A call for parental involvement in state schools

Parental involvement (PI) in the education of children is an important element of effective education (Horby, 2017). The setting of School Councils regulated by LEGAL NOTICE 135/1993 is one way to encourage PI in State Schools in Malta. However, the role of School Councils is fluid and participation is not promising. This paper provides an overview of the current PI based on Hornby’s (2000) models from the perspective of the author’s experience originating from her involvement with School Councils since 2008 and her role as president of the Maltese Association of Parents of State School students (MAPSSS) since 2012. The call for parental involvement comes from policy makers and the parents themselves, but, in practice, there are various gaps and barriers that hinder parental participation in the schooling of their children. The changes in the social dynamics challenge the traditional role of parental involvement schools which teachers are bound to. The teachers’ and parents’ understanding of parental involvement may not be congruent, creating a sense of suspicion that conditions the possibility for collaboration. Moreover, the changing context of the education system and the demands on teachers side- lines further parental involvement. To translate the call for parental involvement in practice, the necessary support through training and guidance to all parties and the required structure should be embedded in the system, so as to allow a gradual paradigm shift.peer-reviewe

Context rules! Top-level education policies for newly arrived migrant students across six european countries

Migration across Europe is an increasing reality over the last number of decades, affecting countries with long histories of immigration as well as countries newer to the phenomenon. Although education remains a key factor in receiving and integrating migrants, policies and practices differ among countries. How contextual factors shape these differences is under-represented. This article reviews the top-level education policies on receiving Newly Arrived Migrant Students (NAMS) in six European countries – Belgium, Ireland, Malta, Norway, Portugal and Romania – in an attempt to fill this gap. Employing the European Commission four-dimensional framework of educational support for migrants, we examine how the context of each country shapes these policies. Findings are somewhat paradoxical, indicating both the contextual nature of top-level policies, and a trend towards policy homogenisation at a European level, despite very different national contexts.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A change in the language policy for school Geography: breaking barriers or creating new ones?

Geography as a core entitlement subject in senior schools, is one of three components that make up the umbrella subject Environmental Studies. The other two subjects are History and Social Studies. In 1999, the National Minimum Curriculum recommended that the language of instruction for a number of subjects, including Social Studies and History would be Maltese. This created an anomaly for the umbrella subject ‘Environmental Studies’ since the language of instruction of two of its components is Maltese whereas Geography was being taught in English. Logistics issues related to examination purposes raised the question whether Geography should be taught in Maltese. In 2012 there was a general shift to use Maltese as the language of instruction for Geography in State Schools. This change in policy took place in a period when the number of ‘non-Maltese learners’ in classes was on the increase, with the risk of creating an education barrier to them. This possibility was researched through a multi-method approach among teachers of geography in state schools. The pragmatic method includes a survey among 89 percent of geography teachers, interviews with 40 percent of the teachers and 2 focus group discussions. Geography teachers have different positions on the ‘language issue’. Some teachers feel that teaching geography in Maltese is a sign of disregard towards non-Maltese learners, whereas others feel that shifting to Maltese as the language of instruction is facilitating those who find English more demanding. The teachers’ position reflects the context in which they operate. Irrespective of their standpoint, the teachers’ main concern is how this change in policy may in some circumstances create, rather than eliminate education barriers. The participating teachers feel that the lack of flexibility determined by a centralised system undermines their professionalism and the students’ educational paths.peer-reviewe

Context rules! Top-level education policies for newly arrived migrant students across six European countries

Migration across Europe is an increasing reality over the last number of decades, affecting countries with long histories of immigration as well as countries newer to the phenomenon. Although education remains a key factor in receiving and integrating migrants, policies and practices differ among countries. How contextual factors shape these differences is under-represented. This article reviews the top-level education policies on receiving Newly Arrived Migrant Students (NAMS) in six European countries – Belgium, Ireland, Malta, Norway, Portugal and Romania – in an attempt to fill this gap. Employing the European Commission four-dimensional framework of educational support for migrants, we examine how the context of each country shapes these policies. Findings are somewhat paradoxical, indicating both the contextual nature of top-level policies, and a trend towards policy homogenisation at a European level, despite very different national contexts

Distance learning in higher education during COVID-19 : The role of basic psychological needs and intrinsic motivation for persistence and procrastination–a multi-country study

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, higher educational institutions worldwide switched to emergency distance learning in early 2020. The less structured environment of distance learning forced students to regulate their learning and motivation more independently. According to self-determination theory (SDT), satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence and social relatedness affects intrinsic motivation, which in turn relates to more active or passive learning behavior. As the social context plays a major role for basic need satisfaction, distance learning may impair basic need satisfaction and thus intrinsic motivation and learning behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between basic need satisfaction and procrastination and persistence in the context of emergency distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in a cross-sectional study. We also investigated the mediating role of intrinsic motivation in this relationship. Furthermore, to test the universal importance of SDT for intrinsic motivation and learning behavior under these circumstances in different countries, we collected data in Europe, Asia and North America. A total of N = 15,462 participants from Albania, Austria, China, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Kosovo, Lithuania, Poland, Malta, North Macedonia, Romania, Sweden, and the US answered questions regarding perceived competence, autonomy, social relatedness, intrinsic motivation, procrastination, persistence, and sociodemographic background. Our results support SDT’s claim of universality regarding the relation between basic psychological need fulfilment, intrinsic motivation, procrastination, and persistence. However, whereas perceived competence had the highest direct effect on procrastination and persistence, social relatedness was mainly influential via intrinsic motivation.Peer reviewe

Distance learning in higher education during COVID-19: The role of basic psychological needs and intrinsic motivation for persistence and procrastination–a multi-country study

