Journal of Education and e-Learning Research

The educational space and its impact on pedagogical dynamics: Teachers' perception of their working environment

Marta Maria Poyato-Nunez — 2024-10-15

A quality learning space provides students with an optimal environment for social relations, collaborative work and participation, thus fostering innovation and incorporating active methodologies. The aim of this study is to analyze whether the design of existing learning environments is suitable for incorporating innovation in classrooms. The methodology carried out in this study was quantitative and divided into two phases to carry out the analysis. The approach consisted of collecting data from a sample of 245 teachers using a questionnaire designed and validated by the researchers. The teachers perform their educational activity between the 3rd and 6th grades of primary school and are in educational centres in the autonomous city of Ceuta (Spain). The findings highlight the relevance that teachers believe the design of educational spaces should have in the teaching-learning process. Thus, the results show that there are significant differences with respect to age and professional experience in relation to the teacher's perception of infrastructure. Therefore, it is important to conclude by highlighting the consideration of the educational space as an essential element for the incorporation of methodological renewal in the classroom.

The impact of teacher empowerment on school effectiveness: A mixed-methods study

Indra Prasetia — 2024-10-29

This study aims to explore the impact of empowerment on school effectiveness and examine more broadly the findings of early research. This mixed study used an exploratory sequential design. The initial stage of research uses qualitative methods followed by the quantitative stage. In the qualitative stage, research data were collected through in-depth interviews with 19 teachers determined by purposive sampling. The research findings at the qualitative stage were then followed up for wider testing using a larger population and sample. A total of 104 teachers were determined as research samples using proportional random sampling techniques from a population of 712 teachers in 39 high schools in North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Qualitative findings provide evidence that psychological and structural empowerment have the same qualities as employment involvement and that empowering working conditions affects the attitude of teachers that their work is important. They can do work and set choices; have an impact on their departments and tend to show autonomy that generates more energy and ability in their work. Quantitative findings explain that structural empowerment influences psychological empowerment at 45.6% and has influence on school effectiveness at 43.9%. Psychological empowerment has influence on school effectiveness at 64.3%. Structural empowerment has influenced school effectiveness through psychological empowerment of 48.2% and a total influence of 92.10%. Qualitative findings suggest that the strength of structural and psychological empowerment determines school effectiveness.

Evaluation of the application of the ACEP cycle to student writing learning outcome

Ryan Hidayat — 2024-10-29

The modification of the ACEP cycle is a pedagogical strategy consisting of four components: (A) Activities. (C) Classroom discussion. (E) Exercises. (P) Performance. The application of ACEP cycle modifications is used as a strategy to improve writing skills. This is the primary focus to consider in improving writing skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how effective the process of learning writing skills was by applying ACEP cycle modifications. This study used a mixed-methods approach. At the qualitative stage, an explanatory description design strategy is applied to collect comprehensive and in-depth information about the learning model applied by the teacher in the classroom. A pre- and post-test control group design is used in the quantitative stage. The average score of students using the ACEP cycle modification was 82.64, higher than that of students who studied under the demonstration learning model which was 80.03. This finding is reinforced by the result of the significance coefficient = 0.006 < 0.05 so H0 is rejected. Thus, there is a difference in average student learning outcomes between the modification of the ACEP cycle and the demonstration learning model. ACEP cycle modification has practical implications for writing skills. First, it can easily identify the initial condition of students' writing skills. Second, ACEP cycle modification allows teachers to better understand how students build an understanding of writing concepts. Third, students can actively participate in the learning process and fourth, teachers can observe the construction stage and measure student progress more accurately.

Exploratory study of factors affecting problem-solving competence among school administrators in Vietnam during the digital era

Huyen Thi Thu Vu — 2024-11-08

This study aims to identify the extent to which the staff believes the factors influencing problem-solving competencies among school administrators and to relate these beliefs to the perceived problem-solving competence of the administrators based on the perceptions among staff. This study designed a survey method that involved 731 teachers and administrators from various schools in the Central and Highlands areas, Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeast and Southwest Regions in Vietnam to accomplish these purposes. Structural equation modeling in the data analysis yields a robust model fit advocated by the socio-psychological theory of belief-behavior linkage. The conclusion is that the internal environment and the efforts made to develop science, technology and international collaborations have a significantly positive relationship in explaining the problem-solving competency of school administrators. However, the existing state of the external environment severely affects the problem-solving ability of school administrators. Improvements must be made to the facilities and equipment of the schools, the working conditions and the financial resources. Theoretical implications include environment-person fit, resource-based advantage, and development psychology which broaden the understanding of problem-solving abilities. School administrators should have a practical framework emphasizing the internal and external environments and procedural and investment-focused qualities.

Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the questionnaire assessing reasons for school non-attendance

Javier Martinez-Torres — 2024-11-08

The study aimed to translate, culturally adapt and validate the Spanish version of the Assessing Reasons for School Non-attendance (ARSNA) originally developed by Havik, Bru and Ertesvåg in 2015 to assess the reasons for school absence in adolescents. We used the back-translation method to translate and adapt the instrument without substantially altering it. A total of 1168 Spanish adolescents (M = 15.03, SD = 2.40) enrolled in 6 secondary education institutes participated in the study. The confirmatory factor analysis establishes a four-dimensional model (FI: Somatic symptoms; FII: Subjective health complaints; FIII: Unjustified absences; FIV: School refusal) with 16 items and invariant depending on gender. The results obtained provide the Spanish version of the ARSNA with good understandability, internal consistency, and reliability for measuring the causes of lack of school attendance. This research makes a new instrument available to the Spanish population that evaluates reasons for school absenteeism.

