bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Student Evaluation Of Teacher Performance: Random Pre-Destination
Authors: Chuah Kim L. , Hill Cynthia 
Published: March 2016

The student evaluation, used to measure students’ perceptions of teacher performance, has been increasingly used as the predominant component in assessing teaching effectiveness (Waters et al. 1988), and the widespread movement of outcomes assessment across the country makes this trend likely to continue in the future (McCoy et al. 1994, AACSB 1994, SACS 1995). Substantial research has been conducted with regard to the reliability and accuracy of student evaluation of teaching quality, and a considerable number of uncontrollable factors are found to bias the results of the evaluation rating. This paper identifies one more factor. Each student has an “evaluator profile”, which decreases the reliability of the student evaluation. An “evaluator profile” is a persistent pattern of evaluating behavior that may or may not be consistent with the quality of the characteristic being evaluated. Each class of students consists of a random sample of different evaluator profiles. A student evaluation rating of a teacher’s performance is biased up or down depending on the concentration of high or low evaluator profiles present. This paper further shows through simulation the degree to which student “evaluator profiles” impact the overall student evaluation rating of teacher performance. We find that there is evidence to support the “evaluator profile” conjecture, and that these “evaluator profiles” do in fact have the potential to change overall student evaluation ratings substantially.
Problems For Handheld Computers In Higher Education
Authors: Johnson David W. 
Published: March 2016

One of the latest devices to be utilized in education is the handheld computer or PDA. This paper presents experimental results suggesting problems for the device in higher education. Handhelds have been used successfully in K-12 education; however, student and faculty research presented in this paper shows that the PDA’s small form factor and other characteristics make the device less useful for college students.
Comparing Online And In-Class Students: Perceptions, Demographics And Grades In MBA Accounting Classes
Authors: Tribunella Thomas 
Published: March 2016

In this study, graduate business students participated in an accounting course that was offered online and in-class. The students worked in groups on an accounting case study. Data collected from both online and on-campus classes were reported, compared, and analyzed. Learning outcomes were investigated in relation to content knowledge, academic performance, fairness, and educational objectives based on Bloom’s Taxonomy. As a result, only small differences were found in the learning outcome measures between online and in-class students. However, input measures indicate that the online students may have been better prepared for the course.
An Analysis Of The Proposed Performance Based Pay System For Academic Staff At The University Of Technology, Jamaica
Authors: Williams Horace A. , Preziosi Robert C. 
Published: March 2016

This paper discusses the implications for the use of performance based pay practices for academics at the University of Technology, Jamaica. Some universities systems which have attempted performance based pay for academics in the United States. Systems in Canada and United Kingdom were also reviewed. The findings are that the Academic Staff at the University of Technology, Jamaica are inclined to retain the current annual increment payments, union negotiated increases together with implementation of a Performance Based Pay System. This should be based on a properly structured Performance Appraisal System and the establishment of clearly defined objectives. The paper concludes that the future practices will necessitate retaining the increments supported by the Jamaican Ministry of Finance and the implementation of a bonus system structured on the premise of a performance based pay system supported from surplus funds derived from donations, investments funds and endowments to the University.
A Device To Detect Student Cheating
Authors: Mogull Robert G. 
Published: March 2016

In this article, a method is offered by which to recognize, identify, verify and/or confirm that student “cheating” has occurred on multiple-choice formatted examinations. The approach rests upon the probability of more than one student incorrectly answering identical questions. The technique or “device” can be used either to screen or to confirm and it is seen to be easily applied in situations involving several students and for any number of exam questions and tests.
Toward The Goal Of Teaching Excellence In Accounting: Reexamining The Role Of Neutrality And Conservatism In The Development Of Pension Accounting Standards
Authors: Carpenter Brian W. , Mahoney Daniel P. 
Published: March 2016

Pension accounting is replete with complexities that present difficulties to even the most seasoned accounting practitioners. It thus represents one of the more problematic areas of the accounting curriculum for accounting students and instructors alike. Traditional approaches toward the teaching of pension accounting rely heavily on memorization techniques that tend to serve students’ needs on a short-term basis. The authors present an alternative approach to instruction in which students assume the role of accounting standard setters and seek to develop pension accounting rules that favor corporate interests. This approach allows students to recognize the economic consequences that standard setters sometimes consider in their promulgation of accounting and financial reporting rules. The result is that students acquire a greater depth and breadth of understanding of pension accounting rules and why those rules exist as they do. They also acquire a keener understanding of the broader standard setting process. This logic-based approach is likely to better serve the long-term needs of our future accounting professionals.
A N-Assets Efficient Frontier Guideline For Investments Courses
Authors: Girard Eric , Ferreira Eurico 
Published: March 2016

