This study examines primary school teachers' knowledge of mathematic teaching and learning trajectories, and didactic models, focusing on the teaching and learning trajectories of 'multi-digit...Show moreThis study examines primary school teachers' knowledge of mathematic teaching and learning trajectories, and didactic models, focusing on the teaching and learning trajectories of 'multi-digit addition and subtraction' and 'time'. The study aims to identify knowledge gaps to ensure teachers have adequate knowledge to meet their students' diverse mathematical needs. Factors like the grade level teachers teach, teaching experience, and instructional methods are also considered. The study uses a questionnaire to assess teachers' understanding, including a sequencing task for arranging arithmetic tasks and identifying didactic model phases. Results show teachers better understand the teaching and learning trajectories for 'multi-digit addition and subtraction' than for 'time' (n = 33). Grade level does not affect the knowledge of teaching and learning trajectories, but less experienced teachers sometimes show more insight. The teaching method used also relates to knowledge levels. Teachers excel at classifying assignments by one didactic model but struggle with another. Regarding knowledge acquisition, it appears that teachers gain more understanding of teaching and learning trajectories, and didactic models after completing their teacher education rather than during it.Show less
This study examined the effects of a classroom-focused intervention on early literacy. The intervention consisted of interactive e-book reading via a SMART board combined with a print referencing...Show moreThis study examined the effects of a classroom-focused intervention on early literacy. The intervention consisted of interactive e-book reading via a SMART board combined with a print referencing technique via a program called e-Prent&ABC. The goal of the study was to examine whether focusing on print referencing during storytelling improves the book-bound vocabulary and printing knowledge of kindergarteners and to examine whether this relationship between storytelling and acquiring knowledge is different for children with a relatively low inhibition capacity compared to children with a relatively high inhibition capacity. Results indicated significantly larger gains with high effect sizes in book bound vocabulary (ηp2 = .614) and printing knowledge (ηp2 = .433) after participating in the intervention. The print referencing technique was found to be significantly effective with a high effect size for growth in printing knowledge (ηp2 = .450). The growth in vocabulary was not attributable to the print referencing technique, however this technique did not hinder children’s learning of new words. No significant differences were found after participating in the intervention for children with a relatively low inhibition capacity when compared to children with a relatively high inhibition capacity. The findings indicated that shared e-book reading combined with a print referencing technique is an effective method for stimulating and enhancing early literacy skills of kindergarteners such as printing knowledge and vocabulary.Show less
Microsoft Immersive Reader is a software program that allows you to customize documents in order to make them more comfortable and easy for you to read. The possibility to adapt reading material is...Show moreMicrosoft Immersive Reader is a software program that allows you to customize documents in order to make them more comfortable and easy for you to read. The possibility to adapt reading material is what makes it interesting, especially for readers who suffer from different types of reading disabilities. High school students who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder experience a variety of difficulties when reading, which can hinder their study progress. As of yet, there are no means available that can support them in their reading exercises apart from personal guidance by a teacher, parent or caretaker. Therefore, the purpose of this overview study is to analyze the theoretical and empirical research that is behind the design principles of Immersive Reader in order to find the possibilities and limits of this software for high school students with autism spectrum disorder. The main question is: to what extend can Microsoft Immersive Reader serve as an Assistive Technology for high school students with autism? The researcher has conducted a literature review as well as an interview with a special education teacher with the intention of creating a theoretical overview of the reading profiles of students with autism and the possibilities and limits of Immersive Reader. According to the literature, most of the design principles of Immersive Reader are effective tools in improving different kinds of reading processes. Some of the design principles potentially compensate the deficits that cause the reading problems of students with autism. This leads to the conclusion that Immersive Reader can function as Assistive Technology for this target group, because its design principles can resolve or reduce some of the reading difficulties, which might lead to improvements in their reading skills. However, the effectivity of the software depends on how and whether it will be incorporated in their homework routines.Show less
