Quantifying teacher Professional Community in 36 countries – a test for measurement invariance using the Multiple-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) method
Lomos Cătălina
Abstract
This study presents the results of a test of the professional community latent concept for measurement invariance in 36 countries and more than 58000 teachers, using the International Civic and Citizenship education Study (ICCS 2009). The Multiple-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used for this analysis. Teachers become part of a professional community when they agree on a common school visions, engage in reflective dialogues and collaborative practices, and feel responsible for school improvement and student learning. The study discusses the implications of having (or not having) an invariant measure of the concept for quantifying and comparing the teacher professional community practices in the different countries involved. We establish that the latent concept of professional community can be meaningfully discussed in 35 countries, excluding Liechtenstein. In addition, in 34 countries all the items that represent the five specific dimensions are strongly related to the latent concept of professional community, except for the reflective dialogue item in Switzerland. As regards scalar invariance, we identify many noninvariant intercepts in different countries, especially for items measuring the dimensions of the deprivatisation of practice and collaborative activity, allowing to compare the professional community mean practices in 23 countries only, within partial scalar invariance.
Key words: The Latent Concept of Professional Community; Multiple-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA); Cross-Cultural approach
The role of emotional capital on initial students teacher training
Bénédicte Gendron Carmen Rusu
Abstract
This paper presents partial results of an experimental research-action part of a national scientific project implemented between 2014-2019 at the University Paul Valery. The principal objective is to develop emotional capital of freshmen of Faculty of Sciences Education. In their initial training, two approaches – European tool of Project Management and Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Training were used in order to help students become more flexible, to identify and regulate suitably their emotions and to develop efficient and adaptive relationships with others.
Key words: emotional capital, emotional competencies, freshmen students, Mindfulness, ACT.
What to do to increase access and equity in Romanian Education? Case study: “education divide” and “ethnic divide”
Constantin Serban IOSIFESCU
Abstract
The analysis and research results regarding the state of the Romanian education system confirm not only the overall low quality of education, but also huge disparities and inequities. This paper analyze, on the basis of the data collected by ARACIP from about 85% of the school units, some issues regarding this aspect, the “education divide” and the “ethnic divide”: the level of parents’ education is correlated, positively, with attendance and results; on the other hand, the proportion of Roma students is also correlated with attendance and results, but negatively. Moreover, our analysis confirmed the “segregation” of schools by results and by risk factors. For this reason, the interventions meant to increase participation and improve results should be school based, integrated and flexible: the “mix” of programmes and actions must be different in different communities, schools and even at individual level.
Key words: equity in education; evidence-based decision making; quality of education.
Teachers’ perspective towards the implementation of inclusive education
Elena MARIN
Abstract
This paper presents the findings of an empirical study that aims to investigate teachers’ perspective towards the implementation of inclusive education. The study was part a research inquiry which investigated teachers’ attitudes, believes and needs regarding the process of implementation of an inclusive education system. This data was based on questionnaire, conducted with mainstream teachers in state schools in Bucharest, Romania. The results show that teachers who teach students with SEN agree to go through training courses related to inclusive education.Moreover, it is showed that teachers who hold a bachelor`s or a master degree declare themselves to more prepared and have a better knowledge regarding the concept of inclusive education, while teachers who do not hold a university degree (unqualified teachers) declared themselves to be relatively unprepared to respond to the new educational requirements that come along with the development of the inclusive schools. All in all, teachers perspective towards the implementation of an inclusive educational system is mainly positively minded, teachers seeing the process as being beneficial to all students, regardless the fact they have special education needs or not.
Key words: inclusive education, teachers’ attitude; students with special needs.
