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Undergraduate and graduate students’ beliefs about dyslexia: implications for initial foreign language teacher education
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to explore undergraduate and graduate stu-
dents’ beliefs about dyslexia at the Department of English Language and
Literature of the University of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina and
subsequent implications for initial foreign language teacher education.
The study follows a convergent parallel mixed methods design. A ques-
tionnaire was used to gather quantitative data on students’ beliefs about
dyslexia and to consider potential variances at different levels of study. A
group interview was used to gather qualitative findings for further consid-
eration in initial teacher education on dyslexia and other specific learning
difficulties. The findings have shown that both undergraduate and gradu-
ate students have an almost equal number of misconceptions about dys-
lexia, with the majority (96.03%) affirming that they need more training
in teaching students with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties.
Furthermore, the study follows an emergent framework with reference to
three main themes: (1) teacher beliefs and attitudes, (2) teaching practices,
and (3) teacher preparation, which also reflect the main areas of under-
graduate and graduate students’ concerns in teaching students with dys-
lexia and other specific learning difficulties
Impact on learning performance and mathematical tasks analysis of the lowest scoring students in TIMSS 2015
Get PDFThe role of mathematics in society is increasing and further educational paths of students depend significantly on their mathematical results in primary school. A student's success in mathematics is influenced by several different factors, and learning mathematics begins already in the preschool period. In the master's thesis, we present the results from the mathematical part of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (hereinafter TIMSS), which took place in 2015. The TIMSS survey tests knowledge in grades 4 and 8 of primary school. The percentage of students who do not reach the basic knowledge milestone has been decreasing over the years, but in 2015 there were still 5 percent of these students. Among the students who did not reach the basic knowledge milestone are not only students with special needs, but also students from vulnerable groups, such as a less stimulating learning environment due to poverty, an unsupportive home environment, families with a low socioeconomic status, lower education of parents, children of immigrants and culturally different families, as well as students with a lack of motivation, students with anxiety, students who acquire knowledge more slowly; we could probably list many more groups. Learning difficulties in mathematics need to be recognized in time so that appropriate help can be planned. The goal of the research was to determine the influence of the home environment on the performance of students who did not reach the basic knowledge milestone in mathematics in the TIMSS 2015 survey.
In the theoretical part, we present the TIMSS research and students who did not reach the basic knowledge milestone in mathematics, the risk factors for the development of learning failures in mathematics and the basic mathematical knowledge that was needed to solve the tasks that we analyzed in the empirical part.
In the empirical work, we analyzed whether there are statistically significant differences between the groups of students who did not reach the basic knowledge milestone and those who reached the basic knowledge milestone in mathematics, according to the risk factors for the development of learning failures in mathematics. We found that the success of the students is statistically significantly affected by the involvement of the parents with the child during school, while we did not detect any statistically significant differences between the students in the involvement with the child before the start of school. The mother's education and the socio-economic status of the family also had a statistically significant effect on the success of the students. A statistically significant difference was also detected in the students' previous knowledge of mathematics and in their knowledge of the Slovenian language before starting school. However, we did not observe statistically significant differences in the student's self-assessment of motivation and performance.
In the master's thesis, we also analyzed errors in solving mathematical problems in the field of numbers. We analyzed tasks with calculation operations, tasks with addition of calculations, tasks with knowledge of place values, tasks with fractions (knowledge of parts of a whole, values of fractions and text tasks with fractions) and tasks with word problems (basic calculation operations, compound calculations and fractions). The collected data of students who have not reached the basic knowledge milestone gives us an insight into the frequency of errors even in tasks that only require knowledge of facts and procedures. Tasks with higher taxonomic levels were mostly solved incorrectly or not solved at all.
Teaching for students with learning disabilities and students from at-risk groups should be individually customized, providing them with such accommodations as will enable them to perform optimally, taking into account factors inside and outside the school. The theoretical foundations and findings in the empirical work can be of help to all professionals who contribute to the student's achievements
Assessment of students' experimental work in elementary school physics
Get PDFThis master thesis was based on two main questions: how to familiarize as many primary school teachers as possible with experimental work assessment guidelines and what the easiest experimental work assessment technique is.
The theory on teaching physics defines experimental work as practical exercises where students, either individually or in groups, try to solve a physics problem while using physical tools and following scientific research principles. The teacher prepares the students by including different types of experimental work in their curriculum. It usually starts with observational experiments, which aim to motivate students for additional work. This is followed by test experiments, which examine how thoroughly the students have acquired the knowledge. Lastly, students are expected to know how to use the acquired knowledge in new situations within applicative experiments. Experimental work helps students develop practical skills and procedural knowledge.
The Physics Curriculum (2011) also attests to the importance of experimental work, which sets operational learning goals for students to reach by performing experimental work. In accordance with this, different types of teaching are suggested, generally divided into the classical and the alternative types. The latter have been proven to serve as a more adequate teaching type for introducing the assessment of experimental work. The assessment of experimental work can be either direct or indirect, as long as it follows the requirements for good assessment. Such assessment has its advantages in developing a student’s skills and knowledge, and disadvantages due to time and space constraints, as well as because it requires the school to be equipped with suitable physical and learning tools.