The current study aimed to investigate the relation between visual working memory, organizational strategy use, and memory accuracy in process-oriented dynamic testing with a complex figure task....Show moreThe current study aimed to investigate the relation between visual working memory, organizational strategy use, and memory accuracy in process-oriented dynamic testing with a complex figure task. The sample (N = 43) consisted of 3rd and 4th grade children (M = 8.91 years; SD =.72). On the pretest participants were asked to draw the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) from memory. Then, the control group practiced independently with two alternative figures and the training group received a graduated prompts training in organizational strategy use. On the posttest participants were again asked to draw the original ROCF from memory. There was no difference in organizational strategy use for levels of working memory on the pretest. The results showed a greater improvement from pretest to posttest for the training group and, in the training group, a greater improvement for children with a high working memory level. Only organizational strategy use predicted memory accuracy on the pretest, whereas both working memory and organizational strategy use predicted memory accuracy on the posttest. It was concluded that dynamic testing with a graduated prompts training can support children to adopt effective strategy use and improve task performance. Also, children with a high working memory level benefit more from a learning opportunity. Therefore, visual working memory seems to facilitate learning.Show less
This qualitative study explored how instructional adjustments can be made in primary humanities/STEM subjects teaching to address the needs of students with different readiness levels. Specifically...Show moreThis qualitative study explored how instructional adjustments can be made in primary humanities/STEM subjects teaching to address the needs of students with different readiness levels. Specifically, focusing on differentiation related to goals, instruction, and practice, based on Prast et al.'s (2015) differentiation cycle. To assess this, a group of experts (N=23) was assembled consisting of teachers, teacher educators, researchers, and educational consultants, all of whom were considered experts in the field of differentiation and/or didactics in primary humanities/STEM subjects. The research design consisted of a combination of the Delphi technique and focus groups, in which the experts' views were first obtained individually through a questionnaire. The input from this questionnaire was then used to guide the focus group discussions. Outcomes included that a basic goal for all students in the classroom can be defined and that differentiation lies more in supporting lower-level students and providing additional challenge to higher level students, perhaps less in adjusting goals. Concrete differentiation strategies were discussed by the experts and are described in the results. Follow-up research can focus on which strategies of support and challenge are most efficient and effective and the effect of setting differentiated goals versus a basic whole-class goal on the learning performance of students in the primary humanities/STEM subjects.Show less
The performances of primary school students are equal when comparing students using a traditional mathematics textbook and students using a realistic mathematics textbook. However, little is known...Show moreThe performances of primary school students are equal when comparing students using a traditional mathematics textbook and students using a realistic mathematics textbook. However, little is known about the strategy use of these students. In this study the relationships are examined between the textbooks (traditional or realistic) and strategy use, between instruction of the teacher and strategy use and between the textbooks and instruction. Besides, it is examined how the instruction of the teacher effects the relationship between textbooks and strategy use. Students of the sixth grade (N = 2133) of randomly drawn Dutch primary schools made two or three division problems according to an incomplete research design. Their notes were analysed and categorised in three kinds of strategies: the traditional algorithm for long division, the column-based division and other strategies. A coding system was used. Three direct relationships were found for the two examined division problems: between textbooks and strategy use, between instruction and strategy use and between textbooks and instruction. Students using a traditional textbook or receiving instruction in the traditional algorithm used the traditional algorithm more often than students using a realistic textbook or students who did not receive the instruction. Column-based division was only used by students using a realistic textbook. Instruction in the traditional algorithm was more often given when using a traditional textbook in comparison to using a realistic textbook. The correlation between textbooks and strategy use could be partially explained by the instruction of the teacher. So, textbooks as well as instruction correlate with the strategy use in division problems. This is the reason it is important that schools are critical when selecting a new mathematics textbook and look for ways to optimize the instruction of the teachers.Show less
Neuromyths can be described as a misreading, misunderstanding, or a misquoting of scientific facts by brain research though which a misconception is generated. These misconceptions are used in...Show moreNeuromyths can be described as a misreading, misunderstanding, or a misquoting of scientific facts by brain research though which a misconception is generated. These misconceptions are used in education and other contexts. The believe in neuromyths by teachers has been extensively researched and concluded that many misconceptions about the brain still exist amongst educators. Yet, there is still a lack of research on the believe in neuromyths by students. The present study examined if Dutch students between 10 and 15 years old believe in neuromyths and if this depended on curiosity and selfestimated knowledge about the brain. 