ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Scientific Skills and Concept Learning by Rural Women for Personal and National Development
Author: Agbo, Felicia Onyemowo
Date: 2017-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Rural Areas,Scientific Concepts,Scientific Literacy,Science Process Skills,Womens Education,Concept Teaching,Quasiexperimental Design,Pretests Posttests,Nonformal Education,Nutrition,Agriculture,Health Education,Sanitation,Water,Hypothesis Testing,Knowledge Level,Familiarity,Adult Education,Foreign Countries

This paper examined scientific skills and concept learning by rural women for personal and national development. The research design employed was a quasi-experimental, one-group pre-test and post-test design. A non-formal science program package to enhance and empower the rural women's knowledge and skills in their daily activities (nutrition, sanitation, health, agriculture, and water use) was designed and validated by three experts from the Science Education Department of a University. The reliability coefficient was 0.80, and the program was taught for 6 weeks to the rural women to determine its effect on the rural women's skills and knowledge in the five variables considered. The results showed that there was appreciable improvement on their skills and knowledge in health, water use, nutrition, sanitation, and agriculture. This supports the study of Nnachi (2008) who was of the opinion that training and practice increased rural women's skills. Based on these findings, the researchers recommended that rural women should be empowered by science education for maximum productivity, self, and national development.
The Views of Turkish Science Teachers about Gender Equity within Science Education
Author: Idin, Sahin
Date: 2017-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Science Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Sex Fairness,Science Education,Teacher Surveys,Likert Scales,Statistical Analysis,Middle School Teachers,Science Curriculum,Career Guidance,Science Instruction,Gender Differences,Science Tests,Scores,Dropout Rate,Grade Repetition,Educational Indicators,Achievement Tests,Secondary School Students,International Assessment,Mathematics Achievement,Elementary Secondary Education,Mathematics Tests,Science Achievement

The aim of this study was to investigate Turkish Science teachers' views about gender equity in the scope of science education. This study was conducted with the quantitative methodology. Within this scope, a 35-item 5-point Likert scale survey was developed to determine Science teachers' views concerning gender equity issues. 160 Turkish Science teachers completed the survey. Their responses were analyzed using SPSS. It was revealed that many Turkish Science teachers did not think there was any gender equity in Science Teaching Programmes or their Science textbooks. These Science teachers' views also indicated that there were no gender policies in Turkish science education. They believed gender equity issues were important for students' science achievement. It is recommended that Science teachers have some in-service training on gender equity
Open Classes to Local Communities: A Reflection Analysis of a School Environmental Project
Author: Kalathaki, Maria
Date: 2017-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Environmental Education,School Community Programs,Sustainable Development,Evaluation Methods,Inquiry,Teaching Methods,Student Research,Student Centered Learning,Experiential Learning,Foreign Countries,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Laboratories,Libraries,Outdoor Education,High School Students,Secondary School Science,Cooperative Learning

School projects of environmental education promote discovery learning, through teamwork, by involving local communities, scientists, organizations, authorities, and bodies and are carried out largely online in virtual environments. This research aimed to identify and highlight those characteristics of local communities that can be exploited by opening them up to classes with activities that are matched in experiential and inquiry teaching and learning. Specifically, through the frame of education for sustainable development. This research required the development of a tool for the reflection analysis of environmental open classes in local communities with the open classes' learning environments and those components of learning environments, which support the inquiry teaching and learning procedure in a school environmental project. Teachers supplied students with focused questions and urged them to try to find their own answers. More specifically, teachers facilitated students as coresearchers to choose their own issues, to set the queries, and decide the best methods to conduct their inquiry. This research demonstrates how open classes in social learning environments, offered experiences to students and teachers bringing them face to face with questionnaires, evidence, historical knowledge and real problems, which had been missing from their previous learning and teaching experiences.
Effective Strategies to Enhance and Maintain University English Teacher Motivation in Japan
Author: Harada, Rie
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English Teachers,English (Second Language),College Faculty,Teacher Motivation,Motivation Techniques,Semi Structured Interviews,Reflective Teaching,Lifelong Learning,Student Reaction,Teacher Student Relationship,Teaching Experience,Goal Orientation,Educational Research,Teaching Conditions,Leisure Time,Interpersonal Relationship,Mentors,Role Models,Cooperation

