Useful Information For Teachers Research Articles

Pengaruh Kepemimpinan Autentik dan Komitmen Afektif terhadap Kinerja Guru pada MAS Berbasis Pondok Pesantren di Kota Tangerang Selatan

This research aims to examine and analyze the problem as the variable studied, according to the hypothesis being tested, namely: (1) There is a direct influence of the principal's authentic leadership on teacher performance, (2) There is a direct influence of teacher affective commitment on teacher performance, and ( 3) There is a direct influence of the principal's authentic leadership on teacher affective commitment. The research method is a quantitative method and was carried out on Islamic boarding school-based MAS teachers in South Tangerang City, a population of 133 teachers with a research sample of 53 teachers selected by random sampling. The results of this research show: First, there is a positive direct influence of the principal's authentic leadership on teacher performance obtained by the regression equation: = 94,050 + 0,899 X1 path coefficient (р31) = 0.636, so it can be concluded that there is a positive and significant direct influence of the principal's authentic leadership on teacher performance of 40,4%. Second, there is a positive direct influence of teacher affective commitment on teacher performance. The regression equation is obtained: = 105,930 +0,798 X2 of 35,0%, Third, there is a positive direct influence of the principal's authentic leadership on teachers' affective commitment with the regression equation: = 79,280 + 0,586 X1 path coefficient value (р21) = 0.504, it can be concluded that there is a positive and significant direct influence of the principal's authentic leadership on teachers' affective commitment of 25,4%. Based on the findings of this research, it can be used as useful information for teachers, in particular, and all related parties. As an effort to improve teacher performance through the authentic leadership of school principals and increasing better teacher affective commitment.

A systematic review of English-as-a-foreign-language vocabulary learning activities for primary school students

Abstract For young learners of English as a foreign language (EFL), the initial acquisition of English vocabulary is crucial to English proficiency. This study conducted a systematic review of studies of primary school students’ EFL vocabulary learning to identify types of activities for learning new vocabulary. A total of 57 vocabulary learning activities from 22 studies were coded, yielding ten types of intentional and eight types of incidental learning activities. The intentional learning activities involved more psychological conditions than the incidental ones. Following the involvement load hypothesis (ILH), we identified activities encompassing various combinations of psychological conditions inducing the highest and lowest involvement loads (ILs); the more such conditions an activity encompasses, the deeper the vocabulary learning processes, and the higher the IL, the better the retention. The comparison between the activity types provides useful information for teachers and researchers to design age-appropriate English vocabulary learning activities.

MOTIVATION AND LEARNING STYLES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT

This study aims to analyse the effect of learning motivation and learning style on learning achievement in 4th semester students of Bina Sarana Informatika University. The method used is multiple linear regression and the analysis is done using SPSS software. From the results of the analysis, a regression model was obtained with a coefficient of determination of 0.75 which indicates that the learning motivation and learning style variables together can explain 75% of the learning achievement variables. The results of the F significance test show that the overall regression model is significant, and the results of the regression coefficient significance test show that both variables have a significant influence on learning achievement. Thus, the results of this study can provide useful information for teachers and policy makers to improve student achievement through increasing learning motivation and paying attention to student learning styles.

Application of DNA Fingerprinting using the <em>D1S80</em> Locus in Lab Classes

In biological sciences, DNA fingerprinting has been widely used for paternity testing, forensic applications and phylogenetic studies. Here, we describe a reliable and robust method for genotyping individuals by Variable Number of Tandem Repeat (VNTR) analysis in the context of undergraduate laboratory classes. The human D1S80 VNTR locus is used in this protocol as a highly polymorphic marker based on variation in the number of repetitive sequences. This simple protocol conveys useful information for teachers and the implementation of DNA fingerprinting in practical laboratory classes. In the presented laboratory exercise, DNA extraction followed by PCR amplification is used to determine genetic variation at the D1S80 VNTR locus. Differences in the fragment size of PCR products are visualized by agarose gel electrophoresis. The fragment sizes and repeat numbers are calculated based on a linear regression of the size and migration distance of a DNA size standard. Following this guide, students should be able to: • Harvest and extract DNA from buccal mucosa epithelial cells • Perform a PCR experiment and understand the function of various reaction components • Analyze the amplicons by agarose gel electrophoresis and interpret the results • Understand the use of VNTRs in DNA fingerprinting and its application in biological sciences

Application of DNA Fingerprinting using the D1S80 Locus in Lab Classes.

