Evaluate the effectiveness of an information
booklet on knowledge regarding selected learning disabilities of school
children among Primary school teachers in selected schools at Mysore
Mrs.
Munirathnamma K1, Mrs. Mamatha
G2, Mr. Paramesha3*, Mrs. Lissa
J1
1Asst. Professor, Obstetrics and
Gynecological Nursing, JSS College of Nursing, Mysore
2Asst. Professor, Medical Surgical Nursing,
JSS College of Nursing, Mysore
3 Asst. Lecturer, Mental Health Nursing, JSS
College of Nursing, Mysore
*Corresponding Author’s Email:
parameshnagesh@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
Learning disabilities refers to significant
learning problems in an academic area. They are often identified when a child
begins to attend school. So, role of a teacher in identifying a child with
learning disabilities is vital. Learning disabilities are not a prescription for
failure. With the right kinds of instruction, guidance and support, there are
no limits to what individuals with Learning disabilities can achieve. Methods: Evaluative approach was used and the design
adopted for the study was one group pre test post test design. 30 primary
school teachers were selected by using non probability purposive sampling
technique in selected schools at Mysore. Pilot study was conducted, the tool
and study design were found to be feasible. The data was collected by using
personal proforma, structured knowledge questionnaire
and an information booklet was administered. The collected data was analyzed
using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The results of study
revealed that there was a significance of difference between the mean pre test
and mean post test knowledge scores (t=12.90) which was found to be highly
significant at 0.05 level of significance. The result also shows that the
knowledge scores of primary school teachers had no significant association with
their selected personal variables. Conclusion:
Therefore, the study concluded that administration of information
booklet was an effective method to improve the knowledge of primary school
teachers regarding selected learning disabilities.
KEYWORDS: Effectiveness;
information booklet; knowledge; primary school teachers; learning disabilities
INTRODUCTION:
Today’s children are tomorrow’s citizens. They are in
a continuous process of growth and development. Any alterations in its course
leads on to developmental disorders. Of the developmental disorders learning
disability plays a significant role as a silent handicap among children. Disability
need not be an obstacle to success.1
More than
one billion people in the world live with some form of disability, of whom
nearly 200 million experience considerable difficulties in functioning. In the
years ahead, disability will be an even greater concern because its prevalence
is on the rise.
According to National Institute of Health, learning
disability is a disorder that affects people’s ability to either interpret what
they see and hear or to link information from different parts of brain. Such
difficulties extend to school life and can impede learning. As there are no
specific test to identify child with learning disability, health professionals
have to rely on teachers reports for its diagnosis. Previous studies have
proved that teachers attitude towards such children have great influence
towards their recovery. Making the child aware of a problem is a great service
to the child. Unless such children are identified and properly treated, they
may develop secondary emotional, social and family problems.1
It is in this context, the importance of teacher
become vital in safeguarding and promoting mental health of children and early
identification of deviation from normal. This is especially true in Indian
setting where there is considerable shortage in mental health facilities for
children. Approximately 5% of all public school students are identified as
having a learning disability. 2
OBJECTIVES:
1. To assess the existing level of knowledge
of primary school teachers regarding selected learning disabilities of school
children.
2. To evaluate the effectiveness of
information booklet regarding selected learning disabilities of school
children.
3. To find the association between the level
of knowledge among primary school teachers regarding selected learning
disabilities of school children and their selected personal variables.
HYPOTHESES:
The following hypotheses are formulated for the study
and will be tested at 0.05 level of significance.
H1: The mean post test knowledge score of
primary school teachers regarding selected learning disabilities will be
significantly higher than mean pre test knowledge score.
H2: There will be significant association
between level of knowledge among primary
school teachers regarding selected learning disabilities and their selected
personal variables.
METHODOLOGY:
The research
approach is evaluative approach and the research design selected for this study
is one group pre test post test design. 30 primary school teachers were
selected by using non- probability purposive sampling technique at JSS Primary
school, Saraswathipuram at Mysore. Pilot study was
conducted, the tool and study design were found to be feasible. The data was
collected by using personal proforma, structured
knowledge questionnaire and an information booklet was administered. Post test was administered on 8th
day to assess the effectiveness of information booklet.
RESULT:
Table 1: Frequency
and percentage distribution of primary school teachers according to their
personal variables n = 30
|
Sample characteristics |
Frequency(f) |
Percentage (%) |
|
Age in years 20- 30 years 31years and above |
11 19 |
36.66% 63.33% |
|
Gender Male Female |
10 20 |
33.33% 66.66% |
|
Educational qualification TCH/ D.ed B.ed M.ed |
10 16 04 |
33.33% 53.33% 13.33% |
|
Years of teaching experience < 1 year 1-5 years Above 5 years |
06 08 16 |
20%- 26.67% 53.33% |
|
Previous exposure to educational programme Yes No |
02 28 |
6.67% 93.33% |
The table shows that majority of teachers 19 (66.33%)
were in the age group of 31years and above. Majority of them 20 (67.67%) were
females. Majority 16 (53.33%) had educational qualification of B. ed. only 04
(13.33%) them had educational qualification M. ed. Majority 16 (53.33%) of them had teaching
experience more than 5 years and only 02 (6.67%) were having previous exposure
to educational programme.
