ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Competence Assessment of Students with Special Educational Needs--Identification of Appropriate Testing Accommodations
Author: Südkamp, Anna
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Disabilities,Special Education,Inclusion,Competence,Student Evaluation,Needs Assessment,Measurement Techniques,Reading Skills,Reading Tests,Comparative Analysis,General Education,Low Achievement,Test Validity,Test Reliability,Psychometrics,Testing Accommodations,Foreign Countries,Grade 5,Mathematics Skills,Standardized Tests,Scores,Statistical Analysis

Including students with special educational needs in learning (SEN-L) is a challenge for large-scale assessments. In order to draw inferences with respect to students with SEN-L and to compare their scores to students in general education, one needs to assure that the measurement model is reliable and that the same construct is measured for different samples and test forms. In this article, we focus on testing the appropriateness of competence assessments for students with SEN-L. We specifically asked how the reading competence of students with SEN-L may be assessed reliably and comparably. We thoroughly evaluated different testing accommodations for students with SEN-L. The reading competence of N = 433 students with SEN-L was assessed using a standard reading test, a reduced test version, and an easy test version. Also, N = 5,208 general education students and a group of N = 490 low-performing students were tested. Results show that all three reading test versions are suitable for a reliable and comparable measurement of reading competence in students without SEN-L. For students with SEN-L, the accommodated test versions considerably reduced the amount of missing values and resulted in better psychometric properties than the standard test. They did not, however, show satisfactory item fit and measurement invariance. Implications for future research are discussed.
Mentoring: A Review of Early Career Researcher Studies
Author: Boeren, Ellen
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mentors,Journal Articles,College Faculty,Teacher Attitudes,Research Methodology,Doctoral Degrees,Well Being,Definitions,Higher Education,Career Development,Research Needs

This paper reviews 23 journal articles on &quot;mentoring&quot; in the context of Early Career Researchers, defined as those in academia with less than 10 years of experience from the start of their PhD. Achieving a better understanding of mentoring is important since within the higher education context new dynamics have created expectations towards more supportive mechamisms for ECRs. In order to better understand the benefits of mentoring for ECRs careers and psychosocial well-being, it is important to understand (1) the core definitions of mentoring used in research, (2) the research methodologies that are applied to research mentoring, (3) the empirical evidence showing the value of mentoring and (4) the remaining gaps for which future research will be needed. Results of the review lead to the following conclusions: there is much research to do, first, to better inform our conceptualization of ECR mentoring and, second, to better understand the value of ECR mentoring support. A research agenda is outlined.
The Curriculum Question in Doctoral Education
Author: González-Ocampo, Gabriela
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Doctoral Programs,Curriculum,Curriculum Development,Professional Education,Graduate Study,Outcomes of Education,Employment Qualifications,Student Evaluation,Research Needs

The landscape of doctoral education has changed immensely during the last decades. Different transnational policies, different publics, different purposes and different academic careers all contribute to the need for a new understanding of this underresearched field. Our focus is on explicit curriculum analysis to undertake intentional and meaningful change, especially in terms of the processes and outcomes of doctoral education. We draw on research on doctoral education, as well as the emerging literature on early career researchers (ECRs) and on professional learning, and consider how the concept of curriculum can help us think differently about doctoral education, particularly in relation to processes and outcomes. Finally, we suggest a research agenda for developing the curricula of doctoral education.
Geoscience Education Research Project: Student Benefits and Effective Design of a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience
Author: Kortz, Karen M.
Date: 2016-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Earth Science,Research Projects,Undergraduate Students,Student Research,Nonmajors,Introductory Courses,Research Skills,Instructional Materials,Educational Research,Program Design,Program Effectiveness,Change Strategies,Student Attitudes,Learning Experience

