Teachers’ sense of efficacy in their work with pupils with learning,emotional and behavioural difficulties

This study investigates primary school teachers’ sense of efficacy in their work with pupils with learning, emotional, and behavioural difficulties (LEBD), both in mainstream inclusive classrooms and in special classrooms for pupils in residential treatment institutions. Using an online questionnaire survey, data were collected on teachers’ self-efficacy, efficacy beliefs on their ability to teach LEBD pupils, and perceived ability to apply knowledge from different socio-pedagogical areas. Mainstream classroom teachers perceived higher efficacy in collaborating with parents of LEBD pupils, in most aspects of their ability to handle pupils’ learning and behavioural problems, and in most aspects of their ability to use knowledge from different socio-pedagogical areas. Conversely, special classroom teachers perceived higher efficacy in aspects related to their pupils’ engagement and comprehension of learning material, and in their classroom management ability, particularly in managing pupils’ disruptive behaviour.     

The Slovene Model of Sports Classes in Grammar Schools: Psychological and Educational Point of View

A follow-up comparative study of intellectual abilities, personality traits, achievement motivation, general knowledge and educational achievement in math and English was conducted on a 16-17 year old group of sports-youth attending sports classes in grammar school and on the same age group of non-sports-youth attending regular classes. Initially 62 pairs of subjects participated and 54 pairs remained in the study two years later. The study focused on: (a) the differences between the groups with regard to the above-stated dependent variables; (b) the differences within each of the groups within a two-year period. The obtained results point to the conclusion that a suitable combination of flexible organization of academic work and intensive competitive-sports practicing does not have a negative impact either on intellectual and personality development nor on the educational achievements of the sports-youth when compared to their non-sports counterparts. Résumé Une étude comparative longitudinale des compétences intellectuelles, des traits de personnalité, de la motivation pour la réussite, des connaissances générales et des résultats scolaires a été conduite en mathématiques et en anglais chez des élèves de 16-17 ans qui suivent au lycée des classes sportives et chez des élèves du même âge qui suivent une scolarité dans des classes non sportives. Au début il y avait 62 paires d'élèves qui participaient à l'étude; deux ans plus tard il ne restait que 54 paires. L'étude porte sur : (a) les différences entre les deux groupes selon les variables dépendantes indiquées ci-dessus ; (b) les différences intra-groupe sur une période de deux ans. Les résultats obtenus montrent qu'un bon équilibre entre une organisation souple du travail scolaire et une pratique sportive intensive de compétition n'a pas d'effet négatif sur le développement intellectuel et personnel des élèves sportifs, ni sur leurs résultats scolaires lorsqu'on compare ceux-ci à leurs homologues non sportifs. (Traduction: Michel Caillot, Education et Apprentissages, Université René Descartes, Paris)     

Disposition assessment in teacher education: A framework and instrument for assessing technology disposition

Abstract

This study proposes and verifies the concept of a technology disposition in teacher education, which is comprised of predisposition and competence. It examines the reliability and validity of a measure of the technology disposition of teacher education students, the Technology Disposition Scale for Teacher Education Students (TDS‐T). The TDS‐T is comprised of two subscales: technology predisposition and technology competence. In this study, the TDS‐T was completed by 656 teacher education students. Results showed the proposed disposition model of predisposition and competence had significant relationships with gender and class year. Male students had significantly higher overall technology disposition scores than did female students, but these differences were due to the male students' strong self‐concept, especially self‐confidence. Students technology competence level was significantly higher for seniors than for sophomores, and the overall technology disposition scores significantly increased from students' junior to senior years. The TDS‐T demonstrated content validity through factor analysis and convergent and discriminate validity through item analysis. The value for Cronbach's alpha was .93, indicating highly satisfactory reliability.     

The Impact of Three-Dimensional Printed Anatomical Models on First-Year Student Engagement in a Block Mode Delivery

Student engagement is known to have several positive effects on learning outcomes and can impact a student's university experience. High levels of engagement in content-heavy subjects can be difficult to attain. Due to a major institutional restructure, the anatomy prosection laboratory time per subject was dramatically reduced. In response, the authors set out to redesign their anatomy units with a focus on engaging the learning activities that would increase time-on-task both within and outside of the classroom. One of these curriculum changes was the implementation of a suite of anatomy learning activities centered on sets of three-dimensional printed upper limb skeleton models. A two-part mixed-method sequential exploratory design was used to evaluate these activities. Part one was a questionnaire that evaluated the students' engagement with and perceptions of the models. Part two involved focus groups interviews, which were an extension of the survey questions in part one. The results of the study indicated that the majority of students found the models to be an engaging resource that helped improve their study habits. As a result, students strongly felt that the use of the models inspired greater academic confidence and overall better performance in their assessments. Overall, the models were an effective way of increasing the engagement and deep learning, and reinforced previous findings from the medical education research. Future research should investigate the effects of these models on student's grades within osteopathy and other allied health courses.     

Signing in: knowledge and action in nursery teaching

Based on fieldwork conducted in two day care centres in Denmark, this paper explores knowledge and action as relational and intertwined phenomena in nursery teaching. Engaging with perspectives from actor network theory, emphasis is put on the socio-material distribution of knowing and acting. That is, how the nursery teacher becomes part of knowledge and action through an assemblage of various elements, such as packed lunches, children, noises, crumbs, another nursery teacher and a bucket. A notion of the sign is developed in which signs can be gestures, words or artefacts stabilised in a web of relations, hereby signalling the kinds of relations that are important to attend to. ‘Signing in’ is a way of becoming part of these relations. Against this background, this paper critically addresses ambitions to professionalise the field of early childhood education and care, questioning the divide between knowledge and action on which such initiatives are based.