Journal of Education in Black Sea Region

Exploring Financial Literacy among Senior High School Students in Georgia: A Qualitative Study on Factors Influencing Financial Knowledge and Skills

Natali Amiranashvili — 2023-11-29

This study aims to investigate the financial literacy of senior high school students in Georgia and identify the factors that contribute to their level of financial literacy. The study utilized a qualitative research method to collect data from a sample of 15 senior high school students from private school in Georgia. The data collected were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify themes and patterns related to financial literacy among the participants. The findings of this study provide insights into financial literacy and highlight the importance of financial literacy education. Family and educational background play a significant role in shaping students’ financial literacy, and access to financial education resources may also be a factor in their level of financial literacy. While the findings offer valuable insights, several limitations should be noted. The sample size is small and not representative of all students, given the exclusive focus on one private school. Additionally, the study does not extensively explore the influence of cultural or socioeconomic factors on students' financial literacy. These limitations underscore the need for caution when generalizing the findings and suggest directions for future research.

Georgian Preschool Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Inclusion

Tamar Mikeladze — 2023-11-29

This study focuses on the attitudes of preschool teachers in Georgia towards inclusive education by examining teachers' attitudes towards early inclusive education, their willingness to include children with various disorders in their groups, their assessment of resources needed for inclusive education, and the factors influencing their attitudes. A quantitative survey method was employed, utilizing the Teacher Attitude to Inclusion Scale (TAIS) adapted for the preschool education environment. The questionnaire collected demographic data, assessed teachers' willingness to involve children with disabilities, evaluated the adequacy of resources, and examined teachers' attitudes toward inclusion. The study included 115 preschool teachers from Telavi Municipality and the Imereti Region in Georgia. The data was collected through an electronic questionnaire in January 2022. Preschool teachers generally had a positive attitude towards inclusive education, but challenges remain. Teachers' willingness to include children with different difficulties varies, and perceptions of resource adequacy are mixed. The factors influencing attitudes include experience, qualifications, disabilities, and available support. Insufficient resources and qualified professionals are identified issues. Addressing these challenges through enhanced resources, support, and training is crucial for successful inclusion. Further research is needed to understand the factors influencing attitudes and develop effective strategies for inclusive preschool education.

Impact Assessment of LESEP on Senior Secondary Schools Students’ Academic Performance in Lagos State: ATO Model as Framework

Aleem Sadiat.O — 2023-11-29

The intervention of Lagos Eko Secondary Education Project (LESEP) was a welcome development to ameliorate students’ poor academic performance. This study conducted an impact assessment of LESEP on senior secondary school students’ Academic Performance in Lagos state. The study used the Antecedent, Transaction, and Outcome (ATO) evaluation model as a framework. The study adopted a survey research design ex post facto. The sample consists of students with WASSCE results between 2006 and 2020 (143,725 students). Proportionate and purposive sampling technique was used to arrive at the sample. The study used students’ performance profile forms (Mathematics, English, and Biology) for data collection. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive frequency distribution, percentages, and mean scores. The result showed that students’ performance prior to the intervention was poor because, between 2006- 2008, the majority of the students had f9 in the three subjects (Mathematics, English, and Biology). But it showed improvement in students’ performance between 2009 -2016. The result further showed that students’ performance improved after the completion of the program compared with the results obtained before and during the implementation stage of the program. The study concluded that LESEP has made a significant impact on the student’s academic performance in WASSCE during and after implementation. It is recommended that the training should not be limited to English Language, Mathematics, and Biology teachers alone but should also be extended to other subject areas.

Improving Academic Achievement of Civic Education Students via Using Guided Discovery Instructional Strategy

Hassan Olusola. A — 2023-11-29

The study investigated the effect of the Guided Discovery instructional strategy on students’ academic achievement in civic education in the Ijebu Ode Local Government Area of Ogun state, Nigeria. Three null hypotheses were tested in the study. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design. The population of the study comprised all civic education students in public senior secondary schools in Ijebu Ode, local government of Ogun state, Nigeria. Two public co-educational schools were randomly selected from the local government with 126 senior secondary two (SS II) from two intact classes. Data was collected using the Academic Achievement in Civic Education Test (AACET) with a 0.84 reliability index. The data collected was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The result shows a significant main effect of instructional strategy (F (1, 121) = 35.508, P < 0.05) on students’ academic achievement in Civic education. It also shows a significant main effect of gender on students’ academic achievement in Civic Education (F (1, 121) = 4.688, P < 0.05). While the result of the 2-way interaction effect shows no significant interaction effect of instructional strategy and gender on students’ academic achievement in Civic education (F (1, 121) =.5665, P > 0.05). It is recommended that more efforts should be geared toward advancing the strategies for use among students of the two gender groups. Further research on these strategies could be carried out in various other classes in other countries of the world.

