Showing papers on "Primary education published in 2019"

K–12 online learning: a survey of u.s. school district administrators

Abstract: The research literature on online learning has grown significantly in the past decade. Many studies have been published that examine the extent, nature, policies, learning outcomes, and other issues associated with online instruction. While much of this literature focuses specifically on postsecondary education with approximately three million students presently enrolled in fully online courses [1], not as much has been published about students enrolled in fully online and blended courses in primary and secondary schools. This is one of the first studies to collect data on and to compare fully online and blended learning in K–12 schools. The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of online learning in K–12 schools and to establish base data for more extensive future studies. Issues related to planning, operational difficulties, and online learning providers were also examined. This study does not necessarily answer all of the issues raised but hopefully will promote further discussion and study of them.

Augmenting the learning experience in primary and secondary school education: a systematic review of recent trends in augmented reality game-based learning

Abstract: There is a significant body of research relating to augmented reality (AR) uses for learning in the primary and the secondary education sectors across the globe. However, there is not such a substantial amount of work exploring the combination of AR with game-based learning (ARGBL). Although ARGBL has the potential to enable new forms of teaching and transform the learning experience, it remains unclear how ARGBL applications can impact students’ motivation, achievements, and learning performance. This study reports a systematic review of the literature on ARGBL approaches in compulsory education considering the advantages, disadvantages, instructional affordances, and/or effectiveness of ARGBL across various primary and secondary education subjects. In total, 21 studies published between 2012 and 2017 in 11 indexed journals were analysed, with 14 studies focusing on primary education and 7 on secondary. The main findings from this review provide the current state of the art research in ARGBL in compulsory education. Trends and the vision towards the future are also discussed, as ARGBL can potentially influence the students’ attendance, knowledge transfer, skill acquisition, hands-on digital experience, and positive attitude towards their learning. This review aims to lay the groundwork for educators, technology developers, and other stakeholders involved in the development of literacy programmes for young children by offering new insights with effective advice and suggestions on how to increase student motivation and improve learning outcomes and the learning experience by incorporating ARGBL into their teaching.

Analysing students’ content-learning in science in CLIL vs. non-CLIL programmes: empirical evidence from Spain

Abstract: This paper investigates students’ performance in content-subjects in the framework of CLIL programmes in Spain. So far, CLIL research has focused primarily on language attainment in the L2 and the L1, but students’ achievements as regards content-subjects have been largely ignored. Competence in Science in the L1 is analysed by comparing pupils enrolled in mainstream schools with students in the so-called ‘bilingual streams’ offering CLIL-based approaches. The main objective is to assess if students learning Science through the L2 (English) outperform their counterparts studying in the L1 (Spanish) as regards content acquisition. The paper analyses a sample of 709 6th grade Primary Education students enrolled in public schools in the Principality of Asturias (Spain). A test to assess students’ knowledge in Science and a context questionnaire (measuring participants’ socio-economic status) were designed. The main finding is that students learning contents in their L1 perform slightly better than th...

Basic Formal Education Quality, Information Technology and Inclusive Human Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract: This study assesses the relevance of basic formal education in information technology for inclusive human development in 49 countries in sub-Saharan Africa for the period 2000-2012. The question it aims to answer is the following: what is the relevance of basic formal education in the effect of mobile phone penetration on inclusive human development in sub-Saharan Africa when initial levels of inclusive human development are taken into account? The empirical evidence is based on instrumental quantile regressions. Poor primary education dampens the positive effect of mobile phone penetration on inclusive human development. This main finding should be understood in the perspective that, the education quality indicator represents a policy syndrome because of the way it is computed, notably: the ratio of pupils to teachers. Hence, an increasing ratio indicates decreasing quality of education. It follows that decreasing quality of education dampens the positive effect of mobile phone on inclusive development. This tendency is consistent throughout the conditional distribution of inclusive human development. Policy implications for sustainable development are discussed.

Children’s Creativity: A Theoretical Framework and Systematic Review:

Abstract: Within education, the importance of creativity is recognized as an essential 21st-century skill. Based on this premise, the first aim of this article is to provide a theoretical integration through...

