Children's Experiences of Death Anxiety and Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic

The aim of this study was to explore children's experience and responses to the Covid-19 pandemic through their illustrations and short narrations. During October 2020 and January 2021 data was collected from thirteen children aged 9–10 years old in a primary school in the North-West of England. Children were asked to draw their thoughts and feelings about the pandemic and to write a short narration to accompany the drawing. Thematic analysis of data revealed that during the pandemic children at this age have an understanding of death, experience death anxiety and are able to use creative expression to facilitate meaning of the impact of lockdown on their lives such as feeling isolated, lonely, sad and bored. Creative expression also facilitated adaptive coping mechanisms derived from being able to spend more time with family. The data on primary school children is part of a larger study which involved surveys and interviews with children aged 12–16 years in secondary schools. AD -, Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes, UK ;, Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes, UK

Business school grades, assessment scores, and course withdrawals in the Covid-19 pandemic

We compare student performance before and during the Covid-19 pandemic using three course outcome measures: grades, scores on standardized course-specific assessment tests, and the incidence of dropping, withdrawing, or earning a grade of F. Across 10,000 observations and all business disciplines, grades trended higher throughout pandemic, although student performance on assessment tests and the incidence of failing or dropping remained unchanged. This suggests that universities and employers who use GPA as a screening tool should be cautious. First-year and first-generation students did significantly worse in online courses when compared to courses with some in-person element, suggesting that universities and instructors may need to devote academic support resources to these subgroups. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Education for Business is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Remote Schooling and Mothers' Employment During the COVID-19 Pandemic by Race, Education, and Marital Status

Public schools in the United States saw unprecedented reductions to in-person instruction during the 2020–2021 school year. Using the Elementary School Operating Status database, the American Community Survey, and the Current Population Survey, we show remote instruction was associated with reduced employment among mothers compared with fathers and women without children. The gender gap in employment between mothers and fathers grew as much as 5 percentage points in areas with remote instruction. Compared to women without children, mothers' employment fell by as much as 2 percentage points under remote schooling. Employment disparities among mothers deepened by race, educational attainment, and marital status. We show employment disparities endured through spring 2021, even as many school districts returned to in-person instruction.

Phenomenological study of teachers lived experience teaching remotely in Jamaica during the COVID-19 pandemic

This qualitative interpretive phenomenological study focused on teachers lived experiences teaching remotely online during the COVID-19 pandemic. The problem is that primary school teachers in Jamaica had limited resources and were suddenly pushed into a teaching environment that most were unfamiliar with. The teachers also had limited or no internet access to support online teaching. The findings were significant because it sums up the experiences of primary school teachers teaching online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected via Zoom and Microsoft Teams virtual interviews using semi-structured questions with a purposeful sample of 15 teachers with varying years of teaching experience. The data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed manually using the van Kaams method to help develop themes and uncover the essence of primary school teacher experiences. Five themes emerged from the semi-structured interview of 15 teachers. They were (a) uncertainty and confusion teaching online, (b) challenging/difficult teaching online, (c) lack of computer and limited or no internet access, (d) stressful overall, and (e) long working hours. Based on this study, there were several recommendations for leaders at the Ministry of Education. Two recommendations were to engage school leaders in conversations that inform digital policies and provide professional development on the effective use of digital devices and virtual instruction. Teachers should also integrate digital learning within the curriculum at least once weekly to familiarize students with the educational platform. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

VENTILATION EFFECT AND THERMAL ENVIRONMENT INDUCED BY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL AS A MEASURE FOR COVID-19 IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOMS WITH MECHANICAL VENTILATION EQUIPMENT IN TOKYO

Air temperature and CO2 concentration were measured in classrooms with ventilation system from April 2018 through March 2022. It is assumed that, under the COVID-19 circumstances, windows of the classrooms, where ventilation system was working, were basically kept open throughout a year. The average air temperature at foot level was 11℃ during winter period because of cold outdoor air infiltration. The estimated ventilation rate tended to decrease during winter period. However, the estimated ventilation rate per person more than 30 m3/h was obtained in case of half number of pupils in the classroom with Hybrid-Flexible lesson for the whole day. © 2023 Architectural Institute of Japan. All rights reserved.

