bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching Cultural Studies in Tunisian Universities: Post-Theory in Limbo
Authors: NIGHAOUI Sami
Published: December 2018

This article examines key issues in the conception of the content and methodology used in the teaching of CulturalStudies in Tunisian universities by setting out the range of areas where education policymakers and curriculumdesigners fail to grasp the rationale behind the very idea of teaching the course. The discrepancy between whatshould ideally be taught and how it provides a backdrop for the general argument that the difficulty with teachingCultural Studies lies not so much in its inimicality to disciplinariation as in the effort and skills required in the processof delineating goals and scopes for the course. A critical overview of the Cultural Studies curriculum eventuallyhelps to identify the flaws and pitfalls of the current approach.
Teaching Prepositions and Connectors in the 6th Grade Turkish Language Workbooks (Structural Analysis)
Authors: CAKMAK Serkan
Published: December 2018

In this work, preposition and conjunction teaching in 6th grade Turkish workbook at secondary school is discussed.Students, who cannot learn prepositions and conjunctions basically, can have difficulty in understanding the typesof words in secondary education. Preposition and conjunction teaching in workbook has been scrutinizedstructurally in terms of meeting the gains in Turkish Education Program and some suggestions have been made inthe conclusion. In this way we have tried to take further steps in preposition and conjunction teaching at secondaryschool.
Mediating the Lions of Postmodernism: An Efl Field Application of Vygotsky, Bourdieu, and Derrida
Authors: Buhr Andrew
Published: December 2018

Many ESL/EFL teachers see a need for learners to engage with English both as linguistic structure, and as a meansof social interaction. Therefore, this research project developed a simple material that would foreground structurewithin relevant social contexts. It explored how to facilitate the social construction of meaning for a target segmentof text within the socio-cultural frameworks of postmodern theorists Vygotsky (1978), Bourdieu (1977, 1984), andDerrida (1973, 1976). The widespread need for the combination of both structure and social context formed theproblem, and the solution presented was an everyday 3x5” study card (C-card) with a sentence written on the front,and a target word from the sentence elaborated upon on the back. This artifact was tested for its ability to facilitatedialogue, or mediate, between a student and a professor (a novice/expert diad). The research question posed was:Does the C-card support a topic dialogue between a novice and an expert in a second language? This question wasinvestigated from both a quantitative and a qualitative perspective using a Likert-scaled questionnaire, interviews,participant and non-participant observations. The results suggested that the C-card provides support for on-topicdialogue between a novice and an expert in L2. These findings have implications for the teaching of academicmaterials, which are normally out of a true social context. Applications include English for Specific Purposes (ESP),collaborative and communicative activities, and even community building within the field of activity theory.
Mastery Goal Orientation Promoting Students’ Expectancies for Success And Self-Efficacy
Authors: SEKRETER Gulseren
Published: December 2018

The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of Achievement Goal Motivation Theory on students’expectancies for success, beliefs about ability, usefulness, importance and interest for the mathematics subject.Research asserts that possessing mastery-learning- oriented motivation has a more positive impact on students’expectancies for success, beliefs about ability, usefulness, importance and interest for mathematics. This researchapplies a quantitative method of study. Quantitative data have been analysed using Wigfield and Eccles’sExpectancy–Value Theory Achievement Questionnaire in order to assess student’s expectancies for success, abilitybeliefs and subjective task values. In the case study of a private Suleyman Sah University, Turkey, the focus of thequestionnaire has been derived from the central research question: How applications of Achievement Goal Theoryaffect students’ expectancies for success, beliefs about ability, usefulness, importance and interest for mathematics?The questionnaire was given to 40 students who were selected randomly in mathematics class. Also, in order toidentify students’ goal orientation, Elliot’s AGQ (Achievement Goal Questionnaire) was applied to those students.Their Achievement Goal motivation types were compared to their beliefs about ability, usefulness, importance andinterest for mathematics. Based on the quantitative data analysis, it was concluded that students with masterylearninggoal orientation have more expectancies for success, for them mathematics is a more useful and importantsubject, and, most importantly, they show more interest for the subject. These are very important components tobe persistent in the face of difficulties and obstacles on the way to achievement in teaching mathematics.
Using Documentaries in Social Science Instruction in Schools as an Effective Source of Value Development for High School Students
Authors: Kuchukhidze Shorena
Published: December 2018

