Problems of Education in the 21st Century

169

Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, Vol. 77, No. 2, 2019, PEC

172-178

Authors: Mirosław Kowalski

The beginning of the XXI century can be considered as the decade of “everything”. A crisis, by its own nature, causes destabilization in various areas of social and cultural functioning as it affects the entire system without bypassing any function or structure. As a consequence, the weaknesses of a given socio-cultural system are revealed, all the while pointing towards a need for change. The process in question also applies to education which is responsible for creating the appropriate environment and conditions for human learning in a given cultural-economic context. Therefore, a person - along with his surroundings creates a specific system - in which he becomes sensitive to changes in a sociocultural context both on the macro-, exo- and micro-level. Bearing in mind the assumptions of psycho-pedagogical and educational concepts, the individual along with the systems he creates is subjected to environmental influences not just directly - through entering specific interpersonal interactions, but also indirectly - through the influence exerted by its products

195-208

Authors: Nora A. Altaweel

Mobile technology (MT) may create new opportunities for teachers to enhance the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for students with emotional and conduct disorders (ECD) in United States. However, there remains a relative paucity of research reviewing the effectiveness of integrating MT into EBPs, also referred to as emerging practices (EPs). This integrative review provides a synthesis of the research on the effectiveness of EPs for students with ECD in the K-12 classroom environment. A total of 11 empirical studies, published from 2008 to 2018, were reviewed. Results suggest that EPs may increase academic engagement for students with ECD during academic situations. Yet, drawing conclusions remains challenging due to limitations in relation to: (a) the unique power of EPs in isolation from some interfering variables, (b) generalizability of documented findings to various settings. Future research studies should ideally further address the areas of limitation toward conclusive claims concerning the effectiveness of EPs for students with ECD.

228-243

Authors: Soonri Choi, Namjung Kim, Seohyun Choi, Dongsik Kim†

This research suggests emphasis manipulation on constituent skills of least-abled sets, improves coordination and integration of knowledge, skills, and attitudes on cognitive load, transfer, and instructional efficiency. The participants were divided into two groups. Competency levels for the designated skill sets were evaluated, and a pre-test was performed on both groups. The research applied an educational design based on individual learner’s least-abled sets of constituent skills and identified the design’s effectiveness on complex learning. One group was provided with the whole learning contents according to emphasis manipulation sequencing method, and the other group was provided personalized learning contents according to a method based on the least-abled sets of constituent skills emphasis manipulation. The group received materials constructed with emphasis manipulation, learned the whole constituent skills of learning contents and carried out conventional tasks. However, treatment group received materials constructed with the least-abled sets of constituent skills emphasis manipulation, learned only the least-abled constituent skills and carried out conventional tasks. This research suggests that teaching with the least-abled sets of constituent skills helps to reduce expertise-reversal effect and improve results of cognitive load, transfer and instructional efficiency.

254-269

Authors: Yinusa A. Faremi, Loyiso C. Jita

Science teachers' career satisfaction and organisational climate, which influence their job performances, are very important. This research examined the extent to which science teachers' career satisfaction and organisational climate are related to their job performances in rural learning ecologies. Within a survey and correlational research design of a quantitative type, 250 science teachers were selected in Ondo State, Nigeria using a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using an adapted questionnaire on science teachers' career satisfaction, school organisational climate and job performance. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse data. The results showed that 65.2% of the science teachers in rural learning ecologies were satisfied with their careers while 34.8% were dissatisfied with their careers. It was discovered that a combination of career satisfaction and organisational climate significantly influenced their job performances. It was found that the teachers’ career satisfaction had a significant positive effect on their job performances while school organisational climate had a significant negative effect on their job performances. In light of the results, it can be concluded that science teachers' career satisfaction is the most effective significant contribution to their job performances. Further, it can be inferred that the school organisational climate does not significantly predict job performance in rural learning ecologies. To this end, results of the current research have some implications worth considering for the employers of science teachers, principals of schools and other stakeholders in creating a healthy school organisational climate and demonstrate good leadership behaviour in order to achieve improvement in the job performance of science teachers in rural learning ecologies.

