Developmentally appropriate pedagogies and training needs among Senior High School teachers in the new normal: a comparative study

In-service training programs in any organization enable employees to carry out their responsibilities concerning the organizations' standard and effective delivery. In the pandemic, there is an uprising concern among educators on delivering instruction and their readiness to do so. Hence, a descriptive-comparative approach was conducted to investigate senior high school teachers' readiness on developmentally appropriate pedagogies and their training needs. The data was collected using a researcher-developed electronic-based survey instrument thru Google Form among 35 senior high school teachers in Dolores National High School. The data analyses include mean computation in assessing respondents' level of academic competence, the median for readiness on developmentally appropriate pedagogies and training needs, and non-parametric Mann Whitney U-test and Kruskal Wallis H-test on the significant difference of teacher readiness when compared according to their academic competence indicators. Findings revealed that the majority of the senior high school teachers possessed low academic competence, were exposed to developmentally appropriate pedagogies on teaching methods and modes of assessment and needed immediate training in managing learners with multiple intelligences and learning styles and provided instruction via electronic or distance learning mode. Also, results revealed a significant gap in the respondents' exposure to developmentally appropriate teaching methods compared to their training acquired (p = .002). Hence, the researcher recommends reviewing schools' in-service training and directing them in preparing senior high school teachers to deliver new-normal-based education.

Motives, benefits, and challenges of Higher Education expansion in China

China believes in education as an investment of human capital for future returns. It has been a long-time desire for the Chinese government to expand and invest in higher education. The leadership of Deng Xiaoping inspired Chinese people about education it should be open over the world, for the future, and towards modernization. The purpose of higher education in global views is to promote the development of a nation in political, economic, technical, and social spheres. There are gradual changes in higher education after the open policy in China, which influences the expansion of higher education institutions. Higher education acts as a tunnel to prepare several professionals and talents, which will be helpful to the social changes in science and social science programs. Global competence leads the Chinese government to expand higher education in enrollment rate and improves the quality of higher education in acquiring competent knowledge that copes with the global market. This paper focused on reviewing literary works on motives, benefits, and challenges of higher education expansion in China through reviewing different studies from local and international perspectives. From compulsory through higher education, the curriculum should place a greater emphasis on competency. To deal with the wind of unemployment caused by the rise of higher education in China, the government should encourage and support graduates to find innovative and creative skills. For China's economy to grow quicker, a well-educated society requires graduates to apply their skills to solve many societal problems.

Translation methods of English-Indonesian subtitles in Mariana Atencio’s “TEDx talk: what makes you special?”

This research aims at finding out methods used to translate connotative and denotative phrases in the video subtitle of Mariana Atencio’s “Tedx Talk: What Makes You Special?”. The video was translated to Indonesian by Badaruddin Saahe and has been reviewed by Santi Deviyanti Rahayu. This research method was qualitative descriptive, focusing on Newmark’s translation theory. The data of this research were taken from the transcript of the video and the provided subtitles. This study revealed twenty-eight phrases with connotative meaning, and the translation process employed both single and mixed methods. Single method types of translation employed were faithful translation, adaptation, free translation, and idiomatic translation, while mixed methods employed faithful and adaptation, faithful and semantic, faithful and communicative, adaptation and communicative, free and idiomatic, and idiomatic and adaptation. This study also revealed twelve phrases with denotative meaning, in which the translator chooses to translate them denotatively using various methods, despite the phrases conveying other meanings. This relates to the second study issue, which explains the connection between denotative meaningful sentences and Newmark (1988) translation approach. Following his observations, the researcher discovered that only one method was used: word-for-word and literal translation. To translate phrases with this denotative meaning, the translator employs two ways simultaneously: word-for-word and literal, literal and adaptation, literal & faithful, faithful & communicative, and Idiomatic & communicative. The researcher may deduce from the previous explanation that mixed techniques and denotative meaning are related in the sense that the combined methods share the same qualities, namely direct, contextual, and communicative. As stated by Fromkin (2001), this is also related to the properties of the denotation itself.

