Pakistan Journal of Education
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A Multinational Study of the Determinants of Student Achievement in Mathematics and Science: Policy Options for Pakistan
Get PDFEnhancing quality of learning for students has remained a primary target of states and economies around the world. Education systems around the world consider student test scores as objective measures (though with limited explanatory power) to determine the “quality” of student learning. Various strategies are adopted to enhance this matric. One tool that schools use to improve student achievement in the form of test scores has been teacher evaluation. In recent decades, teacher evaluation has come into the spotlight around the world in the current policy debates, reforms, and policy analyses. Therefore, as a significant contribution to the current policy environment, this study explores determinants of student achievement by analyzing data on student background, school traits, teacher evaluation, and country traits. It employs a robust dataset using two surveys i.e., Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009 and Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2008. Using Ordinary Least Squares as the analytic model, the study explores relationships between test scores in Mathematics and Science and determinants of student achievement at student, school, and country levels. The study finds mixed results for developmental and high-stakes approaches to teacher evaluation. Powerful associations between determinants of achievement at student, school, and country level suggest that it is important to explore implications of these factors on student achievement in schools
An Experimental Study of the Performance of Prospective Teachers of Flipped Classroom and Non-Flipped Classroom
Get PDFVideo-recording of lectures and creating of podcasts for playback on the computer and other portable devices which accommodate the new formats of self-developed learning are identified as flipped classroom. The study was focused on the objective to Investigate performance of prospective teachers of flipped classroom and non-flipped classroom with respect to flipped classroom strategy. Therefore, null hypotheses were formulated; there is no significant difference between the mean scores of flipped classroom and non-flipped classroom of prospective teachers before and after treatment; Pretest posttest equivalent group experimental research design was taken for the study. A paired random sampling technique was employed to select the sample on the basis of pretest scores from the subjects.. Experimental group was named flipped classroom and control group was named non-flipped classroom. Treatment of flipped classroom strategy provided to the flipped classroom and the non-flipped classroom was thought through lecture demonstration method. Posttest was administered to collect data from both groups without delay after treatment of six academic weeks. Results of the study illustrated that there was significant difference between the performance of flipped and non-flipped classrooms prospective teachers. It was recommended that flipped classroom may be an integral part of curriculum of professional development courses in Pakistan
A Phenomenological Study of Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education of Pakistan
Get PDFSustainable development in higher education is still at infancy stagewhile the aim was to train our youth to be sustainable leaders forensuring conservation of the environment, society and economy forfuture. The leading purpose of the paper was to unfold the situation offive universities for the level of embeddedness of education forsustainable development in preparing their students as sustainableleaders. The nature of the study was qualitative and phenomenologicalapproach through semi-structured interviews (validated by four expertsof related field) conducted from department heads of universities presentin Lahore. Three themes (along with sub exclusive functionalities of theuniversity) were noted during qualitative analysis of the collected data.The findings indicated various levels of embeddedness of education forsustainable development i.e. high, medium or low in the form of threepillars of sustainability (economic, social and environmental),in theuniversity education and research, university operations and externalcommunity
Gender Issues in Children’s Literature: An Analysis of Fairytales
Get PDFThis paper intends to explore the reasons of gender discrimination indifferent segments of Pakistani society at grass root level. This study isbased on qualitative content analysis of children’s literature from whichthe most popular corpse of ten English fairytales purposively. Activitiesof different characters along with their social were selected andeconomic status, behavioral traits, gendered messages and thematic roleswere analyzed by using coding frame for manifest and stimulus clues forlatent information. This content analysis research indicates that genderdifference is an integral part of the fairy tales which shows female genderinferior to male. A detailed qualitative analysis of these selectedfairytales cited that gender issues start from titles and prevail throughoutthe fairytales. Males had proper names but girls were known with theirattributive names in the titles. The study suggests a need for drasticchange behaviorally, psychologically and materially (in our children’sliterature and particularly in fairytales) to keep pace with the 21st century,which demands us to be more creative, active and innovative withscientific approach instead of becoming an escapist
Effect of Cooperative Learning on Students’ Achievement in English Tenses
Get PDFThe present study aimed to find out the effect of cooperative learning onsecondary school students’ achievement in English tenses. In thisresearch pre-test posttest control group only design was used. On thebasis of 8th grade students’ scores in the subject of English conducted byPunjab Education Commission (PEC), sixty students of ninth grade, whowere enrolled in a public school, were divided into experimental andcontrol groups by using matched-pair technique. A teacher made test wasconducted as pre-test and post-test for both groups. No significantdifference was found in pre-test scores of experimental and controlgroups. The experimental group was treated by STAD (Student TeamAchievement Division) method of cooperative learning while controlgroup was taught by traditional learning under the control condition for aperiod for eight weeks. Analysis of the data revealed the performance ofexperimental group was significantly better than that of control group.Hence, it was concluded that cooperative learning was betterinstructional strategy for increasing the student achievement in Englishtenses. By viewing the information obtained by this study, the secondaryschool English teachers may be in a position to improve their teachingmethodology. Keeping in view the results of the study, curriculumdesigners and policy makers may be able to incorporate cooperativelearning as the methodological aspect of the curriculum. On the wholethe study will be useful for teachers, educationists, curriculumdevelopers, policy makers and educational administrators
