scholarly journals Unravelling the interplay of primary school teachers’ topic-specific epistemic beliefs and their conceptions of inquiry-based learning in history and science

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 35-75
Author(s):  
Athina Koutsianou ◽  
Anastassios Emvalotis
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Epistemic Beliefs ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Epistemic Belief ◽  
Inquiry Based Learning

Inquiry-based learning remains both an important goal and challenge for primary school teachers within and across different subjects, such as history and science. By addressing primary school teachers, for the first time, as both learners who deal with controversial topics and teachers who have significant teaching experience, this study aims to unravel the interplay between teachers’ topic-specific epistemic beliefs and their conceptions of inquiry-based learning in history and science. Fifteen primary school teachers from Greece participated in this exploratory study through scenario-based semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed through a qualitative content analysis by applying both deductive and inductive approaches. The results of this study revealed the complex nature of teachers’ epistemic beliefs and the necessity of using a nuanced approach to elicit their epistemic belief patterns in the context of working on a task. Further, this study revealed an overview of teachers’ conceptions of inquiry-based learning in both history and science, by giving voice to teachers’ thoughts and reasoning. But most importantly, the interplay between the two constructs was unravelled, indicating a complex connection between teachers’ epistemic belief patterns and their conceptions of inquiry-based learning. Overall, it could be argued that the more availing the teachers’ epistemic beliefs, the more thoroughly they conceive inquiry-based learning. Similarities and differences between history and science were also detected. Theoretical, empirical, and educational implications are discussed in an attempt to support primary school teachers involve themselves, and then their students, in an active process of knowing by applying helpful epistemic criteria.

‘I think one of the ways they will help is to create awareness’: primary school teachers’ perceptions of cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 24-31
Author(s):  
Kingsley Udeh ◽  
Candidus Nwakasi ◽  
John Fulton
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Non Communicable Diseases

The increasing incidence and prevalence of non-communicable diseases is a major global health concern. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) account for the highest percentage of deaths related to non-communicable diseases, and low and middle-income countries (LMIC) face the highest burden of CVDs. Understanding the knowledge and perception of CVDs and their risk factors in an LMIC such as Nigeria may play an important role in cardiovascular health promotion and improvement plans to reduce CVD-related deaths. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews to gain an in-depth understanding of some personal and sociocultural views on CVDs and their risk factors. The participants were purposively sampled primary school teachers in South-Eastern Nigeria. Thematic analysis approach was used for data analysis. The study findings include knowledge of heart disease, perceived causes and risk factors of CVDs, spirituality, and the way forward. Overall, the knowledge of CVDs in the setting was found to be related to the psychosocial nature of the participants; the effectiveness of any intervention needs to take these factors into consideration. For example, health policies for CVD health education and awareness should be tailored to address some of the issues of belief, values, and religion, as mentioned in the study.

scholarly journals FINAL-YEAR PRE-SERVICE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ UNDERSTANDING OF INQUIRY-BASED-SCIENCE TEACHING

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 454-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khanyisile Brenda Nhlengethwa ◽  
Nadaraj Govender ◽  
Doras Sibanda
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Science Teaching ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Pedagogical Approach ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Directed Learning

Teachers’ accurate understanding of Inquiry-Based Science Teaching (IBST) is crucial for the proper enactment of this pedagogical approach. In this research, a qualitative case study design was used to explore and interpret pre-service teachers’ understanding of IBST at the conclusion of their three-year primary diploma at a university in Swaziland. Data were collected using a semi-structured teaching scenario-based questionnaire in conjunction with individual semi-structured interviews. Thirty-four participants completed the questionnaire and eight of them were subsequently interviewed. The data were analyzed using a conceptual framework of IBST that outlines two dimensions of IBST; namely the cognitive and guidance dimensions. The results show that in the cognitive dimension, participants focused mainly on the procedural domain. With regard to the guidance dimension, they associated the pedagogical approach more with teacher-directed than learner-directed learning activities. This paper recommends that in training pre-service primary school teachers, teacher educators must broaden their focus from procedural aspects of IBST to include all its aspects; thereby developing their pre-service teachers’ holistic and deep experiences of IBST. Keywords: inquiry-based science teaching, primary school, pre-service teachers, scenario-based questionnaire, IBST understanding.

