i-manager's Journal of Educational Technology (JET)


Volume 18 Issue 4 January - March 2022

Article

Effectiveness of Scaffolded Vee Diagram, an Instructional Strategy for Science Students at Secondary Level

Ismail Thamarasseri* , Shejeena K. A.**
*-**School of Pedagogical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
Thamarasseri, I., and Shejeena, K. A. (2022). Effectiveness of Scaffolded Vee Diagram, an Instructional Strategy for Science Students at Secondary Level. i-manager's Journal on Educational Technology, 18(4), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.18.4.18518

Abstract

Education is an important tool which is very useful in everybody's life. A science curriculum should offer students opportunities that relate to life outside the classroom. It should provide students with situations in which they can frame and solve problems of their own making; and it should be supportive of students. Teaching methods and strategies are among the teacher factors that affect students' academic performance. Some teaching methods and strategies have been proved more effective in the teaching of abstract and difficult topics in different science subjects. Yet even the best learning environment cannot succeed until students understand how to learn. To help students gain this knowledge, consider trying an effective teaching or learning strategy called the Vee Map and Vee diagram. Vee diagram is a Meta cognitive tool to help students to construct the interacting set of elements that are involved in knowledge production. Vee diagram was firstly developed by Gowin (1984). According to Novak (1990), The Vee diagram was an effective media to achieve meaningful learning and it was able to develop metacognitive thinking skills. The concept of scaffolding is grounded in Vygotsky's social constructivist view of learning. According to Vygotsky (1978), every mental function in a child's development first appears in collaboration with an adult. Scaffolding is an instructional support that helps learners to solve problems, carry out tasks or achieve goals that they are unable to accomplish on their own. The Scaffolded Vee Diagram support students as they engage in the process of generating a scientific argument while focusing their attention on the elements of scientific knowledge. Scientific inquiry includes the traditional science processes, but also refers to the combining of these processes with scientific knowledge, critical thinking and scientific reasoning to develop scientific knowledge. Scientific inquiry is using evidence from observations and investigations to create logical explanations and answer questions. Collaborative argumentation refers to the setting where students work together to construct and reflect on their agreements by asking each other questions and checking each other's explanations. The diagram departs from a general framework for laboratory activity by including directed scaffolding for knowledge integration. Knowledge integration refers to the process of adding new ideas and sorting through connections to develop a cohesive account of scientific phenomena. The goal of integration of knowledge and ideas is for students to use multiple sources to address a question or solve a problem. In the present review article, the authors evaluates the effectiveness of Scaffolded Vee diagrams on secondary school science students.

Research Paper

Teaching for Art Appreciation: A Study on First Year Graphic Design and Multimedia Program Students Enrolled for Visual Communication Subject at a Private University

Maithreyi Subramaniam*
Tunku Abdul Rahman University College, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia.
Subramaniam, M. (2022). Teaching for Art Appreciation: A Study on First Year Graphic Design and Multimedia Program Students Enrolled for Visual Communication Subject at a Private University. i-manager's Journal on Educational Technology, 18(4), 9-20. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.18.4.18521

Abstract

This study used reform theory to teach art appreciation to 35(n=35)students enrolled in a visual communication program, a unit from the graphic design and multimedia program in the first year. In this study, a quantitative research design and methodologies were used. To analyze a group of students' achievements, the researcher employed experimental research—a quasi-experimental design that is a single-group interrupted time series design. The data was gathered using two instruments: a tertiary level visual communication module and five sets of test questions. Means, standard deviations, and percentages were used in the descriptive statistics to determine the students' achievements. Repeated measure inferential statistics ANOVA was used to investigate changes in mean scores over five times period for both five sets of test questions mean scores and lessons (studio art production) mean scores. The findings revealed that the module influenced the quality of students' development of a variety of skills in visual perception and artistic response, historical, cultural, and social context investigations, engaging students in the art-making process and enhancing their critical and aesthetic inquiry for a better understanding, aesthetic appreciation, and an increase in self-expression.The effectiveness of the module using reform theory demonstrated students' improved understanding and fostered proficiency in implementing thinking in their five sets of test questions and lessons (studio art production).

