ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Rewriting the Women Enmity Lore: New Voices in Autobiographical Narratives
Author: Yakubu, Anthonia Makwemoisa
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Females,Gender Differences,Power Structure,Folk Culture,Misconceptions,Biographies,Foreign Countries,Autobiographies,Self Concept,Gender Issues,Interpersonal Relationship

Many women were socially conditioned as children to believe that gender operates on a superiority/inferiority axis -- the male has been naturally created to be in charge and to take dominion of all living and non-living things including plants, animals, fishes, birds, children, and women. For the women, they are to be submissive to the biological order of things which patriarchy has worked hard to institutionalise. One of the means patriarchy has adopted to sustain this belief is the divide and rule tactic, where women are taught to believe that they cannot work together, cannot love one another and cannot support one another because they do not like themselves. This belief is propagated through folklore, especially in co-wife rivalry tales. Another common instance is the raging 'war' between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law. This paper will analyse the common myth that women are their own worst enemies through selected Nigerian folktales, and in the second part, will analyse contemporary Nigerian women's autobiographies, with particular emphasis on the 3-volume biographical compendium, &quot;Women of Valour,&quot; and how these women negated this erroneous belief in their narratives. One of the findings of this paper is that women's autobiographies have significantly disabuse many of these patriarchal myths about women, thereby rewriting and re-narrating women's life histories. Another finding is that many of the women featured in the biography used the medium as a platform to voice themselves into being, thereby empowering themselves through the narration of their life stories.
The Ineffectiveness of Overt Input on the Problematic Grammatical Features of Tense Usage and Verb Conjugation for Native Arabic Speaking Learners of English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
Author: Morgan, Gareth
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Linguistic Input,Morphemes,Grammar,Semitic Languages,Verbs,Native Speakers,Error Patterns,Writing (Composition),Accuracy,Foreign Countries,English for Academic Purposes,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Feedback (Response),Teaching Methods,Instructional Effectiveness,Comparative Analysis,College Students

This study examines the effectiveness of the provision of specific input on the use of verb conjugation and tenses to preparatory students at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. This is a well-documented grammatical issue for native Arabic speakers, and was undertaken due to this factor, as well as the students under instruction having made numerous errors in their initial written work. Consequently, it was focused on in the classroom, with the students' post-input formal writing compared with the production of students from another class, at the same level, who, in contrast, had not received specific input on this grammatical feature. The results conclude that such overt input has no discernible effect, due to the errors produced by both groups being extremely similar with reference to both quantity and cause, with verb conjugation and missing verbs featuring prominently for both groups, particularly the inability to use third person's. As a result, despite language acquisition being a gradual process, I will desist from focusing on this grammatical feature due to the lack of effect of the input, but, will continue to germane errors when providing feedback on student writing in order to provide a less explicit and time-consuming focus on this issue, while attempting to improve grammatical accuracy.
Dealing with Metric Unit Conversion: An Examination of Prospective Science Teachers&apos; Knowledge of and Difficulties with Conversion
Author: Dincer, Emrah Oguzhan
Date: 2018-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Science Teachers,Knowledge Level,Measurement,Metric System,Barriers

The aim of this study was to examine prospective science teachers' knowledge of and difficulties with the metric unit conversion. The participants of the study were 73 prospective science teachers. In this qualitative study, a measurement test with 14 questions was administered to the participants to examine their knowledge of and difficulties with unit conversion. The questions of the test were related to metric measurement units for length, area, volume, and mass, as well as to the knowledge of the approximate size of a body and some uses of metric units. For the first 11 questions, participants' answers were evaluated as right or wrong. To examine the reasons lying behind their difficulties, their explanations on the past three open-ended questions were analyzed. The findings indicated that prospective teachers' performance on unit conversion was not satisfying in general, and their major difficulties were mainly related to the conversion from gram into microgram, mg into g, ml into cm[superscript 3], dm[superscript 3] into mm[superscript 3], gigameter into nanometer, mm[superscript 2] into m[superscript 2], and determining the relationship between centigram and dekagram. The implications for the field are discussed in light of the related literature.
Designing an Ice Cream Making Device: A Design-Based Science Learning Approach
Author: Vaino, Katrin
Date: 2018-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle School Students,Secondary School Science,Science Process Skills,Problem Solving,Design,Engineering,Food,Science Activities,Grade 8,Foreign Countries,Design Requirements