This article provides directions that allow instructors and students to build an efficient frontier for investments courses. Our step-by-step approach intends to substantially reduce or eliminate the problems in combining the steps of downloading from the internet and use the data to build the efficient frontier and the capital market line, when short sales are present or not. In a less restricted theoretical framework, the approach can be applied to any subset of assets.
Identifying Learning Outcomes And The Use Of The Discussion Board In An Online Course
Authors: Simione Kathleen , Rich Anne 
Published: March 2016

With the popularity and resulting demand for online courses growing, many educators have developed at least a component of their courses, if not the entire course, online. These online courses, or components thereof, present many challenges to educators. Of the challenges faced, none is more important than learning. If we are not returning to the static model of learning but instead we are increasing the number of online courses then as educators, we must deliver online courses in which students learn through active participation. In developing online courses, one of the first challenges facing the instructor is to identify and communicate the learning outcomes of the course. Without identification of learning outcomes, instructors will not be able to assess learning. Once learning objectives are identified and assessments match these outcomes, faculty should find ways to create an active learning environment. This paper describes the progression of an online introductory accounting course and how it evolved to improve the learning experience and create an active learning environment for students. Our experiences may provide useful examples that could be followed by others. The paper specifically describes the identification and communication of learning outcomes with related assessments and the use of the discussion board to foster an active learning environment.
USNWR College Rankings Reexamined
Authors: Webster Thomas J. , Mare Rosette J. 
Published: March 2016

This paper extends Webster's [2001] analysis of the accuracy of the weighting scheme utilized by U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) to rank colleges and universities according to "widely accepted indicators of national excellence," which he found to be plagued by severe and pervasive multicollinearity. As in the Webster study, we employ principal component analysis to assess the relative contributions of thirteen criteria used by USNWR in 2004 to rank "top schools" in the national university category. Although USNWR continues to assign the greatest weight to peer assessment, this study confirms Webster's findings that average SAT/ACT scores of enrolled students is the most significant ranking criterion. This paper also extends Webster's study by examining the reliability of the USNWR rankings, which have come under repeated criticism for their lack of consistency. When compared with simulations generated from an estimated principal component regression model, the 2004 USNWR rankings are found to be increasingly more unreliable for lower ranked institutions. The source of this inconsistency appears to be peer assessment, which is the only subjective criterion used in the USNWR ranking methodology. This suggests that the rankings might be improved by lowering (or removing entirely) the relative contribution of peer assessment from the USNWR ranking methodology.
Hurricane Madness: Teaching, Learning And The Importance Of Flexibility In The Wake Of Disaster
Authors: Gutierrez Daniel , Hollister Debra , Beninati Anthony 
Published: March 2016

The present study examines stress among college students (N=107) that were exposed to natural disasters at the start of the 2004 Fall Semester after Hurricane Charley and Frances battered Central Florida within three weeks of each other. The study also examines adjustments made by two faculty members during the semester in attempts to reduce student stress while maintaining high academic standards in the wake of disaster. Findings indicate that students experienced a substantial amount of stress as a result of the storms. Of the students surveyed 50 percent indicated they suffered lost wages or income, 65 percent sustained some damage to their residences, and 63 percent experienced moderate to extremely high levels of stress. Concerning the adjustments implemented by the instructors, 84 percent of the students agreed or strongly agreed that the academic quality of their education was not compromised. While educators must have well-designed and planned courses, when disaster strikes, it is imperative that they incorporate creative and flexible teaching methods and policies in their classrooms.
How Challenging? Using Bloom's Taxonomy To Assess Learning Objectives In A Degree Completion Program
Authors: Horner Robert , Zavodska Anita , Rushing John 
Published: March 2016

This paper describes the analysis of learning objectives in Philosophy classes in an adult learner degree completion program. The goal of the research was to determine if the level of cognitive challenge in the learning objectives was consistent with the course level. Using Blooms Taxonomy as the criteria, learning objectives were subjected to content analysis (Bloom et al., 1956). Unexpectedly Understanding, a lower level cognitive skill, was the most emphasized of the cognitive skills. Given the nature of the students as adult learners one might have reasonably expected Application, also a lower level skill, to be most emphasized. Analysis, an upper level cognitive skill was next most emphasized. However, Synthesis, which is an upper level skill, was least emphasized. As a result of the study, the school conducted faculty training sessions emphasizing the importance of developing higher level cognitive skills in students by offering appropriate cognitive challenges in the learning objectives and in the course content and assessment associated with those objectives. A follow-up study is scheduled for Fall 2005.
The Development Of The Scale Of Educational Attitudes
Authors: Azman Rosiana L. 
Published: March 2016

