Provide Quality Education Research Articles

CHALLENGES OF ELEMENTARY TEACHERS IN TEACHING ENGLISH: INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERVISION AND PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES IN FOCUS

The main purpose of this study is to discover the instructional supervision and pedagogical practices as major strategies used by teachers who are currently teaching in the elementary schools. This study will focus on the commitment of the teachers to teaching elementary students and how they boost perseverance in achieving their goals in teaching English. The decreasing number of students and increasing accountability to the public challenge in the Philippines is the sustainable development of schools. Schools must provide quality education to attract students and maintain their brand. For sustainable development, leaders are expected to strengthen the professional competency of teachers and staff, formulate strategic plans, and build collaborative relationships with external parties to manage change. Principals, as instructional leaders, are primarily responsible for promoting effective teaching implementation. Effective principals continually engage teachers in instructional dialog and reflective practices to ensure that they are thoroughly equipped to improve student performance. Effective principals are aware of the varied instructional strategies that directly or indirectly improve teachers professional development. When teachers are not well supervised, effectiveness in instruction will be adversely affected and the instructional purposes may not be well realized. Negligence in the improvement of instruction through improper instructional supervisory practices by school heads may go on without being detected. This may lead to low quality of instruction and invariably teachers lack of commitment to their job. KEYWORDS: Instructional supervision, pedagogical practices, challenges, elementary teacher

Role of Employee Commitment in Total Quality Management on Performance of Institutions of Higher Learning in Kenya

Employee commitment is one of the common thematic areas for TQM in the service sector. It is crucial in fostering a sense of purpose, dedication, and alignment with the organization's mission and values. Since organization performance is linked to product quality and depends on its employees' dedication, organizations seeking competitive advantages through TQM must critically examine the levels of employee commitment. The universities in sub-Sahara Africa face elevated environmental dynamism in providing quality education. Due to conceptual gaps in the studies on employee commitment to university education in Kenya, the study evaluated the influence of employee commitment on the performance goals of private universities in Kenya. The study targeted seventeen (17) privately chartered universities founded by religious-based institutions in Kenya and utilized descriptive research design. The study censused 17 heads of administrative sections, functional departments and academic sections and used questionnaires as the primary data collection tool. Cronbach's Alpha reliability testing indicated that the instrument achieved scale reliability. The study used both descriptive and inferential analysis, and the results indicated that performance goals positively correlated with employee commitment (r = 0.670, p < 0.05) and explained 45.82 % variance in performance goals with an effect size; β1 = 0.67697 (t = 12.97, p< 0.05). The findings showed that employee commitment significantly influences the performance goals of these universities. The study recommends that these universities should seek to train, develop and align their human capital towards higher quality objectives from individual, departmental and organizational levels. This study is significant to the stakeholders in privately – chartered universities in Kenya and related contexts, as it will offer more enriching information on employee commitment to quality

Teachers’ Perceived Level of Professional Development and Competencies in Handling Kindergarten Pupils: The Case of Public and Private Schools of Ozamis City Division

Despite the critical role of early childhood education and the unique challenges faced by kindergarten teachers, there exists a noticeable need for more specific professional development needs and competencies required for effective teaching. This study employed a descriptive-survey research method to determine the professional development needs and competencies of kindergarten teachers in public and private schools of the Ozamiz City Division. Findings revealed that the kindergarten teachers expressed a high level of perceived professional development needs and demonstrated a high level of competence in handling kindergarten classes. This emphasizes the dedication of teachers to ongoing growth and improvement within their field. However, there exist a significant differences on the perceived professional development needs and competencies in terms of gender. These indicated the necessity for professional development to enhance the skills of kindergarten teachers, particularly in addressing the differing competency needs of male and female pupils. Thus, continuous professional development is essential, especially for early childhood education, as teachers must effectively meet the needs of their students and provide quality education.

Remote teaching as the catalyst for change in teaching values and practices: experiences of instructors within one chemistry department during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study examines the unique challenges and transformations in higher education instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on a strategic response from one chemistry department. The COVID-19 pandemic created many obstacles to providing quality instruction. To support chemistry instructors during the challenging transition to remote teaching, the leadership within one chemistry department created an initiative to ease feelings of isolation and support instructors in undergraduate teaching. Within this manuscript, we triangulate recordings of instructors’ discussions about remote teaching, course syllabi, and open-ended surveys to understand the teaching experiences of the instructors within this department during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings expose various points of tension instructors faced and demonstrate how the pandemic and the departmental initiative changed instructors’ teaching values. Despite the unfortunate context of the pandemic, these data reveal how this department-wide initiative has impacted the instructors and the department’s climate around teaching, which underscores the importance of collaborative efforts in navigating unprecedented educational challenges.

