Ethiopian Journal Of Behavioural Studies

The Implementation Fidelity, Contributions, and Challenges of Augmented Reality in Some Selected Pre-Primary Schools of Addis Ababa City Administration

Teshome Kondale — 2024-10-30

This study aimed to investigate preprimary school teachers' perspectives on the fidelity, contributions, and challenges of Augmented Reality and 3D visualization in the preprimary education program. Quantitative and qualitative approaches with concurrent triangulation designs were employed to address the purpose of the study. The participants of the study were seventeen preprimary education teachers, two preprimary education principals, one Augmented Reality designer, and four staff members from Plan International, selected by employing purposive sampling techniques. A survey questionnaire, interview, focus group discussion, and document analysis were used to collect the data. Both quantitative (mean and standard deviation) and qualitative (thematic analysis) techniques were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that Augmented Reality application practice in exploration, installation, and implementation stages were well addressed through the project activities. Preprimary education teachers believed that augmented reality had several contributions, including improving children’s motivation, interest, memory, active involvement, fine motor skill, social interaction, and digital literacy skills. There are a variety of difficulties that affect how Augmented Reality is implemented. The application has several hurdles including limitation in the pedagogy, misalignment with the curriculum, inadequate preparation of the Augmented Reality for KG2, and challenges with using Augmented Reality in large classes. Finally, preprimary education opts to consider emergent ideas, outcomes, and methods. Thus, the application of Augmented Reality needs to reconsider how it can foster curiosity, imagination, reflection, and creativity in the learning process.

Context Situation of Pre-service Preprimary Teacher Education in Selected Colleges in Ethiopia: -Input-Process-Outcome Approach

Belay Tefera — 2024-10-30

Pre-primary teacher education institutions are mandated to advancing professional competencies among personnel working with young children. The objective of this research was to examine the situation of the existing pre-primary teacher preparation programs of the colleges in Ethiopia including their contributions and impacts on the trainees. Guided by the mixed research design (qualitative and quantitative approaches), data were collected using questionnaire, interview and FGD concurrently. Data sources consisted of a total of 10 trainers, 3 department heads, and 66 trainees from three purposefully selected teacher education colleges in Ethiopia. Results have indicated that both the design and delivery of the current pre-primary teacher education had serious gaps and would not promise producing competent graduates as evidenced by students’ knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy. Six major recommendations have been given to reverse course including, among others, the need to work towards the professionalization of the field of preschool education at all levels.

Social Intelligence and Psychological Adjustment as Predictors of University Students’ Intercultural Competence

Tessema Amente — 2024-10-30

The importance of intercultural competence has been steadily increasing. The need to develop
intercultural capabilities in multicultural countries has become even more pressing than
before. This study aimed to investigate the impact of social intelligence and psychological
adjustment on the intercultural competence of university students. The study employed a
correlational survey design. Data were collected from 476 (Male=244 and Female= 232)
randomly selected Ambo University students. The data were analysed using regression and
multivariate analysis of variance. The regression result showed that class year (β=.809,
p<.001), the number of language students experience (β=.801, p<.001), social intelligence
(β=.553, p<.001), and psychological adjustment (β=.206, p<.001) all had a substantial
contribution to intercultural competence. The finding indicated that 70.4% of the variance in
intercultural competence was accounted for by the linear combination of student’s class year,
the number of languages, social intelligence and psychological adjustment. The result have
also shown that students’ class year accounted for the highest (68.7%) variation in
intercultural competence followed by the number of languages spoken, social intelligence and
psychological adjustment. Furthermore, significant differences in students’ intercultural
competence were observed due to sex and cultural experiences before joining the university.
However, there was no significant mean difference in students’ intercultural competence as a
function of their family structure. Generally, based on the findings of the study, some
practical implications, and future direction for further research are suggested.

Validation of the Tromso Social Intelligence Scale (TSIS) in the Ethiopian Context

Dawit Demlie — 2024-10-30

This study aimed to validate the psychometric properties of the Tromso Social Intelligence Scale (TSIS) in its Amharic version. Employing a random sampling method, year three and above undergraduate public university students (n = 343) in the full-time academic program of Dire Dawa and Wollo universities participated in the study. We examined factor structure, model fitness, reliability, and validity of the construct. After removing two poorly functioning items, the result of exploratory factor analysis showed that the measure is a three-factor structure: social information processing, social skills, and social awareness. The result of the confirmatory factor analysis revealed that all the observed variables were significantly represented by their latent variables. A good model fit was finally obtained as indicated in a relative chi-square test (x²/df = 1.576), IFI = .968, TLI = .962, NFI = .917, CFI = .968, RMSEA = .058 (PCLOSE = .178), SRMR = .053. The explained variance ranged from 22.4% (social information processing) to 72.6% (social awareness). Internal consistency reliability of the social information processing, social awareness, and social skills factors yielded .94, .91, and .92 respectively. The average variance extracted (AVE) was also found to be .67, .66, and .65, indicating convergent validity. The square root of AVE was .82, .81, and .80, confirming the discriminant validity of the measurement model. The overall result of the study demonstrated that the Tromso social intelligence scale is reliable and valid enough to measure social intelligence among senior undergraduate students of Ethiopian public universities.

Enhancing the Provision of Integrated Functional Adult Education Program through Community Engagement: The Case of Mettu University in Oromia National Regional State

Tagel Mahammed — 2024-10-30

The aim of the study was toinvestigate the contribution of Mettu University in enhancing the provision of Integrated Functional Adult Education through community engagement in IlubaborZone of Oromia national regional state. The study employed descriptive design and mixed method. Data was collected from 134 respondents selected from IFAE program center facilitators, coordinators, zone and district education offices, and Mettu University staff.Simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used in this study. Questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussion were used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative information was analyzed by using frequency count and percentage, and the qualitative information were expressed through descriptive statements, interpreted and supplemented with the quantitative data.The major findings of the study were:Mettu University limited itself to the training given inside the university; the academic staff of AECD department of Mettu University engaged with the IFAE program in IlubaborZone only via student practicum and not through academic staff engagement; there is lack of organized communication channel of zone and district education offices withinMettu University with regards to community engagement. It can be concluded that the contribution of Mettu University to enhance the provision of IFAE program is low, and it is limited to the academic setting. It is therefore suggested thatthe academic and non-academic staff of the University should recognize the potential and contributions of instructors; the University should integrate issues of IFAE in its community engagement practices; it should also create an opportunity in which both its university teachers and students can provide service learning in the area of IFAE to enhance the provision of IFAE through community engagement.

Quality of Quantitative Data in Research

Tamirie Andualem — 2024-10-30