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Aims: To determine the effect of test item arrangements in ascending, descending and no consistent order of difficulty in multiple choice tests on undergraduate pharmacy students’ academic achievement in a chemistry course. The present study served as an attempt to relate the effect of test item arrangement on undergraduate pharmacy students’ academic achievement in a chemistry course in Nigerian Universities. Study Design: Quasi-experimental research design of pre-test posttest non-equivalent group design was adopted in carrying out this research. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in ten Nigerian Universities between August, 2020 to April, 2021. Methodology: We sampled 200 participants (111 male, 89 females; age range 16 – 27 years) undergraduate pharmacy students drawn from ten (10) Universities in Nigeria. Twenty undergraduate pharmacy students offering Basic Principle of Chemistry (Chem. 101) were randomly selected from each of the selected universities for the study. Results: The mean scores when test items were arranged in ascending, descending, and no consistent orders of item difficulty were 44.38, 37.85 and 40.13 respectively. Their differential mean scores were 6.53, 2.28 and 4.26 in the same order. This implies that pharmacy students obtained higher scores when test items were arranged in ascending order of difficulty, followed by no consistent order and least in descending order of difficulty. The findings further revealed no significant arrangement by gender interaction effect on undergraduate pharmacy students` performance in the three tests. Conclusion: This study will help pharmacy lecturers in determining the most appropriate test item order which will help the students obtain high scores in any pharmaceutical test. The researchers conducted a quasi-experimental study on the topic as part of their undergraduate curriculum to examine the best test item format that will enhance pharmacy students' academic achievement in a chemistry course.

Ethical issues such as value decadence, moral laxity, and negative attitudes to work among Nigerian employees such as teachers remain worrisome trends especially with regards to professional integrity. These problems in workplace settings could be associated with negative perceptions of organizational demands, values, and principles. Given this, this study examined the effect of rational emotive occupational intervention on the perceptions of work value and ethical practices among primary school teachers in Nigeria. A group-randomized control intervention with 148 primary school teachers as participants was employed. Participants were allocated to the treatment group (n = 74) and waitlisted control group (n = 74). The participants in the treatment group received a 12-week program whereas the comparison group was waitlisted, evaluated at three points. The results showed that rational emotive behavioral occupational intervention was significant in the work values of primary school teachers in Nigeria as measured by Organizational Values Scale and Value Congruence Scale. Rational emotive occupational intervention was significant in the ethical sensitivity of primary school teachers in Nigerian as measured by Ethical Sensitivity Scale. It was also found that the rational emotive behavioral occupational intervention has long-term significant effects on work value and ethical practices among primary school teachers in Nigeria as measured by Organizational Values Scale, Ethical Sensitivity Scale, and Value Congruence Scale. Therefore, we conclude that rational emotive behavioral occupational intervention is effective in reducing the negative perceptions of work value and ethical practices among primary school teachers in Nigeria.

All over the world, many students experience examination-induced stress. This study explored the problem and factors associated with managing of examination induced stress among university students in Nigeria using FEAR-Model of cognitive behavioural intervention. The study employed a randomized pretest-posttest framework. A total of 159 students (38 males and 42 females in treatment group; 41 males and 38 females in waitlisted control group) participated in the study. The recruited participants were assigned to two comparison groups using sequence allocation method. The Exam Stress Scale was used as the instrument for assessing the condition of students at Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3 respectively. A 16-session treatment manual for examination was utilized by the therapist to deliver the therapy. The result of repeated analysis of variance showed that the FEAR-model of CBT was a beneficial intervention with therapeutic effect in managing participants’ examination-induced stress scores as measured with Exam Stress Scale at posttest and follow-up stages. The study concludes that FEAR – Model of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is efficacious in the reduction of examination-induced stress among undergraduate students in public universities.

Globally, considerable number of students experienced test anxiety. This study tested the efficacy of the FEAR—model of cognitive behavioural therapy in treating test anxiety in Chemistry students. We adopted a randomized pretest-posttest trial experimental design. A total of 153 participants served as the study sample. Two instruments were used for data collection. The participants were administered the instruments at three different times. Treatment manual for test anxiety was employed to deliver the therapy. Data analysis was completed using analysis of covariance. The researchers found that FEAR-model of CBT had a significant effect on participants’ test anxiety scores as measured by Cognitive Test Anxiety scale, German Test Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory at posttest and follow-up stages. The researchers concluded that FEAR—Model of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is efficacious in the reduction of test anxiety among undergraduate Chemistry students in public universities.

