ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Instructional Demands of Standards-Based Reform
Author: American Federation of Teachers
Date: 2009-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Educational Change,Academic Standards,Standardized Tests,High Stakes Tests,Theory Practice Relationship,Rhetoric,Politics of Education

Standards-based reform envisions school systems driven by agreements about what every student should know and do; guided by data from assessments which tell whether or not students have adequately learned those things; and motivated by accountability mechanisms designed to assure every student access to effective opportunities to learn. Unfortunately, the rhetoric of the standards movement has largely ignored the subtle, but profound shifts in classroom and school practice that are required if individuals are to get beyond the platitude "high standards for all" and realize that goal in actual student performance. To date, the standards movement has been characterized by innumerable, sometimes competing sets of content standards developed by professional organizations, states and districts and a growing number of high stakes tests designed to measure whether or not students have learned these things. While these large-scale, standardized tests reveal patterns of achievement among large groups of students and provide information that compares one student's achievement to others, they are neither comprehensive enough, nor timely enough to guide day-to-day teaching. Often missing from the rhetoric about standards-based reform is discussion about how the "wish lists" of what students should know and be able to do get translated into changes in practice at the school and classroom level. If this nation is to achieve the promise of the standards movement, stakeholders need to understand the demands of standards-based instruction and develop the capacity of every classroom teacher to carry it out effectively. This paper discusses the demands of the standards-based instruction. A bibliography is included. (Contains 7 figures and 1 footnote.)
Promoting Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Faculty: What Higher Education Unions Can Do
Author: American Federation of Teachers
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: American Indians,Teacher Selection,Diversity (Faculty),College Faculty,Ethnic Diversity,Disproportionate Representation,African Americans,Hispanic Americans,Teacher Education,Teacher Persistence,Unions,Barriers,Educational Attainment,Whites,Enrollment Trends,Asian Americans,High School Graduates,Secondary School Students,College Bound Students,Pacific Islanders,Affirmative Action,Tenure,Teaching Conditions

By any measure, the representation of racially and ethnically underrepresented groups in the ranks of college and university faculty is disproportionately low compared with the general population or with the demographics of the undergraduate and graduate student populations, who are the training pool for higher education. In 2005-2006, approximately 5.4 percent of all tenure-eligible and contingent faculty members were African-American, 4.5 percent were Hispanic, and 0.04 percent were Native American, even though these groups represented, respectively, 12 percent, 14 percent and 0.8 percent of the total U.S. population. Despite administrators and faculty members around the country expressing strong support for improving faculty diversity, there has not been significant movement on the diversity front. To understand the challenge of increasing faculty diversity, it is important to look at the educational pathway along with hiring and retention practices. Without a more diverse undergraduate and graduate student population--one that is encouraged to pursue careers in academe--efforts to recruit and retain faculty of color are much less likely to succeed. In addition to background information about the educational pathway, hiring and retention in the context of diversity, this report also provides a series of recommendations and activities that local unions can consider to promote diversity on their campuses. A Diverse and Democratic Labor Movement is appended. A bibliography is included. (Contains 8 figures and 19 endnotes.)
Loan Forgiveness. Classroom Tips
Author: American Federation of Teachers
Date: 2010-03-00
Type: Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Subjects: Student Loan Programs,Federal Programs,Public Service,Grants,Loan Repayment,Preservice Teacher Education,Federal Aid,Teacher Qualifications,Eligibility

Becoming a teacher takes years of higher education and hard work. The financial and personal costs can be great. The good news is that there are more chances than ever for teachers-in-training and new teachers to reduce their financial burden. There are two main ways students can get financial aid: with loans and with grants. Many students take on debt in the form of loans. There is some financial relief if you plan to teach  certain subjects or teach in schools designated as low-income. Under the Federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program, teachers may be eligible for forgiveness of up to $5,000 if they teach for five years in low-income schools and meet other requirements, and up to $17,500 if they teach in certain specialties. There are several federal programs they should know about. The following programs are described in this paper: (1) Stafford Loan Forgiveness Program for Teachers; (2) Federal Perkins Loan Cancellation Program for Teachers; (3) TEACH Grant Program; and (4) Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
The Appropriate Use of Student Assessments
Author: American Federation of Teachers
Date: 2008-06-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Student Evaluation,Testing,Academic Achievement,Unions,Definitions,Test Results,Teacher Responsibility,Information Utilization,Teachers,Advocacy,Alignment (Education)

