Challenges around Inclusive Classroom according to Supporting Teachers: Ethnographic Report from School Cultures

Małgorzata Rudewicz and Beata Borowska-Beszta

Page No: 1-11

The following article is an excerpt from the entire report from qualitative, ethnographic research on the challenges existing at work of 9 supporting teachers in inclusive classrooms of 2 schools in Poland. The main research question analyzed in this article is: what challenges do supporting teachers have while working in the inclusive classrooms? In addition, the data was focused to obtain the answers for three detailed research questions.

Data analysis was conducted using thematic coding and categorization techniques according to Gibbs1. The study results identified 8 main categories related to the challenges indicated by 9 supporting teachers working in inclusive classrooms. These are (a) an institutional support, (b) lack of institutional support, (c) educational barriers, (d) dealing with educational barriers, (e) conflicts, (f) difficulties of supporting teachers, (g) difficulties of leading teachers and (h) space.

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An Exploratory Study of the Influence of CYQAA in the Republic of Cyprus

McGowan-Koyzis Susan, Koyzis Anthony and Neophytou Charalambos

Page No: 12-17

The exploratory study attempted to examine the influence of the Cyprus Quality Assurance Agency (CYQAA) on institutions of higher education in the Republic of Cyprus. CYQAA is a relatively new quality assurance agency that recently received affiliated member status with the European National Quality Agency (ENQA). The conceptual framework which guided inquiry for this study was created by Schindler et al after a review of the literature regarding concepts of quality in higher education. Using a sequential mixed methods design, the research question explored the influence of CYQAA on stakeholders in higher education through a Likert Scale Questionnaire constructed in line with ENQA standards.

The questionnaire included space for explanatory comments intended to uncover stakeholder perspectives. Due to a low response rate, statistical inferences could not be generated with a measure of confidence. Relevant emergent themes revealed stakeholders concern with the timeliness of the quality assurance process as well as the need for data to drive improvement.

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Integration of ICT in Economics: Available Resources

Godara Rina

Page No: 18-24

The society has changed to a greater extent in terms of its technological advancements. Our students are also techno savvy and technology has become important part of their life. In this digital world the students are exposed to lots of information and the role of teacher is changing at a fast pace. In this scenario, the teaching can no longer be in traditional mode. We have to bridge this gap or else students will lose interest. Apart from this in this global world the students need knowledge and skills of 21st century.

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Second Chance Schools in Prisons

Vasiliki Iliopoulou

Page No: 25-29

Second Chance Schools (SCSs) have been in place since 1997 based on the view that education is an investment for society and for this reason everyone should have access to it and even more so for those who for various reasons were forced to stop their studies before having completed their nine-year compulsory education. Young adults aged 18 to 30 who are at risk of social exclusion, as well as particular population groups, such as prisoners or ex-prisoners, former drug users, women with minors etc. have priority in attendance.

Given that the SCSs are able to serve the particular prison population in prison, SCSs have been set up and operated within prisons (detention facilities), of which in 2010 the term "jail" was deleted both in their name and in the awarded title.

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Understanding Science Comprehension: Policy and Research Perspectives

Amin Jyotsna A.

Page No: 30-35

The students have already learnt certain scientific principles over a period of seven years of their elementary education which might have helped them in constructing certain concepts. Students are able to visualize and directly experience the immediate applicability, in their day to day life and surroundings of many of the concepts that they have learnt in science. This allows them for better scope of constructing their own knowledge and understanding about many of the events / phenomenon which they observe in the environment.

Science helps in alerting teachers to the function of prior learning and existing concepts in the process of learning new material, by stressing the importance of understanding as a goal of science instruction, by fostering pupils’ engagement in lessons and other such progressive matters. In this regard, this study is an attempt to analyze the policy documents and studies conducted at national and international level as well as local level to arrive at an understating of the concept from research perspectives.

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