Teachers’ metacognition and Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTs) of Elementary School learners in Eastern Samar, Philippines

This investigation aimed to identify a significant relationship between teachers' metacognition and learners’ higher-order thinking skills (HOTs). The correlational research method was employed to satisfy the investigation's primary objective. Two respondents were involved, including a total enumeration of Grade VI teachers and randomly selected Grade VI learners in Can-avid District. Through the administration of adapted sets of questionnaires and analysis of data using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical tools, the study revealed the following salient findings: (1) majority of the teacher respondents indicated a very high level of conceptual knowledge of cognition and planning skills of cognition regulation rather than procedural knowledge and evaluating and monitoring skills; (2) learners have exhibited very poor higher-order thinking skills in terms of scientific inquiry skills of analyzing, evaluating, and creating; and that (3) teachers’ metacognition only manifested a weak negative correlation with learners creating skills. The study recommends the advancement of teachers’ metacognition and learners’ HOTs through active integration of said skills in the curriculum and providing opportunities for teachers’ professional advancement. Finally, future researchers should conduct a larger-scale inquiry to fully comprehend the relationship between the variables studied in this study and to fully realize the impact of metacognition on learners' skills, which was not demonstrated in this paper.

Bridging the gap among social classes in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun (2006)

The Biafra War has been the subject of many historical accounts and literary texts. Among the novels produced about the Biafra War is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun (2006) where the author recounts not only the events leading to the war but also those during and just after the conflict. Though the events of the Biafra War constitute the central theme in Half of a Yellow Sun, Adichie also deals with the relationships among social classes in this novel. One may wonder why the author shows that some upper-class people are keen on their difference, their ‘superiority’, and, on the other hand, people of the upper and middle classes are human and respectful towards lower-class persons. What is the purpose of the writer in drawing this parallel? From a socialist and humanist perspective, this article deals with “bridging the gap among social classes in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun.” Based on sociology, psychology, socialism, and humanism, the paper will first deal with the criticism of the Nigerian upper class and then with Adichie’s advocacy for a socialist and humanist society.

The impact of one unit on Sindh’s political future after its abolition

Pakistan's federalism problem dates all the way back to the establishment of the republic. Pakistan was established during many problems, many of which involved the state's government and administration. After Pakistan's inception, Federalism has been recognized as a political structure. The Muslim League was Pakistan's democratic body, and it called for the provinces of United India to have complete provincial autonomy. In the other side, the Congress favored a moderate federation. Due to the Muslim League's extensive past and tradition, it has been forced to recognize Federalism as a state system. Karachi, a major commercial center in Sindh, was annexed by the federal government and incorporated into its region. As a consequence of this undemocratic act, Sindh's ministry was dissolved, and Karachi was put under federal administration. The smaller provinces were compelled to form One Unit as a result of this development. The One-unit structure scrapped Sindh's territorial position and fundamentally altered its demography. After Bengal's dismemberment, Punjab became the only ruling state, controlling the state structure. Sindh remained marginalized in this province. Sindh has always met with the same fate. Furthermore, Pakistan's constitutions made no provision for Sindh's provincial hegemony. This thesis makes an empirical attempt to examine the historical connection between the Centre and Sindh.

The implementation of Jesus' transformative leadership in leaders and activists of the Protestant Christian church in Bali, Indonesia

Jesus Christ is a role model for leaders, with His leadership still relevant until now. Jesus brought transformation to His community, and this transformative leadership model is needed to renew church ministry and evangelism. This article aims to find out the level of implementation of Jesus' transformative leadership among church leaders and activists of the Protestant Christian Church in Bali (GKPB) at Denpasar. This “traditional” church needs transformation to improve its quality and range of services outside Bali Island. The research used a quantitative method by measuring the Four Dimensions (D) in the concept of transformative leadership of Jesus according to the Gospel of Matthew. Results show that first, the implementation of Jesus' transformative leadership among GKPB Denpasar leaders and activists was found to be in "moderate" level due to the leadership model that was still committed to the system of institutional centralization and local autonomy based on tradition, which became an obstacle to develop mission work outside Bali. Second, the implementation of Jesus' transformative leadership among GKPB Denpasar leaders and activists was more dominantly influenced by the understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven (D2), meaning that leaders of GKPB Bali had practiced the Jesus transformative leadership model. However, the adequate salary and facilities provided by the synod created anthropocentric comfort, which diluted the spirit of the mission. Third, the background of "long-serving" (L5) dominantly influenced GKPB Denpasar leaders and activists to adjust Jesus’s transformative leadership model, but this was not yet able to fully optimize the practice. Therefore, GPKB Denpasar leaders and activists need to shift from the traditional paradigm to the transformative one to carry out personal and institutional transformations to improve their quality, range of services and answer future challenges.