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, higher educational institutions worldwide switched to emergency distance learning in early 2020. The less structured environment of distance learning forced students to regulate their learning and motivation more independently. According to self-determination theory (SDT), satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence and social relatedness affects intrinsic motivation, which in turn relates to more active or passive learning behavior. As the social context plays a major role for basic need satisfaction, distance learning may impair basic need satisfaction and thus intrinsic motivation and learning behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between basic need satisfaction and procrastination and persistence in the context of emergency distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in a cross-sectional study. We also investigated the mediating role of intrinsic motivation in this relationship. Furthermore, to test the universal importance of SDT for intrinsic motivation and learning behavior under these circumstances in different countries, we collected data in Europe, Asia and North America. A total of N = 15,462 participants from Albania, Austria, China, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Kosovo, Lithuania, Poland, Malta, North Macedonia, Romania, Sweden, and the US answered questions regarding perceived competence, autonomy, social relatedness, intrinsic motivation, procrastination, persistence, and sociodemographic background. Our results support SDT’s claim of universality regarding the relation between basic psychological need fulfilment, intrinsic motivation, procrastination, and persistence. However, whereas perceived competence had the highest direct effect on procrastination and persistence, social relatedness was mainly influential via intrinsic motivation.</p

Intercultural Education through School Geography in Malta

Population mobility and globalisation led to social, political and economic challenges globally, raising complex debates related to citizenship, human rights, democracy and education. Intercultural education is a response to the culturally heterogeneous societies. As understood in this study, it is a means to address the inequalities in education systems. It is a commitment to social justice by reducing achievement gaps. The challenge lies in translating this principle into practice within highly structured school systems. This research questions how school geography addresses the principles of intercultural education within the Maltese Islands. Both geography education and intercultural education are concerned to develop themes related to the changing global context. This study tracks if teachers of geography, in their role as ‘curriculum makers’, embrace the underlying principles of intercultural education and ‘powerful disciplinary knowledge’, to address social inequity. ‘Powerful knowledge’ as conceived by Michael Young considers subjects as a resource that enables teachers to take the students beyond their experience to higher forms of thought, to avoid perpetuating current inequalities. This research is a mixed methods case study. The data generation includes a questionnaire, several informal interviews and two focus group discussions with teachers of geography, a documentation review and a research journal. The scenario portrayed by the participating teachers is that of a heavy loaded exam oriented system that does not allow for flexibility, where often teachers cannot engage students with disciplinary knowledge and activities that allow them to think critically and reflect on alternatives. Most of the teachers seek to drive the students to reflect on their context and social equity, but not necessarily through disciplinary knowledge. This reflects teachers’ disposition but points out that unless they are aware of their ‘equity literacy’ and considers disciplinary knowledge as a teaching resource, they risk perpetuating education inequalities

Quarrying and inert landfilling - a landscape assessment in Malta

Malta is a small island state of 315.59km2, with a high population density and therefore large demands on the land use. This scenario causes extensive pressure on the limited mineral resources, and also with regards to waste disposal. The extraction of aggregate and masonry blocks, for the construction industry, is carried out using open-pits, which lead to numerous negative impacts on the landscape. Quarrying alters completely the terrain, leaving scars in the territory, destroys the natural habitat and disrupts the geomorphological processes and the aquifer recharge. Due to the relatively small size of Malta, quarries tend to invariably conflict with the various land uses. Malta depends heavily on landfills for waste disposal. This is a very land-intensive option, and without proper management, landfills lead to significant environmental problems. The disposal of construction and demolition waste constitutes a major challenge in Malta. The main strategies adopted in the case of construction and demolition waste are related to inert landfilling and recycling. The reduction of wastes and reuse of building materials, recycling and the proper disposal of building waste in approved sites are also promoted. Land reclamation is also discussed as a possible alternative. The utilisation of disused quarries for the disposal of inert waste has the advantages of providing a solution for both the disposal of construction and demolition material and also for the regeneration of these degraded areas. Quarries are therefore rehabilitated and eventually used for agricultural purposes. The effect of quarries on the landscape, their distribution and strategies for rehabilitation, are discussed in view of the surrounding land uses, environment and spaces. The potential disposal of inert waste in disused quarries leads to the eventual rehabilitation of heavily degraded areas.peer-reviewe

Assessment of quality of suburban building stock : indicators Matrix Santa Lucija, Malta

Tabular data for the assessment of Suburban Building Stock in Santa Lucija, Malta</p

An assessment of the changing landscape in an island state

Malta, an island state of 315.59 km2 is situated at the centre of the Mediterranean basin. The high population density of 1274 persons/ km2 which increases drastically with the arrival of over 1 million tourists annually, induces considerable demands on the local limited resources. Issues related to the conservation of archaeological sites, the protection of endemic endangered species, the exodus of the farming community, the rejuvenation of the tourism sector and building development are among the most debatable points in land-use conflicts. The footprint of new development has altered the landscape considerably, and the built up area has increased from 4.5% in the mid- 1960s to 23 % by 2001. Rural areas, and even geomorphologically and ecologically sensitive sites such as valley systems, are considered potential areas for building development. A number of valleys have been terraced and the main water channel surfaced over, in order to construct residential units and commercial areas, thus increasing the risk of flooding and mass movement In view of future sustainable landscapes, this paper discusses causes of the changing landscape pat- terns, and proposes possible planning procedures that may be applied to safeguard the cultural and natural landscapes and which nevertheless respect the needs of a changing Maltese society. The elaborate mosaic of the landscape pattern requires a holistic management plan that takes into consideration all the variables that influence the state of the environment. Specific case studies illustrate that various factors influence the landscape to a varying degree. Hence to safeguard the heterogeneous characteristics of the built environment and the bio-physical aspects of the territory one should discuss the landscape as a system.peer-reviewe