How teachers' perceptions affect the academic and language assessment of immigrant children

Recent research evidences inconsistencies in teachers' practice regarding skills assessment of L2 students. Scientific evidence supports that less experienced teachers have lower orientation toward multiple task-tests for non-native students. Research questions: Whether school teachers as having different teaching training and unequal teaching experience with non-native students perceive differently a four-skills scale. Purpose of the study: This study intends to analyse the importance degree between the four skills/tasks: reading, writing, speaking and listening, in the perspective of school teachers. Method: 77 teachers, aged 32-62, with (and without) experience in teaching and adapting materials for immigrant students, divided into six groups according to their scientific domain. Assessment tools included a scale for judgement of four academic tasks adapted from the original “Inventory of Undergraduate and Graduate Level: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening Tasks (Rosenfeld, Leung & Ottman, 2001). Main Findings: 1) different degrees of importance attributed by teachers on tasks that should be included in academic and language test for immigrant students; 2) perceptions of teachers are determined by predictors in this order: scientific domain, experience with multicultural classes and lower prediction from teaching service and age; 3) different results between american and portuguese samples answering the same questionnaire.

Do teacher stereotypes about school tracks function as expectations at the collective level and do they relate to the perception of obstacles in the classroom and to teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs?

The effects of individual teacher expectations have been the subject of intensive research. Results indicate that teachers use their expectations to adapt their interactions with their students to some degree (as summarized in a review by Jussim & Harber, 2005). This can in turn lead to expectancy-confirming student developments. While there are studies on the Pygmalion effect on individual students, there is only little research on teacher judgements of whole classes and schools. Our study aims to extend the perspective of teacher judgements at the collective level to stereotypes within the context of school tracking. The content and structure of teachers’ school track stereotypes are investigated as well as the question of whether these stereotypical judgements are related to teachers’ perception of obstacles to their teaching and their teaching self-efficacy beliefs. Cross-sectional data on 341 teachers at two different school types from the Panel Study at the Research School „Education and Capabilities“ in North Rhine-Westphalia (PARS) (see Bos et al., 2016) were used for two purposes: First, the structure of teachers’ stereotypes was identified via an exploratory factor analysis. Second, in follow-up regression analyses, the stereotype dimensions extracted were used to predict teachers’ perceptions of obstacles to their classroom work and their individual and collective teacher self-efficacy beliefs. Results showed that – after controlling for the average cognitive abilities and the average cultural capital of the students – teacher stereotypes were indeed related to perceived obstacles concerning their classroom work and their self-efficacy beliefs. After a discussion of the strengths and limitations of the present research, the article closes with a short proposal of a future research framework for collective Pygmalion effects. (DIPF/Orig.)

REDUCING TEACHER ATTRITION: THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BUILDING PRINCIPALS IN A LARGE URBAN DISTRICT TO SUPPORT TEACHER RETENTION

The high rate of teacher attrition in urban schools is well documented. While this does not seem like a problem in Carter County, this equates to hundreds of teachers that need to be replaced annually. Since school year (SY) 2007-08, Carter County has lost over 7,100 teachers, approximately half of (50.1%) of whom resigned, often going to neighboring, higher-paying jurisdictions as suggested by exit survey data (SY2016-2020 Strategic Plan). Included in this study is a range of practices principals use to retain teachers. While the role of the principal is recognized as a critical element in teacher retention, few studies explore the specific practices principals implement to retain teachers and how they use their time to accomplish this task. Through interviews, observations, document analysis and reflective notes, the study identifies the practices four elementary school principals of high and relatively low attrition schools use to support teacher retention. In doing so, the study uses a qualitative cross-case analysis approach. The researcher examined the following leadership practices of the principal and their impact on teacher retention: (a) providing leadership, (b) supporting new teachers, (c) training and mentoring teaching staff, (d) creating opportunities for collaboration, (d) creating a positive school climate, and (e) promoting teacher autonomy. The following research questions served as a foundational guide for the development and implementation of this study: 1. How do principals prioritize addressing teacher attrition or retention relative to all of their other responsibilities? How do they allocate their time to this challenge? 2. What do principals in schools with low attrition rates do to promote retention that principals in high attrition schools do not? What specific practices or interventions are principals in these two types of schools utilizing to retain teachers? Is there evidence to support their use of the practices? The findings that emerge from the data revealed the various practices principals use to influence and support teachers do not differ between the four schools.

