Institute of Business Management, Karachi, Pakistan: Journal Management System
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Desire for English in Youth: An Exploratory Study of Language Learners in Pakistan
No full textEnglish being the official language is a source of prestige and necessary for recognition in Pakistan. Research studies usually debate the positive and negative influence of English on students in developing countries. However, the concept of desire attached with acquiring English is a less explored area. The present study attempts to understand the desire of Pakistani students majoring in English, for understanding their meaning-making for selecting English as their major. Using qualitative method, the data were collected through interviews, focus groups and mind-maps of students. The study participants were undergraduate students in a public university in the capital city Islamabad. The data were recorded, transcribed and coded using constructivist grounded theory for obtaining themes. The findings revealed that the youth’s association with English language is not just for gaining prestige; rather, they share deeper affiliations with includes a desire for acquiring the native persona, attaining global solidarity and achieving communicative competence. The attached desire with English language and its literature can have positive effect on students’ motivation to excel in their studies; however, unrealistic desires can harm students. The findings of the study hence, add to improvement in English language instruction and understanding of desires among the students
Psychological Well-being of University Teachers in Pakistan
Full text linkThe purpose of this study was to compare the psychological wellbeing of public and private university teachers in Pakistan. Psychological wellbeing is generally conceptualized as an interaction of positive effects such as happiness and optimal functioning of people in social and individual areas of life. Using multistage sampling technique, 437 university teachers in four public and private universities each were sampled for this study. Psychological Wellbeing Scale previously validated by Akin (2012) and others comprising 30 statements with 7 point Likert scale was adapted by the researchers. The study found that overall, male and female university teachers perceived similar level of psychological wellbeing. Female teachers; however, perceived higher score in different factors such as developing positive relations and self-acceptance. Unmarried teachers perceived more purposeful life and personal growth than married teachers, while married teachers perceived more autonomy than unmarried teachers. Further, the teachers did not significantly differ on psychological wellbeing based on their university location (public and private) and their teaching experience. The study found that teachers with higher ranks and designation significantly differed in their wellbeing than their colleagues with lower ranks.
Relative Efficiency of DCC Estimates via Different Algorithms
Full text linkVolatility plays an important role in capturing the variability in any series, hence multivariate volatility models helps us in figuring out the spillovers across variables. The observation of such spillovers plays a very crucial role in financial decision making. Starting from the pioneering works of [1] and [2] ARCH/ GARCH type models and their multivariate extensions are widely used for capturing volatility spillovers. Dynamic Conditional Correlation (DCC) model proposed by [3] is one of the most widely used multivariate GARCH model. As GARCH type models are non - linear in nature, hence their solutions vary across the algorithms used for their computation. Different algorithms are used in different software and thus give varying results. In this study, we are going to compute and compare DCC model estimates through different software. In our study SAS results would be considered as baseline estimates and the competing results would be obtained from Stata and R. We will model the DCC estimates between returns on NYSE and PSX indices data for the time period of September 2001 to August 2016.This study would help us to determine the relative efficiency and accuracy of algorithms used for estimating the DCC model
Comparative Study of Classroom Management Strategies employed by Public and Private School English Language Teachers
Full text linkThis research project was a comparative study of classroom management practices of English language teachers in secondary level public and private sector schools of Lahore. The purpose of the research was to establish the practices and the strategies used by the English language teachers. A total of 200 including 100 public sector and 100 private sector school teachers, teaching English language, were randomly selected for the present research using random sampling techniques. A close-ended questionnaire was developed by the researchers to collect data from the respondents. The researchers personally collected the data. After receiving the data they were entered into the spreadsheet of SPSS version 21.0. Different statistical techniques were used to analyze the data. Mean scores along with standard deviations were calculated in descriptive statistics. In inferential statistics, independent sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA were calculated. There were significant differences in the classroom management strategies used by public sector and private sector English language teachers. Policy recommendations were given for the administration of the schools to encourage EFL teachers to effectively use classroom management strategies
Measurement of Essential Skills in Mathematics: A Comparative Analysis of SSC (Grade-X) and GCE (O-Level) Exam Papers
Full text linkThe basic aim of any education system is the development of overall personality of a child but major focus of school education remains on the intellectual development of students. Mathematics is a compulsory subject in the school curriculum and is very effective in cognitive development, but, it does so if taught and assessed properly. SSC exams are very important for students as they are gauged on the basis of their results in these exams. Due to the importance of these exams, the major focus of teaching/learning process in the schools remains on achieving the highest possible grades in the exams. It is therefore, very important to have a deep investigation of the exam papers in order to know weather the items of these papers are measuring essential mathematical skills or not. To achieve the purpose, this study has scrutinized the papers of SSC (Grade-10) for the years 2014/2015, set by Board of Secondary Education Karachi. Items used in these papers were examined and categorized according to the levels of Mathematical Assessment Task Hierarchy (MATH) taxonomy. These items were then compared with the items of GCE (O-Level) mathematics papers, serving as benchmark papers in this study, to highlight the shortcomings. The results of the study revealed that the items of SSC papers are highly biased towards A1 (Factual Knowledge) and A2 (Routine Procedures) categories of the taxonomy. The study concluded that these items assess knowledge of facts and algorithms only and do not measure essential mathematical skills (involvement of higher levels of thinking processes) of students. As, the papers of board exams highly affect teaching/learning process, it is recommended to improve the items of papers so that essential mathematical skills can be measured. The study recommends focusing on application and problem solving skills rather than the capacity of memorization because with this practice thinking habits can not be inculcated among students which are necessary to compete with other nations in this era of globalization
Impact of Community Service Learning on the Social Skills of Students
Full text linkNowadays many high schools and universities are promoting community service-learning program by making it a part of the admission process; therefore, students participate in community service learning program to get admission in an institution of their choice. However, after completing the community service program, they see themselves as more socially responsible citizens. This qualitative study aimed to explore the impact of community service learning on the social skills of students. The study employed a qualitative method by randomly selecting twenty-five students for the focused group interviews from five different O- level schools situated in middle socio-economic locality. The results revealed that a community service-learning program has a positive impact on the social skills of O-level students. Besides, students had also a positive learning experience. Findings of the study indicated that the awareness to encourage community service in schools is grounded on the acceptance that it does not only give students extra credit points but serving others or one’s community also makes them better citizens. Based on the advantages and positive experiences of students, the study recommends to include a more inclusive model of service-learning to a school curriculum.
