Secondary University Research Articles

Literacy, Education and Economic Development in Contemporary China

Literacy has been conceptualized traditionally as having a major role in developing a nation. Literacy helps to spread awareness among the people of their rights. People with good literacy skills enjoy a higher standard of living, have better opportunities of finding jobs, and are able to continue to learn new skills that will help them in the workplace. A nation with high literacy rate is more likely to attract a large pool of investors and entrepreneurs as well as the inflow of money which in turn have a great impact on the nation’s economy. A society’s economic prosperity and literacy have great influence on each other as they jointly grow together. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of literacy in the economic development of contemporary China. Five variables, i.e. number of the illiterate and self-educated, primary school enrolment, secondary school enrolment, university and college enrolment and the education length were chosen based on empirical studies, especially the Solow model. Quantitative data were analyzed across China’s twenty-two provinces, five autonomous regions, and four municipalities which are under the direct control of the central government. On the other hand, qualitative data were generated by hypotheses or tested assumptions. The paper reveals that there is a significance relationship between the above-named variables and the economic development as well as the effect of structural changes on the education system, and that literacy is the key to move China forward. However, due to funding inequalities and certain aspects of government policies, some regions and provinces in China remain underdeveloped. Comparison of literacy rates between eastern, central and

Leading change in teacher education inAustralia through university-school partnerships

Recent government reviews of higher education in Australia have highlighted the need for comprehensive reform across the tertiary education and training sector. Teacher education has traditionally been offered in isolation from schools. Innovative partnerships between universities, schools, employing bodies, and other educational institutions are now encouraged. This study evaluates the impact and effectiveness of one university-school partnership between an Australian university and a large secondary college in Canberra, Australia. The partnership, titled the Down South initiative, embeds secondary teacher education within a College learning environment to bring together academics, secondary college students and teachers, and pre-service teachers for learning and research. The paper provides evidence of the effectiveness of the partnership in strengthening pre-service teachers’ professional identity, knowledge and practice and by contributing to mutually reciprocal outcomes for all.

Leading Change in Teacher Education In Australia Through University-School Partnerships

Recent government reviews of higher education in Australia have highlighted the need for comprehensive reform across the tertiary education and training sector. Teacher education has traditionally been offered in isolation from schools. Innovative partnerships between universities, schools, employing bodies, and other educational institutions are now encouraged. This study evaluates the impact and effectiveness of one university-school partnership between an Australian university and a large secondary college in Canberra, Australia. The partnership, titled the Down South initiative, embeds secondary teacher education within a College learning environment to bring together academics, secondary college students and teachers, and pre-service teachers for learning and research. The paper provides evidence of the effectiveness of the partnership in strengthening pre-service teachers’ professional identity, knowledge and practice and by contributing to mutually reciprocal outcomes for all.

Comparative Analysis of the Reliability and Validity Coefficients of WAEC, NECO and NABTEB Constructed Mathematics Examination

This study compared the reliability and validity co-efficient of mathematics examinations constructed by the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO), and National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), as a way to ascertain the extent in which these examination are comparable and met the required standard of a well standardized test in terms of reliability and validity.All the final year students of all Secondary School Students and Technical College Students in Nigeria constituted the population for the study. A total of 720 students were used as sample out of which 120 students were used for Test-retest method and the rest 600 students for other methods of estimating reliability and validity coefficients. The researcher adopted past WAEC, NECO and NABTEB mathematics questions as instruments for the study.Two hypotheses were raised, one on reliability and the other on validity and the two hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using Z-test, Fisher’s Transformation and Hotelling Williams Test. The results of the findings showed that WAEC, NECO and NABTEB mathematics achievement Examinations are highly reliable and valid. It also showed that the Examination bodies are comparable and equivalent. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n2p397

Higher Secondary Level Students’ Evaluation of Communicative Language Teaching in Bangladesh

