Showing papers in "Education 3-13 in 2017"

The nature of learning at forest school: practitioners' perspectives

Abstract: This paper investigates forest school practitioners perceptions of learning at forest school to identify the topics covered, the learning styles, and the philosophies underpinning its delivery, based on interviews with experienced forest school practitioners. Practitioners identified the focus of learning at forest school as social development: teamwork, relationships with others, self-knowledge, and learning to take risks. Children also engaged with nature and developed an attachment to the woods where forest school took place. Learning styles were kinaesthetic, sensory, and experiential. Forest school leaders saw themselves as facilitators of learning rather than teachers.

Contributions of Playground Singing Games to the Social Inclusion of Refugee and Newly Arrived Immigrant Children in Australia.

Abstract: In recent decades, researchers from the fields of music education, ethnomusicology, folklore and sociology have developed an increasing interest in children’s musical play traditions and the ways in which children teach and learn, perform, create and transform playground games and songs. Such repertoire is drawn both from oral traditions and from children’s mediated environments, and has formed the basis of a number of prominent pedagogical approaches to music education. As malleable forms of musical expression and social activity that are found worldwide both outside of and within school contexts, playground games provide a mechanism for the growing numbers of refugee and newly arrived migrant children to attain social inclusion within school environments in host countries, while retaining connections with home cultures. This paper discusses refugee and newly arrived immigrant children’s engagement in and uses of playground musical play in a primary school in Sydney, Australia and the game charac...

Challenging symbolic violence and hegemony in music education through contemporary pedagogical approaches

Abstract: Music education takes place in socio-political systems that institutionalise cultural hegemony and social stratification through perpetuating symbolically violent practices and unconscious assumpti...

Did the Vikings really have helmets with horns? Sources and narrative content in Swedish upper primary school history teaching

Abstract: Did the Vikings really have helmets with horns? : Sources and narrative content in Swedish upper primary school history teaching

Patterns in Contemporary Canadian Picture Books: Radical Change in Action

Abstract: This comprehensive qualitative examination of two groups of Canadian picture books, 57 titles published in 2005 and 120 titles published in 2015, offers comparative data that demonstrate patterns related to authors, illustrators, characterization, genres, audiences, and particular elements of Radical Change. Following book collection, content analysis was conducted with a consideration of Dresang’s notion that books for children are evolving with respect to forms and formats, perspectives, and boundaries. Our process for analysis was developed from Berg’s framework of systematic content analysis based on predetermined as well as emerging categories. There is much recent research exploring particular content in children’s literature, supporting the central importance of literature in the classroom and community. Comparative Canadian studies across decades, however, are rare, and are increasingly important as a way to track and describe the changes that are taking place with respect to books for young people. It is interesting that in both 2005 and 2015, picture books tended to feature children as protagonists, with the highest number of books from the 2005 set utilizing the fantasy genre (at 34%) or realistic fiction (at 28%) and the highest number of books from the 2015 set occurring in non-fiction (at 34%, up from 16% in 2005) or fantasy (at 31%). Historical fiction in both years presented comparatively low, at 12% and 3%, respectively. Findings of this study support and extend the notion of Radical Change. The research team noted marked innovations within the 2015 group related to forms and formats, boundaries, and perspectives. Of particular note are the increasing numbers of books that present Indigenous content and perspectives. While many of the changes appearing in Canadian picture books between 2005 and 2015 might be predicted through the standard categories of Radical Change (Dresang, 1999), other findings also emerged that suggest new Radical Change considerations. Continuing to examine children’s literature as artifacts of a culture can illuminate particular aspects of that culture and offer opportunities to engage authors, illustrators, and publishers in filling gaps where particular perspectives or topics are missing. Advocacy is important as children’s literature continues to be a source of tension for what it portrays and presents as well as its missing voices. A knowledge of patterns and trends in relation to available content and resources supports classroom practice as well as encourages classroom research and further explorations of the evolving landscape of children's books.

The Power of Discourse: Reclaiming Social Justice from and for Music Education.

Abstract: Through the prism of the two main paradigms of social justice – ‘distributive’ and ‘relational’ – and drawing on the concept of ‘discourse’, this article examines how more socially just approaches might be embedded in the classroom music education of young people in the upper primary and lower secondary schools (9–13 years). In doing this, it also examines how the concept of social justice has been appropriated by some music education organisations – including El Sistema-influenced projects – as a form of legitimation. These approaches, I shall argue, often promote impoverished paradigms of social justice which restrict young people’s agency and meaningful participation in music education.

