ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
An Examination of At-Risk College Freshmen's Expository Literacy Skills Using Interactive Online Writing Activities
Author: Mongillo, Geraldine
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Feedback (Response),College Freshmen,Expository Writing,Reading Strategies,At Risk Students,Reading Ability,Literacy Education,Reading Instruction,Reading Skills,Computer Uses in Education,Educational Technology,Writing Assignments,Writing Skills

This qualitative study focused on at-risk college freshmen's ability to read and write expository text using game-like, online expository writing activities. These activities required participants to write descriptions of a target object so that peers could guess what the object was, after which they were given the results of those guesses as feedback on their writing. Findings suggested that these online writing activities can improve at-risk students' expository literacy skills. Specifically, findings emphasized the importance of the writers' description of salient features and word choice when writing for an online (distant) reader, and the importance of knowing the audience they are addressing. The participants' feedback concerning how and why they made a particular choice may provide a lens to view how at-risk readers utilize and apply reading strategies. Further research is recommended to determine if the reading behaviors of at-risk students can be better understood by examining the rationale described in the feedback. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.)
The "Mozart Effect" and the Mathematical Connection
Author: Taylor, Judy M.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Music,Mathematics Achievement,Program Effectiveness,Trigonometry,College Mathematics,Mathematics Tests,Scores,Classroom Environment,Comparative Analysis

Educators are always looking for ways to enhance the performance of students on outcome assessments. There is a growing body of research showing the benefits of music on educational performance. The purpose of this study was to determine if a "Mozart Effect" improves student performance on outcome assessments in mathematics. In this study, during the six major tests that were given for three college trigonometry classes (n = 69) a CD of Mozart music was played for the duration of the test. The results were compared to three trigonometry classes (n = 59) that were given six major trigonometry tests with no music playing. The results indicate that students performed significantly better when Mozart was being played as background music during the outcome assessment. This study adds validity to the "Mozart Effect" and considers improved effectiveness for some learners through altered assessment environments. (Contains 2 tables.)
Assessment of Tutoring Laboratories in a Learning Assistance Center
Author: Fullmer, Patricia
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Black Colleges,Learning Resources Centers,Laboratories,Remedial Instruction,Remedial Mathematics,Remedial Reading,Tutoring,Workshops,Pretests Posttests,Test Results,Logical Thinking,Models,Academic Achievement,Scores,Educational Resources

The Learning Resource Center at Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, provides tutoring laboratories that are required for developmental reading, writing, and math courses. This article reviews the processes used to plan and determine the effectiveness of the tutoring laboratories, including logic models, student learning outcomes, and the results of an analysis of the differences between pretest and posttest scores using a t test and eta[superscript 2] (measure of effect). The pretest and posttest scores of students who attended at least six lab sessions were examined. The t test results indicated a high level of significance and the eta[superscript 2] score indicated a moderate to strong effect. Students in the tutoring laboratories showed gains in academic skills from the pretest to the posttest, supporting the effectiveness of the tutoring laboratories, and the assessment process provided accessible information that was used to improve the tutoring laboratory program. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.)
Midsemester Academic Interventions in a Student-Centered Research University
Author: Boretz, Elizabeth
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Research Universities,At Risk Students,Academic Probation,Academic Persistence,Student Motivation,Workshops,Student Centered Curriculum,Institutional Mission,School Holding Power,Learner Engagement,Academic Achievement

In this descriptive study, the use of a midsemester Success Workshop is evaluated within the context of the persistence and motivation of students placed on academic probation in a state university between 2005 and 2010. Elements of the Success Workshop are described. The self-assessments, workshop evaluation results, and other institutional data for 2,630 diverse first-year students who showed signs of academic struggle and were required to attend a success-planning workshop at midsemester are examined. The value of early, personalized, resource-intensive outreach to at-risk students is discussed, with an emphasis on literature related to the correlation between student engagement and student success. (Contains 5 tables.)
Common Literacy Struggles with College Students: Using the Reciprocal Teaching Technique
Author: Gruenbaum, Elizabeth A.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,Writing Skills,Literacy,Secondary Education,College Readiness,Reciprocal Teaching,Remedial Reading,Reading Skills,Writing Improvement,Reading Comprehension

