The decision to act: a study on the variables influencing teachers’ willingness to implement inclusive classroom practices

2015 - 2016Il presente lavoro di tesi è volto ad indagare le variabili che influenzano le decisioni degli insegnanti nel mettere in atto e nell’implementare pratiche inclusive in classe. Un’analisi dettagliata della letteratura scientifica ha consentito di individuare la Teoria del Comportamento Pianificato (Ajzen, 1988) come framework teorico dell’intero lavoro. Negli ultimi anni questa teoria ha occupato un posto di notevole rilievo nelle scienze sociali al fine di studiare il comportamento umano; inoltre, numerose ricerche in ambito educativo hanno adottato tale teoria per guidare la pianifica degli studi e la loro realizzazione. Sulla base della Teoria del Comportamento Pianificato e dell’individuazione di studi simili già condotti e riportati nella letteratura scientifica internazionale, la principale ipotesi di ricerca comprende tre variabili predittive ed una variabile dipendente. Per quanto riguarda le prime, esse sono: le percezioni degli insegnanti circa la loro auto-efficacia per insegnare in contesti inclusivi, gli atteggiamenti verso l’inclusione e le preoccupazioni che gli insegnanti hanno circa le pratiche inclusive. La variabile dipendente è relativa alle intenzioni dei docenti di implementare pratiche inclusive. L’ipotesi è che più gli atteggiamenti dei docenti sono positivi e più alte sono le auto-percezioni di efficacia, più alta è la possibilità che gli insegnanti adottino pratiche inclusive. Per quanto concerne le preoccupazioni, in questo caso, meno esse sono, più alte sono le intenzioni di adottare pratiche inclusive. Inoltre, è stato ipotizzato che, studiate insieme, queste tre variabili aumentino il livello di predittività delle intenzioni rispetto a quando sono prese in considerazione singolarmente. Il questionario comprende quattro scale finalizzate a misurare le variabili predittive e dipendenti, mentre una sezione a parte è dedicata alla raccolta dei dati socio-demografici. Dopo la traduzione delle scale dall’inglese all’italiano, è stato condotto uno studio pilota per accertare che il linguaggio fosse appropriato per il contesto e che non vi fossero eventuali interpretazioni sbagliate o ambiguità. Le quattro scale utilizzate sono state la “Teacher self-Efficacy for Inclusive Practices Scale” (Sharma, Loreman & Forlin, 2011), la “Attitudes towards Inclusion Scale” (Sharma & Jacobs, 2016), la “Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale” (Sharma & Desai, 2002), e la “Intentions to Teach in Inclusive Classrooms Scale” (Sharma & Jacobs, 2016). Nell’ultima sezione del questionario vi sono due domande a risposta aperta atte a sollecitare i partecipanti all’individuazione di tre fattori che possano favorire l’adozione di pratiche inclusive e tre fattori che possano rappresentare degli ostacoli. Il questionario è stato somministrato all’inizio di un percorso di formazione per il conseguimento della specializzazione per le attività di sostegno didattico agli alunni con disabilità tenutosi presso l’Università degli Studi di Salerno nell’anno accademico 2015/2016. Il numero degli intervistati (docenti di scuola dell’infanzia, scuola primaria, scuola secondaria di primo e di secondo grado) è pari a 156, la maggior parte dei quali donne (93%); quanto all’età, oscillano tra i 31 e i 40 anni (64%). I punteggi medi hanno dimostrato che il gruppo di docenti ha atteggiamenti positivi, bassi livelli di preoccupazioni, alti livelli di auto-percezioni di efficacia ed un elevato grado di intenzioni di insegnare in classi inclusive. L'analisi di regressione multipla ha confermato l'ipotesi principale di questa tesi e cioè che le tre variabili insieme sono predittori significativi per spiegare le intenzioni di insegnare in classi inclusive. Secondo gli intervistati, il principale fattore che favorisce l'educazione inclusiva è l'implementazione di strategie e di attività didattiche partecipative e costruttive, mentre valori, credenze ed atteggiamenti non sono favorevoli per la promozione di contesti inclusivi sono stati considerati come il maggiore ostacolo. Questa tesi sostiene che la Teoria del Comportamento Pianificato possa guidare gli studi sulle relazioni tra le variabili che incidono sull’inclusione e possa risultare utile per la progettazione di programmi di formazione degli insegnanti, andandone a valutare la loro efficacia. Tuttavia, è necessaria l'integrazione di studi qualitativi per ridurre la vulnerabilità dei dati raccolti con strumenti self-report. [a cura dell'autore]The aim of this thesis was to investigate the variables that impinge on teachers’ decisions to implement inclusive classroom practices. A thorough literature review on this research topic led to the identification of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1988) as an underpinning framework for this thesis. This theory has gained considerable approval in social sciences to investigate human behaviour and an increasing amount of studies on this area of educational research have adopted it as a guiding theory and model for the research design and implementation. On the basis of the TPB and similar studies conducted, the principal research hypothesis included three predictor variables and a dependent variable. The former are teachers’ self-percepts of efficacy to work in inclusive contexts, attitudes towards, and concerns about inclusion, whereas the dependent variable is intentions to implement inclusive classroom practices. It was hypothesised that the more positive the teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion are and the higher the self-percepts of efficacy, the more likely teachers are to adopt inclusive practices. With regards to the third predictor variable, the fewer the concerns the higher are teachers’ intentions to implement inclusive practices. Moreover, it was hypothesised that studied together, these three variables would be more predictive of intentions than when taken singularly. Four scales comprised the questionnaire that aimed at measuring these variables. These were the Teacher self-efficacy for Inclusive Practices Scale (Sharma, Loreman & Forlin, 2011), the Attitudes towards Inclusion Scale (Sharma & Jacobs, 2016), the Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale (Sharma & Desai, 2002), and the Intentions to Teach in Inclusive Classrooms Scale (Sharma & Jacobs, 2016). An additional section collected demographic data, while two concluding open-ended questions asked respondents to identify factors that, in their opinion, facilitate and hinder inclusion. The questionnaire was administered at the beginning of a course which was aimed at student-teachers interested in acquiring the Learning Support Teachers Warrant to work in either nursery and primary school or lower and upper secondary school. The total number of respondents was 156 of whom the majority were female (93%) and were between 31 and 40 years old (64%). Mean scores showed that this group of respondents have positive attitudes, low levels of concerns, high levels of teacher self-efficacy, and high degrees of intentions to teach in inclusive classrooms. Multiple regression analysis confirmed the main hypothesis in this thesis that the three variables together are significant predictors to explain intentions to teach in inclusive classrooms. According to the respondents, the major factor that fosters inclusive education is the implementation of active, hands-on teaching strategies and activities, whereas values, beliefs and attitudes that are not conducive for the promotion of inclusive contexts were considered as the main hindrance. This thesis argues that the TPB can guide studies on the relationships between the variables impacting on inclusion, and may be useful for designing teacher education programmes and evaluate their effectiveness. However, the integration of qualitative studies to reduce the vulnerability of data collected from self-reports is required. [edited by author]XV n.s

