ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Practicum as a Space and Time of Transformation: Self-Narrative of a Physical Education Pre-Service Teacher
Author: Margarida, Alves
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Practicums,Preservice Teachers,Physical Education Teachers,Professional Identity,Personal Narratives,Discourse Analysis,Foreign Countries

Understanding the role of the practicum in the PI (professional identity) construction and reconstruction within a pre-service teacher is crucial, since this is a remarkable moment in their initial training. This moment provides new feelings and challenges, and it represents the transition from students (pre-service teacher) to teachers (in-service teacher). Although there are some studies about this subject, the perspective of a self-narrative of the PI construction had not been hitherto unveiled. In this paper, the authors try to capture the contributions of the practicum to the PI construction based on the analysis of the Practicum Report and the Board Diary. The confrontation with the real context of school and teaching is noticed as critical, and the importance attributed to the practicum is one of the most emphasized aspects. The pre-service teacher remarked the necessity to be able to (re)construct and (re)adapt methodologies. The idea that PI is constructed in community, to enhance the importance of group work, was also noticed. All in all, the most notorious contributes to the PI (re)construction were engaged with aspects that can only be experienced &quot;in loco&quot;, raising new questions about the importance of the context of the practicum to the PI construction.
Non-Formal and Informal Education: Where Does It Go in the Slovak Republic?
Author: Petnuchova, Jana
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Informal Education,Nonformal Education,Lifelong Learning,Adult Learning,Educational Philosophy,Recognition (Achievement),Barriers

The article describes importance of education, not only as an initial education for kids, pupils and students, but also as a part of LLL (lifelong learning) and development for adult. People are constantly learning everywhere and at all times. Especially for teachers, in recent years, there has been an increasing appreciation of the importance of learning in non-formal and informal settings. For the Slovak, educational system is highly important to identify and validate these learning experiences. The aim of this article is to highlight the definitions and understandings of what counts as formal, non-formal and informal learning/education which can vary between the Slovak educational system and other countries educational systems. In 1996, the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) Ministers of Education agreed to develop strategies for &quot;lifelong learning for all&quot;. The concept of &quot;education from cradle to grave&quot; includes formal, non-formal and informal learning. What does it mean by non-formal and informal education in practice for Slovak teachers? What is the implementation of EQF (European Qualifications Framework) and development of national qualification framework? Where is the Slovak non-formal and informal education? (Contains 3 tables.)
Primary-Grade Teacher Candidates' Views on Museum Education
Author: Tas, Ayse Mentis
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Teachers,Preservice Teachers,Museums,Teaching Methods,Foreign Countries,Surveys,Student Teacher Attitudes,Attitude Measures,Social Studies,History Instruction,Field Trips

This study identifies the primary-grade teacher candidates' views on museum education. The research is a descriptive research that used survey model. The study group is made up of 209 primary-grade teacher candidates who were seniors in the Primary-Grade Teaching Program. They were all attending Konya University's Faculty of Education. A survey prepared by the researcher was used to get teacher candidates' views on museums and museum education. During data analysis, frequency and percentage were used. As a result, it was found that teacher candidates had positive opinions about museum education, but a significant number of them (71.30 %) perceived that museum education should be used especially during history lessons. They mentioned that museum education was discussed mostly in social studies and civilization history courses during their university education. For the teacher candidates who think multi-directionally on this subject, museum education as an effective method should be used in every lesson. (Contains 3 tables.)
Lesson Study as Practice: An Indonesian Elementary School Experience
Author: Suratno, Tatang
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Educational Change,Group Discussion,Educational Experience,Educational Improvement,Foreign Countries,Private Schools,Elementary School Teachers,Case Studies,Communities of Practice,Faculty Development,Leadership,Workshops,Teacher Role,Planning,Observation,Teacher Improvement