The Scale of Educational Attitudes (SEA) determines a student’s attitude towards school. These attitudes can be separated into four categories: Academically Disinterested, Occupation-Driven, Academically Oriented Scholar, and Profession-Driven Scholar. In phase one of this study, items were written based on the literature. In phase two, a factor analysis eliminated weak items and identified underlying constructs of the scale. Phase three consisted of another factor analysis and validating the scale with established scales. The final phase tested the temporal stability of the SEA using test-retest data. Evaluation of a student’s educational attitude can provide insight into further success of a student in his or her educational endeavors.
A Comprehensive System For The Evaluation Of Innovative Online Instruction At A Research University: Foundations, Components, And Effectiveness
Authors: Kromrey Jeffrey D. , Hogarty Kristine Y. , Hess Melinda R. , Rendina-Gobioff Gianna , Hilbelink Amy , Lang Tom R. 
Published: March 2016

The delivery of post-secondary coursework via the Internet continues to gain momentum. As a result, investigations into effective and appropriate methods of evaluating the effectiveness of these courses are required. In an effort to meet this challenge, this study describes the development and implementation of an evaluation system applied to new online programs at a major research university. A systematic approach to evaluation provided formative feedback on the processes and products of course development using diverse data sources including course documents, interviews and web-based surveys. Results of both quantitative and qualitative analyses support the integrity of the evaluation system and provide preliminary indications of course effectiveness based on student satisfaction.
Explaining Gender Differentials In Scholarly Productivity: The Case Of Academic Economists
Authors: Taylor Susan Washburn , Fender Blakely Fox , Burke Kimberly Gladden 
Published: March 2016

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of personal characteristics, institutional factors, and time-competing workplace requirements on scholarly productivity in peer-reviewed economics journals. The study utilizes a unique data set of individual-specific information for 714 academic economists. The multivariate regression analysis shows that both teaching and service commitments reduce scholarly work in peer reviewed journals. The paper also presents an analysis of the data disaggregated by gender. While the impact of teaching and service on productivity appears roughly similar, the results indicate that collaborative efforts, whether formal or informal, benefit women’s publication efforts more than their male counterparts
TBO/LBO: An Effective Teaching And Learning System
Authors: Coppage Richard E. , French George R. 
Published: March 2016

This article describes a teaching/learning style that incorporates teamwork and participative management, taken from the well-grounded system Management by Objectives (MBO), while assuring that the skills important to future career opportunities are included in the course objectives. The article begins with a description of the elements of the TBO/LBO process, followed by an identification of the main objectives, teaching learning strategies, and assessment methods. Next, the article discusses the lessons learned using TBO/LBO and assesses the effectiveness of TBO/LBO by reviewing the literature regarding Management By Objectives (MBO). The literature review revealed overwhelming support for the effectiveness of MBO. Finally, suggestions for future research are discussed.
The Use Of Computer Mediated Communication In Consumer Complaining: A Study In Higher Education
Authors: Pinto Mary Beth , Mansfield Phylis 
Published: March 2016

The electronic channel for consumer complaining has increased dramatically in recent years and continued growth is expected in the future. The objective of this research was to explore how computer-mediated communication is being used as a channel for complaining in higher education. A study was conducted of the complaint intentions of 222 students at one college in the eastern half of the United States. Four complaining dimensions were studied: Voice, Negative Word-of-Mouth, Third Party, and Exit. The results indicated that the most common behavioral intentions are: Complain to other students face-to-face, complain to the professor in office, and never take another class from the professor. The research findings also indicate the number of students who are likely to use computer-mediated communication to complain. In addition, the results show strong correlations between computer-mediated complaining and other complaining responses.
U.S.S. Online Education: Navigating The High Seas Of Large Classes
Authors: LeMaster Jane 
Published: March 2016

Higher education has incorporated technology to the point of having 100% web-based degree programs composed of classes of geographically dispersed students taught by faculty from different universities that are also geographically dispersed. This kind of flexibility for learning opportunities is well on its way to being a standard option in education. But there are trade-offs and there are problems not yet solved. Increasing numbers of students create difficulties in managing interactions and challenges the quality and rigor that is possible in delivering the course. This paper presents a redesign option to manage the increasing enrollments in an online graduate level management class. As an unexpected consequence of redesign, the level of critical thinking of the students increased.
Financial Statements: An Interactive Learning Approach
Authors: Kierulff Herbert E. 
Published: March 2016

