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Higher education equips people to inculcate the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in today's world. In India, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 focuses on key reforms in higher education that make ready the next generation to flourish and succeed in the new digital age. So the higher education system should ensure the quality meets the same. In this regard, the system needs to instill in students the hope for their success. Despite this, some students are lacking it because of the prevailing educational practices. The pass percentage of undergraduate students is not so high. This means that higher education is lacking something. The present paper reports on a qualitative exploration study using sequential semi-structured interviews on the perceptions and attributions of academically failed undergraduate students from the Malappuram District of Kerala (N=10). Reasons for their academic failure attributed to the Teacher, Curricular, Transactional, Learner and Institutional related practices in their undergraduate programme were identified and suggestions there for improvement of higher education practices were derived. The recommendations by the young learners can be implemented to make the higher education system more learner-friendly and the findings here will help to enhance the curricular reforms and improve the excellence of higher education.

Timely analysis of trends and issues in TVE can help TVE stakeholders cope with rather than oppose them. Educating in the direction of the trend and resolving the important issues can maximize TVE's chance of success. The purpose of this paper was to identify trends and issues in the TVE in 10 Indo-Pacific countries. To achieve this purpose, a cross-country analysis with a word cloud analysis was employed. Consequently, the following nine trends were identified: (1) Accelerated adaptation to emerging technologies and the evolution of industry; (2) Improving or diversifying TVE accessibility and increasing the enrollment rate; (3) Enhancing alignment between the TVE and higher education sectors; (4) Promoting employment-based, work-based, or competency-based learning models; (5) Strengthening TVE educators'/trainers' practical skills, industrial working experience, or qualification requirements; (6) Gearing TVE with lifelong learning; (7) Encouraging employer or industry involvement in TVE; (8) Enhancing quality assurance and autonomy in the TVE system; and (9) Providing more career counseling or career exploration. In addition, the following six issues were identified: (1) TVE does not have the same positive public image as academic education; (2) Insufficiency of qualified TVE trainers/teachers; (3) Extreme challenges to teach hands-on skills online; (4) Weak involvement of social partners; (5) Fragmentation of TVET management; and (6) The continued lack of a well-constructed qualification framework and quality assurance system.

Taking the premise that construction or meaning making largely depends on the existing knowledge and experience, this paper uses an analogy of learning the culinary art and learning to teach. This paper attempts to clarify the characteristics of signature pedagogy of teacher education focusing on the threshold concept of constructivism by using the analogy of culinary skills as the contextual/environmental element. It is assumed that the analogy helps the student teachers to comprehend the meaning of the abstract idea of constructivism because in the cultural context of Kerala most student teachers are clear about what it means to learn how to learn cooking. This paper fits into the theme of this conference as future teachers and teacher educators would learn how to relate something as abstract as constructivism with something intimately connected with life and cultural environment as learning to nourish oneself and the younger ones. While cooking facilitates nourishment of body, teaching facilitates learning and development of mind. Building upon the analogy between these two essential process of sustaining and developing human life and culture, this paper augments its arguments with the concepts of signature pedagogy and threshold concepts and elaborates on how these ideas would help to further clarify and improve the theory and practice of constructivism in teacher education. [This paper was published in "Environmental Psychology: Perspectives on Teacher Education" p19-28 2017 (ISBN 978-81-933464-0-2).]

An English teacher uses Skype to connect his high school students in an Indian village with international teachers to help them interact and converse with them in English. Each international teacher interacts with the students in English once for 40 minutes. The teacher does that daily, and each day an international guest teacher is from a different country. The aims of this study are to report the effects of this kind of intercultural exchange on students' English language skill development and cultural and global awareness. Results showed many benefits for the students: Listening and speaking skill enhancement, getting used to different native and non-native accents, improved pronunciation, and learning new vocabulary and grammatical structures. The students also learn names of countries, their location, flags, currency, cities, people, and exchange information and pictures about the local and target cultures. They learn about the foreign country's educational system, history, antiquities, food, art, traditions, and costumes. They are taken on virtual field trips to some historical places and museums. They learn about natural phenomena such as the northern lights. Sometimes they receive books, T-shirts and pens as gifts from foreign teachers. Shortcomings of such intercultural exchange and suggestions for improvement are given.

