by Marjorie V. Cabañero, Jaybert M. Cabañero, Novemy C. Ignacio and Romiro G. Bautista
Original Research
This study explores the efficacy of a teacher-made intervention program along the development of scientific attitude among students. The researchers believe that scientific attitude should be in a continuum despite the pandemic by employing Predict Observe Explain (POE) strategy, hands-on science through home-based laboratory, laboratory simulation, and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The Mixed Method design was employed in this study particularly the Exploratory design involving quantitative and qualitative data on the efficacy of the teacher-initiated intervention program along the effects of the treatment conditions on the scientific attitude and the experiences of the participants in undergoing such provisions of reframing learning engagements. The quantitative data were gathered through One Group Pretest-Posttest Design (OGPPD) of the Pre-experimental Design and evaluated inferentially through statistical analyses. On the other hand, the qualitative data were gathered through Narrative Analysis and analyzed thematically. It was found out that there is an increased positive attitude and a decreased negative attitude among the respondents which posted significant results while medium and large effects are posted along the positive and negative scientific attitude of the respondents. The provisions of Project SIKAP provided the students the feeling of enjoyment and excitement, experimenting through computer simulations, and difficulty in solving and experimenting in the midst of the pandemic; albeit guided with the computer simulations. Owing to the results, science teachers may still consider computer-mediated experiments – a practical applications of learning concepts, as this is where students can better understand concepts in Science during home-based schooling like the current educational state.
American Journal of Educational Research. 2022, 10(7), 469-475. DOI: 10.12691/education-10-7-6
Pub. Date: July 27, 2022
by Xiaoxu Liu
Original Research
Chinese university educators’ perceptions of minority education (Minzu education) are examined in this paper. Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews and questionnaires were conducted with twenty-two educators who work with minority education from nine universities in China. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data presented in this paper. How university educators conceptualize Minzu (minority) and reflect on minority education are examined. Three trends of views are identified: the Minzu-neutral, the Minzu-oriented, and the culturalism. Educators with different ethnic views have distinct ways of conceptualizing Minzu and reflecting on minority education. Concerning the reflections on students’ academic performance, educators taking the Minzu-neutral perspective place more importance on the students’ birthplace and social class than their Minzu. However, Minzu and culture are considered the main reasons for minority students’ poor academic performance by educators taking the Minzu-oriented and the culturalism views. Furthermore, although various strategies are adopted by educators with different views, most of the educators in this study lower the academic requirements for minority students intentionally or unintentionally for the purpose of pursuing educational equality. Preferential policies for the ethnic minorities are supported by most participants despite the view difference. Additionally, educators' views on Minzu and minority education are not static, but fluid and negotiated in a range of contexts.
American Journal of Educational Research. 2022, 10(7), 459-468. DOI: 10.12691/education-10-7-5
Pub. Date: July 21, 2022
by Marina Kougiourouki and Zinovia Masali
Original Research
The rapid spread of the Covid-19 pandemic that suspended the educational process on all levels of education in many countries, together with the need for access to a safe teaching process, has created an emerging and massive turn towards remote education. This new condition surprised teachers, who were obligated to use new technologies to design and implement their teaching along with assigning homework. This research investigates the views of ten Greek teachers of primary education regarding the issue of homework assignment in the framework of remote education (synchronous and asynchronous) due to the aforementioned conditions. More specifically it investigates their views regarding the homework objectives, the amount of homework assigned by teachers and the portion of assignments completed by students, the content and the way of assignment “creation”, and the method of solving, correcting and assessing them. The tool for this research was the semi-structured interview. The research findings show that the teachers continued invariably to assign homework, as they did in a physical classroom, strived to make students practice and kept them in constant touch with the educational process, whilst being lenient regarding its evaluation.
