ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Motion and Sound in Animated Storybooks for Preschoolers&apos; Visual Attention and Mandarin Language Learning: An Eye-Tracking Study with Bilingual Children
Author: Sun, He
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Animation,Books,Preschool Children,Motion,Acoustics,Attention Control,Mandarin Chinese,Language Acquisition,Bilingual Students,Eye Movements,Foreign Countries,Listening Comprehension,Vocabulary Development,Story Telling,Electronic Publishing,Reading Comprehension,Instructional Effectiveness,Kindergarten,Multimedia Instruction

This study examined the role of the &quot;animated eBook advantage&quot; in child bilingual's Mandarin learning, which has tended to be examined in the acquisition of Germanic languages. With this aim, 102 4- to 5-year-old preschoolers in Singapore were assigned to one of four conditions: (a) animated eBooks (+sound+motion), (b) static eBooks with sound, (c) static eBooks only, and (d) a control condition where children played a math game on an iPad. Three stories were displayed to children each for four times over 2 weeks, while visual attention was traced with an eye tracker. Children's target words and story comprehension were assessed for the effects of the intervention conditions. The results revealed that children in the animated condition outperform their counterparts in total fixation duration, target word production, and storytelling of one of the stories (Cycling With Grandpa). There were no consistent differences between the two static conditions. Our results indicate the importance of motion in animated eBook design, in line with previous findings.
Understanding Mobile Learning Using a Social Embeddedness Approach: A Case of Instant Messaging
Author: Bere, Aaron
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Telecommunications,Handheld Devices,Synchronous Communication,Higher Education,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,College Students,Computer Oriented Programs,Developing Nations

The progressive development of mobile smart phones and instant messaging create opportunities for use of cost effective collaborative learning platforms in higher education. This paper presents a mobile learning (mLearning) initiative within the higher education context of a developing country. This qualitative study follows a case study approach. Thematic content analysis was conducted based on data mined from participants' interactions on the mLearning cyber space. The paper draws on the social embeddedness discourse and it examines the evidence of context-driven use and social embeddedness in student adoption of mLearning using instant messaging in higher education. Findings suggest opportunities for collaborative learning manifested in knowledge sharing, development of academic communities, instant communication in ambivalent contexts plagued by networked connectivity costs, knowledge gaps and geographical barriers among interactants. The mLearning initiative proposed in this study could create collaborative learning environments that can promote active learning opportunities.
Closed Schools, Open Markets: A Hot Spot Spatial Analysis of School Closures and Charter Openings in Detroit
Author: Green, Terrance L.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: School Closing,Charter Schools,Geographic Information Systems,Public Schools,Traditional Schools,Geographic Distribution,Neighborhoods,Urban Schools,Educational History,Neoliberalism,Maps,Educational Policy,Court Litigation,Emergency Programs,School Desegregation,Race,School Funds,Racial Bias

The purpose of this study is to use geographic information systems to map the spatial distribution of traditional public school closures and the opening of charter schools in Detroit. To achieve this purpose, we examine the following research questions: (a) How are traditional public school closures and the opening of charter schools spatially distributed throughout neighborhoods in Detroit during three education policy eras? (b) How, if at all, might these schools' spatial patterns cluster in certain neighborhoods to create hot spots of traditional public school closures and/or charter school openings? As such, this descriptive study uses hot spot geospatial analysis to identify whether the spatial occurrence of traditional public school closures and charter school openings is randomly distributed or if it occurs in statistically significant spatial clusters. Rollback and rollout neoliberalism is used to theoretically frame the study and guide the analysis. Findings suggest that charter school openings occur more often in hot spots or concentrated ways than the closure of traditional public schools in Detroit. We conclude with implications for future research.
Awareness and Use of a Mobile Phone as a Potential Pedagogical Tool among Secondary School Teachers in Tanzania
Author: Mfaume, Hamisi
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Telecommunications,Handheld Devices,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Secondary School Teachers,Knowledge Level,Negative Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Educational Policy,Age Differences,Teacher Motivation,Barriers,Technology Integration,Administrator Attitudes

