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Utilization of English Textbook for Developing Factually Observational Learning Exposure and Reflective Synthesizing Skills of Bilingual Students in Private Schools of Karachi
Get PDFUtilization of English textbooks for developing Factually Observational Learning Exposure (FOLE) and Reflective Synthesizing Skills (RSS) of bilingual students remains a challenging pursuit for English teachers in Pakistan. This quantitative research measures the views of 600 ELTs from both genders through a questionnaire bearing 45 items related to pragmatics utilized in activities related to FOLE & RSS in local English textbooks, learning outcomes and hurdles in the second language acquisition process of bi-lingual students while considering affective factors. Results have shown that English teachers agreed that FOLE & RSS-related activities were neither provided in locally prescribed English textbooks nor utilized by the English teachers to develop bilingual students\u27 integrated language skills. This study recommends that reading must be harnessed with speaking, writing and listening skills in local English textbooks for better exposure to FOLE and promoting the RSS. Finally, the pragmatics in English language textbooks should be aligned with the activities related to FOLE & RSS in locally prescribed English textbooks from the pedagogical perspective
Successes and Challenges of Online Teaching: Evidence from Primary and Secondary Schools of Sindh
Get PDFThis study explores the key challenges and successes experienced by teachers and students in primary and secondary schools during this transition. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, quantitative data were collected from 160 teachers, while qualitative insights were derived from nine semi-structured interviews and three focus group discussions with teachers across public, private, and partnership schools. Major challenges included digital illiteracy, unstable internet access, and limited infrastructure. However, increased teacher adaptability, digital content delivery, and professional development in private schools emerged as key successes. The findings highlight the need for improved infrastructure, equitable digital access, and sustained teacher training. Policy recommendations emphasise the integration of blended learning and strong institutional support to enhance online education outcomes in Sindh
Using Technology to Create Simulations that Aid Content Comprehension of Pre-Service Teachers in Karachi
Get PDFThis paper presents a qualitative study on the use of technology to create simulations and other meaningful digital experiences that enhance the content comprehension of pre-service teachers enrolled in a B.Ed. (Hons) program in Karachi, Pakistan. The study focuses on how a mathematics pedagogy course used digital tools for the teaching of mathematical concepts, like GeoGebra, to create interactive simulations to illustrate trigonometric ratios and their relationship to angle measures. It also examines how a social studies pedagogy course used Google Earth and Google Arts & Culture websites to create immersive virtual experiences of historical and geographical concepts. The paper presents the subjective experiences of student-teachers from the aforementioned courses as recipients of this technology-based pedagogy. Student-teachers reported that the simulations, virtual field trips, and other interactive and immersive digital experiences used in their mathematics and social studies pedagogy courses helped them visualise complex ideas and relationships, which strengthened their content comprehension and increased their motivation to learn
Paid Academic Writing Services: A Growing Challenge to Academic Integrity of Higher Education, Pakistan
Get PDFThis study aimed to explore the phenomenon of Paid Academic Writing Services (PAWS), a growing challenge to academic integrity in Professional Education in Pakistan. As the exploratory case study method was used to investigate, the researchers adopted a predesigned interview guide to collect data from faculty members currently serving at the Business Schools in Pakistan. The findings of the study confirm two patterns of the Academic Writing Services (AWS), commonly used in the Pakistani context, including paid and unpaid services. The first pattern includes the process where students outsource the completion of their academic tasks, including assignments, quizzes, research papers and theses to a third party that is otherwise to be accomplished by themselves. The second pattern includes the process where students have their friends or family members complete an assignment and submit it as their work. The findings of the study also highlight the challenges faced by the faculty members in preventing the PAWS. The study recommends that higher educational institutes in Pakistan develop, under the supervision of HEC, an effective policy and mechanism to ensure the fundamental values of academic integrity
Conglomerating Inquiry-Based Learning and Mind Mapping to Promote Science Learning
Get PDFThis study aimed to assess 8th-grade students’ learning achievements in General Science by integrating inquiry-based learning with mind mapping strategies. This quantitative study utilised a quasi-experimental design with a control group and an experimental group, using intact groups, focusing on the General Science content. Lessons for teaching the experimental group were prepared by researchers and validated by experts. Whereas a test to assess pre- and post learning of the students of both groups was developed from three units of General Science based on MCQS, Short Questions and Long Questions. The test was validated by experts and pilot tested for item analysis. The finalised test was used as pre and post measurement of learning in two levels: understanding and application. After the conduct of the experiment for eight weeks, the results of both groups were compared using a t-test. The results of both groups were significantly different, indicating that the experimental group performed better on both understanding and application levels. Therefore, it is concluded that inquiry-based learning, coupled with mind mapping, is effective for the enhancement of understanding and application of concepts for eighth-grade general science students. It is recommended that inquiry-based teaching, coupled with mind mapping, may be used to teach General Science to female students
Fear of Negative Evaluation and Self-Criticism as Determinants of Self-Esteem in College Students: A Mediational Analysis
