teaching and learning quality

This study examined the contribution of service delivery to students’ enrolment in public secondary schools in Busega District, Tanzania. The study was guided by the need to understand how the quality and responsiveness of educational services influence parents’ decisions to enroll their children and students’ retention in public secondary schools. A mixed-methods approach with a predominantly quantitative orientation and an explanatory research design was employed. The study targeted 655 respondents from 30 public secondary schools, from whom a sample of 104 respondents was selected, comprising 85 teachers, 6 heads of schools, 6 Ward Education Officers, 1 District Education Officer, and 6 school board chairpersons. Data were collected using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and observation. Validity was established through expert and supervisor review, while reliability was tested using Cronbach’s Alpha, which yielded a coefficient of 0.916 for 20 questionnaire items. Quantitative data were analysed using frequencies and percentages through SPSS version 26, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The results showed that service delivery played an important role in contributing to student enrolment. More specifically, the majority of teachers were in agreement or strongly in agreement that effective academic service delivery contributed to increased enrolment. Moreover, they noted that quality teaching and learning contributed to the decision making of parents on enrolment of their children and that educational support services in time contributed to enrolment. Also, teachers noted that effective administrative services attracted many students and that effective service delivery generally contributed to student enrolment and retention. Another finding from open-ended questions showed that effective school-community relations and sufficient learning facilities played an important role in student enrolment. The study concluded that quality, timely, and responsive service delivery strengthened school reputation, parental confidence, students’ retention, and enrolment. The study recommends that Busega District Council and school authorities improve teaching and learning services, strengthen students’ support and administrative systems, enhance school-community partnerships, provide adequate infrastructure, and maintain safe and supportive learning environments to increase students’ enrolment in public secondary schools

Large class sizes pose significant challenges to the quality of teaching and learning, although previous studies have examined the effects of large class sizes on teaching and learning outcomes, relatively few studies have been given to the pedagogical strategies that can mitigate these challenges and enhance educational quality. This study therefore investigated the effects of large class sizes on the quality of teaching and learning and explored pedagogical strategies that can be employed to improve instructional effectiveness in such contexts. Two research questions were formulated to guide the study:(1) What are the challenges faced by teachers in handling large class sizes and their effects? (2) What pedagogies could be employed to improve the quality of teaching and learning in large classes? A qualitative research method was employed, and a purposive sampling approach was used to arrive at 38 respondents. Primary data were gathered through focus group discussions and personal interviews. The findings highlighted significant issues faced by teachers, such as difficulties in providing individualised attention, proper assessments, several assignments, timely feedback, and good classroom control and management. These challenges hinder academic progress and contribute to poor student performance. To address these issues and enhance the quality of teaching and learning, the findings further revealed several strategies, including peer teaching and marking, group studies, collaborative teaching, field trips, and the use of projectors. The study also emphasises the importance of professional development training programs for in-service teachers to improve their teaching methodologies and confidence in managing large classes. The study concludes that these methods reduce teacher workload and improve the overall learning experience. The study recommends that the Ghana Education Service should encourage teachers to employ these teaching strategies in large classes to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

کلاس‌های پرجمعیت چالش‌های قابل توجهی برای کیفیت آموزش و یادگیری ایجاد می‌کنند. اگرچه پژوهش‌های پیشین به بررسی اثرات کلاس‌های پرجمعیت بر پیامدهای آموزش و یادگیری پرداخته‌اند، اما مطالعات نسبتاً اندکی به راهبردهای آموزشی که می‌توانند این چالش‌ها را کاهش داده و کیفیت آموزشی را ارتقا دهند، اختصاص یافته است. بنابراین، این پژوهش به بررسی اثرات کلاس‌های پرجمعیت بر کیفیت آموزش و یادگیری پرداخته و راهبردهای آموزشی قابل استفاده برای بهبود اثربخشی تدریس در چنین زمینه‌هایی را مورد بررسی قرار داده است. دو سؤال پژوهشی برای هدایت مطالعه تدوین شد: (۱) چالش‌هایی که معلمان در مدیریت کلاس‌های پرجمعیت با آن مواجه هستند و اثرات آن‌ها چیست؟ (۲) چه روش‌های آموزشی می‌توانند برای بهبود کیفیت آموزش و یادگیری در کلاس‌های پرجمعیت به کار گرفته شوند؟ این پژوهش از روش کیفی بهره برد و با استفاده از نمونه‌گیری هدفمند، ۳۸ نفر به عنوان پاسخ‌دهنده انتخاب شدند. داده‌های اولیه از طریق بحث‌های گروهی متمرکز و مصاحبه‌های فردی گردآوری شد. یافته‌ها مسائل مهمی را که معلمان با آن مواجه هستند، از جمله دشواری در ارائه توجه فردی، ارزیابی مناسب، تکالیف متعدد، بازخورد به موقع و کنترل و مدیریت مطلوب کلاس را برجسته ساخت. این چالش‌ها پیشرفت تحصیلی را مختل کرده و به عملکرد ضعیف دانش‌آموزان منجر می‌شوند. برای رفع این مسائل و ارتقای کیفیت آموزش و یادگیری، یافته‌ها راهبردهای متعددی از جمله آموزش و تصحیح همتایان، مطالعات گروهی، تدریس مشارکتی، بازدیدهای میدانی و استفاده از پروژکتور را نشان دادند. همچنین پژوهش بر اهمیت برنامه‌های آموزش حرفه‌ای برای معلمان شاغل جهت بهبود روش‌های تدریس و افزایش اعتماد به نفس در مدیریت کلاس‌های پرجمعیت تأکید می‌کند. نتیجه‌گیری پژوهش آن است که این روش‌ها بار کاری معلمان را کاهش داده و تجربه کلی یادگیری را بهبود می‌بخشند. پژوهش توصیه می‌کند که سرویس آموزش غنا معلمان را به استفاده از این راهبردهای تدریس در کلاس‌های پرجمعیت برای ارتقای کیفیت آموزش و یادگیری تشویق کند.