ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Dual Language as a Social Movement: Putting Languages on a Level Playing Field
Author: Cortina, Regina
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Change,Hispanic American Students,Bilingual Education Programs,School Districts,Guidelines,Teaching Methods,Student Needs,Parent Aspiration,Instructional Leadership,Educational Innovation,Decision Making,Case Studies,Cooperative Learning,Cultural Awareness,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Spanish,Educational Benefits,Elementary School Students

As a social movement, dual language challenges and co-exists alongside traditional English-only classrooms in the US. Using Manuel Pastor's social movements framework, we demonstrate how dual language provides teaching methods and languages of instruction that allow varying student populations to excel in learning the official curriculum. In this way, dual language addresses inequities in access to education and quality of instruction as addressed in the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. and international agreements about the rights of children to learn in a language they understand. The U.S. dual language movement seeks to level the playing field for students and is sought by a range of schools, school systems, and states to meet the needs of increasingly diverse learners from a range of language and socioeconomic groups. In this paper, we address the quest of school leaders and parents to achieve successful academic results for Latino students through dual language programs. Drawing from a qualitative study of seven dual language programs in schools in two school districts, this article aims to explain how educators adapt dual language models to the needs of their changing communities. The schools' leadership led a process of academic innovations as they reshaped and improved the design of programs to serve their students. All the schools confirmed that they encountered difficulty in maintaining a 50-50 dual language model, but they also reported having to engage in continuous renewal and improvement in order to serve the needs of their communities. The article highlights the crucial role of the community in support of dual language learning and describes the empowerment networks of community actors that take part in education decision-making--which include parents, community education councils, and the schools' leadership. Through this research, we find Dual language programs, when combined with the rest of the schools' programs or when implemented across the school, to be one of the most innovative and effective forms of education programming.
Brokerage, Political Opportunity, and Protest in Venezuelan Higher Education Reform
Author: Storm, Elliot
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Change,Conflict,Higher Education,Educational Legislation,Government School Relationship,Political Power,Universities,Academic Freedom,Laws,Political Influences,Presidents,Institutional Autonomy,Role

This paper explores two episodes of contention in the ongoing conflict between the Venezuelan government and the country's autonomous universities. In August 2009, Venezuela's National Assembly approved and implemented the controversial Organic Education Law. Sixteen months later, the Assembly approved the similarly polarizing Law of University Education. Days after this bill was passed by the legislature, however, Hugo Chávez refused to sign it. This paper explains that the government was able to implement the Organic Law but not the University Education Law because of changes in the universities' organizational strength and the wider political opportunity structure. The connections brokered between oppositional groups were diffuse but weak in 2009 but more homogenous and robust in 2010. The stronger opposition, combined with a reduction in the government's political power after 2009, made the higher education law politically unviable and all but forced Chávez to rescind it.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Learners with Severe Support Needs
Author: Hartmann, Elizabeth
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Access to Education,Special Needs Students,Severe Disabilities,Accessibility (for Disabled),Developmental Disabilities,Curriculum Development,Inclusion,Mental Retardation,Individual Differences,General Education,Regular and Special Education Relationship,Educational Resources,Related Services (Special Education),Educational Practices,Educational Strategies

This article presents the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework as one way to understand how to support learners with severe disabilities and how to support their access to authentic and appropriate curricula that improves their quality of life. Two key ideas from the UDL framework, (a) understanding learner variability and (b) supporting the expert learner, are reviewed and used to address the education of learners with severe disabilities. By using the UDL framework to better understand how to support this population teachers can reform curricula in ways that will create greater and more inclusive options for all students. The article shows how UDL can be used to support reform for this population and how this will improve education for all learners.
Government versus Teachers: The Challenges of Educational Progress in Oaxaca, Mexico
Author: Shepherd, Alison Victoria
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Development,Barriers,Educational Policy,Unions,Teacher Associations,Politics of Education,Activism,Case Studies,Educational Planning,Educational Change,Government Role,Governance,Educational Administration,Conflict,Political Issues,Elementary Secondary Education,Higher Education,Teacher Attitudes

