MOJEM: Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Management

A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF TECHNOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT TRENDS IN PRESCHOOL EDUCATION AND META-ANALYSIS OF THE UTILIZATION OF TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS IN CLASSROOM

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0800

Although the usage of technology tools in education has been a much-debated topic in recent years, there has been less research on the factors that may affect their effectiveness in preschool settings. The current study methodically collected 264 empirical publications that examine the correlation between technology tools and children's development, specifically focusing on learning performance. This was achieved using a bibliographic analysis that utilises the VOSviewer software. After conducting a systematic review, a total of 6 empirical research studies were evaluated using the OpenMEE programme and ATLAS.ti 9. Researchers are particularly interested in studying the bibliographic networks related to children's development, preschool environment, and technological utilisation. The meta-analysis results indicate that establishing and maintaining engaging and influential technological activities in the classroom can lead to improved individual development. Future research is recommended to investigate the role of various parties, such as families, as moderators in influencing children's development on integrating ICT into education. Encouraging the early use of technology in the classroom can support national policies focused on fostering communities with advanced digital skills and cultivating competent future leaders.

LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF SCHOOL CLIMATE INSTRUMENT WITH SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS: VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY ANALYSIS WITH THE RASCH MODEL

Siti Nadya Zynuddin, Bambang Sumintono — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0800

The school climate plays a pivotal role in students’ outcomes. Previous literature has highlighted several methodological approaches employed in the school climate domain, including longitudinal studies. However, little is known about the validity and reliability of school climate instruments for longitudinal studies using Rasch analysis. Rasch model is a powerful approach to validate assessment on both item and test levels. Rasch model is coined from the probability of each response and includes item difficulty parameters to characterize the measured items. Moreover, the score represents the item and the person involved with the assessment. Thus, the current study aimed to validate school climate instruments for longitudinal studies with a six-month gap within the context of secondary school students by utilising Rasch analysis. This study evaluated aspects of reliability and validity, such as unidimensionality, rating scale analysis, item fit statistics, item targeting, and differential item functioning. A total of 1,495 secondary school students from public schools in Selangor, Malaysia, completed a 28-item Malay version of the school climate survey at Time-1 and Time-2, with a six-month gap. The results of the Rasch analysis indicated that the instrument had excellent reliability and separation indices, excellent unidimensionality and construct validity, a functional rating scale, good item-person targeting, and good item fit statistics. The current findings provided valid and reliable insights pertinent for policymakers to strategise interventions and initiatives to enhance the quality of school climate and overall education, particularly in the Asian context.

EXPLORING THE NEXUS OF TEACHER AUTONOMY AND TEACHER LEADERSHIP IN THE CHINESE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CONTEXT

Song Le, Lokman Mohd Tahir, Roslizam Hassan, Chen Hongli — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0800

Teacher autonomy and teacher leadership are critical themes in the field of education. This paper aims to explore the impact of teacher autonomy on teacher leadership in early childhood education contexts through qualitative research, emphasizing the close relationship between the two and revealing how teacher autonomy fosters teacher leadership in teaching, innovation, and school reform. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 kindergarten teacher leaders in China. Analysis of the interview data demonstrates the significant role of teacher autonomy in developing teacher leadership. Teacher autonomy forms a solid foundation for teacher leadership when combined with motivation and initiative to improve teaching and learning. Teachers can exert leadership within and outside the school through autonomous decision-making, professional growth, and collaborative efforts, contributing to positive educational change. Therefore, advocating for teacher autonomy is well-suited to the Chinese early childhood education system. Establishing explicit connections between teacher autonomy and leadership can provide valuable insights for improving educational practices.

TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIP MODEL IN MUHAMMADIYAH ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS' TEACHERS IN INDONESIA: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF EFFORTFUL CONTROL

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0800

Previous research has consistently pointed out that student development is impacted by teacher-student relationships. Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's largest Islamic social organization, owns Muhammadiyah schools which include both elementary and secondary schools. Muhammadiyah elementary schools offer educational services indiscriminately. In Indonesia, there are more than two thousand Muhammadiyah elementary schools. Hence, research studies on Muhammadiyah elementary schools have a significant impact on the development of Indonesian education. This research uses the teacher as the subject rather than the student because teacher-student relationships are reciprocal. This study aims to identify the teacher-student relationship model in Muhammadiyah elementary schools using school climate and religiosity as predictors and effortful control as a mediator fit according to the teachers’ perspective. A quantitative method with a cross-sectional design is conducted with 429 teachers from various Muhammadiyah elementary schools as participants. This research uses four variables: school climate and religiosity as independent variables, teacher-student relationship as dependent variable and effortful control as mediation variable. The result of confirmatory factor analysis indicates that all measurements are fit. Data analysis using structural equation modelling shows that the teacher-student relationship is mediated by effortful control of the impact of school climate and religion on teacher-student relationships. The implication of the research is to develop effortful control training to strengthen the teacher-student relationships in the Muhammadiyah elementary schools’ environment.

THE INFLUENCE OF TEACHER’S TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP ON STUDENT ENGAGEMENT: UNVEILING THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SELF-EFFICACY IN CHINESE HIGHER VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

Xiaoyan Zuo, Intan Marfarrina Omar, Kenny Cheah Soon Lee — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0800

This study examined the connection between transformational leadership by instructors and student engagement in Chinese higher vocational education, specifically examining the mediating function of student self-efficacy. Drawing on Bandura’s social cognitive theory, a quantitative cross-sectional design was employed to collect data from 1,034 students at five different Chinese Higher Vocational Colleges. These findings indicate that transformational leadership positively affects student engagement and self-efficacy. Their sense of self-efficacy moderated the relationship between leadership and student involvement. This study adopted structural equation modeling, which confirms the proposed relationships’ robustness. However, some limitations, such as the cultural context and limited representativeness, should be considered for future studies. Policymakers and practitioners in education can use these findings to inform efforts to enhance vocational education instruction and student achievements. Implications for practice include suggestions for bettering programs that support teacher leadership and for including self-efficacy tests in educational policies to increase student involvement. These findings have implications for policymakers and educational practitioners, particularly in designing teacher leadership training programs to improve student learning performance.