ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Incorporating Complex Sampling Weights in Multilevel Analyses of Education Data
Author: Shen, Ting
Date: 2022-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Sampling,Weighted Scores,Hierarchical Linear Modeling,Educational Research,Data Collection,Monte Carlo Methods,Maximum Likelihood Statistics,Children,Longitudinal Studies,Surveys

Large-scale assessment survey (LSAS) data are collected via complex sampling designs with special features (e.g., clustering and unequal probability of selection). Multilevel models have been utilized to account for clustering effects whereas the probability weighting approach (PWA) has been used to deal with design informativeness derived from the unequal probability selection. However, the difficulty of applying PWA in multilevel models (MLM) has been generally underestimated and practical guidance is scarce. This study utilizes an empirical as well as a Monte Carlo simulation investigation to examine the performance of the multilevel pseudo maximum likelihood (MPML) estimation based on information derived from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten cohort of 2010-2011 (ECLS-K:2011). Variance components and fixed effects estimators across four estimation methods including three MPML estimators (i.e., weighted without scaling, weighted size-scaled and weighted effective-scaled) and the unweighted estimator are provided. Practical guidance about the use of sampling weights in MLM analyses of LSAS data is also offered.
Measuring Student Reading Comprehension Performance: Considerations of Accuracy, Equity, and Engagement by Embedding Comprehension Items within Reading Passages
Author: Guerreiro, Meg
Date: 2022-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,Accuracy,Reading Tests,Measurement,Reading Achievement,Scores,Barriers

Reading comprehension is measured differently between classroom and more formal approaches to assessment. Traditional reading comprehension assessments often prompt students to read a multi-paragraph passage prior to displaying a set of questions that are related to the passage; however, this approach is not utilized during classroom practices. The study suggests that assessments may inadvertently measure extraneous constructs (e.g., working memory, attention, language, reading ability) by prompting students to answer items at the conclusion of the reading passage. The current study evaluates the effect of asking items throughout the passage (i.e., embedding items) to achieve a more precise measure of reading comprehension by removing barriers for students to demonstrate their understanding. Results showed a significant impact of embedding comprehension items within reading passages on the measurement of student achievement in comparison to answering items at the end of the passage. This may be a more valid approach to measurement of reading comprehension resulting in improved student reading comprehension scores. This approach also has the potential to become a more equitable measurement of reading comprehension by removing barriers to measurement, particularly for marginalized groups (e.g., students with disabilities, memory-load difficulties, English language learners, test anxiety).
An Exploratory Factor Analysis on the Open and Distance Learning among University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Malaysia
Author: Mohd Ghani, Nor Hamiza
Date: 2022-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Factor Analysis,Open Education,Distance Education,College Students,COVID-19,Pandemics,Foreign Countries,Electronic Learning,Barriers

Numerous educational institutions worldwide have halted face-to-face teaching and learning sessions in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. In Malaysia, the suspension began in March 2020, pushing educational institutions to transition to online classrooms and reshape their academic calendars for consecutive semesters. The reality of online classes necessitates a discussion about a new pedagogical work in which students and educators must understand how to manage online learning and make the most of online technologies. To do so, students must first gain an understanding of the difficulties inherent in open and distance learning (ODL). From the perspective of students, this article examines the difficulties associated with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a sample, 495 students from UiTM Terengganu who were actively engaged in online learning activities were included in this study. In this study, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to analyse the data in order to determine which factors contributed to ODL challenges faced by UiTM Terengganu students. Findings showed, the most significant challenges for the majority of students are technology and the internet. Additional concerns raised included interaction between students and lecturers, psychological issues, difficult assessments, and self-management. The significance of the study is that the university can take the initiative to address the primary challenges faced by students thereby increasing the effectiveness of ODL in the future.
Academics&apos; Concern on Graduate Employability amidst the Pandemic
Author: Abd. Majid, Faizah
Date: 2022-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Employment Potential,COVID-19,Pandemics,College Graduates,Soft Skills,Foreign Countries,Teacher Attitudes,College Faculty

