International Association of Educators   |  ISSN: 1308-951X

Volume 10 Issue 2 (June 2019)

Original Articles

Assessment of Teacher Effectiveness of University Teachers in Purulia District of West Bengal

Santosh Kumar Behera, Sayari Mukherjee & Santosh Kumar Behera

pp. 1 - 19

Abstract

In the present study the investigators made an attempt to study Assessment of Teacher Effectiveness of University Teachers in Purulia district of West Bengal, India. Survey method was followed. A total of 130 Teachers and Students (50 Teachers and 80 PG Students) of Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University in Purulia district were taken as representative sample of the whole population. For selecting University Teachers Stratified Random sampling technique was adopted. Simple Random Sampling technique was adopted for selecting PG Students. Teacher Effectiveness Scale (TES) was used for measuring the teacher effectiveness of University teachers and Teacher Rating Scale (TRS) developed by Deva (2003) was used for students rated teacher effectiveness of the faculty members. F and t-tests are used to analyze the data. The study revealed that the level of teacher effectiveness of University Teachers in Purulia district of West Bengal is Moderate /average or moderate. The study also revealed that the level of teacher rating of University Teachers in Purulia district of West Bengal is Moderate /average or moderate. The study revealed that teacher effectiveness with respect to their gender, locality, training status, types of job, marital status, salary / income, caste and stream did not differ significantly. On the other hand, the level of teacher effectiveness with respect to their teaching experience, Self-reported and Students-rated differ significantly.              

Keywords: Teacher, Education, Teacher Effectiveness, University Teachers

Critical Participatory Action Research: A Design to Empower Women in a Teacher Education Institution

Olgun Sadık

pp. 20 - 27

Abstract

This paper discusses historical and meta-theoretical aspects of action research by defining what action research (AR), participatory action research (PAR) and critical participatory action (CPAR) mean in detail and explains a CPAR project idea in a teacher education institution. Action research was categorized under different names; however, all those different approaches represent the same foundations with different purposes. In action research, a group of people work with a researcher(s) to identify a problem, suggest possible strategies as solutions, apply them and recollect information to see how successful their efforts were. In PAR, there is a social aspect of action research that aims to solve real life problems of the participants by giving them the control of the research process and appreciating their values. With CPAR, parts of a system and functions become constraints for reasons of change. CPAR focuses on the issues of the oppressed and aims for social change. The final part of the paper explains a CPAR project idea as an example to improve the current position of women in computer science and make a social change in a teacher education institution. The current social system built inequality in computer science field due to the cultural norms dedicated to females. These norms cause lack of self-confidence in women to pursue CS as a field in their professional career.

Keywords: action research, participatory action research, critical participatory action research, women in computer science

English for Academic Purposes: Perspectives and Pedagogical Implications at College level

Navodita Bhatt

pp. 28 - 33

Abstract

The current paper discusses about one of the significant aspects of higher education today that is academic language. The paper briefly drafts the conceptual framework and anatomical aspects of academic English language. In addition to this, the paper throws light on the features of academic language and the issues of teaching academic language in higher education context. The paper is theoretical in nature.  On the other hand, it introduces some of the issues of teaching Academic English language followed by some practical implications of teaching. After addressing the teaching-learning issues, the paper concisely highlights on the possible strategies of teaching academic language and designing teaching-learning materials for students through which the current academic language standards can be developed. The strategies suggested in the paper involve use of textual, technical as well as practical aids of instructions to arise the interest and balance of pedagogical methods.

Keywords: anatomical aspects, language standards, pedagogical

Perceived Pedagogical-Content Knowledge of Teachers: Classroom Practices of as Correlates of College of Teachers Education Students' Academic Result

Yordanos Yibeltal

pp. 34 - 53

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Teachers' pedagogical content knowledge competence is seen as a combination of something one has(knowledge), what one does in the classroom (abilities) and which values one bases teaching on (attitudes), to perform his/her functions satisfactorily. The study investigated the awareness's of teachers and students about teachers’ in-depth pedagogical content knowledge, teachers’ practices of PCK, and correlates of practicing PCK with academic result of students.

Research methods and Participants: The researcher used mixed design(descriptive survey & co-relational) and quantitative research approach. The study sample consisted of 257 who were selected by proportionate stratified sampling,74 comprehensively selected teachers and 6 department heads. The questionnaire developed consisted of 21 statements on teachers’ in-depth pedagogical content knowledge and 21 statements on teachers classroom practices of PCK and both teachers and students  were asked to rate the statements on a five likert scale. And department heads and the researcher rate teachers’ classroom practices of teachers using rubric developed for classroom observation in line with statements included in the questionnaire which asked teachers classroom practices of PCK. Standard deviations, arithmetic Means; one sample t-test, independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and regression coefficient were used for data analysis.