An analysis of attitudes towards the gifted students with learning difficulties using two samples of Greek and Czech primary school teachers

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aikaterini Gari ◽  
Kostas Mylonas ◽  
Sarka Portešová
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Learning Difficulties ◽  
Gifted Students ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
Years Of Teaching Experience ◽  
Separate System ◽  
Teachers Attitudes

The provision of gifted students with learning difficulties (GSLD) composes a complicated educational problem that deserves special care. This study explores teachers’ attitudes towards the GSLD in two samples of primary school teachers: 225 Greek teachers and 158 teachers in the Czech Republic, 40–59 years of age and with 14–28 years of teaching experience. A questionnaire of 26 questions, created for the purpose of this study, was administered referring to teachers’ attitudes towards opinions and information regarding the GSLD characteristics, along with three open-ended questions on the most preferable types of the GSLD educational provision. Through multidimensional scaling solutions in their trigonometric transformation (MDS-T) one large common and one minor separate system of items emerged for the two samples, which were meaningful in the direction of understanding teachers’ difficulties in accepting the contradictory core of the GSLD characteristics and educational needs. These systems of attitudes are discussed in respect to their relative importance to Czech and Greek teachers and the respective educational settings.

Teachers’ Understanding and Practice of Mandatory Reporting of Child Maltreatment

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredith Falkiner ◽  
Donald Thomson ◽  
Andrew Day
Keyword(s):  
Child Maltreatment ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Mandatory Reporting ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Child Victim ◽  
Primary School Teachers

Across the eight jurisdictions of Australia, mandatory reporting obligations and thresholds for reporting vary. Teachers are one group of the professionals who are mandated to report child maltreatment, yet some teachers are still reluctant to make such a report. This paper examines the barriers that discourage teachers from reporting child maltreatment and also whether teachers consider it necessary to question a child about the maltreatment before they decide if a report should be made. Thirty semi-structured interviews with Victorian primary school teachers were thematically analysed and revealed that inadequate and inconsistent mandatory reporting training, the need for certainty before initiating a report and the ambiguous concept of neglect were barriers to teachers identifying and reporting child maltreatment. Analyses further revealed that teachers gather evidence to confirm or disconfirm their suspicions of maltreatment by questioning the suspected child victim. The consequences of this practice are discussed along with recommendations to help overcome the barriers to making a formal report when child maltreatment is suspected.

scholarly journals INVESTIGATING INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP, TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP, SELF-EFFICACY AND TRUST AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (35) ◽  
pp. 237-248
Author(s):  
Jumadi Musa ◽  
Mohamad Nizam Nazarudin ◽  
Zakiah Noordin ◽  
Nur Afny Juati ◽  
Hujaimah @ Siti Syafiqah Juhumin
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Primary School Teacher ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Significant Difference

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between headmaster instructional leadership, headmaster transformational leadership, self-efficacy, and trust among primary school teachers. Furthermore, the study aims to examine the role of gender, age, and teaching experience in headmaster instructional leadership, headmaster transformational leadership, and self-efficacy. The participants were selected by proportional stratified sampling and simple random selection. This study adopted a survey research design that utilized an ex-post facto research type in which the researcher used questionnaires to collect data from the respondents. The instruments used are the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS), Multi-factor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES), and Trust Scale - Trust in Principal. A total of 297 respondents (mean age 37.4 + 1.5 years) from 71 schools were involved in this study. The data gathered from the respondents were downloaded into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for quantitative analysis. The results of the study indicate that there is a positive significant relationship between headmaster instructional leadership (r = .708, p <.05), headmaster transformational leadership (r= .683, p<.05), self-efficacy (r = .615, p <.05) and trust. It is found there is no significant difference among primary school teachers of different ages and teaching experience concerning their headmaster instructional leadership [F (2, 296) = 1.533, p> 0.05][F (2, 296) =. 878, p> 0.05], , headmaster transformational leadership [F(2, 296)=.396, p> 0.05][F(2, 296)=.396, p> 0.05] and teacher efficacy [F (2, 296) = 1.164, p> 0.05] [F (2, 296) = 1.204, p> 0.05]. The present study gains significance as the results can assist the teachers and organizations in enhancing the thrust of teachers.

scholarly journals Gender Domesticity Reinterpreted: Housework Division in Dual-Work Moroccan Families

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (17) ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Rostom Meryem
Keyword(s):  
Distributive Justice ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Labour Division ◽  
Household Labour

Research on the gendered division of household labour suggests that spouses’ inequitable housework division is determined by economic, cultural and/ or pragmatic considerations. While these factors are partially supported by the literature on household labour division, results of this study further suggested that women perform more housework than their spouses out of choice and are not necessarily unhappy with their unbalanced share. The data for the study were drawn from in-depth semi-structured interviews administered to 30 Moroccan female primary school teachers. Building on Thompson’s (1991) distributive justice framework, this paper focuses on examining women’s underlying motivation for doing a far greater proportion of housework tasks than do their husbands in spite of working for pay. It also states the implications of such a deliberate choice.

scholarly journals STUDY OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER COMPETENCE IN TANAH BUMBU REGENCY