Política e planeamento linguístico da língua portuguesa na Namíbia : perspetivas de futuro

A importância da língua portuguesa, idioma representado nos cinco continentes, é uma realidade incontornável. Este prestígio linguístico é visível no aumento do número de falantes ao longo das últimas décadas. Hoje em dia, o português é usado como língua de comunicação de aproximadamente 250 milhões de pessoas. Para além da representatividade cultural, técnica, tecnológica e económica que possui nos países de língua oficial portuguesa, esta ocorrência é impulsionada também por países pertencentes a outros espaços linguísticos que se sentem atraídos economicamente por economias de países de língua portuguesa. Nesta dissertação apresenta-se o caso da Namíbia, país situado na África subsaarina que mantém relações político-económicas com países de língua portuguesa e que, por isso mesmo, integrou o português como língua curricular estrangeira no sistema de ensino. Questiona-se os motivos pelos quais o ensino formal de português tem cada vez mais aprendentes, isto é, pretende saber-se se a motivação dos alunos adultos está de facto relacionada com razões estritamente económicas ou não. Para o caso foi elaborado um questionário, aplicado em todos os locais onde o português é aprendido como PLE. Seguindo a mesma linha de dúvidas, pretendia-se também aferir se a política linguística que estava a ser implementada na Namíbia se estava a consolidar ou, se pelo contrário, não se estava a solidificar, e, assim sendo, deixar pistas no sentido de encaminhar o planeamento linguístico para as reais necessidades comunicativas dos informantes e potenciais falantes de português.

Conceções e práticas de trabalho colaborativo : estudo de caso com professores do 2º ciclo e de apoio educativo de uma escola da Região Autónoma dos Açores

A colaboração é um tema cada vez mais atual nas práticas pedagógicas dos docentes. No que diz respeito a esta temática, a avaliação externa das escolas no seu quadro de referência apela ao trabalho colaborativo entre os docentes, na prestação do serviço educativo, afirmando o acompanhamento e a supervisão da prática letiva e apresentando um papel relevante na monitorização da eficiência das práticas de apoio educativo. Pretendemos, desta forma, investigar as metodologias colaborativas evidenciadas, bem como a partilha de vivências e perspetivas em relação à efetiva prática ou ausência de colaboração, entre professores do 2º ciclo do ensino básico e professores de apoio educativo das disciplinas de Português, Matemática e Inglês, de uma escola da Região Autónoma dos Açores. Para além disso, também investigámos os processos de supervisão das práticas de colaboração. Para a consecução dessa investigação realizámos questionários a professores de turma e de apoio educativo do 2.º ciclo das disciplinas de Português, Matemática e Inglês, para evidenciar as práticas colaborativas entre os professores titulares e os professores de apoio educativo. Também foram realizadas entrevistas às coordenadoras dos respetivos departamentos, sobre a temática da investigação, e à coordenadora dos apoios educativos. Sendo assim, evidenciou-se uma metodologia mista cujas técnicas de análise de dados tiveram como base a análise estatística descritiva e a análise de conteúdo categorial. Desta recolha de dados foi percetível que as práticas colaborativas ainda não são uma realidade entre os docentes de turma do 2.º ciclo e de apoio educativo. Foi notório que essas práticas se centram apenas na troca de informações, de forma informal, ou então em momentos de avaliação, através da realização de relatórios periodais. A noção do conceito de colaboração ainda não se encontra bem definido para esses docentes, no entanto afirmam a importância dos processos colaborativos para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem. No que diz respeito às práticas de supervisão, estas não se encontram instituídas na escola onde decorreu a investigação, nomeadamente a supervisão promotora de processos de colaboração. Esta investigação poderá ser promotora de outros estudos relacionados com a colaboração e a supervisão das práticas colaborativas, bem como um contributo para a abertura a essas mesmas práticas.

Habitar a cidade autoproduzida

Dissertação para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Arquitectura, apresentada na Universidade de Lisboa - Faculdade de Arquitetura

A problemática da habitação informal em Luanda

Dissertação para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Arquitectura, apresentada na Universidade de Lisboa - Faculdade de Arquitetura.

Precarização do trabalho em educação a distância

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Departamento de Sociologia, 2016.

A aprendizagem da multiplicação perspetiva através através da resolução da sequência de problemas

Este estudo tem como objetivo compreender de que forma os alunos desenvolvem a aprendizagem da multiplicação através da resolução de uma sequência de problemas. Mais concretamente, pretende Identificar e analisar as estratégias e procedimentos de cálculo utilizados pelos alunos quando resolvem problemas de multiplicação e o contributo da sequência de problemas na aprendizagem desta operação. O quadro teórico integra duas secções que discutem as seguintes temáticas: a resolução de problemas e o ensino e aprendizagem da multiplicação. A metodologia deste estudo segue uma abordagem qualitativa, na vertente de investigação-ação. Nele participaram 20 alunos de uma turma do 2.º ano de escolaridade. A recolha de dados foi realizada com recurso à observação participante, à recolha documental, a conversas informais e à entrevista. Os resultados deste estudo sobre as estratégias e procedimentos de cálculo usados pelos alunos quando resolvem problemas de multiplicação revelam que: (i) recorrem a alguma diversidade de estratégias e procedimentos de cálculo na resolução de problemas de multiplicação, (ii) há alunos que, numa fase inicial, recorrem a várias estratégias e procedimentos para resolver um mesmo problema, (iii) por vezes, os alunos regridem na estratégia utilizada comparando com a que usou no problema anterior da sequência e (iv) associada a cada uma das estratégias há procedimentos de cálculo mais frequentes do que outros. Estes resultados mostram, ainda, no que se refere ao contributo da sequência de problemas na aprendizagem da multiplicação que: (i) problemas com contextos associados ao modelo de disposição retangular contribuem para o uso de estratégias multiplicativas, desde que os números envolvidos sejam adequados, (ii) os números de referência e do conhecimento dos alunos facilitam os cálculos efetuados pelos mesmos e (iii) a articulação entre os problemas da sequência contribui para a progressão das estratégias utilizadas pelos alunos.

Apprendre à être un Leader dans un Programme de Leadership: Perceptions, Éxpérience Préalable en Leadership et Sexe de l’Étudiant

The purpose of this study was to examine whether leadership can be learned through the Community Recreation and Leadership Training (CRLT) program and how effective the program is in terms of changing the perceptions and abilities of the students. The intentions of the researcher were to discover crucial learning moments as perceived by students and to gain insights that could lead to future improvements to enhance and enrich learning in a leadership program. To continue to be a viable program and to keep step with the demands of the recreation/leisure industry and society's wide-ranging needs, this study may help to inform the program's 'action plan' for continued success. This study employed a mixed method approach to determine how college students develop effective leadership ability in a three-year Community Recreation and Leadership Training (CRLT) college career program. First, a number of statistical tests were carried out to examine the four research questions used to guide the study. The SPSS software was used to analyze the data collected. The first research question asked how perceptions of leadership change as a result of being in a three-year leadership program. This study, using the Student Leadership Practice Inventory (SLPI), compared the five SLPI leadership dimensions by year. The SLPI was administered to all the first, second, and third year CRLT students ( N = 84). A one-way analysis of variance in participants' scores was conducted. No significant differences were revealed in any of the five dimensions of the SLPI among the first, second, and third year students at p < .05. However, two dimensions (model and encourage) approached significance and may hint at a possible influence the program is having on its students as they progress into the third year. The second research question asked whether perceptions of leadership vary by gender. Comparing the mean scores between the males and females on the five dimensions of the SLPI, no significant differences were found. The third research question asked whether prior leadership experience results in better academic performance for CRLT students in their 1st term. A one-way analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate the relationship between prior leadership experience and mean scores on academic performance. No significant correlations were found between grades and low, medium, or high levels of prior leadership experience F(2,79) = 2.67, p = .08. A correlation coefficient was also computed to determine whether there was a relationship between the Recreation Leadership I course grade and prior leadership experience. The correlation coefficient (.02) was statistically significant, r(80) = .24, p < .05. However, further studies with a larger sample size would be necessary to help determine this. The fourth question asked whether there was a correlation between students' first semester grades and their scores on the Student Leadership Practice Inventory (SLPI). Bivariate correlations (Pearson) were computed for the five SLPI dimensions with academic performance. None of the correlations using the five SLPI indicators was significant. Qualitative data was examined to discover what factors and experiences help students to assert a more effective leadership role. The study relied on content analysis of personal statements, and focus groups. Student perceptions of an effective leader, students' perceptions of their own abilities, and the strengths of the program were explored. A content analysis of the 'Personal Statements' was carried out to determine how students defined leadership prior to their having had any formal teaching in a college program. The result of the analysis of personal statements provided eight leadership categories used as an initial baseline for the study. Six focus groups (totaling N = 30) were conducted. Students responded to four key questions: how they define leadership. What is the single most effective quality of a leader? What leadership skills did they feel they had gained? How had the program helped them obtain their skills? Students credited the CRLT program with helping them develop a variety of leadership skills. Students revealed that they had gained skills such as confidence, knowledge and understanding of people's needs, and becoming more self-directed. They attributed their skill development to such things as good course design, intensive outdoor education and fieldwork courses, "hands on" learning approaches, group work, skill practice, the support they received from teachers, and encouragement they were given by their peers. A common finding among genders was defining an effective leader as someone who is "confident". However, the definition of the most important quality of a leader varied by gender. While males showed a tendency to prefer a leader being "confident," females preferred a leader being a "teacher".

