ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
A Study of Learners' Reflection on Andragogical Skills of Distance Education Tutors
Author: Hussain, Irshad
Date: 2013-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Tutoring,Open Universities,Preservice Teacher Education,Distance Education,Tutors,Research Tools,Andragogy,Reflection,Skill Analysis,Student Evaluation of Teacher Performance,Teaching Skills,Scaffolding (Teaching Technique),Student Attitudes,Questionnaires,Student Teacher Attitudes,Likert Scales,Interviews,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Participant Satisfaction,Teacher Effectiveness,Online Courses,Foreign Countries,Adult Education,Adult Students,Mixed Methods Research,Focus Groups

The researcher conducted present study with the objectives to a) evaluate attitude of learners towards academic and tutoring skills of distance education tutors, b) assess the opinion of distance learners about assessment and evaluation skills of their tutors and c) examine reflection of learners on scaffolding skills of distance education tutors. The population of the study consisted of learners of pre-service teacher education (B.Ed semester spring 2010) programme of Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad. The sample of the study was taken through the convenient sampling technique from three regions of Allama Iqbal Open University situated in the Punjab Province. A questionnaire was designed using a five-point (rating/Likert) scale to elicit the reflection of (600) learners. However, the response rate was 78% (468) of the total sample. Interview schedule was also used as a research tool for collecting qualitative data from (50) respondents in five groups. The researcher analysed data quantitatively and qualitatively. The study concluded that the overall reflection of distance learners on andragogical skills of their tutors was positive. Apparently they were satisfied with andragogical skills of their tutors. They asserted that their tutors had academic and tutoring skills (consisting of encouraging, guiding &amp; facilitating-emboldening and enabling skills), assessment &amp; evaluation skills, and technical and social skills. However, tutors needed training to use social websites, Skype and mobile phone conferences and online discussion. Keeping in view the conclusion of the study, the researcher recommended short and long term training of tutors to use information and communication technologies appropriately.
Pre-Service Teachers: An Analysis of Reading Instruction in High Needs Districts Dual Language Classrooms
Author: Whitacre, Michael
Date: 2013-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Theory Practice Relationship,Reading Instruction,Teaching Methods,Student Teaching,Teaching Experience,Bilingual Education,Video Technology,Best Practices,English Language Learners,English (Second Language),Bilingual Teachers,Small Group Instruction,Focus Groups,Case Studies,Preschool Teachers,Measures (Individuals),Classroom Observation Techniques,Interviews,Qualitative Research,Likert Scales

Pre-service teachers need opportunities to apply theory and connect to best practices as they teach in classroom settings be it, whole or small group. For many pre-service teachers often times their experience is limited to simply watching instruction or working with small groups of students (Pryor &amp; Kuhn, 2004). The student teaching experience is a critical component of the teacher preparation program. Through the use of the English Language Learner Classroom Observation Instrument (ELLCOI), and researcher observation the hope is that these will aid in bringing to light the instructional activities used by pre-service teachers during reading instruction with ELLs. This study explores how preservice bilingual teachers connect theory into practice by examining their instruction in the following categories: Instructional Practices, Interactive Teaching, English-Language Development, and Content Specific to Reading as listed in The English Language Learner Classroom Observation Instrument (ELLCOI) developed by Haager, Gersten, Baker, and Graves (2003). To capture these instructional events video tape recordings of eight South Texas pre-service teachers were taken during a reading language arts lesson in order to observe instruction in high need districts' dual language/bilingual classrooms. Data were compiled to capture the nature and quality of instruction on key essential elements, as well as reading instructional practices specific to the teaching/learning process in the dual language classroom. The findings portray the results of the ELLCOI with bilingual/ESL pre- service teachers and how they make sense of their instructional practices as a means to instruction in one-way dual language public school classrooms.
Canonical Correlational Models of Students' Perceptions of Assessment Tasks, Motivational Orientations, and Learning Strategies
Author: Alkharusi, Hussain
Date: 2013-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Grade 10,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Student Attitudes,Language Tests,Student Motivation,Learning Strategies,Models,Self Efficacy,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Factor Analysis,Multivariate Analysis

The present study aims at deriving correlational models of students' perceptions of assessment tasks, motivational orientations, and learning strategies using canonical analyses. Data were collected from 198 Omani tenth grade students. Results showed that high degrees of authenticity and transparency in assessment were associated with positive students' self-efficacy and task value. Also, high degrees of authenticity, transparency, and diversity in assessment were associated with a strong reliance on deep learning strategies; whereas a high degree of congruence with planned learning and a low degree of authenticity were associated with more reliance on surface learning strategies. Implications for classroom assessment practice and research were discussed.
Analysis of 100 Years of Curriculum Designs
Author: Kelting-Gibson, Lynn
Date: 2013-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Curriculum Design,Content Analysis,Longitudinal Studies,Comparative Analysis,Educational Researchers,Educational Assessment,Instructional Effectiveness,Evidence,Educational History,Teachers,Educational Attitudes,Literature Reviews

