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1 – 10 of over 11000Shiaw‐Wen Tien, Chung‐Ching Chiu, Chih‐Hung Tsai, Yi‐Chan Chung and Ya‐Chin Chang
This research treated the secondary school teachers as the research scale and the research targets included the following: secondary school (employ unit), center of teacher…
Abstract
This research treated the secondary school teachers as the research scale and the research targets included the following: secondary school (employ unit), center of teacher education, and qualified teachers. In terms of these three groups of people, the topics of exploration focused on the perception of suitable teachers, perception of evaluation standard during the process of teacher examination and the relationship among teacher examination systems. The research was managed by two phases: the first phase referred to literature reorganization, expert interview, the qualities and conditions of suitable teachers, important evaluation standard during the process of teacher examination and teacher examination system used; the second phase included questionnaire survey, employ school acquisition, the perception of centers of teacher education and qualified teachers toward the suitability condition and examination evaluation standard in the first phase and teacher examination system used. This research found out that as to the perception of suitable teachers, through data collection, there were six factors reorganized. The levels of their importance were as follows: education devotion, teaching capacity, class management, capacity to guide special students, capacity to communicate with the parents and the will to undertake administrative works. Noticeably, employee unit and centers of teacher education apparently valued class management more, compared with trained teachers; as to evaluation standard of examination, the analytical result found out that the perception of three groups were different in terms of the views toward educational works, written examination data, candidate’s age, club experience at school and capacity to use multimedia support teaching materials. This research further proposed six suggestions for centers of teacher education and trained teachers: (1) employ schools considerably valued educational devotion; (2) trained teachers tended to neglect the importance of class management; (3) employee unit considerably cared about the new teachers’ competence to use multimedia support teaching materials; however, trained teachers did not have the same view; (4) employee unit considerably cared about new teachers’ views toward educational works as well as the candidates’ ages; (5) generally speaking, trained teachers neglected the importance of club experience at school; (6) the data revealed that written examination data was not relatively important in terms of teacher examination
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Lokman Mohd Tahir, Sui Liang Lee, Mohammed Borhandden Musah, Hadijah Jaffri, Mohd Nihra Haruzuan Mohamad Said and Mohd Hanafi Mohd Yasin
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the issues and challenges faced by headteachers in practicing the suggested distributed leadership (DL) approach in three…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the issues and challenges faced by headteachers in practicing the suggested distributed leadership (DL) approach in three primary schools to their middle layer leaders.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed a case study design and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. A total of three headteachers were interviewed in examining and exploring challenges within the DL practices. The transcripts from the semi-structured interviews formed the basis of the findings.
Findings
The findings suggest that senior teachers lack confidence in making decisions and rely on the consent from headteachers even though they are empowered to make their own decisions. Another significant issue faced by headteachers when distributing their leadership is the ability, expertise, experience, and willingness of teachers to hold leadership roles and responsibilities.
Originality/value
The results are important since there have been few empirical studies on the issues and challenges faced by headteachers in practising DL approach in primary schools in the context of Malaysia. This initiative sidelines the traditional school leadership approach which emphasises on the accountability of headteachers as the sole school leader.
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This paper aims to present and discuss the findings from a qualitative study of victim-offender mediation meetings in two non-government organisations in Hong Kong between…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present and discuss the findings from a qualitative study of victim-offender mediation meetings in two non-government organisations in Hong Kong between January 2015 and February 2016. It argues that mediators in Hong Kong have a unique interpretation of the criteria for someone to be considered a “macro-community member”. Confucian relational ethics emphasises that everyone lives in a personal nexus and wrongdoings will disturb this nexus. In this specific context, therefore, mediators feel that reconciliation and reparation should be dealt with by the people in the offender’s network while the involvement of unknown macro-community members is discouraged.
Design/methodology/approach
The semi-structured interview was adopted for use in this study, and an interview schedule with 12 open-ended questions was prepared as a guideline for conducting the interviews.
Findings
Mediators in Hong Kong have a unique interpretation of the criteria for someone to be considered a “macro-community member” Confucian relational ethics emphasises that everyone lives in a personal nexus and wrongdoings will disturb this nexus. Reconciliation and reparation should be dealt with by the people in the network, and the involvement of macro-community members will certainly disturb this network.
Originality/value
This study was conducted by the author between January 2015 and February 2016 for the purpose of obtaining a doctorate. The paper has neither been published previously nor is it under review for publication in any other journal at this time.