Many college students struggle with the literacy skills needed to be successful in higher education (Bettinger & Long, 2009; Snyder, Tan, & Hoffman, 2004). The difficulties emerge within students' capabilities in reading and writing. Students must be taught the skills needed to be successful to complete the tasks assigned in college classes and in their future jobs (Hammond, 2008; Jobs for the Future, 2005). Students must think critically, connect ideas, and complete research projects (O'Sullivan & Dallas, 2010). Poor metacomprehension while reading results in difficulties comprehending text or writing efficiently (Thiede, Griffin, Wiley, & Anderson, 2010; Wood, Motz, & Willoughby, 1998; Yang, 2010). Interventions are essential to enhance comprehension and improve writing skills.
A Study of Graduate Student Ethics in Leadership Preparation Programs
Author: Roberts, Kerry
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Superintendents,Ethics,Leadership Training,Ethical Instruction,Decision Making,Administrator Characteristics,Reputation,Selection,Graduate Students,Religious Factors,Context Effect

The ethics and character of a superintendent is important and much research has been done in this area. This study attempted to take the instrument developed by Fenstermaker (1994) and determine if future superintendents have the same ethical response as current superintendents. The small number (n=20) limited statistical comparisons. Three research questions were asked: Do students in superintendent preparation programs make as ethical decisions as compared to superintendents? Do more religious students make more ethical decisions? Will a small number replicate Dexheimer's study? The students selected the correct ethical response rate 51% of the time as compared to Dexheimer 47.3% and Festermaker 48.1%. The more religious students did not have a higher selection of correct responses. In the 10 scenarios, the majority of the students selected the correct response in eight out of 10 scenarios. (Contains 2 tables and 15 footnotes.)
Where Do Our Graduates Go? A Five-Year Exploration of the Regional Distribution of Principal Preparation Program Graduates
Author: Bathon, Justin
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Administrator Education,Principals,College Graduates,Alumni,Employment,Trend Analysis,Employment Patterns,Geographic Distribution,Urban Areas,Rural Areas,Community Characteristics,Municipalities

Many university-based principal preparation programs prepare individuals for employment in local K-12 school districts. Programs recruit students and shape aspects of curriculum and ongoing professional development in light of local school districts and community characteristics. Utilizing Indiana state licensure and employment data sets for all individuals initially licensed as building-level administrators over a five-year period, and linking each individual to the U.S. Census Bureau locale codes and zip-code tabulation areas of their school of employment, we graphically present where principal preparation program graduates work and analyze different trends by program and job type (administrator and non-administrator). Most program graduates work in proximity to their preparation program, although two programs' graduates were more likely to work throughout the state. Graduates employed in rural settings were more likely to be employed as administrators with those in urban settings least likely. We provide an example of how data may systematically be made available to state policy makers, program faculty, and other stakeholders to develop a more coherent system of leadership preparation. (Contains 10 figures, 3 tables and 3 footnotes.)
Situated in a Community of Practice: Leadership Preparation Practices to Support Leadership in K-8 School
Author: Braun, Donna
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Qualitative Research,Mixed Methods Research,Administrator Education,Leadership Training,Focus Groups,Communities of Practice,Educational Practices,Academic Achievement,Educational Improvement,Professional Development,Decision Making Skills,Learning Experience,Adjustment (to Environment),Principals,Elementary Schools,Middle Schools

This paper reports on the qualitative second phase of a mixed method study that examined the relationships among leader preparation practices and leader, school, and student outcomes through the use of two focus groups (N=8, N=7) to investigate the following research questions: (a) What practices are used by leaders to improve student achievement and to improve the school learning environment? (b) What professional learning experiences support school leaders in improving student achievement and school learning environments? A framework emerged based on the analysis to describe the core practices of school leaders and preparation programs. The framework was derived by synthesizing the focus group results, the initial survey research phase (Braun, Gable, & Kite, 2008) results, and the literature on school leader and preparation program practices. These findings support the further inclusion of specific preparation practices into leader preparation programs. (Contains 1 table and 1 footnote.)
Routes to School Leadership: Does Certification Path Matter?
Author: Brown, Casey
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Instructional Leadership,Superintendents,Principals,School Districts,Career Choice,Alternative Teacher Certification,Expectation,Semi Structured Interviews,Administrator Characteristics,Administrator Qualifications,Employment Experience,Teaching Experience,Teacher Education,Administrator Attitudes