The purpose of the research was to assess how audiovisual aids, specifically, documentaries affect the formation ofadolescents’ values, attitudes and standpoints in the process of teaching/learning social sciences (Civic Education,History, and Geography) at high school level (grades 9-12). In this day and age, students have become accustomedto acquiring knowledge through media such as television and movies. Although books and text are essential inlearning, teachers should take notice of the new visual stimuli, too. Therefore, it is very important to find newapproaches and methods in teaching/learning process to support young people’s personal development throughtheir value formation, ethical and moral development. It is a quantitative research paper. In total, 204 students tookpart in the survey. The collected data can be interesting for school teachers, who try to apply new methodologiesin social studies. The results reveal interesting facts related to the efficiency of teaching through documentaryfilms, as the subsidiary and supplementary method in the process of teaching/learning social sciences (CivicEducation, History, and Geography) at high school level (grades 9-12).
Vocabulary Learning Strategies of English for Specific Purposes Students at Agricultural University of Georgia
Authors: Tskhvitava Tamar
Published: December 2018

The importance of teaching ESP to students not majoring in English is discussed. The role of vocabulary learning inESP is emphasized. The article attempts to add an insight to Georgian experience of teaching English to studentsof Agriculture to the existing studies on the use of vocabulary learning strategies in ESP. The students shouldbecome aware of the importance of language learning strategies and get trained to use them appropriately. Thepurpose of this study was to investigate the attitude of students towards vocabulary learning methods offered bythe textbook and the teacher, as well as the awareness of and the preferred vocabulary teaching /learning strategiesamong Agriculture University students while they were taking an English for Specific Purpose (ESP) course.Respondents comprised 107 students at Agriculture University of Georgia students. An ESP vocabulary learningquestionnaire was administered to the randomly selected students who enrolled in the English for Agriculture as arequirement. It revealed that students are not sufficiently satisfied with the existing state of teaching ESP vocabulary.A conclusion has been made that vocabulary learning strategies have to be purposefully taught, to improve theexisting situation.
The Impact of Learning-Style and Task-Based Teaching of Language on Learners’ Achievement
Authors: Abu-Ayyash Emad A.S. , Assaf Mohammad
Published: December 2018

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between learning-style and task-based teaching andlearning and students’ academic achievement in standard-based tests in English. The data were collected from twopublic secondary schools in the emirate of Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A sample of purposefullyselected 54 Grade 10 students from both schools was surveyed with a VAK questionnaire. SPSS was used tocompare the mean of the two standard-based tests. The results show that there is a relationship between a learningstyle-based, task-based learning (TBL) model and Madaras Al Ghad (Arabic translation for Schools of Future: MAG)learners’ achievement in standard-based language tests. The theoretical implications of the findings are discussedin this paper, together with recommendations pertaining to the significance of considering students’ learning stylesand task-based learning in the educational process. The significance of the present study rests on the fact that thelinks between learning-style and TBL model and students’ academic achievement have been examined for the firsttime in public secondary schools in the UAE and the Arabic context. The findings of this study will be of interest toeducators, policymakers as well as researchers.
Action Research Of Portfolio Assessment In Writing In English As A Foreign Language While Teaching Preparatory School Students In Georgia
Authors: GOCTU Ramazan
Published: December 2018

The goal of the article is to gain an insight into students’ view on portfolio assessment of English as a foreignlanguage (EFL) writing. Eleven students from Preparatory School at International Black Sea University who had notbeen successful in language study either at school or during one year at preparatory school and, correspondingly,needed a radically new approach to teaching writing. During a two-month summer course in writing portfolioassessment of their writing skills was applied to them for formative assessment. This time the students passed thetesting. Then they were interviewed to find out whether the students thought it was more efficient than the weeklytesting they had had the previous year of studies. The respondents’ answers revealed several reasons why studentswere more satisfied with portfolio assessment than with testing.
Improving English Writing Skills of Non-Native Undergraduate Learners with The Help Of Movies Supported By Online Technologies
Authors: Aliyev Aydin
Published: December 2018

The purpose of this study is to find out the effectiveness of integrating into teaching English writing movies whichare supported by online technologies. Using movies in English classes has become the interest of many teachersand educators, as films are believed to be very effective, appealing and motivating authentic materials. Filmicapproach somehow creates a natural English language teaching (ELT) environment in the classroom and makesthe instruction of English enjoyable, particularly in terms of learners. Mixing motion pictures and onlinetechnologies both of which have a very crucial role in students’ life, would be fun and innovative. This studyfocused on teaching writing through the use of films and contemporary educational technologies amongundergraduate learners. The action research was designed at Qafqaz University in Azerbaijan among 32intermediate level students in the School of Languages. The learners were divided into experiment and controlgroups which were almost at the same English proficiency levels. The research involved a questionnaireconsisting of 10 questions with participation of 32 learners. The study is expected to be helpful for Englishteachers in terms of employing movies and online technologies effectively in writing classes, not to mention it islikely be a helpful material for further researchers in this field.
On the Construct Validity of High Stake Tests: The Case of Iranian National University Entrance Exam
Authors: Boroujeni Aliakbar Jafarpour
Published: December 2018

