ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
P=fm: Fostering Innovative Teaching and Learning in a Digital Age
Author: Fluellen, Jerry E., Jr.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Opinion Papers
Subjects: Curriculum Development,Small Colleges,Global Approach,Black Colleges,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Online Courses,Educational Theories,Course Descriptions,Urban Education,Urban Schools,Educational Trends,Futures (of Society),Instructional Innovation,Cognitive Science,Psychology,College Instruction,Summer Programs,Institutes (Training Programs),Conferences (Gatherings),Multiple Intelligences

A larger scale context for power teaching includes ideas from Duane Elgin, Lester Brown, Al Gore and many others. Collectively, they say the convergence of systems level global problems without national borders place before humankind a choice the species has never encountered in 195,000 years of life on &quot;Spaceship Earth.&quot; In Elgin's language, humans can experience an &quot;evolutionary crash&quot; or &quot;evolutionary bounce.&quot; We can continue a path of global gluttony. Or we can create a path of voluntary simplicity. Elgin argues that we can choose the scenario best suited for what we want tomorrow. Far ahead, we can see Peter Ward's &quot;Homo futuris&quot; (a new species of humans replacing Homo sapiens the way Homo sapiens replaced Homo erectus). We can see world class schools across the planet as central agents in the growth of human intelligence and wise living. And we can see schools in the United States as agents for what Thomas and Brown call a &quot;new culture of learning.&quot; That is the grand context for President Obama's strategic vision: create a world class public school system in our nation by 2020. The power teaching prototype (P=fm) aims at the president's vision. With just two factors, the prototype connects the future of learning and Mind, Brain, Education Science. Most recently, it created future bent, writing/thinking intensive psychology courses at a small college in the urban South. With just two factors, P=fm fosters innovative teaching and learning. (Contains 6 figures.)
Astronomy in the Spanish Pre-University Educational System: The Particular Case of the Canary Islands
Author: Hansen-Ruiz, Cristina Silvia
Date: 2005-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Astronomy,Curriculum,Elementary Secondary Education,Compulsory Education,Science Education,Humanities Instruction,Interdisciplinary Approach

The purpose of this study was to analyze the spread of astronomy contents throughout the Spanish pre-university educative system as stated in the curricula established by law. Possible contents of Astronomy were first classified in groups and then looked after in the official curricula of the different subjects throughout the Spanish pre-university system. Results show that Astronomy contents are present through all compulsory education in the subjects Knowledge of the Natural, Social and Cultural Environment and Natural Sciences. In the last years of compulsory education some of astronomy contents are beginning to be present in non compulsory subjects which range from humanities to science subjects. Teachers which belong to humanities or science departments are graduated in very different subjects, and thus most of them lack a scientific background in Astronomy contents. Astronomy contents are not seen only as science contents, but they are given a multidisciplinary character in the curriculum established by the law. This character is not taken into account in the teachers' training for any of the educational stages. Thus it is necessary to train teachers of all educative stages in the corresponding conceptual contents. This training should contain the point of view of physics in the multidisciplinary view, without forgetting the professional perspective of the teachers to whom it is directed. For example, it is necessary to understand the scientific models from a historic point of view, to understand their consequences on the science of the time and on the present science. In this training, once conceptual contents are understood, it is possible to tackle the needs of teachers in school, with procedure contents and didactic proposals. A didactic proposal of something the teacher does not know is of no use to him. (Contains 6 tables, 3 footnotes, and 1 note.) [This paper was published in: T. J. Mahoney (Ed.), Communicating Astronomy (pp. 147-152). La Laguna, Spain: Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias.]
The Greenfield School Revolution and School Choice. National Research
Author: Forster, Greg
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Evidence,Private Schools,School Choice,Educational Change,Transfer Students,Program Effectiveness,Racial Composition,School Restructuring,Data Analysis,Statistical Data,National Surveys,Models,Educational Policy,Politics of Education,Performance Factors,Enrollment Trends,Case Studies,Institutional Characteristics

