Class Size Research Articles

STRATEGIES FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

This academic article delves into the realm of inclusive education and intercultural communication within the context of elementary schools. The study sheds light on the crucial role of culturally sensitive teaching and intercultural training, while also recognizing the challenges confronted by elementary educators, such as inadequate training, limited resources, and handling large class sizes. To enhance inclusive education and intercultural communication, this paper recommends targeted strategies, including fostering collaborative co-teaching partnerships between primary and resource teachers.

Implementation of Inclusive Education at Key Stage 1: Current Practices and Coping Strategies

Many schools in Maldives are transitioning towards the adoption of inclusive education, now mandated by both constitutional provisions and policy directives. This study was conducted within the context of Key Stage 1 at a school in Male’, Maldives with the purpose of exploring the implementation of inclusive education, as well as the challenges teachers face in implementing it and ways to overcome these challenges. Purposive sampling was utilised to select six teachers using specific inclusion criteria. Qualitative data was collected through interviews and observations. A semi-structured interview guide was utilised in the interviews. The data from the open-ended questions were analysed for categories, and the interview transcripts were thematically analysed. The findings indicate that current inclusive education strategies include incorporating children with complex learning profiles into mainstream classes alongside their classmates. The challenges teachers face in implementing inclusive education are mainly related to classroom and school factors, such as high student teacher ratio, lack of resources, and insufficient training. Findings also reveal that teachers are not receiving feedback, and there is no adequate monitoring system in the school. Additional resources and training, as well as more teachers, were identified as some of the ways to improve the implementation of inclusive education in Key Stage 1 at the schools in the Maldives.

Management of Teaching Space and Time: Evidence from Tertiary Institutions in Ghana

Overcrowding in classrooms is a common issue in tertiary institutions in Ghana. Proper management of teaching space and time is critical for maximising the use of available resources and stressful-free learning environment for students in tertiary institutions. This article aims to provide empirical evidence and practical recommendations for improving the management of teaching space and time in Ghana's tertiary institutions. The study is grounded in utilization theory, and adopted a descriptive survey design. The population for this study consists of 26 general-purpose lecture rooms available at a university in Ghana. Census Sampling was applied to select all the 26 general-purpose lecture rooms. The instruments used for data collection was an observation checklist. Quantitative results from the observation checklist were analysed using teaching space utilization formulas. The study revealed that general-purpose lecture rooms were underutilized in terms of time but were efficiently utilized in terms of space. The study also found that the lecture rooms have high utilization rates on Mondays and low utilization on Fridays. Additionally, morning sessions revealed efficient utilization, while afternoon and evening sessions were underutilized. The study recommends implementation of centralized timetabling and computerization of space allocation. Additionally, the study recommends for provision of a few more large general purpose lecture rooms to accommodate very large class sizes, which can also be partitioned effectively to accommodate small class sizes for efficient utilization of the lecture rooms.

The long‐run educational benefits of high‐achieving classrooms

AbstractThis paper examines how placement in high‐achieving classrooms within high school impacts students’ short‐ and longer‐term academic outcomes. Our setting is a large and selective Chinese high school, where first‐year students are separated into high‐achieving and regular classrooms based on their performance on a standardized exam. Classrooms differ in terms of peer ability, teacher quality, and class size, as well as level and pace of instruction. Using newly collected administrative data and a regression discontinuity design, we show that high‐achieving classrooms improve math test scores by 23% of a standard deviation, with effects persisting throughout the 3 years of high school. Impacts on performance in Chinese and English language subjects are more muted. Importantly, we find that high‐achieving classrooms raise enrollment in elite universities by 17 percentage points, as they substantially increase scores on the national college entrance exam—the sole determinant of university admission in China. We provide suggestive evidence that the most likely mechanism driving our results is exposure to higher‐quality teachers.

