Understanding Integration and Policy Challenges Facing Multicultural Schools in South Africa

Abstract

This article reports on research that investigated integration challenges in multicultural schools. The inquiry followed a qualitative approach, using interviews, focus groups and open-ended questionnaires. The understanding of the integration of multicultural challenges in schools was done through the lens of critical race theory (CRT). Individual interviews were conducted with eight principals, followed by focus groups with 34 teachers, together with open-ended questionnaires which were administered to 82 participants. The findings revealed that policies on school integration present opportunities for integration but do not address the challenges of diversity in schools. The research highlighted the problem that integration is not recognised in schools although it is mandated by government policy. The research conducted highlighted the fact that it is not easy to implement a policy on integration because some schools do not see so-called “colour” in the learners. Schools alone cannot deal with and remedy the inequalities and segregation in multicultural schools, and communities should help at all levels to achieve positive transformation in schools.     

“Equal Time” and “Equal Voice”

ABSTRACT

This paper outlines the development, implementation, and qualitative and quantitative evaluations of a foundation research course structured to give “equal time” and “equal voice” to both qualitative and quantitative research content. Assessment of this integrative approach suggested that students' gain in qualitative research knowledge was strongly correlated with their gain in quantitative research knowledge (r = .653, p > .0005), and some students believed “I am better able to evaluate my practice” as a result of taking this course.     

School Strategies of Children with Multiple Relocations at Refuges for Abused Women

ABSTRACT

Worldwide, domestic violence forces many mothers with their children into refuges for abused women. Some children experience multiple residential relocations and continual schooling disruption. Limited research exists exploring these children's school experiences. This article examines their strategies at school. Data were collected in qualitative interviews with 20 children, ages 6–16, with multiple stays at Norwegian refuges. Data were coded according to the constructivist approach to grounded theory. The generated code “thought control” led to Bandura's theory of “self-efficacy and thought control” as the framework for data analysis. Children used six strategies to regulate their emotional state at school. The strategies were: imaginative safety, recreational learning, healing talks, physical activity, divertive play, and creative explanations.     

Thinking with Spinoza about ‘hands-on’ learning

Abstract

Despite its advanced age of about 375 years, the mind–body (psychophysical) problem is alive and well, in part because it is anchored so well institutionally in schools and in research (scientific vs. interpretive psychology). This continued presence is astonishing in the light of the fact that the seed for its solution, sown in Spinoza’s Ethics, is almost as old. The solution rests on the position that there is only one substance, which, invisible, manifests itself in two attributes, thought and extension (body). By thinking with Spinoza, especially by following the ways in which Vygotsky and Marx think with Spinoza, we arrive at an approach suitable for a social psychological theory of learning that does not separate knowing (intellect, thought) from doing and emoting (body). A classroom fragment from a 10th-grade physics curriculum is used as the starting point for overcoming the body–mind problem by thinking with Spinoza.     

Designing effective,contemporary assessment on a flipped educational sciences course

ABSTRACT

Evidence shows flipped learning increases academic performance and student satisfaction. Yet, often practitioners flip instruction but keep traditional curricula and assessment. Assessment in higher education is often via written exams. But these provide limited feedback and do not ask students to put knowledge into practice. This does not support the tenets of flipped learning. For two years, the author flipped instruction but retained traditional curricula and assessment. However, on the author’s current course, all three aspects were redesigned to better support flipped learning. The aim of this research is to test the effectiveness of this redesign regarding student engagement and satisfaction. Thus, it is asked: How, on this course, can meaningful, continuous assessment be provided as well as effective, personalized feedback, while staying in line with the philosophy of flipped learning? Action research took place from September 2016 to June 2017. Quantitative data from a student survey, and qualitative data from a research diary and student focus group were gathered. What emerged is: a little-and-often assessment approach is effective for learning and engagement; tasks must be authentic and test demonstration of knowledge, not memory; quality, not quantity, is key for student learning; and students desire individualized feedback.     

