Computational thinking (CT) education in K-12 requires extensive teacher development. This research investigates the effectiveness of a scalable and sustainable teacher development programme in ...promoting CT in primary education. This report presents two studies. Study 1 reports on the effectiveness of two 12-h courses using Scratch and App Inventor programming environments for CT development of teachers respectively, which involved 245 teachers from 47 primary schools. With teaching practices embedded, the programme, which used the framework of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), significantly enhanced teachers' content-related knowledge dimensions. The results indicate that the programme helped teachers develop advanced CT concepts such as data structures and procedures. Study 2, using thematic analysis, reports on CT strategies implemented in 47 schools through 94 school visits. The most mentioned strategies were the formation of teaching teams, lesson co-planning, and the integration of CT with subject teaching. The most mentioned challenges were teacher readiness, lesson time, and diversity – learners' abilities, interests, and approaches. Four types of support, including teacher development support, continuous and communal support, teaching materials support, and financial support were identified. The results suggest that a course-based programme with mixed programming environments and embedded teaching experience effectively develops teachers’ capabilities. However, continuous support for teachers in implementing the initiative after completing the programme is important, especially in addressing learner diversity and integrating CT with subject teaching.
•We evaluate a teacher development programme involving 245 teachers from 47 schools.•The programme enhanced the content-related knowledge of TPACK of these teachers.•We examine how the schools implement the CT initiative by visiting these 47 schools.•Common strategies include team formation, lesson co-planning, and subject integration.•Teacher readiness, lesson time & manpower, and learner diversity are major challenges.
The emergence of variants of Covid-19, the persistence of lockdowns in many countries, and the necessity to maintain sustainable education have resulted in a shift from the traditional classroom to ...virtual space. As such, there is a strong need to leverage technological advances while mitigating the challenges faced by primary teachers. Through the incorporation of eight elements, the authors sought to better understand factors that influence teacher readiness to deliver sex education in primary schools. Structural Equation Modeling was employed to assess the proposed conceptual model. The online survey was designed and distributed by Google Forms. Based on the results from 383 individuals, the findings revealed that facilitating conditions, educational policy, and parental involvement all had a relationship with teacher readiness. Digital content positively influenced performance expectancy and effort expectancy. Sexual knowledge had a statistically significant and positive influence on effort expectancy. Finally, openness had a statistically significant and positive influence on performance expectancy. The significant exceptions were that effort expectancy was not found to predict teacher readiness, and performance expectancy was not found to influence teacher readiness. The reasons for these non-significant correlations were briefly discussed and more studies on this topic are called to investigate these unexpected outcomes in more detail. The level of readiness, as well as theoretical and practical implications for scholars and practitioners, were discussed.
This cross-sectional study provides insight into the perceptions of Chinese parents of primary school children with respect to sexuality education. A sample of 19,745 parents was surveyed using an ...online questionnaire in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei, China. SPSS version 23.0 was used for data analysis. In this study, nearly 90% of parents had positive attitudes toward the sexuality education of children in primary schools. However, Chinese parents had limited knowledge of sexuality education. More than 60% of parents were unaware of the sexuality questions that children may encounter at different ages and did not have any accurate information on child sexual abuse prevention education. Although ~ 70% of parents (both fathers and mothers) reported that they had used television and Internet resources to talk with their children about sexuality and 63% reported that they had read books with their children about sexuality, < 30% reported using appropriate terminology with their children on sexuality education and only 40% reported talking to their children about sexuality comfortably. The multivariate linear regression equation showed some factors associated with the practices of parents in sexuality education, including parental knowledge, attitudes, their experience in receiving sex education in childhood, and their educational level. The findings from this study suggest that it is important to develop culturally relevant training programs for parents of primary schools in Chinese society. The implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.
This paper aims to study children's thermal comfort and related Adaptive Behaviours in UK primary schools. The study was carried out in 32 naturally-ventilated classrooms during Non-Heating (NH) and ...Heating (H) seasons. Alongside collecting environmental data, a self-reported questionnaire and an observation form were employed to record children's thermal comfort and adaptive behaviours. From eight primary schools, 805 children aged 9–11 were surveyed and 1390 questionnaires were collected. Children's Thermal Sensation Votes (TSVs), Thermal Preference Votes (TPVs) and adaptive behaviours were compared against temperature offset from comfort temperature by EN 15251 (Tdiff=Top-TC(CEN)). Results suggest that children's thermal comfort (TC(children)) is 1.9 K and 2.8 K lower than that for adults (TC(CEN)) during non-heating and heating seasons, respectively. Children have lower comfort temperature and higher sensitivity to temperature changes during heating seasons. This can be attributed to children's lower practice of personal behaviours and more consistent indoor conditions during heating seasons. The proportion of children engaged with personal behaviours is one-third lower during heating seasons. As indoor temperature goes above children's thermal comfort band, the proportion of children practising personal behaviours increases during non-heating seasons. Around 80% of window operation is carried out by teachers who have a higher comfort temperature than children.
•Around 15% of children are overheated during both non-heating and heating seasons.•Children practice personal behaviours more than environmental behaviours.•The environmental behaviours are done based on teachers’ thermal perception.•Only 16% of window operations are done based on children's thermal comfort.•TSV shifts one score by a temperature change of 11.1 °C (NH) and 7.7 °C (H).