The place of writing in first grade Kuwaiti english education : a sociological case study

A hybridized society, Kuwait meshes Islamic ideologies with western culture. Linguistically, English exists across both foreign language and second language nomenclatures in the country due to globalization and internationalization which has seen increasing use of English in Kuwait. Originally consisting of listening, speaking, reading and writing, the first grade English curriculum in Kuwait was narrowed in 2002 to focus only on the development of oral English skills, and to exclude writing. Since that time, both Kuwaiti teachers and parents have expressed dissatisfaction with this curriculum on the basis that this model disadvantages their children. In first grade however, the teaching of pre-writing has remained as part of the curriculum. This research analyses the parameters of English pre-writing and writing instruction in first grade in Kuwaiti classrooms, investigates first grade English pre-writing and writing teaching, and gathers insights from parents, teachers and students regarding the appropriateness of the current curriculum. Through interviews and classroom observations, and an analysis of curriculum documents, this case study found that the relationship between oral and written language is more complex than suggested by either the Kuwaiti curriculum reform, or international literature concerning the delayed teaching of writing. Intended curriculum integration across Kuwait subjects is also far more complex than first believed, due to a developmental mismatch between English pre-writing skills and Arabic language capabilities. Findings suggest an alternative approach to teaching writing may be more appropriate and more effective for first Grade students in the current Kuwait curriculum context. They contribute also to an emerging interest in the second and foreign language fields in the teaching of writing to young learners.

Maltreated children in the early years : international perspectives on the teacher’s role

Child abuse and neglect is a significant health and social problem with serious consequences for children, families and communities. This chapter provides students, early childhood teachers, and administrators with an evidence base for understanding their role in relation to child abuse and neglect. The chapter draws from international and interdisciplinary research to address four key areas of responsibility: i) recognising signs of child abuse and neglect; ii) reporting child abuse and neglect; iii) supporting children in the classroom; and iv) teaching children to protect themselves (Watts, 1997).

Assessment in tertiary mathematics

There is a growing consensus among many educators that the goals of teaching and learning mathematics are to help students solve real-life problems, participate intelligently in daily affairs, and prepare them for jobs (Gardiner, 1994; Roeber, 1995). These goals suggest that the role of routine procedural skills should be diminished while more emphasis ought to be placed on learners gaining conceptual insights and analytical skills that appear essential in real-life mathematical problem solving (Schoenfeld, 1993; Stenmark, 1989).

AITPM Email Newsletter Volume 0905, May 2009: Presidents Message

President’s Message Hello fellow AITPM members, We’ve been offered a lot of press lately about the Federal Government’s plan for the multibillion dollar rollout of its high speed broadband network, which at the moment is being rated to a speed of 100Mb/s. This seems fantastic in comparison to the not atypical 250 to 500kb/s that I receive on my metropolitan cable broadband, which incidentally my service provider rates at theoretical speeds of up to 8 Mb/s. I have no doubt that such a scheme will generate significant advantages to business and consumers. However, I also have some reservations. Only a few of years ago I marvelled at my first 256Mb USB stick, which cost my employer about $90. Last month I purchased a 16Gb stick with a free computer carry bag for $80, which on the back of my envelope has given me about 72 times the value of my first USB stick not including the carry bag! I am pretty sure the technology industry will find a way to eventually push a lot more than 100Mb/s down the optic fibre network just as they have done with pushing several Mb/s ADSL2 down antique copper wire. This makes me wonder about the general problem of inbuilt obsolescence of all things high-tech due to rapid advances in the tech industry. As a transport professional I then think to myself that our industry has been moving forward at somewhat of a slower pace. We certainly have had major milestones having significant impacts, such as the move from horse and cart to the self propelled motor vehicle, sealing and formal geometric design of roads, development of motorways, signalisation of intersections, coordination of networks, to simulation modelling for real time adaptive control (perhaps major change has been at a frequency of 30 years or so?). But now with ITS truly penetrating the transport market, largely thanks to the in-car GPS navigator, smart phone, e-toll and e-ticket, I believe that to avoid our own obsolescence we’re going to need to “plan for ITS” rather than just what we seem to have been doing up until now, that is, to get it out there. And we’ll likely need to do it at a faster pace. It will involve understanding how to data mine enormous data sets, better understanding the human/machine interface, keeping pace with automotive technology more closely, resolving the ethical and privacy chestnuts, and in the main actually planning for ITS to make peoples’ lives easier rather than harder. And in amongst this we’ll need to keep pace with the types of technology advances similar to my USB stick example above. All the while we’ll be making a brand new set of friends in the disciplines that will morph into ITS along with us. Hopefully these will all be “good” problems for our profession to have. I should close in reminding everyone again that AITPM’s flagship event, the 2009 AITPM National Conference, Traffic Beyond Tomorrow, is being held in Adelaide from 5 to 7 August. www.aitpm.com has all of the details about how to register, sponsor a booth, session, etc. Best regards all, Jon Bunker