Relationship between Computer-mediated Communication Competence and Attitude toward Using Frog VLE among Secondary School Teachers

This study aims at examining the relationship between teacher computer-mediated communication (CMC) competence and teacher attitude toward using Frog VLE a virtual learning platform. This is a non-experimental research using a cross-sectional survey technique through the administration of a set of questionnaire that comprised teacher demographic variables, teacher CMC competence and teacher attitude toward using Frog VLE. The participants in this study are 351 secondary school teachers from Klang district, Selangor. The results indicated that teachers showed medium level of attitude and medium level of CMC competence toward using Frog VLE. Results showed that there is statistically significant direct causal relationship between teacher CMC competence and teacher attitude toward using Frog VLE. CMC motivation and CMC knowledge are the two direct factors of teachers’ affective and behavioural attitude toward using Frog VLE and CMC motivation predict teachers’ cognitive attitudes toward using Frog VLE.

Relationship Between Computer-Mediated Communication Competence and Attitude Toward Using Frog VLE Among Secondary School Teachers

This study aims at examining the relationship between teacher computer-mediated communication (CMC) competence and teacher attitude toward using Frog VLE a virtual learning platform. This is a non-experimental research using a cross-sectional survey technique through the administration of a set of questionnaire that comprised teacher demographic variables, teacher CMC competence and teacher attitude toward using Frog VLE. The participants in this study are 351 secondary school teachers from Klang district, Selangor. The results indicated that teachers showed medium level of attitude and medium level of CMC competence toward using Frog VLE. Results showed that there is statistically significant direct causal relationship between teacher CMC competence and teacher attitude toward using Frog VLE. CMC motivation and CMC knowledge are the two direct factors of teachers’ affective and behavioural attitude toward using Frog VLE and CMC motivation predict teachers’ cognitive attitudes toward using Frog VLE.

Barriers to Distance Learning: Perceptions Of Secondary School Teachers and Students in Serbia

One of the most current issues facing modern pedagogical theory and practice is distance learning. Since the Covid-19 virus pandemic outbreak, this specific teaching context has become the only hope for education systems globally. Given the role and importance that distance learning has today, our paper is focused on studying its barriers in immediate secondary school practice. This research is part of a broader study that involves a more thorough study of distance learning, which was conducted on a sample of 422 students and 120 secondary school teachers in Southeast Serbia. The aim of this paper is to identify the most common barriers to distance learning and answer the question of whether there are differences in the attitudes of teachers and students about the barriers they encountered during the first months of its implementation. In terms of frequency, the results of the conducted research show that evaluation-related barriers are the most common, while the learning material and technical barriers to distance learning are the least common ones. The research has shown that teachers statistically more often highlight evaluation-related, organizational/administrative and social/emotional barriers, while in practice, students more often experience learning content-related barriers. The results also confirm positive correlation in the participants’ attitudes about the analyzed barriers and directly point to the conclusion about their objective perception and critical reflection on this problem by emphasizing the importance of didactic elements such as: quality of the teaching process, level of knowledge acquired, objectivity of assessment, etc. in relation to the learning material and technical side of teaching. These conclusions point to a number of pedagogical implications by which the new, specific teaching context can be significantly improved.

Enhancing innovative delivery in schools using design thinking

The pandemic has created challenges in all sectors of the economy and education. Traditional teaching approaches seem futile in the new context, thus the need to constantly reinvent the delivery to meet the fast-paced changes in the education domain. Hence, Design Thinking (DT) is an alternative approach that might be useful in the given context. DT is known to be a human-centric approach to innovative problem-solving processes. DT could be employed in the delivery process to develop twenty-first-century skills and enhance creativity and innovation, in an attempt to identify alternative solutions. The study explores the role of design thinking (DT) in the form of empathy, thinking process, gamified lessons and curriculum enhancement, which leads to innovative delivery among teachers. It enhances and facilitates innovative content delivery by leveraging creativity. The study targeted 131 teachers, whereby 61 are primary school teachers and 70 are secondary school teachers. A questionnaire constituting of 23 close-ended questions using the 5-point Likert scale was used to collect data. Data was analyzed using SmartPLS to establish relationships between DT and Innovative Delivery in schools. The data was further analyzed to seek co-relations between the DT steps and the successful transformation of content delivery by teachers. The study established a framework for the application of design thinking for teachers as the primary support in developing activities for their students. It shows that thinking process, gamifying lessons and curriculum enhancement have positive significance in innovative delivery, whereas empathy did not show a significant positive relationship. The outcome of this study will help fill the gap towards creating an interesting method of delivery in schools and constantly innovating the method to suit the evolving generation. This insight is crucial for the Ministry of Education and policymakers to enhance teachers’ ability to innovatively deliver content to students.

