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The transition to the use of paper in public elementary schools in Mexico was not easy. At the end of the nineteenth century, the use of slates had been questioned due to the health risk they represented since students often erased their writing with saliva and the material with which the slates were made did not always meet the necessary specifications. On the other hand, paper, from a hygienic, pedagogical and aesthetic point of view, was considered a superior material compared to the hardness of the slate, the shine of the surface and the lack of precision obtained in the tracing of the letters. Derived from this approach, the possibility of changing materials in official schools was seriously envisioned. However, the paper represented a very high cost. Only two paper mills could supply the schools and it was necessary to lower the price, and guarantee the supply by enhancing the distribution system. This article analyses the beginning of the conversion process of a technology for learning to write such as the slate for paper. I analyse the expense that it meant for the authorities and families, how the change was the result of a multiplicity of social, cultural, economic and political relations that intersected to give a new configuration of time, noise and established values in the classroom.

Researchers have considered how school choice policies affect student achievement, but less inquiry explores how the organization of schools may change in the presence of choice. This descriptive and exploratory paper analyzes a state representative sample of school mission statements at two time points: before the enactment of choice policies in Indiana, namely the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program, and again six years into the policy. Using structural topic modeling, this paper examines whether and how school mission statements topics have changed over this period. Descriptive findings suggest mission statement topics differ significantly between sectors but show few changes over time. The most striking shift is that Catholic and other private religious schools appear to be clarifying the religious aspects of their mission in the presence of robust choice policies.

This paper discusses the relevance of using physical situations to introduce the concept of angles at elementary school. We compare the effectiveness of two geometry teaching sequences. In the first one (physical sequence), the pupils learned the angle concept by experimenting on the playground (i.e. mesospace) and then modelling the situation. In the second one (paper-and-pencil sequence), the pupils worked solely in the space of a sheet of paper (i.e. microspace). In both sequences, pupils compared areas of space delineated by an angle between two directions. Pupils in two Grade 3 classes were exposed to one of the two teaching sequences. The unfolding of these sequences was videotaped and analyzed, and the pupils were tested individually, before and after teaching, to measure each sequence's effectiveness. Results showed that both sequences are effective to grasp the angle concept: Most pupils overcame the common erroneous conception of comparing angles' sides' lengths instead of angle openness. The comparison of areas of space delineated by an angle between two infinite directions, which is the two sequences' common core, seems to be the key factor underlying angle conceptualization. This paper ends with a discussion of these results' teaching implications and the merits of each sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explored the factors influencing the leadership strategies of school principals in rural primary schools regarding the integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the process of teaching and learning in their schools. School principals are responsible for ensuring that there is ICTs integration in their schools' teaching and learning processes. Embedded within the theory of learning-centred leadership (LCL), school principals have a responsibility to lead, foster, manage, and support the learning process for teachers and learners in their schools. Thus, school principals need to be well acquainted with innovative technologies for teaching and learning amidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), which is global, complex, and fast-paced, to lead learning through ICT integration. Underpinned by the interpretive qualitative approach and using a multiple case study as a research design, this study generated data from three selected South African rural primary schools through face-to-face interviews with the three school principals. Data were analysed thematically. Findings revealed that school principals' leadership strategies are influenced by their attitudes towards ICT integration into teaching and learning, their exposure to ICT workshops, and their own judgements of their abilities in using ICT. The paper recommends customised in-service training for school principals and teachers to alter and improve their exposure to, attitudes, perceptions toward ICT integration in teaching and learning.

This study reports on a systematic review of the current status of technology education in primary schools and the terminology used in the fields of technology and engineering education. Additionally, this review highlights crucial aspects of teaching and learning that must not be overlooked when outlining the current state of technology and engineering education, such as students' and teachers' personal factors, classroom communication, and teacher professional growth. Following PRISMA guidelines, two electronic databases were reviewed, Web of Science and Education Resources Information Center. The literature search identified a total of 1206 papers, 125 from Web of Science and 1081 from ERIC. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 33 papers were selected and evaluated in depth. The results show that research on technology education in primary schools is a growing field of interest but fragmented in focus. Our review is the first to indicate the wide range of technology and engineering education definitions. We also highlight the large heterogeneity of studies focusing on students' and teachers' personal factors and classroom interactions, a finding that may be explained by the unclear concepts and aims of technology and engineering curricula. This study contributes to and supports research and policymaking to better understand the current status, heterogeneities, and challenges in technology and engineering education in primary schools. In addition, we provide first insights to support professional development efforts targeting teachers' technology acceptance and improvement of their technology-related teaching practices.

