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number: /2023
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,203
In Vietnam, the state budget is the main source of funding for the operation of public higher education institutions. With a limited state budget that is divided among many equally important spending purposes, the portion of the state budget devoted to higher education needed to be more modest. This makes it even more important to manage this scarce resource effectively. This paper addresses the performance-based allocation of state budgets for higher education. It employs a non-parametric method of evaluating relative efficiency using the two-stage data envelopment analysis CCR model under constant returns to scale to evaluate universities’ performance. The estimation results on a sample of 29 universities under the Ministry of Education and Training management for the academic year 2019-2020 show that the effective universities belonged to all single-disciplinary ones. Management was an important factor leading to the difference in efficiency scores between universities under study.
number: /2023
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,741
Inclusive education for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) relies on the active involvement of parents. However, in Vietnam, research on the difficulties and needs of parents in accessing reference materials remains limited. This study aimed to examine the challenges and requirements of parents in obtaining guidelines for children with ASD in inclusive schools. An online survey was conducted with 109 parents of elementary school students with ASD to investigate this issue. The findings indicate that, in the existing guidelines, much of the information on autism symptoms, signs, and causes are primarily obtained from social media sites and unreliable sources. In contrast, parents expressed a desire to access materials developed by autism experts in a video format that is easy to comprehend and implement.
number: /2023
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 2,134
Despite Zimbabwe being a signatory to various international gender equality treaties and protocols, rural female students’ progression in education at one secondary school remains a mirage. In this context, this study sought to explore factors influencing rural female students to either progress or not in secondary school education. Data generation, analysis, and discussion were grounded in an emancipatory paradigm and qualitative approach. Against this background, the researchers used document analysis, interviews, and focus group discussion in sourcing information. As sources of data, thirty rural female students and five class teachers from one secondary school were purposively selected to form the sample for the study. Generated data were analyzed and discussed according to themes derived from the research questions. In this context, results from the analyzed and discussed data revealed numerous gender-related policy guidelines that advocate for rural female students’ progression in secondary school education. It was also noted that socialization was the protagonist in influencing rural female students on whether to progress or not to progress in secondary school education. In addition, the findings revealed that female students encounter multi-faceted obstacles in their progression in secondary school education. Therefore, from these results, the researchers concluded that multiple obstacles make rural female students’ progression in secondary school education a mirage. In this context, researchers recommended that parents or guardians transform their mindsets toward the rural female students’ progression in secondary school education and beyond.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,283
Test equating becomes essential to safeguard the test fairness for sitting for the actual national examination. Thus, this paper describes a proposal to help teachers in Malaysia to ascertain the relative efficiency of test score equating methods in comparing students’ high stakes examinations. The proposal addresses the practical implications of score equating by describing aspects of equating and item anchoring process which can be used by teachers. This study examined Principles of Accounting (PA) subject with Rasch measurement framework for dichotomous data analysis. A nonexperimental quantitative research approach was adopted in which a set of equivalent test instrument were administered to two different groups of respondents comprising 429 students. Data collection was through stratified random sampling method and analysed using Winstep software. Results showed a good fit study by using Common Item Non-Equivalent Group Design (CINEG) also named as Non-equivalent Groups with Anchor Test (NEAT) design. Both test forms were reasonably predictable good fit of measurement. No single student’s destiny should rely upon a single test paper (Wu et al., 2016). Hence, multiple sets of equivalent test papers should be developed by teachers in schools with the same standard as the actual exam papers. Subsequently, students will be more well prepared for the national examination and will be able to achieve desired grades.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 2,082
This study sought to explore implementation of the continuous assessment learner activities (CALA) in marginalized secondary schools. Transformative paradigm, and qualitative approach formed the methodological framework that guided the data sourcing, analysis and discussion of the findings. In this context records were identified from grey literature, duplicate sources were removed before screening, thereafter screening was done with some being excluded based on either their abstracts or content. The articles, which met the inclusion criteria were interrogated through content analysis. Findings indicate that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education through policy circulars has conventional efforts to reorient marginalized secondary schools’ CALA. Though the decision to introduce CALA in marginalized secondary schools was noble, it was negatively affected by ineffective planning, and preparation. These in one way or the other have contributed negatively to the implementation of CALA in marginalized secondary schools. In light of these findings, the study recommends that alternative CALA implementation strategies that are inclusive and further staff development activities that address misconceptions on this new approach to assessment.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 4,784
