Affective strategies in teaching and learning English as a Second Language (ESL)

Nadia Rose M. Sison
Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology, Philippines
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
Learning a language is both an academic and an emotional process of coming to terms with oneself and building relationships with others. This study aimed to determine the extent of affective strategies in lowering anxiety, encouraging oneself, and taking emotional temperature in teaching and learning English as a Second Language (ESL) among language students and teachers of Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology, a state college in the Philippines. This descriptive-comparative study employed validated survey questionnaires to determine the extent of affective strategies for English language teachers and students. The results showed that language teachers and students use affective strategies to lower anxiety, encourage oneself, and take emotional temperature in teaching and learning ESL. Moreover, females use affective strategies more to lower their anxiety and take emotional temperature than males, who had an average outcome. Interestingly, all year levels indicate a great extent in all three areas. Furthermore, sex and year level are significant in the use of affective strategies specifically in lowering anxiety and encouraging oneself. No significant difference was found in the extent of use of affective strategies among teachers and students. This study recommends the use of affective strategies in teaching ESL, integrated in the materials and methods to further enhance the language learning process of the students.

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Performing homework using of ICT for graphical presentation of trigonometric functions: A qualitative analysis

Senad Orhani
Faculty of Education/University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, Prishtina, Kosovo
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
Trigonometry is a mathematical field whose basic concepts are sine and cosine and have many different representations, some of which are covered at length in the Kosovo curriculum in high schools. Unfortunately, many of its aspects are taught procedurally, forcing students to learn without meaning and memorize formulas. The use of ICT enables the implementation of this unconventional proposal, through a series of activities. So, modern ICT provides an excellent tool to explore many of the concepts related to trigonometry, namely the graphical representation of trigonometric functions. Therefore, this study explores some of the potential of such ICTs to influence the performance of homework on graphing trigonometric functions. Qualitative research was chosen as the methodology for this study. Whereas, for this study, the selected sample is represented by about 30 students attending the eleventh grade at the music high school “Lorenc Antoni” in Prizren/Kosovo. Data collection for this study was conducted through online portfolios and an interview. The results of this study show the positive effect that ICT had on the students’ motivation for doing homework during the graphical presentation of trigonometric functions.

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Treatment outcome and follow-up pattern of breast cancer patients with locally advanced and/or metastatic disease receiving intravenous chemotherapy during COVID-19 Pandemic: A descriptive correlational study

Paulo Martin B. Villanueva1 Judy Ann B. Surtida, May Sabando
English as a Foreign Language Teacher, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Polytechnic State University of Bicol / Manila Doctors College of Nursing, Philippines
Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH), Philippines
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
The study determined the impact COVID-19 pandemic on treatment outcomes and follow-up patterns of breast cancer patients at Bicol Cancer Center of Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH). The study utilized a retrospective and descriptive study. Of the 108 breast cancer patients, 73 or 67.59 percent had followed up as scheduled during the pandemic; while there was 35 or 32.41 percent who had delayed follow-up. Of the total number of subjects with treatment delays, there were 7 or 6.48 percent with the stable disease while 24 or 22.22 percent were already found with progressive disease. For breast cancer patients with no treatment delays, there was 71 or 65.74 percent with stable disease and 6 or 5.56 percent were found to have a progressive disease. A chi-square test of independence was performed to examine the comparison of outcomes between those with treatment delay and those with no treatment delay. The relation between these variables was significant, X2 (1, N = 108) = 49.9951, p = <0.00001. Patients with no treatment delays were more likely to have a stable disease compared to those with treatment delays. There is a high percentage of follow-ups as scheduled despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The incidence of progressive disease is higher among patients who received treatment delay as compared to those who did not have treatment delay. Patients with breast cancer who do not follow up as scheduled which causes treatment delays are at higher risk of having more severe or progressive disease.

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Communication strategies of English majors in Philippine classroom discourses: Basis for an enhancementmodule on strategic competence

Henry E. Lemana II
English as a Foreign Language Teacher, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
Both high and low language proficiency learners encounter communication issues, so they use verbal and nonverbal communication techniques to make up for communication failures brought on by performance factors or a lack of competence. This study described the communication strategies employed in the utterances of Filipino students in their classroom discourses as a basis for an enhancement module on strategic competence. Furthermore, it utilized a descriptive-quantitative approach. Third-year college students under the Bachelor in Secondary Education major in English program of four purposively selected higher education institutions in Region XII, the Philippines were the participants of the study, who were observed with video recordings. Transcription of students’ utterances provided the data for analysis through the use of the taxonomy of communication strategies. Based on the results, English majors possess strategic competence as evidenced by their use of varied communication strategies, with fillers being the most lavishly employed. However, the analysis also conveyed that students incline to overuse three communication strategies (use of fillers/hesitation devices, self-repetition, mumbling) which resulted in observable message distortions, unsuccessful information transfers, and even total communication breakdowns. The results of this study became the basis to come up with an enhancement module on the strategic competence of English majors. The findings suggest that the proposed enhancement module on strategic competence be implemented in the selected higher education institutions in the Philippines and further studies on other aspects of communicative competence (linguistic, socio-linguistic, and discourse) be conducted with a more significant sample of students taking other courses and coming from various groups and ages.

