Comparison Of Posttest Scores Research Articles

Developing Pakistani ESL Learners’ Pragmatic Competence: A Case Study of English Refusals

This study investigated the development of pragmatic competence of Pakistani ESL learners through classroom teaching. The quasi-experimental research design was employed. The sample was twenty-five undergraduate Pakistani ESL learners. The impact of teaching pragmatic competence and the retention effects of learning were investigated. The experimental process comprised of the intervention of teaching the American English Refusals to Pakistani ESL students. The Written Discourse Completion tests were used at three different stages for the evaluation purpose and data collection. The mix method was used for data analysis. The qualitative analysis of the responses was conducted by the performances of learners in four stimulus types of the refusals (invitations, suggestions, offers & requests) and four aspects of accuracies (correct expression, quality of information, strategies of choices & level of formality) in the pre-test, post-test and the delayed post-test (Hudson et al. 1992, 1995). The qualitative analysis helped to elaborate the further explanation of the quantitative data. The mean scores of the students in DCTs were the quantitative data. The comparison of post-test scores showed that the pragmatic competence of Pakistani English language learners could be developed through teaching. Furthermore, the study showed that the Pakistani ESL students could retain their pragmatic competence of learning English refusals after two months of academic instructions in classroom setting. This results and findings of the study supported rich implications for the future researchers in interlanguage pragmatics and further it carried pedagogical implications related to ESL learning, teaching and course designing.

The effect of flipped classroom model on self-regulation skills of middle school students

One of the instructional model that can support student-centered environments is the flipped classroom model, which blends the positive aspects of technology in education with the advantages of traditional methods. This research aims to determine the effect of Flipped Classroom Model (FCM) in the science course on 7th-grade students' self-regulation skills. The design of the study is a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design. Participants of the study consisted of 67 7th-grade students from a public middle school located in the Mezitli district of Mersin, Turkey. The experimental group comprised 31 students, while the control group consisted of 36 students. Students' self-regulation skills were assessed through the implementation of "Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire" (MSLQ). Data were analyzed using the independent samples t-tests and paired samples t-tests. The comparison of post-test scores between the experimental and control groups indicated a significant mean difference for all subscales of learning strategies and motivation, except for extrinsic goal orientation and test anxiety. The results indicate that FCM develops students' motivation and their use of learning strategies. The results of this study support that the FCM is more effective in increasing 7th-grade students' self-regulation than traditional lecture format for science courses.

Implementation of a non-randomized controlled trial of yoga-based intervention to reduce behavioural issues in early adolescent school-going children in Sri Lanka

BackgroundAdolescence can be difficult to navigate and the post-conflict environment in Jaffna Province, Sri Lanka compounds existing issues for adolescents. Conduct problems, hyperactivity along with emotional problems are challenges faced by adolescents, particularly in fragile, post-conflict settings. This study was a non-randomized controlled trial carried out in 4 educational zones over 6 months. The study implemented a yoga-based intervention package: two types of slow breathing for 5-6 min, Surya-namaskaram for 6-8 min, and mindfulness meditation for 5-6 min. Pre/post quantitative assessments were conducted with intervention and control groups. A focus group was conducted with the intervention group. The aim was to evaluate. Effectiveness of implementing a yoga-based intervention package in grade 8 school children (early adolescents) to address behavioural problems.ResultsPaired t-test and independent t-tests were completed for both arms using statistical product and service solutions (SPSS21). Parents’ assessments of emotional issues reduced for the intervention group (n = 584) [t(584) = 11.41, p = 0.001] along with reduction of the total difficulty score [t(584) = 28.12, p = 0.001]. Teachers’ assessments indicated prosocial scores improved in the intervention group [t(584) = − 28.5, p = 0.001]. Students’ self-assessments in the intervention group indicate a reduction in emotional problems [t(584) = 6.4, p = 0.001], and reduction in problems with peers [t(584) = 14.4, p = 0.001]. Within the control group (n = 499), teachers’ assessments indicated emotional problems increased [t(499) = − 9.5, p = 0.001] and prosocial scores reduced [t(499) = 13.5, p = 0.001]. Students’ self-assessments in the control group indicated emotional problems increased [t(499) = − 27.1, p = 0.001]. A comparison of post-test scores revealed a statistically significant difference between groups. Focus group results indicate students felt the intervention had an overall positive effect on school achievements, family dynamics and individual health.ConclusionsThis yoga-based intervention package appeared to be effective in reducing both externalizing and internalizing symptoms in adolescents. Practicing Surya-namaskaram, breathing control techniques and mindfulness meditation significantly reduced both externalizing symptoms (conduct problems and hyperactivity) as well as internalizing symptom (emotional problem and peer problems). It is recommended this intervention be scaled up across Sri Lanka and other similar post-conflict regions.

