Perceptions Of Secondary School Teachers Research Articles

Human Rights Education: Exploring the Safety of Teachers in South African Secondary Public Schools

This paper examined the extent and nature of safety for teachers in their different school settings and further underscored the importance of safety for teachers in the school context. The current school environment is violent owing to the increasing lack of teachers’ ability to maintain order in schools due to the uncertain alternatives to corporal punishment. This creates a hostile learning environment that weakens the teachers’ position of power and prohibits them from using their authority and fulfilling their duty to provide learners with compassionate monitoring. A qualitative interpretivist research paradigm was used in this study employing Critical Emancipatory Research (CER) as a research framework. A CER framework aims to strengthen the liberating, enlightening, emancipating, and empowering democratic values of equality and justice among the researcher and the participants in the research setting. A team of four teachers, a principal, and the School Governing Body (SGB) member from each school were purposively sampled to apply the principles of PAR in Lejweleputswa District in the Free State Province in South Africa. A focused group was employed to answer the following questions: What are the perceptions of secondary school teachers regarding their safety in the school setting? To what extent does learners’ violent behaviour threaten teachers’ safety at schools? And, how can teachers be assisted to change their minds regarding Human Rights Education as a tool for peaceful education? Data was analysed thematically. The findings of this research showed that teachers do not feel safe at their workplace, they fear both learners and parents who most of the time come to humiliate them physically and emotionally in front of their learners. The study contributes to a debate on the safety of teachers in schools for professional development. Keywords: Human Rights Education, Teacher-Learner Relationships, Teachers’ Safety, Parental Involvement.

Impact of Boko Haram Insurgency on Educational Infrastructure Development in Potiskum Local Government Area, Yobe State, Nigeria: A Perception Study

Security threat is a phenomenon that is currently drawing the attention of everybody across the globe. However, the activities of Boko Haram insurgency in north-eastern Nigeria in recent time have significantly affected educational activities in the region. This paper focused on the Perception of secondary school teachers on the impact of Boko Haram insurgency on Government Senior Secondary School Infrastructure development in local Government in Potiskum, Yobe State. The study adopted survey research design. The population of the study comprised all teachers and school administrators in Government Senior Secondary Schools in Potiskum which amounted to 729. Samples of 248 respondents were randomly selected from the population. Questionnaire designed along a Likert scale was used for data collection. The data collected were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, the descriptive statistics used include; mean, standard deviation and percentage, while graphs and charts were used to present the data. The Inferential statistics used was Paired-tTest. The findings of the study revealed that, Boko Haram insurgency has negatively affected the school infrastructure in Government Senior Secondary Schools in Potiskum. Besides, the hypotheses tested at 5% were significant (sig-v. >P = 0.05). The study thereby concluded that, infrastructures, in Government Senior Secondary Schools in Potiskum have been affected by activities of Boko Haram. Finally, the study recommended that, government should make provision for infrastructures destroyed by Boko Haram insurgency. Keywords: Boko Haram, Security threat, Perception, insurgency, infrastructure

Employees' Perception of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and Its Implementation Effectin Malawi’s Shire Highlands Education Division.

