Search results for: school context related factors

Authors: K. Doi, T. Nishimura, M. Kawano, H. Fujimoto, Y. Tanaka, M. Sawada, S. Oouchi, T. Kaneko, K. Kanamori

Abstract:

As part of reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities in Japan, which has ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, tactile guide maps are necessary. Such maps can enable visually impaired children to attend schools of special needs education (visual impairments) to grasp the arrangement of classrooms on their school campuses. However, it takes many years to be able to use a tactile guide map without difficulty. Thus, information support, in which audio information is added in addition to tactile information, is required. In the present research, a method to prepare an in-school tactile guide map with an additional audio reading function was developed. This map can enable visually impaired school children attending schools of special needs education (visual impairments) to grasp the arrangement of classrooms on their school campuses.

Keywords: accessible design, visually impaired, braille, tactile map, in-school tactile guide map

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Authors: Shanthi Thomas

Abstract:

This research paper presents the current practices of teacher professional development, perceived as beneficial by teachers themselves, in a private secondary school in Brunei Darussalam. This is part of the findings of a larger qualitative study on teacher empowerment, using ethnographic methods for data collection, i.e. participant observation, interviews and document analysis. The field work was carried out over a period of six months in 2013. An analysis of the field data revealed multiple pathways of teacher professional development existing in the school. The results indicate that school leaders, the teacher community in the school, students, and the teachers themselves were the agents in a school that facilitated teacher empowerment. Besides contributing to the knowledge base on teacher professional development, the results of this study provides directions for educational policy makers in their efforts to enhance professional development in secondary schools of similar characteristics. For school leaders and the teacher community, these findings offer guidelines for maximizing the opportunities for these professional development practices, by strengthening collegiality and by using the existing structures optimally for the benefit of all concerned.

Keywords: colleagues and the wider teacher community, school leaders, self-driven professional development, teacher professional development

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Authors: F. Özlem Saka

Abstract:

There should be connections between universities and state schools in order to improve the quality of instruction. ELT department of Akdeniz University carries out a project named ‘Easy English’ with a state primary school in Antalya for 2 years. According to the Project requirements, junior students at university teach English to 3rd grade primary school students during the term. They are supposed to teach the topics planned before, preparing different activities for the students. This study reflects the ideas of both students at university and at state school related to the language programme carried out. Their ideas have been collected with a questionnaire consisting of similar structured questions. The result shows that both groups like the programme and evaluate it from their own perspectives. It is believed the efficient results of this project will lead to planning similar programmes for different levels. From this study, curriculum planners and teachers can get ideas to improve language teaching at primary level as both university students, being the teachers in the project and students at state primary school have positive feelings and thoughts about it.

Keywords: foreign language teacher training, games in English teaching, songs in English teaching, teaching English to young learners

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Authors: Davut Disci

Abstract:

Objective: to measure the factors affecting expectations and intentions of using mobile phone in educational contexts by university students, using advanced equations and modeling techniques. Design and Methodology: According to the literature, Mobile Addiction, Parental Surveillance-Safety/Security, Social Relations, and Mobile Behavior are most used terms of defining mobile use of people. Therefore, these variables are tried to be measured to find and estimate their effects on expectations and intentions of using mobile phone in educational context. 421 university students participated in this study and there are 229 Female and 192 Male students. For the purpose of examining the mobile behavior and educational expectations and intentions, a questionnaire is prepared and applied to the participants who had to answer all the questions online. Furthermore, responses to close-ended questions are analyzed by using The Statistical Package for Social Sciences(SPSS) software, reliabilities are measured by Cronbach’s Alpha analysis and hypothesis are examined via using Multiple Regression and Linear Regression analysis and the model is tested with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique which is important for testing the model scientifically. Besides these responses, open-ended questions are taken into consideration. Results: When analyzing data gathered from close-ended questions, it is found that Mobile Addiction, Parental Surveillance, Social Relations and Frequency of Using Mobile Phone Applications are affecting the mobile behavior of the participants in different levels, helping them to use mobile phone in educational context. Moreover, as for open-ended questions, participants stated that they use many mobile applications in their learning environment in terms of contacting with friends, watching educational videos, finding course material via internet. They also agree in that mobile phone brings greater flexibility to their lives. According to the SEM results the model is not evaluated and it can be said that it may be improved to show in SEM besides in multiple regression. Conclusion: This study shows that the specified model can be used by educationalist, school authorities to improve their learning environment.

