International Education Forum

A Study on Perception Survey of Preservice Elementary Teachers on Teaching Methods in Astronomy — A Secondary Publication

2024-04-23T17:27:30+08:00

This study was conducted on 115 students from four classes of 2nd-year intensive courses at B University of Education. Preservice elementary teachers were surveyed on what teaching methods they were aware of regarding the subject of elementary science astronomy. Recognition data of 80 people from whom the questionnaire was collected were analyzed. For this study, a 5-day survey was conducted. Preservice elementary teachers complained of difficulties in teaching methods in the astronomy area of the science department. The purpose of this study was to find out what difficulties preservice elementary teachers have in teaching elementary science astronomy topics and to explore more efficient teaching methods for teaching astronomy topics. The topic of the survey was set by discussing with the preservice elementary teachers about what kind of survey to use in teaching the subject of elementary science astronomy. There are many topics for elementary science astronomy, but two questionnaires were prepared focusing on the unit on the Earth and the moon: “What does the Earth look like?” in Unit 4 (1/10) of the 3rd year, 1st semester; in Unit 2 (1/11) of the 1st semester of the 6th grade, it was set as “What does the moon look like?” The surveys candidly described how to teach the subject of astronomy to elementary school students by mobilizing all the background knowledge of preservice elementary teachers. The results of these surveys were visualized and displayed using NetMiner as a language analysis method, and the contents of the responses to the actual surveys by preservice elementary teachers were described and interpreted. Based on these results, preservice elementary teachers tried to suggest a more efficient teaching method for the subject of elementary science astronomy. In addition, basic procedures and methods for lecturing on the subject of elementary science astronomy were presented. A more efficient teaching method for teaching elementary science astronomy subjects to preservice elementary teachers was suggested.

A Study on College Students’ Learning Attitude During Synchronous and Asynchronous Video-Based Group Activities for English Presentation — A Secondary Publication

2024-04-24T09:27:49+08:00

The purpose of the study is to explore college students’ perceptions/attitudes during synchronous and asynchronous group activities. The survey comprised a 10-item, 5-point Likert-type questionnaire and open-ended questions. In the study, two groups, a synchronous group and an asynchronous group, participated in four activities during one semester. For the data collection, the researcher surveyed 116 students who are in their 1st year of college and collected their final tests, an oral presentation. The findings are as follows. Firstly, between the two groups, the synchronous group showed higher mean scores for online group participation. Secondly, the synchronous group also indicated higher mean scores for English learning, speaking confidence, and interest in learning English. Lastly, both groups mentioned communication with team members, improvement in English speaking and pronunciation, increased self-confidence, and other elements as advantages of group work. In contrast, disadvantages included technology problems, decreased self-confidence, inconveniences when meeting with team members online, and others. The implications for the study are: firstly, online group activity can reduce isolation and increase interaction; secondly, the online video-based platform, Flipgrid, can help students improve English speaking skills by observing their own or peers’ videos; lastly, instructors can selectively use the synchronous and asynchronous group activities to suit their educational needs.

Practice and Exploration of High-Quality Development of Teacher Ethics Education in Primary and Secondary Schools in the Context of the New Era

2024-04-24T09:27:25+08:00

It was emphasized that “only with high-quality teachers will there be high-quality education.” In the new stage of development, China’s basic education shoulders the heavy responsibility of the times, and there is an urgent need to comprehensively promote the construction of high-quality teachers at the new historical starting point. Teacher ethics is directly related to the quality of students’ character and comprehensive development and is also an inevitable requirement for promoting the construction of high-quality teachers. The current school-based construction of teacher ethics education in primary and secondary schools is characterized by incomplete planning, single content, insufficient assessment and feedback, inadequate integration of resources, and deficient incentives and ongoing support ^[1]. In this regard, it is necessary to establish standards of teacher ethics, implement teacher ethics education, and keep the bottom line of teacher ethics in order to realize the high-quality development of teacher ethics education.

A Probe into the Integration Concept of Blended Teaching Mode of College English in Application-Oriented Universities

2024-04-24T09:28:01+08:00

Blended teaching is the product of the organic combination of classroom teaching and online learning. The practice of college English teaching in application-oriented colleges shows that the construction of the integration concept of blended teaching mode will play a good role in promoting the quality of college English teaching. The organization and implementation of the blended teaching mode of college English should pay more attention to the integration of all elements of college English core literacy and online teaching resources, and establish a sense of integration in teaching concept, content, mode, and evaluation, so as to further promote the course reform of college English and realize the goal of cultivating English talents with emphasis on application practice.

Enhancement of International Students’ Psychological Well-Being and Social Integration Through Peer-to-Peer Support Networks

2024-04-24T09:28:14+08:00

This study explores the efficacy of “Peer-to-Peer Wellbeing Circles” in enhancing the psychological well-being and social integration of international students. Through a combination of literature review, innovative program design, and empirical evaluation, we address the prevalent issues of loneliness, cultural shock, and mental health challenges faced by this population. Our methodology involves matching students based on shared interests and backgrounds and facilitating monthly exchange activities to foster connections. Findings from questionnaire feedback highlight significant improvements in participants’ social interactions and mental health support, with a majority reporting enhanced well-being. This initiative underscores the vital role of peer support networks in educational settings, offering a replicable model for institutions aiming to improve international student experiences. Our results contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting structured peer support programs as a means to alleviate the psychological stresses of studying abroad.

A Critical Investigation into Transformational Leadership and Its Relevance to Universities in China

2024-04-24T09:29:20+08:00

At present, transformation and innovation have become an important topic for the development of schools. Transformational leadership is a significant driving force in school reform and development. The management of Chinese universities has to transform to adapt to the rapidly changing social environment. This paper focuses on the intention and effectiveness of transformational leadership, and how it can be applied to improving the school management of Chinese universities. Firstly, the paper discusses the concept and main dimensions of transformational leadership. Secondly, the role of transformational leadership in the school is analyzed from three aspects, which are students, teachers, and school organization. Next, the paper discusses the limitations of transformational leadership. Subsequently, the paper shows the current situation and main problems of the school management of Chinese universities. Lastly, the paper gives suggestions to school management of Chinese universities in the light of transformational leadership based on previous studies.