Poor Literacy Skills Research Articles

Language Learning Issues of Non-Reader in Rural and Urban Senior High School: A Comparative Analysis

The general objective of this study is to assess the language learning difficulties of non-readers in rural and urban senior high schools in the Division of Cotabato City in the School Year 2022-2023. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of environmental context, including resource and teacher support, on language development of the learners with poor literacy skills. The research design used was qualitative and the study used a thematic analysis to elicit the experiences of 30 non-readers from rural and urban schools. The data was collected through interviews, focus group discussions and classes observation. The research shows that non-readers in the rural and urban areas have basic problems, including inadequate literacy skills and poor participation in language learning activities. However, there was inequality in the distribution of resources and the level of support received by teachers where urban schools were found to have better resources and teachers’ training than the rural ones. Other factors that added to the difficulties of non-readers, mainly the home environment and peer relations, were worse in rural areas. Therefore, the study underlines the necessity of developing specific measures to approach the issues of non-readers. The enhancement of the vocabulary, resource distribution, and teacher training should be the strategies that aim at eradicating the inequality that exists in the education systems especially for students with different literacy levels or those in different geographical locations

Views on Empowering Parents to Support their Children with Literacy Skills

The purpose of this paper is to examine the views of teachers and parents on strategies for empowering parents to effectively support their children with literacy skills. Literature sketches a bleak picture of the poor literacy performance of South African primary school learners. This qualitative study utilising a case study design, was conducted at two primary schools in the Mangaung district of Bloemfontein's Free State Department of Education (FSDOE). The participants were selected through the purposive sampling method and data were collected through interviews and open-ended questionnaires. The data was presented and analysed within themes aligned with the literature, conceptual framework and the objectives of the study. The findings disclosed that parental support regarding literacy is insufficient and that both teachers and parents are experiencing immense challenges with poor literacy skills among learners. The findings brought forth some noteworthy suggestions for empowering parents to support their children with the improvement of literacy skills. The main conclusion derived from the study is the need for a greater focus on strategies to involve parents in literacy improvement. It is recommended that future research focus on strategies to enhance parental empowerment for improved support to their children with literacy skills.

Eliciting risk preferences in an artefactual field experiment via replication and an alternative approach

AbstractThis paper investigates risk preferences using an artefactual field experiment conducted with a non-standard subject pool of farmers in Ghana. I introduce an alternative methodology for studying preferences following replication of a seminal risk elicitation procedure by Binswanger (Am J Agric Econ 62(3):395407, 1980). An important feature of both approaches is that they are easy to understand and, hence, are particularly suitable for eliciting preferences among subjects with low levels of formal education. I successfully replicate Binswanger’s study, documenting how his original result of the moderate level of risk aversion for an average farmer can be generalized to a different country. However, using my alternative approach, whereby lotteries are presented in the loss domain, I find that half of my experimental subjects violated expected utility theory. This approach is of relevance to the current literature on studying risk preferences among subjects with poor literacy skills.

Risk and resilience factors for primary school dropout in Côte d'Ivoire

We examined child-, family-, and school-level risk and resilience factors associated with school dropout using longitudinal data of fifth-grade students in rural Côte d'Ivoire (N = 1195, Mage = 10.75, SDage = 1.42). Children who dropped out of school were older, involved in more child labour, had poorer literacy skills, owned fewer books, and attended schools with poorer learning environments. Cumulative risk (CR) indices revealed that child-level CR was most strongly associated with dropout (b = 0.86, OR = 0.42) compared to family- and school-level CR; further, children with low child-level CR were more likely to drop out when family-level CR was high (b = −0.23, OR = 1.25). Better school infrastructure and teachers were protective for children who were at high risk of dropout yet remained enrolled. Although child- and family-level factors contribute to risk of dropout, school-level factors may mitigate risks and promote academic resilience among students in West Africa.

Who is most at risk of digital exclusion within healthcare?