339 participants filled out an online survey in which data on background knowledge was collected as well as answers on the different statements that were either a brain fact or a neuromyth. Results show that on average, students believed about 48% of neuromyhts and about 77% of the brain facts were answered correctly. The neuromyths that were most believed were related to learning styles, brain dominance, the existence of a math or language gyrus (“wiskundeknobbel” or “taalknobbel” in Dutch), brain training games and multitasking. This study also found that when more general knowledge (brain facts) statements were answered correctly, less neuromyth statements were answered correctly. When students scored higher on curiosity, less statements on neuromyths were answered correctly. This suggests that students who are in general more curious find it more difficult to distinguish neuromyths from brain facts. Self-estimated brain knowledge did not predict the score on the neuromyths and brainfacts. Further research must be done on the believe in neuromyths for this target group as well as research on practical implications of believing in neuromyths.Show less
Summary This exploratory qualitative study researched ten teachers’ practice and views on adapting education to student needs in primary education. Over the years the education has changed from a...Show moreSummary This exploratory qualitative study researched ten teachers’ practice and views on adapting education to student needs in primary education. Over the years the education has changed from a teacher-centered perspective to a more student-centered perspective. Education needs to be inclusive by adapting to the diverse needs of students. Education that takes students’ needs into practice leads to higher motivation and higher student outcomes. However, it remains unclear how teachers define student needs and use these to form student-centered education by adapting education to the needs of students. To gain more insight this study was conducted to examine the three following research questions: how do teachers define student needs? What data do teachers collect to describe student needs? How do teachers adapt education to student needs? The research questions were examined by conducting semi-structured interviews with ten teachers from a diverse range of primary schools in the Netherlands. Interviews were transcribed and coded based on existing literature. Codes were analyzed in two ways, cross-case and within-case. Results demonstrate teachers define student needs as ‘things the student needs’, teachers diagnose student needs through observation of student behavior and schoolwork, lastly teachers adapt education by convergent differentiation where the same learning goals apply to all students. Based on these results three main conclusions are found. Firstly, teachers lack a clear and explicit definition of student needs. Secondly, teachers describe student needs from their own perspective derived from personal interpretations of the conducted observations. Thirdly, teachers adapt education to student needs based on the belief of convergent differentiation. Finally, limitations and implications for further research as well as advice for the practice are discussed.Show less
A teacher's responsibility is to respond to the differences between students, also known as 'differentiation'. An important part of differentiation is progress monitoring: establishing, monitoring,...Show moreA teacher's responsibility is to respond to the differences between students, also known as 'differentiation'. An important part of differentiation is progress monitoring: establishing, monitoring, and analyzing achievement level. However, currently progress monitoring does not properly take place for humanities and STEM-education in Dutch primary schools, which may result in education that is not optimal for every student. However, progress monitoring seems difficult to shape in these courses for several reasons. Firstly, it is unclear what ‘achievement level’ means in these subjects. Secondly, it is unclear how knowledge and skills should be established and analyzed. This research aims to make an inventory of what, according to experts, are knowledge and skills that determine achievement level in primary humanities and STEM and how these can then be established, monitored, and analyzed. In addition, we examined whether the cycle of differentiation of Prast et al. (2015) is considered applicable to primary humanities and STEM education. This was investigated through a qualitative study. Mapping the views of experts was done using a method that incorporates aspects of both the Delphi method and focus groups. The sample was 23 participants with expertise in differentiation or general didactics of primary humanities and/or STEM. The research indicates that the cycle of Prast et al. (2015) is applicable as, for example, a thinking model for developing methods. However, that it would be too cyclical or complex to be used in practice by teachers. It appears that the required knowledge is subject-dependent. For skills, a clear development path is noticeable, but here too the specific content depends on the subject. This research shows different ways to establish the achievement level in primary humanities and STEM. The research offers insight into the difficulties of conceptualizing and establishing achievement level and provides prompts for further research and practical implications.Show less