Keywords: learning technology, instructional technology, mobile learning, technology

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Authors: Gulay Aras, Isil Kutluturk Karagoz, Z. Candan Algun

Abstract:

Background: Hypermetropia in school-age is a pathology that responds to treatment. In the literature, there has been no study of exercise practice in hypermetropia treatment. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of eye exercises and convergence exercise on visual acuity in school-age children with hypermetropia. Methods: Forty volunteer school-age children with hypermetropia (30 girls, 30 boys, between 7-17 years of age) were included in the study. Sociodemographic information and clinical characteristics were evaluated. 40 participants were randomly divided into two groups: eye exercises and convergence exercises. Home exercise protocols were given to all groups for six weeks, and regular phone calls were made once a week. Individuals performed eye exercises 10 times, convergence exercises 5 min. for two sessions per day for six weeks. The right and left eyes of all the subjects participating in the study were assessed separately by the eye doctor with a Snellen chart. The participants' quality of life was assessed using Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0. Physical health total score (PHTS) and scale total score (STS), which were obtained by evaluating Psychosocial health total score (PSHTS) school, emotional and social functioning, were calculated separately in the scores. At the end of the exercise program, the assessment tests applied at the beginning of the study were reapplied to all individuals. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-Snellen chart measurements and quality of life in the eye exercises group (p > 0,05). There was a statistically significant difference in visual acuity of right and left eyes (p=0,004, p=0,014) and quality of life in PHTS, PSHTS and STS in the convergence exercise group (p=0,001, p=0,017, p=0,001). Conclusions: In school-age children, convergence exercises were found to be effective on visual acuity and health-related quality of life. Convergence exercises are recommended for the treatment of school-aged children with hypermetropia.

Keywords: convergence exercise, eye exercises, hypermetropia, school-age children

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Authors: Alan Bhekisisa Buthelezi

Abstract:

The aim of this paper is to explore African management and leadership philosophies at secondary schools in post-apartheid South Africa. The research was conducted in the King Cetshwayo district of KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. Apart from the literature on participative management, the paper reports on a research in which an empirical investigation based on a quantitative research paradigm was used to collect data from secondary school principals. The literature findings revealed that secondary school principals need to rethink their management and leadership philosophies in the twenty-first century. The findings of this research further reveal that ubuntu (humanness) and lekgotla (Sesotho term for “an African participatory approach to decision-making”) should be embedded in the art of school management and leadership in the South African context. The paper concludes with the submission that ongoing capacity-building workshops should be fast-tracked on matters pertaining to management and leadership.

Keywords: distributed leadership, team leadership, decentralization of power, transformational leadership

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Authors: Alan Bhekisisa Buthelezi

Abstract:

The aim of this paper is to explore African management and leadership philosophies at secondary schools in post-apartheid South Africa. The research was conducted in the King Cetshwayo district of KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. Apart from the literature on participative management, the paper reports on research in which an empirical investigation based on a quantitative research paradigm was used to collect data from secondary school principals. The literature findings revealed that secondary school principals need to rethink their management and leadership philosophies in the twenty-first century. The findings of this research further reveal that ubuntu (humanness) and lekgotla (Sesotho term for ‘an African participatory approach to decision-making’) should be embedded in the art of school management and leadership in the South African context. The paper concludes with the submission that ongoing capacity-building workshops should be fast-tracked on matters pertaining to management and leadership.

Keywords: transformational leadership, distributed leadership, team leadership, decentralisation of power

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Authors: Leslie M. Gutman

Abstract:

Conduct problems (CP) represent a major dilemma, with wide-ranging and long-lasting individual and societal impacts. Children experience heterogeneous patterns of conduct problems; based on the age of onset, developmental course and related risk factors from around age 3. Early childhood represents a potential window for intervention efforts aimed at changing the trajectory of early starting conduct problems. Using the UK Millennium Cohort Study (n = 17,206 children), this study (a) identifies trajectories of conduct problems from ages 3 to 14 years and (b) assesses the cumulative and interactive effects of individual, family and socioeconomic risk factors from ages 9 months to 14 years. The same factors according to three domains were assessed, including child (i.e., low verbal ability, hyperactivity/inattention, peer problems, emotional problems), family (i.e., single families, parental poor physical and mental health, large family size) and socioeconomic (i.e., low family income, low parental education, unemployment, social housing). A cumulative risk score for the child, family, and socioeconomic domains at each age was calculated. It was then examined how the cumulative risk scores explain variation in the trajectories of conduct problems. Lastly, interactive effects among the different domains of cumulative risk were tested. Using group-based trajectory modeling, four distinct trajectories were found including a ‘low’ problem group and three groups showing childhood-onset conduct problems: ‘school-age onset’; ‘early-onset, desisting’; and ‘early-onset, persisting’. The ‘low’ group (57% of the sample) showed a low probability of conducts problems, close to zero, from 3 to 14 years. The ‘early-onset, desisting’ group (23% of the sample) demonstrated a moderate probability of CP in early childhood, with a decline from 3 to 5 years and a low probability thereafter. The ‘early-onset, persistent’ group (8%) followed a high probability of conduct problems, which declined from 11 years but was close to 70% at 14 years. In the ‘school-age onset’ group, 12% of the sample showed a moderate probability of conduct problems from 3 and 5 years, with a sharp increase by 7 years, increasing to 50% at 14 years. In terms of individual risk, all factors increased the likelihood of being in the childhood-onset groups compared to the ‘low’ group. For cumulative risk, the socioeconomic domain at 9 months and 3 years, the family domain at all ages except 14 years and child domain at all ages were found to differentiate childhood-onset groups from the ‘low’ group. Cumulative risk at 9 months and 3 years did not differentiate between the ‘school-onset’ group and ‘low’ group. Significant interactions were found between the domains for the ‘early-onset, desisting group’ suggesting that low levels of risk in one domain may buffer the effects of high risk in another domain. The implications of these findings for preventive interventions will be highlighted.