Difficulties in mathematics learning are a multi-faceted issue and the role of language in it is crucial. Language of mathematics includes mathematics text, discourse in classroom and language used in evaluation situations with its specific verbal, symbolic expressions, structure and function. Ambiguity arising from the difference between formal language of mathematics and the multiplicity of meanings in everyday language aggravates concerns related to the linguistic factors in mathematics learning. A distinction between difficulty from lack of knowledge of concepts and processes of mathematics and difficulty arising from fluency of expressing such skills in appropriate language is often vague. Hence, difficulties faced by students in relation to language of mathematics in different vernacular contexts is to be thoroughly studied for helping teachers to successfully impart the process of mathematization. This paper reports a preliminary diagnostic investigation through descriptive survey, with a mathematical language test to identify difficulty arising from language related aspects of mathematics learning in Malayalam language at elementary level. The sample consisted of 200 students in 7th standard (age 11-12) of Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of Kerala. Association between perceived difficulty in learning Mathematics and difficulties in mathematics language is also analysed. Excluding semantics, all others components of language of Mathematics are highly difficult. Furthermore, difficulties generated by all the components of Mathematical vocabulary, Morphology and pragmatics are contributing to perception of maths as a difficult subject. Unquestionably, the challenges in learning mathematics go beyond the language issues, but the linguistic challenges need to be addressed for students to be successful in attaining aims of mathematics learning.

The diversity in educational contexts found in India should be viewed as a valuable feature and as a unique challenge. In an era of greater globalization and educational standardization, of policy borrowing and of international comparisons of achievement, there is a high demand and need to respect context and to appreciate how countries with different traditions and resources deal with the challenges of teacher education. For example, Indian cultural traditions have much to say about the virtues needed of teachers and the roles teachers played in developing its age old rich heritage. Reports say that Singapore seeks to draw upon its links to Asian traditions while it simultaneously appropriates ideas from Anglo-Saxon and continental traditions. This is not simply a matter of ensuring representation but a unique and distinct way of integrating traditions within which education and pedagogic systems are embedded that can provide valuable insights. Both researchers and policy makers want the same thing--high quality teachers. Both want evidence of what is likely to work best. While the practice is to rely on the best available evidence and scholarship, it is equally important to clearly set out some propositions to guide policy choices. The balance has been difficult to achieve; however, it is hoped that it could be achieved to a reasonable extent. In the context of curriculum revisions happened in the country as per NCTE [National Council of Teacher Education] norms, the present paper tries to find out whether the new direction tries to chisel out a workable quality assured teacher preparation scenario in the country.

In view of the strengthening momentum in efforts to reforms in examinations in higher education of India and Kerala in particular, and holding that teacher education is in privileged position to initiate examination reforms in higher education by virtue of its link with both school education and the higher education, this paper focuses attention to a number of practical challenges in the scoring of answer scripts of B.Ed degree examinations. Investigating the length of answer scripts, reading speed of teacher educators, and requirement of number of scripts to be evaluated by teacher educators, this paper further explores the criteria applied by evaluators in scoring the scripts and the match/mismatch between the type of question included in the examination and the real scheme of scoring applied while evaluating the scripts. Employing analysis of question papers and answer scripts, and structured interview with evaluators in a centralized valuation camp in one university of Kerala, the study found that with an average speed of 136 words/minute in reading answer scripts among teacher educators, and length of answer scripts from 2352 to 3696 words depending upon the paper, the estimated time for reading a script ranges from 17.29 to 27.17 minutes. The actual time (7.85 minutes) spent on evaluation is less than half the estimated time. Evaluators reports valuing on "points only' "scanning for terms and phrases" "scoring by habit" etc. though the question papers frequently require the students to explain, describe, distinguish, define, bring about meaning, how and why questions apart from what questions, listing and outlining. Conducting and evaluating online examinations, multiple-choice-items and development of evaluation competencies and further strengthening of contents of measurement and evaluation at M.Ed level may help remedy the situation.

