An Evaluation of Leading Teacher Learning in Secondary Schools

An Evaluation of Leading Teacher Learning in Secondary Schools

By Alexander Pallister

This essay is presented as an evaluation of leading teacher learning in secondary schools. The paper considers three key areas: (1) The role of school leaders in relation to the professional development of teachers; (2) The contribution of mentoring in relation to teacher development; and (3) The concept and value of teacher leadership in relation to coaching and learner . . .

Manama, BH
Teacher workload concerns: What are the causes and effects?

Teacher workload concerns: What are the causes and effects?

By Amrita Johal

Teachers’ workload and its impact on staff recruitment and retention are a growing concern. This essay examines the perspectives of three teachers working in a secondary school in the UK and shows how workload has impacted their careers. Through the use of email interviews, the paper aims to explore the perspectives of the individuals, providing a glimpse into . . .

Loughborough, ENG, GB
A Journey in Action Research

A Journey in Action Research

By You Chuan Teoh

Educational action research seems wonderful on paper, where teachers actively participate in developing themselves, learning from each other and trying to improve classrooms, schools, and education systems. However, in reality, the use of action research in education can be a daunting task, and depending on the education policy direction underlying its use in an education system can be anything but a wonderful experience. This essay . . .

Singapore, SG
A Student Friendly Programme To Clean The School

A Student Friendly Programme To Clean The School

By Lummini Gunathilaka

A pleasant environment contributes to a peaceful mind as well as success in education. A stress-free mind for students is facilitated by a pleasant school environment created by the students by cleaning the school environment before the commencement of the school day. That was the focus of the project reported in this paper. The school where I was first appointed as a teacher is located in a . . .

Kandy, LK
Microteaching as a Method to Enhance Prospective Teachers’ Teaching Skills

Microteaching as a Method to Enhance Prospective Teachers’ Teaching Skills

By H.M. Nalini Dhammika Kumari

Microteaching and teaching practice are two integral parts of pre-service teacher education programmes. Microteaching has been used since the 1960s in teaching and learning environments including teaching practices of pre-service teachers. The emphasis of professional development in teacher education has been on . . .

Gampaha, LK
Increasing Student Learning and Interest in Agriculture Through Project-Based Learning

Increasing Student Learning and Interest in Agriculture Through Project-Based Learning

By Bradley Gannon

Our global population continues to increase and so must our food production. However, literatures indicate that fewer people have access to safe or sufficient food sources. This research is intended to address this problem, as we look at ways to increase middle school student interest in agriculture, including food production, distribution, and agricultural technology. . .

Park City, UT, US
What shall we do about the Children of the Pandemic?

What shall we do about the Children of the Pandemic?

By Teresa Snyder

I wrote this piece after hearing many of my peers expressing confounding perspectives on “learning loss” during a pandemic which has turned everyone’s life upside down. I published this on a Facebook page and was astonished at how far it has traveled and how many people around the globe have responded that it expressed their concerns as well. Ultimately, the piece has received about 1,000,000 global interactions in . . .

Schenectady, NY, US
Strengthening Critical-Thinking Skills of Science Students in Sri Lanka

Strengthening Critical-Thinking Skills of Science Students in Sri Lanka

By Thanuja Perera

Scientific literacy and critical thinking are key components of science education aiming to prepare students to think and function as responsible citizens in a world where science and technology play a key role. Students should be given opportunities to engage in learning experiences that promote development of critical-thinking skills, resulting in their ability to take . . .

Negombo, LK
Power in schools: An ex-teacher returns as a researcher

Power in schools: An ex-teacher returns as a researcher

By Dave McPartlan

This writing is for teachers who are either returning to schools to conduct research or are hoping to conduct research within their own institution. I explore how my previous role may have been seen by the young people within the school and how that impacted on the young people’s perceptions of me. The aim of the writing is to reflect on my preparation to conduct qualitative research on power in a school where I . . .

Hexham, ENG, GB
Bridging the achievement gap: The educational success of African students in the U.K.

Bridging the achievement gap: The educational success of African students in the U.K.

By Henry Iberi

It is widely documented that white working-class children are underperforming academically compared to peers from ethnic minority backgrounds. Consequently, opportunities for higher education and well-regarded careers are often foreclosed for these young people. There is a perception, albeit contested, that this pattern of underperformance is rooted in . . .

Wolverhampton, ENG, GB
“This is Not Teaching”: The Effects of COVID-19 on Teachers

“This is Not Teaching”: The Effects of COVID-19 on Teachers

By Joel Judd; Betty Ann Rember; Tony Pellegrini; Brian Ludlow; John Meisner

This Project was initiated to shed light on teachers’ experiences as a result of this Spring’s school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020. Its primary goal was to understand teachers’ experiences with mandated online schooling. Related goals included gathering information about . . .

