ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Mediating Role of Scientific Tools for Elementary School Students Learning about the Everglades in the Field and Classroom
Author: Lewis, Scott
Date: 2012-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Environmental Education,Elementary School Students,Constructivism (Learning),Elementary School Science,Natural Resources,Inquiry,Outdoor Education,Science Instruction,Teaching Methods,Comparative Analysis,Observation,Field Trips,Interpersonal Communication,Learning Strategies,Competition,Games,Journal Writing,Notetaking,Measurement Techniques

There has been an increased use of authentic practices in both science and environmental education in recent years. Such practices can utilize social constructivist frameworks to consider the learning that may be taking place as students become engaged in tool use. The current study focuses on a group of elementary school students studying the Everglades in the field and in a classroom setting during one academic year. In particular, we observed students' use of tools (identified as tool-conventions to include both artifacts and conventions) and compared their use in both settings. We found that in the field, students spent considerable amount of time engaged in data collection activity such as taking observations and measurements that resembled what scientists might be doing and included the invention of new tools to facilitate data gathering. In this context, students generally worked more independently from the teacher, collaborated in small work groups, and engaged in more self-directed inquiry. In the classroom, while some of the scientific field tools were practiced in anticipation of their use in the field, activity included more teacher direction, often resembling what might be found in other types of classroom work and the tools used there often supported this work. Models of tool use based on Yrjo Engestrom's activity approach were constructed for both settings. Implications of the results include the importance of viewing tool use in authentic learning with a sociocultural and activity perspective to reflect the socially constructed nature of such learning. (Contains 5 figures, 1 table, and 3 endnotes.)
University Students' Behaviors Pertaining to Sustainability: A Structural Equation Model with Sustainability-Related Attributes
Author: Sahin, Elvan
Date: 2012-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mass Media,Foreign Countries,Recreational Activities,Sustainability,Structural Equation Models,College Students,Student Behavior,Correlation,Values,Student Attitudes,Gender Differences,Mass Media Effects,Life Style,Conservation (Environment)

The purpose of this study is to construct a structural equation model to examine the links among attitudes, values, and behaviors pertaining to sustainability, participation in outdoor recreation as well as gender and tendency to follow mass media for university students. The data were collected by on-line administration of a survey to 958 students at Middle East Technical University during February-June of 2008. It needs to be stressed that gender emerged as a strong factor explaining sustainability-related attributes. It was reflected that female students having higher tendency to follow media held more favorable attitudes and behaviors toward sustainable life styles, and more ecocentric values. Furthermore, attitudes and values were found to be significant determinants of university students' behaviors pertaining to sustainability. It was also reported that higher tendency to follow media yielded more favorable attitudes, higher levels of ecocentric values, and engagement in outdoor recreational activities such as walking in nature, bird watching, and camping. These results implied that the university campus should be well equipped with the necessary infrastructures that will satisfy the needs and encourage female students as well as male students to motivate them take appreciative outdoor activities. A gender perspective should be integrated into existing mainstream institutions and all programmatic areas or sectors, including education in order to hinder gender inequality. In addition, during the rehabilitation of sustainability issues in higher education institutions, favorable attitudes and values of university students should be regarded as an auxiliary agent. (Contains 4 figures and 5 tables.)
The 60's Are the New 20's: Teaching Older Adults Technology
Author: Heaggans, Raphael C.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Older Adults,Technology Education,Science and Society,Technological Literacy,Technological Advancement,Adjustment (to Environment),Influence of Technology,Bias,Research Needs,Teaching Methods,Educational Assessment,Sensory Aids,Computer Interfaces,Human Factors Engineering

The purpose of this article is to present the existing practice-based and empirically based literature on teaching technology to seniors to determine a) what kind of research has been conducted to assess the effectiveness of teaching technology to seniors, b) what biases must be dismantled for younger computer trainers to teach older ones, c) what strategies computer trainers used to assist seniors to understand technology's relevance to their lives, and d) what kinds of research needs to be conducted as technology evolves for future seniors.
Studying the Effect Dialogic Reading Has on Family Members' Verbal Interactions during Shared Reading
Author: Brannon, Diana
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preschool Children,Family Environment,Reading Aloud to Others,Beginning Reading,Vocabulary Development,Scaffolding (Teaching Technique),Feedback (Response),Socioeconomic Background,Differences,Parent Child Relationship,Parents as Teachers,Questioning Techniques,Interpersonal Communication