There have been dynamics in the pension systems globally which have witnessed various countries embracing the pension reforms within their Pension Scheme arrangements in respective jurisdictions. This evolution compelled Malawi to introduce the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) in 2011, targeting all employees, but received it with mixed feelings. This study purposed to establish public secondary school teachers’ perception of the CPS and its implementation effect. The study was guided by three objectives which were; to assess secondary school teachers’ knowledge levels of the CPS; to describe the perception of secondary school teachers about the CPS, and to establish factors that influence secondary school teachers’ perception of the CPS. A mixed method approach was used with questionnaires and scheduled interviews as data collection tools. Slovin’s formulae was used to derive the sample size of 240 employees from the 2000 target population. Purposive and random sampling were used as sampling techniques in which 240 were targeted for questionnaire administration on drop-and-pick-basis, while 5 respondents were selected purposively for qualitative data collection through scheduled interviews. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data using SPSS V25 while qualitative data was firstly organized, reviewed and later themedfor content analysis. The response rate was 90.8%. The study results show that secondary school teachers’ knowledge levels of the CPS are low as indicated by 50% of the respondents. Similarly, 57% stated that they do not accept the CPS as a replacement to Defined Benefit Pension Scheme (DBPS) owing to the haphazard manner in which it was implemented with a strong perception that it was devoid of stakeholder consultation / engagement.On the other hand, 62% stated that they did not receive required scheme transaction and funds information of the new pension scheme as a major factor for the none acceptance, contrary to the aspirations of the Agency-Principal Theory. To this effect, the study concluded that despite the many merits of the CPS, employees are lacking some basic information on how their contributions are made, kept, and the pre-retirement utilization of the same by the Administrative Managers. Therefore, the study strongly recommends a paradigm shift in the management and administration of the scheme, by among others, entrenching principles of corporate governance of being transparent, accountable, ethical, responsible, and responsive to the primary stakeholders’ information needs from government and Administrators / Managers of the scheme in the manner of handling the funds on behalf of the pensioners as the same has implications on employees’ work motivation. There must be intentional communication to all pensioners in raising awareness of all activities related, and /or incidental to the pension scheme in order to demystify all misconceptions and negative publicity of funds misuse by the Administrators and Managers.

Examining the Relationship between 21st Century Skills and Individual Career Management Perceptions of Secondary School Teachers

Araştırmanın amacı, ortaokul öğretmenlerinin 21. Yüzyıl becerileri ile bireysel kariyer yönetimi algıları arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemektir. Ortaokul öğretmenlerinin 21. Yüzyıl becerileri ile bireysel kariyer yönetimi algıları cinsiyet, yaş, mesleki kıdem, branş, eğitim durumu, mezuniyet durumu gibi değişkenler açısından karşılaştırılmıştır. Bu bakımdan araştırma betimsel nitelikli ilişkisel tarama araştırmasıdır. Araştırmanın verileri, 2020-2021 eğitim öğretim yılında 301 öğretmenden toplanmıştır. Katılımcılar amaca uygun örneklem yöntemiyle belirlenmiştir. Araştırmanın verileri “Kişisel bilgi formu”, “21. Yüzyıl becerileri yeterlik algısı ölçeği” ve “Bireysel kariyer yönetimi gerçekleştirme düzeyi ölçeği” ile toplanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde frekans, yüzde, aritmetik ortalama, bağımsız gruplar için t testi, tek yönlü varyans analizi ve korelasyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda, Ortaokul öğretmenlerinin 21. Yüzyıl becerilerine yönelik algıları yüksek düzeyde olduğu, 21. Yüzyıl becerilerinin alt boyutlarından öğrenme ve yenilenme becerilerine yönelik algıları cinsiyet, yaş, mesleki kıdem, branş, eğitim durumu ve mezun olunan fakülte değişkenine göre farklılaşmanın olmadığı, yaşam ve kariyer becerileri ve bilgi, medya ve teknoloji becerileri alt boyutuna yönelik algıları ise cinsiyet, yaş, branş, eğitim durumu ve mezun olunan fakülte değişkenine göre farklılaşmazken mesleki kıdem değişkenine göre farklılaşmanın olduğu görülmüştür. Ortaokul öğretmenlerinin bireysel kariyer yönetimi algıları yüksek düzeyde olduğu, Bireysel kariyer yönetiminin alt boyutlarından bireysel kariyer planlama ve bireysel kariyer geliştirmeye yönelik algıları cinsiyet, yaş, mesleki kıdem, branş, eğitim durumu ve mezun olunan fakülte değişkenine göre farklılaşmamaktadır. bireysel kariyer yönetimi genel puanı cinsiyet, yaş, mesleki kıdem, branş ve mezun olunan fakülte değişkenine göre farklılaşmazken eğitim durumu değişkenine göre farklılaşmaktadır. bireysel kariyer motivasyonu alt boyutuna yönelik algıları cinsiyet, yaş, mesleki kıdem, branş ve eğitim durumu değişkenine göre farklılaşmazken mezun olunan fakülte değişkenine göre farklılaşmaktadır. Ayrıca ortaokul öğretmenlerinin 21. Yüzyıl becerileri ile bireysel kariyer yönetimi algıları arasında pozitif yönde yüksek düzeyde anlamlı bir ilişkinin olduğu sonucu bulunmuştur.

