Mathematics teacher educators in primary teacher education need expert knowledge and skills in teaching in primary school, in subject matter and research. Most starting mathematics teacher educators possess only part of this knowledge and skills. A professional development trajectory for this group is developed and tested, where a design based research is used to evaluate the design. This paper describes the professional development trajectory and design. We conclude that the professional development design should focus on mathematical knowledge for teaching, should refer to both teacher education and primary education, should offer opportunities for cooperative learning, and need to use practice based research as a developmental tool.
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Aim of this study 1. To examine the development of motor competence over time in primary school children. 2. To study differences in this development according to the SES of the child’s school district.
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Background: The environment affects children’s energy balance-related behaviors to a considerable extent. A context-based physical activity and nutrition school- and family-based intervention, named KEIGAAF, is being implemented in low socio-economic neighborhoods in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The aim of this study was to investigate: 1) the effectiveness of the KEIGAAF intervention on BMI z-score, waist circumference, physical activity, sedentary behavior, nutrition behavior, and physical fitness of primary school children, and 2) the process related to the implementation of the intervention. Methods: A quasi-experimental, controlled study with eight intervention schools and three control schools was conducted. The KEIGAAF intervention consists of a combined top-down and bottom-up school intervention: a steering committee developed the general KEIGAAF principles (top-down), and in accordance with these principles, KEIGAAF working groups subsequently develop and implement the intervention in their local context (bottom-up). Parents are also invited to participate in a family-based parenting program, i.e., Triple P Lifestyle. Children aged 7 to 10 years old (grades 4 to 6 in the Netherlands) are included in the study. Effect evaluation data is collected at baseline, after one year, and after two years by using a child questionnaire, accelerometers, anthropometry, a physical fitness test, and a parent questionnaire. A mixed methods approach is applied for the process evaluation: quantitative (checklists, questionnaires) and qualitative methods (observations, interviews) are used. To analyze intervention effectiveness, multilevel regression analyses will be conducted. Content analyses will be conducted on the qualitative process data. Discussion: Two important environmental settings, the school environment and the family environment, are simultaneously targeted in the KEIGAAF intervention. The combined top-down and bottom-up approach is expected to make the intervention an effective and sustainable version of the Health Promoting Schools framework. An elaborate process evaluation will be conducted alongside an effect evaluation in which multiple data collection sources (both qualitative and quantitative) are used.
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This study explored the dimensionality and measurement invariance of a multidimensional measure for evaluating teachers’ perceptions of the quality of their relationships with principals at the dyadic level. Participants were 630 teachers (85.9% female) from 220 primary and 204 secondary schools across the Netherlands. Teachers completed the 10-item Principal–Teacher Relationship Scale (PTRS) for their principals. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) provided evidence for a two-factor model, including a relational Closeness and Conflict dimension. Additionally, multigroup CFA results indicated strong invariance of the PTRS across school type, teacher gender, and teaching experience. Last, secondary school teachers and highly experienced teachers reported lower levels of Closeness and higher levels of Conflict in the relationship with their principal compared to primary school teachers and colleagues with less experience. Accordingly, the PTRS can be considered a valid and reliable measure that adds to the methodological repertoire of educational leadership research by focusing on both positive and negative aspects of dyadic principal–teacher relationships.
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Primary school teachers can enhance their teaching and provide inclusive education by using their students' cultural knowledge. Cultural knowledge, however, is a broad term and is often used as an abstract concept. To make this more concrete, we identified, organized, and categorized the concept of cultural knowledge through a scoping review. A literature search was conducted in five databases, and we included 84 studies. We identified twelve domains related to the students themselves, their families, and their communities. For example, students' ethnic background, families' home characteristics, and cultural identity. By concretizing the domains, schools and teachers can delve into the cultural knowledge of students and enrich their teaching in multicultural settings. Additionally, this research contributes to a conceptual understanding of cultural knowledge, providing a foundation for further research and practical application in educational settings to improve teaching strategies in multicultural settings.
