The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented crisis. Worldwide, preschool teachers were invited to develop the students’ learning experience in a new digital environment for mathematics. This research investigates preschool teachers’ mathematics practices during remote teaching and the use of digital tools in teaching mathematics after their return to actual classes. Views from sixteen Greek preschool teachers were collected with semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The results showed that mathematical activities such as Numbers and Operations, Geometry, and Measurement occurred during distance learning in digital preschool classrooms. They made little reference to activities related to Algebra, while they did not refer to Data Analysis and Probability. They also seemed to prefer mathematical activities based on Connections and Representation processes in their digital classrooms. Preschool teachers reported that parents supported this process by their presence, and digital learning communities supported learning activities by providing guidelines and innovative approaches to them in digital times. However, after returning to face-to-face schooling, preschool teachers seemed to use digital tools to a lesser degree. They also mention that in face-to-face schooling, they prefer to utilize the authentic communication frameworks emphasizing problem-solving activities to enhance all mathematical processes. Implications for preschool teacher professional development are discussed.
Although web survey has been a popular method of data collection in the academic community, it presents meagre response rates, which primarily affect the validity of the results as well as the reliability of the outcomes. Surveys worldwide that study the response rate only of teachers have not been found in the relevant literature. In this survey, with a sample of 263 Greek teachers, we investigate possible factors that explain teachers’ intention to participate in web surveys that are conducted by online questionnaires indicating, therefore, the factors that probably influence the response rate of web surveys. Our findings support those factors such as (a) authority, (b) incentives, (c) survey structure/form, (d) ethical issues, (e) reminders and pre-notifications, and f) survey time received, which seem to explain the teachers’ intention to participate in web surveys with questionnaires. Based on the findings, methodology implications and limitations for researchers are discussed.
The aim of this research is to investigate the views of preschool teachers about their "readiness" for elearning, the barriers they had faced while using it in early childhood education, the teaching practices during distance learning of language, and the transformations that had to be done in these, their effectiveness, and finally the utilization of the digital tools in the teaching of language after their return to the real classes. Views from ten Greek preschool teachers were collected with semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic content analysis. The results showed that teachers had no "readiness" for distance education and some students have fewer opportunities than others to learn and conquer some skills at home during distance learning. Furthermore, during distance learning the oral language was cultivated naturally and effortlessly, while the cultivation of the written language encountered significant difficulties due to the mediation of the digital tools, according to teachers. But as they seem to acknowledge the power of digital tools, they overcome their initial embarrassment and set aside the difficulties they encountered. Indeed, teachers seem to acknowledge this e-learning teaching experience supplied them with technological skills that could be utilized in similar situations. However, they highlight the need for training in distance learning and mainly how they could effectively integrate the technology in class.
The purpose of this research is to investigate the perceptions of kindergarten teachers and first-grade primary school teachers about their cooperation regarding literacy practices and their enhancement. The need for cooperation, the potential for co-operation, how to achieve it, as well as its benefits for enhancing literacy, are the key questions explored. The research is part of a broader study of the relationships between natural / early and conventional / school literacy, the teachers' perceptions of the possibility of integration of language curricula, as well as practices resulting from the study of curricula. The data were collected through a questionnaire sample of 632 teachers who were separated into two groups, 326 kindergarten teachers and 306 teachers teaching the year of the process in the first grade of Greek elementary schools. The results showed that kindergarten teachers were more positive about the need for co-operation on literacy practices, but first-grade primary school teachers believed more in their co-operation. Kindergarten teachers and first-grade primary school teachers agree on the need for joint actions, with teachers considering as significant constraints the co-location of school units, the lack of common time, and the pressure of "course material". Theoretical backgroundWhen attempting a theoretical and research approach to enhancing natural literacy and its teaching, one must first and foremost analyze the behavior of teachers in an attempt to visualize how they shape their teaching choices. According to Kalantzis et al. (2019), if we are to have 'new', 'modern' students we need nothing less than 'new', 'modern' teachers to work with students, with parents and with each other by expanding and promoting 'literacy' learning practices towards learning "literacies" to create learners capable of deriving, producing meaning and communicating.
The purpose of this research paper is to investigate the perceptions of Greek pre-primary and first-grade primary school teachers on the integration of pre-primary and first-grade language curricula. This research is part of a broader study of the relation between natural/early and conventional/school literacy, the teachers' perceptions of the presence of language curricula connection, as well as practices resulting from the study of curricula. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 32 teachers. Research findings show that pre-primary and primary school teachers partially agree with the integration of curricula, delineating it within a specific context and proposing common goals and teaching approaches that will be governed by continuity and consistency. Pre-primary school teachers who disagree, strongly express their concern about the potential schoolification of pre-primary school, while primary school teachers who disagree persist in the view of preschoolers' inability to acquire knowledge intended to be acquired by primary school children, who are, theoretically, in the age group with respective cognitive, mental and emotional maturity. They want play to maintain as the primary teaching and learning tool in preprimary school while systematic teaching with elements of the playful way of pre-primary school learning to maintain in primary school.
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