Exclusionary discipline: Urban elementary school teachers' perceptions of African American students' behaviors

School suspension and expulsion are not limited to middle and high school students;these exclusionary approaches to discipline begin in early childhood settings such as elementary schools. Most studies regarding exclusionary discipline have been conducted on the middle and high school level, but there are very limited studies regarding exclusionary discipline in early childhood or elementary school level. African American elementary school students are disproportionately represented in multiple school suspensions. Although the majority of school suspensions were not due to violent school crimes, but for discretionary offenses, zero tolerance policies have substantially contributed to students being suspended or expelled for trivial infractions. The purpose of this study was to use qualitative research to investigate New York City's public elementary school teachers' perceptions of African American students' behaviors, and how teachers would describe effective behavior intervention approaches for African American students. Data were collected through the use of interviews and journal prompts completed by teachers during the fall of 2021. Results from this study showed that African American students were perceived by the teacher participants as having similar behaviors to other children of various racial and ethnic groups, and needed effective behavior intervention approaches that addressed mental health counseling, extra-curricular and movement activities, preventative measures to discipline, and culturally responsive education. The results obtained from this study may inform educators and policymakers of social justice alternatives to exclusionary discipline. Further studies are needed to examine the "sit still culture" and the role of movement activities and kinesthetic learning modalities as behavioral intervention approaches to lessen disruptive behaviors and curb punitive exclusionary practices, as well as the effects of social justice alternatives to exclusionary discipline as a support system for black students post COVID-19. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of equity and accessibility to technology on student achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic

This causal comparative mixed-methods study details if students in Grades 4 and 5 from Title I schools, who had access to one-to-one devices in school prior to the COVID-19 pandemic had an academic advantage over students who did not have access to one-to-one devices. Specifically, Arizona state assessment scores from three elementary schools from District One, who had access to one-to-one devices, were compared to five elementary schools from District Two, who did not have access to one-to-one devices. Utilizing two independent t-tests, there was no statistically significant difference in mean scores between the two subgroups. Through a two-phased explanatory model, a survey was sent to participants who could detail the technological resources and skills that were available to students and teachers prior to the pandemic and which digital skills and resources were needed during remote learning. The survey results indicated that although technology and professional development were available to District One, they did not outperform their peers in District Two who did not have one-to-one devices. Although policy makers have made it a priority to increase access to technology and the internet, schools continue to lag in utilizing technology in meaningful ways. Further research from school and district leaders could provide beneficial details on how best to motivate teachers and students to utilize technology, how to best support the use of technology with professional development and proper infrastructures and understand the benefits of utilizing technology in meaningful ways. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

EXAMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A COPING SKILLS INTERVENTION FOR ANXIETY FOR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AMID THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

This study implemented a school-based intervention aimed at improving coping flexibility, and to determine the intervention effects on coping and anxiety in children during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 692 first and second year of junior high school students (347 boys, 320 girls, and 25 neither) participated. Of the 19 classes first and second year of junior high school, 10 participated in the intervention in July 2021 and nine participated in January 2022. The results showed that the intervention program effectively reduced students' anxiety. With regard to coping, there was no change in "seeking support," a decrease in "problem avoidance," and an increase in "positive interpretation and recreation." The current intervention, which aimed at improving coping flexibility, was effective in reducing anxiety and promoting coping among junior high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic. In future it may be necessary discussed to reduce the burden on schools to accept outside experts by using information-technology equipment and other means to conduct the intervention remotely.

What are the pedagogical characteristics of elementary emergency e-learning? Crosschecking learning activities' analysis with perspectives of teachers, students and parents

This research examined the pedagogical characteristics of emergency online learning in elementary schools. The study adds to the educational technology literature, exploring the opportunities and challenges for students by triangulating analysis of learning activities with perspectives of teachers, students, and parents. Thematic analysis of the interviews with 22 teachers, 21 students, and 10 parents revealed 913 statements grouped into categories and subcategories. Furthermore, 93 learning activities were analyzed based on the recent e-CSAMR framework that combines the SAMR and collaboration models. Participants reported development of student independence, responsibility, and learning autonomy, while adversely mentioned feelings of disconnection and lack of social communication. However, analysis of learning activities reflected mostly basic rather than advanced techno-pedagogical levels of the original SAMR model and revealed that they did not sufficiently incorporate collaborative activities or design of learning artifacts. Theoretical implications supported the e-CSAMR framework and identified optimal components for emergency learning within the framework. The results highlight the need to integrate collaborative learning into distance online learning and suggest that appropriate support and training can transform challenges into pedagogical opportunities. © The Author(s).

