ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Self-Assessment and Student Improvement in an Introductory Computer Course at the Community College Level
Author: Spicer-Sutton, Jama
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Self Evaluation (Individuals),Introductory Courses,Computer Science Education,Pretests Posttests,Knowledge Level,College Students,Scores,Gender Differences,Age Differences,Student Surveys,Internet,Educational Experience,Technological Literacy,School Location,Computer Software,Delivery Systems,Teaching Methods,Blended Learning,Student Improvement,Statistical Analysis

The purpose of this study was to determine a student's computer knowledge upon course entry and if there was a difference in college students' improvement scores as measured by the difference in pretest and post-test scores of new or novice users, moderate users, and expert users at the end of a college level introductory computing class. This study also determined whether there were differences in improvement scores by gender or age group. The results of this study were used to determine whether there was a difference in improvement scores among the three campus locations participating in this study. Four hundred sixty-nine students participated in this study at a community college located in Northeast Tennessee. A survey, pretest, and post-test were administered to students in a college level introductory computing class. The survey consisted of demographic data that included gender, age category, location, Internet access, educational experience and the self-rated user category, while the pretest and post-test explored the student's knowledge of computer terminology, hardware, the current operating system, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint. The data analysis revealed significant differences in pretest scores between educational experience categories. In each instance, the pretest mean for first semester freshmen students was lower than second semester freshmen and sophomores. The study also reported significant differences between the self-rated user categories and pretest scores as well as differences in improvement scores (post-test scores minus pretest scores). However, the improvement scores (post-test scores minus pretest scores) were higher than the other self-rated user categories. Of the three participating campus locations, students at Location 1 earned higher improvement scores than did students at Location 2. The results also indicated that there was a significant difference between the types of course delivery and course improvement scores (post-test scores minus pretest scores). The improvement scores for on ground delivery was 5 points higher than the hybrid course delivery. Finally, study revealed no significant differences according to the gender and age categories.
Intersectionality as Education Policy Reform: Creating Schools That Empower Telling
Author: Beck, Brittney
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Policy,Educational Change,Social Change,Social Discrimination,Change Strategies,Social Bias,Crime,Homosexuality,Humanization,Safety Education,Values Education

Brittney Beck wrote this commentary two days after the act of terror and hate that occurred at Pulse in Orlando, Florida in which Omar Mateen murdered 50 people at a queer night club during a celebration of LatinX cultures and identities. Historians have long observed that social movements are preceded by tragedy. Anyon (2014) argued that schools in general and teachers in particular occupy a practical and theoretical space at the center of community crises. As a result, educators--consciously or not--are irrevocably tethered to the oppression or liberation of their students and share responsibility in responding to and further preventing community atrocities (Anyon, 2014). In the wake of this tragedy, Beck urges educators to not neglect their unique and essential role in the movement for the safety and empowerment of queer identities and identities of color and to be attentive to how these identities intersect to create matrices of oppression in schools and communities. The commentary begins with a brief description of intersectionality and then provides insight into how Beck began to see the intersections of queer and racial issues as they manifested in her first grade classroom. Following a glimpse of the consequences for not understanding intersectionality, which left her complicit in the oppression of her students, she then reframes intersectional issues in education through the lens of anti-discrimination policy reform. This reframing offers a first step schools can take to begin providing students and educators with discourses to share their full narratives, respond to their unique oppressions, and advocate for their civil rights and human dignities in more effective ways. As a White, cisgender, queer woman and educator, this commentary is shaped by an ever-deepening understanding of Beck's own role as an ally to queer communities, communities of color, and the intersections of these identities in P-12 and higher education contexts.
Critical Thinking in the Classroom…and Beyond
Author: Murawski, Linda M.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Critical Thinking,Classroom Techniques,Relevance (Education),Individual Characteristics,Work Environment,Educational Practices,Higher Education,Thinking Skills

Critical thinking in the classroom is a common term used by educators. Critical thinking has been called &quot;the art of thinking about thinking&quot; (Ruggiero, V. R., 2012) with the intent to improve one's thinking. The challenge, of course, is to create learning environments that promote critical thinking both in the classroom and beyond. Teaching and practicing critical thinking provides adults with the opportunity to embrace and take charge of their learning. Adults engaged in critical thinking approach the classroom experience differently. Typically, students who implement critical thinking skills approach the courseware in a more thoughtful and effective manner, ask more challenging questions and participate in the learning process more intensely. This critical thinking process endures beyond the classroom and into the workplace. This session examines the background of critical thinking, its role in the classroom and beyond that to the workplace.
Can Taking an IB Course Change Students' Attitudes towards International Affairs and Welfare of Other Countries?
Author: Vemala, Prasad
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,International Trade,Foreign Countries,Attitude Change,Cultural Awareness,Global Approach,Outcomes of Education,World Affairs,Knowledge Level,North Americans,Undergraduate Students,Business Administration Education,Likert Scales,Online Surveys,Student Surveys