Implementing Instructional Supervisory Responsibilities in Tanzanian Public Secondary Schools: To What Extent Do Head of Schools Perform their Duty

The provision of quality education, among other things, depends on the role played by school heads in handling administrative duties such as the supervision of teachers, who are the key players in curriculum implementation. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which heads of schools discharge their instructional supervisory roles to enhance teachers’ performance in the daily teaching and learning processes. The study was carried out in the Lindi region, Tanzania Mainland in 2021. This study applied mixed methods where both qualitative and quantitative approaches were applied. The study sample comprised of teachers (N=103), heads of schools (N=57) and class masters (N=11) from 57 randomly selected public secondary schools. Data was collected through questionnaires, focus group discussions and interviews. Data were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches where quantitatively researcher employed descriptive and inferential statistics and presented results with frequencies and percentages. Qualitatively a researcher employed a thematic analysis method for identifying and reporting patterns/themes in the data. The study findings revealed that heads of schools failed to discharge their instructional supervisory responsibilities, as teachers were not punctual in attending to schools. There was no regular checking of teachers’ professional records except once in the year or by school inspectors. Heads of schools did not supervise teachers on how effectively they could handle students’ assessments. Noted was also a lack of instructional resources in schools. For improvement of the provision of quality education it is recommended that heads of schools effectively discharge their duties and where their setbacks, like lack of accommodation around the school, few teachers and lack of instructional resources, they should contact relevant bodies from both government and non-government sectors work together in making friendly teaching environment. Moreover, heads of schools encourage teachers’ creativity in using improvised local resources whenever and wherever possible.

Instructional Leadership Challenges in Rural Multigrade Schools

School leadership is regarded as the cornerstone of the successful provisioning of quality education. This qualitative study draws from principals' accounts of their instructional leadership challenges in rural multigrade schools. The research, situated within an interpretivist paradigm and the theoretical lens of instructional leadership, sought to understand the challenges that principals experience as instructional leaders and how they mitigate the challenges they experience in their rural contexts. Ten purposively selected principals from rural multigrade schools situated in the Vhembe district of Limpopo province participated in the study. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews and were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings show that principals in rural multigrade schools do not participate in induction training to equip them with the knowledge and skill to commence their roles as principals. As a result, they struggle to balance their teaching and management roles. However, fostering teamwork with teachers may be a strategy that could assist principals in managing and successfully executing their duties. Lack of access to technological resources and staffing are serious concerns for the participants in their aim to provide quality education. Active parental involvement supports principals and teacher in their multigrade rural context. This study recommends that principals should undergo training for their role as principals in rural multigrade schools and training on multigrade pedagogies is recommended for both principals and teachers. Understanding challenges that principals in rural multigrade schools experience could help policymakers establish relevant policies that address leadership issues in rural schools.

Envisaged Learning Environments for Learners with Visual Impairments in Lesotho Rural Schools Using Asset-Based Approaches

Previous literature has highlighted the persistent global challenge of providing quality education in conducive settings for learners with visual impairments (LVIs), particularly in rural schools. This study aims to explore viable resources that can be leveraged to create an enabling learning environment for LVIs within rural primary school contexts. Employing a qualitative research approach, the study engaged 12 teachers from rural mainstream primary schools in Lesotho. Data were gathered through focus group discussions with a purposively selected sample of teachers and analyzed thematically. The findings underscored the perception among participants that rural schools possess a range of assets, both visible and concealed, that effectively cater to the special educational needs of LVIs. However, a notable limitation surfaced regarding the teachers' knowledge about utilizing these existing resources optimally. Consequently, this highlighted a crucial need for enhanced collaboration, involvement of relevant stakeholders, and augmentation of academic resources. The effective utilization of these assets emerges as a pivotal factor requiring improved management to cultivate a more conducive learning environment for LVIs in the future.