Fifteen historical and contemporary curriculum designs were analyzed for elements of assessment that support student learning and inform instructional decisions. Educational researchers are purposely paying attention to the role assessment plays in a well-designed planning and teaching process. Assessment is a vital component to educational planning and teaching because it is a way to gather accurate evidence of student learning and information to inform instructional decisions. The purpose of this review was to analyze 100 years of curriculum designs to uncover elements of assessment that will support teachers in their desire to improve student learning. Throughout this research the author seeks to answer the question: Do historical and contemporary curriculum designs include elements of assessment that help teachers improve student learning? The results of the review reveal that assessment elements were addressed in all of the curricular designs analyzed, but not all elements of assessment were identified using similar terminology. Based on the analysis of this review, it is suggested that teachers not be particular about the terminology used to describe assessment elements, as all curriculum models discussed use one or more elements similar to the context of pre, formative, and summative assessments.
Why Did I Ask That Question? Bilingual/ESL Pre-Service Teachers' Insights
Author: Diaz, Zulmaris
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),English Language Learners,Questioning Techniques,Focus Groups,Reflection,Student Teacher Attitudes,Educational Strategies,Microteaching,Bilingual Teachers,Language Arts,Mathematics Instruction,Preservice Teacher Education,Case Studies,Preservice Teachers,Semi Structured Interviews

Questioning techniques have historically been considered the measurement by which teachers challenge and gauge student learning. Much has been said about questioning strategies used by teachers; yet little is known about the strategies used by pre-service teachers, especially those that are working with English language learners. This study presents findings from a qualitative study that explored what types of questions pre-service teachers use and their reflections on the use of such strategies. Eight bilingual/ESL pre-service teachers in South Texas were videotaped during a math and a language arts lesson, attended focus groups, and participated in an exit interview. The findings revealed the type of questions used by the participants, how they made sense of their teaching, and how accountability measures influenced their teaching. This research recommends education programs to prepare future teachers to comply with what is required by the current reform without compromising their students' learning and thinking skills.
High Ability and Learner Characteristics
Author: Hindal, Huda
Date: 2013-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Gifted,Student Characteristics,Short Term Memory,Grade 7,Middle School Students,Factor Analysis,Tests,Recognition (Achievement),Recall (Psychology),Evaluation Criteria,Cognitive Processes

The outstandingly able learner has been conceptualised, in terms of test and examination performance, as the learner showing superior academic performance which is markedly better than that of peers and in ways regarded as of value by wider society. In Kuwait, such superior examination performance leads to a classification regarded as being &quot;gifted&quot;. This study looks at the inter-correlations between performance in various subjects in examinations and then considers how examination performance correlates with measures of working memory capacity, extent of field dependency, extent of divergency and visual-spatial abilities. A very large sample of grade 7 Kuwaiti students (aged ~13) was involved, the sample being selected in such a way that it contained a high proportion of those regarded as 'gifted' under the procedures used in Kuwait. While specific learner characteristics have been related to examination performance, this study brings four different characteristics together to gain a picture of the way these characteristics may be seen in those who perform extremely well in examinations. Principal components analysis using varimax rotation, was used to look at the examination data and one factor accounted for 87% of the variance. A consideration of the examination papers led to the conclusion that the national examinations tested only recall-recognition. It was also found that those who performed best in all six subjects tended to be those who are highly divergent and strongly visual-spatial as well as those tending to have higher working memory capacities and being more field independent. The inter-correlations between the various learner characteristics are explained in terms of the way the brain is known to process information. The implications of the findings for assessment and for the way high ability is considered are discussed.
Motivation to Read: How Does It Change for Struggling Readers with and without Disabilities?
Author: Melekoglu, Macid A.
Date: 2013-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Motivation,Elementary School Students,Secondary School Students,Reading Difficulties,Special Needs Students,Disabilities,Reading Attitudes,Negative Attitudes,Reading Skills,Reading Strategies,Barriers,Reading Improvement,Adolescents,Grade 4,Grade 5,Grade 6,Grade 10,Grade 11,Grade 12