An important assumption in language testing is that test items or observable variables tap the underlying latenttraits hypothesized in the theoretical model or constructs governing the design of the testing instrument.Accordingly, the present study sought to investigate the reliability and construct validity of Iran’s nationaluniversity entrance exam. The participants of the study were 100 students who were making themselves ready forthe big test in two private institutes of Ghalamchi and Modaresane Sharif. To collect the relevant data, theparticipants were asked to fulfil a sample test of university entrance exam. The result indicated that the presenttest is moderately reliable (r=0.5), consulting kr-21. For the justification of the construct validity, this study utilizesexploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis to examine factors of the empirical data. Through theoperation of the empirical data analysis, important results are illustrated by the exploratory factor analysis. It hasbeen stated that several factors did not place under the same trait and therefore they should be removed fromthe test. The results from the present study call for a recognition of importance of improving the test design forEFL learners, teachers and material developers.
The Reflections of English as a Foreign Language Teachers’ on the Use of Virtual Reality in Classroom Practice (International Black Sea University Case)
Authors: Ozkan Bilal
Published: December 2018

The aim of this study is to investigate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ perceptions about thepossible integration of Virtual Reality (VR) tools into English Language Teaching (ELT). The Study highlights theuse of VR technology in teaching and learning process and its effect on the quality of lessons by consideringConstructivist Approach. The study was held among EFL teachers in Intensive English Language Program atInternational Black Sea University. The participants of the study were 10 EFL teachers who participated for fourweeks in VR workshop sessions, two hours per week. Qualitative and Quantitative approaches were adopted tocollect the data considering teachers’ perceptions towards using the VR for learning and teaching purposes. Afterthe completion of the workshop sessions, the data were obtained from questionnaires and interviews. The resultsshow that the VR tools in classrooms may have significant positive effects on class motivation. The participants ofthe study also developed positive attitudes towards VR tools although they did not have any experience of usingVR technology before. The results of the study also suggest that applying VR in EFL classes may increase students’autonomy and responsibility for their studies. Furthermore, the study reveals teachers’ positive experiences usingVR in EFL classes enhances their level of technology usage in class.
Literary Texts: A Means to Promote Language Proficiency of Upper-Intermediate Level EFL Students
Authors: Mart Cagri Tugrul
Published: December 2018

In communicative language teaching (CLT) authentic texts have been emphasized, as they were taken fromreal life and could, correspondingly, be used for real communication. On the other hand, literary texts aresimultaneously authentic (not created for educational purposes / language learning) and exemplary (written byauthors very highly qualified in language). Due to this, authentic literary texts are essential tools of thedevelopment of language proficiency; thereby, literary works have been supported in language classes as theyprovide authentic materials. Literary texts were used in Grammar-Translation Method as samples of appropriatelanguage. However, with the communicative methods, for a certain period, such authentic texts as newspapernews, advertisement, touristic brochure, etc. have taken the floor and have withdrawn literary texts to theperiphery of language teaching / learning. Nowadays, there is a certain revival of interest towards literary texts asa medium to engage in linguistic forms and speech communicative functions. The use of literature for languageteaching can provide an avenue for advantages in language proficiency. Literature is a potentially worthwhilesource for coming to good terms with an extensive range of enrichment in linguistic knowledge for successfullanguage acquisition. This study argues for an emphasis on a preference for incorporating literary texts intoforeign / second language teaching in order to enable language learners at upper-intermediate level to applylanguage resources skillfully. The study also compares the application of literary texts with that of simplified textsand endeavors to reveal which text type benefits more language learners.
Impact of English as a Foreign Language Students’ Self-Assessment on their Writing Skills’ Development
Authors: Albayram Emine
Published: December 2018

The present article concerns one of the most topical issues in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) -assessment, in particular, formative assessment in teaching one of the most complicated skills for EFL learners -writing. Writing as a skill requires a thorough and highly reflective planning and implementation in order toguarantee that learners achieve a sufficient degree of mastery in this respect. In the article, self-assessment as oneof the most innovative methods of assessment of writing skills is analyzed. Its efficiency is confirmed by literaturereview and an experiment held with 36 secondary school children (Georgian learners of EFL) for one semester.
Promoting Autonomous Learning through Self-, Peer-, and Co-assessment to Ensure High Quality in Georgian Higher Education (a case study of International Black Sea University, Georgia)
Authors: MESIRIDZE Irma , TVALTCHRELIDZE Nino
Published: December 2018

