Urban School Students Research Articles

Research on the Development of Primary School Students' Key Literacy in Western China

With the continuous advancement of global education reform, "key literacy" has become an important indicator to measure the development status and potential of students. To develop students' key literacy in western China, researchers went deep into the actual education situation in western China and collected status data, then summed up outstanding experiences and found challenges and put forward feasible strategies. The research subjects were students from six urban primary schools and four rural primary schools in Lanzhou, Gansu Province. This research adopted questionnaire survey, focus group interviews and individualized interviews. 3025 students were quantitatively investigated by using network-based questionnaire in the early stage. Later, focus group interviews and individualized interviews were conducted to investigate the development of students in all aspects. The quantitative and interview data shows that the development level of primary school students' cultural understanding and inheritance competence, communication competence and cooperation competence in the western region are good, while the critical thinking and innovation competence need to be strengthened. The development level of key literacy of urban school students is generally higher than that of rural school students. The development of rural schools is relatively backward, which is not only reflected in hardware equipment and resources, but also in the literacy level of teachers and students. Finally, some feasible strategies are put forward, such as increasing investment in rural schools and resources; developing urban and rural teaching community; exploring the development path of in-depth integration of information technology and curriculum.

Comparative Evaluation of the Performance of Students of Rural and Urban Primary Schools in the Prefecture of Arta, Greece, in the 1st Grade of Secondary School (Gymnasium) During 2012/2013

Αim: To investigate whether and to what extent students attending small rural primary schools are "disadvantaged" compared to students attending urban schools as well as what are the differences in their performance and consistency in their attendance in the 1st grade of secondary school (gymnasium).
 Methodology: we chose for our research the quantitative research approach, to study a large number of cases and analyze statistically the research data. More specifically, the choice of the sample which included all the students who studied in the secondary schools of the Prefecture of Arta and specifically in the 1st grade, after collecting their report cards , was considered more reliable. The sample of the research, therefore, consists of 364 students who used to study during the school year 2012-2013 in the prefecture of Arta in the 1st grade of secondary school (gymnasium) and was made by simple random sampling.
 Results: As evidenced by the research findings, students who attended urban primary schools, achieve better performance in the first class of secondary school. In particular their average grade of achievement is higher especially in Mathematics and Modern Greek Language & Literature where they achieve also higher grades. However, as far as Science classes are concerned, no difference in grades is observed. Finally, regarding the continuous attendance of students, those who attended small primary schools had more absences during the school year.
 Conclusion: The results of the research show a number of differences in the performance of students who have previously attended urban and rural primary schools, with those of urban schools being superior. However, the factors that constitute an obstacle to the proper and smooth operation of a rural school are numerous and also, the advantages of a rural school are difficult to be measured quantitatively.

More students with anxiety disorders in urban schools than in rural schools: A comparative study from Union Territory, India.

A significant number of adolescents have difficulty during student life and suffer with anxiety disorders that go undetected and untreated. The lack of data exists in this arena in India. This study aimed to assess anxiety disorders among adolescent students in urban and rural areas and compared the differences between these two locations. A cross-sectional, comparative study was carried out among 462 adolescents studying in rural and urban Government schools using stratified cluster random sampling. Data collected on a pre-designed proforma on demographic parameters and used the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) scale for detecting anxiety disorders. Out of 462 subjects, females outnumbered males (n = 237, 51.3 %). The mean age of the sample was 15.85+/-0.7 (years); 167 (36 %) subjects had anxiety disorders. All specific anxiety disorders except 'school avoidance' were significantly more in urban school students than in rural students (66.5 % vs. 33.5 %). In a binary logistic regression model, gender (female > male), and locality (urban student > rural student) were significant predictors of the presence of anxiety disorder in this adolescent sample. Adolescent students from the urban schools had a higher prevalence of any anxiety disorder, as well as for specific sub-types than the students from the rural schools.

