BULGARIAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND EDUCATION POLICY

220-232

Authors: D. Pavlovic, Z.S. Petrovic

The main research objective of this paper is to point out potentials and limitations of the Internet in the process of learning in higher education, through review and analysis of literature. The results of this theoretical study emphasize positive aspects of the Internet use in the learning process of university students that arise from the Internet features such as high technical capabilities, power, speed, universality and accessibility, as well as high sensitivity of young people to the means of new media. The positive effects of the applica-tion of the Internet were pointed out in research studies that analysed the pro-cess of innovation in higher education, the changes in the culture of learning, or certain aspects of personality development of university students. In contrast, some studies pointed out the limitations that may occur when using the Internet in the learning process related primarily to the credibility of the infor-mation, light and entertaining content dominance, and dependence on technology. Accordingly, it is recommended to adopt the measures on a larger scale that will affect the greater use of the Internet in the process of acquiring knowledge, especially in the field of higher education.

246-266

Authors: O.O. Olatomide

The study examined retirement adjustment of teacher-retirees in Osun State, and explored the interaction effects of pre-retirement guidance and family in-volvement on retirement adjustment. Exposit-facto design was used. The population comprised retirees from public, civil and private establishments from which 122 teacher-retirees were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. An instrument: Family Involvement, Pre-retirement Guidance and Retirement Adjustment Questionnaire was used for data collection. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results revealed that retirees in Osun State are not optimally adjusted, and positive significant interaction effect was found between family involvement and pre-retirement guidance on retirees adjustment, among others. Appropriate policy implications are outlined.

279-293

Authors: M.F. Faremi

This study assessed the relationship between teacher retention and job security in private secondary schools in Ogun state, Nigeria. The study assessed ade-quacy in teaching and learning infrastructure, evaluated mode of recruitment of teachers, the factors responsible for high teacher turnover and teachers retention strategies employed in private secondary schools. Descriptive research of the survey design was employed in this study. Data were collected using questionnaire. Multistage sampling technique was used for data collection among 200 teachers including the school principals. Data collected were analyzed with a mixture of descriptive and inferential statistics. Percentages, mean and frequency counts were used to answer the research questions raised while Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient and t-test analysis were used to test the formulated hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings from this study revealed that teaching and learning infrastructure were inadequate in most of the schools. It was observed that books, classroom and teachers were very adequate in some of the schools. However, few of the schools had internet facility for knowledge transfer and student exposure to the worldwide web. The study also showed that the proprietors were primarily responsible for staff recruitment although there were instances where formal advertisement for recruitment was made. The study further revealed a significant relationship between teacher retention strategies and job security in private secondary schools in Osun state. The study also showed a significant relationship between teacher turnover and job security in the schools. In addition, the findings showed a significant relationship between teacher turnover and job security in private secondary schools in Osun state. Lastly, the study revealed a significant difference in the mean rate and female teachers' turnover in the selected private secondary schools. Based on the findings, it was therefore recommended that teacher retention strategies should include prompt payment of salary, workers welfare packages, good working conditions, teacher mentoring programme, teacher preparation and the provision of basic amenities for effective academic calendar in the secondary schools to ensure job security in private secondary schools.

320-337

Authors: S. 'Tayo Subair

Governance and management of higher education worldwide, bothers on management�s and staff�s acceptability of being responsible for their decisions and actions; stewardship, fairness in terms of justice and equity, and all other aspects of administrative performance. This study assessed the moral, process and supervisory accountability in Nigerian higher education. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design using purposive sampling technique. A total of 1,000 academic and administrative staff members drawn from two federal universities in the Southwestern geopolitical zone of Nigeria constitut-ed the sample frame. Two instruments tagged "Accountability Assessment Questionnaire Types A and B" for academic and non-academic staff respec-tively were used to obtain needed information from the respondents. The results obtained showed agreement to all assessed variables on moral accounta-bility except payment of allowances 77.8% as and when due. Similarly, process accountability was considered good as values above 60% was obtained in the average on documentation, review of activities and staff promotions among others; however, supervisory accountability was equally good except that reward for excellence among staff 62.9% was not institutionalized. The study therefore concluded that for staff in Nigerian higher education to be appreciated for their passion and commitment to work, payment of their allowances as and when due should be taken serious and timely. Recognition should equally be given to members of staff to serve as motivator for others. University management should not wait for staff to embark on strike actions before they are attended to as this would infringe on public perception of their moral, process and supervisory accountability.

352-369

Authors: V. Lamanauskas, D. Augiene Preview

Career management as a lifelong lasting process becomes very actual in today's modern society because of many reasons. The environment becomes turbulent, in a general sense; therefore, it is natural that career environment, basically, is chaotic as well. Nevertheless, career for many people is, undoubtedly, very important, because it is directly related to life quality. Professional activity satisfies almost all human needs: physiological, safety, social, attainment, self-realisation, independence, autonomy and other. The efficiency of the mentioned activity and the ability of the personality to construct his career are closely related things. Individual's career process studies are especially popular recently, because deeper career perception helps to understand the most important relations between man and work, career management and constant learning, helps not only to know man's abilities, but also the abilities to give oneself to modern environment, to understand career projection possibilities, to plan one's professional future. Seeking to analyse final-year university student position regarding career questions, a written form survey was carried out. The research was carried out between September 2015 and March 2016. The research sample (185) was structured applying a consecutive 'bunch' system. The respondents from three Lithuanian universities Klaipėda, Vilnius and Šiauliai, were selected in the sample. Professional career parameters were evaluated: career conception, the importance of work values and abilities, study influence, promoting and limiting factors and personal qualities. The research is grounded on a mixed strategy, when quantitative and qualitative research approach is combined. The obtained results, based on qualitative analysis, about professional personal career promoting and limiting factors and personal qualities are presented in this research.

384-416

Authors: A.O.A. Awofala

A strong foundation in mathematics as a science of thinking may lead to an improved performance in chemistry. The study investigated attitudes towards mathematics as predictors of preservice teachers' achievement in senior secondary school chemistry among 325 Nigerian preservice chemistry teachers from two public universities in Lagos State, Nigeria using the quantitative research method within the blueprint of descriptive survey design of an expost facto type. Data collected were analysed using the descriptive statistics of mean, and standard deviation and inferential statistics of independent samples t-test, Pearson product moment correlation, analysis of variance and multiple regression analysis. Findings revealed that gender differences in attitudes towards mathematics and dimensions of attitudes towards mathematics among preservice chemistry teachers were at a zero-tolerance level while grade level of the preservice chemistry teachers was a factor in their attitudes towards mathematics. Grade level, gender and value in mathematics made statistically significant contributions to the variance in preservice teachers' achievement in senior secondary school chemistry. Based on the results of this study, it was recommended that chemistry teacher educators should emphasise the connec-tions between chemistry and mathematics for effective learning at the preservice teacher level.