International Journal of Instruction
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Using Discovery Learning Approach in Teaching EFL Grammar to High School Students: Its Possible Effects and Limits
No full textThis article presents part of a doctoral research project aimed at investigating the effects and possible limits of the discovery learning approach in teaching grammar to English as a foreign language (EFL) students in high schools in Slovakia from the teachers’ perceptions. The research project deployed design-based research with a total of 7 EFL teachers in Slovak high schools collecting data in three phases. The data presented in this article focused on intervention and were collected during the second phase of the research project. During the intervention, the teachers were taking field notes which were subsequently analysed. The results of the analysis of the teachers’ field notes showed there are mostly positive aspects of the discovery learning approach, pointing out students’ experience with discovery and their engagement when learning grammar. However, the results also showed some limits of this approach in the high school environment. Mostly training is needed for both teachers and students so they can make the most of the discovery process
Rural and Urban Kindergarten Teachers’ Self-Efficacy: Implications for the Implementation of the Standard-Based Curriculum in Ghana
No full textThe study examined rural and urban kindergarten teachers’ teaching efficacy and its implications for the implementation of the standard-based curriculum in Ghana. It also examined whether kindergarten teachers’ teaching efficacy differs in terms of teaching experience. It also sought to determine the influence of gender, academic and professional qualification, job satisfaction, and teaching and learning resources on teaching efficacy. The Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) was used to collect online data from 375 kindergarten teachers drawn from rural and urban school settings. Findings from the study showed that kindergarten teachers in rural school settings reported higher levels of teaching efficacy in the area of instruction and pupil engagement than their urban counterparts. Again, rural and urban kindergarten teachers’ teaching efficacy differs across the different categories of teaching experience in areas of instruction and engagement but not for classroom management. The findings further showed that job satisfaction did not influence kindergarten teachers’ teaching efficacy. It is concluded that the Ghana Education Service should organize continuing professional development programmes to boost and sustain kindergarten teachers’ self-efficacy in areas of instruction, classroom management, and engagement. Implications of the study’s findings to research and practice are also discussed
Leisure Activities of Young People as a Predictor of Life Satisfaction
No full textThe aim of this study was to determine to what extent leisure activities affect life satisfaction in young people. 670 students attending the University of Zagreb (Croatia) took part in the study, out of which 209 (31.2%) were males and 461 were females (68.8%). The largest number of students stated they have 2-3 hours of leisure time per day (n = 210; 31.3%), while the lowest number of students stated they have up to 1 hour of leisure time per day. The respondents filled in a survey which consisted of 2 parts: The Leisure Time Questionnaire and The Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener et al., 1985). For the purpose of this study and based on the relevant literature, The Leisure Time Questionnaire was designed in which 6 composite variables were formed (Cultural activities, Relaxing activities, Electronic media and the Internet, Useful activities, Sports, Socializing and going out). According to the findings, the respondents tend to spend most of their leisure time in Relaxing activities, and the minimum of their time engaging in Cultural activities. Out of all 6 composite variables relating to young people’s leisure activities, only one, Socializing and going out, has proved to be a statistically significant predictor of life satisfaction in young people
The Effect of Text Display in Mobile Reading to Reading Comprehension, Attention, and Cognitive
No full textThe aim of this study was to investigate the types of static, dynamic, and mixed text display on students' reading comprehension, attention, and cognitive. In addition, this study also considers sitting, standing, and walking positions and different types of text. Quasi-experiments were used in this study with random sample selection of students at the high school level who have mobile reading habits. The instruments used in this study were gadgets for mobile reading, reading comprehension tests, and cognitive level measurement scales. The results showed that the reading positions that made a significant positive contribution to sustained attention were sitting reading positions and mixed text types which made the lowest contribution to sustained attention. In addition, it was found that the type of text did not have a significant effect on students' reading comprehension skills. Moving text also does not contribute significantly to students' reading comprehension skills. Students' reading comprehension ability is significantly influenced by the type of text display and reading context. Students' cognitive abilities are significantly influenced by the type of text display, but not by the reading context. Of the three types of text display, the sequence of text types that make a significant contribution from the highest to the lowest is mixed text which makes the most significant contribution, then dynamic text, and static text. So, it can be concluded that the reading context and the type of text display have different impacts on students' reading comprehension skills, sustained attention and cognitive levels of students. This research has implications that teachers must modify students' mobile reading habits by displaying text, and reading contexts so that reading comprehension skills can increase optimally
Motivations for Learning Chinese as a Foreign Language: A Case Study in Belgium
No full textThe purpose of this study was to understand and investigate the motivations for and reasons why students decide to study Chinese as their fourth foreign language in the European Union, using Belgium as a case study. Based on the social cognitive career and motivation theory, the study was guided by the research question: Why did the participants decide to study Chinese as a fourth foreign language in a Chinese language school in Belgium? In line with the case study approach, 16 participants were invited to share their ideas. Focus group activities, remarkable item sharing, and member-checking interviews were used to collect useful data. Three themes were categorised, including 1) it is enough for European languages, 2) career development and 3) friendship, networks, and education. More importantly, many participants indicated that the Chinese language offers business and career opportunities for young European people to excel in their skills in the Asian region. The outcomes from adult learners may fill the research and practice gaps for adult education and foreign language teaching and learning for adult learners in the European environment
Opinions and Perception of Preschool Teachers about Burnout Syndrome
No full textThe paper presents the results of research, the objective of which was to find out whether kindergarten teachers are informed about burnout syndrome, whether the frequency of use and the degree of effectiveness of preventive measures against burnout syndrome are related to the length of their teaching experience, and what the respondents' opinion is on the sufficiency of the frequency of preventive measures used. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. The questionnaire included a menu of options of preventive measures against SB with a measure of effectiveness to choose from. Spearman's correlation coefficient and the chi-square independence test were used to process the data. The research sample consisted of 182 female teachers from Czech kindergartens. It was found that the effectiveness of only certain preventive measures increases with an extended length of experience. Notably, the length of experience did not yield a statistically significant influence on the frequency of using individual preventive measures, and the respondents expressed contentment with the frequency of their utilization.
