International Educational Research

Quality Distance Education for Early Childhood During the Corona Pandemic: The Perceptions of Female Teachers

Ibrahim Al-Hussein — 2021-10-17

The corona (Covid-19) pandemic caused the closure of kindergarten institutions and schools around the world which forced higher authorities to shift focus towards online distance education. The impact of the pandemic was so severe that it affected almost a quarter of the people lives, public health and above all the education sectors. The present study was designed according to the Servqual Model using sample perceptions of early childhood parameters in Saudi Arabia and Jordan utilizing online questionnaires to collect the responses from 157 teachers. The quality of the online education services provided for primary school children due to Covid-19 suffered greatly as the teachers were not accustomed to the technology of distance learning. The present study recommends the need to explore the research of the high level for primary school children’s study tool where teachers and parents will be able to deal with online platforms effectively. During the present unavoidable crisis, the article presents an easier and equitable platform for every child in the family.

Core Self-Evaluation, Writing Motivation, and Business Writing Performance of College Third Year Students of Occidental Mindoro State College

Venessa S. Casanova — 2021-11-05

This predictive cross-sectional study explored core self-evaluation, level of writing motivation, and their influence on the business writing performance of junior business students at Occidental Mindoro State College. One hundred fifty junior business students of Occidental Mindoro State College Main Campus in Academic Year 2020-2021 selected through a simple random sampling technique were the respondents in the study. It was found that the student’s level of core self-evaluation was moderate considering their results in the locus of control, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. However, the students are highly motivated in performing their writing activities. Therefore, the improvement in core self-evaluation may slightly improve writing motivation and writing performance. Likewise, improving writing motivation may slightly improve the writing performance of business students. The positive beta coefficients indicate that if the indicators of writing motivation are improved, the students’ writing performance becomes better. Thus, core self-evaluation and writing motivation affect students’ business writing performance.

Evaluating Factors Influencing Happiness of Preclinical Students

Chantacha Sitticharoon — 2021-12-30

This study aimed to determine factors influencing happiness in preclinical students especially in aspects of teaching and learning, students’ motivation, study habits, and academic achievement. This study was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study. The questionnaire was validated and approved for clarity, readability, rational analysis, and comprehensiveness by the experts. Questionnaires were sent to all second and/or third-year medical students of the 2018 (328) and 2019 (329) classes, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand. Cronbach’s alpha values were 0.886. The data were analyzed by the Statistical Package for Social Science version 18. From open-ended questions, the top 5 ranking factors increasing students’ happiness were teaching of instructors, content satisfaction, content understanding, free time, and handouts. Factors that had positive influences/associations with happiness of preclinical students were happiness in learning subjects taught in a particular year; satisfaction of content, study outcomes, materials, handouts, teaching motivating desire to learn, and applicability of content to medical profession; high motivation to study medicine, expected score, and the percentage of achievement of study targets; less amount of time spent on recorded-e-lecture study and internet for non-academic use; and low stress. Happiness of preclinical students was influenced by satisfaction in teaching and learning, their attitude, study habits, and academic achievement. Further studies on determining students’ happiness after improvement of teaching and learning environments, augmenting activities that enhance students’ motivation, and promoting good study habits among medical students, are required to prove whether enhancement of these factors could effectively increase students' happiness.