Papers by Kamal A Soomro
Article Journal of Education and Educational Development, 2019
The scholarship on foreign language (FL) learning and teaching shows various ways Web 2.0 technol... more The scholarship on foreign language (FL) learning and teaching shows various ways Web 2.0 technologies are used to promote and ease communication and gives access to and cultural exchange of information, which are the main purposes of language learning. Despite prolific examination of strategies and impact of Web 2.0 to enhance language learning, researchers have not yet sufficiently examined technology practices initiated by students themselves to support their FL experiences and the awareness of this use. The present study reports on the findings of an exploratory survey research project that investigated university students' activities to use Web 2.0 sites to support their FL learning and awareness of those practices. Moreover, the study attempts to analyze students' reported actions through the framework of 5 Cs (communication, comparison, communities, cultures, connections) of ACTFL (American Council of Teaching on Foreign Languages). The data collected from 137 FL students revealed that students are moderately engaged with Web 2.0 technologies in their FL learning practices and use such tools primarily for comparing the foreign language and culture to the native language and culture in different mediums. Video sharing and Social Networking were reported as favorite tools to support students' foreign language learning experience.
The phenomenon of " digital divide " is complex and multidimensional, extending beyond issues of ... more The phenomenon of " digital divide " is complex and multidimensional, extending beyond issues of physical access. The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to measure a range of factors related to digital divide among higher education faculty and to evaluate its reliability and validity. Faculty's Information and Communication Technology Access (FICTA) scale was tested and validated with 322 faculty teaching in public and private sector universities. Principal components analysis with varimax rotation confirmed an 8 factor solution corresponding to various dimensions of ICT access. The 57item FICTA scale demonstrated good psychometric properties and offers researchers a tool to examine faculty's access to ICT at four levels – motivational, physical, skills, and usage access.
Literature on Web 2.0 experiences of higher education faculty in developing countries such as Pak... more Literature on Web 2.0 experiences of higher education faculty in developing countries such as Pakistan is very limited. An insight on awareness and practices of higher education faculty with these tools can be helpful to map strategies and plan of action for adopting latest technologies to support teaching–learning processes in higher education of such countries. This survey study was aimed to examine the competence and practices of higher education faculty in Pakistan with Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, Wikis, Google Docs, Skype, Flickr, YouTube, and social networks. The study was also focused to look for what type of role faculty play while using these tools; and to find whether any significant differences in terms of age, gender, or academic discipline exist in competence and usage of these tools by the faculty. The data were collected from a sample of 246 university teachers in the spring 2014 semester. The findings of the study indicated that faculty participants reported to use Web 2.0 social tools more frequently than instrumental tools. Similarly, their competence with social tools was higher than their competence with instrumental tools. Additional results indicated that their competence with Web2.0 tools significantly differed with respect to their age, gender, and academic disciplines.
Extensive use of social networking sites by students and teachers makes educators and researchers... more Extensive use of social networking sites by students and teachers makes educators and researchers to think whether they can be incorporated in instructional process to facilitate students’ learning. This survey-based study records and examines Pakistani pre-service teachers’ and teacher-educators’ current uses of Facebook, and their attitudes toward using Facebook for collaborative learning, and to see if there is a significant relationship between participants’ intensity of Facebook use and their attitude toward instructional use of Facebook. Results of the study indicated that pre-service teachers’ and teacher-educators’ motives for their current Facebook use are mainly limited for social purposes. Pre-service
teachers’ use of Facebook is more intensified than the use of Facebook by teacher-educators. Further, pre-service teachers showed more positive attitudes toward using Facebook for collaborative learning than the attitudes of their faculty. Findings also indicated a positive relationship between participants’ Facebook intensity and their attitudes toward its use for collaborative learning.
Resistance to a positive change brings no change in a society unless its members do not work for ... more Resistance to a positive change brings no change in a society unless its members do not work for it. In many parts of Pakistan female employment is a sensitive cultural issue. In this country the female population is more than 90 million, and quarter of it is youth, but majority of female youth are not master of their own soul because of the low female literacy rate in the country. This study presents an in-depth outlook of female education,
unemployment and its consequences for female gender. A detailed description of the factors and forces which are resisting a positive change in the society has also been presented. This paper presents practicable solutions to
make female youth economically active, productive and more independent in male dominant society.
This paper is based on the English background of the students as the predictors for students Engl... more This paper is based on the English background of the students as the predictors for students English speaking skills at the secondary level at province of Sindh, Pakistan. A questionnaire was designed for students of grade-11, which was used to collect data from 60 male students of the public institutes in district Hyderabad, Pakistan. There were three independent variables used in this study: (X1) either students attended English language institute, (X2) number of years students were educated in English medium schools, and (X3) last class’s English score. The dependent variable was English speaking score (Y). Students’ speaking skills were assessed by a standardized rubric designed by language experts. There were four research questions formulated. Data was analyzed using linear and multiple regression, and t-test in SAS 9.2 (Statistical Analysis System). With α=0.05, the result indicates that there is a significant relationship between student last class’s English score (N=60, M=50.45, SD=9.00) and their speaking scores (N=60, M=11.77, SD=3.21), r = 0.73, p<0.001. The number of
years educated in English medium school (b = 0.22, t =2.05) and last class’s English score (b = 0.26, t = 8.26, p <.0001) were found significant predictors at R2 =0.57, F(2,57) =37.20, p<0.001. No statistical significance was indicated in students speaking score between those who attended English language institute (N=48, M= 12.04, SD= 3.43) and those who did not attend an English language institute (N=12, M= 10.67, SD= 1.83), t(58)= –1.34,
p = 0.19. Interaction with students showed that most of the students do not speak English with fellow students because of shyness and lack of confidence.
