Junior Secondary Students Research Articles

The impact of teachers’ effectiveness on students’ academic achievement of science in junior secondary grades in batticaloa West Zone, Sri Lanka

Understanding the impact of teachers’ effectiveness on students’ achievement of science subject is important in determining effective and valid performance of science education for secondary schools in Sri Lanka. The Objective of this study is to find out the correlation of teachers’ effectiveness (TE) and Academic achievement (AA) of science subject in secondary school students in urban and Semi-urban area in the Batticaloa district. In this study was a design survey method was used and directed at the population of junior secondary students in the Batticaloawest zone, Sri Lanka. Sixteen school of Type 2 were selected from this research area. These schools were stratified into urban (7) and semi-urban (9) schools. 636 students who studied in grade 6 and9 (junior secondary) students were selected at random. The research instruments, questionnaire format titled teachers ‘questionnaire; it's to measure the TE and responses about the student's attitude to the science subject. Grades gained of academic achievement of the science subject (AA) at the final examination of grade 6 and 9 in zonal level. Reliability was checked by test-retest after three weeks for the TE. The very high correlations obtained reveal the reliability of the instruments of measurement. Null hypotheses were postulated from objectives and tested at 0.05 level of significant to determine how the impact of TE correlates on students’ academic achievement (AA) in science. The data was collected through questionnaire related to the variable. Mixed method was used to analysis and SPSS which include Chi-Square test, t-test and Pearson Product Moment correlation coefficient was used in analyses. There is only a significant relationship between the sub-variables of TE among grade 6 students and their achievement of science subject. At the same time, there is no relationship between low and high levels of TE and grade 6 and 9 achievement of science subject. Likewise there is no relationship between the sub-variable of TE and grade 9 achievement of science subject. That is, there is no relationship between the TE at any level (grades 6 or 9) and their achievement of science subject. Also, there is no relationship between the sub-variables of TE (TP, TM, and IP) and grade 9. There is a relationship between the sub-variables of TE (TP, TM, and IP) and the achievement of science subject among the grade 9 students.

Status of hookworm infection in junior secondary students, Bwari Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria

Hookworm infection has long been classified as the second most common parasitic helminth disease of the tropic and sub-tropic most especially because besides its grievous public health implications, some of which are due to the pathological damage it causes in the human host’s tissue and organs, the disease also has negative impacts on both human and socio-economic developments in communities where it is endemic. This study aims to verify the prevalence and intensity of hookworm infection in secondary school students in Bwari Area Council, FCT, Abuja. Four secondary schools namely, Government Secondary School, Law School Road, St. Theresa’s Catholic Schools, Government Secondary School, Kuduru and Government Secondary School, Zuma II, were selected randomly as case study. Four hundred and eighty (480) stool specimens (i.e., 120 from each school) were collected exclusively from the Junior Secondary School students of these schools, ensuring that both sexes were equally represented in those to supply the stool specimens. Microscopic examination of the stool specimens was carried out using saline and iodine wet mounts, brine floatation and centrifugation/sedimentation methods to check for presence of ova of hookworm. Result obtained showed that only 167(34.8%) stool specimens contained ova of hookworm of which 107(64.1%) were those from male students and 60(35.9%) were from females. 67(62.6%) were from those within the age bracket of 9-13 years while the other 40(37.4%) were those from 14-18 years age bracket. Similarly, 33(55%) of the infected females were within 9-13 years’ age bracket while the rest 27(45%) were between 14-18 years. Further classification of the result revealed JSS 2 and JSS3 students as having the highest prevalence with 67(40.1%) and 57(34.8%), respectively, while JSS 1 had low infection with 43(25.7%). When infections amongst the schools were compared, it was found that Government Secondary School, Zuma II, had the highest with 48(40%) while the rest Government Secondary School, Law School Road, St. Theresa’s Catholic Schools and Government Secondary School, Kuduru, had 40(33.3%), 36(30%) and 43(35.3%), respectively. the study has confirmed that hookworm exist in Bwari Area Council. The observed high prevalence of infection amongst male students between the 9-13 years age bracket cannot therefore be unconnected with their active engagement in farming, hunting, sports (such as football, athletics, etc.) and other extra-curricular activities that make them expose themselves to unprotected and hookworm-infested soils. Prompt treatment of known cases beside adequate and regular health education campaign in primary, secondary, work places and public markets on the need for proper hygiene practices and regular environmental sanitation and avoidance indiscriminate human faecal disposal.Keywords: Hookworm; prevalence; intensity; secondary school; students; Bwari.