Approaches to increasing the competence and confidence of student teachers to teach music in primary schools

Abstract: The National Plan for Music (DfE (Department for Education). 2011. The Importance of Music: a National Plan for Music Education. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-importance-of-music-a...

Does engagement in Forest School influence perceptions of risk, held by children, their parents, and their school staff?

Abstract: In a climate where, it is claimed, children now spend very little time out of doors because adults fear for their safety and impose a ‘zero risk childhood’ on them, Forest School aims to offer learners the opportunity to take ‘supported risks’. This study investigated perceptions of risk associated with the outdoors, held by children, their parents and practitioners, and whether accessing Forest School impacts on these perceptions of risk. Practitioners were generally either strongly risk-averse or strongly permissive; Forest School influenced them to be less risk-averse in some respects. Parents held ambiguous perceptions, wanting to keep their children very safe but also to help them develop strong and confident attitudes to risk. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Moving primary physical education forward: start at the beginning

Abstract: This paper presents selected findings from a questionnaire completed by 509 primary school teachers in Scotland. Drawing on policy enactment theory, the paper focusses on teachers’ personal experiences of physical education and perceptions of the importance of physical education in their schools. More than half (56%) reported that physical education was either ‘very important’ or ‘important’, while almost 40% perceived it to be of ‘limited’ or ‘very limited importance’. ‘Staff’, ‘time’ and ‘subject status’ were the main themes they drew on to explain their responses. Our findings highlight the diverse nature of the physical education professional cultures in Scottish primary schools. From this, we propose that future initiatives to support change in primary physical education should, as a starting point, acknowledge these diverse professional cultures and move beyond the simplistic one-size-fits-all change projects that have been shown to have limited impact on practice.

‘I like playing on my trampoline; it makes me feel alive.’ Valuing physical activity: perceptions and meanings for children and implications for primary schools

Abstract: This study investigated perceptions that children aged 6–10 years (n = 83) have of what it means to be physically active. Ideographic research was conducted utilising drawings and interviews to understand values that are placed on participating in physical activity (PA). The article questions the idea that whilst it may be commonly accepted by academics that there is a need to be active for health, little research has considered what this may actually mean for the child. Drawing on Bourdieu, the article utilises key concepts within the analysis of ‘capital' to frame an understanding of how children experience PA. Findings suggest that central to children's experiences is the place of social interaction and reciprocation. The article investigated the production and transference of forms of capital: physical, cultural and social. The potential for such concepts to be exploited by schools is discussed with reference to physical education and opportunities offered during free play.

Multimodal literacy learning opportunities within a grade six classroom literacy curriculum: constraints and enablers

Abstract: This case study of a grade six classroom literacy curriculum in Ontario, Canada was designed to produce new knowledge of how curricula can promote multimodal literacy learning opportunities for students. With a focus on constraints and enablers, the study found few opportunities for multimodal literacy learning due to standardised assessments, an outcomes-based programmatic curriculum with related standardised report card, and assessment-focused professional learning opportunities. Despite the print-centric nature of the curriculum, however, the study found that students did initiate their own multimodal opportunities. The study has implications for educators across the globe who are interested in expanding students’ literacies.

Quality of teacher–child relationship and preschoolers’ pro-social behaviour in German kindergartens

Abstract: Teacher–child relationships in early childhood are a crucial prerequisite for children's emotional, social and academic development. Therefore, it is important to be able to measure accurately the quality of interactions among them. The Student–Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) is a widely accepted instrument in measuring the quality of teacher–child relationships. The purpose of this study was to examine the adapted STRS in the German early childhood education settings and to investigate it's associations with children's pro-social and problematic behaviour. Seventy-eight preschool teachers rated the quality of their relationships with 153 children aged 2–7 years and their pro-social and problematic behaviour. An explorative factor analysis revealed three consistent factors: closeness, conflict and dependency. The former inconsistent dependency scale showed good internal consistency. The item constellation was the same as of the adapted STRS. As expected preschool teachers rated girls closer comp...

Routines Are the Foundation of Classroom Management.