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the seductive allure of neuroscience explanations (SANE effect), the finding that people overvalue psychological arguments when framed...Show moreThe aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the seductive allure of neuroscience explanations (SANE effect), the finding that people overvalue psychological arguments when framed in terms of neuroscience findings, among teachers in the Netherlands. This study is based on the work of Im, Varma & Varma (2017) and also examined the possible role of three moderating variables, i.e. educational background, neuroscientific knowledge and attitude towards educational neuroscience. Participants (N = 310) read eight articles about educational topics in one of the four conditions corresponding to four levels of neuroscientific framing: psychological finding alone, with an extraneous neuroscience finding (verbal), with an extraneous neuroscience finding (verbal) and graph, and with an extraneous neuroscientific finding (verbal) and brain image. Participants were randomly assigned to one level of neuroscientific framing and rated the credibility of each article’s argument on a 7-point Likert scale. The results show that there was a general SANE effect when educational articles were accompanied by both extraneous verbal neuroscience findings and brain images. Extraneous verbal neuroscientific framings, either alone or accompanied by graphs, did not influence the credibility of the application of psychological findings to educational topics. The results did not support the expectations that teachers’ educational background or neuroscientific knowledge play a role in the SANE effect. However, the results suggest that the teacher’s attitude towards educational neuroscience does influence the SANE effect: teachers who were very positive towards the use of neuroscience in education were sensitive for the SANE effect and teachers who were moderate to not positive about this were not. On the basis of the results of this research and previous SANE studies, future studies to further investigate the mechanism of the SANE effect among teachers, the role of the effect and neuromyths in education, and how to build a bridge between neuroscience and education are suggested.Show less
All children need feedback from their teachers on their learning process to enlarge a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation. In this study the content of written texts of teachers on the school...Show moreAll children need feedback from their teachers on their learning process to enlarge a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation. In this study the content of written texts of teachers on the school reports of children in the final grade of primary school are studied and the content of the texts is related to the children’s gender and their cognitive achievements, represented by the scores on their final tests. The reports and test scores are obtained from a longitudinal study at Leiden University. The total amount of words on the reports were counted and the text split up in units. These units were coded for positive and negative values and whether they tell something about the child or not (inclusive/exclusive). Quantitative methods are used to test the (cor)relations between the amount of words or character of the units and gender or final test scores. A qualitative analysis of a sample from the study is used to study the content of the texts in detail. There is a significant negative correlation between the amount of words on the report and the final test scores of children, but no correlation between the final test scores and the character of the units. No relations were found between gender of the child and the amount of words or the character of the unit. The quality of texts for high achieving children is positive, but poor because it contains no advise and little feedback that enhances their learning process or increases their growth mentality. The conclusion is that the texts of teachers on school reports, especially of high achieving children, contribute little to the growth mindset and intrinsic motivation of the child. The study might be restricted because the sample did not reflect the total population. This could be solved with an extension of the sample. The results of the qualitative analysis of 12 reports is promising and gives reason to examine the entire sample in this way.Show less
Een veelvoorkomend probleem in de onderwijspraktijk: leerlingen rekenen opgaven uit zonder iets op te schrijven. Het niet-geschreven strategiegebruik neemt toe, terwijl dit in de rekenmethodes niet...Show moreEen veelvoorkomend probleem in de onderwijspraktijk: leerlingen rekenen opgaven uit zonder iets op te schrijven. Het niet-geschreven strategiegebruik neemt toe, terwijl dit in de rekenmethodes niet gestimuleerd wordt. In vergelijking met geschreven strategieën, zijn niet-geschreven strategieën minder accuraat en leiden deze tot meer fouten. Voor leerkrachten is het belangrijk om inzicht te hebben in patronen in strategiekeuze ten aanzien van bepaalde groepen, om zo optimale begeleiding te kunnen bieden. Het doel van dit onderzoek is om te achterhalen of de factoren rekenvaardigheid en zelfvertrouwen voorspellende effecten hebben op de strategiekeuze bij deelopgaven bij groep 8-leerlingen in het reguliere Nederlandse basisonderwijs. De data werden verkregen vanuit het Peilingsonderzoek Rekenen-Wiskunde bij schoolverlaters in het (speciaal) basisonderwijs 2019 (N = 2134). Via binaire logistische regressies is gekeken of de mate van rekenvaardigheid effect heeft op strategiekeuzes. Met een moderatie is gekeken of de factor zelfvertrouwen intervenieert in deze mogelijke effecten. Op basis van de resultaten lijken er aanwijzingen te zijn dat, gecontroleerd voor geslacht, sterkere rekenaars meer geschreven en zwakkere rekenaars meer niet-geschreven strategiegebruik toepassen. Ook kiezen jongens vaker voor niet-geschreven strategieën dan meisjes. In het onderzoek zijn geen (modererende) effecten van zelfvertrouwen gevonden. Ondanks het feit dat er weinig significante effecten gevonden zijn, laat dit onderzoek de tendens zien dat niet-geschreven strategiegebruik relatief vaker gekozen wordt door zwakkere rekenaars, jongens en sterkere rekenaars die veel hoofdrekenen. De aanbeveling is dan ook dat bij deze groepen leerlingen het geschreven strategiegebruik meer gestimuleerd wordt door leerkrachten. Eventueel vervolgonderzoek zou zich kunnen richten op losstaande effecten van rekenvaardigheid, invloeden van gebruikte rekenmethodes en strategiegebruik bij leerlingen in het speciaal basisonderwijs.Show less
