An Examination of the Perceived Impact of Medicaid Expansion on United States of America’s Economy

Health disparities is a major concern to policymakers across the 50 states of USA. At the same time access to affordable healthcare is a major challenge and very political in the country. Despite the health disparity challenge little is known about how lack of access to affordable care has contributed to health disparity. As a result, this particular study has utilized descriptive study, available data, and literature to address the little gap. The analysis of this study has shown that Medicaid together with the ACA have played a major role in the reduction of the number of people without health insurance coverage in the United States. Therefore, further expansion of the ACA and the Medicaid insurance program will go a long way to expand the impact of the ACA in addressing the obvious health disparity that the country is battling with in the midst of this Covid-19 pandemic. It has also been observed in the literature that the passage of the ACA broke the political deadlock that long thwarted the national progress toward equitable, quality, universal, affordable health care. Again, it was further observed that the ACA and the expansion of Medicaid are perceived to extend coverage for the uninsured individuals who are unduly under the low-income category and people of color, edges health insurance mishandlings, and ensures improvements in the quality of care. Given the above narratives and significance of the expansion of the ACA and Medicaid health insurance policy, it is more prudent for all the 50-states across the United States of America to adopt and expand ACA and Medicaid policy in order to reduce health disparity and also ensures economic growth and development. Keywords: Medicaid, Health-Disparity, Development, Growth, ACA, Policy, Economy DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/11-1-04 Publication date: January 31st 202

Evaluating Science Laboratory Classroom Learning Environment in Osun State of Nigeria for National Development

The study evaluates the science classroom learning environment in Osun State of Nigeria. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select students from the eight (8) educational zone in Osun State. A total of 24 science teachers and 200 science students were used for the study. Ex-post facto design was adopted for the study. Science Achievement Test (SAT) with reliability coefficient of 0.84 using Kuder Richardson-21 and Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI) with a reliability coefficient of 0.87 using Cronbach alpha were the two instruments used for gathering data. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and t-test were used to analyze the data. The results showed that the science laboratory environment has a significant effect on students’ academic achievement in science. Also, there is a significant difference between students’ preferred and actual laboratory environments in terms of students’ cohesiveness, open-endedness, integration, rule clarity and material environments. The results also indicated that there is no significant difference in the way students and teachers perceived the same laboratory environment. It is recommended that students should be given the opportunity to work cooperatively, provided with frequent laboratory activities which are integrated with the regular science class sessions and be encouraged to be creative by allowing occasionally to pursue their own science interests and design their own experiments. Also, standard laboratory spaces should be provided in schools with materials and equipment needed for the laboratory activities. Keywords: Science Laboratory, Learning Environment, Students’ Achievement, National Development

Socioeconomic Factors That Contribute to Criminal Behaviors in Louisiana: Policy Implications

This study investigates the socioeconomic factors that contribute to criminal behaviors in Louisiana by focusing on the residents’ perceptions. The study used a survey instrument through the help of google doc (internet) to sample 110 residents of Louisiana across the following cities: Lafayette, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Lake Charles. The study was purely descriptive in nature. The study found that the following socioeconomic factors influences criminal activities in the state of Louisiana: modern society, high poverty, low education, and race/ethnicity. The majority of the respondents were of the opinion that the modern society and its structure as well as low education attainment, and high poverty rates play significant role in influencing criminal behaviors. The study therefore suggests that policymakers and law enforcement agencies should enforce the free education policy in the state in order increase the number of people attaining high school certificates/education and to some extent college education. The study further suggests that policymakers should also make available financial aid resources that could easily be accessible by students as a way to motivate them to go to school. More jobs and equal opportunities should be given to all citizens irrespective of body color (or race) to minimize income inequality gap, and poverty among the citizens. Keywords: Crime, Education, Modern-Society, Poverty, Criminal-behavior, Socioeconomic, and Policy DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/11-7-04 Publication date:August 31st 202

Effects of Learning Styles and Instructional Strategies on Students’ Achievement in Nigerian Senior Secondary School Physics

A shift from the traditional to a progressive mode of education in the past years had led to an increase interest in learners’ individual differences. The new paradigm is student-centered, based on inclusiveness, collaborative learning, critical thinking, creativity, innovation and encourages diversity of reception and processing of information. Hence, this study investigated the effects of learning styles and instructional strategies on students’ achievement in the concept of electricity in Nigerian senior secondary school physics. 250 senior secondary two (SSII) physics students were used for the study. A purposive sampling technique was used to select six schools from the population. A quasi-experimental design was adopted for the study. Physics Achievement Test (PAT) with reliability coefficient of 0.82 using Kuder Richardson-21 and Index of Learning Style Questionnaire (ILSQ) with reliability coefficient of 0.88 using test-retest approach were the two instruments used for gathering the data. Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. The results showed that guided discovery is the most effective instructional strategy for physics students with Sensing/Intuitive learning style, demonstration is the most effective instructional strategy for physics students with Sequential/Global learning style while conventional strategy is the most effective for physics students with Visual/Verbal learning style. The results also indicated that Active/Reflective learning style was placed second in the order of facilitating students’ achievement in physics when taught with guided discovery, demonstration and conventional learning strategies respectively. This implies that the three instructional strategies can be used for the enhancement of the achievement of students with Active/Reflective learning styles in the concept of electricity in physics.  It is recommended among others that teachers should find out the learning styles of their students and use appropriate instructional strategies that will concise with the learning styles for effective teaching and learning to take place in physics classrooms. Keywords: Learning Styles, Sensory/Intuitive, Sequential/Global, Visual/Verbal, Active/Reflective, Instructional Strategies, Students’ Achievement, Physics, Guided Discovery, Demonstration, Conventional