Keywords: conduct problems, cumulative risk, developmental trajectories, early childhood, adolescence

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Authors: Khadija Al-Hosni, Moon Fai Chan, Mohammed Al-Azri

Abstract:

Background: Several studies suggest that most school-age adolescents are poorly informed on cancer warning signs and risk factors. Providing adolescents with sufficient knowledge would increase their awareness in adulthood and improve seeking behaviors later. Significant: The results will provide a clear vision in assisting key decision-makers in formulating policies on the students' awareness programs towards cancer. So, the likelihood of avoiding cancer in the future will be increased or even promote early diagnosis. Objectives: to evaluate the effectiveness of an education program designed to increase awareness of cancer signs and symptoms risk factors, improve the behavior of seeking help among school students in Oman, and address the barriers to obtaining medical help. Methods: A randomized controlled trial with two groups was conducted in Oman. A total of 1716 students (n=886/control, n= 830/education), aged 15-17 years, at 10th and 11th grade from 12 governmental schools 3 in governorates from 20-February-2022 to 12-May-2022. Basic demographic data were collected, and the Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) was used as the primary outcome. Data were collected at baseline (T0) and 4 weeks after (T1). The intervention group received an education program about cancer's cause and its signs and symptoms. In contrast, the control group did not receive any education related to this issue during the study period. Non-parametric tests were used to compare the outcomes between groups. Results: At T0, the lamp was the most recognized cancer warning sign in control (55.0%) and intervention (55.2%) groups. However, there were no significant changes at T1 for all signs in the control group. In contrast, all sign outcomes were improved significantly (p<0.001) in the intervention group, the highest response was unexplained pain (93.3%). Smoking was the most recognized risk factor in both groups: (82.8% for control; 84.1% for intervention) at T0. However, there was no significant change in T1 for the control group, but there was for the intervention group (p<0.001), the highest identification was smoking cigarettes (96.5%). Too scared was the largest barrier to seeking medical help by students in the control group at T0 (63.0%) and T1 (62.8%). However, there were no significant changes in all barriers in this group. Otherwise, being too embarrassed (60.2%) was the largest barrier to seeking medical help for students in the intervention group at T0 and too scared (58.6%) at T1. Although there were reductions in all barriers, significant differences were found in six of ten only (p<0.001). Conclusion: The intervention was effective in improving students' awareness of cancer symptoms, warning signs (p<0.001), and risk factors (p<0.001 reduced the most addressed barriers to seeking medical help (p<0.001) in comparison to the control group. The Ministry of Education in Oman could integrate awareness of cancer within the curriculum, and more interventions are needed on the sociological part to overcome the barriers that interfere with seeking medical help.

Keywords: adolescents, awareness, cancer, education, intervention, student

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Authors: Erika R. Chambriard, Sandro C. Izidoro, Davidson P. Mendes, Douglas E. V. Pires

Abstract:

Work-related illnesses and disorders have been a constant aspect of work. Although their nature has changed over time, from musculoskeletal disorders to illnesses related to psychosocial aspects of work, its impact on the life of workers remains significant. Despite significant efforts worldwide to protect workers, the disparity between changes in work legislation and actual benefit for workers’ health has been creating a significant economic burden for social security and health systems around the world. In this context, this study aims to propose, test and validate a modular prototype that allows for work environmental aspects to be assessed, monitored and better controlled. The main focus is also to provide a historical record of working conditions and the means for workers to obtain comprehensible and useful information regarding their work environment and legal limits of occupational exposure to different types of environmental variables, as means to improve prevention of work-related accidents and disorders. We show the developed prototype provides useful and accurate information regarding the work environmental conditions, validating them with standard occupational hygiene equipment. We believe the proposed prototype is a cost-effective and adequate approach to work environment monitoring that could help elucidate the links between work and occupational illnesses, and that different industry sectors, as well as developing countries, could benefit from its capabilities.

Keywords: Arduino prototyping, occupational health and hygiene, work environment, work-related disorders prevention

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Authors: Asmaa Fathy Mohamed Desoky

Abstract:

The subject of this research is the inference of intentionality and context from the verses of the Meccan surahs, which include the paradox of reward and punishment, applied to the duality of disbelief and faith; The Holy Quran is the most important sacred linguistic reference in the Arabic language because it is rich in all the rules of the language in addition to the linguistic miracle. the Quranic text is a first-class intentional text, sent down to convey something to the recipient (Muhammad first and then communicates it to Muslims) and influence and convince him, which opens the door to many Ijtihad; a desire to reach the will of Allah and his intention from his words Almighty. Intentionality as a term is one of the most important deliberative terms, but it will be modified to suit the Quranic discourse, especially since intentionality is related to intention-as it turned out earlier - that is, it turns the reader or recipient into a predictor of the unseen, and this does not correspond to the Quranic discourse. Hence, in this research, a set of dualities will be identified that will be studied in order to clarify the meaning of them according to the opinions of previous interpreters in accordance with the sanctity of the Quranic discourse, which is intentionally related to the dualities of reward and punishment, such as: the duality of disbelief and faith, noting that it is a duality that combines opposites and Paradox on one level, because it may be an external paradox between action and reaction, and may be an internal paradox in matters related to faith, and may be a situational paradox in a specific event or a certain fact. It should be noted that the intention of the Qur'anic text is fully realized in form and content, in whole and in part, and this research includes a presentation of some applied models of the issues of intention and context that appear in the verses of the paradox of reward and punishment in the Meccan surahs in Quraan.

