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Innovation in Teaching and Learning

Description: Effective Learning Activities, Education and Difference: Gifted Education, Special Education, Learning Difficulties & Disability, Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis Support, lifelong learning, professional development, Infrastructure & Educational Technologies, ICT Applications, Digital Learning Materials

Items

A Suggested Strategy based on e-Portfolio for Developing Creative Writing Skills in English Language among Intermediate Stage Students in Kuwait

The current research aimed at investigating the effect of a suggested strategy based on e-portfolio on creative writing skills in English language among intermediate stage students in Kuwait. The research examined the following hypotheses: (1) There are significant differences at level (α ≤0.05) between the two means in posttest and pretest scores of the experimental group in Fluency, Flexibility, originality elaboration and the total score. (2) There are significant differences at level (α ≤0.05) between the two means of the control and the experimental group in posttest of fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration, total score, gain total. (3) There are significant differences at level (α ≤0.05) between the two means of the control group pretest and post test in fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration, the total score. (4) There are significance differences at level (α ≤0.05) between two means of posttest creativity of the experimental and control group when controlling the pretest scores. The research sample consisted of 32 students in the nineth grade who study the English language course “Target English” in the first semester of the academic year 2012/2013. The researcher implemented the experimental research method with a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design. For data collection, the researcher designed the research instrument which is a creative writing scale to measure the creative writing of the students in the pretest and posttest in the dimensions of: fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. The students in the control group taught by the traditional method of teaching writing while the students in the experimental group taught by the suggested strategy based on e-portfolio for doing creative writing activities. The research yielded a significant differences at level (α ≤0.05) between the two means in posttest and pretest scores of the experimental group in flexibility, originality, elaboration, the total score as well as the absence of statistically significance differences in the dimension of fluency. The research also revealed significant differences at level (α ≤0.05) between the two means of the control and the experimental group in the posttests of flexibility, originality, elaboration ,total score, gain total score as well as the absence of statistically significance differences in the dimension of fluency. With regard to the control group, the results showed significant differences at level (α ≤0.05) between the two means of the control group pretest and post test in fluency, flexibility, originality, the total score as well as the absence of statistically significance differences in elaboration. In addition, there were significance differences at level (α ≤0.05) between the two means of posttest creativity of the experimental and control group when controlling the pretest scores. Keywords: learning strategy, e-portfolio, creative writing skills, creative writing in English language, Kuwait

The Effects of a Blended Learning Strategy in Teaching Vocabulary on Premedical Students' Achievement, Satisfaction and Attitude Toward English Language

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of a proposed blended learning strategy in teaching medical vocabulary at Arabian Gulf University (AGU) on some outcomes of the learning process. The study attempted to assess the effects of the proposed strategy on pre-medical students’ achievement, attitudes towards the English language, and their satisfaction with the unit. The study sample consisted of 50 students who scored less than 60% in AGU English Language Entry exam. The sample was randomly divided into two groups; 22 students in the control group and 28 in the experimental group. The research instruments included: AGU English language unit exams in English 151, attitude towards English language and satisfaction with the unit scales that were developed by the researcher. Data analysis revealed that, concerning achievement and attitude towards the English language, there were no statistical significant differences between the experimental and the control group except with regard to the second midterm exam total score where the control group performed significantly better than the experimental group. The results also indicated that the experimental group members demonstrated high degree of satisfaction toward the online unit in three dimensions of the scale and medium satisfaction in one dimension. It was argued that though students were satisfied with the online unit, lack of vocabulary improvement was due to lack of administrative support.

The Effect of a Blended Learning Strategy Based on Enrichment Activities on Acquiring Grammatical Knowledge of English Language and Self-Efficacy Towards English

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of a blended learning strategy based on enrichment activities in acquiring English grammatical skills at diploma level on one side and if it leads to improvement in self-efficacy towards English on the other. The study tries to explore these two hypotheses: 1. The usage of blended learning strategy based on enrichment activities leads to acquiring of English grammatical skills. 2. The usage of blended learning strategy based on enrichment activities improves self-efficacy. The sample consists of 28 students; 14 experimental and 14 control. The method used in the study is the Quasi Experimental Design while the instruments of the study are Demographic Questionnaire, Self-efficacy scale as a post test and Achievement test as a post test . Findings indicate that students proposed to the strategy performed significantly better than the students who did not. There are significant statistical differences at the level (α<= 0.05) in achievement test in favor of the experimental group. The students’ self-efficacy towards English, on average, was higher in the experimental group than those in control group due to instruction method, but the difference wasn’t significant. The study concluded that an exploitation of opportunities for English enrichment activities would definitely enhance proficiency in English grammar.

Evolution of Classroom Technology, The New Way of Teaching, Using iPads in Schools

The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the present use of iPads in schools, particularly K-12 schools, as well as to consider how they might be used more effectively in the future. In order to carry out this aim, the researcher used the quantitative research method and developed a 32- question survey for a potential 250 participants. Responses to all 32 questions were gathered from those who responded, 65 participants. Of those who responded, 77% were female and 23% were male. Approximately 45% were between the ages of 22-25, 38% were above the age of 25, and 17% were between the ages of 18-21. A majority, 62%, had obtained a Bachelor’s degree as their highest form of education. The participants were from two schools, one in Bowling Green and the other in Toledo. Out of the 32 questions that they responded to, 18 were multiple-choice questions, and 14 involved free responses. The free responses allowed for a wide range of opinions, and for descriptive statistics to be gathered. Importantly, this study revealed that most teachers, whether or not they already use iPads as a tool for instruction, would use them as such if they were available and if their access was cost-effective. It also revealed that most teachers who are currently using iPads for the purpose of classroom instruction are able to recognize and articulate various ways that they are useful and beneficial tools for this purpose. This study recommended that parents, teachers, school administrators, and government officials communicate with one another and work together to ensure that technology is used efficiently.

Integration of Technology in Colombian Schools: Case Study of Three Schools in the Atlantico Department

This study examines the experiences of teachers and students in the integration of computers in three different socioeconomic school contexts of the Atlantico department in northern region of Colombia. This research used a case study approach and collect qualitative data from interviews and observations in two public and one private schools. The analysis of teachers’ beliefs in relation to their role in education, teachers and students’ perceptions toward using technology in teaching and learning, and the uses of technology in the three schools revealed that there is no connection between teachers’ beliefs about their role in the classrooms and perceptions toward the use of technology for teaching with their actual practices. The research concludes that the development of constructivist classrooms and effective use of technology in schools is a slow evolutionary process, which requires not only a better preparation of teachers but also a change in students’ expectations.

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