scholarly journals Assessment Conceptions and Practices: Perspectives of Primary School Teachers and Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Monteiro ◽  
Lourdes Mata ◽  
Natalie Nóbrega Santos
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Practices ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Conceptions Of Assessment ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Case Design

Students’ and teachers’ conceptions of assessment are important because they guide how teachers’ assessments are implemented in the classroom and determine how students study. This multiple-case design study examined 1) how teachers and students view assessment, 2) how teachers assess their students’ learning, and 3) the similarities and disparities that occur when students’ and teachers’ conceptions and teachers’ practices of assessment are compared. Data were obtained from five third grade classes, involving a total of five teachers and 82 students. Data were gathered through individual interviews with teachers and focus group discussions with students. Classroom observations and documents produced by the students (worksheets and tests) during maths lessons were also analyzed. The results of the content analysis of the data indicate that teachers mostly conceive assessment as being for improvement, while their assessment practices and students’ conceptions focus on school and student accountability. The results obtained lead us to suggest that students’ conceptions of assessment are constructed from their classroom assessment experiences. The study also suggests that teachers adopt conceptions of assessment inconsistent with their practices, that allow them to work within social and contextual constraints.

The usability of medicine education assignments for seven to nine year‐old children

2009 ◽  
Vol 109 (6) ◽  
pp. 491-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katri Hämeen‐Anttila ◽  
Leena Honkanen ◽  
Kirsti Vainio
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Junior Secondary Schools ◽  
Junior Secondary ◽  
Medicine Education

PurposeA medicine education web site was developed during a research project in 2002–2004 to help teachers in primary and junior secondary schools to teach children the proper use of medicines. However, there was a need to develop further the assignments for the youngest schoolchildren. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of three medicine education assignments created for seven to nine year‐old children, and to describe how children experienced them.Design/methodology/approachTriangulation of two methods was used: ten observed lessons and eight focus group discussions (FGD) with children (n=46). Two researchers observed medicine education lessons given by four primary school teachers. After these lessons, the children were interviewed in focus group discussions.FindingsTeachers used the assignments in various ways. It became clear in the observations that the children enjoyed the assignments and that they did not feel embarrassed about the topics discussed. During the FGDs, they discussed topics related to learning objectives generally in a good and extensive way. Moreover, the children remembered the main messages to be learnt.Originality/valueThe medicine education assignments developed for seven to nine year‐old children are useful and feasible, and furthermore, they are flexible and can be used in different situations with different groups of children.

scholarly journals Use and Utility of Teacher Guides for Primary School Teachers in Punjab

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-10
Author(s):  
Fayyaz Ahmad Ranjha ◽  
Muhammad Khalid Mahmood ◽  
Intzar Hussain Butt
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Learning Material ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
High Workload ◽  
Teacher Guide ◽  
Teacher Guides

This study is aimed at soliciting pubic primary school teachers’ viewpoints on use and utility of teacher guides, an initiative of government of the Punjab. Data were collected through focus group discussions of male and female teachers from District Sargodha. Teachers were asked to discuss need, importance and use of teacher guide and to suggest ways to improve. Focus group discussions were audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed for extracting themes. It was found that teachers acknowledged the need and importance of teacher guide for better teaching. It was noted from their discussion that teachers used Guides for lesson planning and activities but use of teacher guide was not optimal. Some of the teachers were using it in best possible way, while majority were using it occasionally. They highlighted difficulties and challenges like high workload, language of teacher guides and lack of learning material required for suggested activities. The y suggested revising guides for language, removing inconsistencies with respect to schedule of guide and academic calendar. They also suggested lower workload of teachers by recruiting new teachers, providing teachers with training to use guides and making monitoring and supervision more rigorous.

scholarly journals Epistemological Base of African Traditional Herbal Medicine Among Primary School Teachers in Uganda

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-51
Author(s):  
Disan Kuteesa
Keyword(s):  
Herbal Medicine ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Document Analysis ◽  
Karl Popper ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Traditional Herbal Medicine ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Orthodox Medicine ◽  
Primary School Teachers

There is a noticeable usage of African Traditional herbal medicine in the treatment of physical and metaphysical diseases. This is largely due to the perceived high costs of orthodox medicine and the feeling that traditional herbs are more dependable. This research established the epistemological underpinnings of African traditional herbal medicine among primary school teachers in the Central Region of Uganda. The researcher used interviews, document analysis and focus group discussions to collect data from different schools. A total of eighteen (18) teachers were sampled, teachers claimed that African traditional herbal medicine is based on testimonial seeming, perceptual seeming, and memorial seeming. The study, therefore, found that the epistemological theory which can appropriately explain the basis of African Traditional herbal medicine in schools is the Bucket Theory of mind as advocated for by Karl Popper. The study recommends Poppers’ falsification theory in the operations of primary school teachers as a measure to do away with falsity content in the usage of traditional herbal medicine in schools

Disability and Social Exclusion

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elina I. Tobias ◽  
Sourav Mukhopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Community Activities ◽  
Individual Interviews

This article explores the experiences of social exclusion of individuals with visual impairment (IWVI) as they negotiate their daily lives in their homes and societal settings in the Oshana and Oshikoto regions of Namibia. Employing qualitative research approach, this research tried to better understand the lived experiences of IWVI. Nine IWVI with ages ranging from 30 to 90 years were initially engaged in focus group discussions, followed by semi-structured in-depth individual interviews. The findings of this research indicated that IWVI experience exclusion from education, employment and social and community participation as well as relationships. Based on these findings, we suggest more inclusive policies to address social exclusion of IWVI. At the same time, this group of individuals should be empowered to participate in community activities to promote interaction with people without visual impairments.

scholarly journals Livelihoods Used by Street Children for Survival in Bamako, Mali

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Oumou Diallo ◽  
Guang Xin Wang ◽  
Hamadoun H. Toure
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Street Children ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Bus Station

<p>This study is based on the livelihood used by street children for survival in Bamako, Mali. Two bus stations were selected for this study: Sogoniko bus station and Medina bus station. Most buses leave from these stations to the vicinity of the country. Data was collected through individual interviews (one by one), focus group discussions and interviews. A sample of one hundred and twenty street children aged between 8 and 17 years were selected for this study. Thirty people were also selected to give their opinions on street children. The results indicate that most of street children survive by selling small objects and through begging, 32.5% and 22.50% respectively. Our survey indicates that there are different factors pushing them to the streets, and as a way of survival on the streets, there is need to be organized, hence, they are organize themselves into groups for protection against violence and aggressions.</p>

scholarly journals Strategies Used by Public Primary School Teachers for Enhancing Students’ Curiosity in Science

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-101
Author(s):  
Bakhtawer Nasrullah ◽  
Ghulam Fatima ◽  
Dur e Nayab
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
School Principal ◽  
School Level ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
The Subject

This qualitative study was planned to identify the curiosity enhancing strategies (CES) and explore the challenges faced by teachers during the use of strategies at primary school students in the subject of science. Curiosity is the desire to acquire new knowledge through exploration in order to grow and expand understanding. Curiosity refers to the tendency of children to ask, investigate, and find out the new knowledge obtained from their environment. The researchers did not find a study in the literature that specifically examined identification of curiosity related strategies used by teachers in Pakistan. This research study was conducted to identify the curiosity related strategies used by the public sector school teachers in teaching Science to students enrolled in primary classes in Lahore. Purposive sampling technique was used for selection of the participants of the study. Data was collected from teachers and students of primary school (5th grade) level in science subject. Data from teachers was collected personally and on telephone. Data from students was collected through interviews by visiting the respective schools and after taking consent of the school principal. Two semi structured interview protocols were developed for taking responses at primary school level teachers and students. Data was analyzed by using thematic analysis technique. Findings of the study reflected that primary school teachers of the study were using different strategies for enhancing curiosity in students in the subject of Science. During the use of these strategies public sector primary school teachers faced many challenges like lack of resources, large strength of students in a classroom, lack of students attention, lack of parents cooperation. This study recommended that teachers and parents may use these strategies for enhancing curiosity in students.

Teachers’ and custodians’ views and dilemmas arising thereof regarding the integration of indigenous knowledge in the primary school

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 356-368
Author(s):  
Nadaraj Govender ◽  
Godfrey Mutendera
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Standpoint Theory ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Primary School Curriculum

Indigenous Knowledge is largely neglected in the primary school curriculum, yet it espouses the history, art, nature, and traditions of the community from which students come. This study explores the views of six custodians and six teachers on the integration of Indigenous Knowledge in the primary school curriculum in Zimbabwe. Indigenous standpoint theory and participatory research methodology framed the study. Data were generated through focus group discussions with Indigenous Knowledge custodians through individual interviews with teachers. The custodians’ views confirmed that Indigenous Knowledge was significant to their identities, but they were concerned with the loss of their culture due to modernization. Most teachers acknowledged the wisdom of Indigenous Knowledge custodians, welcomed their contributions, but some teachers were sceptical about custodians teaching formally in the classrooms. Several dilemmas arose from the views of participants, which have implication for the integration of Indigenous Knowledge in primary schools.

scholarly journals Dating and Sex Among Emerging Adults in Nepal

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 675-700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pramod R. Regmi ◽  
Edwin R. van Teijlingen ◽  
Padam Simkhada ◽  
Dev R. Acharya
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Young People ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Informal Education ◽  
Safer Sex ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Cultural Changes ◽  
Individual Interviews

Social and cultural changes in Nepal, including better communication facilities and transport, more urbanization and a rising age at which people marry, have created more opportunities for young people for “dating.” Our qualitative study explores whether the existence of dating cultures influences young people’s sexual behavior in Nepal. Focus group discussions with a total of 75 participants and 31 in-depth individual interviews were conducted among young people in Nepal. Most urban and rural young people liked the dating culture. Although it is a new kind of culture in Nepalese society, it is gaining popularity. The mass media were regarded as encouraging and creating an environment for dating. Most participants believed that dating culture encourages premarital and extramarital sexual behavior. The authors underpin their findings by linking it to the “emerging adulthood” framework. In terms of public health, they recommend that dating practice should be discussed in formal and informal education to promote safer sex.

Striving against the ‘Nafs’

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-120
Author(s):  
Mulki Mohamed Al-Sharmani
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Ethical Principles ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Islamic Tradition

I analyze how Somalis in Helsinki re-interpret religious norms on marriage in light of: 1) the challenges of socioeconomic hardships and marginalization in Finland; and 2) ethical principles in Islamic tradition that underlie religious rulings such as striving against the selfishness of the ‘nafs’ (self) and seeking spiritual advancement. I examine how norms on spousal roles and rights are contested and reinterpreted. I highlight how young women, in particular, foreground the ‘ethical' in their religious understandings of marriage norms. I explore if Veit Bader’s1 concept of ‘internal religious governance’ can analytically explain these processes. I draw on data from individual interviews and focus group discussions with women and men; and interviews with mosque imams and a clan elder.

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