PELAKSANAAN PENGAJIAN HADIS BAGI TUNA NETRA DI MALAYSIA: Isu dan Tantangan

<p>Hadis merupakan sumber kedua agama dalam Islam selepas al-Quran. Ia memainkan peranan yang sangat penting dalam Islam, terutama ketika menguraikan serta menjelaskan kehendak al-Quran. Pengajian hadis bagi tuna netra amat signifikan dan diperlukan dalam sistem pendidikan khusus. Untuk melestarikan pengajian hadis tuna netra, terdapat beberapa tantangan yang perlu dihadapi dan difikirkan. Tantangan ini harus dihadapi bersama dalam usaha mewujudkan kesamarataan peluang pendidikan hadis bagi seluruh umat Islam tanpa menganggap kekurangan pada diri. Namun, pemaparan bagi tuna netra terhadap pengajian hadis masih belum berlaku sedangkan hadis juga memainkan peranan yang penting sebagai sumber kedua syariat Islam. Justru, objektif utama artikel ini adalah untuk menjelaskan isu dan tantangan yang dihadapi oleh tuna netra dalam pengajian hadis. Kajian ini merupakan kajian kualitatif dengan menggunakan metode analisis dokumen yang terdiri dari buku-buku, artikel-artikel, jurnal, dan bahan-bahan yang berkaitan. Hasil kajian mendapati pengajian hadis bagi tuna netra di Malaysia menghadapi tantangan yang besar. Diantaranya ialah ketidaksediaan tenaga pengajar, kelemahan institusi pendidikan dan kekurangan bahan bantu mengajar. Implikasi kajian ini ialah dapat mengenal pasti tantangan yang dihadapi oleh tuna netra dalam mendalami hadis dan seterusnya membantu golongan ini mengenal, mencintai dan meneladani Rasulullah SAW melalui hadis-hadisnya.</p><p>[<strong>The implementation of hadith studies for visually impaired people in Malaysia: Issues and challenges</strong>. Hadith is the second source in Islam after Quran. The role of hadith is very important in Islam especially in explaining and justifying the contents of Quran. The study of hadith for visually impaired people is very important and necessary in the special education system. There are some challenges that need to be considered in preserving the study of hadith for visually impaired people. These challenges must be faced together in order to create an equality of hadith educational opportunities toward visually impaired people regardless of their shortcomings. However, the exposures of hadith study occur only on a small scale while hadith also plays an important role in Muslim daily life. Therefore, the main objective of this article is to explain the issues and challenges faced by visually impaired people in implementing hadith studies. The qualitative approach is used in this research by using document analysis method from books, articles, journals, internet etc. The early finding shows that the hadith study for visually impaired people in Malaysia facing great issues and challenges. These challenges exist in several aspects including the lack of instructional resources, the weakness of educational institutions and the lack of teaching aid. Hence, this research is able to identify the issues and challenges faced by visually impaired people to pursuit hadith and guiding them to learn and love the Prophet SAW and his Sunnah.]</p>

Learner-centred teaching in Tanzania: Geography teachers' perceptions and experiences

<p>The shift from teacher-centred to learner-centred teaching approaches is one of the aspects embarked on to address quality issues in delivery of secondary education in Tanzania. The basis for a shift in teaching paradigm has been motivated by the need for learners to effectively engage in the knowledge construction process.This thesis reports the findings about Learner-Centred Teaching (LCT) in Tanzania from the perceptions and experiences of secondary school geography teachers. Applying a lens of a critical perspective (CP) approach as a theoretical framework, the study sought to respond to the major question: how do geography teachers perceive and experience regarding Learner-Centred Teaching in Tanzania’s secondary school? The main question was guided by four sub-research questions which included: how do geography teachers in Tanzania understand LCT?; how does a teacher’s pedagogical reasoning and decision-making during the planning process reflect LCT beliefs?; how does a teacher’s teaching practice reflect LCT beliefs?; and how does a teacher’s evaluation of classroom instructional practices place the learner at the centre of instruction? The research focus was to assess the implementation of LCT approach as advocated by the educational policy and the mandated curriculum documents. The study utilised the interpretive and constructivist qualitative case study approach involving nine case studies purposely selected from three research sites. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and detailed reviews of teachers’ own teaching portfolios. Applying an interpretive generative inductive data analysis approach, data were analysed based on the specific meaning patterns that were emerging from individual case studies. Themes were developed by comparing and contrasting meaning patterns within and across case studies. Findings presented aspects which influence teachers’ practices of LCT including: the constructivist view of knowledge construction, role of language and cultural context in LCT, teacher-students’ power relation, and the nature of the curriculum. Other aspects raised include: teachers’ substantive and syntactic knowledge and classroom organisation and management. The study also presents some dilemmas against implementation of LCT. These dilemmas include language barrier, class sizes; curriculum design; and teacher shortage, and shortage of instructional resources. Other dilemmas include: lack of both inservice training for LCT and cultural-context specific curriculum relevance. The researcher recommends the need to address dilemmas in the implementation of LCT approaches such as: class sizes, curriculum design, and teacher shortage; shortage of instructional resources and facilities; and the medium of instruction; geography curriculum should be designed to allow teachers’ flexibility; and teachers’ need of mastery in the substantive and syntactic knowledge. Other recommendations include: teachers’ need of in-service training regarding the conceptual and theoretical understanding of LCT, its approaches, and application in geography classrooms; teachers’ use of an integrated-formative evaluation and assessment approaches; and the need of further research on aspects around the same topic, taking into consideration different theoretical orientations and methodological approaches. The study contributes knowledge to the international literature regarding LCT and its implementation complexities from the developing economy’s perspectives. In particular, the study contributes to the understanding of LCT from a CP theoretical framework. It also provides an avenue for debate and consideration on the importance of initial and in-service teacher education, the curriculum, and the need to integrate learners’ culture for effective implementation of LCT. The researcher has developed three models to support the practice of LCT. These are: the constructivist learning process; an integrated LCT based curriculum; and the classroom organisation and management framework models.</p>

