Scholarly Works - Education

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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14576/33

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Open Access
A Rasch analysis of the International Personality Item Pool Big Five Markers Questionnaire : Is longer better?
(University of Novi Sad, 2023-05-24) Hanif Akhtar; Bambang Sumintono
The 50-item International Personality Item Pool version of the Big Five Markers (IPIP-BFM) is an open-source and widely used measure of the big five personality traits. A short version of this measure (IPIP-BFM-25) has been developed using the classical test theory approach. No study was performed to examine the psychometric properties of a longer and shorter version of IPIP-BFM Indonesia using modern test theory. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Indonesian version of IPIP-BFM as well as IPIP-BFM-25 using Rasch analysis. The analysis was conducted in order to test their dimensionality, rating scale functioning, item properties, person responses, targeting, reliability, and item bias on 1003 Indonesian samples. The findings showed that both IPIP-BFM and IPIP-BFM-25 Indonesia have some adequate psychometric properties, especially regarding category function, item properties, reliability, and item bias. However, the emotional stability and intellect scales did not meet the assumption of unidimensionality, and all items on the scales were too easy to endorse by participants. In general, longer measures outperformed shorter measures in terms of person separation and reliability. Further testing and refinement must be conducted.
Open Access
Analisis kesahan kandungan instrumen kompetensi guru untuk melaksanakan pentaksiran bilik darjah menggunakan model rasch pelbagai faset (content validity analysis of an instrument to measure teacher’s competency for classroom assessment using many facet rasch model)
(Penerbit UKM, 2022-05-01) Rosyafinaz Mohamat; Bambang Sumintono; Harris Shah Abd Hamid
Kesahan kandungan instrument adalah penting bagi memastikan item-item yang dibina berupaya mengukur perkara yang sepatutnya diukur dan membincangkan sejauh mana item mewakili kandungan yang dimaksudkan. Kajian ini bertujuan menguji kesahan kandungan Instrumen Kompetensi Guru untuk Melaksanakan Pentaksiran Bilik Darjah (IkomGuruPBD) dengan menggunakan analisis Model Rasch Pelbagai Faset (MRPF). IkomGuruPBD terdiri daripada 56 item yang dibina berdasarkan 3 konstruk utama iaitu Pengetahuan PBD, Kemahiran PBD dan Sikap terhadap PBD. Reka bentuk kajian adalah kaedah tinjauan kuantitatif dengan pendekatan penilai berganda (multirater) menggunakan soal selidik IkomGuruPBD yang telah diedarkan kepada 12 orang panel pakar. Setiap pakar perlu menentukan tahap persetujuan mereka tentang kesesuaian setiap item dengan menggunakan skala Likert 3 mata terhadap tiga aspek penilaian bagi setiap item. Dapatan menunjukkan antara kelebihan MRPF adalah boleh menentukan tahap ketegasan penilai dan konsistensi penilai, juga mendapati dapatan respon luar jangkaan. Walaupun setiap penilai diberi instrumen, aspek penilaian dan kategori skala yang sama, namun MRPF boleh membandingkan tahap ketegasan secara individu bagi setiap penilai. MRPF juga boleh mengesan kualiti item untuk membantu pengkaji mengenal pasti item yang baik dan item yang lemah untuk ditambah baik. MRPF mempunyai kelebihan untuk memberikan maklumat yang lengkap mengenai ciri psikometrik bagi IkomGuruPBD yang diuji.
Open Access
Attraction of Authority: The Indonesian Experience of Educational Decentralization
(Springer, 2023-07-14) Bambang Sumintono; Hasan Hariri; Umi Anugerah Izzati
The fall of the New Order government in 1998 changed the landscape of Indonesian education from a highly centralized system to a decentralized one. With this paradigm shift, district governments received a transfer of power in most public sectors in 2001, including education. The central questions in this chapter are: (1) How has Indonesia managed education in the decentralization era? and (2) How has the country managed the changes so far? Four key issues are discussed, namely, new regime of standardization, school operational cost, teachers and principals, and National Exam. We argue that Indonesian educational decentralization has mostly been about legitimacy and authority dialectics between local/district and central institutions. Moving from a highly centralized system to a more locally oriented one contests the legitimacy of each actor involved, resulting in competition for resources and survival. Nevertheless, we also identified some advances in terms of social justice and student learning support in this process of decentralization.