The context of this paper is studies worldwide on influence of phonological factors in language development of children. Such studies reveal the significance of Phonological Awareness in development language skills: including, predictive value of phonological short-term memory for reading skills in Grade 1. This paper throws light on factors in language learning that associate to failure in completion of lower primary grades in their first school. This paper analyses data obtained during a longitudinal study of school and pupil factors that leads to language difficulties in lower primary classes. The sample was cohort of students enrolled in grade 1 in the year 2010, in 11 coastal primary schools in Thrissur district (include government and aided schools). The sample was followed until 2013, through four academic years. This paper analyses phonological awareness and letter reading in Grade 1 of two distinct groups in the initial sample of 199 lower primary students. One group consists of those who successfully were promoted to Grade 4 in the same school by fourth academic year. Second group is of those who dropped out, retained or transferred to another school, before the completion of the first four years of schooling. Thus, this study tests difference, if any, in the performance of Phonological awareness and letter reading skills of groups that succeed and fail to successfully complete lower primary grades in their first school. This paper adds to understanding the problem of drop out and stagnation, which is traditionally attributed to poverty, child labour, malnutrition, and diseases among other societal and school factors. Implications are added. (Contains 4 tables and 4 figures.)

The instrument of pre-service teacher education is to ensure that entrant teachers holistically understand the concept of education. It is premised that after the pre-service preparation, teachers will be competent and committed to their task of developing values in the future citizens by providing younger generation with learning experiences for holistic development of mind-body, intellect and emotions. The most potent resource for teachers to develop values in their students is time and curricular prescriptions at their disposal in schools. Students imbibe values, if their teachers use these resources with required sense of purpose, planning, and commitment in different teaching acts like explaining, questioning, projects and assignments, examination and evaluation, feedback and reinforcement, dealing with student problems and, of course, in their less formal interaction with students. It is in this context that this study explored the preferred teaching behaviors of student-teachers who have almost completed their pre-service secondary teacher education course from University of Calicut, Kerala. The findings suggest that the student teachers are inconsistent in their preferences with respect to different aspects of teaching - like set goals, lesson planning, classroom explanation, questioning, reinforcing the student behaviours, giving projects, scoring the scripts, and student evaluation and self-evaluation. The paper argues that this inconsistent preference among student-teachers, if allowed to persist in their classrooms, will affect their students' ability to form coherent personalities with well-knit goals, actions, and preferences. Hence, the paper suggests teacher education curricula to give more opportunities for reflective practice such that future teachers formulate better-integrated styles of teaching (2 tables and 8 references included).

In India, the concept of inclusive education schools is gaining importance to provide equal opportunities for education for all. Aims of schools in India has is to include students with special needs in the regular classrooms. However, biggest challenge they face is lack of awareness among teachers about inclusive education. Educationists across India have felt the need to make teachers aware about inclusive education. This research paper discusses about the effect of inclusive education awareness programme, developed to create awareness among preservice teachers. Methodology used was quasi-experimental design-pretest and posttest non-equivalent group along with factorial design to study the interactive effect of moderator variables on treatment. Questionnaire on awareness about inclusive education was prepared, it comprises of 48 items, and its reliability index is 0.85 by Split-Half method and 0.88 by Cronbach's Alpha. Purposive sampling technique was used and sample consisted of 77 preservice teachers in the experimental group and 53 in the control group from two colleges offering D.T.Ed (Diploma in Teacher Education) Course. Treatment, inclusive education awareness programme was implemented using different interactive teaching methods for 52 hours across five weeks. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics t-test, ANOVA (Two-way), Wolf's test. Findings revealed that preservice teachers from experimental group have gained awareness about inclusive education to a moderate extent. No significant interactive effect of gender, socio-economic status, social intelligence, emotional intelligence and treatment was found. This confirms that treatment given to experimental group was effective.