The Bologna Process, Information and Communication Technology, and market forces have brought manyinnovations and great changes to higher education systems throughout Europe. Reforms in higher educationhave taken a new direction, towards making higher education students more autonomous. However, manycountries have not really adopted this innovative way of teaching and still maintain an old ‘transmission’ stylewhich often entails teachers trying to pour knowledge into the minds of their students. Promoting autonomouslearning (the ability of students to manage their own learning) in higher education is crucial both for theindividual and society, as the idea of an academic student comprises critical reflective thinking and theimportance of becoming an independent learner. This article will discuss the importance of promotingautonomous learning throughout self, peer and co-assessment for higher education quality enhancement. Thepaper will examine the case of International Black Sea University’s MA students enrolled in the Higher EducationManagement program. The analyses of a survey will be used to discuss the significance of autonomous learningfor students and their readiness for self, peer and co-assessment.
Metacognitive Strategies in Academic Writing
Authors: GOCTU Ramazan
Published: December 2018

Among all the learning strategies, metacognitive strategy is a higher-order executive skill which entailsplanning, monitoring and evaluating. Once learners have a good command of a metacognitive strategy, they willbecome more independent and autonomous and will be more capable of planning, monitoring and evaluatingtheir learning process and thus become efficient learners. This research aims to investigate whether freshmenstudents at the Faculty of Computer Technologies and Engineering at International Black Sea University (Tbilisi,Georgia) use metacognitive learning strategies (MLS) in their academic writing and they are aware of them; also,to find out whether their lecturers provide the development of MLSs in the classroom. In a class there were 20students, however, just 15 volunteered to respond the interview questions. The findings showed that less thanhalf of the participants used and were aware of metacognitive learning strategies. Although teachers mentionedsuch strategies during the classes, less than half of the 15 respondents used them or were aware of them. Thispaper, therefore, intends to introduce metacognitive instruction in order to raise EFL writing instructors’awareness in teaching and in order to train students to become self-regulated learners.
The Impact of Anxiety on Listening in a Foreign Language and the Ways to Overcome Its Negative Effects
Authors: Avci Rauf
Published: December 2018

Anxiety in listening and learning a foreign language is bound to be present when one has one has, on the onehand, insufficient knowledge of the target language, and, on the other hand, does not have a relevantenvironment to master it. Teachers have a great role to help students overcome language anxiety. Teachersprovide efficient learning and help the learning outcomes boost, they contribute to creating the target languageenvironment, friendly to the student. If a teacher believes (and reveals that belief to students) that students canlearn a foreign language successfully, this triggers students’ increased self-confidence and decreased debilitatinganxiety (the so-called Pygmalion effect). In this research, two hypotheses were suggested, based on literaturereview: 1. The suggested teacher’s beliefs (student-centered, participatory, communicative, etc.) and behavior(creating a positive learning environment, establishing authoritative relations, application of pair and group work,etc.) would decrease students’ listening anxiety levels. 2. The drop in the listening anxiety would help increasestudents’ academic achievement in listening. An experiment to test these two hypotheses was held with 50 Iraqiuniversity students (25 in the experimental group and 25 in the control group). The experimental group wastaught emphasizing Pygmalion effect, while the control group – without this purposeful intervention. A pre- andpost-experimental questionnaire was held to find out whether the experimental group would demonstrate loweranxiety and higher listening skill level than the control group. The results showed that the experimental groupperformed better than the control in listening comprehension and reported lower levels of anxiety compared tothe control group. Thus, the application of Pygmalion effect can be recommended to teachers.
Short-Term Effect of Teaching English as a Foreign Language without a Textbook
Authors: Gureshidze Salome
Published: December 2018

Communicative language teaching, demanding a certain degree of freedom, has to a certain degree underminedthe role of the textbook in it. However, insufficient research exists of the issue. The current article aims atunderstanding what effect English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms without a textbook may have onlearners’ achievements in mastering the target language. Textbook reliance is taken for granted in the field ofTEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). However, many researchers and practitioners realize that suchpractice has its pitfalls and drawbacks which sometimes outweigh the positive features that course booksrepresent for learning and teaching any foreign language. The article summarizes literature review concerning theissue, presents an experiment conducted with 30 undergraduate freshman students of General English during onemonth for verifying the effectiveness of no-textbook EFL teaching/learning and corresponding conclusions andrecommendation for EFL educators and researchers. The students in the control and experimental group tookpre- and post-tests, while the students in the experimental group were asked to fill in a questionnaire on theirsatisfaction with no-textbook teaching. The research proved the effectiveness of no-textbook EFL lessons fordeveloping learners’ language skills and competences.
Challenges of Media Education Standards in Georgia
Authors: Vekua Marine
Published: December 2018

