Effectiveness of Metacognitive Instruction on Students’ Science Learning Achievement: A Meta-Analysis

This study examined the effectiveness of metacognitive instruction on science learning achievement using a meta-analytic procedure. Statistical analyses were performed using the software Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) Version 3 developed by Biostat, Inc. Based on the findings, the overall effect size (ES=0.808) revealed that the use and integration of metacognition in science instruction has a significantly large and positive effect on student learning achievement. Moderator analysis showed that there was a significant difference in the effect sizes of the individual studies when grouped according to the student’s level of education and the scientific disciplines being studied. However, the obtained positive and large effect sizes suggested that the use and integration of metacognition can be effectively implemented whether students are in the elementary, secondary or tertiary level, be it Biological or Physical Science. Moreover, the metacognitive strategies employed by individual studies are mostly found to be integrated with ICT mainly metacognitive prompts; other practices were student-led metacognitive discussions, concept mapping, metacognitive writing, and metacognitive practice and training. This result establishes the effectiveness of the use and integration of different metacognitive strategies to improve student learning. Thus, science teachers must be equipped with pedagogical knowledge on the implementation and integration of metacognition in classroom instruction.

Examining Hispanic Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions of Scientists in a Science Methods Course

This article describes the intervention strategies implemented in an effort to affect a group of Hispanic pre-service elementary teachers’ images of scientists during a science methods course in a teacher preparation program in the U.S.-Mexico border region. Although there is an extensive volume of research reporting on the use of the DAST-C instrument to study K-16 students’ images of scientists, the number of studies on exploring and influencing preservice teachers’ views of science and scientists is rather scarce. Findings in this study indicate that a semester-long intervention strategy focused on (a) pre-service teachers’ generated inquiry project, (b) written reflections on inquiry learning, and (c) a pre and post-drawing tests, allowed participants to reflect on their views about scientists and science, and experience a gradual shift from views conforming to stereotypical views of scientists to portrayals of science practitioners as individuals, just like other people in our society pursuing real interests.

A Typology of Educators Using Open Educational Resources for Teaching

With Open Educational Resources (OER) teachers have free access to high-quality educational resources and open licenses to prepare, enhance, or supplement their teaching practice. Yet adoption rates are understood to be low and teachers face many challenges when they want to use OER. In a survey study, 1819 educators from various educational sectors reported their use of OER, the types of OER they used, the purposes of the OER used, the challenges they face and the impact they see. Most teachers adapt OER to fit their own needs and considerably less teachers create, publish or add OER. The main challenges relate to finding resources that are relevant, up-to-date and of good quality, time issues and – to a lesser extent- acceptance at the workplace and institutional support. A typology of OER users has been developed with five types of OER users. Implications for practice for each type of educators are formulated.

Equity Trends in Mathematics Education: A Content Analysis of Meta-analytic Research

The purpose of this quantitative content analysis (QCA) was to characterize equity-related trends in meta-analyses of mathematics education studies. An a priori keyword search and retrieval process produced an initial pool of 156 studies. After applying the prescribed inclusion criteria, the initial pool of studies was reduced to a final sample of 32 studies. These studies were coded and analyzed as part of the QCA. The coding and analysis were guided by a critical quantitative research lens, which examines how numeric trends can help to unpack systemic and systematic practices that support the agenda of the dominant cultural group. The results indicate that 62.5 percent of the reviewed studies lacked an equity focus, while most equity-focused meta-analyses examined challenges related to student ability. Moreover, 14 out of the 16 or 87.5 percent of the equity-related moderators had a statistically significant influence on effect size variance. The results of this study suggest that across most mathematics education meta-analytic studies effect size magnitude is impacted by equity-related moderators that are often absent. The researchers provide implications for meta-analytic thinking and equitable research praxis in mathematics education.

Application of Universal Design for Learning into Remote English Education in Australia amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Confronted with the challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic, students, teachers, educators and other stakeholders have to make the best of online learning from home and look at ways of optimizing remote learning experience. Embedded in the nature of inclusive schooling and organized in a specific public secondary school in Victoria, Australia, this study explores the effectiveness of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) on English as an additional language (EAL) students’ online learning proficiency. The research findings indicate that in the discipline of EAL, with the assistance of multiple means of representation, expression and engagement as well as a range of information-communication technologies (ICTs), UDL has positive effects on students’ academic performance and can trigger their positive attitudes towards online learning experience. This sheds light on the feasibility of improving remote learning quality and promoting inclusive online schooling that engages every student via the implementation of UDL integrated with different assistive technologies, which can be summarized as that UDL is one of the possible solutions to online learning that affords ample opportunities or more precisely, technical promises for the implementation of UDL.