This study determined the effect of Learning Management system (LMS) on students performance in educational measurement and evaluation course. A non-equivalent group quasi experimental research design was adopted for the study, using a population of all the undergraduate students in Imo State University, Nigeria. A sample of 232 students was purposively selected comprising of 109 males and 123 females. An instrument titled “Measurement and evaluation Achievement Test (MEAT)” was used for data collection. The internal consistency reliability of the items of the MEAT was estimated to be 0.88 using Kuder-Richardson formula (K-R20) method, while the estimated temporal stability was obtained to be 0.89 using Pearson Product-moment correlation. The Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions while analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed that students taught using LMS (Moodle) performed better than those exposed to the CAI4ME Package. It was equally revealed that female students performed better than the males in both the two approaches although the male students recorded a higher gain score. Based on the findings, the researchers recommend that, LMS Packages such as Moodle should be learnt and used by lecturers of Educational Measurement and Evaluation.

The study sought to ascertain the content validity of West African Examination Council Multiple-Choice Test Items in Financial Accounting from 2016-2018. The researchers assessed how spread taxonomically the content of the core curriculum in the WASSCE Financial Accounting questions were. The population of the study included all the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) multiple-choice question papers in Financial Accounting set by the Council. The sample covered multiple-choice test items from 2016-2018. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The Financial Accounting curriculum and the WASSCE Financial Accounting questions were the main instruments used for data collection. A total of 150 WASSCE objective questions papers were categorized in line with the various cognitive levels. The results revealed that some topics were overemphasized while others were underemphasized. Some topics like introduction to accounting were ignored. The spread of the questions to different cognitive levels did not comply with the required standard; therefore, the WASSCE questions within the period have low content validity. The curriculum should from time-to-time be scrutinized alongside the WASSCE syllabus in order to make the two agree in both content and objectives. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.6.10

Background: Visually impaired students have been reported to struggle with value system and rash decision making process. This study examined the impact of rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) in reducing negative personal value system of visually impaired people. Method: A group-randomized trial design was adopted using 56 students with visual impairment. The participants received a value-based rational emotive behavior progamme and were assessed at 3 points using PVS and ABS-2-AV. Results: The result of analysis of covariance showed that there was no significant difference between the treatment and control groups in initial personal value in Nigerian as measured by PVS. At the post-treatment the effect of V-REBP was significant in personal value and follow-up assessment respectively in favour of treatment group. Conclusion: We concluded that there is significant impact of rational emotive behavioral therapy on reduction of negative personal value system of students with visual impairment.

Background/Objective: The importance of critical thinking in improving treatment practices in, for instance, the nursing profession, cannot be overemphasized. Despite this importance, empirical studies have shown that helping strategies to train learners on critical thinking disposition are needed. Given this knowledge gap, this study investigated the impacts of cognitive-behavioral reflective training for improving the critical thinking disposition of nursing students. Method: Of all the students screened, a total of 167 participants were assigned to the treatment group and waitlisted control group. A researchers-developed training program aimed at improving critical thinking disposition was delivered in English language by therapists. Results: Repeated-measures ANOVA showed that there was no significant difference between the critical thinking disposition of nursing students in the treatment and control groups as measured by CTDI-M at the posttest. At the posttreatment and follow-up measures, there were consistently improved impacts of CBRT on the critical thinking disposition of nursing students in Nigeria as measured by CTDI-M. Conclusion: Following the results, we concluded that cognitive-behavioral reflective training was beneficial and had sustained improvement in enhancing the critical thinking disposition of nursing students.

Pathological gambling is a developmental disorder usually associated with a continuous loss of control over gambling; it also involves a preoccupation with gambling and with obtaining money for the same purpose of gambling, irrational thinking, and a continuation of the behaviour despite being aware of its adverse consequences. This study examined the effectiveness of group cognitive-behavioural therapy (GCBT) on pathological gambling among Nigerian students. The study used a group randomised controlled trial design to assign participants to intervention and control groups. A total of 40 undergraduate students, aged 18–30, were classified as pathological gamblers (participants) in this study. Participants completed self-report scales titled South oaks gambling screen and Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale at three-time points. The intervention lasted for 8 weeks. The data collected were statistically analysed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Results revealed that GCBT has a significant effect in decreasing the symptoms of pathological gambling among the participants in GCBT compared to those in the control group and that the improvements were maintained at follow-up. The study concluded that group cognitive-behavioural therapy is impactful therapy in reducing pathological gambling among students. It has also validated the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy in altering erroneous thoughts and replacing it with a better alternative realistic way of thinking.

Background: Most classroom teachers are weak in constructing test items for assessment of students. This study examined the effects of cognitive behavioral active engagement training on test items construction skills among primary school teachers in Nigeria. Methods: We adopted a randomized pretest–posttest control group design. A total of 148 participants served as the study sample. One instrument was used for data collection. The participants were administered the instrument at 4 different times. Test construction guide was employed to implement the training. Data analysis was completed using analysis of covariance. Results The researchers found that cognitive behavioral active engagement training had a significant effect on participants’ test items construction scores as measured by test construction skills inventory at posttest, first and second follow-up stages. Conclusion The researchers concluded that cognitive behavioral active engagement training is efficacious in the improvement of test items construction skills among primary school teachers in Nigeria.

