ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
A Preliminary Study: Do Alternative Certification Route Programs Develop the Necessary Skills and Knowledge in Assistive Technology?
Author: Bell, Sherry Mee
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Alternative Teacher Certification,Special Education Teachers,Assistive Technology,Teacher Characteristics

A large number of special education teachers in the United States are prepared in alternative certification programs and insufficient empirical information exists regarding their knowledge of assistive technology. The purpose of this study was to conduct a preliminary investigation of alternatively licensed special education teachers' knowledge, experience, and confidence with assistive technology. One-hundred twenty-three special education teachers who were enrolled in an alternative license program were surveyed. The data indicated a significant positive relation between teachers' knowledge/usage and their confidence with assistive technology (r = 0.74; p less than 0.01). In addition, the extent to which the teachers' perceived barriers to integrating assistive technology in the classroom were moderated by their level of confidence. The results are presented in the context of building special education teachers' knowledge and skills as well as affective issues regarding assistive technology. (Contains 4 tables.)
Special Education Teacher Burnout and ACT
Author: Emery, Debra W.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Job Satisfaction,Self Efficacy,Teacher Burnout,Special Education Teachers,Special Education,At Risk Persons,Stress Variables,Teacher Persistence,Labor Turnover,Teacher Shortage,Counseling Techniques,Psychological Patterns,Intervention,Stress Management,Research Methodology,Behavior Modification,Values

Special educators are a high risk group, prone to low job satisfaction, low self-efficacy, and increased stress and burnout. The attrition rate of special educators is particularly high, contributing to an overall shortage of qualified teachers throughout the United States. While the problems of special educators are widely discussed in the literature, scant intervention research has targeted this population, and what has been done suffers from design limitations, lack of a guiding theoretical framework, and a focus on symptom reduction, rather than mediating psychological processes. Acceptance and commitment therapeutic (ACT) interventions hold promise for addressing special education teacher burnout.
Even in Sweden? Excluding the Included: Some Reflections on the Consequences of New Policies on Educational Processes and Outcomes, and Equity in Education
Author: Berhanu, Girma
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Equal Education,Disadvantaged,Foreign Countries,Minority Groups,Reflection,Outcomes of Education,Special Needs Students,Accessibility (for Disabled),Racial Bias,Educational Diagnosis,Educational Change,Educational Policy,Policy Analysis,Educational Indicators,Politics of Education,Social Justice

The purpose of this article is to reflect on the effects of educational reforms (which are guided by a neoliberal political agenda) on educational processes, outcomes, and inclusive education in Sweden. It is focused in particular on the increasing marginalisation and exclusion of students with special educational needs, immigrant students, and socially disadvantaged segments of the population. It sheds light on the mechanism in which the changes are framed: neoliberal philosophies that place greater emphasis on devolution, marketization (driven by principles of cost containment and efficiency), competition, standardization, individual choices and rights, development of new profiles within particular school units, and other factors that potentially work against the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. I argue here that marginalisation and segregation of socially disadvantaged and ethnic minority groups has increased as a consequence of this new wave of policy measures. Resultant resource differences have widened among schools and municipalities and among pupils. Swedish efforts in the past to promote equity through a variety of educational policies have been fascinating. Those early educational policies, including the macro-political agenda focused on the social welfare model, have helped to diminish the effects of differential social, cultural, and economic background on outcomes. This has come under threat. There is still some hope, however, of mitigating the situation through varied social and educational measures combined with an effective monitoring system and a stronger partnership and transparent working relationship between the central and local government systems. Research and follow-up are crucial in this process. (Contains 2 notes.)
Assessment and Treatment of Stereotypic Vocalizations in a Taiwanese Adolescent with Autism: A Case Study
Author: Wu, Ya-Ping
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Behavior Problems,Intervention,Autism,Instructional Effectiveness,Case Studies,Foreign Countries,Communication Problems,Audio Equipment,Stereotypes,Functional Behavioral Assessment,Educational Research,Educational Practices