Open Access
Beyond the classroom walls: exploring parental involvement on children’s interest development in EFL learning (A case from Indonesia)
(Taylor & Francis, 2024-04-12) Naning Tri Wahyuni; Tan Bee Tin
This study reports the findings of a case study that followed a group of Indonesian primary school EFL learners (10–11 years old). They were observed in school and at home and interviewed with their parents. The study highlights various ways children can develop an interest in learning English and how parents help shape their children’s interests. Four students who demonstrated different patterns of interest development were selected for detailed analysis. Through these cases, the study attempts to understand the role of parents in developing interest in EFL learning. All four child participants were provided with a similar supportive learning environment at school, suggesting that their differences may have primarily been attributed to their different home learning environments, parental involvement, and parenting styles.
Open Access
Challenges and opportunities to collaborative distance learning in ESP instruction
(Prodi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Fakultas Pendidikan dan Sains Universitas Swadaya Gunung Jati, 2023-11-30) Arfiyan Ridwan; Tera Athena
In post pandemic instruction fueled by digital media and technology, distance learning emerges as a powerful opportunity for higher education collaboration. The Directorate of Students’ Learning, Ministry of Education and Culture of Indonesia opens opportunities for universities across Indonesia to have collaborative online learning with those students based on underprivileged regions in Indonesia. This research investigates a case of collaborative online learning project between two universities in East Java and East Nusa Tenggara province with two ESP courses designed collaboratively and implemented with shared classes in online mode. Through this case study, two things are explored during the program: challenges and opportunities in the stage of course development and course implementation. Two course developers, four university instructors, and thirteen selected students from both universities were involved in this study. Data collection combined interviews, virtual observations, and instructional documents. Analysis employed thematic layering and triangulation, revealing challenges in four areas: course development, technology readiness, teaching methods, and student support. However, rooms of improvement are there for more prepared future collaboration. Despite the challenges, collaborative distance learning conducted by both universities can be a lesson to learn for a better online instruction in the future amidst the pluralistic backgrounds of the students and problematic technology support.
Open Access
Child Marriage and Its Impacts on the Education of Girls in the Rural Gambia : Focus on Niani District
(Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia Press, 2022-12-28) Barrow, Abdou; Bah, Yahya Muhammed; Sanneh, Mbassi
Twenty-one percent of young women married before the age of eighteen. Approximately 650 million girls and women are married before their 18th birthday (UNICEF, 2020, 2021). States member of the United Nations, through its Sustainable Development Goals, has committed to ending child marriage globally through laws, legislation, and other means. Though the practice of child marriage is declining globally, it remains prevalent in Africa and Asia, particularly in the Gambia. This study looks at the impact of child marriage on girls' education in rural Gambia and the factors that encourage it. The researchers conducted qualitative case study research through documentation, Focus Group discussion (FGD), observation, and interviews to collect data. The study's findings indicate that child marriage has negative impacts on girls' education in rural Gambia. This reveals the fact that the percentage of girls enrolled in schools, especially high school, is lower than boys. Girls also face more difficulties than boys to complete, retain and transit to secondary or higher education. This leaves them with no future and excludes them from social or economic advantages. The factors that encourage child marriage are included: religion, poverty, culture, lack of meaningful opportunity, older men's desire for younger women to marry, and the failure of law enforcement. These factors mentioned repeatedly perpetuate the practice of child marriage, and undermine the educational opportunities for the majority of girls in the Niani district of Gambia. Therefore, the researchers recommend that the Gambian government enforce the existing laws and regulations to protect children’s fundamental rights and put into practice the necessary regulations on the prohibition and elimination of this phenomenon.