Navigating undergraduate medical education: a comparative evaluation of a fully online versus a hybrid model

BackgroundThe evaluation of undergraduate medical curricula plays a crucial role in ensuring effectiveness and helps in continuous improvement of the learning process. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of online and hybrid teaching models of the first-year MBBS curriculum in the COVID-19 era (2019–20) and the para-COVID-19 pandemic (2020–21).Study methodologyMixed methods study with CIPP model was used. Data was collected by administering a survey and focus group discussions (FGDs) with first-year students from the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 cohorts, faculty and administrators, which were recorded for analysis. Recorded lectures, guidebooks, planners, and question papers were also scrutinized for quality and adequacy. Furthermore, admission merit, module assessments, and professional examination results were compared and correlated. The learning environment was evaluated through the questionnaire (validated and used by Pakistan Medical and Dental council for inspections of medical schools) and the facilities provided in both years were juxtaposed. The study utilized NVIVO for qualitative and SPSS version 23 for quantitative data analysis.ResultsContextual analysis underscored the critical need for online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, with provided resources being deemed sufficient. Notably, the student-faculty ratio stood at 4:1, and essential resources were readily available. The fully online batch outperformed the hybrid teaching class in 2020–21. Process analysis revealed successful session delivery in hybrid and online through webinars and Zoom, accompanied by timely provision of study guides and punctual assessments. Moreover, examination papers demonstrated acceptable reliability (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.61) in core subjects. Product analysis indicated that the 2020–21 cohort performed better in modular and professional examinations across all subjects (P < 0.01) despite their lower admission merit compared to the 2019–20 batch.ConclusionsThe study revealed challenges faced during total online teaching, highlighting knowledge and skills gaps in students. While students favored hybrid teaching for interaction, faculty preferred online strategies and suggested blended learning. The administration recognized faculty’s swift transition but stressed the need for blended learning workshops and strengthening the medical education department. Recommendations include implementing blended learning strategies, conducting faculty workshops, equipping the medical education department for online teaching, and gathering student feedback after each module to enhance the curriculum.

STRATEGIES IN ORAL ENGLISH INSTRUCTION: A PEDAGOGICAL STUDY OF SOME GHANAIAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

Research on English language instruction, particularly on oral English, is increasingly growing in Ghana and in many countries where the English language is not only used as an official language but also as a language for the medium of instruction and a subject of study in schools. This can perhaps be attributed to the global demand for and use of the English language despite the many difficulties in its instruction. The current study investigates the instructional strategies teachers of English in selected senior high schools in Ghana employ during oral English instruction. Utilizing a mixed-method approach with a convergent parallel design, the study collected data through questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations involving 43 English teachers from five senior high schools. The findings reveal a predominant reliance on traditional and direct instructional strategies such as question-and-answer sessions and drills in lieu of more interactive and indirect methods like paired conversations, oral reports, debates, etc. Meanwhile, teachers attribute their instructional choices to large class sizes, teaching environment, instructional resources and the teacher’s pedagogical skills. Based on these findings, The study concludes by advocating for the integration of a diverse range of instructional strategies, especially interactive and experiential strategies, to enhance student engagement and improve oral language competencies both inside and outside the classroom.&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/soc/0770/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

L1 and translation use in EFL classrooms: A quantitative survey on teachers’ attitudes in Kazakhstani secondary schools

This study, involving 100 Kazakhstani secondary school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers selected through convenience sampling, aims to explore their attitudes towards incorporating learners' first language (L1) and translation in English teaching. The results of a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire unveil a mixed attitude among teachers. They acknowledge the efficacy of integrating L1 and translation as pedagogical tools in language teaching while strongly favouring English-only instruction. This preference is influenced by institutional factors such as curricula, the opinions of colleagues, and textbooks, all of which actively promote English-only instruction. Additionally, the analysis of contextual variables, such as teaching experience, academic level, school type, class size, and language proficiency, suggests that the extent of L1 and translation use also depends on teachers' and learners' English language proficiency, school type, and class size. This research provides empirical insights into the use of L1 and translation in EFL classrooms and contributes to the broader discourse on language pedagogy and translation in language teaching (TILT). The findings suggest important implications for teachers, school administrators, textbook writers, and researchers, calling for a critical re-evaluation of current educational policies and tasks in English textbooks.

