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Teachers' perception of pupils' desirable learning activities
Author
Jali Mohd Yunos
Supervisor
Tan, Ai-Girl
Abstract
Special education teacher's views of their student's desirable learning activities were examined. There were 150 participants (40 untrained teachers, 88 trained teachers and 22 therapists) from several special schools in participated voluntarily in the studies. Of the total, 123 were females and 27 were males. Two studies were carried out. Study 1 examined the teachers' perceptions of desirable learning activities related to the special education curriculum. Study 2 investigated the teachers' perceptions of activities related to the mainstream classroom curriculum. In both studies, the participants were requested to rate the degree of desirability of the learning activities from the students' perspective on a 5-point Likert scale. Number "1" of the scale referred to 'very undesirable', and number "5" denoted 'very desirable'. For the two studies, female and male participants did not rate the items significantly different.
Results of study 1 using factor analysis yielded four interpretative scales, namely Academic skills (F1), Social relation skills (F2) , Functional skills-community-based (F3) and Functional skills-self-help (F4). The study showed that the trained teachers (including the therapists) and the untrained teachers rated functional skills (community-based and self-help) the highest followed by the social relation skills and academic skills. While the untrained teachers set high priority for the functional skill-self-help followed by functional skills-community-based, social relation skills and academic skills. Results of two-sample independent t-test indicated significantly different results between the untrained and the trained teachers (including the therapists) for F2, F3, and F4. For all the factors, no significant results were observed between the trained teachers and the therapists. The findings indicated that the special education teachers seemed to set a low priority for students in terms of predicting students' desirable activities in the academic domain.
Factor analysis was computed for responses in study 2, and yielded three interpretative scales, namely regular classroom activity (F1), special education activities (relax) (F2) and special education classroom activities for developing special interest or hobbies (leisure) (F3). There were significant differences in ratings between the untrained teachers and the trained teachers (including the therapists) in most of the items. In general, for the two studies, the trained teachers (including the therapists) rated all the items higher than the untrained teachers. The results of the studies seemed to suggest that the untrained teachers were less distinct in assessing students' desirable learning activities. Training in special education seems to enable the teachers to have better understanding of the students' needs and wants. Recommendations for future studies as well as ways to improve pedagogical practice in special education were discussed.
Results of study 1 using factor analysis yielded four interpretative scales, namely Academic skills (F1), Social relation skills (F2) , Functional skills-community-based (F3) and Functional skills-self-help (F4). The study showed that the trained teachers (including the therapists) and the untrained teachers rated functional skills (community-based and self-help) the highest followed by the social relation skills and academic skills. While the untrained teachers set high priority for the functional skill-self-help followed by functional skills-community-based, social relation skills and academic skills. Results of two-sample independent t-test indicated significantly different results between the untrained and the trained teachers (including the therapists) for F2, F3, and F4. For all the factors, no significant results were observed between the trained teachers and the therapists. The findings indicated that the special education teachers seemed to set a low priority for students in terms of predicting students' desirable activities in the academic domain.
Factor analysis was computed for responses in study 2, and yielded three interpretative scales, namely regular classroom activity (F1), special education activities (relax) (F2) and special education classroom activities for developing special interest or hobbies (leisure) (F3). There were significant differences in ratings between the untrained teachers and the trained teachers (including the therapists) in most of the items. In general, for the two studies, the trained teachers (including the therapists) rated all the items higher than the untrained teachers. The results of the studies seemed to suggest that the untrained teachers were less distinct in assessing students' desirable learning activities. Training in special education seems to enable the teachers to have better understanding of the students' needs and wants. Recommendations for future studies as well as ways to improve pedagogical practice in special education were discussed.
Date Issued
2000
Call Number
LB1060 Jal
Date Submitted
2000