Search results for: literature in education

Authors: Lawrence Meda, Christopher Dumas, Moses Moyo, Zayd Waghid

Abstract:

As a result of some schools embracing technology to enhance students’ learning experiences in the digital era, the Faculty of Education at a University of Technology in South Africa has mandated lecturers to scale up their utilisation of technology in their teaching. Lecturers have been challenged to utilise the institution’s Learning Management System - Blackboard among other technologies - to adequately prepare trainee teachers to be able to teach competently in schools. The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which lecturers are utilising Blackboard to enhance their teaching. The study will be conducted using a quantitative approach, and its paradigmatic position will be positivist. The study will be done as a case study of the university’s Faculty of Education. Data will be extracted from all 100 lecturers’ Blackboard sites according to their respective modules, and it will be analysed using the four pillars of Blackboard as a conceptual framework. It is presumed that there is an imbalance on the lecturers’ utilisation of the four pillars of Blackboard as the majority use it as a content dumping site.

Keywords: blackboard, digital, education, technology

Procedia PDF Downloads 140

Authors: Àidan Higgins

Abstract:

Higher education will be crucial in the coming decades in helping to make Ireland a nation is known for innovation, competitive enterprise, and ongoing academic success, as well as a desirable location to live and work with a high quality of life, vibrant culture, and inclusive social structures. Higher education institutions will actively connect with each student community, society, and business; they will help students develop a sense of place and identity in Ireland and provide the tools they need to contribute significantly to the global community. It will also serve as a catalyst for novel ideas through research, many of which will become the foundation for long-lasting inventive businesses in the future as part of the 2030 National Strategy on Education focuses on change and developing our education system with a focus on how we carry out Research. The emphasis is central to knowledge transfer and a consistent research framework with exploiting opportunities and having the necessary expertise. The newly formed Technological Universities (TU) in Ireland are based on a government initiative to create a new type of higher education institution that focuses on applied and industry-focused research and education. The basis of the TU is to bring together two or more existing institutes of technology to create a larger and more comprehensive institution that offers a wider range of programs and services to students and industry partners. The TU model aims to promote collaboration between academia, industry, and community organizations to foster innovation, research, and economic development. The TU model also aims to enhance the student experience by providing a more seamless pathway from undergraduate to postgraduate studies, as well as greater opportunities for work placements and engagement with industry partners. Additionally, the TUs are designed to provide a greater emphasis on applied research, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship, with the goal of fostering innovation and contributing to economic growth. A project is a collection of organised tasks carried out precisely to produce a singular output (product or service) within a given time frame. Project management is a set of activities that facilitates the successful implementation of a project. The significant differences between research and development projects are the (lack of) precise requirements and (the inability to) plan an outcome from the beginning of the project. The evaluation criteria for a research project must consider these and other "particularities" in works; for instance, proving something cannot be done may be a successful outcome. This study intends to explore how a newly established multi-campus technological university manages research projects effectively. The study will identify the potential and difficulties of managing research projects, the tools, resources and processes available in a multi-campus Technological University context and the methods and approaches employed to deal with these difficulties. Key stakeholders like project managers, academics, and administrators will be surveyed as part of the study, which will also involve an explorative investigation of current literature and data. The findings of this study will contribute significantly to creating best practices for project management in this setting and offer insightful information about the efficient management of research projects within a multi-campus technological university.

Keywords: project management, research and research-related projects, multi-campus technology university, processes

Procedia PDF Downloads 60

Authors: Salomé Elizabeth Scholtz

Abstract:

Reviewers are the gatekeepers of knowledge dissemination and promote the scientific validity of the research. However, the literature indicates that authors often receive questionable feedback on qualitative manuscripts. Thus, this qualitative descriptive study sought to explore the qualitative knowledge and experiences of reviewers of psychology journals. A purposive and snowball sample (n=27) of psychology journal reviewers completed an online questionnaire, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Reviewers felt their postgraduate education, reading, and the process of reviewing qualitative articles equipped them to review qualitative manuscripts. Less than half of the reviewer’s published articles were qualitative and male reviewers published more than females. Despite not expecting authors to have the same level of research skills, reviewers still experienced authors as unskilled and biased, creating difficulty in accepting and reviewing qualitative articles. The applicability of the qualitative method and recommendations in preparing qualitative manuscripts for reviewing are reported.

Keywords: journal reviewers, psychology, qualitative research, research method, research skills

Procedia PDF Downloads 84

Authors: Karen V. Lee

Abstract:

