Validation of Module for Teaching Peace at the University level in Pakistan

Abstract

Peaceful coexistence among people is the key to a stable and progressing world. Focus of the study was to develop and validate a module for teaching peace. It was developed keeping in view the guidelines given in Source Book for Teacher Education and Tertiary level Education 1998 ‘Learning to Live Together in Peace and Harmony’, published by UNESCO- APNIEVE and through the review of relevant literature. It was consisted of nine units. The content validity, construct validity and face validity of the module were ensured by a panel of experts from Department of Education, University of Sargodha. An experiment was conducted to validate the module for teaching peace. A pre-experimental (one group pre-test, post-test design) was used for this purpose. The experiment was carried out among forty students of BS final year. To collect the data for pre-test and post-test a self-reported five-point likert-type scale consisted of 50 items was developed for the students, based on the activities included in the module for teaching peace. It was validated by expert opinion and the reliability value 0.94 also made the rating scale reliable. Pre-test was conducted among the participants of the experiment to measure their peace-loving attitude. A twenty seven hours treatment was given to the participants, which lasted for 9 weeks. Mean gain score of post-test was significantly greater than the mean gain score of pre-test. It means that the teaching peace through modular approach caused significantly positive change in the attitude of the university students after giving treatment. They maintained more peace-loving attitude as compare to before treatment. Hence, it is obvious that the material designed in this study as a module for teaching peace has been proved valid and effective. The study recommended that Higher Education of Pakistan may suggest a separate course for teaching peace, recommend modular approach for its teaching, and organise training for the university teachers to enable them for teaching peace effectively through modular approach.