Why can't every year be a National Year of Reading? An evaluation of the NYR in Yorkshire

An evaluation of the National Year of Reading in Yorkshire was conducted by Leeds Metropolitan University in response to a brief from Museums, Libraries and Archives, Yorkshire. This paper outlines the development and planning of phase one of this small scale qualitative research project and the analysis of the initial results which looks at the impact of NYR on the organisations that delivered the campaign and their work with target groups. The Generic Social Outcomes and the National Indicators were used to develop a theoretical framework. Data were gathered via in depth interviews and focus groups with NYR steering group partners in Calderdale and North Lincolnshire, selected as the two case study authorities. The use of MAXQDA computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) enabled data and coding structures to be stored and will facilitate comparison in this longitudinal study. This evaluation will provide material that local library authorities can use for advocacy with a range of audiences including local and central government

Being subject-centred: A philosophy of teaching and implications for higher education

Being subject-centred as a higher education teacher offers a rich and illuminating philosophical and practical understanding of learning. Building upon previous research on subject-centred learning, we draw on reflection, literature review and a phenomenological approach to show how our ways of being infuse the teaching and learning environment. Philosophically, it is our way of being with our subject as teachers that influences the learning within our students. We show how posing the question: 'What is the best way to teach this subject?' helps a teacher find the best way to enhance the learning experience. It entails moving away from reliance solely on approaches that simply 're-present' content, such as lectures and online learning management systems, to interactive classrooms where space is created for the students to enter into their own engagement with the subject in a shared pursuit with the teacher, resulting in more effective teaching and learning. We illustrate this with personal accounts of our own journeys as teachers. We acknowledge that it takes courage to teach and to fully be subject-centred in the face of prevailing trends and pressures for other ways of teaching currently prominent in the higher education sector. But, ultimately, it is who we are as teachers that matters most, and being subject-centred provides the most effective way for us to most meaningfully reach our students

Action research in physical education: focusing beyond myself through cooperative learning

This paper reports on the pedagogical changes that I experienced as a teacher engaged in an action research project in which I designed and implemented an indirect, developmentally appropriate and child‐centred approach to my teaching. There have been repeated calls to expunge – or at least rationalise – the use of traditional, teacher‐led practice in physical education. Yet despite the advocacy of many leading academics there is little evidence that such a change of approach is occurring. In my role as teacher‐as‐researcher I sought to implement a new pedagogical approach, in the form of cooperative learning, and bring about a positive change in the form of enhanced pupil learning. Data collection included a reflective journal, post‐teaching reflective analysis, pupil questionnaires, student interviews, document analysis, and non‐participant observations. The research team analysed the data using inductive analysis and constant comparison. Six themes emerged from the data: teaching and learning, reflections on cooperation, performance, time, teacher change, and social interaction. The paper argues that cooperative learning allowed me to place social and academic learning goals on an even footing, which in turn placed a focus on pupils’ understanding and improvement of skills in athletics alongside their interpersonal development

Teacher Professional Development in Nepal: Theories and Scope

Teaching today takes place in a world of rapid change and development and teachers are expected to meet high standards of teaching and raise levels of achievement in schools and colleges. Goal of teacher professional development is required to ensure that all teachers have the knowledge and skills required to effectively facilitate students learning processes (MoE, 2009). Teaching today takes place in a world of rapid change and development and teachers are expected to meet high standards of teaching and raise levels of achievement in schools and colleges (MoE, 2009). However, this article has highlighted some theories and its scope in education for development of teachers in Nepal. Keywords: Teacher, professional development, skills, theories and scop

How do Early Years Educators sustain and define their professionalism? A methodological approach to eliciting early years educators’ thinking

This research has been concerned with eliciting the voices and thinking of a group of early years’ educators across three Local Education Authorities in West Yorkshire. The early years of education require a reflective, articulate and highly qualified workforce. The ability to reflect on and evaluate practice, prescription and one’s own thoughts about it must be the key to professionalism in the early years. The objective of this research was to extrapolate the thinking of a small group of EYEs across three local education authorities (LEAs) in West Yorkshire. The methodology of eliciting teacher thinking was employed to gain access to their voices and discover what were their critical issues and interests, their professional and practical knowledge. Rather than directing the participants to responding to specific aspects, the research was conducted to enable them to demonstrate any areas of interest and critical issues arising from their professional roles.Teacher thinking’ is an effective methodology to determine the thinking and knowledge of experienced and complex professionals working in a variety of settings. This empirical research was undertaken to elicit educators' perspectives to determine their own understandings, with accounts in their own terms through in-depth open-ended interviews, questionnaires, personal/professional time-lines, video-reflective interviews on practice and focus group interviews. These varied different data collection strategies are key to the research as they elicited holistic and varied perspectives on the early years educators professionalism. The aim was to give early years educators a voice, promote recognition of the complexity of the phenomena to be studied and determine the most effective method of eliciting their thinking. This article presents the methodology and findings from this research

KAJIAN PEMBELAJARAN ILMU PENGETAHUAN BUMI DAN ANTARIKSA (IPBA) DI TINJAU DARI EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (ESD) DI SMP NEGERI 2 BOJONG

Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk melihat pembelajaran ilmu pengetahuan bumi dan antariksa (IPBA) di SMP Negeri 2 Bojong dari sudut pandang pendidikan untuk pembangunan berkelanjutan (ESD). Penelitian deskriptif kualitatif digunakan, dengan pengumpulan data melalui observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa siswa di SMP Negeri 2 Bojong belum sepenuhnya mengintegrasikan konsep ESD dalam perencanaan, pelaksanaan, dan evaluasi pelajaran IPBA. Sumber daya belajar yang tidak memadai, prasarana yang tidak memadai, dan dukungan dari sekolah adalah masalah yang dihadapi guru saat menerapkan ESD. Studi ini menemukan bahwa prinsip-prinsip ESD seperti relevansi, interdisipliner, kritis, partisipatif, dan berorientasi pada tindakan dapat digunakan untuk meningkatkan pembelajaran IPBA di SMP Negeri 2 Bojong. Disarankan agar guru membuat bahan ajar dan media pembelajaran yang sesuai dengan ESD

A reflection on the learning outcomes framework project

The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) document, launched in 2012, claims to be ‘a response to the changing demands of individuals and society, rapid changes in our education system driven by globalisation, ICT development, competition, shift of traditional values and new paradigms’ (Ministry of Education and Employment 2012, iii). A paradigm shift away from a prescriptive curriculum towards a framework based on learning outcomes which allows for internal flexibility and attractiveness to lifelong learning, is promised (Ministry of Education and Employment 2012, xiii). There is also reference to a reform in national assessment which will complement the change in pedagogy being advised.peer-reviewe

Physics diagnostic test: an approach to qualify astronomy students

This study determines the learning outcomes measured by the physics diagnostic test, the performance of the incoming college freshman astronomy students in the physics diagnostic test, the suitability of the physics diagnostic test as entry requirement for the BS Astronomy Technology students, and the differences in the result of the physics diagnostic test. It deals with the analysis on the conceptualization that students may have difficulties pursuing the astronomy course if they have impediments in the result of their physics diagnostic test. In the past years, it casually occurs that students with low physics adaptation results to have lower to failing grades when they reach higher astronomy subjects.This study utilized a causal-comparative research design. A purposive sampling was used to the incoming freshmen students of BS Astronomy Technology during the first semester of school year 2014-2015 who took the 25 item validated basic introductory concepts in physics diagnostic test of the department.The findings showed that the physics diagnostic test measured and matched the prescribed learning outcomes set by the department. It also showed that most of the students have very satisfactorily understanding in physics. Therefore, it concludes that the physics diagnostic test match entry requirement for BS Astronomy Technology and that there is no significant difference in the physics diagnostic test between the BS Astronomy Technology college freshman students

Persepsi Guru Sekolah Dasar Terhadap Praktik Pembelajaran IPA

Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui persepsi guru sekolah dasar terhadap praktik pembelajaran IPA. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode survei diskriptif. Responden dalam penelitian ini guru sekolah dasar di wilayah Jawa Tengah yang berjumlah 41 guru. Instrumen penelitian yang digunakan berupa angket persepsi praktik pembelajaran IPA. Instrumen tersebut sudah melalui tahap validasi ahli dan pengujian empiris. Validitas instrumen menggunakan analisis faktor eksploratori. Analisis data menggunakan statistik deskriptif. Hasil penelitian Persepsi guru IPA terhadap SIP Guru SD memiliki kategori cukup. Dimensi El, EE, SDC guru IPA SD kategori cukup. Dimensi EPK guru SD kategori cukup. Dimensi TI guru SD kategori baik. Persepsi guru IPA terhadap praktik pembelajaran IPA berada pada kategori cukup

The Future Growth for Islamic Microfinance in Indonesia: Baitul Maal Wat Tamwil Domains

Purpose: This study seeks to examine the trends in existing studies in the field of Baitul Maal wat Tamwil microfinance in terms of theories, themes, methodologies, and contexts.   Theoretical framework: This study utilized bibliometric analysis and the software Publish or Perish in conjunction with the Scopus database. Articles published in 37 journals between 2011 and 2022 were chosen. This study employed systematic data to identify trends in expanding markets and qualitative inductive analysis to identify pertinent themes within the topic.   Design/methodology/approach: We analysed the profile of international publica­tions on blended learning in management and business from 2001 to 2021. We identified when, who, where and what was published on the subject, singling out the authors and journals with the greatest impact based on the h-index and CiteScore (Scopus), as well as exploring the cooperation between countries.   Findings:  The results show that Six research themes have been developed indicating potential explorative and exploitative research themes. This study identified the dominance of the qualitative approach in BMT research.   Research, Practical & Social implications: We suggest practical implications as empirical evidence that could be used in a variety of ways, including as a springboard to formulate intervention initiatives aimed at promoting engagement and the development of Islamic microfinance in Baitul Maal wat Tamwil and as a measure of both the economic and non-economic impact.   Originality/value: This study aims to fill the research gap by conducting a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the literature surrounding Islamic microfinance "Baitul Maal wat Tamwil" in Indonesia