Policy Futures in Education

ISSN 1478-2103

Volume 7 Number 4 2009

CONTENTS [click on author's name for abstract and full text]

SPECIAL ISSUE
Applied Data Analysis in Educational Research
Guest Editor: GUY TCHIBOZO

Guy Tchibozo. Editorial. Applications in Data Analysis for Educational Research, pages 364‑367 doi:10.2304/pfie.2009.7.4.364 VIEW FULL TEXT
Béatrice Boufoy-Bastick. Educational, Economic and Social Influences on Cultural Heritage in Trinidad, pages 368‑378
Susran Erkan Eroğlu, Hasan Bozgeyıklı & Vahıt Çalişir. Life Satisfaction Depending on Socio-Economic Status and Gender among Turkish Students, pages 379‑386
Hsin-Yi Kung. Perception or Confidence? Self-Concept, Self-Efficacy and Achievement in Mathematics: a longitudinal study, pages 387‑398
Jeffrey Lockshin & Oleg Zamkov. Predictors of Academic Achievement and Their Possible Applications, pages 399‑409
Nonso Ngozika Bisong, Felicia Akpama & Pauline B. Edet. Cheating Tendency in Examinations among Secondary School Students in Nigeria: a case study of schools in the Odukpani Local Government Area, Cross River State, pages 410‑415
Johnnie Thompson, Linda Bakken & Wei-Cheng Mau. Equity Education: a longitudinal study comparing multicultural knowledge and dispositions of field-based and campus-based teacher candidates, pages 416‑422
Neriman Aral, Figen Gürsoy, Remziye Ceylan & Müdriye Yıldız Bıçakçı. Examination of the Professional Self-Esteem of Teacher Candidates Studying at a Faculty of Education, pages 423‑429
Gordon Brooks, Elizabeth More & Julian Leslie. Generic Skills and Collaborative Learning in Tertiary Education: an empirical examination of student perceptions, pages 430‑438
Francisca Aladejana & Lanre Idowu. Using a Computerised Graphics Package to Achieve a Technology-Oriented Classroom, pages 439‑444
Edwin P. Christmann. The Effects of Statistical Analysis Software and Calculators on Statistics Achievement, pages 445‑449

OCCASIONAL THOUGHTS
Henry A. Giroux. Educating Obama: a task to make democracy matter, pages 450‑454 doi:10.2304/pfie.2009.7.4.450 VIEW FULL TEXT

Educational, Economic and Social Influences on Cultural Heritage in Trinidad

BÉATRICE BOUFOY-BASTICK University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago

doi:10.2304/pfie.2009.7.4.368

This research presents traditional cultural heritage (CH) as a dynamic social process – a positive feedback loop enhancing cultural identity and institutional authority through a contested authoritative inclusion of the ‘objects’ it comprises. It then focuses on one part of that process, the individuals’ construction of their CH, and defines CH as the ‘transgenerational component of identity’. Research is cited to support a postmodernist and radical constructivist perspective of CH and to show how this definition evolves from such a perspective. This study qualitatively tests this perspective by using a representative household survey of Trinidadian respondents (n = 348) and showing economic, educational and social (EES) differences in how EES groups construct their CH. Also, interviews illustrate different personal constructions of CH. Four contributions of this research are its illuminating and applicable dynamic of traditional CH, its postmodern perspective and radical constructivist definition of CH, formally aligning it with current scientific discourse, and operationalising measurement of CH through authoritative inclusion of the ‘objects’ it comprises.

Life Satisfaction Depending on Socio-Economic Status and Gender among Turkish Students

SUSRAN ERKAN EROĞLU Selçuk University, Turkey
HASAN BOZGEYİKLİ Selçuk University, Turkey
VAHİT ÇALISIR Selçuk University, Turkey

doi:10.2304/pfie.2009.7.4.379

This research was carried out using the survey method in an attempt to find out the relationship between the life satisfaction and socio-economic status (SES) of adolescents. The research was conducted among 275 young Turkish people chosen by the random sampling method. The research findings determined that there was a significant difference between the life satisfaction and SES of the respondent students. On the other hand, contrary to expectations, there was no significant difference according to the gender variable.