Japa Syndrome: Environmental and Socio-Economic Factors as Drivers of Mass Emigration of Nigerian Youths

Florence Adeoti Yusuf — 2023-11-29

The issue of mass emigration is a complex one that is currently affecting young people worldwide. To address this issue, this study was conducted to investigate the factors that influence the mass emigration of youths in Osun State. The study utilized a descriptive survey research method and targeted the youth population in Osun State. A total of 200 respondents were randomly selected from four higher institutions in Osun State. Factors that Influence Mass Emigration (FIME) questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. The findings of the study revealed that conflicts over natural resources and insecurity, climate change, and socio-economic factors were responsible for mass emigration among youths in Osun state. A significant difference (p=0.001) was observed between male and female youths' perceptions of the factors that influence mass emigration. The study concluded that environmental and socio-economic factors were responsible for the mass emigration of youths in Osun State. To address these issues, youths should be trained to acquire the necessary 21st-century employability skills. The government should invest in sustainable development programs and address the issues of conflict over natural resources and insecurity to prevent further displacement and ensure that everyone can thrive in their own communities.

Influence of Principals’ Conflict Resolution Skills on Teachers’ Commitment in Public Secondary Schools in Ogun State

Subuola Catherine Abosede — 2023-11-29

This study investigated the Influence of principals’ conflict resolution skills on teachers’ job commitment in public secondary schools in Ogun State. A descriptive research design was employed. The population for the study consisted of 3,109 teachers. A sample of six hundred and forty-five (645) respondents was selected. Three (03) instruments were used for data collection, namely: demographic data form, organizational commitment scale (r = .91), and Rahim organizational conflict inventory – II (r = .96). Findings showed that there was a significant influence of principals’ conflict resolution skills on teachers’ job commitment (R = .253; R2 = .064; Adj. R2= 063; F (1,636) = 43.508; P< .05). Also, principals’ gender significantly moderated the influence of principals’ conflict resolution skills on teachers’ job commitment. Male principals have a significant moderating influence of principals’ conflict resolution skills on teachers’ job commitment (R =.376; R2 =.141; R2(adj) =.139; F (1,406) =66.563; P<.05). Also, female principals do not have a significant moderating influence of principals’ conflict resolution skills on teachers’ job commitment (R =.048; R2 =.002; R2(adj) =-.002; F (1,230) =.525; P>.05). Based on these findings, it was recommended that regular seminars should be organized to educate principals on conflict resolution strategies. Also, the Ministry of Education should organize extensive in-service development programs and/or encourage the principals to go for short courses in educational management with specific emphasis on leadership skills and styles and conflict management in schools irrespective of their gender.

Influence of Job Stress and Work Environment on Teachers’ Work-Family Conflict in Ijebu North Public Secondary Schools, Ogun State, Nigeria

Adekunle Durojaiye — 2023-11-29

Work-family conflicts have become increasingly important for organizations to consider. Its challenges in the world of work and family in recent decades have stimulated much research on the subject matter. Also, there are a number of factors that can lead to increased work-family conflict. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of job stress and work environment on teachers’ work-family conflict in Ijebu North public secondary schools, Ogun State, Nigeria. Two hypotheses were formulated and tested to guide this study. A descriptive survey research design was employed in this study. The population for the study consisted of all teachers in public secondary schools in Ijebu North local government of Ogun State, Nigeria. A sample of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents was selected for this study using multi-stage sampling procedure and simple random sampling technique. Four (4) research instruments were used for the study. The instruments are Demographic Data Form (DDF), Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI), Work-Family Conflict Scale (WFCS) and Work Environment Questionnaire (WEQ). Findings of the study revealed that there was a significant composite and relative contribution of job stress and work environment on teachers’ work-family conflict in Ijebu-North Public Secondary Schools, Ogun State, Nigeria (R=.320; R2 =.103; F (2, 117) = 6.691; P<.05). Work environment is the most potent predictor of teachers’ work-family conflict in Ijebu-North Local Government (B = .280; t = 2.803, P > 0.01) followed by job stress (B = 0.71; t = .705, P > 0.01). Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that the school as an organisation should assist teachers to better coordinate workplace and family roles by offering family-friendly benefits. It was also suggested that the school should create a good atmosphere for teachers so as to be able to relax and have fun during leisure hours.

