Improve Education Outcomes Research Articles

The Role of Transformational Leadership in Enhancing Teacher Motivation and Managing Change in Secondary Schools in Kigamboni Municipality

This study explores the role of transformational leadership in enhancing teacher motivation and managing change in secondary schools within Kigamboni Municipality, Tanzania. The research aims to investigate the relationship between transformational leadership practices and successful change implementation, assess its influence on teacher motivation and performance, and evaluate the challenges faced by transformational leaders. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 105 respondents, including teachers and education officers, through surveys, interviews, and document reviews. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between transformational leadership and effective change management, mediated by school culture and stakeholder support. Recommendations include leadership training programs and strategic stakeholder engagement to ensure sustainable improvements in educational outcomes.

Do conditional cash transfers improve intergenerational gains in educational achievement?: Evidence from Brazil’s Bolsa Familia Program

Conditional cash transfer programs are designed to interrupt the intergenerational cycle of poverty by improving health and educational outcomes. We evaluate the efficacy of the world’s largest CCT program utilizing educational outcomes from the complete administrative records at the intra-family level of Brazil’s Bolsa Família program (PBF). Although we find that younger siblings subject to the Bolsa Família conditionalities outperform their older, untreated siblings in educational attainment within the same household, the overall effect size remains substantively small. We consider the educational attainment of 15–17 year old beneficiaries with siblings who were above the age of 18 at the time of family enrollment. Our findings show precisely estimated positive effects due to the large sample, indicating that the program yields minimal improvements in educational outcomes for ‘treated’ children compared to their ‘untreated’ siblings. Additionally, we find modest differences across boy and girl sibling pairs, but consistent regional effects, underscoring the importance of local public goods provision for enhancing program efficacy.

Policy Implementation Analysis: Examining the Effectiveness of Jambi's Teacher Certification Program

Teacher quality is crucial for improving education outcomes. Indonesia introduced the Teacher Certification Program (Sertifikasi Guru) in 2005 to enhance teacher professionalism. This study investigates the program's effectiveness in Jambi Province by analyzing its impact on teacher competencies, teaching practices, and student learning outcomes. This mixed-methods study involved 300 certified and 300 non-certified teachers in Jambi Province. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires and student achievement records, analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and regression analysis. Qualitative data were gathered through interviews with 30 teachers, 10 school principals, and 5 education officials, and analyzed thematically. Certified teachers exhibited significantly higher pedagogical knowledge, subject matter knowledge, and classroom management skills than non-certified teachers. They were also more likely to employ active learning and student-centered approaches. However, the impact on student learning outcomes was modest. In conclusion, Jambi's Teacher Certification Program successfully improved teacher competencies and teaching practices. However, further efforts are needed to enhance its impact on student learning outcomes. Recommendations include strengthening the program's focus on practical application, providing ongoing professional development, and increasing school-level support for effective teaching.

“Doin’ diversity” in teacher education: beginning Black teacher discourses on learning to teach for diversity

The voices of Black preservice teachers are largely missing from discussions about teacher diversity, and one place this is evident is in teacher education diversity coursework. This article shares findings from a qualitative study using critical race methodology with five novice Black teachers’ experiences in teacher education courses focused on diversity in education. Three semi-structured life history interviews were conducted for each teacher and data were analyzed using zoom model analysis. Findings revealed that during their preservice experiences in teacher education diversity courses, Black teachers experience such learning spaces in alienating ways despite entering the program with strong commitments to improving education outcomes for Black children. Findings demonstrate that teacher educators and teacher education programs must raise the expectations for engaged learning in the diversity course in order to better support Black teachers and contribute to diversification of the teaching force in meaningful ways.

