https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/26880 2026-04-11T14:14:46Z 2026-04-11T14:14:46Z Deguara, Josephine Milton, Josephine Bonello, Charmaine Camilleri, Rosienne Muscat, Tania https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/130146 2025-12-29T09:46:13Z 2024-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: How COVID-19 made inequalities visible : a chronicle of parental struggles in securing educational support and opportunities for children amid a pandemic Authors: Deguara, Josephine; Milton, Josephine; Bonello, Charmaine; Camilleri, Rosienne; Muscat, Tania Abstract: This paper aims to explore the educational inequalities heightened by the pandemic, as experienced by children aged 0 – 11 years from their parents’ perspective within their homes. Two online questionnaires were held that addressed the shift to remote teaching during school closure in Malta. Findings show that the parents’ level of education, their financial ability, and the time they could dedicate to assisting their children, affected the children’s learning opportunities. The study recommends the need for policymakers to address the still-existing digital, social and economic inequities to continue working towards a socially just education system post-pandemic.

2024-12-01T00:00:00Z Mizzi, Diane M. Calleja, James https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/129978 2024-12-17T10:39:50Z 2024-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Using lesson study to implement the CPA approach in a Mathematics primary classroom Authors: Mizzi, Diane M.; Calleja, James Abstract: Throughout their career, several teachers seek to improve their professional practice through various means. Lesson study, a collaborative approach to teacher professional development, involves educators working together over an extended period of time to improve teaching and learning. The cyclical process involves identifying a learning goal, preparing a lesson plan, implementing the lesson, reflecting on student learning and revising the lesson plan. This article illustrates the process of a lesson study which was implemented in a local state primary school. This lesson study, conducted as part of the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Management course at the University of Malta, focused on teaching mathematics through the concrete-pictorial-abstract (CPA) approach.

2024-12-01T00:00:00Z Camilleri, Ylenia Formosa, Laura Calleja, James https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/129977 2024-12-17T10:35:35Z 2024-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Improving vocabulary and facilitating comprehension : the case of a Maltese lesson study in a primary school setting Authors: Camilleri, Ylenia; Formosa, Laura; Calleja, James Abstract: Lesson study or Jugyokenkyu is based on a Japanese model of teacher professional development (PD). This PD model fosters reflective practice and can help teachers to become more effective practitioners. It involves a collaborative process of planning, teaching, observation, evaluation and reflection. This lesson study, which involved two lesson trials, aimed to improve teaching and learning the Maltese language, targeting two classes of Year 3 students, aged 8 years. Each lesson was 70 minutes long and involved students in speaking, listening, reading and writing tasks. The focus was to improve their vocabulary and facilitate comprehension. The tasks supported reading comprehension by enabling students to learn new vocabulary through a multi-faceted approach. Discussions in pairs presented ample opportunities for collaborative learning and to use the vocabulary in context. Furthermore, posing higher order questions stimulated student thinking and promoted critical thinking skills, encouraging students to use more complex vocabulary. The results show that lesson study was beneficial for teachers to plan a well-structured lesson through ongoing collaboration and group reflection. The knowledgeable other was instrumental in lesson design, and in fostering teachers' professional growth.

2024-12-01T00:00:00Z Cremona, Jessica Calleja, James Formosa, Laura https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/129970 2024-12-17T08:54:03Z 2024-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Lesson study in a Maltese primary state school : using different operations in mathematics problem solving Authors: Cremona, Jessica; Calleja, James; Formosa, Laura Abstract: This report explores the lesson study process undertaken to improve Year 4 students’ mathematics problem-solving skills in a Maltese primary state school. It specifically focuses on their ability to identify and apply the correct operations in mathematics problems. A team of educators, including three Year 4 teachers, the assistant head in charge of the year group, the mathematics head of department and members of the Faculty of Education at the University of Malta, collaboratively designed and refined the lesson through two trial implementations. The first lesson trial revealed specific challenges, leading to targeted adjustments. Following changes to the lesson plan, observations during the second lesson trial indicated significant improvements in student engagement and understanding. These findings were shared with the wider school community, leading to the decision by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to adopt lesson study as a whole-school approach. The process demonstrated the effectiveness of collaborative planning, on-going reflective practice and continuous improvement in enhancing both teaching practices and student outcomes.

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