ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Research Administration around the World
Author: Kerridge, Simon
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Research Administration,Demography,Administrator Characteristics,Females,Geographic Regions,Differences,Career Choice,Persistence,Certification,Occupations,Professional Associations

The purpose of the Research Administration as a Profession (RAAAP) project was to obtain a snapshot of the research management and administration (RMA) profession around the world. This included collecting basic demographics, which is the focus of this paper. Here, we present the results of a worldwide survey of RMAs conducted in 2016. We compare and contrast the demographics of RMAs across different regions of the world. Findings from previous national surveys, such as those by Roberts &amp; House (2005), and Shambrook et al (2015), are upheld and expanded in an international context--for example, that the profession is predominantly female. In addition, a high level of academic attainment is also reported, in line with findings from D'Agostino et al. (1991). There are some significant differences in responses between regions of the world which reflect the differential maturity of the profession. For example, the U.S. has by far the highest number of respondents with over 20 years' experience in research administration as compared to the other regions. The reasons for joining and staying in the profession are also explored, with positives including working with faculty, the challenging work, and the fun. The extensive datasets are not fully explored in this paper and others are invited to use them for their own research and analyses. Overall, we conclude that research administration is becoming a global profession and argue that in some regions it is more advanced than in others, as reflected in the composition of the workforce and the availability and uptake of certification.
Reading Strategies Used by Grade 9 English Second Language Learners in a Selected School
Author: Cekiso, Madoda
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Reading Strategies,Secondary School Students,Grade 9,English Language Learners,Gender Differences,Reading Comprehension,Reading Improvement,Reading Instruction

Knowledge of the reading strategies used by English Second Language learners can help teachers to plan appropriate lessons and apply relevant methods of teaching reading in order to enhance learners' reading comprehension. The main objective of this study was to investigate the reading strategies used by Grade 9 English Second Language (ESL) learners and also to establish if there was any significant difference between perceived strategy use and gender. The respondents (192) were all ESL learners in Grade 9 in 2011 in a selected school. The study employed a quantitative research method. The study used convenience sampling on a group of 192 Grade 9 learners. The data collected through questionnaires was analysed by means of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The findings revealed that the learners did not employ a wide range of reading strategies. The results further indicated that there was no significant difference between boys and girls in terms of strategy use. Based on the above findings several suggestions were made to help teachers improve their teaching and help learners improve their reading comprehension and also about possible areas for future research.
Assessing University Research Governance Practices and Structures in Developing Countries: The Nigerian Universities&apos; Experience
Author: Okonji, P. E.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Higher Education,Governance,Developing Nations,Research Administration,Administrator Attitudes,Educational Policy,Interviews,Focus Groups,Grants,Organizational Change,School Policy,Teacher Attitudes,Personnel Selection

While most universities in the developed world, by tradition, have research offices to handle research management, structures for the efficient coordination and strong governance of research are nascent within many Sub-Saharan African universities. In this paper we look at the organizational structures, policies and functions of research offices for supporting faculty research as well as their management operations in 5 selected Nigerian universities. The authors interviewed 20 participants from 5 selected federal universities in Nigeria. Five directors of the research offices and 15 research administrators participated. Findings identified existing infrastructure for research management, the challenges facing newly created research offices in Nigerian universities, and strategies employed by research offices to tackle identified problems. Findings also showed how policies, practices, institutional structures and support models for research governance are shifting to align with international best practices. Recommendations suggested by participants for developing effective research management practices are discussed.
How Grade R Pupils Make Sense of the &apos;Scientist&apos; and &apos;Science&apos;
Author: Ramnarain, Umesh
Date: 2011-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Scientists,Sciences,Urban Schools,Blacks,Socioeconomic Influences,Private Schools,Public Schools,Semiotics,Children,Scientific Concepts,Educational Quality,Science Education,Racial Discrimination,Early Childhood Education,Young Children,Freehand Drawing,Student Attitudes,Institutional Characteristics,Comparative Analysis,Stereotypes,Knowledge Level

