The Relationship between the Teachers' Levels of Use and Their Demographic Characteristics in the Adoption of the Student-Active Learning Approach in EFL Classrooms in Oman: A Quantitative and Exploratory Relational Study

Bati Al Shekaili

doi:10.18768/ijaedu.90321

EN

The Relationship between the Teachers' Levels of Use and Their Demographic Characteristics in the Adoption of the Student-Active Learning Approach in EFL Classrooms in Oman: A Quantitative and Exploratory Relational Study

Abstract

Shifting from the traditional teacher-centered to the innovative student-centered educational philosophy in English as a Foreign language (EFL) classrooms represented in the adoption of the student-active learning (SAL) approach has been quite extensively implemented as a valuable approach towards effective students' language learning. An exploratory study was carried out to investigate the teachers' actual Levels of Use (LoU) in the adoption of the SAL approach in their classrooms and its relationship with their demographic variables including gender, age, teaching experience, educational qualifications, and nationalities. The research design was quantitative and exploratory relational. A number of 505 English language teachers participated in this study. Data was collected through a questionnaire including two parts: demographic data and the Levels of Use Self-Assessment (LoU-SA) questionnaire. This was to obtain a holistic picture of the teachers’ LoU pertaining to the SAL approach adoption and their demography. The descriptive statistical analyses as well as the symmetric measure of association of Cramer’s V were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that the majority of the teachers were at the Refinement Level (IVB), and equally at the Preparation Level (II), the Mechanical Use Level (III), and the Routine Level (IVA). It was also found that there were positive relationships between the teachers' LoU and their demographic characteristics. Based on these research findings, it was recommended, among others, that different interventions including training, support, and sufficient teaching materials should be offered. More collaborative opportunities between teachers from different demographic groups should be encouraged, too.

Keywords: Relationship, Levels of Use (LoU), Demographic Characteristics, Adoption, Student-Active Learning (SAL), English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Innovation

Keywords

Relationship, Levels of Use (LoU), Demographic Characteristics, Adoption, Student-Active

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English

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Bati Al Shekaili

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August 31, 2015

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August 28, 2015

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Year 2015 Volume: 1 Number: 2

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https://doi.org/10.18768/ijaedu.90321

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https://izlik.org/JA92XN88XC

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Shekaili BA (August 1, 2015) The Relationship between the Teachers’ Levels of Use and Their Demographic Characteristics in the Adoption of the Student-Active Learning Approach in EFL Classrooms in Oman: A Quantitative and Exploratory Relational Study. IJAEDU- International E-Journal of Advances in Education 1 2 132–141.

The Relationship between the Teachers' Levels of Use and Their Demographic Characteristics in the Adoption of the Student-Active Learning Approach in EFL Classrooms in Oman: A Quantitative and Exploratory Relational Study

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