ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Storybooks, Songs, and Games: Tools to Boost Early Literacy Development in Primary English Classrooms
Author: Ünal Gezer, Melike
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Singing,Educational Games,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Elementary School Students,Academic Achievement,Phonology,Literacy,Phonological Awareness,Phonemic Awareness,Class Activities,Story Reading,Emergent Literacy,Phonemes,Rhyme,Foreign Countries

Determining later academic achievement, early literacy skills are all of the prerequisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for successful reading and writing during formal education. Early literacy skills consist of several sub-skills including phonology knowledge that determine primary-level reading. The present article is prepared for English language instructors teaching English at early grade levels, specifically at pre-primary and early years in primary education (Grades 2, 3, and 4 for public; Grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 for private institutions) as a reference to utilize when practicing phonological and phonemic awareness with young learners of English. The study which taps into phonological and phonemic awareness and recommends putting phonics instruction into practice in the early years of literacy education in English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) contexts is an instructional resource for teacher trainees and in-service instructors with limited experience and knowledge in young learners' literacy education. The paper has two major parts, first, phonological awareness types are explicated, operational definitions are provided and classroom activities are presented. In the second part, storybook and song integration for a linguistically-rich early literacy acquisition in primary EFL classrooms with young language learners are further discussed.
Students&apos; Opinions on the Use of Digital Storytelling in Turkish Course
Author: Eroglu, Aysun
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Story Telling,Foreign Countries,Technology Uses in Education,Middle School Students,Private Schools,Grade 7,Turkish

The purpose of this study is to seek into middle school students' opinions on the use of digital storytelling in Turkish course. In this research, phenomenology, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. The study group was composed of 18 students in the 7th grade of a private middle school affiliated to the Central District of Kars. Semi-structured interview form and personal information form were used as data collection tools. The interview form contains 7 questions. Content analysis was employed for the analysis of the interviews. As a result of analysis it was concluded that students found this process entertaining and instructive students did not have any challenges at all; they enjoyed creating music and recording sounds. But they wanted more different types of music, and more variety in text fonts and visuals. In short, it can be said that the opinions of the 7th graders learning digital storytelling about the process are positive.
Thai University Students&apos; Beliefs about English Language Teaching and Learning and Awareness of Global Englishes
Author: Huttayavilaiphan, Rutthaphak
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,College Students,Student Attitudes,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Teaching Methods,Language Teachers

This study investigates how Thai university students believe about English language teaching and learning and to what extent they are aware of English variation or Global Englishes (GE). The participants are 13 senior English-major students who studied at a public university in northern Thailand in the academic year 2019. As the main research tool, the semistructured interview was employed to gain data from the participants and the data was analyzed using a qualitative content analysis approach. The results inform that the students' beliefs about English language are the core beliefs influencing other types of beliefs in the belief system including beliefs about English teaching and learning and English teachers. Nonetheless, such beliefs are dynamic and can change over a period of their exposure to English communication outside the classroom. In terms of awareness of GE, although the interview responses show some levels of students' awareness of GE, the analysis results place such awareness only at the implicit level given that the participants could neither express explicitly about GE nor explain it in detail. These results suggest Thailand's English classrooms reconsider teaching and learning focuses to be more related to the current sociolinguistic phenomenon of English as a global language.
Secondary School Teachers&apos; Effective School Perception: The Role of School Culture and Teacher Empowerment
Author: Gülsen, Fatma Uslu
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Secondary School Teachers,School Effectiveness,Teacher Attitudes,School Culture,Teacher Empowerment,Teacher Collaboration,Foreign Countries

