JCTE

Public Health Education in Pakistani Schools: A Critical Discourse Analysis through Textbooks and Extracurricular Activities

2025-09-15T08:14:46+00:00

This study examines how public health education is constructed and communicated in Pakistani primary schools through textbooks and extracurricular activities. Using a qualitative design grounded in Critical Discourse Analysis, the study analyzes grades 1–5 textbooks alongside semi-structured interviews with teachers and focus group discussions with students in six public and private schools in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Findings reveal that health discourse in textbooks is narrowly framed around physical activity, sports, and hygiene, while key domains such as nutrition, oral health, mental well-being, illness prevention, and sexual and reproductive health remain marginalized or silenced. Although private schools offer more extracurricular activities than public schools, these are largely disconnected from explicit health education objectives, while public schools face significant resource constraints. The study concludes that Pakistani schools have not adequately adapted to contemporary public health needs and emphasizes the need for curriculum reform, teacher training, and structured, discourse-informed health education strategies to foster holistic and equitable health outcomes for children.

Relationship between Screen Time and Emotional Well-Being of University Athletes

2025-10-12T08:18:34+00:00

Screen time has become a normal activity at university level and students, even athletes, are spending more time on screen than any other activity when they are on campus. Time spent in front of screens may relate with students’ emotional wellbeing in a positive or negative way. Therefore, this study focused to determine the relationship between screen time and emotional well-being among University athletes overall and also gender wise. A quantitative research with correlational design was carried out to investigate the relationships. The population for this study consisted of registered athletes (216) at Hazara University, Mansehra. The entire population was selected as the sample for the study by using census sampling technique. Two questionnaires, one related to screen time and the other to measure emotional well-being were used. The reliability of both these instruments was .86. Data were collected through online mode and were analyzed through Pearson correlations. The results showed that there was an overall negative relationship between screen time and emotional well-being of Hazara university athletes. Interestingly, the relationship between screen time and emotional well-being was positive among male athletes, while it was negative among female athletes. It is recommended that female student-athletes at university level should be counseled to reflect on their habits of using screen because it’s linked to their emotional wellbeing in a negative way. It should also be explored why is more time spent on screen is helpful for emotional wellbeing of male student-athletes.

Impact of Transformational Leadership Style of School Heads on Altruistic Citizenship Behaviour of Teachers: Evidence from Pakistani Secondary Schools

2026-01-16T04:23:44+00:00

Transformational leadership has been established as a key to organizational effectiveness improvement among school communities. Little has been researched about its direct impact on educators' altruistic citizenship behaviour, especially in countries such as Pakistan. It is a study about how high school heads' transformational leadership behaviour impacts teachers' altruistic citizenship behaviour in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Multi-staged stratified sampling method was applied to administer a quantitative survey. There were 30 school heads and 390 teachers who were participants from 40 secondary schools from four districts of the nation. Survey data collection employed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ5X) and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour Scale (OCBS). Statistical procedures applied were descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and regression analysis. It emerged that 55.8% of educators felt their heads to be displaying high degrees of transformational leadership. But 74.4% did not share the subsequent altruistic behaviour, and 25.6% remained neutral. Regression analysis indicated that transformational leadership had the most positive coefficient value (β = 0.616) to account for teachers’ altruistic behaviour, reflecting a considerable but complex relationship. The current study signals the possibility to promote transformational leadership to support teachers’ pro-social behaviour, but with problems related to implementation. Policymakers for education should strive to promote school heads’ skills to be transformational leaders to introduce positive organizational behaviour.

Factors Influencing Lack of Interest in the Academic Activities Among Grade-8 Students: A Case Study of Govt. Elementary School RMK-1, District Bhakkar

2026-01-21T05:05:29+00:00

This study intends to explore the factors influencing lack of interest in academic activities among grade-8 students. It specifically inquires the elements that make eighth-grade male students at Government Elementary School RMK-1 less likely to be interested in educational activities. The research study examines five key areas through a questionnaire; interpersonal teaching, environmental, sociocultural and psychological factors. A sample size of 19 male students take part in the study where correlation analysis was performed. The study results explain that the instructional component (r =-0.64) have the greatest negative relationship, meaning that successful teaching practices could contribute enormously to the elimination of educational disinterest. The psychological factors (r=0.52) imply a positive correlation, which means that stress, anxiety, and self-esteem problems result in having a disengagement. There was also the role of interpersonal (r= -0.50), environmental (r=-0.47), and sociocultural (r=-0.33) factors but to varying degrees. The research indicates a requirement of enhanced teaching methods, additional student assistance programs, as well as stress management inducing interventions so as to create learning interest in the students.

A Study of Correlation among Undergraduate Students’ Learning Styles, Intensity of Watching YouTube Videos and Listening Proficiency in the ELT Context

2025-05-28T12:34:35+00:00

The current study investigates the correlation between students’ learning styles, the amount of time spent watching YouTube videos, and their current listening proficiency level. The study’s population was undergraduate students from private universities in Pakistan. The researcher employed a quantitative and correlational method to fulfil the study’s objective. Students’ learning styles were examined using the VAK Learning Style Inventory developed by Chislett and Chapman (2005). An IELTS listening sample test was used to investigate students’ listening proficiency levels. To gain more insight into students’ practice of watching YouTube videos, a quantitative questionnaire (Likert Scale) consisting of five questions was distributed among the students. A sample of a hundred students was randomly selected to collect data. The results depict a positive correlation between students’ intensity of watching YouTube videos and their listening proficiency level. However, there is a negative correlation between the learning styles of students and their intensity of watching YouTube videos, with an insignificant p-value. The study reveals that students’ learning styles do not significantly contribute to motivating them to watch YouTube videos. The study recommends further investigation using different variables, such as students' self-directed learning habits, the influence of guided YouTube usage, motivation, and access to technology.

