Editorial

The current issue of Nordic Research in Music Education presents six research articles that in various ways call into question beliefs and established truths within music education, such as perceptions of teacher qualifications for music activities in preschool and primary school, and and who institutions select and educate to become music teachers. Furthermore, the articles address how notions of diversity, intercultural music education and genre categorizations influence the construction of content in music education, and what happens when these categories travel between music cultures and their reconstruction as content in the classroom.

Grade Retention Practices in Primary Education in Timor-Leste: A Case Study

<p>Grade retention is the practice of requiring a student who has been in a given grade level for a full school year to remain at that same grade level the following year (Jimerson, 2001; Owings & Kaplan, 2001; Wynn, 2010). Grade retention has always been practised in primary education in Timor-Leste. This study investigates rationales behind grade retention practice in grade 1 primary education in Timor-Leste. A qualitative case study was use to investigate the mechanisms teachers use to retain or promote a student. Teachers‟ beliefs about grade retention, their efforts to prevent students from being retained, and factors that may inhibit students‟ learning are explored. Six teachers and four principals from six primary schools in two districts participated in this study. Analysis of data that were collected by using semi-structure interviews and studying documents relating to the practice of grade retention revealed that grade retention has been inconsistently practised amongst the participating schools in Timor-Leste. Despite having poor classroom conditions for learning and low teacher qualifications, teachers continue to retain low achieving students due to their beliefs that grade retention improves students‟ learning. This study suggests that classroom conditions need to be improved, and teachers‟ qualifications need to be upgraded in order to increase student learning while reducing grade retention.</p>

Grade Retention Practices in Primary Education in Timor-Leste: A Case Study

<p>Grade retention is the practice of requiring a student who has been in a given grade level for a full school year to remain at that same grade level the following year (Jimerson, 2001; Owings & Kaplan, 2001; Wynn, 2010). Grade retention has always been practised in primary education in Timor-Leste. This study investigates rationales behind grade retention practice in grade 1 primary education in Timor-Leste. A qualitative case study was use to investigate the mechanisms teachers use to retain or promote a student. Teachers‟ beliefs about grade retention, their efforts to prevent students from being retained, and factors that may inhibit students‟ learning are explored. Six teachers and four principals from six primary schools in two districts participated in this study. Analysis of data that were collected by using semi-structure interviews and studying documents relating to the practice of grade retention revealed that grade retention has been inconsistently practised amongst the participating schools in Timor-Leste. Despite having poor classroom conditions for learning and low teacher qualifications, teachers continue to retain low achieving students due to their beliefs that grade retention improves students‟ learning. This study suggests that classroom conditions need to be improved, and teachers‟ qualifications need to be upgraded in order to increase student learning while reducing grade retention.</p>

The Comparison of Education System in Australia and Indonesia

The education system is a method for directing the educational process. All aspects of learning must be regulated by the educational system. Because each country has a unique system, it is necessary to compare the education system in Indonesia to that of other countries in order to assess and evaluate it. This paper aims to explain and analyze differences in educational systems; and comparing the basic education curricula in Indonesia and Australia. This research is conceptual. Data collection methods are books, the internet, and journals. The study analysis was carried out by collecting and analyzing information about the education system in Indonesia and Australia. The results of the study show that: (1) Australia requires children to study for 10 years, while in Indonesia for 12 years, Australia holds a NAPLAN test and Indonesia holds a NE, and teacher qualifications must be undergraduate in Australia and Indonesia; (2) differences in the education system, among others, the level of material difficulty, assessment, rewards, learning atmosphere, teaching staff, education staff, and religious subjects; and (3) the curriculum in Indonesia has a relationship between education, customs, arts, and religions, meanwhile, the Australian curriculum is designed to support students to be successful, active, well-off and knowledgeable.

Pemetaan Mutu Pendidik dan Tenaga Kependidikan di SMP Negeri 1 Keling-Jepara-Jawa Tengah

Pemetaan mutu dilaksanakan untuk memberikan gambaran tentang capaian atau pemenuhan SNP. Penelitian ini mengambil fokus permasalahan: 1) bagaimana pemetaan mutu tenaga pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan berdasarkan instrumen pemetaan mutu di SMPN 1 Keling Jepara? 2) bagaimana cara meningkatkan mutu tenaga pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan berdasarkan standar pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan di SMPN 1 Keling Jepara? Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa rapor mutu sebagai hasil pemetaan mutu menunjukkan ada peningkatan nilai dari tahun sebelumnya, hal ini dibuktikan dengan adanya penambahan guru serta kualifikasi guru yang hampir mencapai SNP (Standar Nasional Pendidikan). Kemajuan juga terjadi pada kepala sekolah yang sudah memenuhi kualifikasi sebagai kepala sekolah profesional, ada juga standar tenaga administrasi yang harus memiliki tenaga administrasi yang berkualifikasi sesuai namun masih banyak data yang tidak terbaca oleh aplikasi dapodik yang menjadikan nilai rapor standar pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan tidak memiliki nilai. Setelah menganalisis pencapaian mutu dilanjutkan dengan upaya kepala sekolah dalam membina tenaga pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan lewat program pendidikan dan pelatihan, MGMP dan IHT.Quality mapping is carried out to provide an overview of the achievement or fulfillment of the National Education Standards (SNP). This research focuses on the problems: 1) how is the quality mapping of educators and education staff based on the quality mapping instrument at SMPN 1 Keling Jepara? 2) how to improve the quality of educators and education staffs based on the standards of educators and education personnels or staffs at SMPN 1 Keling Jepara? This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach. The results showed that the quality report card as a result of quality mapping showed an increase in grades from the previous year, this was evidenced by the addition of teachers and teacher qualifications that almost reached the National Education Standards (SNP). Progress has also occurred in school principals who have met the qualifications as professional school principals, there are also administrative staff standards who must have appropriate qualified administrative personnel but there is still a lot of data that is not legible by the dapodik application which makes the standard report cards of educators and education personnels have no grade. After analyzing the quality achievement, it is continued with the principal's efforts in fostering educators and education staffs through education and training programs, MGMP and IHT.