EFFECTS OF BULLYING ON LEARNING AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MUBI EDUCATIONAL ZONE OF ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA

The study examined the effects of bullying on learning among secondary school students in Mubi Educational Zone. It also investigated the factors associated with bullying and its psychological consequences. The study adopted a survey design. The population consisted of all the secondary school students, out of which a sample of 400 students were selected from four secondary schools through stratified random sampling technique using sex, age and class level as strata. The instrument was adapted from Omoteso (2010) and Asiyai (2015). The validity of the instrument was carried out by two experts both in Counselling Psychology and Test and Measurement, while test-retest method was carried out to determine the reliability of the instrument, and the reliability coefficient was 0.82. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as simple percentage and t-tests analysis. Results showed that the forms of bullying among the students were hitting/ flogging, injuries, threatening, and rumour spreading. Many students had been involved in relational bullying. Watching violent films and retaliation for being bullied in the past were some of the factors associated with bullying. The results also showed that bullying has a lot of effects on students learning. There was a significant difference between the behaviour of male and female students. The study also showed that there was a significant difference in the bullying behaviour of junior and senior secondary school students. In conclusion, bullying has a lot of negative consequences on the children. The children suffer torments and harassments and it can cause life-long damage to the bullied and the bullies. If a school fails to deal with bullying, it can endanger the safety of all the students and teachers. The study recommended that there should be a school-wide education, training and bullying prevention programmes. The teachers should have skills and knowledge in classroom management and control, as a result, a student friendly environment should be established in the classroom. Article visualizations:

Assessments in CLIL: the interplay between cognitive and linguistic demands and their progression in secondary education

ABSTRACT In Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) programmes, students learn content knowledge and a second/foreign language (L2) simultaneously. It follows that both content and language are assessed, although research on how to do so remains scarce. This study explores the interplay between cognitive and linguistic demands of CLIL assessments. Having analysed over 4900 questions in Science/Biology textbooks, workbooks and examination papers in Hong Kong, we observed that junior secondary assessments were dominated by low-level cognitive (i.e. recall of knowledge) and linguistic (i.e. no production or word-level production) demands, whereas senior secondary assessments required higher-order thinking skills (i.e. application and analysis of knowledge) expressed in sentences or even texts. Also, based on the analysis of 70 junior secondary students’ performance in school examination papers, we noticed a potential hindrance of linguistic demands to students’ performance in CLIL assessments. These findings together underscore the integral role of language in CLIL assessments and raise questions about the adequacy of existing pedagogical practices in preparing students to tackle both cognitive and linguistic demands in CLIL assessments, particularly when they proceed to higher grade levels where the demands in both dimensions leap. These have significant implications for CLIL assessment design, pedagogy and teacher education.

Student continuance of learning management system use: A longitudinal exploration

Although previous research into technology acceptance has been conducted in organisational and higher education contexts on a range of technologies, no study has provided an understanding of junior school students' e-learning technologies acceptance via a longitudinal approach. This study proposed a two-stage model drawn from the technology acceptance model and the expectation-confirmation model to explain and predict young school students' continued use of learning management systems (LMSs). The hypothesized model was examined with a three-wave longitudinal survey of 1182 junior secondary students from 25 Hong Kong secondary schools. The results of a structural equation modelling analysis of the survey data confirm the hypothesized model. The results show that although perceived ease of use is not significantly related to the intention to use an LMS at the initial use stage, its relationships with the intention to use an LMS and satisfaction with an LMS use become stronger in later use stages. In contrast, though perceived usefulness has the strongest relationship with intention and satisfaction, these relationships become weaker over time. In addition to user beliefs, students' LMS use is also significantly related to satisfaction. The results also support the effect of satisfaction in predicting LMS continuance intention. Explanations of these findings are discussed. The findings provide future directions for studies on young school students’ e-learning technologies acceptance and empirical evidences for practitioners to better promote LMS in school curricula.