This article was written as part of a bigger research project on developing a Graduate Employability (GE) Teaching Model which received university funding. Recent years have seen a growing literature on GE. The need for soft skills training is seen as parallel with the need to enhance employability skills. The changing work landscape due to the VUCA (volatile, uncertainty, complex and ambiguous) world suggests a higher demand for the concerns on graduate employability and employability skills to be addressed. Needless to say, the pandemic brought with it a force that challenged the norm in how higher education is provided and brought an amplified concern on how GE is addressed during the pandemic. As part of the bigger data collection procedure, a focus group interview based on a semi-structured interview protocol was conducted as an attempt to uncover how academics train their students' GE skills. The investigation rested on several key issues; their approach in developing GE skills, the critical issues faced while developing the GE skills and the support they require in developing GE skills among their students. At the onset of the study, the context of the pandemic guided the direction of the data collection and analysis. The report from this small-scale study provided initial findings that could be referred to as the research progressed into further data collection via the mixed method research design. The qualitative data from the interview was analysed based on themes and sub-themes as guided by the research questions and the interpretations were supported by relevant literature. Interesting findings were yielded from the the analysis suggesting potential preliminary findings that could be referred to in an attempt to develop a teaching model for GE. Besides the policy makers and curriculum developers, future researchers may find this article as an important reference in their work.
Constructing a Stress Index for Teachers in Malaysia: A Fuzzy Delphi Approach
Author: Kaur, Kuldip
Date: 2022-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Anxiety,Stress Variables,Test Construction,Teachers,Test Validity,Test Reliability,Delphi Technique

Stress among teachers is a debilitating issue that has been plaguing the educational landscape in Malaysia for a long time. Past studies have investigated this issue, and most studies focused on identifying the causes of stress among teachers. However, recent studies have looked at stress as a process that involves a threat (stressors), an appraisal and defence mechanism against the threat (coping mechanism) and the breakdown of the defence (effect). Therefore, it is essential to look at teachers' stress from these three angles. This study aims to introduce a new stress index for Malaysian teachers that seeks to identify teachers' stressors, coping mechanisms and effects of stress. The Fuzzy Delphi method was employed in constructing the stress index as this method used both experts' opinions and analytics that produced an index with high validity and reliability. A proposed stress index with 101 items was evaluated by a panel of experts from linguistics medicine, psychology, linguistics and counselling. Their inputs were then analysed using the Fuzzy Delphi method. The items were then refined with experts' consultation. Furthermore, the finalised stress index proposed a new indicator of stressor, financial problem, an indicator absent in the previously developed stress index. This study has shown the effectiveness of using the Fuzzy Delphi method in developing a new stress index to help teachers, school administrators, and the Ministry of Education understand teacher stress in Malaysia.
Common Errors Made in English Writing by Malaysian Chinese Primary Year 6 ESL Learners at a Tuition Centre in Puchong, Malaysia
Author: Govindarajoo, Mallika Vasugi
Date: 2022-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Error Analysis (Language),English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,Elementary School Students,Writing (Composition),Mandarin Chinese,Native Language,Written Language,Orthographic Symbols,Difficulty Level,Learning Processes,Language Proficiency,Grammar,Grade 6,Task Analysis,Morphemes,Form Classes (Languages),Verbs,Interference (Language),Translation,Writing Skills,Accuracy,Writing Instruction,Student Attitudes

The purpose of this research was to identify the common errors made in English writing by Malaysian Chinese primary year 6 ESL students and to determine the extent of the influence of the first language, Mandarin in ESL writing. The Mandarin language uses a logographic writing system while the English language is written in alphabetic scripts. The difference between the two language systems makes it challenging for Chinese ESL learners to master the English language. In this study, which employed a qualitative approach, 15 ESL students from primary year six were chosen as participants for the writing tasks which formed the first part of the study. Completed writing tasks of ten participants were chosen for analysis. Interviews were conducted with three participants to obtain their perceptions on their grammar proficiency. The highest and most prominent grammar errors revealed in the analysis were in the area of tenses, object pronouns, plurals, auxiliary verbs, prepositions and articles. These errors were found to be caused by the influence of the mother tongue through direct translation from the Mandarin language. To conclude, errors are inevitable but they are crucial for ESL learners to make progression in their English writing skill. The results obtained in this study serve as vital knowledge and information for ESL educators to enhance ESL learners' grammar accuracy in writing.
Challenges and Needs of ESL Teachers in Implementing Portfolio Assessment as Alternative Assessment in Teaching English
Author: Swaran Singh, Charanjit Kaur
Date: 2022-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Language Teachers,Alternative Assessment,Foreign Countries,Portfolio Assessment,Teacher Attitudes,Secondary School Teachers

