The purpose of this study was to explore one novice clinical educator's experiences with training essential communication and interpersonal skills using a virtual patient. Over 3 weeks, the clinical educator (CE) delivered a series of half-day clinical placements to students using an educator-controlled virtual patient, depicting an older adult…

Social Stories™ have been found to be an effective intervention in supporting the improvement of social capabilities for children with autism. However, there are no studies that discuss the possible cultural implications in their implementation and classroom use. For instance, there has been little discussion on the cultural connotations presented…

Stories in one form or another have been used for thousands of years to influence social behaviour. A social story is a short story created specifically for an individual with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and focuses on social skills (e.g. initiating conversations) that need to be developed for him or her or on helping the individual adjust…

This study investigates the impact of implementing collaborative learning from a social and dialogical perspective on seventh graders' interaction in an English as a foreign language classroom at a public school in Bogotá, Colombia. Thirty students participated in this action research where field notes, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews,…

The embedment of soft skills into education programs in higher education is closely related to the curriculum philosophy brought by the respective institutions. The soft skills are embedded through understanding belief systems and practices among the teacher trainers. Furthermore it provides an insight into the curriculum philosophy on how to…

This instrumental case study reports on the unique experiences of a secondary school teacher who was a victim of learner cyberbullying. This teacher experienced severe emotional distress, family stress, anxiety, anger, intense humiliation and loss of dignity as a result of cyberbullying. On a professional level he felt unsupported by his teachers'…

Children with ADHD often experience academic challenges and interpersonal difficulties which may impact their educational success. Using a case study approach, the authors explored the experiences of a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a fifth grade school setting. Findings indicated that the student had an elevated…

Successful transition from preschool to primary school is believed to have long-term positive effects on a child's academic performance and social competence. In this study, data were gathered from preschool teachers, primary schoolteachers and parents through the use of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, on their perceptions and…

It is widely acknowledged that traditional teaching methods such as lectures, textbooks and case study techniques on their own are not adequate to improving the most in-demand employability skills for graduates. The aim of this article is to explore the potential impact that novel learning and teaching methods can have on improving the…

Torey Hayden's teacher stories are first-person accounts of being a teacher in classrooms for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Hayden's books offer readers a real-world look at the joys and challenges of teaching children whose lives are marked by emotional and behavioral disorders, child abuse and trauma, anger and defeat.…

This article reports an investigation of the musical and extra-musical outcomes of participation in a music programme for students in four socio-economically disadvantaged school settings. Drawing on the theory of Positive Youth Development, which provides a focus on the positive assets young people bring to their engagement rather than perceived…

Both in Europe and in North America, teacher education plays a key role in guaranteeing an inclusive school for all and, in particular, is crucial for preparing teachers working with diverse students. However, because of the lack of consistent empirical research in this field, the elements that qualify an effective initial training for teachers…

This study argues that student-centred methods in the teaching of physics can be beneficial for students' enculturation into the discipline and into a physicist's profession. Interviews conducted with academics and students from six master degrees in physics in three different European countries suggest that student-driven classroom activities,…

The aim of this study was to explore teachers' (n = 17) experience with the Second Step program (1986) as a tool for teaching social competence through semi-structured interviews. Findings suggest that use of the program had a positive influence on the teachers' overall teaching techniques and their broader social behaviour. The majority of the…

As well as other school subjects, physical education (PE) is emerging in terms of integrating information and communication technology (ICT) into regular classes. Such innovative teaching practices that implement ICT in PE involve diverse parties that are affected by these teaching processes. Students, principals, districts, parents,…