Usage of Artificial Intelligence among Research Scholars at Higher Education Level

2025-09-10T12:53:14+00:00

This study explores the usage of Artificial Intelligence usage among research scholars in higher education, emphasizing critical thinking, creativity, and academic productivity. It addresses rising concerns about AI tools such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, and Mendeley potentially undermining cognitive autonomy and the scholarly integrity of academic work. While these tools assist with literature review, academic writing, and data analysis, excessive reliance may weaken higher-order thinking and independent problem-solving skills. A quantitative research approach, guided by the Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) theoretical framework, was adopted using a descriptive research design. The study surveyed 136 eighth-semester students from the B.Ed. and BS Health & Physical Education programs at the National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, and the International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Data were collected using a self-developed 21-item questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale, assessing students’ perceptions across three core domains: Cognitive Enhancement and Analytical Thinking, Creativity and Idea Development, and Academic Writing and Productivity. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and independent sample t-tests through SPSS. The findings revealed moderate to high AI usage, with participants generally reporting favorable perceptions of AI’s role in supporting their cognitive and academic tasks. Nevertheless, the statistical findings showed that there were no significant differences in cognitive impact according to academic discipline or gender and thus the null hypothesis was retained. The report finds that AI can positively impact academic performance without reducing cognitive autonomy when utilized in a responsible manner. However, the moral aspect of use and overreliance raises the issue of formal AI literacy. It proposes the inclusion of AI ethics and critical engagement strategies in higher education.

Students’ Test Anxiety in Science at Secondary Level in Private Schools for Boys and Girls in Danyore, District Gilgit

2026-01-06T03:59:01+00:00

Anxiety is a common human experience, although its intensity varies between individuals. It is generally described as an emotional state involving the anticipation of potential difficulties or unpleasant situations in the future. As a psychological condition, anxiety can manifest itself through physical, emotional, and social symptoms. A certain level of anxiety often influences how tasks are performed. In the academic context, students' performance in different subjects can be influenced by their level of test anxiety, making it essential to examine this factor. The present study aimed to explore the level of test anxiety among secondary school science students in Danyore area of Gilgit. The target population included the 921 tenth-grade science learners enrolled in local institutions, while the sample included 269 students from six private schools, chosen through convenience sampling due to time constraints.

To measure test anxiety, the researcher applied the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), created by Spielberger (1980) and later used by Stefan Peter and Philip Zabek in similar contexts. Students’ anxiety levels were assessed using mean scores of individual items. Inferential statistics like t-test was used to compare the mean science test anxiety on gender basis. Effect size using Cohen’s d to determine the practical significance of differences was used. Results indicated that most students expressed a neutral stance regarding science test anxiety, with only a small proportion demonstrating a negative orientation. Interestingly, none of the participants reported positive perceptions of test anxiety. The gender analysis further showed that male and female students had similar levels of test anxiety.

Relationship between Cultural Dimensions and Professional Identity among Prospective Teachers at University of Education Lahore

2025-09-24T12:31:24+00:00

The intent of the study was to explore the correlation between cultural dimension and professional identity of prospective teachers. The researchers have the expectation that study might help for prospective teacher to develop their professional identity. The population of the study were the prospective teachers’ enrolled in University of Education. Total 400 students enrolled in different campuses of University of Education participated in the research selected through random sampling. A detailed questionnaire was adapted for cultural dimensions and professional identity and it was comprised of 57 items. The validity of the instrument was ensured with the opinion of expert and necessary changes were made. Pilot testing was conducted to ensure the reliability of the cultural dimension scale and professional identity scale. The research correlational research and cross-sectional survey was employed. The data of this study was analyzed through SPSS and different necessary techniques of statistics were used. Pearson correlation coefficient (Pearson r) was applied to find the correlation among prospective teachers’ cultural dimension and professional identity and t[1]test was applied to find the difference among prospective teachers’ cultural dimension and professional identity on the basis of gender. Positive correlation between prospective teacher’s cultural orientation and professional identity was found and findings of this research were confirmed through regression analysis.

Investigating The Impact Of Reversion Of Single National Curriculum At Primary Level In Azad Jammu Kashmir

2025-09-17T09:10:33+00:00

This qualitative method research aimed to assess the effectiveness of a more recently developed Curriculum, called Single National Curriculum (SNC) by the government of Ex- Prime Minister, Mr. Imran Khan in 2018- 19. The aim of the study to explore the impact of causes of reversion of SNC in AJK at primary level, the research instrument(s) included standard examination tests and a semi-structured interview from teachers. The population for this study included 160 students in four public and four private schools of District Kotli. Teachers think that reintroducing Single National Curriculum will significantly raise the educational standards of education. It is however surfaced that the implementation of Single National Curriculum of any other curriculum, for that matter, require great amount of groundwork and preparing teachers through extensive teacher training programmed.