Abstract Introduction There has been a rapid growth in the use of digital technologies in healthcare to improve population health. However, due to digital exclusion (DE) (the unfair differences in motivation, access and use of these technologies), some demographic groups are unable to harness the health benefits of these technologies. Various frameworks have been designed to highlight groups vulnerable to health inequities, but none focus on DE. To provide better support for digitally excluded individuals, we must start by identifying demographic groups most at risk of DE. Aim Review the literature to identify demographic groups most at risk of DE within healthcare. Methods PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus were searched on 22nd October 2022 in a non-systematic way to scope and examine emerging evidence surrounding groups at risk of DE within healthcare. English-language peer-reviewed articles and grey literature (e.g., government reports and regulatory organisation documents) identifying demographic groups at risk of DE and possible factors influencing exclusion were included. Search terms included words associated with DE and health inequity. Data extracted from the included articles included the different demographic groups highlighted and reasons for DE. Results Analysis of twenty-two included articles highlighted six common sociodemographic factors associated with DE that we compiled into six groups. These groups include Culture (ethnicity, language, religion), Limiting conditions (visual and hearing impairments), Education, Age, Residence (rural, deprived areas, homeless), and Socioeconomic status, forming the CLEARS framework. Cultural factors associated with DE included bias in artificial intelligence models used in healthcare technologies, low sensitivity in sensors when used across different ethnic backgrounds, and lack of consideration for different religious groups. Limiting conditions may make it difficult to use the technology, such as reading health information on small screens if visually impaired. Low educational attainment and old age (over 65) were frequently associated with poor digital literacy skills and poor understanding of the benefit of health technologies, thus reducing motivation and use of health technologies. Residential factors centred around barriers to accessing infrastructure to support connectivity (e.g. WiFi) and socioeconomic factors, including financial barriers to compatible devices and connectivity. Individuals who identify with two or more of these groups (intersectionality) are at even greater risk of DE. Conclusion This review identified six groups at risk of DE, the contributing reasons for exclusion, and the role of intersectionality. The CLEARS framework generated from this review can guide researchers and health technology developers in identifying groups that need to be involved in the co-design of digital health technologies to support inclusion. During the development of the CLEARS framework, groups in previous health inequities frameworks, such as the LGBTQ+ community, were considered, but later excluded due to the lack of representation within the literature. However, it is also important to recognise underserved groups are less likely to appear in the literature. Further work is needed to design tailored guidelines to support the development of inclusive digital health technologies that meet the needs of underserved groups.

The Rising Challenge of Poor Health Literacy of Patients with Systemic Sclerosis: Preliminary Data Identify Important Unmet Needs in an Italian Cohort.

Health literacy (HL) is pivotal for the successful self-management of chronic diseases. Little HL information is currently available in SSc patients; therefore, the present study aims at evaluating the HL levels in an Italian cohort of SSc patients. SSc patients were enrolled with the support of Italian patient associations, from September 2022 to March 2023. Health literacy characteristics were derived from the Health Literacy Scale European Questionnaire-16 (HLS-EU-Q16), consisting of 16 items designed on a four-point Likert scale ranging from "very difficult" to "very easy", and three HL levels were identified: inadequate HL (0-8 score); problematic HL (9-12 score); and sufficient HL (13-16 score). Enrolled patients (n = 57, mean age = 59 years, SD = 13.2) were mostly female (98.2%), partnered (73.7%), and unemployed or retired (67.9%). Almost half of SSc patients were diagnosed more than 10 years ago, with first symptoms appearing on average 19 years ago (SD 10.5). In 63% of the participants, the overall health literacy skills were inadequate, or problematic, especially in the health care and disease prevention domains. Indeed, 49.2% of the patients declared difficulty in finding information on treatments for illnesses and where to get professional help (42.1%), 47.6% found difficulty in retrieving information on how to manage mental health problems, and 40.4% declared difficulties in judging whether the information on health risks in the media was reliable. Our findings show that SSc patients have inadequate or problematic levels of HL, suggesting the need for periodic screenings to uncover poor health literacy skills and to provide tailored and understandable educational material. This study was not registered.

Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar PAKat dan Gotong Royong Melalui Model PBL Fase A SD Negeri 04 Ngarak

Researchers found that SDN 04 Ngarak students had poor literacy and numeracy skills. Students with conditions like this tend not to be motivated to learn, therefore researchers apply one of the learning models, namely Problem-based learning. This research was conducted to (1) improve mutual cooperation through the PBL model in grade II A SDN 04 Ngarak students, (2) improve learning outcomes through the PBL model in grade II A SDN 04 Ngarak students, (3) improve learning completeness through the PBL model in grade II A SDN 04 Ngarak students. This study is a classroom action research consisting of four steps that must be carried out in each cycle. The four steps are (1) planning; (2) implementation; (3) observations; (4) reflection. The subjects of this study were 21 students. Data collection techniques in this study used tests, observation and documentation. Data analysis techniques use descriptive analysis and are explained with graphs and tables. The result of this study is that in cycle I, cognitive test results showed 29% proficient, 14% proficient, 43% viable, and 14% newly developed. The target teachers are 50% proficient, 45% proficient, 5% feasible, and 0% newly developed. In cycle II, there was a significant increase with 71% of participants in the advanced category and 29% proficient. This result exceeds the target of cycle II, which is 70% proficient and 30% proficient. Feasible and newly developed to reach 0%, in accordance with the target. With PBL, there is an improvement in learner learning outcomes, validating the effectiveness of the model in achieving learning objectives.

Evaluation of quality and readability of internet information on voice disorders

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the readability and quality of Internet information related to vocal health, voice disorders and voice therapy. Study designThis is a cross-sectional study. MethodsEighty-two websites were included. Websites were then analyzed; their origin (clinic/hospital, non-profit, government), quality (Health On the Net [HON] certification and DISCERN scores) and readability (Ateşman readability formula and Bezirci-Yılmaz new readability formula) were assessed. Statistical analysis was used to examine differences between website origin and quality and readability scores and correlations between readability instruments. ResultsOf the 82 websites, 93% were of private clinic/hospital, 6% were of non-profit organisation and 1% were of government. None of the 82 websites were HON certification, and the mean score of the item determining the general quality measure in DISCERN was 1.83 in a five-point scale. The mean of Ateşman readability formula value was calculated as 50.46 (±8.16). This value is defined as ‘moderately hard’ according to the readability scale. The average of Bezirci-Yılmaz new readability formula value is 13.85 (±3.48). This value is defined as 13th and 14th grade. ConclusionsThe quality of Internet-based health information about the voice is generally inadequate, and the sites examined in this study may be limited due to high readability levels. This may be a problem in people with poor literacy skills. For this reason, it is very important for speech and language therapists and other health professionals to evaluate and monitor the quality and readability of Internet-based information.

PROFILE OF STUDENTS' NUMERACY LITERACY ABILITY AND SELF EFFICACY IN MATHEMATICS LEARNING

This study aims to describe the ability of numeracy literacy and mathematical self-efficacy of students in learning mathematics. This research is a descriptive study with a quantitative approach conducted at SMPN 34. The research instruments used are numeracy literacy test questions and self-efficacy questionnaires that have met the criteria for good instrument feasibility. The data analysis technique used is Descriptive Analysis. The results showed that overall the numeracy literacy skills of the students included in the criteria were not good. There are 73.30% or 20 people of the total number of students who have not been able to solve the numeracy literacy test questions correctly. Furthermore, the overall mathematical self-efficacy of students is included in the moderate criteria with a percentage of 70% or 21 students. Next for numeracy literacy skills in terms of mathematical self-efficacy (high, medium, and low), each has different numeracy literacy skills. Students whose self-efficacy is high, have good numeracy literacy skills, while students whose self-efficacy is moderate and low, have poor numeracy literacy skills. From the results of this study, it is necessary to research to improve the numeracy literacy skills and mathematical self-efficacy of students at SMPN 34 Pekanbaru.

Private Student's Junior High School and Their Numeracy Literacy Competency

Numerical literacy is an important aspect of schooling. Students must be able to count, relate, and perform arithmetic. The purpose of this study is to know deeply the numeracy literacy competency of private student’s junior high school. The following findings are the result of research employing tests as a data collection instrument. There are two students in the high category, five in the medium group, and nineteen in the low category. Based on these findings, it is possible to conclude that children at the research school have poor literacy skills. Furthermore, it is envisaged that schools will seek alternate learning techniques capable of concretizing numeracy literacy principles. Numerical literacy is an important part of the world of education. Students are expected to understand and acquire the competency of numeracy.

When Positive is Negative: Health Literacy Barriers to Patient Access to Clinical Laboratory Test Results.

