Association for Development of Teaching, Education and Learning (ADTEL): August 2016

Newsletter Vol. 1 Issue 1

Association for Development of Teaching, Education and Learning

Email: info@adtelweb.org

Dear ADTEL Members,

Thank you for your interest and support in our Association. ADTEL now has over 5115 members from 45 countries. We are happy to launch our first newsletter for our Association. Here are some of the glimpses of our current and upcoming endeavors.

International Collaborations:

ADTEL has recently signed International collaborations with the following:

1. International Journal of Supply Chain Management (Scopus indexed), (London),

2. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, (Mauritius),

3. Research SEA, Asia Research News, (UK),

4. Linton University College, KTG Group, (Malaysia).

We would be glad to have MoUs and collaborations with your department/society/organization.

Singapore & Malaysia Conference

We have successfully organized our conferences in Singapore and Malaysia, which were held in May, June, & July 2016 at universities Rumah Kelab PAUM Clubhouse (Persatuan Alumni Universiti Malaya), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Executive Centre, Singapore with the support of GRDS (Global Research & Development Services). In these conferences, around 192 colleagues participated across the globe. We would like to thank all our participants and our supporters of our conferences.

Editorial

Jeffry Juan Rosales JR (Faculty of Science and Natural Resources, University Malaysia, Sabah, Malaysia)

Title: Nanas Berguna: The Environmentally Friendly Grocery Bag

OBJECTIVES: PROBLEM AND SOLUTIONS

Problem: According to Earth Policy Institute, there are approximately two million plastics bags used every minute across the world. Plastic bags are not biodegradable, and it takes them years to break down into smaller fragments. As residents of Sabah, we see this as a serious problem because our beaches and water are rampant with plastic bags, especially Likas Bay. Result of the abundance and overuse of plastic bags is that birds, fish, turtles, and animals are choked and poisoned when they mistake these bags for food. Beach clean ups are very popular in Sabah and schools will often take students for community service outings to try and help combat the issue, but it would be more effective if this problem were addressed at the root.

Solution: There needs to be a cultural shift away from the reliance on plastic bags. This is a large goal that will take time, but a good place to start is with grocery stores and markets. Families often purchase the bulk of their food for the week at these two places, and thus accumulate a significant number of plastic bags during their shopping. If we could offer a trendy, environmentally friendly alternative we could help lessen the mass consumption of plastic bags, and prevent the deterioration of our environment. We have discovered a way to make these bags out of material that usually ends up in the trash: pineapple leaves. The leaves can be spun together to create a strong, sturdy thread. This thread can be used to create reusable grocery bags because they are capable of carrying heavier loads than plastic bags can. Malaysian soil is naturally fertile and very appropriate for planting a variety of crops. Pineapple trees grow especially well here because of our slightly acidic soils, full sun exposure, and hot climate. Pineapples are a growing product in our agricultural sector, and since most people plant pineapple trees for their fruit—the rest of the tree is unused and put to waste. This innovation will lessen the amount of rubbish produced in two different ways: by reusing and repurposing something that most people toss away, and using it to create something that will prevent the reliance on harmful plastic bags.

HOW TO MAKE AN “ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY GROCERY BAG”

By using knife, remove the pineapple leaves from its tree. Next, remove the waxy surface on each of the pineapple leaf by using a knife. From the bottom to the top, pull the veining line in the pineapple leaf to get its vein to produce threads which is the main material used in the environmentally friendly grocery bag. The threads are then used in traditional embroidery techniques, to create four panels and two handles. The panels are connected at the seams, and the handles are attached using a triple stitch to ensure their stability.

Dr. Merissa Ocampo (The University of Aizu, Japan)

Title: Family Environment Mode Approach (FEMA): An “Anxiety Buster” and its Effectiveness to Motivate EFL Learners

Motivation and anxiety can strongly influence learners in the EFL classroom. To encourage Japanese student to talk more and eradicate fear of making mistakes in the classroom is a significant challenge. Fear that has the power to shut down someone’s ability to function properly and affects their learning and memory (M. Ocampo, 2016). We know a great deal about family engagement and how can school to engage families who are unengaged so that their children do better in school. Hundreds of researches proved that family engagement is significant to students’ success (H. Welss, 2016). However, once they are in University level, most of the students are basically separated physically, emotionally and psychologically away from what they call “watashi no kazoke” (my own family). Japanese learners are knows to be modest, introverted, and often hesitant to speak especially in front of other people. Family Environment Mode Approach (FEMA)’s role is to motivate and challenge them to speak without hesitation and alter their mindset gradually, leading them to accept failure and mistake. FEMA to teaching language asserts that by promoting and developing a deeper level of intimacy, trust, support, non-judgmental manner to language errors is necessary. It aims to reduce student’s stress and the capacity of Necomimi to measure student emotion while speaking or engaging in English task suggests a potential way to gauge FEMA’s effectiveness in establishing a stress-free classroom. Combination of class observation, assessment of students’ anxiety using Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), Mindset Survey questionnaires and analyzing students’ brainwave of emotions proved the effectiveness of FEMA. The simultaneous potential of Necomimi as both mediating artifact and tool of measurement or assessment needs to be explores in more detail. The results showed that students were more on growth mindset than fixed mindset, students felt relaxed, talked freely, embraced heartedly to be pro-mistake and agreed to recommend FEMA to be used not only by EFL teachers but also teachers of other subjects.

Cross, A. and Borthwick, A. (Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester)

Title: Curious About Primary Mathematics and Science?