Support for school-age children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) usually takes place within the school setting. Successful outcomes for children with SLCN rely on effective collaborative working between speech and language therapists (SLTs), school staff and families. We need to understand the current evidence regarding the joint working practices, relationships and collaboration experiences of SLT and teaching staff within mainstream primary schools, in order to identify whether sufficient research exists for a systematic review within this field, and to inform practice. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify what research currently exists regarding collaboration, roles and relationships of SLTs and teaching staff within mainstream UK primary schools, and clarify the nature, participants and concepts described within this literature. A scoping review framework was used, consisting of identification of the review objectives, identification of relevant studies, study selection and iterative searches, data charting and reporting of the results. Information regarding research question, participants, data collection and analysis and terms used for key concepts was extracted. This scoping review identified 14 papers, however, collaboration was the primary focus of only 5 of these. Clarity and perceptions of roles were key themes within six of the papers. Whilst facilitators and barriers to collaboration are discussed in all 14 papers, only 4 studies aimed to investigate barriers and facilitators. Teaching assistant (TA) views are underrepresented within the research. Drawing conclusions from the body of research is challenging due to the varied ways in which the key concept 'collaboration' is used. Currently, there is insufficient literature to carry out a systematic review. This scoping review highlights the need for research that considers collaboration within the complex social network of school staff (including TAs) and SLTs, in order to ensure that future guidance is rooted in research.

Purpose: This paper investigates the interplay between consequences in restorative practices (RP) and the synergies with responsive classroom, particularly in international schools. Addressing critics who deem RP a "soft option", the study defines "restorative consequences" within the RP framework. It analyses literature and three school policies, focusing on international school needs. Emphasising the importance of accountability, the paper explores the role of logical consequences in preventing perceived permissiveness. By comparing RP and Responsive Classroom, it seeks to guide school leaders in aligning transformative change with their vision and values. This paper aims to enhance understanding, offer practical insights and address challenges in RP implementation. Design/methodology/approach: This research delves into the relationship between RP and consequences in international schools, addressing concerns about RP's perceived lack of accountability. It defines "restorative consequences" within the RP framework, examining RP integration into school policies. Through a literature review and analysis of three RP policies, the study extracts insights for international schools, emphasising the role of logical consequences in preventing perceived permissiveness. In addition, a comparative evaluation of responsive classroom and RP identifies effective models for transformative change. The research aims to empower international school leaders with informed decision-making, offering insights into challenges and strategies for effective RP implementation in alignment with institutional values. Findings: In delving into the positive discipline approach advocated by responsive classroom, it becomes evident that there exists a potential synergy between various disciplinary systems. Emphasising logical consequences as a pivotal component in school behaviour policies, it is crucial to apply them through the lens of social discipline window (SDW), specifically the "with" approach, incorporating both high levels of support and accountability. Recognizing this dynamic is essential as the authors endeavour to construct effective policies that not only align with responsive classroom values and methods but also prove practical in real-world application. Furthermore, within the international context, responsive classroom has demonstrated its ability to address the social and emotional needs of third culture kids. This revelation presents compelling grounds for the adoption of responsive classroom in international schools contemplating systemic transformations. Research limitations/implications: The study acknowledges limitations stemming from the reviewed RP policies, primarily the exceptional one derived from a large, well-supported school district, which may not be universally applicable, especially in diverse international schools. The potential for reputational damage to RP exists if policies lack comprehensive detailing and troubleshooting for varied classroom scenarios. Teacher testimonials carry significant weight, necessitating greater involvement in RP training and research. International schools face unique challenges in achieving staff "buy-in", requiring culturally responsive training to overcome Western-centric perceptions. The clash of RP with authoritarian cultures poses challenges, emphasising the need for clear values. Practical implications: While the exemplary RP policy reviewed is from a large, well-supported school district, this may not apply universally, particularly in international schools with diverse affiliations. To safeguard RP's reputation, detailed policies addressing classroom nuances are crucial. Recognising the influence of teacher testimonials and involving educators in RP training and research is pivotal. International schools face a unique challenge in ensuring staff alignment with RP, requiring culturally responsive training to dispel Western-centric perceptions. Acknowledging RP's clash with authoritarian cultures, schools must establish clear values. Drawing from educational theorists, future RP research should explicitly explore the consequences--RP relationship, enhancing the understanding of the SDW Social implications The research's social implications emphasise the need for transparent and detailed RP policies to prevent reputational damage and rejection. Recognising the influence of teacher testimonials, active involvement of educators in RP training is crucial. For international schools, culturally responsive training is vital to overcome Western-centric perceptions and ensure staff alignment. The study underscores the challenge of RP conflicting with authoritarian cultures, emphasising the importance of clear values. Furthermore, it advocates for a nuanced dialogue on the consequences--RP relationship to enhance understanding within the SDW. These implications stress context-specific and inclusive approaches for effective RP implementation in diverse educational settings. Originality/value The research offers significant originality by addressing the underdeveloped literature on the role of RP in international schools. It contributes novel insights by defining "restorative consequences" within the RP framework and examining the interplay between consequences and RP in school policies. The comparative evaluation of Responsive Classroom and RP adds a distinctive dimension, guiding international school leaders in transformative decision-making. Moreover, the study advocates for a culturally responsive approach, challenging Western-centric perceptions. This unique focus on consequences, accountability and cultural considerations positions the research as a pioneering contribution, offering valuable perspectives for effective RP implementation and policymaking in diverse educational settings.