Learner-centred teaching in Tanzania: Geography teachers' perceptions and experiences

<p>The shift from teacher-centred to learner-centred teaching approaches is one of the aspects embarked on to address quality issues in delivery of secondary education in Tanzania. The basis for a shift in teaching paradigm has been motivated by the need for learners to effectively engage in the knowledge construction process.This thesis reports the findings about Learner-Centred Teaching (LCT) in Tanzania from the perceptions and experiences of secondary school geography teachers. Applying a lens of a critical perspective (CP) approach as a theoretical framework, the study sought to respond to the major question: how do geography teachers perceive and experience regarding Learner-Centred Teaching in Tanzania’s secondary school? The main question was guided by four sub-research questions which included: how do geography teachers in Tanzania understand LCT?; how does a teacher’s pedagogical reasoning and decision-making during the planning process reflect LCT beliefs?; how does a teacher’s teaching practice reflect LCT beliefs?; and how does a teacher’s evaluation of classroom instructional practices place the learner at the centre of instruction? The research focus was to assess the implementation of LCT approach as advocated by the educational policy and the mandated curriculum documents. The study utilised the interpretive and constructivist qualitative case study approach involving nine case studies purposely selected from three research sites. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and detailed reviews of teachers’ own teaching portfolios. Applying an interpretive generative inductive data analysis approach, data were analysed based on the specific meaning patterns that were emerging from individual case studies. Themes were developed by comparing and contrasting meaning patterns within and across case studies. Findings presented aspects which influence teachers’ practices of LCT including: the constructivist view of knowledge construction, role of language and cultural context in LCT, teacher-students’ power relation, and the nature of the curriculum. Other aspects raised include: teachers’ substantive and syntactic knowledge and classroom organisation and management. The study also presents some dilemmas against implementation of LCT. These dilemmas include language barrier, class sizes; curriculum design; and teacher shortage, and shortage of instructional resources. Other dilemmas include: lack of both inservice training for LCT and cultural-context specific curriculum relevance. The researcher recommends the need to address dilemmas in the implementation of LCT approaches such as: class sizes, curriculum design, and teacher shortage; shortage of instructional resources and facilities; and the medium of instruction; geography curriculum should be designed to allow teachers’ flexibility; and teachers’ need of mastery in the substantive and syntactic knowledge. Other recommendations include: teachers’ need of in-service training regarding the conceptual and theoretical understanding of LCT, its approaches, and application in geography classrooms; teachers’ use of an integrated-formative evaluation and assessment approaches; and the need of further research on aspects around the same topic, taking into consideration different theoretical orientations and methodological approaches. The study contributes knowledge to the international literature regarding LCT and its implementation complexities from the developing economy’s perspectives. In particular, the study contributes to the understanding of LCT from a CP theoretical framework. It also provides an avenue for debate and consideration on the importance of initial and in-service teacher education, the curriculum, and the need to integrate learners’ culture for effective implementation of LCT. The researcher has developed three models to support the practice of LCT. These are: the constructivist learning process; an integrated LCT based curriculum; and the classroom organisation and management framework models.</p>

Using structural equation modelling for understanding relationships influencing the middle school technology teacher’s attitudes toward STEAM education in Korea