This paper describes the &quot;practice architectures&quot;; and &quot;ecologies of practice&quot; of LS (lesson study) in an Indonesian private elementary school. It aims at drawing on LS as a form of professional learning from the perspective of contemporary practice theory (Kemmis, Wilkinson, Hardy, &amp; Edwards-Groves, 2009; Kemmis, 2009a, 2009b). This case study discusses the distinctive features of LS as social practice at that school. Firstly, the author highlights the context of LS activity (January-June, 2010), as a part of School Improvement Program, which aims to develop participating teachers' capacities, i.e., teacher learning, by studying the nature of teaching and learning processes. Aligned with school's vision to develop a learning community, the program developed three main activities: (1) Leadership for Learning workshop that focused on exploring the nature of learning and teaching and the role of teacher in LS practice; (2) LS workshops that involved a &quot;Plan-Do-See&quot; cycle for designing, implementing, and reflecting upon teaching and learning activities; and (3) School Forum in which the participants shared experiences with other fellow teachers. Data were collected through focused group discussion, field observation, and document study. Secondly, the author discusses the practice architecture to describe distinctive&quot;sayings&quot;, &quot;doings&quot;, and &quot;relatings&quot; characteristics of LS practice in terms of interconnected &quot;meta-practices&quot; of learning community, leadership, and teacher learning. Finally, the paper argues, following Kemmis' works, that those meta-practices are mutually interdependent within ecologies of LS practice, which influence and are influenced by each other. (Contains 3 tables.)
Unequal Achievement of Science Undergraduates: Does Sex Influence the Differences?
Author: Patrick, Ajaja O.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Physics,Females,Academic Records,Grade Point Average,Chemistry,Biology,Comparative Analysis,Males,Undergraduate Students,Gender Differences,Majors (Students),Enrollment Trends,Science Achievement,Academic Ability,Foreign Countries

The major purpose of this study was to determine if gender influences grade points earned by university students who majored in biology, chemistry, and physics. The design of the study was ex-post facto, considering the academic records of science students admitted from 2003 to 2007. The total number of subjects used for the study was 637 biology, chemistry, and physics education students. The instrument used for data collection was the students' data cards. The major findings of the study included: (1) Females dominated enrolment in biology, males dominated enrolment in physics, and enrolment in chemistry was nearly equal for males and females; (2) Male students significantly out-performed the females on grade points earned in chemistry and physics, while there was no significant difference between males and females in biology; (3) There was no significant difference between males and females of high ability in chemistry and physics and of middle and low abilities in biology, while significant differences were found between males and females of middle and low abilities in chemistry and physics; and (4) There was significant difference in GPA (grade point averages) between males and females by discipline and level. (Contains 4 tables.)
From Crisis to Renewal: One School's Journey
Author: Skelcher, Ann M.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses
Subjects: Foreign Countries,School Culture,Elementary Schools,Rural Schools,Principals,Educational Change,Sexual Abuse,Institutional Evaluation,Institutional Research,Reflection,Qualitative Research,Grade 2,Confidentiality,Grounded Theory,Parent School Relationship,Trust (Psychology),Superintendents,Role,Social Support Groups,Crisis Management

This case study describes a time period of 6 years in the history of a school, a period marked by crisis recovery and organizational response to a mandated large-scale reform. Despite its challenges, when speaking of this period a number of the staff reflected on it as a kind of magical moment in time. Twenty years later, I began to wonder what forces and factors were in play that had evoked these memories of the period. The research questions that directed the study asked participants what their experience was and the factors they saw as contributing to the school's success, if the crises, the reform or the somewhat simultaneous presence of the two, played a role in the school's development. I also sought to understand my own role of principal in the development of the school. The goal of this dissertation was to ascertain how the responses of those both internal and external to the school facilitated and impeded the school's ability to recover and restore its legitimacy in the eyes of its community and the school district within which it operated. The research findings revealed significant themes in the collected stories and determined that both crises and reform played a role in the school's development. This research has implications for educators seeking to resolve crises and increase the capacity of schools to better meet their future--one sure to bring change, reform, and perhaps even crises. The following are appended: (1) Do the Cultural Norms of Your School Promote School Improvement?; (2) How Effective Is Your School?; (3) Letter of Introduction; (4) Study Information Document; (5) Informed Consent by Participants; (6) Participant Confidentiality Agreement; and (7) The Creative Cycle. (Contains 8 tables, 1 figure, and 11 footnotes.)
Good Schooling as the Outcome of the Interaction between Children and Teachers in Greek Primary School
Author: Babalis, Thomas
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Public Schools,Interaction,Teacher Attitudes,School Culture,Foreign Countries,Teacher Student Relationship,Elementary School Students,Elementary School Teachers,Student Attitudes,Educational Environment,Grade 5,Grade 6,Check Lists