In this study, middle school students' (8th grade, n = 24) problem-solving processes were investigated while implementing a design-based science learning (DBSL) approach. DBSL tries to incorporate science learning with the processes of engineering design. A DBSL module was developed by the research team within which students were expected to design an ice cream making device from simple and easily available materials. The goals of the study were: (a) To develop an understanding of the processes of student design including difficulties they face within the DBSL setting; (b) to determine how science knowledge was used by students in a design situation; and (c) to explore how student design processes and design products can be characterized and eventually, assessed. Data were gathered from students' written reports, video-recorded classroom observations, and teachers' oral feedback. The findings reveal that the crucial aspects for design success were the students' understanding of the scientific phenomena, the operational principles behind the ice cream making device, and the understanding of the design criteria. Lack of one or more led to unrealistic design ideas. The initial difficulties were overcome by peer support, teacher guidance, and trial and error experiences. A set of assessment criteria, able to characterize student design products, were developed. As a result of this study, practical guidelines for curriculum developers and teachers on how to facilitate further implementation of DBSL in the classroom are provided.
&quot;Inspire Me&quot; -- High-Ability Students&apos; Perceptions of School Science
Author: Horsley, Jenny
Date: 2018-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Science Instruction,High Achievement,Secondary School Students,Secondary School Science,Scientific Principles,Acceleration (Education),Foreign Countries,Academically Gifted,Scientific Attitudes,Science Interests,Enrichment Activities

A decline in the number of students opting to study science in high school is a matter of international concern, particularly in relation to students who demonstrate high academic ability in science. These high-ability students have the potential to be the innovators and leaders of the future. There is a paucity of research that provides insight into how schools address the motivational and learning needs of high-ability science students. Underpinned by a constructivist view of learning, this exploratory case study research used student questionnaires and focus group interviews to explore students' views about their learning experiences in science. It investigated high-ability students' perceptions of how their needs were being met. Findings indicate that these students generally experienced a wide range of teaching approaches across all science disciplines. Learning was mostly limited to science content and procedures with little evidence of students learning about how science works through Nature of Science.
The Classroom Interaction Patterns in Bilingual Classroom at Junior High School in Medan City
Author: Meisuri
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Classroom Communication,Assignments,Bilingual Education,Foreign Countries,Interaction Process Analysis,Video Technology,Teacher Student Relationship,Science Instruction,Mathematics Instruction,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Biology,Cooperative Learning,Second Language Learning,Middle School Teachers,Middle School Students,Linguistic Input

This paper deals with the interaction pattern between teacher and students in the real classroom lessons. This study was primarily conducted to determine the patterns of classroom interaction produced by the teachers and learners during the class sessions in the bilingual middle-school classrooms in Medan City, Indonesia. The data were spoken texts of teachers from five videorecorded classes (Mathematics, Physics, Biology, English and IT/TIK) during the period of even semester, and were then analyzed by applying the &quot;Flanders Interaction Analysis Categories System (FIACS)&quot; 'Interaction Model' following the frame works proposed by Flanders (1970). From the data analysis, it was found that the talk was dominated by teachers, particularly on the categories of no. 4, 5, and 6, while students practiced no. 8 mostly, and it also indicated that instructor expressions were very overwhelming in each example of assignments amid the class sessions, while understudies reactions or different properties were moderately low in rates in an educator centered classroom aside from in the scene no. 5 (IT Lesson) where understudies took the greater part of the cooperation among peers. The examination likewise demonstrates that elicitation, reaction, and input were deliberately utilized by instructor, and understudies were a piece of the structure of classroom talk exercises. The example, notwithstanding, could be changed relying upon the educator expectation or the times of lesson that understudies learn.
The Role of Metacognition in Students&apos; Mental Models of the Quantization
Author: Körhasan, Nilüfer Didis
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metacognition,Schemata (Cognition),Scientific Concepts,Quantum Mechanics,Science Education,Physics,College Science,College Students,Foreign Countries,Scientific Literacy,Learner Engagement,Student Satisfaction