Pemetaan Mutu Pendidik dan Tenaga Kependidikan di SMP Negeri 1 Keling-Jepara-Jawa Tengah

Pemetaan mutu dilaksanakan untuk memberikan gambaran tentang capaian atau pemenuhan SNP. Penelitian ini mengambil fokus permasalahan: 1) bagaimana pemetaan mutu tenaga pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan berdasarkan instrumen pemetaan mutu di SMPN 1 Keling Jepara? 2) bagaimana cara meningkatkan mutu tenaga pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan berdasarkan standar pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan di SMPN 1 Keling Jepara? Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa rapor mutu sebagai hasil pemetaan mutu menunjukkan ada peningkatan nilai dari tahun sebelumnya, hal ini dibuktikan dengan adanya penambahan guru serta kualifikasi guru yang hampir mencapai SNP (Standar Nasional Pendidikan). Kemajuan juga terjadi pada kepala sekolah yang sudah memenuhi kualifikasi sebagai kepala sekolah profesional, ada juga standar tenaga administrasi yang harus memiliki tenaga administrasi yang berkualifikasi sesuai namun masih banyak data yang tidak terbaca oleh aplikasi dapodik yang menjadikan nilai rapor standar pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan tidak memiliki nilai. Setelah menganalisis pencapaian mutu dilanjutkan dengan upaya kepala sekolah dalam membina tenaga pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan lewat program pendidikan dan pelatihan, MGMP dan IHT.Quality mapping is carried out to provide an overview of the achievement or fulfillment of the National Education Standards (SNP). This research focuses on the problems: 1) how is the quality mapping of educators and education staff based on the quality mapping instrument at SMPN 1 Keling Jepara? 2) how to improve the quality of educators and education staffs based on the standards of educators and education personnels or staffs at SMPN 1 Keling Jepara? This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach. The results showed that the quality report card as a result of quality mapping showed an increase in grades from the previous year, this was evidenced by the addition of teachers and teacher qualifications that almost reached the National Education Standards (SNP). Progress has also occurred in school principals who have met the qualifications as professional school principals, there are also administrative staff standards who must have appropriate qualified administrative personnel but there is still a lot of data that is not legible by the dapodik application which makes the standard report cards of educators and education personnels have no grade. After analyzing the quality achievement, it is continued with the principal's efforts in fostering educators and education staffs through education and training programs, MGMP and IHT.

Teacher Qualifications and Academic Performance of Pupils in Public Primary Schools in Hargeisa District

This study investigated effect of teacher qualifications on the academic performance of pupils in primary schools in Hargeisa districts. Teacher qualifications were operationalized as Formal education, certification and teaching experience. The study emerged from the deteriorating academic achievement of pupils in Somaliland National Primary Examinations. The deteriorating academic performance was well demonstrated from increase number of failures in Somaliland National Exams. The study employed cross sectional survey research design, on a sample of 160 teachers, the study found out that, Fo = 15.838 > F (2,157) = 3.06; p = .000. The eta-square returned an average value of η 2 = 16.8%. Therefore, teacher qualification accounts for 16.8% of the variance in academic performance of pupils in pubic primary schools in Hargeisa. The rest 83.2% are due to factors not investigated here, and errors in measurements. The study findings indicate that teacher qualifications affect to the academic performance of pupils in public primary schools in Hargeisa District.

Teacher Career Development Management at Madrasah Aliyah Negeri

This study aims to analyze the management of teacher career development at MAN 2 Model Medan. The research focuses on planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating teacher career development at MAN 2 Model Medan. This study uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive-analytical study method. Obtaining data using observation techniques, interviews, and document studies. Furthermore, the data were analyzed using data reduction techniques, data presentation, and drawing conclusions or data verification. The results of this study indicate that the management of teacher career development at the MAN 2 Medan Model is carried out effectively. It can be viewed from the aspects; (1) planning for teacher career development in the form of motivation and application of a conducive organizational culture (climate); (2) organizing human resources (HR) for teachers in madrasah through leadership support, technical meetings, coordination between madrasah leaders and vice-principals involving supervisors to improve teacher qualifications; (3) the implementation of teacher career development is carried out based on promotion, transfer, and promotion; (4) evaluation of teacher career development is carried out based on online-based supervision and teacher performance assessment. This research hopes that it can be used as a reference for further research on the management of teacher career development in Islamic educational institutions. This research also has implications for teachers in Islamic educational institutions to accelerate careers as educators in madrasah.