ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Principal Self-Efficacy and Learning Organizations: Influencing School Improvement
Author: Hesbol, Kristina A.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Principals,Self Efficacy,Educational Improvement,School Effectiveness,Educational Change,School Culture,Transformational Leadership,Experience

One key characteristic of high-performing schools is how they function organizationally, enabling them to enact reforms effectively and to deal with regular organizational ambiguity and chaos. The principal plays a pivotal role in developing a school culture that supports high-performing schools. This research studies the relationship between principal self-efficacy and a principal's perception of her school as a learning organization. We examined specific subcategories of learning organization attitudes and behaviors to determine whether principals consider distinct organizational behaviors a proxy for indicators of a learning organization, and whether that was related to their self-efficacy. The findings indicate that principals must be highly efficacious to persuade others to perform at high levels, and must have a strong belief in teachers and the organization as a whole to pursue the types of school improvement efforts and research-based organizational learning mechanisms that can improve student performance.
Learning to Work between Information Infrastructures
Author: Huvila, Isto
Date: 2019-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Ethnography,Archaeology,Undergraduate Students,Graduate Students,Foreign Countries,Computer Networks

Introduction: This study investigates the implications of the interplay of multiple information infrastructures to learning and conducting work and to its related information work practices, and how the materialities of work and its infrastructures play into their intermingling. Method: The present study is based on an ethnography of a week-long archaeological teaching excavation conducted by the author. The excavation took place on a stone-age site in a Nordic country in Spring 2016. Analysis: The analysis of the ethnographic data was based on constant comparative method and close reading. Results: Four major information infrastructures were identified in the empirical setting. They and their diverging materialities were intimately linked to how information work was conducted at the excavation. The presence of two infrastructures designed for the same purposes of documenting the site and excavation process caused problems with scheduling and managing the work, but did at the same time make their associated premises and infrastructural obligations visible for the participants of the excavation. The older of these two infrastructures played a potentially important role as an &quot;infrastructural stalwart,&quot; an infrastructure that stabilised another infrastructure. Conclusion: The presence of parallel, overlapping information infrastructures makes them visible and potentially less effective but also unveils their underpinnings for learning and insights in their role in information work.
Determining Influential Factors and Challenges in Automatic Taxonomy Generation: A Systematic Literature Review of Techniques 1999-2016
Author: Irfan, Rabia
Date: 2019-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Literature Reviews,Taxonomy,Semantics,Natural Language Processing,Performance Factors,Barriers,Data Collection,Electronic Publishing

Introduction. Taxonomy is an effective mean of managing and accessing a large amount of digital information. Various techniques have been developed to generate taxonomy automatically. The purpose of this study is threefold: (i) review methods and approaches adopted during taxonomy generation, (ii) identify the factors influencing the choice of a particular method or approach, (iii) highlight issues and open challenges. Method. This paper adopts a systematic literature review approach proposed by Kitchenham, and the nature of this review is qualitative. Analysis. A total of thirty techniques were reviewed and categorized into various categories and subcategories. An in-depth analysis of the existing techniques was performed based on this categorization. This ultimately helps in identifying factors influencing the choice of a particular method or approach, and also determines issues and challenges associated with the automatic taxonomy generation. Results. Four major factors influencing the choice of a particular method or approach for generating taxonomy have been identified. Moreover, five major challenges associated with the existing automatic taxonomy generation techniques have also been highlighted. Conclusions. This paper presents a comprehensive review of taxonomy generation so that taxonomy can be used effectively, and it highlights open challenges for future research in the area of taxonomy generation so that new and improved techniques can be developed.
Context-Based Interactive Health Information Searching
Author: Yilma, Tesfahun Melese
Date: 2019-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Information Seeking,Health,Online Searching,Online Surveys,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Native Language,Literacy,Internet,Task Analysis,Context Effect,English,Spelling,Error Patterns,Information Retrieval,Information Systems,Prediction,Users (Information),Undergraduate Students,Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries

Introduction. This paper deals with the impact of contextual features, such as sex, age, mother tongue, health status, health literacy, Internet use experience, and frequency of health information seeking on health information searching. Method. An interactive information retrieval approach was used to study users' searching behaviour. An online survey and experiment using simulated situation technique were used as data collection methods. The online survey gathered data about user features, such as sex, age, mother tongue, health status, health literacy, Internet use experience, and health information seeking. An experiment was then carried out using four simulated tasks to collect information about health information searching. Analysis. The multiple linear regression analysis method was used to identify contextual factors affecting query length and number of queries. In addition, binary logistic regression analysis method was used to identify contextual factors affecting result clicking. Results. Frequent health information seeking leads to more queries and long query length, and English as a mother tongue and being healthy contribute to long query length. Queries with spelling errors and those formulated outside task descriptions are found to be ineffective. Conclusion. Contextual features such as frequency of health information seeking, mother tongue, and health status influence query formulation. In addition, spelling errors and source of query affect the effectiveness of queries. The findings could be useful for health information retrieval systems to learn and predict users' information needs to aid effective retrieval.
Reading and Writing Learning Strategies for Low English Proficiency Students at a Private University in China
Author: Zhang, Yanfang
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Strategies,Writing Strategies,Learning Strategies,Language Proficiency,Limited English Speaking,Undergraduate Students,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Foreign Countries,College English,Reading Skills,Writing Skills,Measures (Individuals),Pretests Posttests

This study aimed at applying English reading and writing strategies' training to improve the low English proficiency students' competence of English reading and writing. It was a quasi-experiment design. In total, 70 non-English major undergraduates at a private university in China participated in the research, 35 students in the experimental group and the rest 35 students in the control group. The intervention of English reading and writing strategies training was applied to the experimental group over a 24-lesson period in 6 weeks. The control group received an English reading and writing course without the intervention in the same period of the class schedule. Meanwhile, this study applied SILL and PET to the pre-test and the post-test, and used statistical analysis to do data analysis. The result of a detailed one-way ANCOVA showed that the intervention of English reading and writing strategies training in the experimental group had a significant improvement in English reading and writing skills.
Learning Styles in Problem-Based Learning Environments: Impacts on Student Achievement and Professional Preparation in University Level Physical Therapy Courses
Author: Edwards, David J.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cognitive Style,Teaching Methods,Student Centered Learning,Problem Based Learning,Physical Therapy,Graduate Students,Doctoral Programs,Academic Achievement

It is unknown if matching students' preferred learning style with course delivery style improves academic success and further study is warranted in this area (Feely &amp; Biggerstaff, 2017; Newton &amp; Miah, 2017). Recently, there has been a call to better identify and understand the preferred learning styles of physical therapy education students and the effect this has on education (Brudvig, Mattson, &amp; Guarino, 2016; Lowdermilk, 2016). While the benefit of matching teaching and learning styles has been investigated in other academic disciplines, it has not been investigated in physical therapy education. The purpose of this study was to determine if student preferred learning style is related to success in a learner centered problem-based learning formatted class and program, specifically for physical therapy students. Results provide insights into preferred learning styles and student achievement in a problem-based learning centered Doctoral level Physical Therapy Program.
Exploring Departmental-Level Fundraising: Relationship-Based Factors Affecting Giving Intention in Arts Higher Education
Author: Jung, Yuha
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Departments,Fund Raising,Intention,Art Education,College Students,Alumni,Student School Relationship,Predictor Variables,Stakeholders,Administrator Education,Public Colleges,Interpersonal Relationship,College Administration,Donors,School Support,Sense of Community,Participant Satisfaction,Attitudes,Participation,Sustainability

Fundraising for higher education institutions is becoming more important as there is increasingly limited government funding for public education. With shrinking funding, university programs and departments may be expected to raise more income on their own. This study hypothesizes that higher levels of stakeholders' (students and alumni) &quot;knowledge,&quot; &quot;awareness,&quot; &quot;involvement,&quot; &quot;satisfaction,&quot; and &quot;relationship&quot; with the department and its fundraising efforts are positively associated with &quot;fundraising success&quot; measured in &quot;intention to give&quot; and &quot;likelihood to recommend others to give.&quot; By using mixed methods research design and relationship fundraising as a theoretical framework, the study found that satisfaction and relationship are the most significant variables positively affecting giving intention. The qualitative results can explain why these variables matter to stakeholders' intentions to give. Using a case study approach of examining one university's arts administration department fundraising practice and its relationship to stakeholders, this research initiates academic and practical discussion on effective fundraising for higher education units.
Are Graduates from the Arts-Related Academic Disciplines More Productive than Those from the Science-Related Disciplines?
Author: Kakooza, Victoria
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Art Education,Intellectual Disciplines,College Graduates,Productivity,Developing Nations,Foreign Countries,Science Education,Correlation,Labor Market,Job Performance,Public Colleges,Employees,Majors (Students)

The experiences of employees from developed countries affirm that those from science/ technology-related disciplines benefit more through more technological inventions, than those from the Arts/ Humanities-related disciplines. The study utilizes statistical data of higher education graduates to determine a causal link between graduates from the two fore mentioned academic disciplines, and labour productivity in the developing country of Uganda. The data from 1985 to 2017 were analysed using the Vector Error Correction model, and revealed that arts graduates were as productive as the science graduates. The findings also show the existence of long-term relationship between academic discipline and labour productivity, as well as a bi-causality between the variables under study.
Assessing Written Communication Skills Using a Continua Model of a Guide to Making Judgments (GTMJ)
Author: Grainger, Peter R.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Writing Skills,Communication Skills,Models,Preservice Teachers,Scoring Rubrics,Evaluation Criteria,Essays,Grading,Writing Evaluation,Evaluators,Teacher Education,Language Proficiency,Student Evaluation,Foreign Countries,Small Colleges,College Faculty,Assessment Literacy,Academic Language,Standards,Holistic Approach,Teacher Attitudes,Expertise

Written communication skills are one of the most assessed criteria in higher education contexts, especially in humanities disciplines, including teacher education. There is a need to research and develop an assessment grading tool (i.e. criteria sheet or rubric) that would assist students in pre-service teacher education programs to better understand and practice written communication and to assist markers when grading academic essays that include this criterion. When rubrics are used the criterion that covers the written communication skills part of the task is often too general to truly assist students to know what they must do in order to obtain the grade to which they aspire. Using substantive conversation in focus group discussions, we defined written communication and designed a criteria sheet using a model known as the Continua model of a Guide to Making Judgments (GTMJ). We found that this tool not only had the potential to help students to better understand key features of good written communication in an academic context, but also to assist assessors to focus on standards descriptors or 'threshold' qualities of written communication when grading students' academic essays.
Individual Networks of Practice for PhD Research Socialisation
Author: Todd, Richard Watson
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Communities of Practice,Socialization,Doctoral Students,Humanities,Foreign Countries,Student Experience,Social Networks,Peer Relationship,Research Skills,Student Educational Objectives,Supervisor Supervisee Relationship,Faculty Advisers,Applied Linguistics,Universities,Social Influences,Individual Differences,Student Attitudes,College Faculty,Experiential Learning

A PhD combines experiential learning of the research process with socialisation into the research community. Studying a PhD is a highly individual experience with each student seeking and receiving different types of support from different agents. In this paper we investigate the experiences of four PhD students at a Humanities faculty at a Thai university through a series of interviews. To account for the unique nature of each student's experience, we use Individual Networks of Practice (INoPs) as the main method of analysis. The interviews were first analysed by adapting Sala-Bubaré and Castelló's (2016) model of socialisation, identifying the social agents and the content of the experience shared with each agent, and then constructing an INoP (Zappa-Hollman and Duff 2015) map to visually represent each student's social network. These INoPs served to guide a qualitative analysis of the salient issues in the interviews. The INoPs highlight the unique nature of each student's set of agents and experiences, but there are also commonalities across students showing that peers and faculty staff serve as key social agents.
Three Interactive Alternatives for Developing Reading Fluency
Author: Myskow, Gordon
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Reading Fluency,Teaching Methods,Vocabulary Development,Reading Instruction,Reading Skills,Reading Comprehension

According to I.S. P. Nation (2009, 66), four conditions must be present for an activity to be categorized as fluency development: (1) learners' attention must be focused on the meaning of the text they are reading rather than its grammatical or structural features; (2) here should be no new vocabulary and few irregular language features in the passages. Thus, the reading &quot;material should be easy&quot; for learners (Nation 2009, 66); (3) there needs to &quot;be some pressure to perform at a faster than normal speed&quot; (Nation 2009, 66); and (4) fluency-based practice needs to occur regularly; that is, there should be a large quantity of input/output. This article presents three reading activities (&quot;Start-up!,&quot; &quot;Pop-up!,&quot; and &quot;End-up!&quot;) that are designed to meet Nation's (2009) four conditions for fluency development. The step-by-step procedures for each activity are illustrated by using a short sample text consisting of two paragraphs. The activities are highly interactive and can be used to focus on different reading skills such as identifying specific information, comprehending main ideas, and predicting/ inferencing. These activities require no additional materials beyond the course textbook and handouts developed by the teacher.
Supporting Scholarly Thinking in a Nordic Teacher Education Webinar Practice
Author: Reneland-Forsman, Linda
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Thinking Skills,Skill Development,Internet,Seminars,Web Based Instruction,Models,Academic Language,Preschool Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Communication Skills,Metacognition,Language Usage,Cultural Differences

With this study we have a twofold aim. Firstly, to develop a model for identifying and analyzing the status of students' scholarly thinking, and secondly to design and evaluate an educational practice with the aim of supporting these skills. A series of webinars connected researchers and students from Finland, Norway and Sweden and gave the students access to an authentic Network of researchers, otherwise not accessible to them. The webinars were recorded and an analysis, inspired by variation theory, were conducted in order to identify signs of scholarly thinking in student reasoning when discussing students' final thesis. Findings were then used to construct a model for identifying variations of scholarly thinking as qualities of scholarly discernment, identified in students' communicative actions. Two critical aspects for stimulating scholarly thinking during webinars emerged from data. First the diversity of language and knowledge and secondly, a more informal framing. A carefully staged webinar using these two critical aspects, offers a socialization of students in professional training, to an academic discourse where the production and evaluation of knowledge is part of students' identity and constantly debated.
Using a Workshop to Raise Awareness of the Role of English in Promoting Sustainable Development
Author: Langlois, Guillaume
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Workshops,English (Second Language),Role,Sustainable Development,Foreign Countries,English Language Learners,Language Attitudes,Student Motivation,English Teachers,Global Approach,Citizenship Responsibility,Consciousness Raising,Language of Instruction,College Students,Mathematics Education,Brainstorming,Role Playing,Internet,Climate,Cartoons,Thai,International Cooperation,Attitude Change,Emotional Response,Access to Information,Problem Solving

In English as a foreign language (EFL) classes, teachers face the common challenge of demonstrating the importance of English to students who do not have much contact with users of English in their daily life. This often translates to a lack of progress in English language learning in settings such as Thailand, where in spite of the emphasis put on English teaching by the 1999 National Education Act (Office of the National Education Commission 1999), the policies implemented have led to little progress in students' English proficiency (Franz and Teo 2017). Awareness-raising workshops, in which participants deeply engage with topics related to critical social issues, have successfully demonstrated their capacity to motivate and change the participants' attitudes (Aarts and van Schagen 2006; Sabitha 2008). This article explains the rationale behind using this method--applying the global-citizenship approach to teaching advocated by UNESCO (2015)--to improve students' attitudes toward English learning. The idea is that those who are emotionally moved by the workshop content will feel an increased sense of duty, or intrinsic desire, to learn English. They consequently perceive English as a tool for learning about a topic they are concerned with rather than as a school subject and view English learning as an opportunity rather than as a burden. The underlying assumption of this method is that participants in a workshop on sustainable development (SD) will realize that English is essential for dealing with SD issues. This article also describes the workshop and gives recommendations to teachers who would like to carry out a similar workshop themselves
Practices to Improve Collaboration by Reconfiguring Boundaries in Transnational Education
Author: Keevers, Lynne Maree
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: International Cooperation,Institutional Cooperation,Partnerships in Education,Foreign Countries,Quality Assurance,Action Research,Participatory Research,Team Teaching,Intercultural Communication,Communities of Practice,Coordinators,College Faculty,Interpersonal Communication,Curriculum Development,Responsibility,Geographic Regions,Cultural Context,Cultural Differences,Universities,Private Colleges,Power Structure,Collegiality,Community Colleges,Inclusion,Videoconferencing

This paper investigates quality assurance as boundary-making practices that establish and re-establish boundaries of a transnational education (TNE) partnership between an Australian and a Malaysian higher education institution. Drawing on practice theory we offer a conception of boundaries as enacted, shifting and performed by the multiple actors involved in the partnership. We employ a relational, practice-based approach and a participatory action research methodology to investigate how quality assurance could be re-configured to enhance relationships and collaboration, and support on-going dialogue, co-developed curriculum and context--sensitive quality measures. This paper re-casts boundaries and borders as collective performances, offering an expanded conception of boundaries from the dualistic &quot;home-host,&quot; pre-given conceptions common in the TNE literature. Our case study demonstrates how participatory action learning (PAL) is useful for expanding and re-shaping the boundaries in TNE in ways that support the creation of transnational teaching teams and intercultural communities of practice. We show how stretching the boundaries from a dyadic relationship between quality assurer and subject coordinator to include sessional academics and enacting PAL projects using communal media generates the conditions of possibility for developing teaching teams that are transnational in practice as well as in name. The move towards joint responsibility for the development of curriculum, teaching and learning contributes to more equitable partnership approaches and creates possibilities for intercultural engagement between academics and students in different geographical and cultural contexts.