This paper provides findings on a study which explored effective teacher motivation management strategies current university non-native EFL teachers in Japan utilize in their course of career. Teachers who have higher motivation can devote their lives more to give a lot to the learners and be productive on the education. Therefore, teacher motivation management is an essential issue to live a fruitful and productive life as an EFL teacher and researcher. In this study, six currently working Japanese university EFL teachers, three male three female, age ranges from 39 to 55 were interviewed individually on their teacher motivation strategy. Each teacher was asked how they manage their teacher motivation for teaching and research by reflecting back their whole career as a teacher and researcher. In this paper, twelve specific strategies were embedded from the data gathered by semi-structured interviews. The specific approaches are introduced along with quotes from the participants. The true aim of this study is to gain understanding of what kinds of teacher motivation management are utilized and give practical suggestions both for novice and experienced teachers simultaneously in order to contribute to the teacher education and development.
Salience-Enhanced Recasts and Their Effects on Learners&apos; Production of Uptake and Modified Output
Author: Asari, Yoko
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Interlanguage,English (Second Language),Language Teachers,Second Language Instruction,Feedback (Response),Predictor Variables,Native Speakers,Discourse Analysis,Error Correction,Observation,Foreign Countries,Coding,Statistical Analysis

Recasts, a type of implicit feedback, is widely used by EFL teachers for improving learners' communicative competence. Research suggests that teachers may use salience enhancement techniques in order to highlight the positive/negative evidence in recasts. This study was conducted to identify types of recasts and examine the relationship between recast features and learners' uptake and modified output. The data consist of 569 recast episodes retrieved from 15 NS teachers. The results revealed that recasts vary considerably in effectiveness according to factors such as the way in which they are provided. More specifically, short, segmented, and interrupting recasts were better predictors of modified output as they were more likely to help learners to notice the gap between the target form and its interlanguage form. The present study suggests that teachers equipped with such highlighting techniques would be able to promote learners' L2 development more effectively.
Schema-Based Instruction on Learning English Polysemous Words: Effects of Instruction and Learners&apos; Perceptions
Author: Mitsugi, Makoto
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,College Freshmen,Majors (Students),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Teaching Methods,Schemata (Cognition),Semantics,Form Classes (Languages),Instructional Effectiveness,Psycholinguistics,Language Tests,Pretests Posttests,Translation,Questionnaires,Statistical Analysis,Dictionaries,Student Attitudes

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of two instruction methods for teaching polysemous English prepositions (&quot;at, in, on&quot;) and to explore learners' perception on learning tools used in the instruction when learning polysemous words. The first study investigated the effectiveness of schema-based instruction (SBI), which is a form of instruction based on the insights of cognitive linguistics (CL) and is a way of teaching, which provides learners with the schematic core meaning. Whereas, translation-based instruction (TBI) is one of the conventional ways of teaching prepositions as polysemous words, which offers learners a list of several meanings of each preposition. Two tests, as pre- and post-tests were carried out to examine the effectiveness of the instruction. A second study explored how leaners perceived the learning tools in each instruction method. The methods consist of the core schema and translations in dictionary, which were analyzed with the motivation to be able to conduct more effective instruction on polysemous words in the classroom. For this study, data was collected by a questionnaire and analyzed qualitatively to extract constructs that learners have on both instructions. Based on the results of these two studies, this paper argues that the core-schema approach to teaching English propositions is more effective than the conventional approach. Furthermore, the core schema approach is practical to administer to learners; however, it was discovered that learners perceived both benefits and disadvantages in the two instruction methods and suggested the necessity of separate-use depending on the learning situation.
The Effects of Test Method on L2 Reading and Listening Performance
Author: Park, Siwon
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Evaluation Methods,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Computer Assisted Testing,Multitrait Multimethod Techniques,Models,Correlation,Reading Tests,Reading Skills,Language Tests,Language Skills,Test Validity,Test Reliability,Statistical Analysis,Goodness of Fit,Factor Analysis,Foreign Countries,College Students

This paper examines how different test methods may tap different aspects of second language knowledge. It employs multiple-choice (MC) and constructed response (CR) items which yield distinct or convergent information in the computer delivered testing of English in its presentation of this factor. In order to examine the effects of test method, a CFA approach to a multitrait-multimethod design was adopted to examine the convergent as well as discriminant validity of the two skill area traits and the two test methods. After comparing the hypothesized model with a nested series of more restrictive models using X[superscript 2] difference tests (Byrne, 2006; Widaman, 1985), based on the information from the path coefficients, and also using principal factor analyses, it was found that: 1) the skills are factorially separable, yet, highly correlated, 2) MC and CR methods are separable, and very weakly correlated, 3) there is thus a method effect, and 4) the MC method may not be suitable in sampling the unique ability characteristics of reading and listening skills.
The Relationship of Sub-Components of Manifold Dimensions of Vocabulary Depth Knowledge and Academic Reading Comprehension among English as a Foreign Language Learners at Tertiary Level
Author: Hasan, Md. Kamrul
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Correlation,Knowledge Level,Vocabulary Development,Reading Comprehension,Morphology (Languages),Foreign Countries,College Students,Reading Tests,Language Tests,Statistical Analysis,Models,Syntax,Nouns,Verbs,Form Classes (Languages)

