ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
An Engineering Learning Community to Promote Retention and Graduation of At-Risk Engineering Students
Author: Ricks, Kenneth G.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: At Risk Students,School Holding Power,Academic Persistence,Engineering Education,Summer Programs,Mentors,Tutors,Graduation Rate,Academic Achievement,Financial Problems,Communities of Practice,Scholarships,Mathematics Skills,Mathematics Instruction,Active Learning,Academic Advising,Statistical Analysis,Qualitative Research,Student Surveys,Student Attitudes,Interviews,Student Placement,College Freshmen,College Students,Program Implementation,Pilot Projects,STEM Education,Program Descriptions

Retention and graduation rates for engineering disciplines are significantly lower than desired, and research literature offers many possible causes. Engineering learning communities provide the opportunity to study relationships among specific causes and to develop and evaluate activities designed to lessen their impact. This paper details an engineering learning community created to combat three common threats to academic success of engineering students: financial difficulties, math deficiencies, and the lack of a supportive engineering culture. The project tracks participants in the learning community from first year through graduation to assess the effectiveness of its activities in improving retention and graduation rates. Scholarships were made available to address the financial difficulties; tutors, mentors, study groups, and a &quot;freshman-to-sophomore bridge&quot; summer program were provided to address math deficiencies; cohort engineering courses, active learning techniques, required group meetings, required group study sessions, dedicated study space, and dedicated faculty advisors were used to promote a sense of community. Quantitative retention and graduation rates for the cohort are compared to other engineering groups at the same institution. Qualitative results collected via student surveys and interviews, and lessons learned by project administrators are also presented. Retention and graduation rates of the cohort are better than those of comparable groups at the same institution. Graduation rates based upon freshman math placement are also higher than comparable groups.
Mixing Problem Based Learning and Conventional Teaching Methods in an Analog Electronics Course
Author: Podges, J. M.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Engineering,Engineering Education,Problem Based Learning,Reflection,Outcomes of Education,Comparative Education,Correlation,Student Attitudes,Instructional Program Divisions,Cooperative Learning,Self Esteem,Academic Achievement,Positive Attitudes,Student College Relationship,Expectation,Employer Attitudes,Education Work Relationship,Predictor Variables,Electronics,Experiments

This study, undertaken at the Walter Sisulu University of Technology (WSU) in South Africa, describes how problem-based learning (PBL) affects the first year 'analog electronics course', when PBL and the lecturing mode is compared. Problems were designed to match real-life situations. Data between the experimental group and the control group that related to attitudinal effect; the amount of reflection and learning outcome effects, were compared. A strong correlation was found between the students' attitudes and project marks for those who used the problem-based learning method. It was found that students who followed the PBL method learned to do research, learned better how to work in groups and developed greater confidence. Also what they learned was more of a practical value and they had more positive attitudes and reflected more, but there were no significant improvements in their learning. This research is in response to the real need to address gaps between employer expectations and higher education outcomes in South Africa.
Comparing Career Awareness Opportunities of Academically At-Risk and Non At-Risk Freshman Engineering Students
Author: Ernst, Jeremy V.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering,Engineering Education,College Freshmen,Career Awareness,At Risk Students,Career Exploration,Measures (Individuals),Student Behavior,Comparative Analysis,Higher Education,Admission (School),Statistical Analysis,Student Surveys

This study explored how freshman engineering students utilized career awareness developmental opportunities prior to entry into post-secondary academics. Specifically, the study delved into separations and distinctions among students at-risk of non-continuation due to matriculation concerns and students non at-risk. Founded on the amended arrangement of Nasta's (2007) Career Exploration Survey-Revised instrument, singular factors were studied through hypotheses targeting career awareness behaviors among at-risk and non at-risk subgroups. The results show there are possible contradictions to commonly accepted beliefs about career awareness between at-risk and non at-risk students. Several deductions, considerations, and implications are highlighted based upon the findings of the study.
From Knowing-About to Knowing-To: Development of Engineering Pedagogical Content Knowledge by Elementary Teachers through Perceived Learning and Implementing Difficulties
Author: Sun, Yan
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Teachers,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Engineering Education,Faculty Development,Interviews,Online Surveys,Phenomenology,Teaching Experience,Qualitative Research,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Teacher Competencies,Teacher Characteristics,Misconceptions,Technology Education,Teamwork,Learning Problems,Barriers