The purpose of this study was to investigate the structural relationship between technology teachers’ attitudes toward STEAM education and the cooperation of instructional resources collaboration, school educational change receptivity, and instructional expertise and instructional efficacy. The population comprised about 3500 technology teachers working in middle schools in Korea, and the sample size was set at 650. Data were collected in parallel with postal surveys and online surveys. A total of 650 copies were distributed, of which 409 were recovered, and 283 copies were used for analysis after data cleaning. The Mplus 7 program was used for data analysis, and the significance level was set at 5%. First, we found that the suitability of the structural model established to clarify technology teachers’ attitudes toward STEAM education, instructional resource collaboration, school educational change receptivity, instructional expertise, and instructional efficacy was generally good, so the relationship between the variables was reasonably confirmed. Second, school educational change receptivity and instructional efficacy were found to have a direct effect on attitudes toward STEAM education. Third, the teachers’ instructional resources collaboration was confirmed to influence their attitudes toward STEAM education by mediating the school educational change receptivity and instructional efficacy, and their instructional expertise mediated their instructional efficacy. Fourth, school educational change receptivity was confirmed to influence attitudes toward STEAM education through the dual media of instructional expertise and instructional efficacy. Finally, instructional resource collaboration was confirmed to influence attitudes toward STEAM education through school educational change receptivity, instructional expertise, and instructional efficacy.

Grade 12 Learners’ Perceptions of Opportunities to Learn Imperfect Market Structures: Frances Baard District

This empirical study sought to investigate the grade 12 economics learners’ perceptions of opportunities to learn imperfect market structures in selected schools in the Francis Baard District of Northern Cape. A quantitative research approach was employed, where a questionnaire was administered to 253 Grade 12 economics learners from three schools in Galeshewe. The questionnaire was based on four Opportunities to Learn (OTL) variables; content exposure, content emphasis, quality of instruction, and instructional resources. Data were analysed through excel 365 and then through SPSS. Overall, the study showed that little or no opportunities to learn were being created for learners to master the concept of imperfect market structures. This study is significant because it helps to make known to both the learners and teachers, the factors influencing learners’ learning outcomes related to imperfect market structures. Learners must also be encouraged to exhibit a positive attitude towards the subject, while the economics teachers should put in the required effort to improve the learning outcomes in schools.

Beyond the Trifold in Civics Presentations: The Measure of Youth Policy Arguments

Youth are increasingly engaging in civic action to address social injustices. Many adult educators are also looking for instructional resources that support youth voice as a way to promote adolescent civic development and community change. Alas, assessment tools to support youth voice and policy argumentation are lacking. Existing tools overemphasize public speaking skills and rely on dated artifacts such as cardboard trifold posters. In this article we introduce the Measure of Youth Policy Arguments (MYPA), a tool designed to aid in the development and assessment of high-quality youth policy presentations. We also describe how to use the MYPA in formative and summative contexts. Additionally, we provide initial evidence for the validity and reliability of the MYPA. Furthermore, we argue that MYPA has applications in preparing youth for policy presentation and in assessing learning outcomes associated with youth voice projects.

Secondary Students’ Sensory Preferences and Their Influence on Science Academic Achievement

Evidence has been found that some students seem to have learning obstacles associated with particular sensory preferences when dealing with instructional materials. Therefore, knowing students’ sensory preferences could help teachers improve instructional resources. Our objectives were: (1) to describe Secondary students’ sensory preferences according to gender and age; (2) to analyse the possible association between students’ sensory preferences and their general academic achievement in science. We conducted a synchronic, cross-sectional descriptive study in a sample of 582 male and female students from 7th to 11th grade using the VARK questionnaire. There was a significant predominance of sensory preferences containing the Kinesthetic mode, and the preferences containing the Visual mode were the least frequent. Girls or boys showed similar distributions of sensory preferences. Using linear regression to predict students’ general academic achievement from VARK scores, we obtained a significant contribution of the Kinesthetic score, and a minor but still significant single contribution of the Reading/Writing score.

Evaluation of the Availability and Utilization of Visual and Audio Instructional Resources in Public and Private Primary Schools in Rivers State

This study evaluated the availability and utilization of visual and audio instructional resources in public and private primary schools in Rivers State, Nigeria. Two research questions were stated to guide the study. The research design used for the study was an ex-post facto design. The population of the study comprised of eight thousand, two hundred and ninety-eight (8,298) teachers in public and private primary schools. A multi-stage sampling technique was used. A sample size of one thousand six hundred and sixty (1,660) teachers were used for the study. Checklist titled Availability and Utilization of Instructional Resources (AUIRC) was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics (percentages, mean and standard deviation) was used for data analysis. The result revealed that, availability and utilization of instructional resources is relatively low in public schools and high in private schools. Conclusion was drawn in line with the result of the study. It was therefore recommended that the Ministry of Education in Rivers State through relevant agencies should organize regular orientation/workshops on the improvisation and utilization of instructional resources in order to enhance effective teaching and learning in primary schools.