In this article we report on the 'sense-making' by children of a 'scientist' and 'science'. We investigated these conceptions through drawings by using the Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST) developed by Chambers. We conducted the research in two urban schools; a public school located in a low-income previously designated black (African) suburb, and a private school in an affluent suburb. In theorising on the sense making of a 'scientist' and 'science' by children from these diverse learning contexts, we examined the notion of 'semiotic mediation', which is a central idea in Vygotsky's work. The results of the study show that children in the previously designated black school have little or no conception of science or a scientist. The significance of these findings needs to be considered against the inequities in education, and in particular in science education in this country due to the apartheid system. Despite Grade R being the first year in the twelve-school career of children we believe that the findings of this study do signal that concerted steps need to be taken so that children develop stronger conceptions of science and a scientist.
Towards a More Explicit Writing Pedagogy: The Complexity of Teaching Argumentative Writing
Author: Dornbrack, Jacqui
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Writing Instruction,Persuasive Discourse,Essays,High School Students,Grade 10,Writing Skills,Reading Skills,Skill Development,Prewriting,Brainstorming,Writing Strategies,National Curriculum

Advances in technology, changes in communication practices, and the imperatives of the workplace have led to the repositioning of the role of writing in the global context. This has implications for the teaching of writing in schools. This article focuses on the argumentative essay, which is a high-stakes genre. A sample of work from one Grade 10 student identified as high performing in a township school in Cape Town (South Africa) is analysed. Drawing on the work of Ormerod and Ivanic, who argue that writing practices can be inferred from material artifacts, as well as critical discourse analysis, we show that the argumentative genre is complex, especially for novice first additional language English writers. This complexity is confounded by the conflation of the process and genre approaches in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document. Based on the analysis we discuss the implications of planning, particularly in relation to thinking and reasoning, the need to read in order to write argument and how social and school capital are insufficient without explicit instruction of the conventions of this complex genre. These findings present some insights into particular input needed to improve writing pedagogy for specific genres.
Lessons Learnt: Observation of Grade 4 Reading Comprehension Teaching in South African Schools across the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006 Achievement Spectrum
Author: Zimmerman, Lisa
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Achievement Tests,Grade 4,International Assessment,Reading Achievement,Reading Tests,Reading Comprehension,Case Studies,Comparative Analysis,Educational Quality,Difficulty Level,Reading Instruction,Textbooks

The evidence of the huge challenges of literacy development faced by South African learners is primarily gleaned from the results of learners' external assessments. There is little research which explores, in-depth, the strategies used by teachers to teach reading literacy and reading comprehension specifically. Questions remain about what is going wrong and, most importantly, what can be changed to rectify the poor outcomes of learners. To gain insight into the poor achievement of Grade 4 learners, in South Africa in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006, six case studies were undertaken. Each school case had a different class average achievement profile ranging from low to high on the PIRLS achievement scale. This article presents findings from the observation of Grade 4 reading comprehension lessons in six schools. The comparison of observations of teaching practices aligned to higher achieving schools, against those of lower performing schools, indicates the discrepancies in the quality of teaching reading comprehension across the schools, and reveals potential foci for teacher development. The value of comparative lesson observation for these purposes is highlighted.
Reviewing Published Information on Reading in Botswana Secondary Schools
Author: Ketsitlile, Lone
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Reading Instruction,Foreign Countries,African Languages,Reading Writing Relationship,Writing Instruction,Educational Policy,Educational Practices,Secondary School Students,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Language of Instruction,Multilingualism

The main purpose of this review on published information on reading in Botswana schools is to seek ways of providing instruction and assessment that result in children becoming proficient readers. Botswana has made impressive progress in literacy growth since independence. However, a lot still needs to be done if literacy is to become all that it needs to be in the lives of the youth. One conclusion from this review is that there is an urgent need in Botswana to teach reading in ways that meet the needs of all students, especially those from Khoesan-speaking backgrounds. There is also a clear mismatch between policy and practice in the teaching of reading and this greatly disadvantages the students. Two important recommendations emanating from this review are, firstly, the teaching of reading should be linked more explicitly to that of writing; secondly, the Ministry of Education and concerned stakeholders need to encourage a marriage of policy and practice in the teaching of reading in Botswana.
Reading Is Very Important, but...: Taking Stock of South African Student Teachers&apos; Reading Habits
Author: Rimensberger, Nicole
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Student Attitudes,Reading Habits,Preservice Teacher Education,Student Surveys,Recreational Reading,Reading Materials,Books,Reading Attitudes,Foreign Countries