Status Quo and Outlook of the Studies of Entrepreneurship Education in China: Statistics and Analysis Based on Papers Indexed in CSSCI (2004–2013)

Abstract

We utilized cross tabulation statistics, word frequency counts, and content analysis of research output to conduct a bibliometric study, and used CiteSpace software to depict a knowledge map for research on entrepreneurship education in China from 2004 to 2013. The study shows that, in this duration, the study of Chinese entrepreneurship education experienced a progression through three stages, an “exploratory stage of learning from foreign models,” a “developmental stage geared toward employment problems,” and a “transformative stage promoting cultivation of student abilities,” and featured three primary characteristics, “multidisciplinary fusion,” “imbalanced regional distribution,” and “policy orientation.” In the future, popular fields in the study of entrepreneurship education are to be concentrated in the three areas, namely “entrepreneurship education and talent cultivation,” “entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial environments,” and “entrepreneurship education and innovation education.”     

“The Subjective Necessity”

Abstract

Several recent articles on social work education have advocated for the inclusion of literature in the curriculum. The authors argue that the value of including works of literature in the social work curriculum extends beyond specific content to the reading process itself. They assert that the subjective values inherent in works of literature or film, as opposed to textbooks, can pose a necessary challenge to empirical thinking by exposing students to a diversity of narratives and narrative forms and by introducing ambiguity, critical thinking, and interpretive freedom into the classroom. An argument is made for including literature in a process of learning that is “dialogic” rather than “monologic” and that, by its practice and methodology more than its content, embodies and transmits the professional values of social work.     

Approaches to learning in a second year chemical engineering course

Students' approaches to learning in a second year chemical engineering course were investigated by means of a qualitative research project which utilized interview and journal data from a group of 11 students. Three approaches to learning were identified in this context: a conceptual approach (similar to the classic deep approach), in which the intention is to understand concepts; an algorithmic approach, in which the focus is on calculation methods; and an information-based approach, in which the intention is to gather and remember information. The latter two approaches can both be considered forms of the surface approach in that the fundamental intention does not involve understanding. This paper presents an analysis of students' responses to a series of conceptual questions in which the use of particular approaches is identified. The research presented in this paper supports the notion that particular forms of deep and surface approaches might be found in specific contexts.     

Trends and issues in multimedia learning research in 1996–2016: A bibliometric analysis

Parallel to the recent advancements in information and communications technologies, research on multimedia learning has generated a number of theories and empirical findings. Numerous trends and issues have emerged, showing the complex and dynamic nature of multimedia learning and the associated scholarship. To provide a comprehensive knowledge map and an overview of recent research on multimedia learning, 411 peer-reviewed articles from 1996 to 2016 were analyzed to describe the empirical work in multimedia learning. A bibliometric approach was applied to reveal the most common keywords and terms and their interactions via co-word analysis. The results showed that cognitive load is the highest co-occurred keyword and that animation provided the highest number of co-occurrence relationships with other keywords in our sample. Five clusters of research trends were identified: theoretical foundations of multimedia learning, representations and principles, instructional design and individual differences, motivation and metacognition, and video and hypermedia. Despite the high co-occurrence of the terms “memory”, “working memory”, and “cognitive load”, only a few studies examined the role of individual differences in cognition such as working memory capacity in multimedia learning. The multimedia learning principles most commonly discussed in the last two decades of research are redundancy, contiguity, and coherence. Thus, more research should be conducted to empirically test the many other principles recently discussed in the Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning and address the issue of individual differences in attention and cognition during learning with multimedia.     

A “Do‐It‐Yourself” interactive bone structure module: Development and evaluation of an online teaching resource