This case study describes the processes of functional analysis and modality assessment that were utilized to design a communication intervention for an adolescent with autism who engaged in loud and disruptive vocalizations for most of the school day. The functional analysis suggested that the vocalizations served both tangible and escape functions. The modality assessment suggested that the participant could use a speech-generating device to make requests for a preferred item. Results of the intervention suggested that functional communication training was useful in decreasing the frequency of vocalizations and increasing independent requesting in school and community settings. The results are discussed with regard to their implications for the treatment of stereotypic vocalizations and the limitations of the case study design. We also discuss the importance of international educational efforts related to the dissemination of evidence-based practices such as functional analysis and functional communication training. (Contains 2 figures.)
Students Learn How Nonprofits Utilize Volunteers through Inquiry-Based Learning
Author: Bolton, Elizabeth B.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Students,Learning Strategies,Active Learning,Nonprofit Organizations,Volunteers,Inquiry,Teaching Methods,Interviews,Questionnaires,Staff Utilization,Organizational Theories,Case Method (Teaching Technique)

This article highlights how undergraduate students implemented inquiry-based learning strategies to learn how nonprofit organizations utilize volunteers. In inquiry-based learning, students begin with a problem or question with some degree of focus or structure provided by the professor. The student inquiry showcased in this article was based on a questionnaire used in an interview with the chief executive officer of a local nonprofit organization. The data collected by students participating in the inquiry-based project contribute to a study that may be used to guide student learning outcomes as they prepare for careers in the nonprofit sector. Inquiry-based learning is a useful approach to focus student learning outcomes and engage students in authentic, active research. (Contains 3 tables.)
Useful Pedagogies or Financial Hardships? Interactive Response Technology (Clickers) in the Large College Classroom
Author: Boatright-Horowitz, Su L.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Feedback (Response),Student Attitudes,Course Content,Attitude Change,Attitude Measures,Higher Education,Class Size,Learner Engagement,Self Esteem,Discussion (Teaching Technique),Retention (Psychology),Mastery Learning,Tests,Student Surveys,Undergraduate Students,Technology Uses in Education,Handheld Devices,Synchronous Communication

Interactive response systems "clickers" can provide multiple benefits to the students and faculty who use them, including immediate performance feedback and greater student engagement in learning. My own exploration of this technology has yielded five pedagogically different types of polling questions, specifically measurement of student confidence levels, their comfort levels with various topics, assessment of attitude change due to class discussions, retention of course information, and basic mastery of course content. The present investigation revealed that students acknowledge the possible benefits to the instructor of using these polling questions, yet they were most appreciative of the opportunity to see sample quiz questions. More surprising, these students were unaware of the price of "clickers," despite having purchased them at the start of the semester, suggesting that use of this technology does not constitute a financial hardship for many students. (Contains 1 table.)
Effective Teaching Behaviors in the College Classroom: A Critical Incident Technique from Students' Perspective
Author: Khandelwal, Kanika Aggarwal
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Undergraduate Students,College Faculty,Teacher Effectiveness,Critical Incidents Method,Student Attitudes,Student Evaluation of Teacher Performance,Content Analysis,Humanities,Humanities Instruction

Teaching is a multidimensional, complex activity. The use of the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) has the potential to be effective in improving teaching as it reveals successful behaviors by identifying key actions associated between excellent/poor performances. The present study sought to identify teaching behaviors that differentiate excellent and very poor performance of undergraduate college teachers in India using CIT, from the perspective of students. Two hundred thirty-seven critical incidents were collected from 60 female students from three different undergraduate humanities courses using questionnaires and personal interviews. Qualitative procedures emphasizing the verbatims students generated were used for data analysis. The data generated from the incidents was subjected to content analysis, and sorted into 6 categories. The six categories identified were: rapport with students, course preparation and delivery, encouragement, fairness, spending time with students outside of class, and control. The frequency with which students reported each behavior as either good or bad is presented. The study yields specific behaviors for faculty to follow to yield improvement in teaching evaluations by students. A list of critical behaviors may have implications in selection, training and performance evaluation of teachers. The present study also underlines the robustness of CIT in education research. (Contains 1 table.)
Beyond "Read and Discuss": Promoting Dynamic Online Interaction and Humanness Using Mediated Learning Experience
Author: Albon, Rozz J.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Learning Experience,Electronic Learning,Ecology,Computer Assisted Instruction,Online Courses,Interaction,Facilitators (Individuals),Student Empowerment