This study investigates the extent to which school culture and teacher empowerment dimensions predict the effective school perceptions of secondary school teachers. The sample of the study includes 363 teachers [120 male (33.1%), 243 (66.9 %) female] from 24 secondary schools in four central districts (Mezitli, Yenisehir, Toroslar, Akdeniz) in Mersin. The data of the study was collected via the Personal Information Form, School Culture Inventory, the School Effectiveness Index, and the School Participant Empowerment Scale. The data was analysed through stepwise regression analysis statistical method. The alpha value of 0.01 was established as a level of significance. The results revealed that professional development which is a dimension of school culture is the most important predictive variable, and it was followed by collegial support, collegial leadership, unity of purpose, self-efficacy, decision making and teacher collaboration. Together, these seven significant predictors explained 59.1% of the variance in the teacher perception of school effectiveness. Moreover, learning partnership dimension of school culture and status, impact, autonomy and professional growth dimensions of school participant empowerment were not statistically significant in explaining the school effectiveness. According to the results of this study, school culture has stronger relations with school effectiveness than the teacher empowerment has. This may mean that a school should have a culture that values professional development of its teachers, collegiality, collaborative leadership and teamwork in order to be effective. [This study was presented to the 7th International Eurasian Educational Research Congress Online in Turkey, September, 10-13 2020.]
Teachers&apos; Attitudes toward Turkey Education Informatics Network during the Distance Education Period in the COVID-19 Pandemic
Author: Düzgün, Serkan
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,COVID-19,Pandemics,Distance Education,School Closing,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Teacher Attitudes,Elementary Secondary Education,Intellectual Disciplines,Web Sites,Shared Resources and Services,Gender Differences,Instructional Program Divisions,Age Differences,Status

In this research, teachers' attitudes toward Turkey Education Informatics Network (EIN) during the distance education period in the COVID-19 Pandemic are examined. The participants of the study, which was carried out in the descriptive survey model, consisting of 789 teachers, most of whom are primary school teachers, who provide distance education in the COVID-19 pandemic. &quot;Educational Informatics Network Attitude Scale&quot; was used as a data collection tool in the study. As a result of the research, it is seen that most of the teachers use EIN and the EIN Live Lesson application, and they access EIN mostly with their personal computers and smartphones. However, teachers stated that they used messaging applications effectively in the distance education process. Besides, when the attitudes of teachers towards EIN were examined according to the levels they worked at, it was seen that secondary school teachers showed a more positive attitude towards EIN than primary and high school teachers, and they found EIN more necessary. When the attitudes of teachers towards EIN were examined according to their branches, it was seen that foreign language teachers showed a more positive attitude towards EIN compared to primary school teachers and teachers in other branches, and found EIN more necessary. It has been observed that young and junior teachers have increased positive attitudes towards EIN and they think EIN is necessary. The results of the research show that teachers use the EIN. However, there was not enough opinion among teachers about the applicability of EIN.
A Meta-Analysis on the Predictive Validity of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test
Author: Razmi, Mohammad Hasan
Date: 2021-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Meta Analysis,Predictive Validity,College Entrance Examinations,Graduate Study,Predictor Variables,Test Reliability

Since its inception in 1949, over 1,500 studies have investigated the validity of the GRE General Test to predict its performance criteria in higher education (Klieger, Bridgeman, Tannenbaum, &amp; Cline, 2016). The present review paper sought to examine the predictive validity of the GRE General Test. Factors affecting the predictive validity (e.g., range restriction, compensatory selection, criterion unreliability, substantive and artifactual moderators, bias in testing, coaching effects, socioeconomic status (SES), gender, and a host of other intervening factors such as motivation, communication skills, etc.) have been discussed. A brief overview of GRE revised General Test format is also presented. After an account of the related review of the literature, a critical commentary on the predictive validity of the GRE General Test has been discussed with an emphasis on the role of criterion unreliability and SES factor effects.
How University Lecturers and Students Interpret Opportunities and Challenges of Online Mode of Learning
Author: Paudyal, Ganga Ram
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Faculty,Graduate Students,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Barriers,Affordances,Electronic Learning,Online Courses,Videoconferencing,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Technological Literacy,Technology Integration,Self Efficacy,Internet,Access to Education,Rural Population,Geographic Isolation,Foreign Countries

This paper reports an analysis of university lecturers and students' experience of the online mode of learning in the COVID-19 situation. It as qualitative research employed semi-structured interviews and observation of online classes to gather data. It reports on how online classes enabled university lecturers and students to manage online learning and improve technological skills with the consistent practice of various information and communication technology (ICT) tools. Despite limited technological and pedagogical knowledge, lecturers initiated online learning as an alternative to physical classroom learning in the crisis. Both lecturers and students, thus, were intimidated by new technologies and ways of learning at the beginning. In absence of ICT training, their consistent practices of online learning enabled them to develop some level of confidence in using ICT in teaching and learning activities. Many students from remote rural villages, however, are unable to access online education due to the lack of the internet, smart devices and electricity. The online mode of learning, albeit it is reported a potential strategy to shift from the traditional education system to modern learning, cannot be sustainable in the context where there is limited or no infrastructure for the internet and electricity.
Fairness in Oral Language Assessment: Training Raters and Considering Examinees&apos; Expectations
Author: Doosti, Mehdi
Date: 2021-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Oral Language,Language Tests,Interrater Reliability,Training,Evaluators,Student Attitudes,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Evaluation Methods,Test Bias,Test Validity,Late Adolescents,Young Adults,Expectation