Abstract: Introduction Classroom management is an intertwining of factors and parts, found in daily routines, necessary for the successful facilitation of teaching and learning. These routines, which create and maintain classroom order and save valuable instructional time, are of central concern for all educators. Teachers must be able to competently organize classrooms and manage student behaviors in order to achieve desired learning outcomes. Studies have shown that classroom management routines have a direct impact on social and children's emotional development in addition to cognitive growth, and reduces behavior problems (Ostrosky, et al., 2003). They also can directly impact children's motivation and engagement levels (Wright, 2014), and significantly impact teacher retention rates in relation to remaining in the profession (Smith, & Ingerso, 2004). Implementing routines, to ensure a safe and secure learning environment, takes time and effort, however, it is time well spent and considered the "backbone of daily classroom life" (Murry, 2002). Routines, critical to maximizing learning opportunities, are best established at the beginning of the year to set the tone for the remainder of the school year. They must be taught, modeled, and rehearsed for students to identify the skills and expectations necessary for "classroom health" (k5chalkbox, n.d.), and to initiate students' self-directed learning. Effective teachers with established routines, spend a great deal of time planning prior to the start of each new school year, and report having fewer discipline issues paving the way for good instruction. The purpose of this article is to review current literature, and revisit sound research, that focuses on specific classroom management routines found in the effective teachers' classrooms. Definition What is classroom management? An early definition of classroom management is based on the behavior of teachers, rather than that of the students, and produces an environment conducive to learning (Kounin, 1970). Many current practitioners continue to adopt Duke's (1979) formal definition as the following: "Classroom management constitutes the provisions and procedures necessary to establish and maintain an environment in which instruction and learning can occur." Routines ensure a safe and secure environment and have a direct impact on students' academic learning." A common misconception in the realm of education is that classroom management is a set of rules used to address discipline problems. Discipline is primarily concerned with student behavior whereas rules are set in place to control deviant actions, and consequences are applied when such rules are broken. Discipline is problem based and promotes compliance; however, discipline compliancy tends to create antagonistic relationships. In contrast, classroom management is concerned with how things are to be completed and serve as guidelines. Classroom management is proactive and productivity based, promotes lifelong skills sets for responsibility, and is responsible for producing predictable behaviors. A successful classroom management system addresses routines for the learning environment, time management, teaching, learning activities, content, student-teacher attitudes, and discipline. A simplistic definition of classroom management, therefore, would be a well-planned set of procedures and routines for avoiding problems, and having a plan in place for when misbehavior does occur. Why incorporate classroom management routines? According to the Educational Research Service (2005), good classroom management supports good instruction and the two are directly connected. The use of effective classroom management routines can assist in both prevention and intervention of negative, chaotic classroom environments, which is a major contributor in teacher stress and burnout rates (Browers & Tomic, 2000), and student performance is increased when they know what is expected in daily classroom situations. …

Parental involvement in mathematics: giving parents a voice

Abstract: Understanding why parents become involved in their children's education is crucial in strengthening the relationship between parental involvement and academic achievement. The present study focuses on the parental role construction and parental self-efficacy. The resulting trends suggest that parents, regardless of their self-efficacy, may assume the ‘equal partnership-focused’ parental role regarding their children's mathematics education. The results also demonstrate that there may be a conflict in the way parents and teachers construct this parental role. While parents assumed the ‘equally shared’ role, teachers maintained the belief that the responsibility, although shared to a certain degree, should be primarily on teachers.

Primary school pupils’ performances in understanding historical time

Abstract: This study focuses on the development of the understanding of historical time of pupils in primary school. We present a developmental model with three stages: emergent, initial and continued understanding of historical time. Based on this model, we constructed an instrument to measure how pupils aged 6–12 perform. The participants were 1457 pupils from 7 Dutch primary schools. The analysis of the data showed that in all three stages pupils in higher grades significantly outperformed pupils in lower grades and that pupils’ performances were influenced by the variables gender and parents’ education. In all grades, there seemed to be room for improvement, especially in the lower grades (ages 6–9) where pupils have hardly had any teaching on the understanding of historical time. However, in the higher grades as well (ages 10–12), pupils could improve on the level of continued understanding of historical time.

