Development of a computer-assisted instructional package for life skills to prevent risky sexual behaviors in early adolescents, Bangkok, Thailand

Background: The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of a newly developed computer-assisted instructional package for life skills (CAIFLS) specifically designed to raise awareness of risky sexual behaviors among Thai early adolescents in Bangkok. Methods: The research process included two phases: (1) the development and (2) the use and evaluation of the newly developed CAIFLS package. First, 5 teachers and 5 Grade 7 students of a Bangkok school were interviewed to collect information needed for the development of CAIFLS. The second phase was to implement learning activities through CAIFLS with a total of 87 Bangkok school students, consisting of 44 students for the experimental group who received CAIFLS for 4 sessions, and 43 students for the control group who received routine class lecture. CAIFLS instructions, lesson plans and worksheets were designed as the experiment methods. Then questionnaires of life skills assessments and student satisfaction were used to investigate the effects and the student satisfaction of CAIFLS. Results: The findings revealed that the efficiency values of the CAIFLS package were 80.2/82.5, higher than the set criteria of 80/80. Mean scores on life skills for the experimental group significant increased (p < .05), which was higher than the control group. The students also showed their satisfaction of CAIFLS at a high level (M = 4.20, S.D. = 0.29) Conclusions: CAIFLS can be used as an effective learning tool to enhance life skills to prevent risky sexual behaviors among Thai early adolescents.

Comparative Effectiveness of Virtual Laboratory Instructional Package in Teaching Chemistry in Private and Public Secondary Schools

The study investigated Comparative Effectiveness of Virtual Laboratory Instructional Package in Teaching Chemistry in Private and Public Secondary Schools in Ondo State, Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to compare the performance of students in chemistry in both private and public secondary schools in Ondo state using Virtual Laboratory Instructional Package. The study adopted the quasi-experimental pretest/posttest control group design. The sample for the study consisted of 183 senior secondary school two (SSSII) science students that were selected across the three senatorial districts of Ondo state using multistage sampling techniques. Two groups were involved in the study; the experimental group and the control group. The students in the experimental group were exposed to virtual laboratory instructional package while the control group was taught chemistry with the conventional method. One instrument; Chemistry Achievement Test was used to collect data for the study. The reliability of the instrument was ascertained through test-re-test method and the reliability index of 0.75 was obtained for the instrument. Hypotheses 1, 2 and 3 were tested with Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). However, Multiple Classifications Analysis (MCA) was used to identify the variable that contributed to the difference among groups. All the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study showed that students exposed to Chemistry practical through virtual laboratory Instructional package in private secondary schools performed significantly better than their counterparts in public secondary schools. It was also found from the study that, gender has no effects on student’s performance in public secondary schools meanwhile; there was gender difference in the performance of students in private secondary schools in favour of female students. Based on the findings, it was recommended that Government at all levels should endeavour to provide information and communication facilities like computer based instructional package in schools to teach chemistry and such must be made accessible to all students, so as to promote interactive and individualized learning among secondary school students.

AUGMENT: Navigation Apps Instruction for Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment

Augmenting User Geocordinates and Mobility by ENhanced Tutorials (AUGMENT) is a development project in the ENHANCE Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center aiming to promote community engagement for aging adults with cognitive impairment (CI) from stroke, traumatic brain injury, and mild cognitive impairment. AUGMENT aims include 1) providing proof of concept that a robust instructional package can support successful use of existing, complex navigation apps, Google maps and rideshare app Uber, by a diverse set of people with CI; and 2) providing proof of product by testing performance with and without instruction. We discuss the needs assessment phase and development of new tests to assess wayfinding abilities and reported difficulties with navigation, using a control sample of 384 community-dwelling older adults. We found that self-reported navigation difficulties are predicted (R-square = .28) by gender, a spatial orientation test, self-reported memory ability, and severity of memory difficulty.

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH LEARNING MANAGEMENT WITH MULTIMEDIA READING INSTRUCTIONAL PACKAGE ON READING ABILITY AND VOCABULARY ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Small schools usually have insufficient learning materials as well as a shortage of English teachers. Hence, students may not have enough opportunities to learn English. Therefore, this current study aimed to develop a multimedia reading instructional package that can enhance students’ interest and their eagerness to learn English for communication. The participants of this study consisted of 13 first graders from a primary school in Maha Sarakham, Northeastern Thailand by using a simple random sampling. The objectives of this study were: 1) to develop the learning management of English for communication which including a multimedia reading instructional package, 2) to investigate the effectiveness of the English language learning management for communication by using the multimedia pronunciation activity package, and 3) to study the reading ability of the students who learned English for communication using a multimedia pronunciation activity package. The current study was conducted by using One Group Pretest-Posttest Design. The findings found that the effectiveness of the English language learning management plan for communication using the multimedia pronunciation activity package had an efficiency (E1 / E2) of 95.58 / 83.58 which was higher than the specified 80/80 criteria. The results also indicated that the students learning progress was increased by 0.70, or 70%. Moreover, it was revealed in the present study that the elementary school students who learned English for communication using a multimedia pronunciation activity package had an increased ability to read aloud.

Modular Print Materials: Philippine Way of Learning Delivery In Times Of New Normal

Philippine educational system was designed for an era that no longer exists nowadays. This is true in the face of a fast-changing world that deeply revolutionized our young learner’s attitudes, values and behavioral predilections. In like manner, parents and families are placed in a quandary as they are confronted with the mounting admixture of formal and informal learning options and opportunities for their children. Module is a unit of work in a course of instruction that is virtually self-contained and a method of teaching that is based on the building of skills and knowledge in discrete units. It is a form of self-instructional package which is regarded as a relatively-recent phenomena. It enables the learner to have a control over his learning and takes greater responsibility for his learning opportunity. The writer believes that modular print material is the most effective in optimizing the students’ academic performance or achievements in attaining the main objective of the subject.