The impact of leader in me on elementary school culture: A quantitative study of the impact of leader in me on school culture during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

The purpose of this quantitative study is to understand the role that character education curriculum, specifically the Leader in Me, plays on overall elementary school culture. The primary question guiding this study is, has the implementation of Leader in Me provided any measurable impact on elementary school culture prior to and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic? The review of the literature demonstrates a rich history of character education throughout the history of education and the impact that it plays on self-efficacy, school culture, and student achievement. This study intends to investigate the impact that the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had on elementary school culture and determine whether the implementation of Leader in Me provided better conditions for positive school culture. In order to achieve this overall objective, the following research questions framed this quantitative study: 1. What is the relationship between the length of implementation of the Leader in Me character education curriculum on elementary school culture? 2. What impact did the implementation of the Leader in Me character education curriculum play on elementary school culture prior to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic? 3. What impact did the implementation of the Leader in Me character education curriculum play on elementary school culture during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic?A quantitative approach has been chosen for this study to examine the impact that the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had on elementary school culture and determine if the implementation of Leader in Me provided any benefit. Archival data was utilized to provide a foundation for the analysis of the data through the utilization of the 5Essentials Survey and the Measurable Results Assessment. The study also utilized an independently created survey to measure the school culture of schools that have and have not implemented Leader in Me. The data included responses from staff and administrators at 817 elementary schools across Northern Illinois. Statistical tests were conducted to determine the impact that the implementation of Leader in Me may have on elementary school culture.While this study was unable to replicate the results of prior studies regarding the impact that Leader in Me plays on school culture, it did find a statistically significant difference in school culture during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Furthermore, the research concluded that regardless of the implementation of Leader in Me, school culture was negatively impacted during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.Recommendations from this study include the need to analyze school culture following the pandemic to understand the true impact of Leader in Me during the pandemic, utilize a greater population size in order to provide more generalized results, and consider the use of a mixed methods study to gain a greater understanding as to why respondents perceive their school culture to be the way that it is. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Primary Teachers' Challenges in Implementing ICT in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in the Post-Pandemic Era in Uganda

Information and communication, technology (ICT) has become a necessary tool in education post-COVID-19 pandemic. However, integrating ICT into teaching and learning has been a daunting challenge in many developing countries, such as Uganda. This qualitative case study investigated the challenges that primary school teachers face in implementing ICT in teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects in Uganda. The study found various challenges divided into three categories: infrastructure and internet connectivity;individual factors and administrative support;and curriculum and learner support materials. A significant obstacle was the lack of computer access, internet connectivity, and ICT textbooks. Additionally, teachers lacked the ICT skills necessary to integrate technology into their teaching methods, and administrative support was insufficient. The identified challenges in this study will require a multi-pronged approach that includes increasing investment in infrastructure, providing training and support to teachers, and developing relevant and appropriate ICT curriculum materials. In conclusion, this study highlights the challenges that primary school teachers face in implementing ICT in teaching STEM subjects in Uganda. By addressing the identified challenges, policymakers and stakeholders can take steps towards improving ICT integration in primary school education and bridging the digital divide in Uganda and other developing countries.

Distributed Leadership in Irish Post-Primary Schools: Policy versus Practitioner Interpretations

School leaders have faced significant challenges since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Distributed leadership has become the default leadership response implemented by schools to manage increased pressure. While Irish schools have traditionally operated behind a ‘closed-door', there has recently been a movement towards a shared model of leadership, and Irish school leadership policy currently endorses the adoption of a distributed leadership model. Increased interest and policy endorsement notwithstanding, distributed leadership remains an elusive concept. The aim of this study was to explore Irish post-primary school personnel's interpretations of distributed leadership and analyse these interpretations through a teacher empowerment lens with respect to Irish school leadership policy. This study reports the results of a thematic analysis of 363 survey responses provided by post-primary school personnel. Short's six dimensions of teacher empowerment were utilised to inform a framework for thematically analysing the participants' interpretations. An initial framework for enacting distributed leadership through an empowerment lens was outlined. Interpretations were found to diverge regarding (i) what is shared, (ii) who it is shared with, and (iii) how it is shared. This paper adds to the corpus of knowledge concerning how distributed leadership is understood in practice and will aid in informing future school leadership policy documents.