This study determined the effects of mother-child mediated learning (MCML) strategies on the psychological resilience (PR) and cognitive modifiability (CM) of children with learning disabilities (LD) using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. The study utilized a sample of 60 mothers and 60 children with LD. These children were both male (63%) and female (37%) primary five level children diagnosed with LD and were sampled from inclusive primary schools in Enugu State, Nigeria. The mean age and standard deviation of the children was 10.5 ± 1.04 years. Data collected were analyzed using a SEM approach. The findings of the study showed that (a) the causal model for the explanation of the effects of MCML on the PR and CM of pupils with LD significantly fitted in the observed causal model and (b) MCML had a significant effect on the PR as well as CM of children with LD. One implication of this study is that the PR, as well as the CM of children with LD, can be enhanced through MCML.

Teachers’ beliefs in their ability to effectively handle the tasks that are related to their professional activity are an issue of concern for pre-service teachers. Many of them have low self-efficacy which can affect their output in future, and this can influence important academic outcomes on learners. The main purpose of this study was to factorially validate teachers’ self-efficacy scale (TSES) using pre-service teachers in public colleges of Education in Enugu State. A sample of 218 year three students in the schools of sciences and social sciences was drawn from a population of 2,127 students of public colleges of Education in Enugu State. Simple random sampling technique was used to draw two schools from the five schools in each of the colleges. Accidental sampling was used to draw the participants. The study adapted the teacher self-efficacy scale developed by Ma, Trevethan and Lu (2019). The instrument was construct validated using factor analysis while the internal consistency and stability reliability indices were estimated using Cronbach alpha method and Pearson correlation. The exploratory and confirmatory factors analyses were done using principal component matrix with Varimax rotation, while data model fit was tested using root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) and confirmatory factor index (CFI). Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Analysis of a Moment Structures (AMOS) software were used to conduct the statistical analysis. The results showed that the scale was found to be valid and reliable and as well demonstrated a good model fit (RMSEA = .043, CFI = .943). The study has implication for teacher education training institutions in that the scale can be used as an effective instrument for determining the teaching self-efficacy of the pre-service teachers. Thus, it was recommended that various higher institutions for teacher education should make effective use of TSES in ascertaining the teaching self-efficacy of the pre-service teachers, especially during teaching practice exercises.

This study determined the effect of caregivers’ training program on preschoolers’ socio-emotional readiness for transition from kindergarten to primary one in Rivers State Nigeria. The study adopted quasi-experimental design with a population of 550 pupils and a sample of 111 pupils 48 (experimental) and 73 (control) drawn from the population using a multi-stage sampling procedure. The instrument for data collection for this study was the Rating Scale for Observation of Kindergarteners and Primary One Pupils Readiness and Transition (RASOKIPOPRAT). Data collected were analysed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while the hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at 0.05 set as the level of significance. The findings revealed that caregivers’ training program had a significant effect on pre-schoolers’ socio-emotional readiness for transition from kindergarten to primary one. Based on the findings it was recommended among others that local government education authority should adopt this training manual to help caregivers understand the meaning of socio-emotional readiness and then apply it in their school activities for proper development of the pupils.

This study was designed to determine the effects of Origami instructional approach on JS I students’ retention in geometry. Two research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted a quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest posttest control group design and was restricted to Nsukka local Government Area of Enugu State. Two Co-educational Secondary Schools were drawn for the study, using simple random sampling technique. Out of the two drawn schools, one was randomly assigned to Origami Group (OG) while the other one to the Control Group (CG). A sample of 101 JS one students was involved (65 female and 36 male). The instrument for data collection was geometry retention test (GRT). Data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The result of the study revealed that use of Origami in teaching geometry to junior secondary school students enhanced their retention in geometry. The study also revealed that the use of Origami had no statistically differential effect on male and female students’ retention. The study also revealed that there was a significant interaction effect between gender and instructional material, on retention of the concepts taught during the study. Based on the findings, the researchers recommended that use of Origami should be adopted in the teaching of geometry (mathematics) in primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of education system. It was also recommended that seminars, workshops and conferences should be mounted by professional bodies, federal and state ministries of education on the use of Origami for mathematics teachers, students and others. This will enable the mathematics educators, serving teachers, students and all to benefit from such an approach.

The Teacher is the key factor in the success of any Educational endeavor at all levels. The introduction of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) necessitates a finding on the state of readiness of mathematics/science teachers in the field who will implement the programme towards the participatory level of mathematics/science teacher in the UBE programme in form of seminars, workshop and summits. It is found that less than ten percent of the subjects in the study have participated in any of UBE programmes. The study also looked at the pre-service training of mathematics/science teachers and found that one in every three teachers had shallow or no training on mathematics curricula used in schools. In addition, the subjects were asked to rank themes in order of importance in any in-servicetraining. Among themes with high ranking are content and teaching methods. The study concluded by recommending that no matter the efficiency of pre-service-training, in service training should be continuously efficient and relevant in the changing society. KEYWORDS: Universal Basic Education, Teacher Factor, Achievement, Implementation, Mathematics/Science