The aim of the present research was to investigate the evaluation of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) by Higher Secondary (college) level students of Bangladesh. When EFL teachers adapt the CLT method to teach their students (especially college level education) according to their own way without perfect needs of the students, a gap has been arisen between the EFL teachers and the students for their perceptions and practice of new teaching methodology like CLT. Therefore, exploring how Higher Secondary level students’ evaluation of CLT interacts with their learning process could shed more light for learners’ development. This paper reports Higher Secondary level students’ evaluation of CLT method by which they would be able to communicate with their teachers for learning English language very spontaneously in Bangladesh. To achieve this purpose, out of 83 participants, intermediate (Both first year and second year) language learners were selected randomly. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews and belief-inventory questionnaires in the program. It gives an interpretive account of the participant’s reactions to CLT and the impact of it for learning process. This is followed by a discussion on several structured questions that students hold a favorable attitude towards CLT method which has been expressed through their positive statement that by mastering the rules of grammar, students become fully capable of communicating with a non-native speaker where CLT learners are to take responsibility for their own learning and they have to perform group work activities which are essential for communication and in promoting genuine interaction among students. Side by side they have to acquire their English knowledge for communication with others effectively when CLT method is used in their classes through text books.

Zones of Practice: Embodiment and Creative Arts Research

This article presents the trans-disciplinary encounters with and perspectives on embodiment of three creative-arts practitioners within the Deakin University research project Flows & Catchments. The project explores how creative arts participate in community and the possibility of well-being. We discuss our preparations for creative work exhibited at the 2012 Lake Bolac Festival un regional Western Victoria, Australia

Status and its influencing factors of stress of nursing interns in an army hospital

Objective To explore the stress status and its influencing factors of nursing interns in an military hospital.Methods 190 nursing interns were surveyed by an self-made general information questionnaire and a pressure source scale of practice nurses.Results The stress status at the end of practice of nursing interns in our hospital was at the low level.The total pressure source score was (25.37 ± 4.69).The major influencing factors of stress status were levels of education (technical secondary school,college or bachelor degree) and manners of profession choosing ( voluntarily,family intention or assigned).Among them,interns with higher level of education had more stress.Interns who chose nursing as profession by assignment had higher stress level than those by family intention or voluntarily.Conclusions Understanding basic characteristics and special situations of nursing interns with different education levels and manners of profession choosing is useful for nursing managers to make effective intervention strategies,adjust and protect stress level,and ensure physical and mental health of the nursing interns. Key words: Local nursing interns; Stress status; Influencing factors

Analysis of Curriculum for Home Economics Education in the Secondary College of Education: Focused on Subject Matter Education and Subject Contents

Analysis of Curriculum for Home Economics Education in the Secondary College of Education: Focused on Subject Matter Education and Subject Contents

Good practice in secondary school careers programs

PurposeCareer programmes within secondary school curriculum can impact on a young person's sense of direction and meaning in life. The purpose of this paper is to report on an evaluation that was conducted in 2009 of the careers programmes in one secondary college in the western suburbs of Melbourne.Design/methodology/approachThe research team utilised a multi‐method approach collecting 273 surveys and undertaking both focus groups and interviews, ensuring the voices of young people were at the centre of the work.FindingsInnovative careers and transition programmes create opportunities for young people to plan for their future. Similarly the absence of established careers programmes can compound the disadvantage that some students experience. The findings evidence how important it is for schools to support inclusive classrooms that enable young people to make informed decisions about their career pathways.Research limitations/implicationsThe research findings were used to form a model of good practice and highlight the transformational impact of career and transition programmes for young people. The current research explores student knowledge, confidence, attitudes and perceptions while they are still at school. A longitudinal study, tracking these same young people as they progress to tertiary education and/or employment, would enable more definitive evidence on actual transitions and the actual outcomes experienced by young people.Originality/valueThis paper is of value to the education sector as it looks to respond to the need to develop a more seamless approach to young people making successful transitions to further education and/or employment.

Availability and quality of emergency obstetric care, an alternative strategy to reduce maternal mortality: Experience of Tongji Hospital, Wuhan, China

The burden of maternal mortality (MM) and morbidity is especially high in Asia. However, China has made significant progress in reducing MM over the past two decades, and hence maternal death rate has declined considerably in last decade. To analyze availability and quality of emergency obstetric care (EmOC) received by women at Tongji Hospital, Wuhan, China, this study retrospectively analyzed various pregnancy-related complications at the hospital from 2000 to 2009. Two baseline periods of equal length were used for the comparison of variables. A total of 11 223 obstetric complications leading to MM were identified on a total of 15 730 hospitalizations, either 71.35% of all activities. No maternal death was recorded. Mean age of women was 29.31 years with a wide range of 14-52 years. About 96.26% of women had higher levels of schooling, university degrees and above and received the education of secondary school or college. About 3.74% received primary education at period two (P2) from 2005 to 2009, which was significantly higher than that of period one (P1) from 2000 to 2004 (P<0.05) (OR: 0.586; 95% CI: 0.442 to 0.776). About 65.69% were employed as skilled or professional workers at P2, which was significantly higher than that of P1 (P<0.05). About 34.31% were unskilled workers at P2, which was significantly higher than that of P1 (P<0.05). Caesarean section was performed for 9,930 women (88.48%) and the percentage of the procedure increased significantly from 19.25% at P1 to 69.23% at P2 (P<0.05). We were led to conclude that, despite the progress, significant gaps in the performance of maternal health services between rural and urban areas remain. However, MM reduction can be achieved in China. Priorities must include, but not limited to the following: secondary healthcare development, health policy and management, strengthening primary healthcare services.

"Goals" and the Teaching of Anthropology

Teaching anthropology in the UK is undergoing an important change. Anthropology has become an ALevel subject, which means that it will be taught not only at universities but also at secondary schools and colleges of further education. This is a good opportunity to reflect on what it means to teach anthropology to young people before they go to University. How will it be different to teaching anthropology to undergraduates and postgraduates? Might it affect the way we conceive of teaching and learning anthropological fieldwork, given it is sometimes said that anthropology demands a certain level of life experience and wisdom to understand and conduct ethnographic research? How could the experience of teaching anthropology in higher education inform teaching anthropology at schools and vice versa?

An Analysis of Drug Abuse at a Selected Secondary School

The article considers an analysis of the abuse of addictive substances by students studying at the Secondary Vocational College and Grammar School in Staré Město. An interview with the school prevention methodologist was carried out during the performance of the research, and a questionnaire survey conducted among 206 students at the school. With a view to the drug issues that are currently targeted at the school according to the school prevention methodologist, the research questionnaire focused first and foremost on analysing the abuse of marijuana, tobacco products and alcoholic beverages by the students at the given school.

What is the Threshold of Teachers' Recognition and Report of Concerns About Anxiety and Depression in Students? An Exploratory Study With Teachers of Adolescents in Regional Australia

AbstractIntroduction:Anxiety and depression in adolescence is prevalent but often unrecognised and untreated. This can lead to serious disorders in later life. This study explored how teachers recognise anxiety and depression in secondary school students and act on their concerns.Method:Twenty teachers from four secondary colleges in regional Victoria, Australia were interviewed regarding their experiences. In-depth interviews were analysed using descriptive thematic analysis in order to understand how teachers respond to this issue.Results:Teachers' recognition of mental health problems in students and the threshold for reporting their concerns was subjective and not based on any formal knowledge of how to identify anxiety or depression risk factors in students. Years of teaching experience was not associated with increased knowledge of mental health problems in students. Time pressures and lack of resources in student wellbeing teams were barriers to teachers reporting their concerns about students.Conclusion:Education bodies and teaching universities responsible for training teachers and providing ongoing professional learning need to ensure that mental health training is part of every teacher's core skill set, so that teachers can confidently promote mental wellbeing, identify emerging mental health problems, know how to facilitate access to more specialist intervention where required and contribute effectively to follow-up support.

