Student Teachers' Perceptions of the Use of LMS for Promoting Critical Thinking in Their Future Teaching Career

2021 ◽  
pp. 613-631
Author(s):  
Alcuin Ivor Mwalongo
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Teaching Career ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Teachers Perceptions

The chapter examined student teachers' perceptions of the use of Moodle for promoting critical thinking in their future teaching career. The study used a mixed methods approach with a sample of 70 student teachers from three public universities in Tanzania. Data were collected through a survey, focus group discussions, and a review of documents. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed through SPSS 25 and MaxQDA 18, respectively. The findings indicate the potential of Moodle for promoting critical thinking, collaboration, and professional development. Similarly, there were statistically significant differences between pre-service and in-service teachers in perceptions of satisfaction with Moodle and taking LMS-related jobs in the future. Pedagogical implications of the findings and the area for further research have been discussed.

Student Teachers' Perceptions of the Use of LMS for Promoting Critical Thinking in Their Future Teaching Career

2019 ◽  
pp. 119-137
Author(s):  
Alcuin Ivor Mwalongo
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Teaching Career ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Teachers Perceptions

The chapter examined student teachers' perceptions of the use of Moodle for promoting critical thinking in their future teaching career. The study used a mixed methods approach with a sample of 70 student teachers from three public universities in Tanzania. Data were collected through a survey, focus group discussions, and a review of documents. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed through SPSS 25 and MaxQDA 18, respectively. The findings indicate the potential of Moodle for promoting critical thinking, collaboration, and professional development. Similarly, there were statistically significant differences between pre-service and in-service teachers in perceptions of satisfaction with Moodle and taking LMS-related jobs in the future. Pedagogical implications of the findings and the area for further research have been discussed.

Teaching Practicums Abroad

2016 ◽  
pp. 540-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Vogt
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
European Student ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis

European student teachers have the opportunity to complete a work placement at a partner school in a target language country. The focus of this study was on 35 undergraduate preservice teachers who completed a teaching practicum placement in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland between 2010-2014. Data from five years of reflective reports were content analysed and complemented with focus group discussions after the students' stay abroad. This chapter briefly outlines the structure of the teaching practicums, delineates data collection and analysis methods, and discusses the results in order to gauge the potential of such experiences for students' intercultural learning and overall professional development. Results indicated an interconnection of categories with the ‘professionalization' of preservice teachers featuring most prominently.

Teaching Practicums Abroad

2020 ◽  
pp. 1490-1527
Author(s):  
Karin Vogt
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
European Student ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis

European student teachers have the opportunity to complete a work placement at a partner school in a target language country. The focus of this study was on 35 undergraduate preservice teachers who completed a teaching practicum placement in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland between 2010-2014. Data from five years of reflective reports were content analysed and complemented with focus group discussions after the students' stay abroad. This chapter briefly outlines the structure of the teaching practicums, delineates data collection and analysis methods, and discusses the results in order to gauge the potential of such experiences for students' intercultural learning and overall professional development. Results indicated an interconnection of categories with the ‘professionalization' of preservice teachers featuring most prominently.

Student teachers’ perceptions of critical thinking and its teaching

ELT Journal ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-48
Author(s):  
Rui Yuan ◽  
Paul Stapleton
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Education ◽  
Teachers Perceptions

Abstract Although the importance of critical thinking (CT) has been stressed in English language education, little attention has been paid to language teachers’ perceptions and experiences regarding CT during the pre-service stage of their careers. Drawing on data from a focus group and follow-up email interviews with pre-service language teachers, this study shows that the participants had a limited understanding of CT, and lacked preparation and support in their programmes regarding how to implement CT-oriented teaching practices. The findings also revealed a range of individual and contextual challenges faced by the participants when they tried to integrate CT into their language teaching. The study concludes with recommendations on how to cultivate a critical mindset among language teachers while developing CT-oriented pedagogies.