A stand‐alone online teaching module was developed to cover an area of musculoskeletal anatomy (structure of bone) found to be difficult by students. The material presented in the module was not formally presented in any other way, thus providing additional time for other curriculum components, but it was assessed in the final examination. The module was developed using “in‐house” software designed for academics with minimal computer experience. The efficacy and effectiveness of the module was gauged via student surveys, testing student knowledge before and after module introduction, and analysis of final examination results. At least 74% of the class used the module and student responses were positive regarding module usability (navigation, interaction) and utility (learning support). Learning effectiveness was demonstrated by large significant improvements in the post‐presentation test scores for “users” compared with “non‐users” and by the percentage of correct responses to relevant multiple choice questions in the final examination. Performance on relevant short answer questions in the final examination was, on average, comparable to that for other components. Though limited by study structure, it was concluded that the module produced learning outcomes equivalent to those generated by more traditional teaching methods. This “Do‐It‐Yourself” e‐learning approach may be particularly useful for meeting specific course needs not catered for by commercial applications or where there are cost limitations for generation of online learning material. The specific approaches used in the study can assist in development of effective online resources in anatomy. Anat Sci Educ 6: 107–113. © 2012 American Association of Anatomists.     

The educationalising of early childhood in Aotearoa New Zealand: tracking “free play” 1940s–2010

Abstract

Geographically isolated in the south-west Pacific but intellectually and culturally connected to Western Europe, Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood education sector is a unique mix of influences. The imprint of progressive education is evident in a legacy of “free play” programmes, yet its national curriculum is built on the construct of “mana”, reflecting the cosmology and aspirations of the indigenous Māori people. These influences are held in tension with contemporary economic drivers to expand the sector and to focus on politically approved “learning outcomes”. Within this dynamic tension, the place of play and of “free play” is paradoxically both visible and invisible both in the education of very young children, and also in teacher education. This study draws on oral history interviews that focused on “free play” across 60+ years. The analysis of these indicates a process of “educationalisation” evident across three “reform agendas”: Play, Unity, and Education.     

A pedagogical aid for linking methodological and statistical courses

A critical component in teaching research methods and statistics is linking the data collection with data analysis in such a way that students are engaged and encouraged. Using a strategy congruent with Greek's “active learning” (1995) and Chernak and Weiss's “activity-based learning” (1999), this paper outlines a heuristic mechanism that involves students with data collection, analysis, and utilization of 5 different software programs. To illustrate the process, a case study of my Spring 1999 graduate course in quantitative methods and computer utilization is presented.     

An exploration of longitudinal studies of digital learning

ABSTRACT

Background: The importance of digital technologies for enhancing learning in formal education settings has been widely acknowledged. In the light of this expectation, it is important to investigate the effects of these technologies on students’ learning and development.

Purpose: This study explores longitudinal empirical research on digital learning in the context of primary and secondary education. By focusing on a small selection of the peer-reviewed literature, the aim is to examine the kinds of longitudinal study published on this topic during the period 2012–2017 and, thorough categorisation, to bring together insights about the reported influences of digital technology use on students’ learning.

Design and methods: The databases searched for the purposes of this review were Scopus and Web of Science. Of 1,989 articles, 13 were finally included in the review. Using qualitative content analysis, these were analysed, coded and categorised.

Results: The reviewed studies were found to have approached digital learning in different ways: they varied, for example, in terms of research methods and design and the digital technologies used. The studies addressed different aspects of learning, which we assigned to six categories: affection, attitude, and motivation; subject-specific knowledge and skills; transversal skills; learning experience; elements of the learning environment; and identity. We identified both positive and negative influences of technology on learning.

Conclusions: This review offers a snapshot of the variety of research in this fast-moving area. The studies we explored were found to approach digital learning from several different perspectives, and no straightforward conclusions can be drawn about the influences of digital technology use on students’ learning. We conclude that further longitudinal studies of digital learning are needed, and this study assists by highlighting gaps in the existing literature.     

Using visual ethnography to explore a principal's perceptions of innovations made in a South African primary school

Abstract

This study investigates a South African principal's view of implementing invitational education (IE) as an example of a professional development programme (PD) within a particular school setting. Two types of literature inform this study: leadership supportive of school development and the invitational education approach to teaching and learning. The study uses qualitative reflexive photography to explore the following research question: How does the principal perceive the way in which intentionally inviting changes were made in the school under his leadership? The data analysis revealed the following categories: people: focussing on care; places: changing the physical setting; policies: regulating the functions of the school; programmes: developing people through helpful initiatives; and process, that is, organising the context in which schooling takes place. The findings support the fact that the process of IE needs to organise all the other factors in a way that is both democratic and humane. IE requires a commitment to certain goals if changes are to be implemented successfully; this, in turn, implies that a school should develop a culture of collective learning and that learners should be encouraged to care about one another in the school.     