The background and significance of this study involve communication in education by a faculty advisor exploring story and music that informs others about a disabled teacher. Social issues draw deep reflection about the emotional turmoil. As a musician becoming a teacher is a passionate yet complex endeavor, the faculty advisor shares a poetic but painful story about a disabled teacher being inducted into the teaching profession. The qualitative research method as theoretical framework draws on autoethnography of music and story where the faculty advisor approaches a professor for advice. His musicianship shifts her forward, backward, and sideways through feelings that evoke and provoke curriculum to remove communication barriers in education. They discover they do not transfer knowledge from educational method classes. Instead, the autoethnography embeds musical language as a metaphorical conduit for removing communication barriers in teacher education. Sub-themes involve communication barriers and educational technologies to ensure teachers receive social, emotional, physical, spiritual, and intervention disability resources that evoke visceral, emotional responses from the audience. Major findings of the study discover how autoethnography of music and story bring the authors to understand wider political issues of the practicum internship for teachers with disabilities. An epiphany reveals the irony of living in a culture of both uniformity and diversity. They explore the constructs of secrecy, ideology, abnormality, and marginalization by evoking visceral and emotional responses from the audience. As the voices harmonize plot, climax, characterization, and denouement, they dramatize meaning that is episodic yet incomplete to highlight the circumstances surrounding the disabled protagonist’s life. In conclusion, the qualitative research method argues for embracing storied experiences that depict communication in education. Scholarly significance embraces personal thoughts and feelings as a way of understanding social phenomena while highlighting the importance of removing communication barriers in education. The circumstance about a teacher with a disability is not uncommon in society. Thus, the authors resolve to removing barriers in education by using stories to transform the personal and cultural influences that provoke new ways of thinking about the curriculum for a disabled teacher.

Keywords: communication in education, communication barriers, autoethnography, teaching

Procedia PDF Downloads 240

Authors: Soojin Kim, Yongjae Kim

Abstract:

Continuous economic downturn and ongoing budget cuts poses higher education with profound challenges which has a direct impact on the collegiate athletic programs. In response to the ever-changing landscape of the fiscal environment, universities seek to boost revenues, resorting to alternative sources of funding. In particular, athletic programs have become increasingly dependent on financial support from their alumni and boosters, which is how athletic departments attempt to offset budget shortfalls and make capital improvements. Although there currently exists three major divisions within National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the majority of the sport management studies on college sport tend to focus on Division I level. Particularly within the donor motivation literature, a plethora of donor motivation studies exist, but mainly on NCAA Division I athletic programs. Since each athletic department functions differently in a number of different dimensions, while institutional difference can also have a huge impact on athletic donor motivations, the current study attempts to fill this gap that exists in the literature. As such, the purpose of this study was to (I) reexamine the factor structure of the Athletic Donor motivation scale; and (II) identify the prominent athletic donor motives in a NCAA Division II athletic program. For the purpose of this study, a total of 232 actual donors were used for analysis. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to test construct validity, and the reliability of the scale was assessed using Composite Reliability. To identify the prominent motivational factors, the means and standard deviations were examined. Results of this study indicated that Vicarious Achievement, Philanthropy, and Commitment are the three primary motivational factors, while Tangible Benefits, was consistently found as an important motive in prior studies was found low. Such findings highlight the key difference and suggest different salient motivations exist that are specific to the context.

Keywords: college athletics, donor, motivation, NCAA

Procedia PDF Downloads 147

Authors: Susana Marques, Cleide Abreu

Abstract:

Presently, more than ever, men’s grooming is seen as a broad category. The problem comes when the previous research about male consumer behavior have neglected some aspects in this subject. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the role of celebrity endorsement in men’s grooming communication to Generation Y. After identifying some gaps in the literature, with regard to this contemporary subject, the most important variables were defined in order to develop the investigation and draw conclusions through statistical analysis and validation, about the role celebrity endorsement as source of credibility in men’s grooming communication. According to the design and methodology, this research was sustained through in depth marketing analysis (secondary data), and primary data collection via online questionnaire, whereby 168 male respondents, from Brazil and Portugal, were exposed to some advertisement pieces in order to express their opinion and feelings. The findings reveal all the relationships among the variables, suggested by the literature, have occurred, presenting a significant relationship in terms of Source Credibility scale dimensions – attractiveness, trustworthiness and expertise. This paper aims to contribute to the existing literature with important conclusions about the role of celebrity endorsement and its credibility in men’s grooming advertisement.

Keywords: communication, celebrity endorsement, men’s grooming, consumer behavior

Procedia PDF Downloads 243

Authors: Reza Taherian, Naziasadat Naseri, Elham Fariborzi, Faride Hashmiannejad

Abstract:

Effective management plays a crucial role in the success of educational institutions and training organizations. This study aims to develop and validate a professional competency model for managers in the education and training sector of Khorasan Razavi Province using a mindfulness approach based on Langerian theory. Employing a mixed exploratory design, the research involved qualitative data collection from experts and top national and provincial managers, as well as quantitative data collection using a researcher-developed questionnaire. The findings revealed that 81% of the competency of education and training managers is influenced by the dimensions of Langerian mindfulness, including engagement, seeking, producing, and flexibility. These dimensions were found to be predictive of the competencies of education and training managers, which encompass specialized knowledge, professional skills, pedagogical knowledge, commitment to Islamic values, personal characteristics, and creativity. This research provides valuable insights into the essential role of mindfulness in shaping the competencies of education and training managers, shedding light on the specific dimensions that significantly contribute to managerial success in Khorasan Razavi province.