scholarly journals Nairobi Early Childcare in Slums (NECS) Study Protocol: a mixed-methods exploration of paid early childcare in Mukuru slum, Nairobi

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e000822
Author(s):  
Robert C Hughes ◽  
Patricia Kitsao-Wekulo ◽  
Sunil Bhopal ◽  
Elizabeth W Kimani-Murage ◽  
Zelee Hill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Epidemiological Methods ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Early Childcare ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Childcare Providers

IntroductionThe early years are critical. Early nurturing care can lay the foundation for human capital accumulation with lifelong benefits. Conversely, early adversity undermines brain development, learning and future earning.Slums are among the most challenging places to spend those early years and are difficult places to care for a child. Shifting family and work structures mean that paid, largely informal, childcare seems to be becoming the ‘new normal’ for many preschool children growing up in rapidly urbanising Africa. However, little is known about the quality of this childcare.AimsTo build a rigorous understanding what childcare strategies are used and why in a typical Nairobi slum, with a particular focus on provision and quality of paid childcare. Through this, to inform evaluation of quality and design and implementation of interventions with the potential to reach some of the most vulnerable children at the most critical time in the life course.Methods and analysisMixed methods will be employed. Qualitative research (in-depth interviews and focus group discussions) with parents/carers will explore need for and decision-making about childcare. A household survey (of 480 households) will estimate the use of different childcare strategies by parents/carers and associated parent/carer characteristics. Subsequently, childcare providers will be mapped and surveyed to document and assess quality of current paid childcare. Semistructured observations will augment self-reported quality with observable characteristics/practices. Finally, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with childcare providers will explore their behaviours and motivations. Qualitative data will be analysed through thematic analysis and triangulation across methods. Quantitative and spatial data will be analysed through epidemiological methods (random effects regression modelling and spatial statistics).Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been granted in the UK and Kenya. Findings will be disseminated through journal publications, community and government stakeholder workshops, policy briefs and social media content.

scholarly journals A mixed methods approach to determine the climate of interprofessional education among medical and health sciences students

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabil Sulaiman ◽  
Youssef Rishmawy ◽  
Amal Hussein ◽  
Maha Saber-Ayad ◽  
Hamzah Alzubaidi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
Interprofessional Education ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Study Cohort ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Health Sciences Students

Abstract Background High-quality patient care is a complex phenomenon that requires collaboration among healthcare professionals. Research has shown that Interprofessional Education (IPE) carries promise to improve collaborative work and patient care. So far, collaboration among various health professionals remains a challenge. Very few focus group discussions to determine the medical students’ readiness and positive attitudes towards IPE have been reported from the Arabian context. Methods A two-staged sequential mixed methods study was conducted among medical, dental, pharmacy, and health sciences students of the University of Sharjah United Arab Emirates. The perspectives of students toward IPE and collaborative practice were first gathered by administering a validated instrument, Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). This was followed by focused group discussions. A quantitative as well as a qualitative data analysis was performed. Results This study cohort included 282 students. All respondents showed readiness to adopt IPE as all statements of the RIPLS inventory scored high median scores. All participants showed positive attitudes and readiness towards IPE. Three main domains of themes were generated from focus group discussions; prior knowledge, need for IPE framework and its implementation. Information workload, lack of clarity and less focused teaching pedagogies of IPE were considered as perceived barriers. Conclusion This study demonstrated a substantial agreement of medical and health sciences students towards readiness and perceived effectiveness of IPE. Educators are urged to embed new IPE programs into existing curricular frameworks, which can potentially enhance collaborative learning and improve quality of patient care.

scholarly journals Poor Information Literacy Skills and Practices as Barriers to Academic Performance: A Mixed Methods Study of the University of Dar es Salaam

2016 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tina Klomsri ◽  
Matti Tedre
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Knowing How ◽  
The University

