ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Not All the Organelles of Living Cells Are Equal! Or Are They? Engaging Students in Deep Learning and Conceptual Change
Author: Cherif, Abour H.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Biology,Cytology,Learning Strategies,Science Activities,Science Instruction,Teaching Methods,Criticism,Science Achievement,Role Playing,Learning Activities

The cell is the fundamental basis for understanding biology much like the atom is the fundamental basis for understanding physics. Understanding biology requires the understanding of the fundamental functions performed by components within each cell. These components, or organelles, responsible for both maintenance and functioning of the cell comprise to form a dynamically stable ecosystem. The secret of achieving this noble and desirable efficiency rely on the structural and functional variations of the organelles within the cell; they each carry out specific jobs within the cell resulting in a smooth, running process that would be the envy of any industrial manager. In this role-playing learning activity, we aim to engage students in deep learning that leads to cognitive and conceptual change by forcing them to be and to actively act as those organelles within the cell. It is centered on the idea that a number of organelles within the eukaryotic cells are strongly &quot;protesting&quot; the &quot;privilege&quot; that mitochondria and chloroplasts have within the living cells (both in single and multi-cellular organisms). They are protesting the structural and functional privileges that other organelles lack, but the mitochondria and chloroplasts have. Students will have to understand and explore the reasons for the differences among all the organelles and how they differ in importance and function, especially in regards to interactions between organelles within each cell and how it contributes to the life of the cell as a whole. After all, as it has been stated by NGS (2007) &quot;a human cell reveals our inner architecture&quot; (p. 40).
Saudi Intermediate School EFL Teachers' Views in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of the Multiple Intelligences Theory as an Inclusive Pedagogy
Author: Kentab, Mohammad Yousef
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Language Teachers,Second Language Instruction,Multiple Intelligences,Teaching Methods,Intermediate Grades,Teacher Attitudes,Private Schools,Questionnaires

In this study, the researcher attempted to shed light on Saudi intermediate school EFL teachers' views of the multiple intelligences theory as an inclusive pedagogy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of multiple intelligences on Saudi intermediate students' learning of EFL. The study also tried to illustrate the main obstacles that hinder exploiting the multiple intelligences among intermediate schools students from the teachers' view. It also investigated the impact of the multiple intelligences theory on the students' understanding of EFL in Saudi classrooms. The methodology used in this study was the descriptive and analytical methodology. The researcher attempted to illustrate Saudi intermediate school EFL teachers' views of the multiple intelligences theory as an inclusive pedagogy. The sample of the current study consisted of 124 teachers, who reside in Riyadh and teach English as a foreign language. Finally, the results of the study showed that multiple intelligences theory helped to provide learning opportunities to meet the students' diverse needs. It also helped the teachers to have an accurate picture of students' skills, abilities, and learning preferences.
Examining the Educational Leadership Knowledge Base: A 5-Year Citation Analysis
Author: Borgemenke, Arthur
Date: 2013-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Instructional Leadership,Educational Administration,Periodicals,Theory Practice Relationship,Best Practices,Citation Analysis,Electronic Publishing,Web Sites,Graduate Study,Administrator Education

The professionals who research and publish in the field of educational administration impact the theory and best practice cycle that develops into the discipline's body of knowledge. This body of knowledge, in turn, is imparted to aspiring educational leaders. The authors examined whose research educational administration researchers are citing, and thus, by assumption, whose research and ideas are being incorporated into graduate-level coursework. The citations in a leading online research journal in the field were examined to seek what discernible patterns and trends existed in citations. In an examination of measures of impact, the authors studied data from an electronic tracking system that indicate the number of times a Portable Document Format is retrieved from the journal's website and analytical data that indicate the frequency of electronic article/module retrieval. [This paper was reprinted from the&quot;Global Learn North America and Europe Conference Proceedings, November 6-8, 2012 with permission of AACE.]
Project Based Learning on Students' Performance in the Concept of Classification of Organisms among Secondary Schools in Kenya
Author: Wekesa, Noah Wafula
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Active Learning,Student Projects,Science Achievement,Scientific Concepts,Classification,Biology,Secondary School Science,Secondary School Students,Teaching Methods,Scientific Attitudes,Quasiexperimental Design,Student Attitudes,Attitude Measures,Questionnaires,Achievement Tests,Statistical Analysis,Positive Attitudes,Student Centered Learning,Attitude Change,Pretests Posttests