Pedagogic and educational circles nowadays consider the school environment, related to its quality, to be the soul and essence of school, which is conducive to students and teachers feeling endless love for their school. Schools usually pursue emotional and social results positively affecting cognitive outcomes. The objective of this research is to promote the quality of education and improve the educational mission based on the views of the people involved: teachers and students of primary education, who also comprise the samples for research. Mostly, the framework which the objectives of the study in question is related to, is: (1) The accentuation of the importance of teacher-student interaction during the learning process; (2) Spotting those factors which shape a positive attitude within the Greek primary school: To what extent, do these factors shape and are shaped by teacher-student interaction? What are primary school teachers' thoughts regarding the broader school culture of the Greek school? How do Greek public school students feel about their school?; and (3) The impression of Greek primary schools' reality regarding the impact of school environment on students and teachers. The methodology consists of review of international bibliography and field research. The research group expects to improve the quality of the educational work offered through the ability of upgrading the school classroom environment, pursuing the achievement of greater sensitization, so much from the part of the state, as well as people immediately involved in the educational procedure regarding the importance of teacher-student interaction. Future findings of this research are expected to put teachers' viewpoints in the forefront, along with their students, about the Greek public school and comprise proof of the significance of the voice of people immediately involved in education, whose opinion should be seriously taken into consideration during the planning and operation of educational organizations. (Contains 6 tables.)
Exploring the Influences of Elementary School Students' Learning Motivation on Web-Based Collaborative Learning
Author: Chin-Fei, Huang
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learning Motivation,Homework,Internet,Experimental Groups,Science Teachers,Elementary School Students,Grade 5,Cooperative Learning,Web Based Instruction,Influences,Student Motivation,Questionnaires,Interviews,Elementary School Science,Web Sites,Comparative Analysis,Educational Technology,Teamwork,Foreign Countries

The purpose of this study is to explore the influences of students' learning motivation on Web-based collaborative learning. This study conducted learning materials of Web pages about science and collaborative learning, a motivation questionnaire and interviews were used for data collection. Eighty Grade 5 students and a science teacher were recruited in this study. The controlled group involved 40 students who need to learn the dissolve concept on the Web pages, and complete the homework which was assigned by the Web pages by themselves. The experimental group involved the other 40 students and every four students were grouped in a team. The experimental group students not only need to learn the dissolve concept on Web pages, but also need to complete the homework which was assigned by the Web pages with team members. Besides, the experimental group students need to present their homework to other teams and provide feedbacks and suggestions to other teams. The results showed that experimental group significantly promoted their science learning motivation by using Web-based collaborative learning. (Contains 3 figures and 3 tables.)
Who Is Controlling the Interaction? The Effect of Nonverbal Mirroring on Teacher-Student Rapport
Author: Jiang-yuan, Zhou
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Effectiveness,Student Attitudes,Interpersonal Relationship,Interaction,Nonverbal Communication,Teacher Student Relationship,Surveys,College Students,Foreign Countries,Interrater Reliability,Correlation,English (Second Language),Higher Education

This study investigated the effect of nonverbal mirroring on teacher-student rapport in one-on-one interactions. Nonverbal mirroring refers to the unconscious mimicry of the postures, mannerisms, facial expressions, and other behaviors of one's interaction partner in social interactions. In a within-subjects paradigm, students had four interactions with a teacher under two conditions: one condition paired with the teacher's mirroring behaviors and the other with teacher's non-mirroring behaviors. Analyses of teacher's mirroring behaviors in interactions and students' self-rating surveys demonstrated significant increase in students' perception of rapport in the mirroring condition. Four nonverbal mirroring behaviors were significantly correlated with rapport variables. Results provide practical implications for teachers in using nonverbal mirroring as an effective teaching tool to build teacher-student rapport. (Contains 2 tables.)
Promoting Female Students' Learning Motivation towards Science by Exercising Hands-On Activities
Author: Wen-jin, Kuo
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learning Motivation,Instructional Materials,Teaching Methods,Measures (Individuals),Science Instruction,Science Teachers,Hands on Science,Science Activities,Womens Education,Learning Activities,Relevance (Education),Likert Scales,Foreign Countries