Get PDFThe present study aimed to find the role of fear of negative evaluation (FNE) and Self-Criticism (SC) in determining the Self-Esteem (SE) of college-going individuals in District Multan. This study was correlational research conducted through the survey method. Data was collected from college boys and girls, approached through convenient sampling. The data was analysed using Pearson correlation, Regression, and Mediation analysis through Hayes’s PROCESS macro. The findings reveal that FNE has a significant negative relationship with the SE. Regression analysis shows a significant impact of FNE on the SE of college students. The direct effect of FNE on SE was significant and negative. The indirect effect indicated a significant mediating effect of SC. The findings highlight the significance of the statistical model and explain that FNE and SC are strong predictors of SE in college students. This study can help develop intervention and support systems for college individuals struggling with these issues that affect their SE, which leads to further issues
Effects of Design Thinking on Learners’ Motivation at Higher Education Level
Get PDFThis study aimed to examine the effects of design thinking on learners’ motivation, with respect to their effective engagement and problem-solving capability. A pre-designed questionnaire having pre-selected constructs and items was used to collect data from the targeted learners currently enrolled in the institutes offering educational programs in Karachi to measure the selected variables. The findings revealed the impact of design thinking on learners’ motivation towards learning to be insignificant. Similarly, the indirect impact of design thinking on learners’ motivation, with the mediating role of effective engagement and problem-solving capability of learners, was also found to be insignificant. However, the impact of design thinking on the effective engagement and problem-solving capability of the learners was found to be significant. The study recommends awareness sessions for pre-service teachers to integrate design thinking in their teaching methods. It also recommends integrated curricula and workshops, and training sessions organisation to foster a growth mindset of future teachers for integrating the design thinking into their teaching methods. It also recommends that teachers use project-based learning in their classrooms to engage their students in real-world projects that require design thinking
Exploring Science and Maths Teachers’ Perceptions of STEM Education in Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan
Get PDFThis qualitative case study explores the perceptions of secondary school science and mathematics teachers regarding STEM education in the context of Hunza. Data was collected from 10 teachers via a multi-method approach, including semi-structured interviews, personal meaning mapping, photo elicitation, and document analysis of lesson plans. Thematic analysis of the data revealed three overarching themes. First, teachers hold multiple, nuanced definitions of STEM education, primarily conceptualising it as integrated learning, technology-based instruction, a student-centred pedagogical approach, and, in one instance, specifically as robotics. Second, teachers perceived significant multifaceted benefits for students, including heightened motivation and active engagement, the development of robust problem-solving and critical thinking skills, early awareness of STEM career pathways, and a marked increase in student confidence. Third, teachers faced substantial systemic and operational challenges in implementation, such as profound difficulties in forming integrated STEM instruction due to a lack of cross-disciplinary content knowledge, lack of specialised in-service training, overwhelming time constraints within a rigid curriculum, and a pervasive lack of administrative and resource support. The study finds a significant gap between acknowledging STEM\u27s importance and effectively implementing it. Thus, it recommends a comprehensive strategy that includes creating a clear, localised definition of STEM through collaboration, providing ongoing teacher training, reforming the curriculum for flexibility, and increasing administrative support and funding
Voices in Exile: Postcolonial Identity and Muslim Immigrant Experience in Abdulrazak Gurnah\u27s Admiring Silence
Get PDFThis study examines the themes of postcolonial identity, exile, cultural hybridity and the experience of the Muslim immigrant in Abdulrazak Gurnah\u27s novel Admiring Silence (1996). The study is concerned with racial and cultural issues of the diaspora Muslim immigrants. Using a postcolonial approach, the research explores the character\u27s struggle to find their identity and belonging, both domestically and abroad in the countries of their origin and the societies in which they live. The study sheds light on the complex identities of characters shaped by the dynamics of postcolonial experiences, including immigration, cultural hybridity, and racial and religious identity. The present study uses a descriptive-analytical approach in the postcolonial context. The findings show the protagonist\u27s experience of a cultural displacement and fragmented sense of selfhood as he struggles to balance the racial, national, and religious identities that he is forced to adopt by both his homeland and his life in exile. The research aims to introduce new knowledge into the multidimensional human experience of Muslim immigrants living in exile and to reveal their sufferings of alienation, identity loss, and a sense of belonging
Implementation of Social-Emotional Learning in Public Sector Schools in Sindh: Investigating Educators’ Beliefs
Get PDFSocial-Emotional Learning (SEL) is a systematic approach through which individuals, particularly pupils, develop and apply the understanding, abilities, and attitudes necessary for creating healthy identities. Both adults and students can benefit from SEL as it helps empower them and reduce inequalities. According to research, teachers are vital for developing social and emotional competencies in students. Through semi-structured interviews with government school teachers in the districts of Shaheed Benazirabad and Matiari in Sindh province, this qualitative study seeks to explore how instructors in public sector schools perceive and comprehend SEL and how it is implemented in their classrooms. The findings reveal that while the teachers demonstrated adequate awareness of SEL, they significantly lacked its deeper understanding (SEL facets outlined in the CASEL framework). The participants cited several barriers, including the socio-cultural factors and institutional barriers, all contributing towards the lack of implementation of SEL. They further highlighted the inefficient role of the government in aiding teachers to implement SEL for students. The study contributes to understanding how teachers perceive SEL and underscores the need for the Government of Sindh to implement interventions that foster SEL into educational practices for the holistic development of students in schools