Keywords: school managers, school manager’s competencies, mindfulness, Langerian mindfulness

Procedia PDF Downloads 54

Authors: Mirzahmedov Ismoiljon Karimjon Ugli, Juraeva Shakhnoza Abdumalik Kizi

Abstract:

The article deals with the current scientific problems of natural geography related to the development of new pedagogical technologies and their implementation in the educational process. The use of recommended interactive methods in independent study is considered very effective and is a very useful method for students, especially for students who work more on themselves. Today's demand is to make young people talented, intelligent, innovative, as well as mature and well-rounded individuals, as a result of the work carried out in the field of education today. This is how creating tables of different contents and filling them out shows the student's talent and desire for innovation. Also, the techniques and methods necessary for today's student are shown, the role of the teacher in conducting lessons meaningfully, the suitability of the method used by the teacher for the lesson, factors affecting the quality of education, and natural issues of the use of methods based on the specific features of geography are highlighted.

Keywords: teaching methods, educational process, educational technologies, education, problem, didactics, natural geography

Procedia PDF Downloads 66

Authors: Fan Chih-Wen

Abstract:

The Ministry of Education (2014) released the 12-year National Basic Education Curriculum Syllabus. Curriculum implementation has evolved from a loose connection of cooperation to a closely structured relationship of coordination and collaboration. Collaboration opens the door to teachers' culture of isolation and classrooms and allows them to discuss educational issues from multiple perspectives and achieve shared goals. The purpose of study is to investigate facilitating factors of collaborative school culture and implications for principal curriculum leadership. The development and implementation of the new curriculum involves collaborative governance across systems and levels, including cooperation between central governments and schools. First, it analyzes the connotation of the 12-year National Basic Education Curriculum; Second, it analyzes the meaning of collaborative culture； Third, it analyzes the motivating factors of collaborative culture. Finally, based on this, it puts forward relevant suggestions for principal curriculum leadership.

Keywords: curriculum leadership, collaboration culture, tracher culture, school improvement

Procedia PDF Downloads 22

Authors: Kateriina Rannula, Elle Sõrmus, Siret Piirsalu

Abstract:

Mixed generation classroom is a phenomenon that current higher education establishments are faced with daily trying to meet the needs of modern labor market with its emphasis on lifelong learning and retraining. Representatives of mainly X and Y generations in one classroom acquiring higher education is a challenge to lecturers considering all the characteristics that differ one generation from another. The importance of outlining different strategies and considering the needs of the students lies in the necessity for everyone to acquire the maximum of the provided knowledge as well as to understand each other to study together in one classroom and successfully cooperate in future workplaces. In addition to different generations, there are also learners with different native languages which have an impact on reading and understanding texts in third languages, including possible translation. Current research aims to investigate, describe and compare reading strategies among the representatives of generation X and Y. Hypotheses were formulated - representatives of generation X and Y use different reading strategies which is also different among first and third year students of the before mentioned generations. Current study is an empirical, qualitative study. To achieve the aim of the research, relevant literature was analyzed and a semi-structured questionnaire conducted among the first and third year students of Tallinn Health Care College. Questionnaire consisted of 25 statements on the text reading strategies, 3 multiple choice questions on preferences considering the design and medium of the text, and three open questions on the translation process when working with a text in student’s third language. The results of the questionnaire were categorized, analyzed and compared. Both, generation X and Y described their reading strategies to be 'scanning' and 'surfing'. Compared to generation X, first year generation Y learners valued interactivity and nonlinear texts. Students frequently used strategies of skimming, scanning, translating and highlighting together with relevant-thinking and assistance-seeking. Meanwhile, the third-year generation Y students no longer frequently used translating, resourcing and highlighting while Generation X learners still incorporated these strategies. Knowing about different needs of the generations currently inside the classrooms and on the labor market enables us with tools to provide sustainable education and grants the society a work force that is more flexible and able to move between professions. Future research should be conducted in order to investigate the amount of learning and strategy- adoption between generations. As for reading, main suggestions arising from the research are as follows: make a variety of materials available to students; allow them to select what they want to read and try to make those materials visually attractive, relevant, and appropriately challenging for learners considering the differences of generations.

Keywords: generation X, generation Y, learning strategies, reading strategies

Procedia PDF Downloads 180

Authors: Damilola Mofikoya

Abstract:

Developed countries account for a large proportion of greenhouse gas emissions. In the last decade, countries including the United States and China have made a commitment to cut down carbon emissions by signing the Paris Climate Agreement. However, carbon neutrality is a challenging issue to tackle at the country level because of the scale of the problem. To overcome this challenge, cities are at the forefront of these efforts. Many cities in the United States are taking strategic actions and proposing programs and initiatives focused on renewable energy, green transportation, less use of fossil fuel vehicles, etc. There have been concerns about the implications of those strategies and a lack of community engagement. This paper is focused on community-based efforts that help actualize the reduction of carbon footprint through sustained and inclusive action. Existing zero-carbon assessment tools are examined to understand variables and indicators associated with the zero-carbon goals. Based on a broad, systematic review of literature on community strategies, and existing zero-carbon assessment tools, a dashboard was developed to help simplify and demystify carbon neutrality goals at a community level. The literature was able to shed light on the key contributing factors responsible for the success of community efforts in carbon neutrality. Stakeholder education is discussed as one of the strategies to help communities take action and generate momentum. The community-based efforts involving individuals and residents, such as reduction of food wastages, shopping preferences, transit mode choices, and healthy diets, play an important role in the context of zero-carbon initiatives. The proposed community-based dashboard will emphasize the importance of sustained, structured, and collective efforts at a communal scale. Finally, the present study discusses the relationship between life expectancy and quality of life and how it affects carbon neutrality in communities.