Americans in general tend to pay less attention to international affairs than their counterparts around the world. Therefore, Americans know much less about international affairs and lack international knowledge than people in other countries (Ivengar &amp; Morin, 2006). As we move to high levels of globalization on all fronts, we must confront our lack of knowledge and how we might remedy this problem. So, we aim to analyze if completion of a course in international business increases students' attention to international affairs and changes students' attitude toward other countries and their welfare. The results suggest that while taking an international business course does increase students' attentiveness on international affairs, students' attitudes towards other countries and their welfare did not significantly change.
Perceptions, Attitudes, &amp; Preferences of Adult Learners in Higher Education: A National Survey
Author: Stevens, Jeffrey
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Adult Learning,Adult Students,Student Attitudes,Preferences,National Surveys,Longitudinal Studies,Qualitative Research,Student Characteristics,Achievement Need,Questionnaires,Demography,Student Educational Objectives,College Choice,Selection Criteria,Education Work Relationship,Enrollment Influences,Program Costs,Andragogy

This longitudinal study examines the perceptions, attitudes, and preferences of the adult learners in higher education institutions in the United States. Based on these aspects, this study allowed for an insight into how higher education institutions can create programs to better meet the needs of their adult learning population. This study was especially prevalent related to those students who were already employed in the area management. A qualitative design was utilized, engaging respondents from six geographic regions in the United States. These three year, longitudinal research results were compared and contrasted with the eight principles of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, and best practices for meeting the educational and professional needs of the adult learner were proposed.
The Politics of &quot;Crazy-Making&quot; and Control: A Reform Teacher's Perspective
Author: Marchese, Stephanie Jo
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Practices,Educational Change,Urban Education,Critical Theory,Change Strategies,Educational Theories,Resistance (Psychology),Politics of Education,Teaching Methods

As a young educator, Stephanie Jo Marchese was initially emboldened by hope and naivety. However, trying to balance the resistance to her body politics and the rules of engagement forced upon her in schools set the stage for an inevitable collision. She faced the devastating reality that a Queer-White-Radical-Feminist-Survivor-Teacher heralding liberation learning was not a valued commodity in schools. Nonetheless, her students were her greatest allies. They engaged in mutual curriculum development based on state frameworks, in addition to their interests, passions, and personal stories of struggle and success because good curriculum is a living document. Each year, Marchese delved into different paths of discovery depending on the students in her class. The students' courage and willingness to make themselves vulnerable created unique opportunities. Identity politics were front and center. The problem is institutional reform movements are only able to diagnose what is lacking, because they cannot incorporate the knowledge that is already present. In this brief article, Marchese makes several suggestions for what needs to change in society, school systems, and teacher training in order to accomplish true reform and bring critical education theory, critical race theory, and feminist and queer theory into play.
Continuous, Real-Time Assessment of Every Student's Progress in the Flipped Higher Education Classroom Using Nearpod
Author: Mattei, Michael D.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Higher Education,Video Technology,Homework,Large Group Instruction,Handheld Devices,Telecommunications,Active Learning,Computer Oriented Programs,Blended Learning

The flipped classroom has developed a solid following, but implementing it in the higher education setting, where class sizes can be quite large, still presents formidable challenges for the venturesome instructor. While recently published results tend to focus on class sizes of 25-35, this paper introduces a novel approach that effectively scales to class sizes of 50-60 and possibly more. In addition, the in-class real-time assessment of student performance, integral to this model, provides a motivation for students to complete the pre-class work thus insuring the effective use of active learning elements during class time.
Say &quot;Yes and&quot; to Students Learning Teamwork! Using Improv in the College Classroom to Build Teamwork Skills
Author: Watland, Kathleen Hanold
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teamwork,Cooperative Learning,Creative Activities,Skill Development,Graduate Students,Business Administration Education,Masters Programs,Case Studies,Learning Activities,Student Projects,Student Evaluation

