Journal of Elementary Education

Structural and Functional Model for the Socialization and Development of Children with Intellectual Disabilities in Group Work

Maria Aleksandrovich — 2024-09-26

The aim of the article is to introduce an effective structural and functional model for the socialization and development of these children through group work, implemented in out-of-school education institutions (SFM). The study presents a comprehensive model comprising target, substantive, organizational, procedural, result-oriented, and analytical components. It outlines content and methodological support for socialization and development in various areas, such as naturalistic, tourist, local history, artistic, and aesthetic domains. It also highlights the essential spatial-subject, psycho-didactic, and social conditions required for an inclusive educational environment.

Learning and Teaching Historical Content in Primary Education

Alena Letina — 2024-09-26

This paper presents the results of a study whose primary goal was to determine the level of future teachers’ knowledge of historical content taught in primary school, the ways they self-assess their abilities to organize the learning and teaching of historical content, and their beliefs about the possibilities of teaching history in primary education. The research was conducted using a survey of 157 fourth- and fifth-year students in teacher education programs. The results indicate that students demonstrate a satisfactory level of knowledge about historical content taught in primary education. They self-assess their skills for teaching of historical content as mostly developed and have positive beliefs about the possibilities of teaching and learning history at the primary education level.

Case Method Learning for Improving Critical Thinking Skills among Elementary School Students

Ainun Nafisah — 2024-09-26

This study aimed to analyse students’ critical thinking profiles and assess teachers’ needs for case method learning to improve critical thinking skills. The research method used was qualitative. The study’s results reveal that most students' mastered critical thinking skills profiles are indicators of reveals existing facts and drawing conclusions. However, indicators that students have not fully mastered critical thinking are formulating the key issues, selecting logical arguments, conducting analysis, and conducting evaluations. As a result, teachers require a learning method, precisely the case method, to encourage critical thinking skills.

Approaches to Educational Activities and Construction of an Informatics Curriculum

Darko Etinger — 2024-09-26

The research section of the paper explores elementary school students’ satisfaction with informatics. This research was carried out using the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Four subscales were used: Expectation, Satisfaction, Quality, and Values. The number of Croatian elementary school pupils investigated (from Brod-Posavina County) is 135 (N). Research results show that pupils have high expectations of informatics, including that it will progressively meet their expectations and help them to receive a quality education. It can also be concluded that the problems once faced by students, such as classroom and equipment quality, are becoming much smaller compared to previous years.

Cultural Heritage in Music Teaching: the Experience in Croatia

Mia Mucić — 2024-09-26

This study explores music teachers’ attitudes toward cultural heritage education and to what extent this subject matter is implemented in music lessons. The study included music teachers (N = 61) employed in Croatian elementary schools. The results show that music teachers have a very positive attitude towards the inclusion of cultural heritage education in music teaching and that music teachers believe such resources should be part of the music curriculum. The findings also show that some dissatisfaction is present among music teachers regarding the way such topics are presented in the music curriculum and their overall representation in music lessons.

Family Adjustment in Relation to the Academic Engagement of Pupils at Primary Level

Tauqeer Abdullah — 2024-09-26

Family adjustment is crucial for the child’s school obligations. This quantitative study was conducted to determine the significant relationship between the family adjustment of primary school pupils and their academic engagement. The pupils’ level of family adjustment was found to be positively and significantly related to their academic engagement (r = 619, p <.001). In addition, a small but significant difference was found between female students (M = 3.59) and male students (M = 3.43) regarding family adjustment. Also, a small but significant difference was found between female teachers (M = 3.61) and male teachers (M = 3.80) regarding pupils’ academic engagement.

Evidence-Based Education in Discourse around the Concept of Bildung

Tomislav Topolovcan — 2024-09-26

The aim of this study lies in the use of theoretically comparative and historically methodological approaches to elaborate, compare, and recapitulate the features, history and the relationship of evidence-based education and the concept of Bildung. The relationship of the continental European didactic and Anglo-American curricular tradition, as well as to the meaning of teacher autonomy and (inter)national external evaluations of student achievements will be given special attention. Evidence-based education degrades teacher autonomy. Constituting the synergy of these two concepts can be considered the contemporary Holy Grail of education, which will probably not be found in the theoretical-methodological differences.