scholarly journals Parental Involvement and Academic Achievement of Primary Students: A Case Study of Two Nigerian Parents

Author(s):  
Fawzul Razeen

This case study reveals how parents perceive their involvements and expectations of their children’s academic achievements. The primary purpose of this study is to explore parental involvement in the academic achievement of primary students in Nigerian schools and to assess parental involvement at the Primary School level and how it enhances academic achievement. The researcher chooses the qualitative research method for this study and makes use of Semi-structured interviews to collect data on the first-hand experiences of two international post-graduate (PG) students at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The major finding of this study is parental involvement with their children. The Parents went to school to communicate with the class teacher and also they assisted with their children’s homework at their residential premises. Parents had high expectations of their children’s academic achievement in the class. There were some differences in the way the two parents were involved in the academic work of their children. This is because of some causes such as lack of time, new subject matter and distance to the schools. The findings of this study have implications mostly for teachers, teacher educators and educational decision-makers.

2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reece Mills ◽  
Louisa Tomas

AbstractEducation for Sustainability (EfS) has been prioritised in the School of Education at James Cook University (JCU), Townsville, Australia. This article presents a case study that explores the ways in which teacher educators integrate EfS in their teaching in the Bachelor of Education (BEd) (Primary) at JCU, and their perceptions of enablers and constraints. Two key findings arose from the analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with four subject coordinators, and their subject outlines: (1) teacher educators at JCU integrate EfS in different ways through their choice of assessment, content and/or pedagogy; and (2) constraints operating at the school level, namely teacher educators’ perceptions and understanding of EfS, were perceived to be salient challenges to the integration of EfS in the program. Vision, leadership and funding at the university level were also identified as enabling factors that warrant further investigation. Findings contribute to existing literature regarding the integration of EfS in preservice teacher education, and serve to inform practice at JCU and universities more broadly.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 454-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khanyisile Brenda Nhlengethwa ◽  
Nadaraj Govender ◽  
Doras Sibanda

Teachers’ accurate understanding of Inquiry-Based Science Teaching (IBST) is crucial for the proper enactment of this pedagogical approach. In this research, a qualitative case study design was used to explore and interpret pre-service teachers’ understanding of IBST at the conclusion of their three-year primary diploma at a university in Swaziland. Data were collected using a semi-structured teaching scenario-based questionnaire in conjunction with individual semi-structured interviews. Thirty-four participants completed the questionnaire and eight of them were subsequently interviewed. The data were analyzed using a conceptual framework of IBST that outlines two dimensions of IBST; namely the cognitive and guidance dimensions. The results show that in the cognitive dimension, participants focused mainly on the procedural domain. With regard to the guidance dimension, they associated the pedagogical approach more with teacher-directed than learner-directed learning activities. This paper recommends that in training pre-service primary school teachers, teacher educators must broaden their focus from procedural aspects of IBST to include all its aspects; thereby developing their pre-service teachers’ holistic and deep experiences of IBST. Keywords: inquiry-based science teaching, primary school, pre-service teachers, scenario-based questionnaire, IBST understanding.


2021 ◽  
pp. 9-25
Author(s):  
Kamran Akhtar Siddiqui ◽  
Hassan Syed ◽  
Zafarullah Sahito

English language has grown to be a lingua franca of the present day world. Therefore, even non- English European and Asian countries have adopted English as a medium of instruction. English has continuously been the medium of instruction in the higher education of Pakistan in spite of having a great linguistic diversity and national language Urdu as the medium of instruction at school level. This study aims to explore the perceptions of undergraduates about EMI, challenges they face in EMI classrooms and solutions they suggest for mitigation of their issues. The qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews reveals that students perceive EMI to be beneficial for higher education, employment and progressive thought. However, they face challenges related to teachers’ English proficiency, code-switching, vocabulary and receptive as well as productive skills. They suggest that English-proficient instructors, continuous use of English, language support from university can help them overcome these challenges effectively.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
Mehmet Akif Karabörk ◽  
Soner Durmus

In this study, the effects of redesigned modeling activities on the academic achievement of 7th grade students and the student’s view about these activities were investigated. We use explanatory sequential mixed method design that is one of the mixed research methodology for this investigation. The quantitative part of this research established according to semi-experimental study with pre-posttest, and qualitative part of this study execute with the case study. Quantitative data were collected with multiple choice academic achievement tests, and qualitative data were collected with study papers, observation forms, forms of student’s view, and semi-structured interviews at the end of all activities. The quantitative data were analyzed with covariance analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed with content analysis. As a result, a statistically significant difference was found in favor of the experimental group on the academic achievement which influenced by modeling activities. This difference has been influenced by the presentation of the learning environment in which the students' attitudes and beliefs towards themselves and the lessons will be positively affected, and mathematical skills will be supported to increase success.