Footprints in the woods:‘tracking’ a nursery child through a Forest School session

Abstract: Forest School has become increasingly popular in the UK, although little is known about what actually happens in sessions and how these sessions are planned. Using observations of two sessions and semi-structured interviews with two adult leaders this article sets out to explore how the sessions are planned, alongside a young child (aged 2–4 years) is involved and how adults participate in activities. This was achieved by ‘tracking’ one child over two one-hour sessions using the Leuven Involvement and Participation Scales as a diagnostic, analytical tool. The two sessions were then compared. This case study approach indicates that there is a link between adult participation and child involvement, alongside training which have implications for the impact and development of Forest School pedagogy and reflective practice.

Diverse aims, challenges and opportunities for assessing outdoor learning: a critical examination of three cases from practice

Abstract: In this article, we consider the term ‘assessment’, its relationship to ‘evaluation’ and the implications for outdoor learning in the light of changing educational policy on assessment in England. A small-scale empirical study of how assessment was practised by two primary teachers on a residential trip and two further cases in practice are used to examine how emphases in assessment are shaped by contexts. Finally, we reflect on how conceptual frameworks that integrate planning, pedagogy and assessment might support assessment and evaluation practice in outdoor learning in a new era of apparent ‘freedom’ for teachers.

Cultivating Noble Purpose in Urban Middle Schools: A Missing Piece in School Transformation.

Abstract: In urban schools overwhelmed by increasing demands to raise test scores, exclusive focus on increasing academic competencies has proven ineffective. School-wide, comprehensive social-emotional and character development (SECD), focused on the cultivation of Noble Purpose, provides an alternative pathway toward life, college, and career success. We illustrate an SECD approach to cultivating Noble Purpose by describing the development of the MOSAIC (Mastering Our Skills and Inspiring Character) approach. The MOSAIC approach is grounded in the theory that social-emotional skills and character virtues must be explicitly taught in tandem. MOSAIC is unique in its focus on building Noble Purpose, a character virtue that we argue is missing in SECD approaches for middle school youth. In urban schools plagued by institutional and structural inequities and challeng­ es, the MOSAIC content and structure provides an alternative route to closing achievement gaps, while preparing urban middle school youth for success in college, career, and life.

Phonological awareness training with articulation promotes early reading development

Abstract: In a longitudinal intervention study, the effects of phonological trainingwith articulation for children in a preschool class were analyzed.In total, 69 students participated, divided into an exper ...

‘Man-up, go and get an ice-pack.’ Gendered stereotypes and binaries within the primary classroom: a thing of the past?

Abstract: Gendered expectations are deeply embedded within the fabric of a society and the classroom is no exception; binaries habitually pervade attitudes, practices and pedagogies. This small-scale qualitative-interpretive study, undertaken in one rural primary school in North Wales, explores how the learning of gender is constructed, enacted and challenged by participants functioning within Key Stage 2 (children aged 8-11 years); issues experienced by, both girls and boys, to cogitate implications for gender equity and for teachers’ work. The fieldwork revealed many school participants continue to draw upon essentialist binary discourse, predominantly based on biological theories, to explain differences between boys and girls relating to classroom behaviour, subject attainment, curricular preferences and career pathways. Constant reference was made to acceptable ways of ‘doing masculinity’ and the ‘high-achieving, conforming school girl culture’. Children recognised gender binaries used by teachers and were aware of societal advances in gender equity. Despite decades of research and policies, we are still some way to ameliorating gender binaries and stereotypes in this phase of schooling. Therefore, there is an urgent need for practitioners to become more reflexively aware about the complex ways in which gendered dualisms and hierarchies perpetuate and dictate relations and pedagogical practices, which constrain experiences and opportunities for girls and boys and, to incorporate multiple ways of thinking and doing gender in classrooms.

Undergraduates’ implementations of learning stations as their service learning among elementary school students

Abstract: Service learning provides pre-service educators with a context for having hands-on field experience and also assists in understanding the theory and practice. This study discusses 7 undergraduates' implementations of learning stations as their service learning with 28 elementary school students. Through thematic data analysis of interviews, observation field notes, activity designs, and discussion posts, this study presented the following major findings. First, elementary school students, seven undergraduates, and a cooperative elementary school English teacher held positive attitudes towards the implementation of learning stations, because these developed children's cooperation and word recognition skills. Second, undergraduates and cooperative teachers gained professionalism through reflection and cooperation, in terms of activity designs, classroom management, and interpersonal skills development with kids and adults. Five suggestions are provided in order to effectively implement undergraduates' activ...

Turning Negatives into Positives: The Role of an Instructional Math Course on Preservice Teachers' Math Beliefs.

