Educators’ experiences in special education institutions during the COVID-19 outbreak

The COVID-19 outbreak has had a profound impact on education worldwide. As a result of the educational institutions closures, it is likely that the impact on special education would be more detrimental since special education population becomes more vulnerable in the aftermath of an outbreak. In the scope of this study, a researcher created survey was used to examine educators’ teaching experiences and their perceptions about the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on special education students. The sample included 215 educators working in the Special Education and Rehabilitation Centers (SERCs) in Turkey. Results indicated that a large majority of the SERCs were not able to continue their education during the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, there was a difference in educators’ experiences by their educational practices (normal weekly schedule, reduced schedule, most of the educational activities are suspended, and all of the educational activities are suspended). Perceived level of COVID-19 outbreak impact on special education students were found to be significantly higher for autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders, visual impairments, hearing impairments, specific learning disabilities and gifted students, respectively. The conclusion highlights the need of global collaboration, disaster preparation and management for students with special needs.     

A comparison between two different automated total 25-hydroxyvitamin D immunoassay methods using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Introduction

Total 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] is the most reliable indicator of vitamin D status. In this study, we compared two automated immunoassay methods, the Abbott Architect 25-OH Vitamin D assay and the Roche Cobas Vitamin D total assay, with the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Materials and methods

One hundred venous blood samples were randomly selected from routine vitamin D tests. Two of the serum aliquots were analyzed at the Abbott Architect i2000 and the Roche Cobas 6000’s module e601 in our laboratory within the same day. The other serum aliquots were analyzed at the LC-MS/MS in different laboratory. Passing-Bablok regression analysis and Bland-Altman plot were used to compare methods. Inter-rater agreement was analyzed using kappa (κ) analysis.

Results

The Roche assay showed acceptable agreement with the LC-MS/MS based on Passing-Bablok analysis (intercept: -5.23 nmol/L, 95% CI: -8.73 to 0.19; slope: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.77 to 1.15). The Abbott assay showed proportional (slope: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.67 to 0.85) and constant differences (intercept: 17.08 nmol/L; 95% CI: 12.98 to 21.39). A mean bias of 15.1% was observed for the Abbott and a mean bias of -14.1% was observed for the Roche based on the Bland-Altman plots. We found strong to nearly perfect agreement in vitamin D status between the immunoassays and LC-MS/MS. (κ: 0.83 for Abbott, κ: 0.93 for Roche) using kappa analysis.

Conclusion

Both immunoassays demonstrated acceptable performance, but the Roche Cobas assay demonstrated better performance than the Abbott Architect in the studied samples.Key words: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, chromatography, immunoassay, methods, tandem mass spectrometry     

Individualism-collectivism among Americans, Turks and Turkish immigrants to the U.S.

Whether immigrants to the U.S. from collectivist cultures will adopt American individualist values is an important question at the intersection of theories on acculturation and individualism/collectivism. According to the assimilation hypothesis, Turkish immigrants to the U.S. should become more individualistic with increasing length of stay. Alternatively, the immigrant interdependence hypothesis proposes that the exigencies of immigration require retaining or increasing collectivist values and behaviors, especially the willingness to rely on others. Measures of individualism and collectivism were obtained from Turkish immigrants to the U.S., Turks residing in Istanbul, and residents of Boston. Bostonians and Istanbul residents differed primarily on vertical collectivism, which is the tendency to subordinate ones own goals to those of in-group authority figures. Immigrants’ values did not change with increasing length of stay in the U.S., refuting the assimilation hypothesis. When immigrants were compared to non-immigrants, immigrants endorsed stronger horizontal and vertical collectivism and more desire to both give and receive, consistent with the immigrant interdependence hypothesis. However, this hypothesis was not uniformly supported. Compared to non-immigrants, immigrants reported more self-reliance with competition, and more internal locus of control, indicating a sense of agency and responsibility. Findings are consistent with the view that immigrants adjust in complex ways to their new society, and may have different temperaments than non-immigrants.     

The Unique American Vision of Childhood

The present article scrutinizes “the unique American vision of childhood” (UAVC) as a phenomenon undermining high academic expectations and good work ethics, and in turn, contributing to the generally low academic achievement of U.S. students compared to their counterparts in other advanced countries. It starts with a definition of UAVC, followed by a discussion of how influential it has been. The article goes on to state three reasons why UAVC is troublesome and misleading, especially in an era of global competition. Excuses devised by the proponents for UAVC’s adverse effects are also revealed. The article ends with recommendations for future research and a conclusion elaborating on the consequences of UAVC and the likelihood that other countries might adopt a similar mentality.     