The present study sought to reveal how elementary teachers develop their engineering pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) after leaving professional development programs to practice engineering teaching in real classroom settings. Participants of this study were the elementary teachers who received one-week training of engineering education provided by EfF (a P-12 Engineering teaching and learning institute in a Midwestern university). Data of this study were collected from these elementary teachers through face-to-face interviews and an online open-ended survey. Based on a phenomenological research method and a constructivist ELC (engineering instruction, learners, and contexts) framework developed by the researchers to investigate engineering PCK development, this study explored the elementary teachers' lived engineering teaching experiences following the procedures of inductive qualitative data analysis. Findings yielded in this study revealed that the elementary teachers developed their knowledge about engineering teaching and learning situations through their engineering teaching practice. But such knowledge was the knowledge of knowing-about and it did not automatically transfer into the elementary teachers' engineering PCK or knowing-to knowledge allowing them to act effectively and responsively to engineering teaching and learning situations at hand. In their engineering teaching practice, the elementary teachers engaged themselves in a dynamic and evolving trial-failure-success process. It was in this process that the elementary teachers made sense of new engineering teaching and learning situations and transformed their knowing-about into engineering PCK responsive to these situations.
How Do Romanian Teachers Capitalize the Experience of Curriculum Integration Gained through Participation in eTwinning Project?
Author: Crisan, Gabriela Ileana
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Integrated Curriculum,Teacher Collaboration,Partnerships in Education,Teacher Participation,Interdisciplinary Approach,Communities of Practice,Questionnaires,Online Surveys

The integrated curriculum has been and still remains one of the major directions of interest in contemporary education. The present study aims at analyzing the opinion of a sample of 108 teachers, which are part of an eTwinning community regarding: a) their availability to participate in eTwinning projects; b) the ways of capitalizing the results of their participation in eTwinning projects; c) the value given to integrated approaches of curriculum content; d) the changes in teaching activities after their participation in eTwinning projects, including difficulties in the implementation of project results. An online questionnaire was the instrument of investigation. The main results of teacher participation in eTwinning projects, as they were mentioned by subjects, could be found in their teaching: the use of ICT in teaching and learning, the foundation of learning process on socio-constructivism, the multiplication of interdisciplinary connections, the enhancing of the student centered learning, the acquisition of key skills, the introduce of new methods and strategies.
Introducing Creativity in a Design Laboratory for a Freshman Level Electrical and Computer Engineering Course
Author: Burkett, Susan L.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering,Engineering Education,Computer Science Education,Computer Science,Creativity,Laboratory Experiments,Motivation,Musical Instruments,College Freshmen,Brainstorming,Teamwork,Student Surveys,Feedback (Response),College Faculty,Comparative Analysis,Sustainability

Dunlap, The University of Alabama, USA ABSTRACT In the electrical and computer engineering (ECE) curriculum at The University of Alabama, freshmen are introduced to fundamental electrical concepts and units, DC circuit analysis techniques, operational amplifiers, circuit simulation, design, and professional ethics. The two credit course has both lecture and laboratory components that address these topics. The laboratory has been used, in this project, to provide students an experience in design. In one of the laboratory assignments, students work in teams to design and build products giving attention to both function and aesthetics. Creativity is an important attribute for engineers practicing their profession in a global society. The creative process was exercised in the design lab by progressively engaging students through various stages including: brainstorming, formation of a construction plan, producing schematic representations, and implementing their design. In a twoyear period, four laboratory exercises were developed to provide design experiences in our introductory ECE course. Assessment results show that the majority of students enjoy several aspects of the laboratory on design and creativity. At the same time, they consider this lab to be one of the most difficult ones due to its open-ended nature. Students who experienced the creative lab were somewhat more likely to state they would continue in their major. Overall, the project team concluded that the creative lab was valuable and did raise awareness of the creative process.
The Impact of a Cohort Model Learning Community on First-Year Engineering Student Success
Author: Doolen, Toni L.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Engineering,Engineering Education,College Freshmen,Cooperative Learning,Communities of Practice,Academic Achievement,Skill Development,Student Attitudes,Learner Engagement,Comparative Analysis,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Cohort Analysis,Student Surveys,Program Effectiveness,Positive Attitudes,Satisfaction,Predictor Variables,Statistical Analysis,Enrollment,Academic Persistence

This study investigated the effect of cohort participation in a learning community and collaborative learning techniques on the success of first-year engineering students. Student success was measured as gains in knowledge, skills, and attitudes, student engagement, and persistence in engineering. The study group was comprised of students registered in an engineering orientation course. Two sub-groups were compared: a) a test cohort and b) a control group. Students registered in the test cohort shared four courses. The control group shared only one course, an engineering orientation course. An exit survey was used to measure gains in skills and attitudes, student engagement, and student perceptions of collaborative learning techniques. Participation in the learning community test cohort was not found to improve student success. Participation in the learning community test cohort model was, however, linked to more positive student attitudes towards engineering and higher levels of student satisfaction with the collaborative learning techniques used in the course.
What Makes a Program &quot;Alternative Certification?&quot; An Operational Definition
Author: Haberman, Martin
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Alternative Teacher Certification,Definitions,Teacher Education,Nontraditional Students,Degree Requirements,Teacher Qualifications

This essay presents the background for understanding why defining alternative certification has been made a difficult matter, and proposes an operational definition of the term.
The Use of Peer Tutoring to Improve the Passing Rates in Mathematics Placement Exams of Engineering Students: A Success Story
Author: García, Rolando
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Peer Teaching,Engineering Education,College Students,Statistical Analysis,Program Effectiveness,Mathematics Achievement,Student Placement,Readiness,Summer Programs,Program Evaluation,Student Attitudes,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Scores