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Parker of, Melford Stevenson and J.J. Willis
May 1,1969 Redundancy — “Offer of suitable employment” — Headmaster — Dismissal — Offer of employment at same salary in mobile pool of teachers — Whether “suitable”…
Abstract
May 1,1969 Redundancy — “Offer of suitable employment” — Headmaster — Dismissal — Offer of employment at same salary in mobile pool of teachers — Whether “suitable” employment — Whether “unreasonably refused” — Redundancy Payments Act, 1965 (c. 62), ss. l(2)(a), 2(4)
Katri Hämeen‐Anttila, Mirja Juvonen, Riita Ahonen, Patricia J. Bush and Marja Airaksinen
This study is part of a larger project, which aims to develop medicine education materials for teachers. The aim of the present study was to discover children's interests…
Abstract
Purpose
This study is part of a larger project, which aims to develop medicine education materials for teachers. The aim of the present study was to discover children's interests in medicines and teachers' opinions on what should be taught about medicines to children of different ages. Furthermore, teachers' opinions were assessed about the importance of medicine education as a part of school health education. The aim of the recommendations, based on our research and the materials developed during this process, is to clarify what proper use of medicines can mean, and in this way help teachers fulfil the requirements of the new Finnish health education curriculum.
Design/methodology/approach
Twelve focus group discussions were conducted among a convenience sample of first‐graders (7‐8 years, n=23), fourth‐graders (10‐11 years, n=24) and seventh‐graders (13‐14 years, n=19). A national representative survey was conducted to gather data from the teachers (n=284, response rate 71 percent).
Findings
Children's interests and teachers' opinions on what could be taught about medicines to children of different ages were quite similar. However, fourth‐graders were interested in many topics which teachers considered suitable for older children, for example, how medicines work, how to avoid adverse reactions, and abuse of medicines. The vast majority of the teachers (93 percent) considered teaching about the proper use of medicines so important that it should be included in the national curriculum of health education. Of the children, fourth‐graders were the most interested in medicines.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies, which combine the opinions of children and teachers, on what to teach children of different ages about the proper use of medicines. During the study, evidence‐based recommendations on what to teach children about medicines and teaching materials were created.
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The purpose of this paper is to identify Israeli teachers' perceptions about the relationships between mentoring styles and team culture and the effect of these…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify Israeli teachers' perceptions about the relationships between mentoring styles and team culture and the effect of these relationships on mentoring effectiveness.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample consisted of 169 Israeli teachers from 22 science and technology teams in junior high schools. Four mentoring styles and four dimensions of team culture are examined. Data analysis is carried out on an individual level, whilst taking into consideration the influence of the entire team.
Findings
Meaning attribution style influences the perception of mentoring effectiveness in every team culture. Contrary to the expected outcome, the “fit” between the other mentoring styles and team culture has no significant bearing on mentoring effectiveness.
Research limitations/implications
The self‐reported instrument is vulnerable to a same‐source bias. However, since the focus of this paper is teachers' perceptions of their specific mentors' effectiveness, rather than mentoring effectiveness in practice, it seems to be a suitable tool. In addition, the study sample is limited to science and technology teams, However, it appears that these findings can be generalised beyond these teams, since the study variables, which have a general psychological character, have been used previously in other fields.
Practical implications
These findings will be able to assist supervisors in recruiting and assigning suitable mentors, thus contributing to school effectiveness.
Originality/value
The paper contributed to the design of a model that explains mentoring effectiveness. This model raises doubts regarding the perception that “fit” between mentoring styles and team culture is necessary for improving mentoring effectiveness.
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There are limited tools developed for preschool teachers to aid them in identifying these children with possible autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
There are limited tools developed for preschool teachers to aid them in identifying these children with possible autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aims to describe the development and present preliminary data of a checklist for ASD screening for preschool teachers (CAPT-S) in Singapore that is easy for preschool teachers to use to identify ASD in mainstream preschoolers from 3 to 6 years old.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a cross-sectional questionnaire design. The CAPT-S is a 12-item checklist based on the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fifth Edition criteria and derived from a survey in a previous study that examined preschool teachers’ perceptions of challenging behaviors in preschoolers with ASD in Singapore. Participants consisted of 63 preschool teachers (mean age = 29.4 years; SD = 9.8) teaching in mainstream preschool centers located in Singapore, and they were asked to use the CAPT-S to rate their students on a four-point Likert scale on frequency of observed behavior.
