Developing the scales on evaluation beliefs of student teachers

The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to investigate the validity and the reliability of a newly developed questionnaire named ‘Teacher Evaluation Beliefs’ (TEB). The framework for developing items was provided by the two models. The first model focuses on Student-Centered and Teacher-Centered beliefs about evaluation while the other centers on five dimensions (what/ who/ when/ why/ how). The validity and reliability of the new instrument was investigated using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis study (n=446). Overall results indicate that the two-factor structure is more reasonable than the five-factor one. Further research needs additional items about the latent dimensions “what” ”who” ”when” ”why” “how” for each existing factor based on Student-centered and Teacher-centered approaches

Digital learning resources and ubiquitous technologies in education

This research explores the educators' attitudes and perceptions about their utilisation of digital learning technologies. The methodology integrates measures from ‘the pace of technological innovativeness’ and the ‘technology acceptance model’ to understand the rationale for further ICT investment in compulsory education. A quantitative study was carried out amongst two hundred forty-one educators in Malta. It has investigated the costs and benefits of using digital learning resources in schools from the educator’s perspective. Principal component analysis has indicated that the educators were committed to using digital technologies. In addition, a step-wise regression analysis has shown that the younger teachers were increasingly engaging in digital learning resources. Following this study’s empirical findings educational stakeholders are better informed about how innovative technologies can support our students. In conclusion, this paper puts forward key implications and recommendations for regulatory authorities and policy makers for better curricula and educational outcomes.peer-reviewe

Design of Approaches to the Development of Teacher’s Digital Competencies in the Process of Their Lifelong Learning

At present, various strategies and initiatives focused on innovation of educational technologies in higher pedagogical education are offered in Ukraine. The study of the state of the formation of teachers’ digital competences in the process of their professional development has been carried out on the basis of Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University. The article analyzes foreign and national approaches and strategies to the development of teachers’ digital competences. The results of the study, aimed to determine the features of mastering digital competencies in the process of teachers’ professional development and their lifelong learning, are presented. In total, 258 teachers from Ternopil and Ternopil region (Ukraine) took part in this research. The study combines a variety of statistical tools and techniques in the real contexts of higher education. The research has been carried out to determine the characteristics of elements that measure the digital competency of the professional development. The results were processed based on the Item Response Theory (IRT). This article demonstrates the utility of the standardized LD χ 2 statistic and the M2 statistic as provided in the software IRTPRO, but not available readily in most IRT programs and not discussed commonly in pedagogical papers for IRT. On the basis of the research carried out at the Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University, the strategy for the professional development of digital competencies of teachers in the process of their lifelong learning has been developed, which takes into account the results of the analysis of the criteria and indicators inherent for the qualitative improvement of qualifications, that have been determined by international standards and studies of professional institutions

Eye quietness and quiet eye in expert and novice golf performance: an electrooculographic analysis

Quiet eye (QE) is the final ocular fixation on the target of an action (e.g., the ball in golf putting). Camerabased eye-tracking studies have consistently found longer QE durations in experts than novices; however, mechanisms underlying QE are not known. To offer a new perspective we examined the feasibility of measuring the QE using electrooculography (EOG) and developed an index to assess ocular activity across time: eye quietness (EQ). Ten expert and ten novice golfers putted 60 balls to a 2.4 m distant hole. Horizontal EOG (2ms resolution) was recorded from two electrodes placed on the outer sides of the eyes. QE duration was measured using a EOG voltage threshold and comprised the sum of the pre-movement and post-movement initiation components. EQ was computed as the standard deviation of the EOG in 0.5 s bins from –4 to +2 s, relative to backswing initiation: lower values indicate less movement of the eyes, hence greater quietness. Finally, we measured club-ball address and swing durations. T-tests showed that total QE did not differ between groups (p = .31); however, experts had marginally shorter pre-movement QE (p = .08) and longer post-movement QE (p < .001) than novices. A group × time ANOVA revealed that experts had less EQ before backswing initiation and greater EQ after backswing initiation (p = .002). QE durations were inversely correlated with EQ from –1.5 to 1 s (rs = –.48 - –.90, ps = .03 - .001). Experts had longer swing durations than novices (p = .01) and, importantly, swing durations correlated positively with post-movement QE (r = .52, p = .02) and negatively with EQ from 0.5 to 1s (r = –.63, p = .003). This study demonstrates the feasibility of measuring ocular activity using EOG and validates EQ as an index of ocular activity. Its findings challenge the dominant perspective on QE and provide new evidence that expert-novice differences in ocular activity may reflect differences in the kinematics of how experts and novices execute skills