Teamwork and the ability to work collaboratively on a team are important skills in almost every industry or profession. The use of student teams in college courses is increasing and most academic programs require teamwork as part of the students' academic learning experience. While teamwork and other experiential collaborative learning opportunities are valuable pedagogical strategies, research suggests that little or no student instruction or preparation is provided to teach students how to be an effective team member. Without appropriate preparation from faculty, students focus only on accomplishing the products of the team or attending to the logistical considerations. Students may miss the opportunity to build the collaborative skills and relationships necessary to be an effective team member both in academic programs and in the workplace. The ability to serve as a collaborative team member is viewed as an important attribute in not just academic programs, but valuable in most careers, as well. Recognition of the value of improvisation or &quot;Improv&quot; is growing in the business world, yet literature on the use of Improv in college courses is limited. Improv is by nature very inclusive and interactive. Improv involves making the best use of the resources already available, especially human resources, by supporting each other and collaborating on ideas. This paper shares a case study exploring the use of four Improv exercises in a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) course with the intent of enhancing students' learning about teamwork skills. Based on the basic premises of Improv, the exercises are used to prepare students for engaging in effective teamwork. Students enrolled in a Management Theory and Application course are assigned a team project. Prior to working on the projects, students self-select teams and create a Team Agreement. The Team Agreement serves as the entrance to explore essential considerations in teamwork. MBA students participate in four Improv exercises. The Improv exercises, the purpose, and the students' reactions are shared. This paper further discusses the need for continued student preparation in teamwork.
Critically Conscious Learning: Using Participatory Action Research Methods to Engage Students
Author: Shahnazarian, Armen
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Participatory Research,Action Research,Learner Engagement,Consciousness Raising,Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,Grade 9,Research Methodology,Human Body,Photography,Problem Solving

As outlined by many of the social and political movements happening around us today, now more than ever, youth need to be critically conscious of their world in order to navigate it successfully. The Toronto District School Board, where Armen Shahnazarian teaches uses the hybrid model of culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy (CRRP), based on frameworks put forth by Gloria Ladson-Billings (1995) and Geneva Gay (2000), not only to assist with academic achievement, but to also help facilitate critical consciousness. During the 2015-2016 school year, Shahnazarian held the position of Student Work Study Teacher (SWST). As a provincial initiative, SWSTs are assigned to schools where students are not achieving according to Ontario Ministry of Education standards. Part of Shahnazarian's role was to collaborate with teachers to develop inquiries through pedagogical documentation, for instance by capturing student learning through products, observational notes, photos, videos, and interviews. Stemming from this process, Shahnazarian engaged in a professional learning inquiry with one of the collaborating teachers to increase student engagement in a 9th grade academic English class. Since the school board requires its use, Shahnazarian chose to focus on CRRP (Toronto District School Board, 2013), in particular its emphasis on critical consciousness, to work towards this goal. This article describes this process, and puts forth a call to educators to create opportunities for students to engage with critical consciousness raising, and to consider Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) methods as a tool to help them in doing so. Critical consciousness allows students to become active agents by connecting their in-class learning to their day-to-day lives. As a result, students begin to develop the ability to recognize systemic oppression and to offer potential ways in which it may be eliminated.
Providing Deep Learning through Active Engagement of Adult Learners in Blended Courses
Author: McDonough, Darlene
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Adult Learning,Learner Engagement,Blended Learning,Barriers,Active Learning,Learning Motivation,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Student Centered Learning,Student Evaluation,Evaluation Methods

Malcolm Knowles (2011) indicates that adult learners are most likely to be actively engaged in learning when they are given some choice and control over the learning process. When the curriculum relates to the adult learner's interests, is individualized, and authentic; the adult learner becomes actively engaged in the process by making a &quot;psychological investment&quot; in learning. Teaching a blended course presents certain challenges for the instructor when creating lessons to actively engage adult learners. This paper discusses how active engagement is defined and determined, barriers that impact adult learners attempting to actively engage in learning, and various strategies to actively engage adult learners that directly align to the characteristics of the adult learning process, in a blended course.
Gifted and at Risk: A Cross-District Comparison of Gifted Student Growth and Solutions for Urban Schools
Author: Kurt, Layla J.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academically Gifted,School Districts,Urban Schools,Suburban Schools,Best Practices,Success,At Risk Students,Underachievement,Student Records,Value Added Models,Curriculum,Cultural Differences,Barriers