Open Access
Coping with Objectification : Female English Literature Students’ Physical Identity Development as Emerging Adults
(Language Center of Universitas Teuku Umar, 2023-05-23) Difa Mahya Zahara
Emerging adulthood is a stage where identity exploration is one of its developmental tasks. As most modern-age emerging adults participate in higher education, educational context becomes decisive in understanding their identity development, including the physical identity (body image) of female college students, especially considering the increasing participation of women in higher education which reflects the necessity to attend to their educational and developmental needs. This study draws qualitative data through a phenomenological study of four female college students of an Islamic university in an urban area of Indonesia, specifically the English Literature students. By applying the feminist theory of objectification and the concept of emerging adulthood, this study aims to understand how female college students experience objectification specific to their educational context and how it impacts their physical identity development as emerging adults. This study finds that objectification is experienced by female college students through the curriculum; learning contents, media, dress codes, and students-lecturers, students-peers, as well as students-staff relationships. The experiences indicate negative views of their physique during the college years reflected in negative subjective experiences (shame, anxiety, disrupted peak motivational states, and diminished awareness of internal bodily states), as well as eating disorder risks. However, an overall positive body image is observed in the current time once graduating which rather reveals a non-appearance-focused physical identity—physical health, comfort, and safety—achieved through contextual and reflective thinking. Thus, this study suggests the implication of college or higher education as a facilitator of emerging adults’ physical identity exploration.
Open Access
Cultivating Children’s Social Awareness in The Multicultural and Diverse Community : A Perspective From Empathetic Teaching
(Department of Social Science , IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon, 2022-12-30) Popi Rosepti
The multicultural and social diversity urge children to build social awareness skill which drives them to consciously aware of specific range of social experience from a specific point of view. In educational setting, this becomes a concern because children spur into cultural diversity in their daily life so that teachers take a role to facilitate them with the ability to adapt with the situation. One of the ways in meeting the issue is through implementing empathetic teaching which is a concept of teachers showing their compassion to students. Therefore, the main framework of this study is to elaborate the concept and investigate further how empathetic teaching can allow teachers to cultivate social awareness to their students in the perception year. The originality of the paper lies in offering a conceptual framework of empathetic teaching through mapping the main relevant literatures and identifying and engaging with the central theoretical issues while suggesting a perceptual framing of classroom setting in childhood education. By analyzing the data using content analysis, the findings reveal that empathetic teaching practiced by teachers can be beneficial to build children’s social awareness through having good perception on their exposure to the surrounding. This also allows them to have an ability to adapt in the diverse community by appreciating differences to promote a social peaceful life in this contemporary world.
Open Access
Development and validation of students’ competency instrument on science process skills
(Atlantis Press, 2024-08-22) Ellyza Karim; Syakima Ilyana Ibrahim; Hanani Harun Rasit; Bambang Sumintono
Science process skills are fundamental to science learning and consequently promote scientific literacy among students. Scientists use these skills to construct knowledge during investigation. Thus, science process skills should be acquired not only by scientists, but by all individuals. This study reviews the validity and reliability of an instrument development for science process skills usinginterval rating scale as answer choice ranging from poor to excellent. This instrument was developed based on the perception of 300 respondents who were the primary school leavers, aged thirteen. As the instrument was newly developed, a pilot study was conducted to determine the empirical proof on the validity and reliability of the test. A total of 68 items were constructed in the test using verified indicators based on the experts and literature reviews. Rasch Measurement Model was employed to analyse the data. Overall, the person reliability is found at 0.97 while the item reliability is 0.99. The range of Point Measure Correlation (PMC) is positive between 0.33 to 0.67 for all items. All items are accepted as the outfit mean square (MNSQ) has the range between 0.59 and 1.55 while the infit MNSQ is between 0.74 to 1.56 indicating a good measure of latent variables for item fit. Based on the item map, the findings suggest that, for experimenting skill, only 11% of students could design scientific steps independently. Meanwhile, for using space and time relationship skill, respondents reported that the item ‘determination for the object position with time’ was the most excellent item. The scale used in this instrument was also found to adequately measure the latent constructs of science process skills.
