Life-Based Narratives: Effects on Student Concept Understanding and Decision-Making Skills in Biology

The study aimed at assessing the effect of students’ life-based narratives in furthering conceptunderstanding and decision-making skills among second year high school students of a publichigh school. The study made use of two instruments: the Concept Understanding Test(multiple choice test) and the Decision-making Skills Test (open ended questionnaire). Usinganalysis of covariance (ANCOVA) on the posttest scores of the experimental and controlgroups with the pretest scores as covariate, it was revealed that the use of students’ life-basednarratives as a teaching approach has a positive effect on the concept understanding of thestudents. However, the said approach has no significant effect on students’ decision-makingskills. In terms of establishing the causal relationship between concept understanding anddecision-making skills, linear regression showed that concept understanding can predict thedecision making skills of students

Influence of Teachers’ Inquiry Efficacy Beliefs on Students’ Scientific Reasoning and Process Skills in Biology

Teachers’ self-efficacy may affect how they teach (Bandura, 1994). Consequently, developing self-efficacy in Scientific Inquiry (SI) is essential as teachers (Dira-Smolleck, 2004). This study then investigates the influence of Science Teachers’ Inquiry Efficacy Beliefs (TIEB) on students’ scientific reasoning (SR) and process skills (PS) in Biology. It also explored the relationship between SR and PS. A survey was conducted among 56 Grade 9 science teachers and 1968 students from Quezon City and Manila. Regression analyses suggest that TIEB on Explanation from Evidence may enhance students’ skill in identification and control of variables in SR, F(1,1966)=7.902, p=.005, R2 adjusted=.004. Linear relationships for the rest of the components were not established. One-tailed Pearson correlation showed a weak, positive link between students’ SR and PS in Biology, r(1966)=.21, p=.000, with positive correlations between some SR and PS components. Students are generally found to exhibit poor abilities in SR (M=22.02%) and PS (M=31.76%) in Biology. Teachers’ TIEB score of 3.34 implies a high degree of self-efficacy in implementing SI, possibly a coping mechanism to prevent burnout. Barriers like time constraints were also discussed. The results imply that the teachers’ current SI implementation is not sufficient to influence students’ scientific reasoning and process skills in Biology

Predicting integrated biology-technical-vocational skills through self-regulation in career-oriented pedagogy

This study addresses the critical issue of enhancing students’ integrated biology-technical-vocational skills, essential for career readiness, by investigating the predictive role of self-regulation within a career-oriented pedagogical framework. Self-regulation, encompassing decision-making, goal orientation, impulse control, and self-direction, is recognized as vital for both academic achievement and career preparedness. Despite its importance, there is a gap in the literature regarding its influence on the development of integrated skills. To bridge this gap, the study employs a quasi-experimental design, utilizing analysis of variance (ANOVA) and simple linear regression on data from a representative sample. The findings reveal that self-regulation significantly predicts the acquisition of these integrated skills. The study concludes that enhancing self-regulation through targeted educational interventions is crucial for fostering students’ career-oriented skills. These insights contribute to educational psychology by highlighting the importance of self-regulation in skill development, offering practical implications for improving academic and vocational outcomes. Future research should further explore these relationships and their practical applications in educational settings

Career-focused teaching and its effects on students’ biology-technical-vocational-fused skills

The K to 12 program in the Philippines, initiated in 2012, brought about challenges like job mismatch among senior high school (SHS) graduates. Addressing this issue requires integrating technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) skills with core subject skills, particularly in biology. This study explores how the career-focused teaching approach (CFTA) nurtures biology-technical-vocational-fused skills (BTVFS). Using a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design, two grade 11 classes (35 students each) participated-one exposed to CFTA and the other to conventional teaching. Quantitative data from a researcher-made BTVFS questionnaire were analyzed with an independent samples t-test, revealing significant differences in all BTVFS subcomponents; t(68)=3.670, p<0.036. Qualitative data from reflective journals aligned with BTVFS subskills (metacognition, communication, problem-solving, and collaboration). CFTA proved instrumental in enhancing the BTVFS of students, emphasizing its importance in the curriculum across SHS core subjects to mitigate job mismatch for K to 12 graduates

Evaluating flexible learning adoption by the Philippine secondary school Teachers

Educators have been driven to embrace new technological platforms and tools to improve teaching and learning experiences by the rise of flexible learning. This study delves into the ways in which secondary school teachers from the DepEd in the Philippines utilize different types of internet access, gadgets, data plans, and social media platforms. To collect data from a convenience sample of teachers, an online survey was distributed using a quantitative approach. The purpose of the research was to determine whether and to what extent these technical aspects affect the efficacy and contentment of flexible teaching. The results showed that video conferencing platforms and learning management systems (LMS) are crucial, with video conferencing tools coming in second and LMS exhibiting the highest utilization. The most popular device is now a mobile phone, and the most popular operating system is Android. Although a large number of users enjoy consistently fast internet, a significant portion continues to deal with unreliable and sluggish connections. Among the most popular social media platforms for education, Facebook Messenger has the support of the majority of respondents and offers unlimited data rates. Results show that learning management systems (LMS) and video conferencing tools are critical, point to places where other technologies might be better integrated, and stress the influence that poor internet quality has on the effectiveness of instruction. This study helps fill gaps in the knowledge of the technology landscape in online and hybrid classrooms and offers suggestions for improving teaching methods. It would be beneficial for future studies to investigate how these technological aspects relate to particular results in terms of instructional efficacy and student involvement

Special accommodation unveiled: the dynamics of fairness and effectiveness in admissions at Rizal Technological University

