Visual Literacy From the Perspective of the VTS Method

The purpose of this article is to investigate visual literacy from the perspective of the VTS （Visual Thinking Strategies） method. The authors examine the viewpoints of seven American elementary school teachers on visual literacy and its meanings in the context of the VTS method. Data collection was done using a semi-structured questionnaire, which was followed by theory-driven content analysis. The authors emphasize that when supporting holistic development in a teaching context, it is the interconnected nature of aesthetics, growth and the learner＇s learning which is more important than developing special skills, like visual literacy. In the teaching context visual literacy and language development should be acknowledged in pedagogy and research.

Creationism and Evolution Views of Brazilian Teachers and Teachers-to-Be

This paper aims at assessing the evolutionist and creationist conceptions of Brazilian teachers. The work is developed within the framework of the European project BIOHEAD-CITIZEN （biology, health and environmental education for better citizenship）, which takes into account that scientific knowledge and teachers＇ attitudes and values can influence the teaching practices. The large questionnaire BIOHEAD-CITIZEN, which was constructed to be applied in 19 countries in Europe, Africa and Middle East countries, was applied, in this study, to six groups of Brazilian teachers： primary school teachers, biology teachers and Portuguese language teachers and corresponding teachers-to-be. For this paper the answers to questions about evolution were used as dependent variables. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were carried out. Biology teachers and biology teachers-to-be gave more importance to the natural selection and the evolution process than the other groups of teachers. Comparing to the BIOHEAD-CITIZEN countries, the total Brazilian sample showed a higher percentage of creationist conceptions, particularly the Brazilian biology teachers and teachers-to-be. As discussed herein, this may not be an obstacle for teaching evolution as they accept both creationist and evolutionist concomitantly.

Teaching Programming Concepts to K-12 Teachers With Scratch

This study aims to investigate teaching programming concepts to K-12 teachers with Scratch. A total of 10 K-12 teachers enrolled in one graduate course participated in this study. They received lectures, took practices and exercises of Scratch programming and were then asked to design and implement their projects before the semester. It was found that teaching programming concepts to K-12 teachers with Scratch is feasible. K-12 teachers with less computer background can learned basic programming concepts and applied them in their project code implementation. Although no significant difference was found between participants＇ pre-test and post-test on programming self-efficacy, positive attitudes toward learning Scratch programming was revealed in the questionnaire survey and results of interviews. This study paves a way for referring to the teaching of programming concepts for K- 12 teachers.

The Construction of Learning Object： Tools for the Teaching

The main objective of this work was the construction of a Multidisciplinary Learning Object as a tool for teaching, enabling the use of information and communication technologies for use by teachers acting in elementary school, based on Discourse Analysis, Theory Cybernetic-systemic, the Multiple Intelligences and Collaborative Learning. All of them are informed by Foucault, Pecheux, Bakhtin, Gardner, Levy, and others. The theoretical contribution is justified to the extent that the student is above all a being inserted into a user company tool created by it over time, to act on the world. Theoretical principles underlying the construction of learning objects as tools for teaching are related to teaching and learning. The developed learning object establishes the link between the fields of pedagogy and usability, the step by step construction of each of them and their purposes, characteristics, and all detailed in the development of research. The construction of the learning object follows the steps of a methodological construction for the development of a computerized product, followed by a systematic planning and the design and construction.

A Study of Localization of Task-Based Language Teaching in China

In view of a series of challenges since Task-Based Language Teaching(TBLT) was introduced into China, we interviewed 14 front-line teachers in primary and secondary schools about their viewpoints and classroom strategies of TBLT. The results show teachers’ willingness to use TBLT. They adopt flexible teaching procedures, apply TBLT creatively, and explore task-based language assessment. The authors argue for inclusive non-doctrinaire approaches to TBLT, and propose to construct localized TBLT theory and practice with Chinese characteristics.

Manipulative skill competency and health-related physical fitnes in elementary school students

Background：Improving motor skill competency and enhancing health-related physical fitnes are desired learning outcomes for school-aged children.Achieving motor skill competency and a healthy level of physical fitnes lay a foundation for being a physically active person across a lifetime.The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between levels of manipulative skill competency and physical fitnes for elementary school boys and girls.Methods：In this study,565 fourth-grade students and their 9 physical education teachers were voluntary participants.The students were assessed in 4 basic specialized manipulative skills and 4 fitnes components during regular physical education lessons.Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics,univariate analyses,and multiple R2 liner regression methods.Results：Boys were more proficien at the manipulative skills than girls,while girls had significan higher percentages for meeting the healthy fitnes zone for the fitnes tests than boys.Four manipulative skills significant y predicted progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run（PACER）,push-up,and trunk lifts tests at p〈0.05 level,but not curl-up test for both boys and girls.Boys and girls in the skill-competent group significant y outperformed their counterparts in the skill-incompetent group on PACER,push-up,and trunk lifts tests at p〈0.05 level,with an exception of curl-up test.Conclusion：The more competent in manipulative skills,the higher healthy level in cardiovascular endurance,upper-body muscular strength and endurance,and fl xibility the students demonstrated.Demonstrating manipulative skill competence and maintaining a healthy level of physical fitnes are 2 major desired learning outcomes for elementary school students to be able to achieve.

