Academy of Education and Social Sciences Review
Not a member yet
183 research outputs found
Sort by
Academic Integrity in Special Education Schools: Exploring the Perception of Visually Impaired Students
Full text linkAcademic integrity is important for any special education institution and its stakeholders to continue providing students with visual impairments with a high-quality education. Visually impaired students receiving special education in their respective institutions keenly observe their educational system. The study aimed to inquire about the status of academic integrity through visually impaired students’ perception in their respective institutes of special education in Punjab. This study used an explanatory type of research through a qualitative approach. An independently created semi-structured interview served as the data collection instrument. Three (03) experts in the field validated the instrument. A thorough literature review was conducted to verify the questionnaire\u27s reliability. According to the study questions, six major themes emerged from the data analysis. The study’s findings revealed that visually impaired students consider their classmates a reliable source for sharing information during class assessments. This study recommends that teachers of visually impaired students should be trained enough to develop quality academic skills among visually impaired students to get rid of cheating in exams through copying or taking help from anyone
Impact of Socioeconomic Factors on Academic Performance: A Gender-Based Study among University Students
Full text linkThe study examined the effect of gender and socioeconomic characteristics on the academic performance of university students, as measured by their academic scores. The study aimed to i) examine the socioeconomic factors affecting undergraduates, ii) investigate the academic performance of undergraduates, and iii) analyze the comparative impact of socioeconomic factors on the academic scores of undergraduates. Data from 480 students enrolled in the BS program at three selected universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was collected using a questionnaire that investigated the socioeconomic status of their parents. The data analysis indicated that factors such as parental qualifications, parental income, parental work type, and the family\u27s social position do not influence academic performance based on gender. Regardless of parents’ social class, the quality of learning facilities impacts student’s academic success, indicative of parents’ involvement in the studies. It is suggested to provide scholarships and establish assistance programs aimed at enhancing the academic performance of undergraduates whose parents possess fewer resources due to poor income and job positions
Navigation of Teaching Practicum Challenges: An Emerging Perspective of Pre-Service Teachers
Full text linkThis research explored the challenges prospective teachers face during the teaching practicum at the University of Education, Attock Campus. The study adopted a qualitative descriptive phenomenological design. A census sampling strategy was deployed comprising 67 prospective teachers. Data collection employed a self-developed open-ended questionnaire, validated through expert evaluations and a pilot study. The collected data were analyzed by thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2012). To ensure the rigor of thematic analysis, inter-coder reliability was established. The study delimited its geographical scope to the University of Education Attock Campus and focused on B.Ed. (Hons) 4-year teacher education program seventh-semester participants. Theoretical underpinning was drawn from the constructivist perspective. Results show that prospective teachers faced diverse challenges during their teaching practicum. These challenges included placement, orientation, classroom management, administrative cooperation, lesson planning and implementation, workload, evaluation process, transportation, feedback, school timetable, portfolio, evaluation processes, and inadequate facilities. Despite these challenges, prospective teachers highlighted the importance of supervision, modern teaching methods, and improved resources. Enhancing the teaching practicum involves setting up laboratory schools with theory-practice integration, immersive classroom experiences, and applied teaching techniques
Representation of Female Gender in English Books: A Case of Pakistani English Textbooks
Full text linkThis study offers a comprehensive picture of the gender gaps that persist in our society by demonstrating how gender differences are still prevalent in our educational materials. The goal of the study is to classify gender stereotypes that emerge in textbook content and to investigate how women are portrayed in English textbooks for classes sixth, seventh, and eighth grade that are produced by Sindh Textbook Board. Specifically, the study used Fairclough\u27s three-dimensional critical discourse analysis paradigm to examine the text and images. Various themes pertaining to female representation surfaced. Females were typically linked to household responsibilities, and stereotypes and progressive portrayals of women have both been studied. The language for women or how women are portrayed in textbooks has an impact on the readers of all ages. It influences their thoughts and attitudes about women. Therefore, it is recommended that curriculum developers may evaluate the content before presenting it in published form for the readers
The Role of Mother Tongue and Its Impact on Learning English Grammar at Elementary Level: A Case Study of District Karak
Full text linkThe mother tongue plays a vital role in facilitating the understanding of English grammar, making it easier for students to grasp complex concepts. Its use in teaching can bridge linguistic gaps, leading to more effective language acquisition. Therefore, the current study investigates the role of the mother tongue (L1) and its impact on learning English grammar, particularly Tenses, at the elementary level in District Karak. The main objective was to examine how using the native language, Pashto, affects students\u27 understanding of English grammar. The research was experimental, employing a pre-test and post-test equivalent-groups design. Two groups of students were formed: an experimental group, taught using a combination of the target language (English), national language, and mother tongue, and a control group, taught exclusively in English. Students were assigned to these groups based on random sampling, ensuring balanced placement. The findings revealed no significant difference in the pre-test and post-test results of the control group, while the experimental group showed notable improvement in their post-test scores. The study recommends incorporating the mother tongue in English grammar instruction at the elementary level and suggests similar investigations in girls\u27 schools
Predicaments of Married & Single Working Mothers in Pakistan