A Q-methodology study to identify Slovak and Czech secondary school teachers’ prioritised features of the sustainable development goals

Education for sustainable development is a broad, cross-cutting concept. How teachers in different subject areas prioritise aspects of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) impacts learning objectives and outcomes. The goal of this research was to uncover, characterise and analyse groups of teachers based their perceptions of teaching SDGs. The research was conducted using Q-methodology with a P-set of 36 Slovak and Czech secondary school teachers who were given a Q-set of 48 statements with cognitive, affective, and behavioural learning objectives in the area of sustainability. The findings suggested the existence of three clusters of teachers that differ in the way they perceive the importance of teaching concepts connected with certain sustainability goals. The three groups emphasised different features of teaching the SDGs: (1) educating pupils about prosocial attitudes because it leads to reduced inequality and discrimination; (2) providing quality education in general because it stimulates sustainable actions and (3) leading pupils to take action in their local environment. Based on these findings, some useful and important implications are discussed below.

THE ROLE OF INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP IN PROVIDING QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL IN ISLAMIC SECONDARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

In the contemporary landscape of education, the imperative of providing quality education for all has become a paramount concern. This dissertation investigates the instrumental role of inclusive leadership in ensuring the provision of quality education for all in Islamic secondary educational institutions. These institutions, serving as bastions of both religious and academic development, demand a leadership approach that is inclusive, equitable, and forward-looking. The study delves into the multifaceted concept of inclusive leadership, exploring its theoretical underpinnings and practical implications within the unique context of Islamic secondary education. Inclusive leadership goes beyond conventional models by actively involving diverse stakeholders, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment, and addressing the individual needs of all students. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses to comprehensively understand the impact of inclusive leadership on access to education and the enhancement of learning experiences

Inclusive education in the aftermath of the pandemic: Lessons from mainstream and special teachers who ‘escaped the room’

This paper reports on a study that sought to explore mainstream and special teachers’ inclusive practices during the Covid-19 pandemic and discusses issues that are relevant in the post-Covid-19 period. The study is contextualized with European and international studies and reports on teachers’ role in the inclusion of children with disabilities before and during the pandemic. The sample of the study comprised of 17 mainstream and special teachers based in public schools in the Republic of Cyprus. They were purposively selected due to their commitment to provide quality education. Following a thematic analysis of teachers’ interviews, some of the themes were mapped with Florian and Black-Hawkins’ Framework for Participation which was used as a tool to conceptualize how teachers promoted participation through ensuring access, collaboration and inclusive pedagogy in distance education. The discussion links the findings with key values of inclusive education, such as interdependence and belongingness and resistance of ableist policies. It is concluded that teachers’ inclusive responses during the pandemic may inform professionals who are committed to inclusive education to bring about change in competitive and individualistic education systems across Europe.

Development of Madrasa Education in India: A Historical Overview

In India, madrasas have an ancient history. Madrasas have always contributed welfare to the society. From the very beginning it is meant to serve the educational and religious needs of the people. Through various periods, it always reveals how madrasas and its system shaped the religious and educational platform of India. UNESCO reports that from Medina mosque (7th century) to 10th century (Ghazni period) and till 17th century, the role of madrasa education in imparting education was firstly in teachings of the Qur’an, theology, law, history, the Arabic language and literature and later became centers for religious and secular learning. According to the recent data madrasa education system educate over 1.5 million students per year and it has been significantly contributing to universalization of education after SSA (Sarva Siksha Abhiyan) and plays an important role in socio-cultural and economic advancement of the Muslim community to prepare an increasing number of students for higher education. To know the concept and history of madrasa education in India and its contribution of providing quality education, this paper unveils the madrasas from the age of Ghazni to independent India and the formation of madrasa boards. This study also clearly focuses on the traditional growth and timely changes of madrasa education system.

Strategi Mengatasi Stres Dan Mempertahankan Kesejahteraan Keluarga Pada Orang Tua Tunggal: Studi Kasus Pamulang Barat

Single parents face stressful challenges that detrimentally affect individual well-being and disrupt family dynamics. This research reveals various strategies for coping with stress, including emphasizing solutions, maintaining emotional balance, and seeking social support. Through a qualitative approach, interviews with six single parents uncovered diverse strategies, such as emphasizing solutions, maintaining emotional balance, engaging in positive activities, participating in spiritual practices, and relying on a strong community role. Their perseverance in meeting family needs, providing quality education, and maintaining well-being demonstrates inspirational determination. The research highlights the crucial role of social support and perseverance in responding to the impact of stress on single parents, influencing overall family well-being.

