Indonesian Educational Research Journal

Untapping The Potential of Parental Engagement in Early Learning in Zanzibar

2025-04-13T17:50:12+07:00

Children's academic success has been consistently linked to the involvement of parents in pre-primary education. Specifically, the objectives were: to identify forms of parental involvement; explore reasons for parents’ involvement; examine challenges affecting effective involvement, and suggest strategies for improvement. This study assessed the nature of parental involvement in Zanzibar's pre-primary education based on Joyce Epstein’s six types of parental involvement framework. The study utilized a mixed-methods design, involving 90 parents from ten pre-primary schools in South district Zanzibar. Quantitative data was collected through a questionnaire from 90 parents while face-to-face interviews were done with 12 pre-primary teachers. Quantitative data were subjected to descriptive statistics, and qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The mean scores and standard deviations (SD) from qualitative data across involvement categories revealed strengths in parenting, communication, and home-learning activities involvement while volunteering and decision-making recorded lower levels. Parents’ reasons for their involvement include developing child’s progress and better learning, doing their responsibilities, following up for the child’s encouragement, and building relationships with the school. Challenges for ineffective involvement include time constraints, limited teacher support, and lack of awareness. Recommendations emphasize fostering awareness, improving parent-school relationships, and encouraging active participation.

Factors Influencing the Educational Achievements of Students in Single-Parent Mother-Headed Families: A Critical Study on Selected Secondary Schools in Sri Lanka

2025-07-07T01:02:00+07:00

The family unit is a crucial social agent, and the issues may negatively affect students' education. This study aims to identify the factors that influence the education of students from single-parent, mother-led families in selected secondary schools within the Kegalle Educational Zone. The survey method was utilized in this research, with the questionnaire serving as the primary source of data collection for respondents. A sample size of 30 participants was chosen using a combination of simple random sampling and purposive sampling. The data was analyzed using percentage statistical methods to draw meaningful conclusions. The findings of this study indicate that low educational attainment among single mothers, combined with financial hardships and limited resources, negatively impacts their children's academic performance. Addressing these challenges through targeted support and resource provision is crucial to ensuring equitable educational opportunities for all students.

The Impact of Quillbot Tools on Critical Thinking Skills Among University Students in Tanzania

2025-07-03T14:37:30+07:00

This paper investigates the impact of QuillBot on critical thinking among university students at Teofilo Kisanji University (TEKU), Tanzania. The study employed a qualitative research approach within the interpretivist paradigm. Data were collected through semi-structured open-ended interviews and documentary analysis. Content analysis was used to analyze the data and identify key themes. A sample of fifteen participants, including lecturers, university administrators, and students, was selected for the study. The findings indicate that QuillBot has both positive and negative effects on critical thinking among university students. The negative impacts include overdependence on technology, reduced original thought, academic integrity concerns, decreased discussion and debate, potential plagiarism, while the positive impacts include enhanced language proficiency, increased research efficiency, improved self-confidence, learning, and writing skills. The study found that while QuillBot, as an artificial intelligence tool, has supported the development of critical thinking, some students have become overly reliant on it, neglecting to engage their own thinking effectively. It is recommended that the government, through media outlets, provide education on the benefits and drawbacks of using QuillBot in teaching and learning

The Practices of Teaching Orientation and Mobility Skills to Students with Visual Impairment in Selected Tanzanian Universities

2025-05-06T17:54:36+07:00

The increased need for independence among individuals with visual impairment poses a deliberate prerequisite to equipping them with orientation and mobility skills. This study aimed to investigate the practices of teaching orientation and mobility skills among university students with visual impairment in Tanzania. Understanding the practices used, new and better policies can be developed to improve the training of orientation and mobility for students with visual impairments. The study employed an intrinsic case study design to generate in-depth information on training orientation and mobility for students with visual impairments. Purposively, 25 participants were selected to participate in the study, including students with visual impairment, orientation and mobility specialists, and administrators. Inductive thematic analysis using NVIVO was employed to make sense of data generated from two selected universities using interviews, focus group discussions, observation,s and documentary reviews. The findings revealed that orientation and mobility are taught in an unstructured environment without proper guidelines to guide the teaching process. Based on the findings, it is recommended that orientation and mobility training should be incorporated into the university policy and curriculum to allow students with visual impairment to learn orientation and mobility systematically for proper mastery of the skills.

Numeracy Skills of Junior High School Students: A Comparative Study Based on Learning Approach Interventions

2025-07-28T22:16:25+07:00

This study aims to determine the achievement and improvement of students' numeracy skills based on the Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) approach intervention. This research used a quasi-experimental method with a pretest-posttest control group design. The research sample consisted of two classes, namely the experimental class that used the RME approach and the control class that used conventional methods. The instrument used was a numeracy description test question on the material of the Two-Variable Linear Equation System. The results showed that the achievement and improvement of students' numeracy skills, who learned through the realistic mathematics education approach, were better than students who learn through conventional approaches. This shows that learning with a realistic mathematics education approach can facilitate the numeracy skills of junior high school students. It is hoped that future researchers can apply the realistic mathematics education approach to other mathematical skills.