The often tedious but essential task of understanding financial statements and the inter-relationships among them can be enlivened by an interactive exercise with an unexpected and dramatic flair. I have used this approach for over ten years in both undergraduate and graduate finance and entrepreneurship classes, with entrepreneurs in Small Business Administration workshops, and with attendees at profit improvement planning workshops. The exercise begins with a four-quarter proforma income statement that shows a profitable, growing firm. Participants then create, with the instructor’s guidance, the company’s balance sheet that shows it unable to pay its bills by the end of the year. Then the participants discover for themselves how this seemingly contradictory situation can occur by developing, again with the instructor’s guidance, a proforma cash flow. This paper demonstrates how the approach works and provides the materials used in the interactive session.
The Total Economic Costs Of Finance Faculty Replacement
Authors: Weeks H. Shelton , Finch J. Howard , Hobbs Bradley K. 
Published: March 2016

The purpose of this study is to estimate the total economic costs associated with filling a vacated finance faculty line. These economic costs include both explicit and opportunity costs associated with the production process. Hiring costs include explicit costs such as advertising the position and implicit costs such as the opportunity costs of faculty time spent in various search committee activities. In addition, the recent market for finance professors has included a significant mark-to-market salary component associated with replacing departed faculty with new hires. This paper utilizes survey data from recent finance faculty vacancies at AACSB International accredited schools to estimate the total hiring cost equation.
Schema Theory And L2 Reading Comprehension: Implications For Teaching
Authors: Al-Issa Ahmad 
Published: March 2016

Reading is a multileveled and interactive process in which readers construct a meaningful representation of text using their schemata. While it has been known for some time that both content and formal schemata are necessary for a complete understanding of written texts in a reader’s first language (L1), and has been suspected to be true in a reader’s second language (L2), it is still an area that has been generally ignored by both researchers and classroom teachers. The purpose of this paper is threefold. The first is to give a brief overview of some of the literature that deals with schema theory as part of a reader centered psycholinguistic processing model for both native and non-native readers. The second goal is to show how familiarity with the subject matter (i.e., content schema) as one aspect of schema theory, affects L2 reading comprehension. The third goal is to discuss the implications of schema theory in L2 classrooms.
How Prepared Are You For The First Day Of Class--Or "Blink", Does It Matter?
Authors: Davis William Young , Waggy Michael E. 
Published: March 2016

Recent findings indicate that students often form lasting impressions and opinions of teachers and their potential teaching effectiveness within the first few minutes or even the first few seconds on the first day of class. This paper argues it is the entire first day of an economics class that deserves special attention. Teachers of economics should clearly define economics as a science and explain its scientific methodology. They should emphasize the distinct limitations of economics that explain the many widespread disagreements among economists. Of equal importance, they should stress that understanding the science of economics will be of assistance in preparing and expanding a student’s critical-thinking skills that will ultimately result in sound decisions throughout life. Finally, the paper calls upon teachers to bond with their students by reaching out with genuine concern for each student's success in the class.
Using Debate In Helping Students Discuss Controversial Topics
Authors: Fallahi Carolyn R. , Haney Joseph D. 
Published: March 2016

We used 2 debates over the course of a semester to encourage upper level psychology students to engage in discussion about controversial issues. The debates considered issues in Affirmative Action and sexual diversity. Students completed a survey assessing their experiences both individually and as a team member. Students found it easier to discuss controversial subjects in the classroom during a structured debate as compared to traditional open discussions. In addition, most of the students enjoyed the debate, would like to participate in a debate in the future, and felt empowered by the experience. The debate itself elicited some strong emotions, both positive and negative. Debate is a useful tool to facilitate verbal participation by students in classes where the subject matter is controversial.
Developing A Personal Financial Planning Program: More Than Just Courses
Authors: Martin Jr. Charles L. 
Published: March 2016

Personal financial planning is considered one of the major growth professions of the coming decade. Besides providing an opportunity for employment, a major in personal financial planning can open the door to a rewarding and challenging career. Career opportunities in the personal financial planning field include opening a private practice or being employed by a financial institution, credit union, insurance company, accounting firm or a financial services company. In addition, planners may work in employee benefits or pension departments of large corporations or for public institutions such as universities or state and federal government agencies. In order to develop a successful personal financial planning program, one must consider more than just the courses to be offered. A successful program also requires: Gaining Program Support, Attracting Students, Pivotal First Course, Professional Community Involvement, and Continuous Assessment. It is the objective of this manuscript to set forth an action plan that may serve as a model for the development of a successful financial planning program.