Measurement of Attitudes Toward Persons with Disabilities

     Over the years, the techniques used to measure attitudes toward persons with disabilities have been mainly varied (Yuker et al, 1970). In general, Antonak and Livneh (1995) grouped attitude measurement methods into two: direct and indirect attitude measurement methods.

     Direct methods include respondents that are made aware that their attitudes are being measured by the nature of the measurement technique. These include opinion surveys, interviews, sociometrics, rankings, adjective checklists, paired comparison scales, semantic differential scales, summated rating scales, and social distance scales. Although there is a significant variation among these methods, all are prone to certain systematic errors that threaten the validity of the resulting data; namely, respondent sensitization, response styles, and reactivity (Antonak & Livneh, 1988, as cited in Antonak and Livneh, 1995). Indirect attitude measurement methods on the other hand are utilized to address these threats. Examples of indirect method include physiological methods, nonobtrusive behavioral observations, projective techniques, and disguised procedures (Livneh & Antonak, 1994). Unlike direct methods, the respondent's responses on an indirect measure are thought to expose latent psychosocial constructs that are inferred as attitude. Moreover, indirect methods have not often been used in disability attitude research (Livneh & Antonak, 1994).

     Gething (1994) identified widely-used instruments and methodologies in measuring attitudes specifically toward persons with disabilities. These measures are most of the time in paper-and-pencil test format such as self-report measures, report about others, social distance scales, sociometric techniques, open-ended techniques and survey methodology.

Self-report measures. This is considered as the most direct type of attitude assessment. These include instruments which involves individual reporting his/her own attitudes, feelings and reactions. These can be collected verbally through interviews, survey and polls, or on paper through attitudinal rating scales, logs, journals or diaries. These measures are most useful if the subjects of attitude assessment can understand the questions asked of them. They must as well have adequate awareness to share important information and are expected to give honest answers and not purposively falsify their responses.

Report about others. These entail one person to describe another person or concept, either orally or in writing. Techniques include interviews, questionnaires, logs, journals, report and observational procedures.

Social distance scales. These are measures that require a person to make a series of decisions on how closely s/he is willing to mingle and interact with persons such as those with disabilities.

Sociometric techniques. These techniques ask the person to make decisions (e.g. Who do you like best/least?) about other members of a group to which s/he belongs. These explore patterns of interaction in a group to investigate matters such as acceptance and isolation. These are most often used with children and adolescents, or in a group having members with disabilities.

Open-ended technique. This technique uses oral or written open-ended questions that are content-analyzed using a predetermined set of criteria. This requires a considerable amount of time but is less susceptible to faking and social desirability bias than questionnaires.

Survey methodology. This has the advantage of permitting a large body of data to be gathered in a relatively short period of time.

    
      

     Another manner of classification relay to the psychometric properties of the instrument (e.g. direct and indirect methods). The more commonly used are direct methods, wherein respondents are knowledgeable that their attitudes are being measured, while indirect methods involves subjects being unaware of what is being measured. 

     The instruments can also be categorized in psychometric terms by the dimensionality of the scale. For example, the Attitude Toward Disabled Person Scale (Yuker et al., 1970) utilizes a unidimensional single-score method to measure generalized attitude. On the other hand, multidimensional measurement is employed in six factor Interaction With Disabled Persons Scale (Gething, 1994).