292-306

Authors: Alejandro Valencia-Arias, Laura Duque Cano, Diana Arango-Botero

The current social dynamics perceive education as an impeller of social and economic change. However, there are problems of coverage, relevance and methodology in the educational process, mainly in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Recently, tools have emerged that adopt and appropriate ICTS in learning processes, such as mobile learning, which seeks to meet the requirements of mobility, accessibility and interactivity that traditional teaching mechanisms have not covered satisfactorily. Based on the necessity to identify the factors that drive the adoption of mobile learning by different HEIs, this research identifies the factors that encourage the adoption of mobile learning in the institutions. For this, results of an exercise of technological surveillance in indexed database (Scopus) were analyzed by means of scientometric indicators. Some of the most significant factors detected are: preparation of the professor, perceptions and attitudes of students, technological culture, and technological environment that leverages new learning models.

1

Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, Vol. 77, No. 1, 2019, PEC

5-7

Authors: Feyzi Osman Pekel

We all talk about scientific issues such as plants, genetically modified organisms, air-water-environmental pollution, and education etc. in everyday life. But such small talks are not as simple job as it was thought, because, it is necessary to have a scientific qualification in order to state true opinions about the discussed topics. However, in order to fully understand the problem here, we must answer the following questions. Do we understand these issues in a way that does not conflict with scientific facts, and can we say we fully taught the students what we understand? Are we able to use scientific concepts correctly? What matter is our answer to these questions.

22-38

Authors: Amirul Mukminin, Akhmad Habibi, Muhaimin, Asrial, Eddy Haryanto, Panut Setiono, Sofyan

To facilitate educational staff, especially teachers with adequate information and communication technology (ICT) tools and its integration, has been one of the main agendas in vocational high schools around the world. One of the key factors of the ICT integration success in education is teachers’ beliefs. To understand the phenomenon, this mix method study aimed at elaborating Vocational Technical High School (VTHS) teachers’ beliefs on the ICT and its integration in education and differences of the teachers’ beliefs between demographic information. Quantitatively, a survey was addressed to 765 respondents; the analysis was descriptive using mean, percentage, and standard deviation, as well as t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) for a difference between the demographic information namely genders, ages, and teaching experiences. Following the quantitative phase, interview was conducted with 10 teachers to get in-depth information through a thematic process. Findings suggest that the VTHS teacher’s beliefs on ICT and its integration in education mainly focused on 1) student engagement and effective learning, varied use of ICT regarding grades and content (behavioral beliefs); 2) needs of digital-age students and expectations of authorities, administrators, and colleagues (normative beliefs); 3) varied self-efficacy for using ICT in VTHSs, access to learning, access to ICT and human resource support (control beliefs).

55-81

Authors: Vimolan Mudaly, Tamryn Fletcher

There is concern about mathematics success and its related pedagogy. Society has seen rapid changes in the economy and technology with a call for these changes to be reflected within the classroom. New methods of teaching mathematics are being sought with the purpose to improve teaching and learning while making mathematics relatable to the new generation of learners. The incorporation of technology within the classroom has been seen an option to make this change. The purpose of this research was to determine how effective the use of the GeoGebra app is in allowing learners to successfully discover the properties of straight line graphs. Furthermore, the research looked at learner responses to using the app. A qualitative research design was used with data generated through a task-based investigation, as well as individual interviews. Results of the research showed that the use of GeoGebra aided learners successfully in discovering the properties of straight-line graphs with the majority of learners understanding both concepts. The results also showed that learners had a positive outlook to the use of the app and enjoyed the experience.

97-109

Authors: Ugorji I. Ogbonnaya

The Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET), although controversial, is a common practice at the higher education level for faculty appraisals and promotions, but seldom at secondary school level. Concerns have been raised as to whether students are informed and experienced enough to evaluate teachers’ teaching practices in a reliable way and arrive at valid outcomes. The purpose of this research was to explore the reliability of students’ evaluations of mathematics teaching at secondary school level. This research involved eight teachers, and 194 Grade 11 students from eight secondary schools in Bojanala District, North West province in South Africa. A SET questionnaire was developed, validated and used for data collection. The data were analysed by calculating the average deviation index of the students’ evaluations of each teacher per item and the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) with SPSS. This was done using one-way random effects, absolute agreement and a multiple raters/measurements model. Both the ADI and ICC values showed a high degree of reliability of the SET. Hence, SET at secondary school level may provide a reliable indication of teachers’ educational practices that might be used for the formative assessment of teachers’ instruction. It can also assist in designing teacher training programmes for pre-service teachers and professional development programmes for in-service teachers.