Maths ambassador video competition

Maths ambassador video competition Volume/Issue Vol 11, Issue 3 Date Saturday, 1 October, 2011 Journal Name MSOR Connections Author(s) Peter Rowlett Abstract The Maths Careers website (www.mathscareers.org.uk) has launched a competition for undergraduate students who are student ambassadors conducting outreach support in secondary schools and colleges during 2011/12 and undergraduates who were ambassadors in 2010/11. DOI doi:10.11120/msor.2011.11030053 Taxonomy: work area Journals [1] Taxonomy: discipline STEM [2] Maths, Stats and OR [3] Mathematics [4] Taxonomy: HEAV Institutions [5]

Brief report: Emotional intelligence, victimisation and bullying in adolescents

In order to better understand bullying behaviours we examined for the first time the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) of adolescents, bullying behaviours and peer victimisation. The sample consisted of 68 adolescents from a secondary college. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire which assessed their EI, how frequently they engaged in bullying behaviours and how often they were the target of peer victimisation. Results of the study indicated that the EI dimensions of Emotions Direct Cognition and Emotional Management and Control, significantly predicted the propensity of adolescents to be subjected to peer victimisation. The EI dimension of Understanding the Emotions of Others was found to be negatively related with bullying behaviours. It was concluded that anti-bullying programs in schools could be improved by addressing deficits in EI in adolescents who bully others as well as those who are at a greater risk of being subjected to peer victimisation.

Compliance in a school-based caries clinical trial of a sugar-free chewing gum

There is currently little reliable and quantifiable compliance data reported for preventive trials of oral disease. During a two-year, school-based caries clinical trial of sugar-free chewing gum, strategies to promote compliance with a gum-chewing protocol were implemented and outcomes measured. Methods Over a 28-month period 2720 subjects, aged 11½–13½ at baseline, were recruited from 29 secondary colleges in Melbourne, Australia. Subjects were required to chew gum (test or control) for 10 min 3× daily, including once during a supervised school chewing session. The main compliance promotion strategies were regular school visits, regular provision of information and performance feedback and reimbursement. Compliance was measured using supervised school chewing logs, self-report paper diaries and returned unused home-use gum. The primary compliance outcome was the percentage of supervised school sessions attended by the subject over a 24-month period. Results Overall supervised session attendance was 63.9 ± 17.6%. There was no significant difference between control and test groups in supervised session attendance. Average diary return rate was 76%, with final diary returns of 84%. Data from diaries were not considered sufficiently robust to analyse and report. The return rate for unused home-use gum was poor. Conclusions This research highlights the importance of: (1) dedicated compliance trial personnel in an adequate ratio to trial subjects; (2) inclusion in protocols of direct methods of measuring compliance; (3) prompt analysis of compliance data; (4) piloting of compliance data collection tools and (5) self-report paper diaries having questionable feasibility as a compliance data collection tool.

Défenses et dépersonnalisation de la relation enseignante et soignante

ObjectiveThis research studies the defensive function of the relational dimension of the burnout syndrome named depersonalization or cynism (Maslach & Jackson, 1994) or distantiation (Laurent et al., 2007) [17]) or deshumanization (Daloz et al., 2005) [6]) and the specific defences in the systematic depersonalization. SubjectsThe participants were 39 voluntary teachers in secondary college and 43 medical urgentists. MethodParticipants were classified in three groups according to theirs scores on the five items of the Maslach Burnout Inventory subscale: (a) the first group is composed of teachers declaring a distanciation from theirs pupils; (b) the second group is composed of teachers creating an intermittent depersonalization and; (c) the third group is composed of teachers describing a systematic depersonalization or dehumanization of their relation. InstrumentsThe Defence Style Questionnaire of Bond (DSQ 40) permits to assess three defensive styles (mature, neurotic and immature) and 20 mechanisms of defence according to the factorial analysis with a French sample by Guelfi et al. (2000) [14] The Maslach Burnout Inventory of Maslach and Jackson (MBI, 1986) [20] permits to evaluate emotional exhaustion (nine items), depersonalization (five items) and personal accomplishment (eight items). ResultsThe teachers in a depersonalization relationship manifest significant differences in the activation of Projection defence. The comparison of data obtained in our teacher's sample with urgency professionals reveals that teachers activate more sublimation, annulation, passive aggression, pseudo-altruism. The personal accomplishment in the urgency medical and the pedagogic activities is influenced by the type of relation. The systematic depersonalization has a negative effect on the personal accomplishment. The type of depersonalization significantly influences personal accomplishment but not cognitive or affective satisfaction with life. The negative consequences are limited to the professional domain, particularly on the personal accomplishment in the professional activity. Our results illustrate the defensive function of the depersonalization.