Results: Then the result from the process revealed that teachers perceived that they had adequate pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) but not to the maximum level intended to be per the scale (3.90 from the possible mean score of 5.00). It was also found that there was no statistically significant mean difference between teachers self-rating and students rating on teachers classroom practices of their PCK (3.2 and 3.04 respectively, from the maximum mean score 5.00); all the constructs of PCK  practices and students cumulative  grade point average have  statistically significant relationships in that  perceived practices of pedagogical knowledge with the magnitude of (r=.483); perceived practices of subject matter knowledge with the magnitude of(r=.663) and Perceived practices of knowledge of students learning characteristics coefficient of correlation(r=0.504)  all at P<0.01 and in similar directions. And last the cumulative effect of classroom practices of PCK was found to be with R-square=22.9 which accounts 22.9% effect for students’ academic result.

Conclusion: To conclude both teachers and students rated similarly rate that the status of applying PCK in classroom teaching was less than adequate level. Therefore, it can be suggested that provision of continuous and transformative professional training, arranging workshops and subject specific rigorous supervision to teachers on their practices of PCK can effectively improve quality of teaching towards attainment of high students’ academic results.

Keywords: Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Academic Result, Pedagogical Knowledge, Content Knowledge, Classroom Practices,

An Enjoyable Way of Teaching English to Young Learners: Multimedia

Tuğba Bademci Kaydet & Mehmet Burçin Özkan

pp. 54 - 63

Abstract

In this study, the researcher will research effects of multimedia on teaching English to young learners. To emphasize the influence of multimedia on education, the researcher will carry out a study. This study includes descriptive, one case and only post-test methods. 24 students will take place in this study. They are 3rd grade students in a private primary school. Their socio-economic conditions are high. They have learned English since they started kindergarten.  It takes 2 months to implement the study. There are 4 lessons each week. Totally, there are 32 lessons. Every lesson will include multimedia materials such as songs, online games, PowerPoint. The students will learn Simple present tense and daily routine with the help of multimedia materials, which are reflected on the wall such as video, songs, series, dialogues, cartoons and movies.

The purpose of the studies are to discover if young learners benefit from the use of multimedia teaching methods in English language classes and to discover if students value the learning experience in multimedia language training classes.

The conclusions of the study are that students love and enjoy multimedia materials in English lessons and they find traditional methods such as exams and writing boring and tiring. Moreover; they can increase their speaking level to 17 out of 20 with the help of the multimedia materials. This average is very high considering their age and their level.

Keywords: Multimedia, motivation, young learners, teaching foreign language, computer based materials, multimedia-assisted foreign language teaching

Parent Behaviors During Storybook Reading: A Scale Development Study

Lütfiye Coşkun, Ümit Deniz, Diyu Chen & George S. Morrison

pp. 64 - 74

Abstract

This study was designed to develop a valid and reliable instrument, The Parent Behaviors during Storybook Reading to Their Children Scale. Randomly selected 238 parents were included in the study. The scale development procedure included four steps: developing initial items, implementing purifying measures, data collection and assessing reliability and validity of the proposed measurement scale. Both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to test validity of the scale. Reliability of the scale was analyzed by calculating the Cronbach alpha internal consistency. Development process suggested a reliable and valid scale for parent reading behavior should be comprised four dimensions: (1) Asking questions, (2) Forming routine, (3) Pointing to the print and (4) Pointing to the picture. As a result of the reliability and validity analysis, The Parent Behaviors during Storybook Reading to Their Children Scale was found to be a reliable and valid scale for implementation with parents. Given the scarcity of research on the parent reading scale in early childhood education, the scale developed in this study will serve as a foundation for future research. The findings of this study may help to stimulate further empirical research on the parent reading behavior.

Keywords: Reading book to children; Parent reading behavior; Scale development; Validity; Reliability; Early childhood

An Attitude of Secondary Teacher Trainees Towards Microteaching: Does Teaching Experience, Subject Background and Marital Status Matter?

Parasurama D

pp. 75 - 81

Abstract

The main objective of the study is to find out the association between an attitude of Secondary Teacher Trainees towards Microteaching and their teaching experience, subject background and marital status. The survey method was used. 33 Secondary Teacher Trainees studying at one of the B.Ed. college of Bangalore city were the respondents. Personal data sheet and Attitude towards Microteaching scale prepared by the researcher were used in this study. Percentage analysis and Chi-Square analyses were applied. The major findings of the study are (1) More than half percentage (N = 18, 54.5%) Secondary Teacher Trainees have high attitude and residual (N = 15, 45.5%) of Secondary Teacher Trainees have Low attitude towards Microteaching; (2) There is association between Attitude of Secondary Teacher Trainees towards Microteaching and their teaching experience [X 2 =4.95, df = 1, p < .05]; (3) Whereas association is not found in attitude of Secondary Teacher Trainees towards Microteaching with respect their subject background [X 2 = 2.528, df = 1, p >.05] as well as marital status[X 2 = .071, df = 1, p > .05].

Keywords: Microteaching, Secondary Teacher Trainees