Developing Argumentation Skills among Undergraduate Students Using Inquiry Led Argument Framework
Get PDFTeaching of science subjects in developing countries is still geared around traditional methods. This study aimed at teaching science students through scientific argumentation as a newer method for teacher instructors and students in Pakistan. The objectives were to develop argumentation skills in science students using Inquiry Led Argument Framework (ILAF), to explore the effectiveness of the new framework and to assess the quality of arguments generated by students using ILAF. The sample consists of two sections of bio-ethic course in a large public-sector university serving as experimental and control group. Before introducing ILAF in the experimental group, it was carefully designed, validated and pilot tested with the students. The progression in argumentation skill was monitored through written argumentation reports collected during the semester while, the effectiveness of ILAF was found through comparing the students’ academic performance with a control group at the end of semester. ILAF was found effective in developing argumentation skills and improving students’ academic performance as compared to students in the control group. The students’ quality of argument improved with practice. ILAF as a newer approach has the capacity to serve as a useful framework for teacher educators and science teachers in developing argumentation skills in students besides improving their academic performanc
Prospects and Challenges of Using Social Sites in Higher Education
Get PDFSocial networking is a virtual thread of grouping individuals. The present study has explored the prospects and challenges of using social sites in higher education. The study involved mixed method for collecting comprehensive information about the issue. A survey was conducted to randomly selected 21 university teachers and 279 university graduate and post graduate students. A significant difference was found between the perceptions of students having technological facilities in their universities and those having no facilities in higher education. Most of the participants supported the statements related to utility and possibility of using social sites for disseminating course schedules, outlines of courses, reading materials (audio, video, photofigures, print), discussing course problems, exchange of educational ideas and looking for better opportunities of admissions and career. The qualitative part of the study employed a series of focus group discussions conducted with students and teachers of graduate and post graduate level to highlight the opportunities and issues involved in disseminating instruction through social sites. Participants opined that social sites could provide flexible, versatile, attractive and creative educational activities. The major concerns came to light were publicity distraction, irregular use of social sites and extinction of specialized curricula by the universities. It was recommended that universities should take well planned initiatives with specially designed courses and generate interactive communities for class communication to ensure the use of social sites for educational purposes
Self-Assessed Gap of Acquired and Desired Assessment Skills of Prospective Teachers
Get PDFThe difference between the skills desired to carry out assessments tasks and the skills actually acquired during pre-service teaching training program by prospective teachers is being referred to as skills’ gap. The study draws its basis from 5thnational professional standards for teachers, which describes necessary assessment skills for teachers. This study intends to find out the assessment skills of prospective teachers. The assessment skills consisting of 39 items and three subscales were used to collect data from 333 prospective teachers selected from four public sector universities of central Punjab. The majority of the prospective teachers acquired a moderate level of assessment skills (Mean= 4.37, SD = 0.96). The average desired level of assessment skills (Mean= 5.45, SD = 0.91) was higher than the acquired level majority of the prospective teachers acquired a moderate level of assessment skills. Positive relationship between acquired and desired level of assessment skills leads to the conclusion that the prospective teachers who desire higher level of assessment skills achieve comparatively higher level and vice versa. Gender differences were found in existing and desired self-assessed assessment skills, knowledge of assessment, dispositions towards assessment and skills of assessment in the favour of female’ prospective teachers. The study may contribute to improve the achieved level of assessment skills by sensitizing the prospective teachers and teacher educators about the significance of desired level of assessment skills in improving the acquired level
PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTION OF ENGAGEMENT IN ACTIVE LEARNING THROUGH PEER TEACHING AND PEER ASSESSMENT
Get PDFThe study intends to investigate the perceptions of higher education students about their engagement in active learning through peer-teaching and peer-assessment. A group of 22 students comprising nine female and thirteen males participated in the study. The researchers taught the course within six weeks, and then divided it amongst students through assignments. The students prepared it, discussed with researchers, shared and taught the assigned part of the course to their peers in the classroom in the presence of one of the researchers. The peers assessed the quality of presentation and mastery of the content and teaching skills of their peers against a given rubric. Three instruments namely: questionnaire, interviews and focussed group discussion were used to investigate students’ perceptions. The analysis of data revealed that students felt actively engaged in their studies through peer teaching and peer-assessment. Moreover correlation between peer assessment and teacher assessment was also calculated. Peer teaching and peer assessment can be confidently used in higher education in Pakistan on condition that teacher as a supervisor is highly vigilant
Improving Exercises of Reflective Thinking and Practice in Teacher Education at a State University in USA
No full textReflective practice since its inception became a significant part of teacher preparation and professional development programs around the world. Teachers like any other professionals are expected to review and reflect upon their current practices for improving their future performance. This paper explores the current exercises of reflective thinking and practice within an undergraduate teacher preparation program at a state university in USA. The findings are based upon descriptive and narrative data analysis of interviews conducted with two professors and six course and field instructors. After open coding with question oriented analysis, the author has reduced the analysis to current practices and suggestions for improvement in relation to the related literature.