Skilled teachers who assess students using high quality, relevant and timely assessments can use the results to modify, refine and individualize instruction. Student assessments should be a reflection of what is taught in the classroom. As more accountability provisions have been implemented at the national, state and district levels, the focus on test scores and their implications has dictated what students should learn. Although the federal government requires testing in most grades, these requirements are often supplemented at the state and district levels. This results in increased testing and test preparation without providing additional information to help teachers inform instruction and understand their students' academic standing and needs. The  American Federation of Teachers (AFT) believes it is critical to define and describe appropriate testing practices, to advocate on behalf of teachers and their students for sound assessment policies, and to align standards and curricula at each grade level. It is imperative that states, districts and teachers understand the purpose of various types of tests and test results. In some cases, new tests that yield more useful results may need to be developed. To help create a common language and understanding of what is appropriate, this article defines the most commonly used tests and provides recommendations about how these tests should be used. A list of commonly used tests is included in the Appendix.
Early Care and Education in Minnesota: Asset Review and Status Report
Author: Chase, Richard
Date: 2008-11-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,Young Children,Educational Policy,Educational Finance,Child Development,Educational Improvement,Partnerships in Education,Public Sector,Private Sector,Interviews,Family Programs,Infants,Toddlers,Governance,Academic Standards,Parent Participation,Accountability,Program Effectiveness,Outcomes of Education,Elementary Schools,Academic Achievement,Stakeholders

The goals of the early childhood business plan are to explain, inform, and guide public and private stakeholders and policymakers and the general public about the investments and activities required for all children to have opportunities for school success. The business plan presented in this report has two parts, an asset review and an action plan. The asset review provides an overarching lay of the early care and education landscape, summarizing and building on the numerous studies, assessments, and reports that have been developed since 2000 related to policies and financing of early care and education and related areas for children, from the prenatal stage to grade three. It describes the progress of systems-building work underway in Minnesota and the opportunities and challenges to building an early childhood system and to achieving better outcomes for children. It also provides an inventory of partnerships, organizations, and programs in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors active in early care and education. As part of the asset review, Wilder Research also conducted personal interviews and facilitated group discussions throughout Minnesota that provided an opportunity for a broad range of stakeholders to exchange ideas and provide input and qualitative information to refine and inform the asset review and the development of the action plan. Now Minnesota has more building blocks of an early care and education system. Much of the progress has been made through the concerted efforts of advocates based on plans developed by Ready 4 K in conjunction with the Build Initiative and through an incremental, piecemeal approach by various early childhood stakeholders; but many gaps and challenges remain. Appended are: (1) Partnerships; (2) Associations; (3) Organizations; (4) Programs; and (5) References. (Contains 2 footnotes.)
EdTrAc Teacher Education Program: First-Year Implementation Evaluation (2005-2006)
Author: Pittman, Brian
Date: 2006-12-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Teacher Education Programs,Student Surveys,Databases,Middle School Teachers,Higher Education,Community Colleges,Teacher Education,Elementary School Teachers,Interviews,Partnerships in Education,Questionnaires,High Schools,First Generation College Students,Mathematics Instruction,Science Instruction,Evaluation

The Educational Training Academy (EdTrAc) is an NSF-funded project of Normandale Community College to increase the number, diversity, and skills of students preparing to be elementary and middle school teachers with a specialty in math and science. Overall, this evaluation indicates that the EdTrAc implementation is on track after its first year (2005-2006). Face-to-face interviews with project leaders and advisors as well as the surveying of students indicate the following as the key accomplishments this year: (1) Improving existing courses and adding new ones in education, math, and science; (2) A strong Teachers of Tomorrow (TOT) club that is instrumental in successful implementation of events and activities such as the Future Teachers Conference; and (3) Improvements in student tracking through the implementation of a new software system (SMART database). These accomplishments represent the core of the work done by the EdTrAc project in its first year of implementation and show progress toward accomplishing the goals set at the beginning of the project. Student surveys indicate they believe classes are high quality, which may reflect efforts to improve and develop new courses. By all accounts, the Future Teachers Conference was a success due in large part to the hard work of the Teachers of Tomorrow club. The decision was also made to implement the SMART database, which project leaders indicate has been and will be critical to EdTrAc's success. Evaluation findings have also shown that some activities have been harder to implement than anticipated. Among these challenges are the following: (1) Outreach to high schools (Ambassadors Program); (2) Scheduling and availability of classes; and (3) Recruiting students to cohorts.  (Contains 18 figures and 6 footnotes.) [The following Wilder Research staff contributed to the completion of this report: Mark Anton, Jacqueline Campeau, Marilyn Conrad, Phil Cooper, Louann Graham, Ryan McArdle, and Sheila Romero.]
Early Childhood Minnesota: Indicators and Strategies for Minnesota's Early Childhood System
Author: Chase, Richard
Date: 2008-12-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: School Readiness,Early Childhood Education,Young Children,Educational Indicators,Accountability,Resource Allocation,Well Being,State Departments of Education,Government Role,Change Strategies,Educational Change,Public Policy,Educational Policy,Equal Education,Racial Differences,Socioeconomic Influences,Ethnicity,Access to Education,Low Income Groups,Quality Control,Child Health,Family Programs,Mental Health,Early Intervention

