ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
&quot;Explicame&quot;: Examining Emergent Bilinguals&apos; Ability to Construct Arguments and Explanations during a Unit on Plate Tectonics
Author: Kang, Emily J. S.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Bilingualism,Units of Study,Language Proficiency,Plate Tectonics,Science Instruction,Persuasive Discourse,Oral Language,Written Language,Video Technology,Language Usage,Second Language Learning,Classroom Communication,Native Language,Scientific Concepts,Teaching Methods,English (Second Language),Middle School Students,Middle School Teachers,Spanish,Bilingual Teachers,Grade 7,Secondary School Teachers

This paper explored the integration of science and language instruction during a unit on plate tectonics in a 7th grade transitional bilingual classroom. As not many studies have explored engaging bilingual learners in the Next Generation Science Standards practices of argumentation and explanation, we sought to analyze emergent bilinguals' construction and communication of scientific arguments and explanations in oral and written forms. We collected both classroom video data and student written work. We first analyzed student work associated with the unit's culminating task as evidence of the students' developing proficiency with science ideas, cognizant of what emergent bilinguals at varying levels of language proficiency are able to do with respect to producing the language functions of explain and argue. For video data, we created event maps of all classroom interaction and then narrowed our focus to key moments of interaction to shed light on the relationships among classroom instruction, written work, and writing reflected in the culminating task. With respect to argumentation, findings indicated that students demonstrated success in constructing claims throughout the unit and on the culminating task and were able to provide some type of evidence to support their claims. This was evident when students could tap into all their linguistic repertoires, using home language and new language to make sense of science. Although most students were still developing to provide sufficient evidence and incorporate scientific reasoning, the use of both home and new language allowed students to articulate initial understandings about scientific concepts such as convection currents and plate boundaries. Students who used home language were also able to provide more extended explanations, moving from using language immediately tied to the environment to attempting to use scientific discourse to explain phenomena. We recommend that teachers celebrate emerging skills and build on the rich linguistic and experiential resources emergent bilinguals bring to optimize participation in the practices of science and facilitate scientific understanding.
Collection and Analysis of Students&apos; Metacognitive Orientations for Science Learning: A Survey of Science Classrooms in Delta State, Nigeria
Author: Ajaja, O. Patrick
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metacognition,Foreign Countries,Science Instruction,Secondary School Students,Secondary School Science,Gender Differences,Teaching Methods,Self Efficacy,Student Characteristics

The major purpose of this study was to explore the metacognitive orientations of science students at the secondary level of education. To achieve this, three research questions and hypotheses were raised, answered and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The design of the study was survey and samples consisted of 36 schools and 705 science students drawn from Delta state, Nigeria. The instrument used for data collection was Self-Efficacy and Metacognitive Learning Inventory Science (SEMLI-S). The major findings of the study indicated that: the metacognitive orientations scores of all the science students in all the groups and sub-scales of SEMLI-S fell within the rating of Half of the time used; all the science students were significantly varied in orientation in all the sub-scales of SEMLI-S; higher level students significantly outscored the lower level students on metacognitive orientations in all the sub-scales of the SEMLI-S; males significantly outscored the females on metacognitive orientations on Learning Risks Awareness and Control of Concentration. It was concluded that the knowledge of students' metacognitive orientations could help to improve classroom practices through the provision of clues on how students learn science and subsequent intervention of teachers when and where necessary.
Co-Teaching to Improve Control Variable Experiment Instruction in Physical Sciences Education
Author: Thompson, Kenneth W.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Physical Sciences,Science Instruction,Science Experiments,Team Teaching,College Science,Undergraduate Students,College Faculty,Interdisciplinary Approach,Preservice Teachers,Elementary School Teachers,Science Teachers,Assignments,Program Effectiveness