The concept of classification of organisms in Biology seems to pose a problem to Secondary School students in Kenya. Though, the topic is important for understanding of the basic elements of the subject. The Examinations Council in Kenya has identified teacher centred pedagogical techniques as one of the main causes for this. Project based learning technique has been successfully used as an instructional technique in countries like Japan and United States of America to improve students' academic achievement and positive attitude development among students in science practicals in Biology. The study therefore investigated the influence of project based learning technique on achievement of students in classification of organisms among Secondary Schools in Kenya with particular focus on academic achievement and attitude development. Quasi experimental design was employed. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select eight classes from four secondary schools with a total of 360 students. Students' Attitude Questionnaires and Classification Achievement Test were used as instruments. Analysis of Variance and t-test were employed in data analysis. The study revealed that project based learning technique enabled students to improve in academic achievement as well as developing positive attitude towards classification of organisms. The study recommends to the Ministry of Education and its agencies to adopt project based learning technique among other student centred instructional techniques for teaching of practical oriented concepts like Classification of Organisms.
The Value and Effectiveness of Feedback in Improving Students' Learning and Professionalizing Teaching in Higher Education
Author: Ahea, Md. Mamoon-Al-Bashir
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Feedback (Response),College Students,Educational Experience,College Faculty,Professionalism,College Instruction,Instructional Effectiveness,Instructional Improvement

There is a great importance of feedback in improving learning experience for the students. This has also significant effect in professionalizing teaching in the higher education level. However, feedback is considered as a difficult issue in this arena. Most of the lecturers are still continuing with the tradition form of feedback. This form of feedbacks often unable to satisfy the students in improving their learning experience. It is high time for the lecturers to re-think about the feedback providing process. They should avoid traditional way of proving feedback towards the students. This paper comes with some modern and technology based way of proving feedback which can eventually help students in improving student learning experience. This can also help in professionalizing the teaching of lecturers in higher education.
Alternative Vision of Gender in the New Literatures of Africa in English: An Appraisal of Bole Butake's Dramaturgy
Author: Jick, Henry Kah
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Theory Practice Relationship,Foreign Countries,Gender Issues,Blacks,Consciousness Raising,Role Playing,Feminism,Playwriting,Authors,Females,African Culture,Artists,Drama,Males,English for Special Purposes,Books,Fiction,Novels

This study has attempted to revisit gender issues presented in the New Literatures of Africa in English to investigate whether there is, indeed, an alternative vision of these issues. In spite of the great contributions of female writers in this literature, it has continued to be a male-dominated terrain. It is from this perspective that we decided to draw inspiration from Bole Butake's &quot;Dramaturgy&quot; to assess his contribution to this alternative vision of gender in modern Africa Literature. Bole Butake is a significant Cameroonian male dramatist who writes sensitively on issues that concern the African Women in general and the Cameroonian Women in particular. We have demonstrated in this work that in spite of Butake's enormous contributions to issues of gender, his female roles do not conform totally to what women themselves expect. The sociological and feminist theories have been utilised in this study to come out with the following findings: First, there seem to be an alternative vision of gender in the New Literatures of Africa in English. Second, we posit that a major preoccupation of the female-oriented works of art in this literature is the exploration of the various pains that their characters encounter as women. Third, that most of the artists, if not all, present women reacting because they have been subjected or exploited by their male counterparts. Our final contention in this essay is that in order for us to have a total and positive alternative vision of gender in Modern African Literature, the artists should not only present the type of female characters that they have but should also attempt to balance the depiction of the pain with the development of consciousness-raising and role-modeling which are definite aspects of black feminist aesthetics.
Communication Channels as Implementation Determinants of Performance Management Framework in Kenya
Author: Sang, Jane
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Program Implementation,Models,Multivariate Analysis,Correlation,Statistical Inference,Statistics,Factor Analysis,Hypothesis Testing,Communication Skills,Performance Based Assessment,Personnel Management,Employees,Employee Attitudes,Case Studies,Comparative Analysis,Mixed Methods Research,Employment,Path Analysis

The purpose of this study to assess communication channels as implementation determinants of performance management framework In Kenya at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH). The communication theory was used to inform the study. This study adopted an explanatory design. The target sampled 510 respondents through simple random and stratified sampling Data collected was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Specifically Manova analysis, Correlation analysis, Factor analysis and SEMPATH model, with the help of SPSS /Amos model programme, were used to validate and test the hypotheses. Results of hypothesis testing indicate that communication have a significant relationship with implementation of performance management. This was supported by a strong correlation between communication and implementation of performance management. The study established that communication determine employee relationship with the implementation of performance management framework. It was therefore recommended that, to effectively manage the implementation of performance framework, an organization should put in place: the right communication strategies.
Achievement Levels of Middle School Students in the Standardized Science and Technology Exam and Formative Assessment Probes: A Comparative Study
Author: Bulunuz, Nermin
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle School Students,Academic Achievement,Standardized Tests,Science Tests,Technology Education,Formative Evaluation,Student Evaluation,Comparative Analysis,Grade 8,Scientific Concepts,Foreign Countries,Scoring Rubrics,Multiple Choice Tests,Statistical Analysis,Error Patterns,Guessing (Tests)