To assess experimental work, many Slovene and foreign authors have developed models of several degrees, which include assessing students on the basis of their planning and experimental abilities, and their ability to note and report, as well as evaluate results. Taking from these models, different authors and teachers developed descriptions and criteria to assess experimental work.
Five teachers and 45 students from five Slovenian primary schools were involved in the research on assessing experimental work. For this purpose, assessment materials for experimental work were designed. Teachers and students gave their opinions on these materials, research execution and evaluation of experimental work in individually prepared questionnaires. The teachers also evaluated worksheets for the students and gave a short, semi-structured interview. Research results indicate that the materials prepared were of high quality. This part of the thesis also suggests some changes and highlights some issues or shortcomings. The research results present advantages and disadvantages of assessing experimental work, according to teachers who have carried out the evaluation. Although four out of five teachers claim that they perform experimental work assessment in their classes, the students contrapose that it is a more rarely used method of assessment in their physics classes. The comparison of the students’ grades on the worksheets and their self-evaluation grade shows that students mostly value the knowledge they showed more highly
Growing independence of children from the perspective of parents in single-parent families
Get PDFThe master's thesis aims to show how parents experience and cope with the independence and departure of their children from the family. The theoretical part defines the concept of family in the temporal context of the modern world and the impact of broader social changes that have contributed to the transformation of the forms, characteristics and dynamics and life cycle of families, with more attention paid to the single parent family. The developmental periods of young people at the transition of adulthood and middle adulthood are outlined, which usually coincide with the process of independence and children leaving home. We particularly focused on the phase of children becoming independent and leaving the family system in the context of the family life cycle. The empirical part of the study presents a detailed step-by-step qualitative research, within which six semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of single-parent families whose children had gained independence and left the family system.
The findings show that parents of single-parent families in the study accept and normalise their children’s independence and departure, but that there are some differences between them at the beginning. Most report initial discomfort, loneliness and missing each other, while a minority speak of the joy of their children leaving the family. All those who are afraid of children leaving, whether they still have a child at home or the family nest is empty, report the creation of a void which they try to fill in various ways. They highlight old or new hobbies, time for themselves, connecting with friends and the importance of work commitments. Half of the parents whose family nest is still filled with younger children mention a greater orientation towards them. Parents, when their children become independent, stress the importance of regular contact and maintaining good relations, without restricting each other. The findings show that, without any major crisis, parents accept and welcome their children’s independence at the transition to adulthood, and also report experiencing a sense of relief and satisfaction with their parental role
Možnosti vpeljevanja Fermijevih problemov v poučevanje pri razvijanju matematične pismenosti
Get PDFV prispevku obravnavamo matematično pismenost v relaciji s temeljnim matematičnim znanjem in matematičnimi problemi. V slovenskem prostoru od leta 2018 poteka projekt Naravoslovna in matematična pismenost: spodbujanje kritičnega mišljenja in reševanja problemov (NA-MA POTI), katerega osnovni cilj je razvijati kompetence matematične pismenosti na nacionalni ravni, od vrtca do srednje šole. Sicer dokaj dobro poznan koncept matematične pismenosti (npr. v okviru mednarodnega preverjanja matematične pismenosti PISA) smo v našem prostoru pomembno dopolnili tako, da smo natančno opredelili dva gradnika te pismenosti: 1) matematično mišljenje, razumevanje in uporaba matematičnih pojmov, postopkov in strategij, sporočanje kot osnova matematične pismenosti ter 2) reševanje problemov v raznolikih kontekstih (osebni, družbeni, strokovni, znanstveni), ki omogočajo matematično obravnavo. V slednjem je izpostavljeno tudi matematično modeliranje, pri katerem gre v splošnem za razlaganje opazovanja realističnega sveta s konceptualnim (matematično strukturiranim) jezikom. Fermijevi problemi, poimenovani po Enricu Fermiju (1901–1954), italijanskem fiziku, predstavljajo posebno zvrst problemov matematičnega modeliranja. V splošnem so opredeljeni kot problemi, ki so na prvi pogled nerešljivi, so avtentični in niso strukturirani na način kot šolski problemi, zahtevajo premislek o potrebnih podatkih za reševanje, njihovo ocenjevanje, poznavanje matematičnih postopkov in omogočajo razvijanje strategij reševanja problemov. Fermijevi problemi imajo z ustrezno vpeljavo v učni proces potencial, da pri učencih razvijajo matematično pismenost na obeh gradnikih. Ključno vlogo pri tem imajo učitelji, ki morajo v procesu izobraževanja pridobiti ustrezne kompetence za načrtovanje učnih situacij na področju matematične pismenosti. Zato prispevek v aplikativnem delu vključuje primere Fermijevih problemov, ki smo jih analizirali po kriterijih, značilnih za procese modeliranja. Prihodnje učitelje razrednega pouka in tudi širše želimo z obravnavano tematiko spodbuditi k oblikovanju lastnih Fermijevih problemov in iskanju tudi drugih rešitev pri razvijanju matematične pismenosti
Role of texture in assemblage