POLICY DEVELOPMENT FOR EFFECTIVE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT AMIDST DETERIORATING DISCIPLINE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KWAZULU-NATAL: CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES

The current increasing indiscipline in the secondary schools undermines the overall management of schools hence the importance of proper school management for the achievement of the set objectives is critical important(Daka, 2021). Another problem that has come to light is eroding discipline among students in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: the issues under the management of misbehaviour disrupt school administration and jeopardize the educational process. In this paper, I discuss the numerous multifaceted causes of the difficulties that current secondary schools encounter in establishing discipline. Through a review of literature, coupled with interviews with educational administrators personally encountered by the researcher, important areas of consideration, among which include the socio-economic conditions, poor school policies, and a bad influence from the community have been found to be among the important factors that contribute to the current disciplinary crisis. The study employs Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory as a framework to analyse the interconnected systems influencing school discipline, including the microsystem (family and school environments), mesosystem (interactions between school and community), exosystem (external policies and socio-economic conditions), and macrosystem (cultural and societal norms). The findings highlight the need for comprehensive and multi-faceted strategies to address these challenges effectively. Some of the key suggestions include providing practical, effective and clear disciplinary measures to be taken, enhancing school community relations, and providing teachers with training and focusing on the socio-economic factors leading to indiscipline. The study also highlights the practical recommendation as ethical leadership and inclusion of the African philosophy, specifically Ubuntu, in developing the better-discipline school climate. This study provides a valuable contribution to the literature on educational management in South and provides practical research that may be useful for policymakers, educators, and school administrators who want to improve school discipline and management. The strategies put forward present an opportunity for schools in KwaZulu-Natal to foster appropriate environment that would facilitate learning and ensure that learners gain improved education outcomes, and instil discipline insisting on accountability among llearners.

Influence of Strategy Implementation on Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya: Case Study of Bungoma County

Strategy management is crucial for organisational success, but the relationship between strategy management and performance remains unclear. In the context of public secondary schools in Kenya, the Ministry of Education has directed schools to develop and implement strategic plans. However, some schools face challenges in their strategy management. This study aimed to examine the impact of strategy implementation on academic performance in public secondary schools in Bungoma County, Kenya. The study population included 258 principals, 1,290 heads of departments, 258 bursars and quality assurance officers from 258 public secondary schools in the county. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis. The results indicated a strong positive relationship between strategy implementation and academic performance in public secondary schools. It is concluded that schools that successfully implement strategies to improve education outcomes are more likely to achieve higher academic performance than schools that do not. Recommendations of the study are that streamlining strategy formulation, implementation, and evaluation processes in public secondary schools, enforcing policies to enhance education quality and access, and empowering schools to develop tailored strategic plans are highly encouraged. These findings can inform the Ministry of Education and other education stakeholders in improving policies and practices related to strategy implementation and academic performance in secondary schools

How to improve education outcomes most efficiently? A review of the evidence using a unified metric

Many low- and middle-income countries lag far behind high-income countries in educational access and student learning. Policymakers must make tough choices about which investments to make to improve education with limited resources. Although hundreds of education interventions have been rigorously evaluated, making comparisons between the results is challenging. This paper provides the most recent and comprehensive review of the literature on effective education programs, with a novel emphasis on cost-effectiveness. We analyze the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions from over 200 impact evaluations across 52 countries. We use a unified measure — learning-adjusted years of schooling (LAYS) — that combines access and quality and compares gains to an absolute, cross-country standard. The results identify programs and policies that can be up to an order of magnitude more cost-effective than business-as-usual approaches. Examples of some of the most cost-effective approaches include targeting instruction to students’ learning level rather than grade as well as structured pedagogy approaches. These results can enable policymakers to improve education outcomes substantially more efficiently.

LEGACY AND DISAGREEMENT: INHERITANCE DISPUTES AND THEIR IMPACT ON CHILDREN'S EDUCATION IN DISTRICT DIR UPPER

This study explores the impact of inheritance disputes on family dynamics and children's education in the District Upper Dir, KP. The research aims to uncover the motivations behind the intergenerational inheritance conflicts and their influence on familial relationships, with the specific focus on how these disputes disrupt children's academic progress. Using a quantitative survey method, data was gathered from 400 respondents across four tehsils, and analyzed through the descriptive & inferential statistics. The findings reveal that inheritance disputes, often linked to property ownership, are exacerbated by the socio-economic conditions like low family income and complex joint family structures. Education emerges as a significant factor in resolving disputes more efficiently as families with the higher education levels experience shorter conflict duration. Moreover, inheritance disputes negatively impact children's school attendance & performance, with many respondents acknowledging psychological stress & increased dropout rates among the affected children. The results offered significant information for reaching the desired conclusion & findings highlight standing of addressing familial conflicts to improve education outcomes & inform policy initiatives in the region.

Beyond the Horizon: Understanding Rural Secondary School Dropout through Case Studies

Despite numerous initiatives targeted to improve education outcomes, secondary school dropout rates in rural India remain a tenacious challenge. This paper sheds light on the underlying causes of dropout rates in rural areas through a qualitative case study approach. Drawing on in-depth interviews with rural students and their parents, this study examines the interplay of poverty, gender disparities, lack of access to quality education, and social expectations that contribute to students' decisions to leave school. The findings disclose the nuanced and complex ways various dynamics intersect and influence a student's educational trajectory. By exploring the personal, familial, and community factors that shape educational experiences, this study intends to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the dropout phenomenon in rural India. The findings have implications for policymakers, educators, and community leaders seeking operative strategies to address this prominent issue.

Social impact of emotional education in the development of socioemotional competences of university teachers

The implementation of emotional education in the university setting holds significant importance within the contemporary educational landscape, as its knowledge and application have shown significant social impacts. Training in socio-emotional skills goes beyond the personal sphere of the teacher and has a positive effect on academic and social contexts. This is evidenced by the strengthening of team cohesion, the promotion of innovation, and the improvement of educational outcomes. There is a highlighted need to implement strategies to eliminate barriers in socio-emotional development, which underscores the urgency of institutional changes and collaboration to address emotional gaps. This study aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, highlighting the importance of enhancing the socio-emotional competencies of the teaching staff. The goal is to promote inclusive and equitable learning environments, in pursuit of contributing to well-being, equality, and social sustainability.

Intellectual Humility: What Shapes Its Expression and Interventions for Its Promotion

Intellectual humility is the belief that one can be intellectually limited and fallible. It is widely found that intellectual humility expression can benefit the learning process and improve education outcomes. Under a metacognitive frame, contemporary theories on Field-specific Ability Belief (FAB) argue that what one believes in the necessary "ingredients" for success decidedly affects how the external and internal factors shape the expression of intellectual humility. The versatile nature of FABs has also proven interventions effective in promoting intellectual humility expression. Recent attempts to help students through forestart programs in embracing a growth mindset have concluded successful. Longitudinal data meta-analyses have also offered empirical support addressing the necessity of refining current education for more voluntary intellectual humility expression. The findings in this paper suggest a very promising field for future studies fostering broad education improvements.

The Role of Community Engagement in Enhancing Teacher Staffing and Quality Education in Bunda District, Tanzania

The study investigates the role of community engagement in enhancing teacher staffing and the provision of quality education in Bunda District, Tanzania. In light of persistent challenges such as teacher shortages and resource constraints, the community plays a significant role in addressing these gaps by funding the hiring of Board of Management (BOM) teachers, contributing to school infrastructure, and participating in governance through Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meetings. The study employed a descriptive survey design, targeting a population of 109 primary schools, 1,290 teachers, 2,450 parents, and 1 District Education Officer (DEO). Using stratified random sampling, 28 head teachers, 278 teachers, and 370 parents were selected. Data collection instruments included questionnaires and interviews. The findings reveal that while community contributions are vital in alleviating staffing issues and improving learning conditions, they cannot substitute for government intervention. The study recommends formalizing community participation, increasing governmental support, and fostering stronger partnerships between communities and the government to achieve sustainable improvements in educational outcomes.

Fiscal Decentralization and Educational Outcomes: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan

A large number of countries are transferring financial, administrative, and political powers to the local governments. In Pakistan, devolution reforms were launched through the Local Government Ordinance in 2001. This research investigates whether the higher autonomy of district governments could improve education outcomes in their respective districts or not. The Generalized Methods of Moments is employed for a panel of 34 districts of Punjab province, Pakistan, during 2003-2015. The results reveal that fiscal decentralization improves education outcomes in Punjab province of Pakistan. The enrolment in primary school is a measure of education outcome and improved in the districts of Punjab. In addition, the decentralization process during Pervez Musharraf's regime could not change the structure of the economy as a whole. Therefore, decentralization of the education sector in all provinces is suggested to reinforce the benefits of fiscal decentralization.

Beyond medical knowledge: a didactic curriculum focused on knowledge, wisdom, and application.