Gli Atteggiamenti e la Teacher Efficacy dei docenti Italiani e Austriaci: uno Studio Comparativo

The need to face complexity in today’s school contexts requires the identification of variables that influence teacher agency and which contribute to the success of inclusion.To this aim an exploratory and comparative research was conducted with the goal of investigating attitudes towards inclusion and the perceptions of efficacy of 364 student-teachers, 221 of which were Italian whereas 143 were Austrian, following a teacher education course. Furthermore, the comparative study aided in shedding light on how factors such as the educational system and culture can influence the variables considered.Results show that in both groups attitudes and teacher efficacy are both above the mean, yet the Italian sample had higher scores. Within an ecological perspective,this could be also due to factors related to context and cultural dimensions.This research is part of a wider project involving a network of researchers investigating such variables through the use of scales that have been specifically designed to measure some predictive determinants of success of inclusion.La necessità di fronteggiare la complessità degli odierni contesti scolastici richiede alla ricerca educativa di individuare le variabili che influenzano l’agentività del docente e che contribuiscono al successo dell‘inclusione.Con tale finalità è stato condotto uno studio esplorativo e comparativo finalizzato ad indagare sugli atteggiamenti verso l’inclusione e sulle percezioni di autoefficacia di 364 futuri docenti in formazione (221 italiani e 143 di nazionalità austriaca). La comparazione ha consentito di far luce, inoltre, su quanto fattori, quali il sistema di istruzione e la cultura, possano esercitare la loro influenza sulle variabili considerate.I risultati mostrano che in entrambi i gruppi gli atteggiamenti e la teacher selfefficacy sono al di sopra della media. Tuttavia, il campione italiano presenta punteggi più alti; lasciando ipotizzare che, in una prospettiva ecologica, ciò possa dipendere anche da fattori legati a dimensioni contestuali e culturali.La ricerca si inserisce in un progetto più ampio in cui è coinvolta una rete di ricercatori europei impegnata ad indagare su alcuni dei fattori predittivi del successo dell’inclusione

Indagine sulle percezioni e sull’efficacia dei docenti in formazione verso un agire didattico inclusivo