Findings
Preliminary results indicated construct validity was demonstrated and high reliability in terms of internal consistency and moderate test–retest reliability of the CAPT-S. Diagnostic validity of the CAPT-S was also established, even after controlling for variables such as working experience and time spent working with that student. The optimal cutoff score of 24 produced high sensitivity and specificity.
Originality/value
The present study adds an important contribution to the literature on using preschool teachers as an additional informant in the screening process of ASD. The CAPT-S may be suitable for preschool teachers to use to identify children with possible ASD, although future studies would need to be conducted to examine its effectiveness.
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Commitment of governments and development partners in achieving both qualitative and quantitative measurements for primary and secondary provisions is the key reason for…
Abstract
Purpose
Commitment of governments and development partners in achieving both qualitative and quantitative measurements for primary and secondary provisions is the key reason for the development of private higher education (HE) and its rapid expansion in the developing world. A considerable amount of attention towards primary and secondary provisions has produced a large numbers of graduates who are theoretically qualified, but have questionable competences in meeting the needs of the market. This has a significant impact on the quality of HE which is delivered by private and public provisions. The purpose of this paper is to examine quality assurance (QA) mechanism set-up for the private HE sector in Bangladesh.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative methods were used because interviewees can express their views in a candid way, with a primary focus on the desired themes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with personnel from the Ministry of Education, the University Grants Commission, students, staff and management from public and private universities. Documents review and secondary data also supplemented.
Findings
The mechanism set-up for QA is yet to mature. Formal arrangements for the governance and regulatory control of private HE provision in Bangladesh are neither sufficient nor up-to-date to help the sector function effectively. The current rules and regulations are suitable only for public HE, but not for the private sector HE.
Originality/value
A number of studies have been conducted in the area of private HE in Bangladesh. Only one of them covers QA, and none covers the impact of governance on QA. In the light of this background, this paper is the first of its kind.
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The purpose of this paper is to analyse the situation of performance management, to be more precise, the usage and attitudes towards pay‐for‐performance on the example of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the situation of performance management, to be more precise, the usage and attitudes towards pay‐for‐performance on the example of Estonian schools and brings out practical implications for implementing pay‐for‐performance in Estonian general educational schools.
Design/methodology/approach
Altogether 298 headmasters and 2,165 teachers participated in this research. The goal of the research was to map the situation of the usage of pay‐for‐performance in Estonian schools and to find out teachers' and headmasters' opinions about the most effective pay‐for‐performance system.
Findings
Despite the great expectations of performance management and pay‐for‐performance, it is not being used in many Estonian general educational schools. However, the findings of this research show that both headmasters and teachers have quite positive attitudes towards pay‐for‐performance that gives a favourable platform for implementing pay‐for‐performance in the Estonian educational sector.
Research limitations/implications
The study was mainly quantitative with only a few open questions, which raises limitations for finding complete answers and explanations to questions raised. Therefore, case studies need to be done to find answers to some interesting research questions.
Originality/value
With the view to raising the performance of the Estonian educational system and to guarantee its sustainability, a new course concerning schools' and pupils' individual development must be taken. It can be achieved through performance management and pay‐for‐performance, which also helps to raise teachers' motivation. A central feature of the pay‐for‐performance is that pay must be in accord with performance and must provide an incentive to promote the success of the organisation.
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A great deal of research into teacher morale has been carried out in the United States and in Australia, particularly N.S.W. Little if any research into teacher morale has…
Abstract
A great deal of research into teacher morale has been carried out in the United States and in Australia, particularly N.S.W. Little if any research into teacher morale has been carried out in England and so the writer, who was visiting the country, decided to administer a questionnaire to a sample of state secondary schools. The purpose of the investigation was twofold: to demonstrate the practicality of undertaking further research and to decide if the instrument in its present form was sufficiently sensitive to measure the morale of English school teachers. For these reasons, the research had to be considered a pilot study. The questionnaire was administered to three English state secondary schools with an 88 percent response from the teachers. The data collected were analysed and some tentative conclusions were reached. The main findings were that, in its present form, the instrument was not suitable to measure teacher morale in England, that there was a need for future research into teacher morale and that older teachers apparently displayed higher morale than younger teachers.