This paper presents findings from a literature review on relationships and sexuality education for primary (elementary) school programme effectiveness. Using a theory-generating approach informed by realist evaluation, the review takes a deep dive into the literature to identify contexts, mechanisms and outcomes likely to influence the effectiveness of programmes. This paper will be of interest to researchers, evaluators, RSE programme designers and practitioners as findings provide a catalogue of factors (variables) that can be considered for application in future programme evaluations and for inclusion in programme logic models. It identifies areas of opportunity to incorporate children's voices into research and points to the need for longitudinal studies to address the context- and time-sensitive nature of relationships and sexuality education.

This paper considers the implications for teachers and teaching of the Ofsted Curriculum Research Review for Languages [Ofsted. 2021. OCRR Series: Languages. Published 7 June 2021. Available online OCRR series: languages -- GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Accessed 8 June 2021.] (OCRR) and the content of 24 Languages Subject Inspections (LSI) in primary school foreign language provision carried out between October 2019 and March 2020. It illuminates practice by a single foreign language (FL) primary specialist. Her practice is compared and contrasted to the new Ofsted guidance and the National Curriculum requirements for English primary schools. This research adopts a phenomenological exploratory or discovery case study approach and data collection tools that respond to this overall design: Semi-structured interviews, informal conversations, emails, planning documentary analysis and a review of children's work. The findings show there are a myriad of factors which affect how languages are delivered in primary schools, including the number of language graduates, primary teachers' workloads and curriculum time. The paper concludes by considering the challenges that other teachers, not in the same situation as the FL teacher in this research, would have to overcome, without additional time or funding to also meet these requirements.

This paper presents an examination of identity "in" and "as" practice as it relates to a group of educational practitioners known as middle leaders. Drawing on the theory of practice architectures as a site-ontological approach for conceptualising educational leading, the paper considers an individual's identity as being informed by, and accomplished amidst, the sayings, doings and relatings of practice. Although theorising the connections between identity and practice is not new, a central argument presented is that identity occurs at the nexus of the individual and social practices. Data are drawn from an empirical study of the practices of nine middle leaders responsible for facilitating a district-wide initiative aiming to improve literacy pedagogy in their particular primary schools. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with the middle leaders revealed 11 identity-practice framings which evolve over time and space, negotiated in response to site-based conditions. Findings contribute to understandings about the dynamic multifaceted nature of middle leaders' identities.

This paper examines the interplay of creativity, education, and the expressive arts. We begin by presenting a narrative literature review focusing on the use of artistic tools to promote creativity, self-expressiveness, and meaningful aspects of emotional and social learning. This review reveals strong connections between the different components of this interplay, and a special attention is given to the use of arts to promoting creativity and meaningful learning. We then propose the Empowering Creative Education Model (ECEM), which aims to provide a practical framework for employing artistic tools in each of the model's four developmental circles: I, Us, Educational and Community. Each of the four circles includes unique aspects of personal development.