Keywords: carbon footprint, communities, life expectancy, quality of life

Procedia PDF Downloads 87

Authors: Shi Zhang

Abstract:

This paper aims to introduce the allopatry of national college entrance examination which allow migrant students enter senior high schools and take college entrance exam where they live, identifies the reasons affect the implementation of this policy in the Chinese context. Most of China’s provinces and municipalities recently have announced new policies regarding national college entrance exams for non-local students. The paper conducts SWOT analysis reveals the opportunities, strength, weakness and challenges of the scheme, so as to discuss the implementation strategies from the perspectives of idea and institution. The research findings imply that the government should take a more positive attitude toward relaxing the allopatry of NCEE policy restrictions, and promote the reform household registration policy and NCEE policy with synchronous operations. Higher education institutions should explore the diversification of enrollment model; the government should issue the authority of universities and colleges to select elite migrant students beyond the restrictions of NCEE. To suit reform policies to local conditions, the big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou should publish related compensate measures for children of migrant workers access to higher vocational colleges with tuition fee waivered. 

Keywords: college entrance examination, higher education, education policy, education equality

Procedia PDF Downloads 377

Authors: B. Karmutoglu, E. Guzel, Y. Halefoglu

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to determine the basic trends of the students and instructors who participated in the courses of entrepreneurship certificate education in universities. In this study, it is tried to determine whether the level of education and occupational groups are meaningful in creating entrepreneurship, taking into consideration the legal regulations, supports, researches and development targets issued in this respect. For this reason, this project started 2015 and opened five courses in 2015, thirteen courses in 2016, and eleven courses in 2017. The total numbers of course and participants have been 30 and 510 respectively. Comparisons were made according to the faculties of 510 participants. In this comparison, it was observed that outward-oriented, self-confidence, breakthrough, risk-taking and entrepreneurship tendencies of engineering faculty students were very high. In the second place, entrepreneurial desires of the students of vocational high schools came to the forefront. This project supported by Cukurova University and The Scientific And Technological Research Council Of Turkey(TÜBİTAK) 1601 programming.

Keywords: entrepreneurship, training, certificate, project

Procedia PDF Downloads 174

Authors: Derya Duran, Christine Jacknick

Abstract:

Despite a growing body of research on classroom, especially language classroom interactions, much more is yet to be discovered on how interaction is organized in higher education settings. This study investigates how the discourse marker 'I mean' in teacher questioning turns functions as a resource to promote student participation as well as to enhance collective understanding in whole-class discussions. This paper takes a conversation analytic perspective, drawing on 30-hour video recordings of classroom interaction in an English as a medium of instruction university in Turkey. Two content classrooms (i.e., Guidance) were observed during an academic term. The course was offered to 4th year students (n=78) in the Faculty of Education; students were majoring in different subjects (i.e., Early Childhood Education, Foreign Language Education, Mathematics Education). Results of the study demonstrate the multi-functionality of discourse marker 'I mean' in teacher questioning turns. In the context of English as a medium of instruction classrooms where possible sources of confusion may occur, we found that 'I mean' is primarily used to indicate upcoming adjustments. More specifically, it is employed for a variety of interactional purposes such as elaboration, clarification, specification, reformulation, and reference to the instructional activity. The study sheds light on the multiplicity of functions of the discourse marker in academic interactions and it uncovers how certain linguistic resources serve functions to the organization of repair such as the maintenance of understanding in classroom interaction. In doing so, it also shows the ways in which participation is routinely enacted in shared interactional events through linguistic resources.

Keywords: conversation analysis, discourse marker, English as a medium of instruction, repair

Procedia PDF Downloads 161

Authors: Emily Carrothers

Abstract:

This research takes a critical look at the development of the social worker subjectivity, particularly in Canada. Through an interrogation of required graduate course texts, this paper explicates the discursive formation, orientation, and maintenance of the social worker subject and the conceptualizations of poverty in graduate social work education. This research aims to advance understandings of power and ideology in social work graduate texts and formations of particular dominant constructions of poverty and social worker subjectivity. Guiding questions for this inquiry include: What are social workers being oriented to? What are social workers being oriented away from? How is poverty theorized, discussed and/or attached to social location in social work education? And, how are social workers implicated in contesting or reinforcing poverty? Using critical discourse analysis, 6 texts were analyzed with a particular focus on ways in which notions of poverty are discursively represented and ways in which notions of the formation of the social worker were approached. This revealed that discursively underpinning social work in anti-oppressive practice (AOP) can work to reify hierarchal structures of power that orient social workers away from structural poverty reduction strategies and towards punitive interactions with those that experience poverty and multiple forms of marginalization. This highlights that the social worker subjectivity is formed in opposition to the client, with graduate texts constructing the social worker as an expert in client’s lives and experiences even more so than the client.

