JECCE

Children’s Exposure with Technological Gadgets and its Relationship with Gender, Age, and Family Structure: A study on COVID -19 Pandemic

Sadruddin Bahadur Qutoshi, Zahra Jabeen, Sabit Rahim — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Covid-19 pandemic forced roughly 1.5 billion learners around the globe (i.e., from early childhood education to university level) to stay at home. Among them, children have been greatly affected by the lockdown and exposed to a diverse range of technological gadgets. Thus, technological gadgets created an engaging space for children to spend their time at home. In the context of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Pakistan, this study examines the children’s exposure with technological gadgets and its relationship with gender, age/grade level, and family structure during Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. Through a survey questionnaire, the data were collected from 150 parents. By using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 21.0), the data were analyzed. Both the Descriptive (percentages and frequencies) and Inferential (independent t-test and correlation) statistics were applied. The findings of the study revealed that 18% children at informed parents’ program level (i.e., 0-3years), 40% at ECD level (3-8years) and 42% at upper primary level were expose with technological gadgets. However, boys were found to be more exposed with technological gadgets (i.e., 70.7%) as compared to girls (i.e., 28%) during Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown period in GB. Findings showed that 38% children were found to be in nuclear families, 55% children were in joint and only 6% were in extended families. Mostly children use mobile and laptop/ computers (39.3%) whereas only 16.7% children use TV in Gilgit. It was also revealed that 58.7% parents supervise while 41.3% parents does not supervise their children while using technological gadgets. However, there was no significant difference between male and female children across age group. The study recommended to carry out a research study in the future to investigate the family structure and use of technological devices by increasing the sample size and research sites to get more insights.

Cooperative learning technique for teaching general science at ECE level: An experimental study

Hafiza Gulnaz Fatima, Hina Akbar, Ibtasam Thakur — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The goal of the research was to create cooperative learning strategies for young ECE students to accelerate their learning. A pretest and posttest design was used for this study. All ECE students in Punjab Province were the population of the research. From three distinct schools, 120 first-graders were chosen, with 40 from each school were containing the research sample. Three types of research —rural, suburban, and urban—were chosen for the schools using the random sample technique. Experimental group were taught through cooperative learning while the control group received instruction using the conventional approach. All the groups, both experimental and control, pre- and post-testing. The study discovered that cooperative learning has an important impact on students' academic progress. The study has implications for the application of cooperative learning techniques to improve the academic performance of first-graders.

Evaluation of the Training Program for In-Service Teachers of Early Childhood Education Conducted by QAED in Punjab

Saima Malik, Laila Khalid — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In-service teachers’ training programs are of serene significance for the capacity building of Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an in-service teachers’ training program imparted by Quaid-e-Azam Academy for Educational Development (QAED), School Education Department, Govt. of Punjab, Pakistan. Six ECE headteachers and six teachers from Punjab's rural and urban districts were selected through a convenient sampling technique. Semi-Structured protocol was developed and validated by five experts in the field. The respondents were questioned about how they implemented early childhood education (ECE) in their respective schools, including the infrastructure for ECE, the benefits of the ECE program in public schools, the value of providing in-service training to head teachers and ECE teachers, and recommendations for how to make the current program better. The data from the interviews was obtained using thematic analysis. The study's conclusions brought to light a number of issues, including a lack of funding, a continuous program for training teachers, ongoing caregiver hiring, a deficiency of rooms and staff, an ongoing monitoring system, and provision of an ECE kit. This study is captivating since it investigates the viewpoints of headteachers and teachers in Punjab's urban and ruler areas. The results have significant implications for how the Punjab government's school education department (QAED) and policymakers should evaluate the current state of early childhood education in the province. The results of this study will motivate researchers to carry out additional research of this type and inspire legislators to create laws that will assist ECE programs in strengthening or changing their present practices.