Transformation of 21st Century Science Skills: Perceptions of Secondary School Teachers

The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate science teachers’ perceptions of 21st-century skills, i.e., communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity, called 4 C’s skills. This study employed a case study where participants were purposively selected in lower Dir Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A semi-structured interview was used for gathering data. Participants perceived the use of 4C skills for the effective teaching-learning process and the need for collaborative teamwork for the effective teaching-learning process. The data analysis proved the need to acquire 21st-century skills for teachers to be effective teachers, meet the needs of modern education, and be able to resolve issues skillfully that occur inside the classroom or outside the classroom. Further analysis of data revealed that the teachers are aware and perceive the usage of technological devices such as computers and the internet for education purposes as the need of the modern day. Fostering 21st-century beliefs by science teachers is an important goal for professional development, but care should be sought to emphasize broad teaching practices, including self-regulatory learning. Science teachers should develop creative, critical, analytical, problem-solving solving, and Metacognitive skills and should become broad-minded to constructivist teaching conceptions.

The Perception of Secondary School Teachers on the Availability of Counseling Services for Students With Learning Disabilities

The current research aimed to assess the status of counseling services offered to students with Learning Disabilities (SLDs) in Macca as perceived by their teachers. The research methodology employed was descriptive. The sample consisted of 330 teachers (174 males and 156 females) who work in the government schools in Macca during the 2021 academic year. The data was collected using a questionnaire that covered three areas: 1) Psychological counseling services (PCS) consisting of 12 items, 2) Social counseling services (SCS) consisting of 10 items, and 3) Educational counseling services (ECS) consisting of 9 items. The questionnaire was validated and its reliability was established.
 The findings revealed that the counseling requirements of secondary school students with Learning Disabilities (SLDs) in Macca, as perceived by their teachers, had a moderate average mean of 2.83. Additionally, the educational counseling services dimension was the top priority with an average mean of 2.88 and a moderate level of consistency, followed by psychological counseling services with an average mean of 2.81 and a moderate level of consistency. Lastly, the social counseling services dimension had the lowest average mean of 2.80 and a moderate level of consistency.
 The results also indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in the responses about the availability of counseling services for secondary school students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs) in Macca based on gender, academic background, work environment, years of experience, or the overall survey instrument. The study suggested establishing clear guidelines for counselors to effectively deliver the necessary counseling services for SLDs.

Relationship between Classroom Environment and Moral Values of Secondary School Students

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the classroom environment of schools and the moral values of secondary school students. Specifically, the study focused on exploring the perceptions of secondary school teachers regarding the classroom environment and the levels of moral values exhibited by students. A sample of 1288 secondary school teachers was selected for the study, representing ten districts within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. To ensure comprehensive representation, the sample included 200 secondary school teachers from each district. The selection of teachers was carried out using a non-random approach, with 100 teachers chosen from rural areas and 100 teachers from urban areas within each district. This sampling strategy aimed to capture a diverse range of perspectives on the classroom environment and its impact on students' moral values. In order to examine the relationship between the classroom environment and students' moral values, a correlation analysis was conducted. The results of the analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between the classroom environment and the moral values of students. This finding suggests that the classroom environment plays a significant role in shaping and influencing the development of students' moral values. The recommendations derived from the study offer practical implications for educators and policymakers to enhance the classroom environment and facilitate the cultivation of positive moral values among students.