Keywords: Canada, education, social work, subjectivity

Procedia PDF Downloads 161

Authors: Samira Rabiei, Faezeh Askari, Reza Rastmanesh

Abstract:

Objective: To evaluate the effects of nutrition education and adherence to a healthy diet on glycemic and lipidemic control in patients with T2DM. Material and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 494 patients with T2DM, aged 14-87 years from both sexes who were selected by convenience sampling from referees to Aliebneabitaleb hospital in Ghom. The participants were divided into two 247 person groups by stratified randomization. Both groups received a diet adjusted based on ideal body weight, and the intervention group was additionally educated about healthy food choices regarding diabetes. Information on medications, psychological factors, diet and physical activity was obtained from questionnaires. Blood samples were collected to measure FBS, 2 hPG, HbA1c, cholesterol, and triglyceride. After 2 months, weight and biochemical parameters were measured again. Independent T-test, Mann-Whitney, Chi-square, and Wilcoxon were used as appropriate. Logistic regression was used to determine the odds ratio of abnormal glycemic and lipidemic control according to the intervention. Results: The mean weight, FBS, 2 hPG, cholesterol and triglyceride after intervention were significantly lower than before that (p < 0.05). Discussion: Nutrition education plus a weigh reducer diet is more effective on glycemic and lipidemic control than a weight reducer diet, alone.

Keywords: type 2 diabetes mellitus, nutrition education, glycemic control, lipid profile

Procedia PDF Downloads 207

Authors: Robin Lok-Wang Ma

Abstract:

The Center/Unit for Industry Engagement and Collaboration, as well as Internship, play a significant role at university. In general, the Center serves as the official interface between the industry and the School or Department to cultivate students’ early exposure to professional experience. The missions of the Center are not limited to provide a communication channel and collaborative platform for the industries and the university but also to assist students to build up their career paths early while still in the university. In recent years, a cooperative education experience (commonly known as a co-op) has been strongly advocated for students to make the school-to-work transition. The nature of the co-op program is not only consistent with the internships/final year design projects, but it is also more industrial-oriented with academic support from faculty at the university. The purpose of this paper is to describe an approach to how cooperative education experience can be integrated into Engineering Curriculum. It provides a mutual understanding and exchange of ideas for the approach between the university and the industry. A suggested format in terms of timeline, duration, selection of candidates, students, and companies’ expectations for the co-op program is described. Also, feedbacks from employers/industries show that a longer-term co-op program is well suited for students compared with a short-term internship. To this end, it provides a new insight into collaboration and/or partnership between the university and the industries to prepare professional work-ready graduates.

Keywords: cooperative education, industry, engagement, collaboration

Procedia PDF Downloads 95

Authors: Kofi Nkonkonya Mpuangnan, Samantha Govender, Hlengiwe Romualda Mhlongo

Abstract:

Educational leaders are skilled architects crafting a vibrant environment where growth, creativity, and adaptability can flourish within schools. Their journey is one of transformation, urging them to explore administrative strategies that align seamlessly with evolving educational models and cater to the specific needs of students, educators, and stakeholders. Through this committed effort to innovate, they seek to enhance the effectiveness and influence of educational systems, paving the way for a more inclusive and forward-thinking educational environment. In this context, the authors explored the concept of transforming educational leadership with administrative strategies in alignment with the following research objectives. To find the strategies that can be adopted by transformation leaders to promote effective administrative practices in an educational setting and to explore the roles of educational leaders in promoting collaboration in education. To find answers to these questions, a systematic literature review underpinned by the transformational leadership model was adopted. Therefore, concepts integrated from a variety of outlets, including academic journals, conference proceedings, and reports found within SCOPUS, WoS, and IBSS databases. A search was aided using specific themes like innovative administrative practices, the roles of educational leaders, and interdisciplinary approaches to administrative practices. The process of conducting the search adhered to the five-step framework, which was subjected to inclusion and exclusion of studies. It was found that transformational leadership, agile methodologies, employee wellbeing, seminars and workshops could foster a culture of innovation and creativity among teachers and staff to transform administrative practices in education settings. It was recommended that professional development programs be organized periodically for educational leaders in educational institutions to help them revitalize their knowledge and skills in educational administration.

Keywords: educational leadership, innovative strategies, administrative practices, professional development, stakeholder engaement, student outcome

Procedia PDF Downloads 93

Authors: Yumei Han, Ling Li, Naiqing Song, Xiaoping Yang, Yuping Han

Abstract:

Educational think tank is agreeably regarded as significant part of a nation’s soft power to promote the scientific and democratic level of educational policy making, and it plays critical role of bridging educational research in higher institutions and educational policy making. This study explores the concept, functions and significance of educational think tank in China, and conceptualizes a three dimensional framework to analyze the approaches of transforming research-based higher institutions into effective educational think tanks to serve educational policy making in the nation wide. Since 2014, the Ministry of Education P.R. China has been promoting the strategy of developing new type of educational think tanks in higher institutions, and such a strategy has been put into the agenda for the 13th Five Year Plan for National Education Development released in 2017.In such context, increasing scholars conduct studies to put forth strategies of promoting the development and transformation of new educational think tanks to serve educational policy making process. Based on literature synthesis, policy text analysis, and analysis of theories about policy making process and relationship between educational research and policy-making, this study constructed a three dimensional conceptual framework to address the following questions: (a) what are the new features of educational think tanks in the new era comparing traditional think tanks, (b) what are the functional objectives of the new educational think tanks, (c) what are the organizational patterns and mechanism of the new educational think tanks, (d) in what approaches traditional research-based higher institutions can be developed or transformed into think tanks to effectively serve the educational policy making process. The authors adopted case study approach on five influential education policy study centers affiliated with top higher institutions in China and applied the three dimensional conceptual framework to analyze their functional objectives, organizational patterns as well as their academic pathways that researchers use to contribute to the development of think tanks to serve education policy making process.Data was mainly collected through interviews with center administrators, leading researchers and academic leaders in the institutions. Findings show that: (a) higher institution based think tanks mainly function for multi-level objectives, providing evidence, theoretical foundations, strategies, or evaluation feedbacks for critical problem solving or policy-making on the national, provincial, and city/county level; (b) higher institution based think tanks organize various types of research programs for different time spans to serve different phases of policy planning, decision making, and policy implementation; (c) in order to transform research-based higher institutions into educational think tanks, the institutions must promote paradigm shift that promotes issue-oriented field studies, large data mining and analysis, empirical studies, and trans-disciplinary research collaborations; and (d) the five cases showed distinguished features in their way of constructing think tanks, and yet they also exposed obstacles and challenges such as independency of the think tanks, the discourse shift from academic papers to consultancy report for policy makers, weakness in empirical research methods, lack of experience in trans-disciplinary collaboration. The authors finally put forth implications for think tank construction in China and abroad.

Keywords: education policy-making, educational research, educational think tank, higher institution

Procedia PDF Downloads 158

Authors: M. Umar Hafeez, Furqan Khursheed Hashmi, Nadeem Irfan Bukhari, Shahzad Ali, Muzammil Ali

Abstract:

The trend of self-medication is increasing due to various factors and is associated with a large number of complications. A cross-sectional study was aimed to investigate self-medication trend in an urban community and its correlates such as level of education, gender and behavior of using psychoactive medicines. A validated questionnaire was used to collect the data from different locations of Lahore, provincial capital of Punjab, Pakistan. The trend of self-medication was noted in reference to difference in educational level and in gender. This study showed that total 110 respondents, all literate,were found to be self-medicating, and their educational status was as 73.13% primary, 63.15% secondary, 61.12% higher secondary and 62.15% university going. In this sample 74.99% were males and 48.00%were females. Twenty nine (26.36%) of the total sample were found to be using psychoactive agents without consulting the physician. The trend of self-medication was 10% higher in individuals having primary level education, whereas there was not much difference of self-medication trend in other levels of education. The main reasons involved in self-medication trend were socio-economic status, medicine accessibility, religious and cultural beliefs, lack of awareness about risks associated with medicine, non-prescription sale of medicines and previous medication experience. The trend of self-medication of psychotropic agents is quite significant.

Keywords: self-medication, educated community, psychotropic drugs, education levels

Procedia PDF Downloads 392

Authors: Christine Okello

Abstract:

Physical Education (PE) curriculum provides school age students to explore issues that are likely to impact on health, safety, and well-being. The current curriculum includes the physical activity component, intended to improve physical fitness, social skills as well as building confidence. While this viewpoint is vital, there are challenges and stigma attached when specific issues are either ignored, inadequately addressed, or not seen to be important. The department stipulates that students attend a school that is closest to their home, to access available government transportation to and from school. Equivalently, parents of students with a disability decide where their children attend school. A choice between a regular classroom, mainstream Special Unit classroom, or a School for Specific Purposes (SSP). Parents who take their children to regular schools may be oblivious of the details of the curriculum. Physical Education outcomes does not stipulate the extent to which a student must perform or expected to perform. It is therefore due to the classroom teacher to adjust their teaching goals or outcomes to suit all students in their classroom. A student who can run a hundred meters race in 20 seconds may belong in the same classroom as a student in a wheelchair. While these students are challenged because of a lack of performance, teachers are challenged to effectively teach successful PE lessons, and on the other hand students without a disability may not be able to attain their optimum. This paper will identify areas of need, address the challenges, and explore a possible solution.

Keywords: special needs, disability, challenges, physical education

Procedia PDF Downloads 60

Authors: Prakash Singh

Abstract:

In this exploratory qualitative case study, the voices of female teachers are captured that describe their fear of failure in coping with their daily anxieties, stresses, and tensions in their classrooms. When teachers are usually appointed, the curriculum forms the heart of all their professional obligations. The policy of quality and equality of education for all learners is a must as part of these deliberations, otherwise it would spell the inevitable failure for teachers. Yet, how often have teachers been asked whether they are happy during their professional tenure. Research affirms that this question is not a priority, seeing that the happiness of learners and the educational administrators enjoy precedence. Teachers are often subject to undue pressures and tensions because of environmental factors that extends beyond the curriculum. School violence, bullying, drug abuse, and gangsters are not uncommon to the school milieu, no matter where such schools can be located. In this case study, the voices of female teachers find space concerning their experiences of tobephobia (TBP). The questions that inevitably arise are: Are the educational authorities aware of the effects of TBP in education? What can be done to arrest and eliminate the debilitating effects of TBP? This exploratory study contributes to the growing concerns of TBP in education. It is therefore imperative that the effects of TBP on human resources in education must be accentuated so that meaningful solutions can be found to address challenging educational issues such as school violence, bullying, and drug abuse amongst learners.