This study explored the psychosocial factors influencing Grade 7 learners’ performance in mathematics classes at primary schools in Frances Baard District in the Northern Cape Province of South ...Africa. The study adopted a qualitative interpretive approach infused with a multiple-case study design. The thematic results showed that some learners were not fully engaged in the mathematics classes despite having the necessary resources, including qualified teachers. The study revealed that family and community issues affect learners’ academic performance in mathematics classes. It further found that some learners struggle to comprehend mathematical concepts taught in English, their second language. Furthermore, it highlighted why learner engagement is so weak in the intermediate-phase mathematics classroom. The reasons why learners’ mathematics marks declined in Grade 7 have also been discussed in this study. The study found that the socio-economic factors that affect learners in South African schools can be eliminated if we enlist the support of social services available to South African learners. The study recommends that teachers enhance their pedagogical approaches to fit learners’ home languages, locations, and socioeconomic circumstances. This study supports the notion that more learner-centered approaches be used in the mathematics classroom and adds to existing literature on the subject. Keywords: Mathematics Teachers, Academic Performance, Mathematics Classes, Primary Schools
Teaching and learning materials are essential tools for enhancing the engagement of hearing-impaired pupils in inclusive classrooms. This study investigated enhancing the engagement of ...hearing-impaired pupils in teaching and learning materials. The study employed a qualitative, phenomenological design to gain insights into the lived experiences of the participants. Forty-four participants were purposefully selected, including head teachers, teachers, hearing-impaired pupils, and hearing pupils. Data were collected through interviews and observations and analyzed thematically using Excel pivot tables. The findings indicate that hearing-impaired pupils are engaged with teaching and learning materials, such as textbooks, reference books, maps, and diagrams, through prioritizing, showing the materials, and hands-on activities. However, their engagement is hindered by limited time and communication barriers. Furthermore, most teachers reported having limited proficiency in sign language, which hinders their ability to support these pupils in the learning process. The study recommends reviewing inclusive education policies, establishing teacher training programs, and emphasizing the use of sign language as a medium of instruction for hearing-impaired pupils.
Through a project undertaken under a programme funded by United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) called Transforming Education for Sustainable Futures (TESF), alternative learning approaches ...associated with the introduction of a form of vertical farming called ‘tower gardens’ at primary schools were explored. Methods that were new to the local education context were used to support the learning process, for example role-playing sketches that allowed learners to share their own knowledge about gardening activities with their peers, teachers and staff from the non-governmental organisation that facilitated the process. This collective sharing and recall were key elements of the social learning process, building into individual and group knowledge. Corroborated memory recall contributed to group learning and also built into the collective storage of knowledge. Learning was firmly embedded in social interaction, in collective symbolism and arts – music specifically. These forms of learning and storing of knowledge resonated with the learners as it was a continuation of life as they know it in their community. It became clear from the project that educators saw the value of introducing concepts from classroom subjects when constructing and managing the tower gardens and were pleasantly surprised by the responses of the learners to this new way of learning, suggesting that creating scope within the curriculum and schoolwork plan is necessary in tandem with building the required capacity to replicate this without external support.
The vast and sparsely populated plateau areas, e.g., the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, are facing a major challenge in providing equitable and accessible education for all children. Taking primary schools ...in Tibet, China as a case study, this study develops a methodological framework for evaluating the spatial allocation of educational facilities in plateau areas that integrates accessibility and cost. Grid-level accessibility assessment shows that accessibility to primary schools is quite inequal in Tibet. 12.9% of the population have to travel more than 1 h to reach the nearest school, mainly in Ali, Nyingci, Nagqu and Chamdo. The townships with high-to-medium population density, low-to-medium accessibility and low cost are identified as priority areas in future allocation of educational services. By contrast, for the townships with low population density, low accessibility and high cost, low-cost educational service provision modes, e.g., small-scale teaching sites and remote educational services, are suggested. Finally, it is found that educational accessibility can be significantly improved by promoting nearby schooling policy in border areas between townships. The results of this study can provide evidences for the rational allocation of educational facilities in Tibet. The proposed methodological framework and analytic methods are applicable in plateau areas or other remote and low-population density areas.
•The sparsely populated plateau areas face a major challenge in providing equitable and accessible educational services.•Evaluating the spatial allocation of primary schools considering equity versus efficiency and access versus cost.•Assessing 1 km*1 km grid-level travel time to primary schools to identify shortage areas of educational services.•The accessibility to primary schools under nearby schooling and local schooling is measured and compared.•Optimizing the allocation of primary schools considering population density, accessibility and service cost.
This paper examines the possession of family wealth and its impact on the academic achievement of primary school students in Eastern Uganda. A correlational survey design was employed to analyse ...UWEZO secondary data collected from eight districts in the eastern region of Uganda, encompassing 6,302 children and 6,031 families. Descriptive statistics and Pearson chi-square tests were employed for data analysis. The findings indicate that socio-economic factors positively influence children's literacy and numeracy achievements. Families possessing solar lighting, mobile phones, tables, chairs, textbooks, and a reliable source of water demonstrated higher proficiency in literacy and numeracy skills. It is likely that children in households with these possessions were able to engage in private study at home, given the conducive study environment, well-lit rooms, essential furniture, and access to textbooks. Furthermore, these children were more likely to receive additional tutoring after school and had access to the internet through mobile phones and computers, allowing them to access crucial educational information. Based on these findings, we recommend that the government provide sustainable livelihood options for struggling families.
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