Search results

The focus in professional learning is often on formal activities such as workshops, conferences and courses. There is also a tendency to focus on formal programmes of coaching and mentoring in teacher education. Emphasising the formal activities means that everyday informal learning in educational settings is overlooked. Informal coaching and mentoring could be utilised to support teachers' career-long professional learning.

This is a conceptual paper which draws on the author's research and seeks to expand what is considered as professional learning within teacher education – namely, informal coaching and mentoring. To understand how to support this professional learning, the lens of social practice is used with an emphasis on learning environments and learning practices.

Coaching and mentoring can be identified in informal encounters in the staffroom, school corridors and many places and situations. Findings are presented in relation to the importance of informal learning from and with colleagues and the role of headteachers.

More attention has been paid to informal learning, but there is still a need for what could be termed an “informal turn”. Understanding that informal coaching and mentoring afford professional learning opportunities to the teachers who both provide and receive coaching and mentoring can help to support their learning. Recommendations are provided on how educational settings can facilitate and support these professional learning opportunities while preserving their informality.

This study aims to construct a mental health service system for middle school students in the post-COVID-19 era with the framework of Six Sigma DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve and control) and analyze the influencing factors of the mental health service system to study the implementation strategies of quality-oriented mental health services in middle schools.

This study was conducted in Tianjin, China, from September to November 2022, and 350 middle school students from Tianjin Public Middle School were selected as subjects. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data. In this study, the Six Sigma DMAIC method, sensitivity analysis method, exploratory factor analysis and principal component analysis were used to analyze the mental health services provided to middle school students.

Based on the Six Sigma DMAIC framework, this study indicates that the contribution rate of the mental health service process factor is the largest in the post-COVID-19 era. The mental health cultivation factor ranks second in terms of its contribution. Mental health quality and policy factors are also important in the construction of middle school students’ mental health service system. In addition, the study highlights the importance of parental involvement and social support in student mental health services during the post-COVID-19 era.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, a study on middle school students’ mental health in the post-Covid-19 era has not yet been conducted. This study developed a quality-oriented mental health system and analyzed the influencing factors of mental health for middle school students based on data analysis and the Six Sigma DMAIC method.

Mindfulness is the human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we're doing. This study explores on the impact of mindfulness on different elements of knowledge management, knowledge creation, knowledge sharing and knowledge hiding.

The authors undertake an inductive reasoning approach whereby they try to generate themes from specific observations and conceptualize the theory of mindfulness and knowledge transfer.

This study finds out that mindfulness critically facilitates an open environment and enhances the clarity of thought which aids in effective knowledge creation. Such a realistic understanding about the present scenario encourages employees to share knowledge and equips them to collaborate and effectively work in teams. Surprisingly, this study also finds that mindfulness increases the result orientation to the extent that employees tried to hide knowledge from their co-workers targeting certain self-desired outcomes. In other words, similar to knowledge creation and knowledge sharing, mindfulness increases agenda-based knowledge hiding.

The theory of mindfulness and knowledge transfer states that mindfulness increases knowledge creation, knowledge sharing and agenda-based knowledge hiding.

This paper aims to offer a commentary on Denne et al.’s (2024) article discussing the journey undertaken by the Sharland Foundation Developmental Disabilities Applied Behavioural Research and Impact Network to augment evidence surrounding the efficacy of the online Headsprout® Early Reading programme.

Drawing from over 15 years of professional experience as a qualified teacher in special education settings, the author reflects on the network’s approach and its alignment with their own expertise.

While acknowledging the commendable focus of the network on amassing additional evidence, this commentary underscores the importance of identifying barriers and fostering adaptability within the educational landscape. Central to the discussion is the imperative to prioritise students’ needs and tailor data collection methods to suit their unique contexts.

This commentary is aimed at professionals working in special education settings striving to improve their practice and student outcomes.