Keywords: intentionality, context, the paradox, reward, punishment, Meccan surahs

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Authors: Hajer Taktak, Faouzi Moussa

Abstract:

With the ubiquitous computing’s emergence and the evolution of enterprises’ needs, one of the main challenges is to build context-aware applications based on Web services. These applications have become particularly relevant in the pervasive computing domain. In this paper, we introduce our approach that optimizes the use of Web services with context notions when dealing with contextual environments. We focus particularly on making Web services autonomous and natively context-aware. We implement and evaluate the proposed approach with a pedagogical example of a context-aware Web service treating temperature values. 

Keywords: context-aware, CXF framework, ubiquitous computing, web service

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Authors: Selina Lin, Justin M Fan, Vincent Zhang, Cindy Chen, Daniel Lam, Jason Yan, Ning Zhang

Abstract:

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States, and past studies have shown a concerning increase in the rates of depression in youth populations over time. Furthermore, depression is an especially important issue for Asian Americans because of the anti-Asian violence taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic. While Asian American adolescents are reluctant to seek help for mental health issues, past research has found a prevalence of depressive symptoms in them that have yet to be fully investigated. There have been studies conducted to understand and observe the impacts of multifarious factors influencing the mental well-being of Asian American adolescents; however, they have been generally limited to qualitative investigation, and very few have attempted to quantitatively evaluate the relationship between depression levels and a comprehensive list of factors for those levels at the same time. To better quantify these relationships, this project investigated the prevalence of depression in Asian American teenagers mainly from the Greater Philadelphia Region, aged 12 to 19, and, with an anonymous survey, asked participants 48 multiple-choice questions pertaining to demographic information, daily behaviors, school life, family life, depression levels (quantified by the PHQ-9 assessment), school and family support against depression. Each multiple-choice question was assigned as a factor and variable for statistical and dominance analysis to determine the most influential factors on depression levels of Asian American adolescents. The results were validated via Bootstrap analysis and t-tests. While certain influential factors identified in this survey are consistent with the literature, such as parent-child relationship and peer pressure, several dominant factors were relatively overlooked in the past. These factors include the parents’ relationship with each other, the satisfaction with body image, sex identity, support from the family and support from the school. More than 25% of participants desired more support from their families and schools in handling depression issues. This study implied that it is beneficial for Asian American parents and adolescents to take programs on parents’ relationships with each other, parent-child communication, mental health, and sexual identity. A culturally inclusive school environment and more accessible mental health services would be helpful for Asian American adolescents to combat depression. This survey-based study paved the way for further investigation of effective approaches for helping Asian American adolescents against depression.

Keywords: Asian American adolescents, depression, dominance analysis, t-test, bootstrap analysis

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Authors: Alemayehu Belay Emagnaw

Abstract:

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship of mother and father involvement with students’ school performance and the effect of selected family demographic variables (mother and father education, family structure and sex of students) to the involvement of mothers and fathers in their children’s school performance. In addition, this study attempted to differentiate the level of involvement of mothers’ and fathers’ in their children’s school performance. The research was conducted in Bahirdar City, Ethiopia. A total of 175 students (boys were 85 and girls were 90) of grade 7th and 8th private primary schools were selected as respondents using stratified random sampling technique. The data were collected using a questionnaire. Analysis of the data showed that fathers and mothers have significant involvement in their children’s school performance. A significant difference was also found between mothers and fathers involvement in their children’s school performance. Mothers were better involved in their children school performance than fathers. The analysis of inter-correlation between variables showed that there is a statistically significant relationship between mother and father education, mother and father involvement, and school performance whereas, family structure and sex of the child had no significant relationship with school performance.

Keywords: family structure, parental education, parental involvement, school performance

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Authors: Ronghui (Kevin) Zhou

Abstract:

This research intends to explore the enactment of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), in term of the ESD concept, in primary schools in China, and investigate the factors that have positively or negatively impacted the outcome of ESD in urban primary schools in China. The proposed research question is: how is the ESD concept perceived and enacted by the local education stakeholders. This research is conducted in multiple primary schools in China and has questionnaired and interviewed multiple education stakeholders, including school principals, school teachers, and bureau from the municipal Ministry of Education. Factor analysis, regression analysis, and critical discourse analysis are adopted to interpret and analyze the data. The preliminary findings suggest that contested ESD definition, education system pressures, education policy enforcement, and power dynamics between stakeholders are the key factors that have determined to what degree is ESD enacted, and to what extent is ESD practiced in primary schools in China.