THE INFLUENCE OF CHILDREN'S DENTAL CARIES ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN STUDENTS IN SUB URBAN AND URBAN ENVIRONMENT

Dental caries is a major problem of dental and oral health which most often occurs in children. If neglected, dental caries can cause pain, infection, premature tooth loss, and chewing disorders which can interfere with the consumption of an adequate diet. Furthermore, this will affect the child's growth and overall contribution to the environment. This can lead to weight loss, sleep disturbances, changes in behavior, and poor school performance, which will have an impact on the quality of life of the child. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of dental caries in children on the quality of life of students in suburban and urban schools. This research is an analytic observational study with cross-sectional design and involved 257 samples with total sampling method. Dental caries was measured by the DMF-t index and children's quality of life was measured using the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ8-10). The results showed that in suburban schools, the number of respondents with "high" caries severity had the highest number, namely 47 people, while in urban schools, respondents with "moderate" caries severity level had the highest number, namely 42 people. Based on statistical tests using regression test, it was found that dental caries has a significant effect on the quality of life of students in both suburban and urban schools (p <0.05). It was concluded that dental caries has a significant effect on all quality of life domains. Key words: dental caries, quality of life, age 8-10 years.

The State of Art Appreciation among Nine- and Ten-Year-Old Students in Slovenian Primary Schools

In the contemporary process of teaching fine arts, the students’ own creative expression and art appreciation are used to encourage learners towards both perception and reception; consequently, the evaluation and internalisation of works of art play an equally important role. In art education practice, we manage to provide adequate incentives and are able to follow incentives for artistic expression, but pay less attention to developing art appreciation. This research presents the results of a study that monitored the development of art appreciation abilities among 9- and 10-year-old students (4th and 5th grades; n = 2794) in Slovenian primary schools. The level of art appreciation abilities was rather average, but was more developed among older students and girls. In monitoring the school stratum, we did, however, notice a statistically significant difference regarding perception, whereby students in urban schools performed better than their peers in suburban schools.

A Study on Problems in Learning English among the Secondary School Students in Devakottai Educational District

The investigator establishes that Knowledge of English is unconditionally necessary if one wants to come up in life. This is more so in the opinion of the circumstance that the advanced countries have opened their doors for recruiting technically qualified people from the third world countries. A language is for correspondence. An individual speaking with others effectively in the language. For establishing the reliability of the tool, the researcher has used the test and retest method. For this, the draft tool was administered to 100 students of a government and a private school, respectively for studying any problem. The calculated’t’ value is lesser than the table value (1.96) at a 5% level of significance for the problems in learning English. There is no significant difference between urban and rural secondary school students in problems in learning English. Hence, the null-hypothesis is accepted. The study has helped to know the exact causes which affect the students in learning English.

Using Large-Scale Datasets to Amplify Equitable Learning in Urban Mathematics

Our purpose in this article was to provide researchers using NCES datasets to analyze secondary students’ mathematics achievement in urban schools with methodological considerations and analytical suggestions. We are hopeful that researchers interested in students’ mathematics achievement in urban schools will consider accessing and using NCES studies to deepen our collective understanding beyond IES summary statistics featured in reports such as NAEP and TIMMS and tables from The Condition of Education. We believe that studies of large-scale data that are attentive to the methodological considerations of complex sampling, data clustering and causal inference, will contribute nuanced perspectives of promising policy and practice directions for improving disparities in urban secondary school students’ inequitable mathematics achievement outcomes.

The Comparison of Physical Activity Profiles of Elementary School Students in Urban and Rural Areas During COVID-19 Pandemic

In the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, the role of Physical Education is unseen. The physical activity of the student decreases due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this research was to find out the differences of physical activity between the elementary school students in urban areas and rural areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research used a survey method. The population of the study were elementary school students in urban and rural areas. The subjects of the study were 110 students, 55 students as urban area subjects and 55 students as rural area subjects. The data gained by the researcher were primer data obtained from questionnaires distributed directly. During filling in the questionnaire, the students were assisted and helped by parents. The data were analyzed by the percentage technique. The result of this research concludes that there was a physical activity profiles differences of elementary school students in urban and rural areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the result of the study can be a depiction of physical activity condition during Covid-19 pandemic. The result of the study could inform parents and teachers to pay attention to the moderate physical activity for the students.