Open Access
Digital competency mapping dataset of pre-service teachers in Indonesia
(Elsevier, 2023-05-05) Muhammad Luthfi Hidayat; Hariyatmi; Dwi Setyo Astuti; Bambang Sumintono; Meccawy, Maram; Khanzada, Tariq J.S.
This dataset used the Digital Competency Scale (DCS) to describe Indonesian pre-service teachers’ perceptions. The DCS instrument consisted of five constructs/dimensions, which are: 1) data and information literacy, 2) communication and collaboration, 3) digital content creation, 4) safety, and 5) problem-solving, with a total of 36 items using five-point agreement Likert scale. The data was gathered from 23 education and teacher training faculties at Muhammadiyah Universities in 14 provinces across Indonesia in the academic year 2021/2022. A total of 1400 students (18 to 23 years old) in their first to fifth years of study were recruited using the convenience sampling technique, where they participated in filling in the survey electronically using Google Form. The dataset was analysed with the Rasch model measurement approach using WINSTEPS version 5.2.3 software for data cleaning and validation, and reliability and validity testing of the instrument. This dataset analysis can help teacher-training institutions, or higher education policymakers design effective programmes to improve pre-service teachers' digital competencies. Furthermore, researchers can compare this dataset with more rigorous data from other countries.
Open Access
Disinformasi di YouTube : pemilihan presiden 2019 dan 2024
(Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI) Indonesia, 2024-07-24) Purnama Alamsyah; Gustaf Wijaya; Lukman Nul Hakim
Kesenjangan (gap) literasi digital salah satunya karena kurangnya minat baca dan cek fakta, membawa arus deras hoaks dan disinformasi seakan tidak terbendung (Kemenkominfo, 2022). Penanganannya juga mengalami banyak tantangan, di mana sumber daya yang ada seakan tidak sebanding dengan arus deras disinformasi. Hal ini kemudian dimanfaatkan pihak–pihak tertentu untuk menciptakan situasi yang menguntungkan salah satu kelompok. Dalam kontestasi politik, hal ini tampak nyata. Bagaimana saling serang terjadi, kampanye – kampanye kasar dengan disinformasi dan hoaks yang menyesatkan pun terjadi. Kemudahan konten diproduksi, serta kebebasan berpendapat di Indonesia yang tidak dibarengi dengan etika yang memadai, membuat konten – konten keruh bertebaran. Bagaimana informasi ini bergulir di Youtube, fenomena apa saja yang muncul, utamanya dalam periode Pemilihan Presiden 2024? Serta topik–topik apa saja yang menjadi “sumbu” utama disinformasi? Pertanyaan–pertanyaan ini akan coba dijawab oleh bab ini.
Open Access
Divorce Narratives and Class Inequalities in Indonesia
(SAGE Publications, 2023-02-02) Rachel Rinaldo; Eva F. Nisa; Nina Nurmila
In the past 20 years, divorce has increased in Indonesia. Indonesian statistics show that divorces initiated by women exceed those by men. One issue that is often neglected is how socioeconomic differences also play a role in this matter. Drawing on our collaborative research on Muslim divorces in Indonesia, this paper focuses on the interplay between divorce strategies and socioeconomic differences among Muslim couples. Our in-depth interviews with 93 Muslim men and women and 19 judges from Islamic courts show that class differences shape distinctive dynamics of divorce among Muslim Indonesians. Couples from less educated, lower-income backgrounds accept marriage dissolution more easily, with women becoming much less tolerant of men’s behaviors such as infliction of domestic violence, infidelity, and failure to provide financial support. Educated, middle-class urban couples divorce for similar reasons but tend to experience a lengthier process accompanied by complex layers of conflict. Many educated women’s narratives emphasize their ability to support themselves through working, and a desire to be free of a bad marriage at any cost. Class and education thus contribute to significant differences in the experience and trajectories of divorce in Indonesia.