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Serbigo Serbisyo on the Go!: Online job order mobile application for non-professional workers

Serbigo Serbisyo on the Go!: Online job order mobile application for non-professional workers
Kent Nolan P. Juliano, Wilmer Andre E. Cruzado, Kyle Daniel P. De Ramos, Mia V. Villarica
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
The way we live, the way we conduct daily tasks, and the way our society are all profoundly impacted by the deep integration of technology into our daily lives. The research aims to develop and evaluate a web and mobile application that empowers vulnerable workers in the informal sector in marketing their services and locating employment opportunities, as well as offering convenience to users by connecting them with workers in the area who are qualified to manage the task at hand. The researchers were able to swiftly transform system requirements to system design and development which was carried out using the SCRUM software methodology. Black box methodology was utilized in the system testing and the Technology Acceptance Model and ISO/IEC 25010 software metrics were integrated during the evaluation phase. The system was tested in various test scenarios and revealed it was fully functional and ready for deployment. Mutually, service finders and providers of the developed mobile applications were very satisfied, acknowledging its convenience in user experience and future earning possibility it provides. The evaluation also revealed that the developed system is timely, efficient and useful especially considering the current global situation. An implementation plan, business model and financial analysis should be established to generate profit for the community.

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Support vector machine classification learning algorithm for diabetes prediction

Renas Rajab Asaad
Department of Computer Science, College of Science, Nawroz University, Kurdistan-Region, Iraq
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
The concept of instructional competence, which refers to the ability to show that one has the readiness and effectiveness of necessary skills within the teaching framework in public schools, has hardly ever been investigated. This qualitative descriptive phenomenological study aimed to discover the instructional competence of newly hired public school teachers. Through the lens of Albert Bandura’s (1997) Self-Efficacy Theory, it investigated what instructional competencies a newly hired teacher possessed that demonstrated readiness and efficacy of the required skills. The focus group discussions highlighted the crucial characteristics for improving the competencies. The results revealed six (6) emergent themes: the acquisition of baseline instructional standards, coping with the shift of instructional quality, planning for quality instruction, an initiative for instructional improvement, dealing with uncertainties, and health and well-being stability. The results highlighted that instructional competency might become self-efficient with increased experience and practice. Their prior teaching experience influenced the quality of a new teacher’s instruction.   In addition, teachers’ competencies are gradually enhanced and strengthened as they gain experience in the field. As students discover new concepts, teachers begin to hone the skills that will allow them to manage classroom instruction effectively. This study deepens the understanding of instructional competence and may enable teachers and policymakers to design and implement initiatives. Since there is strong evidence that newly hired teachers may be self-sufficient, instructional managers must assure support by creating policies and programs that bridge instructional competencies to practice. These professional development programs allow newly hired teachers eventually gain instructional competency and well-motivated public-school teaching.

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A closer look at neophyte teachers’ instructional competence: A phenomenological study

Lynard Bobby L. Asirit, Jocelyn H. Hua, Lorenzo Mendoza
Davao del Norte State College/ Kolehiyo ng Pantukan, Philippines
Kolehiyo ng Pantukan, Philippines
Department of Education, Division of Davao Oriental, Philippines
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
The concept of instructional competence, which refers to the ability to show that one has the readiness and effectiveness of necessary skills within the teaching framework in public schools, has hardly ever been investigated. This qualitative descriptive phenomenological study aimed to discover the instructional competence of newly hired public school teachers. Through the lens of Albert Bandura’s (1997) Self-Efficacy Theory, it investigated what instructional competencies a newly hired teacher possessed that demonstrated readiness and efficacy of the required skills. The focus group discussions highlighted the crucial characteristics for improving the competencies. The results revealed six (6) emergent themes: the acquisition of baseline instructional standards, coping with the shift of instructional quality, planning for quality instruction, an initiative for instructional improvement, dealing with uncertainties, and health and well-being stability. The results highlighted that instructional competency might become self-efficient with increased experience and practice. Their prior teaching experience influenced the quality of a new teacher’s instruction. In addition, teachers’ competencies are gradually enhanced and strengthened as they gain experience in the field. As students discover new concepts, teachers begin to hone the skills that will allow them to manage classroom instruction effectively. This study deepens the understanding of instructional competence and may enable teachers and policymakers to design and implement initiatives. Since there is strong evidence that newly hired teachers may be self-sufficient, instructional managers must assure support by creating policies and programs that bridge instructional competencies to practice. These professional development programs allow newly hired teachers eventually gain instructional competency and well-motivated public-school teaching.