The effect dialogic reading training has on the verbal interactions of family members and their "at risk" preschool children was studied. There were significant differences at the time of the post-test between family members who received dialogic reading training and the group that participated in the preschool's traditional family time. Family members who received training in dialogic reading utilized questioning, yes/no questions, labeled pictures, provided feedback, and expanded on their children's ideas significantly more often. Family members who participated in the dialogic reading training also had significantly more verbal interactions with their children and their children shared in the reading experience significantly more than the traditional family time group. (Contains 5 tables.)
Teaching Practice: A Perspective on Inter-Text and Prior Knowledge
Author: Costley, Kevin C.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary Education,Elementary School Teachers,Teaching Methods,Case Studies,Grade 2,Prior Learning,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Nonfiction,Classrooms,Reading Comprehension,Reading Strategies

The use of teaching practices that involve intertextual relationship discovery in today's elementary classrooms is increasingly essential to the success of young learners of reading. Teachers must constantly strive to expand their perspective of how to incorporate the dialogue included in prior knowledge assessment. Teachers must also consider how the use of fiction and non-fiction text relate to each other when building young learner reader comprehension skills. This paper first briefly examines the premise of a universal approach to including prior knowledge as intertext. It then provides a case example of how prior knowledge is integral to an intertextual teaching practice.
Action Research in a Professional Development School Setting to Support Teacher Candidate Self-Efficacy
Author: Shanks, Joyce
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Action Research,Professional Development Schools,Second Language Instruction,Spanish,German,Grade 3,Teacher Education,Teacher Researchers,Self Efficacy,Classroom Techniques,Reflective Teaching

This paper discusses preservice teachers' use of action research in a Professional Development School setting. Preservice teachers were placed in a PDS site that focuses on internationalizing education and on teaching languages. The teacher candidates were in charge of planning, teaching, and assessing language instruction in their classrooms. The preservice teachers implemented action research. The process helped them adjust to their teaching responsibility. They collected and reflected on their action research data, used it to understand their practice, and then made plans accordingly to improve their practice. This process was empowering and helped preservice teachers grow in their confidence and competence.
Exploring the Synergy between Science Literacy and Language Literacy with English Language Learners: Lessons Learned within a Sustained Professional Development Program
Author: Carrejo, David J.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Science,Grade 5,Elementary School Teachers,Science Teachers,Faculty Development,English Language Learners,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Teacher Role,Scientific Literacy,Content Area Reading,Praxis,Integrated Curriculum,Reading Tests

Thirty-five elementary teachers participated in a yearlong professional development (PD) program whose goal was to foster science content learning while promoting language literacy for English Language Learners (ELL). The researchers utilized an explanatory design methodology to determine the degree to which science and language literacy co-developed. The research question guiding this study was: In what ways did the yearlong PD science program support teachers at 10 elementary schools to become more knowledgeable about fostering science literacy and its role in co-developing language literacy (e.g. reading, writing, listening, and speaking) for ELL? The measurable and significant gains on the quantitative state science and reading tests and the analysis of qualitative teaching episodes led to the conclusion that there is a synergy between science learning and language learning--as one increases, so does the other. (Contains 2 tables.)
The Power of a Mouse!
Author: Wash, Pamela D.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary Secondary Education,Audience Response Systems,Costs,Differences,Handheld Devices,Technology Uses in Education,Telecommunications,Student Reaction,Cost Effectiveness,Instructional Effectiveness,Student Participation,Comparative Analysis,Program Implementation,Program Evaluation

Student response systems (SRS) or clickers have become the norm in K-12 classrooms as an assessment tool as well as a means to increase class participation. Like most technologies, there are varying platforms and manufacturers of SRS mobile devices ranging in cost from approximately $1500 to $3000. In spring 2010, Microsoft launched a free PowerPoint add-in program called "Mouse Mischief." This free download, coupled with wireless mice, enables users to deploy twenty-four wireless mice across the classroom enabling students to respond to varying question formats from their desktops at a substantially lower cost than traditional systems. The following research study focused on K-12 classroom implementation of this newly released version of an SRS, which is distinctly different from the other variations currently available. (Contains 2 tables.)
Evaluating the Appropriateness and Use of Domain Critical Errors
Author: Buckendahl, Chad W.
Date: 2012-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Licensing Examinations (Professions),Test Items,Dentistry,Minimum Competency Testing,Standard Setting,Scoring,Test Construction,Test Reliability