Game-based vs. Case-based Training for Increasing Knowledge and Behavioral Fluency of Nurse Students Regarding Crisis and Disaster Management; a Quasi-Experimental Study.

Nurses play an active role in disaster response, and the ability of nurses to appropriately apply management principles during large-scale disasters or mass casualty incidents is of critical importance. This study aimed to compare the effect of game-based Training (GBT) and case-based training (CBT) on nursing students' knowledge and behavioral fluency regarding Crisis and Disaster Management. This is a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design. Convenience sampling was used to select third-year nursing students who had completed their clinical clerkship at the time of the study (n=60). In the intervention group, disaster-themed games were used, while in the control group, CBT was used. The emergency and crisis management course consisted of this study's theoretical and clinical training phases. After completion of the theoretical phase (five weeks), the practical part (four weeks) is completed as an internship. The data was collected from the disaster Nurses' Knowledge Questionnaire, demographic survey, and measurement checklists for disasters and crises at five stations. GBT students achieved significantly higher knowledge scores than CBT students after training (p< 0.001). CBT and GBT groups had no significant differences in Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)1 pretest scores. Posttest1-OSCE2 and posttest2-OSCE3 scores showed significant differences after one week (P < 0.001) and one month (P < 0.001). The mean pretest and posttest1 scores were statistically significant in both groups. A comparison of posttest scores between one month after GBT training (69.03 ± 6.09) and one week after it (69.23 ± 6.14) revealed no statistical significance (p = 0.056). Nursing students' knowledge and behavioral fluency regarding crisis management were more effectively improved by using the disaster and crisis game than by using a case-based method.

Effect of Metacognitive Reading Strategies on Critical Thinking: A Mixed Methods Research

This study aims at determining whether there were differences in the critical thinking skills of 6th-grade students with whom different metacognitive reading strategies were implemented in Turkish language courses. The Mixed research methodology was adopted that consists of quantitative and qualitative methods. Critical thinking applications in the control group of the study took place according to the Turkish language curriculum, whereas the applications in the experimental group were conducted through SQ4R (survey, question, read, recite, record, and review) and Interactive Read Aloud (IRA) strategies. In the quantitative part of the study, 95 students from 3 different classes attended the practice for 8 weeks, while in the qualitative part semi-structured interviews were held with 32 students in the experimental group. Quantitative data was analyzed on SPSS 22 software package, and MAXQDA 12 software program was employed for the analysis of qualitative data. It was concluded, upon a comparison of post-test scores of students who were taught the SQR4 strategy and the IRA strategy with the scores of those in the control group, that there was a significant difference in favor of the students who applied the IRA strategy in which the teacher acts as a model. No significant difference was observed between the teacher-guided experimental group applying the SQ4R strategy and the control group. Both quantitative and qualitative findings support this conclusion. All students from the IRA experimental group who participated in interviews stated that the strategy applied improved their critical thinking skills in different aspects, whereas most of the students in the SQ4R group stated that the strategy applied did not contribute to their skills.

Walking Exercise Programme (WEP) Menurunkan Cancer Related Fatigue (CRF) Pada Pasien Kanker Payudara Di RSUD. Ibnu Sina Gresik

Introduction: Development of cancer and the side effect of chemotherapy could lead to Cancer Related Fatigue (CRF) in breast cancer patient that getting worse due to inactivation. Hence, exercise was needed. This aimed of this was to analyze the effect of Walking Exercise Program (WEP) to Cancer Related Fatigue.Methode: This study was used quasy experimental design and the population was breast cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy in RSUD Ibnu Sina Gresik in June 2012. The 10 respondents who met inclusion criteria were taken with matching allocation technique and divided into control and case group. CRF were collected by a subjective instrument called Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), then analyzed using Wilcoxon signed rank test and Mann Whitney test with signification value was α≤0,05.Result: Result of Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that CRF scale in pre-test was different compared to CRF in post-test of case group (p=0.043). Mann Whitney test showed the comparison of post-test scores in both of groups was different (p=0.009). It can be concluded that WEP has effect to CRF.Discussion: The result showed that WEP could decrease CRF in breast cancer patient undergoing chemotheraphy in RSUD. Ibnu Sina Gresik. It is recommended to apply WEP as one of fatigue management in breast cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy. Further study should use WEP and psychosocial therapy to manage CRF in each fatigue dimension to reduce more scale of fatigue in patient.