Examining the level of compliance with health protocols in elementary schools in Ilam city during the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 in 1400-1401

Background and Objective: One of the basic strategies to reduce the prevalence of diseases among people in society, especially children and adolescents, during the epidemic of COVID-19 disease, is to observe hygiene and personal protection behaviors. The present study was conducted to determine the level of compliance with health protocols in primary schools of Ilam city during the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 in 1400-1401. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted in primary schools of Ilam city with a statistical sample of 49 schools (25 girls' schools and 24 boys' schools). In this study, the 2019 new coronavirus disease care and control checklist was used in schools, which has 15 questions with a total score of 100. Data with Kolmogorov-Smirnov and T-Test statistical tests using SPSS software. V21 was analyzed. Results: The results of this study showed that the highest and lowest scores are respectively related to the parameters of school health assessment before reopening (100 percent) and screening of people in terms of vaccination by PCR test (zero percent). The average score of compliance with the checklist was 74.3 in girls' schools and 74.38 in boys' schools. Also, the results of the T-Test showed that there is no significant relationship between the mean scores of girls' and boys' schools (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the score obtained for compliance with the checklist parameters of all schools in Ilam city is less than 85 points, and the main reason for this is the non-compliance of the screening parameter of people in terms of vaccination/PCR test in schools. © 2023 Iranian Association of Environmental Health, and Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Parental involvement in school pedagogy: a threat or a promise?

This paper brings together two rich bodies of knowledge that have barely intersected in research: parental involvement in the school and processes of pedagogical change. Until now, parental involvement has been studied in many contexts, but references to parental involvement in a school's pedagogy are rare. Management of pedagogical change has also been studied extensively, but mainly by relating to the school as an organisation that functions separately from the community context. This study, conducted in 2019–2021 (including the COVID-19 pandemic period), is based on 22 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with parents, principals, and senior education officials of two elementary schools in Israel that are undergoing pedagogical changes. The schools share some similar demographic characteristics but differ in pedagogy: One is an older school characterised by a traditional pedagogy (including, for example, frontal teaching and standardised evaluation);the other is new and was founded with innovative pedagogy in the spirit of the 21st century (for example, personalised teaching and alternative evaluation). The findings reveal that the parents in both schools are interested in influencing the school's pedagogy, but that they do so in opposite directions: The parents at the more traditional school are interested in promoting innovative learning, while the parents in the innovative school are interested in reintroducing traditional practices. The findings also contribute to the discussion of parental involvement from a gender perspective and the roles of key players. Finally, the article offers initial insights regarding parent–school relations, including the pedagogical aspects, following the COVID-19 pandemic. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Educational Review is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Teaching and Learning during a Global Pandemic: Perspectives from Elementary School Teachers and Parents

COVID-19 has had a major impact on education, with many children attending school online for more than a year. To understand the implications of online learning for U.S. teachers (Study 1;N = 49) and families (Study 2;N = 189) of elementary school students, we administered a survey in spring 2021, about one year into the pandemic. Participants answered questions about the instructional modality and format, challenges managing instruction, and children's attention and learning. Comparing virtual to in-person instruction (pre-COVID-19) showed: (1) teachers reported the quantity of virtual instruction was less than in-person instruction and children were more off-task;(2) parents reported greater stress managing virtual instruction with fewer than half the children completing online lessons independently;and (3) parents reported that children exhibited mild-frustration during both virtual and in-person instruction, but children enjoyed learning in-person more. Understanding teachers' and families' experiences with virtual instruction will help elucidate potential factors contributing to pandemic-related learning losses, enabling more targeted support.

Information and Communication Technology in Brazilian Public Schools: A Sustainable Legacy of the Pandemic?