Examining the leadership styles among High School teachers at Dominican schools in Indonesia

Spiritual leadership in the education field is not something new. However, it has not been deeply examined. The studies on spiritual leadership are more easily found in the non-educational than in educational fields (Scott & Tweed, 2016). For that reason, drawing on spiritual leadership and Dominican spirituality, the researcher examined how Dominican Schools in Indonesia integrate Dominican spirituality and leadership in their teaching performances. A leadership styles (Lewin’s leadership styles) questionnaire and collaborative leadership survey through Google form was conducted to collect data from 114 high school teachers of six Dominican Schools in Indonesia. The study results were a) Dominican spirituality provides unity of leadership styles among the high school teachers at Dominical Schools, b) leadership styles adopted by teachers are in line with Dominican spirituality leadership. Therefore, a positive correlation between Dominican spirituality and educational leadership was rooted in the values and vision of Dominican Educational Institution and became an educational leadership identity among high school teachers. The researcher suggests that curriculum designers and education facilitators collaborate to include and practice Dominican spiritual leadership as one of the principles and visions in Dominican educational institutions. It can also be used to describe other institutions with similar charisms. This study also advises that future researchers perform a poll on "Dominican Spiritual Leadership" using quantitative research methodologies. It is necessary to investigate the relationship between Dominican spiritual leadership and other educational characteristics in-depth. Educational levels, teaching experience, gender, community culture, and other factors may influence stakeholders in Dominican schools and other educational institutions worldwide.

Fulani herdsmen/farmers conflict and the challenges of food security in the middle belt region of Nigeria

The agriculture sector, the backbone of an economy, provides the basic ingredients to mankind and raw material for industrialization. It plays a strategic role in the process of economic development and growth. Leading industrialized countries of today were once predominantly agricultural economies and still dominate in agriculture. The agricultural sector contributes a major proportion of the national income and caters to a large workforce segment. However, one of the biggest security challenges in Nigeria lately is the expanding clashes between farmers and herders. Today, the conflict has spread over several regions in Nigeria and the Middle-Belt-Region specifically. It is against this foundation that this research is carried out to inspect how conflicts between farmers and herders influence food production, food accessibility, food stability, and food usage in the Middle Belt. The study is based on selected secondary sources and findings from the field research conducted in the Middle Belt region such as Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi, Nasarawa, etc. The qualitative research techniques involved in-depth interviews with local people and direct observation. This study observes that the food insecurity in this region is driven by the constant clash between the farmers and herdsmen, which have inflicted fear of going to cultivate their farmland in the lives of these rural farmers, consequently leading to shortages in food production in the region.

The Black Man’s burden and the existentialist challenge: unchaining the African consciousness to action

This research work, “The Black Man’s Burden and the Existentialist Challenge: Unchaining the African consciousness to action,” is a critical analysis of the human condition in Africa that has remained intractable right from political independence to the present and the right approach to stem the tide towards the Africa of the future. How is it that none of the about forty-eight nations South of the Sahara have made appreciable and sustained progress since most achieved independence in the 1960s, except maybe a few with exceptional natural resources. It has been found out that what has become known as the Black Man’s burden is a consequence of unacceptable poverty rate, endemic corruption, civil strife, wars, terrorism, banditry, and a generally low level of human growth and development. The idea that Western countries of Europe and America hold the key to Africa’s development is a myth that is not worth patronizing. The answer to the Black Man’s burden lies as they should in the hands of African countries themselves and especially the individuals and their governments. It is not the case that Africa has been the only continent in history that has suffered this human condition. Europe in the aftermath of the world wars was in shambles, and it took some conscious efforts of individuals and governments to consciously revolt against the absurd through a commitment to come out of the vicious cycle of finger-pointing as causes. The Black Man’s burden can also be addressed using the existentialist movement as a theoretical framework to bring Africa out of the present malaise of backwardness. An acceptance of the absurd and a conscious revolt against the same is what we need in Africa to address this sisyphusian like scenario.