This article explores the contradiction between student teachers' acknowledgement of the importance of reading and their actual personal reading habits, and by doing so, attempts to dig below the surface and 'take stock' of future teachers' attitudes towards reading at a private tertiary institution in Durban, South Africa. The rationale is that without fully understanding student teachers' own attitudes towards reading, the challenges of literacy and reading in the classroom cannot be fully addressed. It does this through a survey of 171 student teachers that investigated how much or how little they read for pleasure, what texts they read for pleasure (fiction, non-fiction, magazines, newspapers, online), how many of them are engaged readers of extended texts (fiction and non-fiction) and finally, the role books and reading play in their lives. It emerged that student teachers' positive attitude towards reading and their apparent understanding of its importance starkly contradicted their lack of own reading for pleasure and investment of their time in this activity. The acknowledgement of the importance of reading can be viewed as a small success. However, it is ultimately overshadowed by the reality that if this contradiction is not pointed out and interrupted, it could send a mixed message to future learners: that reading is important, but not pleasurable.
The Impact of Poor Working Memory Skills on a Grade 2 Learner&apos;s Written and Oral Literacy Performance
Author: Linnegar, Kate
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Short Term Memory,Elementary School Students,Grade 2,Cognitive Processes,Attention Control,Reading Skills,Reading Comprehension,Writing Skills,Error Patterns,Recall (Psychology),Writing Difficulties,Reading Difficulties,Foreign Countries

This research examines the effects of poor working memory skills on a Grade 2 learner. Mediated learning is the theoretical framework that underpins this research project as the focus is on developing cognitive functions, particularly focusing on the working memory of a learner. An independent case study was conducted on one learner, using a qualitative research approach. Interviews and observations were conducted and inductively analysed. The learner followed a six-week intervention programme which was dynamically informed by recent literature as well as observations, interviews and a psychologist's report. The findings indicated that the learner's working memory, with particular reference to processing and storage, was challenged. The large demands of the classroom environment led to memory failure and he was prone to making errors. He experienced slow progress in his reading abilities, was unable to retain words and his reading was inconsistent. To alleviate some of his working memory demands, activities and instructions were broken down into smaller components to minimise his memory load, thus avoiding working memory related failures.
&quot;Broken Promises&quot; -- A Novel&apos;s Impact on Shaping Youth Identity
Author: Lundgren, Berit
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Novels,Sex Stereotypes,Literacy,Feminism,Self Concept,Labor Force Development,Linguistic Theory,Sexual Identity,Foreign Countries,Discourse Analysis,Language Usage,Power Structure,Masculinity

In many emerging economies worldwide, and in South Africa in particular, sizeable investments have been made in education with the hope of increasing literacy rates and hence producing a workforce that will fit into the job market. Thus it is important to understand the context and literacy materials within South African classrooms and their impact. This article looks at the novel &quot;Broken Promises&quot; by Roz Haden, which is read in many South African classrooms. From a post-structural feminist theory and functional language theory, we analyse how the portrayal of characters and storyline can have an impact on young readers' identity construction in relation to the novel's predominant discourses. The findings show that men are still portrayed as dominant in their own right within society whereas women are defined in relation to men. Unchallenged, this portrayal can continue to perpetuate gendered stereotypes, which would affect young people's functionality in society. We therefore argue that while novels are good for improving literacy among young people, the messages they contain should be deconstructed and challenged so that young people can make informed decisions regarding their gender identities.
An Investigation into the English Reading Comprehension of Grade 10 English First Additional Language Learners at a Senior Secondary School
Author: Chaka, Chaka
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Grade 10,English (Second Language),Secondary School Students,Second Language Learning,Reading Comprehension,Public Schools,Recall (Psychology),Reading Tests

Poor levels of English first additional language (EFAL) reading comprehension amongst school learners at most public schools in South Africa are a great concern. In fact, for learning to be successful and effective, learners need to be able to read well in EFAL. This is more so as EFAL serves as a language of learning and teaching (LOLT) for most learning areas in South Africa's public schools. Against this background, this study set out in 2012 to investigate the English reading comprehension of Grade 10 EFAL learners at a senior secondary school. Using purposive and voluntary sampling techniques, the study had 17 EFAL learners (M=10, F-7) as its participants. It employed three reading measures, a recall task, a summary and a comprehension test, which were based on three English extracts, to assess participants' reading comprehension. It then assessed and scored participants' responses to the three tasks by using an oral reading rubric and two prepared marking memoranda. One of the findings of this study was that, of the three reading tasks administered, participants did slightly above average in the comprehension test, but performed below average in the two other tasks -- the recall and summary tasks.
Nigerian Creole as Language of Instruction: Will Nigerian Lecturers Use Nigerian Creole?
Author: Ukwuoma, Uju C.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Creoles,Questionnaires,Language of Instruction,College Faculty,Graduate Students,Public Colleges,Teacher Attitudes,English (Second Language),Prior Learning

