International Journal of Changes in Education

Progress on Progress Test: International vs Local Experience

Abdul Sattar Khan — 2024-03-14

The paper discusses the implementation and evolution of progress testing as an assessment technique in Problem-Based Learning (PBL) at the College of Medicine, King Faisal University (KFU), in collaboration with the University of Groningen (UoG), Netherlands. Despite the successful introduction of a local progress test, the paper notes the reluctance of students in Arab culture to embrace this method due to concerns about its impact on their Grading Point Average (GPA). The research outlines a five-year experience with international high-stakes progress testing based on European universities and describes the establishment of a local progress test system. A cross-sectional study design was employed to analyze the passing rates of medical students from their first to fifth year, using data from 2018 to 2020. The study population included 1450 students with a gender distribution of 50/50. The results highlight two main achievements of the local progress test system. Firstly, the development of a blueprint based on block teaching contents and curriculum learning outcomes from year 1 to 5. This blueprint served as a foundation for the assessment. Secondly, the establishment of an individual performance feedback system, facilitated by a confidential online platform using students' academic numbers. In conclusion, the research suggests that progress testing can be successfully integrated into Arab culture, serving as a comprehensive assessment tool. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing progress testing as a key knowledge assessment method in the curriculum. The paper provides insights into the process, compares international and local experiences, and offers recommendations for further improvement of the local progress testing system.

Received: 31 Decenber 2023 | Revised: 20 February 2024 | Accepted: 27 February 2024

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

Examining Teacher Well-Being: An Analysis of Resources Needs

Christina Naegeli Costa — 2024-03-29

This quantitative research explores the resource needs, challenges, and strengths of teachers and their influence on teacher well-being. Adopting a descriptive design with surveys as the primary instrument, the study aims to shed light on teacher well-being from a strengths-based perspective, a departure from the prevailing focus on stress and burnout in existing literature. Teachers operate in environments characterized by high stress and potential burnout, stemming from the demanding nature of their profession and encountering stressors across interpersonal, organizational, and institutional levels. Despite these challenges, most teachers demonstrate resilience and commitment to their work. However, there is a noticeable gap in research focusing on how teachers thrive and experience positivity within their school environments. Utilizing the Job-Demands Resources (JD-R) model as a theoretical framework, this study examines the relationship between resources and teacher well-being. The findings offer valuable insights into teacher resource needs and their overall well-being, which have practical implications for teacher training, professional development programs, and policy-making. These implications are aimed at mitigating teacher attrition, stress, and burnout while fostering resilience and well-being among educators. Furthermore, the study contributes to the refinement of the JD-R model and the broader understanding of teacher well-being. By providing a deeper insight into the mechanisms underlying teacher resilience, the findings serve as a foundational basis for future research in this critical domain.

Received: 2 February 2024 | Revised: 6 March 2024 | Accepted: 12 March 2024

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing is not available due to IRB protection of confidentiality set at the time of data collection. If you are interested in viewing deidentified data, please contact the first author.

An Overview of the Adoption of eAssessment Among Moroccan Primary School Teachers: Factors and Challenges

Abdelghani Es-sarghini — 2024-01-24

This study provides a comprehensive investigation of how primary school teachers in the Marrakech-Safi region of Morocco integrate information and communication technologies (ICTs) into their assessment practices. Gathering data through a questionnaire disseminated via email, the research garnered 346 valid responses, indicating a modest implementation of ICTs in assessment processes, with a small fraction of teachers applying them consistently. Interestingly, the findings demonstrate that experienced educators are more inclined to employ ICT in assessments. Despite the prevalent practice of offering eAssessment training to Moroccan primary school teachers as a means to bolster their capabilities in technology-enhanced assessment, such professional development has not been a significant factor in encouraging the use of ICT-based assessment tools among teachers who do not already utilize them. The investigation also delves into the types of eAssessment methods employed, including interactive tests, simulations, and problem-solving activities. The research underscores the necessity for additional exploration and support systems to advance effective ICT adoption in educational assessments. The research has substantial implications for the enhancement of educational assessment practices, informing policy-makers and practitioners about the current state of eAssessment and guiding future efforts to optimize the evaluation of student knowledge in a digital era.

