New Initiatives for Change
Evaluation of Professional Practice in Teacher Training Schools
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Vianey Sariñana Roacho
This text refers to a working course for seventh and eighth-semester teachers of a degree in elementary education on a teachers training school. The main intention was to check and analyze the normative texts, in order to generate some indicators to design and make an evaluation document, to identify the future teachers´ achievements and limitations from different points of view. This experience became to be successful and innovative because of the final evidence and products made by most of the participants with collaborative work during the course. Besides this, the evaluation document has been used to know the students’ performance in the different elementary schools, which is available in the corresponding area from the teachers training school, with the purpose of unifying and provide the necessary elements to establish comparatives between some situations or contexts, and realize relevant analysis. In the same way, it is intended that the course could be worked in more schools, to make another professional teaching practice evaluation document, but according to the needs, context and interests of the same school.
Assessment in Higher Education
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Mitra Fallahi
Assessment is considered part of an effective teaching process. Assessment in higher education shares the qualities of good assessment at all levels of education with the addition that the teaching and assessment process in higher education must focus on preparation of college students for the workplace as adults. This paper is a review of the literature and findings about elements of effective assessment of college students who are considered adults, especially those who postpone entering college after high school but enter college at various age levels as non-traditional students. Those elements include but are not limited to: 1. A review of the assessment concept as a process that incorporates measurement, tests, and evaluations; 2. Effective understanding of assessment and its components that will assist the assessor and the assessed, who are adult learners; 3. The critical nature of the learners in higher education and factors that can help the learner such as frequent feedback and the use of rubric as a self-monitoring progress system; 4. Visiting the perception college students have about group work, especially when group work is graded; 5. The use of technology in colleges and universities in the form of a Leaning Management System (LMS) to enhance assessment; and 6. The role and responsibilities of the instructor as the assessor or evaluator.
The Role of the Islamic Waqf in Building the Knowledge Society
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Salah Eddine Arkadan
Education institutions, in the world in general and in the Islamic world in particular, face several challenges of which are securing the necessary financial resources to carry out their mission fully and ensuring their growth and sustainability whether it is public or private. As well as its relationship with society and its impact on the building of a knowledge society. Several solutions are proposed to address both traditional and emerging issues. The Waqf has an active role both in terms of securing the necessary financial resources and in terms of the relationship with the community. This paper contributes to the crystallization of this matter.
Assessing the Impact of the Systematic Design of Instruction Based on Secondary School Students English Language Learning Outcomes
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Nawal Awachi, Alajab Ismail, Tayseer Al Khazali
The current study aimed at investigating the effect of the systematic design of instruction according to Dick and Carey model on English language skills of Bahraini secondary school. The study applied the developmental research method on a sample of (54) students from Hamad Town Secondary School from the third level, all students who were enrolled in (Eng 301) subject in the first semester of the academic year 2017/2018. The content of the English subject has been analyzed, designed and develop the learning material according to Dick and Carey Model. The study instruments included the following: achievement test for reading, writing and grammar skills, and satisfaction with learning questionnaire for assessing participants’ satisfaction with the learning experience. Data analysis revealed statistically significant differences at (α=0.05) between the achievement test; a pre-test and post-test in the mean score of experimental and control groups in the two main English language skills: Reading, writing and grammar. Students improved in academic reading and writing skills, and there were statistically significant differences in reading skill test (achievement). Based on the study findings, relevant recommendations were made and suggested studies were proposed.
