Technik und Design Kartenspiel Textil

Das Kartenspiel Werkzeuge Textil ergänzt die bewährte Lehrmittelreihe «Technik und Design» und folgt dabei den Verfahren des Lernhefts. Die Karten ermöglichen das Spielen verschiedener Kartenspiele und bieten Schüler*innen die Möglichkeit, auf spielerische Weise den Umgang mit textilen Werkzeugen zu erlernen

The Sequencing of Pre- and Post-viewing Activities in a Vocabulary Learning Study with Adolescent French L2 Learners

This study investigates the effect of presence and sequence of viewing activities on the learning of new words in French L2. It examined if there is a difference in perceived usefulness of pre- vs. post-viewing activity (RQ1) and whether the perceived usefulness corresponds to students’ vocabulary scores (RQ2). Eighty-seven adolescent, beginner French L2 students from Switzerland participated in the study. Fifty-one target words were selected from three captioned 13–15 min excerpts from the French TV series Plan Cœur (Netflix, 2018). The participants watched each excerpt in a different condition (episode only, episode and pre-viewing activity, episode and post-viewing activity). In the activities, the participants had to recognise the correct meaning (translation) of target words. Three immediate and one delayed meaning recognition vocabulary post-tests were administered to four upper-level classes (HI) and two lower-level classes (LO). Students’ learning beliefs were collected using a self-evaluation questionnaire. Results from the questionnaire showed that both LO and HI learners perceived the post-viewing activity as most beneficial. The descriptive analysis of the questionnaire further supported that learners’ beliefs concerning the usefulness of the pre-/post-viewing activities generally correspond to learners’ actual learning gains. These results highlight the importance of pre-/post-viewing activities when learning new vocabulary through audio-visual input in foreign language teaching

The Perceived Value of Interprofessional Practice According to Classroom Teachers, Special Education Teachers, and Speech-Language Pathologists

Purpose: When working with students with speech, language, and communica-tion needs, classroom teachers (CLTs), special education teachers (SETs), and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) must engage in interprofessional practice (IPP). According to the expectancy-value model, IPP adoption is partially contin-gent on its perceived value. The objective of this study was to analyze whether and how the perceived value of IPP differs across four domains (interest, costs, benefits for the specialist, and benefits for the students) among the three profes-sional groups and the extent to which various factors affect this perception. This study focuses on school-based professionals in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland, working under the same administrative authority and in accordance with the same guidelines. Method: A total of 317 staff members from mainstream schools in Bern, Swit-zerland (142 CLTs, 89 SETs, and 86 SLPs), completed an IPP questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare the four domains of per-ceived values between groups, and structural equation modeling was used to assess the impact of various factors. Results: SETs showed the most positive perception of IPP across all domains, whereas CLTs and SLPs were less positive. Self-reported competencies in IPP positively influenced the perceived value of CLTs and SLPs; however, percep-tions were more negative at the secondary school level for CLTs and SLPs. Conclusion: Since CLTs, SETs, and SLPs in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland, operate under the same administrative guidelines, the differences in perceived value of IPP are attributed to their distinct professional backgrounds and work environments

The Relationship Between Student Well-Being and Teacher–Student and Student–Student Relationships: A Longitudinal Approach Among Secondary School Students in Switzerland

The rapid changes in today’s world pose a great challenge to student wellbeing, especially in secondary school, where age-related transitions occur. Many school systems have recognized the importance of fostering both academic achievement and student well-being. Classroom relationships with teachers and peers play a key role in students’ academic, social, and emotional development, yet little is known about their longitudinal and reciprocal effects on well-being. This study adopts a multidimensional approach to student well-being, examining its relations with teacher–student closeness and conflict, as well as student–student cohesion, using two waves of data one year apart in a structural equation model (SEM). The participants were Grade 7 (N = 757) and Grade 8 (N = 720) students in Switzerland. The findings reveal no significant associations between student well-being, teacher–student closeness, and peer cohesion. However, teacher–student conflict at measurement point 1 is positively associated with physical complaints and social problems at measurement point 2, while a positive academic self-concept negatively predicts teacher–student conflict over time. These results highlight the impact of teacher–student conflict on student well-being and suggest enhancing the academic self-concept could help mitigate such conflicts. Insights into these relations can help educators and researchers identify and develop useful strategies for promoting student well-being

Geographical constraints and upper secondary track choice: does distance to schools prevent students from entering school-based programmes?

