ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Informal Workplace Learning Experiences of Graduate Student Employees
Author: Ünlühisarcikli, Özlem
Date: 2018-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Informal Education,Incidental Learning,Workplace Learning,Learning Experience,Graduate Students,Student Employment,Employees,Semi Structured Interviews,Data Interpretation,Cooperation,Job Skills,Skill Development,Work Environment,Qualitative Research,Critical Incidents Method

Informal learning and how individuals learn in the workplace have gained increasing attention by researchers in recent years. In relation to other learning activities, informal learning constitutes a substantial part of an adult's life. This paper explores the informal workplace learning experiences of graduate student employees. Data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 14 PhD students who were employed at their universities. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. The findings revealed that graduate student employees learn at work by participating in various work practices, collaborating with colleagues and advisers, and meeting new challenges that provide learning opportunities. The challenges of a set task play a crucial role in learning and skill acquisition, and learning happens as a result of interaction between an individual, an activity and a context. The workplace also provides a social environment where people can grow in maturity and learn responsibility as well as skills. Learning is embodied in the everyday practices of work.
Enhancing E-Learning in Old Age
Author: de Palo, Valeria
Date: 2018-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Older Adults,Hypothesis Testing,Learning Motivation,Metacognition,Student Centered Learning,Learning Strategies,Online Courses,Conventional Instruction,Questionnaires,Cognitive Style,Statistical Analysis,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Program Effectiveness,Likert Scales,Gender Differences

This study assesses the efficacy of e-learning content that has been adapted to cognitive styles in a sample of older adults. Since the personalisation of learning content has been generally associated with learning processes, it was hypothesised that intrinsic motivation, metacognition and self-regulated learning and learning strategies would interact in affecting learning outcomes. A sample of 106 older adults attending the University of the Third Age was divided into two groups on the basis of the learning approach (face-to-face vs. online). Participants were asked to fill out questionnaires that assessed cognitive styles, learning processes and learning outcomes. A factorial ANOVA and path analysis were used. Findings confirmed the efficacy of adapting e-learning content to older adults' cognitive styles, as well as the role played by intrinsic motivation, metacognition and self-regulated learning, and learning strategies in determining learning outcomes. Consequently, this research supports the benefits of e-learning environments in facilitating learning processes and in encouraging older adults to engage in learning activities.
Mental Health and Wellbeing in a Pre-Tertiary Setting: BPS Annual Conference 2017; Division of Academics, Researchers and Teachers Symposium
Author: Kitching, Helen J.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mental Health,Well Being,Conferences (Gatherings),Anxiety,Stress Variables,Stress Management,Intervention,Coping,Foreign Countries,Grade 11,Secondary School Students,Tutors,Questionnaires,Pretests Posttests,Perception,Metacognition,Attention Control,Researchers

This paper overviewed some of the research that had already been conducted in schools to support student wellbeing and reported back on research that the author had conducted in her own school, evaluating an intervention that aimed to help Year 12 students cope better with stress. The results showed a small but significant improvement in students' ability to understand what makes them stressed and what they need to do to control their stress when life gets particularly difficult. The study also highlighted issues with introducing mental health interventions in schools.
Supporting the Mental Health of University Students: The Views and Experiences of an Academic
Author: Kantaris, Xenya
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,Mental Health,Resilience (Psychology),Coping,Stress Variables,Stress Management,College Role,Student Needs,Well Being,Foreign Countries,School Health Services

Independent study can be satisfying and thrilling, and it can also be terrifying. Some students may not be equipped to handle the stress that University life puts in front of them. It is a fact that 75 per cent of adult mental health problems begin before the age of 18 (Davies, 2013) therefore, some students will enter University with a mental health diagnosis. On the other hand, commonplace stressors like independent living, finances, work-life balance, social relationships can trigger distress and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression manifest. Students may not be robust and/or resilient enough to cope with the expectations of university life may they be academic or socially related and may become stressed trying to cope with any negativity. Given all this, UK universities have a key role to play in providing support for students with mental health difficulties. The student demographic is evolving, and staff need be mindful of risk factors that affect student mental health and overall wellbeing.
Using Classroom Observation Scores Instead of Test Scores as Criterion in the Estimation of Discrimination Index
Author: Büyükturan, Esin Bagcan
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Classroom Observation Techniques,Scores,Test Items,Item Analysis,Discriminant Analysis,Multiple Choice Tests,Mathematics Tests,Secondary School Mathematics,Grade 8,Middle School Students,Evaluation Criteria,Correlation,Achievement Tests,Statistical Analysis

Item discrimination index, which indicates the ability of the item to distinguish whether or not the individuals have acquired the qualities that are evaluated, is basically a validity measure and it is estimated by examining the fit between item score and the test score. Based on the definition of item discrimination index, classroom observation scores were used in this study instead of test scores as the indication of having the tested quality. In the framework of the study, a 25-item multiple-choice test prepared in the context of 8th grade Mathematics Unit &quot;Multipliers and Multiples&quot; was administered to a total of 109 8th graders (44 females, 65 males) studying in 4 separate classrooms of Ömer Nasuhi Bilmen Secondary School in Sanliurfa Province. Furthermore, these students' Mathematics teachers were asked to observe and score students during the unit and the obtained observation scores were used as external criterion in estimating the discrimination index. By using this criterion, fit values estimated with the help of upper and lower groups consisting of 27% from the extremes of the criterion score distribution and biserial correlation were compared with the traditional conditions where test scores were utilized. It was found that item discrimination indices based on classroom observations were higher than those based on test scores in both of the discrimination indices estimated via upper-lower 27% groups and biserial correlation. This finding was discussed to be related to the fact that while classroom observation scores were an external validity criterion, test scores were composed of items whose discrimination values were calculated. The finding also demonstrated that classroom observation scores were more rigid and eliminative than test scores in terms of discrimination.
Comparison of Somatotype Characteristics and Anthropometric Proportional Relations of Elite Wrestlers between Styles and Weights
Author: Kaplan, Defne Öcal
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Body Weight,Athletes,Competition,Body Height,Physical Characteristics,Measurement,Body Composition,Nutrition,Foreign Countries,Athletics,Statistical Analysis

In this paper, comparison of somatotype characteristics and anthropometric proportional relations of elite wrestlers at the level of styles and weights and, contribution to improvement and orientation of sport is aimed. 57 elite wrestlers took place in the European Championship Preparatory Camp of Turkish National Adults Wrestling Team (31 greco-roman style with 7 light weight, 14 medium weight and 10 heavy weight--with av. height: 168.9 cm. and av. weight: 81.1 kg.; 26 free style with 8 light weight, 12 are medium weight and 6 heavy weight--with av. height: 173.0 cm. and av. weight: 87.9 kg), analyzed in this study. As a result of anthropometric measurements, there are no meaningful differences between free style and greco-roman elite wrestlers both in style and weigh. Wrestlers, as evaluated in somatotype, free and greco-roman styles are characterized as endomorphic mesomorphy, lightweight wrestlers are measured as balanced mesomorphy, medium-weight wrestlers are found endomorphic mesomorphy and heavy-weight wrestlers are characterized as endomorphic mesomorphy. Meaningful difference have found between weights. In spite of there is no differentiate effect of styles for wrestlers, partake in the similar training, nutrition and competition programs from childhood, weight, leaning on differentiates of somatotypes in the frame of the components like height, weight, length of bust and arm etc., emanates differences.
Experiences with a First International Programme (Philosophy, Politics and Economics--PPE) at Witten/Herdecke University
Author: Blankers, Batya
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: International Education,Educational Philosophy,Foreign Students,Institutional Mission,Program Descriptions,Program Development,Economics Education,Educational Strategies,Peer Relationship,Philosophy,Politics,Foreign Countries,Universities,Faculty Development,Curriculum Development,Cultural Awareness,Student Attitudes,Administrator Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,College Faculty,Masters Programs,Graduate Students,Semi Structured Interviews

In 2014, the Faculty of Management and Economics at Witten/Herdecke University introduced its first international programme, the MA PPE, which served as a test case within the overall internationalisation strategy. Despite the challenges detailed in this paper the overall implementation deemed successful. The university derived many valuable lessons for further its internationalisation strategy: embedding an international programme in a clear and structured general internationalisation strategy of the university; offering relevant assistance to international students in all organisational and administrative aspects; actively creating interfaces between international and domestic students; formulating a clear vision and mission for international programmes to be shared equally by students, academic and administrative staff.
An Analysis of First-Grade Writing Profiles and Their Relationship to Compositional Quality
Author: Coker, David L., Jr.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Students,Grade 1,Writing Skills,Writing Evaluation,Writing (Composition),Educational Quality,At Risk Students,Writing Difficulties,Spelling,Sentences,Written Language,Language Fluency,Writing Achievement,Profiles,Scores,Factor Analysis,Multivariate Analysis,Achievement Tests,Goodness of Fit,Statistical Analysis

To help all students meet the writing expectations of the Common Core State Standards, researchers need a deeper understanding of the characteristics of struggling writers. The purpose of this study was to explore the writing profiles of students including those who have or are at risk for writing disabilities. First-grade students (N = 391) were assessed at the end of the school year using three writing assessments (spelling, sentence writing fluency, writing achievement). The researchers used latent profile analysis to identify students as fitting into one of five profiles (At Risk, Low Fluency, Low Writing, Average, and Above Average). Students also wrote narrative and descriptive texts that were scored multiple ways. The researchers used confirmatory factor analysis to identify four common factors: quality/length, spelling, mechanics, and syntax. Students in the At Risk profile wrote narratives and descriptions that scored lower on all aspects of writing when compared to students in the Average and Above Average profiles. These findings provide further evidence of the distinct difference among writers as early as first grade, and they offer insight into the characteristics of at-risk writers. The implications of these findings for instruction and assessment and directions for future research are described.
First-Grade Cognitive Predictors of Writing Disabilities in Grades 2 through 4 Elementary School Students
Author: Costa, Lara-Jeane
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Predictor Variables,Elementary School Students,Grade 1,Grade 2,Grade 3,Grade 4,Cognitive Ability,Writing Skills,Writing Difficulties,Psychomotor Skills,Language Skills,Executive Function,Regression (Statistics),Short Term Memory,Self Control,Inhibition,Visual Perception,Planning,At Risk Students,Achievement Tests,Cognitive Tests,Children,Intelligence Tests,Statistical Analysis

The primary aim of this study was determining Grade 1 cognitive predictors of students at risk for writing disabilities in Grades 2 through 4. Applying cognitive measures selected to align with theoretical and empirical models of writing, tasks were administered to Grade 1 students assessing fine-motor, linguistic, and executive functions: 84 at risk (bottom quartile for age-base expectations) and 54 typically developing. A model with individual predictors was compared to a previously developed latent trait model to determine the relative predictive worth of each approach. Data analysis primarily involved stepwise logistic regression. Results revealed that the individual measures of orthographic choice, working memory, inhibitory control, visual memory recognition, and planning all were significant predictors of at risk status in Grades 2 through 4. The latent trait model also fared well but did not account for the same amount of variance as any of the individual measurement models for any of the grades. The findings lay the foundation for an empirically based approach to cognitive assessment in Grade 1 for identifying potential at-risk students in later elementary grades and suggest potential underlying neurocognitive abilities that could be employed with educational interventions for students with later-emerging writing disabilities.
An Investigation of Primary Student Teachers&apos; Drawings of the Human Internal Organs
Author: Çakici, Yilmaz
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary School Teachers,Student Teachers,Freehand Drawing,Human Body,Biology,Interviews,Accuracy,Knowledge Level,Scientific Concepts,Data Analysis

The aim of this study is to investigate primary student teachers' drawings of the human internal organs, e.g. location, size and presence of organs (heart, lungs, stomach, liver, kidneys, pancreas and intestines etc.) This research was conducted with 104 primary teacher candidates studying in the Faculty of Education at Trakya University during the 2016-2017 academic year. The research data was obtained through the use of drawings and interviews with selected students. The findings revealed that, as expected, all students showed the heart, lungs and stomach in their drawings. The most frequently illustrated other human internal organs were intestines, liver, kidneys, pancreas and spleen, respectively. However, too many of them were not scientifically acceptable in terms of the location and size. The teacher candidates tended to usually draw the stomach, lungs and liver smaller than normal size. There are many points in the students' drawings that need to be underlined by teachers during the teaching-learning process in their classes.
From Learning Theory to Academic Organisation: The Institutionalisation of Higher Education Teaching Assistant Position in China
Author: Chandrakar, Chandu Lal
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Teaching Assistants,Foreign Countries,Content Analysis,Equal Education,Educational Opportunities,Universities,Institutional Mission,College Faculty,Academic Freedom,Integrity,Graduate Students,Educational Quality,Institutional Administration,Guides

This exploratory study critically investigates the teaching assistant regulations of higher education institutions of China. On the basis of content analysis of the teaching assistant regulations of five premier universities of China this study analyses the possible discrepancies that might compromise the principles of transparency, equal opportunity and encouraging excellence as stipulated in the vision, mission, and goal of the regulations. Teacher assistants do make more than two third of the academic staff at the universities in China. Besides, China has a second largest higher education system in terms of scale in the world. Practices of sharing skills and imparting knowledge at these institutions have been intermediated by a semi-institutionalized position, called 'teacher assistants.' It's therefore, the informal submission of assignments without record at the PhD level questions the purpose of integrity and academic freedom of the higher education at the universities. On the basis of an instrumentalised framework guided by the dimensions of decision making and learning organization theories this study using content analysis has formulated the recommendations for the institutions while selecting and training the students as teaching assistants. A critical but logical illustration of the teaching assistant regulations has also been detailed regarding academic integrity in this study.
Phenomenology: A Philosophy and Method of Inquiry
Author: Qutoshi, Sadruddin Bahadur
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Phenomenology,Philosophy,Inquiry,Hermeneutics,Research Methodology,Data Collection,Data Analysis,Social Science Research,Epistemology

Phenomenology as a philosophy and a method of inquiry is not limited to an approach to knowing, it is rather an intellectual engagement in interpretations and meaning making that is used to understand the lived world of human beings at a conscious level. Historically, Husserl' (1913/1962) perspective of phenomenology is a science of understanding human beings at a deeper level by gazing at the phenomenon. However, Heideggerian view of interpretive-hermeneutic phenomenology gives wider meaning to the lived experiences under study. Using this approach, a researcher uses bracketing as a taken for granted assumption in describing the natural way of appearance of phenomena to gain insights into lived experiences and interpret for meaning making. The data collection and analysis takes place side by side to illumine the specific experience to identify the phenomena that is perceived by the actors in a particular situation. The outcomes of a phenomenological study broadens the mind, improves the ways of thinking to see a phenomenon, and it enables to see ahead and define researchers' posture through intentional study of lived experiences. However, the subjectivity and personal knowledge in perceiving and interpreting it from the research participant's point of view has been central in phenomenological studies. To achieve such an objective, phenomenology could be used extensively in social sciences.
Teaching English Language at SSC Level in Private Non-Elite Schools in Pakistan: Practices and Problems
Author: Fareed, Muhammad
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,Language Proficiency,Secondary School Students,Private Schools,Reading Skills,Writing Skills,Language Teachers,Questionnaires,Documentation,Oral Reading,Attention,Reading Comprehension,Vocabulary Development,Grammar,Spelling,Punctuation,Course Descriptions,Qualitative Research,Focus Groups,Interviews

English language is taught as a compulsory subject up to graduate level in Pakistani educational system. Despite studying English for over 14 years, majority of students coming from non-elite schools, lack required command in English language skills to pursue their higher education and professional careers. With this background in mind, the current research focused on teaching English reading and writing skills and the problems faced while teaching these skills at Secondary School Certificate (SSC) level in private non-elite schools in Karachi. The sample of the study comprised 20 SSC level students, 12 SSC level English language teachers of non-elite private schools and 5 student notebooks. Data were collected through open-ended questionnaires, group interviews and notebook analysis. Data were examined using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that teaching English language reading practices include reading the text aloud, translating the chapter, providing the central idea and meanings of difficult words to the students. The major problems faced by the teachers in teaching reading skills are learners' lack of interest in reading, lack of concentration and low reading comprehension skills. The study also revealed practices of teaching writing skills such as provision of model texts and relevant vocabulary items. The major problems while teaching writing skills are lack of pre-writing activities, learners' deficient command over vocabulary, grammar, spellings and punctuation, lengthy syllabus and limited time.
An Attitudinal Study of English as a Foreign Language in Sukkur Sindh Pakistan
Author: Soomro, Ashfaque Hussain
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,Student Attitudes,Decision Making,Statistical Analysis,Questionnaires,Positive Attitudes,Second Language Programs,Program Descriptions,Gender Differences,Cognitive Processes,Educational Background,Student Characteristics,Behavioral Objectives

Foreign language learning is a complex process and is influenced by various factors. The attitude of students towards language learning is a major decisive factor in this process; therefore, the current study was carried out to explore this phenomenon. The students of English Works Program Sukkur, Sindh, Pakistan were the target population for the current study. The said program was initiated by a Karachi based organization which enrolled fifty students for a 240 hours certificate course in English language. The students already had some formal education ranging from Intermediate to Masters level and belonged to different age groups. The aim of this quantitative study was to investigate their language learning attitudes from three aspects: behavioral, cognitive and emotional. For data collection purposes, a questionnaire comprising 30 closed-ended items was adapted from Eshghinejad, (2016), Boonrangsri, Chuaymankhong, Rermyindee, &amp; Vongchittpinyo, (2004) and Gardner (1985). This was followed by descriptive and inferential statistical analysis by using independent sample t-test (SPSS-22). The results show that the students have positive attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language.