National Research Council polices (NRC, 2012a, 2012b) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 (Pub. L. No. 114-145) call for educators to have active roles in teaching to achieve new goals and purposes for education. A high priority is teaching content knowledge and information fluency skills that will result in deep learning, higher order thinking, and college and career readiness. Information fluency involves abilities to find, evaluate and use print and digital information effectively, efficiently and ethically to create knowledge useful in solving real-world problems. This action research (Blaxter, Hughes, and Tight, 2010) investigates co-teaching in a college, undergraduate physical sciences course. Information and technology literacy skills (ACRL, 2016) were taught in the context of a 12-week unit about the design of control variable experiments. Co-teaching was done by a professor of physical sciences and a professor of library and information science. Assignment learning objectives provided a framework for analysis of 24 students' scores that tells a story of the process of co-teaching through articulation of two professors' engagement in instructional interactions, creation of materials and strategies to increase information fluency as well as descriptions of students' completion of assignments. It was concluded that co-teaching effectiveness involves intensity of effort in shared planning, organization, delivery and assessment of instruction; shared physical and/or virtual space of instruction; and in the combining two areas of academic expertise in delivery of cross-curricular instruction.
Assessing Student Interest and Desire to Learn More about Climate Change Effects on Forests in Middle School: An Intervention-Based Path Model
Author: Carman, Jennifer
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle School Students,Grade 7,Student Interests,Learning Motivation,Climate,Forestry,Hands on Science,Information Seeking,Risk,Predictor Variables

Raising students' interest in climate change may motivate them to learn about this topic as well as to address and adapt to this defining challenge of our time. To investigate how to increase students' interest in climate change through educational interventions, we conducted an initial study during a two-week pilot unit about how scientists predict the impacts of climate change on local forests. Pre- and post- intervention data were collected from 308 seventh-grade students (ages 12-13) and examined using exploratory factor, multilevel, and path analyses. Students had only moderate levels of interest in, and desire to learn more about, climate change and forests, and these levels did not change as a result of the intervention. Students' interest in science (personal interest) and in hands-on science activities (situational interest) played more important roles in their development of interest in climate change effects on forests than their perception of climate change risk. Findings suggest that increasing student interest in climate change issues through short educational interventions is likely to present a formidable challenge, and enhancing students' perception of climate change risk is unlikely to help educators achieve this goal. Future research should build on our intervention-based model of short-term interest development in climate change to generate additional insights about fostering students' desire to learn more about this critical topic.
The Japanese EFL Learners&apos; Self-Regulated Language Learning and Proficiency
Author: Fukuda, Akiko
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Metacognition,Language Proficiency,Learning Strategies,Foreign Countries,Questionnaires,Comparative Analysis,Coping,Goal Orientation,Self Efficacy,Test Anxiety,Student Characteristics,College Freshmen,Private Colleges,Language Tests,Student Attitudes

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between learners' self-regulated language learning and proficiency and to examine the differences in characteristics of self-regulated learning (SRL) between low- and high-proficiency learners. SRL is a learning process throughout setting goals, monitoring tasks, and reflecting on performance, which includes both cognitive and affective aspects. Participants were 97 Japanese university students of English. Based on their proficiency, 67 out of them were assigned to the L group and 30 to the H group in order to compare the difference of their SRL skills. They all took the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) online to measure their SRL skills and reported their latest TOEIC scores to determine their English proficiency. The MSLQ includes 81 items that were administered on the website for ease of access. Exploratory factor analyses determined five motivational and six learning strategy factors. Based on these factors, multiple regressions and t-tests were performed. Multiple regressions examining the influences of SRLs on proficiency subsequently showed that three learning strategy factors in SRL--metacognitive strategies, effort regulation, and coping with problems--significantly predicted the variance in learners' proficiency; no motivational factors predicted it, even though correlations between three out of five factors and proficiency were found, namely, self-efficacy, intrinsic goal orientation, and test anxiety. Later t-tests, however, showed significant differences in SRL between low- and high-proficiency learners in the following motivational and learning strategy factors: self-efficacy, intrinsic goal orientation, test anxiety, metacognitive strategies, effort regulation, and coping with problems. The findings suggest that although they did not directly account for learner proficiency, yet motivational factors were evidently related to English proficiency level. Based on these results, the characteristics of less proficient learners compared to those of more proficient learners are discussed.
Australian Teacher Education Policy in Action: The Case of Pre-Service Internships
Author: Ledger, Susan
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Preservice Teacher Education,Teacher Effectiveness,Educational Change,Educational Policy,Preservice Teachers,Internship Programs,Models,Teacher Education Programs,Partnerships in Education

Studies on internships within initial teacher education have existed in literature since the early 1900s, they have espoused the benefits of experiential learning or critiqued the variance available in terms of structure, length of time and purpose. However, little research on teacher internships has been reported within a policy context. This study employs a modified 'policy trajectory' framework to capture the impact of teacher internship models emerging from policy reform in Australia driven by the National Partnership Agreement on Improving Teacher Quality Program (NPTQ). It highlights how policy contexts and practices are inextricably interconnected and influenced by key policy 'threads' related to people, philosophy, place, processes and power (5Ps). Significant benefits of internships are revealed. Variations in resourcing, influence and local conditions evidence enactment of NPTQ resulted in uneven and potentially inequitable outcomes. The authors call for more research, transparency and enhanced accountability for government investment for internships.
Acquisition of Contraction Constraint by Japanese Learners of English
Author: Ito, Yasuko
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Proficiency,Grammar,Cloze Procedure,Decision Making,Task Analysis,Native Speakers,English,Language Patterns,Sentence Structure,Japanese,College Students