The purpose of this study is to design different hands-on science activities and investigate which activities could better promote female students' learning motivation towards science. This study conducted three types of science activities which contains nine hands-on activities, an experience scale and a learning motivation scale for data collection. Five hundred female students and three science teachers were recruited in this study. Three hundred students from all participants needed to fill out an experience scale about hands-on science activities and the other 200 students were divided into three groups and joined in different hands-on activities. All female students of three groups need to fill out the learning motivation scale before and after exercising hands-on activities. The results showed that all types of hands-on activities in this study could promote female students' learning motivation towards science, but the hands-on activities about daily life issues could better promote female students' learning motivation toward science than the others. This study suggested that hands-on activities should be considered in science teaching strategies. Science teachers and teaching material designers also need to design some science topics and activities which are closely related to daily life to promote female students' learning motivation towards science. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)
The Cognitive Abilities of Children: Reflections from an Entrance Exam
Author: Cil, Emine
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary Education,Piagetian Theory,Cognitive Development,National Competency Tests,Student Evaluation,Student Promotion,Science Tests,Content Analysis,Test Validity,Middle School Students

The basic determiner for the school in which the children who completed their primary education will in at an upper education level in Turkey is the entrance exam carried out nationwide. The items of national exam, called as LDE (Level Determination Exam) which the primary education pupils (aged between 12 and 15) will participate in Turkey were analyzed according to Piaget's theory of cognitive development in this study. The purpose of this analysis is to examine whether this exam contributes to the development of children's cognitive ability or not, and how much each question was accomplished by the students who were focused on. The students' condition to cope with the concrete and formal operational stage cognitive abilities was tried to be determined in this way. The study was carried out through document analysis method. Most of the questions of the exam were aimed at evaluating the formal operational stage abilities. According to the findings obtained from more than three million students, Turkish children were rather unsuccessful in correlational cognitive ability. The children's hypothetical thinking ability is weak, too. Some suggestions were made to take LDE and help the students acquire formal operational stage cognitive abilities. (Contains 3 figures and 3 tables.)
Identifying Gaps in Academic Writing of ESL Students
Author: Giridharan, Beena
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Writing Skills,English (Second Language),Language Proficiency,Essays,Competence,Grammar,Case Studies,Achievement Gap,Student Attitudes,Content Area Writing,Planning,Writing Assignments,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Cooperative Learning,Brainstorming

There is growing evidence that the lack of competence of university ESL (English as a second language) students in academic writing affects their overall academic performance. Olivas and Li (2006) connected low second-language proficiency levels in English to poor academic performance of international students studying at both university and college levels in the United States. Although, many ESL students at university have a general understanding of grammar rules, not many are able to write academically at levels expected of them. This is further exacerbated by a lack of awareness of students' own ability in academic writing. The paper reports on a case study conducted to identify critical gaps in academic writing standards among ESL students in a foundation studies programme. The study employed a pragmatic case study approach, drawing on qualitative methods as deemed appropriate. In this project, four essential criteria for developing good academic writing skills were investigated: attitudes towards academic writing tasks, planning, writing paragraphs and essays, and evaluating one's own writing. The study examined the challenges faced by students in academic writing and identified common grammatical, structural and syntactic errors made in writing tasks. Data from the study showed that most students enjoyed writing tasks, drafting essays and working with peers to brainstorm ideas and opinions for their drafts. A majority of respondents agreed that they were well aware of referencing systems and the need to substantiate their ideas with supportive evidence. However, many respondents were unable to evaluate their own work and admitted that their evaluation often did not match that of their instructors. The project aims to propose interventions and techniques to support student academic writing practices in the foundation year. (Contains 7 tables and 5 figures.)
Another Way to Develop Chinese Students' Creativity: Extracurricular Innovation Activities
Author: Xiao-jiang, Zhao
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Innovation,Extracurricular Activities,Foreign Countries,Creativity,Creative Development,Technological Advancement,Competition,Influences,Educational History,Sciences,College Students

In China, improving students' creativity is becoming an important goal of modern colleges and universities, especially in the domain of science and technology. The efforts made for this goal can be observed not only in classroom, but also in activities and competitions which were held out-of-school. This paper will firstly give a brief description of creativity. Then, it will point out several constraints in Chinese creativity development, and introduce the characteristics and the advantages of extracurricular activities in STI (scientific and technological innovation). Concretely, the paper will take, in case, two national competitions, studying their influences on the development of creativity and innovativeness, and discussing some main problems. Some deficiencies of Chinese out-of-school activities in students' creativity development will be summarized. In conclusion, the paper will propose some advices to Chinese higher education in this aspect.