Writing is a vital skill in the formation of language. The present study explored the factors that affect students’ writing skills by employing a convergent mixed-methods research design guided by a pragmatic paradigm. A survey and an interview were used to collect data. Simple descriptive and statistical analysis for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data analysis were employed. The finding showed that writing develops communication, critical thinking, creativity, and imagination in students. The finding also identified intrapersonal, interpersonal, and institutional factors as affecting students’ writing skills. It is recommended that relevant stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education, teachers, and parents work collaboratively to enhance the writing skills of the students
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,285
Task-based language teaching (TBLT) is regarded as one of the most efficient methods for great exposure to the target language through meaningful tasks. However, very few studies have been undertaken on the application of TBLT in secondary education in the Vietnamese EFL context. This paper aims to investigate secondary school students’ attitudes towards the implementation of TBLT in an English reading class. The participants included 73 eighth graders at a Ho Chi Minh City-based secondary school. They were divided into two groups: control group and experimental group. Thirty-three students were assigned to the experimental group and they took a 17-week course with the intervention of TBLT while the others in the control group received traditional methods. The pretest and post-test were employed to collect the quantitative data. The results revealed that the students in the experimental group achieved better results in the reading comprehension post-test than those in the control group. It is, therefore, suggested that EFL teachers should consider implementing TBLT to aid students in improving their reading comprehension.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,509
A large number of studies emphasize social-emotional competence (SEC) as crucial for children not only in their school readiness and academic achievement but also in both their concurrent and later mental and physical health, success and happiness. In the efforts of Vietnam to approach “happy school”, social and emotional education (SEE) has come to the fore as a promising school-wide intervention to promote a positive relational and inclusive school culture. Aiming to offer a foundational theory for this movement, this paper presents an overview of how SEC has been conceptualized in the literature. It analyzes and draws conclusions about the shifts in social and emotional competence conceptualization from separate abilities to multi-faceted constructs. It further describes the divergent approaches in developing SEC in schools in which SEE plays an ultimate school-wide approach broadened from social and emotional learning.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 2,139
The current study has derived inspiration from the design thinking approach as one of the pedagogical means to respond to the need for teaching, learning, and assessment in the twenty-first century. Specifically, the study was intended to explore strategies to implement design thinking’ in designing and delivering lessons in higher secondary-level biology classrooms. The study employed a participatory design approach which involved the participation of the researcher with the selected teachers in the co-design of biology lessons. This study was carried out over two weeks in one of the higher secondary schools in Samtse district, Bhutan. Hence, data for this study was obtained from the researcher’s qualitative notes based on field engagement with three piloted teachers, and teaching observations. The data from observation field notes were presented in narrative descriptions, to provide rich descriptions of classroom activities and tasks, teacher and students’ classroom interactions, and the design thinking process followed in the teaching and learning process. Findings revealed that both teachers and students have positive perceptions about the application of design thinking in biology class. The application of design thinking in biology class offers an opportunity for students to learn through the highest degree of collaboration, interaction, and creative thinking, unlike in a conventional classroom. Additionally, this offers an opportunity for building a foundation for teachers and educators to revitalize educational practices to prepare students to thrive in the modern era, by equipping students with the tools and capacity for innovative and creative thinking and the ability to solve problems.
number: /2022
CIT number: 0
Number of views: 1,223
Despite the availability of professional counselling services at the Samtse College of Education, it has been documented that majority of the staff and students do not avail it. This study investigated the factors determining staff’ and students’ motivation in seeking counselling services of the college. A mixed research method specifically convergent parallel design was adopted for this study. A total of 64 staff of the college and 395 students across all the academic programme have responded to the survey questionnaire. Likewise, a total of 10 focus group interviews (2 FGI with staff and 8 FGI with students) was conducted. The findings revealed that although both staff and students understand the importance and possess positive attitudes towards counselling, they indicated numerous factors affecting their motivation to seek such services. The results showed lack of basic knowledge about counselling of students, awareness of services, infrastructural facilities, the culture of the college, professionalism of counsellors and belief systems of an individual person as the significant factors determining their motivation in seeking counselling services. Several recommendations are also proposed such as conducting separate orientation of counselling and instituting different modes of counselling services in the college.