This study examined the effect of rater training on promoting inter-rater reliability in oral language assessment. It also investigated whether rater training and the consideration of the examinees' expectations by the examiners have any effect on test-takers' perceptions of being fairly evaluated. To this end, four raters scored 31 Iranian intermediate EFL learners' oral performance on the speaking module of the IELTS in two stages (i.e. pre- and post-training stage). Furthermore, following Kunnan's (2004) Test Fairness Framework, a questionnaire on fairness in oral language assessment was developed, and after pilot testing and validating, it was administered to the examinees at both stages. The examinees' expectations were taken into account in the second round of the speaking test. The results indicated that rater training is likely to promote inter-rater reliability and, in turn, enhances the fairness of the decisions made based on the test scores. It was also concluded that considering students' expectations of a fair test would improve their overall perceptions of being fairly evaluated. The results of this study sought to provide second language teachers, oral test developers, and oral examiners and raters with useful insights into addressing fairness-related issues in oral assessment.
Inferencing Complexity of the Iranian TEFL Ph.D. Entrance Exam under the Lens of the Construction-Integration Model of Inference Processing
Author: Khosravany Fard, Hamid
Date: 2021-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Doctoral Degrees,High Stakes Tests,Foreign Countries,State Universities,Language Teachers,Teacher Education Programs,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Correlation,Academic Achievement,Language Tests,Reading Comprehension,Test Items,College Entrance Examinations

The present study aims at scrutinizing the inference complexity level (henceforth ICL) of test items of the Iranian State University TEFL Ph.D. entrance exam (ISUTPEE) from 2010 to 2017 through the lens of Kintsch's &quot;construction-integration theory&quot; (C-I) (Kintsch, 1988, 1998). Though there is ample research on inferencing in the field of reading comprehension, the existing literature reveals a serious gap in relation to inferencing complexity of test items in high-stakes exams that exert profound effects on the academic achievements of the individuals. Inferencing is examined in this study to explore the ICL of the test items of the Special Knowledge Test (SKT) according to three levels of memory representations of Kintsch's model: the surface model, the textbase, and the situation model. To this end, the test items for eight consecutive years of the ISUTPEE were examined in relation to the three distinct kinds of mental representations. To ensure the reliability of coding by the researchers, two other specialist coders assessed the ICL of 33% of the items. The intraclass correlation among the three sets of codes was 0.91. The results of the study showed that a large number of questions, accounting for more than 80% of the items, merely activate the surface and the textbase model of information representations in memory. Furthermore, the ICL for each of the four parts of SKT was examined. This analytical study carries a stark warning regarding a deficiency of systematic attention to ICL in the development of test items.
Mokken Scale Analysis of the Reading Comprehension Section of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
Author: Firoozi, Fatemeh
Date: 2021-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Language Tests,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Standardized Tests,Reading Tests,Reading Comprehension,Nonparametric Statistics,Item Response Theory,Scaling,Test Validity,Test Items,Undergraduate Students,Foreign Countries

Large-scale standardized ESL tests such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are widely used around the world to measure the language proficiency of test-takers and make different decisions based on their scores. Reading comprehension is an integral part of such tests which requires test-takers to read passages and answer a set of questions. Although IELTS is a popular standardized test and is used for making critical decisions about test-takers, very few attempts have been made to explore the validity of the exam and especially the reading part of the General Training Module. With this in mind, the purpose of the present study was to use a nonparametric item response theory model, called Mokken Scale Analysis (MSA), to examine the validity of the reading part of the General Training module of IELTS. To this end, item responses of 352 test-takers to the reading comprehension test were analyzed. The results of item scalability, total scalability, and item-pair scalability showed that the reading part is a weak unidimensional scale. Using Monotone Homogeneity Model (MHM), the monotonicity results also indicated that there are some items which violate the monotonicity assumption, although their values are insignificant. The analysis of unidimensionality using the AISP revealed that there are two scales and four unscalable items in the reading part. Therefore, the Mokken scale analysis did not support the unidimensional structure of the reading part of the General Training module of IELTS.
Improving Elementary School Students&apos; Knowledge of Electromagnets and Their Abilities to Design Science Investigations
Author: Andrikopoulou, Evdokia
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Students,Knowledge Level,Science Process Skills,Science Instruction,Energy,Magnets,Inquiry,Engineering,Instructional Effectiveness,Elementary School Science,Foreign Countries