Full text linkOne of the emerging phenomena in South-Asian countries is \u27single-parent families.\u27 Such families face several emotional, social, and financial challenges. The study aimed to explore the inter-role conflict experienced by single-working mothers (SWM) and married-working mothers (MWM). The study investigated the difference between the use of coping mechanisms adopted by the two cohorts. Two hundred and eighty-one MWM and SWM were approached using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Findings reveal a significant relationship between inter-role conflict and coping mechanisms in married and single-working mothers. However, no significant difference in the selection of coping mechanisms was found. Moreover, it was deduced that single working mothers go through more inter-role conflict than married working mothers. The study\u27s result would help organisations identify inter-role conflict and coping mechanisms of their working mothers\u27 workforce, enabling them to devise facilitative strategies. Moreover, policymakers must understand the changing socio-cultural scenario of single working mothers, especially in the context of Pakistani cultural norms
Study Protocol for a Randomized Health and Social Literacy Intervention to Improve Maternal Health in Pakistan
Full text linkMany poor and illiterate women in reproductive years in Pakistan live in underdeveloped areas and are solely dependent on free primary health services provided by the state through the Lady Health Worker (LHW) Programme. These women need higher health and social literacy to make informed health decisions and receive inferior services from overburdened LHWs. This project aims to deliver a health and social literacy intervention by integrating Community Social Workers (CSWs) at the primary level to promote maternal health in the country. A 24-month intervention with six health and social literacy modules will be delivered by trained CSWs. Multistage randomized sampling will be used to sample 6 BHUs across six cities from six districts of Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 360 women will be sampled and assigned randomly to the experiment and control groups. Pakistan needs to catch up on its sustainable development goals for maternal health, not just due to the limitations of the existing services, but also due to the low health and social literacy of women, which prevents effective uptake. Each LHW is expected to have an estimated 1,500 women clients for multiple services, which makes support for women’s literacy and awareness difficult. Integrating a partner workforce or CSWs to support disadvantaged women for improved maternal health outcomes is critically needed. The results of this intervention will advise policymakers and stakeholders about long-term plans for literacy support of women and the integration of CSWs in the primary healthcare setup
Integrating ICT in Private High School, Badin: A Case Study
Full text linkIn this study, ICT integration at the instructional level was introduced in one school of Khoski District, Badin. This study aimed to investigate how ICT is integrated at the faculty level in an institution of a rural area of lower Sindh. A qualitative case study was an appropriate method for this study because it was focused on a real-life situation and the researchers had no control over the events. The data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, observations, and official documents. The selection of the participants was based on purposeful sampling. School faculty was chosen because the school was is in the process of ICT integration. Results suggested that to integrate ICT effectively in an institution there should be a proper technology integration plan with day wise agenda and a proper authorisation plan for management with an estimated budget. The government should take an interest in ICT integration with the help of NGOs and private school teams for a digitalized education system in Pakistan
The Impact of Digital Leadership on the Performance of Secondary Teachers
Full text linkThis research explored the impact of digital leadership (principals) on secondary teachers\u27 performance in private schools. The major goal of the study was to determine how digital leaders affected secondary teachers\u27 performance in terms of digital learning and digital support. The targeted population comprised the principals of registered private secondary schools, in Karachi. The participants\u27 pertinent information was gathered via a self-developed questionnaire. It included twenty items selected from the literature and tailored to the researcher\u27s area of expertise. The respondents completed the questionnaire using Google Forms. Data analysis was done using Excel. The main hypotheses were examined using regression, ANOVA, and t-tests. According to the findings, there are numerous important effects of digital leadership on teachers\u27 performance. Digital leaders enable teachers to embrace technology, improve their digital literacy, support pedagogical innovations, develop collaboration, and create a positive digital culture through their vision, encouragement, and facilitation. Educational institutions can develop a cadre of empowered instructors who can successfully navigate the digital landscape and get pupils ready for the needs of the 21st century by recognizing the significance of digital leadership
Need Assessment for Integrating Self-Regulation Practice in Teaching and Learning of English at Secondary School level in Islamabad, Pakistan
Full text linkThis research attempts to assess the current knowledge and practices of students and teachers regarding the use of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) in urban secondary schools of Islamabad. In the context of secondary school English learning, the study specifically examines the use of SRL strategies employed by low-achieving students in their learning endeavours and the role of teachers in promoting SRL among their students. It is a mixed-methods approach that combines qualitative data from structured interviews with quantitative evaluation through a rubric-based scoring system. A total of 40 low-achieving students and 20 English teachers from 10 randomly selected schools participated in the study. The low achievers scored poorly across all six SRL domains, showing significant deficiencies in using SRL strategies. Teacher interviews indicated that while lesson planning was somewhat effective, there were notable gaps in providing guidance for homework and guidance for improving students\u27 performance. These findings emphasise the need for targeted interventions to enhance SRL among low-achieving students and highlight the importance of professional development for teachers to support student self-regulation better. This study calls for comprehensive SRL integration into student learning strategies and teacher training to improve academic outcomes in English learning at the secondary level in Islamabad