The present study aimed to analyze the sustainability of the post-COVID-19 pandemic Information and Communication Technology (ICT) legacy. The survey was conducted using raw secondary data from three census studies, one carried out before the pandemic and two after the return to in-person classes. The descriptive survey focused on Brazilian public schools and used a comparative intersectional design. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the raw data. The poorest conditions in terms of the availability of technological resources were found in municipal public school systems. The amount of equipment available, bandwidth, and Internet data transmission rate in most public schools were far below desirable, despite advances in 2021 compared to 2019. Although there have been important improvements in ICT in Brazilian public schools, there was no evidence of inherited ICT resources as a legacy of the Government's COVID-19 policies related to education. The study highlights the need for government to implement enduring public policies that guarantee the use of sustainable ICT resources to improve education, irrespective of global or national health challenges.

Presyllabic Method to Correct Dysorthography in Elementary School Students

The process of teaching writing was impacted during virtual education by the Covid 19 pandemic in the first years of study, due to the inadequate use of methodological strategies. Dysorthography is a disorder that affects between 10 to 15% of the population in Latin America and is considered one of the first factors that affect the student's school performance, so we sought to implement a methodological guide of phonemes to contribute positively to learning in students in the third year of basic education. The research was field, descriptive, and bibliographic documentation was applied. Through the application of the methodological guide of phonemes, it was possible to observe the continuous improvement of the students in the learning process. The development of the research was necessary, since it was possible to determine in the first instance that the students do not have a correct spatial orientation, there is confusion with the letters b and d, because they do not recognize phonemes, so their writing is not legible, it is evident that dysorthography affects 70% of the academic performance in the area of language and literature. After four months of application of this phoneme guide, the results were excellent, with an 80% improvement in the teaching and learning process. It is considered that 52% of the students recognize the phonemes, 30% correctly apply punctuation marks and a 40% improvement in performance has been observed. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Reform of Distance Learning Academic Ability Assessments and Follow-Up Guidance Strategies in Primary and Secondary Schools Under the Postpandemic Era

The covid-19 pandemic has ravaged the world and caused an unprecedented storm since 2019. The pandemic poses a global threat to human health and changes human life in many aspects. The schools in Taiwan underwent several episodes of "Classes Suspension and Learning Continues. Implementing "remote instruction" has significantly improved the software and hardware of information technology (IT) equipment, the establishment of learning platforms, and teachers' IT abilities and literacy. This paper aims to expound, summarize, and transform the traditional forms of multiple assessments and provides specific strategies for primary and secondary school teachers to establish multiple assessments in remote instruction, which enables them to examine the students' distance learning and make good use of assessment tools on academic performance. Furthermore, this paper proposes follow-up learning guidance strategies to scaffold learning once the physical classes are resumed. Finally, it puts forward four concrete and feasible suggestions for preparing various aspects of remote instruction in the future as a reference for schools and teachers planning for the new academic year.

New principals leading change: Disrupting the status quo through critically conscious principal reciprocal mentoring

This dissertation focused on the extent to which principal mentoring supported new principals' leadership for equitable outcomes for all students. Using a human-centered leadership framework, three principal mentoring pairs participated in a two-month study of their mentoring practices. A combination of individual and group interviews was used to explore the kinds of mentoring practices that were used and their impact on decision making and leadership in three Canadian elementary schools. Findings included the importance of social-emotional leadership. New principals needed encouragement and support as they led their schools through the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding and awareness of current bias did not shift through conversations between mentors and mentees. Mentors and mentees engaged in storytelling and rehashing one's "aha moments." These past reflections affirmed existing assumptions and did not appear to shift mentees' mindsets or lead to resolutions for practice in future dilemmas. Mentors did not report discourse patterns that challenged existing practice or offered insight into tactics that might leverage participatory decision-making for long-term change. The results suggest the need for a structured principal mentoring program that focuses on leadership for equity. This approach to mentoring can be taught. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Parental care and family support as moderators on overlapping college student bullying and cyberbullying victimization during the Covid-19 pandemic

Purpose: The study examined whether parental care and family support moderate the association between school bullying victimization and cyberbullying victimization among college students by applying the social anthropological approach and social control theory Method: Data were collected for 261 college students (57.9% female) aged between 18 to 24 or older from a university in the Midwest region of the United States. A latent moderated structural equations approach was utilized Results: The data revealed that bullying victimization was positively associated with cyberbullying victimization. Moreover, parental care was a significant moderator between bullying victimization and cyberbullying victimization Discussion: These findings have implications of preventing victims of bullying becoming victims of cyberbullying. Parental involvement especially needs to be emphasized for college students' cyberbullying prevention and intervention programs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)