The Department of Education relies on research to make functional decisions that can affect educational practices and resolve significant issues and problems. In addition, the education sector encourages all the teachers to conduct inquiries into their own practices in order to improve teaching and learning, practices and policies through action research. Based on the results of the survey which was answered by the teacher-respondents through the Google Form, the following findings were drawn. Most of the teacher-respondents clearly expressed their insights about action research. They have common perceptions that action research is an initiative which the teachers undertake to seek solutions in the existing problems that the school is experiencing. Likewise, they believe that through action research, the school diagnoses difficulties, and limitations with the goal of addressing the gaps which eventually lead to the improvement of the learners, the teacher, and the whole school community. With regard to the challenges which the teacher-respondents experienced in drafting and completing action research, the three common. The researchers developed an innovation on how to address the challenges of teacher respondents on making an Action Research. It is a workshop entitled CAFE MARS (Capacitate Fellow Educator, More of Action Research Studies). It is a capacity building workshop solely for inquiries about Action Research. This was delivered virtually. After gathering data on the survey, all the controllable factors that were reflected were summarized per category. From these categories, workshop schedule was crafted as to address the variety of circumstances of Master Teachers in making an Action Research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Racially and ethnically diverse populations from minoritized backgrounds are often exposed to research methodologies that amplify structural racism and negate their sociocultural reality. Although cross-cultural validation of measures is considered a requisite step to multigroup comparisons, researchers apply measures validated and standardized in the dominant White culture to under-researched populations (without assessing measurement equivalence first). Seeking to align with calls for more culturally sensitive measures, an argument is made to leverage youth participatory approaches in the cross-cultural validation of study instruments. Using an illustrative case study, this paper describes how 16 youth researchers (predominantly Hispanic) partnered with an academic team to examine the validity of the Prosocial Behavior Scale. A new tool, the Key Informant Validity Index, is introduced to determine if items maintain adequate levels of content validity when applied to populations that differ from the original norming and validation study samples. Youth researchers rated items on relevance, clarity and coverage, and use a guided protocol to conduct cognitive interviews with 32 youth participants. Recognizing the inherent challenges of reducing hierarchal power dynamics within youth-adult relationships and/or alleviating insider/outsider tensions across lines of cultural difference, an intentional focus is placed on naming key strategies that facilitated the collaboration process.

This study describes the initial implementation of the writing component of the "Write to Read" ("W2R") literacy intervention in eight low-SES (socio-economically disadvantaged) elementary-level urban schools. Through customised onsite professional development provided by coaches, the writing component sought to build teachers' capacity to design and implement a writing workshop framework infused with research-informed practices for writing suitable for their school and classroom contexts, including attention to cognitive, social and affective dimensions. The paper draws on quantitative and qualitative questionnaire data gathered from classroom teachers in the eight schools in Year 1 (n = 66) and Year 3 (n = 62) of implementation, and semi-structured interviews with randomly selected teachers in each school in Year 4 (n = 18). In general, teachers succeeded in implementing a writing workshop approach to teaching writing, within the broader W2R literacy framework, including the allocation of more time to writing instruction. Professional development, including observation, feedback and demonstration by W2R literacy coaches, contributed to high levels of teacher confidence in such areas as planning and teaching fiction and non-fiction writing genres, and analysing writing samples to inform mini-lessons. By Year 3, teachers noted marked or good improvements in students' attitudes towards writing, volume of writing produced, knowledge of writing genres, and language of response to writing. Areas in need of further support included aspects of the craft of writing, including writing vocabulary, supporting pupils to set goals for writing, selecting mentor texts to teach writing genres, and using a rubric to assess writing development.

The aim of this paper is to identify the characteristics that leadership must have in order to make a Professional Learning Community sustainable. A review of the literature is carried out from a qualitative perspective allowing us to identify a set of emerging themes from the literature studied. Among the results, it is highlighted that in order to achieve professional learning communities with sustainable leadership, it is necessary to distribute responsibilities, reflect jointly on what is taught and why, establish external relations with other institutions and schools, and care the emotional well-being of members of a school community.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between teacher leadership and collective teacher efficacy in Chinese urban primary schools in the education change context using quantitative research methods. Based on valid answers from 1117 teachers, the results of path analysis revealed that the dimensions of teacher leadership including recognition, collegiality, participation, and positive environment, had significant relationships with the dimension of group competence of collective teacher efficacy. Additionally, the teacher leadership dimensions of developmental focus, participation, and positive environment had significant relationships with task analysis in collective teacher efficacy. Furthermore, the teacher leadership dimensions of developmental focus, congeniality, participation, and positive environment had relatively significant effects on collective teacher efficacy as a single variable. The findings contribute to an understanding of educational management in Chinese primary schools, and advance the transferability of leadership theories to different cultural contexts.

