http://ir.bdu.edu.et/handle/123456789/15855 2026-10-13T02:38:17Z http://ir.bdu.edu.et/handle/123456789/17336 Effects of Blended Learning on Undergraduate Students’ Conceptual Understanding, Engagement, and Epistemological Beliefs in Learning Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry Concepts: The Case of Bashir Dar University, Ethiopia Woretaw, Atinaf The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Blended learning (BL) on undergraduate students' Conceptual Understanding (CU), engagement (SE), and epistemological beliefs (EBs) in learning Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry (CBMG) concepts. To achieve this goal, a mixed research approach was employed. For the quantitative approach, a pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental design was employed. For the qualitative phase, a phenomenological design was used. The study was conducted at Bahir Dar University in the Amhara National Regional State of Ethiopia. A total of 86 undergraduate students (Male = 59 and Female = 27) participated, with the intervention group (IG; n = 42) taught via the BL approach and the comparison group (CG; n = 44) taught via the Conventional Teaching Method (CTM). A total of nine participants, six from IG and 3 students from CG, participated in the semi-structured interviews. The Three-tier Conceptual Understanding Diagnostic Test (TTCUDT), Student Engagement Scale (SES), and Colorado Learning Assessment and Science Survey (Class-Chem) were administered to both groups as pretest and posttest. Moreover, semi-structured interview questions were administered regarding CU, SE, and EBs after the treatment. The study employed quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26 and were examined using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Findings from both approaches indicated that students who engaged with the BL approach demonstrated greater CU, SE, and more sophisticated EBs than their peers who experienced CTM while learning CBMG concepts. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the BL approach significantly reduced students' MCs and enhanced their confidence. However, no statistically significant gender differences were observed in CU, SE, and EBs within either the intervention or comparison groups. The BL approach has been shown to substantially enhance students‘ CU, SE, and EBs regarding scientific knowledge acquisition. Furthermore, the findings of this study revealed that, within the BL environment, students‘ CU was significantly correlated with their engagement and EBs; moreover, increased SE contributed to the development of more sophisticated EBs. Although the implementation of BL has a significant positive effect on students' CU, SE, and EBs related to knowledge, various challenges were encountered in the learning environment due to technological, pedagogical, student-related, and institutional factors. Adopting carefully designed iii BL approaches enables educational institutions to improve teaching effectiveness and SE, while contributing to the growing evidence on the pedagogical impact of BL in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Drawing on these findings, further implications for practice and recommendations for future research are advanced 2026-08-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.bdu.edu.et/handle/123456789/17066 Assessing Professional Competence of Citizenship Education Teachers in Government Middle-Level Schools in West Gojjam Administrative Zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia Nigus, Ali This study examined the professional competence of Citizenship Education (CED) teachers in government middle schools in the West Gojjam Zone of the Amhara Region, Ethiopia, using a mixed-methods approach with a concurrent embedded design. Quantitative data were collected through closed-ended questionnaires administered to 260 teachers and 377 students selected via multistage sampling. Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with six principals, six teachers, and six students, supplemented by classroom observations and lesson plan reviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential tests, including one-sample t-tests, independent t-tests, and MANOVA, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Results indicated that teachers possessed content knowledge (CK) but lacked pedagogical knowledge (PdK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Although there is no consistent evidence supporting gender-based differences in teacher competence, male teachers demonstrated a slight advantage in (CK; d = 0.18); however, the effect size was negligible and may reflect context-specific factors, such as women‘s additional domestic responsibilities. Teachers with 6–15 years of experience demonstrated higher CK, while those with 1–5 years appeared to lack sufficient professional experience, and those with more than 15 years exhibited indications of professional fatigue. Professional practice (PP) and professional engagement (PE) were generally low, largely due to limited ongoing professional development and insufficient incentives for collaboration with colleagues, parents, and the community. Although teacher learning and experience contribute meaningfully to teaching effectiveness, the lack of significant competence differences by qualification or experience in PdK, PCK, and other PP and PE subscales may indicate widespread reliance on routine instructional strategies, particularly group discussions. The study recommends curriculum revision, targeted professional development, peer collaboration, mentorship programs, enhanced in-service refreshment training, and engagement strategies for all CED teachers to enhance overall competence and ultimately improve the quality of education. 2025-12-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.bdu.edu.et/handle/123456789/17059 EFL Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions and Engagement with the English Language Teachers’ Oral Corrective Feedback in Spoken Classroom Megbaru, Motbaynor This study aimed at exploring undergraduate students‟ perceptions and engagement with their teacher‟s oral corrective feedback in an EFL spoken classroom at Bahir Dar University. Guided by a pragmatist view of research, this study employed mixed-methods case study design to collect qualitative and quantitative data from a class of participants (N=11) taking the course “Spoken English I” in their second semester. To this end, audio-recorded classroom observation, close-ended questionnaire, and students‟ interview were utilized. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (questionnaire) and thematic analysis (interview and observation transcripts). The findings demonstrated the teacher‟s utilization of various OCF types (predominantly recasts) following students‟ spoken errors in the classroom. Regarding student engagement, the participants not only listened to and processed the feedback but also tried to refine their speech. Emotionally, most of them felt encouraged and please with the OCF they received while some reported experiencing frustration following the feedback. While recasts achieved the highest student repair rate (81.8%), followed by metalinguistic feedback (66.7%), explicit feedback and repetition did not trigger any student repair. As for the errors, the findings revealed that grammar errors had the highest repair rate (90.9%), whereas lexical errors were the least repaired (14.3%). Interestingly, the use of double feedback moves and non-verbal signals were parts of the OCF practice. The participants largely perceived OCF as an essential tool to improve their grammatical accuracy and oral performance during speaking despite some negative affective-filters such as anxiety, which deterred participation in the feedback. Finally, the study outlined practical and pedagogical implications, along with specific recommendations focused on enhancing teachers‟ classroom practice, refining teacher-training programs, and suggesting avenues for future research. 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.bdu.edu.et/handle/123456789/17058 Promoting 11th-Grade Students’ Engagement and Conceptual Understanding in Chemical Kinetics: A Design-Based Research Approach to Pogil with Interactive Simulation Laboratory Activities Rediet, Bogale Chemical kinetics is widely recognized as one of the most challenging topics in secondary school chemistry due to its abstract nature and the difficulty students experience in connecting observable phenomena with underlying particle interactions. This study investigated the effectiveness of integrating interactive simulations with process-oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) laboratory activities to enhance Grade 11 students’ conceptual understanding, achievement, confidence, and engagement in chemical kinetics. The study employed a Design-based research (DBR) approach within a mixed-methods framework and was conducted with 63 Grade 11 students at Tana Haik Secondary School in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. Quantitative data were collected through pre- and post-tests, confidence measures, and engagement questionnaires, while qualitative data were gathered through student interviews, teacher interviews, classroom observations, and group discussions. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, effect size measures, and percentage distributions, whereas qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed significant improvements across all learning outcomes. Students' achievement increased from a mean score of 9.65 to 21.19 out of 32 (d = 4.03), confidence from 6.38 to 13.08 out of 16 (d = 1.94), and engagement from 3.10 to 4.45 on a five-point scale (d = 2.30). Conceptual understanding also improved substantially. Qualitative findings showed that collaborative inquiry, simulation-based exploration, and guided learning enhanced students' participation, motivation, scientific reasoning, and ability to connect macroscopic, microscopic, and symbolic representations. However, some learners still required teacher support to interpret complex microscopic processes. The study concludes that integrating interactive simulations with POGIL laboratory activities creates a more engaging, student-centered, and conceptually meaningful learning environment for secondary school chemistry. 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z