This study makes an attempt to investigate the correlations between manifold aspects, namely both syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations, the four major derivative word forms, which represented morphological knowledge, six dimensions of analytic relations (i.e. component-integral, member-collection, portion-mass, stuff-object, feature-activity, and placearea) of vocabulary depth knowledge and academic reading comprehension among English as a Foreign Language learners at tertiary level. To this end, ninety one students from three departments of Business school and sixty four Engineering students (two departments) took part voluntarily in three depth of vocabulary knowledge tests and one reading comprehension test, which consisted of three reading passages with followed multiple choice questions. Results showed that firstly, analytic relations, which represented depth of vocabulary knowledge was positively and significantly correlated with reading comprehension. In other words, those students who gained more analytical relations (part-whole) knowledge performed better in reading comprehension than students with morphological knowledge and syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations, which represented depth of vocabulary knowledge. Secondly, students who had more paradigmatic (synonyms) relation knowledge performed better in reading comprehension than those who had syntagmatic relation (collocations), one of the two subtests of vocabulary depth knowledge test. Thirdly, the four major derivational word forms, i.e. noun, verb, adjective, and adverb were positively and either strongly or moderately correlated with dependent variable, academic reading comprehension. Fourthly, except one aspect of analytic relations, i.e. stuff-object analytic relations aspect, the rest of other five dimensions of analytic relations, namely component-integral, portionmass, member-collection, place-area, and feature-activity analytic relations facets were positively and either strongly or moderately correlated with dependent variable, academic reading comprehension.
An Associational Research on Turkish Children&apos;s Environmentally Responsible Behaviors, Nature Relatedness, and Motive Concerns
Author: Bahar, Fatma
Date: 2017-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Science Education,Environmental Education,Conservation (Environment),Middle School Students,Student Behavior,Natural Resources,Motivation,Predictor Variables,Student Attitudes,World Views,Political Issues,Grade 7,Grade 8,Student Surveys,Likert Scales,Statistical Analysis

Science education has changed in recent decades with respect to key issues faced in this century. These issues such as renewable energy, waste management, air quality, and biodiversity require dealing with the transition toward a sustainable future. Thus, to contribute to the reconceptualization of science education in a developing country, the present study aimed to assess (1) Turkish middle school students' environmentally responsible behaviors, nature relatedness (NR), and motive concerns and (2) the power of environmental motive concerns, and NR in predicting the related behaviors. Measuring tools covering the NR scale, the environmental motive concerns, and children's responsible environmental behavior scale were administered to middle school students in the Northern part of Turkey. The results indicated that these students reflected an external nature-related worldview. Regarding their behaviors, it was revealed that the students frequently engaged in some actions linked to physical and economic contribution to the environmental quality. However, they did not demonstrate any actions on political commitment although they were very concerned about the environmental issues. Examining the predictors of their responsible environmental behaviors, a linear combination of these attributes significantly contributed to explaining such behaviors. This study provided practical tips for science and sustainability educators in that children could be provided with some opportunities to get in touch with nature and appreciate the value of being in nature.
Video of World Festivals as Novelties in Teaching Description Writing Using a Genre-Based Approach
Author: Rajagopalan, Uma Maheswari
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Undergraduate Students,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Language Laboratories,Teaching Methods,Writing Instruction,Films,Learning Motivation,Learning Activities,Cultural Activities,Questionnaires,Food,Nutrition Instruction,Literature Appreciation,Literary Genres,Autobiographies,Persuasive Discourse,Paragraph Composition,Essays,Learner Engagement,Instructional Innovation,Writing Skills,Student Surveys