Investigating Chemical Safety Awareness and Practices in Nigerian Schools

Chemical safety, a practice of protecting humans and the environment in which they work and live from the deleterious effects of chemical substances, was investigated in this study in Nigerian secondary schools. Using a mixed-method survey, we investigated the awareness level and implementation of the best practices of chemical safety by 1246 senior secondary school chemistry students. Students in rural schools were found to have a lower level of awareness of chemical safety compared to the students in urban schools. Statistically significant differences were found in all except one of the awareness measures—washing hands before practicals and after leaving the chemistry lab. Urban students were more in breach of chemical safety practices than students in rural schools. Most of the observed differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Interview (qualitative) data from 20 students show four emerging themes to explain the findings, including a low level of chemistry laboratory resourcing, poor chemical safety training of the teachers, inadequacies in safety tools, charts, and kits, and weak enforcement of safety regulations. Based on the data from the study, recommendations were made for bolstering the awareness level of students in chemical safety and their chemical safety practices. These include the incorporation of chemical safety in the core curriculum, requiring quality assurance entities to enforce resourcing of basic safety equipment to schools, government-directed workshops on the need for chemical safety, and requiring teachers to provide chemical hazards information to students.

Academic Differences Between an Urban Nativity School and an Urban Public School District.

Previous research suggests that both poverty and minority status significantly influence academic achievement. Nativity schools, which have been extensively researched, have been found effective for students coming from low socioeconomic statuses and diverse backgrounds. Differences were examined between an urban public school district and an urban parochial school that uses the Nativity model (henceforth referred to as Nativity School). The purpose of this study was to determine if students from Nativity School were able to achieve significantly above that which urban public school students achieved. Specifically, academic achievement in the areas of mathematics, language arts, and science were analyzed, as well as high school dropout rate, high school graduation rate, and entrance into postsecondary education. Nativity School used the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) to measure achievement longitudinally and reported stanines and local and national percentile ranks, while the public school system used the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) and provided four descriptor categories (i.e., Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced). Below Basic and Basic referred to students who demonstrate the skills outlined by the Missouri Show-Me Standards inconsistently and/or incorrectly, while students who perform in the Proficient and Advanced categories demonstrate these skills consistently, at or above grade level. Results revealed Nativity School students significantly improved their academic achievement scores and were more likely than urban public school students to graduate high school and enroll in postsecondary school. Interpretation and implications of these results and limitations are explored.

The Relationship of Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement of Urban School Students in Malaysia

Physical fitness is a factor which influences academic achievement. The purpose of this study is to know the relationship of physical fitness towards academic achievements (sciences subject) among the female students in the district of Petaling Jaya, Selangor. This is a descriptive study utilizes a comparative data analysis method. The respondents involved were 357 female students; 177 students were 16 years old and the remaining 180 students were 17 years old. Data was gathered from Standard Kecergasan Fizikal Kebangsaan Untuk Murid Sekolah Malaysia (SEGAK) evaluation, and later was compared to the respondents' year-end Science examination results. The findings show that the respondents' body mass index is in a normal range of physical fitness level (M = 3.74, SD = .795), whereas their Science examinations results were satisfying in the category of credit or grade C (M = 7.04, SD = 2.660). There was a significant relationship between the physical fitness test using the 3-minute step test and the flexibility of performing academically in the Science subject which is r = .226, p > 0.01 and r = .159, p < 0.01. The finding shows that their cardiovascular endurance and flexibility have influence on their academic achievements, particularly in the Science subject. The results of this study could be used by teachers and school administrators to improve physical fitness programs at school for the benefits of the students.

Supplemental Material for Coolness and Admiration Diverge in Early Adolescence Among African American Students in Low-Income Urban Schools

Supplemental Material for Coolness and Admiration Diverge in Early Adolescence Among African American Students in Low-Income Urban Schools

Comparison of short-term memory between stunting and non-stunting children in urban and rural elementary school students in Kupang 2019

Background: Inadequate chronic nutrition can cause disruption of bone growth and brain development. Impaired bone growth can cause stunting in children, and a disruption of brain development will affect cognitive function, one of them is short-term memory. This study aimed to compare the short-term memory between stunting and non stunting in urban and rural elementary school students in Kupang.Methods: This research used analytic observational method with cross sectional design conducted on urban and rural elementary school students in Kupang City. One hundred and sixty students who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected using consecutive sampling method. Characteristics data were collected by the interview, while the stunting data was known by measuring height and assessed by WHO anthroplus application, short-term memory data was obtained from digit span test. Stunting is a nominal data scale, while the short-term memory is an ordinal data scale. This study was analyzed bivariately using chi-square test with significant p value ≤ 0.05.Results: Chi-square test results of short-term memory between stunting and non stunting in urban and rural elementary school students obtained p = 0.144, which means there is no significant difference in short-term memory between stunting and non stunting in urban and rural elementary school children in Kupang.Conclusions: There is no significant difference in short-term memory between stunting and non stunting in elementary school children, both in urban and rural areas of Kupang.

