Transformative Education from Multiple Perspectives: Second Volume of the Global Journal of Transformative Education

The Editors-in-Chief offer an introduction to the second Volume of GJTE.

GJTE Open Call for Papers

GJTE maintains an open Call for Papers, and invites authors to submit manuscripts with no deadlines posted.

Effect of Hands-on Science Activities on the Ghanaian Student: A Preliminary Control Study

A quasi-experimental study was carried out with 309 students across 9 public Junior High Schools in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. The effect of $<$Blinded Institution$>$'s approach of training STEM teachers on low-cost approaches to employing hands-on activities was studied in terms of student learning and attitudes towards science. Experimental schools received weekly teacher training over a 2.5 month period. Pre-post differences were measured across both experimental and control schools. The intervention caused an average difference-in-differences of 10.9% increase in exam scores, but the results were mixed at the school-level. The intervention caused a significant increase in student engagement in the lessons (p = 3 x 10-7, g = 0.85). On average, there was also a 22% greater increase in student enjoyment of science at the experimental schools than the control schools. No significant change was measured in the ease of learning science. Females reported a significant shift in interest towards STEM majors and careers, while their male counterparts did not. Results from this study should inform the design of future studies with longer duration and which take factors such as quality of school infrastructure into account.

Collaborative Teams for Self-Publishing: A model for creating locally-relevant educational books

Transforming education often means finding new curricular materials that are culturally relevant to local schools. If no such books are available, new materials need to be created to meet specific needs. Producing new high-quality materials may seem out of reach to educators who lack experience in illustration and publishing or have little access to commercial publishers. We share a model used to develop a series of books called Conservation Tales in collaboration with university faculty students, and scientists. The model is presented as a way for local educators to create books to make education more relevant and accessible for children. The model leverages skills of artists, writers, and content experts to provide a rich learning experience for readers and an affordable option for self-publishing. The model allowed a science educator to develop books for grades 3-5 with illustrations and photographs. University students were selected to developed images, create page layouts, and co-author the stories to suit the target audience. Collaborators also included scientists who reviewed content for accuracy and education students who developed learning activities included in the books. This article describes the collaborative model with examples, and shares the process for self-publishing of print and digital books via online on-demand print services. We discuss sites that allow authors to create books with almost no overhead budget. We also share tips about the quality of graphics, software for creating files, and distributing your books. Keywords: Self-publishing, Culturally relevant books, collaborative writing

GJTE Vol 2 Contents

Front material for GJTE Volume 2, including Editorial Board members and Table of Contents

The Impact of school locale on pupils’ competencies in selected subjects. Does it matter more for specific regions in Ghana?

This study examined the impact of school locale on pupils’ competencies in the English language and mathematics tests. The sample comprised 16,481 Primary 3 and 14,495 Primary 6 pupils from 448 and 426 schools respectively. The schools were selected using the stratified random sampling technique and the data analysed using a multilevel modelling technique. There was a statistically significant impact of school locale on the national and regional level achievements in both subjects. Rural schools were consistently associated with lower achievement except for the Northern region. The findings suggest that it significantly mattered which part of the country a child attends school in Ghana. This runs counter to the nation’s educational policies and the realisation of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 4. Hence, to provide quality and inclusive education for all pupils, resources for schools and communities should be equitably distributed and effectively utilised.

Classroom Democracy and Learning Outcomes in Primary Schools in Francophone Africa

Inspired by the UN Charter on the Rights of the Child, educational policy makers in Africa are requesting schools to implement democratic practices in the classroom. This study attempts to shed light on the effects of classroom democratic practices on cognitive and non-cognitive learning outcomes using cross-sectional data from Francophone African countries. To simultaneously account for endogeneity and the nested nature of the data which are issues inherent in the schooling process, use is made of the error components-two stage least squares estimator. The results confirm the endogenous nature of learning outcomes and indicate that teachers and parents are the most important stakeholders in the process of having children internalize democracy in the classroom. It is recommended that teachers develop skills to assign and supervise pupils work in small groups in the classroom. Education stakeholders should take measures to preserve and promote indigenous cultural values because they facilitate learning achievements.