The consequences associated with the uses and interpretations of scores for many credentialing testing programs have important implications for a range of stakeholders. Within licensure settings specifically, results from examination programs are often one of the final steps in the process of assessing whether individuals will be allowed to enter practice. This article focuses on the concept of domain critical errors and suggests a framework for considering their use in practice. Domain critical errors are defined here as knowledge, skills, abilities, or judgments that are essential to the definition of minimum qualifications in a testing program's pass-fail decision-making process. Using domain critical errors has psychometric and policy implications, particularly for licensure programs that are mandatory for entry-level practice. Because these errors greatly influence pass-fail decisions, the measurement community faces an ongoing challenge to promote defensible practices while concurrently providing assessment literacy development about the appropriate design and use of testing methods like domain critical errors. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)
A Meta-Analysis of Growth Trends from Vertically Scaled Assessments
Author: Dadey, Nathan
Date: 2012-11-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Meta Analysis,Scaling,Effect Size,Reading Tests,Mathematics Tests,Achievement Gains,Scores,Comparative Analysis,Regression (Statistics),Grade 3,Grade 4,Grade 5,Grade 6,Grade 7,Grade 8,Item Response Theory,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students

A vertical scale, in principle, provides a common metric across tests with differing difficulties (e.g., spanning multiple grades) so that statements of &quot;absolute&quot; growth can be made. This paper compares 16 states' 2007-2008 effect size growth trends on vertically scaled reading and math assessments across grades 3 to 8. Two patterns common in past research on vertical scales, score deceleration (grade-to-grade growth that decreases over time) and scale shrinkage (variability in scale scores that decreases from lower to higher grades), are investigated. Pervasive, but modest, patterns of score deceleration are found for both math and reading. Limited evidence of scale shrinkage was found for reading, and virtually no evidence was found for math. In addition, linear regression was used to show that little of the considerable variability in the growth effect sizes across states could be explained by readily identifiable characteristics of the vertical scales. However, many scale characteristics were not well documented in available technical reports. The most important of these characteristics, along with their implications for interpretations of growth, are discussed. The results serve both as a normative baseline against which other scaling efforts can be compared. (Contains 5 tables, 4 footnotes, and 5 figures.)
Replication Analysis in Exploratory Factor Analysis: What It Is and Why It Makes Your Analysis Better
Author: Osborne, Jason W.
Date: 2012-11-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Factor Analysis,Replication (Evaluation),Reliability,Factor Structure,Questionnaires

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is a powerful and commonly-used tool for investigating the underlying variable structure of a psychometric instrument. However, there is much controversy in the social sciences with regard to the techniques used in EFA (Ford, MacCallum, &amp; Tait, 1986; Henson &amp; Roberts, 2006) and the reliability of the outcome. Simulations by Costello and Osborne (2005), for example, demonstrate how poorly some EFA analyses replicate, even with clear underlying factor structures and large samples. Thus, we argue that researchers should routinely examine the stability or volatility of their EFA solutions to gain more insight into the robustness of their solutions and insight into how to improve their instruments while still at the exploratory stage of development. (Contains 4 tables and 3 footnotes.)
Repositioning Formative Assessment from an Educational Assessment Perspective: A Response to Dunn &amp; Mulvenon (2009)
Author: Filsecker, Michael
Date: 2012-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Formative Evaluation,Educational Assessment,Definitions,Evidence,Social Science Research

Within the recognized tensions between statewide testing and the process of teaching and learning, formative assessment's potential for improving student learning and for shedding light &quot;inside the black box,&quot; has received increased attention from scholars in different countries. In their critical review, Dunn &amp; Mulvenon (2009) pointed out the lack of agreed-upon definitions and limited empirical evidence concerning formative assessment. We contend that from the educational assessment field, there is a clear overlap among definitions of the concept and that the conceptual confusion may be coming from outside the field. We also argue that Dunn &amp; Mulvenon's claim of limited empirical evidence is basically inaccurate and based on misinterpretations of Black &amp; Wiliam's (1998) article and of social science research more broadly. Consequently, we start by distinguishing key concepts related to formative assessment. Second, we describe the paradigm of the educational assessment field, and summarize the different definitions they propose. Finally, the article addresses the issue of &quot;limited&quot; empirical evidence concerning formative assessment. (Contains 1 table.)
Evaluating Teachers and Schools Using Student Growth Models
Author: Schafer, William D.
Date: 2012-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Evaluation,Teacher Effectiveness,School Effectiveness,Academic Achievement,Achievement Gains,Models,Statistical Analysis,Reliability,Validity,Suburban Schools,Reading Tests,Mathematics Tests,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students,Elementary School Teachers,Middle School Teachers,Elementary Schools,Middle Schools,Correlation,Pretests Posttests