School-external expectations regarding implementation of reforms and innovations often do not lead to successful school improvement processes in schools. To better understand these processes in schools, this paper aims to investigate school improvement processes on a deep level by focusing on cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational regulation strategies used by school teams and by exploring what school-external and school-internal factors are related to this strategy use. Principals, teachers, and specialist teachers (N = 1328) at 59 primary schools responded to an online questionnaire indicating their school's use of regulation strategies on school improvement. Results from descriptive, variance, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that school teams use all forms of school-based regulation strategies but that schools differ significantly in their strategy use. These differences were mainly explained more by school-internal deeper structures (e.g., task cohesion) and less by school-internal surface structures (e.g., school size) and not at all by school-external factors (e.g., governance systems).

Despite the growing academic interests in educational leadership recently, hardly any of it has focused on post-conflict situations. This paper seeks to generate an understanding of the perspectives of primary school leaders in post-conflict Cambodia on the issues they face in the process of educational reconstruction and development and the strategies they adopt to deal with those issues. A qualitative research approach within the interpretivist paradigm was adopted to guide the study. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data with 20 primary school leaders. Data were analysed using grounded theory data analysis methods, namely, open coding and analytic induction. The study argues that while there has been substantial progress in educational reconstruction generally in post-conflict Cambodia, primary school leaders face multiple issues in their day-to-day work. Some of the issues may be specifically attributed to the legacies of armed conflict and genocide while others may refer to the broader context of the developing world. The findings have implications for policy and practice in educational leadership and further research in the post-conflict and developing-country contexts.

Inspired by Karen Barad's agential realism and Donna Haraway's use of the Chthulucene, our paper profoundly troubles and unsettles the humanist subject that has been the cause of so much trouble. Re-turning to a government primary school in Cape Town as the "research site," we adopt temporal and spatial diffraction as a postqualitative research methodology. The colonial practices related to land ownership, are not in the past, but remain in its be(com)ing. Land "use" in South Africa during Apartheid, was, and still is, a form of violence. Thinking-with Neimanis and McLauchlan, we understand a school as not separate from the phenomenon of climate change, but as one of its sites and as a feminist project. A diffractive image articulates aesthetically and politically how the land as the more-than-human is a significant part of the phenomenon and queers school as a concept and "research site."

Background: Few "intervention agnostic" strategies have been developed that can be applied to the broad array of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in schools. This paper describes two studies that reflect the initial iterative redesign phases of an effective leadership-focused implementation strategy--Leadership and Organizational Change for Implementation (LOCI)--to ensure its acceptability, feasibility, contextual appropriateness, and usability when used in elementary schools. Our redesigned strategy--Helping Educational Leaders Mobilize Evidence (HELM)--is designed to improve principals' use of strategic implementation leadership to support the adoption and high-fidelity delivery of a universal EBP to improve student outcomes. Method: In Study 1, focus groups were conducted (n = 6) with 54 district administrators, principals, and teachers. Stakeholders provided input on the appropriateness of original LOCI components to maximize relevance and utility in schools. Transcripts were coded using conventional content analysis. Key themes referencing low appropriateness were summarized to inform LOCI adaptations. We then held a National Expert Summit (Study 2) with 15 research and practice experts. Participants provided feedback via a nominal group process (NGP; n = 6 groups) and hackathon (n = 4 groups). The research team rated each NGP suggestion for how actionable, impactful/effective, and feasible it was. We also coded hackathon notes for novel ideas or alignment with LOCI components. Results: Study 1 suggestions included modifications to LOCI content and delivery. Study 2's NGP results revealed most recommendations to be actionable, impactful/effective, and feasible. Hackathon results surfaced two novel ideas (distributed leadership teams and leaders' knowledge to support educators EBP use) and several areas of alignment with LOCI components. Use of these iterative methods informed the redesign of LOCI and the development of HELM. Because it was collaboratively constructed, HELM has the potential to be an effective implementation strategy to support the use of universal EBP in schools.