Evaluation of inclusive education in Indonesia: Elementary school teachers' perspective

This quasi-qualitative study explored the concerns, barriers, and impacts of implementing Inclusive Education (IE) in elementary schools in Sumatra and Java, Indonesia. Despite the Indonesian government's mandate to implement IE through Ministry of Education Act No. 70 of 2009, various challenges hinder its effective implementation. A survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 elementary school teachers to gain insight into their experiences and perceptions of IE. The findings suggest that teachers often lack confidence in employing inclusive strategies because of limited knowledge and large class sizes, highlighting the need for ongoing professional development. Additionally, while there is evidence of positive attitudes towards special educational needs (SEN) students among peers and parents, teachers may not fully embrace IE. This study aims to provide a thorough assessment of IE strategies employed in Indonesian elementary schools by analyzing key factors and offering recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of IE for both students and teachers. These findings will inform policymakers, educators, and stakeholders about the current state of IE and the necessary steps to improve it, ultimately contributing to the development of a more inclusive and equitable education system in Indonesia.

Evaluating the Relationship between Teacher Pupil Ratio on Academic Performance of Pupils in Selected Primary Schools in Busia District, Uganda

This article evaluates the relationship between teacher-pupil ratios on the academic performance of pupils in selected primary schools in t h e Busia district of Uganda. the article revealed that planning an interactive and demonstration lesson becomes so challenging in large classes. This forces teachers to resort to using the lecture method because it is the only convenient one for large classes. However, with a lower student-teacher ratio, teachers have the capacity to address this situation, offering the students extra materials and helping them succeed to the best of their abilities. The teacher will also have a higher bandwidth to go above and beyond in communicating this area of strength with the student's parents and considering the next best steps. In the end, the article calls for the government of Uganda to thoroughly plan a path to universal primary education so that the necessary infrastructure is provided alongside the acceptance of more pupils instead of overwhelming an unprepared system with thousands of pupils. More so, as the Ministry of Education and sports reviews its policies annually,the input of teachers, students, parents, and administrators should be considered. Similarly, to encourage students and families to value education and have a stake in each student's education, the government should not advertise universal secondary education as entirely free and consequently require input from families. Furthermore, UPE should drastically reduce its recommended class size so that teachers can reasonably know each student and give him or her the necessary attention he or she deserves. Keywords: Academic performance, Education, Government, Parents, Teacher-pupil ration

Revolutionizing Teacher Productivity: Unravelling the Secret of High-Performance Work System in Strategic Human Resource Management

High-performance work systems (HPWS) have been a topic of interest in various industries, but their impact on teachers’ productivity in Nigeria is a crucial area of study. The education sector in Nigeria faces numerous challenges, including inadequate resources, large class sizes, and limited professional development opportunities. In addressing the challenges, this research was conducted to seek their perception of the role of HPWS on teacher’s productivity. Data were collected from the six educational districts of public schools, among 492 teachers in Lagos, Nigeria. The data was analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The findings provide new insights into the value of HPWS in SHRM in the education sector. The result showed that implementing high-performance work systems in this context could potentially lead to improved teacher productivity, benefiting both educators and students alike.

Determining Hypercentral Hall Subgroups in Finite Groups

Let G be a finite group, and let π\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\pi $$\\end{document} be a set of primes. The aim of this paper is to obtain some results concerning how much information about the π\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\pi $$\\end{document}-structure of G can be gathered from the knowledge of the sizes of conjugacy classes of its π\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\pi $$\\end{document}-elements and of their multiplicities. Among other results, we prove that this multiset of class sizes determines whether G has a hypercentral Hall π\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\pi $$\\end{document}-subgroup.