126-141

Authors: Līga Paula, Ilze Priževoite

Professionals who are respected in the wider community can influence public opinion and shape societal value system. While in a number of European countries teaching profession is popular and respected, in many other including Latvia its prestige is rather low. There is an ongoing debate in Latvia how to raise it; therefore, the aim of this research was to study teachers’ views about the status and prestige of their occupation. The quantitative research design was developed. The web survey of teachers (n=1773) confirmed that teachers perceived their occupational prestige in Latvia as low and believed that in other European countries it is much higher. Teachers did not feel assessed adequately to their contribution. In general, teachers were concerned about their professional autonomy and freedom as they felt frustrated, overloaded and over-controlled from different sides. The respondents believed that teachers are authorities and opinion leaders also outside school that indicated positive aspects of occupational prestige. They admitted that teachers should have an ability to adapt in order to respond on contemporary societal and technological changes. Some suggestions were developed on how to improve occupational prestige: from a system perspective, more positive and supportive attitude towards education system and teachers is expected from municipalities, policy makers and the line ministry. Meanwhile great part of the respondents believed that teachers themselves should be responsible for the forming of positive image of their profession and should communicate with society more effectively on the specificity of teaching and challenges they face in contemporary conditions.

156-164

Authors: Marija Slavkovic, Haris Memisevic

Transition period from preschool years to school years is a time of rapid changes in children’s development. Children with intellectual disability lag behind their peers without disabilities in their school readiness skills, especially in math skills. Thus, there is a great importance of school preparation programs for children with intellectual disability in improving their math abilities. The aim of the present research was to compare the effectiveness of two preschool programs in improving math abilities of children prior to their enrollment in elementary schools. The sample for this research comprised 90 children aged 60-72 months. Of those, there were 60 children with intellectual disability and 30 typically developing children. Math abilities were assessed with a subscale from Peabody Individual Achievement Test. The results of this research indicated that children with intellectual disability attending special education preschool program achieved significantly better math results than children with intellectual disability attending inclusive preschool program. Some suggestions to preschool teachers on how to improve the effectiveness of their work with children with intellectual disability were given.

757

Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, Vol. 76, No. 6, 2018, PEC

760-761

Authors: Ivana Z. Bogdanović

The problem that teachers meet in every educational system is how to teach efficiently, while at the same time students are facing the problem how to learn efficiently. These two problems are closely related and if they are not treated well, they result in poor students’ performance. Teachers should find the way to help students to learn better and that should result in better students’ performance. Moreover, if the learning process is efficient, students would need less time for learning, and their mental effort would decrease, while their motivation for learning would increase.

779-799

Authors: Martin Bílek, Małgorzata Nodzyńska, Wioleta Kopek-Putała, Paulina Zimak-Piekarczyk

Writing and balancing equations of chemical reactions is one of the \most difficult elements of chemistry education for students, which is why it was decided to analyse part of the process which is the most difficult. The process itself consists of multiple stages. it is important to highlight that the focus of research was not only on balancing the chemical equations. This stage can be independent of chemical skills and knowledge and is based on combinatorial and mathematical skills. The aim of the research was to examine whether using computer simulations can help younger children to balance chemical equations before they start to learn chemistry by using the psychological theory of transfer. It was decided first to teach children how to “make sandwiches” using a computer simulation game. When they have mastered in this activity, they can balance chemical equations. If the children learned how many pieces of cheese, ham and bread would be necessary to “make sandwiches” they began to learn how to balance chemical equations. The children were acquainted with the elements of chemical knowledge necessary to understand the simulation, and then they worked independently with it. Tests were carried out to check the acquired level of ability to balancing chemical equations. The obtained results proved that the balancing of the simple equation of reaction was mastered by over 50% of the children tested. It seems, therefore, a good solution that elements of reconciliation of chemical reaction equations should be introduced at an earlier stage of education, for example during maths lessons.