Received: 30 November 2023 | Revised: 29 December 2023 | Accepted: 31 December 2023

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

The participants of this study did not give written consent for their data to be shared publicly, so due to the sensitive nature of the research supporting data is not available.

Profiling Differences in Burnout Among Senior High School Teachers in Ghana Based on Their Demographic Characteristics

Dominic Owusu — 2023-11-29

Globally, the issue of burnout persists among educators, giving rise to feelings of anxiety and depression. The implications of burnout on teachers' health are significant, posing a risk to both their physical and mental well-being. This study examined burnout among Senior High School (SHS) teachers in Ghana, with a specific focus on investigating the potential influence of gender, educational qualification, and teaching experience on burnout levels. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, employing the census method to involve all 520 teachers from the chosen public Senior High Schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis. The data collection instrument used in this study was an adapted version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators’ Survey. Inferential statistics, specifically, Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), was used to analyse the research hypotheses. The study revealed that there were significant differences in burnout among teachers based on their gender, educational qualification, and teaching experience. In light of our findings, we recommend that Senior High Schools prioritise the enhancement of their counseling services. Specifically, we suggest organising gender-specific seminars and workshops to empower both male and female teachers. These initiatives should focus on promoting coping strategies that are attuned to gender-related nuances and reinforcing their individual masculine and feminine identities.

Received: 27 September 2023 | Revised: 16 November 2023 | Accepted: 22 November 2023

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

The data that supports the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Enhancing Freshman English Learning: A Study of Solo vs Collaborative Educational Gameplay Effects on Achievement and Motivation

Lu Lin — 2024-04-15

This research compared the effects of solo and collaborative gameplay formats on learning achievement and motivation among freshmen English students. Sixty students were randomly assigned to play educational games either individually or in small groups over ten weeks. While both groups received similar instructional time, one played independently using individual devices, while the other played in small groups sharing a single device. A pre-test and post-test design was used, with a 20 multiple-choice exam assessing freshman English knowledge. A modified Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire was also administered to measure five dimensions of motivation (intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation, task value beliefs, control beliefs, and self-efficacy for learning). Post-test scores were significantly higher for the collaborative gameplay group, suggesting team-based interaction enhanced learning. However, a MANOVA showed no significant differences between groups on any of the motivation dimensions measured. The findings demonstrate collaborative gameplay may boost achievement without compromising motivation when compared to solo gameplay.

Received: 14 February 2024 | Revised: 26 March 2024 | Accepted: 2 April 2024

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

Generative Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Exploring Ways of Harnessing Pedagogical Practices with the Assistance of ChatGPT

Kleopatra Nikolopoulou — 2024-04-01

There is a growing interest in using generative artificial intelligence (AI) for educational purposes within the higher education environments, while AI applications (such as ChatGPT) can transform traditional teaching and learning methods. ChatGPT is an advanced AI tool that generates new content and human-like responses. The purpose of this paper is to use ChatGPT as a research assistant in order to explore ways AI can be harnessed to enhance pedagogical practices in higher education. This is a qualitative study, in which the output-responses generated by ChatGPT provided a starting point for the investigation. AI can be harnessed to enhance pedagogical practices in higher education in various ways including personalized learning, automated assessment and feedback generation, virtual assistants and chatbots, content creation, resource recommendation, time management, language translation and support, research assistance, simulations and virtual labs. Other educational affordances that can strengthen the teaching and learning experience regard collaboration and communication, accessibility and inclusivity, as well as AI literacy. When implementing AI tools such as ChatGPT in higher education, ethical considerations (e.g., data privacy, transparency, accessibility, cultural sensitivity), potential misuses and concerns need to also be addressed. Although ChatGPT can aid the generation of content-ideas for further exploration, it is a complementary-supportive tool, and its output necessitates human evaluation and review. The integration of ChatGPT and other AI tools in the higher educational process/practices has implications for educators, students, design of curricula, and university policy makers.

Received: 17 January 2024 | Revised: 27 February 2024 | Accepted: 19 March 2024

Conflicts of Interest

The author declares that she has no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.