In biological sciences, DNA fingerprinting has been widely used for paternity testing, forensic applications and phylogenetic studies. Here, we describe a reliable and robust method for genotyping individuals by Variable Number of Tandem Repeat (VNTR) analysis in the context of undergraduate laboratory classes. The human D1S80 VNTR locus is used in this protocol as a highly polymorphic marker based on variation in the number of repetitive sequences. This simple protocol conveys useful information for teachers and the implementation of DNA fingerprinting in practical laboratory classes. In the presented laboratory exercise, DNA extraction followed by PCR amplification is used to determine genetic variation at the D1S80 VNTR locus. Differences in the fragment size of PCR products are visualized by agarose gel electrophoresis. The fragment sizes and repeat numbers are calculated based on a linear regression of the size and migration distance of a DNA size standard. Following this guide, students should be able to: • Harvest and extract DNA from buccal mucosa epithelial cells • Perform a PCR experiment and understand the function of various reaction components • Analyze the amplicons by agarose gel electrophoresis and interpret the results • Understand the use of VNTRs in DNA fingerprinting and its application in biological sciences.

Student’s Anticipation Profile at Rigor Level in Determining Papaya Tree Root Dimensions

Students with a rigor level of geometric thinking can analytically solve problems, yet the ability may not be readily observable. Thus, an example of how students solve problems merits explorations. Inspired by student’s problem solving, this study aimed to examine the student’s anticipatory profile in determining Papaya tree roots' dimensions. This qualitative research utilized tests and interview. Two tests were carried out: van Hiele geometric level grouping test for selecting the research participants and the report-based test for the actual project. Seventeen students took the van Hiele test, and one of them, who achieved the rigor level, was selected for the interview. Data obtained from the interview were then analyzed qualitatively. The study showed that students with a rigor level of geometric thinking anticipated analytically. The subject was able to explain a geometric problem systematically, starting from analyzing problems, clarifying detailss, to presenting arguments clearly and precisely. The findings in this study generate useful information for teachers who train their students to analyze a geometric problem correctly and adequately.

Where is the teacher? Digital analytics for classroom proxemics

AbstractThe term Classroom Proxemics refers to how teachers and students use classroom space, and the impact of this and the spatial design on learning and teaching. This study addresses the divide between, on the one hand, substantial work on proxemics based on classroom observations and, on the other hand, emerging work to design automated feedback that helps teachers identify salient patterns in their use of the classroom space. This study documents how digital analytics were designed in service of a senior teacher's practice‐based inquiry into classroom proxemics. Indoor positioning data from four teachers were analysed, visualized and used as evidence to compare three distinct learning designs enacted in a physics classroom. This study demonstrates how teachers can make effective use of such visualizations, to gain insight into their classroom practice. This is evidenced by (a) documenting teachers' reflections on visualizations of positioning data, both their own and that of peers and (b) identifying the types of indicator (operationalized as analytical metrics) that foreground the most useful information for teachers to gain insight into their practice.