Abstract: Negative attitudes toward math have been perpetuated in our society for quite some time. Examples of negativity toward this subject manifest in thoughts and behaviors such as anxiety (Belbase, 2013; Nunez-Pena, Suarez-Pellicioni, & Bono, 2013; Taylor & Brooks, 1986), fears of failure (Liew, Lench, Kao, Yeh, & Kwok, 2014; Peixoto & Almeida, 2010; Wach, Spengler, Gottschling, & Spinath, 2015), doubt/lack of effort (Hemmings & Kay, 2010; Tobias & Weissbrod, 1980), tension (Woodard, 2004), and avoidance of math related activities (Chiang, & Lin, 2014; Kelly & Tomhave, 1985; Liew et al., 2014). There is no specific group that is immune to these feelings, as math anxiety and other negative beliefs have been documented in all ages (Hendy, Schorschinsky, & Wade, 2014; Wigfield & Meece, 1988), both genders (Ganley & Vasilyeva, 2013; Hyde, Fennema, Ryan, Frost, & Hopp, 1990), and many professions and education levels (Lalayants, 2012; McMullan, Jones, & Lea, 2012). Much research has documented that negative attitudes toward math and/or negative beliefs about math ability are negatively related to math performance (Cates & Rhymer, 2003; Legg & Locker, 2009; Sherman, & Wither, 2003), math grades (Ashcraft & Krause, 2007; Ashcraft & Moore, 2009), exposure to math (Bekdemir, 2010), enjoyment of math (Marsh, 2002), and confidence in math (Gutbezahl, 1995), as well as positively related to math anxiety (Hendy et al., 2014; Ramirez, Chang, Maloney, Levine, & Beilock, 2016). Research has sought to identify antecedents to these negative feelings, aiming to understand why negativity toward mathematics is so prevalent. Results of this research has led to discussions of environmental and personality factors that play a role (Bekdemir, 2010; Hadfield & McNeil, 1994). Specifically, ineffective math instruction (Bekdemir, 2010; Hunsley & Flessati, 1988), teacher behavior (Jackson & Leffingwell, 1999; Levpuscek & Zupancic, 2009; Tobias, 1981), pressure from parents (Gunderson, Ramirez, Levine, & Beilock, 2011; Levpuscek & Zupancic, 2009; Mellon & Moutavelis, 2011), emphasis on product rather than process (Furner & Gonzalez-DeHass, 2011), and gender bias (Beilock, Gunderson, Ramirez & Levine, 2010; Gunderson et al., 2012) are some of the environmental antecedents identified. Similarly, discussions of personality characteristics that can impact poor math understanding and attitude have included shyness (Ibaishwa, 2014), low levels of confidence and/or self-efficacy (Akin & Kurbanoglu, 2011; Bursal & Paznokas, 2006), and an inability to ask questions when help is needed (Hendy et al., 2014). While negative attitudes and beliefs about math have been studied greatly in school-age populations (e.g., elementary through college-level) (Hendy et al., 2014; Murr, 2001; Ramirez, Gunderson, & Levine, 2013), less emphasis has been placed on feelings about math post-graduation. Perhaps this lack of research is guided by the assumption that individuals who have negative feelings about the subject of math go into fields where the use of mathematics is not required or, at the very least, greatly minimized. However, one profession that can have a great impact on the perpetuation of negative math attitudes is teaching (Furner & Berman, 2004; Gunderson et al., 2012; Levpuscek & Zupancic, 2009; Shields, 2005). Research has demonstrated that teachers who dislike math and1 or feel negative toward the subject area can pass these negative beliefs on to their students (Gunderson et al., 2012). These research findings regarding the perpetuation of negative math beliefs raise the question about the role of teacher education programs in the mitigation of negative attitudes or beliefs among pre-service teachers. In other words, can (and should) teacher education programs work toward changing the view of pre-service teachers who present negative math attitudes or beliefs? …

The Effectiveness of a Balanced Approach to Reading Intervention in a Second Grade Student: A Case Study.