The main goal of this research is to determine whether the journalism education of the leading media schools inGeorgia is adequate to modern media market’s demands and challenges. The right answer to this main questionwas found after analyzing Georgian media market’s demands, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, differentaspects of journalism education in Georgia: the historical background, development trends, evaluation ofeducational programs and curricula designs, reflection of international standards in teaching methods, studyingand working conditions.
Young Adults’ Contextualization of Environmental and Sustainability Issues: A Critical Issue for Environmental Education Intervention
Authors: KOLA-OLUSANYA Anthony
Published: December 2018

As soon as decision makers are expected to make differences towards sustainable future, young adults’ ability to make informed and sound decisions is considered essential towards securing our planet. This study provides an insight into young adults’ knowledge of key environment and sustainability issues. To answer the key research questions, data were obtained using a qualitative phenomenographic research approach and collected through 18 face-to-face in-depth interviews with research participants. The findings of this study suggest that young adults lived experiences that play a huge role in their level of awareness of topical environmental and sustainability issues critical to humanity’s future on earth.
Types of Political Discourses and Their Classification
Authors: AMAGHLOBELI Givi
Published: December 2018

The aim of the given work is to identify and classify the types of political discourses that (may) exist in any particular society. Compared to existing definitions and classifications, our purpose serves a practical goal of schematic classification of political discourses. The article intends to give a starting point for a general classification and typology that will be elaborated within the framework of future research, as typology of discourse specimens is the least developed area of the field (van Dijk, 1997). Definitions/typologies that have been made until now are more of a theoretical character and, therefore, it would be useful to create more concrete mental pictures (expressed in the forms of schemata) that will enable us to operate easier with the concepts discussed while studying the subject. The article starts with the general definition of the term(s) and links the concept of discourse to other concepts like narrative, frame, ideology, discursive strategy. As we try to show the ideology/narrative/discourse link, formulation of corresponding schemes also gain importance in order to have a clearer mental picture of the above mentioned correlation. In parallel with the above mentioned points we also emphasize correlation between the dominant / secondary discourses with specific focus on ideological differences/power struggle.
Gifted Students' Motivation and its Impact on the Development of their Giftedness
Authors: SALEM MUBARAK BARABWD Hussein , YUSOFF BIN MOHD NOR Mohammad , Mohd Ishak Noriah
Published: December 2018

The aim of the current study is to examine the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of the gifted students from Hadhramout Gifted Center HGC in Yemen, and to investigate the impact of these intrinsic and extrinsic motivations on their giftedness development. A qualitative approach was adopted; data has been collected through an open- ended questionnaire that was prepared by the researcher and distributed among a sample of gifted students who were chosen purposively from HGC. The interpretative phenomenological method has been used to analyze the data using, Atlas ti. The results indicate that the majority of the participants consider it interesting to explore new things, and experience curiosity and desire to achieve their goals as their intrinsic motivations. Whereas, the minority consider preference to serve the community, competition preference and self-confidence as their intrinsic motivations. On the other hand, half of the participants consider rewards as their extrinsic motivation, whereas 40 % of them consider exams scores, verbal praise, parents and environment as their extrinsic motivations. Regarding the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations on the development of giftedness, the majority of the participants believe that intrinsic and extrinsic motivations affect positively the development of their giftedness development. Finally, based on the findings, some recommendations were provided.
The Link Between Parental Engagement and Attitudes Towards Change among School Principals in South East Europe
Authors: EFREMOV Ljupco
Published: December 2018