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Dwi Atmono ◽  
Muhammad Rahmattullah
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Teacher Performance ◽  
School Teacher ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Primary School Teacher ◽  
Teacher Competence ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers

Teacher competence is central factor that influencing teacher performance to create human resources with certain quality. Teacher competence influenced by many factors, such as educational background and teaching experience for his specific subject. This study aims to: 1) map the competence of primary school teachers in Tanah Bumbu Regency, and 2) analyze the effect of educational background and teaching experience to teacher competence. This study used quantitative approach. Population of this research is all primary school teachers in Tanah Bumbu regency which already followed Online Test of Teacher Competence (UKG Online) as many as 1,106 teachers. Samples were taken by using purposive random sampling as much as 20% of the total population that numbered 160 people. Variables of this study are: 1) Teacher Competence, 2) Educational Background and 3) Teaching Experience. This study used quantitative analysis includes percentage technique and multiple linear regressions. The results showed: 1) Primary school teacher competence in Tanah Bumbu Regency is above the national average score of 53.05, but still below the Minimum Competence Standards (SKM) of 55. The average score of pedagogic competence is 48.15 and professional competence is 55.91. 2) There is a significant simultaneous effect of educational background and teaching experience to teacher performance. Partially, only teacher experience variable that that significantly influence the teacher competence.

scholarly journals Selektiva traditioner i grundskolans tidigare år: Lärares betoningar av kvalitéer i naturvetenskapsundervisningen

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie-Maj Johansson ◽  
Per-Olof Wickman
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Learning Material ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Inquiry Based Learning ◽  
Selective Traditions

The aim of this study was to elucidate the selective traditions of Swedish primary school teachers in using inquiry-based learning.  Material from thirteen interviews where teachers described their own inquiry practice was used to study the selective traditions along with the qualities these traditions emphasized. Four different selective traditions were identified: the fact oriented, the activity oriented, the collaboration oriented and the community oriented traditions. Different qualities were emphasized in the different traditions, for instance regarding whether teaching and inquiry should be difficult, correct, free or fun.

scholarly journals Perspectives of Using Interactive Slides in ESL Classroom among Primary School English Language Teachers in Pasir Gudang

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (5C) ◽  
pp. 1208-1217
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
English Language ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Esl Classroom

In technological society, technology plays a crucial role as an integral part of teaching. This research aimed to know teachers’ perspective of using interactive slides in ESL classroom. The population of this research comprises national primary school teachers from Pasir Gudang district. A total of 179 respondents participated in this research. This calculation on the number of respondents was based on Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table. The data were gathered via questionnaires and semi-structure interviews. The gathered data were analysed using descriptive analysis method in terms of frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The researchers conducted saturated semi-structured interviews to support the findings through questionnaires. The findings of the research revealed that Interactive Slide (IS) is effective to use in the ESL classroom. The study also showed the challenges faced by teachers in using IS. The implication of this research suggested that schools should provide adequate facilities in encouraging teachers to use IS in ESL classrooms and organise activities or programs for teachers to enhance their IS skills. In future researches, it is recommended to widen the population of respondents to other districts or states.

scholarly journals Assessment of the knowledge, attitude and practice of oral hygiene among primary school teachers in Navi Mumbai

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 5345
Author(s):  
Ojaswee D. Nakhawa ◽  
Manjusha S. Hindalekar ◽  
Ankita V. Deshmukh ◽  
Vaibhav P. Thakkar ◽  
Chinmayee V. Kulkarni
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Oral Hygiene ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Oral Diseases ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Global Issues ◽  
Years Of Teaching Experience

Background: School age is an important stage in an individual’s development. Early education of oral hygiene by teachers can cause lifelong benefits to students since teachers are closely involved in children during their developmental stages. Oral diseases are becoming global issues and should be considered of public health importance. Yet, oral diseases are a neglected issue, rarely seen as a priority in health policy.Methods: This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in primary school teachers from Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. Total 400 school teachers, selected by stratified sampling technique, had participated in this study. Participants were given self-structured questionnaires with 16 dichotomous questions.Results: 67.5% of teachers expressed that they have never received any demonstrations/lectures in maintaining oral hygiene while 82.8% never had any professional training regarding oral hygiene. For the question, Have you received training by a professional on oral health care and hygiene? teachers with less than 1 year of teaching experience 68.8% responded negatively, 78.8% with 1-5 years of experience reported with ‘no’ and 85.4% and 89.4% were negative responses from teachers with 6-10 years of teaching experience and 11-35 years of teaching experience respectively, showing significant value of p=0.026.Conclusions: From this study we understood that, some degree of awareness is seen in younger aged primary school teachers, but it is not satisfactory, suggesting that teachers still have to undergo training for the same. It is hoped that this survey will help in implementation of training programs.

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