Teacher Essay: A Pivotal Turn

     Hello there!!! After how many months of hiatus in posting, here I am again just to pass by my own blog. I am sorry again and again if I rarely post because things have changed a bit to me personally and professionally.
      First, I think I am a little burnt out with my thesis that I became less motivated to finish it as I was before hehehe. Before, I was very impulsive and hasty to finish my graduate school so that I could apply in a higher education institution. But sometimes, things just don't go as planned. As much as I wanted to finish in respect to my time table, I couldn't because of the external factors that were beyond my control. What were these factors? You know...conflicting schedules, thesis advisers, resource persons, etc...Honestly(and bragging aside),without these constraints, I could finish my thesis in less than a month. Second, I am now happy and fulfilled as an elementary school teacher, and so I have little changes with my priorities.  Before I started teaching, all I want for myself is to be an academic, a scholar, an expert of my field. But then as I went along being a teacher, I realized that the best teachers aren't necessarily the most intelligent. I think there is an "X-factor" for one to become a good teacher; one that can inspire and can motivate students to learn.  I know some teachers who are eloquent yet failed to win the hearts of the pupils. Some have excellent teaching skills yet students feel coerced. While there are teachers who do not necessarily have exemplary background yet are well-loved and appreciated by the students. I don't know what this "X-factor" is, and honestly, I am still on the process of developing myself to have this X-factor and become a good teacher. Perhaps this might be one of my unconscious reasons why I am less motivated to finish my thesis (hehehe). I feel that God has given me a lot of blessings (which include a considerable amount of intelligence), but I think that as a teacher my priority now is  to educate my pupils and not just myself. I know that some might say that I could make myself and my pupils educated at the same time, but what does priority mean in the first place? A thing that is regarded as more important than another. And my priority.again, educate my students and make them self-reflecting individuals. Inspire them and motivate them to learn so that in the end they will become persons with character and values. Lastly, in my state of being a teacher at this moment, my achievement for me is no longer about the medals or the awards that I receive just like when I was a student,nor a master's or doctorate degree. I think I had enough of that. My achievement is knowing that my students learn something that they never knew before; seeing the spark and happiness in their eyes when I tell them inspiring stories; to be trusted and be able to hear their stories and most precious secrets; and soon if I get invited in significant moments of their lives like wedding or their child's baptism. hehehe. I don't know if I sound too sentimental but this is what I think and want to share to my readers, and to present and soon-to-be teachers. Some established teachers may have different beliefs and philosophy. But for me, teaching is never just teaching per se. It is never just discussing the lesson or solving grades. Teaching is more than that. You can never say these unless you become a true teacher yourself.

By the way, here are my harvest for the school year 2012-2013. I am very proud of them.

P.S. (Don't worry..I still will finish my thesis..hehehe).

Lesson Plan: Science for Grade 5

I. Objectives: At the end of the lesson, the pupils are expected to:
a. Identify the members of the Solar System
b. Classify planets into 2 major groups: Jovian and Terrestrial planets
c. Mention ways on taking care of the planet Earth

II. Subject Matter
Topic: The Solar System
Reference: Science for Daily Life, Textbook in Science 5, Tan, Conchita, 2002 pp. 248-255
Materials: graphic organizers, pictures, television
Value Focus: Taking care of the planet Earth

III. Procedure
A. Preparation
1. Motivation- Mini Game(Boys vs Girls): Boys and girls will compete to solve picture puzzles. The pictures are related to the outer space, space exploration, etc. After the game, present the pictures and ask:
Can you identify these pictures? What do these pictures show?
B. Presentation
1. Activity
a. Film Showing: Let the pupils watch a short film about the Solar System. Encourage note-taking while watching the film.
b. Group Activity: Divide the class into 3 groups. Have the groups discuss about the film and let them answer a guide question designated to them. They will present their answers using graphic organizers.
Group 1: What are the members of the Solar System?
Group 2: What are the planets revolving around the Sun?
Group 3: What are the two groups of planets?
A group representative must present their answers to the whole class.
2. Analysis
a. Show a data retrieval chart of the basic information about the planets. Let the pupils analyze the chart and ask the following:
1. What is the planet closest to the Sun? The farthest from the Sun?
2. What is the smallest planet? The largest planet?
3. Why does the Jupiter have more moons while Venus and Mercury have no moons at all?
4. Why is there a negative sign on the revolution of Venus?
3. Abstraction and Comparison
Let the pupils fill in the Venn Diagram
Ask: What does the Venn Diagram imply?
4. Application
Give each group a copy of the crossword puzzle. They must compete each other to answer the puzzle first.
C. Generalization
Wrap up the lesson by having the pupils answer the following questions:
1. What are the members of the Solar System?
2. What is the center of the Solar System?
3. What are the 8 planets of the Solar System?
4. What are the two groups of planets?
Valuing: Ask: If given the chance, which planet will you like to live? Why?
Can other planets sustain life aside from Earth?
Explain the importance of planet Earth as our home planet. Let them mention ways of taking care of the Earth by completing the sentence: I can help taking care of our planet by ________________.

IV. Evaluation
Draw a smiley if the statement is correct and a sad face if it is wrong.
1. The Sun is the center of the Solar System.
2. The Earth is our home planet.
3. The largest planet is Saturn.
4. Jovian planets are also called inner planets.
5. The Earth is the third planet from the Sun.

V. Agreement
Draw the Solar System in a long sized bond paper. Pass this next meeting.

2013 Graduation Message of Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC

     To our Dear Students, Parents, Teachers, Staff, Administrators and Partners in Education,

     Greetings of Peace!