Research Paper

Evaluating the Implementation of GIS and Remote Sensing in Teaching Geography: A Case of Mangwe District

Thomas Firomumwe*
University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Firomumwe, T. (2022). Evaluating the Implementation of GIS and Remote Sensing in Teaching Geography: A Case of Mangwe District. i-manager's Journal on Educational Technology, 18(4), 21-29. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.18.4.18493

Abstract

The present study examines the implementation of GIS and RS in teaching geography in Zimbabwean secondary schools. GIS and RS were viewed as the most important achievements in secondary school education in the early part of the year 2017. It was adopted because of its ability to bring the world in the classroom. To determine the implementation of GIS and RS in secondary schools, a qualitative approach of gathering and analysing information was used. Questionnaires and interviews were part of the research instruments used to gather information. A sample of 22 participants was selected from teachers and students, thus, ten teachers represented the teacher population and twelve learners represented the learner population. The study was informed by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as its theoretical framework. The study revealed that teachers' knowledge and skills in GIS and RS were very low. The study substantiates that teachers' involvement in GIS and RS in schools was very low again even though learners are interested in doing so. The attitude of the teachers towards GIS and RS implementation was negative since they do not have knowledge and resources to implement the topics. The researcher recommends that retraining and support from administration is necessary in order to fully implement GIS and RS in teaching geography at all the levels.

Research Paper

A Qualitative Study: Exploring the Perspectives of Educators on Online Teaching in the Covid-19 Crisis

Evangelin Whitehead*
Department of Education, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Whitehead, E. (2022). A Qualitative Study: Exploring the Perspectives of Educators on Online Teaching in the Covid-19 Crisis.i-manager's Journal on Educational Technology, 18(4), 30-44. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.18.4.18377

Abstract

Across the globe, the educational system from school level to higher education has been collapsed due to the novel Covid-19, which has raised significant challenges to the educators. In this context, a qualitative research analysis was conducted using Online focus group qualitative design, Online survey questionnaire and Online interviews to study the perspectives of the online teaching learning process in this pandemic period. Overall 65 educators and 35 parents participated in this research. Thematic inductive coding method was used to analyze the data and the most frequent themes are coded and categorized using bucketing method. Interpretation of data was done by calculating the frequency and percentage of the themes of the buckets. Data source triangulation approach was used to ensure the accuracy and truthfulness of the research findings. The finding reveals that online teaching is a flexible mode of teaching, but individual attention is reduced and the educators are not happy with the online examination. Engaging learners is an interesting part where teachers need more training and faculty development programs to prepare effective e-content and engaging materials.

Research Paper

Digital Literacy of Digital Natives: An EFL Students' Case

Meltem Huri Baturay* , Ahmet Erdost Yastibas**
*Atilim University, Ankara, Turkey.
**Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
Baturay, M. H., and Yastibas, A. E. (2022). Digital Literacy of Digital Natives: An EFL Students' Case. i-manager's Journal on Educational Technology, 18(4), 45-52. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.18.4.18585

Abstract

Digital native EFL (i.e., English as a foreign language) students grew up with technology, so they are expected to use technology efficiently while learning or studying English. However, they may not use educational technologies to learn English, as they may not be digitally literate. Therefore, the present study aimed to find out the digital literacy levels of the digital native EFL students by focusing on Turkish EFL students. It was designed as a mixed-methods study. 38 Turkish EFL students participated in the study. The data were collected through the digital literacy scale and two open-ended questions appended to the scale. The quantitative data were analysed through descriptive statistics, and the qualitative data were content analysed. The quantitative findings have indicated that Turkish digital native EFL students had a medium level of digital literacy. The qualitative findings have also shown that most of the participants could use educational technologies well, while seventeen considered themselves digitally literate. The study's findings were discussed, and the pedagogical implications of the study were explained.

Research Paper

The Perspective of B.Ed. Students on the Drastic Surge of Online Teaching across Kerala

Shyja K. G.*
Department of Education, School of Pedagogical Science, Kannur University, Kerala, India.
Shyja, K. G. (2022). The Perspective of B.Ed. Students on the Drastic Surge of Online Teaching across Kerala.i-manager's Journal on Educational Technology, 18(4), 53-63. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.18.4.18471

Abstract

The sudden upsurge of the COVID-19 pandemic situation had a staggering impact on the B.Ed. curriculum. The curriculum makers were forced to make an immediate shift towards e- learning or remote learning and embarked on the digital platforms without much planning. The distinctive rise of e-learning has changed the educational sector drastically, as the teacher community in Kerala was especially not ready for this sudden transition. Nevertheless, the Universities have ramped up technical capabilities to enhance the effectiveness of online learning variables amongst the student groups. However, the researcher feels to attain a general consensus and assess the perspectives of students in relation to the changing educational imperative of learning online, the study is a mandate. The research method used here was an online survey. The respondents were the students of second semester B.Ed. course from the various colleges coming under Calicut and Kannur Universities. A semi structured questionnaire was used in the online survey. The non-probability sampling technique namely purposive sampling was employed to select the respondents. Data was collected from 110 students, out of these 105 were female students and five were male students. The result of the research revealed that even though the teachers are struggling their best through online mode, the students do not exhibit an expected level of satisfaction. Through an open-ended question, certain other difficulties faced by the students were also revealed.