The attitude that school principals have towards change is crucial for the improvement of education. The success of schools in achieving educational goals is related to the role of principals. This paper aims to rediscover the role of school principals by looking at the link between the attitude towards change and parental engagement. The objective of the study is to discover if there is a positive relationship between the organization of different activities for parental involvement in schools, and attitudes towards change among school principals. A model for improvement is proposed for the school principals in South East European countries. Based on the results, countries are divided into two groups, according to the confirmation of expectations. Albania, Montenegro and Serbia are part of the group where most of the expectations have been confirmed. The second group consists of countries in which expectations have not been confirmed: Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia and Moldova. The recommendations for improving are in the direction of changing the attitudes of school principals. This aim should be achieved through workshops with principals. The main topics of workshops should be parental engagement and change management. The expected results of workshops are higher awareness for parental engagement and a positive attitude towards change.
Female Faculty's Involvement in Work Processes in Saudi Arabia
Authors: BIN BAKR Maha B. , AHMED Eman I.
Published: December 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of gender as a potential determinant of involvement in higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia. This study focuses on four specific categories of involvement: power, rewards, information, and knowledge. It utilized Edward Lawler's model of high involvement work processes to measure the involvement among female faculty in the University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Edward Lawler's model is one of the first and widely cited models on employee involvement. This study further investigates the relation between the faculty's demographic variables (academic rank, college cluster, years of experience, and nationality) and their involvement. A survey research design was utilized to better address the purpose of this study. The sample consisted of 135 female faculty members. The findings show a moderate level of involvement among the respondents. Of the individual practices of involvement, power was the most wide-spread practice, with a mean rating of 3.72 and a standard deviation of .786, based on the five-point scale. Regarding the demographic variables, only college cluster was found to be significantly related to females' involvement. The implications of this study could be used to further support involvement policies and practices among female faculty members in Saudi Arabia.
Web-Based Peer and Self-Assessment System Design and Development for Elementary School Students
Authors: EMIN KORTAK Mehmet
Published: December 2018

This research aimed at designing and improving the web-based integrated peer and self- assessment. WesPASS (web-based peer-assessment system), developed in this research, allows students to assess their own or their peers’ performance and project assignments and to report about the result of these assessments so that they correct their assignments. This study employed design-based research. The participants included 102 fourth grade primary school students and their 4 teachers from 2 state and 2 private primary schools in Ankara, Kecioren (Turkey) who employed the system and were engaged in a questionnaire survey to assess its quality. The findings were analyzed through quantitative data analysis. The findings revealed that the system can be used by elementary school students for peer and self-assessment system. The participants stated that WesPASS is simple and user-friendly, and it accelerates the assessment process by employing information technology and allows to share opinions
The Impact of Foreign Aid on Education in Pakistan
Authors: MASOOD ANWAR Muhammad , YAHYA KHAN Ghulam , JAVAID IQBAL KHAN Sardar
Published: December 2018

Foreign Aid (FA) is an important determinant of economic growth in the developing world and especially countries like Pakistan, where development needs could not be financed by the government due to limited domestic resources. FA supplements domestic resources of finance such as savings and also enhances the amount of investment and capital stock in the country. Education is also a one of the major contributors of economic growth. In countries like Pakistan education also plays a vital role in political stability where institutions are not sound enough. The Major objective of the study is to check the effectiveness of foreign aid for education in Pakistan. This study has been primarily conducted using a time series data set for Pakistan over the period 1975 to 2010. The variables of interest are foreign aid and education, other variables are investment and openness to foreign trade. For empirical analysis ARDL techniques of co-integration developed by Pesaran and Shin (Ghorbani & Motallebi, 2009) have been used. The results show positive relationship between foreign aid and education. The study has relevance as far as policy decisions are concerned for foreign aid.
The Role of the World Bank in the World Politics on the Example of Providing Education on the Global Level
Authors: BERUASHVILI Natalia , CHITADZE Nika
Published: December 2018

The paper explores the main principles of the World Bank Group functioning on the global level and its role in promoting education in different Regions of the World. Particularly, such various aspects related to education are analyzed as: unequal development of the level of education in different states, which represents one of the key problems for the World Bank; the role of the World Bank in resolving the problems of education, especially in the countries of ‘Global South’; the functions of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE); Collaboration between World Bank Group and GPE; World Bank Education Strategy 2020; Innovations, which have been introduced by the World Bank in the system of education, etc.
Healthy Application of Basic Digital Skills
Authors: ARMEAN Otilia
Published: December 2018

The study reevaluates McLuhan’s “media-theory”, Benjamin's ideas of the “here-and-now”, and gathers the repeated keywords in theories of key competences in digital era: ability of critical thinking, independence, the ability of learning how to learn, the awareness of complexity and unity, the knowledge of interactions and networking. The fact that we live in a knowledge-based intensely informational age, also means that knowledge is not in itself valuable, but is only a condition for supporting the process of information acquisition and knowledge creation. Today, the reason of learning is not knowledge; rather the other way around: we learn in order to learn how to learn, in order to be able to learn new things later in life.
ssessment of Common English Spelling Mistakes Among Junior Secondary School Students In Nigeria: The Need for Counselling
Authors: FLORENCE ADEOTI Yusuf
Published: December 2018