Table 2: Frequency
and percentage distribution of Primary school teachers according to their level
of knowledge n=30
|
Levels of knowledge |
f |
% |
|
|
Pre test |
Poor |
10 |
33.33% |
|
Average |
20 |
66.66% |
|
|
Good |
0 |
0% |
|
|
Post test |
Poor |
0 |
0% |
|
Average |
22 |
73.33% |
|
|
Good |
08 |
26.66% |
|
Data presented in Table 2 shows that in pre test
majority 20 (66.66%) of them had average knowledge, 10 (33.33%) had poor knowledge, and no one had good
knowledge. In post test majority 22 (73.33%) of them had average knowledge,
08(26.66%) had good knowledge no one had poor knowledge.
Table 3: Mean, Median, Standard deviation,
Range of pre-test and Post-test knowledge score of primary school teachers n=30
|
Knowledge Score |
Mean |
Median |
Range |
SD |
|
Pre test |
9.5 |
10 |
4-15 |
±3.05 |
|
Post test |
17.16 |
19 |
6-21 |
±4.27 |
The data presented in Table 3 shows that the mean pre-test score is 9.5 with SD±3.05 and
score ranges from 4-15 and the mean post-test score is 17.16 with SD ±4.27 and score
ranges from 6-21.
Table
4: Mean, mean difference, standard deviation of the difference, standard error
of the mean difference and paired ‘t’ value of pre-test, post-test knowledge
scores among primary school teachers.
n=30
|
Knowledge score |
Mean |
Mean D |
S.DD |
SEMD |
Paired ‘t’ test value |
|
|
Pre-test |
9.5 |
7.66 |
1.22 |
0.22 |
12.90* |
|
|
Post-test |
17.16 |
||||||
t(29)=2.045;
p<0.05; *significant
The data presented in the Table 4 shows that the mean
difference is 7.66. This indicates there is a difference in knowledge scores
among primary school teachers after providing an information booklet. To find
the significance of difference in mean knowledge scores, a paired‘t’
test was computed and obtained value of paired t(29) = 12.90
p<0.05 is found to be significant. Hence the research hypothesis is not
rejected and null hypothesis is rejected inferring that information booklet was
effective in enhancing the knowledge of primary school teachers regarding
selected learning disabilities.
Table
5: Association between levels of knowledge of primary school teachers regarding
selected learning disabilities and their selected personal variables n=30
|
Sample characteristics |
Knowledge score Poor and Average (<16) |
Knowledge score Good (>16) |
Chi-squire value |
df |
|
Age in Years 20-30 years 31 and above |
11(36.66%) 19(63.33%) |
- - |
1.141 |
1 |
|
Gender Male
Female |
10(33.33%) 20(66.66%) |
- - |
0.018# |
1 |
|
Educational qualification TCH/ D.ed B.ed M.ed |
10(33.33%) 16(53.33%) 04(13.33%) |
- - - |
0.048# |
2 |
|
Teaching experience < 1 year 1-5 years >5 years |
06(20%) 08(26.66%) 16(53.33%) |
- - |
0.2# |
2 |
|
Previous exposure to educational programme Yes No |
02(6.66%) 28(93.33%) |
- |
0.063# |
1 |
c2 (1) = 3.84; # Yates correction
The data presented in Table 5 shows that there was no
significant association between level of knowledge with any of their personal
variables.
Therefore the research hypothesis (H2) was
not supported and null hypothesis (H02)was accepted. This indicates
that knowledge of primary school
teachers regarding selected learning disabilities is not influenced by their
selected personal variables.
LIMITATIONS:
1. The sample size was limited only to 30
primary school teachers. Hence, the study findings can not
be generalized to large population.
2. The study was limited to primary school
teachers of selected schools at Mysore.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1.
A
large scale study can be conducted to generalize the findings.
2.
A
quasi experimental study can be conducted with control group for effective
comparison.
3.
A
similar study can be conducted to assess the effectiveness of structured
teaching programme regarding learning disabilities of
school children among teachers.
4.
A
similar study can be conducted among mothers regarding learning disabilities.
CONCLUSION:
The findings of the study revealed that, there was
significance of difference between the mean pre test and mean post test
knowledge scores which was statistically tested using paired ‘t’ test and was
found to be highly significant at 0.05 level of significance. Hence the study
concluded that educational programme on learning
disabilities can improve the knowledge of primary school teachers so that they
identify children with learning disabilities and help them to achieve more.
REFERENCES:
1. Catherine Lam.
Child Assessment Service. Hong Kong. Vol 6.No3.
May2001. ULL; http; // www. Fmght.org/
2. Padmavathy D, K Lalitha. Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme for teachers towards learning disabilities.
Nightingale Nursing Times. Vol 5. No 4. July 2009;
14-17.
3. Sinu E, Nathiya E. School Mental health services for children with
learning disorder. International Journal Of Scientific Research 2014; 2(9);
414-15.
4. Robert E Hole, Stuont G, Yudofsky. Textbook of
clinical Psychology. 4th ed. American Pychiatric
publishing; p 843-54.
5.
www.unicef.org/protection/World_report_on_disability_eng.pdf
Received on 05.07.2016 Modified on 18.08.2016
Accepted on 20.10.2016 ©
A&V Publications all right reserved
Int. J. Nur. Edu.
and Research. 2016; 4(4): 445-448.
DOI: 10.5958/2454-2660.2016.00082.X