Scholar: Vol. 10, No. 2 (2018)

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    A comparative study of Grades 9-12 students' perceptions of teaching effectiveness in music class according to gender, years of enrollment, and music instrument played at the American School of Bangkok, Green Valley campus 
    (Assumption University Press, 2018) Yang, En-Chia ; Gonzalez, Orlando Rafael Gonzalez
    The aims of this study were to identify Grades 9-12 students’ perceptions on teaching effectiveness of teachers in music class at the American School of Bangkok, Green Valley campus, and to determine whether there was a significant difference among these students’ perceptions according to their gender, years of enrollment, and music instrument played. This study focused on 81 Grades 9-12 students who enrolled music class at the American School of Bangkok, Green Valley campus, during the academic year 2016-2017. The students answered a questionnaire after learning to play and perform an instrument for at least a nine-month period. The research findings revealed that there was no significant difference among students’ perceptions according to all three demographic categories, gender, years of enrollment, and music instrument played, and suggested that Grades 9-12 students, regardless of their demographic differences, perceived teaching effectiveness of music class as very effective. Based on the findings, recommendations for students, teachers, administrators and future researchers were provided.
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    Transforming a literary work into a dramatic performance: a qualitative case study of the experiences of selected international school students in Thailand and Myanmar 
    This is a qualitative case study of how selected middle and high school students at two international schools, one in Thailand and another in Myanmar, took literary texts and transformed them into dramatic performances. From 2010-2015, I directed my students in three stage plays and three films. Ten student performers from those plays and films became participants in this study. I interviewed these students about their experiences. My objective was to explore how each participant had reflected on their own personalities, characteristics, and experiences while developing their performance, whether the students, in retrospect, viewed their ultimate portrayal as being the character or themselves, and what benefits were accrued to each student through engaging in the dramatic performance. The resulting data confirmed that developing the dramatic performances had been a meaningful experience for the students. Indeed, they had explored their own personalities and emotions. The participants reported powerful vicarious experiences, emotional catharsis, inward contemplation, self-analysis, and self-realization. Many of the participants had overcome shyness, increased their level of self-confidence, developed close social relationships with their fellow actors, and achieved a deeper understanding of literature. The study includes the background of the research, including an anecdote from the filming of 2012’s Romeo and Juliet which served as the impetus for the study, a review of related literature, an explanation of the study’s methodology, a narrative description of the data along with conclusions drawn from that data, and a discussion and recommendations for further research.
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    A correlational-comparative study of Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 students' motivation for learning biology and their biology achievement at Pan-Asia International School, Thailand
    (Assumption University Press, 2018) Carthy, Martyn ; Lynch, Richard
    This study investigated student motivation for learning biology, with student biology achievement at Pan-Asia International School (PAIS) in Thailand. The study separated Grades 9 and 10 students, and Grades 11 and 12 students according to their academic program. The study examined the motivation of 64 Grades 9 and 10 students (“Pre-IB” Program), and 43 Grades 11 and 12 students (International Baccalaureate Diploma Program). The researcher used the Motivated Strategies for Learning Science Questionnaire (MSLSQ) to identify the student motivation level for learning biology of these 107 students in the high school department at PAIS. Student motivation level for learning biology was determined from five components of motivation for learning: intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation, task value, control of learning beliefs and self-efficacy for learning and performance. Student achievement in biology was examined using two achievement placement tests created from past International Baccalaureate exam questions. The data collected was analyzed using means, standard deviations, Pearson product moment correlation coefficients and an independent samples t-test. The findings showed that the level of students’ motivation for learning biology in both Grades 9 and 10 and Grades 11 and 12 was high. A significant relationship was determined between students’ motivation level for learning biology and student biology achievement for both Grades 9 and 10 and Grades 11 and 12. Grade 12 students at PAIS were determined as having a lower level of motivation for learning biology, in comparison with the other grade levels studied. Recommendations for schools, teachers and future researchers were identified.
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    The relationship of motivation and perceived parental encouragement with English oral skills achievement of Grades 6 to 8 students at KPIS International School, Bangkok 
    (Assumption University Press, 2018) Contreras, Marie Anallie
    The purpose of this study was to determine the level of KPIS International School Grades 6-8 students’ motivation, perceived parental encouragement and achievement in learning English oral skills as well as their relationship with each other. A motivation questionnaire was used to collect data from 81 Grades 6-8 students studying Language Arts in the academic year 2016 - 2017 at KPIS International School. Means, standard deviations, multiple correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that the respondents had a slightly high level of motivation, perceived parental encouragement and English oral skills achievement. Amongst the subscale of motivation, students were mostly motivated integratively, followed by instrumentally and were least motivated by their attitudes to the learning situation. The relationships among the variables were investigated and it was found that all three had significant positive relationships with each other. Between motivation and perceived parental encouragement, motivation had a stronger relationship and could explain a higher percentage of variance of English oral skills achievement.
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    A comparative study of teachers' perceptions towards administrative support according to their demographic factors at three public high schools in Kyeemyindine Township, Yangon, Myanmar
    (Assumption University Press, 2018) Phyu, Poe Ei ; Banks, Jerome
    The main purpose of this study was to compare teachers’ perceptions of administrative support according to their demographic factors including age, grade level currently teaching and years of teaching experience at three public high schools in Kyeemyindine Township, Yangon, Myanmar. A total of 102 teachers from three public high schools in Kyeemyindine Township completed a survey questionnaire designed for identifying the teacher’s demographic factors and their perceptions towards administrative support. The questionnaire was adapted from the Methner Administrative Support Survey (MASS), developed and utilized in 2013 by Methner. This study was designed as a quantitative and comparative study. The data gathered from this study was analyzed using Descriptive Statistics (Frequency & Percentage, Means and Standard Deviation), One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and PostHoc Multiple Comparison. The study discovered that there were significant differences of teachers’ perceptions towards administrative support according to their demographic factors in three public high schools in Kyeemyindine Township, Yangon, Myanmar. This study would give valuable insight into the role of administrative support in shaping teacher-principal relationships, school climate and student achievement. It reveals that administrators must make a greater effort to improve teacher-principal relationships through effective implementation of innovative instructional leadership approaches, such as classroom walkthroughs and professional learning development. Improved teacher-principal relationships can contribute to better instructional practices and enhanced student achievement.