This paper considers education in the Mexican state of Oaxaca and the effects that an active teachers' union has had upon not only the education of the primary and secondary schools that the teachers represent, but also on higher educational policy in the state. The difference between rhetoric and reality is explored in terms of the union as a social movement, as well as the messy political environment in which it must operate. Through the presentation of a case study of a public higher education initiative, it is argued that the government's response to the teachers' union has included a &quot;ripple effect&quot; throughout educational planning in order to suppress further activism. It is concluded that the prolonged stand-off between the union and the government is counterproductive to educational progress and has turned the general public's favor against the union, in contrast to support for other movements demanding change from the government.
Does Watching Help? In Search of the Theory of Change for Education Monitoring
Author: Post, David
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Progress Monitoring,Educational Objectives,Sustainable Development,Goal Orientation,Educational Policy,Governance,Global Approach,Constructivism (Learning),Realism,International Cooperation,Elementary Secondary Education,Access to Education,Educational Quality

In 2015 Education for All (EFA), concludes its 25-year cycle, and the Global Monitoring Report (GMR) publishes its final assessment of triumph and defeat in reaching the six EFA goals. Before the United Nations adopts new Sustainable Development Goals, it is essential to consider the underlying theories of monitoring. This essay addresses two basic questions and then reviews the theoretical basis of the &quot;soft power&quot; of monitoring. It first asks: Was there progress toward EFA goals since Jomtien? Yes, as seen from evidence presented in the GMR. Do policy reforms, state-action, and global governance promote this progress? The evidence is less clear. After touching on these questions, the essay discusses how monitoring effects change from the perspective of either neo-realism or constructivism. Both theories offer insights about monitoring, but constructivism provides a clearer view. The implications for capacity building are then discussed.
A Garden-Based Approach to Teaching Life Science Produces Shifts in Students' Attitudes toward the Environment
Author: Fisher-Maltese, Carley
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Gardening,Environmental Education,Mixed Methods Research,Program Effectiveness,Elementary School Students,Informal Education,Student Attitudes,Pretests Posttests,Attitude Change,Outdoor Education,Elementary School Science,Semi Structured Interviews,Student Surveys,Grade 2

Recently, schools nationwide have expressed a renewed interest in school gardens, viewing them as innovative educational tools. Most of the scant studies on these settings investigate the health/nutritional impacts, science learning potential, or emotional dispositions of students. However, few studies examine the shifts in attitudes that occur for students as a result of experiences in school gardens. The purpose of this mixed method study was to examine a school garden program at a K-3 elementary school. Our study sought to demonstrate the value of garden-based learning through a focus on measures of learning typically associated with the informal learning environment. These measures tend to take into account shifts in attitude which can be important factors in learning. In contrast, existing studies on school gardens that do examine learning emphasize individual learning of traditional school content (math, science, etc.). Though we did not set out to alter students' attitudes toward the environment, based upon some preliminary work, we decided to administer an existing environmental attitude survey from Ratcliffe (2007). Interestingly, results from pre/post environmental attitude surveys indicate little to no change, but results from pre/post tests, interviews, and recorded student conversations reveal important, positive shifts in students' attitudes toward the environment. We argue that these mixed results point to the important role school gardens play in impacting attitudes toward the environment but that better tools are necessary to accurately measure these shifts.
&quot;Uncentering&quot; Teacher Beliefs: The Expressed Epistemologies of Secondary Science Teachers and How They Relate to Teacher Practice
Author: Dolphin, Glenn R.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Secondary School Teachers,Science Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Beliefs,Epistemology,Longitudinal Studies,Figurative Language,Learning,Educational Practices,Interviews

This multi-university, three-year longitudinal study examined the relationship among seven secondary science teachers' personal, student and scientific epistemologies. Paying close attention to each participant's use of metaphor when speaking about his/her learning, students' learning and the products/processes of science, we were able to discern each participant's epistemological stance as indicating the acquisition metaphor of learning or the participation metaphor of learning or some combination of the two (pluralistic). We compared video recordings of each participant's classroom teaching practice to develop an understanding for how their epistemological stance might relate to that practice. Based on our results, we contradict the current paradigm that beliefs guide practice, by positing that practice might actually determine beliefs. Where teachers having more field experiences were more likely to talk about learning through doing (participation) and those whose practice emphasized knowledge transfer, adhered to the acquisition metaphor for student learning. If teacher practice influenced their beliefs, this has profound implications for the structure of teacher education programs.
The Impact of a Faculty Training Program on Teaching Conceptions and Strategies
Author: Gunersel, Adalet Baris
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Faculty Development,College Faculty,Universities,Teaching Methods,Grounded Theory,Teacher Attitudes,Student Centered Curriculum,Active Learning,Graduate Study,Teacher Education,Metacognition,Reflection,Student Characteristics,Educational Theories,Feedback (Response),Educational Technology,Technology Integration,Educational Improvement,Qualitative Research,Semi Structured Interviews

