ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Factors that Impact Quality of E-Teaching/Learning Technologies in Higher Education
Author: Daukilas, Sigitas
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Distance Education,Virtual Classrooms,Educational Quality,Educational Technology,Student Motivation,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,College Faculty,Teaching Methods,Information Technology,Blended Learning,Foreign Countries

The article analyzes and assesses factors that have impact upon the quality of eTeaching/learning technologies in higher education; it is on their basis that the concept of eTeaching/learning quality is denied. Research data about the students' motives in choosing various teaching/learning technologies for the development of their competence are presented together with teacher possibilities to create interactive virtual environments that motivate eTeaching/learning. The obtained research revealed that verbal and interactive technologies based on explanatory illustrational method are more favoured by both students and teachers who aim at study quality. Higher education teachers, aiming at achieving better eTeaching/learning quality, integrate the elements of these technologies into traditional methodologies, developing a blended distance education model. (Contains 4 figures and 1 table.)
Application of Criteria-Referenced Assessment and Qualitative Feedback to Develop Foreign Language Speaking Skills in the Context of E-Teaching/Learning
Author: Vitiene, Nijole
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Feedback (Response),Speech Communication,Second Language Learning,Evaluation Criteria,Second Language Instruction,Speech Skills,Language Skills,Oral Language,Educational Quality,Higher Education,Electronic Learning,Instructional Effectiveness,French,Teaching Methods,Student Attitudes,Online Courses,Foreign Countries

Responsive information is one of the factors that determine the quality of higher education. The factor is especially important for eLearning where a direct communication between a lecturer and a student is replaced with a virtual one. How may a qualitative responsive information, in other words feedback (see the definitions of key words), help study foreign languages more effectively when choosing eLearning course? The article proposes a hypothesis that the clarity and precision of qualitative feedback, a systematic and individual presentation of the information as well as evaluation criteria, introduced to the students of eCourse in advance is an effective means to improve their foreign language skills. Quasi-experiment conducted in Alytus College in 2008 revealed that the criteria defined and discussed in advance and well-timed and disciplined provision of feedback helped the majority of students improve their achievements in French continuous oral expression. (Contains 2 tables.)
Ability, Competency, Learning/Study Outcome, Qualification and Competence: Theoretical Dimension
Author: Pukelis, Kestutis
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Educational Research,Qualifications,Vocational Education,Competence,Foreign Countries,Job Skills,Outcomes of Education,Definitions,Ability,Cognitive Processes,Affective Behavior,Knowledge Level

The concepts important for creation of the common European higher education (&quot;The Bologna declaration&quot;, 1999) and vocational education and training (&quot;The Copenhagen declaration&quot;, 2002) areas and their relation are discussed in the article. The structure of ability, competency, learning/study outcome, qualification and competence is presented. The role of precise naming and definition (explanation) of educational phenomenon for quality (validity and reliability) of educational research as well for quality of the study process at universities is revealed. (Contains 4 figures and 1 footnote.)
Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning in Europe: Key Developments and Challenges
Author: Bjornavold, Jens
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Informal Education,Foreign Countries,Nonformal Education,Educational Development,Program Validation,Qualifications,Motivation,Educational Principles,National Standards,Academic Standards,Portfolios (Background Materials),Performance Factors

This article addresses the gradual introduction of arrangements for validation of non-formal and informal learning in Europe. While the debate on how to identify, assess and recognise learning achievements acquired outside formal education and training institutions has been going on for several decades, we can now observe that these approaches are becoming a practical reality in an increasing number of countries. The article pays particular attention to the characteristics of validation processes and how these can be compared to assessment and testing in the formal education and training system. The main part of the article addresses the actual developments in Europe. Three main groups of countries are identified; those were validation has been turned into a regular part of national qualifications systems; those countries where these practises are emerging, although still at a test and piloting stage; and those countries where validation is given low priority. The final part of the article addresses a series of challenges stakeholders trying to take forward validation. The article is based on extensive research coordinated by Cedefop and the European Commission in the period 2006-2007 in relation to the &quot;European Inventory on validation of non-formal and informal learning&quot;. Carried out by ECOTEC, this inventory provides an updated overview over developments in this field. (Contains 7 tables, 1 figure and 10 footnotes.)
The Many Perspectives of Valuing Learning
Author: Duvekot, Ruud
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learning Strategies,Prior Learning,Lifelong Learning,Foreign Countries,Human Resources,Nonformal Education,Models,Competence,Labor Force Development,Educational Needs

