School Administrators' Perspectives of Effective Mathematics Instruction and Comparison to Teachers' Perspectives

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented situation that influenced all aspects of society, including education. Millions of students found themselves adjusting to a new medium of mathematics instruction, not to mention the teachers who had to provide instruction through remote sources. Considering students’ diverse social, economic, and academic background, this study sought to examine teachers’ perspectives on factors that support or hinder how equity is attended to in mathematics during remote instruction and the extent it differed from practices utilized when instruction was provided in a face-to-face setting. We also sought to document teachers’ perspectives on how they attended to equity in mathematics to support students with language barriers. We interviewed nine teachers to explore their perspectives of factors that support or hinder equity in mathematics teaching and learning during remote instruction compared to face-to-face instruction and how they support the diverse needs (inclusive of language barriers) of students. There were salient factors in this study that supported or hindered equitable mathematics instruction, such as teachers’ beliefs, expectations for students, access to resources, students’ socioeconomic status, and language barriers. Hence, it is recommended that policymakers, school administrators, and teachers need to collaborate to systematically plan to ensure that all students have access to quality mathematics.

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Critical Reflections on Fund Distribution in Malaysian Schools

Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education (TURCOMAT) ◽

10.17762/turcomat.v12i3.767 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 626-632

Author(s):

Syed Ismail Syed Mohamad Et.al

Keyword(s):

Intellectual Capital ◽

Financial Management ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

School Administrators ◽

Theoretical Implication ◽

Fund Allocation ◽

Key Stakeholders ◽

Budget Committee ◽

Teachers Perspectives ◽

Critical Reflections

The objective of this study is to provide critical reflections on teachers’ awareness and participation in sourcing and allocating funds for school operations in Malaysia. A survey of 118 teachers was conducted to obtain the teachers’ perspectives on the funding process. The perspectives were used as basis for critical reflections on the funding process in Malaysian schools. A theoretical framework comprising of stakeholder and intellectual capital theories was adopted to interpret the perspectives of the teachers. The survey revealed that only 9.3% (11/118) of the teachers had ample knowledge of the funding process, 32.2% (38 / 118) had very little knowledge and the remaining 58.47% (69) had no knowledge of the process. The survey also show that teachers and school administrators lack understanding of the central government's policies on fund allocation to schools. The majority of the respondents agree that knowledge of sources and application of funds will help teachers to construct instructional planning that would enhance teaching and learning. The teachers believe that improvements at each of the school's preliminary meetings as well as the school budget committee meeting should be presented to encourage teachers to plan their annual lesson plans by incorporating elements of creativity and innovation in their teaching and learning process. The theoretical implication of our study highlights that teachers being one of the key stakeholders contribute to the intellectual capital, which is a key feature financial management and accountability of source and application of school funds. Hence, we argue that developments in teachers’ awareness and participation in the funding process would enhance the core intellectual capital of schools.

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Navigating (and Disrupting) the Digital Divide: Urban Teachers’ Perspectives on Secondary Mathematics Instruction During COVID-19

The Urban Review ◽

10.1007/s11256-021-00611-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Alesia Mickle Moldavan ◽

Robert M. Capraro ◽

Mary Margaret Capraro

Keyword(s):

Digital Divide ◽

Mathematics Instruction ◽

Secondary Mathematics ◽

Urban Teachers ◽

Teachers Perspectives

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A survey of distance learning challenges in UNRWA schools in Gaza governorates in the light of COVID- 19 pandemic from teacher's perspectives: معوقات تطبيق التعليم عن بعد في مدارس وكالة الغوث بمحافظات غزة من وجهة نظر المعلمين – دراسة مسحية في ظل جائحة كورونا (COVID- 19) –

المجلة العربية للعلوم ونشر الأبحاث مجلة العلوم التربوية والنفسية ◽

10.26389/ajsrp.r260920 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (38) ◽

Author(s):

Mohammed Sameer Alrantisi

Keyword(s):

Distance Learning ◽

School Administrators ◽

Average Score ◽

Learning Tools ◽

Technical Problems ◽

Learning Barriers ◽

Study Results ◽

Teachers And Students ◽

Barriers And Challenges ◽

Teachers Perspectives

The study aimed at finding out distance learning barriers and challenges in UNRWA schools during coronavirus pandemic time, Covid- 19, from teachers' perspectives. The descriptive method was used in this study and the questionnaire was the study tool consisting of 36 items. The study sample consisted of 366 teachers from UNRWA school in Gaza governorates. The study results showed that according to the study sample points of view the barriers of remote teaching was a high degree at an average score (4.13), with a considerable percentage (%83); the study indicates that teachers' barriers came first with an average score (4.25) and a percentage of (%85), technical problems second with an average score (4.21) and a percentage of(%84), learners with an average score (4.16) and a percentage of (%83), and administrations challenges with an average score (3.88) and a percentage of (%78) Finally. Based on the results of the study, the researcher proposed a set of recommendations inviting educational organizations in charge to hold training programs for school administrators, teachers, and students on how to use distance learning tools effectively.

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The relationship between school administrators’ leadership styles and organisational cynicism from teachers’ perspectives

South African Journal of Education ◽

10.15700/saje.v41n1a1825 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Yusuf İnandı ◽

Fahrettin Gılıç

Keyword(s):

Leadership Styles ◽

Leadership Style ◽

School Administrators ◽

Democratic Leadership ◽

Female Teachers ◽

Organizational Cynicism ◽

Leadership Behaviour ◽

Teachers Perspectives ◽

The Relationship ◽

Test Correlation

This study reported on here aimed to determine the relationship between leadership styles (democratic, autocratic and transformational) and organisational cynicism in addition to examining whether leadership styles predict organisational cynicism. The data were collected from 426 teachers (183 male and 243 female teachers) from primary and secondary schools in the central districts of Mersin. The sample was formed by availability sampling, which is one of the improbable sampling techniques. Data were collected using the Leadership Style Scale (Taş, Çelik & Tomul, 2007) and the Organizational Cynicism Scale (Kalağan, 2009). Descriptive statistics, t-test, correlation and multiple regression analysis results show that views of teachers on autocratic and democratic leadership differ significantly by gender and also that male and female teachers experience behavioural cynicism to different extents. The findings of the study also reveal that all leadership styles were associated with all sub-dimensions of organisational cynicism. Furthermore, the leadership styles were found to be significant predictors of all 3 types of organisational cynicism. As a result, leadership styles of school administrators are associated to a considerable extent with organisational cynicism experienced by teachers. Thus, it would be recommended that school administrators attend training or seminars on leadership behaviour and also be evaluated by their subordinates.

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