In this study, the researchers highlight differences in district level value-added growth data of gifted students in urban and suburban districts, as categorized by the Ohio Department of Education. In addition to analyzing the difference between the academic growth of urban and suburban gifted students, the researchers sought to synthesize existing literature to compile best practice strategies focused on bolstering the academic success of gifted urban students. Results confirmed the researchers' hypothesis that gifted students in urban districts exhibit significantly lower growth scores than their suburban counterparts. The authors conclude with strategies from existing literature that may prove useful for professionals serving gifted urban student populations, particularly ethnically diverse gifted students.
Improving Career Development in Students by Developing Job Analysis Skills
Author: Cheramie, Robin A.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Job Skills,Job Analysis,Skill Development,Experiential Learning,Student Satisfaction,Student Surveys,Career Readiness,Higher Education,Career Education

One of the main goals of business school education is to prepare graduates for employment after graduation. However, many managers complain about the lack of communication skills developed in many graduates seeking employment in the job market (Abraham &amp; Karns, 2009). This paper describes the experiential exercise designed to help students complete the process of job analysis to be used for hiring or other Human Resource functions. Besides learning the process for describing jobs, students discover external resources that can help them develop more effective resumes and interview skills. Results from a student satisfaction survey of this exercise and pre-test/post-test data are provided to indicate learning in the job analysis process.
Urban Teachers Struggling within and against Neoliberal, Accountability-Era Policies
Author: Fisher-Ari, Teresa R.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Urban Teaching,Elementary School Teachers,Educational Change,Resistance to Change,Neoliberalism,Accountability,Educational Policy,Alternative Teacher Certification,Beginning Teachers,Disadvantaged,Low Income,Urban Education,Professionalism,Political Socialization,Politics of Education,Critical Theory,Public Education

As the educational community continues to consider the impact of the proliferation of accountability-aimed reform on students, schools, and communities, the consequences of said reforms on teachers must be included. Results of this study indicate that even distant, broad educational policies manifest in specific and profound ways in teachers' daily, lived experiences, shaping novice teachers' identity, beliefs, and efficacy. The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the perspectives of 38 Teach for America Corps Members (CMs) to situate how the educational reform climate socializes and oppresses teachers from all layers of influence, resulting in permeated macrotransgressions, which negatively impacts teachers. While this oppressive culture poses serious threats to the teaching profession, particularly in urban contexts, we also highlight the ways in which CMs resisted the confluence of socializing forces resulting from neoliberal shifts in educational policy and reform. Implications for teachers, educational leaders, policy makers, reformers, teacher educators, and communities are considered in order to envision a reprofessionalization of teachers working in tandem with the communities they serve to (re)construct a more just society.
Group Projects with Millennials: The Question of Not Why…but How
Author: Kendall, Catherine
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Group Activities,Cooperative Learning,Teamwork,Student Characteristics,Generational Differences,Cognitive Style,Learning Strategies,Group Dynamics,Group Behavior,Higher Education,Personality Traits,Fundamental Concepts,Change Strategies

The ability to work in groups is fundamental to education and professional environments. Today's classrooms are predominately filled with Millennials who have been working in teams their whole lives. Millennials enjoy group work because it is perceived as more fun and gives them a sense of unity and collaboration; unfortunately, it also gives them a way to avoid risks (Alsop, 2008). So, how do characteristics and learning styles of Millennials affect group work? As educators generally stemming from the Baby Boomer and Gen X generations, many instructors are either unaware or misinformed on effective grouping strategies for Millennials. This paper explores the fundamentals differences of Millennials and how they translate into strategies for successful group work.
Like It! Using Facebook Groups to Enhance Learning in Finance
Author: Stephen, Sheryl-Ann K.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Finance Occupations,Computer Software,Business Administration Education,Educational Research,Social Networks,Learning Experience,Learner Engagement,Video Technology,Access to Information,Course Content,Instructional Innovation,Models,Student Attitudes,Corporations,Privacy,Educational Policy

It has been documented that Facebook is the most popular social networking site among students. Given that most students are already users of Facebook, implementing it into the curriculum provides an easy way for students to actively participate in class activities. This paper explores the idea that the use of Facebook Groups to complement classroom teaching leads to a more meaningful learning experience and increases student engagement in finance. The instantaneous availability of course notes, problem solutions, PowerPoint slides, videos, and all course content to students on Facebook increases their interest in the subject matter and has a positive effect on learning. This paper presents an innovative method of using Facebook Groups to support teaching and learning in finance, and indeed in many other subject areas. The article reviews the literature on the use of Facebook in education and presents a model for effectively integrating Facebook Groups into the finance curriculum.