Knowledge about Non-Communicable Diseases among Selected Urban School Students

Introduction: The rise in the prevalence and significance of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is the result of complex interaction between health, economic growth and development. Knowledge about NCDs and appropriate practices related to NCDs are keys to its proper management.&#x0D; Objectives: To determine the level of knowledge about NCDs among the selected urban school students.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the students of Adamjee Cantonment Public School &amp; Shaheed Bir Bikram Ramiz Uddin Cantonment School of Dhaka Cantonment during 01 January 2017 to 31 December 2017. A total of 183 participants were selected by purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using a pretested interviewer administered semi-structure questionnaires and SPSS version 22 used for data analysis. Simple descriptive statistics were used to describe the study variables. Inferential statistics were include, chi-square test, to find out any significant relationship between two qualitative variables.&#x0D; Results: Participants (n = 183) included 129 (70.49%) were male and 54 (29.51%) were female, aged between 13–19 years. Among 183 respondents, 106(57.9%) participants have good knowledge, 76(41.5%) participants had average knowledge and 1(0.5%) participant had poor knowledge. Level of knowledge had significant association with gender, age, education, father’s &amp; mother’s occupational status, family income, physical activity, smoking &amp; habit of taking hard drink.&#x0D; Conclusion: The knowledge and practices related to NCDs among the participants were good in certain aspects but poor in others, suggesting the need for programs on NCDs awareness. Comprehensive community based health education program about NCDs is necessary to improve this situation.&#x0D; Journal of Armed Forces Medical College Bangladesh Vol.15 (1) 2019: 90-93

Toward Equity-Oriented Assessment of Social and Emotional Learning: Examining Equivalence of Concepts and Measures

Cultural beliefs, values, and norms influence the frequency and display of behavior. Accordingly, broadening the operational definitions of social and emotional competencies and establishing the equivalence of measures are two necessary steps to ensure that current assessment tools are sensitive to cultural and contextual variations. The purpose of this article is twofold: first, to examine the risks associated with narrow definitions or assumptions of invariance, particularly as each pertains to the assessment of social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies among Black students in urban schools; and second, to consider the utility of prototype analysis in advancing transformative SEL research and practice.

Age-related variability of anthropometric indicators in urban school students – Belarusians and descendants of interethnic marriages

In the 1990s – early 2000s, anthropometric indicators of school students of three age groups (8, 13 and 17 years) were studied in several cities of Belarus. In total 2088 students were examined. The material was distributed into sex and age cohorts taking into account the ethnic structure – Belarusians (both parents are Belarusians) and genetically more heterogeneous descendants of interethnic marriages (DIM) where one of the parents is Belarusian, and the other is Russian, Ukrainian or Polish (Slav).&#x0D; In all sex and age samples, the number of students in Belarusians cohorts was almost twice higher than the number of DIM, which corresponds to their real proportion in the urban population of Belarus.&#x0D; The sex and age dynamics of average values of body height and weight, body mass index (BMI) and chest circumference, as well as the distribution of body types (somatotypes) in groups of urban school students in Belarus were observed.&#x0D; The differences between Belarusians and DIM in the studied anthropometric characteristics in all sex and age groups were insignificant. The phenomena of heterosis in the first generation of DIM were more clearly manifested only by the age of 17 among young men, who were 1.7 cm taller than their Belarusian peers, with correspondingly slightly higher values of body weight and chest circumference. In comparison with Belarusians, DIM girls of this age had a weak shift in all indicators of physical development towards lower average values.&#x0D; The average values of the BMI, which increase during puberty, reflect the tendency of weakly expressed gracilization of the physique of the male and especially female body in DIM compared to their Belarusian peers.&#x0D; The tendency to leptosomization (skeletal gracialization) and body asthenization was shown by the intragroup distribution of somatotypes among descendants of uninational marriages – Belarusians – and even more among DIM.&#x0D; Intersex differences in morphogenesis during puberty were manifested in greater asthenization of the physique against the background of gracilization of the skeleton of the female body compared to the male.