In order to motivate ESL students and engage them in different tasks effectively, it is necessary to make the tasks novel to the students. As one possible way of introducing novelty in the course, films could be used advantageously. In this study, a writing course integrated with videos of movies and cultural festival of different regions of the world including that of author's country were used as a novel activity and students' attitudes were investigated through questionnaire and open-ended comments. The students belonged to second year undergraduate course of food and nutrition sciences of a Japanese private university. In addition to the film videos as part of listening activity, students were introduced to writings of different genres such as autobiographical, general description, procedure and argumentative writings using a genre-based approach. Students were first introduced to a model writing followed by deconstructing the model writing based on a set of questions. Next, students were asked to write based on the questions to make an outline of their own writings. Following making an outline in the classroom, students constructed their own one paragraph essays. Effects of learning were assessed through students' engagement in writing and in class questionnaire on the video. It was found that students showed real interest in watching film and cultural festivals videos. With cultural festivals, students were made to make comparison with their own and report describing the interesting feature of the festival. The students were also asked to critically reflect on the festivals themselves. Because of the novelty, students actively engaged in the class making the class interesting to the students. In future, a more detailed curriculum using festivals from different parts of their country along with festivals from different parts of the world could be worth considering.
Effects of Teaching Gardening on Science Students&apos; Attitudes toward Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition in Jos South, Plateau State, Nigeria
Author: Charity, Dimlong
Date: 2017-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Gardening,Science Instruction,Student Attitudes,Entrepreneurship,Skill Development,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Pretests Posttests,Attitude Measures,Attitude Change,Secondary School Science,Instructional Effectiveness,Foreign Countries

This study investigated the effects of teaching gardening on science students' attitudes toward entrepreneurial skills acquisition in Jos South, Plateau State, Nigeria. The study employed the non-randomized pre-test post-test non-equivalent control group design. A sample of 75 senior secondary school students from two intact classes, randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 38) and a control group (n = 37) was used for the study. An entrepreneurial attitude orientation scale was used to collect data for analysis. The findings indicated that the experimental group exposed to gardening activities showed positive attitudes toward acquiring entrepreneurial skills unlike the control group. However, gender was found not to be a significant factor in students' attitudes toward entrepreneurial skills acquisition. It was concluded that teaching gardening has a significant effect on students' attitudes toward entrepreneurial skills acquisition. It is recommended that students should be taught gardening to enhance their attitudes toward entrepreneurial skills acquisition for self-reliance, among others.
An Explorative Study on the Null Secondary Science Curriculum in Bangladesh
Author: Chowdhury, Tapashi Binte Mahmud
Date: 2017-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Secondary School Science,Science Curriculum,Curriculum Development,Inclusion,Science Teachers,Interviews,Science and Society,Controversial Issues (Course Content),Scientific Literacy,Data Analysis,Developmentally Appropriate Practices,Prior Learning,Qualitative Research

The aim of this study was to identify the content of secondary Science curriculum excluded in teaching and learning activities, the reasons behind the omission and its impact on students' learning in the context of Bangladesh. This study used qualitative methodology. Eight teachers were selected and interviewed to investigate what they excluded from their teaching and what the reasons behind the exclusion were. Data were collected from participating teachers' students using a focus group discussion. Data collected from students and teachers were analyzed first. Then, purposefully selected curriculum developers, textbook authors, and teacher educators were interviewed to understand the impact of the null curriculum on students' learning. Analysis of data revealed that all the participant teachers excluded a chapter in Grades IX-X General Science textbook. This chapter included information about reproductive organs, physical and psychological changes during puberty, pregnancy, evolution, and related topics. Teachers argued that the topics were uncomfortable for them to teach, contradicted with religion, and students might misinterpret and practice unethical relationships if these topics were taught. However, the curriculum developers and the textbook authors asserted that including these topics would solve problems such as adolescent mistakes, child rape, child pregnancy, and distorted fantasies. This study concluded that excluding the chapter on adolescence, sexual and reproductive health and evolution obstructs achievement of students' scientific literacy.
Assessment of College Students&apos; Knowledge and Attitudes toward Solid Waste Management in North Central Zone of Nigeria
Author: Dung, Mohammed Dauda
Date: 2017-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,College Students,Knowledge Level,Student Attitudes,Sanitation,Questionnaires,Student Surveys,Gender Differences,Conservation (Environment),Environmental Education

This study focused on assessment of colleges of education students' knowledge and attitudes toward solid waste management in the North Central zone of Nigeria. The cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A students' knowledge and attitudes toward solid waste management questionnaire were used to collect data from 1,800 students. The findings indicated that the students had a low knowledge level of solid waste management but their attitudes toward it were positive. A significant relationship was found between students' knowledge and their attitudes toward solid waste management. Furthermore, gender was shown not to have any significant influence on knowledge and attitudes of students toward solid waste management. It was concluded that although students had low knowledge of solid waste management, their attitudes toward it were positive. It was recommended that environmental education issues, especially, solid waste management should be incorporated into colleges of education curricula and properly taught for in-depth knowledge acquisition.