Blame the Message Senders Not the Messenger: The Defence Case of the English “Native Speaker” Teacher

This article investigates how “native speaker” teachers define who a “native speaker” is and how they view themselves in relation to the concept. It further explores how they feel about discriminatory practices in employability and the pay gap that are systemically carried out against their “nonnative speaker” counterparts by recruiters. Data were gathered from 10 English language teachers: five males and five females from the UK, Canada, Ireland, and South Africa, who were hired by a state university in Saudi Arabia on the basis that they are “native speakers.” The findings show that although the place of birth and the official status of English in a given country were the main defining criteria for hiring a “native speaker,” the interviewees did not view the concept of the “native speaker” in the same ways as their recruiters did, who they believed used those criteria in an overly simplistic and reductive way rooted in native-speakerism. The findings also show that the participants did not enjoy the unjustified privileges given to them by their recruiters at the expense of their “non-native speaker” colleagues. Instead, in some cases, they attempted to confront their recruiters over such discriminatory practices, and in some others, they attempted to bridge the gap and ease the tension between themselves and their “nonnative speaker” counterparts, although these efforts were hindered by the system’s unfair and unjust practices.

Evaluating Dental Faculty’s Perspective regarding Emergency Introduction of Online Teaching and Learning: Early Experience during COVID-19 Lockdown in United States

Objectives. The March 2020 lockdown mandated institution closures and forced educators to provide remote instruction. We intended to gain an in-depth and holistic understanding of dental faculty’s experience and perceptions during this mandatory shift. Insights were gathered in 6 key areas: prior remote instruction experience; magnitude of transition and frequency of instruction methods used; training received; preferred teaching methods based on how they promote student learning, interaction, engagement, and performance; social impact; and future of teaching. Methods. An anonymous QualtricsXM survey was distributed to all dental faculties at University of Detroit Mercy in May 2020. Data was collected over a three-week period and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics 26 (IBM; Armonk, New York, USA). Pearson chi-squared test and Fisher’s exact test were used to evaluate categorical data. Results. Out of the 30 participants who transitioned to online remote instruction, 16 (53.3%) reported an age between 30 and 49 years and 14 (46.7%) reported ≥50 years of age. Our analysis revealed that faculty in 30–49-year age range had no prior online synchronous teaching experience. The transition was described as interesting, useful, time-consuming, and challenging. In-person live teaching received highest number of first place rankings (50%), and online asynchronous method received highest number of last place rankings (42.86%). Faculties in >50 year age range expressed maximum satisfaction with online small-group discussions, and those in 30–49 years age group were more satisfied with one-on-one online discussion. Conclusion. Our study finds that the faculty tends to gravitate to online methods that are similar to or mimic their past in-person teaching environment. Forced remote instruction gave new content delivery experiences to faculties of all ranges of age and experience in teaching. This exposure is likely to result in a more widespread adoption of a variety of instructional methods in future. Our study strongly suggests that traditional in-person instruction is the preferred method for delivery of content and is likely better for student learning. Majority of the faculties believed that the future of dental education would be a mix of both in-class and online instruction. In summer and fall 2021, our institution adopted hybrid, flexible models for didactic instruction to allow students the opportunity to digest content in their preferred method. Careful planning and systematic, continued training will be required to enhance technological skills and to incorporate newer models into didactic and clinical instruction. For the success of blended learning, courses will need redesigning of assessment methods, commitment, and support from administrators.

The Effect of Problem-Based Learning on Metacognitive Ability in the Conjecturing Process of Junior High School Students

This study aimed to analyze the effect of problem-based learning on metacognitive abilities in the conjecturing process of junior high school students. To reach this purpose, a mixed-methods design, which is a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, was used. The quantitative method was used to analyze the metacognitive abilities of the students’ conjecturing process, while the qualitative method was used to explore observation and interview data. The subjects of this study consisted of 60 eighth-grade students. Two learning models were compared, namely the problem-based learning model and the conventional learning model. The metacognitive abilities of students’ conjecturing process were measured by a pattern generalization problem-solving test. After collecting the data and analyzing them through the independent-samples t-test, it was revealed that the PBL had a significant effect on the metacognitive abilities of students’ conjecturing process in solving pattern generalization problems. Finally, based on the results, some conclusions and implications were suggested.