Traditional assessment does not confirm and result in learning. Assessment in Malaysia is now shifting from assessment of learning and for learning to assessment as learning to prepare students to face life beyond classroom to meet global challenges. This study intends to identify the challenges and needs of ESL teachers in implementing alternative assessment in the form of portfolio assessment in teaching English language. Qualitative study specifically online classroom observation and interviews with five ESL teachers were carried in the district of Perak. Findings revealed that the teachers still faced challenges in implementing alternative assessment in teaching English language. These challenges include selecting the content and learning standards to determine assessment activities, selection of authentic assessment, assessing student work based on learning objectives, providing feedback and educating students on using feedback to improve learning. Finally, the findings on teachers' need for portfolio assessment showed that teachers preferred a range of authentic assessments with proper instructions and rubrics to guide them. Teachers expressed the need for training to expose them on the 'what' and 'how' to implement alternative assessment in classrooms.
Cyber Security Awareness in Using Digital Platforms among Students in a Higher Learning Institution
Author: Raju, Rajeswari
Date: 2022-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Computer Security,Knowledge Level,College Students,Electronic Learning,Educational Technology,Internet,Bullying,Computer Mediated Communication,Information Security

As COVID-19 took hold, online learning became the norm as universities and classrooms worldwide were forced to close their doors. Education institute closures impacted more than 1.2 billion students across 186 countries as of April 2020. This pandemic, too, has shifted our Malaysian education sector as well. Academicians and students are adopting online learning via open and distance learning platforms. Education 5.0 is the revolution of human intelligence and cognitive computing. When the world is moving towards this, the major challenge one will face is the challenges in this digitalisation era, the challenges on cyber security and the risk associated with it. This study uses a digital learning platform to examine the cyber security awareness among UiTM Terengganu Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences students. The study is significant to focus on the weakness and to educate the students about being cyber victims. The data was collected using a set of questionnaires among 110 students. Numbers and statistics from open-ended and closed-ended questions helped obtain data. Descriptive analysis shows that many students have awareness and knowledge of cyber security, cyber-attack, and cyberbullying.
Designing a Drug-Dispensing Test Task Using the SPEAKING Grid
Author: Limgomolvilas, Sasithorn
Date: 2022-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Ethnography,Teaching Methods,Discourse Analysis,Language Tests,Pharmacy,Pharmaceutical Education,Specialists,Speech Communication,Drug Therapy,Guides,Test Construction,Evaluators,English for Special Purposes,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Speech Acts,Licensing Examinations (Professions),Foreign Countries,Intonation

Although the ethnography of speaking is one of the approaches used to analyze discourse (Schiffrin, 1994; Cameron, 2012), its benefits and uses can be applied in the field of language assessment when designing a drug-dispensing, classroom-based test task. In this article, pharmacy specialists and students functioning as members of the pharmaceutical profession community shared their beliefs and practices on how to dispense a drug appropriately and successfully. The SPEAKING grid was subsequently used as a principle to formulate a manual for administrators, raters, and test-takers. This article discusses the elements of the SPEAKING grid as a sample framework and the subjectivity of this test task for assessing pharmacy students. The elements of the SPEAKING grid described in the manual aided not only raters when administering the task but also test-takers when preparing and practicing it. The article concludes with the idea that the SPEAKING grid can be adapted to fit classroom-based language assessment purposes even though some shared norms presented in the dispensing context may not occur as authentic as in real life.
Conceptual Knowledge, Experiences, and Sources of Information Secondary School Students Have about Owls
Author: Dogru, M. Said
Date: 2022-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Secondary School Students,Wildlife,Knowledge Level,Age Differences,Experience,Information Sources,Grade 6,Grade 7,Freehand Drawing,Writing (Composition),Foreign Countries,Science Instruction,Secondary School Science

This study examined the level of knowledge the students had about owls by means of drawings and written answers. In the interviews, the students in the lower grades were found to have more limited information and less biological literacy than the ones in the upper grades. The aim was to determine students' knowledge, experience, and sources of information about owls, and then to determine how useful they were by comparing information obtained from drawings and written answers to previous research conducted with students. A total of 878 students in the sixth and seventh grades in Turkey participated in the research. The students were familiar with certain characteristics of owls. The drawings provided clearer information about body parts and proportions, while the specific habitats, behaviors, and feeding of owls were expressed in more detail in the written responses. The students without any experience with owls were inadequate in reporting information about owls. When the frequencies of responses in the general concept categories about owls were compared, it was found that the use of drawings and written answers was equally beneficial for upper and lower grade students. It would be better to determine the views and sources of information of secondary school students through drawings and written answers to assess whether they have understood the concepts related to science subjects.
Investigating the Relationship of Gifted Students&apos; Perceptions Regarding Science Learning Environment and Motivation for Science Learning with Their Intellectual Risk Taking and Science Achievement
Author: Akdag, Emine
Date: 2022-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Gifted,Gifted Education,Student Motivation,Learning Motivation,Science Instruction,Grade 8,Foreign Countries,Correlation,Educational Environment,Science Achievement,Art Education,Science Education,Attribution Theory,Constructivism (Learning),Risk,Intellectual Development,Student Attitudes,Prediction,Learning Strategies,Questionnaires,Measures (Individuals),Path Analysis,Secondary School Students