Role of Secondary School Heads Toward Teachers' Pedagogical Competence: A Locality-based Study

The study investigated the role of secondary school heads (SSHs) to improve teachers' pedagogical competence (TPC), and to find out differences in the role of SSHs to improve TPC. The study was descriptive in nature and a survey method was adopted. The population was the secondary school teachers (SSTs) of public secondary schools. Multi-stage random sampling was used. 432 SSTs were selected as a sample. A 5-point Likert scale was used to collect data. The overall reliability of the four constructs of leadership roles was 0.813. The data were analyzed through mean, SD, ANOVA and Post Hoc. The results of the study were that the majority of the respondents agreed that SSHs perform their role as TL, IL, DL, and AL effectively and there were zone-wise significant differences in the perceptions of SSTs about the role of SSHs toward TPC.

Instructional Materials in Science Education: Secondary School Teachers’ Perceptions

This study investigates the perceptions of secondary school teachers about the rationale of instructional materials in science education. For teaching and learning to become fruitful, adequate well-designed instructional materials emerges as crucial factor. In this context, teaching practices require teachers to demonstrate the ability to enrich and innovate teaching activities. The sample size encompasses sixty-four science teachers in secondary schools from Muhanga district in Rwanda. The purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample population. The study is descriptive in nature and adopts a descriptive research design, and used online google form to collect data from participants. Data gathering was accomplished with the help of an online google form, and was dispatched to participants using communication platforms specifically WhatsApp. The google form contained nine items in line with research objectives. The findings revealed that 70% of respondents perceived instructional materials as extremely valuable while a very positive influence was revealed by 86% of respondents. The findings of the current study encourage secondary school science teachers to exploit the benefits of using instructional materials during classroom practices.

PERCEPTION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ON RE-OPENING OF SCHOOLS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC SITUATION

Coronavirus infections are baneful and are a global concern. As on 9th January, over 304million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 5.4 million deaths had been reported.Because of this increase, UNESCO has spread information on school closures around theworld. This research will aid in understanding secondary school teachers and studentsperspectivesonthere-openingofschoolsintheaftermathoftheglobalCOVID-19outbreak.This research is descriptive in nature, the total sample of the study was 160 secondary school teachers and students. The result of the study shows that the teachers concerns in every dimension were more than theconcerns of students. Out of all the concerns, Social concern was at the top for teachers,andAcademicconcernwasforthestudents.Andtheleastscoreamongthefourdimensions was Emotional concern for teachers and social concern for students. Theteachers believed that they will have to deal with lots of disarray behaviour of the studentswhen they will join the school offline. To them, maybe, once the socialization concernsare taken care of, other concerns like emotional, psychological and academic concernswill automatically be taken care of.And for students at the secondary level, they aremore concerned regarding their academics and how they will cope with the academicactivities loss.

PERCEPTION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ON RE-OPENING OF SCHOOLS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC SITUATION

PERCEPTION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ON RE-OPENING OF SCHOOLS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC SITUATION

Learning and Training Higher Order Thinking Skills (PdPc Hots) and Teacher Learning Competency

This study was to determine the perception of secondary school teachers on the competency and application of HOTS in teaching and learning in the classroom. The survey results with this quantitative approach involved 187 secondary school teachers in the Jeli district. The questionnaire instrument used had been modified according to the research needs of the researcher. Statistical methods used descriptive statistics, mean and inference statistics through Pearson's correlation to examine the relationship between teacher competence and the application of teaching and learning among teachers. The findings show that teachers 'perceptions of teachers' competencies and the application of teaching and learning of HOTS in terms of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment are moderate. The analysis showed that there was a positive and significant relationship between teacher competency and the application of teaching and learning in HOTS among teachers. In conclusion, this study is expected to assist teachers, schools, PPDs, JPNs and the education ministry in efforts to improve the successful implementation of teaching and learning in the education system. Ongoing support and development from all sides are essential. Teachers need to equip themselves with the knowledge and practice them in the teaching and learning process to enhance HOTS.