Abundant research has shown that educational transitions are decisively shaped by prior educational attainment and students’ family background. In contrast, the role of geography and spatial features during educational transitions remains less explored. Drawing on linked large-scale assessment data from Switzerland, the present study examines the role of the distance between a student’s place of residence and the nearest upper secondary school as a potential barrier to entry into school-based education at the upper secondary level. In response to potentially flawed distance measures used in previous research, this study proposes a novel distance measure based on commuting times to the nearest school. Using a series of probit and mixed-effects probit models, this study finds that greater distances to schools prevent students from entering school-based programmes at the upper secondary level, although the effect sizes are comparatively modest. Overall, the results confirm previous findings on higher education that geographical distance may pose a barrier to accessing educational institutions

From Aspiration to Apprenticeship: Insights from a Refugee Pre-vocational Programme

Context: Refugees in Switzerland face significant challenges when entering the vocational education and training system. The pre-apprenticeship for integration (PAI), a one-year pre-vocational programme which targets unqualified refugees aged 16 to 35, aims to support this transition by helping participants clarify their aspirations and prepare for an apprenticeship. Methods: The study draws on survey and administrative data of 2479 refugees who completed the PAI programme between 2019 and 2023. We examined refugees' long-term career aspirations, group-specific characteristics, and post-PAI transitions into VET. Findings: PAI participants expressed a wide range of long-term career aspirations, with the majority aiming to stay in their current occupational field; others aspired to change fields, pursue further or higher education, become self-employed, or were uncertain. Aspirations were shaped by age, family status, and satisfaction with the PAI and were linked to participants' likelihood of continuing into IVET. Conclusions: The findings highlight the PAI's potential to foster motivating career aspirations and successful transitions to IVET, though support is still needed for refugees facing uncertainty or requiring additional time to prepare for an apprenticeship. Continued research on PAIparticipants' pathways will be essential to explore whether refugees can translate their aspirations into sustainable vocational pathways

Salivary alpha-amylase over cortisol ratio as a longitudinal indicator of work stress and psychosomatic strain in teachers

Introduction: This longitudinal study investigates to what extent salivary alpha-amylase (as an index of the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, SNS), salivary cortisol (as an index of the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal, HPA, axis), and their ratio (reflecting asymmetry between both physiological stress systems) are valid indicators of stress in teachers. Moreover, we pose the question of whether dysregulation of the SNS and HPA axis is associated with individual risk and protective factors of teachers. Methods: Self-report questionnaires were used to assess personality factors, coping strategies, and perceived psychological and psychosomatic strain, with the latter being reassessed two years later. Results: The results show that cross-sectionally, alpha-amylase is positively associated with individual risk factors and psychological strain in teachers, whereas cortisol showed no significant correlations. Longitudinally, however, the ratio of alpha-amylase over cortisol was the most consistent indicator of stress in teachers, with higher values predicting a more unfavorable stress experience and psychosomatic strain. Discussion: In summary, an asymmetry between activity of the SNS and the HPA axis validly indicates work stress and psychosomatic strain in teachers

Promoting inclusion of peers with special educational needs: effects of a curriculum-based diversity awareness program

Students with special educational needs (SEN) often face rejection from peers. Research suggests that intervention programs can enhance students’ attitudes and social participation of peers with SEN. However, many teachers lack the resources or time to implement comprehensive programs. The extent to what easy-to-implement teaching units have positive effects is less clear. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study assessed the effect of a series of classroom lessons based on the teaching resource Prinzip Vielfalt on students’ attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and their intentions to include peers with SEN. In a cluster-controlled trial, 51 elementary school classes (3rd–6th grade) were assigned to either the experimental or waiting-control group based on the timing of teachers’ registration for a continuing education course. The experimental group consisted of 34 classes (652 students), where teachers implemented a standardized 12-lesson plan over a 6-week period, while the control group continued with their regular curriculum. Data were collected at three points: pre-test, post-test, and follow-up three months later. Student self-report measures were analyzed using mixed-effects and mediation models in R. Analyses indicated no significant long-term effects for PBC or inclusion intentions. However, attitudes and subjective norms toward peers with disabilities improved significantly. Further, mediation analyses revealed significant indirect effects of attitudes and subjective norms on inclusion intentions. Thus, while the intervention did not directly influence intentions, it had a positive effect on attitudes and subjective norms, which could enhance inclusive behavior over time. Thus, carefully constructed, accessible, and easy-to-implement teaching resources such as Prinzip Vielfalt demonstrate promising effects on inclusive peer behavior