The Geography of Human Capital: Insights from the Subnational Human Capital Index in Indonesia

This paper explores the spatial heterogeneity in the human capital potential of Indonesia’s next generation by constructing and analyzing sub-national human capital indices (HCI) for 34 provinces and 514 districts in Indonesia. The paper identifies data and methodological constraints in the construction of these sub-national indices and proposes and implements strategies to overcome these challenges. Several interesting findings emerge from the analysis. First, Indonesian’s young generation can only achieve 53% of their future productivity relative to the full benchmark of health and education. Second, the variation in aggregate human capital potential across space in Indonesia is staggering: some parts of country are almost at par with countries like Vietnam and China while others have human capital levels that are comparable to Chad, Niger, and Sierra Leone. Third, differences in learning outcomes as measured by harmonized test scores account for the largest share of the variation in human capital across Indonesia, suggesting that the challenge of providing quality education remains one of the most important obstacles to equalizing opportunities for the next generation of Indonesians. And fourth, the correlation between government spending and performance on HCI at the district level appears rather weak, reinforcing conclusions reached by other recent studies that have highlighted the importance of focusing on the quality of spending. Finally, this paper also shows that Indonesia’s human capital registered a modest improvement from 0.50 in 2013 to 0.53 in 2018 with stronger progress observed among the already top performing provinces.

Disparities in School Performance in Romania. A Geostatistical Analysis of Baccalaureate Results between 2015-2022

This study analyses the evolution of the main indicators of students’ high school performance at the high school graduation exams (Romanian Baccalaureate) from a geographical perspective. Both participation and pass rates fluctuate depending on the type of high school, gender and place of residence. Behind these quantifiable characteristics there are significant disparities in (in)equality of educational opportunities influenced by the questionable efficiency of the education system in providing quality education to every student, regardless of their parents’ financial background. Although the upper cycle of secondary school (11-12th grades) is not legally compulsory, successful graduation is essential for the economic, social and cultural insertion of the future adults in a functioning society. The lack of performance of some high schools and vulnerable groups of students, who face problems of accessibility, motivation, opportunity, and financial support, as well as the worrying numbers of exam absentees, must be brought baccalaureate to the permanent agenda of the policy makers, not exclusively during the exam period. The complexity of the official data from 2015-2022 has allowed the geostatistical analysis of school performance, highlighting the deep discrepancies within the system, specifically between urban and rural students, the administrative and economic hierarchy of the locality and the prestige of the high school attended. The insights of this analysis can be used to identify optimal solutions to enhance the research about educational disparities.

The Importance of Customer Focus on the Institutional Performance of Private Universities in Kenya

Institutions of higher learning (universities) have gradually adopted the total quality management (TQM) system to ensure quality product offerings and achieve competitive advantage. Universities in sub-Sahara Africa are vehicles of economic and human development through the provision of a trained labour force and research output. These organisations face elevated environmental dynamism in the provision of quality education. Due to conceptual gaps in the application of TQM in universities in SSA, the study assessed the critical importance of customer focus on the institutional performance of private universities in Kenya. The study employed a descriptive research design and targeted seventeen (17) privately chartered universities founded by religious-based institutions in Kenya. The study used a census sampling technique and randomly sampled 17 heads of administrative sections, functional departments and academic sections. Questionnaires were used as a primary tool for data collection, with the instrument being piloted at Carlile College, Kenya. Cronbach's Alpha reliability testing indicated that the instrument achieved scale reliability. The study employed both descriptive and inferential analysis. Institutional performance significantly and positively correlates with the customer focus (r = 0.580, p < 0.05) and explains 33.61 % of variations in institutional performance with an effect size of β1 = 0.5132 (t = 10.04, p< 0.05). The findings showed that customer focus as an element of TQM significantly influences the institutional performance of these universities. The study recommends that these universities inculcate and institutionalise customer-focused practices during the implementation of quality assurance. This study is of significance to the stakeholders in privately – chartered universities in Kenya and related contexts, as it will offer more enriching information on total quality management

Ang Magturo ay Di Biro: A HERMENEUTIC PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY ON THE LIVED-EXPERIENCES OF MATH EDUCATORS IN OUT-OF-FIELD TEACHING