This article presents a preliminary study of a faculty development program at a university in the Northeastern United States, exploring how the program influenced instructors' teaching conceptions about teaching in general and themselves as educators, and teaching approaches , including intended and adopted strategies. Interviews with 12 participants were conducted and analyzed; the theoretical orientation for the analysis was the grounded theory approach, and the constant comparative method of analysis was used. Findings indicate that the program influenced all of the participants' teaching conceptions in various ways (seven themes) and facilitated a shift towards a student-centered approach to teaching. Additionally, the program influenced all of the participants' teaching approaches (16 intended or adopted strategies), leading to the use of active learning methods. This study adds to the literature on the impact of pedagogical training programs for faculty, which is crucial as there is an increase in faculty development centers.
Retirement in the Post-Revocation Context at One Canadian University: Experiences of Phasing and Delaying
Author: Rapoport, Mia Quint
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Phenomenology,Teacher Retirement,College Faculty,Gender Differences,Gender Issues,History,Semi Structured Interviews

This research study is a phenomenological exploration of academics from one Canadian university who either are participating in a phased retirement program or have delayed their retirement beyond the normal retirement age of 65. It is based on face-to-face interviews with 24 professors, male and female, between the ages of 55 and 69, from an array of disciplines. The results indicate that teaching may be a primary reason why academics choose to retire, that female academics seem to align their retirement plans with those of their partners, and that academics who postpone their retirement feel as though they possess a significant amount of respect within their fields. Since this research is based upon a small sample, it provides a starting point for future research studies, particularly concerning how gender affects the issue of academic retirement.
Transfers from College to One Ontario University: A Four-Year Outcome Study
Author: Martinello, Felice
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,College Transfer Students,Comparative Analysis,Grade Point Average,Academic Persistence,Graduation,Educational Policy,Disqualification,College Credits,Undergraduate Students,Observation,Followup Studies

In this follow-up study, college students who transferred to one Ontario university in 2008-2009 were compared to non-transfer students using several different measures of academic success at university. When compared to non-transfer students, college transfer students earned fewer credits each year, had lower GPAs, and were less able to earn credits from course attempts. The differences were small for students' first and second years but larger in years three and four. Despite the lower GPA, college transfer students were not more likely than non-transfer students to be eligible for academic suspension. College transfer students also attempted fewer courses and were much less likely to persist to Year 4. By spring 2012 (after four years of university), the college transfer students were more likely than non-transfer students to have graduated, but their degree of choice was a 15-credit three-year degree (as opposed to a 20-credit four-year honours or non-honours degree). Policy implications are discussed.
Web-Based Learning: A Bridge to Meet the Needs of Canadian Nurses for Doctoral Education
Author: Kurucz, Sue
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Web Based Instruction,Doctoral Programs,Cohort Analysis,Electronic Learning,Multimedia Instruction,Multimedia Materials,Educational Experience,Nursing Education,Nursing Students,Student Characteristics,Educational Benefits,Barriers,Distance Education,Online Courses,Outcome Measures,Access to Education,Program Effectiveness,Program Descriptions

Canada does not have enough nurses with doctoral degrees. Such nurses fill important roles as researchers, educators, leaders, and clinicians. While a growing number of Canadian universities offer doctorate degrees in nursing, most institutions have only traditional on-campus programs, posing barriers for nurses who reside in places geographically distant from those institutions or who require more flexibility in their education. We describe our experiences as the inaugural cohort of the doctoral program by distributed learning at the University of Victoria, School of Nursing. Since 2011, we have used a variety of electronic modalities and participated in several very short on-site intensives. Our experience indicates that distributive learning modalities improve access and deliver academically rigorous programs.
Grades, Aspirations, and Postsecondary Education Outcomes
Author: Christofides, Louis N.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Postsecondary Education,Longitudinal Studies,Academic Achievement,Achievement Need,High School Students,Academic Aspiration,Grades (Scholastic),Parent Aspiration,Peer Influence,Outcomes of Education,Motivation,Student Characteristics,Statistical Data,Regression (Statistics),Gender Differences,Parent Influence,College Bound Students,College Graduates,Probability,Data Analysis,Foreign Countries,Predictor Variables

In this paper, we exploit a rich longitudinal data set to explore the forces that, during high school, shape the development of aspirations to attend university and achieve academic success. We then investigate how these aspirations, along with grades and other variables, impact educational outcomes such as going to university and graduating. It turns out that parental expectations and peer factors have direct and indirect effects on educational outcomes through their impact on both grades and aspirations. Policy measures that enlighten parents about the value of education may positively modify educational outcomes.
The Visioning of Policy and the Hope of Implementation: Support for Graduate Students' Teaching at a Canadian Institution
Author: Hoessler, Carolyn
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Graduate Students,Teaching Assistants,Student Role,Goal Orientation,Student School Relationship,School Responsibility,Resources

