scholarly journals Resurgence of Large Class Sizes and Pedagogical Reform in 21st Century Secondary School History Classrooms

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 45-63
Author(s):  
Godsend T. Chimbi ◽  
Loyiso C. Jita

This paper examines the interaction between class size and teachers’ selection of teaching methods while implementing a new history curriculum in Zimbabwean secondary schools. Policy makers, parents, teachers, and students are worried about large class sizes because they are associated with higher dropout rates, less teacher-student interaction and rote pedagogy. Although class sizes had significantly declined in the latter half of the 20th century, the growth of online learning has witnessed class sizes ballooning in the 21st century, reigniting the class size debate. The large class size challenge has re-emerged in the developed North although the problem has never been resolved in the developing South. Using the theoretical lens of symbolic interactionism and a qualitative multiple case-study approach, data were collected over an eight-week period using document analysis, semi-structured interviews and lesson observations. Results seem to challenge the conventional view that large classes coerce teachers to use rote pedagogy and small classes encourage learner-centric practices. Teachers’ choices of teaching methods were neither linked to class size nor new pedagogical policy. Instead, teachers’ personal philosophy to instruction appeared to be the decisive factor to the teaching methods they used, rather than the size of the class. To promote pedagogical change, improving teacher quality appears a more valuable and cheaper investment than constructing new schools and employing more teachers to reduce class sizes.

2019 ◽  
pp. 192-211
Author(s):  
Lucyna Kopciewicz ◽  
Hussein Bougsiaa

This comparative small-scale (Libyan and Polish sample) qualitative study investigates two educational models of iPads’ implementation and integration with the overall pedagogical objectives in early education in Libya and Poland. The basic methodological frame was video-ethnography supplemented by semi-structured interviews with parents, teachers and children. The questions asked were designed to recognize how technology might fit within the school’s overall vision. The results indicate that each technology initiative can be potentially transformative for schools, teachers and students. The iPad as an open educational tool encourages a student-centered model of learning, whereas teachers predominantly use frontal teaching methods. Furthermore, the teachers in the two countries have considerably different perceptions and expectations regarding the role and outcome of mobile technology.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingwen Jiang ◽  
Marja Vauras ◽  
Simone Volet ◽  
Anne-Elina Salo

This study explored teacher beliefs and emotion expression via six semi-structured interviews with teachers, and discussed the findings in relation to the Self-Determination Theory, which addresses teacher support for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The findings showed that teacher beliefs about their roles as educators, carers, and providers of reassurance reflected expressing clear expectation, caring for students, and considering student perspectives and feelings; teacher beliefs about equality between teachers and students appeared connected with trust in students and encouragement of their self-initiation; teacher beliefs about closeness to students reflected caring for students; teacher expression of negative emotions by discussing the problem with students conveyed explanatory rationales for expected student behaviors. This study revealed that teacher beliefs about teacher-student power relations may be connected with teacher appraisals of student misbehaviors. The findings also suggest that teachers need to discuss the problem with students rather than lose their temper or suppress their emotion when they feel a need to direct-stage anger. Future research could investigate teachers’ faking a particular emotion, such as faking indifference as revealed in the present study. Future research could also explore the reason for and harmfulness of embracing beliefs, e.g., negative expression of anger as a safety belt.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Libia Villamizar-González