Author(s):  
André Du Plessis ◽  
Paul Webb

<span>This quantitative and qualitative interpretive exploratory case study investigates whether exposure to an Internet based </span><em>Extended Cyberhunt</em><span> strategy enables teachers to attain a set of outcomes similar to Prensky's 'Essential 21st Century Skills' and the 'Critical Outcomes of the South African National Curriculum Statement (NCS)'. The outcomes referred to include effective planning, designing, decision making and goal setting; improved computer and data searching skills; enhanced confidence, interest, reflective ability, collaboration, judgment and creative and critical thinking; as well as effective problem solving and the ability to communicate and interact with individuals and groups. The Extended Cyberhunt strategy, which focuses on enabling participants to become the designers of questions on curriculum related topics at different cognitive levels of Bloom's </span><em>Taxonomy</em><span>, was introduced to teachers who were first time users of the Internet, Microsoft </span><em>Word</em><span> and </span><em>PowerPoint</em><span>. The intention was to ascertain these teachers' perceptions of the utility of the strategy in terms of assisting them to implement the critical outcomes described above with school level learners. Data on their perceptions and experiences related to these outcomes were generated and triangulated by means of a pre and post-Likert scale questionnaire, an open ended questionnaire, qualitative semi-structured interviews, reflective journal writing, and implementer reflections. Positive gains were revealed in terms of all of the above outcomes after exposure to the Extended Cyberhunt strategy. These findings are considered in terms of differences between the approach used and traditional teacher-centred teaching, and the strategy is examined using activity theory as a lens. While we are aware that many alternative approaches exist that may be just as successful in terms of attaining the desired outcomes, we believe that the Extended Cyberhunt strategy is both a fruitful extension of </span><em>WebQuests</em><span> and other existing Internet-based approaches, and a relatively easily implementable and viable way of attaining the desired outcomes.</span>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Helen Pentecost

<p>After three years of schooling, some primary students are behind the expected levels for spelling achievement. This qualitative case study sought an insider view from 12 Year 4 students on the strategies they used to spell words within the context of classroom writing programmes. The students in the study attended three primary schools. Half the students had been identified by their teachers as achieving below the expected level in spelling for their year group and half at the expected level. Data were collected through a series of semi-structured interviews with groups of students and individual interviews with teachers from their schools. Data were also gathered from analysis of the students' writing samples. A comparison was made between the data gathered from the two groups of students, searching for similarities and differences in their strategies and understandings about spelling. Data from the students were also compared to the teachers' views about how students learn to spell. The average-achieving students viewed new words as problems that can be solved through using a combined repertoire of strategies. These included drawing on visual memory, using phoneme-grapheme relationships and morphological strategies to spell challenging words. In contrast, the below average achievers had a more limited range of strategies, tending to use only one strategy at a time and did not readily making links to their prior knowledge. If teachers are aware of these strategies and how successful spellers combine appropriate strategies, they can assist students to improve their spelling by giving specific instruction and feedback on their use.</p>


Information ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 427
Author(s):  
Veronica Telino ◽  
Ricardo Massa ◽  
Ioná Mota ◽  
Alexsandro Gomes ◽  
Fernando Moreira