Effectiveness of Modeling in Improving the Phonemic Awareness Skill among the First Grade Students
No full textThis study aimed to show effectiveness of Modeling in improving the phonemic awareness skill among the first grade students in Irbid Qasabah Directorate of Education. The study sample consisted of (72) male and female students divided into two groups; the experimental group taught by using the social learning (modeling) and its number was (36) male and female students, and the control group taught by the traditional method and its number was (36) male and female students. An achievement test was developed where its reliability and validity were approved and applied to the sample. The statistical methods used by (SPSS) program were as follow: Two-Way ANNOVA, Independent t-test and standard deviation. The results of the study indicated that there were statistically significant differences due to the effect of the teaching method and for the experimental group taught by using modeling in improving the phonemic awareness skill. The superiority of modeling due to that it makes students the axis of the educational process, and gives them freedom to express their opinions without fear or hesitation which positively affect their achievement. There were statistically significant differences due to the effect of sex and for females and there were no statistically significant differences due to the effect of interaction between the group and sex. The results also showed there were no differences between the pre and post measurement
Meta-Analysis on the Effectiveness of Learning Cycle Models and Online Teaching Strategies in Chemistry Education
No full textThe purpose of this meta-analysis was to look at the effects of Learning Cycle Models (LCMs) and Online Teaching Strategies (OTSs) on academic achievement of students in chemistry. The study gathered information from 17 published sources, including dissertations and journal papers, and included a total of 2049 students. The findings revealed high heterogeneity among the included research, necessitating the use of a random-effects model. The overall effect size study found that LCMs and OTSs had a relatively large and beneficial influence on students' academic progress, with an effect size of 1.44. The analysis further examined the impact of different factors on the effect sizes, including grade level, learning modality, duration, and subject matter. Elementary and high school students demonstrated very large effect sizes, while college students had a small effect size. In-person classes showed larger effect sizes than online teaching strategies, although both approaches had positive effects. Longer durations of interventions resulted in larger effect sizes, and specific subject matters, such as matter and acids & bases, showed very large effect sizes. The findings suggest that tailored instructional approaches, incorporating a variety of LCMs and OTSs, can enhance students' academic achievement in chemistry education. Recommendations were provided for educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers to guide the implementation of LCMs and OTSs, considering specific grade levels, learning modalities, durations, and subject matters. Continued research is necessary to refine instructional strategies and improve outcomes in chemistry education
Attitude Towards Students With Disabilities And Their Relationship With School Coexistence
No full textThis research was carried out in a public educational institution with the purpose of analysing the association that exists between the attitude towards students with disabilities and school coexistence of students from second to fifth grade of primary school. The research is of a fundamental or pure basic type, with a correlational scope. The sample selected was 215 students. The instruments used to collect the information were the Inventory of Attitudes towards People with Disabilities and the evaluation instrument based on indicators of democratic, inclusive, and peaceful school coexistence. The results obtained confirm that there is a significant relationship between attitudes towards people with disabilities and democratic, inclusive, and peaceful school coexistence, demonstrating that students learn to be critical, reflective, fair, free and responsible in order to live together democratically and in a culture of peace. It is concluded that inclusive education starts with a transformation and change of attitude of the educational community, based on the implementation of an inclusive policy, culture and practice
Evaluating the Reliability of a Social Presence Composite Construct for Online Computer Science Degree Programmes
No full textAs a contribution to ongoing discussions about the implications of social presence for online instruction technology, this study evaluated the reliability and validity of a composite social presence construct in online computer science programmes using archival data from the Computing Research Association’s (CRA) Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (CERP) Data Buddies Survey. Questions from the survey were aligned to three interdependent subconstructs of social presence proposed by Kreijns et al (2021). Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to analyse the relationships between the subconstructs. Cronbach’s alpha was used to evaluate the internal consistency and reliability of the subconstructs of social presence, sociability, and social space, as well as the composite construct of social presence. The findings indicate that the social presence construct and its subconstructs are internally consistent and highly reliable, aligned with the CERP survey. Results indicated that the subconstructs are interrelated indicators of the perception of social presence in online computer science programmes. This study contributes to the literature concerning measuring social presence in online learning by providing a reliable and valid construct that can be used to assess the construct using different permutations of analysis on the CERP dataset