Abstract: Introduction Basic literacy skills, which develop in early childhood, serve as the foundation for reading development throughout children's academic careers. If these skills do not develop properly, life-long reading difficulties can result (Otto, 2008). The early elementary years of schooling, which encompass Kindergarten through third grade, are a crucial window in the development of foundational literacy skills including letter recognition, auditory discrimination among phonemes, and letter-sound relationships (Lerner & Johns, 2012; McGee & Richgels, 2008; Otto, 2008; Piaget, 1964). Consequently, developing children's basic reading skills is a major educational goal for primary school teachers (Otto, 2008). As children begin to master basic reading skills, teachers can integrate higher level reading skills such as fluency and comprehension into their daily instruction. While many students are able to successfully learn foundational reading skills in elementary school, approximately 17.5% of school-aged children in the United States encounter reading problems during the first three years of school (National Reading Panel, 2000). Several studies have supported common characteristics among children who are at-risk for reading difficulties and would likely benefit from some level of reading intervention. These risk factors include: lack of phonemic awareness (sound principles), lack of familiarity with the letters in the alphabet, and lack of sufficient vocabulary and oral language skills (Dunn, 2010; Lyon, 2003). If not addressed in the elementary school years, reading deficits will continue to negatively impact students' academic performance throughout their educational careers; therefore early identification and intervention for students with reading problems is critical to maximize success as reading is a basic skill needed for all academic subjects in school (Lerner & Johns, 2012). The five key components to reading, as described by the National Reading Panel (2000), are phonemic awareness, word recognition, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension. Phonemic awareness is comprised of the abilities to understand that words are made up of a variety of sounds parts (phonemes) and manipulate those sound parts in oral speech (Nicholson, 2006). Word recognition is defined as the ability to identify words using strategies such as decoding, sight-words, context clues, and structural analysis (National Reading Panel, 2000). Students who have specific learning disabilities in reading often exhibit skill deficits in both phonemic awareness and word recognition. Best Practices in Instruction and Intervention Numerous studies have found that the most effective instructional approaches teach reading using a 'balanced' approach. This methodology teaches both phonics skills (i.e., letter recognition, auditory discrimination among phonemes, and letter-sound relationship) and whole-language skills (i.e., the learned associations between visual recognition of words and meaning) (Bradley & Bryant, 1983; Fitzgerald, 1999; Honig, 2001; Karemaker, Pitchford & O'Malley, 2010; Matson, 1996; Reutzel & Cooter, 2004; Slavin, Lake, Davis, & Madden, 2011). Both phonics- and whole-language approaches ultimately have accurate word identification as their goals. Word identification includes decoding skills; it also involves the ability to identify words using strategies such as sight words, context clues, and structural analysis. Sight word recognition involves the instantaneous recognition of words without further analysis. Teaching sight-word recognition is beneficial in identifying high frequency words and words that do not follow the predictable pattern of letter--sound relationships (Lerner & Johns, 2012). Because the skills needed for sight word recognition are different from foundational phonics skills, interventions that use balanced instruction to teach both phonics and whole word identification skills are recommended as best practice (Andersen, Licht, & Ullmann, 1979; Foorman & Liberman, 1989; Joseph, 2008; Mayfield, 2000). …

Finnish students’ reasons for their achievement in classroom activities: focus on features that support self-regulated learning

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate how finnish students explain factors that contribute to their achievement in classroom learning activities and whether these factors are related to support of self-regulated learning (SRL) in classroom. Over seven weeks, 24 primary school students were videotaped during their typical classroom activities in 28 lessons to capture moments when they succeeded in learning tasks. From the video observations, 62 episodes were edited and used in stimulated recall interviews in which students were asked to report the reasons they related to their achievement in learning situations. Data-driven content analysis was used to analyse the open-ended interview data. The video observation data were analysed and sorted into theory-driven categories in order to find out how SRL was supported in classrooms. The results showed that students describe achievement through the actions that they took in the learning situations, such as being able accomplish the task. The reasons given for...

Complementing the Australian primary school Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum: exploring children's HPE learning experiences within varying school ground equipment contexts

Abstract: This paper unearths how primary school children experience and can complement the Australian HPE curriculum within three unique school ground equipment scenarios that include an ‘empty’, ‘loose parts’ and a ‘traditional’ school ground context. Using direct observation, 490 scans were undertaken of the school grounds over five days. Field note observations recorded children's HPE learning experiences according to the curriculum, and predominant physical activity types and intensities were recorded. Implementing a variety of school ground equipment provisions was revealed to be important compared to the ‘empty’ school ground context for primary school children to meet HPE curriculum objectives.

