The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher

Zhong, Shuneng; Wang, Yabing; Wu, Wangjiao

doi: 10.1007/s40299-024-00819-4pmid: N/A

Sakız, Halis; Ergün, Naif; Göksu, İdris

doi: 10.1007/s40299-023-00772-8pmid: N/A

A few educational models have evolved fast as inclusive education (IE), which has expanded from being a special education technique focused on integration to a comprehensive model that encompasses the education of all students. However, there is a lack of measurement tools that align with the evolving conceptualizations of IE, provide insights into its implementation in the field, and capture the perspectives of school staff. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was twofold: firstly, to develop the Attitudes towards Inclusive Education Scale (AIES) to assess the attitudes of school staff, including teachers, managers, and school counselors, towards IE; and secondly, to examine the relationships between staff attitudes, demographic factors (age, gender), work experience, educational level engaged with and prior training in IE. The AIES comprised 43 items and three distinct dimensions, demonstrating a valid factor structure and satisfactory internal consistency. The findings revealed that school staff's attitudes significantly varied based on gender and prior training in IE. This study makes a valuable contribution to the field by developing a robust and up-to-date attitude scale to assess attitudes towards IE.

Jamaludin, Azilawati; Jabir, Ahmad Ishqi; Wang, Fengjuan; Tan, Aik Lim

doi: 10.1007/s40299-023-00773-7pmid: N/A

Math anxiety negatively relates to math performance. This negative relationship may be exacerbated in low-progress math learners. However, there are limited studies on math anxiety among low-progress learners in a paradoxically high-performing education system like Singapore. To fill this research gap, this research analyzed the anxiety profiles of 151 students who were in the math learning support intervention program administered by the Ministry of Education, Singapore (MOE). We examined the complex relationship centered in math anxiety with relevant variables such as demographic characteristics, working memory, and math performance. The results indicated that (1) math anxiety only vary significantly between children with very low Early Numeracy Indicator (ENI) and high ENI levels; (2) a negative relationship between math anxiety and math performance exists; (3) there was no significant interaction between math anxiety and working memory; (4) a further examination on moderating effect found that only children who have been identified as being at risk for developmental dyscalculia and those with average or high working memory performed poorer in math at higher levels of math anxiety. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Liu, Meihua; Chen, Zhangwei

doi: 10.1007/s40299-023-00775-5pmid: N/A

The present large-scale quantitative study investigated the predictive effects of learning strategies and styles on Chinese undergraduate students’ English achievement and their mediating effects on each other’s relation to English achievement. A total of 439 students from different universities answered the 30-item Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire and 50-item Strategy Inventory for Language Learning as well as a background questionnaire. Analyses of the data revealed the following major findings: (a) Learning strategies were significantly positively related to learning styles, (b) both learning strategies and styles were significantly positively related to and predicted students’ English achievement, and (c) learning strategies significantly mediated the relation between learning styles and English achievement. These findings clearly highlight the importance of learning strategies and styles in second/foreign language learning. Based on these findings, some implications are discussed.

Liu, Meihua; Chen, Zhangwei

doi: 10.1007/s40299-024-00817-6pmid: N/A

Wong, Mary Shepard; Kareng, David

doi: 10.1007/s40299-023-00776-4pmid: N/A

In the spring of 2022, we (a teacher–educator from the USA and a Kachin graduate research assistant) interviewed 14 participants from Myanmar who were engaging in an unprecedented educational re-imagining during the Spring Revolution following the 2021 military coup that gripped the county. Three preliminary findings of our study focus on creativity in crisis in higher education, which we categorized as actors, actions, and procedures, or who, what, and how. ‘Who’ refers to actors and their creativity in forming new alliances among inter-ethnic and inter-generational educators and activists to remake education. ‘What’ refers to creativity in content in addressing inequity and ‘fake history’ in the national curriculum. ‘How’ addresses creativity in the delivery of education in the midst of extreme challenges and opposition. This look into the way crises can lead to creativity in education, with a focus on higher education, presents a unique opportunity to witness how grassroots actors in Myanmar are seeking to transform higher education in a ‘radical bureaucratic overhaul,’ as one participant put it, making it more inclusive, critical, and just.

Moorhouse, Benjamin Luke; Kohnke, Lucas; Chiu, Thomas K. F.

doi: 10.1007/s40299-023-00778-2pmid: N/A

This paper proposes and describes a context- and subject-specific professional digital competence (PDC) framework for beginning English language teachers in Hong Kong. Taking a localised approach, the framework was developed through a four-stage data collection process, (1) Literature review of empirical studies conducted in Hong Kong of English language teachers’ technology use, (2) Review of local government curriculum documents; (3) An online survey of English language teachers’ technology use (n = 83); (4) follow-up individual interviews (n = 22). The study revealed that the local subject-specific PDC of teachers includes five aspects; Technological proficiency; Pedagogical compatibility; Preparing students for the digital world; Risk, well-being and ethical awareness and Professional work. Each aspect includes ability statements. The framework can be used to evaluate existing teacher education programmes, support the development of pre-service English-language teachers and facilitate self-, peer- and teacher assessment. The elements of PDC can be converted into programme- and course-level learning outcomes or incorporated into assessment rubrics. In addition, the methods used to develop the framework can be used by scholars in other contexts and subject areas to develop localised subject-specific PDC frameworks.

Zhan, Ying

doi: 10.1007/s40299-023-00779-1pmid: N/A

Despite the enabling role of teacher feedback literacy in students’ engagement with feedback, little empirical research has explored the internal structure of this construct and its influencing factors. This paper developed and validated a teacher feedback literacy scale for pre-service teachers and examined its influencing factors (i.e. pre-service teachers’ motivations for becoming a teacher and assessment course learning experience). 541 pre-service teachers attended the survey. Confirmatory factor analysis supports the structural validity of the scale. F-tests reveal the significant difference in four dimensions of teacher feedback literacy (i.e. feedback competencies of planning, implementing and follow-up, and appreciation of feedback) among the participants who had taken different numbers of assessment courses. Correlation analysis and structural equation analysis indicate that participants’ intrinsic motivation for becoming a teacher has a stronger impact on teacher feedback literacy than extrinsic motivation. Suggestions are made on the cultivation of teacher feedback literacy in teacher education programs.

Wang, Kai; Criado, Josep Rialp; van Hemmen, Stefan Felix

doi: 10.1007/s40299-023-00781-7pmid: N/A

This paper addresses undergraduates’ perception and behavioral intention (BI) toward Massive open online courses (MOOCs). It considers the moderating effect of culture to further explore the perceptions of students with different cultures to engage in MOOCs, providing MOOC suppliers with practical suggestions. 770 undergraduates in Spain and China are involved in this study. The proposed research model incorporating the technology acceptance model and theory of planned behavior is confirmed as a desirable theoretical model. Additionally, the moderating effect of culture has been confirmed between Spanish and Chinese students. The findings show Perceived usefulness and Perceived ease of use are effective in forming attitude (ATT). Besides, ATT and subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control are confirmed as vital factors impacting BI. Regarding the moderating effect of culture, significant differences have been detected to account for their behavior.