Perception or Confidence? Self-Concept, Self-Efficacy and Achievement in Mathematics: a longitudinal study

HSIN-YI KUNG National Changhua University of Education, Taiwan

doi:10.2304/pfie.2009.7.4.387

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study research of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement reported in 2003 that Taiwanese fourth- and eighth-graders’ mathematics performance exceeded the international average; both groups ranked fourth from among all the participant countries. However, the Index of Students’ Self-Confidence in Learning Mathematics was below the international average for both these groups. This study, coming at the end of the first year of a three-year project, explored Taiwanese students’ mathematics learning at the high school level from a social cognitive perspective. Utilising structural equation modelling, it examined the relationships among mathematics self-concept, mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics achievement using a longitudinal design. The subjects included 2198 seventh- and tenth-graders from Taiwan. The results indicate a significant correlation between mathematics self-concept and mathematics self-efficacy as well as significant longitudinal effects. Mathematics achievement at Time 1 significantly predicted the mathematics self-concept, mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics achievement at Time 2, while mathematics self-concept and mathematics self-efficacy at Time 1 significantly predicted mathematics achievement at Time 2. The implications of these findings are discussed from the viewpoint of cultivating the students’ interest and confidence in learning mathematics, and suggestions are provided for further research.

Predictors of Academic Achievement and their Possible Applications

JEFFREY LOCKSHIN & OLEG ZAMKOV International College of Economics and Finance, Moscow, Russia

doi:10.2304/pfie.2009.7.4.399

A significant amount of attention has been given to the predictors of academic achievement in higher education. However, the vast majority of articles have centred on entrance criteria and the learning approaches or personal habits of students. Investigations into how achievement depends on student efforts, being almost invariably based on subjective and unavoidably imprecise student self-evaluations, do not generally help the university determine how it can actually promote academic achievement. In this article, the authors construct models for the academic achievement of economics students in various subjects at their institution. These models include students’ previous scores and objective information about their studies during the year, including marks for home assignments and tests; subjective information from the students is not used. The predictive power of these models is high, and the authors use them to formulate how the university can enhance academic achievement and improve the quality of studies: for example, improving student feedback; tailoring subjects to complement each other; determining the need for additional classes; identifying students who are in danger of failing; and giving instructors feedback on the efficacy of activities such as home assignments or the format of examination papers and marking.

Cheating Tendency in Examinations among Secondary School Students in Nigeria: a case study of schools in the Odukpani Local Government Area, Cross River State

NONSO NGOZIKA BISONG, FELICIA AKPAMA & PAULINE B. EDET University of Calabar, Nigeria

doi:10.2304/pfie.2009.7.4.410

This study is designed to examine cheating tendency among secondary school students in Nigeria, with evidence from schools in the Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State. A total of 331 respondents in Senior Secondary 3 classes were randomly selected from 10 post-primary schools in the area. A survey questionnaire was used to elicit information on cheating tendency, the level of supervision, forms of cheating behaviour, and gender influence on cheating tendency. The data were analysed using percentages and chi-square statistics to highlight mean differences with respect to the identified variables. The results revealed some levels of statistically significant differences in respect of cheating tendencies on the identified variables. Based on these findings, it is recommended that an ethical reorientation programme, combined with the implementation of a stiff penalty, will reduce cheating tendency in all levels of the Nigerian educational system.

Equity Education: a longitudinal study comparing multicultural knowledge and dispositions of field-based and campus-based teacher candidates

JOHNNIE THOMPSON, LINDA BAKKEN & WEI-CHENG MAU Wichita State University, USA

doi:10.2304/pfie.2009.7.4.416

Two groups of teacher candidates, enrolled either in a field-based or campus-based program, were measured before and after their first semester of teacher education courses and again at the end of their student teaching semester. The two groups were compared regarding their knowledge of multicultural education issues, dispositions towards diverse populations, and their perception of confidence in teaching in diverse classrooms. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) with repeated measures indicated that there was a significant increase for both groups in multicultural knowledge after the first semester and that this knowledge was maintained throughout their program. Results also indicated that there was a significant increase in a positive attitude toward multicultural education for both groups after their first semester; however, this positive attitude was not maintained. In terms of perceived confidence in teaching, both groups increased after the first semester, and the field-based group continued to increase until the end of their undergraduate program. The findings suggest that the field-based experience continues to impact students’ multicultural knowledge and their perceived self-efficacy.