Online Diagnostic Assessment in Support of Personalized Teaching and Learning: The eDia System

Abstract: The aims of this paper are: to provide a comprehensive introduction to eDia, an online diagnostic assessment system; to show how the use of technology can contribute to solving certain crucial problems in education by supporting the personalization of learning; and to offer a general reference for further eDia-based studies. The primary function for which the system is designed is to provide regular diagnostic feedback in three main domains of education, reading, mathematics and science, from the beginning of schooling to the end of the six years of primary education. The cognitive foundations of the system, the assessment frameworks, are based on a three-dimensional approach in each domain, distinguishing the psychological (reasoning), the application and the disciplinary (curricular content) dimensions of learning. The frameworks have been carefully mapped into item banks containing over a thousand innovative (multimedia-supported) items in each dimension. The online assessments were piloted, and the system has been operating in experimental mode in over 1000 schools for several years. This paper outlines the theoretical foundations of the eDia system and summarizes how results from research on the cognitive sciences, learning and instruction, and technology-based assessment have been integrated into a working system designed to assess a large population of students. The paper describes the main functions of eDia and discusses how it supports item writing, constructing tests, online test delivery, automated scoring, data processing, scaling and the provision of feedback both for students and teachers. It shows how diagnostic assessments can be implemented in school practice to facilitate differentiated instruction through regular measurements and to provide instruments for teachers to make formative assessments. Beyond its main function (supporting development towards personalizing education), the eDia platform has been used for assessments in a number of areas from pre-school to higher education both in Hungary and in a number of other countries as well. The paper also reviews results from eDia-based studies and highlights how technology-based assessment extends the possibilities of educational research by making more constructs measurable.

Effect of Parental Involvement on Children's Academic Achievement in Chile.

Abstract: Parental involvement in school has been demonstrated to be a key factor for children's academic outcomes. However, there is a lack of research in Chile, as well as in Latin American countries in general, leaving a gap in the literature about the generalization of findings outside developed and industrialized countries, where most of the research has been done. The present study aims to analyse the associations between parental involvement in school and children's academic achievement. Cluster analysis results from a sample of 498 parents or guardians whose children attended second and third grades in 16 public elementary schools in Chile suggested the existence of three different profiles of parental involvement (high, medium, and low) considering different forms of parental involvement (at home, at school and through the invitations made by the children, the teachers, and the school). Results show that there are differences in children's academic achievement between the parental involvement profiles, indicating children whose parents have a low involvement have lower academic achievement. Findings are in line with international research evidence, suggesting the need to focus on this variable too in Latin American contexts.

Mobile virtual reality for musical genre learning in primary education

Abstract: Mobile virtual reality (VR) is increasingly becoming popular and accessible to everyone that holds a smartphone. In particular, digital didactics can take advantage of natural interaction and immersion in virtual environments, starting from primary education. This paper investigates the problem of enhancing music learning in primary education through the use of mobile VR. To this end, technical and methodological frameworks were developed, and were tested with two classes in the last year of a primary school (10 years old children). The classes were involved in an evaluation study on music genre identification and learning with a multi-platform mobile application called VR4EDU. Students were immersed in music performances of different genres (e.g., classical, country, jazz, and swing), navigating inside several musical rooms. The evaluation of the didactic protocol shows a statistically significant improvement in learning genre characterization (i.e., typical instruments and their spatial arrangements on stage) compared to traditional lessons with printed materials and passive listening. These results show that the use of mobile VR technologies in synergy with traditional teaching methodologies can improve the music learning experience in primary education, in terms of active listening, attention, and time. The inclusion of pupils with certified special needs strengthened our results.

Lifelong learning in sustainable development goal 4 : what does it mean for UNESCO's rights-based approach to adult learning and education?

Abstract: This article, which draws on a review of primary and secondary literature, examines the role of a human rights-based approach to adult learning and education (ALE) in the context of the global Education 2030 agenda, which is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) launched in 2015 by the United Nations. Whereas the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) focused on primary education, the SDGs, through SDG 4 which is devoted to education, call on Member States to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. The inclusion of lifelong learning has awakened hopes for a stronger role of ALE in global education agendas and policies. In principle, the ten targets of SDG 4 open up clear possibilities for ALE. However, the author cautions that there is cause for scepticism that ALE, in particular human rights-based ALE, will receive more attention under the SDGs than it did under the MDGs. The article is structured into three sections. The first section traces the emergence of a rights-based approach to adult education as an international paradigm, with particular attention given to the role of UNESCO. The second section discusses how the rights-based approach to adult education has been contested by other actors in the field of education for development. In the final section, the author draws on recent empirical data to reflect on the role of ALE in the age of the SDGs.