Design and content of classroom activities are crucial to foreign/second (L2) language learners' motivation, be they children or adults. Lifeworld relevance and learner autonomy are two important aspects in building motivational L2 curricula for adults (e.g.), but such considerations rarely filter through to primary school learners due to institutional-curricular priorities. Presenting a single-case micro-analysis of the interactional practices that ensue from a pupil's presentation of her favourite song and music video in a 4th grade English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom in Denmark, this paper showcases an example of a classroom activity with a participation framework that is sustained by the pupils' participation and substantiated by the pupils' own interests without losing pedagogical impetus. Our data come from an audio-video corpus of EFL classes in six Danish primary schools.

Diffracting a research project in a UK primary school, this paper concerns feminist materialist orientations to odd-ness as a relational, distributed, and affective form of "thinking-feeling". It suggests that attuning to affect as it moves through a context resistant to disruption, involves becoming "bad researchers"; bad for composing an unruly research problem, for embracing a transgressive methodology, and for writing in willfully inconclusive ways. It comments too on the dangers of embracing badness as an identity if used to conceal rather than acknowledge ongoing inequalities between researchers and children and between privileged researchers and others routinely marginalised.

Around 28 per cent of state primary school children attend 'faith' establishments in England, the majority in Catholic or Church of England schools. Research suggests 'faith' schools tend to educate proportionally fewer children from low-income families (proxied by eligibility for Free School Meals [FSM]). This paper examines whether they also under-admit children 'disadvantaged' according to another key dimension: having special educational needs and/or disability (SEND). Descriptive statistics and modelling use the National Pupil Database census and span 2010-2020. Across years, 'faith' primary schools are less likely to include children with SEND, and less likely to admit children with SEND to the first (Reception) year. Accounting for area-level factors, indications of under-admission to Catholic schools become more pronounced. Some disproportionality for Church of England schools is explained by confounders -- but even after attenuation, they remain less likely to serve children with SEND than non-'faith' schools. Together, FSM and SEND predict a substantively meaningful lowered likelihood of children attending 'faith' schools, so these schools, at the national level, seem to have become hubs of relative 'advantage'. Findings therefore demand interrogation of whose interests these institutions serve, and of their part within the current English system.

In this paper, we investigate how professional cultures and situated, material and external contexts relate to dynamic low- and underperforming schools in Scandinavia, particularly how the leadership is constructed through the leader, the followers and the situation. The first school studied was a low-performing school in Norway called "Toppen", which has shown improved student outcomes. The other school, Seaside, is a Swedish school that is considered underperforming because student outcomes are lower than expected based on the contextual prerequisites. Our results show that Toppen can be described as a turnaround school and Seaside can be described as a cruising school. Analysis reveals that, at Toppen, the principal has been developing a culture that can be described in terms of community and motivation. At Seaside, on the other hand, the culture can be described in terms of individuality and conservatism. From this analysis, we can detect how different contexts impact two low- and underperforming schools and how they are affected by different prerequisites linked to the situated, material, external and professional contexts. However, the development of a collective professional culture with a shared sense of commitment seems to be an important tool to plan and communicate organizational improvement strategies.

Unsustainable palm oil production is having a devastating impact on biodiversity in producing countries in Southeast Asia. Certification schemes for sustainable palm oil have the potential to reduce these impacts. The ubiquity of palm oil in processed foods found in supermarkets is a challenge that requires intervention at the policy level and with consumers through increasing public knowledge of the problem and awareness of sustainable alternatives. Zoos are increasingly demonstrating their role in increasing awareness of multifaceted conservation issues across a range of audiences. This paper describes the evaluation of a repeat-engagement outreach programme on palm oil delivered to 7-11 year old children in UK schools by zoo educators. We conducted a mixed-method study using before-after control-treatment surveys to examine the relationship between programme participation and participants' knowledge of palm oil, sustainability, and awareness of sustainable alternatives. The analysis indicated improvements in participants' understanding of palm oil as a conservation issue, and knowledge of how and where to identify sustainable palm oil in consumer products. The analysis also indicated a smaller improvement in participants' understanding of sustainability. We discuss these findings in the context of zoo-led conservation education, and its potential role in Target-16 of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