816-833

Authors: Durmuş Karci, Cemal Özdemir, Nuri Balta

Turkish is spoken by a large number of people in a wide geographical area and teaching Turkish as a foreign language is a subject that gains importance nowadays. This research employed a quantitative survey strategy to address the issue of anxiety in learning Turkish language in and outside the classroom. Participants were 356 students of two high schools, one college and one university in Kazakhstan. Participants were given the Second Language Speaking Anxiety Scale (SLSAS), which was analyzed with: correlation to search for possible relations between anxiety, age, duration of studying Turkish, and Turkish course grades; MANOVA to assess the effect of gender and school type on students’ anxiety in speaking Turkish; and an exploratory factor analysis to identify factor structure of SLSAS. Additionally, an ANOVA was carried out on a second data set with 52 students to see any differences between students’ anxiety in speaking Turkish and English. The results of this research indicated that anxiety in speaking Turkish is weak and not related to students’ age, gender, years studying Turkish, and Turkish course grades. In addition, no significant differences were found between students’ anxiety in speaking Turkish and English. The only significant result was the relatively high anxiety of college students in the classroom. This research implies that anxiety in speaking Turkish does not differ so much from anxiety in speaking English.

847-863

Authors: Ifunanya Julie Adaobi Ubah, Sarah Bansilal

Many researchers and education stakeholders in South Africa point to the need to develop teachers' personal knowledge of the mathematics concepts that they teach to their learners. In this research study we explore the understanding of 42 pre-service mathematics teachers of one aspect of school level mathematics, that of quadratic functions. Data were generated from the written responses to an assessment as well as semi-structured interviews. The purpose was to explore the methods used by pre-service mathematics teachers to derive a symbolic equation for a quadratic function expressed in graphical form. Furthermore, we looked at whether the pre-service teachers were able to use different methods to generate the symbolic equation. The results showed that 25 participants were able to determine the equation of a parabola using one method, while 11 of them were able to use two different methods. The most common method used was based on the intercept form of the equation. Some students identified different forms that the equation of a quadratic function could be expressed as but were unable to apply this to derive the equation. These results indicate that these students are not yet ready to teach these school level concepts even though they have studied advanced mathematics topics as part of their pre-service training. The study recommends that pre-service teachers should also be provided with more structured opportunities to help develop pedagogic content knowledge of the school level content as part of their teacher training programme.

881-899

Authors: Zurqoni, Heri Retnawati, Ezi Apino, Rizqa D. Anazifa

Many studies reported the importance of character education for students to support their future success. Currently, the countries have strengthened the implementation of character education in their educational system, including Indonesia. Related to the previous statements, this research aimed to describe the impact of character education implementation as well as challenges and strategies of teachers in implementing the character education. This research was an evaluation research type using a goal-free evaluation model (impact evaluation) with a qualitative approach. The participants of the research were principals, teachers, students, parents, and community members from three provinces in Indonesia; East Kalimantan, Special Region of Yogyakarta, and West Nusa Tenggara. Data were collected through Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and also in-depth interviews. The data were then analysed using a model of Bogdan and Biklen to find out the refinement among themes and generate a detailed understanding. The findings showed that character education had a positive impact on increasing the students’ character values including religiosity, personality, social attitude, and competitive attitude. Role-modelling by teachers and other members of the school community and parents, character-oriented activities, and moral and material support from educational stakeholders are key factors in character education implementation. However, some improvements need to be made, such as improving the teacher training and workshops and giving financial support (funding) for character education implementation.

579

Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, Vol. 76, No. 5, 2018

583-586

Authors: Saleh A. Alabdulkareem

Interaction and Information technologies have reshaped our live today, and nowadays' students and teachers have a massive use of smart phones, iPads and other portable devices; moreover, they are continually looking for cutting edge technologies. But often the use of these devices is not in ways anticipated by technology proponents. All these smart phones and other portable devices are equipped or ready for social media applications like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Instagram, Snapchat, which are part of what is known as Social Web 2.0, best characterized by the notions of social interaction, content sharing, and collective intelligence.