Second language (L2) acquisition research has explored the acquisition of various syntactic constraints by L2 learners, one of which is &quot;wanna&quot; contraction. However, there is still a very limited body of research regarding the acquisition of &quot;wanna&quot; contraction, both in first language (L1) and L2. The purpose of the study is to examine adult L2 learners' knowledge of wanna contraction by using a grammaticality judgment task. Ninety-three Japanese learners of English took the grammaticality judgment task which consisted of 24 experimental items and 24 fillers, with a context provided. The experimental stimuli consisted of six conditions: Object extraction (e.g., &quot;Who do you want to/wanna advise?&quot;), subject extraction (e.g., &quot;Who do you want to/*wanna advise Mary?&quot;), and no extraction (e.g., &quot;Do you want to/wanna advise Mary?&quot;), all of which were presented with and without contraction. Subject extraction with contraction was the only ungrammatical condition. The participants were divided into three groups according to their English proficiency as measured by the cloze test: High level (JPN-H), intermediate level (JPN-I), and low level (JPN-L). The same grammaticality judgment task was also given to 41 native speakers of English in order to collect the baseline data. The results showed a proportional increase of learners who were correctly differentiating the contraction patterns and the decrease of those who were overgeneralizing the patterns over the three proficiency groups. This suggests a developmental pattern among the L2 learners with respect to the contraction constraint.
Measuring Elementary Teachers&apos; Understanding of the NGSS Framework: An Instrument for Planning and Assessing Professional Development
Author: Nollmeyer, Gustave E.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Teachers,Science Teachers,Knowledge Level,Academic Standards,National Standards,Faculty Development,Test Construction,Test Validity,Test Reliability,Science Education,Needs Assessment,Teacher Surveys

The arrival of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) marks a new era in science education. However, like all education reform, the success of NGSS implementation lies with teachers. Effective and targeted professional development will play a key role in preparing teachers who work from the framework. This study sought to design and validate a survey instrument measuring elementary teachers' perceived understanding of the NGSS framework. After developing and modifying the initial item pool through expert review and piloting, the instrument was administered to 167 elementary teachers from Montana, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. Results from an exploratory principal components analysis yielded a five-factor model which explained 74% of the variance. Through Confirmatory Factor Analysis, the five-factor model was found to be an acceptable fit to the hypothesized population model. The 31-item instrument holds promise as a tool for informing professional development efforts related to teachers' understanding of NGSS concepts. It could be used as part of a needs assessment when planning for professional development. Whether part of a needs assessment or a smaller scale effort, the instrument could be used to identify areas for targeted growth in understanding of NGSS concepts.
Cultural and Intercultural Education: Experiences of Ethnoeducational Teachers in Colombia
Author: Flores H., Irma A.
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cultural Awareness,Cultural Maintenance,Teaching Methods,Foreign Countries,Educational Experience,Content Analysis,Empowerment,Political Power,Cultural Pluralism,American Indians,Blacks,Multiracial Persons,Federal Legislation,History,Ethnography,Civil Rights

This article focuses on the analysis of the pedagogical component of ethno-educational experiences developed in different departments of Colombia. A qualitative methodology that integrated a systemic explanatory analysis model was chosen for this study together with a content analysis of these experiences from a systemic point of view, in order to consider those educational practices as the expression of interests, struggles, relationships and social dynamics. The text includes a fragment on the emergence of ethno-educational processes in Latin America and examines the conceptualization of the term, the objectives, the emphasis given in literature to political empowerment, the struggle for preserving culture, and the debates concerning the need to focus on the pedagogical component of the ethno-educational experience. The results of this analysis confirm the importance that struggles of Afro-descendant and indigenous peoples have had in strengthening pedagogical processes in the ethnoeducational proposal in Colombia.
Classroom Ready? Pre-Service Teachers&apos; Self-Efficacy for Their First Professional Experience Placement
Author: MA, Kang
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Self Efficacy,Secondary School Teachers,Student Attitudes,Classroom Techniques,Teacher Education Programs,Teacher Student Relationship,Individual Characteristics,Practicums,Mastery Learning,Teaching Experience,Teaching Methods,Learner Engagement,Feedback (Response)

