Jeannette Doornenbal

Attractor States in Teaching and Learning Processes: A Study of Out-of-School Science Education

In order for out-of-school science activities that take place during school hours but outside the school context to be successful, instructors must have sufficient pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) to guarantee high-quality teaching and learning. We argue that PCK is a quality of the instructor-pupil system that is constructed in real-time interaction. When PCK is evident in real-time interaction, we define it as Expressed Pedagogical Content Knowledge (EPCK). The aim of this study is to empirically explore whether EPCK shows a systematic pattern of variation, and if so whether the pattern occurs in recurrent and temporary stable attractor states as predicted in the complex dynamic systems theory. This study concerned nine out-of-school activities in which pupils of upper primary school classes participated. A multivariate coding scheme was used to capture EPCK in real time. A principal component analysis of the time series of all the variables reduced the number of components. A cluster revealed general descriptions of the components across all cases. Cluster analyses of individual cases divided the time series into sequences, revealing High-, Low-, and Non-EPCK states. High-EPCK attractor states emerged at particular moments during activities, rather than being present all the time. Such High-EPCK attractor states were only found in a few cases, namely those where the pupils were prepared for the visit and the instructors were trained.

Development of the language proficiency of five- to seven-year-olds in rural areas

ABSTRACT Rural children are a largely understudied population in language and literacy research, despite the fact that these children often enter school with delays in their language development. Since most rural areas suffered from so-called selective rural outmigration, many parents in rural areas are lower or middle educated. The home literacy climate, however, depends not only on the educational level of parents, but also on their lifestyle. In this study, we examined whether parental educational level and literacy use – as a feature of parental lifestyle – predict the language skills of children in Grade 1 in Northeast Netherlands. Structural equation modelling analyses revealed that the effect of parental literacy use on code-related skills is only significant in K-1 and K-2. In Grade 1, however, literacy use had a modest effect on oral language skills. The findings stress the importance of parents’ literacy use for informational purposes.

Competenties van leerkrachten in het samenwerken met ouders: een literatuurstudie

Waarom vinden veel leerkrachten het lastig en draaien anderen hun hand er niet voor om? Waarom zijn sommige ouders dik tevreden over het contact met de leerkracht van hun kind en ervaren anderen frustraties? Om leerkrachten te ondersteunen in hun handelingsverlegenheid is er een ruim aanbod aan cursussen, trainingen en handboeken. Geadviseerd wordt om te werken aan een breed scala aan sociale en communicatieve vaardigheden. Vaak zijn deze vaardigheden heel algemeen geformuleerd en ontbreekt het in veel gevallen aan een onderbouwing van deze vaardigheden. Om (beginnende) leerkrachten adequaat voor te bereiden op de samenwerking met ouders is het noodzakelijk te weten welke specifieke competenties een leerkracht nodig heeft. De vraag in dit artikel is dan ook: Welke specifieke competenties zijn blijkens de onderzoeksliteratuur voor leerkrachten van belang in het samenwerken met ouders? Deze literatuurstudie maakt duidelijk dat er weinig zicht is op de specifieke competenties die een leerkracht nodig heeft om met ouders samen te kunnen werken. Er wordt vooral gesproken over sociale en communicatieve competenties in algemene zin en het aanbod (trainingen, cursussen en handboeken) om leerkrachten te helpen in de interactie met ouders is breed en ongericht. Onze literatuurstudie levert vier specifieke leerkrachtcompetenties op die van belang zijn in de samenwerking met ouders: 1) een uitnodigende houding , 2) omgaan met diversiteit, 3) ouders zien als waardevolle partners, 4) gericht op empowerment.

Twenty Years of Community Schools in Groningen: A Dutch Case Study

The community schools in Groningen, the capital city of the province in the north-eastern part of the Netherlands, provide an important advanced exemplar because it dovetails with urban development. The authors reflect on the development and impact of community schools over the last 20 years, and they describe in detail the critical features of the original design, its implementation and scale-up in primary education, as well as the characteristics of the redesign and implementation that currently is underway. This two decade journey clearly demonstrates the importance of, collaborative leadership for complex systems change. Examples of systems change priorities include policy support and innovation; powerful, cross-boundary governance structures; regular assessments (so that services match child and family needs); embedded program evaluations (with a priority for implementation fidelity); and active participation of higher education institutes. This journey features the rationale for the new design; the relationships with the city, universities and other stakeholders; and last but not least, planning for sustainability, continuous improvement and accountability. Together these several developmental milestones and systems change achievements are impressive and nominate this approach as an international exemplar.