Global Education Review (Mercy College, New York)
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Policies and Practices in Support of Mathematics Learning in Global Contexts
Full text linkThis issue of Global Education Review focuses on policies and practices in support of mathematics learning in global contexts. The issue highlights relevant research findings, illuminates areas that are in need of additional research, and examines the implications of these findings on educational outcomes. The ten manuscripts in this issue focus on three primary topics: efforts to improve student achievement and factors that impact achievement; implications of assessment frameworks, scoring, and analyses; and methods to improve teacher preparation and teacher knowledge. The manuscripts are organized in this issue by these topics
The Challenge of Implementing Small Group Work in Early Childhood Education
Full text linkThis paper seeks to improve our understanding of the challenges faced by teachers and student-teachersin the process of implementing small group work (SGW) in early childhood education (ECE). In light ofthe discrepancy between the clear benefits of SGW in education – its solid theoretical foundation – and itssparse and poor implementation, we posed the following research questions: (a) What are Israeli teachers’perceptions of and attitudes toward small group work and its implementation in ECE? And (b) What doteachers see as problematic or, conversely, helpful in overcoming difficulties related to its implementationin ECE? Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed: a questionnaire with closed and openendedquestions to measure the attitudes and perceptions of thirty experienced teachers, as well as actionresearch documenting the implementation of SGW in two cases. Findings showed more positive attitudestoward SGW than toward the feasibility of its implementation, which was frequently associated withdrilling skills, rather than discourse that supports the construction of knowledge. Difficulties inimplementing SGW included a lack of coordinated staff work and the absence of routines and planning ofspace and time. The action research indicated that the effective implementation of SGW necessitatesplanning, observation, and documentation of both the interactions in groups as well as classroommanagement aspects related to its implementation, and that it requires a commitment to the children’swell-being and learning
Persistence and Fadeout of Preschool Participation Effects on Early Reading Skills in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Full text linkThe adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015 marked a new milestone for early childhood education, care, and development. For the first time in the framework of global goals, preschool education was described as integral to children’s school readiness. Yet with few exceptions, much of the research on the impact of preschool has stemmed from high-income countries. Even fewer studies have examined preschool participation and later learning across multiple countries. This article helps fill this gap by connecting preschool participation to early primary reading outcomes, as measured by the Early Grade Reading Assessment. Drawing on a unique data set using student-level learning assessments from 16 countries, we use preprimary participation to explain primary school reading skills, including letter knowledge and oral reading fluency. We also model the influence of key demographic variables on these outcomes, including home language and classroom language of instruction (LOI). For a subset of six countries with exceptionally rich data, we examine national-level policy and practice to better understand what might explain the persistence or fadeout of the effect of preschool. Policy makers and practitioners alike will find these results useful in making cases for improving preschool experiences for children in low- and middle-income countries in the next decade of SDG-related efforts
The Internationalization of Creativity as a Learning Competence
Full text linkThis study uses a quantitative content analysis of learning competences – as described and prescribed in 21st century frameworks – and those competences evaluated by international assessments to explore the nexus between recommendation and reality. In drawing insights from the theoretical underpinnings of human capital theory we argue, with respect to creativity, that (i) there is a degree of alignment in the prescription and assessment of creativity as a learning competence and (ii) there is a divergence in the way the competence is discussed, which may account for the lack of acknowledgement as a key skill in preparing students for employment in the knowledge-based economy. These findings suggest a discrepancy between recommendation and reality in that the international frameworks consistently place creativity in the top five highest priority learning competences being prescribed while one of the two international assessments examined places it in the top five highest priority learning competences being assessed. Based on the discourse examined in the documents, we assert that schools need to adjust how and when creativity is discussed, ensuring it is included in every subject. This will ensure students link creativity and innovation in every subject area and, subsequently, every industry in the knowledge-based economy. By making this shift, schools will help students ensure long-term employability as the knowledge-based economy transforms into the intelligent economy
Determination of marginalized youth to overcome and achieve in mathematics: A case study from India.
Full text linkAccording to the United Nations Human Development Report (2016), poor, marginalized, and vulnerable groups still face substantial barriers to access post-secondary education and employment. These marginalized and vulnerable groups include women, girls, indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants and refugees, the LGBTI community, and those discriminated because of their socio-economic status (UN Human Development Report (2016).
Increasingly, proficiency in mathematics is required for careers and for solving daily problems in life (Starkey & Kline, 2008; Ramaa, 2015). Basic numerical, mathematical, and scientific skills are an important mechanism to further education and to enable individuals to improve their job market potential. The risk of underachievement in mathematics around the world is greatest for students from low-income backgrounds, as well as linguistic and ethnic minorities (Ramaa, 2015; National Research Council, 1989). In India, these factors are compounded by lack of early exposure to math, poor teacher quality, and large class sizes (ASER, 2014). Although some research has explored difficulties in arithmetic for economically disadvantaged elementary students in India (see Ramaa, 2015), the challenges that marginalized adolescents encounter in completing secondary mathematics courses has been largely unexamined.
In this qualitative exploratory study, conducted from October 2015 to February 2016, we sought to understand the characteristics of adolescents from socio-economically marginalized communities in Mumbai and Bangalore, India, and their determination and perseverance to overcome challenges in mathematics and complete their secondary education. In particular, the study followed students who had dropped out of mainstream school and enrolled in India’s National Institute of Open Schooling Program to complete their high school education and attempt the 10th standard board exams.