This study explores the dynamics of the Special Accommodation for Admission at Rizal Technological University, examining its distribution across colleges and institutes, perceived fairness, effectiveness, and overall impact on the admission process. Using a mixed-method embedded design, data collection combined quantitative surveys and qualitative responses. Quantitative analysis revealed variations in referral patterns, with mean scores and standard deviations calculated using Jamovi software to assess perceptions of fairness, adherence to guidelines, and effectiveness in selecting qualified candidates. Correlation analysis showed strong positive relationships between fairness and system effectiveness, as well as between fairness and impact on admission, suggesting that higher perceptions of fairness enhance both system efficiency and its perceived influence on admissions. A moderate correlation between system effectiveness and impact on admission indicates that while efficiency contributes to the process, transparency and equity also play crucial roles. Verbatim responses highlighted concerns about inconsistent policy application and the need for stricter adherence to the two-student limit per employee to improve fairness. While the system supports enrollment targets and class size management, challenges related to transparency, perceived equity, and academic qualifications persist. Respondents recommended refining the criteria, setting standardized academic qualifications, and conducting periodic reviews to align the system with the university’s strategic goals. This study contributes to understanding referral systems in higher education by emphasizing fairness and merit-based standards to foster institutional trust and uphold academic quality

Trends in Decline of Antiretroviral Resistance among ARV-Experienced Patients in the HIV Outpatient Study: 1999–2008

Background. Little is known about temporal trends in frequencies of clinically relevant ARV resistance mutations in HIV strains from U.S. patients undergoing genotypic testing (GT) in routine HIV care. Methods. We analyzed cumulative frequency of HIV resistance among patients in the HIV Outpatient Study (HOPS) who, during 1999–2008 and while prescribed antiretrovirals, underwent GT with plasma HIV RNA >1,000 copies/mL. Exposure ≥4 months to each of three major antiretroviral classes (NRTI, NNRTI and PI) was defined as triple-class exposure (TCE). Results. 906 patients contributed 1,570 GT results. The annual frequency of any major resistance mutations decreased during 1999–2008 (88% to 79%, P = 0.05). Resistance to PIs decreased among PI-exposed patients (71% to 46%, P = 0.010) as exposure to ritonavir-boosted PIs increased (6% to 81%, P < 0.001). Non-significant declines were observed in resistance to NRTIs among NRTI-exposed (82% to 67%), and triple-class-resistance among TCE patients (66% to 41%), but not to NNRTIs among NNRTI-exposed. Conclusions. HIV resistance was common but declined in HIV isolates from subgroups of ARV-experienced HOPS patients during 1999–2008. Resistance to PIs among PI-exposed patients decreased, possibly due to increased representation of patients whose only PI exposures were to boosted PIs

Discontinuation of Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia Prophylaxis with CD4 Count <200 Cells/µL and Virologic Suppression: A Systematic Review

HIV viral load (VL) is currently not part of the criteria for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis discontinuation, but suppression of plasma viremia with antiretroviral therapy may allow for discontinuation of PCP prophylaxis even with CD4 count <200 cells/µL.A systematic review was performed to determine the incidence of PCP in HIV-infected individuals with CD4 count <200 cells/µL and fully suppressed VL on antiretroviral therapy but not receiving PCP prophylaxis.Four articles examined individuals who discontinued PCP prophylaxis with CD4 count <200 cells/µL in the context of fully suppressed VL on antiretroviral therapy. The overall incidence of PCP was 0.48 cases per 100 person-years (PY) (95% confidence interval (CI) (0.06-0.89). This was lower than the incidence of PCP in untreated HIV infection (5.30 cases/100 PY, 95% CI 4.1-6.8) and lower than the incidence in persons with CD4 count <200 cells/µL, before the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), who continued prophylaxis (4.85/100 PY, 95% CI 0.92-8.78). In one study in which individuals were stratified according to CD4 count <200 cells/µL, there was a greater risk of PCP with CD4 count ≤100 cells/µL compared to 101-200 cells/µL.Primary PCP prophylaxis may be safely discontinued in HIV-infected individuals with CD4 count between 101-200 cells/µL provided the VL is fully suppressed on antiretroviral therapy. However, there are inadequate data available to make this recommendation when the CD4 count is ≤100 cells/µL. A revision of guidelines on primary PCP prophylaxis to include consideration of the VL is merited

Creating Inner and Outer Sacred Space: An Adult Learner Program’s Wholistic Approach to Supporting Low-Income Women Who Have Been Impacted by Violence

At our Adult Learner Program, we have identified that women who have experienced violence need various supports in order to effectively learn upon their reentry to school. Using three broad definitions of violence, I have investigated the impact of violence on low-income women’s learning at our literacy program. We have found that if our program supports transformation of the inner and outer sacred space of a woman, then she can gain the qualities she needs to learn throughout her time at our program, but for lifelong learning. “Sacred” in the sense used here denotes something worthy of respect. This paper documents the curricula, activities, and transformation of the sacred space that our Adult Learner Program has given attention to, especially during the past five years. Our curricula include activities that acknowledge that the essence of a human being is comprised of four inseparable aspects: the mind, body, spirit, and emotions. Using the First Nations’ medicine wheel, we have developed lessons that “bring the whole person to learning (Horsman, 2000).” The curricula also focus on empowering learners through cultivating a greater sense of self (understanding the interconnectedness between the four aspects of the person) and developing a sense of place (establishing the self with a supportive community). We explored ways to construct a sacred learning environment for the women in the program. By catering to all the senses in the classroom, we wanted to create an environment, which we felt our learners were worthy to be in. We took on the challenge to transform a sacred space that reflected the value we knew our students possessed