DSpace Collection: Thesis - Curriculum & Instruction

IMAGES OF FEMALES: CONTENT ANALYSIS OF GRADE NINE TEXTBOOKS

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 08:54:40 GMT

Title: IMAGES OF FEMALES: CONTENT ANALYSIS OF GRADE NINE TEXTBOOKS

Authors: SHITAYE, MINALE

Abstract: The study was designed to analyze the verbal and visual content of Grade Nine Textbooks with respect to the portrayal of gender. The method employed was content analysis. Stratified random sampling techniques were used. In this technique, 40.6 percent (888 pages) from the total 2183 pages were used for the analysis. Additional information were gathered through questionnaire. Based on the main categories developed, frequencies were counted and changed into percentages. Chi-square statistical test was employed to analyse the data and to see whether significant difference exists between the two sexes or not. The study revealed the following results. In the verbal and visual coverage of all textbooks (nouns, pronouns and adjectives) of the two sexes, male were covered more frequently than females. To see order of appearance of verbal expressions, first, middle, and last appearances were counted, male was more presented than female in the first appearance, while females were absent in the first and few in the middle appearance. There was balanced treatment of both sexes in visual order of appearances. There is also observed a significant difference between male, and female in verbal and visual representation of different activities and work role in which male was dominant. One of the category was character traits or personal attributes. The result indicates that, male were more portrayed than female in the studied textbooks of verbal representation. But in visual representation particularly in character there was no significant difference between male and female. Vll As the study result indicates, there is gender bias in textbooks and it is recommendable that textbook writers in particular, and curriculum developers in general have give attention to gender issues in the preparation of school textbooks.

Appraisal of the Relevance of the Senior Secondary School (9-12) Mathematics textbooks to the objectives of the level.

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:14:31 GMT

Title: Appraisal of the Relevance of the Senior Secondary School (9-12) Mathematics textbooks to the objectives of the level.

Authors: Zerihun, lemma

Abstract: Education is an intentional activity and schools are purposive institutions. In order to meet their purposes schools need curricula to be planned and developed, teachers to be trained, textbooks and other materials to be produced. To attain the end results desired by schools textbooks need to be prepared and selected or adapted. Subsequentl~ a thorough and continuous appraisal of the relevance of the texts to those ends is desir~ble. This fact is one that has attracted many institutions' and person!' attention in several places. The major objective of this study, therefore, is to investigate the relationship between the senior secondary school objectives of mathematics, and the content; as well as learning experiences provided in the textbooks of the level. In so doing, attempts were made to gather information from the curriculum and the textbooks, from professionals working in the Institute for Curriculum Development and Research, and from teachers as well as students who are currently involved in teaching and learning mathematics in the senior secondary schools. These information were obtained through scorecards, questionnaires and interviews from the data sources mentioned. Results hardly suggest that the substantive elements of the textbooks are relevant to the attainments of the desired objectives of the level. Content and the suggested learning experiences selected for the textbooks failed to meet criteria of relevance and the objectives are found to be vague and abmiguous. In the light of the problems envisaged, it seems extremely important that the desired ends in view should de~ermine or guide efforts, whenever an institution plans to prepare ~nd select or adapt the corresponding textbooks. Moreover, substantive elements of the textbooks need be prepared and objectives need be stated by paying due attention to standard requirements. Since change and improvement related to textbooks is a continuous area of study, preparation or adaptation of textbooks must be done being based on researches rather than hasty and unfounded prescription.

LEARNER-CENTERED APPROACH IN LARGE CLASSES: A SURVEY IN THIRTEEN SELECTED FIRST CYCLE PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN GEDEO ZONE /SNNPRI

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 05:02:59 GMT

Title: LEARNER-CENTERED APPROACH IN LARGE CLASSES: A SURVEY IN THIRTEEN SELECTED FIRST CYCLE PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN GEDEO ZONE /SNNPRI

Authors: TSEGAYE, OBSSIE

Abstract: This study investigated the leaner-centered approach's degree of application in present schools conditions comparing with the desired effective application. To accomplish the objectives of the study thirteen first cycle primary schools from Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region ISNNPRI , Gedeo Zone were selected as a sample. A questionnaire, mostly, consisted of close-ended items with 'disagree', 'yes' or 'no', 'high', 'average' and 'low', and some multiple choice statements. It was distributed to 145 head teachers and teachers of thirteen sample schools. Total collections of completed and usable questionnaires were 145 in number (100%). Responses were tallied in order to convert frequencies into percentages to answer the basic questions raised in the Chapter One of this paper. The major findings were (i) on administrational areas present practices were found to be satisfactory whereas instructional practices were unsatisfactory. (ii) urban and rural schools are equally facing critical problems of large classes, (iii) the objective reality of large classes inhibit teachers from applying learner centered approach in multi grades teaching system (teaching in different grades and sections). Thus present teaching-learning process under such situations found to be unsatisfactory, and (iv) respondents were found to be positive towards self-contained classroom teaching as a remedial suggestion provided for effective application of leaner-centered approach in self-contained large classes.

An Evaluation of Grade 9-12 English Curriculum and its implementation in School at Capitals of Ethiopian Administrative Regions as Causes for student's Defficiency in English

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 09:06:47 GMT

Title: An Evaluation of Grade 9-12 English Curriculum and its implementation in School at Capitals of Ethiopian Administrative Regions as Causes for student's Defficiency in English

Authors: MELLESE, BEDANIE

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to find out the causes for students' deficiency in English with particular reference to grades 9-12 English curriculum and its implementation in schools at capitals of Ethiopian administrative regions. To this effect~data on Grades 9-12 English curriculum objectives and content have been secured with the help of curricular document analyses and unstructured interviews made YJith members clf the English Panel in the Institute for Curriculum Development and Research(ICDR). On the other hand, information on the CLwr icuI um implementation is obtained through questionnaire and interviews conducted to grades 9-12 English teachers; class observations; instructional media check-lists; assessment of course and weekly lesson plans, examination and test papers in 10 senior secondary schools which have been selected with the help of quota sampling technique. The results of data analyses, interpretations and discussions indicate that one of the causes for students' deficiency in English is the design and implementation of the curriculum, which in accordance to the findings of this pape;--,focus on: Ambiguity and insufficiency of the curriculum objectives; absence of communicative language; high dosage of grammatical descriptions; irrelevance of reading passages ,vocabulary items and exercises as curriculum contents and their unsystematic selection and gradation; shortage and or absence of appropriate instructional facilities, plans~ methods, techniques and evaluation strategies for implementing it. In synthesis, these findings reveal the pitfalls in grades 9-12 English curriculum and its implementation which caused students' deficiency in English; and hoped to serve policy makers, the ICDR and teachers as frame of references to change the curriculum and improve its instruction.