Alternative Evaluation as a Means of Inclusion

The present study concerns a field research aiming to investigate the stances of primary and secondary school teachers in Greece about alternative assessment methods (AAM). For this purpose, 181 language teachers answered an e-questionnaire. In addition, the curricula for Greek and foreign language courses taught in compulsory state education were analysed in order to explore the type and the extension of references to AAM in them. Data analysis showed that teachers of secondary education use AAM on a more frequent basis and a larger variety of them than those of primary education. Furthermore, from data analysis resulted a strong preference of the respondents for self-assessment, portfolio, and project methods. The curricula analysis revealed extensive reference to AAM in foreign language curricula, mainly to portfolio and project. As the regression analysis indicated, teaching experience was not related to the AAM usage. However, teachers' training on AAM appeared correlated with their positive stances towards it.

Epistemological beliefs of secondary school teachers in light of their teaching practices based on the grounded theory

The current study aimed to identify the epistemological beliefs of secondary school teachers in light of their teaching practices. The researchers applied the qualitative approach based on the method of grounded theory. Data were collected through classroom observations, interview sheets and focus groups. Having determined the credibility and reliability of the instruments, the data were thoroughly read, and analysed using the topology data model. Results indicated the participants' responses converged in the dimension of the nature and certainty of knowledge, the dimension of knowledge acquisition and in the speed of knowledge acquisition, while responses varied in the dimension of the concept of epistemological beliefs, the dimension of the sources of epistemological beliefs and the factors in their formation, and in the dimension of knowledge authority. The study highlighted the importance of integrating epistemological beliefs in teachers' qualification programmes to practise such beliefs in the classroom environment. Keywords: Epistemological Beliefs, Teaching Practices, Secondary School Teachers

Job satisfaction factors in secondary school teachers, public and private institutions in a Peruvian Region

This research aimed to determine the differences in job satisfaction factors in Secondary Education teachers of public and private educational institutions, La Libertad Region, Peru 2020. It presents a quantitative approach, non-experimental design, comparative descriptive type; 372 teachers participated in the study. A questionnaire validated by expert judgment was used as an instrument. Reliability was determined through a Pilot Test applied to 20 secondary school teachers, resulting in a Cronbach's Alpha of 0.976. SPSS v.26 software was used to process the final data. 58.1%. It is found that 50.5% of secondary school teachers in public and private education feel dissatisfied at work; Likewise, significant differences were found between the determining factors of job satisfaction in both types of management, obtaining a p-value = 0.200> 0.05 in the Student's t for independent samples. The work concludes that there are significant differences in job satisfaction factors in secondary school teachers from public and private educational institutions. Keywords: Job Satisfaction; Education; Basic Education; Secondary School Teachers

Financial Rewards and Job Commitment Among Public Secondary School Teachers in Ogun State, Nigeria

The paper aims to examine the effects of financial rewards on job commitment among public secondary school teachers in Ogun State, Nigeria. The study was anchored on the interpretative meaning of expectancy theory. The sample consisted of 750 public secondary school teachers drawn from the three senatorial districts of Ogun State. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit information on socio-demographic characteristics and types of financial rewards available to public secondary school teachers in Ogun State. The data collected were analyzed using frequency counts and percentages. The hypothesis stipulated was analyzedusing Pearson product moment. The study found out that prompt payment of teachers’ salaries induce higher commitment to teaching, public school teachers were not satisfied with the government remuneration and there was positive and strong relationship between financial rewards and teachers job commitment (r = 0.74). The study concluded that there is significant relationship between financial rewards and teachers’ job commitment. The authors recommended that the government should provide a special salary structure for government secondary school teachers like their counterparts in other professions since they are disputably the most significant group of professionals for any nation’s economy.