Pupils' Creative Self-Expression in Visual Art

The study is devoted to the organization of the teaching/learning content of visual art and self-expression process in practice. The article, based on theory, explains creative self-expression in the context of pupil's meaningful learning, based on the new education policy and the developed guidelines in basic education. The individual experience of prospective primary school teachers and their understanding of self-expression in visual art has been clarified during the reflection and pedagogical observation in the study process in methods of teaching visual art which led to stating the research problem. The theoretical account offered in the article reveals pedagogical possibilities for prospective teachers to organize purposefully self-expression classes in visual art during the teaching practice so that the pupil, learning visual art without professional literacy in art, improved his/her transversal skills acquiring the experience of self-guided learning, critical thinking and problem-solving, innovation, cooperation, and civic participation.

Recruitment, Effort, and Retention Effects of Performance Contracts for Civil Servants: Experimental Evidence from Rwandan Primary Schools

This paper reports on a two-tiered experiment designed to separately identify the selection and effort margins of pay for performance (P4P). At the recruitment stage, teacher labor markets were randomly assigned to a “pay-for-percentile” or fixed-wage contract. Once recruits were placed, an unexpected, incentive-compatible, school-level re-randomization was performed so that some teachers who applied for a fixed-wage contract ended up being paid by P4P, and vice versa. By the second year of the study, the within-year effort effect of P4P was 0.16 standard deviations of pupil learning, with the total effect rising to 0.20 standard deviations after allowing for selection. (JEL C93, I21, J23, J33, J41, J45, O15)

Impact of Resource Distribution and Availability on Primary Schools Pupil Learning Outcomes: Case Study of Chintheche Education Zone, Nkhata Bay, Malawi

This study investigated the impact of resource distribution on learning outcomes on nine purposively selected primary schools in the Chintheche Education Zone (previously known as Chihame Zone 1), Nkhata Bay District. Criteria for eligibility were that a school should have administered primary school leaving examinations at least three (3) times and was easy to access by public transport. In addition to document analysis, the study collected data using a questionnaire administered to the head teachers of each school, the Primary Education Advisor (PEA), and District Education Manager (DEM). Descriptive statistical analysis was done to compare pupil performance between schools with optimal resource availability and those without. The study found that the distribution of resources in the Chintheche Education Zone is unequal even though the zone is under one Primary Education Advisor. Schools closest to the trading centre have more resources and perform better than schools located far away from the trading centre and lacking almost in everything. The findings suggest that the unequal distribution of resources affects selection of pupils to secondary schools. The study recommends that fair and equitable distribution of resources would go a long way to achieving equity in access to secondary education.

Formative Decision-Making in Response to Primary Science Classroom Assessment: What to do Next?

Classroom assessment is purposeful when the information is utilised by teachers to support learning. Such formative assessment practices can be difficult to enact in a primary science classroom, with the whole class often involved in practical activities and with limited lesson time. This preliminary study seeks to explore formative decision-making and the subsequent actions taken by teachers in the classroom. Primary teachers who used a Teacher Assessment in Primary Science (TAPS) Focused Assessment activity were asked to describe what action they took as a result of the classroom interactions stimulated by the activity. 142 teachers in 9 regions of England completed a paper questionnaire at a training day. The qualitative data pertinent to the study was extracted and thematic content analysis carried out to determine the kinds of actions and changes to practice that were described. It was found that the “next step” described by teachers varied in timing; some made changes within the lesson, others provided follow up activities or made longer-term adaptation to teaching practices. Being responsive to the assessment information provided by the children took many forms, for example, supporting pupils to reflect on investigations during the lesson, discussing vocabulary or concepts, providing time for further exploration, or explicit modeling of science skills. Formative decisions were taken at a whole class level, rather than making individual adaptations. It is argued that enabling teachers to be more explicit about their tacit decision-making could support them to make more formative use of assessment information to support pupil learning.

Class Size and Learning: Has India Spent Too Much on Reducing Class Size?

This paper examines the efficacy of class-size reductions as a strategy to improve pupils’ learning outcomes in India. It uses a credible identification strategy to address the endogeneity of class-size, by relating the difference in a student’s achievement score across subjects to the difference in his/her class size across subjects. Pupil fixed effects estimation shows a relationship between class size and student achievement which is roughly flat or non-decreasing for a large range of class sizes from 27 to 51, with a negative effect on learning outcomes occurring only after class size increases beyond 51 pupils. The class-size effect varies by gender and by subject-stream. The fact that up to a class-size of roughly 40 in science subjects and roughly 50 in non-science subjects, there is no reduction in pupil learning as class size increases, implies that there is no learning gain from reducing class size below 40 in science and below 50 in non-science. This has important policy implications for pupil teacher ratios (PTRs) and thus for teacher appointments in India, based on considerations of cost-effectiveness. When generalised, our findings suggest that India experienced a value-subtraction from spending on reducing class-sizes, and that the US$3.6 billion it spent in 2017-18 on the salaries of 0.4 million new teachers appointed between 2010 and 2017 was wasteful spending rather than an investment in improving learning. We show that India could save US$ 19.4 billion (Rupees 1,45,000 crore in Indian currency) per annum by increasing PTR from its current 22.8 to 40, without any reduction in pupil learning.