The effect of programming on primary school students’ mathematical and scientific understanding: educational use of mBot

Abstract: This study highlights the importance of an educational design that includes robotics and programming through a visual programming language as a means to enable students to improve substantially their understanding of the elements of logic and mathematics. Gaining an understanding of computational concepts as well as a high degree of student participation and commitment emphasize the effectiveness of introducing robotics and visual programming based on active methodologies in primary education. Implementation of this design provides sixth-grade elementary education students with activities that integrate programming and robotics in sciences and mathematics; these practices allow students to understand coding, motion, engines, sequences and conditionals. A quasi-experimental design, descriptive analysis and participant observation were applied across various dimensions to 93 sixth-grade students in four primary education schools. Programming and robotics were integrated in one didactic unit of mathematics and another in sciences. Statistically significant improvements were achieved in the understanding of mathematical concepts and in the acquisition of computational concepts, based on an active pedagogical practice that instills motivation, enthusiasm, commitment, fun and interest in the content studied.

Emotional Stability of Intellectually Superior Children Versus Nongifted Peers as Estimated by Chronic Anxiety Levels

Abstract: Despite current interests in the education of intellectually superior students, ther remains a paucity of research on the affective characteristics of these children relative to other categories of...

Education and Military Rivalry

Abstract: What makes countries engage in reforms of mass education? Motivated by historical evidence on the relation between military threats and expansions of primary education, we assemble a panel dataset from the last 150 years in European countries and from the postwar period in a large set of countries. We uncover three stylized facts: (i) investments in education are associated with military threats, (ii) democratic institutions are negatively correlated with education investments, and (iii) education investments respond more strongly to military threats in democracies. These patterns continue to hold when we exploit rivalries in a country’s neighborhood as an alternative source of variation. We develop a theoretical model that rationalizes the three empirical findings. The model has an additional prediction about investments in physical infrastructures, which finds support in the data. (JEL: N30, N40, I20, H56).

Coding in K-8: International Trends in Teaching Elementary/Primary Computing

Abstract: The teaching of computing is becoming an essential addition to twenty-first-century learning. An important part of this new addition is the teaching of computing in earlier grades, starting as early as kindergarten in some countries. Yet, there is little research that reports on computing practices in earlier grades. The purpose of this study was to paint a broad picture of the teaching of computing in primary education from teachers’ perspectives through a 20-min snowball survey sent out to elementary computing groups. This study reports on the teaching of over 300 teachers who are responsible for teaching computing to nearly 60,000 primary-aged students. The results principally represented teachers in the US and the UK, though smaller samples of teachers from 23 total countries are included. We report on teachers’ responses by analyzing quantitative data and open-ended responses to questions about their experiences in teaching computing to children. Results highlight teachers’ level of preparation to teach computing, the most commonly taught programming languages, teacher successes and challenges, and observations on how learning to program has affected students.

An international collaborative investigation of beginning seventh grade students' understandings of scientific inquiry: Establishing a baseline

Abstract: Although understandings of scientific inquiry (as opposed to conducting inquiry) are included in science education reform documents around the world, little is known about what students have learned about inquiry during their elementary school years. This is partially due to the lack of any assessment instrument to measure understandings about scientific inquiry. However, a valid and reliable assessment has recently been developed and published, Views About Scientific Inquiry (VASI; Lederman et al. [2014], Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 51, 65–83). The purpose of this large‐scale international project was to collect the first baseline data on what beginning middle school students have learned about scientific inquiry during their elementary school years. Eighteen countries/regions spanning six continents including 2,634 students participated in the study. The participating countries/regions were: Australia, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Mainland China, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States. In many countries, science is not formally taught until middle school, which is the rationale for choosing seventh grade students for this investigation. This baseline data will simultaneously provide information on what, if anything, students learn about inquiry in elementary school, as well as their beginning knowledge as they enter secondary school. It is important to note that collecting data from all of the approximately 200 countries globally was not humanly possible, and it was also not possible to collect data from every region of each country. The results overwhelmingly show that students around the world at the beginning of grade seven have very little understandings about scientific inquiry. Some countries do show reasonable understandings in certain aspects but the overall picture of understandings of scientific inquiry is not what is hoped for after completing 6 years of elementary education in any country.