This brochure presents indicators and strategies for Minnesota's early childhood system. It was created for the following uses: (1) Focus resources, strategies, and accountability to increase family and child well-being and children's school readiness; (2) Help coordinate activities across state departments, hold government accountable, and produce system changes that will improve outcomes for children and families; (3) Inform public policies about strategies that will achieve core indicators and make case for increased investments; and (4) Expose and eliminate disparities by income and race/ethnicity.
Early Care and Education in Minnesota Asset Review: Summary and Recommendations
Author: Chase, Richard
Date: 2008-12-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,Young Children,Educational Change,Child Care,Educational Improvement,Change Strategies,Child Development,Partnerships in Education,Educational Research,Educational Quality,Accountability,Governance,Educational Finance,Ethnic Diversity,Inclusive Schools,Equal Education,Stakeholders,Access to Education,Scholarships,Low Income Groups

This summary describes the current status of Minnesota's early childhood care and education system. It is based on a review of several dozen plans and reports produced since 2000, and group discussions and interviews around the state with about 175 early childhood stakeholders. It also provides recommendations for how to improve upon assets and implement new approaches and assumptions that move early childhood care and education beyond &quot;business as usual.&quot;
The Education Innovator. Volume IX, No. 6
Author: Herbert, Doug, Ed.
Date: 2010-08-27
Type: Collected Works - Serial
Subjects: Educational Innovation,Public Education,Newsletters,Educational Change,School Districts,High Achievement,Resource Allocation,Community Resources,School Community Relationship,Partnerships in Education,Educational Technology,Academic Standards,Federal Government,Federal Aid,Federal Legislation,Educational Improvement,Grants,Instructional Leadership,Teacher Qualifications,Student Evaluation,Data Collection,Teacher Role,Intervention,Low Achievement,Science Education,Engineering Education,Technology Education,Mathematics Education

The purpose of the U.S. Department of Education's online newsletter "The Education Innovator" is to promote innovative practices in education; to offer features on promising programs and practices; to provide information on innovative research, schools, policies, and trends; and to keep readers informed of key Department priorities and activities. In this back-to-school issue, schools that are innovating to meet high expectations despite the challenging economic times--doing more with less--are featured. In this month's "Special Report," Secretary of Education Arne Duncan salutes those responsible for the "quiet revolution" that is rebuilding public education. Regular sections include: (1) What's New?; and (2) Innovations in the News. [For "The Education Innovator. Volume IX, No. 5," see ED510669.]
Self-Regulated Learning, Metacognition, and Soft Skills: The 21st Century Learner
Author: Laskey, Marcia L.
Date: 2010-08-15
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Metacognition,Statistical Analysis,Learning Strategies,Interviews,Questionnaires,Retention (Psychology),At Risk Students,College Students,Learning Processes,Student Motivation,Self Management,Social Development,Emotional Intelligence

Numerous studies have investigated the effect of metacognition and self-regulated learning on college students' achievement and retention. This study extended the research by examining the relationship between metacognition and "at-risk" student achievement and retention. Data were collected through personal interviews and the use of "The Motivated Strategies Learning Questionnaire." Results were analyzed using analysis of variance and indicated that a relationship existed between metacognition and at-risk student success. However, students' metacognitive skills were often inadequate for ongoing academic success at the postsecondary level. The incorporation of soft skills in the literature on metacognition and academic achievement is suggested, and future research is called for to determine the significance of noncognitive skills in the metacognitive process. (Contains 2 tables.)
Intentional Experiences: Teaching|Learning Mathematics with Young Children
Author: McGarvey, Lynn M.
Date: 2010-05-01
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Mathematics Education,Young Children,Mathematics Instruction,Preschool Education,Teaching Methods,Learning Strategies,Interaction