The government of Tanzania through its ICT Policy for Basic Education, has indicated a commitment to use of mobile phones among other ICTs, as a strategy to enhance the quality of education. It is from this fact that this study determined teachers' awareness of the educational benefits of the device, their use and barriers towards their educational use. The study was qualitative in nature, using a sample of twenty one (21) teachers who were purposefully selected from three secondary schools. Data were sought through semi-structured interviews and were thematically analysed. The findings revealed that teachers are well informed of the benefits, but they hardly utilize it for educational purposes. Lack of knowledge and skills, a negative attitude, lack of awareness of the ICT policy, age and low motivation emerged as key barriers. In light of the findings, the study concluded that the government's commitment to integrate the device in the promotion of quality education has not yet moved beyond policy statements. Thus, a concerted effort is needed to train teachers on pedagogical utilization of the device.
EFL Teachers&apos; Effective Classroom Management and Learners&apos; Anxiety and Learning Strategies
Author: Marashi, Hamid
Date: 2019-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Language Teachers,English (Second Language),Classroom Techniques,Anxiety,Learning Strategies,Second Language Learning,Student Attitudes,Correlation,Teacher Role

This study was an attempt to investigate the relationship between EFL teachers' effective classroom management and EFL learners' anxiety and learning strategies. Accordingly, two questionnaires and a checklist were used: Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), and Murdoch's checklist. A total of 750 male and female learners and their 30 teachers participated in this study. Once the questionnaires were administered and the checklist was filled, the researchers conducted the relevant descriptive and inferential statistical analyses and the results supported the notion that teachers' classroom management was positively correlated with language learners' learning strategies while it was negatively correlated with their anxiety. Hence, the major implication of this study is that EFL teachers can engage in employing more effective classroom management techniques in order to encourage EFL learners to use more strategies in the process of their learning and at the same time reduce their anxiety.
An Efficacy Study of a Digital Core Curriculum for Grade 5 Mathematics
Author: Shechtman, Nicole
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Instruction,Mathematics Curriculum,Grade 5,Elementary School Mathematics,Core Curriculum,Blended Learning,Mathematics Achievement,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Teaching Methods,Learner Engagement,Conventional Instruction,Grade 4,Educational Resources

The Math Curriculum Impact Study was a large-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the efficacy of a digital core curriculum for Grade 5 mathematics. Reasoning Mind's Grade 5 Common Core Curriculum was a comprehensive, adaptive, blended learning approach that schools in the treatment group implemented for an entire school year. Schools in the control group implemented their business-as-usual mathematics curriculum. The study was completed in 46 schools throughout West Virginia, resulting in achievement data from 1,919 students. It also included exploratory investigations of teacher practice and student engagement. The main experimental finding was a null result; achievement was similar in both experimental groups. The exploratory investigations help clarify interpretation of this result. As educational leaders throughout the United States adopt digital mathematics curricula and adaptive, blended approaches, our findings provide a relevant caution. However, our findings are not generalizable to all digital offerings, and there is a continuing need for refined theory, study of implementation, and rigorous experimentation to advise schools. [For the grantee submission, see ED595114.]
Interpersonal Meanings in Children&apos;s Storybooks
Author: Zohrabi, Mohammad
Date: 2019-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Childrens Literature,Books,Semiotics,Visual Stimuli,Pictorial Stimuli,Picture Books,Grammar,Reader Text Relationship,Reader Response

Semiotics as a broad field of study encompasses Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). SFL has paved the way for Multimodality which is the study of different sources of meaning. This study was conducted to analyze the visual sources of meaning in children's storybooks on the basis of what Kress and van Leeuwen (2006) developed and called visual grammar. The chosen books for this study consisted of A, Apple Pie, Princess Rose and the Golden Bird, Tyrone the Horrible, and Terrible Tommy Tom Cat. The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate the interaction between the viewer and the represented participants. Accordingly, interactional meta-function was analyzed through interpreting the frequencies of each dimension of interactional meta-function in all pictures. It is supposed that there are differences in interactional meanings in storybooks in which the characters are animals and in storybooks in which the characters are human beings. The results of the present study prove the assumption of differences between the two types of storybooks. The viewer can enter into relation with represented participants in stories with human characters easier than the ones with animal characters. The findings may help teachers and syllabus designers. Specifically, teachers can choose the stories with human characters in order to make easy the process of involvement of the children with intended subject. They also can choose stories with animal characters in order to teach some strange concepts in which they do not want their students to be involved.
An Evaluation of Practicum Courses at Farhangian University
Author: Masoumpanah, Zahra
Date: 2019-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Course Evaluation,Practicums,Preservice Teacher Education,Student Teachers,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Student Needs,Student Motivation,Self Esteem,Classroom Techniques,Course Objectives,Instructional Design