This book contains a compilation of papers presented at the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT) 2018, organized by the World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (W.I.A.R.S.). Modern psychology offers a large range of scientific fields where it can be applied. The goal of understanding individuals and groups (mental functions and behavioral standpoints), from this academic and practical scientific discipline, aims ultimately to benefit society. The International Conference seeks to provide some answers and explore the several areas within the Psychology field, new developments in studies and proposals for future scientific projects. The goal is to offer a worldwide connection between psychologists, researchers and lecturers, from a wide range of academic fields, interested in exploring and giving their contribution in psychological issues. We take pride in having been able to connect and bring together academics, scholars, practitioners and others interested in a field that is fertile in new perspectives, ideas and knowledge. We counted on an extensive variety of contributors and presenters, which can supplement the view of the human essence and behavior, showing the impact of their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. This is, certainly, one of the reasons there are nationalities and cultures represented, inspiring multi-disciplinary collaborative links, fomenting intellectual encounter and development. InPACT 2018 received 386 submissions, from more than 35 different countries from all over the world, reviewed by a double-blind process. Submissions were prepared to take form of Oral Presentations, Posters, Virtual Presentations and Workshops. 126 submissions (overall, 32% acceptance rate) were accepted for presentation in the conference. The conference also includes a keynote presentation by Dr. Saima Löfgren (BSc(Hons), MSc, DClinPsy, Clinical Psychologist, Visiting Lecturer at the Universities of Nottingham and Leicester, United Kingdom); and two Special Talks, one by Prof. Dr. Michael Wang (Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Leicester, United Kingdom), and the other by Prof. Dr. Pedro Oliveira (MSc on Anthropology and Child Development, PhD in Social Anthropology, Clinical Psychologist, Member of the Portuguese Order of Psychologists, Portugal). We would like to express our gratitude to all our invitees. The Conference addresses different categories inside Applied Psychology area and papers fit broadly into one of the named themes and sub-themes. The conference program includes six main broad-ranging categories that cover diversified interest areas: (1) Clinical Psychology: Emotions and related psychological processes; Assessment; Psychotherapy and counseling; Addictive behaviors; Eating disorders; Personality disorders; Quality of life and mental health; Communication within relationships; Services of mental health; and Psychopathology. (2) Educational Psychology: Language and cognitive processes; School environment and childhood disorders; Parenting and parenting related processes; Learning and technology; Psychology in schools; Intelligence and creativity; Motivation in classroom; Perspectives on teaching; Assessment and evaluation; and Individual differences in learning. (3) Social Psychology: Cross-cultural dimensions of mental disorders; Employment issues and training; Organizational psychology; Psychology in politics and international issues; Social factors in adolescence and its development; Social anxiety and self-esteem; Immigration and social policy; Self-efficacy and identity development; Parenting and social support; Addiction and stigmatization; and Psychological and social impact of virtual networks. (4) Legal Psychology: Violence and trauma; Mass-media and aggression; Intra-familial violence; Juvenile delinquency; Aggressive behavior in childhood; Internet offending; Working with crime perpetrators; Forensic psychology; Violent risk assessment; and Law enforcement and stress. (5) Cognitive and Experimental Psychology: Perception, memory and attention; Decision making and problem-solving; Concept formation, reasoning and judgment; Language processing; Learning skills and education; Cognitive Neuroscience; Computer analogies and information processing (Artificial Intelligence and computer simulations); Social and cultural factors in the cognitive approach; Experimental methods, research and statistics; and Biopsychology. (6) Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy: Psychoanalysis and psychology; The unconscious; The Oedipus complex; Psychoanalysis of children; Pathological mourning; Addictive personalities; Borderline organizations; Narcissistic personalities; Anxiety and phobias; Psychosis; Neuropsychoanalysis. This book contains the results of the different researches conducted by authors who focused on what they are passionate about: to study and develop research in areas related to Psychology and its applications. It includes an extensive variety of contributors and presenters that are hereby sharing with us their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. We would like to express thanks to all the authors and participants, the members of the academic scientific committee, and of course, to the organizing and administration team for making and putting this conference together. [These proceedings were published by InScience Press. Abstract modified to meet ERIC guidelines. For the 2017 proceedings, see ED604951.]

The present research endeavor was aimed to assess Gender differences in Mental Health Status of M.Ed. students in Kerala. The sample of the study consisted of 314 M.Ed. students, of which 49 were males and 265 were females in Kerala. The method used for the present study was survey method. Mental Health Status Scale (M.H.S. Scale) was used and t-test was used for the analysis of data. The statistical results of the study indicated that, there was no significant difference in each of the components of Mental Health Status with respect to Gender among the students in Kerala. In general, there was no significant difference in Mental Health Status with respect to Gender among the students in Kerala. Based on the findings obtained, the present study provides educational implications for better educational outcomes as well as for further researches in the research area based on the findings.