This paper presents a study on the implicit dimensions that influence teacher agency and is aimed at investigating the teachers’ sentiments, attitudes, concerns and perceived levels of efficacy to implement inclusive practices. The sample comprised in two groups: the first included 221 pre-service teachers undergoing training to teach in secondary schools and the second were 131 in-service teachers following a course to obtain the learning support teachers’ warrant.The TEIP and the SACIE-R scales were administered to conduct the study. Results showed that the future learning support teachers had generally higher scores than the pre-service teachers. The positive attitude of the former group towards inclusive practices, however, seemed not to be linked to their greater teaching experience but more likely to the characteristics of their course of education.Questo lavoro presenta uno studio sulle dimensioni implicite che influenzano l’agire didattico finalizzato ad indagare i sentimenti, gli atteggiamenti, le preoccupazioni, e i livelli di percezione dei docenti circa la propria efficacia nell’implementare pratiche inclusive. Il campione è stato suddiviso in due gruppi, il primo comprendente 221 corsisti del Tirocinio Formativo Attivo e il secondo costituito da 131 partecipanti al corso di specializzazione per insegnanti di sostegno. Per condurre l’indagine sono state somministrate due scale: la scala TEIP e la scala SACIE-R. I risultati hanno mostrato che i futuri insegnanti di sostegno del campione raggiungono generalmente punteggi più alti. Tuttavia, sembrerebbe che l’atteggiamento positivo di questi docenti non risulti essere legato alla loro esperienza di insegnamento,bensì alle caratteristiche dei percorsi della loro formazione

Interventi comunitari strengths-based per promuovere l’inclusione per il benessere: alla (ri)scoperta delle risorse individuali e collettive

In light of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development (UN, 2015), all citizens are called to give their contribution to address the arduous socio-economic, environmental and cultural challenges that characterise the 21st Century. One of the transversal strategies identified to achieve the set goals is promoting full participation of all institutions, public and private, as well as citizens to bring about sustainable change. Within this perspective, the planning of actions that aim to involve the entire community becomes one of a wider spectrum of strategies aimed at producing wellbeing and improving people’s perceptions regarding their quality of life. This emancipatory perspective calls for wider bottom-up inclusive action that envisages the participation of the whole school community by rediscovering individual and collective resources. Thus, it is not about building bridges, but pulling down walls, opening doors, broadening the concept of school community to embrace and acknowledge the role of society at large in bringing about transformation.  As literature suggests, strengths-based theoretical reflections (Antonovsky 1996; Dockrill Garrett, 2022; Sen, 1993; Seligman et al., 2009) and intervention models (McKnight & Kretzmann, 1993; Pulla et al., 2012; Russell & McKnight, 2022) have proven to be particularly effective to orient such initiatives. This contribution, therefore, aims to highlight how inclusive strengths-based approaches, albeit stemming from different research fields, may well find their common ground in the vision of the 2030 Agenda (UN, 2015), which is that of promoting wellbeing.   Keywords: asset-based community development, inclusion, strengths-based approaches, wellbeing, quality of lif

Insegnare a leggere la mente. La realizzazione di un edugame per lo sviluppo delle abilità sociali in soggetti con Disturbo dello Spettro Autistico

This paper presents a research aimed atcreating an edugame whose objective is thatof supporting inclusive teaching practices inthe presence of students with Autism SpectrumDisorders. Taking into considerationthe literature supporting the added value oftechnology to promote inclusive practices,the experimented edugame was designed inline with the phases envisaged in Howlin’seducational program. Such resources aidteachers to put into practice more sustainableindividualized and differentiated instructionto respond to the students’ specificcognitive styles in Italian school contexts.The initial results from the testing of theedugame have demonstrated a greater appealthan the classic ‘paper and pencil’ testand an increase in the recognition of emotionsand expressions.Il lavoro presenta una ricerca volta alla realizzazione di un edugame finalizzato a supportare l’agire didattico inclusivo in presenza di alunni con Disturbo dello Spettro Autistico. Premessa la valenza delle tecnologie per la didattica inclusiva, l’edugame sperimentato ripercorre le fasi del programma educativo elaborato da Howlin, Baron-Cohen e Hadwin (1999), in modo tale da consentire ai docenti di agire didatticamente, rispondendo a specifici stili cognitivi e rendendo l’individualizzazione e la personalizzazione dell’intervento didattico maggiormentesostenibili nei contesti scolastici italiani. I primi esiti dal testing dell’edugamehanno dimostrato un livello di attrattività maggiore dal test classico ‘carta e matita’ e un incremento nel riconoscimento di emozioni e di espressioni

Teacher capacITy BuIldINg Through crITIcal reflecTIVe pracTIce for The promoTIoN of INcluSIVe educaTIoN