Antecedents of Depression among Undergraduates in Nigerian Private Universities

Ogunsanwo, Mojisola Abiodun — 2023-11-29

Prevalence of the effect of depression on young adults’ well-being has turned out to be a priority as a result of the simultaneous increase in mental health problems among individuals. Depression being a mental disorder that comes with unhappy mood, loss of interest, low self-worth, insomnia, and poor concentration seems to be ravaging the younger generation, especially undergraduates in tertiary institutions. Hence, this study investigated the antecedents of depression among undergraduates in Nigerian private universities. The research objectives were to (1) examine the level of depression among the undergraduates; (2) assess the past history of depression among the undergraduates;( 3) assess the level of perceived family support among the undergraduates; (4) determine the significant relationship between the history of depression and levels of depression; and (5) to assess the significant relationship between the history of depression and perceived family support. This research work made use of the quantitative source of data, through which data were gathered using a structured questionnaire and administered to 365 undergraduates. The findings showed that the majority of the undergraduates manifest one level of depression or the other, as about one-fifth of the respondents show signs of no form of depression and are thus regarded as normal. The study also showed that the level of perceived family support received by the undergraduates was found to be moderate, and there was a significant relationship between the history of depression and perceived family support. It was also found that there is a significant relationship between history of depression and levels of depression. The study recommends that counseling centers be provided in all institutions so as to give help to students battling with one issue or the other so as to avoid a high level of depression. In addition, parents are advised to show a positive and caring attitude to their children as the experiences a student experiences at home could have a significant influence on the student in school, which could lead to depression or otherwise.

Organizational Culture, Work Ethics and Spouse Relations as Determinants of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Job Effectiveness in South-West, Nigeria

Olugbenro Olusiji Alabi — 2023-11-29

The job effectiveness of employees has received significant attention in workplace studies. This is due to the general recognition that this variable can be a major determinant of an organizational working system. The fact that job effectiveness among academic staff in the College of Education may have an impact on institutional quality performance necessitates that closer attention be paid to factors such as organizational culture, work ethics, and spouse relations as potent variables that could influence job effectiveness. This study therefore examined organisational culture, work ethics, and spouse relations as determinants of job effectiveness of academic staff in Colleges of Education in South West, Nigeria. It also looked at the moderating influence of gender, age, and academic qualification on the predictive powers of the independent variables on academic staff job effectiveness. This study adopted a survey research design of ex-post facto type. A sample of 1,146 married academic staff was selected through the multistage sampling technique from a population of 2,898 academic staff in Colleges of Education in South-West, Nigeria. Three research questions and eight hypotheses were answered and tested respectively to guide the study. Four validated instruments were used for data collection; LJEQ (?=0.82), OCQ (?=0.75), LWERS (?=0.78), and WPAT (?=0.78). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, Multiple Regression Analysis, t-test, and analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed, among other things, that to some extent, the level of academic staff job effectiveness was very high in Colleges of Education. The finding further showed that organizational culture, work ethics, and spouse relations significantly predicted academic staff job effectiveness in Colleges of Education (F(3, 1017) = 58.672, p < .05). It was recommended among others that the management of colleges should continuously carry out regular appraisals to determine the level of job effectiveness of the staff and invest in capacity development through training and retreats to align staff with organizational culture and work ethics of the institution.

Nigerian Secondary School Teachers' Perception of Social Studies Relevance on the Development of Responsible Citizenship

Lawal, Moshood Babatunde — 2023-11-29

This study investigated perceptions of Social Studies in the development of responsible citizenship among secondary school teachers in Ogun State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive research design. A total sample of 308 teachers drawn from five local governments of Oguneast senatorial district of Ogun state, were selected through stratified random and simple random sampling techniques. Data collected was analyzed using Mean score, standard deviation, simple percentages, and t–test of significance. The result shows that the majority of teachers have a negative perception of Social Studies education to responsible citizenship. The study shows no significant difference in teachers’ gender, qualification, and experience in knowledge of responsible citizenship skills and values. The study recommends that teachers should be given in-service training to acquire more knowledge on the role Social Studies play in responsible citizenship development. In addition, only professional and competent teachers should be employed to teach Social Studies.

Teachers’ Perspective on the Applicability of Neuro-linguistic Programming to Address EFL Learners’ Speaking Anxiety (Case of the Universities in Georgia)

Mariam Merkviladze — 2023-11-29

Effective communication skill has gained a huge priority on every path of an individual’s life and in a professional context. Speaking in the target language helps learners to create the context and produce the language. Anxiety encountered while speaking in a foreign language is one of the major factors that may lead to preventing the learners from achieving academic goals and lowering their motivation and self-esteem. The impact of anxiety in foreign language acquisition and speaking performance has been widely researched, while the implementation of NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming) in EFL classes in order to address speaking anxiety has not been investigated sufficiently. The teachers’ awareness of NLP techniques in foreign language classrooms in order to address anxiety is not explored as well. The primary objective of the current paper was to explore the applicability of NLP techniques in EFL classes for reducing learners’ speaking anxiety. The paper also attempted to explore EFL teachers’ awareness of the topic under investigation. Participants of the study were 61 EFL teachers at the universities in Georgia. According to the research findings, teachers are familiar with NLP techniques at some level and most frequently use Modeling, Visualization, and Rapport. They also showed a positive attitude towards further implementation of NLP techniques. Overall, the current paper revealed that teachers need to be equipped with practical tools for implementing NLP techniques in EFL classrooms to address speaking anxiety among learners. A more thorough examination of the topic under investigation is also strongly recommended.