Birth Cohort Size Variation and the Estimation of Class Size Effects

Birth Cohort Size Variation and the Estimation of Class Size Effects

Education quality of public and private universities in Bangladesh: Comparative perspective

The quality of a nation's higher education system significantly influences its socioeconomic progress. Universities have immense capacity to promote economic well-being in underdeveloped nations. This study examines the relative quality of education at both private and public universities in Bangladesh. The study used a quantitative research method, with a total of 220 respondents participating in a cross-sectional survey. Data was collected physically via a face-to-face interview and online using a standardized Google form. The cross-sectional survey respondents found both offline and online methods convenient. Data were analyzed using Excel and SPSS. The study used statistical data to analyze crucial elements that influence the quality of education. Results reveal considerable disparities in educational quality evaluations between public and private universities. Both kinds of universities have reasonable teacher-student ratios, but private universities do better. 45% of public university respondents rate library facilities highly, compared to 22% at private universities. Research facilities prefer public universities, with 44% of respondents evaluating them highly, compared to just 14% for private universities. The quality of ICT facilities is seen as superior at private universities, with 57% of participants rating them highly, in contrast to a mere 11% in public universities. Private universities perceive international collaboration as more effective, with 67% of respondents rating it as high, compared to 38% in public universities. This investigation emphasizes the strengths and weaknesses of both public and private universities in Bangladesh, offering valuable insights for educational administrators and policymakers who are endeavoring to improve the quality of education in both sectors.

An imminent need for veterinary medical educators: are we facing a crisis?

A potential emerging shortage of veterinary medical educators requires the profession to acknowledge and understand the factors leading to this outcome. Expanding class sizes within existing schools and colleges of veterinary medicine and the expected expansion of new programs seeking AVMA-Council of Education accreditation have heightened the need to address an impending shortage of veterinary medical educators. A solution-oriented approach that accurately projects educator workforce needs and identifies factors contributing to the shortage requires effective collaboration across various partnering organizations to develop innovations in pedagogy and educational delivery methods. The veterinary profession must also identify and reduce disincentives that deter students and post-DVM trainees from pursuing careers in education. Finally, efforts at the state and federal level are critical to advocate for financial support and incentives for expansion of the veterinary medical educator workforce. Through these collective approaches and partnerships, the veterinary medical educator workforce can be strengthened to overcome obstacles for educating the next generation of veterinarians to meet societal needs.

HOME, SCHOOL AND STUDENTS’ CHARACTERISTICS AS PREDICTORS OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS

Students’ performance in mathematics in Nigeria in recent times is not at a desired level. Despite relentless efforts by stakeholders to improve on this situation, yet no significant change. Studies that looked into student’s variables combined with importance of mathematics, teacher, school, and parent variables to predict students’ achievement in mathematics, seem not to be in existence. Thus, empirical documentation of such is needful. This study assessed home, school and students’ characteristics as predictors of Senior Secondary School students’ achievement in Mathematics in Osun State. Expo-facto design of non-experimental type was used. Descriptive statistics and Multiple Regression were used to analyze data at 0.05 alpha level. Results reveal that parenting type, family size, teachers qualification, years of teaching, class size, interest in mathematics, student academic engagement, and importance of mathematics, jointly accounted for 11% of observed variance in achievement in Mathematics, and it is statistically significant, F(17,575) = 5.183; P &lt; 0.05. Also, importance of mathematics, student engagement, teachers qualification, class size and teacher years of teaching, were found to have significant relative contribution towards students’ achievement in mathematics, and they could reliably predict achievement in mathematics.

Inequality of educational opportunity among primary school children in Cameroon

Despite several education policies related to the Sustainable Development Goals, educational inequalities persist at the primary school level in Cameroon. However, little is known on students’ circumstances and efforts in an attempt to reduce these inequalities. The aim of this paper therefore is to analyse inequality of opportunity in Cameroon’s primary education sector. Using the 2014 and 2019 PASEC databases, we decompose students’ reading and mathematics test scores based on Shapley and non-parametric approaches to assess the role of household, school and environmental circumstances. Results show that inequality of opportunity contributes between 38.1 % and 46.3 % of total inequality for between 2014 and 2019 in test scores. Interestingly, school factors like school type, location, resources, and class size, have a bigger impact than students’ family background. Policies to improve school conditions should focus on rural and under-resourced areas in terms of educational materials, while improving school inspections and reducing class sizes may be more effective in reducing educational inequalities.