SHADOWING AND INTERPRETING PERFORMANCES OF ENGLISH-MAJOR STUDENTS

Shadowing has been widely utilized in English language teaching classes, especially in interpretation training courses for decades and has become a topic of avid interest to various researchers such as Lambert (1992), Murphey (1995, 2001), Shiota (2012), and Hamada (2014). However, there has been no research conducted on the effect of implementing shadowing on fluency improvement in English interpretation in Vietnam. In response to this gap in the literature, this study aims to investigate (1) the possible connection between shadowing practices and the interpreting performances of the third-year English-major students in the educational context at Hanoi University of Industry (HaUI) and (2) the students’ perceptions of the application of shadowing in interpreting classes and its impacts on interpreting fluency. 54 third-year students at the Faculty of Foreign Languages (FFL), HaUI took part in a two-month experimental research, divided randomly into two groups including experimental and control groups. Data were gathered from (1) the pre- and post-tests with these two student cohorts, (2) interviews conducted with five students from the experimental group and (3) observations with this group. The research findings showed (1) a minimal influence of shadowing techniques on fluency improvement of the experimental group and (2) positive students’ beliefs and attitudes towards the application of shadowing in interpreting classes and its impacts on interpreting fluency. Based on these findings, a series of recommendations on the pedagogical procedure for applying shadowing to enhance English major students’ interpreting performances and further research on the application were offered. The paper, hopefully, provides useful information for teachers and researchers in the domain of interpretation, in general, and interpreting teaching activities at tertiary education, in particular.

Incorporating Youtube Clips in the Classroom to Develop Students’ Cultural Understanding of American Culture

This research investigated the use of YouTube video clips to develop the understanding of culture for students in American Culture class in a private university in Bandung. It sought to answer two research problems; first, students’ perceptions towards the use of YouTube video clips to develop their understanding of American culture; second, to what extent watching YouTube video clips supported the students’ understanding of American culture. The participants of this research were 61 undergraduate students of the English Department aged between 18-21 years. There were two types of data collection used in the research. First, data were taken from the weekly learning logs of the students containing three to five questions and one or two YouTube video clips, which were related to the topics of the textbook in the classroom. Second, the data from the open-ended questionnaire which were distributed to the students at the end of the semester. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings show that the students’ understanding of American culture has improved due to watching YouTube video clips that contain authentic cultural information from American life events and news shown in the clips. This research also provides useful information for teachers in teaching culture for a better learning process, which focuses on the use of YouTube video clips in the classroom.

Attitudes of secondary school students towards doing research and design activities

ABSTRACTResearch and design activities are often employed in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) education. This study aims to examine students’ attitudes towards doing research and design activities in secondary school, among two groups of students: (1) students that take the quite recently introduced Dutch subject O&O (research & design), in which students perform authentic research and design projects related to STEM disciplines; and (2) students that do not take O&O. The subject O&O is only taught at a limited number of certified, so called ‘Technasium’, schools. A questionnaire, developed by the authors, was completed by 1625 students from Grades 8 and 11. Unlike previous studies on student attitudes, which usually use abstract concepts like ‘science’ or ‘technology’, the questionnaire used in this study contains active verbs to characterise research and design activities. The results showed that, in general, students who took the subject O&O had more positive attitudes towards doing research and design activities than regular students. Both student groups appeared to find doing research activities more relevant than doing design activities. The results of this study provide useful information for teachers as well as teacher educators about the existing attitudes of students, for example their preference for design projects over research projects.

MEASURING LEARNING STYLES AND LEARNING STIMULUS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

This study examines learning styles and learning stimulus among secondary school students in Malaysia. A total of 50 students from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Ungku Aziz, Sabak Bernam in Selangor were interviewed to measure student’s different styles. The adapted version of Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles Inventory were used as in this study. The findings showed that majority students preferred on grouping learning styles (M=4.07), visual learning styles (M= 3.88), auditory learning styles (M=3.66), individual learning styles (M=3.61) and kinesthetic learning styles (M= 4.07) respectively. Based on the findings, several suggestions have been made to enhance the academic achievement for students. The results of this study provide useful information for teachers and students which are important for the process of learning.