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This paper investigates whether encouraging children to become more physically active in their everyday life affects their primary school performance. We use data from a field quasi‐experiment called the Active Living Program, which aimed to increase active modes of transportation to school and active play among 8‐ to 12‐year‐olds living in low socioeconomic status (SES) areas in the Netherlands. Difference‐in‐differences estimations reveal that while the interventions increase time spent on physical activity during school hours, they negatively affect school performance, especially among the worst‐performing students. Further analyses reveal that increased restlessness during instruction time is a potential mechanism for this negative effect. Our results suggest that the commonly found positive effects of exercising or participating in sports on educational outcomes may not be generalizable to physical activity in everyday life. Policymakers and educators who seek to increase physical activity in everyday life need to weigh the health and well‐being benefits against the probability of increasing inequality in school performance.
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The aim of the current study was to evaluate the one- and two-year effectiveness of the KEIGAAF intervention, a school-based mutual adaptation intervention, on the BMI z-score (primary outcome), and energy balance-related behaviors (secondary outcomes) of children aged 7–10 years. A quasi-experimental study was conducted including eight intervention schools and three control schools located in low socioeconomic neighborhoods in the Netherlands. Baseline measurements were conducted in March and April 2017 and repeated after one and 2 years. Data were collected on children’s BMI z-score, sedentary behavior (SB), physical activity (PA) behavior, and nutrition behavior through the use of anthropometric measurements, accelerometers, and questionnaires, respectively. All data were supplemented with demographics, and weather conditions data was added to the PA data. Based on the comprehensiveness of implemented physical activities, intervention schools were divided into schools having a comprehensive PA approach and schools having a less comprehensive approach. Intervention effects on continuous outcomes were analyzed using multiple linear mixed models and on binary outcome measures using generalized estimating equations. Intervention and control schools were compared, as well as comprehensive PA schools, less comprehensive PA schools, and control schools. Effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were calculated. In total, 523 children participated. Children were on average 8.5 years old and 54% were girls. After 2 years, intervention children’s BMI z-score decreased (B = -0.05, 95% CI -0.11;0.01) significantly compared to the control group (B = 0.20, 95% CI 0.09;0.31). Additionally, the intervention prevented an age-related decline in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) (%MVPA: B = 0.95, 95% CI 0.13;1.76). Negative intervention effects were seen on sugar-sweetened beverages and water consumption at school, due to larger favorable changes in the control group compared to the intervention group. After 2 years, the comprehensive PA schools showed more favorable effects on BMI z-score, SB, and MVPA compared to the other two conditions. This study shows that the KEIGAAF intervention is effective in improving children’s MVPA during school days and BMI z-score, especially in vulnerable children. Additionally, we advocate the implementation of a comprehensive approach to promote a healthy weight status, to stimulate children’s PA levels, and to prevent children from spending excessive time on sedentary behaviors.
