Effects of a Project-Based Learning Methodology on Environmental Awareness of Secondary School Students

Well into the 21st century, the environmental crisis is more relevant than ever. To face this challenge, citizens with pro-environmental attitudes and adequate levels of environmental awareness are needed. As future adult citizens, adolescents should be a priority for environmental educators. The objective of the study is to determine the effectiveness of the Project-Based Learning (PBL) methodology in the improvement of the level of environmental awareness of secondary school students. To this end, a project related to the surrounding environment was designed and applied in the Spanish educational context. The nature of the research methodology was mixed (quantitative-qualitative), with the application of a pretest-posttest single group design. The instrument used was an environmental awareness test with a Likert-type scale and a set of open questions. The results obtained indicate a statistically significant rise in the level of environmental awareness in the participant group-class, leaving the effectiveness of the PBL in the referred level and educative context patent. There were some limitations in the research, including small sample size and the particular conditions of the exposed context, which should be resolved for future research in other educational contexts in order to generalise the findings of this study.https://www.e-iji.net/dosyalar/iji_2024_1_1.pd

Slovak EFL Teachers' Perceptions of Using L1 at English Lessons

Using L1 (mother tongue) for the purposes of the target language teaching and learning has been the subject of ample debate throughout the years, generating considerable controversy among instructors and researchers. Although the principles of CLT (communicative language teaching) somehow “delimit” to a certain extent its use at EFL (English as a foreign language) classes, attitudes towards the implementation of L1 into foreign language classes may vary considerably. Thus, this article endeavours to plug this gap by examining the Slovak in-service EFL teachers’ (n = 140) perceptions of using L1 at English classes by acquiring and interpreting the data derived from the research method of a questionnaire, employing a 5-point likers scale items. The research outcomes indicate that although it is the tactful, sound, and judicious use of L1 that is favoured by the teachers, the mother tongue appears to take on a relatively high importance in the realms of EFL teaching and learning. Finally, pedagogical implications are discussed, and suggestions are provided regarding the use of L1 at L2 classes. It is vital that fur

Exploring Effective Methods for Identifying Gifted and Talented Students

Identifying gifted and talented students is one of the biggest challenges that face those working with them. As a result, the purpose of this research was to investigate the most effective methods of identifying gifted and talented students. Furthermore, the study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. The study’s sample size was 465 teachers and administrators, and the results revealed that the level of effective identification methods for gifted and talented students from the teachers’ and administrators’ point of view who work with them was moderate. As well, the findings showed statistically significant differences due to the gender variable in favor of males and due to the experience variable in favor of those with more than 10 years of experience. Furthermore, the study recommended using new technologies to identify gifted and talented students, as well as rehabilitating and training teachers and administrators on methods of identifying gifted and talented students, whether before or during their service, and providing them with all the necessary knowledge and practical experiences

Analysis of Stylistic and Grammatical Errors in PhD Students´ Research Paper Manuscripts

The ability to publish research papers is a must for scientists nowadays. Ideally, at the very beginning of their career, young researchers, PhD students, should be instructed in writing research papers and should get feedback on their texts. In this study, the first manuscripts from 22 doctoral students, non-native English speakers, 223 pages were analysed for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style. For each type of error and each student, the average per page was calculated. The most frequent errors were identified in using articles, formal features, missing information, and the use of inappropriate words. Individual students showed significantly different levels, which reflected their previous language training and the approach (responsibility) to completing the task. The results will be used to modify the course in Academic Writing (more attention paid to the most frequent errors) and individual work with students

Utilizing Flipped Classroom and the First Principles of Effective Instruction in Teaching Finite Geometry

The flipped classroom approach has been used as a variation of digital learning even before the covid-19 pandemic. Using this approach and the First Principles of Effective Instruction, this study determined and compared the proving skills of higher education students in finite geometries using true experimental research involving two equivalent classes in Modern Geometry. Data on proving competencies were gathered from the 27 pairs of randomly selected respondents and were subjected to data exploratory analysis to ensure the appropriateness of statistical tools for data analysis. Results reveal that both classes performed equivalently in the pretest. However, the flipped class exhibited a statistically significant improvement in the posttest and in-class activities than the non-flipped class. Additionally, the flipped class was found to have equivalent performances in both individual and group in-class activities. The results showed that necessary competencies in proving theorems can be attained using the flipped classroom approach following the activation, demonstration, application, and integration phases of instruction. The study recommended using the approach to support students learning achievement, performance enhancement, and active learning environment. It can also be incorporated into crafting an adaptive learning continuity plan for the post-pandemic recovery period and beyond

Economic Education, Digital Literacy and Intention to Invest Among Students: The Mediating Role of Financial Attitudes