One of the dominant and pervasive problems in Nigeria and Africa at large is the language. Language being a potent vehicle of transmitting cultures, values, norms and beliefs from generation to generation, remains a central factor in determining the status or nature of any nation. In Nigeria, English language is the official language of communication; it is referred to as “Lingua Franca”. However, its knowledge is not sufficient. The goals of the article were to define the types of spelling mistakes in the English Language and the most dominant errors made by junior secondary school students, to find out what the level of students’ performance in essays in terms of spelling is, and what the causes of spelling mistakes are among junior secondary school students. A conclusion was made that omission and addition of letters are the typical spelling errors, students’ attitude towards the second language was found as the major reason of low level of spelling skills. Male students were found less successful than female students and spelling skills’ level was found different according to private vs. state schools and urban vs. rural schools.
Attrition of Nouns and Verbs among Iranian EFL Learners after a Two-Year Non- Exposure
Authors: SHEIKH Zahra , GHOORCHAEI Behrooz , SHOMOOSSI Nematullah
Published: December 2018

In comparison with language acquisition, language attrition has remained largely unnoticed and has so far received very little attention and among the small number of studies, the subject of most of the attrition research is attrition of the first language. Language attrition has perhaps not been able to attract much interest because losing a language does not seem as interesting as acquiring it (Schmid, 2002; 2004). This paper investigated the rate of attrition in nouns and verbs among 60 Iranian EFL learners who were students and graduates from Payame Noor Universities of Golestan province and had not used English for at least 2 years at the time of study. The instrument was a translation task; students were asked to translate nouns and verbs out of context. Paired samples t-test was run to investigate to what degree the language knowledge of subjects under investigation showed attrition. Results showed there was a difference between attrition of nouns and verbs among Iranian EFL learners; verbs were more vulnerable to attrition than nouns. The results provide implications for vocabulary teaching in the EFL context.
Unstandardizing Testing: Low-Scoring American Minority Students in the Crosshairs of Conservative Policymakers
Authors: Nighaoui Sami Chedhli
Published: December 2018

That standardized tests do not accurately assess the true competencies of minority test takers is a widely shared claim among conservative educationists. The opt-out-of-testing community has lately grown unprecedentedly vocal in several states, questioning even more seriously the accountability of the testing system altogether. This paper adopts a Critical Race Theory perspective to investigate the conceptual underpinnings of conservative criticism as well as the interpretations made popular using quantitative methodology. The key premise of this paper is that a colorblind approach to testing understates the importance of a range of unquantifiable variables, mainly the linguitic and cultural backgrounds of the test takers, in determining assessment outcome. It attempts to demonstrate where specifically standardized tests may not be used as a reliable feedback mechanism and suggests that a more flexible assessment paradigm be considered, one that engages learning quality followup to keep cultural bias to a strict minimum.
Peer Feedback in Writing through Georgian EFL Undergraduate Students’ Eyes
Authors: MERKVILADZE Mariam
Published: December 2018

Throughout the years educators, educational experts, teachers and tutors have been in the constant search of effective ways of teaching and assessing writing. The views about assessment of writing have encountered changes over the years. Therefore, feedback has become one of the fundamental aspects of teaching and learning writing. Peer feedback is one of the special ways to share the knowledge about writing and at the same time to contribute to creating the learner-oriented classroom environment within which students become active participants of their own path of learning writing. The primary objective of the present study is to investigate Georgian higher educational institutions’ (HEIs’) undergraduate EFL students’ perception of peer feedback and its role in the process of developing their writing skills. The findings of the present study show that peer feedback is appealing for the learners, since they believe it develops their critical-thinking and self-reviewing skills and gives them the sense of active participation. However, the present research has also revealed that the elements of friendship-related bias need special attention and should be the subject of further research in that field.
Integration of Education Technologies (Digital Storytelling) and Sociocultural Learning to Enhance Active Learning in Higher Education
Authors: BITSKINASHVILI Nino
Published: December 2018

The article studies technology integration method based on sociocultural learning approaches and examines their potential for developing active learning possibilities in higher education. As defined in Vygotsky’s research, sociocultural learning theories are learner-centered and fit into collaborative approaches to student learning. The method also takes into account the social and cultural aspects of gaining knowledge. Facilitation of reflective practice involves students in thoughtful, active and personally meaningful learning process. Digital Storytelling (DST) creates a reliable and empowering environment for intercultural collaboration and learning. It presumes that the procedure of digital story-making and empowers and modifies students intellectually, creatively and culturally. Consequently, Digital Storytelling can be perceived as beneficial toolkit pedagogy for the new Humanities in the 21st century. An interview to find out what students’ and lectures perceptions of digital storytelling as a tool for learning in different subjects are. Analysis of students’ and lecturers’ reflections revealed four themes: motivation, collaboration, reflective practice and identity development.
Examining Students’ Performance Using Multiple Mouse Presentation in the Classroom: The Case of Microsoft Mouse Mischief
Authors: OLURINOLA Oluwakemi , OMONIYI Tayo
Published: December 2018