A recent emphasis on mathematics learning in the preschool years has sparked a flurry of research in children's thinking; yet, the same attention has not been paid to teaching mathematics in preschools. This paper examines the reciprocal relationship of teaching|learning mathematics with young children and attempts to move discussions beyond teacher as facilitator or director and learner as explorer or incompetent/incomplete receiver. Through an analysis and discussion of excerpts from two adult/child interactions (one of whom is the researcher), I attend to intentional experiences of teaching and learning through an enactive lens. What is revealed is the shared responsibility for intentional (teaching) acts to disclose intentional (mathematical) objects such that the experiences expand possibilities for acting in a mathematical space. (Contains 11 figures and 1 footnote.)
Fast ForWord[R]. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report
Author: What Works Clearinghouse (ED)
Date: 2010-08-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Computer Assisted Instruction,Reading Programs,Reading Fluency,Reading Comprehension,Literacy,Reading Achievement,Phonemic Awareness,Phonological Awareness,Adolescents,Instructional Effectiveness,Educational Research,Foreign Countries,Elementary School Students,Secondary School Students

&quot;Fast ForWord&quot;[R] is a computer-based reading program intended to help students develop and strengthen the cognitive skills necessary for successful reading and learning. The program, which is designed to be used 30 to 100 minutes a day, five days a week, for 4 to 16 weeks, includes two components. The first component aims to build cognitive skills such as memory, attention, processing, and sequencing, as well as language and reading skills, including listening accuracy, phonological awareness, and knowledge of language structures. The second component aims to increase processing efficiency and further improve reading skills such as sound-letter associations, phonological awareness, word recognition, knowledge of English language conventions, vocabulary, and comprehension. The program, developed by scientists with expertise in the areas of brain plasticity, cognitive development, and reading instruction, is designed to adapt the nature and difficulty of the content based on individual students' responses. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) reviewed 305 studies on &quot;Fast ForWord&quot;[R] for adolescent learners. Two of these studies meet WWC evidence standards; six studies meet WWC evidence standards with reservations; the remaining 297 studies do not meet either WWC evidence standards or eligibility screens. Based on the eight studies, the WWC found no discernible effects in the alphabetics and general literacy achievement domains, and potentially positive effects in the reading fluency and comprehension domains for adolescent learners. The conclusions presented in this report may change as new research emerges. Appendices include: (1) Study characteristics; (2) Outcome measures; (3) Summary of study findings; (4) Summary of subgroup findings; (5) &quot;Fast ForWord&quot;[R] ratings; and (6) Extent of evidence by domain. (Contains 14 footnotes.)
What Characteristics of Bullying, Bullying Victims, and Schools Are Associated with Increased Reporting of Bullying to School Officials? Issues &amp; Answers. REL 2010-No. 092
Author: Petrosino, Anthony
Date: 2010-08-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Bullying,Victims of Crime,Student Characteristics,Institutional Characteristics,School Culture,School Safety,Injuries,Incidence,Geographic Location,Academic Achievement,Student School Relationship,Violence,Anxiety,Public Schools,Private Schools,Parochial Schools,Adolescents,Preadolescents

This study tested 51 characteristics of bullying victimization, bullying victims, and bullying victims' schools to determine which were associated with reporting to school officials. It found that 11 characteristics in two categories--bullying victimization and bullying victims--showed a statistically significant association with reporting. The study also notes the high percentage (64 percent) of respondents who experienced bullying but did not report it. Eleven characteristics were found to have a statistically significant association with reporting of bullying victimization, specifically: (1) Eight characteristics of bullying victimization were statistically associated with increased reporting: bullying involving injury, physical threats, destruction of property, actual physical contact (pushing, shoving, and the like), greater frequency, multiple types, more than one location, and at least one occurrence on a school bus. Seven characteristics did not appear to be associated with reporting: bullying that involved making fun of the victim or calling the victim names, excluding the victim, spreading rumors about the victim, and forcing the victim to do things he or she did not want to do, and bullying that occurred in the school building, on school grounds, or somewhere else. (2) Three characteristics of bullying victims were found to have statistically significant relationships with reporting. Grade level was significantly and negatively associated with reporting, and being involved in a fight during the school year and being afraid of attack and avoiding certain school areas or activities were significantly and positively associated with reporting. Victim characteristics that did not appear to be associated with reporting included gender, race/ethnicity, household region, and academic performance. (3) No characteristic of bullying victims' schools--including general characteristics, school culture, and school security and safety--was found to have a statistically significant association with reporting. The results should be interpreted as exploratory associations between the reporting of bullying and various student and school characteristics and not as confirmations of causal relationships. Appended to this report are: (1) Previous Research on Bullying; and (2) Data Source and Methodology. (Contains 15 tables, 2 figures, 1 box, and 7 notes.