Curiosity has the potential to enhance learning in all curriculum subjects. Our current enquiry is about curiosity, how it contributes to and how it impacts on the learning of primary STEM (science, computing, design and technology, mathematics) subjects, in particular, mathematics and science.

We explore the meaning of curiosity in each subject and how the subject can enhance a learner’s personal curiosity. We consider leading scientists and mathematicians who, through their curiosity, have been leaders in their field. Our enquiry seeks understanding of the relevance of curiosity in each subject and allows us to consider which aspects of the subject are most influenced by curiosity. It also explores how curiosity in teachers can enable curiosity in learners.

In particular we have focussed on the powerful connections between primary mathematics and science. While links between mathematics and science often appear very natural these opportunities are, we feel, rarely fully exploited in primary education. While each subject is powerful in its own right, the learning of both subjects can be enhanced through integrated approaches. Both subjects are essential in helping all of us to understand the world. Cultivating and capturing curiosity in both mathematics and science is therefore likely to have a long lasting impact on learners, thus ensuring we have mathematically and scientifically capable citizens in the future!

Much of the above is considered and exemplified in our forthcoming publications below in which we and our co authors consider curiosity across four primary subjects.

Dahlia R. Domingo (New Era University –Philippines)

Title: The Challenges of Incorporating Research Work In the Classroom

One of our university's goals and objectives is, propel institutional development through the conduct of useful and significant researches. Researchers are made to find a solution to a problem. Oftentimes students are told to gather information about important questions, use methods that involve reliable and valid observations, evidences and measurements. Then, writers have to defend their claims on the outcomes of their research. Students have to go through the meticulous standards of instructors’ reviews and then redo it again if they’re not satisfied. There are many struggles we must overcome when we do our research, it takes time, effort and can be costly.

Maybe, even once, we wondered why is there a need to incorporate it in our studies. A part of it could be that we’re in the era of the 20th century were everything is fast and internet has been part of our daily lives. Children aren’t like they used to be. They’re now ‘Digital Natives’, they were born when digital technology became widespread. They don’t have the attention and patience that students have before that have little technology to none at all. As every educational system change, so must we keep pace.

Research about effective education approaches are important, programs that improve student’s achievements and help teachers to teach better. We have to adapt in the changing times, schools are required to adopt new programs in their curriculum to meet the goal to create educational opportunities for children, ensure that they have a chance to succeed, so it is important to use research-based instructional practices that have achieved effective results in classrooms. And as teachers, we’re required to make researches and find solutions or answers in the problems in education that we face.

My students aren't motivated to do research - how can I help them?

Teachers have a lot to do with their students' motivational level. A student may arrive in class with a certain degree of motivation. But the teacher's behavior and teaching style, the structure of the course, the nature of the assignments and informal interactions with students all have a large effect on student motivation. Teachers know that motivation matters. It is central to student learning; it helps determine how engaged students are in their work, how hard they work, and how well they persevere in the face of challenges.

Here are some recurring themes about student motivation, drawn from the educational literature

Make it real

In order to foster intrinsic motivation, try to create learning activities that are based on topics that are relevant to your students' lives. Strategies include using local examples, teaching with events in the news, using pop culture technology (iPods, cell phones, YouTube videos) to teach, or connecting the subject with your students' culture, outside interests or social lives.

Provide choices

Students can have increased motivation when they feel some sense of autonomy in the learning process, and that motivation declines when students have no voice in the class structure. Giving your students options can be as simple as letting them pick their lab partners or select from alternate assignments.

Balance the challenge

Students perform best when the level of difficulty is slightly above their current ability level. If the task is to easy, it promotes boredom and may communicate a message of low expectations or a sense that the teacher believes the student is not capable of better work. Scaffolding is one instructional technique where the challenge level is gradually raised as students are capable of more complex tasks.

Seek role models

If students can identify with role models they may be more likely to see the relevance in the subject matter. For example, Weins et al (2003) found that female students were more likely to cite a positive influence with a teacher as a factor for becoming interested in science

Use peer models

Students can learn by watching a peer succeed at a task. In this context, a peer means someone who the student identities with, not necessarily any other student. Peers may be drawn from groups as defined by gender, ethnicity, social circles, interests, achievement level, clothing, or age

Establish a sense of belonging

People have a fundamental need to feel connected or related to other people. In an academic environment, research shows that students who feel they 'belong' have a higher degree of intrinsic motivation and academic confidence. According to students, their sense of belonging is fostered by an instructor that demonstrates warmth and openness, encourages student participation, is enthusiastic, friendly and helpful, and is organized and prepared for class.

Adopt a supportive style

A supportive teaching style that allows for student autonomy can foster increased student interest, enjoyment, engagement and performance. Supportive teacher behaviors include listening, giving hints and encouragement, being responsive to student questions and showing empathy for students.

Strategize with struggling students

When students are struggling with poor academic performance, low self-efficacy or low motivation, one strategy that may help is to teach them how to learn. That is, to outline specific strategies for completing an assignment, note-taking or reviewing for an exam

Specific learning strategies:

Pre-action phase (preparing for task) -take a reasonable risk, work toward goals that are challenging but attainable, work in manageable, bite-size pieces, take responsibility for your actions, believe in your own effort and capability, set a plan and work from it.

Invited Speaker

We are thankful to our distinguished colleagues Dr R. Subramaniam, Nabhit Kapur, Dahlia Romero- Domingo and Dr. Syriac Nellikunnel Devasia, who have joined the conference as keynote speaker: