ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Constructing a Learner-Centered Syllabus: One Professor's Journey. IDEA Paper #60
Author: Richmond, Aaron S.
Date: 2016-09-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Course Descriptions,Course Evaluation,Curriculum Development,Educational History,Student Centered Curriculum,Educational Practices,Instructional Design

Educators increasingly agree that a learner-centered syllabus is associated with better rapport between students and teachers and increased student motivation, achievement, and empowerment. Accordingly, in 2009 Cullen and Harris developed a rubric for assessing the degree to which a syllabus is learner-centered versus teacher-centered. To date, however, there has been no such resource to explain how to actually construct a learner-centered syllabus. Therefore, I set out to provide a primer: In the first half of this paper, I review the history of syllabus construction and then discuss the research that assesses the impact of learner-centered syllabi. In the second half, I provide an assessment tool for teachers, based on the work of Cullen and Harris, for evaluating a syllabus to determine its learner-centeredness. I then explain specific elements of a learner-centered syllabus and provide examples of how to include these elements in your syllabus.
Developing a Positive Classroom Climate. IDEA Paper #61
Author: Barr, Jason J.
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Classroom Environment,Interpersonal Relationship,Teacher Influence,Student Participation,Environmental Influences,Student Centered Learning

Classroom climate is a broad construct, made up of students' feelings about their instructor and peers. Although there is a plethora of research on the effects of classroom climate on student outcomes at the secondary level, there is a relative dearth of such research on the postsecondary level. However, much of the research that does exist shows that students' perceptions of classroom climate at the postsecondary level have a great impact on learning, motivation, satisfaction, and achievement. This paper will thus provide strategies to help instructors promote positive interpersonal relationships in the classroom, which increases student connectedness, thereby improving classroom climate. Instructors should always consider how their behaviors may be interpreted by their students and keep the classroom climate in mind when developing courses and lesson plans. Doing so is likely to increase positive outcomes for students as well as levels of satisfaction for the instructor.
Sorbian: The Sorbian Language in Education in Germany, 2nd Edition. Regional Dossiers Series
Author: Brezan, Beate, Comp.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Indo European Languages,Uncommonly Taught Languages,Foreign Countries,Preschool Education,Elementary Education,Secondary Education,Vocational Education,Higher Education,Adult Education,Educational Research,Educational Methods,European History,Language Usage

This regional dossier aims to provide a concise, description and basic statistics about minority language education in a specific region of Europe. Aspects that are addressed include features of the education system, recent educational policies, main actors, legal arrangements, and support structures, as well as quantitative aspects, such as the number of schools, teachers, pupils, and financial investments. This kind of information can serve several purposes and can be relevant for policymakers, researchers, teachers, students, and journalists as the information provided assesses developments in European minority language schooling. This regional dossier can be used as a first orientation towards further research or as a source of ideas for improving educational provisions in their own region. This dossier contains a glossary, foreword, and an introduction to the region under study, and six sections dealing with a specific level of the education system. Sections eight to ten cover research, prospects, and summary statistics. A list of references and further reading is included. [This Regional dossier was originally compiled in 2001 by Piet Hemminga. This second edition was compiled in 2015 and covers academic data for the 2013/2014 school year.]
Irish: The Irish Language in Education in the Republic of Ireland, 2nd Edition. Regional Dossiers Series
Author: Ó Murchú, Helen, Comp.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Irish,Preschool Education,Elementary Education,Secondary Education,Vocational Education,Higher Education,Adult Education,Educational Research,Foreign Countries,History,Geographic Regions,Language Usage,Educational Methods,Educational Policy,Language of Instruction

This regional dossier aims to provide a concise, description and basic statistics about minority language education in a specific region of Europe. Aspects that are addressed include features of the education system, recent educational policies, main actors, legal arrangements, and support structures, as well as quantitative aspects, such as the number of schools, teachers, pupils, and financial investments. This kind of information can serve several purposes and can be relevant for policymakers, researchers, teachers, students, and journalists as the information provided assesses developments in European minority language schooling. This regional dossier can be used as a first orientation towards further research or as a source of ideas for improving educational provisions in their own region. This dossier contains a glossary, foreword, an introduction to the region under study, and six sections dealing with a specific level of the education system. Sections eight to ten cover research, prospects, and summary statistics. A list of references and further reading is included. [This regional dossier was originally compiled by Helen Ó Murchú. She updated this dossier in 2016.]
Fewer Resources, More Debt: Loan Debt Burdens Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Author: Saunders, Katherine M.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Student Loan Programs,Student Financial Aid,Black Colleges,Debt (Financial),Low Income Groups,First Generation College Students,Comparative Analysis,Undergraduate Students,Federal Aid,Racial Differences,Loan Repayment,Student Characteristics,Costs,National Surveys

Student loans have become an increasingly important way for students and their families to pay for college, but for students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), student loan debt is a substantial burden. Students who attend these institutions--many of whom are low-income and first-generation--must borrow at higher rates and, consequently, graduate with substantially higher debt than their peers at non-HBCUs. This issue brief examines the rates, amounts, and distribution of student loan debt among HBCU students relative to their non-HBCU peers. This analysis focuses solely on undergraduates attending four-year public and private, non-profit institutions, and employs the most recent publicly available data. Key findings include: (1) A higher percentage of students attending HBCUs use federal loans to finance college compared to their non-HBCU peers; (2) HBCU graduates borrow substantially greater amounts of federal loans than their non-HBCU peers; (3) The percentage of HBCU graduates who borrow large amounts ($40,000 or more) of federal loans to finance their degrees is four times that of non-HBCU graduates; (4) A higher percentage of HBCU students borrow not only federal subsidized loans, but also more costly federal unsubsidized loans and Parent PLUS Loans; (5) A higher percentage of HBCU students combine federal, state, and private loans to pay for college than their non-HBCU peers; and (6) HBCU students have lower loan repayment rates than non-HBCU students. The report discusses policy recommendations to address the financial challenges that HBCU students face in financing their college education and repaying their student loans. The following are appended: (1) Methodology; and (2) Top 10 HBCU Endowments and Top 10 Non-HBCU Endowments, 2015.
The Links between Program Participation and Students' Outcomes: The Redwood City Community Schools Project. Issue Brief
Author: Biag, Manuelito
Date: 2014-02-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Outcomes of Education,Community Schools,Family Involvement,Partnerships in Education,Academic Achievement,Student Participation,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students,Statistical Analysis

Since 2006, Redwood City School District has partnered with the Gardner Center to examine annual patterns of program participation across the six full-service community schools' key strategy areas of extended learning, family engagement, and support services. By linking students' academic records, community school program participation records, and survey responses, this analysis yielded several findings: (1) Programs reached a majority of students enrolled in the six community schools, particularly the population of students who were lower-achieving and came from lower-educated and economically disadvantaged families. (2) Students whose families were consistently involved over a number of years in family engagement opportunities had a higher attendance rate than those who were less involved. (3) Students whose families regularly took part in family engagement opportunities and another key strategy area (i.e. either extended learning or supports) demonstrated higher attendance rates than many of their counterparts. (4) Middle school students who engaged in extended learning programs and accessed support services demonstrated a gradual increase in their perceptions of care at school. (5) English Learner students whose families regularly took part in family engagement over several years showed greater gains in their attendance and English language proficiency.
Examining Students' Math Course-Taking and Educational Outcomes in the Garden Grove Unified School District (Year 1). Issue Brief
Author: Biag, Manuelito
Date: 2014-01-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Outcomes of Education,School Districts,Mathematics Instruction,Transitional Programs,Algebra,Mathematics Achievement,Middle School Students,High School Students,Standardized Tests,Grade 8,Grade 9,Grade 10,Grade 11,Grade 12,Secondary School Mathematics,College Preparation,College Administration,College Bound Students,Required Courses

Research demonstrates that students' success in rigorous middle and high school math courses is positively associated with their admission to college, earnings later in life, and career prospects. The sequential nature of math course-taking, however, can create an opportunity structure that puts certain students at a disadvantage, specifically those from lower-income and ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds. In 2012, the Gardner Center partnered with the Garden Grove Unified School District for a multi-year study to examine the relationship between students' math course-taking and their educational outcomes. The goal of the analysis was to generate knowledge about the differences in students' performance levels in specific math subject areas; potential disparities in students' access to college-level courses; and possible differences among high schools in how students are being placed in math. Using administrative records for four cohorts of students who graduated in the 2009-10 to 2012-13 academic years, students' math enrollment histories were traced from the 12th grade back to the 8th grade. The study's findings raised potential practice and policy implications including (1) balancing early access to advanced-level math with incoming students' preparation, particularly students from minority and disadvantaged backgrounds; (2) providing support to students who repeat Algebra I multiple times; and (3) implementing strategies that support students' transition into high school.
Done to Us, Not with Us: African American Parent Perceptions of K-12 Education
Author: Bridges, Brian K.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: African Americans,Parent Attitudes,Elementary Secondary Education,Meta Analysis,Public Schools,Educational Quality,Low Income Groups,Achievement Gap,Academic Aspiration,College Preparation,Surveys,Focus Groups,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Access to Information,Standardized Tests,School Choice,Educational Change,Parent Role,Power Structure

Despite the importance of postsecondary education to the economic and social vitality of the U.S. and the individuals who pursue this academic goal, the educational pipeline to and through college is broken for communities of color, the fastest-growing segment of the population. This report offers a revealing glimpse of the American system of public education from the perspective of those with the biggest stake in better schools: the parents of the African American children who are least well served by the system. This report is a meta-analysis of a two-part research program that involved both a quantitative survey and qualitative focus groups. The study was conducted in February and March 2012 in five target cities: Atlanta, Detroit, Memphis, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C. These cities were chosen because they have large African American populations, robust education reform efforts are under way or are part of a planning process to address the cities' challenges, and United Negro College Fund (UNCF) has a strong institutional presence there. These cities in particular face many of the educational challenges that prevent too many African American children from fulfilling their potential, and they therefore serve as excellent testing grounds. The key findings from this study reinforce and add greater details to the body of knowledge about African American parents and their involvement in the education of their children. Most important, a substantial percentage of low-income African American parents and caregivers who participated in the study (87 percent) have high aspirations for their children and overwhelmingly want them to graduate from college. An appendix contains the following: (1) Data Collection Methods; and (2) Topics on Which Low-Income Parents Would Like More Information to Support Their Child's Academic Progress.
Applying the &quot;10,000-Hour Rule&quot; to English Language Learning: Or, Why Informal Learning Is Essential to Achieving Language Proficiency
Author: Eaton, Sarah Elaine
Date: 2012-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Second Language Learning,English Language Learners,Informal Education,Language Proficiency,Expertise,Time on Task,Independent Study

Adult learners of English as an Additional Language (EAL) in Canada do not receive sufficient instruction through classes alone to achieve distinguished levels of proficiency or develop high levels of expertise. This article will explore what is meant by proficiency and look at language learning in terms of the model that has commonly become known as &quot;the 10,000 hour rule&quot; of expertise. This paper attempts to answer the question, what would it take for an EAL learner in Canada to achieve the 10,000 hours necessary to achieve high levels of expertise in language proficiency? Three adult EAL programs in Winnipeg are considered for the number of instructional hours that they offer, and how informal learning is necessary to supplement classroom instruction in order to achieve 10,000 hours of dedicated practice necessary to develop expertise. Recommendations are offered to help educators and learners understand the important role of self-regulated, in-formal learning in achieving language proficiency. [Note: This paper was presented as the keynote address at the 2012 TEAM Conference held on May 18, 2012 in Winnipeg.]
Investigation of the Effect of Story-Based Social Skills Training Program on the Social Skill Development of 5-6 Year-Old Children
Author: Pekdogan, Serpil
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Story Telling,Interpersonal Competence,Skill Development,Preschool Children,Pretests Posttests,Retention (Psychology),Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Likert Scales,Program Development,Program Implementation,Statistical Analysis,Psychological Patterns,Self Control,Student Adjustment,Coping,Peer Influence,Verbal Communication,Communication Skills,Goal Orientation,Listening Skills,Task Analysis,Foreign Countries

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Story-Based Social Skills Training Program on the social skill development of 5-6 year-old children. In the study, the pre-test/post-test and retention test experimental design with a control group was used. 5-6 year-old 60 (30 experimental, 30 control) preschool children participated in the study. Story-Based Social Skills Training Program was administered to the children in the experimental group twice a week for 5 weeks. Social Skills Evaluation Scale developed by Avcioglu (2007) was used for data collection. ANCOVA and t test were used for data analysis. The study showed that the difference between the social skill scores of experimental group and control group was significant (p&lt;0.05) and the training program had a continued effect.
Data Use and Inquiry in Research-Practice Partnerships: Four Case Examples
Author: Biag, Manuelito
Date: 2016-04-00
Type: Collected Works - General
Subjects: Information Utilization,Inquiry,Educational Research,Partnerships in Education,Data,Longitudinal Studies,School Districts,Capacity Building,Parent Participation,Program Implementation,Group Dynamics,Accountability,After School Programs,National Programs,Disadvantaged Youth,Youth Programs,College School Cooperation,Elementary Secondary Education

The four case examples presented in this brief are drawn from the Gardner Center's substantial experience conducting rigorous research in research-practice partnerships. The first case describes a partnership approach that enhances a school district's capacity to use integrated longitudinal data to tackle persistent problems of practice and monitor students' development. The second case exemplifies how an equitable research model, grounded in mutualism and sensitive to cultural nuances, can be leveraged to elevate the experience marginalized communities. The third case furthers knowledge about the implementation process and partnership dynamics within a Promise Neighborhood initiative, specifically as stakeholders negotiate accountability demands with the need for more actionable information. The final case highlights strategies that foster partnership within a national professional learning network that is working to build out-of-school time systems using data to improve programming for underserved youth.
The CORE Districts and Deeper Learning
Author: Ruiz de Velasco, Jorge
Date: 2015-12-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: School Districts,Educational Change,Career Readiness,College Readiness,Citizenship Education,Transformative Learning,Learner Engagement,Constructivism (Learning),Equal Education,Public Education,Accountability,Common Core State Standards,Faculty Development,Administrator Role,Partnerships in Education,Adult Learning,Educational Improvement,Capacity Building,Critical Thinking,Social Influences

The learning demands of college, career, and civic readiness imply that all young people in public schools must have access to deeper learning opportunities that will prepare them to master rigorous academic content, think critically, work collaboratively, and learn to apply classroom learning to real-world contexts. As well, districts are being called on to play a central role in developing the strategies, capacities, and professional accountability systems that are equal to these new learning goals. Against this policy backdrop, the California CORE district leaders have joined in a long-term collaborative to explore common strategies for advancing student achievement in their individual districts. This brief begins by defining deeper learning and explores its importance to educational equity and the goal of college and career and civic readiness for all public school youth. We conclude with an examination of how the CORE district leaders have collaborated with the Gardner Center, Transforming Education, and other partners to design a school accountability system that ensures equitable access to deeper learning opportunities for all youth by focusing on a process of district-led, continuous organizational learning and improvement.
The Relationship between Playworks Participation and Student Attendance in Two School Districts
Author: Leos-Urbel, Jacob
Date: 2015-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Recess Breaks,Physical Activities,Play,Inclusion,Bullying,Educational Environment,Peer Relationship,Program Effectiveness,Student Participation,Comparative Analysis,Regression (Statistics),Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Elementary School Students,Barriers,Attendance Patterns,Observation,Correlation,Student Characteristics

Playworks is a program that aims to create &quot;safe, inclusive school environments where kids can grow, lead, and thrive&quot; (Playworks, 2013a). Through trained, full-time coaches focused on recess in low-income elementary schools across the country, Playworks provides opportunities for inclusive play, and physical activity. Based on prior research indicating that Playworks can improve school climate and reduce bullying, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Playworks, and two San Francisco Bay Area school districts partnered with the Gardner Center to study whether the positive outcomes of the Playworks program may reduce absenteeism by decreasing student aversion to coming to school. This study focuses on elementary and K-8 schools and students participating in Playworks and includes a comparison group of students in similar schools not currently participating in Playworks. The research design includes a series of multivariate regression analyses estimating the relationship between Playworks participation and student attendance. The following are appended: (1) Research Methodology; and (2) Tables of Regression Coefficients.