This study was an attempt to evaluate practicum courses at Farhangian University. Since practicum is a significant component of teacher education which links theory to practice and prepares student-teachers for their work, this study was intended to explore the extent to which (1) the practicum objectives stated in the 'Curriculum Document of TEFL' at Farhangian University were actualized, (2) the students' language teaching profession needs were fulfilled, and (3) the participants were satisfied with the courses. To this end, based on the data gathered from interview, focus-group discussion and the University documents, a questionnaire was developed and administered to 144 student-teachers and mentors. Findings revealed that although the courses were relevant to the student-teachers' occupational needs, and improved participants' motivation, self-confidence, and class management skills, they failed to fulfill a number of their needs and course objectives to a considerable degree. Findings also indicated that the way courses implemented in practice was not satisfactory. The findings are discussed and some implications are provided for student-teachers, EFL teacher educators, and syllabus designers.
English as an International Language and English Language Teaching: The Theory vs. Practice Divide
Author: Vodopija-Krstanovic, Irena
Date: 2019-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),English for Special Purposes,Official Languages,Theory Practice Relationship,Applied Linguistics,English Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Public School Teachers,Foreign Countries,Language Attitudes

English as an international language (EIL) is considered by applied linguists to be a new paradigm for research, practice and English language teaching (ELT). However, it appears that English language teachers have little voice in these discussions, and the English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom has remained largely unaffected by EIL, hinging upon the native speaker (NS) ideal. This is hardly surprising as insufficient attention has been devoted to EIL pedagogy, and to helping teachers integrate theoretical understandings of EIL into their teaching. This paper aims to address this gap by examining EFL teachers' (non-native speakers - NNS) perspectives on the implications of EIL for classroom practice. Through an analysis of data gathered from an online questionnaire and 10 semi-structured interviews, this study examined the attitudes of 53 EFL teachers working in Croatian public schools towards: a) the EIL paradigm, b) NS/NNS models in ELT, and c) the implications of EIL for language teaching. The findings show that although the teachers are familiar with and open to the notion of EIL, when conceptualized as a paradigm for teaching, it becomes a rather elusive concept, and a second best NNS English. Overall, the teachers are largely unaware of the potential of EIL for ELT, and rely on the NS as the benchmark and authority. They maintain that the EIL theory-ELT practice link is complex and difficult to operationalise. It is argued that, if EIL is to become a new paradigm for teaching, greater collaboration is required between applied linguists and ELF teachers, and explicit guidelines are needed to help teachers integrate EIL into ELT.
Creating a Profile of an Honors Student: A Comparison of Honors and Non-Honors Students at Public Research Universities in the United States
Author: Cognard-Black, Andrew J.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Students,Student Characteristics,Honors Curriculum,Advanced Students,Student Needs,High Achievement,Student Diversity,Racial Differences,Ethnicity,Gender Differences,Enrollment,College Freshmen,Student Experience,Grade Point Average

This study uses data from the 2018 &quot;Student Experience in the Research University&quot; (SERU) Survey of undergraduate degree-seeking students to develop a profile of an honors student. Nineteen research universities participated in the 2018 SERU Survey, with a resulting sample size of almost 119,000 undergraduate students, of whom 15,280 reported participation in or completion of an honors program. No other study has surveyed honors students on such a scale and across so many institutions. This study could be useful for recruiting since it would give recruiters a better idea of what to look for that would make prospects successful in an honors program/college. Knowing what high-ability students expect from their education could also be useful in structuring an honors curriculum and experience accordingly. Finally, knowing better the wants and needs of high-ability students could be useful for advising, mentoring, and counseling honors students.
Sign Me Up: The Factors Predicting Students&apos; Enrollment in an Early-Commitment Scholarship Program
Author: Goldhaber, Dan
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Enrollment Influences,Scholarships,College Bound Students,Student Characteristics,Low Income Students,Expectation,Program Administration,Middle School Students,School Counselors,Standardized Tests,Measurement,State Standards,State Programs

We investigate factors influencing student sign-ups for Washington State's College Bound Scholarship program and consider whether there is scope for the program to change college enrollment expectations. We find that student characteristics associated with signing the scholarship pledge closely parallel characteristics of low-income students who attend 4-year colleges, suggesting that signing the pledge is driven largely by preexisting expectations of college going. We also find evidence that student sign-up rates are lower than have been previously reported, which is important given the perception among program administrators that nearly all eligible students sign up.
Validating the SEDA Measures of District Educational Opportunities via a Common Assessment
Author: Kuhfeld, Megan
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Research,Educational Assessment,Data Analysis,Archives,Educational Opportunities,Academic Achievement,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students,Mathematics Achievement,Language Arts,Socioeconomic Status,School Districts,Test Validity,Achievement Tests,Scores