Perception of Secondary School Teachers on Examination Malpractice in Ibadan Metropolis, Ibadan, Nigeria

The study examined the perception of teachers towards examination malpractice in Ibadan metropolis, Ibadan, Nigeria. It ascertained the causes of examination malpractice in the study area and identified ways of curbing related examination malpractice. These were with a view to curbing examination malpractice in the study area. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The sample size for the study comprised one hundred (100) teachers selected using simple random sampling technique. An instrument tagged “Perception of Teachers on Examination Malpractice Questionnaire” (PTEMQ) was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, mainly frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation. The findings of this study among others revealed that teachers’ perception of examination malpractice in secondary schools was good (52%) in the study area. The most reported measures that curb examination malpractice in study area were: prevention of students from bringing prepared answers to the examination halls (x̄ = 3.42); and intensifying efforts in effective supervision of students during examinations (x̄ = 3.41); and strict punishment meted out to officials caught with the act of examination malpractice (x̄ = 3.39). The study concluded that teachers had good perception of examination malpractice in secondary schools in the study area.

Perception of Secondary School Teachers on Examination Malpractice in Ibadan Metropolis, Ibadan, Nigeria

Perception of Secondary School Teachers on Examination Malpractice in Ibadan Metropolis, Ibadan, Nigeria

Continuous professional development: Perceptions of secondary school teachers in Zambia

Teacher professional development (TPD) is not only an ongoing process that contributes towards individual growth of teachers but also an integral element in school improvement. This paper reports the Zambian secondary school teachers’ perceptions of their continuous professional development in teacher engagement in CPD activities, perceived importance of different CPD programs/activities, needs to be focused on future training, and barriers using quantitative data. A self-created questionnaire was distributed to 700 conveniently selected secondary school teachers from four schools. The data was examined using descriptive statistics such as frequency of responses, mean scores, and standard deviation, as well as the t-test of independent samples for comparing the perspectives of respondents from different categories. From the findings, teachers were moderately engaged in TPD programs/activities and perceived developing teaching and learning materials as highly important. The impact of their perceptions was evident as there was no significant difference between female and male perceptions about their engagement in teacher CPD programs. Thus, the importance of recognizing and addressing teachers' perceptions of CPD is argued in this study because teachers play an important role in how they learn and how their perceptions impact the changes they make in their teaching practice.

Perception of secondary school teachers towards innovative teaching in relation to organizational climate

Present study is an attempt to assess the level of perception of secondary school teachers towards innovative teaching,compare it with regard to gender and find out relationship between the perception towards innovative teaching and organizational climate of secondary schools. Sample consist of 156 secondary school teachers of Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh. A self-prepared tool‘Innovative Teaching Perception Scale’ (ITPS) was used for assessing perception of teachers towards innovative teaching and ‘Organizational Climate Scale for Teachers’ (OCST) developed by Venita Singh (2015) for determining the organizational climate of secondary schools. The investigators found that 18.59%, 65.38% and 16.03% of secondary school teachers possess high, moderate and low perception towards innovative teaching respectively. No significant difference was found between the perception of male and female secondary school teachers but a positive and significant relationship was found between the perception of secondary school teachers towards innovative teaching and organizational climate (r=0.548, p<0.01).

Perception of Secondary School Teachers for Online Learning During COVID-19

In this present lockdown situation due to COVID-19 pandemic, the entire education system shifts from traditional to non-traditional teachinglearning. Our teachers have made education possible with the help of technology. The usage of technology for online learning depends upon teachers' perceptions of it. The research was conducted to determine the perception of secondary school teachers of online teaching-learning. The major objectives of this study are to find out the perception of teachers towards online learning based on gender, type of school, subject taught, teaching experience, and educational qualification. The descriptive survey is used in this research. The quota sampling technique selects 140 secondary school teachers from Patna. A self-constructed and validated perception scale was used to collect data. Data analysis was carried out with chi-square for perception scale in SPSS software. From the analysis, it was found that there were no significant differences in the perception of secondary school teachers based on the various background variables of secondary school teachers. It means that the secondary school teachers of Patna have a positive perception of online learning during COVID-19. They used online platforms for the teaching-learning process. This research paper contributes to studying teachers' perception of technology adoption in education.