Open Access
Education Sector COVID-19 Response Plan and Its Implication on Inclusive Education in the Gambia
(Language Center of Universitas Teuku Umar, 2022-09-23) Barrow, Abdou
During the early hours of 2020, COVID -19 terrorized the world by forcing many countries to close their borders and restrict internal movement by imposing a state of national emergency which was geared toward lockdowns for months in some areas for years. The Gambia was not an exception to this trajectory and one of the sectors heavily stroked by this lockdown was education. As a result, “the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE)” designed a Response framework to curb learning loss across the country. This study aimed to analyse the policy and describe the implication it has on inclusive education. The qualitative research method was used imploring the interpretive approach in the analysis. Despite the nobility and ambitiousness of the policy, the findings from the analysis revealed that the policy had a serious blind spot in the area of inclusion because many children are left out because of their inability to access the mediums where lessons are delivered. Many households in rural Gambia did not have a stable electricity supply or even own a television or radio set, therefore it was impossible for children in these communities to benefit from the program. In addition, children with special needs are also excluded particularly does who are visually or hearing impaired.
Open Access
Eksplorasi pembelajaran literasi membaca nyaring interaktif dan buku berkualitas dalam kurikulum merdeka
(Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo, 2024-08-30) Tati Lathipatud Durriyah; Catur Niasari; Iin Afriyanti
Pemerintah Indonesia mengeluarkan kebijakan standar kompetensi pengajaran literasi guru, yang meliputi kemampuan guru dalam membantu siswa dalam mengakses, menggunakan, menafsirkan, dan mengkomunikasikan informasi dan gagasan melalui berbagai teks sesuai dengan karakteristik dan kebutuhan siswa (Kementerian Pendidikan RI, 2022a). Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mempromosikan membaca nyaring dan pemilihan buku interaktif dalam pembelajaran literasi bagi guru Sekolah Dasar Negeri di Depok, Jawa Barat, Indonesia. Studi kasus kualitatif ini mengeksplorasi pemahaman dan praktik guru dalam memilih buku dan mengintegrasikan kegiatan membaca nyaring dengan hasil pembelajaran dalam Kurikulum Merdeka. Enam guru berpartisipasi dalam penelitian ini, yang melibatkan pengumpulan data melalui survei, focus group discussion (FGD), wawancara, observasi dan refleksi lisan. Dengan menggunakan analisis data tematik manual, penelitian ini berfokus pada praktik guru memilih buku berjenjang dan mengintegrasikan diskusi dalam membacakan nyaring dengan Hasil Pembelajaran (Capaian Pembelajaran). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa guru mulai mengungkapkan pemahamannya terhadap pemilihan buku. Tema besar yang muncul seperti; pemilihan buku berkualitas penting serta tantangan dalam memilih buku yang berkualitas. Dalam konteks pembelajaran literasi, muncul juga beberapa tema yang menjadi refleksi guru dalam melakukan kegiatan membaca nyaring interaktif sesuai dengan capaian pembelajaran, yaitu; manfaat, kesadaran untuk persiapan kelas yang lebih baik, ruang diskusi interaktif dan pelatihan berkelanjutan.
