i-manager's Journal on School Educational Technology (JSCH)


Volume 15 Issue 2 September - November 2019

Research Paper

An Exploration of Lesson Study for Pre-Service English as a Foreign Language Teacher Education

Abdullah Coskun*
Department of English Translation and Interpretation, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey.
Coskun, A. (2019). An Exploration of Lesson Study for Pre-Service English as a Foreign Language Teacher Education. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 15(2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.15.2.16541

Abstract

This study aims to incorporate lesson study into the teaching experience of pre-service English language teachers. The participants of the study are three pre-service English language teachers who completed the pedagogical formation certificate program, an experienced English language teacher, seven 6th grade case students, and a mentor teacher working in the Turkish state school, where the study was carried out. In line with the principles of lesson study, a research lesson focusing on teaching the present perfect tense was jointly prepared by the experienced teacher and the preservice teachers. The research lesson was firstly taught by the experienced teacher and observed by the pre-service teachers and the mentor teacher. Then, the lesson was retaught to another group of students by one of the pre-service teachers after the lesson was revised in the post-lesson meeting. The qualitative content analysis of the post-lesson meeting, which was conducted in the form of a focus-group interview following the first lesson revealed the strengths and weaknesses of the research lesson while the post-lesson meeting after the revised lesson did not uncover any lessonrelated issues. This finding shows that the experienced teacher-led lesson study has improved the lesson plan. At the end of the lesson study application, the pre-service teachers and the mentor teacher were given an open-ended survey aiming to collect their opinions about whether lesson study is an effective pre-service teacher development approach. They agreed on the effectiveness of lesson study, and the findings are discussed in line with relevant literature.

Research Paper

Environmental Awareness of Selected Urban and Rural High School Students in the Philippines

Christopher H. Punzalan* , Cherry Mae C. Signo**, MA. Teresa C. Signo***, Arlyne C. Marasigan****
*,**** Philippine Normal University, Manila, Philippines.
** Cavite National Science High School, Philippines.
*** Grace Christian College, Quezon City, Philippines.
Punzalan, C. H., Signo, C. M. C., Signo, M. T. C., and Marasigan, A. C. (2019). Environmental Awareness of Selected Urban and Rural High School Students in the Philippines. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 15(2), 15-25. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.15.2.16664

Abstract

Global advocacy on environmental sustainability strongly sheds light to illumine the ever pressing issue on exponential environmental degradation. In line with this, educating pro-environmental 21st century learners with the vision of a sustainable future indeed serves as a crucial yet significant step towards the goal. Hence, the purpose of this study was to identify the level of awareness of the grade 8 Filipino students in urban and rural school contexts based on the seven environmental themes. It also aimed to determine its implications in teaching science. This descriptive quantitative study used purposive sampling. An Environmental Awareness Questionnaire (EAQ) was deployed using a sample of 150 students from two urban private schools and 150 students from one rural public school. From the conducted research, the analysis revealed that the students from urban schools have high level of environmental awareness while the students rural schools expressed very high level of using descriptive statistics. However, no significant difference was identified between the students' environmental awareness using z-test statistical analysis, which was then further supported by the values of standard deviation from two sample groups. Students situated in urban area manifested environmental awareness are greatly influenced by the fact that they are directly benefitting from the environment they live in.

Research Paper

An Investigation of School Employees' Readiness for Technological Changes (The Case of Faith Project)

Aykar Tekin Bozkurt*
Department of Education Management, Faculty of Education, Gaziantep University, Turkey.
Bozkurt, A. T. (2019). An Investigation of School Employees' Readiness for Technological Changes (The Case of Faith Project). i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 15(2), 26-36. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.15.2.16555

Abstract

This study was conducted in order to gain an understanding of school employees' (school principals and teachers) technological readiness for change in relation to the example set by “FATİH Project: Movement of Enhancing Opportunities and Improving Technology” that has recently been implemented in schools throughout Turkey. In this study, participants' views on the process of readiness for change, were gathered through the use of a qualitative research method and were investigated in a case study. The data was collected using semi-structured interview forms, and the content analysis method was used to analyze the data. The findings were described and presented in tables. The study group consisted of 14 participants (principals and teachers) working at the secondary schools located in the central districts of Gaziantep Province. The main question of the study was determined as follows: “How ready are school employees in terms of technological knowledge and skill qualification (related to FATİH Project)?” According to participants' views, it was determined that in terms of readiness process for the FATİH Project change, several problems (technical, adaptational, educational) were experienced in schools and many solutions (individual, guidance, administrative) were developed by the participants to overcome these problems. The positive impact of teamwork among colleagues on the process was also identified.

Research Paper

Effect of Blended Learning Strategy on Problem Solving Skill of Higher Secondary Commerce Students

Suprabha K.* , G. Subramonian**
* Assistant Professor, NSS Training College, Ottapalam, Palakkad, Kerala, India.
** Principal, Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Education (Autonomous), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
Suprabha, K., and Subramonian, G. (2019). Effect of Blended Learning Strategy on Problem Solving Skill of Higher Secondary Commerce Students. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 15(2), 37-44. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.15.2.16367

Abstract

Decreasing students' satisfaction at higher secondary education context has drawn attention to the concept of student engagement in their classroom. Students' low level engagement with academic activities is considered the main reason for dissatisfaction that sometimes lead to drop out of the school. Blended learning intervention strategy that have been utilizing in higher secondary education context is an instructional solution for such problems and to improve student engagement in classroom. The objective of the study is study the effect of blended learning strategy over constructivist teaching strategy on problem solving skill of higher secondary commerce students. The study employs pretest post-test non-equivalent control group design with a sample of 40 students each in experimental group and control group. The result of the study showed that the experimental group taught through blended learning instructional strategy scored significantly more on the post-test and gain scores on problem solving skill when compared to the control group.

Research Paper

Incorporation and Evaluation of Educational App

Yatendra Pal* , Riddhi Agrawal**
* Research Supervisor, Rai University, Ahmedabad, India.
** Research Scholar, Rai University, Ahmedabad, India.
Pal, Y., and Agrawal, R. (2019). Incorporation and Evaluation of Educational App. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 15(2), 45-57. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.15.2.16484

Abstract

The use of innovative methods in educational institutions is not just crucial, it is downright imperative. It has the potential to not just improve education system, but also to empower students, strengthen governance, and create retention value of all that has been taught. Gone are the days of archaic ideologies and methods of teaching. In modern perspective, in order to relate with children, teachers need to be updated with innovative ways of teaching. For example, being internet-savvy is not an additional trait on the resume- it is a bare necessity. This is the age of the Internet and interaction. And hence interactive teaching is a much faster and more productive learning tool; which can only be harnessed if a teacher is technologically driven. The axiom 'learning never stops' is far more relevant for teachers, for they must evolve with time and explore mediums to facilitate a conducive, nurturing, and effective learning environment. In this study, the researcher wanted to know that an educational App is equally effective to lecture method on knowledge, understanding, application and skill domain or not. For this purpose, the researcher has developed an Educational App and administered on grade six students. In this experimental study, researcher selected 30 students as experimental group and 30 as control group by the random sampling method. Both the groups have equal number of high, average, and low achiever boy and girl students. Researcher selected post test, experimental group, and control group design. Teaching through educational app was run to twenty one days. After completion, a self made Educational App Achievement Test (EAAT) was administered on selected sample, which included 40 questions of 40 marks with multiple choices. Each right answer students got one mark. Data was analysed by mean, S.D., and t-value. The major findings of the study was there were no significant difference between the mean scores of all students as well as high achieves students and low achiever students.