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number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,225
English as a foreign language (EFL) student-teachers’ teaching competency (TC) development can be affected by different factors, one of which is student-teacher agency which can play a decisive role in shaping their TC self-development. This mixed methods study aims at scrutinising how EFL student-teachers enacted their agency to facilitate their TC selfdevelopment during English language teaching (ELT) methodology courses at a higher education institution context in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A cohort of 118 student-teachers majoring in ELT methodology got involved in answering the closed-ended questionnaires, and 15 student-teachers in semi-structured interviews. The data analysis was based on the direct approach in which the quantitative data were processed by the SPSS in terms of descriptive statistics, and the qualitative data were analysed using the content analysis approach. The findings revealed that EFL student-teacher agency played a pivotal role in their TC self-development. Student-teachers allocated much of their effort to self-leveraging their ELT knowledge and positive attitudes towards ELT more than their ELT skills and English language skills. Such preliminary findings can shed light on the further research on the role of student-teacher agency in TC self-development in tandem with other factors of teacher trainer and learning environment.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 2,803
Psychological well-being and mental health among higher education students are prevalent and increasing on university campuses. Evidence suggests that students are vulnerable to mental health problems which have generated increased public concern (Chao, 2012; Bewick et al., 2010). This study aims to explore the psychological well-being of students in one of the colleges of the Royal University of Bhutan. An explanatory two-phase mixed method design was employed. 210 students responded to the survey questionnaire and 10 students from six different programmes and four levels in the college participated in the interview. A convenient stratified and purposive sampling technique was applied. Ryff’s scales of psychological well-being (Ryff & Singer, 2008) were used to measure multiple facets of psychological wellbeing. The findings indicated that students involved in the study possessed mixed levels of overall psychological well-being as the participants were from six courses and five levels of varied ages. The quantitative results of this study showed a positive attitude toward Ryff’s six dimensions of psychological well-being across ages and programmes (M=4.70, M-4.92). However, the findings indicated that undergraduate students possessed higher levels of psychological well-being than the Master of Education students. Additionally, a strong positive correlation was observed amongst the six dimensions of psychological well-being. The qualitative findings highlighted environmental mastery and positive relations with others as critical in the promotion of the psychological well-being of the college students
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,811
Currently, young children are experiencing the development of technologies in learning early literacy. Additionally, young children spend most of their daily time in their homes with families and caregivers. Therefore, early years educators are required to have a fulfilled understanding of how to promote learning early literacy with the integration of digital technologies. In this paper, we examined a range of peer-reviewed articles from 2014 to 2021 by using a qualitative method. We find that young children’s involvement combined with the mediation of parents probably fosters the learning process of early literacy by utilizing digital technologies at home. Moreover, the exchange of knowledge related to young children’s early literacy learning through using digital devices at home between schools and families also positively impacts the outcomes of the early literacy learning process. Even though the influence of digital devices on early literacy learning at home provides positive results, this paper identifies some gaps that emerge in the learning process.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,316
As a result of the growing awareness of the importance of the first six years of a child’s life, an enormous number of initiatives are being made across the globe to ensure universal access to quality ECCE for all children. India, too, has made major reforms in this direction. In this context, one of the significant developments has been the National Education Policy 2020. This is the first education policy of the 21st Century. This policy lays significant emphasis on Early Childhood Care and Education (3-6 years) by ensuring universal access to high-quality ECCE across the country to be achieved no later than 2030. Over the last decade, India has seen a drastic change in the ownership of preschools; in terms of private preschools, though fewer in number, multiplying rapidly. The popular perception of preschool education is that the government can address coverage, and private initiatives can provide efficiency. Many parents also perceive private preschools as more efficient in fulfilling their aspirations. They are also willing to pay for their children’s preschool education disregarding the affordability. There is monopolistic competition in private preschools at the national level, specifically by the growth of many branded private preschools. Apart from this, there are a large number of private stand-alone preschools that have emerged to cater to the growing needs of the preschool provision. Among these private preschools, there are also small-budget private preschools (SBPPS) run by individual enterprises. These SBPPS charge low fees and are affordable to middle and lower-middle-class families. The present study attempts to study the SBPPS regarding infrastructural facilities (human and physical), the teaching-learning strategies, and the parents’ connotations regarding preschool education.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,391
The Students Loan Scheme for Tertiary Education in Bhutan was started in 2014 as a one-time project and has benefited over 400 secondary school graduates from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. No study has been carried out till date to assess its impact. Therefore, using a mixed method sequential explanatory design, this study examines the impact, challenges and recommendations for the student loan scheme. The quantitative data were gathered from 111 participants and the qualitative data from 3 participants. A thematic analysis following descriptive statistical analysis was used for the quantitative data, and the qualitative data were analysed along the same themes. This study found that the benefits of the scheme far outweighed the risk of any default in loan repayment; and recommended continuing the scheme with some revision in the implementation process. There is a need for regular impact studies to be conducted if the scheme is to be continued.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,839