Information Technologies represent a primary instrument in all types of organizations. However, their use is not always well planned in the public sector. The research proposes a methodology to build a realistic action plan that improves the use of information technology and its governance in public organizations. We conduct a case study using semi-structured interviews to investigate the different views of 8 decision-makers regarding the use of IT and its governance. The findings were analyzed systematically and synthesized into a set of perspectives on the subject. An interference matrix reveals how each view interferes and receives positive and/or negative interference from the others. Based on the matrix, the methodology applies criteria to prioritize the perspectives with the highest potential to improve the use of IT and its governance. The final product of the methodology is an action plan aligned with the vision of the institution’s decision-makers. The plan requires little effort to improve the use of IT and its governance. Seventeen views related to the use of IT and its governance emerged from the interviews. Four views that do not cause or receive harmful interference from other perspectives were selected to guide the plan elaboration. The methodology proved to be efficient for creating an action plan adapted to the institutional reality. According to the managers, the action plan represents with high precision the most urgent needs of the organization, respecting its work capacity and available resources for a project to improve the use of IT and its governance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-27
Author(s):  
Gleberson de Santana dos Santos ◽  
Simone Sehnem

This paper aims to identify how a mall incorporates sustainability in their management processes. In addition, the study proposes to verify how incorporating sustainability based in the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative the corporate strategy to get competitive advantage and analyze the relevant factors that affect the commitments to sustainability, through the vision of decision makers in the areas strategic organization. The study consists of a survey whose approach is qualitative. This is a survey that ranks over goals in descriptive and qualitative approach. Regarding the proceedings consists of a case study. To collect data, we used the questionnaire instruments and semi-structured interviews with key informants applied responsible for the operations department / maintenance, financial administration, marketing and human resources. It was noted that the organization takes some practice focused on sustainability, such as optimization of natural resources, actions philanthropic and focusing on internal employees programs, but not as effective. This studies follows that it is possible to incorporate strategies and sustainable practices in the strategic management of the enterprise, giving it even competitive advantage, provided that there is full commitment from all sectors and investments in sustainable and conscious actions


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 112-129
Author(s):  
Patrick Kavenuke ◽  
◽  
Abdulghani Muthanna ◽  

This study investigates teacher educators’ perceptions of and challenges affecting the use of critical pedagogy in higher teacher education in Tanzania. The study employed a qualitative case study design and collected in-depth data through semi-structured interviews and direct classroom observations. The findings showed that critical pedagogy is a significant approach for developing students’ abilities to do critical reflection. However, critical pedagogy demands building a friendly relationship with students and encouraging dialogic interactions; all these lead to critical reflection in return, ensuring better understanding of the subject content. Most importantly, the findings report several challenges related to the presence of crowded classes, the use of lecturing teaching style and the use of English as a language of instruction, the use of unsuitable assessment format that is university guided and lack of teaching resources. These challenges impede the effective use of critical pedagogy in teaching. To overcome such challenges, policy makers and institutional leaders need to rethink of providing teaching resources and encouraging the use of critical pedagogy in teaching and learning at higher teacher education programmes. The study concludes that by practising what teacher educators perceive to be critical pedagogy, classrooms will be transformed into places of liberation. Further, while this qualitative study does not intend to make any generalisation, the findings might be of interest to international teacher educators who are interested in employing the critical pedagogy approach effectively.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Connie Rasilim

<p>Equipping prospective teachers to understand and implement the philosophy of Christian education is very important since it is one of the foundational weapons for students to use when encountering different and colliding worlviews. The purpose of this research was to explore whether the pre-service teachers of Teachers College UPH were able to demonstrate the philosophy and practice of Christian education during their internship program. The method used in this research was case study, and the data was pulled together from semi-structured interviews given to the pre-service teachers, teacher-educators, and mentors. The collected data was then analyzed using the axial coding method. The results of this research indicate that the pre-service teachers were able to demonstrate the philosophy and practice of Christian education during their internship.</p><p><strong>BAHASA INDONESIA ABSTRAK: </strong>Membekali calon guru untuk memahami dan mempraktekkan filsafat pendidikan Kristen sangat penting karena hal tersebut adalah salah satu senjata paling mendasar bagi para mahasiswa untuk menghadapi banyak pandangan hidup dunia yang berbeda dan saling menyerang. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengeksplorasi cara guru pra-layanan dari Teachers College UPH apakah mampu menunjukkan filosofi dan praktek pendidikan Kristen selama program magang. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah studi kasus, dan data ditarik bersama oleh wawancara semi terstruktur. Wawancara diajukan ke guru pra-jabatan, pendidik dan mentor guru. Data yang terkumpul kemudian dianalisis menggunakan metode axial coding. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa guru pra-layanan mampu menunjukkan filsafat dan praktik pendidikan Kristen selama magang.</p>


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