This mixed questionnaire survey sought to determine if lecturers who learned to speak and understand Nigerian Creole before English are willing to use the language as medium of instruction. The respondents were comprised of 560 lecturers and graduate students (i.e. master's, doctoral) selected through a purposeful random sampling frame from 15 public institutions of higher learning in Nigeria. Lecturers declined to use Nigerian Creole as medium of instruction because they feared that its use might negatively affect their students' learning of English. Graduate students indicated willingness to receive instruction through a combination of English and Nigerian Creole because they perceived the use of Nigerian Creole as &quot;fun&quot; and representative of the voice of a new generation of Nigerians. The sample reported that prior knowledge of Nigerian Creole does not facilitate the learning of English because both languages are too different to facilitate a transfer of learning.
Teaching of Writing in Two Rural Multigrade Classes in the Western Cape
Author: Blease, Bernita
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Writing Instruction,Teaching Methods,Rural Schools,Multigraded Classes,Elementary Education,Barriers,Social Theories,Elementary School Teachers,Metacognition,Culturally Relevant Education,Observation,Interviews

The purpose of this research project was to understand how Cambourne's theory of social constructivism, particularly his four instructional principles, was applied to the teaching of writing in two rural multigrade Foundation Phase classrooms in the Western Cape. Multigrade schools account for 30% of all primary schools in South Africa, but in most cases teachers are not able to provide quality education to learners. Writing in rural multigrade Foundation Phase schools is a largely neglected area for teacher development and research. Even those teaching multigrade classes are not sure how to approach it. The national curriculum, as well as our South African constitution, encourages teachers to inspire children with values based on respect, democracy, equality, human dignity and social justice. However, the two rural multigrade classes in this research project faced many challenges that hindered their ability to reach these goals. The main theoretical framework underpinning this study was based on Cambourne's social constructivist theory, particularly his instructional principles including explicit, systematic, mindful and contextual teaching principles. This research was a qualitative study embedded within an interpretive case study. Two Foundation Phase teachers working in multigrade classrooms were purposively selected for this research. In conclusion, there is evidence that these two teachers used some of Cambourne's instructional principles, in varying degrees, when teaching writing in their multigrade classes.
Freirean Principles and Critical Literacy to Counter Retrograde Impulses in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement
Author: Chetty, Rajendra
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Critical Theory,Critical Literacy,Outcome Based Education,Foreign Countries,Educational Change,Constructivism (Learning),Popular Education,Student Centered Learning,Educational Principles

Inherent in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document are inferences of transmission and reproduction that run counter to the emancipatory imperatives of core educational policy documents enacted after democracy in 1994. Some structural inadequacies in implementation of the first curricular changes to outcomes-based education have opened the way to reactionary and retrograde pedagogy which appears to privilege the teacher and textbook as sole authorities in the classroom. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to warn against teacher-centred pedagogy and restate the significance of Freirean principles in the establishment of a student-centred educational environment, specifically in the field of critical literacy. In defence of Freirean thought, a re-consideration of literacy and critical literacy grant legitimacy to the learner and demonstrate that individual experience is foundational to knowledge construction in a participatory manner which accords with the vision and original principles of education in the new South Africa
&apos;One Day I Will Pick up a Snake, Wanting to Read It&apos;: Becoming a Successful Reader in a Rural Environment
Author: van der Mesch, Caroline
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Rural Schools,Foreign Countries,Emergent Literacy,Poverty,Role Playing,Educational Games,Preschool Children,Early Childhood Education,Elementary School Students,Learning Motivation,Environmental Influences

Children learning to read and write in rural areas in Southern Africa perform poorly compared to children in urban schools. The poor results of rural schools in national assessments of reading literacy are explained by the deficits of rural areas: poverty, under-resourced schools and under-qualified teachers. Children in rural areas are frequently not exposed to home literacy practices, which prepare them for formal literacy learning at school. Whilst acknowledging the impact of rural poverty on children's performance, this article explores a role-playing game amongst pre-school and school-going children of rural villages that enabled some children to become successful learners. Focusing on affect, I analyse the way in which the game motivated these children and suggest some of the benefits that promoting this practice may have for teaching and learning in rural areas. The continued underperformance of children in rural schools makes a compelling case for investigating ways of promoting learning and reading in rural homes.