Pre-test influences on the effectiveness of digital-game based learning: A case study of a fire safety game

In recent years, critiques have been formulated regarding current evaluation methods of digital game-based learning (DGBL) effectiveness, raising doubt with regard to the validity of certain results. A major issue of contention is whether or not a pre-test should be administered, gauging for baseline measures of knowledge that are targeted using an educational intervention.The present study aims to explore the advantages and disadvantages of adding a pre-test in DGBL effectiveness research. For this purpose, an effectiveness study of a fire safety training in a hospital was conducted using a Solomon four-group design. The experimental groups received a game-based intervention (N = 65) of which one group received a pre- and a post-test (n = 3 4) and one group only received a post-test (n = 31). The control groups received traditional classroom instruction (n = 68), of which one group received a pre-and a post-test (n = 39) and one group only received a post-test (n = 29). No main effect of testing was found. However, an interaction effect between pre-test and intervention was detected. Subjects who have received a pre-test in this group score significantly higher (p < 0.05) on the post-test than subjects in the traditional classroom group who did not receive a pre-test. This was not the case in the game group.When the administration of a pre-test influences the control group's receptivity to the intervention, but not that of the experimental group, results of an effectiveness study may be biased. Hence comparison of post-test scores of different treatments in pre-test/post-test designs may be problematic. This is an important finding in the context of DGBL effectiveness research as the presence of a pre-test may artificially inflate the learning outcomes of the control condition. Therefore, further research should take this into account and look for possible solutions to solve this discrepancy. However, in the present study, we were able to show that the game was highly effective, as both game groups still outperformed the slide-based group that received a pre-test. The Solomon four group design has thus shown its added value and more effectiveness studies on DGBL implementing this design are required in order to further validate these results.

Evaluation of the Stop & Think Social Skills Program with Kindergarten Students

ABSTRACT The Stop & Think Social Skills Program was implemented as a stand-alone primary prevention program using a sequential cohort design with two cohorts of kindergarten students. Cohorts were assessed at pretest and posttest using the Social Skills Rating System Teacher Questionnaire. Students in Cohort 1 showed improvement in Social Skills, Academic Competence, and Problem Behaviors. Comparison of posttest scores in this cohort with pretest scores collected at the same time for Cohort 2 indicated that these changes were unlikely to be caused by maturation. Cohort 2 also showed improvement in Social Skills and Problem Behaviors following implementation of the program but did not show a statistically significant change in Academic Competence. In addition, changes in specific academic skills were not consistent across cohorts. Measures of treatment integrity indicated the program was implemented as designed. Social validity ratings by teachers revealed that they believed the intervention enhanced students' social skills, but teachers were concerned about the length of the program and students' understanding of program content. Limitations of the study and the implications of these findings for school psychology are discussed.

Development and Testing of a Computer-Assisted Instructional Program to Teach Music to Adult Nonmusicians

Two universities were selected to evaluate music fundamentals software developed for prospective nursery-school through sixth-grade teachers. Using folk songs as examples, the investigator designed computer-assisted instructional (CAI) software to supply future teachers with a repertoire of songs and related music concepts for classroom use. Subjects at the first university ( N = 148) were enrolled in a music fundamentals and performance skills course, the first of two music courses for preservice teachers. Subjects at the second university ( N = 95) were enrolled in a music methods and materials course, the only music course for preservice teachers offered at this site. A comparison of posttest scores of control (in-class lecture) and experimental (CAI) groups yielded no significant differences in either experiment. Students in both experiments thought the song examples were helpful. Furthermore, reducing class time spent with music theory allowed instructors to spend more time with other instructional tasks, potentially enabling students to improve in other performance areas.

A Rational-Emotive Treatment program with conduct disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder adolescents

This study investigated the effects of a 12-week treatment program, based on Rational-Emotive Therapy, with conduct disorder (CD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) adolescents. Two independent homogeneous CD (N=12) and ADHD (N=12) groups were selected on the basis of the DSM-111-R and use of methylphenidate. The dependent variables were irrational thinking, depression, and anger. Lecture, discussion, and theYou Can Do It!Motivational Program video were used in the treatment intervention. Discriminant function analysis of pretest scores revealed that 96% of the students were correctly classified (CD=100%, ADHD=92%). Multivariate analysis of pre-posttest scores revealed that the CD group significantly changed on all dependent variables, while no significant differences were found with the ADHD group. A comparison of posttest scores on the measure of irrational thinking revealed that the CD group accepted responsibility for their upsetness and were more willing to change than the ADHD group. The results of the study are interpreted in terms of the distinguishing characteristics of each group.