The goal of this study is to do a follow-up study of the research that Brod and Breitwieser (2019) did to get a better understanding of the added value of prediction as a learning strategy and the...Show moreThe goal of this study is to do a follow-up study of the research that Brod and Breitwieser (2019) did to get a better understanding of the added value of prediction as a learning strategy and the part that curiosity seems to play. In this study a comparison will be made between early adolescents and adults. This was done with a computer task where participants learned facts in two conditions. A prediction condition where they made predictions and a postdiction condition in which the participants, after seeing the correct answer, answered what they would have thought the answer was. The participants also completed a questionnaire to measure their curiosity as a trait. In this study was found that adults overall scored higher than the early adolescents. Beside this, there were no significant findings about the difference between prediction and postdiction. There were also no significant findings about curiosity as trait. In future research it seems important to include factors as surprise into the study.Show less
Even though the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) describes the importance of both contextual factors and internal factors for eliciting intrinsic motivation, research on the latter is scarce within...Show moreEven though the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) describes the importance of both contextual factors and internal factors for eliciting intrinsic motivation, research on the latter is scarce within the educational context. The current study addresses this issue by researching the relationship between general insight, emotional insight, and intrinsic motivation (i.e., one’s clear understanding of thoughts, feelings, behavior, and emotions), thereby researching individual differences in how internal thought processes are regulated in interaction with the social context. The study involved 61 students of age 8 to 13 years (fifth to eighth grade), attending the Primary Years Program (P.Y.P) originated from the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Mixed methods research is conducted – both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. The quantitative research includes questionnaire responses for general insight, emotional insight, and intrinsic motivation. The qualitative research involved semi-structured interviews, comparing the students’ ability for general insight and emotional insight between 5th – 6th grade and 7th – 8th grade. Using the multiple regression analysis, the quantitative results indicate there is no relationship between general insight and intrinsic motivation. However, an association was found between emotional insight and intrinsic motivation. The quantitative results suggest that students’ capacity for general insight and emotional insight is age-related, as the older students had a better understanding of their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and emotions, and the analysis of such was more in-depth and elaborate in comparison to the younger students. These findings show that the role of internal processes is more essential in the elicitation process of intrinsic motivation than has typically been accorded for, contributing to a further understanding of antecedents affecting students’ motivation.Show less
Gender differences in academic performance have been debated for decades, mainly due to inconsistencies in research findings. It is prevalent that boys achieve higher grades in masculine subjects...Show moreGender differences in academic performance have been debated for decades, mainly due to inconsistencies in research findings. It is prevalent that boys achieve higher grades in masculine subjects and girls perform better in feminine subjects. This study aims to determine how these gender differences in school performance are related to self-perceived abilities. Moreover, it investigates whether the self-perceived abilities differ for boys and girls depending on the subject and whether it could explain the prevalent gender differences in school performance. In this context, self-perceived ability is defined as a judgment of personal capacity to execute given types of educational assignments. To test the hypothesis that gender is related to school performance and corresponding self-perceived ability mediates this relation, Dutch families with teenage children were home visited. In the home visits, among other things, questionnaires were conducted. About 95 families participated and provided information concerning recent school grades of their children and self-perceived abilities. The study chose three academic subjects: mathematics (typically coded masculine), language (typically coded feminine), and geography (neutral) to investigate. Three mediation analyses were performed to examine the relation between gender, self-perceived abilities, and school performance. Self-perceived abilities partly mediated the relation between gender and academic performance in language but not for mathematics and geography. Although not all hypotheses were confirmed, this study is an eye-opener for possibly creating more understanding of the emergence of gender differences in school performance. School performance has been considered a precondition for later academic success and, more generally, pursuing successful life paths. Therefore, the educational system should encourage opportunities in learning regardless of student gender. More future studies on the subject should be engaged.Show less