The aim of this study was to determine whether a flipped classroom curriculum coupled with case-based learning would improve residents' perceptions of the learning environment, improve education outcomes, and increase faculty engagement. Research suggests that active learning yields better educational results compared with passive learning. However, faculty are more comfortable providing lectures that require only passive participation from learners. A council was created to identify issues with the current format of the resident didactic curriculum and to redesign the neurosurgical curriculum and conference per Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements. Trends from the authors' 2022 and 2023 ACGME Resident Surveys were tracked to assess changes in the organizational learning environment. Surveys of resident participants were conducted to assess learner satisfaction. Between July 2022 and June 2023, the authors gathered 127 survey responses from neurosurgical residents. The majority of respondents, comprising 50.4% (n = 64), were postgraduate year (PGY)-4 and PGY-5 residents. Sixty-six percent (n = 84) reported that the new format ranked within the top third of sessions they had experienced. On analysis of trends from these 2022 and 2023 ACGME Resident Surveys, the authors observed a positive trajectory in various key components. Notably, there was an upward trend in achieving an appropriate balance between service and education, in the availability of protected time for structured learning, faculty engagement and interest in education, and amount of clinical and didactic teaching. The results of this study suggest that this innovative educational model can have a positive impact on residents' perceptions of the learning environment, their educational outcomes, and faculty engagement. As residency education continues to evolve, the flipped classroom model offers an exciting avenue for enhancing the quality of residency education.

Research on Industry-Education Integration Model of Vocational Education Applying Automatic Coding

Abstract Many applied undergraduate institutions in China have recognized that the integration of industry and education is essential for the advancement and innovation of educational practices. To expedite the development of this integration within vocational education, this paper introduces the Genetic Automatic Coding Assisted Integration of Industry and Education Teaching Mode. This approach begins with the cultivation of vocational education talents in higher education institutions, offering a comprehensive analysis of the industry-education fusion mode and delineating its implementation strategies and guiding principles. Employing the principles of automatic coding, the curriculum content of this integration mode is represented through genetic algorithm gene coding. The model for genetic automatic coding in industry-education integration for vocational education is established by assessing the compatibility of the integration mode and incorporating mechanisms for conflict detection and mutation crossover. The empirical analysis reveals that in genetic automatic coding, the eigenvalues stabilize after approximately 200 iterations. This suggests that this method enhances scheduling effectiveness in the vocational education-oriented industry-education fusion mode. Moreover, the results indicate a significant improvement in educational outcomes: students in the experimental group, where this model was applied, achieved an average assessment score of 88.38, compared to 78.47 in the control group. This substantial improvement confirms that the industry-education fusion mode, underpinned by genetic automatic coding, not only enhances the quality of education but also boosts students’ mastery of professional courses.

Student Performance Prediction

Abstract: Assessing student’s learning performance is a fundamental aspect of evaluating educational systems, playing a pivotal role in addressing challenges within the learning process and measuring learning outcomes. The emergence of educational data mining (EDM) as a research field has harnessed the power of data and knowledge to enhance education systems. EDM involves the development of techniques to analyze data collected from educational environments, offering a more comprehensive understanding of students and facilitating improvements in educational outcomes. The integration of machine learning (ML) technology has witnessed substantial growth, enabling researchers and educators to leverage data mining insights to predict and simulate educational processes, including success rates, dropouts, and more. This research paper explores the analysis of students' performance through data mining methods. It employs classification technique to discern the early-stage impact on GPA. In the classification methodology, various machine learning models are experimented with to predict student performance in the early stages, incorporating diverse features such as course grades and admission test scores. The paper employs different assessment metrics to evaluate model performance. The findings underscore the potential of educational systems to proactively address the risk of student failures during their initial stages of education

The integration of haptic training into the QMUL dental curriculum.

The Pandemic has challenged clinical dentistry globally with the dental education sector seeking alternative training environments. Virtual reality (VR) is gaining recognition as a valuable tool for training dental students and its use by dental schools around the world is growing. The continuous improvement of haptic VR dental trainers provides a platform where irreversible procedures can be safely and unlimitedly practised. This driver has led to the exploration and investment into virtual technology to improve education outcomes in dental students. The aim of this study was to share the early experience of a dental school in the United Kingdom that has initiated the process of embedding haptics into their simulation training within the dental curriculum. This paper explores the process of embedding and operationalising haptic training within the undergraduate curriculum. Using current knowledge of education pedagogy, the school aligned to an evidence-based, best-practice framework which utilised the concept of deliberate practice in the development of the Haptics curriculum which was adaptable and iterative in design. This paper contextualises the implementation of haptic training in a UK dental education setting by providing an outline of the framework used to develop the curriculum. Virtual reality haptics trainers have created unique opportunities and challenges for dental schools. Dental educators have sought to utilise this technology in a structured framework to enhance training.