Undergraduate research has been shown to be an effective practice for learning science. While this is a popular discussion topic, there are few full examples in the literature for introductory-level students. This paper describes the Geoscience Education Research Project, an innovative course-based research experience designed for introductory-level, nonscience majors. Participating students complete all steps of a scientific research project, starting with the research question, ''What do college students think about ___?'' Students fill in the blank with a geoscience topic of their choosing. Support for the students is ongoing through detailed directions and multiple checkpoint assignments with timely feedback to ensure they are on task. This design and support can be used as a model for other undergraduate research experiences. Student reactions to the benefits of participating in the research project and the effectiveness of its design were analyzed. Students' benefits from this research project included increased content knowledge, improved skills, and positive affective responses, such as interest leading to motivation. In this study, students were also found to have an increased appreciation of science and scientists, without necessarily having the desire to become scientists themselves. Student reactions to the design of the Geoscience Education Research Project emphasized the importance of an appealing topic, careful planning and conveying of project information, frequent deadlines and feedback, and communication by students beyond just the professor. Based on these findings, recommendations for successful implementation of course-based, introductory-level undergraduate research experiences are given.
Drivers and Interpretations of Doctoral Education Today: National Comparisons
Author: Andres, Lesley
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Doctoral Programs,Cross Cultural Studies,Comparative Education,Educational Policy,Educational Trends,Global Education,Educational Practices,Guidelines,Foreign Countries

In the last decade, doctoral education has undergone a sea change with several global trends increasingly apparent. Drivers of change include massification and professionalization of doctoral education and the introduction of quality assurance systems. The impact of these drivers, and the forms that they take, however, are dependent on doctoral education within a given national context. This paper is frontline in that it contributes to the literature on doctoral education by examining the ways in which these global trends and drivers are being taken up in policies and practices by various countries. We do so by comparing recent changes in each of the following countries: Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, the UK, and the USA. Each country case is based on national education policies, policy reports on doctoral education (e.g., OECD and EU policy texts), and related materials. We use the same global drivers to examine educational policies of each country. However, depending each national context, these drivers are framed in considerably different ways. This raises questions about (1) their comparability at a global level and (2) the universality of the PhD. Also we find that this global-local nexus reveals unresolved tensions within the national doctoral educational frameworks.
Beyond Linguistic Proficiency: Early Language Learning as a Lever for Building Students' Global Competence, Self-Esteem, and Academic Success
Author: Livaccari, Chris
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Self Esteem,Second Language Learning,Cultural Awareness,Interpersonal Communication,Networks,Chinese,Second Language Instruction,Organizations (Groups),Role,Social Development,Emotional Development,Language Proficiency,Cognitive Development,Elementary Secondary Education

It is no exaggeration to say that language learning is the very foundation of global competence and the most deeply effective way for students to be able to &quot;investigate the world, recognize perspectives, communicate ideas, and take action,&quot; which is the definition of global competence developed by Asia Society Vice President for Education, Tony Jackson. Using the twin lenses of &quot;linguist&quot; and &quot;diplomat,&quot; Asia Society is working with a national network of 100 K-12 schools that teach Chinese in almost 30 states, with the goal of including Chinese language learning as a core component of a much larger mission to build students' global competence. Learning a new language, particularly one as challenging and as different from English as Chinese, can also play a major role in building students' self-esteem and self-confidence. It is important to recognize this social-emotional dimension to language learning, and to understand it together with the more usual attention given to language proficiency, cognitive, and academic development. This article discusses how teaching students Chinese is a means for helping students become twenty-first century global citizens.
Does Physical Environment Contribute to Basic Psychological Needs? A Self-Determination Theory Perspective on Learning in the Chemistry Laboratory
Author: Sjöblom, Kirsi
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Environmental Influences,Self Determination,Chemistry,Science Instruction,College Science,College Students,Focus Groups,Questionnaires,Psychological Needs,Foreign Countries,Science Laboratories,Classroom Environment

The role of motivation and emotions in learning has been extensively studied in recent years; however, research on the role of the physical environment still remains scarce. This study examined the role of the physical environment in the learning process from the perspective of basic psychological needs. Although self-determination theory stresses the role of the social and cultural environment, as yet the role of the physical environment has been unexplored. The study focused on beginning chemistry university students' (n=21) experiences in a chemistry laboratory. The data consisted of focus-group interviews and self-report questionnaires. The results indicate that the physical environment can support or thwart the fulfillment of the basic psychological needs. The usability and functionality of spaces and tools contributed to not just the fluency of the intellectual activity but also to the related emotional experience of oneself acting in a particular environment. The physical environment was a source of procedural facilitation: It complemented and challenged the students' existing skills, contributing to their experiences of autonomy and competence. The everyday successes or struggles in the laboratory built on the students' developing professional identity as well as their sense of belonging to the professional community. This study demonstrates that the design and functionality of the physical environment has a significant role in users' intellectual and emotional functioning. It is essential to utilize psychological and pedagogical knowledge when designing or renovating work and learning environments in order to fully make use of the potential of physical environments as part of human performance.
Volition Completes the Puzzle: Development and Evaluation of an Integrative Trait Model of Self-Regulated Learning
Author: Dörrenbächer, Laura
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metacognition,Learning Theories,Models,College Students,Questionnaires,Student Attitudes,Factor Analysis,Personality Traits,Delay of Gratification,Time Perspective,Futures (of Society),Student Motivation,Structural Equation Models,Cognitive Processes,Grade Point Average,Correlation,Validity,Individual Differences,Foreign Countries,Factor Structure

Most self-regulated learning theories are imbedded within a social-cognitive framework and comprise cognitive, metacognitive and motivational components. Nevertheless, these theories partly neglect volition, which is necessary for implementing learning intentions. Therefore, the present study is frontline as it aimed to integrate volition within a comprehensive trait model of self-regulated learning (SRL) while proposing a new conception of trait volition for learning. A sample of n = 377 college students (70.1% female, M[subscript Age] = 23.36, SD[subscript Age] = 4.12) filled out questionnaires concerning volitional, cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational belief aspects of SRL. The results of confirmatory factor analysis speak in favour of integrating the highly interrelated constructs of procrastination, future time perspective, and academic delay of gratification in order to depict volition for SRL. Moreover, the structural equation modelling results favour a twofold motivational component for SRL that comprises both motivational beliefs and volition instead of including volition as a separate component aside from cognitive, metacognitive and motivational belief components. Additionally, the comprehensive trait model of SRL is related to GPA, which is a first indication of its validity. Therefore, the study empirically investigates a new conception of trait volition for learning environments as well as its integration within a comprehensive SRL framework. Future research should consider the importance of volitional components for SRL and could investigate individual differences concerning the modelled components.
Effects of a Short Strategy Training on Metacognitive Monitoring across the Life-Span
Author: von der Linden, Nicole
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metacognition,Teaching Methods,Memory,Accuracy,Learning Strategies,Grade 3,Elementary School Students,Adolescents,Young Adults,Older Adults,Recall (Psychology),Tests,Self Efficacy,Familiarity,Cues,Control Groups,Grade 8,Adults,Statistical Analysis,Foreign Countries

The present study was conducted to explore the potential positive influence of a short strategy training on metacognitive monitoring competencies covering a life-span approach. Participants of four age groups (3rd-grade children, adolescents, younger and older adults) concluded a paired-associate learning task. Additionally, they gave delayed Judgments-of-Learning (JOLs), that is, they rated their certainty that they would later be able to recall specific details correctly, and Confidence Judgements (CJs), that is, they rated their certainty that the provided answers in the recall test were correct. Half of the participants underwent a short strategy training in order to enhance their recollection of contextual details thus providing a diagnostic basis for forming metacognitive judgements. Results revealed significant gains in memory performance after completing the strategy training. Moreover, a positive effect of the strategy training on JOLs and CJs differentiation and accuracy could be detected. Effects were most pronounced for children and older adults. Participants who had completed the strategy training also reported a decrease of familiarity-based metacognitive judgments and were able to identify memories for which no reliable cues existed more easily than participants in the control condition. Accordingly, improvements in monitoring performance seemed to be due to a shift in underlying cues. In sum, this study integrates traditional aims from the relatively separately existing lines of metacognitive research in the developmental and cognitive literature and adds to understanding and improving monitoring judgments in a lifetime sample.
Advantages of Computer Simulation in Enhancing Students' Learning about Landform Evolution: A Case Study Using the Grand Canyon
Author: Luo, Wei
Date: 2016-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Simulation,Teaching Methods,Computer Uses in Education,Comparative Analysis,Concept Formation,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Geology,Physical Geography,Laboratories,Quasiexperimental Design,Evolution,Interaction,Conventional Instruction,Instructional Effectiveness,Knowledge Level,College Students,Student Attitudes