Employing the five‐factor mentoring instrument: analysing mentoring practices for teaching primary science

Primary science education is a concern around the world and quality mentoring within schools can develop pre‐service teachers' practices. A five‐factor model for mentoring has been identified, namely, personal attributes, system requirements, pedagogical knowledge, modelling, and feedback. Final‐year pre‐service teachers (mentees, n = 211) from three Turkish universities were administered a previously validated instrument to gather perceptions of their mentoring in primary science teaching. ANOVA indicated that each of these five factors was statistically significant (p<.001) with mean scale scores ranging from 3.36 to 4.12. Although mentees perceived their mentors to provide evaluation feedback (95%), model classroom management (88%), guide their preparation (96%), and outline the science curriculum (92%), the majority of mentors were perceived not to assist their mentees in 10 of the 34 survey items. Professional development programmes that target the specific needs of these mentors may further enhance mentoring practices for advancing primary science teaching.     

An analysis of teachers’ self-reported competencies for teaching metacognition

For successful reading experiences in native and/or foreign/second language, individuals need to benefit from not only cognitive strategies but also metacognitive strategies. Although research found reading comprehension and performance increase following metacognitive trainings, such findings may not transfer into mainstream classrooms as easily for several reasons. This study, therefore, aimed to disseminate the phenomenon of teaching metacognition with an emphasis on teacher’s instrumental role during classroom learning. More specifically, it investigated language instructors’ metacognition and their self-reported competencies for teaching metacognition. It also examined whether and how self-reported competencies changed following a professional development (PD) module of teaching for metacognition. Utilising Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and think aloud protocols for instructional planning, this study found most participants were either highly metacognitive or metacognitive individuals. It was also found that most participants were initially not knowledgeable about and/or competent in teaching metacognition. Following PD, highly metacognitive teachers developed authentic lesson plans manifesting metacognition instruction while metacognitive teachers adopted similar instructional designs presented during the PD. Besides, half of the participants appreciated teaching metacognitively following the PD. Finally, under the light of these findings, future research and policy adjustments were proposed.     

Improving the pedagogy of Islamic religious education through an application of critical religious education,variation theory and the learning study model

This study presents a new theoretical and pedagogical framework based on the theories of Critical Religious Education (CRE), Variation Theory (VT) and the Learning Study model with the purpose of improving teaching and learning in Islamic Religious Education (IRE). It reports a Learning Study conducted in a secondary girls Muslim school in London on the topic of ‘Islam and being Muslim’. The aim of this research study is to examine if and how the proposed framework can be applied to IRE lessons, and how it affects the students’ learning. Thirty students of two seventh grade classes and their religious education teacher participated in the study. The data was collected through interviews and written tasks with the students before and after their participation in the study, video-recordings of the research lessons, and meetings with the teacher. Phenomenography and VT were utilised in the analysis of the data. The results suggest that the use of CRE, VT and Learning Study in teaching Islam contributes to students’ learning outcomes by means of helping teacher consider students’ diverse perspectives on religious phenomena when planning and implementing the curricular content, increasing students’ awareness of the ontological and epistemological dimensions of their faith as well as allowing them to make informed judgments about religious phenomena.     

The Integration of Interior Architecture Education With Digital Design Approaches

It is inevitable that as a result of progress in technology and the changes in the ways with which design is conceived, interior architecture schools should be updated according to these requirements and that new educational processes should be tried out. It is for this reason that the scope and aim of this study have been determined as being the formulation of a hybrid educational model for the integration of digital approaches to design within the interior architecture education system. Within the chosen scope and aim of this study, and as a methodology, various algorithmic and parametric approaches have been applied in various practical applications as digital design instruments, and conclusions have been reached concerning the advantages they offer within the design process. The advantages and disadvantages, concerning interior architecture education, of digital approaches to design over the traditional design method, have been presented on the basis of results found during practical applications of digital design, the information found in publications about this subject. A hybrid educational model for the restructuring with digital design instruments of interior architecture education and design studios as experimental areas has been presented. Thanks to this proposed model, the establishment of a computer formatted analytic design system in the guise of dynamic systems will get easier and, the opportunity of restructuring the process and conception of design will also present itself. As the effects of this method are reflected on the products, new geometric approaches and typologies will appear, with the result that designs and digital instruments will constantly be developed and will evolve. In conclusion, educating the designers of the future according to the essence of these approaches will make it possible to train professionals who correctly use and understand the technologies being developed, who have a critical stance, and who can produce renewable designs.     

Promoting Equity,Diversity and Social Justice Through Faculty-Led Transformative Projects

Innovative Higher Education - We present a transformative professional development project with a focus on equity, diversity and social justice (EDSJ) to raise cultural awareness among faculty,...