Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Salah Al-Ali Author-Name-First: Salah Author-Name-Last: Al-Ali Author-Email: drsalali@yahoo.com Author-Workplace-Name: College of technological Studies Title: Measuring Leadership Attributes in Vocational and Technical Education: The College of Technological Studies, Kuwait, As A Case Study. Abstract: Due to the rapid change in science and technology in world economy, the issue of forging vocational and technical colleges is considered significant, especially in developing countries (e.g. Kuwait), where the shortage of semi-skilled indigenous manpower is highly noted in various sectors of the economy. The success of vocational and technical education would depend, to great extend, on those who run such institutions. The distinction between managing an academic institution and vocational and technical education institution has to be clearly made so that tangible outcomes can be achieved. The fact is that vocational and technical education has its own unique characteristics that have to be thoroughly absorbed by those who are intending to run such institutions. The study would be based on extensive fieldwork that encompassed a review of related literature, personal interviews with selected heads of departments and the head of Industrial Training Programs. The objectives are to measure leadership attributes (e.g. setting an appropriate strategy and plan, encouraging team work, vision, communication skills, confidence, and persistence). Finally, the paper would argues that unless the management of the College of technological Studies, CTS, realises the importance of the application of leadership attributes, the CTS would not be able to supply local industries with the needed manpower. Thus, increasing dependence on expatriates for years to come. Classification-JEL: A22 Keywords: Key words: Vocational and technical Education, developing Indigenous Manpower, Interaction between vocational and technical education and local industries, Kuwait. Journal: International Journal of Teaching and Education Pages: 1-5 Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Year: 2015 Month: December File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-266 File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-266?download=1 Handle: RePEc:sek:jijote:v:3:y:2015:i:4:p:1-5 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Rudina Guleker Author-Name-First: Rudina Author-Name-Last: Guleker Author-Email: rudinak@yahoo.com Author-Workplace-Name: European University of Tirana Title: Instructional Strategies to Foster Critical Thinking: Self-reported Practices of the Faculty in Albania Abstract: Although critical thinking is listed among the objectives and outcomes of many programs in higher education, it is not clear whether faculty foster it in the classroom. This study is designed to look into the usage of instructional strategies that encourage critical thinking by the faculty in private educational settings in Albania. The results revealed that certain aspects of critical thinking such as defending positions and considering other perspectives were frequently used where as modeling CT was more meaningful in younger faculty with less experience. Teacher reflection was widely practiced but student reflection needed better tools to be developed. As we go forward, increasing faculty awareness about the importance of training students for critical thinking will make the learning process more productive and memorable. Classification-JEL: Keywords: strategies, critical thinking, private university, faculty Journal: International Journal of Teaching and Education Pages: 6-14 Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Year: 2015 Month: December File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-268 File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-268?download=2 Handle: RePEc:sek:jijote:v:3:y:2015:i:4:p:6-14 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yen-ju Hou Author-Name-First: Yen-ju Author-Name-Last: Hou Author-Email: yunju@ms.szmc.edu.tw Author-Workplace-Name: Shu Zen Junior College of Medicine and Management Title: Reciprocal Teaching, Metacognitive Awareness, and Academic Performance in Taiwanese Junior College Students Abstract: This study was conducted to discover the effects of reciprocal teaching (RT) on metacognitive awareness and reading comprehension in junior college students. The Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) was used to identify metacognitive awareness, and the General English Proficiency Test (GEPT) was used to evaluate reading comprehension. Two reading courses with 77 students taught using RT were treated as the experimental group, and 30 students from a non-RT reading course constituted the control group. The results showed statistically significant differences in MAI scores (conditional knowledge and debugging strategy) and reading comprehension between the 2 groups. Although RT had a significant impact on only 2 out of 8 MAI scales, the experimental group had higher overall mean scores on the 8 MAI components than the control group. However, unlike RT, the MAI failed to have a statistically significant impact on enhancing students? reading scores. Thus, metacognitive awareness might affect text comprehension, but metacognitive awareness did not influence the levels of reading comprehension students achieved in this study. Classification-JEL: I29 Keywords: reciprocal teaching, reading comprehension, metacognitive awareness, MAI Journal: International Journal of Teaching and Education Pages: 15-32 Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Year: 2015 Month: December File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-332 File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-332?download=3 Handle: RePEc:sek:jijote:v:3:y:2015:i:4:p:15-32 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Paul Kingsley Author-Name-First: Paul Author-Name-Last: Kingsley Author-Email: Paul.Kingsley@liverpool.ac.uk Author-Workplace-Name: University of Liverpool / Laureate Online Education Title: Epistemological Constructivism and George Orwell?s Question: the Ethical Implications of an Independent Reality Abstract: Educational constructivists maintain that knowledge is constructed by students as they learn. Sometimes this involves a weakening of the epistemological claim that knowledge involves discovering facts about an independent reality. In the terminology of Immanuel Kant, we are claimed to have access to phenomena or appearances, but not to things in themselves. This approach is closely linked to Husserl?s belief that objects must be ?for? and ?constituted by? some consciousness. All of these views place a great deal of emphasis on the notion of a disembodied consciousness that somehow constructs the world it perceives. They tend to weaken our belief in an independent world about which we can have objective knowledge. Is this a mere philosophical quibble of no practical importance? Does it really matter?George Orwell, in his novel, 1984, introduces his unlikely hero, Winston Smith. He asks the question, ?If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable what then??. Smith?s tormentor, O?Brien, eventually supplies the answer. ?But I tell you, Winston, that reality is not external. Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else?only in the mind of the Party, which is collective and immortal. Whatever the Party holds to be the truth, is truth.? In short, the state engages in fabrications which are an extreme form of knowledge construction. Orwell outlines a situation where the distinction between constructing and discovering knowledge does matter. I shall argue that Kant, Husserl, and Wittgenstein conducted thought experiments with flawed research designs. They undermine the ethical role played by an independent reality in providing, in Iris Murdoch?s words, something ?which my consciousness cannot take over, swallow up, deny or make unreal?. Classification-JEL: I20, I29 Keywords: constructivism, idealism, Ingarden, Orwell, Husserl, Kant, Peirce, von Glasersfeld, constructing reality, totalitarianism. Journal: International Journal of Teaching and Education Pages: 33-53 Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Year: 2015 Month: December File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-308 File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-308?download=4 Handle: RePEc:sek:jijote:v:3:y:2015:i:4:p:33-53 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Munasprianto Ramli Author-Name-First: Munasprianto Author-Name-Last: Ramli Author-Email: munasprianto.ramli@uinjkt.ac.id Author-Workplace-Name: Science Education Dept Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta, PGR Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester Title: The Nature of Dialogue in the Primary Science Classroom in Indonesia Abstract: Dialogue plays an important role in classroom education since it is the place where teacher interacts with students and students talk to one another. This study explores the nature of dialogue in a primary classroom in Indonesia where the new curriculum has been implemented. To achieve this research purpose, I have addressed the following research question: ?what are the key features and the pattern of classroom dialogue in the primary science classroom?? A case study approach is employed for this study and I am focusing my study on one primary school in the Greater Jakarta. Using triangulation as a metaphor, I have adopted two different methods for this study, including interview and classroom observation. The finding shows that both triadic ? initiation response and feedback (IRF) ? and nontriadic - initiation response prompt response prompt (IRPRP) ? patterns of dialogue have occurred in the classroom talk. The study also indicates that most of the talk has adopted cumulative and exploratory talk. Classification-JEL: I20, I29 Keywords: Dialogue, Classroom Talk, Primary Science, Science Education, New Curriculum Journal: International Journal of Teaching and Education Pages: 54-67 Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Year: 2015 Month: December File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-270 File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-270?download=5 Handle: RePEc:sek:jijote:v:3:y:2015:i:4:p:54-67 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Lubna Shoukat Author-Name-First: Lubna Author-Name-Last: Shoukat Author-Email: mwlubna@hotmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan Author-Name: Waheed Muhammad Author-Name-First: Waheed Author-Name-Last: Muhammad Author-Email: mwlubna@hotmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan Title: Perception of teachers and students towards the functionality of semester system at university level in the context of Pakistani social and administrative set-ups Abstract: The present research was conducted to find out the functionality and compatibility of the semester system at University level in the light of perceptions of Teachers and students with the existing specific Pakistani social norms and administrative structure. Pakistani educational institutions have been operating annual and composite systems for a long time, and these are still in operation in various universities especially for private students. The prevailing majority of teachers and administrative personnel studied under the annual system and were not formally trained to run semester system. HEC directed Universities to introduce semester system almost a decade ago. This system is quite different in its philosophy, composition and implementation strategy. Semester system gives more freedom and flexibility to the teachers in deciding teaching-leaning activities ranging from designing the curriculum to the evaluation of the performance of students. The data showed that teachers used this freedom to gain more authoritative control, take less number of lectures and manipulate their biases. The academic and administrative priorities are different, and many compromises have to be made to counter the external and internal pressures and to cover the inefficiencies of the system. Irregularities in the academic calendar are due to lack of planning, inappropriate monitoring system, political instability and strikes. However, a 73.7% of students were satisfied with the fairness of the teachers in evaluating students' performance. Almost same percentages of teachers and students showed their satisfaction with the standard and knowledge structure of the students. The findings of the research showed a strong need for revamping the system according to its natural trends and to countering the negatively affecting social and administrative norms. Classification-JEL: Keywords: Semester system, Curriculum, Teaching methods, Evaluation, Social system and Administrative set-up Journal: International Journal of Teaching and Education Pages: 68-80 Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Year: 2015 Month: December File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-273 File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-273?download=6 Handle: RePEc:sek:jijote:v:3:y:2015:i:4:p:68-80 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mirela Tase Author-Name-First: Mirela Author-Name-Last: Tase Author-Email: mirelatase@hotmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: University of\ Author-Name: Manjola Xhaferri Author-Name-First: Manjola Author-Name-Last: Xhaferri Author-Email: mxhaferri@yahoo.com Author-Workplace-Name: University of\ Title: The Autonomy of High Schools and its importance for lifelong education in Albania after 90 years: A comparative analysis Abstract: Changes in the higher education system in Albania based on the requirements of the Bologna Process and European qualification for determining criteria of the workers. The Bologna process which began in 2003 with the signing of the Bologna declaration has led to the development of the European Higher Education Area combining respect for the diversity of programs, institutions and educational traditions in specific countries. As results of these process Albanian universities have introduced the following, training at three levels (licentiates, Master's and PhD). Through this paper we shall try to show what the tools are needed to achieve autonomy and put in the efficiency for our university system to serve a quality education and increase the academic quality of higher education institutions themselves Classification-JEL: A29 Keywords: Keywords: autonomy, training, competitive, efficiency, propaganda Journal: International Journal of Teaching and Education Pages: 81-91 Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Year: 2015 Month: December File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-216 File-URL: https://iises.net/international-journal-of-teaching-education/publication-detail-216?download=7 Handle: RePEc:sek:jijote:v:3:y:2015:i:4:p:81-91