Global Citizenship Skills among University Students and its Relationship with their Identity Orientation

Major purpose of the current study was to examine the prevalence of global citizenship skills among university students in Pakistan and its relationship with their identity orientations. Three indicators of global citizenship including social responsibility, global competence and global civic engagement were accepted to execute the research objective. The study followed four aspects of identity orientations including personal, social, collective and relational orientations. 324 students enrolled in selected Pakistani public sector universities participated in the study. Aspects of Identity Questionnaire (AIQ-IV) developed by Cheek and Briggs (2013) and global citizenship scale developed by Morais and Ogden (2011) were adapted as research instruments to collected the required data. Results show the prevalence of global civic engagement and social responsibility is comparatively lesser among the participants than other global citizenship skills. The students supported all four types of identity orientations. The study concludes that the four identity orientations have significant and direct associations with major global citizenship skills

Development of Reflective Thinking through Distance Teacher Education Programs at AIOU Pakistan

The current study aims to investigate the possibilities of developing reflective thinking among learners through distance education programs. The case of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) Islamabad, Pakistan is examined to achieve this task. The study is based on Mezirow’s theory of reflective thinking, which divides thinking in four categories. The Questionnaire of Reflective Thinking (QRT) developed by Kember et al. (2000) based on Mezirow (1991) was administered to 450 AIOU students. The thinking and learning practices of students governed by their habitual actions, understanding, reflection, and critical reflection are statistically examined to meet the research objectives. Findings reveal that AIOU teacher education programs have a stronger tendency to promote understanding and reflective thinking among learners. The need to integrate content for developing critical reflection among learners is highlighted. The study also discovers the significant impacts of students’ job status and previous qualifications on their thinking patterns

Development of Reflective Thinking through Distance Teacher Education Programs at AIOU Pakistan

The current study aims to investigate the possibilities of developing reflective thinking among learners through distance education programs. The case of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) Islamabad, Pakistan is examined to achieve this task. The study is based on Mezirow’s theory of reflective thinking, which divides thinking in four categories. The Questionnaire of Reflective Thinking (QRT) developed by Kember et al. (2000) based on Mezirow (1991) was administered to 450 AIOU students. The thinking and learning practices of students governed by their habitual actions, understanding, reflection, and critical reflection are statistically examined to meet the research objectives. Findings reveal that AIOU teacher education programs have a stronger tendency to promote understanding and reflective thinking among learners. The need to integrate content for developing critical reflection among learners is highlighted. The study also discovers the significant impacts of students’ job status and previous qualifications on their thinking patterns

Emotional Intelligence as a Determinant of Readiness for Online Learning

Students’ performance in online learning environments is associated with their readiness to adopt a digital learning approach. Traditional concept of readiness for online learning is connected with students’ competencies of using technology for learning purposes. We in this research, however, investigated psychometric aspects of students’ preparedness for online learning. Purpose of the activity was to examine students’ emotional intelligence as a determinant of their readiness for online learning. 432 learners enrolled in distance learning programs participated in the study. Wong and Law emotional intelligence scale (WLEIS) and online learning readiness scale (OLRS) were adapted to collect the required data. Regression coefficient portrays a large predictive contribution of students’ emotional intelligence in explaining variance in their readiness for e-learning