At least 16 states have limited exclusionary discipline for elementary age students, but little is known about the effects of these policies on discipline rates and disproportionality. This paper tests whether a limit on exclusionary discipline in grades K-5 in Arkansas impacted the likelihood of suspension and expulsion overall, for different student subgroups, and in different types of schools. Using a comparative interrupted time series approach, we find the policy - which included exceptions that could be interpreted subjectively - reduced the risk of suspension or expulsion in grades K-5, but that students who are not Black, students without disabilities, and more economically advantaged students experienced larger reductions in suspension and expulsion risk. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Home-school partnership has often been lauded as a key contributor in raising educational attainment. However, the level of partnership experienced by parents who use English as an Additional Language (EAL) can be limited by poor English-language proficiency and other unique challenges. This paper is concerned with a systematic review and analysis of the evidence of home-school partnership for learners with EAL in primary schools. It identifies international research trends, and gaps in research in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The analysis demonstrates that there is a dearth of literature pertaining to home-school partnership interventions in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It also identifies a global necessity for interventions aimed at instigating attitudinal change among teachers and systemic institutional change.

This paper provides an in-depth exploration of the historical factors shaping Greek elementary education and the contemporary pedagogical approaches and curriculum implemented in Greek elementary schools. Beginning with a historical analysis, the paper examines influential factors and developments spanning ancient times to the present day, including the legacy of ancient Greek education, Byzantine educational traditions, and modern educational reforms. By synthesizing historical insights with contemporary educational practices, this paper offers a holistic understanding of Greek elementary education. It underscores the enduring influence of historical legacies on present-day educational philosophies and methodologies while highlighting the innovative approaches adopted to meet the needs of modern learners. Ultimately, this comprehensive overview aims to contribute to scholarly discourse and inform ongoing efforts to enhance elementary education in Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the existing challenges in keeping school records, this study centered on analyzing the development and implementation of an online school management system. Efficient, accurate, Data-organized, reliable, and adaptable systems were the outcomes of the study's investigation of user feedback and potential enhancements to current educational systems. The methodology sought to identify possible areas for improvement in teaching and learning processes by conducting interviews, making observations, and using system analysis tools. The system design phase materialized analytical models by drawing attention to the physical and logical aspects of the design. Issues such as information mismanagement, slow retrieval, security risks, lack of organization, and space limits were brought to light by the findings, which revealed shortcomings in the current manual system. With benefits like better organization, accessibility, security, and tracking capabilities, the paper advocated for electronic document management solutions. The study's findings ultimately lend credence to the idea that digital technology may optimize and enhance efficiency in various settings, including educational institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating socioscientific issues (SSI) into education is gaining widespread adoption in classrooms due to its positive impact on student's critical thinking, environmental awareness, holistic knowledge and/or the idea of combining science and mathematics. This paper explores the idea of using comics as appropriate media for elementary school students to engage with SSI content. Because of the difficulties in integrating SSI into classrooms, SSI-based learning is more commonly applied in high school and higher education settings, with limited implementation in earlier education. To answer this gap, we developed comics that have SSI content for elementary schools. Comics are chosen as reliable tools for visualising and simplifying complex concepts and making SSI content more accessible and engaging. This paper describes our comics on earthquake-related issues in Indonesia and the principles that guided its design. SSI inherently involves multiple perspectives, so the integration brings together science, and mathematics within the one comic. In integrating different disciplines of comic content, we utilised the rule-of-five framework, widely employed to merge five representational models (experiential, verbal, numerical, visual, and symbolic) commonly used in developing content combining two or more different academic disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking a languaging perspective, this paper considers how kindergarten students and their teacher are relationally and intellectually responsive to one another in authoring conversations by constructing a sense of copresence. Copresence is defined by Goffman (1966) as being "uniquely accessible, available, and subject to one another" (p. 22). In this paper, I make Goffman's construct visible by showing how students and their teacher discursively align with each other. Microethnographic discourse analyses of sharing time events in writing workshop reveal that copresence is performed as playfulness, empathy, and disagreement. Implications include using the construct of copresence to assess the relation between the performance of authoring and the social life of the classroom as well as drawing upon the dialogic, improvisational