This study uses descriptive data from the U.S. Department of Education to examine the composition of the private school sector in localities with sizeable school choice programs. If existing school choice programs are attracting educational entrepreneurs and unlocking the potential of new school models, the authors should expect to see significant changes in the sector's composition. While the available data do not allow the authors to examine every aspect of schooling, the founding of new school models ought to produce visible changes in school types, school sizes, and other visible metrics. However, the data examined here provide little evidence that existing school choice programs are transforming the structure of private schools. In its current form, school choice does not appear to be having an impact that is sufficiently large enough to produce visible transformation of the private school sector. Existing choice programs transfer students from marginally less effective public schools to marginally more effective private schools, but they do not seem to drive more ambitious school reforms. It appears that universal choice programs are needed before an alliance between school choice and the greenfield school revolution can emerge. (Contains 9 figures, 9 tables, and 23 notes.)
Charlotte Danielson or National Board Certification: A Comparison and Contrasting of Two Major National Frameworks for Teaching
Author: Viviano, Thomas
Date: 2012-06-08
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: National Standards,Teacher Certification,Teacher Evaluation,Instructional Effectiveness,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Competencies,Elementary Secondary Education,Teachers,Comparative Analysis,Technology Uses in Education,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Reflective Teaching,Teacher Responsibility,Parent Teacher Cooperation,Classroom Environment,Instruction,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Education

Two well-known major frameworks to measure teacher performance and determine what a teacher should know and be able to do are undoubtedly the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and Charlotte Danielson's Framework for teaching.  Charlotte Danielson has four major domains and National Board Certification (NBPTS) has five major core propositions.  Although they differ in wording, there are many similarities.  As of this writing the Pennsylvania Department of Education is in the process of adopting Danielson's Framework domains and is in the process of piloting a rubric for the four domains that will be used as its teacher evaluation/assessment system.  This paper explores the differences and similarities of NBPTS and Danielson's Frameworks but doesn't advocate for either.  It also explores whether an NBPTS teacher would fare well on Danielson's framework rubric given their similarities. (Contains 1 figure.)
Skinning the Pythagorean Cat: A Study of Strategy Preferences of Secondary Math Teachers
Author: Maxcy, Clara A.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses - Masters Theses
Subjects: Brain,Mathematics Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Teaching Methods,Secondary School Mathematics,Mathematical Concepts,Teacher Characteristics,High Achievement,Low Achievement,Teacher Attitudes,Questioning Techniques,Manipulative Materials,Educational Attainment,Teaching Experience,Cooperative Learning,Gender Differences,Memorization,Lecture Method,Geometry,High School Students

A series of observations in math classrooms revealed a pervasive problem of "re-teaching". It matters little the subject; before the teacher can begin teaching new material, basic skills often have to be re-taught before the lesson can move forward. Perhaps some methods are more effective than others in the classroom. Consequently, this study addressed two research questions: Q1: What teaching strategies are considered preferential by math teachers for teaching math concepts? Q2: Do teacher demographics influence those teacher preferences? Consequently, this study seeks to add to the existing literature regarding math teacher preferences for teaching the Pythagorean Theorem to high achieving and low achieving secondary mathematics students. Thirty mathematics teachers were asked to rate their preferences of six research-based standards with respect to teaching a specific math concept--the Pythagorean Theorem Additionally, teachers were asked to list their preferences separately for high achieving students and for low achieving students.  While there were many interesting findings, two stand out: First, the significant difference (p less than 0.05; df = 28) in preferences for effective instruction between high and low achieving students. Teachers were in agreement that Questioning strategies were the main preference for teaching the Pythagorean Theorem to high achieving students, and that Nonlinguistic (manipulatives) were preferred for Low Achieving students; second was the importance given to Brain Compatible strategies. The teachers with more experience and/or higher educational achievement exhibited a significant difference (p less than 0.05; d f= 28) over those teachers with less education and experience, indicating a high preference for using Brain Compatible strategies with respect to teaching high achieving students in this specific mathematics concept. While no one strategy has been proven effective for all classroom situations, it was of interest to this researcher that survey respondents were generally in agreement with regard to the most effective way to "skin this Pythagorean cat." This researcher hopes that further research can be done to answer the new questions that were posed as a result of this study. Two appendixes present: (1) A Partial Listing of Tennessee State and Core Standards Involving the Pythagorean Theorem; and (2) Survey Document. (Contains 8 figures and 1 table.)
School Bullying: Legal Protections for Vulnerable Youth Need to Be More Fully Assessed. Testimony before the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, U.S. Senate. GAO-12-785T
Author: Calbom, Linda M.
Date: 2012-06-08
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Civil Rights,Bullying,Incidence,Civil Rights Legislation,School Districts,State Agencies,Legal Responsibility,At Risk Students,Educational Environment,State Government,Federal Government,Public Agencies,Literature Reviews,Educational Policy,Board of Education Policy,Victims,State Legislation,Federal Legislation