Aspects that influences mathematics learning is widely studied and language factors have been identified as a key backer to difficulties in learning Mathematics. It is evidenced that not only cognitive factors but also affective factors have vital role in learning mathematics. Such affective beliefs sources from various aspects of mathematics teaching learning process. This study explored influence of linguistic challenges that students encounter while learning mathematics on their attitude towards mathematics learning. A descriptive survey in a sample of 200 students in 7th standard in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of Kerala with a mathematical language test provided categories of language related difficulties in mathematics learning among Malayalam medium students. The test contained items on 21 areas of difficulties. Students rated their like towards Mathematics learning on a 3 point scale, which is later dichotomised for chi-square analyses. Analysis of association between Difficulties in components of mathematics language and Attitude towards mathematics learning revealed that difficulty in terms- Discipline specific terms, common terms, common terms with specific meaning and Morphology of mathematics terms influences students' attitude towards Mathematics learning. Difficulties related to Mathematical symbols also influences student's attitude towards mathematics whereas mathematical statements are influencing the same to a lesser extent. Giving attention to terminology, symbols and syntactic structures in mathematical statements whether in common or mathematical language should be part of mathematics teaching-learning. This will help to develop positive attitude towards mathematics learning among younger learners which is an important goal of mathematics instruction.

We are living in an era where pollution and contamination is very high. Rapid and senseless urbanization and industrialization created so many problems for our environment. The deeds of men are making not only his life but also the lives of other creatures on the earth horrible. Having a good knowledge regarding the problems caused by our actions, however small it is, and acting accordingly will help to make the world a better place to live in. The major aim of education is to help one live a better and full life. Thus education in the present century must be founded on the principles of sustainable development and ecological awareness. Teachers are the people who have to create such awareness among the children. Unless one possesses deep knowledge about these areas in its pure sense, he/she cannot teach it. Thus teachers must have good knowledge about the issues and problems caused in the ecosystem by the interventions from the part of human beings. Only then can they educate the children accordingly to make the lives of the future generation safe and better. In his thought-provoking book, Goleman (2009) defines Ecological Intelligence as "individuals' ability to apply what they learn about their impact on the environment to make changes in their behaviour and live more sustainably". The study was aimed to find out the level of Ecological Intelligence of the teachers from the state of Kerala. Cross sectional Survey was carried out using an Ecological Intelligence Inventory (Najmuddeen & Areekuzhiyil, 2013), to collect data from 300 teachers working in Kindergarten to college level, selected through convenience sampling technique. The results of the study showed that teachers possessed higher level of Ecological Intelligence, with female teachers possessing higher level of Ecological Intelligence than the male counterparts. Trained teachers were also found to possess higher level of Ecological Intelligence than those who were not trained. But there was found to be no significant differences in the Ecological Intelligence of the teachers with different duration of teaching experience, age, subject taught and the type of management of the institution. There was found to be no significant differences in the Ecological Intelligence of the teachers with different educational qualifications, but teachers who taught in secondary and higher secondary classes were found to possess higher level of Ecological Intelligence than those who taught in colleges.

Adopting an experiential learning explanation for varying student interest in the three sciences, out-of-school experience questionnaire, scale of interest in science and Kolb's learning style inventory were administered on 775 higher secondary students in Kerala. Despite their similar achievement levels, boys had higher interest in physics, and girls had higher interest in biology and chemistry. Higher interest of girls in biology relate to their more out-of-school experiences (OSE) like observation of animal, insects and birds as well as with domestic medicine, and gardening related experiences. Girls' higher interest in chemistry associated with their OSEs in domestic cleaning using chemicals and experiences from cooking. Likewise, higher interest of boys in physics is related with their higher experiences with electronic gadgets, electricity, batteries, magnets, mobile phones and domestic tools. The advantage of girls in biology through OSEs is more for convergers and assimilators. In chemistry backing from OSEs is more for converger girls. Girls with divergent or accommodating styles are able to some extent compensate their disadvantage in physics through their OSEs. The findings further highlight the significance of relating science topics with life experiences, in consideration of student learning styles. The findings indicate the ways for curricula to avoid gender stereotyping of the topics by pointing to examples, illustrations, assignments and the like that apply equally for boys and girls.