Keywords: curriculum, female teachers, school violence, tobephobia

Procedia PDF Downloads 404

Authors: Akumeyam Elvis Akum, Njanjo Thecla Anyongo Mukete, Fonkeng George Epah

Abstract:

Globally, the goal of higher education is to enhance graduate employability skills. Paradoxically, Cameroon’s graduate employability rate is far below the graduation rate. This worrisome situation caused the researcher to hypothesize that the teaching and learning experiences account for this increasing disparity. The study sought to investigate the effect on graduate employability of the teaching of organizational, problem-solving, innovation, and risk management skills on graduate employability. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with a quantitative approach. Data was collected by quantitative techniques from a random sample of 385 graduates using closed-ended structured questionnaire. Generally, findings revealed that entrepreneurship education does not sufficiently enhance graduate employability in the University of Buea. Specifically, the teaching of organizational skills does not significantly enhance their employability, as an average of 55% of graduates indicated that the course did not sufficiently help them develop skills for planning, management of limited resources, collaboration, and the setting of priorities. Also, 60% of the respondents indicated that the teaching of problem-solving skills does not significantly enhance graduate employability at the University of Buea. Contrarily, 57% of the respondents agreed that through their experiences in entrepreneurship education, their innovation skills were improved. The study recommended that a practical approach to teaching should be adopted, with attention to societal needs. A framework to ensure the teaching of entrepreneurship to students at the undergraduate level is recommended, such that those who do not continue with university studies after their Bachelor’s degree would have acquired the needed skills for employability.

Keywords: employability, entrepreneurship education, graduate, innovative skills, organizational skills, problem-solving skills, risk management skills

Procedia PDF Downloads 81

Authors: Esteban Tremoco

Abstract:

This article aims to highlight some specificities of translating Science Fiction (SF literature) and, more particularly, its comic subgenre. Translating SF presupposes the translation of neologisms and gadget names of all kinds, while the translation of humor sometimes implies a need for the translator to slightly modify certain scenes or situations. In the French translation of Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Jean Bonnefoy (Guide du routard galactique, 1982), the humorous dimension of the book is enhanced through certain choices made by the translator. One of the striking aspects of this translation is that almost all of the characters’ names have been translated, which is not the case in the German, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese translations. While there may be translations of characters’ names outside of the SF literature, there is no denying that by translating them, Jean Bonnefoy added a humorous layer to Adams' work. This work belongs to science fiction literature thanks to gadgets resulting from futuristic technological innovations, but also the presence of space travel, extra-terrestrials and mysterious worlds, which are central elements in SF. These names of planets, aliens, and other gadgets have also been translated, adapted, or at least reinvented, by Jean Bonnefoy in order to amuse the French-speaking readership.

Keywords: translation, translation studies, humour, science fiction

Procedia PDF Downloads 82

Authors: Laura M. Espinoza, Karen A. Hernández, Diana B. Ledezma

Abstract:

Currently, in Chile, migratory movements are generated, where the country receives constantly people from Latin America such as Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Haiti, among others. This phenomenon has reached the schools of Chile, where immigrant children and adolescents are educated in a context of cultural diversity. However, education professionals face this recent phenomenon without prior preparation to carry out their pedagogical practices in the classroom. On the other hand, research on how to understand and guide the processes of cultural diversity especially within the school is even scarce and recent in Latin America and specifically in Chile. The general purpose of the study is to analyze the relationships between teaching efforts towards multiculturalism and inclusive pedagogical practices in the schools of the city of La Serena and Coquimbo, in Chile. The study refers to a quantitative approach, with a correlational design. The selection of the participants was not intentional probabilistic. It comprises 88 teachers of preschool, primary, secondary and special education, who work in two schools with similar characteristics. For the collection of information on the independent variable, the attitude scale towards Immigration and the attitude scale towards Multiculturalism in the school are applied. To obtain information on the independent variable, the guide for the evaluation of inclusive practices in the classroom is applied. Both instruments have statistical validation. A Spearman correlation analysis was made to achieve the objective of the study. Among the main findings, we will find the relationships between the positive perceptions of multiculturalism at school and inclusive practices such as the physical conditions of the classroom, planning, methodology, use of time and evaluation. These findings are relevant to the teaching and learning processes of students in Chilean classrooms and contribute to literature for the understanding of educational processes in contexts of cultural diversity.

Keywords: cultural diversity, immigration, inclusive pedagogical practices, multiculturalism

Procedia PDF Downloads 122

Authors: Laila Niklasson

Abstract:

The aim of the study is to critically discuss how partner schools are engaged during Initial teacher education, ITE. The background is an experiment in Sweden where the practicum organization is reorganized due to a need to enhance quality during practicum. It is a national initiative from the government, supported by the National Agency of Education and lasts 2014-2019. The main features are concentration of students to school with a certain amount of mentors, mentors who have a mentor education and teachers with relevant subject areas and where there could be a mentor team with a leader at the school. An expected outcome is for example that the student teachers should be engaged in peer-learning. The schools should be supported by extra lectures from university teachers during practicum and also extra research projects where the schools should be engaged. A case study of one university based ITE was carried out to explore the consequences for the schools not selected. The result showed that from engaging x schools in a region, x was engaged. The schools are both in urban and rural areas, mainly in the latter. There is also a tendency that private schools are not engaged. On a unit level recruitment is perceived as harder for schools not engaged. In addition they cannot market themselves as ´selected school´ which can affect parent´s selection of school for their children. Also, on unit level, but with consequences for professional development, they are not selected for research project and thereby are not fully supported during school development. The conclusion is that from an earlier inclusive approach concerning professions where all teachers were perceived as possible mentors, there is a change to an exclusive approach where selected schools and selected teachers should be engaged. The change could be perceived as a change in governance mentality, but also in how professions are perceived, and development work is pursued.