As part of a multiphase study (Didis et al., 2014; Didis et al., 2016), this research focused on the effective issues on cognition, and it examined the role of metacognition in the construction of mental models. With the identification of students' mental models of quantization of physical observables in the previous parts of the project, we considered metacognition theory to identify how knowledge about cognition influenced the construction of their mental models. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with students by considering their knowledge and experiences about learning quantum theory during the semester. Based on the determined metacognitive behaviors, students' mental models were reinterpreted by considering the metacognitive theory. The qualitative analysis results indicated that (1) students presenting more metacognitive behaviors constructed more coherent and scientific knowledge structures than the others and (2) satisfaction with knowledge was a breaking point for students' reorganization of their knowledge. These findings are important to indicate the influence of metacognition on the construction and revision of mental models about physics concepts. In teaching of science at university level, students' metacognitive evaluations should be taken into consideration together with their conceptions for scientific understanding.
Primary Students&apos; Argumentation on Factors Affecting Dissolving
Author: Angeloudi, Anastasia
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Instruction,Persuasive Discourse,Grade 5,Elementary School Students,Scientific Concepts,Elementary School Science,Foreign Countries,Science Experiments

The study explored the possibilities to improve students' argumentation ability concerning factors that affect dissolving, through the implementation of two versions of a teaching scheme, with and without particle theory. The participants (age range 10-11, n = 27) belonged to two fifth-grade classes of a primary school in Northern Greece. Data were collected through an open-ended written test and a semi-structured interview targeting four of the components of an argument: Claims, data, warrants, and rebuttals, for five factors affecting the dissolving of a solid substance in water: Temperature, stirring, amount of the substance, grain size, and nature of the substance itself. Results showed an improvement concerning the structure of students' arguments, whereas improvements in content quality appeared mainly in some cases where particle theory was implemented. Study limitations and implications for science education are discussed.
Nexus between Gender and Language Shift among the Youth in Nairobi County, Kenya
Author: Kimani, Rosemary Wamaitha
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Gender Differences,Language Skill Attrition,Bilingualism,Urbanization,Multilingualism,Language Planning,Language Usage,Linguistic Theory,Foreign Countries,Secondary School Students,Student Attitudes,Correlation,African Languages,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Native Language,Language of Instruction

The phenomenon of language shift is brought about by language contact. Language shift from mother tongue to another language among the youth is an issue that cannot be wished away due to, &quot;inter alia&quot;, factors like urbanization, migration, multilingualism or bilingualism and the country's language policy. Studies have also shown that there is notable difference in the use of language along gender lines. The objective of this study, therefore, is to assess the nexus between the gender variable and language shift among the youth in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study is anchored on a sociolinguistic theory known as the Domain Theory. The study adopted the &quot;ex-post facto&quot; research design. The study targeted students in public day secondary schools in Nairobi County, Kenya. The sample size of the study comprised 98 students drawn from public day secondary schools in three sub-counties in Nairobi County. Questionnaires were used as the tools of data collection. The reliability of the tool was computed using the Cronbach's coefficient method with a reliability coefficient of 0.83. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the findings of the data. Chi-square tests were conducted to establish the relationship between gender and language shift. There was a significant relationship (?2=18.143, p&lt;0.05) between gender and the language used in communication with students of the same sex. There was also a significant relationship (?2 =13.144, p&lt;0.005) between gender and the language used at school. The findings also show that majority of those who use Kiswahili (62%), Sheng (100%), English and Sheng (100%) or Kiswahili and Sheng (100%) are males. The findings, therefore, show that female and male students use languages differently and therefore, language shift occurred differently between the two genders. The findings, therefore, imply that in schools, female students are more likely to use English while male students are more likely to use Sheng. Kiswahili is used equally among males and females while mother tongue is not used at all. The study concludes that gender plays a significant role in language shift among the youth in Nairobi County. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education reviews the current language policy to include instructions in mother tongue in secondary schools.
Language Learning Strategy Use and English Proficiency of Iraqi Upper Secondary School Students
Author: Mutar, Qusay Mahdi
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learning Strategies,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Gender Differences,Language Proficiency,Secondary School Students,Foreign Countries,Computer Software,Memory,Metacognition,Classification