Cedar City, UT, US
COVID-19: An Experience by a School Staff Coping with the Crisis

COVID-19: An Experience by a School Staff Coping with the Crisis

By Deborah Dobransky

The creation of a virtual classroom for special education students, as a result of physical school closures due to the COVID-19 virus, offered many challenges including the need to create temporary educational plans and to learn the mechanics of online service delivery. Unexpected and positive outcomes of the virtual classroom included improved therapist and teacher . . .

Rio Rancho, NM, US
Mastering Basic Facts through the Reflex Program (Grantee Research Outcome)

Mastering Basic Facts through the Reflex Program (Grantee Research Outcome)

By Barbara Dotson

Most of the students in my intensive math class are multiple years below grade level and struggle with basic math facts. To help students recall the basic facts with automaticity so they can solve more advanced math problems without being hindered by their lack of basic skill, I implemented the Reflex program, a game-based computer program that was . . .

La Presa, CA, US
Reading Without Walls: Fostering Diverse Reading Interests (Grantee Research Outcome)

Reading Without Walls: Fostering Diverse Reading Interests (Grantee Research Outcome)

By Mary Ellen Shu

Graphic novelist, cartoonist, and teacher, Gene Yang, chose his platform, “Reading Without Walls” (Yang, 2016), to challenge America’s youth to read a book about a character that did not look or live like the reader themselves or a book about a topic that the reader knew nothing about. The goal of this project was to explore . . .

Spring Valley, CA
Leadership and School Effectiveness: Teachers’ Work Lives and Professionalism

Leadership and School Effectiveness: Teachers’ Work Lives and Professionalism

By Effimia Stavrea

This study explored teacher professionalism, perceptions, as well as factors that impact upon their performance and the role of leadership in the enhancement of teacher effectiveness. As the teaching profession has been through harrowing times and the recruitment and retention issue has been a major focus of public attention in the U.K., this study . . .

Oxford, ENG, GB
Curriculum innovation in a primary classroom: Action research

Curriculum innovation in a primary classroom: Action research

By Soledad García Güemes; Elia Fernández-Díaz

This work explores a process of reflection accompanying an innovation in a 5th grade primary class at a public school in Santander, Spain. Combining conceptualization of curricular innovation and action-research as the instrument for innovation and professional development, this work resulted in a deeper knowledge . . .

Cantabria, ES
What impact do individualized teaching sessions have on learners with special needs?

What impact do individualized teaching sessions have on learners with special needs?

By Joanne Whiting

Facilitating the progress of children with moderate learning difficulties can be a challenge due to the poorer retention and memory that many of the children categorized in this group have. The aim of this study was to determine effects of an intervention which would not only enhance the children’s math and reading abilities, but also positively impact on the . . .

Wellingborough, ENG, GB
Do E-Readers increase students’ engagement in reading? (Grantee Research Outcome)

Do E-Readers increase students’ engagement in reading? (Grantee Research Outcome)

By Debra Sands

The goal of this action research was to examine whether home access to e-readers would affect readers’ engagement in independent reading and their reading skills. E-readers (loaded with Internet browsers, literacy apps and skill building games) were used for the research. The devices were made available for students for use at home and at school to encourage . . .

La Mesa, CA
Creating a happy and active learning environment

Creating a happy and active learning environment

By Yvonne Samarawickrama

The objective of this practitioner-research was to determine if the new motivational and instructional strategies that I planned to implement would help create a classroom environment in which students feel safe and enjoy learning and collaborating with their peers. I wanted to create a space for all the students to express their feelings and emotions freely and openly so that they would have a relaxed mind for productive . .

Colombo, LK
Teaching Music in a Full Inclusion Class: Does It Work? (Grantee Research Outcome)

Teaching Music in a Full Inclusion Class: Does It Work? (Grantee Research Outcome)

By Carolyn Lindstrom; James Villegas

The goal of this action-research project was to determine whether inclusion by forming partnerships between students with and without disabilities had a positive effect on students’ perception of peers with disabilities. Through surveys and observations of students with and without disabilities, it was determined that . . .

La Mesa, CA
Factors Influencing Student Retention in Further Education

Factors Influencing Student Retention in Further Education

By Karen Fell

Today’s tertiary education sector is, more than ever, challenged by funding constraints. In further education (FE), sustaining student numbers and retention of students are critical to the survival of institutions and high on the agenda for leaders. This study, conducted in a south Lincolnshire college during the 2015-16 academic year, was devised in recognition of this phenomenon. A case study was …

Stamford, ENG, GB