Approaching Differentiated Instruction via the Attitudes and the Opinions of Greek Primary School Teachers： An Empirical Investigation

In the modern educational reality, as it is influenced by the social developments, the diversity of school potential is intensely highlighted. At the same time, the standardization of the teaching process appears to be insufficient to meet the modern instructive requirements, while it is vastly supported that differentiated teaching can sufficiently respond to the modern instructive needs. Moreover, it is pointed out that differentiated teaching is another way of thinking on the instructive work. On that basis and with a view to investigating the functionalist dimensions of differentiated teaching, a research of empiric character was attempted geared toward at the investigation of attitudes and opinions of Greek primary school teachers with regard to the differentiated teaching. The structured questionnaire was used as a research tool and the main conclusions showed not only the limited briefing of the sample teachers, with regard to the theoretical and applicable functionalism of differentiated teaching, but also the conviction that the differentiated teaching has the potential to treat students equally while functioning as a driving force for the dynamic forming of knowledge by the students themselves.

Development of Elementary School Teachers＇ Self-Regulated Learning Exploratory Factor Scale

Self-regulated learning （SRL） is one of the precious ways in teachers＇ professional development, and its operation level includes different factors. With studies abroad and our preliminary investigation as base, this study developed a scale to test the factors SRL includes. According to the result of 905 teachers working in elementary school by exploratory factor analysis, the SRL for elementary teachers is consisted of its sociality （it included selecting leads and seeking for instructing）, its motivation（it included self-improvement and self-excelling）, its methods（it included strategy use and habitual behavior）, and its outcomes（it included extensive reading and teachers＇ professional development）. All the result indicated Teachers＇ SRL Scale had clear factor structure, good reliability and validity. It can be used to test the current operating situation of SRL for teachers working in elementary school.

Analysis on the Causes of Existing Problems of Professional Knowledge of Western Rural Teachers Under the Urban and Rural Educational Planning Background

This paper adopts the self-designed questionnaire to make investigations and interviews with the rural middle and primary school teachers in Chengdu and Chongqing districts about the professional development problems of western rural teachers, and refers to the educational literature materials in western rural areas. Through a comprehensive analysis, it is known that the professional knowledge status of western rural teachers is worrying, and the reason is mainly caused by the location, policy, economy, society, continuing education and teachers＇ own factors.

The Research of Education Technology Based on the SPSS Statistical Software

Through a questionnaire survey of primary and secondary school teachers and Normal Students to carry out a statistical analysis of the data based on SPSS 17.0 statistical analysis software. So we draw primary and secondary school teachers and normal students to arrive at the current status quo of educational technology ability and analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the ability of its parts. Finally, we proposed new initiatives and methods of education and technical ability training.

Multicultural Citizenship Education： A Study on Experiences and Opinions of Taiwan＇s Indigenous Elementary School Teachers

The author reports findings of multicultural citizenship education from a two-year in-depth study of indigenous principals and teachers in local elementary schools. Data were gathered and analyzed using a conceptual framework that consisted of a multicultural citizenship based on the liberal theoretical perspective. The results indicate that indigenous educators face dilemmas in being cultural elites while considered national education policy implementer. Findings illustrate that indigenous elementary school educators are expected to possess differentiated-group privileges in teaching practices; however, they are confronted with both internal restrictions and external protections during establishing of ethnic cultural identity while playing their roles in the national educational apparatus. The paper also gives conclusions and suggestions for future researches.

The Impact of Technology-Integrated Instruction to Elementary Students＇ Language Learning Motivation and Performance

This study aims to investigate technology-integrated language learning courses that benefit elementary language learners＇ desire to learn English （motivation） and how they are related to the student＇s performance. Theories guiding this investigation included Dornyei＇s L2 Motivational Self System and Gardner＇s Socio Psychological System to describe language learners＇ desire to learn （motivation）. Thirty-five 3rd grade elementary school students, who are learning English with technology at school, were included in this study. The result indicates that the features of technology students like to use while learning have positive and significant correlation with desire to learn English （motivation）; and their previous technology learning experience and motivation have significant influence on their final grade. This final analysis could provide a guideline for EFL teachers or students who are in teacher training programs to integrate technology into their future courses.

The Plight and Way out of Primary and Secondary School Teachers Education Research

Researches develop schools, scientific research improve education, teachers have become the researchers, which is a consensus in today＇s education. Education research has become an indisputable fact in promoting teaching reform, and improving education quality of teaching. On the basis of elaborating the connotation of the education of scientific research, this article discusses the difficulties about the primary and secondary school education of scientific research and the way out.

Application of Case Teaching in Primary Mathematics Pedagogy Class in Normal University

Objective： Case Teaching Method used in Primary Mathematics Pedagogy course can highlight the characteristics of pedagogy course. This method can transform learning process from the passive one in the conventional classroom to an active one, so that classroom atmosphere will become active, inspiring students＇ interest in learning, and students would have the initiative to study. Meanwhile the Case Teaching Method also put forward higher requirements for teachers. This author does some analyses of the meaning of the case teaching method implementation methods and problems based on years of teaching experience. Detailed analyses can be shown as follow

Analysis of English Teachers＇ Professional Development in Rural Primary Schools Taking the Surrounding Areas in Linyi as an Example

This thesis tries to explore the problems of the rural English teachers＇ professional development and aims to give some hints on teachers＇ professional development and future teacher training. This thesis makes a survey to 20 rural English teachers from 10 primary schools in the surrounding areas of Linyi City. The survey mainly focuses on the following four aspects： basic situation of the teachers, knowledge of English language and teaching skills, teachers＇ motivation, and self-analysis of their development. With an analysis of the results of the investigation, the author wants to evoke teachers＇ and researchers＇ awareness for improving English language teachers＇ professional development in rural primary schools