To learn English language, there are some language-learning strategies, which learners need to be familiar with. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the language learning strategies used among Iraqi sixth-grade preparatory students, and how could gender and proficiency level effect on using language-learning strategies. To analyze the collected data, SPSS software version 20 included Independent sample T-Test Besides, one-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD have been used. A total of 210 sixth-grade preparatory students were chosen randomly from four-different secondary schools for the academic year 2016-2017 at al-Karkh side of Baghdad city. The study sample consisted of (105 females and 105 males). The findings revealed that EFL learners have shown medium use of language learning strategies, besides, no statistically significant differences between male and female students in the frequency of using LLSs. The findings also showed Cognitive and memory strategies were the most frequent used categories comparing to the compensation strategies that scored the least frequent category. As for language proficiency, the result showed that students with high proficiency used all six categories of learning strategies more than medium and low-proficiency students.
Developing Students&apos; Argument Skills Using Socioscientific Issues in a Learning Unit on the Fossil Fuel Industry and Its Products
Author: Suephatthima, Bureerat
Date: 2018-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Persuasive Discourse,Scientific Literacy,Chemistry,Science Instruction,Grade 12,High School Students,Skill Development,Science and Society,Foreign Countries,Secondary School Science,Fuels,Units of Study

Argument skills play a crucial role in fostering students' scientific literacy. Students who possess such skills can employ reason and evidence to make decisions. This classroom action research was aimed at investigating the best practices for teaching chemistry to promote argument skills through socioscientific issues (SSI). The participants were 46 Thai students in Grade 12 (students aged approximately 17 years old) studying petroleum chemistry in the first semester of the 2014 academic year. To research my own teaching, I collected data from classroom observation, my reflective journals, the students' reflective journals, and an argument skill questionnaire (ASQ). Debating on petroleum-related issues helped the students to practice and improve their reasoning skills, and it showed them the importance of using evidence to formulate a reliable argument. The competition to answer questions in class also allowed students to practice reasoning. Finally, the ASQ results indicate that teaching through SSI can improve students' argument skills. The implication of the pedagogy of argumentation in science classroom is discussed.
Promoting Academic Writing Students&apos; Skills through &quot;Process Writing&quot; Strategy
Author: Listyani
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Writing (Composition),Academic Discourse,Writing Processes,Writing Strategies,Process Approach (Writing),Instructional Effectiveness,Context Effect,Prewriting,Brainstorming,Language Arts

Writing in a second language is complex, and complicated, mainly because of by the addition of new resources and norms (new structural elements of the new language, new rhetorical conventions, and some other things). Teachers therefore, whether they like it or not, have to select the most appropriate teaching methods and strategies in their writing classes, one strategy that teachers can apply in their &quot;Academic Writing&quot; class is &quot;Process Writing&quot; strategy. This study shows information on a teaching strategy named &quot;Process Writin&quot; which was applied to one group of &quot;Academic Writing&quot; class in Semester II, 2016-2017. Research took place from January to April 2016. This group was taught using &quot;Process writing&quot; teaching strategy, with the hope of helping students improve in both their reading and writing skills. There were 20 students altogether in this group. One central question to be answered in this study is: &quot;How effective is Process writing strategy when it is used to teach Academic Writing students?&quot; Instruments used were pre-tests, post-tests, direct observation, video-recording; and weekly journals that students had to write every time they passed a stage of the Process Writing. From the statistical analysis as well as from students' perceptions, one main conclusion can be drawn, that is, &quot;Process writing&quot; is effective to teach &quot;Academic Writing.&quot; Another conclusion which is not less significant is that &quot;Process Writing&quot; can be used to teach any level of education, not to mention in tertiary education, provided that lecturers adjust the materials as well as level of difficulty. One last conclusion is that every strategy that teachers will apply in their classroom is very context-dependent. That is, it depends on the class situation, which varies from one class to another. The context, atmosphere, as well as situation of the class became the factors that contribute to the effectiveness and success of a strategy. This piece of research is hoped to benefit both lecturers as well as students of second language writing. Pedagogically, this research can enrich another source of literature in terms of teacher strategy in teaching second language writing.