Calling for the development of children's number sense in primary schools in Malaysia

Abstract: Although the early development of children's number sense is a strong predictor of their later mathematics achievements, it has been overlooked in primary schools in Malaysia. Mainly attributable to underdeveloped number sense of Malaysian primary and secondary school children, their inability to handle simple mathematics tasks, which require the understanding of basic mathematical concepts, numerical estimation, and mental computation, is a cause for worry. To enhance the perception of curriculum designers and mathematics teachers about why and how number sense ought to be developed, this article serves as a review of essential components, theoretical framework, and test of number sense.

Exploring the artwork of young students’ multimodal compositions

Abstract: The data featured in this article were collected during a classroom-based study with seven- and eight-year-old children in British Columbia, Canada. The multiple purposes of the research included exploring how the development of the students’ understanding of elements of visual art and design would affect their subsequent application of these same elements when creating their own multimodal print texts. Two sources of data were analysed for this article: the artwork in the books written and illustrated by the students, and the transcripts of the students’ individual interviews about how they included the required elements of visual art and design in their artwork. Analysis of the students’ visual text-making revealed how they applied and transformed the concepts under study during the research, and how the students’ sign-making was socially embedded.

Who do you want me to be? An exploration of female and male perceptions of ‘imposed’ gender roles in the early years

Abstract: This paper provides an exploratory discussion surrounding the views and experiences of women and men who work/train in the early years (0–8 years) by bringing together select findings from two independent doctoral research projects. In an effort to weave together the voices of females and males working/training in the early years sector, this paper focuses its attention on the different ways in which their working roles are constructed and the possible ways in which this leads to the imposition of gender roles upon professionals in the 0–8 workforce in England.

Learning from Dealing with Real World Problems.

Abstract: Introduction Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method that encourages students to obtain and apply content knowledge as well as to develop critical thinking and problem learning skills to deal with real world issues (Lundeberg & Levin; 2003). It also provides examples of learning via constructivist-learning environments. PBL activities create opportunities for students to work on perceived problems in their real world of today. Accomplished teachers encourage students to plan projects that are relevant to themselves and to others in the real world outside the classroom. This student ownership helps them to see and understand the connections between classroom activities and the world outside the school. Moreover, problem-based learning is another educational approach that challenges students to work cooperatively in groups to seek solutions to real-world problems and to develop skills to enable then to become self-directed and life long learners (Savery & Duffy, 2001; Chin & Chia, 2004). All students typically have traditional teaching and learning experiences; they may not have opportunities to identify a problem or issue of personal interest. Traditional models of teaching are typically based on heavily content knowledge. It requires learning facts and memorizing them without letting students to made efficient personal connections. Every student have so many different interests, it is an opportunity for them to ask questions and find answers to a topic of interest they have always wanted to learn more about. Problem-based learning focuses on personal needs of students, that is, science concepts and process skills that are useful in the daily living of students. It focuses on societal issues, that is, issues and problems in homes, schools, and communities as well as the global problems. Students will see the relevance of science in their life. The National Science Education Standards (NSES) indicate specifically that ideas related to health, population, natural resources, and the environment can provide the foundation for attaining real understanding and the use of such understanding in taking actions in a variety of citizenships roles. PBL develops students with skills which allow them to become active, responsible citizens by responding to issues which impact their lives. The experience of science education through PBL will create a scientifically literate person. The National Science Education Standards define scientifically literate person as follow; 1. uses concepts of science and of technology and ethical values in solving everyday problems and makes responsible everyday decisions in everyday life, including work and leisure; 2. engages in responsible personal civic actions after weighing the possible consequences of alternative options; 3. defends decisions and actions using rational arguments based an evidence; 4. engages in science and technology for the excitement and the explanations they provide. 5. displays curiosity about and appreciation of the natural and human-made world; 6. applies skepticism, careful methods, logical reasoning, and creativity in investigating the observable universe; 7. values scientific research and technological problem solving; 8. locates, collects, analyzes, and valuates sources of scientific and technological information and uses these sources in solving problems, making decisions, and taking actions; 9. distinguishes between scientific-technological evidence and personal opinion and between reliable and unreliable information; 10. remains open to new evidence and the tentativeness of scientific-technological knowledge; 11. recognizes that science and technology are human endeavors; 12. weighs the benefits and burdens of scientific and technological development; 13. recognizes the strength and limitations of science and technology for advancing human welfare; 14. …