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Basic motor competencies (BMC) belong to the key learning goals of Physical Education (PE) in primary school curricula in Europe. These competencies are necessary to participate in sports inside and outside of school. Children should therefore achieve age-adequate BMC in PE and any need for educational motor support should be identified at an early stage. Studies in German-speaking countries showed that various endogenous and exogenous factors are related to children’s BMC, but international studies are missing. In the present cross-sectional study, the two BMC areas object movement (OM) and self-movement (SM) as well as the associations with endogenous (age, sex, body mass index) and exogenous (participation in extracurricular sports) factors were investigated in 1721 8‑ to 10-year-old primary school children from nine European countries. Over 25% of the children showed need for educational motor support in OM and over 20% in SM. BMC levels differed significantly between the country-specific subsamples. In all subsamples, boys showed better performances in OM, while girls scored better in SM. Older children performed better in OM and SM than younger children. Higher body mass index predicted lower BMC scores in both competence areas. Participation in ball sports was positively associated with OM and SM, and individual sports participation was a significant predictor of SM. As exogenous and endogenous variables consistently predicted BMC in all subsamples, there must be other reasons for variation in BMC levels. Future studies should address country- and school-specific characteristics like content and amount of PE. Motorische Basiskompetenzen (basic motor competencies; BMC) gehören zu den wichtigsten Lernzielen des Sportunterrichts in den Lehrplänen der europäischen Grundschulen. Diese Kompetenzen sind notwendig, um innerhalb und außerhalb der Schule Sport treiben zu können. Kinder sollten daher im Sportunterricht altersgemäße BMC erwerben und etwaiger Förderbedarf sollte frühzeitig erkannt werden. Studien im deutschsprachigen Raum zeigten, dass verschiedene endogene und exogene Faktoren mit den BMC der Kinder zusammenhängen, jedoch fehlt es bisher an internationalen Studien. In der vorliegenden Querschnittsstudie wurden die beiden BMC-Bereiche Etwas-bewegen (object movement; OM) und Sich-bewegen (self-movement; SM) sowie deren Zusammenhänge mit endogenen (Alter, Geschlecht, Body-Mass-Index) und exogenen (Teilnahme an außerschulischem Sport) Faktoren bei 1721 8–10-jährigen Grundschulkindern aus neun europäischen Ländern untersucht. Über 25 % der Kinder wiesen Förderbedarf im Bereich OM auf und über 20 % im Bereich SM. Die BMC-Werte unterschieden sich signifikant zwischen den länderspezifischen Stichproben. In allen Teilstichproben zeigten die Jungen bessere Leistungen im OM, während die Mädchen im SM besser abschnitten. Ältere Kinder erbrachten bessere Leistungen als jüngere Kinder. Ein höherer Body-Mass-Index prognostizierte niedrigere BMC-Werte in beiden Kompetenzbereichen. Die Teilnahme an Ballsportarten stand in einem positiven Zusammenhang mit OM und SM, und die Teilnahme an Individualsportarten war ein signifikanter Prädiktor für SM. Da die exogenen und endogenen Variablen die BMC in allen Stichproben übereinstimmend vorhersagten, muss es andere Gründe für die Unterschiede im BMC-Niveau geben. Künftige Studien sollten länder- und schulspezifische Merkmale wie Inhalt und Umfang des Sportunterrichts untersuchen.
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Primary school design is balancing between end-user needs and societal interests, and between traditional and innovative approaches. In current approaches, an unbalance affects end-users’ performances and obstructs innovative school-building design. The institutional system of design should not only be more aware of adjusting the quality design indicators to end-users, but they should actually do it in combination with the increasing need for more innovation in school-building designs. Present guidelines emphasize objective rational societal and traditional interests but underestimate the subjective essences of individual end-user needs and the abilities of intelligent school buildings to meet important requirements for present and future learning environments. Based on universal human needs and dynamic mechanisms relationships, this article addresses a number of reasons that cause these mismatches. We present a theoretical analysis to establish Needs Centred Guidelines for primary school design as a methodological tool to improve the balance between the societal and end-users’ needs, and to give more insight into underlying patterns in design processes. The guidelines are based on a variety of end-user psychological, physiological and bio-physical needs. This article explains how this analytic approach contributes to the attention for end-user physical learning environment needs and to innovate school design.
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Limited evidence is available about (non)-representativeness of participants in health-promoting interventions. The Dutch Healthy Primary School of the Future (HPSF)-study is a school-based study aiming to improve health through altering physical activity and dietary behaviour, that started in 2015 (registered in ClinicalTrials.gov on14-06-2016, NCT02800616). The study has a response rate of 60%. A comprehensive non-responder analysis was carried out, and responders were compared with schoolchildren from the region and the Netherlands using a cross-sectional design. External sources were consulted to collect non-responder, regional, and national data regarding relevant characteristics including sex, demographics, health, and lifestyle. The Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, or Student's t-test were used to analyse differences.
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