Health literacy is a multidimensional set of skills (e.g., narrative, numeracy, digital, medication) that patients need to access and understand health information timely and accurately to make evidence-based informed decisions. Multiple barriers prevent patients from effectively interacting with health information. The most salient barriers are poor overall health literacy skills and linguistic proficiency in English. As patients prefer direct access to laboratory test results, especially those of routine tests, contextualization and provider-directed interpretation of results are required to foster shared decision-making to address their healthcare issues and improve health outcomes. The use of systematic approaches that account for poor health literacy skills and include culturally and linguistically appropriate planning and availability of resources is warranted at individual and population health levels (e.g., human-centered design of patient portals).

Prospective associations between child screen time and parenting stress and later inattention symptoms in preschoolers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Child attention skills are critical for supporting self-regulation abilities, especially during the first years of life. On the other hand, inattention symptoms in preschoolers have been associated with poor school readiness, literacy skills and academic achievement. Previous research has linked excessive screen time with increased inattention symptoms in early childhood. However, most research has only focused on TV exposure and did not investigate this association during the COVID-19 pandemic. This atypical context has increased screen time in children worldwide, including preschoolers. We hypothesize that higher levels of child screen media and parenting stress at age 3.5 will be associated with higher child inattention symptoms at age 4.5. This study draws on participants followed longitudinally over the span of 2-years for an investigation of Canadian preschoolers' screen media use during the pandemic (N = 315, 2020). A follow-up with this sample was completed in 2021 (N = 264). Analyses using multiple linear regression, revealed a positive association between child screen time at age 3.5 and inattention symptoms at 4.5 years. Parental stress was also positively associated with child inattention symptoms. Associations were observed above individual (child age, inhibitory control, and sex) and family (parent education and family income) characteristics. These results confirmed our hypothesis and highlight that preschooler screen use and parenting stress may undermine attentional skills. Since attention is a crucial component for children development, behavior and academic outcomes, our study reinforces the importance for parents of adopting healthy media habits.

The impact of poor reading skills on Grade 12 isiXhosa Home Language exam results

IsiXhosa is one of the 11 official languages offered as a subject in the South African school curriculum at Home Language (HL) level. The examination of this subject in grade 12 (the school-exit year) consists of three papers: Paper 1 (P1), which focuses on reading for understanding and language usage; Paper 2 (P2), which focuses on reading for analysis using prescribed genres; and Paper 3 (P3), which focuses on writing. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) publishes a diagnostic report after every examination session, following the completion of marking of the final examinations, detailing the performance of the grade 12 learners in each subject written. The 2018 and 2019 reports show that the performance of candidates in isiXhosa HL is poor and suggests that they cannot read for understanding. This study sought to analyse the impact of poor literacy skills on grade 12 candidates’ performance in the isiXhosa HL final examinations. This was done by analysing the DBE’s 2018 and 2019 isiXhosa HL Diagnostic Reports for P1 and determining how a lack of reading skills affects learners’ comprehension and analysis skills. The South African Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) emphasise the importance of reading for different purposes. The findings of this study suggest that learners do not have a solid foundation in reading and textual analysis and that reading is not given priority in the classroom, which ultimately leads to poor performance. The article concludes that reading and academic performance go hand in hand and that learners should be exposed to different texts; this can be achieved when teachers prepare well for their reading lessons and use not only the prescribed works. Furthermore, every learner should be given a chance to read, as no learner will ever perform well in their academics if their reading skills are poor.

Unsung heroes in health education and promotion: How Community Health Workers contribute to hypertension management.

Rural communities are noted as having poor health outcomes. Rural areas experience barriers to care primarily due to a lack of resources, including education, health insurance, transportation, and social support. Additionally, poor health outcomes are a consequence of poor health literacy skills. Community Health Workers (CHWs) are utilized as a resource to combat these issues. This study focused on a CHW led Self-Management Blood Pressure (SMBP) program offered through the University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center. The goal of the program was to improve management of hypertension through awareness, education, navigation, advocacy, and resource assistance. The SMBP program included structured workshops and regular follow-up with participants including connections to community resources and social support. CHWs worked closely with physicians providing bi-directional feedback on referrals and engagement of communities through outreach events. Furthermore, CHWs aided to bridge cultural or linguistic gaps between service providers and community members. Data is provided indicating this CHW-led intervention played a significant role in improving hypertension through education of how to make lifestyle changes that impact overall health and quality of life. Participants gained knowledge encouraging them to create lifelong healthy habits, coping skills, stress management, self-care, and accountability. Through this innovative approach, participants thrived in the supportive and encouraging environment led by CHWs as well as improved their blood pressure management.