Out-of-field teaching is a significant threat to the provision of quality education. In this context, teachers are tasked to teach subjects outside their specialization. Although several studies have been conducted about out-of-field teaching, nothing is known about the lived experiences in the context of math educators that have utilized Gadamers hermeneutic framework in gathering and analyzing data. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study is to determine the meaning of the lived experiences of math educators in out-of-field teaching experiences. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological design, a sample of 10 math educators was purposively selected following selection criteria from 2 distinct divisions in the Philippines. This approach allowed for a comprehensive exploration and interpretation of the participants experiences and meaning-making processes. After a series of rigorous steps, four major themes emerged from the narrative accounts including (a) out-of-field teaching presents content, pedagogical, and technological issues, (b) out-of-field teaching causes mental and emotional disturbances among teachers, (c) out-of-field teaching requires enough learning resources and proper training/mentoring, and (d) out-of-field teaching entails adaptive behaviors among teachers. These identified themes were important in illustrating the phenomenon and offered new perspectives as a basis for educational reforms and policy-making. KEYWORDS: Gadamers hermeneutic phenomenological framework, out-of-field teaching

Peran Akreditasi Sekolah atau Madrasah dalam Meningkatkan Kualitas Pendidikan Indonesia

This article discusses the efforts to ensure the quality of education in Indonesia through the school accreditation process. School accreditation is a comprehensive assessment of the eligibility of educational programs based on the National Education Standards (SNP) as a form of public accountability. Accreditation is carried out by comparing the school's conditions with the four components (standards) established in IASP 2020. In its implementation, the continuous fulfillment and development of these four components lead to the provision of quality education. Accreditation is an effort to accelerate and encourage the growth and development of schools/madrasahs, and motivate them to achieve the desired standards. This is expected to create a conducive environment for educational growth, provide guidance for continuous self-evaluation, and serve as a stimulus to continue striving for the expected quality. Thus, accreditation indirectly ensures the quality of education, which is beneficial for students, teachers, and the community in choosing schools for their children.

NEP 2020 and Inclusive Education in India

Abstract: Education plays a pivotal role in all of our lives and paves the way for all of us to reach our highest potential. An educated person can become a great citizen in society. The modern, developed and industrialised world is running on the wheels of education. Quality education, is a major catalyst of development in families across India. NEP 2020 emphasizes upon inculcating Inclusive educational structure and inclusive educational culture in our school education system through infrastructural support and by making corresponding changes in curriculum incorporating materials on human values such as respect for all persons, empathy, tolerance etc NEP recognises the importance of providing quality education to the children with special needs similar as provided to the other children at all levels of education. This policy ensures that every child with special needs deserve for the meaningful and quality education. Inclusive education is a new approach to education that emphasizes access to education under one roof for traditionally excluded groups – especially children with and without disabilities and those who speak minority languages etc. Thus, inclusive education can greatly help reduce discrimination against children with disabilities and promote equality, access and rights to education and care. For that it is essential that schools try to include such learning methods in the curriculum.

Reading Between the Lines: a Critical Analysis of Representation in English Textbooks for Telangana State Government Schools

This paper discusses the presence of gender bias in English textbooks used in government schools in Telangana, South India. The analysis covers various aspects, including the representation of male and female characters, social and domestic roles assigned to them, the order of appearance in phrases, and the visual representations in illustrations. The key findings include an uneven distribution of male and female characters, with males predominating. Males are assigned a wider range of social roles, while females are often portrayed in stereotypical domestic roles such as homemakers. The order of appearance in phrases tends to favor males. In visual representations, females are shown more frequently engaging in housework, while males are depicted more often in activities outside the home, suggesting a gender imbalance. The biased and stereotypical gender representation in the textbooks may influence young learners' perceptions and contribute to gender disparity in society. Hence it is recommended that instructional materials may be revised to provide quality education without biases.

Teacher's practice and perception of the influence of stories during preschool child development: A cross-sectional study from ethnically diverse South Indian city

Stories constitute a significant part of the Indian preschool curriculum due to their various benefits in preschool child development. However, the teachers’ practice of stories and their perception regarding the influence of stories on preschool child development are vital determining factors in the benefit preschoolers receive from stories. The global concern for providing quality education for preschool children necessitates the exploration of teachers’ practices and perceptions; however, such studies in the Indian context, where education is shaped by its multicultural and linguistic diversities, are limited. The present study provides an original contribution to exploring the Indian preschool teachers’ practice of stories and perception of the influence of stories on preschool child development using a developed questionnaire, Teachers’ Practice and Perception of Stories (TPPS). Ninety-six preschool teachers from English medium schools in Mangalore, India, participated in the study. The findings indicated that irrespective of teachers’ demographic variables, they played an active role in telling stories to children and positively believed that stories facilitate speech and language, cognition, literacy, and socio-pragmatic development in preschoolers. The findings broadly apply stories for preschool child development in clinical and school settings.