American Journal of Educational Research. 2022, 10(7), 452-458. DOI: 10.12691/education-10-7-4
Pub. Date: July 21, 2022
by Cornelius Ssempala, Peter Mpiso Ssenkusu and John Mary Vianney Mitana
Original Research
Numerous research efforts in Africa south of the Sahara have suggested that reforms to improve quality of learning environments through teacher re-training and curriculum reform are bound to fail. Teacher-centred pedagogies which presuppose a universally given ‘order of things’ are more efficient for teaching dogmatic learning of scientific facts and principles, while progressive discovery approaches tended to be more effective in promoting progressive scientific attitudes and skeptical-critical understandings that are not typically African. The discussion is meant to highlight, contrary to rampant ‘reform pessimism’, the liberating nature of recent reforms as they render neo-Kantian notions of a unilinear, formalistic and anti-ethnocentric curriculum de facto problematic. Signs of hope and renewal for the Ugandan girl child in the wake of Covid-19 lockdown are highlighted in support of mindset shift away from ‘purely’ formalistic rules and principles.
American Journal of Educational Research. 2022, 10(7), 444-451. DOI: 10.12691/education-10-7-3
Pub. Date: July 11, 2022
by Collins Owusu-Fordjour, Charles Kwesi Koomson, Stephen Annan Twumasi, Michael Afari Baidoo, Prosper Deo-Donne Lumor, Napthali Mensah and Elizabeth Konadu
Original Research
The impact of science instructors' Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) on educational practice was studied in this study. Synthesis of a teacher's subject knowledge and pedagogical skill is described as PCK. The study's goal was to see if there was a link between Ghanaian science instructors' PCK and classroom practices. This research employed a descriptive survey approach. Eighty (80) teachers were randomly recruited and data was collected using a standardized questionnaire. Simple percentages and charts were used to organize and illustrate the data. It was revealed that subject matter understanding varies depending on a teacher's level of education. Experienced teachers, on the other hand, demonstrated greater pedagogical expertise and were better able to improve academic achievement than inexperienced teachers. The formal education of a teacher was a strong predictor of their knowledge and ability in the classroom. According to the findings of this study, teachers' pedagogical and subject-matter knowledge are crucial for effective science instruction and student comprehension.
American Journal of Educational Research. 2022, 10(7), 439-443. DOI: 10.12691/education-10-7-2
Pub. Date: July 07, 2022
by Eliza T. Jala and Bernard O. Callao
Original Research
This study sought to determine the profile of the respondents in terms of gender, type of School graduated from, IQ, high School grade in Math, mathematics performance in Applied Industrial Mathematics and attitudes towards mathematics. This study also determined the relationship on students’ mathematics performance and the aforementioned variables. The study utilized the descriptive-documentary design. It was conducted at Bohol Island State University Main Campus (BISU-MC), Tagbilaran City. A total of 200 selected first year college students from College of Technology and Allied Sciences (CTAS) were the respondents of the study. Proportional sampling was considered in the study. The researcher utilized the Form 138, Applied Industrial Mathematics grade and IQ. The researcher also used the questionnaire to gather the attitudes towards mathematics. The weighted mean, Pearson Product Moment Coefficient of Correlation and Point Biserial Correlation were used to treat the data. Based on the findings, the mathematics performance of the students is related to IQ, High School Grade in Math and Attitudes towards mathematics. However, gender and type of school graduated were found out to be not related to mathematics performance. The study recommends that teachers may conduct diagnostic examination to evaluate students’ previous mathematical skills. A policy shall be made by the administration to monitor the conduct of this diagnostic examination. Teachers should also encourage the formation of Math Club. This could help the students enhance their mathematical competencies and their attitudes towards mathematics. The students must be exposed to different techniques in learning mathematics so that their confidence and eagerness in solving mathematical problems and exercises will be enhanced. Students themselves should develop the proper attitudes towards mathematics. The mathematics instructors should be immersed to technology shops so that they could relate technology shop terms in teaching mathematics. A similar research study may be made in line with the other factors that affect students’ mathematics performance. Such factors include teaching style, study habits, class size and students’ reading comprehension skills.
American Journal of Educational Research. 2022, 10(7), 432-438. DOI: 10.12691/education-10-7-1
Pub. Date: June 29, 2022