Examining Primary Education Teachers’ Perceptions of TPACK and the Related Educational Context Factors

Abstract: The study presented in this paper was designed to examine Greek primary education teachers’ perceptions of their knowledge and skills with regards to the integration of ICT in their instructional p...

The students’ readiness to engage with mobile learning apps

Abstract: A relevant literature review suggests that today’s children are increasingly immersing themselves in ubiquitous technologies, including interactive media and digital games. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the primary school students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivations toward learning via gameplay through their mobile devices, at home and at school.,This study was carried out among primary school students in a small European state. It used valid and reliable measures that comprised the technology acceptance model’s key constructs. However, the empirical investigation also explored the students’ perceived enjoyment and social influences, as plausible antecedents for their behavioral intention to engage with the educational applications (apps).,The findings reported that there were strong correlations between the students’ perceived usefulness of the mobile technologies and their behavioral intention to use them for their learning. The results also indicated that there was no significant relationship between the perceived ease of use and the children’s enjoyment in engaging with the educational apps that were used at school.,To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no other study in academia that has explored the children’s technology acceptance, normative pressures and their intrinsic motivations to use mobile learning technologies in the context of primary education. Therefore, this contribution opens future research directions, as this study can be replicated in other contexts.

Can We Motivate Students to Practice Physical Activities and Sports Through Models-Based Practice? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Psychosocial Factors Related to Physical Education.

Abstract: Adults (more than 18 years old) are likely to reproduce the habits that they acquired during childhood and adolescence (from 6 to 16 years old). For that reason, teachers and parents have the responsibility to promote an active and healthy lifestyle in children and adolescents. Even though every school subject should promote healthy activities, Physical Education (PE) is the most important subject to foster well-being habits associated to healthy lifestyle during sport practice and other kinds of active tasks. Indeed, there are many factors that influence the acquisition of healthy habits that should be taken into account when programs and activities are implemented in both educational and extracurricular context. In this sense, psychological and social factors are of utmost importance to achieve optimal experiences for an active and healthy lifestyle. However, due to the myriad of studies analyzing different factors in different contexts, there could be confusion when programs and pedagogical strategies are applied in educational or extracurricular contexts. The objective of this investigation is to analyze the state of art of the psychosocial factors which influence the engagement in physical activities and sport practice. The keywords used in this review were mainly: ‘Self-Determination Theory’, ‘motivation’, ‘Psychological need satisfaction, ‘physical activity and sport engagement’, ‘Elementary Education’, ‘Secondary Education’, ‘Physical Education’. The articles were selected according to the following criteria: (a) peer-reviewed original research published in international journals indexed in JCR or SJR, (b) published in English or Spanish, (c) about psychosocial factors which influence the physical activity and sport engagement, (b) in educational or extracurricular context. Research articles selected were found through nine databases. It was observed that physical activities and sport practice engagement are closely related to psychological factors. In particularly, intrinsic motivation was able to determine the active participation in any activity, including physical activity and sport practice during the implementation of Small-Sided Games and other kinds of pedagogical strategies (e.g., Pedagogical Models). Motivation was also closely related to flow state. Finally, these variables should be considered in order to organize effective programs to promote an active and healthy lifestyle in Physical Education classes.

Digital Literacy of Teachers in Training: Moving from ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) to LKTs (Learning and Knowledge Technologies).

Abstract: This study is based on the need to work on the digital literacy of our Infant Education degree, Primary Education degree and Master in Secondary Education students so that, as future teachers, they are able to make the necessary transition from ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) to LKTs (Learning and Knowledge Technologies) Through a mixed methodology, knowledge and perceptions of basic technological concepts and tools of our trainee teachers are identified. The instrument used has been a Likert scale questionnaire, adapted and validated by experts from the participating universities. Its internal consistency demonstrates its worth and functionality for the proposed analysis (α = 0.958). The first results show a clear lack of knowledge of certain technological concepts essential for their future teaching work and, in turn, show significant differences regarding the knowledge of ICTs according to the age of the participants.