Effects of ‘double-sessioning’ on Provision of Quality Education: Perspectives of Education Administrators, Primary School Heads and Teachers in Zimbabwe

The study sought to investigate the negative effects of ‘double-sessioning’ and perspectives held by District Schools Inspector (DSI), school heads and teachers, on pupil learning and provision of quality education in schools practising hot-sitting in Goromonzi District. It employed a mixed methods research design. The study population comprised the DSI, all heads and teachers in primary schools practising ‘double-sessioning’, commonly referred to as ‘hot-seating’ in the District. Six schools that were practising hot-seating were purposively selected out of a total of 85 schools in the District to participate in the study. The target population was stratified according to position of the respondents, i.e.: teacher, school head or DSI. The study sample size was 51, randomly-selected from each stratum. Data-gathering instruments included: structured questionnaires, interview schedules and Focus Group Discussion guides. Questionnaires were administered to 32 teachers while the DSI and 6 School Heads were interviewed, and 12 more teachers participated in Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Data were analysed using the thematic analysis technique. Findings revealed that double sessioning had the following negative effects on pupil learning and provision of quality education, viz: hot-seating reduces teaching-learning contact time; causes destruction of resources (e.g. furniture) through overuse; gives rise to increased challenges relating to the supervision of teachers, and compromises the quality of education. However, ‘hot-seating’ increases access to education for children. Based on the negative effects of ‘hot-seating’ that emerged from the District, the study recommends that Policy-makers and Education Planners need to review this double sessioning policy and practice.

The influence of principal performance on teachers’ pedagogical competence

Purpose: The principal's job is very essential and governs the equal of student learning consequences. Principal performances are also in line with teachers' output and self-esteem. In this case, it can be said that the principal's working area creates a feeling of comfort for teachers. The principal performances create the feeling at home in encouraging teachers and employees to work in harmony with the rules and programs that have been delineated so that work output becomes great and pupil learning outcomes also upsurge. One of the teachers’ productivity can be seen from the teachers’ pedagogical proficiency. Pedagogical proficiency is a talent for understanding students and management of educational and dialogical learning. This study targets to determine in what way the impact of the principal’s performance on teachers’ pedagogical competence. Research Methodology: The method used is the method of search and review. The review process starts with the search engine, Google scholar and reviewing related articles about principal performance and teachers’ pedagogical competence. Results: The results from 22 reviewed articles are that the role of the principal’s performance is very influential in affecting the teacher's pedagogical competence. Limitations: Since this study includes many cases, further research could include performing to analyze how principal performance could affect teacher pedagogical competence. Contribution: This study can be useful in Faculty of Teacher Training and Education Lampung University and secondary education level Keywords: Principal performance, Teacher pedagogical competence, Responsibility

'I think it's been difficult for the ones that haven't got as many resources in their homes': Teacher concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on pupil learning and wellbeing

School closures due to COVID-19 have been predicted to have a large impact on pupils’ learning and wellbeing. Systematic evidence about teachers’ perceptions of what challenges their pupils have faced, and how they have been addressing these challenges, will be important for post-pandemic planning. We interviewed 24 teachers from English state mainstream primary and secondary schools in June 2020 and asked them to describe the impact of partial school closures on their pupils’ learning and wellbeing, and how they had been addressing challenges as individual teachers and at the whole school level. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Six themes were identified: (a) pedagogy and process, (b) communication with pupils and families, (c) life at home, (d) the role of parents, (e) a COVID-19 curriculum, and (f) moving forwards and making plans. Teachers reported difficulties in navigating the new form of education and finding the most effective way to teach and engage with the pupils. Pupils’ lack of routine and their home environment were seen as influencing their learning and wellbeing. Parents’ differing levels of involvement raised concerns about inequality. We discuss the practical implications of how to support pupils’ learning and wellbeing both during and after COVID-19.

Recruitment, Effort, and Retention Effects of Performance Contracts for Civil Servants: Experimental Evidence from Rwandan Primary Schools

This paper reports on a two-tiered experiment designed to separately identify the selection and effort margins of pay-for-performance (P4P). At the recruitment stage, teacher labor markets were randomly assigned to a pay-for-percentile or fixed-wage contract. Once recruits were placed, an unexpected, incentive-compatible, school-level re-randomization was performed, so that some teachers who applied for a fixed-wage contract ended up being paid by P4P, and vice versa. By the second year of the study, the within-year effort effect of P4P was 0.16 standard deviations of pupil learning, with the total effect rising to 0.20 standard deviations after allowing for selection.

Schooling, Educational Technology, and Teachers’ Everyday Practice in Norway

Research shows that for decades, there have been attempts to implement information and communication technology (ICT) in schools, but it has had a weak uptake among teachers thus far. One of the reasons for this lack of integration is that teachers perceive ICT as an additional load on their everyday practices that would increase the complexity of their roles. Teachers are therefore often cautious and sceptical about ICT implementation because it is often not properly attached to deeply entrenched school structure. Adaptive learning tools have provided new opportunities to facilitate this integration. Adaptive learning tools are expected to contribute to the customization and personalization of pupil learning by continually calibrating and adjusting pupils’ learning activities to their skill and competence levels. However, it is important to discuss whether adaptive learning tools need to be sufficiently anchored in the curriculum, in formative assessment, in adaptive education, and in homework to achieve their potential. In this way, we can obtain an understanding of how a systematic implementation of adaptive learning tools influences the learning outcomes, learning environment, and motivation of pupils in school, when such tools are attached to the deeply entrenched structures in school. In such implementation processes it seems like we need to reconsider the value of homework to achieve, for example, sufficient volume training and root learning with adaptive learning tools, thus freeing up time for practical mathematics and deep learning at school. Importantly, this requires a digital competence among teachers, where the critical factor is the teacher’s ability to create a teaching doctrine in which technology use is justified by didactic choices.