Development and Validation of Web-based Courseware for Junior Secondary School Basic Technology Students in Nigeria

This research aimed to develop and validate a web-based courseware for junior secondary school basic technology students in Nigeria. In this study, a mixed method quantitative pilot study design with qualitative components was used to test and ascertain the ease of development and validation of the web-based courseware. Dick and Carey instructional system design model was adopted for developing the courseware. Convenience sampling technique was used in selecting the three content, computer and educational technology experts to validate the web-based courseware. Non-randomized and non-equivalent Junior secondary school students from two schools were used for field trial validation. Four validating instruments were employed in conducting this study: (i) Content Validation Assessment Report (CVAR); (ii) Computer Expert Validation Assessment Report (CEAR); (iii) Educational Technology Experts Validation Assessment Report (ETEVAR); and (iv) Students Validation Questionnaire (SVQ). All the instruments were face and content validated. SVQ was pilot tested and reliability coefficient of 0.85 was obtained using Cronbach Alpha. CVAR, CEAR, ETEVAR were administered on content specialists, computer experts, and educational technology experts, while SVQ was administered on 83 JSS students from two selected secondary schools in Minna. The findings revealed that the process of developing web-based courseware using Dick and Carey Instructional System Design was successful. In addition, the report from the validating team revealed that the web-based courseware is valuable for learning basic technology. It is therefore recommended that web-based courseware should be produced to teach basic technology concepts on large scale.

Representations as mediation between purposes as junior secondary science students learn about the human body

ABSTRACTThe aim of this article is to investigate students’ meaning-making processes of multiple representations during a teaching sequence about the human body in lower secondary school. Two main influences are brought together to accomplish the analysis: on the one hand, theories on signs and representations as scaffoldings for learning and, on the other hand, pragmatist theories on how continuity between the purposes of different inquiry activities can be sustained. Data consist of 10 videotaped and transcribed lessons with 14-year-old students (N = 26) in Sweden. The analysis focused instances where meaning of representations was negotiated. Findings indicate that continuity is established in multiple ways, for example, as the use of metaphors articulated as an interlanguage expression that enables the students (and the teacher) to maintain the conversation and explain pressing issues in ways that support of the end-in-view of the immediate action. Continuity is also established between every day and scientific registers and between organisation levels as well as between the smaller parts and the whole system.

Representasi Sosial Mengenai Siswa dengan Disabilitas pada Siswa Non-Disabilitas SMP Inklusi di DKI Jakarta

This study looks at how children with disabilities are socially represented in inclusive schools. A number of 371 junior secondary students without disabilities were recruited from 6 inclusive schools in Jakarta. In a free association fashion, they were stimulated with a phrase “student with disabilities” and their responses were recorded. They were asked to evaluate their own responses as containing positive, negative, or neutral prototypical characteristics and scored according to the affective loading. The results indicated that even in inclusive school, children with disabilities were socially represented as individuals who are “lacking of abilities”, “difficult to communicate”, “stupid”, and so on. We aslo asked students to fill the Swearer Bully Survey- Student Version (BYS-S) and found that students with disabilities were bullied by their peers.

