Effect of Emotional Intelligence and Gender on Job Satisfaction of Primary School Teachers

Bhagat Singh & Arun Kumar

The objective of the study was to find out the effect of EI and gender on job satisfaction of primary school teachers. A total of 300 (150 male and 150 female) primary school teachers were selected randomly for the study. Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) and Teachers’ Job Satisfaction Scale (TJSS) were used to collect the data. The study found a significant positive relationship between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction. Regression analysis showed that emotional management and emotional maturity significantly predicted the job satisfaction. The results of the two-way ANOVA showed that the interaction effect of gender and EI was not significant. Results also showed that level of EI significantly affected the job satisfaction of primary school teachers. However, there is no significant difference between male and female teachers regarding the level of job satisfaction. There are other factors which affect job satisfaction but the role of EI cannot be neglected. So the level of EI must be taken into consideration in order to select the best teachers.

Keywords: Emotional intelligence (EI), gender, job satisfaction, primary school teachers (PST)

Teachers' Attitudes toward the Usage of Mobile Devices in EFL Classroom

Ali Dogan & Azamat Akbarov

Nowadays, technology is developing in a geometrically progressive manner. Its usage in different social areas is an imperative, rather than a choice. As expected, digital devices are applicable in the educational context, as well. Hence, the scope of the present study is to examine attitudes toward mobile learning among English teachers. For this purpose, we conducted a survey with 159 teachers from both state and private schools as well as universities in Turkey. In general, our results showed that teachers have positive attitudes toward the usage of mobile devices in the ESL learning context. However, there is an almost equal number of teachers who use and who do not use mobile devices and other digital contents in their classrooms. In addition, and according to teachers, there were two main obstacles to using mobile devices in teaching processes – lack of training and students' attitudes. On the other hand, the lowest ranked obstacles were school administrations and pedagogical justification.

Keywords: English as a foreign language (EFL), English as a second language (ESL), mobile learning, teachers' attitudes, digital learning contents

EFL Learners’ Use of Direct Strategies in Competitive and Cooperative Learning Contexts

Abbas Ali Zarei & Hamide Layeq

This study investigated the effects of competitive and cooperative teaching techniques on Iranian adult EFL learners’ use of direct strategies. To this end, a sample of 88 non-English major university students at Sohrevardi Nonprofit College in Qazvin were assigned to two groups, and each group received instruction under one of the treatment conditions including cooperative and competitive teaching techniques. To collect data, the Persian translation of a modified version of the subsection of Oxford’s Strategy Inventory of Language Learning pertaining to direct strategy use was administered before and after the treatment. The obtained data were analyzed using an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) procedure. The result of data analysis showed no significant difference between the effects of competitive and cooperative teaching techniques on direct strategy use of Iranian adult EFL learners. The findings of the present study may have implications for learners, teachers, and syllabus designers.

Keywords: Competitive teaching techniques, cooperative teaching techniques, direct strategy use

Enhancing Effective Chemistry Learning Through Hypermedia Instructional Mode of Delivery

Mutahir Oluwafemi Abanikannda

This study provides a framework for the production of Hypermedia Instructional package. It also assessed the effectiveness of hypermedia instructional mode of delivery on students’ performance in Chemistry. This is with a view of improving the learning of Chemistry which may eventually help to improve students’ performance. The developmental study employed a pre-test, post-test control group design. The research sample consisted of 60 private secondary school students in Osun State with an enrolment of 30 students from each of the two schools selected. The students were thereafter assigned to experimental and control groups. The stimulus material used for the experimental group was the Hypermedia Instructional Package, while the Control group received instruction with similar content through the conventional method. The test instrument used was Hypermedia Learning Achievement Test (HLAT). Content and face validity of the instrument used was carried out by experts in the area of tests and measurement. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient for the HLAT gave a value of 0.72. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results obtained showed that students exposed to the Hypermedia Instructional Package (HIP) performed significantly better than those exposed to the conventional teaching method (t = 5.458, df = 58, p < 0.05). Results also revealed a significant difference in the retention ability of students in Chemistry between those exposed to the package and those that were not (t= 6.842, df=58, p<0.05). The study concluded that the use of HIP was an intervention which improved students’ performance retention and attitude towards Chemistry.

Keywords: Hypermedia instructional package, hypermedia learning achievement test, retention ability.

The Use of Pre-Reading Activities in Reading Skills Achievement in Preschool Education

Aboagye Michael Osei, Qing Jing Liang, Ihnatushchenko Natalia, & Mensah Abrampah Stephen

Wealth of empirical researches on the impact of crucial, indispensable role reading skills play in the development of individual mental faculties through the acquisition of knowledge including a knowledge in a particular language, scientific works on the assessment of the relationship(s) between pre-reading activities consisting of games, puzzle solving, match making inter alia remains depressingly scanty in Ghana. This study in the light of foregoing atmosphere explored how pre-reading activities facilitate pre-reading and reading skills among pre-schoolers with the use of randomized experimental control group design which adopted pre and post-test of two classes, as well as observation guides to diagnose the problem of reading among the KG children in the two groups (controlled and treatment group). The findings from these experimentations clearly portrayed the significant influence that pre-reading activities exert on the level of pre-schoolers reading skills achievements. Upon thorough analysis, and discussions predicated on the research outcome, it has been recommended that preschool educators incorporate level-appropriate pre-reading activities to enrich Preschool Education in Ghana.

Keywords: Pre-reading Activities, Preschool Education, Games