Teachers’ digital competencies for effective AI integration in higher education in Oman

Hanan Khalil — 2024-11-11

This study explores the competencies required by digital teachers to effectively leverage AI in fostering a future-ready classroom environment. It delves into competencies essential for teachers to harness the potential of AI. A descriptive analytical approach was employed to extract the required AI competency list and determine its importance. The study involved 26 teachers from the University of Technology and Applied Science in Oman. These participants were requested to complete a questionnaire designed to gather relevant data. The findings provide a comprehensive checklist of competencies necessary for seamless AI-enhanced teaching and serve as a valuable tool for training and guiding future digital teachers. The study revealed no significant differences in the perceived importance of AI competencies between teachers with less than 10 years of practical experience and those with 10 years or more of experience. This paper concludes that continuous professional development and targeted training are essential for all teachers to develop the necessary skills for an AI-enhanced education environment. Moreover, the study emphasizes the need for educational institutions to prioritize AI competency development in teacher training. Finally, it highlights the importance of a supportive infrastructure to help teachers stay updated with rapid AI advancement in education.

Promoting innovation in Saudi public education schools: The perspective of school employees

Mashal Saad El Sleemi — 2024-11-11

The study aimed to identify effective innovation indicators in public education schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A mixed-method sequential exploratory design was used starting with interviews of fourteen experts in the fields of talent, creativity and educational excellence. A questionnaire was developed that consisted of seven main innovation indicators, divided into 78 sub-indicators based on the results of these interviews. The questionnaire was administered to a sample of 694 participants including school principals, deputies and teachers. The findings revealed that the overall achievement of innovation indicators in public education schools was moderate. These results suggest that there is a moderate level of implementation of innovation indicators. Further efforts are needed to enhance their effectiveness in Saudi public schools. The study provides a valuable framework for educational policymakers and school administrators to promote innovation within educational environments. This framework can serve as a guide for future efforts to improve the innovative capacity of public schools and enhance their ability to achieve educational excellence. The study offers practical insights for fostering a culture of innovation that supports continuous improvement in the Saudi education system by focusing on strengthening the identified indicators.

The attitude of gifted college students towards self-regulated mobile learning and student satisfaction: The mediation role of teacher's support and moderator role of gender

Manar Mohammed Haneefa — 2024-11-11

This study aims to investigate the mediation role of teacher's support and the moderator role of gender in the relation between attitude towards self-regulated mobile learning and student satisfaction. 410 undergraduate students from different universities in the KSA were recruited. Purposive sampling was used to collect the data. Attitudes towards the self-regulated mobile scale, satisfaction with the mobile learning scale and teacher’s support were used to collect data. Attitudes towards self-regulated mobile learning positively correlated with the teacher's support. Teachers' support and attitude towards self-regulated mobile learning significantly and positively correlated with the students’ satisfaction. These results indicated that teacher's support partially mediated the relationship between attitude towards self-regulated mobile learning and student satisfaction. However, the interaction between teacher's support and gender was not correlated with attitude towards self-regulated mobile learning. Gender could not moderate the relationship between attitude towards self-regulated mobile learning and teacher's support. This study highlights the mediation role of teacher's support and the moderator role of gender in the relation between attitude towards self-regulated mobile learning and student satisfaction. This study contributes to the improvements in the education system in the KSA especially when the increasing value of self-regulated mobile learning is considered.

Transformational teacher leadership: Self-perception of primary education teachers in Indonesia

Hasan Hariri — 2024-12-13

This study examines the self-perceptions of Indonesian primary education teachers as transformational leaders. A quantitative survey was conducted with 400 randomly selected teachers from Lampung Province, Indonesia to assess their transformational leadership (TL) practices using the Transformational Teaching Questionnaire (TTQ) adapted and validated for use in the Indonesian context. The instrument's reliability and validity were confirmed ensuring its robustness. This study found that 15 out of 16 items demonstrated strong factor loadings indicating good construct validity while one item was excluded due to low factor loading. Overall, teachers rated themselves highly on TL scales emphasizing the importance of respect and adherence to cultural norms within their educational practices. These results highlight the potential of TL in improving student outcomes and fostering school improvement. Promoting TL among teachers can create a more effective teaching environment positively impacting student success and overall school quality. The study also emphasizes the need for continuous professional development in TL for teachers. The study supports the integration of TL training in teacher development programs highlighting its relevance to educational policy and practice. Future research should include diverse educational contexts employ longitudinal designs to observe changes over time and incorporate multiple data sources to enhance the robustness of findings.

Challenges of learning speaking skills in online learning environments: A study of Jordanian EFL teachers’ perceptions

Mohammad Husam Alhumsi — 2024-12-16

E-learning opens a new horizon within educational contexts worldwide. Previous studies showed a dearth of research identifying EFL teachers’ perceptions of EFL learners’ hardships in speaking skills. Hence, this article investigates the Jordanian EFL teachers’ perceptions of the current challenges of learning speaking skills EFL learners experience in an e-learning environment. The research instrument was a cross-sectional questionnaire delivered to 218 Jordanian EFL teachers. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA and an independent sample paired t-test were employed for data analysis. The results revealed that most Jordanian EFL teachers are aware of the current challenges of learning speaking skills in an e-learning environment. Such challenges involve a lack of vocabulary, motivation and self-confidence, grammatical mistakes, stress, anxiety and problems in pronunciation. Moreover, concerning research independent variables, the effect of gender and age did not record any significant differences whereas the academic degree and years of experience showed significant differences among Jordanian EFL teachers’ perceptions in favor of those who hold bachelor’s degrees (BA) and those who fall within the category of 5-10 years of experience. This paper recommends implementing remedial programs related to developing speaking skills.