Volume 2 Issue 1 (January 2020)

January 2020

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Using Cognitive Apprenticeship to Enhance the Study of Budgeting and Budgetary Control: An Action Research1

Ayuba Napari
Pages: 1-14

This research project sought to assist business three (3) students of Faith Senior High School to enhance their performance in budgeting and budgetary control using cognitive apprenticeship model of instruction. Many have argued that, our educational curriculum should be modelled to equip students with the requisite employable and entrepreneurial skills. Some scholars argue that the best form of education that give hands on practical training is the apprenticeship model of education and think it can be incorporated into our educational system. This can be done by replicating/bringing the process in the traditional apprenticeship that is the modeling, scaffolding, coaching, articulation and exploration into the classroom. The research was conducted in a way that saw the replication of all the elements of the apprenticeship model in the classroom for the impact to be evaluated. All the students in the class took part in the study. The researcher used exercises, observations, interview and administered questionnaire to gather data and used tables and figures/charts to analyze the data. The post-intervention results showed that the performance of the students improved consistently over the study period. The results mean that students’ performance can be enhanced if the cognitive apprenticeship model of instruction is used.

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Social Determinants of Health and Implication for Adult Education in Ghana: A Conceptual Study

Boadi Agyekum
Pages: 15-28

The recognition that social factors have an important impact on people’s health has a long-standing history. However, there was a renewed interest when the Commission on Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) was established by World Health Organization (WHO) in 2005 to support countries and global health partners in addressing the social factors leading to ill health and health inequalities. Since then, the concept of SDOH and its applications have evolved and expanded as researchers have examined the dynamic socio-cultural and economic roots and routes to experiences of health and wellbeing in society. This paper explores how, where and to what benefit the social determinants of health concept has been applied to date, and how such applications have contributed to its critical evolution as a relevant and useful concept in health research, education and practice. This paper summarizes the key themes identified in the literature, broadly in keeping with the core material, social, cultural and economic dimensions of the concept with examples from Ghana, Africa. Through this process, this paper identifies strength and limitations of the concept and its implications for adult education, as well as knowledge gaps and future directions for work in this field, contributing to wider interdisciplinary discussions and debates around social determinants of adults’ health. The research model is crucial for adult educationalists when they design course curriculum for educational institutions.

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Indicators of Improved Achievement of Students’ in Mathematics

Emmanuel Ikpi Eyong Catherine Ugada Abubakar Aminu
Pages: 29-37

The study focused on examining predictive indicators of improved achievement of students’ in Mathematics in Kontagora Metropolis of Niger State, Nigeria. Three research questions and hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted the correlational design with a population of 3,789 senior secondary school two (SS2) students in seven (7) selected secondary schools in Kontagora Metropolis. Purposive sampling techniques was used to select 789 senior secondary two (SS2) students who were preparing to take West African Examination Council (WAEC) from 2018/2019 academic session. The research instrument for this study was a researchers’ design questionnaire tagged “Improved Achievement in Mathematics Questionnaire (IAMQ).” Face, content and construct validity were adopted to validate the instrument by three experts, two in Test and Measurement and one in Mathematics Education and the reliability of the instrument was established with split-half reliability method. The reliability coefficient obtained ranged from 0.78 to 0.86 which depict that the instrument was a valid measure of the construct. The data collected were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. Findings revealed that adequate concentration, time management and persistent concentration significantly predict students’ academic achievement in mathematics. It was recommended among others that workshops, quiz programs and competitions on time management in relationship with the study of mathematics should be held by different schools on the need to invest and manage time properly.

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Leadership Styles and Job Performance among Administrative Heads of Secondary Schools

Abossede Ayobola Igunnu
Pages: 38-45

The study was carried to predict leadership styles and job performance among administrative heads of Secondary Schools in North-Central, Nigeria. Three research questions and hypotheses were formulated for the study. The target population comprised of 7, 290 administrative heads in the selected school in North-central Nigeria. The stratified and purposive random sampling technique was used to draw a total of two hundred and thirty nine (239) respondents. The research instrument was a structured questionnaire title Leadership Style and Job Performance Questionnaire (LSJPQ), which was validated by experts in Educational Management and Measurement and Evaluation in Ahmadu Bello University and Benue State University respectively. The index with Cronbach alpha revealed an index of 0.89-0.92 which shows a strong reliability index. Data was collected on principals’ leadership style and job performance among administrative heads in the selected schools in North-central Nigeria. The target population of the study comprised all administrative heads (principals) in the 20 selected schools in the study area which was anlysed with simple regression analysis. The result revealed that autocratic leadership style, democratic leadership style and laissez fair leadership style significantly predict job performance among administrative heads. It was recommended among others that secondary schools principals in North-Central, Nigeria should adopt democratic leadership that gives every individual ample opportunity in secondary schools, as these leadership styles will enhance staff job performance and goal achievement in the schools.

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The Investigation of English Teachers’ Views on Computer Assisted Language Learning

Esra Ataman
Pages: 46-57

The aim of this study is to determine the opinions of English teachers regarding the use of technology supported tools, such as; computer and internet, in foreign language education by taking into account the variables of age, gender, seniority and educational background. For this purpose, teachers were asked whether they make use of computer-aided teaching materials, if so, in which area of foreign language education they use, the differences between traditional education and computer assisted language learning, the difficulties encountered and the skills they should have. In this study, a case study pattern, which is one of the qualitative research methods was used. Participants of the study consist of 11 English teachers selected by the convenience sampling model. In the study, the data were collected through a semi-structured interview form consisting of six questions. data were analyzed using descriptive analysis method. First, similar opinions were gathered around under six themes and the codes of these themes were tabulated. results of the study show that 55% of teachers use educational technology to attract students' attention to the topic and to increase efficiency, 45% of them use the computer and smart board especially to improve students’ speaking and listening skills, 91% of them stated that technology–aided education makes students more willing to learn because it provides permanent learning. It was seen that 55% of the participants have internet access problem and the 64% of the participants stated that they should have basic technology usage skills.

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