The research that studies the improvement of elementary school students' science knowledge and the development of elementary students' abilities to use the scientific and engineering practices is restricted. The purpose of this research is to study the effects of an instructional intervention on the knowledge of the students of elementary school about electromagnets and their abilities to design science investigations. Instructional material about electromagnets was developed, based on an inquiry-based approach using the scientific and engineering practices, which was applied to 76 students of elementary school (12 years old). To evaluate the students' knowledge of electromagnets as well as their abilities to design science investigations, a questionnaire was developed which was completed by the students both before and after the instructional intervention. The data of the research were the answers of the students to the questionnaires. The data analysis showed that the students' knowledge about electromagnets as well as their abilities to design science investigations was improved, through the instructional intervention for electromagnets.
The Role of the College of Education at Kuwait University in Countering Violent Extremism among Students
Author: Alajmi, Maadi Mahdi
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Role of Education,Higher Education,Terrorism,Antisocial Behavior,Prevention,Violence,College Students,Foreign Countries,College Faculty,Occupations,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Incidence,Political Influences,Social Influences,Cultural Influences,Peace,Teaching Methods,Conflict Resolution,Diversity,Prosocial Behavior,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes

This study aims to identify the forms of violent extremism among students of the College of Education at Kuwait University and specify the causes that drive youth towards it. This study used a cross-sectional design to which MANOVA analysis was used to analyze data. Sample of this study included 192 faculty members and 426 students of Kuwait University. Three indexed questionnaires searching the forms of violent extremism, causes and the role of faculty members to counter violent extremism were used to collect data. The analysis was addressed descriptively to see the indexes of violent extremism and their statistical impacts on the attributes in terms of occupation, gender, age, and experience to counter violent experiences. Results show that violent extremism among students occurred due to political, social, economic, and cultural aspects. This study has also determined the role of education in countering violent extremism and decreasing its prevalence among youth. One of the most important results is observing the spread of several indicators and types of violent extremism among some students. Therefore, attention must be paid to teaching these students how to resolve their differences by legal and peaceful means. It is recommended that an educational strategy be developed to prevent violent extremism among students, which should emphasize the importance of upgrading the curriculum and programs within the college to spread a culture of peace, tolerance, and acceptance of social and cultural diversity.
Using Coping Strategies of Informal Sector Traders Amid COVID-19 in Indonesia for Social Studies Teaching Materials on Realizing SDGs
Author: Nasution
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Coping,COVID-19,Pandemics,Foreign Countries,Social Studies,Instructional Materials,Sustainable Development,Food Processing Occupations,Food Service,Internet,Economic Impact

The objectives of this study are first, to analyze the coping strategies of informal sector traders amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; and second, to take the results of this research as social studies teaching materials in realizing sustainable development goals (SDGs). This study uses a qualitative approach with a case study method. The data collection techniques are in-depth interviews, observations, and documents of micro business actors, especially street food and food stalls. The two groups are some of the micro-entrepreneurs affected by social distancing policies. The results of the study show that there are various strategies carried out by food stall businesses and food street vendors, including online trading, storage and conversion into frozen food, and finding strategic locations. Online food application features are a mainstay for expanding marketing. Meanwhile, moving to a trading location becomes a rational choice when there are additional rules because of the COVID-19 transmission prevention policy, such as limiting business time, and not being allowed to accept food orders on the spot. To reduce losses due to the fluctuating purchasing power of customers, they process their food into frozen food and sell it via social network. The ability to adapt to this pandemic situation is material for teaching students, especially junior high schools, about adaptive economic activities. Moreover, human efforts in overcoming economic problems, so as not to increase the poverty level as expected in the SDG's are required; this can take the form of efforts to minimize poverty and develop sustainable production and consumption.