Modular/Block teaching: practices and challenges at higher education institutions of Ethiopia

Figures & data

Table 1. Overall attitude score of instructors and students.

	Participant colleges	Frequency (f)	Mean	St. deviation
Instructors	SSH	53	78.15	13.96
	BE	26	62.85	9.52
	NCS	39	62.87	7.65
	HEALTH	33	83.76	18.63
	Total	151	72.76	15.84
Students	SSH	98	85.07	11.11
	BE	84	69.40	12.99
	NCS	85	68.65	11.01
	HEALTH	78	73.64	13.50
	Total	345	74.63	13.88

Note: For instructors the minimum score is 32, the maximum score is 128 and the average/bench mark is 64.

For students the minimum score is 30, the maximum score is 120 and the average/bench mark is 60.

Table 2. Multiple comparisons to see variation in attitude by using Tukey method.

	Participant college		Mean difference (A–B)	Sig.
	A	B
For instructors	SSH	BE	15.305*	0.029
		NCS	15.279*	0.025
		Health	–5.607	0.228
	BE	NCS	–0.026	1.000
		Health	–20.911*	0.000
	NCS	Health	–20.886*	0.000
For students	SSH	BE	15.667*	0.000
		NCS	16.424*	0.000
		Health	11.430*	0.000
	BE	NCS	0.785	0.977
		Health	–4.236*	0.012
	NCS	Health	–4.994*	0.045

Note: A and B indicates the categories/levels of participant colleges.

* = there is significant difference, p < 0.05.

Table 3. The advantages of modular/block teaching.

No	Statement	Level of agreement	f	%	${\chi }^2$
1	Modular/block teaching helps students to concentrate on one subject at a time	Agree	120	79.5	52.457*
		Disagree	31	20.5
2	Modular/block teaching helps to give high emphasis for practical skills	Agree	29	26.5	57.278*
		Disagree	122	74.5
3	In modular/block teaching, the theory and practice can go hand-in-hand	Agree	40	26.5	33.384*
		Disagree	111	73.5
4	Modular/block teaching makes learning credible/realistic	Agree	38	25.2	37.25*
		Disagree	113	74.9

* = there is significant difference, p < 0.05.

Table 4. Active learning in modular/block teaching.

No	Statement	Level of agreement	f	%	${\chi }^2$
1	Modular/block teaching helps teachers to apply student-centred teaching methodology	Agree	77	51	0.026
		Disagree	74	49
2	In modular/block teaching, there is cooperative teaching and learning	Agree	73	48.4	0.166
		Disagree	78	51.6
3	In modular/block teaching, students’ participation is high	Agree	63	41.7	4.139*
		Disagree	88	68.3
4	In modular/block teaching, students’ initiation to do tasks in group is high	Agree	52	42	2.711
		Disagree	89	58
5	In modular/block teaching, students’ interaction is high	Agree	63	41.7	4.139*
		Disagree	88	68.3
6	Modular/block teaching encourages team work	Agree	75	49.7	0.007
		Disagree	76	50.3
7	Modular/block teaching helps students to develop self-learning habit	Agree	71	47	0.536
		Disagree	80	53

* = there is significant difference, p < 0.05.

Table 5. Assessment practice in modular approach teaching.

No.	Statement	Level of agreement	f	%	${\chi }^2$
1	Assessing students in modular/block teaching is simple	Agree	25	16.56	67.56*
		Disagree	126	83.44
2	In modular/block teaching, I use various types of assessment techniques	Agree	115	80.7	41.33*
		Disagree	36	19.3
3	The assessment techniques used in modular/block teaching are appropriate	Agree	78	51.66	0.17
		Disagree	73	48.34
4	In modular/block teaching, I assess the students’ performance continuously	Agree	107	70.86	26.28*
		Disagree	44	29.14
5	In modular/block teaching, I give effective feedback after each assessment	Agree	91	60.26	6.36*
		Disagree	60	39.74
6	Modular/block teaching helps students to get better grade	Agree	95	62.9	10.07*
		Disagree	56	37.1

* = there is significant difference, p < 0.05

Table 6. Time issue in modular approach.

No.	Statement	Level of agreement	f	%	${\chi }^2$
1	The time given to complete one course through modular/block teaching is adequate	Agree	26	17.22	64.907*
		Disagree	125	82.78
2	I use my time effectively in modular/block teaching learning process	Agree	101	66.89	17.225*
		Disagree	50	33.11

* = there is significant difference, p < 0.05.

Table 7. Workload in modular approach teaching.

No	Statement	Level of agreement	f	%	${\chi }^2$
1	Modular/block teaching makes me busy	Agree	118	80.7	47.848*
		Disagree	33	19.3
2	Modular/block teaching creates workloads on instructors	Agree	106	70.19	24.643*
		Disagree	45	29.81

* = there is significant difference, p < 0.05.