The present study has two aims. Firstly, it aims to determine eighth grade students' conceptual understanding of floating and sinking through formative assessment probes. Secondly, it aims to determine whether or not there is a significant difference between students' performance in formative assessment probes and their achievement in the Standardized Science and Technology Exam (TEOG 1) exam. The sample of this research is 61 eighth grade students from a central middle school in Eskisehir. Data collection tools are four two-stage formative assessment probes and the scores of the student taken from the first TEOG 1 exam. The answers of the students to the two-stage probes were scored by use of a rubric. Findings indicated that most of the students either: (a) both chose incorrect answer and did not write correct scientific explanation (41%); (b) chose correct answer but did not write correct scientific explanation (33%); and (c) chose correct answer but wrote partially correct explanation (43%). This result indicates the poorness of students' explanation and interpretation skills in formative assessment probes. In addition, the findings of the dependent sample t-test results also indicate that there is a significant difference between the scores of the students taken from the standardized science test (TEOG 1) and the formative assessment probes on the concepts of floating and sinking. This finding shows that the students are more successful on standardized science test than the formative assessment probes in general. These research findings, suggest that students should be exposed to teaching practices based on &quot;formative assessment&quot; that promotes the development of students' skills of explaining, interpreting, and reasoning rather than multiple-choice tests in science lessons.
Concept Mapping Strategy: An Effective Tool for Improving Students' Academic Achievement in Biology
Author: Sakiyo, John
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Concept Mapping,Biology,Secondary School Students,Hypothesis Testing,Quasiexperimental Design,Achievement Tests,Statistical Significance,Gender Differences,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Instructional Effectiveness,Foreign Countries,Secondary School Science,High School Seniors,Science Achievement,Pretests Posttests,Science Tests,Validity,Reliability,Statistical Analysis,Science Process Skills,Science Instruction

The study investigated the use of concept mapping teaching method on secondary school students' academic achievement in biology. Two hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study. The design of the study was quasi-experimental design with 122 Senior Secondary students selected purposively from two senior secondary schools in Adamawa state. Instrument used for data collection was an achievement test tagged Biology Students' Achievement Test (BSAT) adapted from WAEC tests 2005 to 2010. The instrument was content validated by three experts and Cronbach alpha formula was used for testing its reliability. The reliability coefficient of 0.78 was obtained. The treatment lasted for six weeks and data were analyzed using one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The result revealed that, concept mapping method enhanced students' academic achievement in biology. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between male and female students in the experimental group. It was recommended that, concept mapping method should be incorporated in the teaching of biology for meaningful learning and that workshops should be organized for in-service and practicing teachers on how to use concept mapping strategy.
Distance Education as a Tool for Human Resources Development for the Implementation of the Universal Basic Education Programme in Ebonyi State Junior Secondary Schools
Author: Nwafukwa, Peter O.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Distance Education,Labor Force Development,Program Implementation,Foreign Countries,Surveys,Secondary School Teachers,Secondary School Students,Sampling,Data Collection,Questionnaires,Correlation,Item Analysis,Teacher Effectiveness,Developing Nations,Labor Force,Teaching Methods,Instructional Materials,Principals,Sample Size,Secondary Schools,Data Analysis,Reliability,Equal Education,Educational Policy

The study examined distance education as a tool for human resource development for junior secondary schools in Ebonyi State, Nigeria and it adopted a descriptive survey as the design. The population of the study consists of 2,410 secondary school teachers. Stratified simple random sampling technique was used to select 690 respondents. The instrument for data collection is a researcher self-structured questionnaire. Three experts; two from Educational Administration and one from Test and Measurement all from Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki were used to determine its face validity. The reliability of the instrument was established using the test re-test method where 228 teachers were used. The same instrument was administered on the same respondents after two weeks interval and was correlated using Cormbach Alpha internal consistency co-efficient and it yielded 0.85 co-efficient. 690 copies of the questionnaire were administered to the respondents, but only 680 copies were returned and used for the study. Data Collected from the 680 respondents were analysed using mean (x) and standard deviations to answer the three research questions. One of the findings was that Distance Education has improved quality of teachers in classroom delivery of instruction to a very high extent in Ebonyi State junior Secondary schools.
Turkish Chemistry Teachers' Views about Secondary School Chemistry Curriculum: A Perspective from Environmental Education
Author: Icoz, Omer Faruk
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Chemistry,Science Teachers,Environmental Education,Teacher Attitudes,Sustainability,Secondary School Science,Science Curriculum,Integrated Curriculum,Case Studies,Interviews,Course Content