     Another school year is coming to a close, signaling a start of a new chapter for most you. You’ll move on to high school, college or vocational school, while some of you may immediately join the workforce. Whichever path that stretches out before you, you can be sure that it is a fresh one, a renewed one.

     We are entering a period in the world’s history in which many in the old systems are being dismantled, gradually being replaced by newer, and hopefully, better ones. Technology, governments, businesses are fast evolving, recognizing that you, the individual, are a significant part of a bigger whole. You matter, and what you do matters.

     The Philippines is no stranger to this transforming reality. More than ever, your country recognizes your role in society, government and the economy. And so we are investing heavily on you; putting our hopes in each one of you.

     In education alone, we have introduced changes which aim to equip you with more relevant knowledge and skills for the new economy. The K to 12 Basic Education program is a massive upgrade of lessons, subjects and methods to ensure we are honing your gifts to maximize your potential. You are at the heart of this upgrade. In helping you grow to be the persons you are meant to be, we are helping build the nation’s future.

     The fruits of these efforts will take years before they yield fruit, but they will definitely affect, with positive force, all sectors of society. You have the capacity to effect these changes. I pray that you relentlessly seek and build better lives for yourselves and for the larger community around you.

     To our parents, teachers, staff and administrators, I thank you for your patience and support as we undergo these radical changes. An investment is not an investment without capital. Your support and sacrifices make up the capital which would bring us to see our children lead and live in a country much transformed by your investment. Thank you!

     And to all our partners in education, to our proponents in Congress, local government units, the private sectors and various non-profit organizations, you are well-aware that your generosity in sharing your resources and support will go a long way and return to you hundredfold, in one form or another. Thank you for believing in Filipino youth!

     On behalf of the Republic of the Philippines, we congratulate you, our graduates of 2013!

     Mabuhay ang Kabataang Pilipino!

Teacher Essay: Why Take Up Education

        

     

Throwback: College days during our Organic Chemistry class...

         I ask myself many times why did I take education as a course. Is it my choice? my parents' choice? or no choice? Let me just take the second question out and leave the rest of the two questions with a tie. I took education perhaps it was my choice and at the same time, no choice. Why my choice? It is because I love to share what I know (and perhaps the reason why I made this blog myself). I find my knowledge useless if not shared to others. According to Dalai Lama, "Share your knowledge. This is a way to achieve immortality." And what job would best fit this "calling" of mine is of course to pursue education, to become a teacher myself. Now, on the second question, why no choice? Because if given the chance, I would also love to enroll in a different course.  I want to enroll in fine arts, architecture, music, law, computer engineering and the list doesn't stop, but because of financial constraints, I can't. Most of you might agree but I think education course is one of the cheapest courses a student can enroll in college. This is also one of the most common courses being offered with scholarships.

       Furthermore, I chose education course because it is also practical. When one enrolls in education, you become a jack-of-all-trade. After graduation, aside becoming a teacher, you can be a trainer, a human resource officer, a customer service representative, an office staff, a receptionist, tutor and many other job opportunities. Perhaps this is because that part of being a teacher is to become gregarious, to become more social and to deal with various kinds of people, not to mention being trained with various kinds of situations. Remember that when one becomes a teacher, you will deal with many students, each with his/her own uniqueness, the parents with various personalities plus the superiors and administrators and stakeholders. Every day in the classroom or in school is like a microcosm of everyday challenges in the society.

wahahaha......

      One important point I also considered was the fact that the world never runs out of school. Schooling or education is almost a necessity in all parts of the world. A teacher can find a school to teach given his/her competencies and credentials. In the corporate world, businesses or establishments may close and are most of the time, age-bias. In education, private schools may close but never public schools. Age is never an issue. The older a person is, the more respect and dignity is given to him/her as a teacher.

       To be honest, it is actually ironic that I became a teacher when in fact most of my heartaches and sad experiences happened in school and were caused by some of my teachers in the past. However, no matter how painful these experiences were, these made me realize that there really are good and bad teachers. And I will always remind myself that I will never be a bad one. I may be imperfect but I always try to reflect on my words and my actions toward my students. And through this blog, perhaps I could share my reflections and practices in teaching that would be helpful to all the readers interested in this blog. I hope you can find this blog useful to you, teachers and soon-to-be teachers.

         Finally, for new and old teachers alike, let us learn to love this profession no matter what. Becoming a teacher is not a desperate move in the first place. Whether it is your choice, your parents' choice or no choice, one thing is for sure: you will love teaching. You will later realize how fulfilling it is as a profession. Love teaching and teaching will love you more.