Results from data collected in the academic year showed that there were multiple factors, including lack of learning foundational skills at the primary school level and the type of intervention provided to complete high school, which influenced the students’ achievement in mathematics. Findings from the study inform policy and programmatic decisions for students enrolled in India’s National Institute of Open Schooling Program
Different analyses, different validity conclusions? Evidence from the EGMA Spatial Reasoning Subtask
No full textAs the global development community shifts its focus from improving access to education to improving learning and instruction, the need for instruments that accurately measure student achievement in mathematics and meet technical standards is increasing. This paper explores the importance of collecting high-quality validity evidence that aligns with an instrument’s intended uses and interpretations by discussing a new subtask developed for the Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA). The EGMA Spatial Reasoning subtask was developed by RTI International with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). To collect validity evidence to support the assumption that the EGMA Spatial Reasoning subtask could be used to determine overall student proficiency in spatial reasoning, the items developed for the subtask were pilot tested with 1,426 students in Jordan. Pilot test data was initially analyzed using Item Response Theory. However, Item Response Theory assumptions were not met, thus, supplemental analyses were conducted using Classical Test Theory. There were differences in the findings using the two different methods, which impacts the interpretations made using this instrument. This paper illustrates the importance of choosing analytic techniques that align with an instrument’s intended use in order to make valid interpretations from the data to inform policy and practice
Creativity in Education: A Global Concern
Full text linkThis special issue of Global Education Review, dedicated to the theme of creativity, looks at creativity from various angles and lenses that are particularly relevant to education, from the neuroscience on what influences creativity and global views on creativity to specific programs that target the development of creativity. Efforts toward nurturing creativity in public schools, higher education and teacher education are represented. 
When Youth Dialogue: A Pedagogic Framework for Changing the Conversation About Migration
Full text linkHow should educators teach about one of the most complex and pressing issues of our times? This paper presents an empirically-grounded framework to help educators understand the opportunities and challenges of engaging youth around the topic of migration, including migration involving refugees. It stresses the importance of inviting youth to dialogue in ways that involve slowing down, sharing stories, and making connections.
The framework emerged from a design-based research study involving an experimental online learning community and curriculum on the topic of human migration. Posts and comments involving 140 teens from seven countries were closely analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach that incorporated constructivist principles. 14 interviews with participating educators also informed the analysis.
The framework proposes that youth be supported to develop (1) curiosity and engagement about individual migration stories and migration in general, (2) nuanced understanding of the complex and diverse factors that help shape historical and contemporary migration experiences, and (3) critical awareness of their own and others’ perspectives on migration and migrants. A visual representation is provided. Specific examples of student dialogue are unpacked to illustrate the framework, with discussion of the following cognitive and affective challenges: “the Three O’s” of overgeneralization, overconfidence, and othering. The paper argues that youth of all backgrounds need opportunities to learn about migration in ways that allow them to leverage their various experiences and perspectives and engage with one another in meaningful, authentic ways
Pedagogical Tact in mentoring of professional school internships
Full text linkPedagogical tact, the “translator” from theory to practice, is a complex construct. A theory of tact has been developed and is tested through comparison of novice and expert teachers. One may assume that experienced practitioners are tactful if they are committed. Preservice teachers may be assumed to be less tactful than experienced teachers for two reasons: (a) they are not used to teaching and applying theoretical concepts in their internships, and (b) they stick “closer” to the knowledge about theories since they are still studying. Billett and Smith (2014) proposed that in professional practice an interactive enactment of knowledge is crucial. Qualitative differences between novices and experts were reported by Berliner (e.g. 2001). In a pilot study conducted in January of 2016 at a new lower secondary school in Austria five senior preservice teachers and three mentors were investigated. The preservice teachers and the mentors (expert teachers) were assessed independently for one lesson with stimulated recall. The results were coded along crucial categories in tact situations. Direct comparisons of experts and novices from the same field according to the coding system were interpreted as indicators of the validity of the assessment tool to measure tact. To make sure that there is indeed a difference in the experts’ and novices’ actions, the lesson interruption method (LIM; Patry, 1997b) was used to check tact relevant dimensions. First results showed a statistically significant association between the level of excitement, the level of fun and the level of notice of the surroundings during the learning process due to the estimations in the LIM of the participating pupils
Complex Physical Activities, Outdoor Play, and School Readiness among Preschoolers
Full text linkHigh quality educational settings play a crucial role in preparing a child to enter kindergarten, but little work has explored how outdoor play and complex physical activity outside school and childcare settings promote school readiness among preschoolers. To address this gap, the present study explored connections among school readiness with outdoor play and participation in complex physical activity. Parents (N = 107) reported the extent and frequency of time their child spent in outdoor play during a typical week, and what complex activities (e.g., soccer, biking, basketball) the child played over the last year. School readiness was assessed with parent reports on the Preschool Behavior and Emotional Rating Scale. Results showed participating in complex activities significantly moderated the relationship between time in outdoor play with school readiness, with time in outdoor play positively related to school readiness for children who participated in two or less complex activities. For children who participated in three complex activities, time in outdoor play was not related to school readiness. Findings offer support that encouraging both outdoor play and participation in complex physical activities could promote school readiness, particularly when opportunities for outdoor playtime are limited