Teachers' views about environmental education (EE) have been regarded as one of the most important concerns in education for sustainability. In secondary school chemistry curriculum, there are several subjects about EE embedded in the chemistry subjects in Turkey. This study explores three chemistry teachers' views about to what extent the subjects related with EE should be integrated into secondary school chemistry curriculum at an individual level of analysis. The findings of the study indicate that there is a consensus among teachers on the inadequacy of secondary school chemistry curriculum for providing students an effective EE. However, there is an inconsiderable divergence among the teachers' views about the placement of subjects about EE in chemistry curriculum and the integration of subjects about EE into the curriculum. Through the results of the study, policymakers and curriculum developers would gain a comprehensive insight about deficiencies in chemistry curriculum for EE from the point of view of chemistry teachers and they would have opportunity to realize the ways for the remedy of this deficiency.
Teachers' Utilization of School Facilities and Academic Achievement of Student Nurses in Human Biology in Schools of Nursing in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Author: Usen, Onodiong Mfreke
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Facilities,Academic Achievement,Nursing Students,Nursing Education,Biology,Foreign Countries,Sampling,Questionnaires,Achievement Tests,Data Collection,Reliability,Correlation,Facilities,Use Studies,Information Technology,Surveys,Sample Size,Likert Scales,Data Analysis,Nurses,Statistical Analysis

The study examined the relationship between teachers' utilization of school facilities and academic achievement of student nurses in Human Biology in schools of Nursing in Akwa Ibom State. Four (4) specific objectives, four (4) research questions and four (4) null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto survey design was adopted for the study. The research population was One Hundred and Seventy Three (173) student nurses in Preliminary Training Session (PTS) in the three (3) accredited Schools of Nursing in Akwa Ibom State.. The sample size of One Hundred (100) students was selected for the study using proportionate stratified random sampling technique. The researcher developed two (2) instruments tagged 'Teachers' Utilization of School Facilities Questionnaire (TUSFQ)' and 'Students' Achievement Test on Human Biology (SATHB)' used in collecting data for the study. The TUSFQ and SATHB were validated through face validity by three (3) experts in the Test and Measurement unit of Faculty of Education, University of Uyo, Uyo and three (3) other experts in Directorate of Nursing Services, Ministry of Health, Uyo respectively. The reliability coefficients of 0.82 and 0.74 for TUSFQ and SATHB respectively were established using Spearman Brown Reliability Analysis. Pearson's Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used for data treatment. The findings of the research revealed that there exists significant positive relationship between teachers' utilization of school facilities (library, laboratory, information and communication technology (ICT) center and recreation center) and academic achievement of student nurses in Human Biology. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended amongst others that teachers should make good effort in incorporating the available school facilities in their pedagogical practices to develop themselves, and thereby promoting the academic growth of learners.
Exploring Secondary Students' Conceptions about Fire Using a Two-Tier, True/False, Easy-to-Use Diagnostic Test
Author: Potvin, Patrice
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Diagnostic Tests,Student Attitudes,Misconceptions,Secondary School Students,Test Construction,Psychometrics,Foreign Countries,Fire Science Education,Interviews,Multiple Choice Tests,Questionnaires,Program Validation,Science Activities,Science Achievement

This article describes the design of a misconception diagnostic test about fire-related phenomena. It proposes a new test format in which a certainty-measuring tier has been integrated into each of the true/false response choices. This format is argued to be easier for teachers to use than the increasingly popular three-tier format. First, we review the available literature about misconception diagnostic tests and then literature about fire-related misconceptions. We then describe the design process of the test, which was preceded by an interview phase. We then describe its administration to 221 secondary school students. We finally present, in an explorative and accessible manner, the results that were obtained. These results support the existence of previously recorded misconceptions, but also bring certain nuances to some of their previous interpretations. They also support the hypothesis according to which some misconceptions are presumed to be more widespread than they truly are. Conclusive remarks are formulated about the benefits of the use of our--and other--misconception diagnostic tests.