European Journal of Teaching and Education

Evaluating Literacy Curriculum: Making Sure Elementary Students Learn to Read

2023-06-14T05:42:36+00:00

Reading problems for adults and school-age students have significant and varied costs. Existing as an illiterate citizen in the United States has monetary consequences such as living expenses, career relevance, and societal advancement. American employers spend money to edify prospective employees in areas of remedial reading, writing, and mathematical skills. Educators must act on scientific research to select appropriate literacy curriculum to teach students to read. As reading is not a natural process, teachers must teach students to read using materials aligned with the science of reading. Utilizing document analysis to evaluate learning to read instructional materials and strategies must incorporate all the fundamentals and modalities in one complete, research-based curriculum. Knowing how to purposefully evaluate literacy curriculum is necessary for teaching all students to read. A dynamic, reading curriculum evaluation tool is necessary to determine alignment to the science of reading with an accredited literacy curriculum.

Further Education (FE) to Higher Education (HE) Progression Pathways

2023-06-14T07:56:45+00:00

Equity of access to higher education (HE) has been a priority for the Irish Government over the last fifteen years. Since 2005, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in Ireland has introduced three successive national strategic plans for equity of access, which demonstrates its importance in HE policy. The aim of these initiatives is to improve equity of access, participation and success in HE for disadvantaged students. The findings generated from the third of these strategic plans, indicate that although some progress has been made to support this integration from further education (FE) to HE, challenges remain with an acknowledgement that there is a need to establish transparent supporting structures for building coherent pathways from FE to HE. Higher-level qualifications are now a common expectation among the general population and in industry, reflecting increased ambition, labour market demand for higher-level skills, and the need to continually upskill and/or reskill. The objective of this empirical investigation is to identify the perceived barriers preventing students of FE from progressing to HE in Ireland. Like others who have investigated this topic this investigation adopted an interpretivist approach to enquiry and a case study methodological approach. Primary data was generated from in depth focus groups and qualitative surveys. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. The preliminary findings of the first phase of this investigation illustrate that student transition from FE to HE is multidimensional. Findings have supported the development of a draft Transitions Framework, which is currently being piloted with case study students. The ultimate goal is to pursue the effective implementation of the Transitions Framework.

Training and Professional Practice of Nurses in Soviet Estonia in Light of Their Ideological Context

2023-06-22T05:15:22+00:00

Background data. In 1940–1941 and 1945–1991 Estonian territory was occupied by Soviet Russia. The “new period of awakening” was initiated under Gorbachev’s perestroika and glasnost (1985–1991), leading to democratization. Aim. This qualitative study aimed to analyze the training and professional activity of nurses in Soviet Estonia against the background of ideology. Method. The research was conducted in 2021 and 2023. The authors surveyed senior nurses who worked during the Soviet era for at least 20 years. There were written and oral thematic interviews, as well as a focus group interview were conducted. A thematic content analysis was carried out. Results. During the Soviet era the training of nurses occured within vocational training institutions. The curricula underwent a shift towards a Soviet-oriented approach. A significant portion of lessons were dedicated to imparting knowledge on the principles and tenets of Communist-Marxist ideology. Therefore, practical subjects were frequently allocated limited space. In the Soviet Union politics and healthcare were tightly linked. The nurses were required to attend party meetings, which were often conducted in Russian, and it was mandatory to commemorate Soviet anniversaries. The activities of the nurses were monitored, and nurses were strictly required to fulfill their duties and orders without exercising personal initiative. In the Soviet period all nurses were members of trade unions and the Estonian SSR Society of Medical Nurses (ESN).

Teaching Strategies of the 21st Century Skills Adapted to the Local Needs

2023-09-09T07:58:17+00:00

Evident is that fact that ICTs are at the core of fast-changing economy. However, ICTs in themselves do not create a knowledge-based economy. Innovation starts with people, making human capital within the workforce decisive. Current workplaces require highly skilled workers who not only need excellent technical preparation but also sufficient skills to adapt to the changing requirements. According to Kozma, a concern about developing future workforces endowed with the "21st century" skills resulted in a goal for school reform that was centered on information communication and technology. Yet, in recent years, the global discourse has evolved to include broader concerns about global citizenship and global competence, resulting in a number of frameworks, which define the 21st century skills. Each framework approaches the skills from a variety of perspectives. The research subject is unveiled through a survey investigation, accompanied by a subcategory known as a descriptive case study. The foundational approach of the provided article is rooted in the quantitative research methodology. Ultimately, the outcomes of the executed analysis will function as a novel methodological instrument for the educators within the Department of Foreign Languages at Y University. This article seeks to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the theories pertaining to 21st century skills, along with existing definitions and methodologies associated with instructing one specific 21st century skill—citizenship. By utilizing the Republic of Armenia as a contextual case study, the article substantiates the notion that the responsibility for integrating the teaching of this skill lies not only with primary and secondary schools, but also extends to tertiary education establishments. The article underscores the argument that the incorporation of certain, if not all, 21st century skills can be accomplished without necessitating extensive curriculum overhauls or substantial transformations. Instead, minor adjustments introduced within the pedagogical process are deemed sufficient for the successful infusion of these skills into the educational discourse. Additionally, the article comprises two comprehensive lesson plans delineating potential pathways for the progression of the "Engaged Citizen/Citizenship" skill within the curriculum.