Secondary school tuck shop options and student choices: A cross‐sectional survey

AbstractObesity in children is rapidly becoming a major public health problem in Hong Kong; the prevalence of overweight in children increased from 16.2% to 22.2% between 1998 and 2008. Healthy eating programs and policies exist, but only for primary schools, and students’ eating habits change when they are exposed to the new environment in secondary schools. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between available food in secondary school tuck shops and students’ purchasing preferences. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted from mid‐March to mid‐April 2016 across six secondary schools, using a questionnaire to measure students’ healthy eating knowledge and eating habits and a checklist to explore food options in each school's tuck shop. Linear regression was used to explore the relationship between eating knowledge and eating habits and logistic regression to explore the relationship between available foods at the tuck shops and the children's purchasing preferences. A total of 374 junior secondary students participated in the survey. A weak, positive correlation was found between healthy eating knowledge and healthy eating habits. No association was found between available food at tuck shops and children's purchasing preferences. The results reveal a definite knowledge‐attitude gap where healthy eating is concerned. Despite there being no significant association between the food offerings in tuck shops and students’ measured purchasing preferences (p > .05), 81% of the students stated that they would choose healthy food if offered, illustrating the urgent need to assess the variety and nutritional quality of foods available in secondary school tuck shops.

Instructional Resources and Teachers' Facilitation of Skill Based Subjects on Attainment of Entrepreneurial Skills by Junior Secondary Students' in Rivers East Educational Zone, Nigeria

Instructional Resources and Teachers' Facilitation of Skill Based Subjects on Attainment of Entrepreneurial Skills by Junior Secondary Students' in Rivers East Educational Zone, Nigeria

Ideal pictures and actual perspectives of junior secondary school science: comparisons drawn from Australian students in an astronomy education programme

Background: This research investigates the impact of a junior secondary astronomy education programme undertaken in four Australian educational jurisdictions.Purpose: Junior secondary students’ perceptions of the science they experience at School are examined both before, during and after their engagement with a science programme targeting astronomy.Programme description: The programme involved using remotely controlled telescopes over the Internet.Sample: Non-randomised opportunity sampling was employed to recruit participants. Schools were drawn from both public (16) and private (14) sectors. Participants were 1427 students comprising 769 Year 7, 439 Year 8 and 219 Year 9.Design and methods: A concurrent nested mixed method approach was used to investigate the impact of the programme on students’ perceptions of science at high school. Data were collected using a pre/post questionnaire coupled with semi-structured interviews with a sample of participants.Results: Students exhibited negative perceptions of science at school prior to the commencement of the programme. Programme implementation covaried with highly significant changes in students’ perceptions of science.Conclusions: The research highlights the importance of the teacher’s role and the way in which school science is implemented as being crucial contributors to the movement of students’ perceptions.

LEARNING MOTIVATION AND PERCEPTION OF THE TEACHERS’ PEDAGOGIC COMPETENCE AND LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT IN SOCIAL SCIENCE OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

This present study aims at investigating the relation between learning motivation and junior secondary level students’ learning achievement in social science, figuring out the relation between learning motivation and teachers’ pedagogic competence toward the students learning achievement. A number of 70 students are randomly selected as the sample of this study. The data are collected through questionnaire. This study reveals that; 1) the positive and significant relation between learning motivation altogether with teachers’ pedagogic competence and students learning achievement in social science subject, 2) a positive and significant relation between learning motivation and the perception of teachers’ pedagogic competence toward the students learning achievement in social science subject.

Pengembangan pembelajaran PAI model student facilitator and explaining pada kelas VII SMP Negeri 1 Puri Mojokerto

Learning PAI (Islamic Education) seeks to increase the interest of students to develop the knowledge, skills and ability to think about nature and its contents are full of secrets endless. Based Permendiknas No. 23 of 2006, Standard Competency Education Unit (SKL-SP) SMP / MTS include: students can find and apply information from the environment and other sources logically, critically and creatively, and students can demonstrate the ability analyze and solve problems in everyday life. The purpose of development research are: 1) to describe the model of PAI that has been applied in SMP Negeri 1 Puri Mojokerto 2) Describe the product feasibility PAI learning for junior secondary students and secondary review of aspects of the model Student Facilitator and Explaining 3) Produce Learning PAI student Facilitator and explaining the model that corresponds to the culture and character of students in SMP Negeri 1 Puri Mojokerto Products PAI learning facilitator and explaining the model student has been accomplished based analysis of trial data. Based on the measures that have been implemented can be concluded as follows. 1). Products are revised based on theoretically and empirically test results are: Revised by students by questionnaire: Change to increase the attractiveness of the model 2) Products that are developed interesting for classical learning in the classroom and independently. 3) The product of these products can ease the burden of teachers in teaching. 4) The results of expert validation and testing, PAI Learning Facilitator and explaining the model student is fit for use for subjects of Natural Sciences (PAI). 5) Products that are developed can increase students' motivation, and motivation is one of the conditions of implementation of productive models.