Examination of the Professional Self-Esteem of Teacher Candidates Studying at a Faculty of Education

NERIMAN ARAL Ankara University, Turkey
FIGEN GÜRSOY Ankara University, Turkey
REMZIYE CEYLAN Ahi Evran University, Turkey
MÜDRIYE YILDIZ BIÇAKÇI Ankara University, Turkey

doi:10.2304/pfie.2009.7.4.423

This study aims to determine the professional self-esteem levels of teacher candidates studying at the Faculty of Education, Ahi Evran University, Kırşehir, Turkey, to examine whether certain variables create any differences in their professional self-esteem levels and to propose suggestions in accordance with the results. The study was conducted among first- and fourth-year students. Data about the participants was collected through the use of a general information form, and their self-esteem levels were evaluated through the Scale for Professional Self-Esteem developed by Arıcak. The results reveal that gender, grade level, credit given to the importance of teaching as a profession, the ranking of choosing teaching as a profession at university and participating in professional activities in teaching do not cause any differences in teacher candidates’ self-esteem levels, yet the activities of lecturers with regard to the reputation of teaching cause differences in their self-esteem levels.

Generic Skills and Collaborative Learning in Tertiary Education: an empirical examination of student perceptions

GORDON BROOKS, ELIZABETH MORE & JULIAN LESLIE Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia

doi:10.2304/pfie.2009.7.4.430

Cooperative and collaborative learning – learning in small groups – is generally considered an effective learning approach with benefits including learning gains and personal enhancement. Successful group activities, however, assume competence in a number of skills. Identification of the particular skills that students need to successfully negotiate collaborative learning is imperative in preparing students for these activities. However, the contemporary student body in many developed countries is becoming increasingly diverse. This empirical article seeks to identify whether undergraduate students from different countries and language backgrounds have different perceptions of the relative importance of Ehrman & Dornyei’s generic sub-skills. A cohort of students who completed a first-year undergraduate management subject were surveyed. Analysis of 266 responses identified the skills that students consider most important and demonstrated that the different student groups held the same perceptions of the importance of the 25 skills considered. The implications and benefits for preparing students for group work are considered.

Using a Computerised Graphics Package to Achieve a Technology-Oriented Classroom

FRANCISCA ALADEJANA & LANRE IDOWU Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

doi:10.2304/pfie.2009.7.4.439

The present situation in Nigeria involves students of fine arts, a practical-oriented subject, being exposed to poor methods of teaching with consequent poor performances. This study examined the extent to which the use of a computerised graphics package could make the classroom technology-oriented and affect the performance of learners. This is predicated on the theoretical frameworks of constructivism and Gagne’s learning theory. The research design is the pretest-posttest control group design. The research instruments are the Graphic Design Achievement Test designed from the Revised Minnesota Paper Form Board Test and CorelDraw 10. They were administered to 60 junior secondary school students selected using stratified random sampling. The results show a significant difference in the performance of students exposed to the computerised graphics package as those exposed to the computerised graphics package performed significantly better in graphics than those exposed to the conventional teaching methods.

The Effects of Statistical Analysis Software and Calculators on Statistics Achievement

EDWIN P. CHRISTMANN Slippery Rock University, USA

doi:10.2304/pfie.2009.7.4.445

This study compared the effects of microcomputer-based statistical software and hand-held calculators on the statistics achievement of university males and females. The subjects, 73 graduate students enrolled in univariate statistics classes at a public comprehensive university, were randomly assigned to groups that used either microcomputer-based statistics software or hand-held calculators in performing their statistical calculations. The effects of the independent variables of microcomputer-based statistics software and hand-held calculators on the dependent variable of statistics achievement were analyzed with a two-way analysis of variance that revealed no significant difference on the basis of gender (p = 0.622). However, the two-way analysis of variance revealed a significant difference between the achievement of students who used the microcomputer-based statistics software and those who used hand-held calculators (p = 0.024), with those students who used microcomputer-based statistical analysis software scoring higher. Additionally, a significant interaction effect was disclosed (p = 0.027), with an effect size of 0.621, indicating that, on average, those males who used microcomputers outperformed 73% of the females who used microcomputers in performing their statistical calculations; while the females who used hand-held calculators outperformed 71% of the male users of calculators, on the basis of an effect size calculation of 0.545.

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