Policies for increasing school completion rates for the poor

Human capital accumulated through education is a key factor in increasing individual income. Therefore, policies that aid in increasing school enrollment and completion rates among the poor are essential for poverty alleviation. Despite the fact that primary school enrollment rates in developing countries have increased, there remains a significant gap in school completion rates. This study focuses on the decisions individuals make regarding completing their education to obtain future job-related skills. We clarify factors that increase school enrollment and completion rates and indicate the effectiveness and priority of policies to increase the rates through a simple model. Our findings suggest that school policies have limited impact on increasing school enrollment and completion rates, particularly among the poor, who tend to have a high discount rate for the future and focus on the current situation. Therefore, policies that aim to reduce their discount rate should be prioritized. Moreover, we found that extending learning hours at school has a negative impact on the school completion rates of students from poor families. Therefore, policies aimed at improving individual learning environments are effective in increasing rates, especially for the poor. These findings have important implications for policymakers and education practitioners seeking to improve education outcomes and alleviate poverty, especially in developing countries.

Transitional pathways through middle school for First Nations students in the Northern Territory of Australia

The middle-school years (Year 7 to Year 9) is a particular challenge for socially disadvantaged populations, with high proportions of children either repeating school years or dropping out of school. In Australia, a group of particular concern is First Nations children for whom there is a collective effort by all governments to improve education outcomes, although there have been few studies of their transition through the middle-school years. This retrospective study, using individual-level linked data, followed a cohort of 7881 First Nations students for 2 years after enrolment in Year 7 (Y7) in any Northern Territory (NT) government school in the years from 2008 to 2014 to quantify the transitional pathways through middle school and identify the factors associated with faltering progress. We used multinomial multilevel logistic regression to identify the factors associated with school dropout and repeating Y7 or Y8 (Y7/8). Two years after Y7 enrolment, eight in ten First Nations students progressed to Y9 (78.8%), more than one in ten students had dropped out of school (13.3%) before reaching Y9, and one in 12 (7.9%) repeated Y7/8. The likelihood of either dropping out of school or repeating years was higher among students who were enrolled in Y7 when aged less than 11.5 years, had a low Y7 school attendance rate, moved to either interstate or non-government schools and who lived in a remote area. Students who were not born in the NT and those with a record of substantiated child maltreatment during Y7 were more likely to repeat Y7/8. Planning interventions to improve school retention through the middle-school years should consider these factors.

Impact of the School Literacy Movement on Reading Skills of Grade I Students

The weak levels of reading and writing skills among the Indonesian population have become a pressing education issue in the country. In response, the government introduced the School Literacy Movement program in 2015, aiming to foster a reading culture among students. This study employs a quantitative approach to analyze the effect of the School Literacy Movement on the reading skills of grade I students at SD Muhammadiyah 2 Tulangan. Data collection techniques included tests and questionnaires, with a sample of 24 students. The results indicate that the School Literacy Movement has a significant positive impact on students' reading skills, as reflected in an Adjusted R Square value of 73.8%. Over 50% of students displayed excellent reading abilities, indicating the effectiveness of the literacy initiative. This research highlights the importance of the School Literacy Movement in enhancing reading proficiency among young learners and calls for continued support and implementation of similar programs to improve education outcomes in Indonesia. Highlight: The study addresses the issue of weak reading and writing skills among the Indonesian population, and the government's response through the implementation of the school literacy movement program. Using a quantitative method, the research analyzes the impact of the school literacy movement on the reading skills of grade I students at SD Muhammadiyah 2 Tulangan, with a sample size of 24 students. The findings reveal a significant positive effect of the school literacy movement on students' reading skills, as indicated by an Adjusted R Square value of 73.8%. More than 50% of students displayed excellent reading abilities, underscoring the success of the literacy initiative in fostering diligent reading habits among young learners. Keyword: Weak Literacy, School Literacy Movement, Reading Skills, Grade I Students, Quantitative Method