcement, (d) professional development courses, (e) professional conduct expectations, (f) progressive and compatible internships, (g) awareness of studentship, (h) faculty consensus, and (i) political involvement.