Magic of Choosing Suitable Course Coordinator Based on Students’ Feedback: A Single Center Experience from Saudi Arabia

Background. Medical education is an unusual field whereby a teacher does not receive formal training to become a teacher and is usually marred by quality and effectiveness in imparting the curriculum. To add to the insult, the additive burden of administrating the implementation of the courses does affect the teaching capabilities of a particular teacher. At the College of Medicine (COM), a rigorous procedure for selecting suitable “course coordinators” is followed as they not only serve as administrators for the curriculum implementation but also serve as the role models for the students and their peers as well. Each course coordinator is an important cogwheel in the curriculum as each one can have a positive impact on the overall quality and success of the program. At COM, twenty-one courses are taught in the curriculum, and the execution of each course is led by the duo of coordinator and co-coordinator. The course coordinator is the one primarily involved in the execution, selection of faculty, ensuring smooth flow and delivery of objectives, finalizing and execution of the exam, and responding to students and faculty’s needs during and after the course execution and is the primary person to suggest an effective action plan based on needs to improve the course for the upcoming academic year. Aim. The aim of our study was to assess whether a good teacher can be an effective course coordinator and what the impact of a good teacher/course coordinator is on student satisfaction levels. Methods. This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out for five academic years from 2013-14 till 2017-18. The sample included both male and female sections of the medical program, and the courses for the study were selected as consecutive sampling techniques. The data was retrieved from the evaluation units’ records for the period of 2013–18. SPSS version 20.0 was used for data analysis. Results. Our data reflects a strong positive correlation between course coordinator, course coordinator as a faculty, overall evaluation of the course, and mean faculty rating. Additionally, a strong positive correlation between the mean evaluation of all domains and overall course evaluation for both preclinical and clinical years of the medicine program was also found. Conclusions. Carefully selected effective teachers as course coordinators do have a positive impact on two domains of the course quality, that is, overall satisfaction and faculty ratings by medical students.

A Bayesian Approach to Investigating Factors Influencing Polytechnic College Students’ Academic Achievement

TVET plays a significant role in human resource development and, as a result, in a society’s progress and prosperity. The study is aiming at identifying the key factors influencing students’ academic success at polytechnic colleges. The study’s target population was regular Bahir Dar Polytechnic College students in the 2019/2020 academic year. Stratified random sampling was employed to conduct a cross-sectional survey of 536 participants. The author employed SPSS version 25 and WinBUGS 1.4 for quantitative data analysis. Bayesian logistic regression was used to model the factors that significantly influence TVET students’ academic achievement. Gender, age, family monthly income, study hours, stimulant use during the study, English language proficiency, EGSECE score, previous perceptions of TVET, teacher satisfaction, and field of study placement satisfaction were identified as factors that significantly influenced TVET students’ academic achievements. Being female, having a low family income, studying for a shorter period, using stimulants while studying, having a low English language proficiency, having a low EGSECE result, having a negative perception of TVET, and having low satisfaction with field of study were all linked to lower academic achievement in this study. According to the findings, students should spend more time in learning and consume fewer stimulants during their studies. The Ministry of Education should modify the TVET curriculum to aid students in improving their English language skills. Teachers in TVET should also receive ongoing capacity-building training. Finally, rather than imposing norms and limits (in terms of student achievement), TVET colleges should respect students’ free choice of training sector (department).

I Want to Become a Teacher because…? Student-Teachers Change in Attitudes of Becoming Teachers in Austria and Kosovo

The motivation for career choice motivation of student-teachers is a well-studied topic with a representative theoretical basis in teacher education research that has a long-standing tradition in the international research landscape. However, in understanding the pressing questions of why young people choose to become teachers, only a few longitudinal and comparative studies have been carried out that focus on the development of motivation for choosing a teaching career. This longitudinal study reports on the effects of time within initial teacher education and how it influences student-teacher attitudes and motives about the teaching profession. This article is a product of a larger study that aims at addressing the existing literature gap by examining student-teacher change in attitudes of becoming teachers in Austria and Kosovo starting from initial teacher education, during early stages of their teaching career as novice teachers, and to more advanced stages of their teaching career. This is a panel study located within a longitudinal design. In this study, a questionnaire and student-teacher reflection texts were used as instruments. Data were collected in three phases during which 673 student-teachers participated in face-to-face administered questionnaire as follows: 341 (phase 1), 185 (phase 2), and 147 (phase 3), as well as 19 student-teacher reflections. Questionnaire data were analysed using the general linear model (GLM) with repeated measures test, whereas the reflection text data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings in this longitudinal study provide evidence that student-teacher attitudes and motives for becoming teachers can change over time during the initial teacher education in Austria and Kosovo, and they can be influenced by in-school experiences during teaching practice. The study concludes that motives for choosing a teaching career are primarily intrinsic, are not time-stable, and change over the course of studies. The study findings have clear implications for initial teacher education programs in addressing changes in student-teachers’ attitudes of becoming teachers. The insights gained from the findings of this study lead to recommendations that initial teacher education programs should strengthen teaching practice to better manage the preparation of students and teachers and their entry into the teaching profession.