The purpose of this research was to examine relationship between the eighth-grade gifted students' perceptions of science learning environment constructive learning environment perception (CLEP) and their motivations motivation to learn science (MLS) to learn science with their intellectual risk-taking (IRT) and science achievement (SA). For this purpose, the predictive research method was chosen. The sample consisted of 133 8th grade gifted students in Science and Art Centers in nine provinces of Turkey. The data collection instruments involved &quot;IRT Scale,&quot; &quot;Motivational Strategies for Learning Questionnaire,&quot; &quot;Constructivist Learning Environment Scale,&quot; and &quot;SA Test.&quot; In the research, path analysis was used to determine causal relationships between these variables. As a result of the analyzes, it was determined that CLEP predicted IRT and SA, MLS significantly predicted IRT in learning science and SA and IRT in learning science predicted SA. The findings were discussed by considering their importance for teaching and learning science in gifted education context.
Exploring German Secondary School Students&apos; Conceptual Knowledge of Density
Author: Zenger, Tim
Date: 2022-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Secondary School Students,Concept Formation,Psychometrics,Scientific Concepts,Science Tests,Item Response Theory,Test Use,Responses,Difficulty Level,Physics

This article reports on the development and piloting of a German version of a concept test to assess students' conceptual knowledge of density. The concept test was administered in paper-pencil format to 222 German secondary school students as a post-test after instruction in all relevant concepts of density. We provide a psychometric characterization of the instrument based on the student responses. Therefore, we use methods from classical test theory and item response theory. Our analysis shows that our concept test has good psychometric properties. Furthermore, it is shown to enable a reliable ([alpha]= 0.77) survey of students' conceptual knowledge of density. Finally, we use the student responses to identify secondary school students' difficulties with the density concept. We replicate student difficulties on density from the literature, but our study also reveals some new difficulties.
How Must a Polygon Be According to Hard of Hearing Students? An Investigation with a Semiotic Approach
Author: Gürefe, Nejla
Date: 2022-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Geometric Concepts,Hearing Impairments,Semiotics,Nonverbal Communication,Sign Language,Misconceptions,Mathematics Instruction,Teaching Methods,High School Students,Foreign Countries

This study explores how hard of hearing students decided whether the shape was a polygon and which semiotic sources were used when the students engaged in explaining geometrical concepts. It was defined how the students interacted with geometric shapes using semiotic sources and examined how such multimodal interactions with geometric figures displayed their reasoning. The study was a case study and carried out three hard of hearing students. The data was collected through interviews and analyzed with content analysis. It was detected that the students paid attention to edge, angle, and vertex of the shapes in the process of identifying polygon. It was seen that the students used gesture, speech, sign language, inscriptions which are semiotic sources and personal or mathematical definitions to express polygon concept. However, it has been determined that students have some misconceptions in the process of explaining concepts. It is suggested that the words used in the concept definition should be selected carefully by the teachers to teach the concepts correctly and the teachers use hand signs for concepts in their lesson.
Worked Example Mid-Semester Intervention in College Algebra
Author: Miller, David
Date: 2022-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Algebra,Mathematics Instruction,Intervention,Undergraduate Students,Worksheets,Teaching Methods,Mathematics Tests,Grade Point Average,Comparative Analysis,Scores,Instructional Effectiveness,Course Descriptions

The enrollment in lower-level mathematics courses has been on the increase in the last decade. It has been estimated that the DFW rate may rise to the level of 50% in courses that can be classified as college algebra. Numerous interventions have been utilized for college algebra and other mathematics classes to help students, including supplemental instruction, peer-led team learning, group learning, flipped classrooms, and integrating technology. In this study, we offered a half-semester course that implemented worked example worksheets, which were used in a previous full-semester intervention, to help students with the college algebra material. Results showed that the thirty students who participated in the worked example pass/fail mid-semester class significantly outperformed the college algebra students who did not participate in the intervention on total points in the course, quizzes, and tests 3 and 4. In addition, participants earned a significantly higher course GPA, attended significantly more regular class lectures, and earned a higher final exam score. Finally, we analyzed the qualitative data to develop five themes about the worked examples and intervention. We conclude that the mid-semester intervention is a good just-in-time mechanism to implement after the semester has started to help students succeed in the class.