nature of copresence as a point of pedagogical leverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the growing integration of technology in education, the adoption of blended learning (b‐learning) has gained attention. B‐learning combines traditional classroom teaching with online components, holding potential to enhance student outcomes and educational efficiency. Yet, current research predominantly concentrates on higher education institutions in urban areas, creating a void in understanding its impact on K‐12 education, particularly in rural settings. Objectives: This qualitative study aims to propose recommendations for successful implementation of blended learning in rural K‐12 areas by addressing the key stakeholders influencing its adoption and identifying the main factors affecting its success. Methods: We performed a content analysis of grey literature documents detailing the implementation of b‐learning in K‐12 education. Additionally, interviews with crucial stakeholders such as teachers, principals, and experts in rural schools in South America provide insights into the challenges and prospects of b‐learning adoption in these contexts. Results and Conclusions: The study identifies pivotal stakeholders for effective b‐learning implementation, outlining their roles and addressing challenges inherent in rural settings. Recommendations for enhancing b‐learning's implementation in developing countries are also proposed. The research underscores the significance of involving diverse stakeholders such as governmental bodies, school leaders, educators, students, and families to ensure a holistic and efficient approach to blended learning. Lay Description: What is currently known about this topic: Blended Learning Definition and Benefits: Blended learning combines face‐to‐face and online instruction, enhancing student engagement and personalization by providing diverse learning pathways.Growth in K‐12 Implementation: Blended learning gained traction in K‐12 education, boosting academic outcomes, driven by recognition of learner diversity and potential in meeting students' needs.Contextual Challenges: Implementation challenges arise in low‐income households and rural areas, including limited access to technology and internet connectivity, impacting student engagement and success. What does this paper add: Focusing on Rural Dynamics: This study helps to fill a gap by investigating blended learning in rural K‐12 settings, spotlighting key players and success drivers in these unique contexts.Recommendations from Various Sources: By combining interviews and grey literature, this research generates comprehensive, practical recommendations grounded in both empirical insights and real‐world perspectives.Insights into Rural Hurdles: This paper extends the discussion on blended learning by addressing specific rural barriers, proposing family involvement, private sector partnerships for training, and tailored pedagogical strategies. Implications for practice or policy: Leadership and Collaboration: Effective school leadership and collaboration with local governments are pivotal for fruitful blended learning implementation, ensuring defined roles, responsibility, and accountability.Adaptable Curriculum Design: An adaptable, centralized curriculum aligns with recommendations, fostering efficient tracking of student progress and enabling customized learning.Engagement‐Centric Pedagogies: Recommendations spotlight interactive, student‐centered teaching methods, tailored to diverse student needs, nurturing active participation and elevated learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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At least 16 states have limited exclusionary discipline for elementary age students, but little is known about the effects of these policies on discipline rates and disproportionality. This paper tests whether a limit on exclusionary discipline in grades K-5 in Arkansas impacted the likelihood of suspension and expulsion overall, for different student subgroups, and in different types of schools. Using a comparative interrupted time series approach, we find the policy—which included exceptions that could be interpreted subjectively—reduced the risk of suspension or expulsion in grades K-5, but that students who are not Black, students without disabilities, and more economically advantaged students experienced larger reductions in suspension and expulsion risk. Implications and limitations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education in solving real-world problems is challenging. To tackle this challenge, a project-based learning approach that integrates robots with cost-effective self-made toys to problem-solving was adopted to assist rural primary school students to apply STEM skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the project-based learning approach which includes lecturing and hands-on activities on primary school students' STEM learning outcomes and attitudes. An experiment was conducted with 25 primary school students who voluntarily participated in a STEM summer-camp programme. Students were asked to assemble a paper house equipped with an IoT control module and LED light switches, and write and edit robot scripts to produce a robot-based storytelling narrative using the paper house they made as a context. The results show that the project-based learning approach was an effective approach for cultivating primary school students' STEM knowledge and skills as evidenced from the post-written test. The relationships between the students' STEM learning outcomes and attitudes were also confirmed by a clustering analysis. Students who had higher learning attitudes also achieved higher STEM learning outcomes; the findings are also supported by the feedback from the open-ended questionnaire items. This study suggests that integrating low-cost self-made toys and robots in project-based learning activities is an effective and practical approach to enhance primary school students' learning outcomes and learning attitudes in STEM education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]