College and Career Readiness through High School Experiential Learning in the United States
No full textThis study has explored the perceptions of recent high school graduates in the United States about their levels of preparedness for post-secondary life after they engaged in experiential learning while in high school. A qualitative, phenomenological methodology was utilized whereby data were collected through a three-level interview protocol applied to a sample of participants (n = 10). Four of the participants were attending a two-year community college, three were employed in their area of interest, and three were both employed and attending college. Using the analytical procedures of phenomenological reduction, constant comparison analysis was employed whereby ongoing data collection informed recursive data analysis. As a result of a reductive coding procedure that included open coding, axial code grouping, major thematic identification, and finally, a major finding statement with four themes emerged that included experiential learning as a readiness factor, exposure to college and career experiences, college and career planning, skills and dispositions, and learning. Implications and recommendations are offere
Exploring the Effects of Teacher Education on Teacher Quality and Student Achievement in Pakistan
No full textAmongst a variety of resources present, a teacher is considered to be the primary tool for enhancing the process of student learning. To be able to act as effective “agents of change” for their student, the teacher needs to enhance personal and pedagogical skills which can primarily be achieved through teacher education. This paper aims to be contributing to a broader understanding of language teacher education in the context of Pakistan. Employing a case study research method, the present study explored the ways in which teachers’ pre-service education affects teacher quality and student learning. A total of two tertiary-level novice teachers and seven first year undergraduate students from a public sector university in Pakistan participated in this study. Data were generated using teacher observation, teacher and student interviews, document analysis including teacher lesson plans and diary, course outlines and students’ work samples. Thematic analysis of the data showed contradictory results between the classroom practices of the teachers and their effect on students’ learning. The teacher with pre-service education used appropriate methodology and made well informed decisions which resulted in improvement of students’ learning. In contrast, the other teacher used traditional modes of teaching. Though happy with the classes, students found no practical use of what they learnt in the lessons. The study concludes that pre-service teacher education should to be made compulsory for individuals who wish to become teachers
Job Stress Among ECE Teachers of Karachi
Full text linkThis research was aimed at discovering the levels of job stress among Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers of Karachi and the contribution of their marital status on job stress. The research method was quantitative in nature, for which two hypotheses were formed. First hypothesis assumed that the ECE teachers of Karachi would have a significant level of job stress and the second assumed that there would be a noteworthy dissimilarity between the scores of job stress of married and single teachers of ECE. For this purpose, 127 single and married ECE teachers from schools of Karachi responded to an adapted form of Job Stress Inventory (JSI), which measured their level of overall job stress. The results revealed that the ECE teachers of private schools of Karachi did not face any significant level of job stress and both, married and single ECE teachers experienced the same level of stress at job
Perceptions of International Student Mobility: A Qualitative Case Study of Pakistan
No full textInternational Student Mobility (ISM) is progressively becoming a significant aspect of the higher education scenario. The universal higher education milieu has undergone a tremendous change due to ISM as the number of students going abroad for higher education is growing incessantly with every passing year. Pakistan is a developing country that has experienced increasing ISM in the last forty years. Despite all academic and professional opportunities available to students, they desire to go abroad for higher education and settle down there, causing brain drain in the country. This research study attempts to identify the determinants of international student mobility from the perspective of either students, who are in the process of enrolling in international universities or those who are aspiring to go abroad for higher studies. This study used qualitative research approach based on interpretivism paradigm. A total of 14 students from different public and private sector universities participated, out of which nine were male and five were female with ages between 18 and 24 years approximately. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the subjective data. The findings brought to light key academic, professional and social motivations of individuals for studying abroad. These findings can act as a guideline for higher education institutions and national policy makers to draft policies and strategies that might enable reversal of the vicious phenomena of brain drain