Informal vocational training and sustainable livelihood skills among unemployed youth in low-income countries: Insights from a SWOT analysis of tailoring apprenticeships in Cameroon

IntroductionMany low-income countries have very high levels of youth unemployment. Self-employment provides one path to economic independence for these youths, but to be successful, they require both technical and entrepreneurial skills. Most youth employment interventions and research have focused on the formal education sector, which has limited the understanding of the role of education in reducing youth unemployment. The role of informal learning opportunities offered by small businesses and micro-enterprises, which constitute one of the largest sectors of the economy in many low-income countries, has been undermined. This study examines the potential of such learning opportunities through a case study of informal apprenticeships in tailoring in Cameroon, Central Africa.MethodsA Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis drew on the perspectives of both informal trainers (n = 42; 88% women) and apprentices (n = 16; mean age: 22 years; 69% women) in small-tailoring enterprises in the city of Buea. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews was subjected to a thematic analysis.Results and discussionThe perceived strengths of informal apprenticeships included developing suitable work strategies, attitudes, technical and entrepreneurial skills in unemployed youth through practice and collaboration with other apprentices. However, participants also identified several weaknesses in informal training, including inadequate access to specialized machines and limitations on training imposed by the poor literacy skills of some apprentices. Most respondents perceived that tailoring provided an opportunity for a lucrative career while meeting their community’s need for appropriate clothing. However, high taxes and constant power failures were identified as threats to the continuing viability of local tailoring. Trainers also noted that few youths were interested in learning the trade. Taken together, the results indicate that the potential for informal vocational training to nurture youths toward developing their own enterprise would be strengthened if training included basic literacy skills, building self-confidence, strategies to raise and manage capital and the production of attractive designs to match their competition.

STUDENTS' EPISTEMOLOGICAL BELIEFS IN SOLVING GEOMETRY TRANSLATION PROBLEMS

The 2018 PISA results show that Indonesian students' numeracy and literacy skills are poor. Epistemological beliefs, beliefs in mathematical knowledge, are one of the factors contributing to poor student literacy skills. This study analyzes epistemological beliefs in solving translation problems of Year 9 students in one of the junior high schools in Manipa Islands, Indonesia. This research employed a descriptive a qualitative approach. The subjects in this study were students who tend to meet the indicators of epistemological beliefs. Data collection techniques were observation, tests, interviews, and documentation. The results showed that students' epistemological beliefs in completing the translation met the requirements. First is being able to solve mathematical problems by taking time, where students needed time to solve the problem. This is because students are not sure that they can solve them. Second, students can solve problems that cannot be solved with simple, step-by-step procedures, where students solve problems using their rules/settlement procedures. The third is understanding essential concepts in mathematics, where students understand and work on translation problems using mathematical concepts well. Fourth, word problems are essential in mathematics, with word problems, students can improve critical thinking skill. Finally, efforts can improve mathematical abilities, where students can try to solve problems to improve their math skills. Efforts include reviewing the lesson and increasing practice questions.

How readable are orthognathic surgery consent forms?

The valid consent process for medical intervention requires the disclosure of information in a format that is easily understandable by the patient. The aim of this investigation was to assess the readability of orthognathic surgery informed consent forms (OSICFs). An online search methodology was conducted to identify OSICFs for analysis. The forms that satisfied inclusion/exclusion criteria were evaluated according to a standardised protocol. The readability of the content was assessed using three validated tools: the Simple Measure of Gobbledegook (SMOG) score, Flesch-Kincaid Grade-Level (FKGL) score and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) score. Most of the 26 evaluated OSICFs were sourced from websites within the United States (69.2%) and from oral and maxillo-facial surgery practices (76.9%). Two of the assessed forms were template OSICFs available from oral and maxillo-facial professional societies to its members. The scores from the three tools found that the content of 84.6% to 92.3% of the forms were "difficult" to read. The mean (SD) SMOG score for all evaluated OSICFs was 12.31(2.22) [95% CI: 11.42 to 13.21]. The SMOG and FKGL scores were closely correlated (r=0.99, P<0.0001; 95% CI: 0.9864 to 0.9973). There was no association between SMOG scores and the number of words contained within each consent form (r=-0.047;95% CI: -0.44 to 0.36). The OSICFs surveyed in this investigation failed to meet recommended readability levels. A significant number of patients are not likely to understand the information contained within the forms. Orthodontists are advised that poor literacy skills of their patients may preclude them from validly consenting to orthognathic surgery treatment procedures.