The pandemic has raised the students’ activities in finding income, ranging from entrepreneurship to investing intention. This study aims to determine the role of economic education and digital literacy on student investment interest in universities during the Covid-19 period. In the analytical model proposed, it is assumed that the financial attitude variable is a mediating variable in education and financial knowledge in investment intentions. Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior and Bandura’s Social Learning Theory was developed for the research model. The research adopted quantitative methods using survey research data from saturated sampling techniques. The participants in this study were students of Universitas Negeri Jakarta who are members of the Indonesian stock exchange investment gallery organization. From the 234 proposed questionnaires, 203 questionnaires were returned and filled out completely for data analysis. The study results confirmed the three hypotheses and rejected the four proposed hypotheses. Economic education affects student investment intentions and significantly affects financial attitudes. However, digital literacy affects students’ investment intentions but fails to shape investment intentions through financial attitudes. Another finding is that economic education and digital literacy have no effect on shaping financial attitudes, but financial attitudes influence students’ investment intentions during the pandemic

The World's Scholarly Publications at Your Fingertips with Scilit from Basel, Switzerland

Today, access to publications is available in digital environments rather than printed materials. Therefore, databases become very important in accessing scientific publications. With databases, instant and easy access to current publications from all over the world is possible. Scilit (www.scilit.net) is one of these important databases. Scilit is a free database developed by MDPI AG. Scilit includes journal articles, book chapters, monographs, and preprints. It provides services to scientists, academics and everyone who is interested

Is It Necessary to Use Digital Tools in the Flipped Classroom to Improve the Memorization Process?

Memorization is a crucial factor in effective learning and achieving educational goals. Recent research has suggested that short video sequences viewed by students before class can aid in acquiring and retaining basic concepts, thereby improving memorization and positively impacting the learning process in the flipped classroom approach. However, frequent use of digital tools among adolescents has been found to negatively impact cognitive functions such as memorization. It is worth noting that the traditional use of paper-based materials has been found to have a positive impact on memorization, particularly among learners who are easily distracted by digital devices or experience eye strain from prolonged screen use. Printed materials can offer a more tactile experience, allowing learners to physically highlight and annotate text, which can aid in the encoding and retrieval of information. This study aimed to assess the role of digital tools in the flipped classroom approach and determine if they could be substituted by paper-based materials. To achieve this, a comparative study was conducted between 35 students using digital tools in their flipped classroom (FCDS) and 31 students using paperbased materials (FCPS). The study involved administering pre-tests and post-tests to both groups to evaluate their ability to retrieve basic concepts and assess the effectiveness of their learning in life and earth sciences. The results indicate that learners were able to retrieve knowledge effectively regardless of the medium used and that the positive effect of the FCDS on recall during learning is comparable to that of the FCPS

Academic Self-Efficacy and Its Effect on Academic Engagement: MetaAnalysis

Previous scholars have explored the effect of self-efficacy on academic engagement. Self-efficacy positively affects academic engagement. However, it is not known whether the impact of self-efficacy on academic engagement differs significantly depending on potential moderator variables. The study aimed to metaanalyse correlational studies on self-efficacy and academic engagement between 2015 and 2022. Meta-analysis was used to examine correlation studies on the effect of self-efficacy on academic engagement. The meta-analysis calculated 68 effect sizes for the 24 studies. In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, this investigation was conducted in various phases, including problem identification, data collection, screening, evaluation, and extraction. The information was obtained from peer-reviewed journals indexed in databases such as Scopus, EBSCOhost, ProQuest, and Eric searching for articles published in the field. Data analysis was performed using JASP. The study found that the random effects model and the effect size were significant, with a moderate average effect size (d=0.54). The results also indicate that the effects of self-efficacy on academic engagement vary significantly depending on geographical regions. The results have pedagogical implications since they suggest that increasing the academic engagement of learners requires increasing academic self-efficacy and noticing the geographical regions of learners

Reading and Scholarly Creativity: A Study with Spanish and Chilean Preservice Teachers

The main aim of this study is to analyse whether scholarly creativity can be linked to the reading process (reading preferences and reading metacognition) of preservice teachers. The research was carried out using a quantitative, descriptive, exploratory, cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of 254 Spanish and Chilean preservice teachers, who were administered online three previously validated questionnaires on creative self-perception, reading preferences and reading strategies. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analysis have been used. The results show a medium-high level of reading metacognition, with a preference for the use of problem-solving strategies while reading and for reading in digital format for academic purposes. There were statistically significant differences both in reading preferences, strategies and creative self-perception according to country (with Chilean students scoring higher in all of them), but no differences were found according to gender. There were positive correlations between creative self-perception in the scholarly domain and reading preferences (=.275 for academic digital and =.433 for academic print) and metacognition (=.445). Academic reading in printed format and global reading metacognition were also found to be significant predictors of self-perception in scholarly creativity, which support the theories of the need of skills in a specific domain to be able to develop creativity in such domain. The study concludes by assessing the implications of this relationship between reading and creativity, proposing the suitability of promoting both metacognitive reflections on the way to consolidating a learning focusing on the process, especially important in the case of future teachers