A lament of some academics wanting to use online learning is their inability to promote dynamic interactions. The basic practice of "read and discuss" does not get to the heart of active and engaged learning. Existing approaches recognize participation for successful online conversation, but do not make transparent the role of the academic instructor as mediator. This paper draws on the theory of mediated learning experience (MLE) to introduce humanness in the motivation to engage in tasks, and ultimately promote student empowerment. Guidelines to move discussion beyond "read and discuss" through meaningful, caring, rich, and challenging dialogue are provided. A design-based instructional methodology directed the study. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)
Contributions of Early Work-Based Learning: A Case Study of First Year Pharmacy Students
Author: Ting, Kang Nee
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Pharmaceutical Education,Undergraduate Study,Pharmacy,Experiential Learning,Summer Programs,Student Attitudes,Focus Groups,Education Work Relationship,Foreign Countries

Generally work-based learning opportunities are only offered to students in their penultimate year of undergraduate study. Little is known about the benefits and shortcomings of such experiential learning for students in the early stages of their undergraduate education. This is a mixed method study investigating first year undergraduate pharmacy students' perceptions of work-based learning during their vacation. A structured questionnaire was designed to assess students' views on their placement experiences and also to help identify suitable participants for the second part of the study that involved a focus group. Both quantitative and qualitative methods revealed that most students found work-based learning valuable to them. Subject related competences and personal/social skills were recorded where some of these skills could not be acquired within the academic setting. Understanding their professional role and responsibilities and the opportunity to work with other professionals in a working environment were highlighted as positive features of the placement experience. The findings from the study suggest that supplemental in-the-field work experiences in the early stages of students' university education should be made part of a university curriculum, as it helps in their academic development and contributes towards preparing them for future work environments and the job market. (Contains 3 tables.)
The Challenges of Teaching Qualitative Coding: Can a Learning Object Help?
Author: Raddon, Mary-Beth
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Qualitative Research,Data Analysis,Coding,Teaching Methods,Educational Technology,Web Based Instruction,Discovery Processes,Outcomes of Education,Resource Units,Interactive Video,Instructional Effectiveness,Feedback (Response),Student Evaluation,Enrichment Activities

Challenged by some of the inherent difficulties in teaching qualitative data analysis, three instructors created an interactive digital learning object entitled "Sleuthing the Layered Text: Investigating Coding." In this paper we assess the effectiveness of that learning object as a tool for teaching qualitative coding. On the face of it, learning objects--a form of instructional technology that has been criticized for tending to be objectivist and content-driven--would appear to be ill-suited for teaching qualitative analysis, an open-ended, interpretive and subjective process. However, based on student evaluations from two very different undergraduate courses, we found that the learning object did prove to be an effective medium for teaching coding. We attribute this success to its design, which incorporates best practices of classroom instructors, and also to the integration of the learning object into our courses. Nevertheless, student feedback cautions us that the learning object is not a technological fix. The degree to which students valued the learning object over other methods of instruction was moderate, and some were leery about this form of digital technology substituting for classroom teaching, even though this was not our intention. (Contains 1 table and 6 figures.)
Photovoice as a Teaching Tool: Learning by Doing with Visual Methods
Author: Schell, Kara
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Graduate Students,Sociology,Social Science Research,Teaching Methods,Research Methodology,Visual Learning,Qualitative Research,Learning Experience,Photography,Critical Thinking

There has been a lack of research done on in-class teaching and learning using visual methods. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate an enriched teaching and learning experience, facilitated by a Photovoice project, in an Advanced Methodology class where sociology graduate students were exposed to various social research methods and methodologies. Students were asked to take photographs that would represent a research interest or a lived experience based in their own social world. The article weaves four students and the professor's experiences to document the impact the Photovoice project had on each of them. Through this process, it was found that Photovoice is a successful tool for conducting research, teaching students to think critically, and introducing students to a new medium to create knowledge. Students experienced what it is like to be a researcher and a  participant in a qualitative research project and discovered the overwhelming potential visual methods have to inform society about lived experiences.
Curriculum Alignment: Exploring Student Perception of Learning Achievement Measures
Author: Kuhn, Kerri-Ann L.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Alignment (Education),Self Evaluation (Individuals),Achievement Gains,Student Attitudes,Marketing,Student Surveys,Foreign Countries,Questionnaires,Achievement Rating,Measures (Individuals),Student Evaluation,Instructional Effectiveness