To study the pattern of ocular morbidity in school going children in western Uttar Pradesh

Purpose: To estimate the pattern and frequency of ocular morbidity in the urban and Rural school going children aged 5-15 years. Materials and Methods: It was cross sectional study conducted through various school camps including 1000 students in both rural and urban schools between age group 5-15 years. Results: Ocular morbidity was found in 30.5% among all the students, 31.5% in the rural schools and 29.4% in the urban schools. Ocular morbidity was more in female students (33.5%), as compared to male (27.5%). Refractive errors was found to be the most common ocular morbidity 18.8%, followed by allergic conjunctivitis 2.2% and blepharitis 2.2%. Vitamin A deficiency was more in rural schools compared to urban schools. Conclusion: Our study concluded that ocular morbidity was more in rural areas as compared to urban areas seen more among the females belonging to the age group of 11-15 years where Refractive error was seen as the most common cause.

DISPARITY IN CREATIVE ABILITIES AMONG RURAL AND URBAN SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN DIBRUGARH DISTRICT OF ASSAM

Purpose of the Study: This study investigated the creative abilities of students from rural and urban secondary schools in terms of their fluency, flexibility, originality, inquisitiveness, and persistency. Methodology: The research design used here is quantitative with the type of descriptive survey method. The research subjects were 720 secondary school students selected through disproportionate stratified random sampling. The research instrument used is the Passi Test of Creativity (verbal &amp; non-verbal). The analysis techniques employed are descriptive statistics and inferential statistics in the form of independent means t-test. Main Findings: The study revealed that rural and urban Secondary level school students have significant differences in their creativity. However, concerning the inquisitiveness dimension of creativity, the study reported no significant difference between the rural and urban Secondary level school students. Applications of this Study: This research can be used as input for the schools and teachers at the secondary level to consider the practice of offering a more stimulating environment to students hailing from rural backgrounds. This research can also be used as input in the facilitation of students’ creative abilities. Novelty/Originality of this Study: The teachers, educators, and school authorities, especially at Secondary level of Education; are suggested to offer more exposures and stimulating environments to students belonging to the rural backgrounds. The study examined for the first time the rural-urban disparity among secondary level school students on the dimensions of creativity such as inquisitiveness and persistence, especially in north-east India.

ICT Psychomotor Teaching Strategy in Oral English Class in Akure, Nigeria

Teaching oral English in an ESL environment is a complex exercise which requires appropriate instructional aids and methods, conducive learning environment, as well as, teacher competence. These requirements can be guaranteed by Information and Communication Technology (ICT). However, how much of ICT facilities are available and functional in secondary schools in an L2 situation in a developing country is an issue. The study examined the effects of ICT on students’ academic performance in oral English in a quasi-experimental design involving experimental and control groups with 200 male and female students from four purposively sampled secondary schools in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria. Oral English Achievement Test (OEAT) was developed, validated and used for data collection administered as a pre-test: before the treatment and as post-test: after the treatment, for four-week duration. Three research questions were raised and three hypotheses were tested at α=0.05 level of significance. The data collected were computed using t- test statistics. Study revealed that there is no significant difference between the learning achievements of students in rural and urban schools taught oral English using either ICT tools or chalk and talk strategy. It also showed that using ICT tools as a psychomotor strategy for teaching and learning stimulates learning and promotes better understanding of oral English among secondary school students. The study recommended that ICT facilities be made available for the teaching and learning of oral English in secondary schools and that teachers should be adequately trained to effectively use the facilities.

A STUDY OF THE VALUE PREFERENCES OF FEMALE STUDENTS OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

The growing concern over the erosion of values and increasing cynicism in our society particularly among the younger generation has brought to focus the need of readjustment in order to make education a forceful tool for cultivation of social, moral and ethical values. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the value preference of senior secondary students of urban areas of Cuttack district of Odisha. The researcher took 50 numbers of female senior secondary students of CBSE schools. All CBSE schools of Odisha constitute the population of the study,where 5 CBSE urban schools from Cuttack district constitute the sample of the study. The sample was selected by using random sampling method. The analysis and interpretation of the data was done by simple percentage calculation. The major findings of the study were the female students of urban CBSE schools gave first preference to spiritual values and last preference to physical values.