Social Education Research

Parental Involvement in Assisting the Student in the Social Domain: The Educators' Perspective

Anat Korem — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0800

Parental involvement is one of the key issues in education that remains a constant part of the public and academic agenda, but little is known about the perspective of educators on parental involvement in assisting the student in the social domain. It is essential to throw light on this perspective in order to construct an effective parent-educator partnership in this domain. This qualitative study focuses on educators' perspectives (perceptions and strategies). It is based on analyses of 10 case studies perceived by educators as successful and 16 statements by educators, which were not connected to a specific case study, but expressed their views about parents generally. It was found that the educators' perceptions include positive and negative aspects. Three types of effective strategies have emerged from the data: creating good communication with parents, giving practical advice to parents, and driving positive change in the relations between the child and their parents. The conclusions point to aspects that should be emphasized in teacher education, particularly professional training in how to develop social competence in students.

Emotional Labor and Mental Health in Adult Education: Reintegration Among Deported Mexicans in Bilingual Call Centers Post-COVID 19

Carlos Samuel Ibarra, Rodolfo Cruz Piñeiro, Arturo Fabián Jiménez — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0800

This study investigates the role of bilingual call centers in Mexico as platforms for reintegration and skill development for Mexicans deported from the United States post-COVID-19. Utilizing a qualitative research framework, we conducted 30 in-depth interviews in Tijuana and Juarez, combined with ethnographic fieldwork, to explore the lived experiences of deported individuals working in these call centers. Our analysis reveals that while call centers provide critical employment opportunities and access to adult education, they also pose significant mental health challenges due to stressful work conditions and frequent exposure to caller abuse. The findings underscore the need for targeted policy interventions to improve work conditions and support the mental health of this vulnerable population. This paper contributes to the discourse on migration and adult education by highlighting the complex dynamics of bilingual call centers as both avenues for socio-economic reintegration and sources of psychological stress for deported Mexicans.

Enhancing Postgraduate Academic Writing Skills Through Course Reform: an Action Research Study

Lulu Zhang, Zhuo Wu — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0800

This action research study investigated the effectiveness of an academic English writing course reform for postgraduate students in science and technology disciplines at a Chinese university. The reform integrated interdisciplinary teaching approaches, genre-based pedagogy, collaborative learning, and AI-assisted writing tools to enhance students' academic writing skills, engagement, and satisfaction. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including pre- and post-tests, student surveys, interviews, and writing samples. The results showed significant improvements in students' overall writing performance, particularly in the dimensions of organization and language use. Comparative analyses across disciplines revealed the universality of the interdisciplinary teaching approach in promoting students' mastery of academic writing conventions and professional terminology. The integration of AIassisted writing tools, while offering potential benefits, also highlighted challenges that require careful consideration and management. The study provides valuable pedagogical implications, emphasizing the adoption of an interdisciplinary, genre-based teaching approach, systematic teacher training in innovative pedagogies, judicious incorporation of AIassisted writing tools, and ongoing, multidimensional writing assessment and feedback. Future research directions are proposed, including longitudinal studies, comparative analyses of AI-assisted writing tools, ethnographic explorations of writer and instructor identities, design-based research on innovative writing curricula, and cross-cultural investigations of the transferability of teaching reform measures. This study contributes to the advancement of academic writing instruction in postgraduate education and offers insights into the effective integration of technology and pedagogy in English for Academic Purposes.

Improving Pre-service English Teachers' TPACK in Teaching Contest

Fang Huang, Wenxin Zhang, Kailiang Lv — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0800

The development of pre-service teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) has attracted wide attention among scholars and teacher educators worldwide. However, few studies have explored preservice teachers' TPACK in the context of teaching contest. To fill the research gap, this study interviewed three preservice English teachers who participated in competitive teaching contest to uncover the influence of the teaching contest on their TPACK development. Findings suggested their TPACK was greatly developed through observations of role models, instructional design practice, peer collaboration, expert feedback, and self-reflection. Finding of the study enriched people's understanding of TPACK theory and provide valuable suggestions for pre-service teachers, university teacher training programs, and teacher educators to improve pre-service teachers' TPACK.