Pengembangan pembelajaran PAI model student facilitator and explaining pada kelas VII SMP Negeri 1 Puri Mojokerto

Learning PAI (Islamic Education) seeks to increase the interest of students to develop the knowledge, skills and ability to think about nature and its contents are full of secrets endless. Based Permendiknas No. 23 of 2006, Standard Competency Education Unit (SKL-SP) SMP / MTS include: students can find and apply information from the environment and other sources logically, critically and creatively, and students can demonstrate the ability analyze and solve problems in everyday life. The purpose of development research are: 1) to describe the model of PAI that has been applied in SMP Negeri 1 Puri Mojokerto 2) Describe the product feasibility PAI learning for junior secondary students and secondary review of aspects of the model Student Facilitator and Explaining 3) Produce Learning PAI student Facilitator and explaining the model that corresponds to the culture and character of students in SMP Negeri 1 Puri Mojokerto Products PAI learning facilitator and explaining the model student has been accomplished based analysis of trial data. Based on the measures that have been implemented can be concluded as follows. 1). Products are revised based on theoretically and empirically test results are: Revised by students by questionnaire: Change to increase the attractiveness of the model 2) Products that are developed interesting for classical learning in the classroom and independently. 3) The product of these products can ease the burden of teachers in teaching. 4) The results of expert validation and testing, PAI Learning Facilitator and explaining the model student is fit for use for subjects of Natural Sciences (PAI). 5) Products that are developed can increase students' motivation, and motivation is one of the conditions of implementation of productive models.

An exploratory study of ESL writing by junior secondary students in China: text type, register and textual features

While interest in L2 writing research has increased exponentially in recent years, research on adolescent L2 writing remains relatively scarce. Drawing on the framework of functional text analysis, namely context-based text typology and register theory, the present study aimed to explore Chinese adolescent L2 writing from the perspective of writing as meaning making. Ten instances of writing tasks written by a class of 50 junior secondary students from Guangzhou, China were collected. Context-based text typology and field, mode tenor from register theory were used to analyze the participants’ writing. The findings revealed that recommending was the dominant text type in the students’ writing because of the influence of the exam-driven culture. Moreover, tenor awareness was lacking in the students’ writing. Relevant Chinese secondary L2 writing curriculum design and pedagogy recommendations are provided.

Perceived effectiveness and satisfaction of a community-based positive youth development program: findings based on high school students

AbstractThis study examined participants’ perceptions of a community-based positive youth development (PYD) program (the Project P.A.T.H.S.) based on the responses of 16,420 junior secondary students who joined the program in 2015. Subjective outcome evaluation approach was adopted to examine the students’ views of program content, program instructors, and program effectiveness. Consistent with previous studies, results showed that students generally perceived the program positively, and positive relationships were found amongst the three domains of evaluation. Multiple regression analyses showed that perceived program content and instructor qualities were significant predictors and could explain 35% of the variance in program effectiveness perceived by the participants. The present findings are basically consistent with previous subjective outcome evaluation findings derived from the school-based and community-based programs of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong.

Exploring junior secondary students’ plagiarism behavior

Inquiry project-based learning is a contemporary focus area in curriculum development around the world. This new learning approach requires students to locate appropriate information from various sources in order to satisfy their information needs under strict anti-plagiarism requirements. However, technological advancement inadvertently allows convenient plagiarism opportunities. Students must learn how to enhance their academic integrity and not to copy information directly from readily available sources like the Internet. This study investigated junior secondary students’ standard of academic integrity. Data was collected through information literacy tests, plagiarism checks on student group projects and structured interviews. Poor information literacy and language abilities were found to be potential factors behind poor academic practice, and academic integrity teaching proved to be largely effective. Therefore, related teaching should be further included in the school curriculum starting at the junior secondary level. Including a statement of academic honesty as part of school policy could also heighten students’ awareness of academic integrity and bring about plagiarism-free learning to actualize genuine education.

