Waikato Journal of Education
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A systematic review of empirical studies on computer-assisted language learning
No full textThe aim of this study was to examine the current trends and main findings of the empirical computer-assisted foreign language learning studies. The database, Web of Science, was reviewed and a total of 36 studies between 2000 and 2020 were analysed. The systematic analysis was performed with the content analysis method. The content of the reviewed articles was analysed in the following categories: The technological trends, the technological context used, variables, duration of the studies, data collection tools, data analysis strategies, skills/factors analysed, underlying theories, and countries of the studies, target languages, participants, and years of the studies. Along with other insights this review found, the most common technological trend was educational software, while the technological contexts used varied greatly. Key variables from mostly small studies (less than 100 participants generally tertiary students), focused on technological contexts, language learning skills (typically vocabulary and speaking) and participants’ attitudes. Underlying theories of these studies varied greatly, Technology Acceptance Model and Cognitive Load Theory being common. This review study can serve as a guide for practitioners who plan designing computer-assisted language learning and teaching activities
Students’ mathematics-related belief systems and their strategies for solving non-routine mathematical problems
No full textThis study explored students’ mathematics-related beliefs and the relationship between the beliefs and their strategies for solving non-routine mathematical problems. The study was guided by Daskalogianni and Simpson’s 2001 belief systems categories and strategies for non-routine mathematical problems. The participants were 625 grade 11 students from five high schools in Tshwane North District, Gauteng province of South Africa. Data were collected using a mathematics beliefs questionnaire, a mathematics problem-solving test and interview. Quantitative and qualitative research techniques were used for data analysis. It was found that the students held all the three belief systems (utilitarian, systematic and exploratory) at different degrees of intensity and the belief systems and strategies for problem-solving had a weak positive linear relationship, and there were no statistically significant differences among mean scores of the students holding systematic, exploratory and utilitarian beliefs. They apply unsystematic guess, check and revise; systematic guess, check and revise; systematic listing; looking for patterns; consider a simple case; modelling; logical reasoning; no logical reasoning; trial-and-error and use a formula in solving non-routine mathematical problems. Furthermore, it was found that the systematic belief system could explain the students’ behaviour in problem-solving more than the exploratory and utilitarian belief systems
High school teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs: A mixed method research
No full textThe aim of this study is to reveal high school teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs with an explanatory sequential design, which is one of the mixed method research designs. Quantitative data of the research were analysed by package program, and qualitative data were analysed by content analysis method. Three hundred and twenty-nine high school teachers participated in the quantitative part of the research and 15 high school teachers participated in the qualitative part of the study. In the quantitative section of the study, the “Teacher Self-Efficacy Belief Scale” was used and in the qualitative dimension an interview form consisting of four research questions were asked. As a result of the research, it was revealed that the factors affecting the academic self-efficacy beliefs of the participants were scientific research, postgraduate education, in-service training, following up-to-date resources, individual development and communication; the factors affecting professional self-efficacy beliefs were the use of different teaching principles and methods, in-service training, personal development, graduate education, communication, professional sharing and experience; the factors affecting social self-efficacy beliefs were social activities, school activities, communication, harmony and sharing; and the factors affecting intellectual self-efficacy beliefs were following periodicals, following the agenda, scientific-philosophical reading, activities and organisations, personal development and travel
On Snakes and Ladders: Ontological detours into quantum physics from my PhD in education
No full textThe climate emergency mandates a refocusing of society and education on the relationship between humans and the more-than-human world. Emerging from decades of social constructionism that openly promoted climate science denial, social and educational theorising now engages with new materialist philosophies and the agency of matter. Physicist Karen Barad’s book Meeting the Universe Halfway, cited over 13,000 times, offers an ontological foundation for new materialism based on her idiosyncratic application of quantum physics. While critically reviewing Barad, I found myself unexpectedly “sliding back down” into the terrain of my physicist pastime, rereading quantum mechanics in depth. I reflect here on how this “ontological detour” empowered me to “climb up a ladder” towards the theoretical foundation for my PhD project in climate change education. I argue that ontological grounding and cross-disciplinary engagement are vital for advancing research and gaining perspectives through lateral connections
Critical multiculturalism and countering cultural hegemony with children's literature
No full textChildren’s literature is potentially a starting point to present critical multicultural concepts to young learners. It may also be a medium through which historical and contemporary ideologies of society are encouraged in the young learners. This process may be viewed as a form of cultural hegemony when the choices of literature and reading materials for children are deliberately selective for content and themes. The study is based on a critical content and thematic analysis of 15 multicultural children’s literature picturebooks. It aims to examine the social construction of culture, characters, and literary genres through the process of critical multicultural analysis. Code categories through content analysis of selected children’s literature picturebooks were formed by both directed and conventional content analysis. These code categories include content with a social justice/equity issue, themes involving inclusivity, discovering new worlds/other cultures, language/ethnicity/religion diversity, and multidimensional characters from minority or marginalised groups. This process provides insight into counter-cultural hegemonic elements in many forms of multicultural literature. Implications are discussed in terms of culturally responsive practice and multicultural education. These multicultural and picturebook narratives provide windows to society, informing readers and learners about diverse cultural experiences
“I can be a girl if I want to”: Supporting or silencing children’s working theories during counter-heteronormative picturebook sessions in early childhood education.