HIV/AIDS epidemic situation and data analysis among young students from 2006-2009 in China

To analyze the HIV/AIDS epidemic situation and related behavioral components among young students in the last years and to provide information for integrated control and prevention programs. Data on young students (15 - 24 years) through case reporting system was collected from 2006 to 2009 and continuous sentinel surveillance data regarding 6 national sentinel sites carried out from 2006 to 2009 was also collected. The sentinel sites would include universities, junior college and secondary vocational colleges registered students, using cluster sampling phases method. Self-administered questionnaire survey and blood (HIV antibody testing and syphilis antibody testing) tests were carried out, with the sample size was about 800 cases per site per year. The number of case report on HIV/AIDS among the young students of 15 - 24 years age group had been rising. Similar trend was also observed on the number of reported cases over the years, accounting for the proportions of the total number of reported cases, as 0.39%, 0.50%, 0.83% and 1.02% respectively from 2006 to 2009. Sexual contacts continued to be the major route of transmission, with the increasing proportion of homosexual transmission. In the 6 national sentinel sites of young students which continuous surveillance was conducted during the period from 2006 to 2009, data showed the following facts as: proportion (median) of objects who admitted to have had sex, were: 4.3%, 4.5% and 6.1%, proportions (median) of commercial sex occurred in the past year were: 0.3%, 0.2% and 0.3%; proportions (median) of MSM occurred in the past year were: 0.7%, 0.2% and 0.2%; median of HIV antibody positive rate and syphilis antibody positive rate were 0%; median of awareness rate on HIV/AIDS were: 49.0%, 75.0% and 80.5%; proportion (median) of monitor objects who received intervention services in the past year were: 44.2%, 54.3% and 50.2% respectively. In recent years, the HIV/AIDS number through case reporting system on the young students under 15 - 24 years age group, was increasing, but the HIV prevalence among young students was still relatively low, in general. The main transmission was sexual. Some young students had been engaged in commercial sex and MSM activities. Health education should be strengthened to increase the awareness of young students on AIDS/STD prevention. It is necessary to take more effective intervention measures to decrease new infection and control HIV/AIDS epidemic among young students.

Supporting Adolescent Learning and Development Using Applied Learning Pedagogies in a Regional Secondary School: An Evaluation of a Pilot Program

Pedagogies to develop autonomy and social responsibility in early adolescent learners persist as an ongoing agenda for schools. This paper reports on one Australian regional secondary college’s pilot program to improve learner engagement in one year 8 class using applied learning principles across the curriculum. In late 2006, participating students in this applied learning initiative were interviewed in small groups, their parents surveyed, and their home group teacher interviewed. Overwhelmingly, student perspectives strongly endorsed the pilot program and were consistent with parent and teacher observations of these same students’ feelings toward engagement within the program. This article details adolescents’ self-reported significant learning, locating them within a wider discourse of secondary school curriculum and current knowledge about early adolescent learners. This article also provides particular reference to the applied learning principles around which the pilot program was conceived and framed.

High School Inspection by the University of Wisconsin, 1877–1931

During the decades around the beginning of the twentieth century, public universities in the United States commonly employed a “certificate system” to establish eligibility for undergraduate admittance. “Certification” meant that between 1877 and 1931 representatives of the University of Wisconsin inspected high schools and had face-to-face interaction with pupils, teachers, and administrators. If they found a school's facilities, curriculum, and teaching to be satisfactory, graduates—with the endorsement of their principal—could enter the University as freshmen without further examination. This process of certification by inspection was part of a broader dialogue between Wisconsin high schools and the state university. The principal inspector during the 1920s, Thomas Lloyd-Jones, brought together strands of both administrative and pedagogical Progressivism, while insisting on the importance of academic subjects in the high school curriculum. By encouraging closer articulation between secondary schools and colleges, it was a central component of what educational historian Mark VanOverbeke has described as a more “stratified and standardized educational system” that developed in the United States between 1870 and 1910.