Timorese women’s experiences and expectations of skilled birth attendance in Timor-Leste: A qualitative inquiry

ObjectiveThe study explores women’s experiences and expectations of maternity care in Timor-Leste. MethodQualitative, descriptive research using focused ethnography. Thirty women and seventeen health professionals from three districts in Timor-Leste were interviewed and/or participated in focus groups. ResultsWomen’s expectations of care include the provision of information, advice and clinical assessment from midwives who have the capacity to provide emergency obstetric care if required. Midwives’ access to technology (for example: the fetal doppler), increased the women’s confidence in services. The women also identified poor experiences, including angry, busy midwives, poor communication, and lack of privacy in antenatal and birthing services. The lack of privacy inhibits women’s communication with health professionals. An absence of covers and multiple staff present during labour and birth embarrass the women and their families. Many Timorese women live in poverty and have poor literacy skills. These women want knowledgeable, approachable, and clinically competent midwives who can support them through their pregnancies and childbirth. Poor communication, angry, busy midwives and lack of privacy cause discomfort and embarrassment and may discourage the women and their family’s uptake of skilled birth attendant (SBA) services. ConclusionMidwives have a critical primary role in the provision of advice, information and care of Timorese women during the childbirth continuum. Continuing education of midwives with an emphasis on communication and culturally congruent care will improve women’s satisfaction and childbirth outcomes. Impoverished women are particularly vulnerable when birthing in health care services. Attention to the women’s privacy and her additional needs can include a focus on the birthing space and the number of staff who have access to it.

Spelling as a way to classify poor Chinese-English literacy skills in Hong Kong Chinese children.

Previous work has predominantly focused on word reading in studying literacy difficulties; very little work has focused on spelling difficulty instead. The present study adopted spelling (dictation) as the criterion to classify poor literacy skills in Hong Kong Chinese-English bilingual children. We examined the cognitive-linguistic skills profiles across four groups of children with different spelling abilities. Based on performances on Chinese and English dictation (criterion = below 25% in a larger sample), four groups were identified, 21 poor spellers of Chinese (PC), 18 poor spellers of English (PE), 27 poor spellers of both languages (PB), and 30 good spellers of both scripts (GB). Measures on language-specific tests of cognitive-linguistic skills (phonological awareness, lexical decision, morphological awareness, rapid naming, and delayed copying) were included to compare the degree of deficit exhibited by each group. With age, grade, and non-verbal intelligence controlled, one-way ANCOVA results revealed that, compared to GB, PC manifested significant deficits in Chinese-delayed copying but scored similarly on all English cognitive-linguistic skills. PE and PB showed significant deficits in Chinese and English phonological awareness compared to PC; they were significantly weaker in English-delayed copying, morphological awareness, and rapid naming (RAN). The PB group was significantly slower in both Chinese and English RAN compared to GB. Findings highlight the critical role of delayed copying in distinguishing poor spellers in both Chinese and English, the importance of phonological awareness for spelling in English but not in Chinese, and the role of automaticity in bilingual spelling difficulties.

Pre-service teachers’ teaching challenges and the transformative learning opportunities during teaching practice in Indonesian remote areas

ABSTRACT Teaching practice in remote areas is beneficial for pre-service teachers’ professional development. The geographical structure and society in remote areas provide unique experiences. This study focuses on how teaching practice in remote areas opens up opportunities for transformative learning. Forty-one pre-service primary teachers from three universities participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were conducted in retrospect after participants had finished their teaching practice. Results show that PSTs encountered nine types of challenges during teaching practice; parents’ low awareness of the importance of their children’s education, local teachers’ low motivation, limited teaching resources at school, pupils’ absenteeism, pupils’ poor numeracy and literacy skills, the principal’s low responsibility, natural hazard factors, pupils’ low ability to understand Indonesian, and local conflicts between different communities. Encountering these nine types of challenges fosters PSTs’ disorientation, which might lead to transformative learning. In conclusion, remote areas have potential for transformative learning.