No full textPrevailing heteronormative discourses in early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand present difficulties for upholding the right of gender diverse tamariki (children) and lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer-parented families to experience belonging in equitable, inclusive early childhood settings. The purposeful use of picturebooks that disrupt these discourses can go some way towards mitigating against exclusion. This article draws on the findings of a small-scale qualitative research project that explored early childhood teachers’ use of picturebooks that included gender diverse children and lesbian- and gay-parented family content. In highlighting teacher support for or silencing of children’s working theories about possibilities for gender change and two mother or two father parents during the picturebook sessions, the article makes a case for expanding the curriculum beyond the limits of heteronormativity. Some practice recommendations for facilitating picturebook sessions are offered to this end. Importantly, teacher preparedness to manage discomfort arising through discussion of topics perceived to be dangerous or risky during such sessions is critical
A toy bear in lockdown, child-parent attachment and hegemonic peer-orientation
No full textTowards the end of the first COVID-19 lockdown in early 2020, in Aotearoa New Zealand, the authors conducted a small-scale study to gain insight into children’s responses to the pandemic restrictions. As it was not possible to interview children ourselves, we recruited parents to read a set of digital stories about a toy bear in lockdown to their children and to record the ensuing conversations. The recorded conversations were returned to the authors to be transcribed and analysed. One intriguing finding was the strength of children’s feelings of loss in regard to their friendship groups, despite the fact that the lockdowns enabled them to spend more time with their immediate families. This article examines the phenomenon of the importance of peer-orientation over family-orientation as it appeared in the data. Hegemonic thinking and attachment theory are used to further explore this phenomenon and discuss how the current educational trends towards personal independence over family bonds might have led to some of the feelings of loss and anxiety highlighted in the data
Online action research in the Maldives amidst the Covid-19 pandemic: Unexpected challenges
No full textThe Covid-19 pandemic has significantly affected the field of teaching and educational research, requiring new changes to methodological tools in my research. My doctoral study examines Maldivian primary teachers’ engagement with social studies pedagogies through reflection. The pandemic posed several complex data collection challenges which I experienced as a researcher. As a result of not being able to return to the Maldives from New Zealand to gather data, data methods were altered from Participatory action research (PAR) to form online action research (OAR). The data were gathered from four different teachers in Maldivian primary schools through an online questionnaire, online workshops, online reflective narrative texts and online interviews. Unexpected research challenges included (i) time zone differences, (ii) my own and participants’ unfamiliarity with new methods of online data collection in the research, and (iii) challenges of maintaining good researcher rapport with participants. These research challenges contribute to an emerging understanding of the unexpected issues that researchers might face using an OAR approach
Navigating participant apprehension: A case of investigating the teaching of Literature in English (LiE) in Ghana
No full textIn this article, I present how I navigated unexpected apprehension that I faced while communicating with teacher participants during my PhD data collection (via interviews, observations and document study). I mediated the apprehension by strategies such as disclosing my teacher identity, expressing an interest in their practice and assuring them of support. The outcome of the strategies ranged from understanding to acceptance of my research, as well as collaborating with me to collect the data. This article calls for more research into the apprehension of research participants, as there appears to be little research in this field