This qualitative study focused on the classroom experiences of 14 English Language Learners (ELL) students in urban high schools. The authors argue that specific structures within classrooms and schools affect ELL students' agency, or their ability to access and appropriate resources to meet their learning and social needs. Using a narrative inquiry methodological framework, the authors found that these structures included resources, such as space, and time, and a schema of caring, which were created by teachers' practices. They also included roadblocks, such as poor instructional practices, a lack of empathy of students' experiences, and diminished access to the curriculum.
Rare diseases produce multiple impacts for the people who suffer from them, but they also have repercussions for their families, education and healthcare. The objective of this study is to analyze the coordination between healthcare and education professionals who intervene with children and adolescents with rare diseases. It is a qualitative study designed with a critical paradigm, and it was carried out through focus group discussions. A total of 50 people participated in the study, including healthcare professionals, teachers and families. The results suggest that poor communication and coordination negatively impact minors with rare diseases, placing an extra burden on their families, who take on an intermediary role in communication. Participants in the study recognized coordination as an area for improvement as it can compromise equitable social and health services and inclusive education. Other measures must also be put into action at the public administration level not only to establish protocols for intersectoral coordination, but also to increase the knowledge and awareness of staff involved in health and education interventions for children with rare diseases.
The importance of family involvement in education is well documented, yet no studies have explored teachers' conceptualization of family involvement for urban English Language Learner (ELL) students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms. We used an ethnographic approach to investigate middle school STEM educators' perspectives on family involvement for Spanish-speaking ELL students. The analysis revealed that the participants recognized barriers to involvement for families of ELL students, yet maintained that families should communicate more and help with homework. One participant's practices and expectations served as a contradiction to these patterns. Implications and recommendations for P-12 school policy and teacher education are emphasized.
An analysis is presented in this study that provides insight into a practical training process and its impact on teachers and their viewpoints toward the integrated STEM approach used in that training process, together with educational coding and robotics, over the first years of compulsory primary education, where STEM implementations are relatively new. A case study was developed by two teachers following the practical training course, including pre- and post-interviews and nonparticipative observation of their classroom practices during the teacher-training sessions. The results revealed the positive perspectives that the teachers held toward the STEM-integrated approach and educational coding and robotics, despite the difficulties that arose in classroom practice. It was concluded that the STEM approach and its methods were beneficial both to pupils and to teachers alike for improving the teaching–learning process.
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