ResumenLa forma en la que los docentes ejercen sus prácticas pedagógicas repercute con fuerza sobre el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje. Es por eso que los docentes con mejor desempeño contribuyen en la creación de condiciones óptimas para el aprendizaje a partir de un entorno crítico natural, en el que se vale de sus  destrezas para dar un mejor uso a  la información que ellos quieren enseñar mediante estrategias que los estudiantes encontrarán atrayentes. Por otra parte, los estudiantes suelen distinguir entre sus profesores los que ejercen su labor con mayor empeño y efectividad. En este sentido, el objetivo central de la investigación consistió en caracterizar las prácticas pedagógicas de los docentes mejor evaluados  por sus alumnos en la  UFPS. El estudio se abordó desde  el paradigma cualitativo, para lo cual se utilizó un  diseño  descriptivo de caso. Los sujetos de investigación fueron cinco docentes, uno de cada facultad  y cuarenta y tres estudiantes que tomaron asignaturas con estos docentes. En la recolección de información se utilizaron dos técnicas: relatos de vida  y entrevistas semiestructuradas, se indagó sobre las percepciones que tienen los docentes y estudiantes  sobre las  prácticas pedagógicas. Los hallazgos de la investigación reflejan que las prácticas de los docentes mejor evaluados se caracterizan por ser disciplinadas, planificadas y comprometidas, identificándose que los docentes no se apegan a nivel teórico y pedagógico a un modelo pedagógico determinado. También se encontró que los atributos reconocidos por los estudiantes como propios de un buen docente son la puntualidad, la responsabilidad, el compromiso y la actualización disciplinar y pedagógica. En conclusión, las altas evaluaciones de los docentes por parte de sus alumnos están soportadas en la flexibilidad y la relación docente estudiante.Palabras claves: desempeño docente, práctica pedagógica, modelos pedagógicos Underlying conceptions and models in the pedagogical practice of teachers whose performance is the best evaluated by university studentsAbstractThe way teachers utilize their teaching methods has a strong impact on the teaching-learning process. Therefore, teachers who perform better in the classroom create the optimal conditions for learning from a critical natural environment, in which the teachers may apply their skills to employ teaching skills that utilize the information they want to teach, so that students may find their lessons more appealing. Nevertheless, students tend to easily identify which of their professors teach with greater effort and effectiveness. Accordingly, the central objective of this study was to characterize the teaching practices of the UFPS professor’s which scored highest on the students’ evaluations. The investigation was consistent with the qualitative paradigm, for which a descriptive case study design was used. The research subjects were five teachers (one from each faculty) and forty-three of their students. There were two techniques used to collect data: semi-structured interviews and hearsay, both concerning the perceptions that teachers and students have about teaching methods. The findings of the research demonstrate that the methods of the teachers with the more positive student evaluations are characterized by discipline, planning and commitment. The study also identified that all the teachers, on both a theoretical and educational level, did not stick to any particular pedagogical model. It also found that the attributes, as recognized by the students, of a good teacher, are punctuality, responsibility, being committed, disciplined and having a determined teaching approach. In conclusion, the students’ high ratings of their teachers are founded in both the adjustibility and the student-teacher relationship.Keywords: teaching performance, teaching methods, pedagogical models  Concepções e modelos subjacentes na prática pedagógica de professores cujo desempenho é o melhor avaliado pelos estudantes universitáriosResumoA forma como os professores exercem suas práticas pedagógicas tem um forte impacto no processo ensino-aprendizagem. É por isso que os professores com melhor desempenho contribuem para a criação de condições ideais para aprender a partir de um ambiente crítico natural, que usa suas habilidades para fazer melhor uso da informação que eles querem ensinar  através de estratégias que os estudantes encontrarão atraente. Por outro lado, os alunos muitas vezes distinguem entre seus professores aqueles que exercitam seu trabalho com maior esforço e eficácia. Nesse sentido, o objetivo central da pesquisa consistiu em caracterizar as práticas pedagógicas dos professores melhor avaliados pelos alunos na UFPS. O estudo foi abordado a partir do paradigma qualitativo, para o qual foi utilizado um desenho de caso descritivo. Os sujeitos da pesquisa foram cinco professores, um de cada faculdade e quarenta e três alunos que cursaram assuntos com esses professores. Na coleta de informações, foram utilizadas duas técnicas: histórias de vida e entrevistas semiestruturadas, e as percepções que os professores e alunos têm sobre práticas pedagógicas foram investigadas. Os resultados da pesquisa mostram que as práticas dos melhores professores avaliados são caracterizadas por serem disciplinadas, planejadas e comprometidas, identificando que os professores não aderem a um modelo pedagógico específico a nível teórico e pedagógico. Verificou-se também que os atributos reconhecidos pelos alunos como pertencentes a um bom professor são a pontualidade, responsabilidade, compromisso e atualização disciplinar e pedagógica. Em conclusão, as avaliações elevadas dos professores por seus alunos são apoiadas na flexibilidade e na relação professor-aluno.Palavras-chave: desempenho docente, prática pedagógica, modelos pedagógicos


2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Robert Caballero-Montañez ◽  
Luis Sime-Poma

The “good teacher” is a person who has transcendentally marked and influenced the personal and academic students’ life, and his/her image remains in the students’ school memory as a prolonged and highly positive souvenir. Therefore, to know what are their main traits and why they had an impact in such a way on their students is worth to be analyzed in order to be a contribution to the study of teaching in basic education. In this perspective, the main objective of this empirical research is to analyze the characteristics of the “good teacher” from the perception of students graduated from public and private secondary schools in Lima, Peru. The results of this qualitative research, based on semi-structured interviews to eight graduated students, showed some characteristics of the relationship between the “good teacher” and the students: high engagement with the students, positive perception and motivation to them, and affective quality of the teacher-student interaction. In addition, the data revealed other characteristics of the “good teacher” and his/her profession such as passion for teaching, command of knowledge, and organization of the class. The study concludes that the recognition of at least one good teacher by graduated students reveals the heterogeneity in kinds of teachers; this heterogeneity demands to overcome negative generalizations and that the teacher’s image is a collective construction in several graduation years. One implication of this study to the educational policy and research areas is to pay more attention to former students and this in order to improve our understanding on the schooling experience and the relationship between teachers and students.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shobhana Puranik