Conference Presentations by Kamal A Soomro
Web 2.0 technologies are getting place in different walks of our lives. One of the most popular W... more Web 2.0 technologies are getting place in different walks of our lives. One of the most popular Web 2.0 tools is social networking site (SNS). Although the primary purpose of SNSs is social interaction, its extensive use by students and teachers make educators and researchers to think whether they can be incorporated in instructional process so as to facilitate students’ learning. This survey-based study records and examines Pakistani pre-service teachers’ and teacher-educators’ current uses of Facebook, and their attitudes toward using Facebook for collaborative learning, and to see if there is a significant relationship between participants’ intensity of Facebook use
and their attitude toward instructional use of Facebook. Results of the study indicated that pre-service teachers’ and teacher-educators’ motives for their current Facebook use are mainly limited for social purposes. Pre-service teachers’ use of Facebook is more intensified than the use of Facebook by teacher-educators. Pre-service teachers showed more positive attitudes toward using Facebook for collaborative learning than the attitudes of their faculty. Findings also indicated a positive relationship between Facebook intensity and attitudes toward its use for collaborative learning i.e., the respondents who use Facebook more intensely showed more positive response to accept instructional use of Facebook than those whose Facebook use is less intensified.
The purpose of this study was to validate the TSES (Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale) in Pakista... more The purpose of this study was to validate the TSES (Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale) in Pakistan’s context. The short version of the TSES with 12-items instrument was used at 9-point Likert scale. There are three sub-scales in the TSES (i.e., classroom management, instructional practices, and student engagement). Each sub-scale contains four items. The sample was gathered from Pakistan. The actual sample size used in this study was 210. There were significant correlation between factors. Two separate models were tested using EQS 6.2. Model-1 was one factor solution and model-2 was 3-factors correlated solution. The fit indices for the final Model-1 were, Chi Square 2(49) =168.251, p < .001; AIC= 70.251; CFI= .887; GFI = .885; SRMR = .062; RMSEA = .108 (.090, .126) and the fit indices for the final Model-2 were, Chi Square 2(49) = 153.938 p < .001; AIC=55.938; CFI= .901; GFI = .901; SRMR = .123; RMSEA = .101 (.083, .119). Results indicated the TSES scale provides better model fit with three-factor correlated structure. The findings of this study helped researcher to revise teacher efficacy scales and to understand basic underlying structure of TSES scales. The results of this study also helped researcher to understand how factor structure influence in different region and with different sample.
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Papers by Kamal A Soomro
teachers’ use of Facebook is more intensified than the use of Facebook by teacher-educators. Further, pre-service teachers showed more positive attitudes toward using Facebook for collaborative learning than the attitudes of their faculty. Findings also indicated a positive relationship between participants’ Facebook intensity and their attitudes toward its use for collaborative learning.
unemployment and its consequences for female gender. A detailed description of the factors and forces which are resisting a positive change in the society has also been presented. This paper presents practicable solutions to
make female youth economically active, productive and more independent in male dominant society.
years educated in English medium school (b = 0.22, t =2.05) and last class’s English score (b = 0.26, t = 8.26, p <.0001) were found significant predictors at R2 =0.57, F(2,57) =37.20, p<0.001. No statistical significance was indicated in students speaking score between those who attended English language institute (N=48, M= 12.04, SD= 3.43) and those who did not attend an English language institute (N=12, M= 10.67, SD= 1.83), t(58)= –1.34,
p = 0.19. Interaction with students showed that most of the students do not speak English with fellow students because of shyness and lack of confidence.
Conference Presentations by Kamal A Soomro
and their attitude toward instructional use of Facebook. Results of the study indicated that pre-service teachers’ and teacher-educators’ motives for their current Facebook use are mainly limited for social purposes. Pre-service teachers’ use of Facebook is more intensified than the use of Facebook by teacher-educators. Pre-service teachers showed more positive attitudes toward using Facebook for collaborative learning than the attitudes of their faculty. Findings also indicated a positive relationship between Facebook intensity and attitudes toward its use for collaborative learning i.e., the respondents who use Facebook more intensely showed more positive response to accept instructional use of Facebook than those whose Facebook use is less intensified.
teachers’ use of Facebook is more intensified than the use of Facebook by teacher-educators. Further, pre-service teachers showed more positive attitudes toward using Facebook for collaborative learning than the attitudes of their faculty. Findings also indicated a positive relationship between participants’ Facebook intensity and their attitudes toward its use for collaborative learning.
unemployment and its consequences for female gender. A detailed description of the factors and forces which are resisting a positive change in the society has also been presented. This paper presents practicable solutions to
make female youth economically active, productive and more independent in male dominant society.
years educated in English medium school (b = 0.22, t =2.05) and last class’s English score (b = 0.26, t = 8.26, p <.0001) were found significant predictors at R2 =0.57, F(2,57) =37.20, p<0.001. No statistical significance was indicated in students speaking score between those who attended English language institute (N=48, M= 12.04, SD= 3.43) and those who did not attend an English language institute (N=12, M= 10.67, SD= 1.83), t(58)= –1.34,
p = 0.19. Interaction with students showed that most of the students do not speak English with fellow students because of shyness and lack of confidence.
and their attitude toward instructional use of Facebook. Results of the study indicated that pre-service teachers’ and teacher-educators’ motives for their current Facebook use are mainly limited for social purposes. Pre-service teachers’ use of Facebook is more intensified than the use of Facebook by teacher-educators. Pre-service teachers showed more positive attitudes toward using Facebook for collaborative learning than the attitudes of their faculty. Findings also indicated a positive relationship between Facebook intensity and attitudes toward its use for collaborative learning i.e., the respondents who use Facebook more intensely showed more positive response to accept instructional use of Facebook than those whose Facebook use is less intensified.