How First-Class Undergraduate Education Reform in the United States Can Inform the Development of Double First Class Education in China

Abstract

As learning institutions, U.S. universities aim to provide abundant learning opportunities to fulfill students’ right to learn. Undergraduate education is considered an important component of lifelong learning and aims to enable students to “learn how to learn.” During the undergraduate stage, schools pay special attention to cultivating students’ critical thinking and curiosity, emphasizing five core competencies in writing, reading, research, quantitative analysis, and communication. They use summer reading, undergraduate research, seminars, learning communities, and academic advising as platforms to expand students’ learning experiences, especially those of first-year students. They encourage students to innovate and start their own businesses, and promote equal access to education, thereby strengthening student retention and successful graduation.     

Design science research – a powerful tool for improving methods in engineering education research

ABSTRACT

Modelling is a central activity in practical engineering and something that is also useful in engineering education research (EER). Additionally, qualitative research methods have found important applications in engineering research, although their use in EER has not always been widely accepted. Design science research is a qualitative research approach in which the object of study is the design process, i.e. it simultaneously generates knowledge about the method used to design an artefact and the design or the artefact itself. This paper uses techniques from design science research to analyse the method used when deriving the ‘learning of a complex concept’ (LCC) model, which we developed while designing teaching sequences for a course on electrical engineering. Our results demonstrate the value of design science research in EER and suggest that the LCC model is generally applicable in this field.     

University physics students’ ideas of thermal radiation expressed in open laboratory activities using infrared cameras

Background: University physics students were engaged in open-ended thermodynamics laboratory activities with a focus on understanding a chosen phenomenon or the principle of laboratory apparatus, such as thermal radiation and a heat pump. Students had access to handheld infrared (IR) cameras for their investigations.

Purpose: The purpose of the research was to explore students’ interactions with reformed thermodynamics laboratory activities. It was guided by the research question: How do university physics students make use of IR cameras in open-ended investigation of thermal radiation as a phenomenon?

Sample: The study was conducted with a class of first-year university physics students in Sweden. The interaction with the activities of four of the students was selected for analysis. The four students are males.

Design and methods: We used a qualitative, interpretive approach to the study of students’ interaction. The primary means of data collection was video recording of students’ work with the laboratory activities and their subsequent presentations. The analysis focused on how IR cameras helped students notice phenomena relating to thermal radiation, with comparison to previous research on students’ conceptions of thermal radiation.

Results: When using the IR camera, students attended to the reflection of thermal radiation on shiny surfaces, such as polished metals, windows or a whiteboard and emissive properties of surfaces of different types. In this way, they went beyond using the technology as a temperature probe. Students were able to discuss merits and shortcomings of IR cameras in comparison with digital thermometers.

Conclusions: With the help of IR cameras, university physics students attend to thermal phenomena that would otherwise easily go unnoticed.     

Classification of children with learning problems and the establishment of special classes in Delaware from the 1930s to the mid-1940s

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on J. E. Wallace Wallin, who recognised the rights of children with disabilities to receive an education, and who tackled the scientific classification of children and the provision of special classes in the state of Delaware from the 1930s to the middle of the 1940s. This study intends to clarify how Wallin recognised and classified children who exhibited learning problems, and how he provided an educational environment for them. Wallin advocated the democratic philosophy of providing differentiated education based on the individual differences among children. He classified children with learning problems as “mentally deficient”, “backward”, and “special subject-matter disabilities”. He also recommended special educational treatment in not only special classes but also regular classes. He insisted that regular class teachers and special class teachers share the responsibility of educating children with disabilities. However, in addition to tailoring education based on the diversity exhibited by children with learning problems, it is essential to tailor it for disabled children in public school special classes established in their communities. In terms of both human and material resources, it was difficult to address learning problems suitably in regular classes while improving the quality and quantity of education in special classes.