Exploring “Intersectoral Collaboration” towards the Integration of Indigenous Knowledge into Adult Education Programs in North Wollo, Ethiopia

Integration of indigenous knowledge into adult education recognizes collaboration based on indigenous frameworks and methodologies and gives more attention to people’s history, politics, cultural beliefs, and philosophical views. The most important beginning phases and tasks in promoting indigenous-based learning are establishing a responsive organizational structure that helps to identify and agree on what roles and responsibilities are played by each concerned stakeholder. Considering this in mind, this study aimed to explore intersectoral coordination and their participation in the integration of indigenous knowledge into adult education. In doing so, a qualitative research approach and a case-study design were employed. The study sample was composed of adult education experts and coordinators. Data was obtained through interviews, FGD, and document analysis. Furthermore, thematic analysis was the centre of this study data analysis. As a result, the study finding revealed that stakeholders’ coordinated effort has been observed that lacks consistency in supporting indigenous-based adult education programs due to their deprived collaboration and the presence of not functional administrative structure. This makes the provision and the integration of indigenous-based knowledge systems into adult education sporadic in its coverage of indigenous learning contents and experiences.

Validation and Development of a Moroccan School Quality Evaluation System

Evaluation is currently at the heart of the priorities of education systems. It is not limited to learning but affects several aspects: teachers, schools, training, management, education policies, and the system as a whole. There is a need in this area where research is extremely scarce in Morocco and especially in the teaching and education sector. The notion of transposing quality evaluation to the pedagogical side is very difficult and ambiguous. The evaluation of a school is a complex process, with varied practices and multiple actors. The first objective of this work is to present, within a rigorous methodological framework, the validation of pedagogical and administrative quality indicators in schools. This tool is a dashboard with precise indicators for the pedagogical audit of schools and educational institutions adapted to the Moroccan context. To select the best indicators, we used several techniques (structured interviews, focus groups, factor analysis, etc.) with the actors who carry out their activities. We identified three (03) fields and ten (10) criteria with indicators that form the basis of a quality assessment. The fields are management and strategic planning, administrative and sector management, and pedagogical organization.

Deployment of Background Knowledge and Performance in Comprehension Passage Reading among Primary School Learners in Vihiga County, Kenya

Background. Primary school learners in Vihiga County have been recording a lower mean score in English language examinations than their counterparts in neighbouring counties, with the score being lower in comprehension passage than in grammar sections. Few previous studies conducted in Kenya have investigated the issue from the instructional dimension, thereby limiting stakeholders’ understanding of the issue and delaying appropriate interventions. Aim. To determine how the deployment of learners’ background knowledge influences performance in reading comprehension passages. Method. Solomon Four-Group Design guided the study. Data were sourced in mid-2017 from standard six learners and English language teachers. Regression analysis generated two models, one for the experimental and control groups, each. Results. In both models, deployment of background knowledge had a significant positive effect on the performance in reading comprehension passages, which prompted rejection of the null hypothesis. However, the effect was stronger in the experimental group than in the control group. The variation was attributed to training provided to the experimental group teachers, which improved their skills in activating learners’ background knowledge. Conclusions. Activating learners’ background knowledge is a vital antecedent to better performance in reading comprehension passages and the English language. Although prereading vocabulary is vital for the activation of learners’ background knowledge, overreliance on a single strategy to activate learners’ background knowledge undermines optimal deployment of background knowledge skills in reading, albeit with implications on performance.

Techno-Pedagogical Skills for 21st Century Digital Classrooms: An Extensive Literature Review

Techno-pedagogical ability is a way and reasonable value education available to everyone. Indeed, although in the past it has been found that there are many benefits to using innovation in the classroom environment, there are still obstacles or experiences related to the use of innovation. The literature review was utilized to gather and choose the papers for this research. This article investigates the techno-pedagogical skills requirements of the science and art teachers of the Sukkur State Government College. In this paper, literature is collected from different real sites, such as Google, Google Scholar, Science Direct (Elsevier), Sage, Springer, Emerald, Taylor & Francis, and Eric databases. Ten themes emerged from the literature to analyze the techno-pedagogical skills of science and art educators and provide suggestions and solutions for improving educational institutions. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research papers are all included in this study. This research also identified the knowledge gap and methodological and implication gap in this research article as per the need for 21st Century Digital Classrooms. The results show that there is no significant difference in techno-pedagogical skills between science teachers and art teachers who use technology in teaching. This is because of the epidemic. Talking about the current scourge, COVID-19 has transformed traditional courses into digitization through ICT integration. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is seen as a tool that can help schools adapt to the transition from industry to information. It is also considered as a tool to provide, support, and strengthen educational reforms in accordance with the educational needs of the information society.