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Rectifying misconceptions on covalent bonding using cooperative learning, concrete models, and computer simulation: A case study

Phuntsho Dorji, Yonten Chophel
Drukjegang Higher Secondary School, Bhutan
Daga Central School, Dagana, Bhutan
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
The covalent bonding concept is perceived by students as abstract to comprehend and thus leads to the development of misconceptions. The inappropriate preconception on the subject is one of the contributing factors that lead to the development of misconceptions among the students. To this end, identifying and remediating learners’ misconceptions is vital for every individual teacher in order to cultivate sound scientific knowledge in their learners. This study aimed to explore two aspects: first, the misconceptions of the grade-ninth students on the covalent bonding concept. Second, the effectiveness of cooperative learning based on conceptual change instruction, the use of concrete models, and computer simulation in remediating those misconceptions. The study adopted a quantitative method. The sample comprised 20 students (n=20) studying in the ninth grade of Drukjegang Higher Secondary School in Bhutan. The misconceptions of the students were identified using two-tier diagnostic tests. The study revealed that students’ common misconceptions related to covalent bonding are concentrated under five themes: the kinds of atoms that form covalent bonding, how covalent bonding is formed, the kinds of covalent bonding, the characteristics of covalent compounds, and the Lewis dot structure and the octet rule. The data collected from the pre-test and post-test were analyzed and compared to determine the effectiveness of the intervention strategies. The misconceptions of students in post-test have significantly reduced after the intervention was implemented. The study suggests the use of cooperative learning, concrete models, and computer simulation as an effective remediating means of delivering the concept of covalent bonding among the students. Implications of the findings are also discussed.

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Physical facilities on students’ participation in science and technology programmes in public universities in Kenya

Bernard Wasilwa Wanyama
Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
Despite the government commitment to the implementation of admission policies like targeting enrolment of 50% of all students in science and technology related courses through placement of students into these programmes and significantly expanding them, only 29% of students were studying a course in Science and Technology by the year 2016. Such scenario implies that the country is seriously lagging behind in the realization of Kenya Education Sector Support Programme (KESSP I) participation target of 50%. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of physical facilities on students’ participation in these Programmes. The study employed descriptive survey design. Purposive sampling and simple random techniques were employed to select respondents. Questionnaires, interview schedules and structured observation schedules were utilized to collect data. Qualitative data was analysed thematically and reported in form of tables, quotations and narrations while quantitative data was analysed by use of frequencies, percentages, means, pie charts and bar graphs. It was established that inadequacy of physical facilities stood at 74%. The study concludes that Universities were experiencing acute shortage of facilities to the extent that they had not reached the minimum acceptable level. Practical elements in curriculum were extremely undermined and the curriculum was highly deficient, out-dated and irrelevant with little coordination between its designs and industries. Students were majorly grounded in theory at the expense of practical industrial training and transmission pedagogy dominated lecture halls, making learning largely passive. It recommends that Universities should formulate, adopt and implement University Industry Partnership and Placement (UIPP) policy to recognize the Universities’ science and technology study programmes as part of the industry chains.

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Efficacy of fermented cassava pulp with chicken manure on nutrients digestibility, haematological parameters, and growth performance of barrow pigs

Simon Anthony Kayombo, Pattaraporn Poommarin, Panida Duangkaew
Wanging’ombe District Council, Njombe, Tanzania
Silpakorn University, Phetchaburi Province, Thailand
Corresponding Email: [email protected]

A B S T R A C T
Cassava pulp is a by-product from the starch industry which was used as cheap alternative livestock feed. However, it has a limitation of low protein and high fibre to use in monogastric animals. Nutrient improvement of cassava pulp usually employs the use of inorganic nitrogen fertilizer. Here we demonstrated the use of chicken manure as an organic nitrogen source in compensation for the inorganic nitrogen. This research aimed to investigate the efficacy of cassava pulp fermented by dried chicken manure with yeast (CPCM) in a maize-soybean-based diets of pigs on nutrients digestibility, haematological parameters, and growth performance of barrow pigs as alternative energy feed. The results showed that the CPCM had crude protein increase from 1.99% of the plain cassava pulp to 8.54% (p < 0.05), while the crude fibre of CPCM decreased from 15.63 to 13.85%. Investigation of the diets containing CPCM as a replacement of maize at 4 levels (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%) in twenty-four castrated male pigs (57.13 ± 3.29 kgs initial bodyweight) revealed that the control diet (0%CPCM) had the greatest digestibility percentages in all categories including dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, gross energy, and total phosphorus (p < 0.05). Among CPCM replacement diets, the 15%CPCM generally verified a greater digestibility. The results of the feeding trial showed that there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and haematological parameters among the four treatment diets. The haematological results showed that all parameters fall under the normal ranges of haematological pigs’ references. In conclusion, the results confirmed that CPCM can be used in the replacement of up to 15% in maize-soybean pig diets without any harmful effects.

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