We are delighted to welcome you to the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT) 2017, taking place in Budapest, Hungary, from 29 of April to 1 of May, 2017. Modern psychology offers a large range of scientific fields where it can be applied. The goal of understanding individuals and groups (mental functions and behavioral standpoints), from this academic and practical scientific discipline, aims ultimately to benefit society. This International Conference seeks to provide some answers and explore the several areas within the Psychology field, new developments in studies and proposals for future scientific projects. The goal is to offer a worldwide connection between psychologists, researchers and lecturers, from a wide range of academic fields, interested in exploring and giving their contribution in psychological issues. The conference is a forum that connects and brings together academics, scholars, practitioners and others interested in a field that is fertile in new perspectives, ideas and knowledge. There is an extensive variety of contributors and presenters, which can supplement the view of the human essence and behavior, showing the impact of their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. This is, certainly, one of the reasons there are nationalities and cultures represented, inspiring multi-disciplinary collaborative links, fomenting intellectual encounter and development. InPACT 2017 received 243 submissions, from 35 different countries from all over the world, reviewed by a double-blind process. Submissions were prepared to take form of Oral Presentations, Posters, Virtual Presentations and Workshops. It was accepted for presentation in the conference 128 submissions (29% acceptance rate). The conference also includes: (1) Two keynote presentations by Prof. Dr. Leslie G. Walker (Professor of Cancer Rehabilitation at the University of Hull, United Kingdom) and by Prof. Dr. Howard S. Schwartz (Professor of Organizational Behavior in the School of Business Administration, Oakland University, USA); and (2) Two Special Talks one by Prof. Dr. Michael Wang (Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Leicester, United Kingdom), and the other by Dr. António Alvim (Portuguese Association of Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Portugal). We would like to express our gratitude to all our invitees. This volume is composed by the papers of the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT 2017), organized by the World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (W.I.A.R.S.). The Conference addresses different categories inside Applied Psychology area and papers fit broadly into one of the named themes and sub-themes. The conference program includes six main broad-ranging categories that cover diversified interest areas: (1) Clinical Psychology: Emotions and related psychological processes; Assessment; Psychotherapy and counseling; Addictive behaviors; Eating disorders; Personality disorders; Quality of life and mental health; Communication within relationships; Services of mental health; and Psychopathology. (2) Educational Psychology: Language and cognitive processes; School environment and childhood disorders; Parenting and parenting related processes; Learning and technology; Psychology in schools; Intelligence and creativity; Motivation in classroom; Perspectives on teaching; Assessment and evaluation; and Individual differences in learning. (3) Social Psychology: Cross-cultural dimensions of mental disorders; Employment issues and training; Organizational psychology; Psychology in politics and international issues; Social factors in adolescence and its development; Social anxiety and self-esteem; Immigration and social policy; Self-efficacy and identity development; Parenting and social support; Addiction and stigmatization; and Psychological and social impact of virtual networks. (4) Legal Psychology: Violence and trauma; Mass-media and aggression; Intra-familial violence; Juvenile delinquency; Aggressive behavior in childhood; Internet offending; Working with crime perpetrators; Forensic psychology; Violent risk assessment; and Law enforcement and stress. (5) Cognitive and Experimental Psychology: Perception, memory and attention; Decision making and problem-solving; Concept formation, reasoning and judgment; Language processing; Learning skills and education; Cognitive Neuroscience; Computer analogies and information processing (Artificial Intelligence and computer simulations); Social and cultural factors in the cognitive approach; Experimental methods, research and statistics; and Biopsychology. (6) Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy: Psychoanalysis and psychology; The unconscious; The Oedipus complex; Psychoanalysis of children; Pathological mourning; Addictive personalities; Borderline organizations; Narcissistic personalities; Anxiety and phobias; Psychosis; Neuropsychoanalysis. This volume contains the papers and results of the different researches conducted by authors who focused on what they are passionate about: to study and develop research in areas related to Psychology and its applications. It includes an extensive variety of contributors and presenters that are hereby sharing with us their different personal, academic and cultural experiences. We would like to express thanks to all the authors and participants, the members of the academic scientific committee, and of course, to the organizing and administration team for making and putting this conference together. [Abstract modified to meet ERIC guidelines. For the 2016 proceedings, see ED580800.]