Foreign Portfolio Investment-Economic Growth Nexus in Nigeria: Co Integration and Granger Causality Analyses

The study employed Wald causality methodology to uncover the direction of causal relationship between foreign portfolio investment and economic growth in Nigeria between 1986 and 2013. The empirical results suggest that foreign portfolio investment and economic growths are positively cointegrated indicating a stable long run equilibrium relationship. Further, the findings revealed bidirectional causality between foreign portfolio investment and economic growth and the complementary role of domestic savings and interest rate in growth. Keywords: Causality, Foreign Portfolio Investment, Economic Growt

Enhancing Transfer of Knowledge in Physics through Effective Teaching Strategies

The study assessed the enhancement of transfer of knowledge in physics through the use of effective teaching strategies in Nigerian senior secondary schools. Non-randomized pretest-posttest control group design was adopted for the study. A total of 278 physics students took part in the study. Transfer of Knowledge Test in Physics (TKTP) with the internal consistency of 0.76 using Kuder Richardson formula 21 was the instrument used in collecting data. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and t-test were used to analyze the data. The results showed that guided discovery was the most effective in facilitating students’ transfer of knowledge in physics. This was followed by demonstration while expository was found to be the least effective. Also, there exists no significant difference in the transfer of knowledge of male and female physics students taught with guided discovery, demonstration and expository teaching strategies. It is recommended that guided discovery and other student-centred teaching strategies should be adopted for teaching various concepts in physics so as to engage the students in various activities for meaningful acquisition and transfer of scientific knowledge processes and ethics.  Also, physics teacher must emphasize on variety of procedures for promoting insight, meaningfulness, organization of experience, discovery of interrelatedness among ideas and techniques, and the application of knowledge acquired in one situation to a variety of situations. Keywords: Physics, Knowledge, Teaching strategies, Learning

Enhancing Transfer of Knowledge in Physics through Effective Teaching Strategies

The study assessed the enhancement of transfer of knowledge in physics through the use of effective teaching strategies in Nigerian senior secondary schools. Non-randomized pretest-posttest control group design was adopted for the study. A total of 278 physics students took part in the study. Transfer of Knowledge Test in Physics (TKTP) with the internal consistency of 0.76 using Kuder Richardson formula 21 was the instrument used in collecting data. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and t-test were used to analyze the data. The results showed that guided discovery was the most effective in facilitating students’ transfer of knowledge in physics. This was followed by demonstration while expository was found to be the least effective. Also, there exists no significant difference in the transfer of knowledge of male and female physics students taught with guided discovery, demonstration and expository teaching strategies. It is recommended that guided discovery and other student-centred teaching strategies should be adopted for teaching various concepts in physics so as to engage the students in various activities for meaningful acquisition and transfer of scientific knowledge processes and ethics.  Also, physics teacher must emphasize on variety of procedures for promoting insight, meaningfulness, organization of experience, discovery of interrelatedness among ideas and techniques, and the application of knowledge acquired in one situation to a variety of situations. Keywords: Physics, Knowledge, Teaching strategies, Learning

Enhancing Students\u27 Attitude Towards Nigerian Senior Secondary School Physics Through the Use of Cooperative, Competitive and Individualistic Learning Strategies

The study was conducted to find out the attitude of students towards the use of cooperative, competitive and individualistic learning strategies in Nigerian senior secondary school physics. The design selected for this study was quasi-experimental. A total of 140 students took part in the study and they were selected by a random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire titled Students’ Attitude Towards Physics Questionnaire (SATPQ) on 4-point scale was used to collect the data. The Students’ Attitude Towards Physics Questionnaire (SATPQ) was validated and trial-tested to establish reliability using Cronbach Alpha. The instrument had a coefficient of internal consistency of 0.86. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used in analyzing the data. The result of the findings showed that cooperative learning strategy was the most effective in facilitating students’ attitude towards physics. This was then followed by competitive strategies with the individualistic learning strategies being seen to be the least facilitative. The results also showed an insignificant gender difference in the attitude of students toward physics when taught with cooperative, competitive and individualistic learning strategies. Consequently, it is recommended that cooperative learning strategy should be used in schools to facilitate students’ attitude towards physics