This research was conducted to examine how school district superintendents perceive prospective school principals who were initially certified through alternate means. Data were collected through interviews with superintendents in an effort to examine whether the superintendents believed that principals' career and educational paths affected the candidates' ability to secure a principal position and, once employed, to be successful in the principalship. The participating superintendents described their expectations for school leaders, preferred characteristics and backgrounds, and perceptions of the gap between alternate and traditional paths to certification. The superintendents interviewed identified qualities they desired prospective principals to exhibit and actions they wished them to demonstrate. (Contains 1 footnote.)
Developing Knowledge and Skills for Aspiring Educational Leaders that Address Best Practices in Classroom Assessment and Instruction: An NCPEA Course Module
Author: Del Favero, Frank
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Subjects: Reading Lists,Reading,Observation,Leadership Training,Leadership,Teaching Methods,Reading Material Selection,Best Practices,Formative Evaluation,Summative Evaluation,Performance Based Assessment,Learning Activities,Academic Achievement,Educational Practices,Classroom Environment,Educational Assessment

This is an Instructional Module for a course entitled Assessment and Instruction for Educational Leaders addresses classroom assessment and the evaluation of instruction. The goal of this course is to help aspiring educational leaders to develop teacher observation and evaluation skills, better understand the construction of teacher generated formative and summative student assessment instruments, and refine collaborative and leadership skills. The learning activities and candidate produced artifacts are experiential and focus on performance-based tasks. This module also includes a reading list and 3 rubrics that are used to guide instruction and assess the candidate's leadership knowledge and skills. (Contains 5 footnotes.)
Integration of Foreign-Born Faculty in Academia: Foreignness as an Asset
Author: Gahungu, Athanase
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Information Analyses
Subjects: College Faculty,Foreign Nationals,Immigrants,Campuses,College Administration,College Students,Cultural Awareness,Student Role,Politics,Comparative Education,Cultural Differences,Communicative Competence (Languages),Teacher Responsibility,Teacher Student Relationship,Teacher Role,Classroom Communication,Adjustment (to Environment)

Each year, the U.S. invites thousands of foreign-born and foreign-educated professionals as immigrants and on temporary visas, including academicians. In some academic programs such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics, these foreign-born professionals represent an imposing mass, while in others, they are relatively invisible. This review of literature explored issues of obstacles and opportunities for foreign-born faculty to become fully integrated in academia, particularly in programs that do not traditionally attract international scholars. In addition to the literature review, e-mail and telephone interviews were conducted with a group of eight foreign-born faculty and administrators to further explore the role of foreign-born faculty in internationalizing and globalizing U.S. campuses. Recommendations are offered for a) institutions of higher education to alleviate the insularity of their campuses and for b) the foreign-born faculty themselves to use their foreignness as an asset. (Contains 4 tables and 5 footnotes.)
Substitute Teachers: Making Lost Days Count
Author: True, Charlene
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Substitute Teachers,Teacher Qualifications,Teacher Recruitment,Elementary Secondary Education,Instructional Effectiveness,Collegiality,Teaching Methods,Classroom Techniques

As K-12 teachers and administrators grow increasingly concerned with issues of accountability, research-based methods, and intervention strategies, little discussion exists on the impact of substitute teachers in the classroom. In the rush to analyze test scores, are the days covered by substitute teachers even considered? Though districts are implementing policies and strategies to limit teacher absences from the classroom, substitute teachers are still an integral part of our educational system. And yet, at times, they are the most neglected. The purpose of this article is to discuss four attributes of a quality substitute teacher program: (a) selection, (b) induction, (c) development, and (d) evaluation. A theoretical framework from the literature is used to both define the attributes of a quality substitute teacher program and explore specific strategies that can be used to improve substitute teacher programs. Finally, additional surveys are provided to help facilitate the evaluation of any substitute teacher program. (Contains 3 tables and 2 footnotes.)
Redesigning Principal Internships: Practicing Principals' Perspectives
Author: Anast-May, Linda
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Theory Practice Relationship,Internship Programs,Interviews,Principals,Instructional Leadership,Semi Structured Interviews,Educational Improvement,Administrators,Administration,Academic Achievement,Leaders,Teaching Methods

Internship programs too often do not provide the types of experiences that effectively bridge the gap between theory and practice and prepare school leaders who are capable of leading and transforming schools. To help address this problem, the current study is directed at providing insight into practicing principals' views of the types of experiences and activities that future educational leaders should have in their preparation. Open, semi-structured interviews were conducted to reveal the perspectives of the practicing principals. From the perspectives of sitting principals, the study found that aspiring principals are not as well prepared as they need to be, and can be, to assume the challenging tasks of leading school improvement efforts. Practicing principals presented recommendations regarding the types of experiences and activities that should be included in the internship to adequately prepare future administrators. Their recommendations include opportunities to lead change initiatives, opportunities to build relationships with staff and data support of school improvement activities. (Contains 1 footnote.)
Clinically Intensive Preservice Preparation: Opportunities and Challenges of Blended Training
Author: Roberts-Pittman, Bridget
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Nontraditional Education,School Psychologists,School Psychology,Counselor Training,Supply and Demand,Graduate Study,Program Development,Blended Learning,Computer Uses in Education,Educational Technology