A competency model for higher education: an assessment based on placements

The European Higher Education Area, which is based on competency acquisition, has led to changes in teaching methods and student evaluations. In this new context, placements represent the best university–business connection for the development of competencies and integration of students into the employment market. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to construct and empirically apply a model to identify and assess the generic competencies of students in their learning. The study employs a sample of 351 student reports by professional supervisors of social sciences students who held two-year placements. Before testing the hypotheses, the measuring instrument was evaluated by means of a partial least squares regression. The results identify the extent to which students acquired competencies and the primary differences between both academic years. Useful information for teachers and professionals is provided in a proposed learning and assessment tool for placements.

EFL Learners` Beliefs about Isolated and Integrated Grammar Teaching and Performance on a Grammar Recognition Test

<p>Approaches to teaching grammar have changed dramatically since the 1970s when communicative language teaching was proposed. An increasing number of studies have investigated the adequacy of this kind of grammar instruction. Yet, few studies have been done to look at the preferences that learners have for these methods of focus-on-form instruction and its relationship with their performance on grammar tests. The purpose of the present study is to explore Iranian EFL learners` attitudes and preferences for isolated and integrated focus-on-form and their performance on a grammar recognition test. Participants were learners studying English in a private language teaching institute. They were requested to complete the questionnaire of the isolated and integrated focus on form and answer a TOEFL grammar recognition test. The analysis of findings using descriptive statistics and T-test showed that learners did not have clear preferences for different types of focus on form and that learners` attitude towards isolated and integrated focus on form was not related to their performance. students' The findings can provide useful information for teachers and instructors learners` preferences for different approaches.</p>

Attitudes of Undergraduate Students to the Use of ICT in Education

Problem StatementContemporary young people are commonly designated as digital natives characterized by habitual use of ICT in everyday life. Nevertheless, the current higher education environment demands more sophistication from students.Research questionThe study pursues the question whether being a digital native is a qualification for successful utilization of ICT in learning and strives to detect what influences come into play.Purpose of the StudyThe purpose of the study is to find out what aspects influence attitudes and opinions of students relating to the use of ICT in courses offered by higher education institutions and thus provide beneficial source of information to teachers and instructors using ICT in lessons or designing e-learning courses.Research MethodsThe study was carried out at the College of Polytechnics, Jihlava, Czech Republic, among undergraduate bachelor students of four different branches of study. The research sample of two hundred students were addressed via a questionnaire survey to give their opinions on and express their experience with the use of ICT in courses they completed at the College.FindingsThe results show that the students’ willingness to use ICT for studying and attitudes to e-learning are not homogenous and show certain relation to their field of study and computer skills. The characteristics of digital natives do not apply to everyone, which should be reflected in courses using ICT in higher education institutions.ConclusionsThe presented study contributes to the current discussion of ICT in higher education usage and role. The results might promote further investigation into the issues relating to the topic and also provide useful information for teachers and instructors who wish to make their courses more beneficial to students.

Try, Try, Try Again: The Process of Designing New History Assessments

This article considers the design process for new formative history assessments. Over the course of 3 years, my colleagues from the Stanford History Education Group and I designed, piloted, and revised dozens of History Assessments of Thinking (HATs). As we created HATs, we sought to gather information about their cognitive validity, the relationship between the constructs targeted by the assessments, and the cognitive processes students used to answer them. Three case studies trace the development of different HATs through analyses of draft assessments, student responses, and think-aloud protocols. Design principles specific to formative history assessments emerged from these analyses: (1) assessments must be historically accurate, (2) assessments must target specific historical constructs, (3) assessment structure must align with targeted constructs, (4) assessments must yield useful information for teachers, and (5) pilot data are indispensable for refining HATs. These finding suggest the need for increased attention on the construction and validation of new assessment materials for the history classroom.

Students' Participation in a Social Media Enhanced Learning Environment

In this article, we introduce the results of a study concerning visualizations of studentsâ?? participation and activity in TUT Circle, a social media enhanced web service for learning, networking, and communication. Well-designed visualizations can provide useful information for teachers to improve pedagogical practices and the quality of online courses. Visualization enables students to monitor their own activity levels and performance processes, and make strategic adjustments to improve them.