Valuing Learning is the process of promoting participation in and outcomes of (formal or non-formal) learning and as such the organising principle for lifelong learning strategies. It aims at the recognition and validation of prior learning (VPL) and further development. Four main models of Valuing Learning can be distinguished: (1) the &quot;educational model&quot; for initiating particular qualifications, (2) the &quot;upgrade model&quot; for determining an organisation's need for competences, (3) the &quot;Human Resource Development (HRD) model&quot; for matching employees' competences to organisational aims, and (4) the &quot;lifelong learning model&quot; for supporting personal development. In this article Valuing Learning is explained in the broad context of Europe's development as a learning society. (Contains 2 tables, 1 figure and 2 footnotes.)
Recognising Non-Formal and Informal Learning: An Open Challenge
Author: Perulli, Elisabetta
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Informal Education,Evaluation Methods,Prior Learning,Foreign Countries,Employment,Learning Processes,Vocational Education,Higher Education,Unemployment

The social-institutional endorsement towards the perspective of recognising and enhancing learning acquired outside the formal education and training contexts (non-formal and informal learning), has been gaining strength and has entered policy agendas throughout Europe, but also in other major non-European countries. Nevertheless there are still several open issues on this topic both at an institutional and technical level. This paper does not intend to give answers or propose a theory. Instead, it will attempt to formulate some reflections and open work pathways on some basic aspects: (1) What is--or isn't--non-formal/informal learning? (2) For whom and with which tools are European countries dealing with the issue of the relationships between formal and non-formal/informal learning? and (3) How, in operational practice, is the enhancement of non-formal/informal learning dealt with? (Contains 2 figures and 4 footnotes.)
Qualitative Parameters for Evaluation Procedures of Non-Formal and Informal Learning Achievements
Author: Stasiunaitiene, Egle
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Informal Education,Evaluation Methods,Qualitative Research,Educational Quality,Foreign Countries,Global Approach,International Cooperation,Evaluation Criteria

The article introduces evaluation principles of non-formal and informal learning that determine the quality of evaluation, describes stages of the evaluation procedure, differentiates their qualitative parameters and defines their criteria and indicators. It also brings in the discussion that consideration of qualitative parameters for the evaluation of non-formal and informal learning achievements in the system of higher education helps to aim at the accessibility of higher education, individualized studies and a more flexible order of the organization of studies, thus creating conditions that ensure not just the quality of evaluation, but also the quality of higher education. (Contains 2 figures and 4 tables.)
Portfolio Method in Assessment of Non-Formal and Informal Learning Achievements
Author: Fokiene, Ausra
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Portfolios (Background Materials),Informal Education,Vocational Education Teachers,Student Evaluation,Professional Development,Teacher Education,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Accountability,Foreign Countries,Prior Learning

This paper discusses the use of portfolio method in the process of assessment of non-formal and informal learning achievements (ANILA), with reference to the example of vocational teacher education. The purpose of the article is to explore the use of &quot;portfolio&quot; method as an opportunity to monitor the professional development of vocational (VET) teachers as well as to foster discussion on ANILA methodologies, contributing to both reflective self-assessment and professional accountability. Scientific literature and document analysis was employed in the research. (Contains 3 tables.)
The Disposition of Hope in Teaching
Author: Birmingham, Carrie
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Moral Values,Teacher Behavior,Philosophy,Psychological Patterns,Teacher Characteristics,Motivation,Beliefs,Teacher Attitudes,Inquiry

Hope, an important theme in poetry and literature, a central concept in Western theology, and a frequent focus in the arts, is a critical albeit largely undefined presence in the moral lives of teachers. Although hope for the future is a foundational motivation for education, the role of hope in teaching has not drawn much academic attention. Even in the current dialogue about dispositions, hope in teaching remains largely unexplored, and one's understanding of hope is intuitive rather than explicit. This article clarifies the meaning and role of hope by examining hope analytically in the context of teaching and dispositions in teaching. This article is an analysis of hope in the lives of teachers from a normative theoretical perspective. It shows what hope is, what it is not, how it functions in the lives of teachers, how it can be disrupted, and how it can be supported. A recurring theme in this analysis is that hope is so essentially interwoven with other moral concepts and contexts that it is often experientially indistinguishable from other moral ways of being. This could account for the invisibility of hope in the disposition literature.
Haven't We Seen This before?: Sustaining a Vision in Teacher Education for Progressive Teaching Practice
Author: Sherman, Shelley C.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Education,Open Education,Teacher Education Programs,Educational Principles,Educational Change,Individualized Instruction,Educational Practices,Teaching Methods,Intermode Differences,Instructional Effectiveness,Educational Development,Progressive Education

In this article, the author addresses the challenge to teacher education programs to resist swings in the pendulum and help new teachers sustain progressive, responsive, school-based reform efforts that seek to address the unique needs of every student even as external demands for standardized measurements of learning remain firmly in place in the era of &quot;No Child Left Behind.&quot; The author begins with the assumption that responsiveness to students cannot readily occur in standardized educational environments and that progressive practices, when implemented effectively, can, indeed, foster an individual student's growth in ways that are not easily achieved through a one-size-fits all curriculum. This paper is directed toward those who believe that the most responsive teaching occurs when teachers can attend to the individual student's needs by embracing progressive educational principles. Two curricular examples with potential for responsiveness to students, open education and differentiated instruction, are used to frame this discussion because they both aim to promote individual growth and meet students at their point of instructional need; both draw inspiration from progressive traditions in education. In today's standards-driven environment, advocates of differentiation ultimately may face challenges similar to those faced by open education proponents. The author elaborates further on the characteristics of each movement as the author brings their similarities into sharper focus as well as describe the challenges faced in sustaining their goals. The author presents a brief summary of the progressive roots of open education and differentiation and illustrates how the two initiatives are closely related. This background provides a context for the argument the author makes for emphasizing strong philosophical foundations in teacher education that support responsive teaching practice; focusing on developing competencies to help new teachers meet students' individual needs; and avoiding curricular buzzwords that are sometimes reduced to formulaic, short-lived practice.
Putting Professional Development into Practice: A Framework for How Teachers in Expeditionary Learning Schools Implement Professional Development
Author: Klein, Emily J.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Change,Professional Development,Educational Practices,Curriculum Implementation,Learning Experience,Interviews,Classroom Observation Techniques,Case Studies,Secondary School Teachers,Instructional Design,Educational Research,Student Improvement

The current small schools reform movement has increased the number of organizations seeking to change education with designs that require educators to rethink their understandings of curriculum, teaching, and learning. The key to the success of these schools  is how well the teachers can learn and implement the design, laying a heavy burden on the schools, or, the intermediary organization, to provide adequate professional development. Many of these organizations have invested heavily in professional development as a means of ensuring that the teaching in their schools is consistent with the vision of the organization. This article presents findings about how teachers in one such educational organization, Expeditionary Learning Schools Outward Bound (ELS), transformed professional development experiences into learning experiences for their students. While policy makers and educators are understandably concerned about the link between professional development and student learning, the authors sought to examine the intricacies of professional development implementation not merely &quot;for&quot; whether or not they saw a reflection of professional development in teachers' practice but more importantly, &quot;how&quot; they saw it implemented by teachers and the context and quality of that implementation. The authors believe that this link between professional development and student learning is key for organizations focusing on developing the skills and knowledge of classroom teachers. (Contains 3 figures and 1 note.)
Collaborating about What?: An Instructor's Look at Preservice Lesson Study
Author: Parks, Amy Noelle
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Cooperation,Cooperative Learning,Faculty Development,Teacher Collaboration,Lesson Plans,Cooperative Planning,Writing (Composition)

Over the last 20 years, collaborative practices in teacher education and professional development have received a great deal of (mostly positive) attention from researchers. More recently, lesson study, a common form of teacher learning in Japan, has been explored as a promising practice in part because it promotes collaboration. Because collaboration has been assumed to lead to good outcomes, there has been little discussion in lesson study literature about the ways that collaboration can hinder learning and educational change. In addition, many discussions of collaboration in the literature on teacher learning have tended to portray the primary problem for teacher educators as one of "increasing opportunities for or improving the practice of collaboration." The purpose of this study is to contribute to this line of work by looking closely at a collaboration in which the participants and the lesson study leader felt members genuinely and equitably participated in the design, teaching and analysis of a lesson. The goal of this article is to consider the challenges that lie ahead for teacher educators after collaboration is achieved. Drawing on Wenger (1998), the author frames collaboration as participation in a community of practice. Wenger described three dimensions that influence the coherence of a community: (1) joint work; (2) mutual engagement; and (3) shared repertoire. In examining the interactions of the preservice teachers in the lesson study group, the author looks at the extent to which the preservice teachers worked together to complete tasks (joint work), built relationships (mutual engagement) and developed a history of stories (shared repertoire). In looking at each of these areas, the author sought to determine whether the preservice teachers comprised a community of practice, or engaged in collaboration. (Contains 1 table.)
Negotiating Authority in an Undergraduate Teacher Education Course: A Qualitative Investigation
Author: Brubaker, Nathan D.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Education,Education Courses,Democracy,Undergraduate Study,Power Structure,Democratic Values,Theories,Teacher Student Relationship,Teacher Role,Student Participation,Interpersonal Relationship,Interpersonal Communication,Participative Decision Making,Student Rights,Classroom Techniques,College Faculty,College Students