601-619

Authors: Sibel Er Nas, Muammer Çalık

The relevant literature has shown that student teachers hold alternative conceptions of soil erosion. Even though Turkish science student teachers are expected to teach the concept of ‘soil erosion’ in lower secondary schools (grades 5-8), none of the earlier studies have explored their conceptual growth and/or mental models throughout a 4-year undergraduate program. Indeed, science (student) teachers, who play a pivotal role in teaching the sustainability of soil as an environmental heritage, are able to transfer their environmental knowledge and mental models to younger generations. Therefore, the aim of this research was to elicit science student teachers’ (SSTs) understanding of soil erosion. In a cross-age comparison, the sample of the research was comprised of the first-year (n=54), second-year (n=62), third-year (n=60), and fourth-year of a four-year science education program (n=65), a total of 241 SSTs, enrolled at the Department of Science Education in Karadeniz Technical University in Turkey. A questionnaire with 4 open-ended questions and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The results indicated that the majority of the SSTs confused the concept of ‘soil erosion’ with the one ‘landslide’. For this reason, the current research suggests the development of analogies and computer simulations to overcome this confusion.

633-648

Authors: Hare Kiliçaslan

Students who receive architectural education are expected to be individuals who can think critically. For this reason, it becomes a necessity to cultivate creative individuals who are curious, inquiring and multi-faceted thinkers. The aim of this research was to determine the levels of tendency for critical thinking of first-year and fourth-year architecture students. The research sample consisted of 88 (54 females, 34 males) first-year and 83 (47 females, 36 males) fourth-year students who are studying at Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Architecture. The "California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI)" was used as data collection tool in the research. In addition, information about the demographic characteristics of students were collected through the Personal Information Form. Findings of the research showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the GPAs and critical thinking tendency levels of the first-year and fourth-year students. It can be argued that all students need some guidance to attach importance on critical thinking starting from the first year of the program.

663-677

Authors: Maimunah, Lenny Marzulina, Herizal, Muhamad Holandyah, Amirul Mukminin, Robin Pratama, Akhmad Habibi

It seems that plagiarism has not been seen as misconduct in higher education in some developing countries including in Indonesia which might be affected by cultural, economic, and technological issues. The research aimed at exploring the perceptions of Indonesian student teachers towards plagiarism in four higher education institutions. The research was undertaken as a mixed-method research. Questionnaire and face to face interviews were the instruments to collect data. A paper-based questionnaire was administered to 534 student teachers while face to face interviews were conducted with twenty voluntary participants. The data from the questionnaire were analyzed and presented in the form of percentages, frequencies, and standard deviation while interview data were first analyzed by transcribing the audiotaped interviews into texts, which were then read line-by-line to find and list every significant statement relevant to knowledge of plagiarism definition, research ethic, and research misconduct types, attitudes towards plagiarism, practicing of plagiarism, and reasons of plagiarism among twenty participants. Results showed that most student teachers knew the definition of plagiarism, but they did not know the types of research misconduct. They considered plagiarism as an act of stealing but being unable to avoid in for their study. They tended to do plagiarism because they wanted to save time and they considered about the pressure of their study. Based on the findings of this study, it is important that participants should be required to have more education on plagiarism and its effects and consequences on the ethics of research and education. More strict policies should be implemented to evaluate and supervise plagiarism emerged in Indonesian higher education institutions for undergraduate programs.

693-705

Authors: Larisa Nikitina, Ma Tin Cho Mar, Fumitaka Furuoka

In the context of higher education foreign language courses are viewed as skills-oriented subjects that aim to enable students to communicate in a foreign language. The main four language skills to be developed are listening, speaking, reading and writing. Until recently, decisions about which of the linguistic skills should be emphasized in a foreign language program have been taken without seeking the opinions of language learners. To address this issue, the present research examined needs for learning the Russian language among students in a Malaysian public university. To achieve this research aim, a survey questionnaire was distributed among prospective learners of Russian. Four different statistical methods were performed to analyse the data, namely, the descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, the exploratory factor analysis and the reliability test. The findings from the descriptive statistics revealed that the respondents considered developing face-to-face interactive skills, such as the speaking and listening skills, as most important. The findings of the t-test suggested that demographic variables might have some influence on the students’ perceptions of the skills’ importance. For example, the students who spoke Malay at home placed a higher value on developing their ability to speak in a polite manner and to understand non-verbal communitive acts, such as gestures. The results of the exploratory factor analysis revealed that the language skills as perceived by the students formed several dimensions where interactive and non-interactive skills tended to form distinct clusters. This research concludes with a discussion of pedagogical implications to be drawn from the findings.

