Influence of Teachers’ Improvisation of Heat-Producing Materials on Acquisition of Science Skills among Pre-primary School Learners in Kiambu, Kenya

Acquisition of science skills among pre-primary school learners has had its fair share of challenges with many pre-primary school learners manifesting low competencies in manipulation, experimentation and observation skills. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of teachers’ improvisation of heat-producing materials on acquisition of science skills among pre-primary school learners. The study was guided by Social Constructivism and Instructional Theories. The study adopted mixed methodology and applied concurrent triangulation research design. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically along the objectives and presented in narrative forms. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially using linear regression analysis with the help of Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS 23) and presented using tables. These results indicate that there is significant relationship between teachers’ improvisation of heat-producing materials and acquisition of science skills among pre-primary school learners (p=0.000< 0.05). The study established that pre-primary school learners’ manifest low science skills. That is, their manipulation, experimentation and observation skills are still below average. The study recommends that the pre-primary curriculum developers emphasize the improvisation of heat-producing materials as much as possible and frequent inspections are carried out. For future studies, researchers may put greater interest in conducting a similar study with national scope to certain the influence of improvised instructional materials on the levels of science skills among pre-primary learners.

AN ANALYSIS OF LESSON PLAN IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH ZOOM IN TEACHING WRITING BASED ON INTERNATIONAL PRIMARY CURRICULUM IN SUNRISE SCHOOL BALI

The present research studied teachers’ ability and constraints in preparing and implementing the lesson plan for writing through Zoom during the pandemic Covid-19 in the Year 6 Primary School Denpasar. The research was designed using a Mixed Method. Data were collected by means of five instruments and the obtained data on the five variables were analyzed descriptively to measure the arithmetic means, range, standard deviation, and variance. This study showed that the teachers’ ability in preparing for lesson plan were categorized in high category. The teachers’ ability in implementing the lesson plan were also categorized as high category. Some constraints were encountered by the teachers in preparing and implementing lesson plan for writing through Zoom. It is suggested that EFL students and teachers to be trained to improve the use of online learning as well as their literacy in information technology, especially the one related to EFL instruction online.

[ANALYSIS OF EDUCATION ON WOMEN'S BLOOD IN MALAYSIA PRIMARY CURRICULUM AMONG ISLAMIC EDUCATION TEACHERS] ANALISIS PENDIDIKAN DARAH WANITA DALAM KURIKULUM RENDAH DI MALAYSIA DI KALANGAN GURU PENDIDIKAN ISLAM

Learning about Islamic education is taught through curriculum in primary school level throughout Malaysia. However, the extent to which the scope of teaching and learning (PdP) is revealed in this primary curriculum and how deep it is able to provide a basic understanding to students, to manage issues related to women’s blood. This article aims to analyze the educational needs of women’s blood in primary curriculum among Islamic education teachers. The methodology used to produce this article is based on document analysis of classical books in the field of sharia, primary Islamic education books and structured interviews involving Islamic education teachers consisting of eight female teachers and two male teachers from schools in peninsular Malaysia. The results showed that the scope of PdP on women's blood in the primary curriculum syllabus was not able to provide basic understanding for students due to the factors of PdP scope and also the appropriateness of time. All respondents agreed that the primary curriculum on women’s blood syllabus needs improvement to give a deeper understanding to the students. Pembelajaran tentang pendidikan Islam diajar menerusi kurikulum di peringkat sekolah rendah seluruh Malaysia. Namun, sejauhmana skop pengajaran dan pembelajaran (PdP) didedahkan dalam kurikulum rendah ini serta cakupannya mampu memberi pemahaman asas kepada pelajar, untuk mengurus isu yang berkait dengan darah wanita. Artikel ini bermatlamat untuk menganalisis keperluan pendidikan darah wanita dalam kurikulum rendah di kalangan guru pendidikan Islam. Metodologi yang digunakan untuk menghasil artikel ini berpandukan kaedah analisis dokumen kitab-kitab klasik dalam bidang syariah, buku pendidikan Islam peringkat rendah dan temu bual berstruktur melibatkan guru pendidikan Islam yang terdiri daripada lapan orang guru perempuan dan dua orang guru lelaki di sekolah semenanjung Malaysia. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa skop PdP darah wanita dalam silibus kurikulum rendah tidak mampu memberi kefahaman asas kepada pelajar disebabkan faktor skop PdP dan juga kesesuaian masa. Kesemua responden bersetuju bahawa silibus darah wanita kurikulum rendah perlu penambahbaikan untuk memberi kefahaman yang mendalam kepada pelajar-pelajar.

Developing pre-service primary teachers’ understanding of engineering through engineering habits of mind and engagement with engineers

This paper explores how primary teachers might be prepared through their pre-service training to feel more confident to include engineering in their teaching. Prompted by concerns about young people’s lack of interest in STEM subjects and careers, engineering is gradually gaining visibility in the primary curriculum in several forms, particularly through integrated STEM programmes. However, the status of engineering relative to science, technology and mathematics remains contested in schools and engineering has low visibility in pre-service preparation programmes for primary teachers. Therefore, this case-study investigated how two strategies might give students learning to be primary technology, computing and science teachers greater confidence to introduce the concept of engineering into their teaching. By reframing engineering as engineering habits of mind and by giving students experience of engaging with practising engineers, the study found that it was possible to enhance primary trainee teachers’ understanding of the world of engineering and increase their confidence to introduce engineering habits of mind in lessons with primary children. The paper concludes with some implications for practice of this approach.