The importance of constructively aligned curriculum is well understood in higher education. Based on the principles of constructive alignment, this research considers whether student perception of learning achievement measures can be used to gain insights into how course activities and pedagogy are assisting or hindering students in accomplishing course learning goals. Students in a Marketing Principles course were asked to complete a voluntary survey rating their own progress on the intended learning goals for the course. Student perceptions of learning achievement were correlated with actual student learning, as measured by grade, suggesting that student perceptions of learning achievement measures are suitable for higher educators. Student perception of learning achievement measures provide an alternate means to understand whether students are learning what was intended, which is particularly useful for educators faced with large classes and associated restrictions on assessment. Further, these measures enable educators to simultaneously gather evidence to document the impact of teaching innovations on student learning. Further implications for faculty  and future research are offered. (Contains 4 tables.)
Plagiarism in Academia
Author: Shahabuddin, Syed
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Plagiarism,Periodicals,Writing for Publication,Faculty Publishing,Scholarship,Cheating,Change Strategies,Computer Software Reviews,Information Policy,Standards

Plagiarism sometimes creates legal and ethical problems for students and faculty. It can have serious consequences. Fortunately, there are ways to stop plagiarism. There are many tools available to detect plagiarism, e.g. using software for detecting submitted articles. Also, there are many ways to punish a plagiarist, e.g. banning plagiarists from submitting future articles for publication. In addition, scholarly journals should clearly state their policies regarding plagiarism and require authors to sign a statement indicating that their articles meet the requirements of original work. The reviewers should be supported by the journal's board and editors when they report any occurrences of plagiarism.
Effective Teaching in Higher Education: Perceptions of First Year Undergraduate Students
Author: Allan, Jo
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Students,Teacher Effectiveness,Student Attitudes,Focus Groups,Likert Scales,College Freshmen,Questionnaires,Student Evaluation of Teacher Performance,Instructional Effectiveness,Educational Environment,Foreign Countries,Definitions,Teacher Characteristics,Educational Practices

This article reports on a piece of research designed to explore students' perceptions of what constitutes effective teaching in a modern UK university. Definitions of effectiveness, based on work in both the schools and university sectors, are explored and summarized into four domains: providing a supportive learning environment; having high expectations; scaffolding learning; and providing clear explanations. The research was undertaken with first year undergraduates studying education-related non-teacher training programs. Data gathered from three focus group interviews were developed into a 32 item Likert scale questionnaire completed by a sample of 80 students, 65 of whom participated in further focus group discussions. Consensus regarding ten factors that describe effective university teachers is posited. The article concludes by suggesting that notions of effectiveness are predicated less on university teachers having high academic expectations and more on the provision of a supportive environment in which teachers scaffold learning effectively and promote effective interaction with their students. (Contains 4 tables.)
Service Learning as an Opportunity for Personal and Social Transformation
Author: Meyers, Steven A.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Justice,Social Problems,Service Learning,Social Change,Teaching Methods,Student Development,Consciousness Raising,Cultural Pluralism,Change Agents,Minority Groups,Student Attitudes,Attitude Change,Advocacy,Activism,Student Participation,College Students,Reflection

Service-learning can be used as a teaching tool to promote social justice, and its implementation can encourage both students' personal development and social engagement. In this article, I illustrate how service-learning can help students become more self-aware, appreciative of diversity, and agents of social change. This process involves students reaching out to marginalized populations through community placements, reaching in through detailed reflection and introspection about their attitudes and experiences, and reaching around their communities through advocacy and activism to address social problems that are evident at field sites. I include supporting qualitative data that document how these experiences impacted students' personal growth and civic participation.
Learning through Life Books: Teaching Human Growth and Development in an Emotionally Rich Community Context
Author: Korsmo, John
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Undergraduate Students,Professional Education,Service Learning,Individual Development,Children,Foster Care,Books,Personal Narratives,Time Perspective,Teaching Methods,Human Services,Placement,Interviews,Documentation,Adoption,Experiential Learning

One challenge experienced by many educators working in pre-professional programs involves designing courses to support students as they learn how to apply subject area knowledge to professional practice. This article describes a successful collaborative community-based project that contextualizes the often abstract and predominately linear theories of human development through the creation of life books for children in the foster care system. The learning activity includes upper division undergraduate Human Services students reviewing case files, contacting, interviewing, and meeting with members of the adoptive child's families, researching the child's medical background, and documenting the child's life story to date. This method supports students' understanding of human development within the context of the systems in which they will be working.