Students’ Perception of Secondary School Teachers’ Assessment with Specific Reference to the Subject of English

Using research investigating the effect of teacher assessment practices in secondary schooling in Croatia on student perceptions of fairness, this paper1 points out participating students’ perception of fairness of assessment, focusing on teacher assessment in three secondary school subjects, but particularly in the subject of English. The research overall included enquiry into the fairness of teacher assessment practices in three secondary school subjects. The implemented research was both of a quantitative and qualitative nature. The research design was intended to be both empirical, measuring students’ perception, and quasi-ethnographic, seeking to interpret these perceptions through understanding the context. Student questionnaires, involving a total of 330 students, teacher interviews, involving a total of 12 teachers, and analysis of teachers’ assessment documents were used to collect data that were then analysed within case studies. Each case study, totalling six in number, represented a teacher with two classes of students studying one of the chosen three subjects. Classes of secondary school students from two high schools studying the subjects of Biology, Croatian or English as a foreign language formed the sample groups. These students were asked to complete a questionnaire based on Likert response type items founded on the Student Perception of Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) and open-ended questions based on a questionnaire developed at the Centre for Schooling and Learning Technologies (CSaLT). The SPAQ items were measured by five scales. The teachers of these students were interviewed and also provided documents that illustrate how they assessed students in these three subjects. The investigation uncovered variations in responses to teachers and subjects and differences in student response between classes of the same teacher which are possibly indicative, among other elements, of the role of teacher personality factors. This investigation revealed that from the three secondary school subjects researched, students’ perception of the secondary school subject of English achieved the most positive rating among the sample of students involved in the research.

Secondary school teachers’ perceptions of adolescent social anxiety and learning and development in the classroom

Social anxiety has been linked with adverse consequences for adolescents in education, including low self‐efficacy, poor academic attainment and difficulties with social functioning. However, studies have not considered the phenomenon from an educator’s point of view. We set out to explore the perceptions of secondary school teachers concerning socially anxious adolescents and the implications of social anxiety for their learning and development. Seven secondary school teachers in the north west of England took part in semi‐structured interviews focused on their lived experiences of supporting socially anxious adolescents. The findings suggest that educators perceive social anxiety to have the potential to be persistent and debilitating, impeding learning and development. The findings also demonstrate that teachers are aware of social anxiety and supportive strategies, but face difficulties in disentangling different anxious behaviours and providing differentiation. Conclusions indicate that recurring professional development and teacher training surrounding anxieties and comorbid behaviour may alleviate negative consequences for learning and development.

Perception of Secondary School Teachers on Sources of Stress and Coping Strategies: A Case of Ludewa District, Tanzania

The study aimed at identifying perceived sources of stress and coping strategies among secondary school teachers in Ludewa District. The study was guided by Transactional or Cognitive Theory of Psychological Stress and Coping. It employed the quantitative approach through descriptive statistics in terms of frequencies and percentages. Through simple random sampling, eight out of 22 schools were selected to participate in the study. From the eight schools, 100 teachers were selected through simple random sampling but the response rate was 74. Therefore, 74 teachers participated to fill the questionnaire. The first category of perceived stressors is for those which were very highly rated: delay in promotion, poor working condition, low salary for work, worried from student performance, overwork and lack of time to spend with family. The second category is for those which were highly rated: poor administrations, lack of social services, loans from different organizations, benefit from work and students’ misbehavior. Lowly rated source of stress was attending duties on weekends while very lowly rated sources were little acknowledgment from superior and trouble with colleagues. The study gives a number of recommendations; these include that the government should employ more teachers to reduce teachers’ overwork which is cited as one of stressors. Heads of schools should involve all teachers in decision making and treat them equally. School under investigation should employ mentoring and counseling techniques which will motivate teachers to share their economic and social problems in order to curb unnecessary stresses. Finally, teachers should employ such stress management strategies as joining in social clubs, attending physical exercises like sports and games and seeking support from either co- workers or supervisors in order to curb stressful challenges.