Problems of Education in the 21st Century

3

Authors: Editorial Board

Contents, Vol. 66, PEC, 2015

7-17

Authors: Samson Onyeluka Chukwuedo, Anthony U. Ainetor

As the world experiences changes in all facets of life, it is equally expected that the school curriculum should not remain static but change in the same direction. The electronic technology workshop practice in technical colleges in Nigeria has overtime been dominated with the teaching of practical skills in radio and television that are gradually phasing away in the electronic world, hence the need to upgrade it by integrating the practical contents of modern digital electronics, of which DVD home theatre sound system is one of the electronic gadgets. This study therefore determined the corrective maintenance skills requirements in DVD home theatre sound system necessary for improving the workshop practice of electronic technology via curriculum innovation in technical colleges. Three research questions were raised and answered using mean statistic, while one hypothesis was formulated and tested using t-test statistic. The descriptive survey research design was employed in the study. A five point scaled questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The sample size was 164, comprising electronic technology teachers in universities and technical colleges and DVD home theatre sound system technicians in Edo State. The instrument was validated by experts and its reliability coefficient obtained using Cronbach’s alpha formula was 0.876. It was found that the corrective maintenance skills requirements in DVD home theatre sound system necessary for integration into technical college curriculum for electronic technology workshop practice are skills in the use of tools and equipment to perform such maintenance, fault diagnosis skills in order to carry out the maintenance and the actual repairs (corrective maintenance) skills. It was therefore recommended that electronic technology teachers should be trained in the teaching of practical skills in maintenance of DVD home theatre sound system for capacity building.

29-41

Authors: Kaarina Määttä, Satu Uusiautti

Caring research is a new concept that is discussed and defined from two supplementary perspectives: (1) as research aiming at promoting well-being and (2) as a caring research community that cares for the researcher well-being and reciprocal relationships between colleagues and between supervisors and students. These dimensions are discussed in the light of the latest findings and theories of positive psychology as well as based on the authors’ studies in the field. The caring research ideology contributes a comprehensive viewpoint to the world of academic research because it also pays attention to the actual research process within the research community. This well-being focused approach can serve as a means to flourish within the ever-increasing demands of the academic world.

54-66

Authors: Şenol Şen, Ayhan Yılmaz, Ömer Geban

Teaching and learning trend has shifted gradually from a teacher-centered approach to a student-centered approach. Many educational researchers have suggested that teachers must use student-centered learning approaches, such as Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL). POGIL is an instructional approach combining guided inquiry and cooperative learning in which students are involved in the learning process. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of POGIL method compared to traditionally designed chemistry instruction (teacher-centered approach) method on 11th grade students' Self-Regulated Learning Skills. The study was conducted during 2014-2015 spring semester. Participants were 115 students from one high school in Turkey. Non-equivalent control group design was used. Two experimental groups and two control groups were randomly selected. Experimental groups were instructed with POGIL, while control groups received traditionally designed chemistry instruction. Achievement Goal Questionnaire (AGQ) and Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) were administered to both groups as pre-test and post-test to determine students' self-regulated learning skills. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to investigate the effect of POGIL on the dependent variables. Results revealed that POGIL improved students' mastery approach, task value, control of learning beliefs, self-efficacy for learning and performance, critical thinking, help seeking, peer learning, metacognitive self-regulation, effort regulation, time/study environmental management. The results showed that POGIL was superior to the traditionally designed chemistry instruction on students’ self-regulated learning skills. Thus, POGIL is helpful for development of students’ self-regulated learning skills.

75-83

Authors: Natalia Zamkovaja, Irina Moissejenko

Create a text filled with personal meaning, designed in according to the norms of the Russian literary language – a task that must be put and solved in the lessons of the Russian language as a native language and a foreign language. Human communication – is the exchange of texts is not by chance in the national curriculum for native and foreign (Russian) language is said that in the process of learning language student must master his verbal communication skills, learn how to express thoughts and feelings, analyse, heard and read summarizing information. Since the text activities – is one of the learning activities in its organization must be taken into account patterns of natural speech activity, are well known. This are motives, purpose of the activity, structure and its stages; availability of productive activity. The organization of educational process must be oriented to the natural patterns of speech communication, as students create products of speech as a result of interaction with each other. The authors of this article have tried to consider all this creating textbooks for students of different age groups, who study Russian language as native and foreign.