This study investigates the level of teacher self-efficacy (TSE) among 90 secondary preservice teachers (PSTs) before their first teaching practice and the factors which influenced their ratings. The Scale for Teacher Self-Efficacy (STSE) (Pfitzner-Eden, Thiel, &amp; Horsley, 2014) was adapted by adding some open-ended questions. Data were analysed via SPSS and NVivo separately. Results show a relatively lower level of TSE compared with previous research and classroom management was of greatest concern. PSTs reported factors such as lacking teaching experience, previous informal teaching and other relevant experience, teacher education program, personal qualities and characteristics, and teacher-student relationship. Implications, limitations, and suggestions from the study are discussed.
The Promotion of English in East Asia at the Turn of the 21st Century: A Politico-Economic and Socio-Cultural Review
Author: Lin, Han-Yi
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Interdisciplinary Approach,Economic Development,Language Attitudes,Economic Factors,Educational Policy,Educational Planning,Marketing,Commercialization,Foreign Countries,Public Policy,Language Role,Political Influences,Global Approach

This research provides an interdisciplinary and contextual study on the phenomenon of English promotion at the turn of the 21st century. Through documentary research and semi-structured interviews, it examines the politico-economic and socio-cultural dimensions of English promotion in the context of East Asian countries, including China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. It is suggested that in East Asian societies where economic development, education, and cultivation of manpower are emphasized, English as an acquirable competence is given high socio-cultural value due to its strong association with economic well-being. English is considered the resolution of national competitiveness and a prerequisite of individual economic achievement, and it not only leads to a series of economics-driven language and education policies but also boosts the economy of English-related industries in these non-English-speaking East Asian countries. Overall, English promotion in East Asia is an economics-and-politics-driven, self-justifying mechanism which illustrates how the value of English and the social and individual investment on English teaching and learning are legitimated and how English as commodity is marketed through a synthesis of discourses, presuppositions, and national policies.
Ready and Waiting: How Cambodian Primary Students&apos; Self-Perceived Skills and Aspirations Are Primed for the Field of Engineering
Author: Szmodis, Whitney E.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary School Students,Self Concept,Engineering Education,Active Learning,Student Projects,Student Attitudes,Engineering,Technical Occupations,Instructional Effectiveness,Developing Nations,Units of Study,Student Centered Learning,Expectation,Elementary School Curriculum

A project-based engineering education unit was implemented in a primary school in Cambodia. An effectiveness study was conducted to investigate students' attitudes and expectations of engineering as a profession and students' self-perceived 21st century skills. The findings revealed that prior to the curriculum implementation both male and female students had positive attitudes toward engineering, positive beliefs toward the role of engineering in their lives, and highly favorable perceptions about their perceived 21st century skills. Results indicated no significant increase in overall students' attitudes and expectations of engineering, or self-perceived 21st century skills. Yet, students who had an average mean score of less positive feelings on the pre-assessment showed significant increases in their attitudes and expectations toward engineering, as well as their self-perceived 21st century skills. These findings indicate that students at the primary level in Cambodia are either already enthusiastic about engineering or are significantly more so once exposed to an engineering curriculum. The importance of incorporating engineering principles into the Cambodian curriculum are discussed.
Assessing Adolescent Reading Comprehension in a French Middle School: Performance and Beliefs about Knowledge
Author: Dupont, Pascal
Date: 2018-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Adolescents,Reading Comprehension,Foreign Countries,Reading Difficulties,Grade 6,Grade 8,Teaching Methods,Middle School Students,Workstations,Formative Evaluation,Reading Improvement,Literacy

In France, the growing percentage of students with reading problems calls for innovative teaching, particularly for students with serious learning difficulties. The present study was conducted on two classes with comparable reading levels: one standard sixth-grade class and one eighth-grade SEGPA class (those with learning difficulties). This study examined the effects of introducing a new teaching practice, didactique workstations, into the SEGPA class. The purpose of these workstations was to make the teaching content clearer and to promote formative assessment practices in order to improve adolescents' reading comprehension and their relationship to knowledge. The results showed that introducing this innovative teaching practice had an effect on the class group: the grade differential was reduced in a way that benefitted lower-level students. In addition to classroom effects, the workstations also changed students' relationship to knowledge. Thus, learning workstations offer great potential in working towards greater equity and inclusion.