Interest in Student Growth Modeling (SGM) and Value Added Modeling (VAM) arises from educators concerned with measuring the effectiveness of teaching and other school activities through changes in student performance as a companion and perhaps even an alternative to status. Several formal statistical models have been proposed for year-to-year growth and these fall into at least three clusters: simple change (e.g., differences on a vertical scale), residualized change (e.g., simple linear or quantile regression techniques), and value tables (varying salience of different achievement level outcomes across two years). Several of these methods have been implemented by states and districts. This paper reviews relevant literature and reports results of a data-based comparison of six basic SGM models that may permit aggregating across teachers or schools to provide evaluative information. Our investigation raises some issues that may compromise current efforts to implement VAM in teacher and school evaluations and makes suggestions for both practice and research based on the results. (Contains 14 tables.)
Cyberbullying: What Middle School Students Want You to Know
Author: Burnham, J. J.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle School Students,Focus Groups,Middle Schools,Adolescents,Adolescent Attitudes,Qualitative Research,Internet,Bullying,Computers,Social Networks,Interviews,Measures (Individuals)

Cyberbullying is a growing concern because youth are technologically savvy. Much is to be learned about this pervasive phenomenon, especially during the middle school years when cyberbullying often peaks. This focus group study examined cyberbullying attitudes, beliefs, and opinions among middle school students in Alabama and describes conversations middle school students shared in the interviews. (Contains 2 tables.)
Cyberbullying: A Research-Based Content Analysis of the Psychological Literature
Author: Piotrowski, Chris
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Information Analyses
Subjects: Violence,Risk,Bullying,Citation Analysis,Periodicals,School Psychology,Computer Mediated Communication,Databases,Social Influences,Gender Differences,Incidence,Evaluation Methods,Trend Analysis,Age Differences,Individual Characteristics,Legal Responsibility,School Role,Social Networks,Family Influence,Disabilities,Peer Influence,Suicide

Research on the topic of cyber-bullying has proliferated over the past decade, particularly on its impact on children through adolescents. Thus, it would be of interest to examine the scope and extent of research interest on the topic in scholarly publications. This paper reports on a reference citation analysis of the database PsycINFO, using the term cyberbullying in a keyword search. In rank order, the major foci of the research involved the issues of intervention or treatment, profile of offenders, comparisons to traditional bullying, legal implications, risk factors, social dynamics, gender, prevalence, and measurement issues. In addition, the following journals were the top publication outlets for cyber-bullying research: "Journal of Psychology," "CyberPsychology & Behavior," "Journal of Adolescent Health," "Journal of School Violence," "Psychology in the Schools," "School Psychology International," and "Preventing School Failure." (Contains 2 tables.)
Professional Counselors' Experiences Pursuing State Licensure
Author: Wilkinson, R. Tyler
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Counselors,Semi Structured Interviews,Phenomenology,Professional Development,Counselor Certification,Telephone Surveys,Financial Problems,Self Efficacy,Counselor Training,Student Experience,Constructivism (Learning),Clinical Experience,Barriers,Counselor Attitudes,State Standards

A phenomenological study was conducted to gather the essence of professional counselors' experiences regarding their pursuit of professional licensure in a Southeastern state. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six females via the telephone. Interviews were recorded and transcribed for analysis. Findings indicate that these individuals experienced financial difficulties, felt inadequately prepared, and had to deal with unexpected circumstances.
Do Teacher Advisement Programs Affect Student Achievement?
Author: Hendon, Kellie
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Graduation Rate,Student Surveys,Teacher Surveys,Exit Examinations,Program Effectiveness,Teacher Effectiveness,Program Evaluation,Faculty Advisers,Educational Counseling,School Counseling,Comprehensive Guidance,Data Analysis,Academic Records,Student Records,Developmental Studies Programs,Achievement Gains,High School Students

Although education has been a part of all cultures since the beginning of existence, it is constantly evolving. As educators seek to instill in their students the significance of lifelong learning, they also seek opportunities to learn and improve. Greater pressures and demands than ever before are being placed on educators. When Handley High School failed to meet state expectations, educators sought solutions. After much time and research, a Teacher Advisement Program (TAP) and a Get on Track (GOT) program were implemented. This study examines the effectiveness on academic achievement of these programs by reviewing Alabama High School Graduation Exam passage rates, reviewing graduation rates, and conducting student and faculty surveys. After reviewing data, a direct correlation between the programs implemented at Handley High School and student achievement cannot be established. The study does suggest some positive outcomes of the TAP/GOT efforts that merit future exploration. The research from this study will aid in future developments of the two programs. This study is a continuation of previous studies regarding implementation of teacher advisement programs in other school districts and will serve as a guide to schools seeking to implement such programs. As schools continue to seek opportunities to enhance academic achievement and student success, advisement programs might increase in popularity.