Lack of reading motivation impedes upper elementary and secondary school students' willingness to improve critical reading skills and strategies to be successful in school. Struggling readers often show a negative attitude towards reading tasks and manifest low motivation to read. Although the importance of motivation is clear, there is limited research on reading motivation of struggling adolescents with disabilities. This study examined whether reading motivation of struggling readers with and without disabilities significantly changed after an eighteen week period of reading instruction in two elementary schools and one high school in a Midwest state of the United States of America (USA). Findings yielded significant improvement in motivation for adolescents without disabilities while motivation scores declined for students with disabilities. An overview of students' answers to survey questions is provided and some evidence-based methods that teachers can utilize to improve reading motivation of upper elementary and high school students are summarized.
Understanding Student Teachers' Behavioural Intention to Use Technology: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) Validation and Testing
Author: Wong, Kung-Teck
Date: 2013-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Factor Analysis,Structural Equation Models,Student Teachers,Student Teacher Attitudes,Computer Uses in Education,Educational Technology,Technology Integration,Elementary Secondary Education,Intention,Usability,Context Effect,Test Validity,Testing,Models,Questionnaires

This study sets out to validate and test the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in the context of Malaysian student teachers' integration of their technology in teaching and learning. To establish factorial validity, data collected from 302 respondents were tested against the TAM using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modelling (SEM) was used for model comparison and hypotheses testing. The goodness-of-fit test of the analysis shows partial support of the applicability of the TAM in a Malaysian context. Overall, the TAM accounted for 37.3% of the variance in intention to use technology among student teachers and of the five hypotheses formulated, four are supported. Perceived usefulness is a significant influence on attitude towards computer use and behavioural intention. Perceived ease of use significantly influences perceived usefulness, and finally, behavioural intention is found to be influenced by attitude towards computer use. The findings of this research contribute to the literature by validating the TAM in the Malaysian context and provide several prominent implications for the research and practice of technology integration development.
The Relationship between Attitudes toward Participation in Physical Activities and Motives for Choosing Teaching Physical Education as a Career
Author: Al-Rawahi, Nasser
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Physical Education,Physical Activities,Teaching (Occupation),Student Educational Objectives,Career Choice,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Participation,Physical Activity Level,Questionnaires,Motivation,Incentives,Measures (Individuals),Preservice Teachers,Likert Scales

This study aims at investigating the relationship between physical education teachers' attitudes toward participation in physical activity and their motives toward choosing physical education as a teaching profession. Two questionnaires with a sample of 98 participants were employed as a data collection vehicle. The results showed that participants in this study had strong attitudes toward physical activities. Furthermore, participants expressed a mixture of intrinsic and extrinsic reasons as to why they opted for physical education as a teaching profession. Moreover, the findings revealed a significant relationship between participants' attitudes toward participation in physical activity and their motives toward choosing physical education as a teaching profession.
Epistemological Belief and Learning Approaches of Students in Higher Institutions of Learning in Malaysia
Author: Ismail, Habsah
Date: 2013-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Measures (Individuals),Epistemology,Learning Strategies,Beliefs,Investigations,Questionnaires,Ethnic Diversity,Gender Differences,Specialization,Cognitive Style,Institutional Characteristics,Student Characteristics,Correlation,Performance Factors,Student Attitudes,College Students

This is an investigation of the students' beliefs about the nature of knowledge or epistemological beliefs, and the relation of these beliefs on their learning approaches. Students chosen as samples of the study were from both public and private higher institutions of learning in Malaysia. The instrument used in the study consists of 49 items measuring students' epistemological beliefs and 20 items on their learning approaches. Items on epistemological belief were adapted and modified from Schommer's Epistemological Questionnaire (1990) and Schraw, Bendixen and Dunkle (2000) Epistemic Beliefs Inventory that assesses students' beliefs about simple knowledge, certain knowledge, quick learning, and fixed ability to learn. Items on learning approaches were adapted from Bigg's forty-two-item Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ), designed for tertiary-level students. The instrument was administered to 1405 students of higher institutions of learning both public and private. Differences in epistemological beliefs among students of these higher institutions, ethnic and between genders were examined.
Inclusive Education Reform in Bangladesh: Pre-Service Teachers' Responses to Include Students with Special Educational Needs in Regular Classrooms
Author: Malak, Md. Saiful
Date: 2013-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Disabilities,Inclusion,Preservice Teacher Education,Teacher Education Programs,Educational Change,Class Size,Change Strategies,Academic Accommodations (Disabilities),Special Needs Students,Interviews,Student Teacher Attitudes,Attitudes toward Disabilities,Educational Practices,Teaching Conditions,Teaching Load,Peer Acceptance,Professional Development,Self Efficacy,Teacher Collaboration,Barriers,Performance Factors,Qualitative Research