Graduate students teach within the complex higher education environment of financial constraint, greater student diversity, and growing graduate enrolment (e.g., Austin, 2003). Teaching roles offer financial support and skill development while multiplying responsibilities (Price, 2008). Across the national working papers and institutional reports, policies, and websites that we analyzed, support for graduate students was linked to their roles (e.g., teaching assistants). Formal messages about responsibility varied; national documents pointed to institutions, while institutional documents pointed to departments, courses, and individual graduate students. Most supports for graduate students reported were already existing piecemeal supports with limited implementation, despite policy recommendations for broad, flexible, open-ended, and recognized programming. Future research is needed to further clarify the pathways from vision to action.
When Online Exchanges Byte: An Examination of the Policy Environment Governing Cyberbullying at the University Level
Author: Faucher, Chantal
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Bullying,Information Policy,Universities,Policy Analysis,Electronic Learning,Correlation,Civil Rights,Student Behavior,Web Sites,Position Papers,Social Discrimination,Discipline Policy,Internet,Mass Media Use,Mass Media Effects,College Administration,Behavior Problems,Foreign Countries

This article reports on findings from a scan of 465 policies relevant to the handling of cyberbullying in 74 Canadian universities. It first assesses the commonalities and differences in the policies. Second, it considers how their various lenses--a human rights perspective versus a student conduct perspective, for instance--can affect the directions and outcomes of university responses. The majority of the policies reviewed were codes of student conduct and discipline, policies on electronic communication, and policies on harassment and discrimination. Most of the policies outlined complaint procedures and possible sanctions, but relatively few addressed prevention of unacceptable behaviours. Only about a third made reference to &quot;cyber&quot; behaviours, suggesting that the university policy environment is not current with the information and communication technologies that permeate the daily lives of university students and faculty.
A Bibliometric Mapping of Open Educational Resources
Author: Zancanaro, Airton
Date: 2015-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Bibliometrics,Resource Units,Computer Uses in Education,Shared Resources and Services,Multimedia Materials,Databases,Information Storage,Scientific and Technical Information,Scientific Research,Scholarship,Periodicals,Citation Analysis

Open educational resources (OER) is a topic that has aroused increasing interest by researchers as a powerful contribution to improve the educational system quality and openness, both in face to face and distance education. The goal of this research is to map publications related to OER, dating from 2002 to 2013, and available through the Web of Science and Scopus scientific databases as well as in the OER Knowledge Cloud open repository. Data were used to explore relevant aspects related to the scientific production in OER, such as: (i) number of publications per year; (ii) most cited publications; (iii) authors with higher number of publications; (iv) institutions and countries with more publications and (v) most referenced bibliography by the authors. The analysis has included 544 papers, written by 843 authors, from 338 institutions, from 61 different countries. Moreover, the analysis has included the publications referenced and the author's keywords, considering 6,355 different publications and 929 different keywords. Besides presenting a bibliographic mapping of the research on OER, this paper also intends to contribute to consolidate the idea that OER is a promising field for researchers, in line with the spreading of the Open movement.
Challenges of Implementing E-Learning in Kenya: A Case of Kenyan Public Universities
Author: Tarus, John K.
Date: 2015-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Electronic Learning,Public Colleges,Surveys,Blended Learning,Questionnaires,Content Analysis,College Faculty,Semi Structured Interviews,Mixed Methods Research,Barriers

In this paper, we discuss the challenges experienced by Kenyan public universities in implementation of e-learning and recommend possible solutions towards its successful implementation. In the last few years, most Kenyan public universities have adopted e-learning as a new approach to teaching and learning. However, the implementation challenges faced by these universities have continued to impact negatively on its effective utilization. This paper presents the findings from a survey of 148 staff of three Kenyan public universities who are currently using e-learning in blended mode approach. The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges hindering the implementation of e-learning in Kenyan public universities. Data was collected through questionnaires, in-depth interviews and document analysis. The findings reveal that e-learning comes with some challenges that must be addressed by Kenyan public universities before successful implementation can be realized. However, the benefits and opportunities presented by e-learning far outweigh the challenges. The paper finally recommends some possible solutions that public universities could embrace towards successful implementation of e-learning.