The Stanford Educational Data Archive (SEDA) is the first data set to allow comparisons of district academic achievement and growth from Grades 3 to 8 across the United States, shining a light on the distribution of educational opportunities. This study describes a convergent validity analysis of the SEDA growth estimates in mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) by comparing the SEDA estimates against estimates derived from NWEA's MAP Growth assessments. We find strong precision-adjusted correlations between growth estimates from SEDA and MAP Growth in math (0.90) and ELA (0.82). We also find that the discrepancy between the growth estimates in ELA is slightly more pronounced in high socioeconomic districts. Our analyses indicate a high degree of congruence between the SEDA estimates and estimates derived from the vertically scaled MAP Growth assessment. However, small systematic discrepancies imply that the SEDA growth estimates are less likely to generalize to estimates obtained through MAP Growth in some states.
Animal Visitation Program (AVP) Reduces Cortisol Levels of University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Author: Pendry, Patricia
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Stress Management,Animals,College Students,Program Effectiveness,Interaction,Prevention,Research Universities,Human Body,Mental Health,Observation

University students report high levels of stress. Although causal work is limited, one popular approach to promote stress relief is animal visitation programs (AVPs). We conducted a randomized trial (N = 249) examining effects of a 10-minute AVP on students' salivary cortisol levels. Undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: hands-on AVP (petting cats and dogs; n = 73), AVP observation (watching others pet animals; n = 62), AVP slideshow (viewing images of same animals; n = 57), or AVP waitlist (n = 57). Participants collected salivary cortisol upon waking, and two samples were collected 15 and 25 minutes after the 10-minute condition, reflecting cortisol levels at the beginning and end of the intervention. Controlling for students' basal cortisol, time awake, and circadian pattern, students in the hands-on condition had lower posttest cortisol compared to slideshow ([beta] = 0.150, p = 0.046), waitlist ([beta] = 0.152, p = 0.033), and observation ([beta] = 0.164, p = 0.040). A 10-minute college-based AVP providing hands-on petting of cats and dogs provides momentary stress relief.
Using WhatsApp in Teaching to Develop Higher Order Thinking Skills--A Literature Review Using the Activity Theory Lens
Author: Baguma, Rehema
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Oriented Programs,Thinking Skills,Social Theories,Foreign Countries,Critical Thinking,Problem Solving,Integrated Learning Systems,Electronic Learning,Telecommunications,Handheld Devices

Most universities in Uganda encourage memorization as the predominant method of learning. This has been partly linked to limited practical pedagogical skills among educators, to effectively engage students to develop Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). Consequently, students are not well prepared for the world after university. WhatsApp Enabled Learning (WAEL) has been found to support approaches to learning that promote development of HOTS, like inquiry, creativity, critical reflection and dialogue. Although many universities in Uganda have been using LMSs, there is little evidence that use of an LMS has enhanced development of HOTS. While the Ugandan society is catching on fast with use of WhatsApp due to increased access to mobile technology devices and Internet connectivity, use of WhatsApp in education is still limited. Additionally, there is limited research on the benefits of WAEL to development of HOTS in African countries. This paper examines how WAEL can facilitate development of HOTS through a general literature analysis and using the Activity Theory (AT) framework. The results show that WhatsApp has a great potential to support development of HOTS due to its affordances such as ubiquity, and AT provides a systematic and practical way to demonstrate this potential and how it can be applied.
Missed Exams and Lost Opportunities: Who Could Gain from Expanded College Admission Testing?
Author: Cook, Emily E.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Entrance Examinations,High School Graduates,Aptitude Tests,High Schools,State Standards,Scores,Statistical Distributions,Disadvantaged

When students with the capacity to succeed in a 4-year college do not take a college admission test, this represents a potential loss of opportunity for students and colleges alike. However, the costs of testing--both pecuniary and nonpecuniary--may exceed the benefits for students who lack the interest in or qualifications for college attendance. In states like Virginia, access to admission tests varies markedly with district and family circumstances. We estimate that universal testing in Virginia could increase the number of high school graduates with test scores competitive for admission at broad-access universities in the state by as much as 40%--and at the most selective institutions by nearly 20%--with larger increases for low-income students. Alternative policies that encourage testing among students with strong demonstrated academic performance could realize nearly these increases without generating testing costs for students who are unlikely to attend a 4-year college.