Implication of outdoor Environment on Children’s Learning Experiences in Public Preschools in Borabu Sub-County, Kenya

ABSTRACTBased on the findings of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) needs assessment study carried out in 2016, international best practices in education systems and curriculum reforms, and a desire to make learning more meaningful for the Kenyan scholar Government's initiated an overhaul the 8–4–4 education structure to Competency-based learning because it did not promote wholesome learning. Competency-based education and training is an approach to teaching and learning more often used in learning concrete skills than abstract learning. Early Childhood Development and Education has greatly been compromised globally. The EFA’s first goal stipulated that it is the responsibility of every Government to expand and enhance comprehensive Early Childhood Education. In this regard, provision of quality of the environment is very key in enhancing learning. This paper presents results from a study that was conducted in Borabu Sub-county in Kenya to determine the implication of outdoor environment on children’s learning experiences in public preschools. The major findings includes: the general state of outdoor environment component was unsatisfactory; there was a positive relationship between the state outdoor environment and pre-schoolers learning experiences related to preschool children’s ability to performing various loco-motor activities and rhythmic movement activities and general academic achievement. The results further indicated that when all the four states of outdoor (the site, availability, adequacy and effectiveness) investigated combined together explained 35.2% of the variance in the preschool overall learning experiences. The results from observation and interview schedules indicated that a rich outdoor environment had a positive influence on preschool children‘s development of various social, emotional and cognitive skills. The study recommends that teachers and pupils should participate in outdoor play. In addition, the government should put in place policy guidelines to all pre-schools with regard to the availability, adequacy and effectiveness of outdoor environment.Key Words: Competency-Based Curriculum; Outdoor Environment; Availability; Adequacy; Effectiveness; Learning Experiences

Transformative Learning Potentials of Trainee Health Workers in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

This study investigated transformative learning and the influence of learning experiences and demographic characteristics of the learners on transformative learning of trainee health workers in Nsukka, Enugu state Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was used for the study. The instrument for data collection was a fixed-choice and open-ended questionnaire. Frequencies and ANOVA were computed. Thematic content analyses for open-ended questions were done. Participants indicated a high degree of transformative learning. Programme type, gender, age and level of study had no significant influence on the transformative learning potentials of the students. The most frequently selected learning components were field trips and presentations. Students’ responses to the open-ended questions covered themes such as; better understanding of health, illness and health care. The study demonstrated the importance of discussion and debate as a method of teaching, inclusive of critical reflection and consciousness-raising of cultural, social, economic, and political influences on individual health outcome. Keywords: Transformative learning, critical reflection, change, Health Workers, Health, Illness and Health care.

Transformational Leadership and Wealth Creation in Educational Organizations: The Case of Higher Education in Cameroon

Education is a trillion-dollar industry, booming, with a growing population thirsty for knowledge. There has been tremendous influx of graduates in this industry, seeking for self-reliance since obtaining a decent job upon graduation remains a nightmare particularly in developing countries. Consequently, the surroundings of all state and private universities in Cameroon are overcrowded with educational subsidiary firms created by graduates. Most of these firms intend to metamorphose into giant self-reliant enterprises while mitigating the problem of graduate unemployment. This hardly happens as most end at ground levels, while others close down in less than 5 years of existence. The question that arises is; what hinders these small and medium-sized education businesses from thriving? This study surveyed 210 small and medium-sized educational firms, selected through the clustering technique. The SWOT analysis technique was used to determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to these firms. Results revealed little or no leadership education, specifically in wealth creation as a major weakness, that threatens these firms from thriving. The multiple regression further confirms the absence of transformational leadership education as a statistical predictor to setbacks in these firms. Key recommendations call for mainstreaming pragmatic transformational and strategic leadership education in higher education courses, using the case of the Faculty of education of the University of Yaoundé I. learners should be opened to the world of business through meaningful partnership with the world of work, and quality entrepreneurship courses as well.