Get PDFThe relation between sight and the sense of touch is more connected than most people realize. Observing a material that we have previously experienced touching, gives our body the illusion that we are feeling it. Therefore, we can suggest that the sense of touch is an important factor to consider when making art. Touch in the creative process is most commonly associated with the art variable of texture. The use of texture through art history has been ever-changing. Artists were striving to achieve the most realistic representation of objects for the majority of art movements before the 20th century. However, with the emergence of modern and contemporary art movements, artists gained more creative freedom which is also evident in their use of texture. One of the more daring steps in modern art was the invention of collage which allowed a completely different mode of expression. Collage eventually gained its three-dimensional counterpart – assemblage. Collage and assemblage are greatly connected with the art variable of texture as both art forms allow the use of actual texture
Acceptance of asylum seekers' children among their peers in primary school
Get PDFAsylum seekers are a marginalized group that often encounter the concept of otherness. The researc has shown that people accept or see them as a burden and dangerous. Also they are pushed aside by the majority. Regarding the attitude towards children who are asylum seekers, is not researched, so I decided to explore this topic in my master's thesis. I also wanted to focus on the issue of acceptance of these children in primary school and the role of teachers in their inclusion in the classroom. The main goal is to investigate the social status of the child of an asylum seeker in the classroom and how they are accepted by classmates. At the same time my resarch goal will be to find out what role teachers play in the integration of asylum seeker’s child into the classroom.
The theoretical part presents three important topics related to asylum seekers. Firstly, the concept of migration is presented, followed by an explanation of various topics, related to school, as asylum seeker children are soon sent to school and thus their "new" peers are the one of the first relationships they have with a new society. Finally, the concept of social position of the child in class is presented as it only reveals how the child is accepted in the group (class), which was also my main goal of the master's thesis.
The triangulation is used in the empirical part. Firstly, I surveyed classes of three primary schools, in which at least one child is an asylum seeker and eight professionals who have experience working with a child asylum seeker and whose stories have provided additional insight into classroom relationships, description of good strategies for integrating asylum seekers’ children into the classroom and the way intercultural dialogue takes place. Unfortunately, due to epidemiological measures, planned observation could not be performed.
It is interesting that many children who stay in asylum home, are included in Slovenian educational system and research in the field of peer relations with asylum seeker children, can not be traced. As these children are one of the most vulnerable groups and often excluded, I found out that a research in this area is necessary. A school can make a significant contribution to child’s socialization, self-esteem, sense of acceptance and belonging, and also reduction of prejudice
Razstava ob tednu univerze
Get PDFVljudno vabljeni na otvoritev razstave Mojce Zlokarnik ob Tednu Univerze, ki bo v četrtek 1. 12. 2022 ob 11.30 uri
Connection between alternative uses task and personality factors using different scoring methods
Get PDFDivergent thinking tasks offer multiple assessment options. Researchers usually evaluate both the quantity (fluency) and quality of the ideas/answers. The quality refers to their diversity (flexibility), originality (originality) and level of details (elaboration). However, since there is no consensus among researchers on which method of scoring these four dimensions of divergent thinking best assesses creative potential, we wanted to further explore this issue. We did this by comparing different ways of scoring originality, flexibility and fluency in their reliability and concurrent validity. The sample included 340 participants who solved the task of alternative use of common objects and the questionnaire assessing Big Five personality traits. The participants' responses to the divergent thinking task were scored for their originality, flexibility and fluency. The criterion of the reliability of the individual scoring method was the consistency of the assessments between the raters and the consistency of the assessments between prompts. The Big Five questionnaire served as a criterion for examining concurrent validity. In the research, we found that all methods of scoring different dimensions of creative potential, with the exception of one, correlate with each other significantly. Within each dimension of creative potential, i.e. originality scoring methods are also significantly correlated. In addition, we found that the two raters were moderately consistent with each other when judging originality and flexibility of the answers. A comparison of the consistency between subjects for different scoring methods showed that the number of original and useful answers individuals came up with varied between the prompts. The results of the correlations between Big Five and divergent thinking task showed that, among personality dimensions, only openness to experience and its subdimensions was significantly associated with all scoring methods, with the exception of one. The results of regression analysis showed that the scoring methods, especially the one for scoring the fluency dimension, are significant predictors of openness to experience. The study represents an important contribution to the research of divergent thinking, since, as far as we know, for the first time the validity of some scoring methods was assessed, certain measurement instruments that assess primary personality traits were used and the divergent thinking task used prompts that have not yet been used for certain scoring methods
Uvodnik
No full textDa bi se znašli med informacijami, je treba ves čas delovati
v smeri razvijanja naravoslovne pismenosti. Z dejavnostmi,
ki spodbujajo njen razvoj, pa je treba pričeti čim prej, že v
vrtcu. Prav omenjeno izpostavi prispevek v tokratni številki
Naravoslovne solnice o naravoslovni pismenosti