Keywords: education for sustainable development, China, primary education, case study

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Authors: Khadija Al-Hosni, Moon Fai Chan, Mohammed Al-Azri

Abstract:

Background: Several studies suggest that most school-age adolescents are poorly informed on cancer warning signs and risk factors. Providing adolescents with sufficient knowledge would increase their awareness in adulthood and improve seeking behaviors later. Significant: The results will provide a clear vision in assisting key decision-makers in formulating policies on the students' awareness programs towards cancer. So, the likelihood of avoiding cancer in the future will be increased or even promote early diagnosis. Objectives: to evaluate the effectiveness of an education program designed to increase awareness of cancer signs and symptoms risk factors, improve the behavior of seeking help among school students in Oman, and address the barriers to obtaining medical help. Methods: A randomized controlled trial with two groups was conducted in Oman. A total of 1716 students (n=886/control, n= 830/education), aged 15-17 years, at 10th and 11th grade from 12 governmental schools 3 in governorates from 20-February-2022 to 12-May-2022. Basic demographic data were collected, and the Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) was used as the primary outcome. Data were collected at baseline (T0) and 4 weeks after (T1). The intervention group received an education program about cancer's cause and its signs and symptoms. In contrast, the control group did not receive any education related to this issue during the study period. Non-parametric tests were used to compare the outcomes between groups. Results: At T0, the lamp was the most recognized cancer warning sign in the control (55.0%) and intervention (55.2%) groups. However, there were no significant changes at T1 for all signs in the control group. In contrast, all sign outcomes were improved significantly (p<0.001) in the intervention group, and the highest response was unexplained pain (93.3%). Smoking was the most recognized risk factor in both groups: (82.8% for control; 84.1% for intervention) at T0. However, there was no significant change in T1 for the control group, but there was for the intervention group (p<0.001), the highest identification was smoking cigarettes (96.5%). Too scared was the largest barrier to seeking medical help by students in the control group at T0 (63.0%) and T1 (62.8%). However, there were no significant changes in all barriers in this group. Otherwise, being too embarrassed (60.2%) was the largest barrier to seeking medical help for students in the intervention group at T0 and too scared (58.6%) at T1. Although there were reductions in all barriers, significant differences were found in six of ten only (p<0.001). Conclusion: The intervention was effective in improving students' awareness of cancer symptoms, warning signs (p<0.001), and risk factors (p<0.001 reduced the most addressed barriers to seeking medical help (p<0.001) in comparison to the control group. The Ministry of Education in Oman could integrate awareness of cancer within the curriculum, and more interventions are needed on the sociological part to overcome the barriers that interfere with seeking medical help.

Keywords: adolescents, awareness, cancer, education, intervention, student

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Authors: Eneli Kindsiko, Kulno Türk

Abstract:

The purpose of the current article is to reveal misconceptions about ICT occupations that keep females away from the field. The study focuses on the three phases in one’s career life cycle: pre-university, university and workplace with the aim of investigating how to attract more females into an ICT-related career. By studying nearly 300 secondary school graduates, 102 university students and 18 female ICT specialists, the study revealed six myths that influence the decision-making process of young girls in pursuing an ICT-related education and career. Furthermore, discriminating conception of ICT as a primarily man’s world is developed before the university period. Stereotypical barriers should be brought out to the public debate, so that a remarkable proportion of possible employees (women) would not stay away from the tech-related fields. Countries could make a remarkable leap in efficiency, when turning their attention to the gender-related issues in the labour market structure.

Keywords: ICT, women, stereotypes, computer

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Authors: Giedre Sirvinskiene, Kastytis Smigelskas

Abstract:

Quality of family relations is an important factor of child development, however, the role of joint family activities on adolescent happiness still needs investigation. The aim of this study is to analyze associations between happiness of school-aged children and parental involvement. The analysis involves Lithuanian data from the cross-sectional Health Behaviour in School Aged Children (HBSC) study. The sample comprised 5730 children aged 11–15 years. Results: The odds of happiness was 2.38 times higher if children were living together with mother (95% CI: 1.81–3.13) and 1.81 times – with father (95% CI: 1.53–2.15). However, the likelihood of happiness was 7.21 times lower if adolescent had difficulties to talk with mother (95% CI: 5.42–9.61) and 6.40 times – with father (95% CI: 4.80–8.56). The joint daily adolescents-parents activities also predict the odds for happiness: joint TV watching by 5.96 times (95% CI: 4.21–8.43), having meals together by 7.02 times (95% CI: 4.77–10.32), going for a walk together 4.30 times (95% CI: 2.96–6.26), visiting places by 6.85 times (95% CI: 4.74–9.90), visiting friends and relatives by 7.13 times (95% CI: 4.87–10.43), sporting by 2.76 (95% CI: 1.83–4.18) as well as discussing various things by 7.35 times (95% CI: 5.50–9.82). Conclusions: Joint parents-adolescents activities and communication are related with greater happiness of adolescent. Though adolescence is a period when the relationships with peers get more importance, the communication and joint activities with parents remain a significant factor of adolescent happiness.

