Human rights education as a framework for transmitting religion as cultural heritage

The child’s right to freedom of religion and belief and fundamental principles such as equality and non-discrimination constitute an international frame for religious education (RE). However, these rights might be challenged when RE is allocated a major role in transmitting the majority religion as national cultural heritage and national identity. This article will explore and discuss this issue. It is based on an analysis of the transmission of Christianity as cultural heritage in the national RE curriculum for primary and lower secondary schools in Denmark. The article argues that principles from human rights education could provide a basis for a more pluralistic, objective, and critical approach to RE, thus enabling the classroom to function as a community of disagreement.

Exploring Teachers’ Approaches to Science Practical Work in Lower Secondary Schools in Malaysia

<p>Practical work in science is a teaching approach that aims to enable students to develop procedural and conceptual understanding and an understanding about the nature of science. Practical work is required by the Malaysian Science Curriculum at all school levels. The purpose of this research was to gain an understanding of teachers’ views and practices in conducting practical work in lower secondary schools. This research, which adopted a case study approach, was underpinned by constructivist views of learning and investigated the phenomenon of practical work in three co-educational schools in the state of Melaka. The participants were three science teachers and their classes of about 35 students each. Data were collected through teacher interviews, classroom observations, document analysis and focus group interviews with students. Findings suggest that teachers’ understanding about practical work were aligned with their purposes for conducting practical work. Practical work that teachers offered promoted low levels of inquiry and at best students were developing a view that in science we follow a set of procedures to arrive at a well-known conclusion. Teachers’ practices were constrained by limited resources, prescribed texts, the amount of content to be taught, and their science content knowledge. Student learning was constrained by the limited exposure to authentic science investigation, low teacher expectation, a focus on hands-on rather than minds-on learning, and the language of instruction. The findings have implications for teacher practice and science education policy for lower secondary schools in Malaysia.</p>

Exploring Teachers’ Approaches to Science Practical Work in Lower Secondary Schools in Malaysia

<p>Practical work in science is a teaching approach that aims to enable students to develop procedural and conceptual understanding and an understanding about the nature of science. Practical work is required by the Malaysian Science Curriculum at all school levels. The purpose of this research was to gain an understanding of teachers’ views and practices in conducting practical work in lower secondary schools. This research, which adopted a case study approach, was underpinned by constructivist views of learning and investigated the phenomenon of practical work in three co-educational schools in the state of Melaka. The participants were three science teachers and their classes of about 35 students each. Data were collected through teacher interviews, classroom observations, document analysis and focus group interviews with students. Findings suggest that teachers’ understanding about practical work were aligned with their purposes for conducting practical work. Practical work that teachers offered promoted low levels of inquiry and at best students were developing a view that in science we follow a set of procedures to arrive at a well-known conclusion. Teachers’ practices were constrained by limited resources, prescribed texts, the amount of content to be taught, and their science content knowledge. Student learning was constrained by the limited exposure to authentic science investigation, low teacher expectation, a focus on hands-on rather than minds-on learning, and the language of instruction. The findings have implications for teacher practice and science education policy for lower secondary schools in Malaysia.</p>

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Norwegian schools: A population-wide register-based cohort study on characteristics of the index case and secondary attack rates

Objectives: To assess transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools mainly kept open during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: Population-wide register-based cohort study. Setting: Primary and lower secondary schools in Norway have been open during the academic year 2020/2021 with strict infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in place. All identified contacts including student and staff members were urged to get tested following a positive SARS-CoV-2 case in a school. Participants: All students and educational staff in Norwegian primary and lower secondary schools from August 2020 to June 2021. Main outcome measures: Overall secondary attack rate (SAR14) was operationalized as the number of secondary cases (among students and/or staff) in the school by 14 days after the index case, divided by the number of students and staff members in the school. Moreover, we calculated SAR14-to-students, denoting transmission from all index cases to students only, SAR14-to-school staff, denoting transmission from all index cases to staff members only. We also calculated these measures in stratified samples consisting of student index cases or school staff index cases. Results: From August 2020 to June 2021 there were 4,078 index cases, 79% were students and 21% were school staff. In the majority (55%) of schools with an index case, no secondary cases were observed by 14 days, and in 16% of the schools there were only one secondary case within 14 days. Overall SAR14 was found to be 0.33% (95%CI 0.32-0.33). Staff-to-staff transmission (SAR14 0.45%, 95%CI 0.40-0.52) was found to be slightly more common than student-to-student (SAR14 0.33%, 95%CI 0.32-0.34) and student-to-staff (SAR14 0.28%, 95%CI 0.25-0.30) transmission. Conclusions: Our results confirm that schools have not been an important arena of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Norway and therefore support that schools can be kept open with IPC measures in place.

Labour Migration of Parents and Threats to Children and Youth

Labour migration is a global trend that shapes communities and economies around the world. Growing economic migration carries a specific threat to children and youth. Long-term consequences threaten life outcomes such as educational achievement, career development, mental and physical health. The study examined the problems of children from migrating families in educational institutions. It was also important to determine what assistance is provided to children from migrant families and what institutions support such families. The respondents were class tutors/educators who were teachers of educational institutions: 2317 respondents took part in the study, including 2044 women and 273 men. Significant differentiation of the respondents according to gender is mainly due to the feminization of the teaching profession in Poland. The results of the survey were analyzed with the chi-square test of independence. As a result of the research, threats to children and adolescents resulting from the economic migration of parents were diagnosed. In secondary schools, a decrease in attendance is observed (unexcused absences, truancy, being late). In lower secondary schools there are problems with school results and a decrease in motivation to learn. Educational institutions find it difficult to stay in contact with parents. In the youngest children (kindergartens, primary schools), emotional instability is observed due to the absence of parents in everyday contact. Educational institutions respond to diagnosed problems by providing support to students. In primary schools, students are provided with help in learning and students’ free time is organized. There are also activities aimed at providing additional nutrition. In lower secondary schools, as in secondary schools, support focuses more on motivational interviewing, mediation in conflict situations and psychological assistance. In order to solve problems and help students, educational institutions cooperate with the Psychological and Pedagogical Counselling Centre, the Social Welfare Centre and the Probation Officer.

Investigation of Most Commonly Used Instructional Methods in Teaching Chemistry: Rwandan Lower Secondary Schools

Improved teaching methods facilitate the ease of acquisition of knowledge and lead to better achievement. The present study investigates the instructional methods most commonly used in teaching chemistry in lower secondary schools in Rwanda. SPSS 23.0 was used to analyze data from a survey conducted on 51 lower secondary chemistry teachers. The survey has satisfactory and acceptable reliability (Cronbach alpha=0.913 for 57 items on average). The results revealed that teachers prefer active learning methods though they still use traditional teaching methods. Comparison of teachers’ responses in terms of experience showed no statistically significant difference with p= 0.064. The study also found that some teachers have misconceptions in differentiating instructional approaches, methods, and techniques or strategies. Therefore, it is recommended that educational stakeholders should plan pieces of training to teachers about different instructional methods and techniques to use in chemistry teaching for effective learning outcomes.

Expenditure on education and physical culture in the commune of Skulsk and Wilczyn in 2015-2018. Comparative analysis

According to the Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 1997, a commune is the basic unit of local self-government. The commune realizes its own tasks and commissioned tasks, and its aim is cater to local residents needs. In both analyzed communes, the main source of expenditure were own tasks. In the balance sheet, the education department had the biggest share in the expenditure of both communes. In particular, these are expenses for kindergartens, primary schools, lower secondary schools and teachers' salaries. Expenditure on physical culture does not significantly affect the balance sheet of communes.