Biomechanics Simulation of Volleyball Player in Jumping Spike

Sports biomechanics is able to identify the variables that aim to define some or all aspects of a performance and then provide useful information for teachers or coaches to improve players' performance. The purpose of the study was to identify the crucial variables that contribute to a successful volleyball spike jump performance by using biomechanical analysis, in order to help teachers improve the jump performance of their students, these investigations allow teachers to observe student performance more systematically and also help them provide the right information at the right time and in an easily understood format.

The Impact of Material Presentation Mode on English Verbal Memory-among Chinese Children with and without Formal Music Training

Previous research has confirmed the age-old wisdom that verbal materials are better remembered when presented in musical forms(e.g.,songs) than in other forms(e.g.,regular speech).Furthermore,several studies have shown that music training can improve individuals' verbal memory.These studies,however,had three limitations: they were conducted mainly with adults,they examined only verbal memory in native language,and they did not investigate potential interactive effects between music training and mode of presentation. In the present study,112 children were recruited from a local primary school.About half of them(n=55) had received three or more years of regular formal music training(mainly piano).The rest(n=57) had received minimal(half a year or less,and mostly none) music training.Subjects within each group were randomly assigned to one of three presentation conditions: song,rhythm,and speech.In the "song" condition,subjects were asked to remember four carefully selected lines(27 words) in English that were presented as the lyrics to the tune of an English children's song "Apple Song." In the "rhythm" condition,they were read the same four lines with rhythm and in the speech condition as regular speech.The text was presented six times and subjects were asked to recall the text four times: after Trials three,five,and six,and 15 minutes after Trial six. Results showed that(1) subjects with formal music training outperformed those with minimal music training,(2) materials were retained better when presented in musical forms(song or rhythm) than when presented as regular speech,and(3) the effects of music training and presentation mode showed a significant interaction,indicating that music training facilitated verbal memory mainly under the "song" condition. These results extended previous research by replicating the association between music training and verbal memory among children and with second-language materials.Moreover,the present study specified that the music training's facilitation effect was most prominent when the materials were presented as song lyrics.These results should provide useful information for teachers and developers of teaching materials.

Accounting students attitudes and aspirations profiles and their performance in a subject: An Exploratory Study

The aim of this study is to establish a link between the profile of students (in terms of attitudes and aspirations) and their performance in accountancy subjects. The study analyzes perceptions of which requirements ensure a satisfactory performance in the subjects and identifies student aspirations and how students use their time. This paper describes an exploratory descriptive study using descriptive and multivariate statistical data analysis. The theoretical framework considers that the student’s view is important for the evaluation processes The results show at ‘professor’, ‘contents’, ‘bibliography’, ‘group’, and ‘time’ provide an impact on the development of the student. They results provide useful information for teachers in positively influencing learning for their classes.

Joinfostering: Adapting Teaching Strategies for the Multilingual Classroom

to gauge. However, if one goes by the content, the book has met its aim to pedagogically provoke the reader. Perhaps expecting anything more from a single book not intended to be a book of answers ... but . .. of explorations (p. xviii) is unwarranted. Designed in self-instructional patterns, the book's refreshingly nontechnical approach distinguishes it from the rest in the field. Each chapter ends with Discussion Starters, Practical Activities, and Suggestions for Further Reading. The book, further, is replete with developmental questions. Most of the subtitles are presented in this form. Simple language and the conversational style of presentation, particularly the use of personal pronouns, merit a mention here. And the appendixes and bibliography provide useful information for teachers. The book is well written and packed with practical suggestions for teachers. However, as the authors agree, there is a need for developing further our rather embryonic classroom (p. 149) and a need for more replication studies to make more confident claims (p. 183), the research field being still really in its infancy (p. 2). Possession of this book is imperative for any teacher in preparation, inservice teacher, and teacher educator.