Open Access
Elevating Student Engagement through Active Learning Strategy : An Exploratory Study of Instructional Management in State Islamic Junior High School
(Universitas Cokroaminoto Palopo, 2023-12-30) Muhammad Jikri; Najminnur Hasanatun Nida; Agustian Ramadana Putera
Many people assume that Islamic subjects are boring because the stereotype of Islamic education always emphasizes memorisation. This research aims to find out the stages of learning management in Islamic subjects using Active Learning Strategy (ALS) to stimulate student involvement in the classroom. The data collection methods used are observation of teachers to observe how the ALS process is implemented in the classroom, interviews with teachers regarding learning management, and documentation by looking at lesson plans that have been made by teachers. The study of MTsN 4 Barito Kuala in South Kalimantan province where this school has successfully integrated Islamic subjects, student involvement, and ALS. The results of this study are: 1) We can track all the teachers' planning through the lesson plan they made and the document stated clearly they stimulate students to be active. 2) Teachers have implemented various ALS methods such as Everyone Is A Teacher Here, Index Card Match, and Team Quiz so that the atmosphere created is fun, warm, and enthusiastic. 3) To appreciate as well as encourage students to be engaged, teachers do not only assess the cognitive aspects of students but extend the range of evaluation to the affective and psychomotor domains using Behaviour-based Evaluation so that all processes are taken into account.
Open Access
Examining Effective Management and Leadership Strategies in Conflict Resolution : A Case Study of Conflict Management in Private Secondary Schools
(Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia Press, 2023-07-14) Dhian Sintapertiwi; Andi Ibrahim Ali; Mayola Andika
This study highlights private schools' management and leadership strategies in dealing with conflicts. School conflicts occur for many reasons. To address the conflicts effectively, schools need to have the ability to thoroughly examine the root cause of such conflicts. The impact on school development in terms of performance largely depends on how school leaders effectively manage and address conflicts. This qualitative research specifically choose private schools due to their autonomy, which distinguishes them from public schools in terms of decision-making and leadership approaches. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, and analysed using manual thematic analysis methods. This study discovered that conflicts often occur within the scope of appointing new school principals, upholding the integrity of school members, and managing the resistance among teachers. The strategy predominantly used in schools in this study is a win-lose approach, where problems are resolved quickly without considering the need for negotiation. The two schools investigated in this study view future conflicts as a form of competition with other schools, placing strong emphasis on the significance of fair policies for all, and the stakeholders’ trust as the main key.
Open Access
Exploration of leadership development challenges among MARA college lecturers
(2024) Norashdimah Misdi; Fadzliyati Kamaruddin; Zuraidah Abdullah; Bambang Sumintono
The educational change in the 21st Century has resulted in more dynamic leadership among educators. Thus, the issue of challenges in terms of leadership among educators becomes the focus of the present study. The purpose of this study is to explore the challenges faced by MARA College lecturers in an effort to improve their leadership level. The research design uses a qualitative method involving two instruments, namely an open-ended questionnaire and a face-to-face structured interview. A total of 37 lecturers from four MARA colleges, consisting of 9 males and 28 females participated in this study. The findings identified several factors that hinder the development of leadership among the lecturers at MARA College. It was discovered that factors such as time constraints, an unsupportive environment, and the level of lecturers' readiness became obstacles for the lecturers at MARA College to conduct action research related to T&L activity. Furthermore, feeling insecure and being negative are the internal factors, in addition to negative reactions from peers around, that also prevent the lecturers of MARA College from carrying out their knowledge-sharing activities. Thus, the management and lecturers at MARA College are advised to collectively evaluate and pay attention to action research activities that address local problems so that the learning atmosphere among lecturers can be strengthened and this can subsequently empower leadership among lecturers at MARA College
Open Access
Exploring Empathy in The Human Development Perspective and Its Practical Implications Based on The Islamic Foundations
(Language Center of Universitas Teuku Umar, 2023-05-28) Popi Rosepti
This study aims to figure out the concept of empathy based on human development perspective and find its practical implication in the Islamic teaching, stated in its fundamental foundations, the Quran and hadiths. The exploration of the issue is based on the purpose to analyze the nature of empathy in human development and to provide a source regarding its implication based on Islamic view. Since the values are presumably derived from humanistic psychology (general knowledge), this study also explores the concept that is linked to the value in Islamic traditions. Descriptive qualitative research using a library study is employed to explore both concepts together with a content analysis for its data representation. The finding shows empathy is primed since infancy and continuously develops following the maturity of each stage of life. They develop similar emotion and process of it but different ways in showing their empathetic behaviors. Connecting to the implication in the Islamic teaching, there are 16 points elaborating the concept of empathy; five from the Quran and 11 from hadiths. Most of them are described in various ways of teaching but still closely relate to human social interaction. The result of this study reveals that both psychology and Islam are similar in defining empathy as a universal value in human life which drives people to the ability of understanding others’ feeling and being compassionate on it.