Scrapping subjects and introducing ‘topics’? An inquiry over integrative approaches to learning departing from the case of Arts in the curriculum
Mihaela Mitescu Manea
Abstract
It is proposed a critical reading of educational research literature approaching the role and place of Arts in the curriculum. The purpose of this proposed critical reading is to explore the implications of research and/or practice informed discussions of the role Arts play in the curriculum in current reformist debates. Pre-modern approaches to education placed great emphasis on subject-knowledge, assigning to arts a particularly important place in the system of liberal arts. Modern and post-modern approaches to understanding the role of arts in education prompt significant shifts in the view and practices of not only arts, but education itself which deserve attention. Disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to structuring learning contents mark the opposite ends of a continuum where every system of educational practice may be positioned closer to either one, based on the approaches to learning it endorses. In what follows, it is proposed reflecting on what moving across this continuum may mean for the place arts may be attributed in the curriculum.
Key words: curriculum, arts, educational reform, integrative approaches
Mediated learning. Psihopedagogical implications
Daniel Mara
Abstract
In this article are presented some important aspects of the mediated learning and their pedagogical implications. Feuerstein Method aims to improve the cognitive abilities of each person and it is based on the belief that there is always a gap between the potential of an individual and the actual achievement of this potential, so there is always the possibility of a further development of a person, over whom it can be a great influence in a constructive way. Feuerstein method is applied in various fields and at various levels, starting from the recovery of people with severe mental retardation to the continuing education of the staff from various companies.
Key words: mediated learning, structural cognitive modificability, cognitive functions, instrumental enrichment program, potential.
Exploring the long-term impact of three short instructional development programs on instructional models for university teachers
Marian D. ILIE
Abstract
In the last decades, the number of instructional development programs for university teachers are increasing across the world. Consequently, many research studies aim to indentify the impact of these programs on teaching effectiveness in higher education. Despite the number of studies, many research questions have not received yet conclusive responses. In this context, the present paper presents some evidence about the long-term effect of three short instructional development programs that have used instructional models as educational content (Gagné’s instructional model, Gagné’s Adapted instructional model and Engelmann’s Direct instructional model). After three years from the implementation of programs, a semi-structured interviews was conducted. Out of the 12 teachers involved in the programs, 9 expressed their willingness to respond. The results show that all the 9 teachers have used in their current teaching practice, in a adapted form, many of the aspects acquired during the programs. Also, the results highlighted that instructional models are perceived by the university teachers as tools with greater applicability for teaching in higher education. The results are discussed and some possible implication for the filed are presented.
Key words: higher education; instructional development programs; instructional models; medical universities, long-term impact.
Teacher Evaluation in Higher Education as a Component of the Quality Assurance Process
Silvia TOTH, Mariana CRAȘOVAN
Abstract
Teacher evaluation in higher education is one of the quality assurance process components that influences a large array of subsystems of the higher education area. The present paper is analysing the teacher evaluation procedures of three universities, Aalborg University – Denmark, University of Bucharest – Romania and West University of Timișoara – Romania, in order to identify similarities and differences at a structural and qualitative level of the documents. There are significant similarities, especially content wise between the Romanian universities, but all the three documents touch on very similar information and are analogous and comparable on a structural level as well.
Key words: teacher evaluation, quality assurance, higher education, peer evaluation, self-evaluation
Environmental Education and Educational Farms: a German Concept
Prof. Dr. Claas Wegner Max Bentrup Carolin Zehne
Abstract
The article provides an insight into a teaching unit designed for an educational farm in Germany. Environmental education and sustainable development are important aspects of the country’s curricula for biology. As a part of environmental education in biology, children staying on the farm engage in authentic activities which are essential for life on the farm to function. The unit itself dealt with bees and other pollinating insects and lasted one day. It was an offer which young students staying on the farm for several days could choose from apart from other tasks. It consisted of a theoretical part dealing with various aspects of bees, their habitats, and pollination, as well as a practical part in the afternoon in which students could apply their knowledge and build an insect hotel.
Key words: environmental education, educational farms, hands-on activities, teaching concept, pollinating insects
Innovative Practices for Higher Education Assessment and Measurement - Book review
Otilia Sanda Bersan
Diaspora in the Scientific Research and Higher Education in Romania -Diaspora and her friends. Event presentation
Elena Liliana Danciu
West University of Timisoara, Faculty of Sociology and Psychology, Department of EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES