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Deep and surface hemodynamic signal from functional time resolved transcranial near infrared spectroscopy compared to skin flowmotion

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A nationwide evaluation of bevacizumab-based treatments in pediatric low-grade glioma in the UK: safety, efficacy, visual morbidity, and outcomes

BACKGROUND: Bevacizumab is increasingly used in children with pediatric low-grade glioma (PLGG) despite limited evidence. A nationwide UK service evaluation was conducted to provide larger cohort "real life" safety and efficacy data including functional visual outcomes. METHODS: Children receiving bevacizumab-based treatments (BBT) for PLGG (2009-2020) from 11 centers were included. Standardized neuro-radiological (RANO-LGG) and visual (logMAR visual acuity) criteria were used to assess clinical-radiological correlation, survival outcomes and multivariate prognostic analysis. RESULTS: Eighty-eight children with PLGG received BBT either as 3rd line with irinotecan (85%) or alongside 1st/2nd line chemotherapies (15%). Toxicity was limited and minimal. Partial response (PR, 40%), stable disease (SD, 49%), and progressive disease (PD, 11%) were seen during BBT. However, 65% progressed at 8 months (median) from BBT cessation, leading to a radiology-based 3 yr-progression-free survival (PFS) of 29%. Diencephalic syndrome (P = .03) was associated with adverse PFS. Pre-existing visual morbidity included unilateral (25%) or bilateral (11%) blindness. Improvement (29%) or stabilization (49%) of visual acuity was achieved, more often in patients' best eyes. Vision deteriorated during BBT in 14 (22%), with 3-year visual-PFS of 53%; more often in patients' worst eyes. A superior visual outcome (P = .023) was seen in neurofibromatosis type 1-associated optic pathway glioma (OPG). Concordance between visual and radiological responses was 36%; optimized to 48% using only best eye responses. CONCLUSIONS: BBTs provide effective short-term PLGG control and delay further progression, with a better sustained visual (best > worst eye) than radiological response. Further research could optimize the role of BBT toward a potentially sight-saving strategy in OPG

Biomarkers for site-specific response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in epithelial ovarian cancer: relating MRI changes to tumour cell load and necrosis.

Funder: We acknowledge funding from Cancer Research UK BIDD grant C1353/A12762 and Cancer Research UK and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council support to the Cancer Imaging Centre at the Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden Hospital in association with the Medical Research Council and Department of Health C1060/A10334, C1060/A16464 and National Health Service funding to the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centres at Royal Marsden Hospital/Institute of Cancer Research and Cambridge, Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres, the Clinical Research Facility in Imaging, and the Cancer Research Network. We are also grateful for financial support from Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the National Health Service, the National Institute for Health Research or the Department of Health.BACKGROUND: Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) potentially interrogates site-specific response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). METHODS: Participants with newly diagnosed EOC due for platinum-based chemotherapy and interval debulking surgery were recruited prospectively in a multicentre study (n = 47 participants). Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and solid tumour volume (up to 10 lesions per participant) were obtained from DW-MRI before and after NAC (including double-baseline for repeatability assessment in n = 19). Anatomically matched lesions were analysed after surgical excision (65 lesions obtained from 25 participants). A trained algorithm determined tumour cell fraction, percentage tumour and percentage necrosis on histology. Whole-lesion post-NAC ADC and pre/post-NAC ADC changes were compared with histological metrics (residual tumour/necrosis) for each tumour site (ovarian, omental, peritoneal, lymph node). RESULTS: Tumour volume reduced at all sites after NAC. ADC increased between pre- and post-NAC measurements. Post-NAC ADC correlated negatively with tumour cell fraction. Pre/post-NAC changes in ADC correlated positively with percentage necrosis. Significant correlations were driven by peritoneal lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Following NAC in EOC, the ADC (measured using DW-MRI) increases differentially at disease sites despite similar tumour shrinkage, making its utility site-specific. After NAC, ADC correlates negatively with tumour cell fraction; change in ADC correlates positively with percentage necrosis. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01505829

T Regulatory Cells in Cord Blood—FOXP3 Demethylation as Reliable Quantitative Marker

Regulatory T-cells (Tregs), characterized as CD4+CD25(hi) T-cells expressing FOXP3, play a crucial role in controlling healthy immune development during early immune maturation. Recently, FOXP3 demethylation was suggested to be a novel marker for natural Tregs in adults. In cord blood, the role and function of Tregs and its demethylation is poorly understood. We assessed FOXP3 demethylation in cord blood in relation to previously used Treg markers such as CD4+CD25(hi), FOXP3 mRNA, protein expression, and suppressive Treg function