Application of a constraints-led approach to pedagogy in schools: embarking on a journey to nurture physical literacy in primary physical education

Abstract: Background: Oversimplified, reductionist approaches to operationalising Physical Literacy (PL) have been a barrier to the development of a complex, dynamic and embodied understanding of the individual Physical Literacy journey. Further, there has been no appropriate approach that might allow practitioners to integrate Physical Literacy in Physical Education (PE). Whilst popular approaches, such as Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) and Game Sense (GS), for operationalising learner-centred and problem-based learning, have gained professional traction in the last three decades, the development of a comprehensive theoretical basis to underpin pedagogical principles has been neglected – particularly in Physical Education. Pedagogical approaches grounded in play have gained popularity as a vehicle for Physical Literacy development in Physical Education. Despite the prominence of a Constraint-Led Approach (CLA) in sport pedagogy to assist in developing ‘the intelligent, autonomous individual’ in sport, application to Physical Education is limited. Purpose: In this article, we propose key pedagogical principles of a Constraints-Led Approach (CLA) in primary physical education, underpinned by the theoretical framework of Ecological Dynamics (ED). Driven by the challenge of designing affordance landscapes for learning, we present our reflections on a recently designed PE curriculum for primary schools, Boing, which could facilitate the development of movement capacities in play-based curricula designed to nurture the Physical Literacy journey for individuals. An articulation of support for the key theoretical ideas is provided in this paper. Design: This is achieved through reflections on the play-based curriculum (BOING) founded on the principles of Ecological Dynamics (ED) underpinning a Constraints-Led approach (CLA) to better serve the implementation of a Physical Literacy focussed Physical Education in a Primary school setting based on key principles for delivery. Findings: Summarising the findings, the we were able to highlight the importance of developing key principles for delivering a theoretically informed curriculum that elicits key principles of Physical Literacy. Whilst movement skills are key, these approaches are able to elicit the intended outcomes in learners of confidence, motivation and competence (Whitehead 2010, 2016). Conclusions: A CLA affords the theoretical design of play-based curricula beyond just play or sport towards purposeful, inclusive learning environments. Practitioners should look to underpin their practice with key theoretical ideas. This paper is of particular interest to those coaches and teachers tasked with designing practical environments for learning beyond the rhetoric of skill development in sport.

School Readiness From Kindergarten to Primary School

Abstract: The current paper review gives a brief and representative description of the role that school readiness from kindergarten education to primary education plays in every child’s academic life. Therefore many researchers note that school readiness tools play a notable role for the kindergarten teachers, the family and of course for the child in order to achieve a successful school life. Thus, the research team of this paper gives the presentation of some school readiness tools that are used by kindergarten teachers and specialist’s worldwide scoping to underlie strengths and weaknesses of preschoolers. Additionally, it is thought worthwhile to say that the readiness tools that are presented are used with the traditional way while some of them with the support of new technology. Lastly, the theoretical base of the significant role that school readiness plays from kindergarten to first grade and its crucial role for the child’s academic development is discussed shortly.

Theatre of the imagination : exploring a pedagogic toolkit for creative development and global learning in primary education

Abstract: ‘Theatre of the Imagination’ sets out to explore how creative practice may help nurture personal agency and global citizenship in mainstream primary education. Signature pedagogies from art and design are transferred through a series of workshops created to foster design thinking and to cultivate haptic skills. The approach is constructivist in nature and encourages participants to depict lived experiences and generate imaginative ideas by articulating tacit knowledge through drawing, making and storytelling. Transition design provides a framework for social transformation as it encourages activists to construct a vision of what might be possible in the future and to plan small interventions aimed at bringing about change. Theories of change link transition design to the efforts being made in primary schools to nurture responsible stewardship. I have adopted selected UN global goals to raise awareness of diversity and to help foster learners as socially aware, global citizens. Nurturing empathy and a ‘care-full’ attitude to others contributes to the constructivist epistemology and to a value-laden axiology. The workshops set out to develop and test a series of creative tools through participatory action research aimed at accelerating learning in mainstream primary education. They are designed to foster personal agency through metacognition, creative ideas through practice, and engagement with global learning through discussion and storytelling. A series of constructivist learning design events produce compelling insights that suggest art and design in mainstream primary education has the potential to make a high impact on the development of cognitive and non-cognitive skills. These findings contest outcomes from the government-funded Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) research and require further investigation at a time when mainstream arts education is under duress.