Negotiating authority, a multifaceted, on-going process of mutual bargaining over the power to determine or the right to control, permeates all facets of teaching experience. Considered by many educational theorists to be an outgrowth of collaborative dialogue and decision-making that helps foster active student engagement and investment in learning, different aspects of negotiating authority have been theorized as essential dimensions of democratic education. If teachers are to gain a deeper understanding of negotiatory practices, empirical support for their implementation, and practical guidance for structuring classroom authority relations, systematic empirical study of negotiating authority is needed. The purpose of this study was to help fill this gap by exploring how authority was negotiated in an undergraduate teacher education course. The author discusses three theoretical perspectives: (1) Dewey's vision of democratic education; (2) Foucault's (1980) conception of power; and (3) Freire's (1996) theory of liberatory praxis, that are particularly relevant to examining how authority is negotiated in teacher education classrooms. While this exploratory study was limited in scope since it was a pilot for a larger study, the credibility of the findings was enhanced by the richness of the data, the triangulation of both data methods and sources, and the author's use of other strategies like progressive subjectivity, negative case analysis, and persistent observation. Three major themes emerged from the data: (1) negotiating authority through student choice; (2) negotiating authority through strategic manipulation; and (3) negotiating authority through structured chaos. This study provides preliminary insights into how authority was negotiated in an undergraduate teacher education classroom. On a continuum of authority relations, interactions in the classroom reflected more the extremes of authoritarian and permissive associations than the middle ground of democratic authority. Five aspects of democratic authority were evident in this study. These are: (1) Authority as an Interrelational Act; (2) Mutual Communication and Decision-Making; (3) Need-based Guidance through Expertise and Rules; (4) Rights Recognized as Legitimate; and (5) Mutual Interdependence. (Contains 1 note.)
Meeting the Need for K-8 Teachers for Classrooms with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students: The Promise and Challenge of Early Field Experiences
Author: Gomez, Susan
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Teacher Education Programs,Field Experience Programs,Student Diversity,Skill Development,Teaching Skills,Teacher Competencies,Goal Orientation,Career Development,Program Effectiveness,Disadvantaged Youth,Consciousness Raising,English (Second Language),Career Choice,Spanish Speaking,Bilingualism

Following the mandates of state and national accreditation bodies and in keeping with what is considered best practices, teacher education programs nationwide require students to engage in early field experiences as part of preservice preparation. Accreditation bodies such as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE, 2008) suggest that field experiences be implemented and evaluated as a means of fostering development of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions expected of teacher candidates. These skills and dispositions include interest in and commitment to teaching as a career, particularly in settings with linguistically and culturally diverse learners. In this study, the authors investigated how preservice teachers' career goals and commitment were impacted by their participation in an early field experience. The authors sought to clarify differences in participant outcomes that might be attributable to whether students completed their placement in a Title I school or in a school serving middle class families. The study was conducted to address several critical questions pertaining to the role early field experiences may play in the recruitment and professional preparation of teachers. The authors examined the impact of early field experiences on prospective teachers' career-goal orientations. They explored the relationship between school classification (Title I, non-Title I) and participant outcomes. Finally, as English learners comprise a large and growing segment of the K-12 population, they examined the relationship between participants' facility in a second language and their response to their placement. The results of the study indicate that early field experiences provide participants with opportunities for career goal clarification where outcomes may vary by site type. In general, these experiences may also foster interest in careers working with culturally diverse children and enjoyable opportunities to work with English Learners. Findings suggest that participant language background should be studied further, as trends indicated that participants who spoke both Spanish and English entered and exited early field experiences with greater interest in working professionally with English Learners than those from other language groups. (Contains 4 figures and 5 tables.)