Chemistry is widely perceived as difficult. Specialized language, mathematical and abstract conceptual nature, and the amount of content are often cited reasons. Researchers have been trying to explain how students should be helped in learning chemistry better. This paper reports the results of a survey to identify the chemistry units in standard nine that are perceived as being difficult by students in Kerala state stream. The sample consists of 1382 standard X students, both males and females, from three high schools from that many revenue districts in Kerala. Six chemistry units were listed in a chart and presented to students so that each student may opt any one unit that s/he thinks the most difficult. The result shows that majority of pupil faces difficulty mainly in the unit on Periodic Table and Chemical Bonding. Since conceptual understanding in chemistry is related to the ability to explain chemical phenomena through the use of macroscopic, molecular and symbolic levels of representation; the authors suggests that innovative learning strategies be used by teachers at all levels of chemistry education to enhance the students' motivation to learn chemistry. Innovation in science education can contribute to the favourable learning environment in schools. Adopting innovative instructional strategies appropriate to the nature of the topic can create a good and favourable environment in classroom. This may in turn make further learning easier for students. (Contains 1 Table and 1 figure.)

This study relates factors in nature of Mathematics and its teaching learning to student difficulties for diverse mathematics tasks. Descriptive survey was done on a sample of 300 high school students in Kerala with a questionnaire on difficulties in learning. Student perception of difficulty on 26 types of tasks, under five heads that students may face in solving problems in school mathematics were obtained. These were subsequently abridged through factor reduction into nine categories of tasks in school mathematics. Parallel to this, ratings on 13 reasons related to nature of school mathematics that students perceive as making mathematics difficult for them were also obtained. In factor reduction, these reasons merge into two broad sources of difficulty: 1. Nature of school mathematics content, and 2. Nature of Mathematics Teaching-Learning. Nature of school mathematics with less control for teaching learning correlated more with relatively less difficult tasks. Findings imply that tasks in school mathematics where in students perceive higher difficulty can be remedied through adaptation in teaching learning to a considerable extent. Proper guidance on methods of learning Mathematics and metacognitive and self-regulatory strategies are recommended. Practice may be given in understanding questions, key words and analysing word problems. Mathematical content should be prepared and presented in tune with the daily life of the child. Mathematical vocabulary of students needs to be strengthened by helping with symbols, notations and mathematical terms. Frequent cumulative revision may help in meeting challenges from cumulative nature of the subject.

Mathematics holds a relevant and unique place in the school curriculum as it is important for a better living of the individual. But, it is known that most of the students are considering mathematics as difficult. This study examines the difficulties perceived by high school students and teachers in learning and teaching mathematics. Two hundred 9th standard students and fourteen mathematics teachers participated in the survey. The questionnaires on perception of students and teachers, comprises closed as well as open ended items. The study incorporated cognitive, affective and environmental reasons that contribute to the difficulty in learning mathematics. The factors that make mathematics difficult for students to learn included difficulty in remembering the content learned in the previous classes, rapid forgetting of the learned material and the difficulty in understanding mathematics concepts. Further analysis revealed that students who feel mathematics highly difficult tends to believe that they lacks in learning strategies. Such students have lack of self efficacy and feel more difficulty in understanding mathematics. Students who feel Mathematics as highly difficult tends to forget it faster. Conversely students who feel mathematics as fairly easy reports their teachers teaching them well and understanding the concepts quickly. It was noted that the students who feel Mathematics as highly difficult tends to leave the task with little effort than those who feel the subject easy. According to teachers, students' lack of effort and prerequisites are the major reasons for mathematics being a difficult subject for students. Reluctance to seek help from others, inattention in the classroom and students' lack of motivation were also perceived to contribute toward difficulty in learning mathematics. Teachers reported also that, lack of relevant prerequisites, difficulty in speedy grasping of the concepts and more number of students in a classroom are causing difficulty in teaching mathematics. The findings indicate the need for teachers to realize the importance of making school mathematics interesting for students to take effort in learning it. The result is discussed in relation to students' beliefs and study strategies.

Though factors contributing to difficulty in learning school subjects including Mathematics were extensively studied, nature and characteristics of mathematics, possibly, one among the foremost causes for difficulty in learning it has not received required attention. To bring attention to the difficulties arising out of the nature of mathematics teaching-learning, this study identifies and compares the level of difficulty of major school subjects perceived by students. The study categorizes the characteristics of subjects that contribute to student perception of difficulty. Then it compares Mathematics with other school subjects on these perceived reasons. Questionnaire survey on a sample comprising of 300, 8th standard students randomly selected from schools of Kerala is employed. Findings indicate that as to mathematics, most of these identified factors are highly causative to difficulty compared to other subjects. The study implies reducing the difficulties in learning Mathematics through remedial measures that consider special nature of that subject.