Adaptation and Perception of Online Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic by Albanian University Students

The aim of this study is to evaluate the perceptions and challenges of Albanian students during online learning carried out due to COVID-19 pandemic. The students were invited via email to give their perception of ongoing online learning. Responses were obtained from 627 college students from various study fields, such as natural, medical, and life sciences. The results showed that students had a more positive attitude towards the classroom learning environment. The main challenges that students faced were the unavailability of internet connection and the lack of technology devices. Students enrolled in technology-based programs and also those with high academic performance were more comfortable and satisfied with online classes (p0.001). The % of students who preferred the learning process be continued in the classroom was higher than those who preferred online education or a combination of both on-campus and online learning environments (p0.001). Students firmly state that online learning cannot replace the classroom. The findings suggested that Albanian students are not familiar enough with technology-based education. Online teaching must be integrated gradually into Albanian education depending also on students’ characteristics. The learning process must be effectively organized by professors, taking into account students’ dissatisfactions and difficulties with e-learning and considering the overall limitations of this method.

The Reconstruction Model of Science Learning based PhET-Problem Solving

This study investigates the effects of science learning model reconstruction based on student needs, in order to generate more operational standards and teaching materials. The conceptual understanding through virtual laboratory appears minimal, based on the analysis addressing the demands of junior high school students in several locations in Papua. Hence, there is a necessity to reform the learning structure through the utilization of physics education technology (PhET). Furthermore, the model was reconstructed by the Model Education of Reconstruction with fundamental principles, including an analysis of the education needs based on PhET-Problem solving, to compose context describing energy materials and its changes. Expert validation on the accuracy of illustrations, drawings, tasks, exercises, and questions, indicates the model is eligible. The participants are 60 students control and experiment group for junior high school public 11 Jayapura. The results showed the science learning model has demonstrated increased virtual experiment abilities and conceptual understanding trought pretest and postest based N-Gain. Analysis of data based normality test and independent test (T-test), meanwhile, there is a significant differences between experimental and control group. Outcome of students' responses for a separate learning model reflected positive.

Framework for Evaluating Math Educational Materials for Constructing Early Number Concept

Teaching and learning of mathematics, due to their abstract nature, are enhanced, especially at an early age, using educational materials. The wide variety of the available math’s educational materials requires teachers to evaluate them in order to incorporate them to their teaching practice. Contributing to this field, the purpose of this paper is dual. Firstly, it intends on defining the factors that could be included in a framework for evaluation of math educational material. Secondly, it aims on using this framework to evaluate specific educational materials that are used for the construction of early number concept. The results showed that the factors that could compose a framework of evaluating math educational materials could be related with 1. Evaluation of the material itself, independently of its context of use, 2. Evaluation of the material in the social context of its use, as well as 3. Evaluation of materials’ acceptability to the general educational community. From the evaluation of specific educational materials that are used for the construction of early number concept it seemed that no material itself could be considered, as suitable for teaching all the individual constructs of the number concept in early years’ mathematics, according to the developed framework.

Assessment of Schools’ Reopening after COVID-19 Closures

The study assessed principals’ compliance with Federal Ministry of Education guidelines on schools and learning facilities reopening after COVID-19 closures in South-East Nigeria. One research question guided the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 1,378 principals in 1,378 public secondary schools in south east, Nigeria. A sample size of 689 principals was drawn for the study using multi-stage sampling procedure. The instrument titled ‘‘Federal of Ministry of Education Joint Assessment Checklist for Safe Reopening of Schools and Learning Facilities (FMEJACSRSLF)’’ was utilized for data collection. The instrument was duly validated by three experts and using Cronbach alpha method for test of internal consistency, reliability index of 0.81 was obtained. Data collected were analyzed using arithmetic mean and standard deviation. The results of the study revealed among other that principals’ comply with Federal Ministry of Education guidelines on schools and learning facilities reopening after COVID-19 closures in South-East Nigeria to a great extent. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that the State Ministry of Education should ensure that at least two qualified health personnel are employed and posted on full time basis to man each of the secondary schools to provide services to contain and minimize the spread of the virus.

Access to Students and Parents and Levels of Preparedness of Educators during the COVID-19 Emergency Transition to e-Learning

In response to the COVID-19 school closures and the emergency transition to eLearning, faculty at Chicago State University organized a series of nine professional development webinars centered on the subject of eLearning. 3,428 educators attended the nine webinars. This study consisted of an exploratory research reporting on the participants’ answers to the polls questions administered during the webinars, in an attempt to identify levels of preparedness of educators during the COVID-19 Emergency Transition to eLearning and their access to students and parents. The study revealed low levels of preparedness in relation to teaching remotely in general, teaching students with disabilities in particular, and using technology tools. The study also revealed challenges of educators reaching students and parents. The study concludes with a number of recommendations to address these identified challenges.