Keywords: adolescent, family, happiness, school-age

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Authors: Ahmad Masduki Bin Selamat

Abstract:

Malaysia is becoming a developed country by the year 2020, the problem is that little is known about the perceptions and curricular values of Malaysian high school students who have taken Living Skills as a subject in the regular public school. How these students perceive technology in their daily lives, in the country’s development and in global context, is not known. The study involved form 4 students from four public schools in Petaling District. The study found that the Petaling District students’ knowledge of technology were good, where 76.6 % of them scored 50% marks and above during the achievement test. In addition, it was also found that only excellent and squatter students perceived technology education as important as a school subject, compared to those students from the urban area. It was found that students preferred business and entrepreneurship topics rather than the other Living Skills curriculum. The study suggests that students should be exposed to technology education from the early years of schooling (preschool to secondary). In addition, the acquisition of skills, the evaluation, revision and modification of the instruction as well as the curriculum should be enforced.

Keywords: technology education, living skills, curricular values, public schools

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Authors: Beata Hornickova, Sona Lorencova

Abstract:

The study deals with the presentation of the results of qualitatively oriented research, which was carried out in the scope of determining the attitudes of parents to preschool education in the Czech Republic. The research is conceived as an entry into the field of the researched issue and aimed to support the effectiveness of the items of the questionnaire, which was subsequently created based on the parents’ statements from interviews. The research method was interview with 15 parents of preschool children. The main aim of the interviews was to find out their views on the compulsory attendance of their children in kindergarten. Compulsory pre-school attendance has been introduced in the Czech Republic since 2017/18 with the aim of reducing delays in the entry of children into primary school and eliminating subsequent school failures. The findings offered a look at the differing views on compulsory kindergarten school influenced by the different socio-economic status of parents. Parents with a higher socio-economic status attached greater importance to the educational component of compulsory preschool attendance as a preparation for primary school, while parents with a lower socio-economic status emphasized the educational component. An interesting finding is also a statement from interviews of a parent who does not find benefits in compulsory preschool attendance.

Keywords: compulsory pre-school education, education of pre-school children, kindergarten, parents’ opinions on pre-school education

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Authors: Umar Mamman

Abstract:

The study investigated the impact of school environment and peer relations on antisocial behaviour of the students of science secondary schools in Katsina State. The study sought to achieve the following objectives: to determine whether school influences antisocial behaviour among science secondary school students, and to determine whether peer relation influences anti-social behaviour among science secondary school students. The study population composed of all the students in science secondary schools in Katsina State. The study used a sample of 378 students and 18 teachers randomly selected from eleven science secondary schools in Katsina state. Three instruments were used to collect data for the study, thus: socio-economic status background questionnaire, antisocial process screening device (APSD), and inventory of parent and peer relationship questionnaire. The study findings revealed that school environment has significant effect on antisocial behaviour of the students in science secondary school (F (7, 372) = 52.08, p ≤ .01), and there is a significant effect of peer relation on antisocial behaviour of the students in science secondary school (F (7, 372) = 14.229, p ≤ .01). Based on these findings the following major recommendations were made: School environment should be made attractive and conducive for learning and character development. Teachers, as role model, should desist from indecent acts. School environment should be made learner-centered and friendly. Functional guidance and counselling outfits need to be provided in all secondary schools in Katsina state.

Keywords: school environment, peer relation, anti-social behaviour, psychology

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Authors: Shakila Singh, Devanya Reddy, Navisha Sewnath

Abstract:

Children spend a substantial time at school, and their awareness and construction of sexual identities are significantly impacted by their teachers. South African primary schools locate sex and sexuality education in the Life Orientation (LO), leaving all engagement with issues of identity and diversity in the domain of LO teachers. This paper examines the views and experiences of selected teachers regarding their engagement with sexual diversity in a primary school in South Africa. This is a small-scale qualitative study. The sample comprised twelve teachers (including non-LO teachers), and the main research method was a semi-structured interview. The findings show that the teachers have limited understanding of sexual diversity. They mostly hold heteronormative and moralistic views, negate children's sexuality, and they are awkward about acknowledging and discussing diverse sexualities. We argue that teachers need to reflect on their own conservative socialisation and moral judgements, address their discomfort concerning addressing issues of sex and sexual diversity with children, and create an environment for children to construct their sexualities within a supportive context. Teacher Education must, therefore, prepare teachers in a manner that recognises the complex ways gender and sexuality infuse all aspects of learners' lives and prepare all teachers for a non-judgmental approach to sexual inclusion that challenges heteronormativity in primary school.

Keywords: primary school, sexuality education, sexual diversity, teachers

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Authors: Khin Khin Thant Sin

Abstract:

This study is a case study which investigates successful and ongoing bottom-up innovations for school improvement initiatives in Hungary. Two innovative schools are selected in this study due to their outstanding achievement during the past ten years in Hungary. In one school, data from the personal experiences of a school principal who initiated the bottom-up innovation are included. For the second school, three interviews were carried out with two schoolteachers and one secondary school student. In addition, desk research, including the principal’s published articles, the schoolteachers’ master thesis, the school websites, and other published articles, are analysed to explore the schools’ innovative processes. This study investigates how bottom-up innovation led to major achievements in student learning, teacher professional development, networking and collaboration with other schools, and the establishment of successful partnerships with universities. The highlight of this study is how innovative schools can be the major sources promoting educational innovations as well as improving teacher education, especially in initial teacher education and continuous professional development.

Keywords: school innovation, teacher education, hungary, educational innovation, school improvement

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Authors: Avijit Sengupta, Klarissa Ting Ting Cheng, Maffee Peng-Hui Wan

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This study investigates the influence of user factors and referent characteristics on representation types generated using the stereotype production method for designing icons. Sixty-eight participants of farming communities were asked to draw images based on sixteen feature referents. Significant statistical differences were found between the types of representations generated for contextual and context-independent referents. Strong correlations were observed between years of formal education and total number of abstract representations produced for both contextual and context-independent referents. However, representation characteristics were not influenced by other user factors such as participants’ experience with mobile phone and years of farming experience. A statistically significant tendency of making concrete representations was observed for both contextual and context-independent referents. These findings provide insights on community members’ involvement in icon design and suggest a consolidated icon design strategy based on population stereotype, particularly for under-served rural communities of India.

Keywords: abstract representation, concrete representation, participatory design, population stereotype

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Authors: Marco Sewald

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WWSE School Development (Wahrnehmungs- und wertorientierte Schulentwicklung) contains surveys on pupils, teachers and parents and enables schools to align the development to the requirements mentioned by these three stakeholders. WWSE includes a derivative set of questions for Christian schools, meeting their specific needs. The conducted research on WWSE is reflecting contemporary questions on school development, questioning the quality of the implementation of the results of past surveys, delivered by WWSE School Development in Christian schools in Germany. The research focused on questions connected to organizational development, including leadership and change management. This is done contoured to the two other areas of WWSE: human resources development and development of school teaching methods. The chosen research methods are: (1) A quantitative triangulation on three sets of data. Data from a past evaluation taken in 2011, data from a second evaluation covering the same school conducted in 2014 and a structured survey among the teachers, headmasters and members of the school board taken within the research. (2) Interviews with teachers and headmasters have been conducted during the research as a second stage to fortify the result of the quantitative first stage. Results: WWSE is supporting modern school development. While organizational development, leadership, and change management are proofed to be important for modern school development, these areas are widespread underestimated by teachers and headmasters. Especially in comparison to the field of human resource development and to an even bigger extent in comparison to the area of development of school teaching methods. The research concluded, that additional efforts in the area of organizational development are necessary to meet modern demands and the research also shows which areas are the most important ones.

Keywords: school as a social organization, school development, school leadership, WWSE, Wahrnehmungs- und wertorientierte Schulentwicklung

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Authors: Xining Wang

Abstract:

After-school educational service has been proven that it could benefit children’s academic performance, socio-emotional skills, and physical health level. However, there is little research demonstrating parents’ perspectives on the choice of after-school educational service from a level of cross-cultural backgrounds. China and Ireland are typical representatives of collectivist countries (e.g., estimated individualism score is 20) and individualist countries (e.g., estimated individualism score is 70) according to Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory. Living in countries with distinguished cultural backgrounds, there is an evident discrepancy in parents’ attitudes towards domestic after-school education and parents’ motivations for choosing after-school educational services. Through conducting a semi-structured interview with 15 parents from China and 15 parents from Ireland, using thematic analysis software (ATLAS) to extract the key information, and applying a comparative approach to process data analysis; results present polarization of Chinese and Irish parents' perspectives and motivations on after-school educational service. For example, Chinese parents tend to view after-school education as a complement to school education. It is a service they purchased for their children to acquire extra knowledge and skills so that they could adapt to the highly competitive educational setting. Given the fact that children’s education is a priority for Chinese families, most parents believe that their children would succeed in the future through massive learning. This attitude reflects that Chinese parents are more likely to apply authoritarian parenting methods and having a strong expectations for their children. Conversely, Irish parents' choice of after-school educational service is a consideration that primarily based on their own situation, secondly, for their family. For instance, with the expansion of the labor market, there is a change in household structure. Irish mothers are more likely to seek working opportunities instead of looking after the family. Irish parents view that after-school educational service is an essential need for themselves and a beneficial component for their family due to the external pressure (e.g., the growing work intensity and extended working hours, increasing numbers of separated families, as well as parents’ pursuit of higher education and promotion). These factors are fundamental agents that encourage Irish parents to choose after-school educational services. To conclude, the findings could provide readers with a better understanding of parents’ disparate and contrasting perspectives on after-school educational services from a multi-culture level.

Keywords: after-school, China, family studies, Ireland, parents

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Authors: James Bassey Ejue, Dorn Cklaimz Enamhe, Helen Francis Ejue

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The study examined the influence of personal variables such as sex, type of school, and parental socio-economic status on secondary school students’ perception of school security. To guide the study, three null hypotheses were formulated. The research design adopted was the survey design, and a 20-item instrument was constructed and validated by the researchers through a test-retest procedure. The sample size for the study comprised 2,198 students made up of male and female students selected through a stratified random sampling technique. This was drawn from a study population of 21,988, made up of 12,635 students and 9353 students from public and private secondary schools, respectively. Data were analyzed using an independent t-test statistical tool. The findings showed that female students were more fearful in their perception of school security; the students in private schools perceived school to be more insecure than those in public schools; and the students from high parental socio-economic status are more associated with the perception of school as insecure than the ones from low parental socio-economic status. Based on these findings, it was recommended that, among others, more reassuring measures be put in place to check school security for females, for those in private schools, and for those from high parental socio-economic status. School counsellors should also be guided accordingly in designing intervention strategies.

Keywords: personal variables, students, perception, school security

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Authors: Manh-Dung Ho, Van-Giap Pham, Van-Doanh Ho, Quang-Thien Tran, Tuan-Anh Tran

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The k0-factors and related nuclear data, i.e. the Q0-factors and effective resonance energies (Ēr) of the selected radionuclides which are used in the k0-based neutron activation analysis (k0-NAA), were critically reviewed to be integrated in the “k0-DALAT” software. The k0- and Q0-factors of some short-lived radionuclides: 46mSc, 110Ag, 116m2In, 165mDy, and 183mW, were experimentally determined at the Dalat research reactor. The other radionuclides selected are: 20F, 36S, 49Ca, 60mCo, 60Co, 75Se, 77mSe, 86mRb, 115Cd, 115mIn, 131Ba, 134mCs, 134Cs, 153Gd, 153Sm, 159Gd, 170Tm, 177mYb, 192Ir, 197mHg, 239U and 239Np. The reviewed data as compared with the literature data were biased within 5.6-7.3% in which the experimental re-determined factors were within 6.1 and 7.3%. The NIST standard reference materials: Oyster Tissue (1566b), Montana II Soil (2711a) and Coal Fly Ash (1633b) were used to validate the new reviewed data showing that the new data gave an improved k0-NAA using the “k0-DALAT” software with a factor of 4.5-6.8% for the investigated radionuclides.

Keywords: neutron activation analysis, k0-based method, k0 factor, Q0 factor, effective resonance energy

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Authors: Nazirah Zainul Abidin, Nurul Zahirah Mokhtar Azizi

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Cost has always been the leading concern in green building development. The perception that construction cost for green building is higher than conventional buildings has only made the discussion of green building cost more difficult. Understanding the factors that will influence the cost of green construction is expected to shed light into what makes green construction more or at par with conventional projects, or perhaps, where cost can be optimised. This paper identifies the elements of cost before shifting the attention to the influencing factors. Findings from past studies uncovered various factors related to cost which are grouped into five focal themes i.e. awareness, knowledge, financial, technical, and government support. A conceptual framework is produced in a form of a flower diagram indicating the cost influencing factors of green building development. These factors were found to be both physical and non-physical aspects of a project. The framework provides ground for the next stage of research that is to further explore how these factors influence the project cost and decision making.

Keywords: green project, factors influencing cost, hard cost, soft cost

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Authors: Sajee A. Gamage, Champa J. Wijesinghe, Patricia Burtner, Ananda R. Wickremasinghe

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Background: Teachers working in the context of special education have an enormous responsibility of enhancing performance skills of children in their classroom settings. Fine Motor Skills (FMS) are essential functional skills for children to gain independence in Activities of Daily Living. Children with Down Syndrome (DS) are predisposed to specific challenges due to deficits in FMS. This study is aimed to determine the teachers’ experience on improving FMS of children with DS in the context of special education of Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among all consenting eligible teachers (n=147) working in the context of special education in government schools of Southern Province of Sri Lanka. A self-administered questionnaire was developed based on literature and expert opinion to assess teachers’ experience regarding deficits of FMS, limitations of classroom activity performance and barriers to improve FMS of children with DS. Results: Approximately 93% of the teachers were females with a mean age ( ± SD) of 43.1 ( ± 10.1) years. Thirty percent of the teachers had training in special educationand 83% had children with DS in their classrooms. Major deficits of FMS reported were deficits in grasping (n=116; 79%), in-hand manipulation (n=103; 70%) and bilateral hand use (n=99; 67.3%). Paperwork (n=70; 47.6%), painting (n=58; 39.5%), scissor work (n=50; 34.0%), pencil use for writing (n=45; 30.6%) and use of tools in the classroom (n=41; 27.9%) were identified as major classroom performance limitations of children with DS. Parental factors (n=67; 45.6%), disease specific characteristics (n=58; 39.5%) and classroom factors (n=36; 24.5%), were identified as major barriers to improve FMS in the classroom setting. Lack of resources and standard tools, social stigma and late school admission were also identified as barriers to FMS training. Eighty nine percent of the teachers informed that training fine motor activities in a special education classroom was more successful than work with normal classroom setting. Conclusion: Major areas of FMS deficits were grasping, in-hand manipulation and bilateral hand use; classroom performance limitations included paperwork, painting and scissor work of children with DS. Teachers recommended regular practice of fine motor activities according to individual need. Further research is required to design a culturally specific FMS assessment tool and intervention methods to improve FMS of children with DS in Sri Lanka.

Keywords: classroom activities, Down syndrome, experience, fine motor skills, special education, teachers

Procedia PDF Downloads 153