Keywords: initial teacher education, practicum schools, profession, quality development

Procedia PDF Downloads 142

Authors: Kayondoamunmose Kamafrika

Abstract:

Experimental based Engineering education approach plays a vital role in the development of student’s deep understanding of both social and physical sciences. Experimental based education approach through laboratory class activities prepare students to meet national demand for high-tech skilled individuals in the government and private sector. However, students across the country are faced with difficulties in classes that involve laboratory activities: poor experimental based exposure in their early development of student’s education-life-cycle, lack of student engagement in scientific method practical thinking approach, lack of communication between students and the instructor during class, a large number of students in one classroom, lack of instruments and improper equipment calibration. The purpose of this paper is to help students develop their own scientific knowledge and understanding, develop their methodologies in the design of experiments, collect and analyze data, write laboratory reports, present and explain their findings. Experimental based laboratory activities allow students to learn with high-level understanding as well as engage in the design processes of constructing knowledge through practical means of doing science. Experimental based education systems approach will act as a catalyst in the development of practical-based-educational methodologies in social and physical science and engineering domain of learning; thereby, converting laboratory classes into pilot industries and students into professional experts in finding a solution for complex problems, research, and development of super high- tech systems.

Keywords: experimental, engineering, innovation, practicability

Procedia PDF Downloads 188

Authors: L. Miranda

Abstract:

The requirements of the engineering education are nowadays very broad and demand a set of skills which demands not only technical knowledge but also the ability to lead and innovate and personal and interpersonal skills. A framework for the assessment of a potential curricular change is necessary to guide the analysis of the program with respect to the stakeholders and the legislation of the country, in order to develop appropriate learning outcomes. A Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate (CDIO) approach was chosen for an evaluation conducted in a mechanical engineering degree in Brazil. The work consisted in the application of a survey with students and professors and a literature review of the legislation and studies that raised the required competences and skills for the modern engineer. The results show a great potential for a CDIO set of skills in engineering degrees in Brazil and reveal the frequent demands of stakeholders before a curricular change.

Keywords: curriculum change, conceive design implement operate, accreditation, personal and interpersonal skills

Procedia PDF Downloads 362

Authors: Noa Shriki, Atara Shriki

Abstract:

Lifelong learning is considered as essential for teacher's professional development, which in turn has implications for the improvement of the entire education system. In recent years, many programs designed to support teachers' professional development are criticized for not achieving their goal. A variety of reasons have been proposed for the purpose of explaining the causes of the ineffectiveness of such programs. In this study, we put to test the possibility that teachers do not change as a result of their participation in professional programs due to a gap between the contents and approaches included in them and teacher's beliefs about teaching and learning. Eighteen elementary school mathematics teachers participated in the study. These teachers were involved in collaborating with their students in inquiring mathematical ideas, while implementing action research. Employing educational theories, the results indicated that this experience had a positive effect on teacher's professional development. In particular, there was an evident change in their beliefs regarding their role as mathematics teachers. However, while employing a different perspective for analyzing the data, the lens of Kurt Lewin's theory of re-education, we realized that this change of beliefs must be questioned. Therefore, it is suggested that analysis of educational processes should be carried out not only through common educational theories, but also on the basis of social and organizational theories. It is assumed that both the field of education and the fields of social studies and organizational consulting will benefit from the multifocal viewpoint

Keywords: educational theories, professional development, re-education, teachers' beliefs

Procedia PDF Downloads 141

Authors: Debora Gottardello, Mireia Valverde Aparicio, Juan Llopis Taverner

Abstract:

Globalization has given rise to a great diversity in the composition of people in organizations. Diversity management is therefore key to create growth in today’s competitive global marketplace. This work develops a literature review related to the existing models for managing diversity covering the period from 1980 until 2014. Furthermore, it identifies limitations in previous models. More specifically, the literature review reveals that there is a lack of information about how these models can be adapted from the headquarters to the subsidiaries. Therefore, the contribution of this paper is to suggest how the models should be adapted when they are directed to host countries. Our aim is to highlight the limitations of the developed models with regards to the translation of the diversity management practices to the subsidiaries. Accordingly, a model that will enable MNCs to ensure a global strategy is suggested. Taking advantage of the potential incorporated in a culturally diverse work team should be at the top of every international company’s aims. Executives from headquarters need to use different attitudes when transferring diversity practices towards their subsidiaries. Further studies should reassess local practices of diversity management to find out how this universal management model is translated.

Keywords: culture diversity, diversity management, human resources management, MNCs, subsidiaries, workforce diversity

Procedia PDF Downloads 255