720-738

Authors: Nyet Moi Siew, Scott Jones

This research took a case study approach to researching the common conflicts faced by school managers, their sources, impacts and the approaches used to manage them. The research involved 18 in-service Malaysian school managers who undertook a 16-hour professional development workshop where they engaged with different conflict management tools. Data on participants’ workplace experience in resolving conflicts were captured through written diaries collected before and two months after the workshop, and face-to-face semi-structured interviews during the following months. Intragroup conflicts due to goal incompatibility were the most common conflicts faced. Negative impacts of conflicts on school communities far outweighed the benefits. Participants reported that the most effective approaches to resolving workplace conflicts were sincere efforts in problem-solving coupled with (1) culturally relevant negotiations and coaching (e.g. using a GROW coaching model); (2) stakeholder and conflict analysis, to consider and respond to everyone’s needs and feelings; and (3) reflecting on personal conflict management styles and adopting a positive attitude to personal and professional development. Certain elements in customary approaches such as respectful discussion and consultation were found relevant in resolving several of the participants’ workplace conflicts. It is suggested that practical training courses on conflict management that build on people’s strengths should be included in the curricula of further and higher education institutions and teacher training institutes.

756

Authors: Editorial Board

End page, Vol. 76, No. 5, 2018

419

Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, Vol. 76, No. 4, 2018

422-424

Authors: Aleksandra Tłuściak-Deliowska

Contemporaneity, defined as post-modernity, is a stage of civilization changes, which in its nature entails changes in the sphere of didactic and educational thinking and practice. The rapid pace of social change, shaping new interpersonal relationships, progressive axiological chaos, enforce a kind of revision of views on the school as a place and the role of the teacher in it. Challenges in education are caused by a variety of factors, which have affected not only teachers and students and relationships between them, but also the school community as a whole. Challenges in education have changed over the social development and technological progress indicated above.

437-450

Authors: Marilou Ioakimidis, George Papakonstantinou

The ostensibly free university education in Greece actually has several private costs. A comparative research design was used to compare Greek families’ private expenditures for university education in 2014-2015 to families’ costs for the same education in the year 2000 to determine whether there have been any changes during ensuring years. Data were gathered from a 2014-2015 survey of a random sample of over 2.300 Greek first-year university students and compared to results from a similar survey of over 3.000 first-year university students conducted in the year 2000. Income elasticity of demand was the theoretical framework used to examine and compare results. As with the older survey data, it is shown that despite the “free education” supposedly available in Greece, families actually still spend more than the state in preparing students for and supporting them at a university. It is also demonstrated that lower-income families spend a higher share of income on a university education for their children, a discrepancy that has grown over the past 13 years. Finally, it is shown that private expenditures for a university education appear to remain a necessity in Greece, with income elasticity calculated at between 0.2 and 0.3. Results suggest the need to reallocate the Greek university budget to help relieve the financial burden on families of lower-income students. Results also suggest the importance of reducing the Greek emphasis on expensive preparation of secondary students for national university entrance examinations.

465-482

Authors: Helena Brožová, Jana Horáková, Jiří Fiedler

This research identifies the lecturers’ competencies which are the most important from the students’ perspective at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague and compares students’ opinion and their change over the whole study period. It does not deal with the knowledge competencies of lecturers that students cannot objectively evaluate, but with lecturers’ managerial competencies that affect the organization, forms and ways of teaching. The examined competencies are hierarchically organized into three groups of particular competencies comprising of bipolar characteristics. Based on survey of students at the University, the evaluation of importance of managerial competencies using the Analytic Hierarchy Process was performed. The findings show that Innovative education, Good communication skills, Ability of improvisation, and Democratic way of teaching are the most important lecturers’ competencies from students’ point of view. Surprisingly, Oral based presentation is preferred to IT based one. Knowledge of the most important managerial competencies can help lecturers and universities to increase quality of educational process and attractiveness of the university for students.