Modulating Inclusive Education in Early Childhood: The Role of Teachers’ Attitude and Self-Efficacy in Shaping Their Awareness and Readiness

Amjad Islam Amjad, Naghmana Batool, Umaira Tabassum — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The role of inclusive education (IE) in early childhood education (ECE) become more pertinent because it fosters equity, acceptance, and diverse learning experiences. The present study aimed to explore the contribution of teachers’ awareness of IE (TAOIE) to teachers’ readiness for IE (TRFIE) and to investigate the moderating effect of teachers’ attitude toward IE (TATIE) and teachers’ self-efficacy toward IE (TSETIE). The research design of the present quantitative study was cross-sectional. Participants were the 300 ECE teachers working in public sector schools of Kasur and Lahore. The data were collected using a self-developed questionnaire comprising four sub-scales (TAOIE, TRFIE, TATIE, TSETIE). We used SPSS software to analyse data using simple linear regression and Process macro. The results revealed that TAOIE significantly contributes to TRFIE (β = .640, t(298) = 14.385, p < .001) in ECE. TATIE showed a statistically insignificant effect (β = -.050, p =.179 > .05, 95 % Cl [-.124, .023] on the relationship of TAOIE and TRFIE. TSETIE had statistically significant moderating effect (β = -.152, p = .008 < .05, 95 % Cl [-.264, .039] for the relationship of TAOIE and TRFIE. ECE teachers were suggested to improve their TAOIE and TRFIE in ECE. Longitudinal and qualitative studies were recommended to improve study implications.

Social-Emotional Learning: Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives from Urban and Rural Contexts

Seema Lasi, Khushal Khan, Noreen Afzal — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of holistic child development. The early years of life are the best window of opportunity when children acquire self-regulation and executive functioning which stays with them throughout their lives. A qualitative exploratory design was implemented employing focus group discussions (FGDs) to understand preschool teachers’ perspectives on SEL from urban and rural areas of Pakistan. Five (5) FGDs were organized, each with 8 to 10 teachers. Some great insights were highlighted by teachers from urban and rural contexts. Urban schoolteachers demonstrated a better understanding of SEL as compared to rural schoolteachers. The main themes identified during the analysis were teachers' perspectives on; the importance of social-emotional skills for school readiness, adjustment problems faced by newly enrolled children due to lack of social-emotional skills, existing school practices for the promotion of SEL, and how teachers can contribute to building SEL among preschool children. The study provided some great insights and a way forward to foster social-emotional learning among preschool children. Teachers underscored the importance of parents, curriculum, and teacher training for the promotion of social-emotional learning among preschool children. Urban-rural disparities were profound where urban teachers were found to be more aware of the social-emotional needs of preschool children and classroom management required for optimal learning experience.

A Study on the Pre-School Teachers’ Beliefs about Children’s Play at Their Pre-school Aged Level

Javed Mustafa, Zafar Saleem, Gullap — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A survey research was carried on for exploring preschool teachers’ beliefs about children’s play at their pre-school aged level. Major objective of the study was to investigate preschool teachers’ beliefs about children’s play at their preschool aged level. The sub objectives of the study were finding difference between male and female teachers’ beliefs and examining association between teachers’ beliefs regarding Personality Support and Academic Focus of preschool children’s play. These objectives were addressed through research question of what are male and female teachers’ beliefs about children’s play at preschool age level? Null hypotheses that there is no significance difference between the beliefs of male and female teachers, and there is no association between teachers’ beliefs regarding Personality Support an Academic Focus of children’s play were also framed. All the 2713 primary school teachers, 1773 male and 940 female of district Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa comprised the population of the study. At the rate 35% of the population, total 950 teachers consisting 621 male and 329 female teachers were selected through random sampling techniques. The standardized Parent Play Belief Scale (PPBS) of five points Likert’s Scale ranging from Disagree =1 to very much agree =5 ( Fogle & Mendez, 2006), was adapted. It was edited and modified keeping in view the local circumstances and was validated through Cronbach alpha and its value was 0.87. Data was analyzed through SPSS using descriptive statistics of means and standard deviation and inferential statistics of independent sample t-test and Pearson Correlation. Findings of the study were that male teachers had level of positive beliefs and female teachers had negative beliefs about students’ play at preschool aged level. There was significant difference between male and female teachers’ beliefs. Integration of play materials in the curriculum, arranging short and long duration courses for enlightening preschool teachers about the value and importance of play in the early childhood programs and awareness programs for the elders, women and female teachers were recommendations of the study.