This study is an attempt to improve students’ writing proficiency at a high school in Vietnam. To achieve this aim, a two-cycle Critical Participatory Action Research project was conducted. During the intervention procedure, Process-genre approach was implemented into writing lessons which focused on expository essays. The data were collected from the teacher’s journal, questionnaire as well as the pre-test and post-test. The results indicate that students made considerable progress in most aspects of their writing, and they expressed positive opinions about this approach.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,572
STEM education has become an educational trend of great interest in many countries worldwide, and Vietnam is no exception. Based on the research of STEM education operating process, the 5E model, and the analysis of Science subjects curriculum at secondary school, the paper proposes the principle of designing contents for teaching and learning activities using the model 5E under the STEM education orientation, and designing and organizing teaching activities in teaching Science subjects in secondary school. The paper also gives an illustrative topic of applying knowledge to create a “Simple rocket” after learning basic theory in the “Acetic acid” lesson - 9th grade Chemistry. Research methodology was carried out on 80 students in grade 9 of experimental and control classes at 2 secondary schools in Nha Trang and Thai Nguyen province. Through the implementation of these activities, students acquire knowledge of a number of STEM subjects, apply them to solve practical problems, and enhance their interest in learning science subjects, contributing to the formation and development of what competencies necessary to meet the requirements of reforming general education in Vietnam.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 6,065
The study addresses the transition to teach a curriculum designed for face-to-face teaching through a full mode online teaching. There has been infusion of online technologies in teaching contexts, and teaching practices globally, little attention has been given to online teaching and learning in Bhutanese higher education context. This study investigated the opportunities and challenges of online teaching in the colleges of the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) using a convergent mixed method approach. Survey questionnaire and interviews were used to collect the data. 153 teaching faculties and 1206 students responded to the survey. 30 faculties and 30 students consisting of equal number of male and female were interviewed. Descriptive analysis and inferential statistics were conducted for the survey data. The quantitative finding reveals age, experiences, educational qualification and colleges as important predictors of efficacy in the online teaching learning and assessment practices. The results also show that lecturers and students were somewhat satisfied with lecturers’ online teaching knowledge and skills. However, there are insignificant differences in the skills and knowledge possessed by both male and female lecturers and students of RUB colleges. Further, a positive correlation between lecturers’ online knowledge and skills to online assessment, learning support and resources was noted while students’ accessibility to online learning platforms and materials had lower correlation with other items. The qualitative finding indicates similar benefits and challenges related to online teaching. The study suggests respective colleges to support lecturers in their acquisition of ICT knowledge and skills to equip them for the digital age.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,410
This study seeks to explore if student behaviour can be changed using social modelling, specifically to increase usage of a learning management system (LMS), and whether any such increased LMS usage leads to higher student grades. After years of research into learning analytics, exploring which indicator can best predict student performance, with hopes of using that insight to improve student outcomes, there remain very few empirical studies which are randomized controlled trials, which is necessary to identify causation, and none that take place in a blended learning environment in the Global South. As learning analytics is a subject area for improving the learning of students worldwide, it is time to include more than just the Global North. In this experiment, 309 first year undergraduate participants were randomly assigned to control and treatment groups. Each member in the treatment group was sent a weekly email containing a link to an online dashboard showing the student’s performance compared against other students in the same cohort. Students in the treatment group did increase their use of the LMS but that increased usage did not translate into higher grades implying that the most important learning behaviours are not captured by the LMS, at least not in this study. Also of interest were that female students showed higher levels of engagement with the online dashboard and that the best predictor of a student’s grade in the second half of the semester was the student’s grade in the first half, supporting existing literature.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,221
Continuing professional development (CPD) of mathematics teachers may take several forms. Some of these involve merely the dissemination of knowledge by experts while others involve teachers in creating knowledge for and through practice. Research has shown that effective CPD for mathematics teachers involve experimenting in their classrooms and reporting back to a group, working collaboratively with fellow teachers, having time away from school to think and discuss common issues they faced in their classrooms and in addition to the pedagogical aspects of their deliberation also doing some mathematics. This paper presents a form of CPD that exemplify a shift of the centre of gravity for CPD from the “supply-side,” “offline” forms of knowledge transmission by professional development providers, such as University academics, to “demand-side,” “online” in-situ forms of knowledge creation by teachers. It involves a hybrid one that integrates the “training model of PD” with sustained support for mathematics teachers to integrate knowledge gained from the PD into their classroom practice. Here CPD is nestled in the classrooms of the teachers, and addresses their needs. The three phases of the CPD, namely: Learn (Acquisition and co-construction of knowledge), Apply (integrate new knowledge into classroom practice) and Teach (develop fellow teachers nationally and/or internationally) appear to make the engagement of teachers in CPD holistic.