Investigating English Communication Barriers for Foreign Teachers in the English for International Communication Program

The objectives of this research were to examine the barriers and English communication skills in interactions between foreign English teachers and 1st to 3rd-year students majoring in English for International Communication at Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna Tak. The study involved 45 undergraduate students from this major during the first semester of the academic year 2021. The research instruments used were a questionnaire and an interview form. Quantitative data collected were analyzed for frequency, percentage, mean (????̅), and standard deviation (S.D.) using the SPSS program. The results indicated that the overall level of English communication barriers among 1st to 3rd-year students was high. The primary issues, in descending order, included: lack of confidence in communicating in English with foreign teachers (????̅ = 3.93; S.D. = 0.80). Fear and difficulty in recalling necessary vocabulary when conversing in English with foreign teachers (????̅ = 3.94; S.D. = 0.84 and S.D. = 0.76). Limited opportunities for students to communicate with foreign teachers in English due to large class sizes (????̅ = 4.00). The analysis summarized the current interactions between students and foreign teachers, highlighting that most students have limited opportunities to interact with foreign lecturers. This limitation is exacerbated by the aggressive behavior and insufficient number of foreign teachers at the university, which hinders students' ability to practice English in daily life.

Challenges Facing the Implementation of Inclusive Education in Public Primary Schools of Tehsil Liaquatpur

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the challenges facing the implementation of inclusive education programs in Pakistani public primary schools in Tehsil Liaquatpur. The goals of this research project are: 1) To determine the status of inclusive education implementation. 2) To determine the main challenges in implementing inclusive teaching methods. 3) To investigate the attitudes of administration and teachers about inclusive education. 4) To look into whether resources are adequate and available. A descriptive quantitative survey design was selected for this study. The population of this study is all public primary schools (595) of tehsil LQP, and the sample is 119 public primary schools. From these schools, 119 head teachers and 357 teachers participated as a sample. A simple random sampling technique is used. For data collection, two self-structured questionnaires were used; one for head teachers and one for teachers. After data collection, SPSS was used to analyze data. The results revealed significant challenges in the implementation of inclusive education such as parents’ reluctance, lack of teacher training, insufficient resources, traditional methods, a lack of educational facilities, lack of support, poverty, transportation issues, etc. The study suggests that working with students with disabilities and small class sizes positively impacted the participants’ attitudes toward inclusion. A teacher must hold high self-efficacy beliefs, reliable teaching strategies, and positive attitudes toward children with special needs. The study will aid the teachers, head teachers, parents, policymakers, sponsors, and the general public need in handling the investigated obstacles for better learning and development.

Estimating the extent of educational resource deprivation among basic schools and its effect on quality education in Ghana

Policymakers continue to contend with the challenge of measuring and classifying schools concerning educational resources, which makes it difficult for policy development and implementation towards efficient allocation of the scarce resources available to education managers. This study, therefore, sought to estimate the extent of educational resource deprivation among Basic Schools in Ghana and find out its effect on the delivery of quality education. The study used data from the Annual School Census (ASC Data) (2015/16–2018/19) and Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) pass rates (2015/16–2018/19) The findings revealed that the extent of educational resource deprivation has improved from 45.1 % in 2015/16–35.4 % in 2018/19 with higher regional disparities. The incidence of deprivation has also improved from a highest 83.6 % to a lowest 77.9 % while the intensity of the deprivation in Ghanaian basic schools changed from 49.6 % to 46.7 % with the northern sector of the country, especially the Brong Ahafo Region recording highest levels of deprivation. Again, it was found that quality basic education as evident in performance in BECE is determined by the availability of library facilities and ICT infrastructure, the nature of school building, supervision, teacher-pupil ratio, and availability of professional teachers. The study recommends the adoption of the Multidimensional Education Resource Deprivation Index (MERDI) as a guiding index in Ghana's educational resource distribution. Also, the Ghana Education Service should prioritise the deployment of quality teachers and the distribution of textbooks and other reading materials.

Plactic-like monoids arising from meets and joins of stalactic and taiga congruences

We study the four plactic-like monoids that arise by taking the meets and joins of stalactic and taiga congruences. We obtain the combinatorial objects associated with the meet monoids, establishing Robinson–Schensted-like correspondences and giving extraction and iterative insertion algorithms for these objects. We then obtain results on the sizes of classes of words equal in plactic-like monoids, show that some of these monoids are syntactic, and characterise their equational theories.