Inclusive education (IE) has been recognized as a key strategy to ensure education for all in the developing world for the last two decades. As a developing country, Bangladesh is striving to address IE by undergoing various initiatives such as policy reform, awareness creation and teacher development. This paper based on a qualitative approach attempts to explore pre-service teachers' responses to include students with special educational needs (SEN) in regular classrooms in primary schools. A one-on-one interview was conducted with 20 pre-service teachers who were enrolled in a teacher education program of one public university in Bangladesh. The findings revealed from the study indicate that majority of the preservice teachers have unfavourable attitudes to include students with SEN in regular classrooms. Misconception and lack of knowledge about disabilities are revealed from most of the pre-service teachers' responses. Further large class size, high workloads, inflexible curriculum policy of primary education and inadequate experiential learning facilities of teacher education program are identified as barriers to IE reform. Several issues are discussed as implications in order to promote better inclusive practices in regular primary education.
Exploring the Relationship between Teaching Staff Age and Their Attitude towards Information and Communications Technologies (ICT)
Author: Elsaadani, Mohamed Abdelaziz
Date: 2013-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Communications,Computer Mediated Communication,Information Technology,Higher Education,Technology Uses in Education,Questionnaires,Influence of Technology,Educational Change,College Faculty,Teacher Student Relationship,Age Differences,Computer Attitudes,Context Effect,Sampling,Factor Analysis

Current research seeks to understand the relationship between teaching staff' age and their attitude toward ICT. Survey methodology is facilitated through the use of the questionnaires. The survey domain is a random sampling of teaching staff in Egyptian HEI. The population for this study was 500 full-time Faculty staff, and only 412 returned and completed questionnaires are considered as the study sample. The results showed that there is a moderate and positive relationship between the age of participants and their attitude towards ICT; thus, when considering attitude towards ICT by teaching staff members in Egyptians HEI, age is a significant factor. The result of this research has significant implications to HEI when they plan, develop, and adopt ICT. HEI has to consider that teaching staff' attitude towards ICT is related to their age.
Cultivating Bilingual Learners' Language Arts Knowledge: A Framework for Successful Teaching
Author: Almaguer, Isela
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Bilingualism,Second Languages,Second Language Instruction,English Language Learners,Low Achievement,Content Area Reading,Learner Engagement,Prior Learning,Culturally Relevant Education,Metacognition,Instructional Effectiveness,Cooperative Learning,Language Arts

It is essential to support bilingual learners' language and academic development; however, teaching second language learners English has taken precedence over teaching content area knowledge and vocabulary, specifically for language arts. The focus has shifted from content area instruction to primarily second language instruction due to an increasingly diverse population and an increasing number of bilingual learners in formal school settings. This article introduces a framework for accomplishing both linguistic and content literacy simultaneously. The framework takes into account the four elements of the principles of learning, learner appropriate pedagogy, contextual interaction theory, student language (L1/L2) proficiency level, and a learner-centered environment that can lead to the successful achievement of content literacy for bilingual learners. The framework illustrates both the theory and practical applications that are needed for bilingual learners to achieve linguistic and cognitive success by attaining the language arts content literacy needed to succeed both in and out of the classroom.
Students' Perceived Level of English Proficiency in Secondary Schools in Dodoma, Tanzania
Author: Makewa, Lazarus Ndiku
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teacher Motivation,Class Activities,Learning Activities,Student Attitudes,Teaching Methods,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Classroom Environment,Questionnaires,Anxiety,Linguistic Theory,Linguistic Input,Reliability,Language Proficiency,Qualitative Research,Interlanguage,Secondary School Students,Language Attitudes,Statistical Analysis

This paper looked at students' perceived level of English proficiency among Dodoma secondary schools in Tanzania. Factors like attitude, anxiety, classroom activities, motivation, and learning resources were considered as influencing English learning. The study was guided by three theories: Input Hypothesis, Interlanguage and Vygotsky's theory of value. Correlation design was used to describe the association between the student and teacher-related factors and students' perceived level of English proficiency. Purposive sampling was used to select 300 form three students. Questionnaires were used to collect data from the participants. Reliability of the research instrument was determined by conducting a pilot study. Pearson Descriptive statistics and Kendall's Tau-b were used to analyze the data. The study revealed that the students' perceived level of proficiency in spoken English was average. The findings indicated a significant positive correlation between perceived English proficiency and attitude toward the English language, classroom activities, teacher motivation, and classroom environment. It is suggested that further studies integrate qualitative research methods to the research design in order to get an in-depth understanding of students' perception on English proficiency.