With the quest for technology integration in the classroom, it becomes imperative for low resource schools to look to developing innovative ways of designing and delivering instruction using low-cost technology. This study examined whether the use of the interactive Multiple Mouse presentation had more effect on students learning outcomes than the conventional method of teaching, using visual art as a subject of choice. This study was undertaken with the goal of strengthening the integration of technology in the classroom, especially for developing countries like Nigeria. The research design was a pre-test, post-test, control group quasi-experiment; the population consisted of Junior Secondary School three visual art students (JSS3) in Ogun state. Purposive sampling technique was used in selection of the schools and intact classes of students were used in each of the selected schools. The postulated hypotheses were tested using the Analysis of Covariance. The results revealed mean gains across the treatment groups. The Multiple Mouse group recorded the higher post-test mean achievement score of 17.67, while the Conventional Method group recorded a post-test mean achievement score of 15.16. The findings revealed a significant main effect of treatment on students’ achievement (F (2, 91) = 3.758, P < 0.05). The study, therefore, concluded that Multiple Mouse Presentations could be an effective strategy in presenting instructions. It is recommended that schools which lack sufficient resources can take advantage of this type of presentation to increase more students’ access to technology- enhanced learning.
Using Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) materials in English as Second Language (ESL) classrooms: perspectives of teachers and students in United Arab Emirates
Authors: DIRAR SHEHADEH MUSMAR Ramia
Published: December 2018

Integrating scaffolding-learning technologies has been recognized for its potential to create intellectual and engaging classroom interactions. In the United Arab Emirates, having language teachers employ computers as a medium of new pedagogical instrument for teaching second languages generated the idea of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) as a medium of an innovative pedagogical instrument for facilitating and scaffolding language learning, with an aspiration that it will lead to improved English language attainment and better assessment results. This study aims at investigating the perspectives of students and teachers on the advantageous and disadvantageous impacts of CALL on learning and teaching English as a second language in one public school in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The results show that CALL has a facilitating role in L2 classroom and that using CALL activities is advantageous in reducing English learning tension, boosting motivation, catering for student diversity, promoting self-directed language learning and scaffolding while learning English. The results additionally report that numerous aspects like time constraints, teachers’ unsatisfactory computer skills, insufficient computer facilities, and inflexible school courses undesirably affect the implementation of CALL in English classrooms. It is recommended that further studies should be undertaken to investigate the actual effect of CALL on students’ language proficiency.
Bilingual Education: Between Policy and Implementation in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: DIRAR SHEHADEH MUSMAR Ramia
Published: December 2018

Effective execution of policies that builds upon objectives deployed in institutional documents can be an overwhelming task. Failing to match the desired outcomes and policies has been recognized to be a gap, and that is one of the most important hindrances of making the anticipated outcomes of any educational institution attainable. In United Arab Emirates, considerable attention has been recently devoted to policy of bilingual education. This policy has been generated and organized in a top-down manner, which in turn contributed to depriving many subordinates, mainly teachers, from the positive participation in aligning the policy with its implementation. The study aimed at exploring the inconsistency, if any, between bilingual education policy and its implementation in public school and suggested ways to better implement this policy. Two qualitative research methods were employed. The results showed that educational policy not based on scientific views does not provide successful learning. Bilingual education has proven its advantages in fostering linguistic academic achievement; nevertheless, this cannot genuinely be achieved when students’ actual level in English is critical (too low) and teacher's voices are not acknowledged. It is recommended that educational policy makers consider the results of the study to fine-tune the current educational policy to establish channels for communication between all those involved.
A Case Study of Adult English Conversation Club in Riga, Latvia
Authors: MIKELADZE Tamar
Published: December 2018

Developing the speaking skill is one of the critical aspects of foreign language learning/teaching. Few researchers have addressed the issue of adult English learning in conversation clubs. This paper is a preliminary attempt to describe Adult English Conversation Club (AECC) practice in non-formal educational context. In order to study AECC, we interviewed a teacher and four adult learners and observed speaking sessions at an Adult English Conversation Club in Riga, Latvia. The responses revealed the strong points and disadvantages of AECC, crucial factors in organizing the conversation sessions, the reasons why adults attend a conversation club and how the sessions could be improved. As only one conversation club was researched in our paper, further studies are needed to develop a proper methodology for AECC.