Browsing by Author "Moosa, Dheeba"

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    Does successful action research merely require a culture of reflective practice or is there more to it?
    (2018-03-20) Moosa, Dheeba
    This article explores the issue of whether a reflective culture is a necessary condition for sustaining action research in the Maldives. Drawing on data gathered for a study conducted in the Maldives and supplemented by a discussion of literature on the appropriateness of AR in developing countries, I consider why AR might be useful for professional development in the Maldives. As in many developing country contexts, there are many practical difficulties, such as time constraints that can prevent teachers from engaging in AR. However, the main focus of this article is to reflect whether it is simply a case of the absence of a reflective culture or AR itself that may be acting as a barrier to teacher engagement in it. Based on these findings, I argue that familiarity with reflective practices in teaching may be a prerequisite to the development of AR in the Maldives, and therefore, it may be that introducing the notion of reflective practice into initial teacher training is the first step. I also argue that it is important to carefully and critically consider the assumptions and practices within AR and adapt it for use as a professional development tool.
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    Influence of reading strategies on ESL students' reading comprehension in secondary schools in Malé, Maldives
    (2024) Naushan, Aminath; Rajanthran, Subashini K; Ali, Aniyath; Moosa, Dheeba
    The use of reading strategies plays an integral part in the reading comprehension level of students. However, English as a Second Language (ESL) learners are unaware of the impact of reading strategies on their reading comprehension level. Moreover, teachers also lack a solid foundation for teaching reading strategies to students and are unable to understand the reading strategies preferences of the students. Only a few studies have been conducted highlighting the significance of reading strategies on students’ comprehension levels, especially in the context of Maldivian secondary schools. The main objective of this study is to identify the use of reading strategies to improve the reading comprehension level of ESL learners in secondary school. This research employed an experimental design. A total of 118 students from grades 9 and 10 from a secondary school participated in the study. Two instruments were utilized to collect data- a questionnaire, a pre-test, and a post-test. Statistical analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between reading strategies and comprehension achievement. Moreover, a significant difference in strategy use was found between male and female students. Recommendations include implementing school-wide reading programs, using think-aloud technique to model strategies, and consistent teacher training in Maldives as well as monitoring of students' reading strategies to improve comprehension and learning opportunities.
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    Level of wellbeing among Maldivians during COVID19 pandemic
    (2022) Nasheeda, Aishath; Moosa, Dheeba; Moosa, Visal; Saeed, Khaulath; Hassan, Visama
    This study aims to present the level of wellbeing associated with demographic factors and COVID-19-related factors of people living in the Maldives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from 312 participants aged 18 years and above using a two-stage random sampling approach. Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MCF-SF), was used for data collection. The mental wellbeing results revealed average scores in the three wellbeing domains; emotional wellbeing 4.33 (SD = 0.05), social wellbeing 3.81 (SD = 0.05), and psychological wellbeing 4.60 (SD = 0.04). Females reported a higher level of stress and a low score on the mental wellbeing scale. Participants who were single reported higher levels of stress and low levels of mental wellbeing than those who were married or divorced/widowed. Those who were unemployed and those who feared receiving medical assistance reported higher levels of stress while scoring low on mental wellbeing. At the time of the study, which was during the first wave of the pandemic, the most affected region was Male, while no significant case numbers were reported in the islands, which represents a significant population in the dataset. This study is among the few studies done in Maldives examining the mental wellbeing of the people during the Covid19 pandemic. As such, this study indicates how the extent Maldivians are affected by the Pandemic. This information will be useful for relevant authorities to plan effective interventions, identify vulnerable groups and plan to reduce the burden of mental health during crises in the future.
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    Maldivian teachers’ experiences in digitalising their remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic
    (Scientific Research Publishing, 2024-05-14) Adam, Aminath Shafiya; Moosa, Dheeba; Reesha, Aishath; Mohamed, Ahmed
    The sudden shift to remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic has forced teachers to integrate Digital Technology (DT) more extensively in teaching. This research sought to collect teachers’ experience of digitalising their teaching during the pandemic. The research adopted an explanatory sequential mixed-method approach, generating quantitative data, followed by qualitative data. Primarily, using a survey, quantitative data were collected from 659 teachers across selected Maldivian schools. Next, using purposive sampling, a total of three focus group interviews were conducted, giving teachers the opportunity to discuss the emerging findings to clarify and validate the understanding sought. The result of the survey suggests that overall, teachers reported greater use of DTs and gained more confidence in their use of DTs during the pandemic. Teachers reveal specific purposes of using DTs aligned with a range of different pedagogical strategies suitable for remote teaching. The main challenges identified by teachers include unreliable internet and connection issues, while also revealing the need for support to facilitate smooth use of DTs in teaching. There is better recognition of teachers’ readiness to incorporate DTs into pedagogy with the high level of confidence and realisation of the potential DTs have in teaching/learning.
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    National survey on perception towards radicalisation, extremism and terrorism among students of higher secondary schools and higher education institutions in the Maldives
    (2024) Baker, Anthony (Abdul Haqq); Moosa, Dheeba; Reesha, Aishath; Muna, Fathimath; Hassan, Visama; Ali, Hamid
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    Quality assurance in Maldives Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
    (INTI International University, 2024) Reesha, Aishath; Shina, Aishath; Waheeda, Aishath; Moosa, Dheeba; Muna, Fathimath
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    Students' perception of written corrective feedback : a case study of pre-university ESL learners in the Maldives
    (2021-06-11) Sameer, Khadheeja Mohamed; Moosa, Dheeba
    In language teaching pedagogy, feedback is crucial for English as a Second Language (ESL) students to achieve the target language competency they desire. According to literature, effective feedback can only be given when educators understand the way individual students perceive the feedback that they are given. Unfortunately, there are very few published studies on the Maldivian students’ perception of feedback till date. Therefore, to understand pre-university students’ perception of feedback, this qualitative case study used data through focus group discussions and stimulated recall sessions from a sample of six students. The findings indicated that the students from the selected institute felt encouraged as well as appreciated when the lecturers gave feedback. Moreover, they felt apprehensiveness when the lecturers failed to provide enough feedback, or any at all. This indicated that the students highly regarded the importance of feedback. Therefore, it is advisable for educators to consider how students perceive the written corrective feedback provided for them so that it may result in successful uptake.