Open Access
Exploring Female Teachers’ Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation to Keep Teaching the Girls in Afghanistan After the Taliban’s Ban on Girls Education
(Univesitas Pendidikan Indonesia, 2023-12-08) Samadi, Hangama; Rahimi, Mahmood; Rahimi, Fahim
Gender equality in education has long been a source of debate in Afghanistan. In general, girls face greater barriers to schooling than boys. There have been ups and downs in females' access to education over the decades, the most recent being the country's 20-year Islamic Republic rule. Afghan girls have gained greater access to school over the last two decades. However, the impetus was lost in the middle when the Taliban took control of the country and declared a blanket ban on girls' education at all levels except primary school. Some courageous Afghan women rolled up their sleeves to teach Afghan girls in secrecy. The current study is on the Afghan women's motivation for enabling educational opportunities for Afghan girls despite the ban. Through qualitative design, the study conducted interviews with these brave Afghan women facilitating educational access for Afghan girls. The data analysis applied thematic analysis through a six-stage procedure. The study found that Afghan women are using online and offline approach to reach out to Afghan girls with educational facilities. It was also found that both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation give passion and inspiration to them for teaching. Family, student enthusiasm, gender equality was some of the extrinsic motivation behind their teaching, while intrinsically they were motivated by commitment to teaching, feel of responsibility, and empowering Afghan girls. Nevertheless, they also faced barrier of lack of stable internet, and teaching and learning resources. By measuring their intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, this study intends to contribute to a better understanding of the complex factors that drive female teachers' commitment to educating girls in Afghanistan after the Taliban's prohibition.
Open Access
Exploring teacher collaboration: what's inside the Malaysian PLC black box?
(Emerald Publishing Limited, 2023-10-30) Zuliana Mohd Zabidi; Zuraidah Abdullah; Bambang Sumintono
Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore mathematics teachers’ collaboration within their professional learning communities (PLCs), and to gain insight into how the teachers developed their collective efficacy through it to focus on improving student learning. Design/methodology/approach – Using a qualitative approach, data were collected from three high- performing secondary schools, mainly through semi-structured in-depth interviews with the Heads of Mathematics Unit. For explication and triangulation purposes, focus group interviews with the mathematics teachers and students and document analysis were also conducted. Findings – The findings indicate that PLCs were the vessel through which a culture of disciplined teacher collaboration was fostered. More importantly, this culture encouraged teachers to participate in reflective dialogues that became a driver for their learning, and eventually led to their changed professional practice for improved student learning. The collaborative setting within the PLCs allowed teachers to pool their resources, knowledge and individual expertise to identify their student learning focus, and administer and measure their student intervention strategies. This collaborative professional learning reduced professional isolation, and as a result, improved teachers’ collective pursuit of professional growth to impact student outcomes. Research limitations/implications – The aim of this qualitative study was to provide a detailed description of the teachers’ collaboration within their PLCs based on the researchers’ interpretation of how the participants make sense of their PLC practices and experiences. Hence, findings are indicative, and not definitive. In addition, the Heads of the Mathematics Unit, and the mathematics teacher participants in this study illustrated salient aspects of subject subcultures, where their beliefs, norms and practices were non- generic, or specific only to their subject context. Therefore, the implications to practice were built from commonalities shared only among the mathematics units. Originality/value – This is a study in a Malaysian context that provides empirical evidences that are concerned primarily with the process of teachers developing their collective efficacy through disciplined collaboration within their PLCs.