Governance decentralisation in education : Finnish innovation in education

This paper introduces a Finnish education innovation known as decentralisation in education. The innovation is described based on education policy documents, research papers and two short interviews with national and municipality experts in curriculum design. In a decentralised education system local providers of education (municipalities) and teachers play important roles in the preparation of local curriculum and learning environments, including the use of digital learning tools and environments. Education providers localise the national aims and content and describe how education is organised. Classroom-based assessment is another characteristic of decentralisation. Three preconditions are required for a decentralised education system to be effective: 1) common, national level, long-term strategic aims and must be established and local level plans, such as curriculum and an equity plan, must be developed and the implemented, 2) quality work, student assessment, continuous improvement of learning environments and practices implemented at the local level and 3) professional teachers must collaborate and engage in broad planning and assess their teaching abilities and their students’ learning outcomes.Peer reviewe

Enseñanza y aprendizaje remoto de emergencia y las competencias digitales del profesorado

The challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to quickly mobilize toward emergency remote teaching and learning (ERTL) practices. Teachers’ digital competences were essential in this context. This study aims to identify the ERTL practices adopted in Portugal and how they were perceived by teachers of students aged 3 to 18. Data were gathered through a questionnaire administered online during April and May 2020 to 329 teachers. ERTL was perceived as an opportunity to develop their own and their students’ digital competences. Teachers expressed a moderately positive view of the process and reported an experience of work overload. The pedagogical practices implemented by teachers during this period were diverse and differed according to gender, self-assessment of digital competence, and level of education taught. Results point to the importance of continued teacher training to achieve quality distance education.Los retos planteados por la pandemia de COVID-19 han obligado a una rápida movilización de las escuelas hacia las prácticas de enseñanza y aprendizaje remoto de emergencia (EARE) y las competencias digitales de los profesores han sido esenciales en este contexto. El presente estudio tiene por objetivo identificar las prácticas de EARE adoptadas en Portugal y la manera en que éstas fueron percibidas por profesores de alumnos de entre 3 y 18 años de edad. Se recopilaron datos a través de un cuestionario aplicado en línea en abril y mayo de 2020 a 329 profesores. La EARE se percibió como una oportunidad para el desarrollo de las competencias digitales tanto de los propios profesores como de sus alumnos. Los profesores valoraron el proceso de manera moderadamente positiva y manifestaron una experiencia de sobrecarga de trabajo. Las prácticas pedagógicas aplicadas por los profesores durante este periodo fueron variadas y diferían según el sexo, la autoevaluación de la competencia digital y el nivel educativo impartido. Los resultados señalan la importancia de la formación docente continua para lograr una educación a distancia de calidad.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Big data for monitoring educational systems

This report considers “how advances in big data are likely to transform the context and methodology of monitoring educational systems within a long-term perspective (10-30 years) and impact the evidence based policy development in the sector”, big data are “large amounts of different types of data produced with high velocity from a high number of various types of sources.” Five independent experts were commissioned by Ecorys, responding to themes of: students' privacy, educational equity and efficiency, student tracking, assessment and skills. The experts were asked to consider the “macro perspective on governance on educational systems at all levels from primary, secondary education and tertiary – the latter covering all aspects of tertiary from further, to higher, and to VET”, prioritising primary and secondary levels of education