Principal Pipelines: A Feasible, Affordable, and Effective Way for Districts to Improve Schools

Abstract: Through its Principal Pipeline Initiative (PPI), The Wallace Foundation provided funding and technical assistance to support six large school districts in their efforts to put in place systematic processes for the strategic management of school leaders. This report describes the implementation of the PPI and its effects on student achievement, other school outcomes, and principal retention.

Análisis de la autopercepción sobre el nivel de competencia digital docente en la formación inicial de maestros/as.

Abstract: Nowadays, digital competence in the initial training is essential since elementary students are often in touch with ICT. Therefore, it would be advisable that future teachers finish the degree with optimal digital competence. This study aims at analyzing teachers’ digital competence in students of teacher training degrees through the INTEF model (2017) “Common Framework for Teachers’ Digital Competence”. We followed a quantitative and observational methodology. For this purpose, an online questionnaire based on this model was used and 117 students participated. These students were mainly 4th year Early-Childhood and Primary Education students in the Faculty of Education. The results achieved show a basic level in the areas studied both in Early-Childhood and Primary, as well as at the beginning and end of their Education. To conclude, the inclusion of ICT training is necessary in training future Early-Childhood and Primary teachers in order to satisfy the needs of their students.

Knowledge and degree of training of primary education teachers in relation to ICT taught to students with disabilities

Abstract: The integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) into the inclusive classroom requires competent teaching staff from both the technological and pedagogical points of view. Within this context, and with the aim of looking at one of these theoretical premises, this study aimed to identify the degree of training and technological knowledge of primary school teachers in Spain with respect to the use of ICT with individuals with disabilities (functional diversity). A descriptive ex post‐facto research method was used, where the sample comprised 777 teachers. An ad‐hoc questionnaire was used as the data‐collection instrument. The results revealed the low skill levels of the teachers with respect to the use of ICT with students with disabilities, where the level of training of the teaching staff was determined by personal (gender, age), professional (teaching experience) or educational (qualifications) variables. The findings of this study point to the need for teacher training that instructs teachers on the use of ICT in order to favour the learning and educational innovation of students with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] uracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Implementation of a Model-Based Programme to Promote Personal and Social Responsibility and Its Effects on Motivation, Prosocial Behaviours, Violence and Classroom Climate in Primary and Secondary Education.

Abstract: The present study aimed to apply a programme based on Hellison’s Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility model (TPSR), traditionally used in Physical Education, to other school subjects and analyse aspects related to motivation and satisfaction of basic psychological needs among other variables. The programme was applied for 7 months during one academic year, all students receiving at least 60% of the lessons through this teaching methodology. A mixed method research methodology and quasiexperimental design was implemented in three schools (two primary, one secondary), with a total of 29 teachers and 272 students (45 control, 227 experimental group) involved. The students completed a questionnaire before and after the study and the teachers underwent semi-structured interviews at the end of the intervention. The results indicated improvements for the experimental group in personal and social responsibility, the psychological mediator index, the self-determination index, prosocial behaviours and teacher climate, as well as a reduction in amotivation and antisocial behaviours. The results were similar for primary and secondary school. The interviews yielded positive opinions and showed suitability of the method to be applied in the rest of subjects. It is concluded that TPSR can be an appropriate methodology to be implemented in the different curriculum subjects to improve basic psychological need satisfaction, motivation, prosocial behaviours and classroom climate.

Evaluating Ocean Literacy of Elementary School Students: Preliminary Results of a Cross-Cultural Study in the Mediterranean Region

Abstract: A good understanding of the role and function of the ocean seems to be of paramount importance in recent years, constituting the basic tool for the promotion of healthy and sustainable marine environment, and a target area of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In this study, the content knowledge of elementary school students (grades 3-6) in regards to ocean sciences issues was examined. A structured questionnaire was administered to 1004 students participating in a cross-cultural study from three Mediterranean countries (Italy, Croatia, and Greece). The results of the study indicated a rather moderate level of knowledge in the total sample, while slight differences were recorded among the three countries revealing common knowledge gains and misconceptions. Rasch analysis was applied to further evaluate the validity of the results, while the influence of certain demographics on students’ knowledge level was also investigated. This study concludes with a discussion of the implications on national curriculum development in elementary education level, in order to promote ocean literacy and to ensure protection and conservation of the Mediterranean Sea.