21st Century is the age of cataclysmic change and creativity. India needs educated man power in huge numbers. Traditional teaching learning methodology is outdated and best methods are to be identified to improve the required skills of the teachers and students. There exists a strong need to change pedagogy from fact-based traditional lecturing to interactive teaching with the aim of fostering durable and employability skills. To address this problem, innovation in teaching and learning has become essential. Adoption of various methods and strategies as mentioned in the paper will help in getting the desired outcome. The present paper describes innovative teaching methods being adopted by higher educational institutes in the country.


Author(s):  
Rizqa Ayu Ega Winahyu ◽  
Leo Agung S ◽  
Djono Djono

This research is elucidating the teacher’s roles in the implementation of media literacy in the historical learning. The research site is in Senior High School 2 Magelang with the subject of research is the history teachers and students in 10th grade and 11th grade. The qualitative method with case study approach was used in this research to to get deeper data that contain the meaning. The data collection was conducted through the observation by plunging into the field and observes directly how the conditions are running in the classroom. Then in addition, the authors also conducted interviews with the teachers and students. These data collection, then combined or triangulated with observation, interview and documentation. This research shows that the teacher's role in media literacy is necessary in the process of learning history. The media-based learning process requires supervision and direction from teachers because there is a potent to have positive and negative impacts. Keywords: 21st Century Media Literation, Historical Learning, Teacher Role


2021 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
pp. 01018
Author(s):  
Maria Dmitrievna Inkova ◽  
Irina Valerievna Pronina ◽  
Ludmila Petrovna Timoshenko ◽  
Daria Alekseevna Prusakova ◽  
Yana Borisovna Adasova

Online education is not an innovative product nowadays but when COVID-19 pandemic resulted in total lockdowns, many teachers and students registered numerous challenges in virtual classrooms among which the level of a teacher-student interaction is a focus of this paper. The research shows that isolation, distraction, and lack of immediate connection can actually pose a big problem. As a result, many students lose interest and become passive learners with poor performance. To revive scholars’ involvement research was conducted integrating authentic materials in online classes. A quasi-experimental method was used to collect data. A questionnaire among the students allowed to consider their attitude to studying online while semi-structured interviews and self-written reflections provided rich material for analysis. On the whole, the study revealed positive gains. Being a natural source of practical English, authentic materials bring meaning back into the classrooms and offer teachers an inexhaustible source of relevant language. They help regain students’ engagement if applied thoughtfully. Though there are certain difficulties, with due experience and practice they can be overcome. The results of this study contribute to providing useful guidelines for English teachers and students to enhance the efficacy of teaching and learning activities, particularly in virtual ELT (English Language Teaching) classrooms.


Author(s):  
Jasmeet Bedi

We are living in the world of 21st century which is known as the world of ‘Mental Stress’ in these circumstances, knowledge amplifies day by day. There is a knowledge explosion in the world, hence each and every person tries to get this knowledge by new andmost recent mediasand they also use it. In this direction there is a qualitative growing up in the person for in receipt of knowledge and its use by appreciative. In the same way, we notice the qualitative addition in the educational organization, teachers and students, which are going to get knowledge. In these circumstances teachers and students feel a perplexity. Learner or student of today is not only physically unhealthy but also mentally or emotionally. So it becomes duty or responsibility of a teacher to incorporate such practices in his classroom so that stress, tension, anxiety, frustration etc. of their students reduces which ultimately affect upon their academic as well as socio-psychological performance. The present paper throws light on benefits of yoga into classroom, studies conducted on the same, challenges before a teacher.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Li Xu ◽  
Qi Yang

Although the teacher-student relationship has been addressed in some studies, the cooperation or reciprocal relations between teachers and students have not been explored sufficiently. In this paper, a difference equation model is applied to express the relationship, stability analysis at the positive steady state of the discrete model is done to verify that the performance output is not empty, and hypothesis testing is conducted to show the validity of the model by means of sample data from a college. Then some reasonable suggestions are proposed to improve the performance output of teachers and students.


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