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is increasingly used in Tanzanian education. Knowing how to operate ICT alone is incomplete without knowing how to use it as a tool for organization, communication, research, and problem-solving. In recognition of this challenge, information literacy (IL) has been identified as a key attribute to students as they progress through their learning paths. Based on a mixed methods strategy, using questionnaires and focus group discussions, this study measured the level of IL skills among University of Dar es Salaam’s (UDSM) postgraduate students, to gain insights into the students’ perceptions and experiences with information problems. A total of 102 students from four institutions answered the online questionnaire and 22 students participated in six focus group discussions. The questionnaire scores of the students were poor in the majority of IL categories, suggesting ineffectiveness of the current IL training in imparting IL knowledge and skills. The study ends by discussing recommendations to improve current IL practices at the university.

Assessing determinants of programmatic performance of community management of malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea in children in Africa: Protocol and data collection for a mixed-methods evaluation of iCCM (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aliya Karim ◽  
Don de Savigny ◽  
Serge Ngaima ◽  
Daniel Mäusezahl ◽  
Daniel Cobos Muñoz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Intervention Effectiveness ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Key Informant ◽  
Low And Middle Income

BACKGROUND Integrated community case management (iCCM) is a child health program designed to provide integrated, community-based care for pneumonia, malaria and diarrhea for children in hard-to-reach areas of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The foundation of the intervention is service-delivery by community health workers (CHWs) who depend on reliable provision of drugs and supplies, consistent supervision, comprehensive training, and community acceptance and participation to perform optimally. The effectiveness of the program may also depend on a number of other elements, including an enabling policy environment, financing mechanisms from the national to the local level, data transmission systems, and appropriate monitoring and evaluation. The extent to which these factors act upon each other to influence the effectiveness and viability of iCCM is both variable and challenging to assess, especially across different implementation contexts. OBJECTIVE In this paper, we describe a mixed-methods systems-based study protocol to assess the programmatic components of iCCM which are associated with intervention effectiveness, and report preliminary results of data collection. METHODS This protocol employs a mixed qualitative and quantitative study design based on a Systems Thinking approach within four iCCM programs in Malawi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger State, and Abia State, Nigeria. Routine monitoring data is collected to determine intervention effectiveness, namely testing, treatment and referral outcomes. Surveys with CHWs, supervisors, and caregivers are performed to collect quantitative data on their demographics, activities, and experiences within the program, and how these relate to the areas of intervention effectiveness. Focus group discussions are conducted with these stakeholders as well as local traditional leaders to contextualize this data. Key informant interviews are undertaken with national and district-level program stakeholders and officers knowledgeable in critical program processes. RESULTS We performed 3,836 surveys and 45 focus group discussions with CHWs, supervisors, and caregivers, and traditional leaders; 120 key informant interviews with district and national-level program managers, health officers, and ministry officials. Policy and program documents were additionally collected for review. CONCLUSIONS Evidence from this study will inform child health programs and practice in low- and middle-income settings, and future policy development within the iCCM intervention.

The University Partnerships for Critical Reflection by Teacher Trainers

2016 ◽  
pp. 1806-1821
Author(s):  
Eda Üstünel ◽  
Kenan Dikilitaş
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Likert Scale ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Educational Training ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
University Partnerships ◽  
The University

This chapter explores educational training-based partnerships between universities in relation to in-service teacher education practices to enhance the quality of the professional development activities currently in practice. With this in mind, the nature and content of the collaboration between different universities located in Turkey are depicted through the analysis of triangulated data sets from written reports, focus group discussions, and the Likert scale questionnaire in order to elaborate on the impact of exchange of information and visitations on the trainers' professional development. The chapter accomplishes the self-reported impact of university-university collaboration on the participating trainers as well as one-day T-PLUS (Trainers' Professional Learning and Unlimited Sharing) meeting during which the trainers exchange ideas about teacher training and professional development tools and procedures in focus group discussions. The results indicate positive stance towards such a collaboration model that emerged as a result of the written reports and the Likert scale questionnaire.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document