499-519

Authors: Dalibor Gonda, Anna Tirpakova

The new method of teaching the problems with a parameter was designed based on the identification of the reasons for the low success rate of the kids in solving the problems. In order to identify these causes and to find ways of their elimination, pedagogical research was carried out in two phases at selected universities of Slovakia (126 students) in 2016-2017. In the first stage the validity of the research hypothesis was confirmed, that the cause of the kids´ poor success in solving problems with the parameter is an algorithmic approach to their solution, a misunderstanding of the concept of a parameter and a formal determination of solvability conditions. Based on this, a new method of teaching the tasks with a parameter was developed. Its main idea is focusing on understanding the term parameter and showing its creative use in solving multiple tasks. In the second stage of the research, the success of the new teaching method was also verified experimentally. The results of the experiment confirmed the success of the students in solving the problems with the parameter, confirming that the basis of the success in solving the problems is the understanding of the term parameter and the ability to find their own solution to the task. It has turned out that the transition from the method of solving equations with a parameter by algorithms to the solution method by understanding the basic concepts and possibilities of their use is one of the methods to improve the teaching of mathematics.

533-543

Authors: Miriam N. Kyule, Jacob J. J. O. Konyango, Agnes O. Nkurumwa

One of the major challenges of the 21st century is the increasing level of academic qualifications at the expense of relevance in education. School agriculture is one of the subjects which require teachers who as the principal implementers of the curriculum must be able to interpret agriculture curriculum objectives to meet societal needs. However, implementation of agriculture curriculum in Arid and Semi Arid Land (ASAL) secondary schools has fallen short of its expectations as it has not significantly influenced agricultural activities both in school and surrounding communities. Thus, the benefit of implementing agriculture curriculum in ASALs is yet to be fully achieved. The research sought to document the teacher factors influencing implementation of secondary school agriculture curriculum in ASAL schools in Kenya. The research focused on teacher training, teacher technical knowledge and skills about Dry Land Agriculture [DLA] practices and training and support. The research was carried out in ASAL counties of Baringo, Makueni and Narok. Survey research design was used. The researcher developed a semi-structured questionnaire to obtain data on the teacher factors from 88 agriculture teachers. The research results showed that most teachers were trained and professionally qualified thus expected to translate the curriculum objectives to learning activities relevant to ASALS. However, agriculture teachers were found to be deficient in terms of technical knowhow on DLA practices among them, insitu water harvesting and use of sunken beds. Agriculture teachers received insufficient support towards professional development. The support did not aim at DLA knowledge and skill enhancement towards agriculture curriculum implementation. Agriculture teachers’ inadequacy on DLA practices’ technical knowhow and lack of support towards professional development was impacting negatively on agriculture curriculum implementation in ASAL schools. The Government has a responsibility of ensuring that all ASAL schools are staffed with qualified teacher. Secondary school administrations in ASALs need to support teachers on continuous trainings that are relevant to agriculture curriculum implementation. Agriculture training program developers need to focus more on the acquisition of technical know on all DLA practices. Addressing the training inadequacies among agriculture teachers in ASAL schools will lead to a competent staff who can translate curriculum objectives into learning experiences that promote DLA in ASALs. This translation will in turn influence agricultural activities both in school and in the society for improved agricultural production.

561-574

Authors: Eva Stranovská, Mária Lalinská, Ivana Boboňová

A relevant field of research in teacher’s professional competence assessment is taking the factor of motivation into account, as this enables teachers to differentiate between, i. e. to be aware of the significance of the individual professional competences and their development through their assessment. This research supports the understanding of how important motivation is in the process of the (continual) development of a teacher’s professional competence, taking his/her perception of the importance of competences in the educational process into account. The emphasis of the current research lays on the perception of the assessment by the selected number of primary and secondary school teachers. The following is the range of teacher's motivation perception: 1) motivating, 2) discouraging, 3) unnecessary, and 4) unfair in the process of life-long development of their professional competences. The research aim is to find out the differences in the individual motivational degrees in mutual assessment (motivating, discouraging, unnecessary, unfair, and other) relating to professional competences and find out the differences between the perception of the importance of the respective professional competences in the motivational category. Seven hundred thirty respondents - primary and secondary school teachers from Slovakia – participated in the research. The results showed the difference between the perception of the importance of professional competences among teachers who consider assessment to be motivating, discouraging, unnecessary, or unfair concept. Motivation towards assessment supports student-oriented competences, educational process and self-development of the teacher.