Interdisciplinary and integrated teaching approaches, particularly within the STEAM framework, have been increasingly recognized as effective ways to enhance students' conceptual understanding, motivation, and engagement, as well as to support physically active learning in primary education when integrated with Physical Education. Given the central role of teachers in implementing such approaches, it is important to examine their attitudes and teaching practices related to interdisciplinary integration. The aim of this study was to investigate primary school teachers' attitudes toward the integration of Physical Education (PE) and science content into mathematics classes, as well as the practices they currently implement. The research was conducted on a sample of 263 primary school teachers in Serbia using a questionnaire consisting of two attitude scales and four closed-ended questions. The results indicate that the majority of teachers reported having integrated both PE and science content into mathematics classes at least once, with interdisciplinary integration implemented, on average, in approximately one quarter of mathematics lessons. Teachers expressed generally positive attitudes toward both forms of integration, with more favorable attitudes toward science-mathematics integration. Educational level was found to be a significant factor influencing attitudes toward PE-mathematics integration, whereas years of work experience did not significantly affect attitudes toward either PE-mathematics or sciencemathematics integration. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening initial teacher education and professional development programs to better support interdisciplinary and integrated teaching practices in primary education.
The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a 12-week strength- and endurance-based exercise program on the fundamental motor skills (FMS) of preschool children. A total of 47 children were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (EG; n = 25, mean age 6.3 ± 0.3 years) or a control group (CG; n = 22, mean age 5.9 ± 0.3 years). The EG participated in strength and endurance exercises three times per week for 30 minutes, while the CG took part in regular kindergarten activities. FMS were assessed before and after the intervention using the Test of Gross Motor Development, Second Edition. Raw and standardized scores were calculated for locomotor skills, object control skills, and overall gross motor skills. Based on a two-way ANOVA, significant group × time interactions were found in three locomotor tasks (running, hopping, and sliding) and three object control tasks (overhand throwing, underhand rolling, and striking a ball). Post hoc analysis revealed significant improvements from pre- to post-test in the EG, but not in the CG. Positive effects of the program were observed in both raw and standardized scores for locomotor skills (p ≤ .01), object control skills (p ≤ .02), and overall gross motor skills (p ≤ .01), with moderate to large effect sizes (ηp² = .12 – .42). These findings highlight the importance of integrating structured physical exercise programs into early childhood education.
The aim of this paper is to examine primary school students’ perceptions of an integrative teaching model that combines Music Education and English as a Foreign Language, with listening as the central skill in both subject areas. The study was conducted in May 2025 with a sample of fourth-grade primary school students (n = 56), who were interviewed immediately after the lesson. An exploratory research design with a qualitative emphasis, supplemented by descriptive quantitative data, was employed. The research objectives were to examine students' perceptions of the key elements of an innovative lesson. Students’ responses were analyzed qualitatively, and the findings indicated positive perceptions of the main elements of the instructional model: the use of a story in English as a motivational tool for listening to music, the integration of lesson stages through a shared task involving the connection of visual content with the story and the musical composition, and the application of vocabulary from the story when describing elements of the musical composition in English. These findings were complemented by quantitative results obtained from students’ performance on a test assessing their understanding of the musical composition and their ability to apply vocabulary from the story in a new context. Despite certain limitations, which are discussed in the paper, the findings suggest that students perceived the lesson positively and indicate the potential of the proposed integrative teaching model for Music Education and English as a Foreign Language, with listening as its central focus.
The development of multiplicative thinking represents one of the key steps in the mathematical education of early primary school students. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of different instructional approaches on students’ achievement and their choice of strategies when solving visually represented multiplication tasks. The study was conducted on a sample of 89 second-grade primary school students, who were divided into two experimental groups and one control group. In the first experimental group, instruction was organized through a combination of visual representations and arithmetic rules, while in the second group the use of representations was linked to tasks of different semantic structures. The control group learned multiplication through an approach based on the equal groups model and repeated addition. The results indicate a statistically significant greater improvement in the experimental groups compared to the control group, as well as a higher prevalence of more efficient multiplicative strategies. In particular, rectangular arrays and decade-based representations stand out, as their use supports the development of flexible multiplication strategies.
The aim of this study was to examine the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Leisure Satisfaction Scale in a sample of pedagogy students. Additionally, the paper provides a descriptive insight into patterns of leisure time satisfaction within this specific academic population. The study was conducted on a convenience sample of 249 pedagogy students from the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad. The factor structure was examined using principal component analysis with Promax rotation, and reliability was assessed using McDonald’s ω and Cronbach’s α coefficients. Horn’s parallel analysis and the Guttman-Kaiser criterion indicated a five-factor solution explaining 63.2% of the total variance. In contrast to the original six-factor structure of the instrument, comprising psychological, educational, social, relaxation, physical, and aesthetic dimensions, the first two dimensions were integrated into a single psychological-educational factor in the sample of pedagogy students. The remaining factors retained a structure consistent with the original factor solution, with no deviations in item distribution. The Scale demonstrated high internal consistency (ω = .77-.89; α = .75-.89). Descriptive data suggest that pedagogy students are most satisfied with the relaxation aspect of leisure time, while the lowest satisfaction is expressed in the physical dimension. The findings confirm that the instrument is valid and reliable for use in pedagogical settings.