In this statement, the author discusses the results of the work that the members of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions requested on school bullying. It is estimated that millions of American youths have been bullied by their peers, including physical, verbal, and electronic attacks. The author's statement is based on a report released recently, which addresses the following objectives: (1) What is known about the prevalence of school bullying and its effects on victims?; (2) What approaches are selected states and local school districts taking to combat school bullying?; (3) What legal options do the federal and selected state governments have in place when bullying leads to allegations of discrimination?; and (4) How are key federal agencies coordinating their efforts to combat school bullying? To address these objectives, the author and her colleagues reviewed research on the prevalence and effects on victims; analyzed state bullying laws, and school district bullying policies; interviewed officials from the Departments of Education (Education), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Justice, and a nongeneralizable sample of eight states and six school districts; and reviewed selected relevant federal and state civil rights laws. In summary, with regard to the prevalence and effects of bullying, their findings suggest that reported levels of bullying and related effects are significant. Research shows that bullying can have detrimental outcomes for victims, including adverse psychological and behavioral outcomes. Selected states and school districts are taking various approaches to reducing bullying. The bullying laws in the eight states that they reviewed vary in who is covered and the requirements placed on state agencies and school districts. They also found that while federal and state civil rights laws may offer some protections against bullying in certain circumstances, vulnerable groups may not always be covered. Finally, regarding federal coordination efforts to combat bullying, they found that a variety of efforts are under way, but that a full assessment of legal remedies has not been completed. In conclusion, they found that the nature and extent of protections available to students who are bullied depend on the laws and policies where they live or go to school. (Contains 2 footnotes.)
Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System: 2011 National Overview
Author: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (DHHS/PHS)
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Social Problems,Private Schools,Obesity,Physical Activities,Sexually Transmitted Diseases,Health Behavior,Drug Use,At Risk Students,Pregnancy,Early Adolescents,Surveys,Disabilities,Children,Injuries,Violence,Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS),Drinking,Eating Habits,Incidence,Diseases,High School Students

The national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) monitors six priority health-risk behaviors that contribute markedly to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults in the United States. These behaviors, often established during childhood and early adolescence, include: (1) Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence; (2) Sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection; (3) Alcohol and other drug use;   (4) Tobacco use; (5) Unhealthy dietary behaviors; (6) Inadequate physical activity; and   (7) In addition the YRBSS monitors the prevalence of obesity and asthma. The national YRBS is conducted every two years during the spring semester and provides data representative of 9th through 12th grade students in public and private schools throughout the United States. [For the full report, "Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance--United States, 2011. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Surveillance Summaries. Volume 61, Number 4," see ED532750.]
Waive to the Top: The Dangers of Legislating Education Policy from the Executive Branch. Education Outlook. No. 1
Author: Riley, Benjamin
Date: 2012-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Elementary Secondary Education,Federal Legislation,Educational Change,Academic Standards,Accountability,Politics of Education,Compliance (Legal),Legal Responsibility,Federal Programs,Educational Indicators,School Law

Nearly everyone in the education community agrees that the time has come to end, or seriously repair, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB); however, the process of doing so has become drawn out and contentious. With Congress not moving quickly enough to reauthorize the law, President Obama has announced a way to help states get around NCLB's requirements. His 2011 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Flexibility plan grants certain states waivers from NCLB accountability requirements if they agree to a series of preset conditions, including adopting challenging academic standards, developing educator evaluation systems, and improving the lowest-performing schools. Although many states are enthusiastic about obtaining this relief, the waiver plan poses several notable risks. Legally, it remains to be seen whether the executive branch has the authority to craft national education policy without the approval of Congress. Politically, support for waivers may wane as states begin to implement the administration's favored policies, particularly upon implementing the challenging Common Core standards. And logistically, the creation of two wholly different federal accountability regimes--waiver states and NCLB states--poses an incredible challenge for federal oversight. (Contains 19 notes.)
Prioritizing Teaching Quality in a New System of Teacher Evaluation. Education Outlook. No. 9
Author: Hill, Heather
Date: 2011-11-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Evaluation,Educational Quality,Educational Policy,Educational Improvement,Teacher Improvement,Evaluation Criteria,Politics of Education,Academic Achievement,Educational Innovation,Instructional Innovation,Change Strategies,Educational Change

Teachers are the most important school-level factor in student success--but as any parent knows, all teachers are not created equal. Reforms to the current quite cursory teacher evaluation system, if done well, have the potential to remove the worst-performing teachers and, even more important, to assist the majority in improving their craft. However, the US educational system often cannibalizes its own innovations, destroying their potential with a steady drip of rules, regulations, bureaucracy, and accommodations to the status quo. Because that status quo sets an unacceptably low bar for teaching quality, missing this opportunity now means new generations of students may suffer mediocre--or worse--classrooms. (Contains 7 notes.)
Success in Community College: Do Institutions Differ? Working Paper 74
Author: Clotfelter, Charles T.
Date: 2012-04-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Community Colleges,Success,Educational Attainment,Graduation Rate,Transfer Students,College Transfer Students,Institutional Characteristics,Correlation,Performance Factors,Effective Schools Research,Institutional Research,College Outcomes Assessment,Educational Indicators,Educational Research