The need for school psychologists across the county has reached critical levels. In addition, faculty positions for those training school psychologists are going unfilled. With such an identified need, training programs play a key role in closing the gap. In order to address this need in Indiana, the authors, with support for the Indiana Department of Education, developed the Indiana Training Alternative for School Psychology (ITASP) program. The program allows current educators to continue their employment in an educational setting while pursuing their Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in school psychology. This article represents a reflection of the successes and challenges the authors met after implementation of the program for a two-year period. (Contains 1 footnote.)
Micropolitics in the School: Teacher Leaders' Use of Political Skill and Influence Tactics
Author: Brosky, Donald
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching (Occupation),Teacher Leadership,Politics of Education,Political Influences,Political Power,Educational Environment,School Organization,Leadership Training,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Mixed Methods Research,Interprofessional Relationship,Teacher Administrator Relationship,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Role

This study focused upon the micropolitics of teacher leadership, namely the knowledge of tactics, influencing factors and consequences of teacher leaders' daily political interactions with others within the school setting. Blase (1990, 1997) and Blase and Anderson (1995) acknowledge that teachers are not passive actors in the politics of schools, but also use political strategies to increase their bargaining power through the deployment of influence tactics. The purpose of the research was to provide a profile of power by examining teacher leaders' use of political skill and influence in the organizational context of the school environment. (Contains 2 footnotes.)
Students with Special Needs, Reading Education, and Principals: Bridging the Divide through Instructional Leadership
Author: Sanzo, Karen
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Programs,Instructional Leadership,Special Needs Students,Principals,Administrator Role,State Standards,Standardized Tests,Literacy,Reading Skills,Reading Instruction,Teaching Methods,Inclusion,Resource Room Programs,Remedial Instruction,Surveys

Principals are held accountable for achievement results of students on state-mandated assessments. Special needs students who struggle with literacy can impact the pass rates on these assessments. This study identifies how reading is taught to special needs students in both self-contained and inclusion settings at the secondary level in one school district; determines how school leaders may or may not be facilitating this process; and identifies ways school leaders can more effectively facilitate special education reading programs and processes. (Contains 3 tables and 3 footnotes.)
Developing and Supporting Early Childhood Teacher Leaders: A Leadership Project Connecting University, Community and Public School Resources
Author: Maxfield, C. Robert
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Young Children,Preschool Teachers,Early Childhood Education,Teacher Leadership,Teacher Empowerment,School Community Programs,College School Cooperation,Partnerships in Education,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Change,Systems Approach

The empowerment of early childhood educators as teacher leaders can translate into effective instructional practices that promote children's development. This paper aims to broaden the discussion about the relationship between early childhood educators and their traditional K-12 counterparts. We seek to present a wider exploration of what it takes to develop and maintain systemic changes in thinking--the philosophies, the perceptions, the policies and the commitments that are necessary in creating sustained educational change. (Contains 1 table and 1 footnote.)
Superintendents' Beliefs and Behaviors regarding Instructional Leadership Standards Reform
Author: Lewis, Timothy
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Time Management,Academic Achievement,Educational Change,Instructional Leadership,Superintendents,Teaching Methods,Standards,Professional Development,Predictor Variables,School Districts,Administrator Attitudes,Administrator Behavior,Mixed Methods Research,Surveys,Measures (Individuals)

This study examined Alabama school superintendents' perceptions of the new Alabama instructional leadership standards as related to the superintendency, and superintendents' professional needs related to the knowledge indicators in the standards. Also explored were superintendents' perceptions towards professional development delivery methods, which standards are most important for increasing student achievement, how superintendents allocate their time among the standards, barriers that hinder or prevent superintendents from implementing the standards, and whether district demographic variables impacted superintendents' perceptions. No significant difference in time allocation in relation to district enrollment was indicated and district enrollment did not significantly impact superintendents' ranking of the importance of the standards for increasing student achievement. Teaching and learning was identified as the most important standard for improving student achievement, followed by planning for continuous improvement. Time, financial restraints, and resistance to change were identified as the most significant barriers to implementing the leadership standards. (Contains 5 tables and 2 footnotes.)