Effects of Two Modes of Active Learning Strategies on School Age Childrens’ Civic Competence in Leadership Value Concepts in Social Studies and Civic Education

The civic competence of school age children has become questionable as a result of inappropriate leadership value manifestations. Active learning strategies have been suggested to serve as a panacea to this problem. However, the use of these strategies in the social studies and civic education classrooms are very rare in Nigerian secondary schools. This study, therefore, determined the effects of two modes of active learning strategies (case study and puzzle-based games) on school age children civic competence in leadership value concepts in social studies and civic education in Delta State, Nigeria. The study adopted the pre-test-post-test, control group quasi-experimental design. Junior secondary students in Delta state made up the population of the study. Multi-stage and simple random sampling techniques were employed in arriving at the sample. A total of two hundred and sixty – five students made up the study sample. Civic Competence Scale (r=0.68), Conventional Lecture Method Guide (r=0.78), Case Study Strategy Guide (r=0.60) and Puzzle-Based Instructional Games Strategy Guide (r=0.67) were used as instruments for data collection. Data were analysed using Analysis of Covariance, Estimated Marginal Mean and Scheffe Pair-wise Comparism at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study showed that though there is a significant main effect of treatment on school age childrens’ civic competence, the puzzle-based games strategy enhanced their civic competence better than the case study strategy. Consistent exploration of these strategies in the social studies and civic education classrooms in Nigerian schools was recommended. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2016.v6n2p213

Family Structure and School Age Children’s Achievement in and Attitude to Leadership Value Concepts in Social Studies and Civic Education

Western education in Nigeria led to the involvement of schools in the maintenance of appropriate leadership values.However, appropriate leadership value manifestations among school age children in Nigeria who are the futureleaders are lacking. To maintain these values, studies have suggested that the family structure of a child plays animportant role. This study, therefore, using two modes of active learning strategies as treatment packages,determined the moderating effect of family structure on school age children’s’ achievement in and attitude toleadership value concepts in social studies and civic education in Delta State, Nigeria. The study adopted thepre-test-post-test, control group quasi-experimental design. Junior secondary students in Delta state made up thepopulation of the study. Multi-stage and simple random sampling techniques were employed in arriving at thesample. A total of two hundred and sixty – five students made up the study sample. Students’ Achievement inLeadership Values Test (r=0.90) and Students’ Attitude to Leadership Values Scale (r=0.78) were used asinstruments for data collection. Data were analysed using Analysis of Covariance, Estimated Marginal Mean andScheffé Pair-wise Comparism. The findings of the study showed that though family structure has a significant effecton students’ achievement in leadership value concepts in social studies and civic education, it is not so for students’attitude. Based on this finding, it was recommended that classroom teachers should take into consideration home –background factors in the teaching – learning process and consciously guide the learners into healthy communicationand relationships among themselves and the teacher.

A typology of student reading engagement: Preparing for response to intervention in the school curriculum

This study seeks to develop a typology of students’ reading engagement through secondary analysis of international sampled survey data. It aims at providing research-based evidences informing teachers how to help readers advance in reading performance. It hopes that when students complete junior secondary schooling (Grade 7–9) at age 15, more students can read happily, widely and skillfully. After establishing that Fondness for reading, Aspiration for reading, and Good at reading are three pertinent facets of reading engagement affecting reading literacy performance, the effects of variables pertaining to these facets are examined using Macao-China data drawn from the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009 Reading Literacy Study. The present study adopts a person-centered approach to arrive at a typology of eight latent clusters of students, each of which is identified with specific reading engagement characteristics. Response to reading intervention can then be proposed to help successive cohorts of junior secondary students enhance their reading literacy performance.