Community colleges are complex organizations and assessing their performance, though important, is difficult. Compared to four-year colleges and universities, community colleges serve a more diverse population and provide a wider variety of educational programs that include continuing education and technical training for adults, and diplomas, associates degrees, and transfer credits for recent high school graduates. Focusing solely on the latter programs of North Carolina's community colleges, we measure the success of each college along two dimensions: attainment of an applied diploma, or degree; or completion of the coursework required to transfer to a four-year college or university. We address three questions. First, how much variation is there across the institutions in these measures of student success? Second, how do these measures of success differ across institutions after we adjust for the characteristics of the enrolled students? Third, how do our measures compare to the measures of success used by the North Carolina Community College System? We find that most of the system's colleges cannot be statistically distinguished from one another along either dimension. Appended are: (1) Variable Definitions for Student-Level Table; and (2) Variable Definitions for Institutional-Level Tables. (Contains 3 figures, 4 tables and 12 footnotes.)
What Teacher Preparation Programs Teach about K-12 Assessment: A Review
Author: Greenberg, Julie
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Preservice Teacher Education,Elementary Secondary Education,Program Effectiveness,Literature Reviews,Evaluation Research,Teacher Education Programs,Teacher Education Curriculum,Curriculum Evaluation,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Instructional Leadership,Change Strategies,College Programs,College Outcomes Assessment,Educational Quality,Instructional Effectiveness

This report provides information on the preparation provided to teacher candidates from teacher training programs so that they can fully use assessment data to improve classroom instruction. It follows a similar shorter report the authors released in March 2012. In this newest report, the authors have significantly expanded their initial sampling to encompass 180 undergraduate and graduate programs housed in 98 institutions in 30 states. In early 2013, with U.S. News &amp; World Report as the publisher, they will release a comprehensive review of all teacher preparation programs in the United States. That review will also include further analysis of teachers' preparation in use of assessment for instructional improvement. The authors' purpose with both preliminary reports is to encourage teacher preparation programs, along with the federal and state agencies supporting and overseeing these programs, to focus more on the importance of future teachers' knowledge and skills in the increasingly critical area of assessment. Appended are: (1) Institutions included in the sample; (2) Evaluating for the three assessment domains; (3) Research looking at how assessment is taught in teacher preparation programs and the impact on teachers; (4) State regulations, accreditation standards, professional standards; and (5) A short tutorial on the taxonomy of assessment. (Contains 63 footnotes.) [For a related report, &quot;What Teacher Preparation Programs Teach about K-12 Assessment: A Review of Coursework on K-12 Assessment from a Sample of Teacher Preparation Programs,&quot; see ED530100.]
School Based Accountability and the Distribution of Teacher Quality among Grades in Elementary Schools. Working Paper 75
Author: Fuller, Sarah C.
Date: 2012-04-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Teacher Effectiveness,Grades (Scholastic),Federal Legislation,Academic Achievement,Accountability,Educational Legislation,Outcomes of Education,College Attendance,Salaries,Teacher Certification,Scores,Elementary School Students,Elementary School Teachers,Institutional Characteristics

We use North Carolina data to explore the extent to which teachers in the lower grades (K-2) of elementary school are lower quality than in the upper grades (3-5) and to examine the hypothesis that accountability contributes to a shortfall in teacher quality in the lower grades. Our concern with early elementary grades arises from recent studies that have highlighted that children's experiences in the early school years have long lasting effects on their outcomes, including college going and earnings. Using licensure test scores as the primary measure of teacher quality, we find that concern about teacher quality in the lower elementary grades is warranted. Teachers in those grades are of lower quality than teachers in the upper grades. Moreover, we find that accountability, especially the form required by the federal No Child Left Behind legislation, increases the relative shortfalls of teacher quality in the lower grades and increases the tendency of schools to move teachers of higher quality from lower to upper grades and teachers of lower quality from upper to lower grades. These findings support the conclusion that accountability pressure induces schools to pursue actions that work to the disadvantage of the children in the lower grades. Appended are: (1) Quintile Descriptive Statistics; (2) Value-Added Calculations; and (3) Data Description. (Contains 2 figures, 9 tables and 5 footnotes.)