The long geological time needed for landform development and evolution poses a challenge for understanding and appreciating the processes involved. The Web-based Interactive Landform Simulation Model--Grand Canyon (WILSIM-GC, http://serc.carleton.edu/landform/) is an educational tool designed to help students better understand such processes, using the Grand Canyon as an example. Although the project is still ongoing, here, we present the initial results of using the WILSIM-GC in an introductory physical geography laboratory course. We used a quasiexperimental design to assess the efficacy of WILSIM-GC as a tool for teaching landform development and evolution. Students were assigned to a control group or a treatment group, alphabetically by last name. Pretests and posttests were administered to measure students' understanding of the concepts and processes related to Grand Canyon formation and evolution. Results show that, although both the interactive simulation and a more-traditional, paper-based exercise were effective in helping students learn landform evolution processes, there were several advantages and affordances to the simulation approach. The improvement effect from pretest to posttest scores was large for the treatment group, but small to moderate for the control group. In addition, for those questions requiring higher-level thinking, the percentage of students answering correctly was higher in the treatment group than it was in the control group. Furthermore, responses to the attitudinal survey indicate that students generally favor the interactive simulation approach. We can leverage these advantages to enhance students' learning by integrating interactive simulation exercises into curricular materials, including materials for online or hybrid courses and flipped classrooms.
What Works in School? Expert and Novice Teachers' Beliefs about School Effectiveness
Author: Fleckenstein, Johanna
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Beginning Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Profiles,Correlation,Academic Achievement,Teaching Methods,Preservice Teachers,Student Attitudes,Effect Size,Experienced Teachers,Novices,Educational Research,Factor Analysis,Teacher Education,School Effectiveness,Educational Practices,Beliefs,Comparative Analysis,Foreign Countries,Teacher Effectiveness,Evidence Based Practice,Metacognition,Item Analysis,Questionnaires,Feedback (Response),Self Concept

In 2009, John Hattie first published his extensive metasynthesis concerning determinants of student achievement. It provides an answer to the question: &quot;What works in school?&quot; The present study examines how this question is answered by pre- and in-service teachers, how their beliefs correspond to the current state of research and whether they differ according to the teachers' level of expertise. Thus, it takes on a novel approach as it draws on data from two sources in the field of education--empirical research and teachers' beliefs--and examines their similarities and differences. The teachers' beliefs were elicited by asking N = 729 participants to estimate the effect sizes of several determinants of student achievement. Those were compared to the empirical effect sizes found by Hattie (2009). Profile correlations showed that expert teachers' beliefs are more congruent with current research findings than those of novice teachers. We further examined where expert and novice teachers' beliefs differ substantially from each other by using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and comparing group means in latent variables. Our findings suggest that teachers' beliefs about school effectiveness are related to professional experience: Expert teachers showed a stronger overall congruence with empirical evidence, scoring higher in achievement-related variables and lower in variables concerning surface- and infrastructural conditions of schooling as well as student-internal factors. Results are discussed with regard to teacher-education practices that emphasize research findings and challenge existing beliefs of (prospective) teachers.
Readiness-Based Differentiation in Primary School Mathematics: Expert Recommendations and Teacher Self-Assessment
Author: Prast, Emilie J.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Readiness,Elementary School Mathematics,Delphi Technique,Focus Groups,Individualized Instruction,Student Needs,Teaching Methods,Educational Objectives,Student Evaluation,Questionnaires,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Student Diversity,Mathematics Skills,Foreign Countries,Elementary School Teachers,Correlation,Statistical Analysis

The diversity of students' achievement levels within classrooms has made it essential for teachers to adapt their lessons to the varying educational needs of their students ('differentiation'). However, the term differentiation has been interpreted in diverse ways and there is a need to specify what effective differentiation entails. Previous reports of low to moderate application of differentiation underscore the importance of practical guidelines for implementing differentiation. In two studies, we investigated how teachers should differentiate according to experts, as well as the degree to which teachers already apply the recommended strategies. Study 1 employed the Delphi technique and focus group discussions to achieve consensus among eleven mathematics experts regarding a feasible model for differentiation in primary mathematics. The experts agreed on a five-step cycle of differentiation: (1) identification of educational needs, (2) differentiated goals, (3) differentiated instruction, (4) differentiated practice, and (5) evaluation of progress and process. For each step, strategies were specified. In Study 2, the Differentiation Self-Assessment Questionnaire (DSAQ) was developed to investigate how teachers self-assess their use of the strategies recommended by the experts. While teachers (N = 268) were moderately positive about their application of the strategies overall, we also identified areas of relatively low usage (including differentiation for high-achieving students) which require attention in teacher professional development. Together, these two studies provide a model and strategies for differentiation in primary mathematics based on expert consensus, the DSAQ which can be employed in future studies, and insights into teachers' self-assessed application of specific aspects of differentiation.