This paper describes a highly successful peer tutoring program that has resulted in an improvement in the passing rates of mathematics placement exams from 16% to 42%, on average. Statistical analyses were conducted using a Chi-Squared (?[superscript 2]) test for independence and the results were statistically significant (p-value much less than 0.05). These encouraging results suggest that this type of initiative should be institutionalized at the end of the grant period that funds it. The paper describes the structure of the program, the conditions of the university in which it is being implemented, the details of the statistical analyses, and its impact in engineering education. This model may easily be replicated in academic institutions with similar conditions.
Lessons Learned from Graduates of an Alternative Certification Program: The Case of the Stanley British Primary School
Author: Goodwin, William L.
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Alternative Teacher Certification,Case Studies,Graduates,Teacher Interns,Teacher Surveys,Teacher Attitudes,Program Evaluation,Teacher Persistence,Program Improvement

The purpose of this article is to review the essential features of the Stanley British Primary School (SBPS) and its Alternative Teacher Certification Program (ATCP). Attention is given to the surveyed reactions of the first wave of graduates from the program, particularly those completing the licensure program between 1994 and 2000. Many areas were examined during the survey--including the demographics of the sample; the nature of effective recruitment strategies and reasons given for selecting the ATCP; graduates' evaluations of the SBPS ATCP components; and teacher retention. At the article's conclusion, major findings are discussed in the form of lessons learned.
A Critical Reflection of the CSU Fullerton Alternative Certification Program
Author: Karge, Belinda Dunnick
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reflection,Alternative Teacher Certification,Special Needs Students,Program Descriptions,Success,Mentors,Teacher Interns,Factor Analysis,Educational Objectives,Student Surveys,Student Teacher Attitudes,Action Research,Research Projects,Self Efficacy,Teacher Education Programs,Program Effectiveness,College Programs

In the past decade the demand for highly qualified and especially trained teachers of students with special needs has exceeded the supply. To meet this deficit, alternative programs have sprouted up across the country. One such program, at CSU Fullerton, is successfully trying to fill that gap. Some 280 students have completed the requirements of a specially designed Intern program of coursework, practicum, advanced seminars, research and directed student teaching and are working in the communities of four, Southern California's local counties. The following article explains and describes the process, procedures, methods and results of these efforts. A highlight of this program is action research; the gathering of data, using scientifically-based interventions and analyzing the outcomes that produce change or progress.
Mentorship Defined by Alternative Teacher Certification Candidates: A Phenomenological Inquiry
Author: Tissington, Laura D.
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Alternative Teacher Certification,Phenomenology,Inquiry,Mentors,Beginning Teachers,Beginning Teacher Induction,Partnerships in Education,College School Cooperation,Questionnaires,Focus Groups,Interviews,School Culture,Politics of Education,Proximity,Classroom Techniques,Interpersonal Relationship,Program Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Surveys,Elementary Secondary Education

National teacher shortages have driven the market for alternative means of teacher certification. This study sought to understand what mentorship means to 27 beginning teachers in a university-district partnership Alternative Certification Program (ACP) in an effort to understand the participants' perceptions. The process included administering and coding self report questionnaires, random selection and focus group interviews, data triangulation, and intense interaction over a 10 month period. Principles of phenomenology guided researchers to realize four interrelated essential core themes exploring the meaning of mentorship (a) school politics, (b) proximity (c) relationship, and (d) classroom management.
Mentoring Alternative Certification Teachers: Perceptions from the Field
Author: Utsumi, Lillian
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mentors,Alternative Teacher Certification,Racial Differences,Gender Differences,Age Differences,Beliefs,Teacher Characteristics,Beginning Teachers,Master Teachers,Administrator Attitudes,Administrators,Questionnaires,School Support,Educational Resources,Prior Learning,Educational Practices,Teacher Attitudes,Statistical Analysis,Teacher Interns

In this paper we present two studies that examine mentoring supports for alternative certification teachers from three perspectives: pre-interns, mentor teachers, and site administrators. The diverse sample population allowed us to study the role of race, gender, age, and prior careers in six domains of teacher learning and in their beliefs about students. The results showed differing perceptions of support and the critical need for mentoring across all domains of teaching, regardless of teacher characteristics. The findings suggest several needs: clear mentoring goals, better communication, effective mentor training, and a stronger instructional focus.
State-Wide Collaborative Partnerships for Alternative Certification the Kansas Transition to Teaching Program
Author: Carroll, Jeri A.
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Partnerships in Education,Alternative Teacher Certification,State Programs,Educational Cooperation,Teacher Education Curriculum,Teacher Education Programs,Program Descriptions,College School Cooperation,Grants,Cohort Analysis,Consortia,Online Courses,Delivery Systems,Educational History,Transitional Programs,Group Dynamics,Program Development,Elementary Secondary Education

Alternative certification programs continue to increase as school districts, institutions of higher education, and commercial companies share common educational expectations. In Kansas, a state-wide collaborative of eleven partner institutions, governed by an advisory board, designed a conceptual framework, a standards-based program, curriculum, and a structure for managing, implementing, delivering and evaluating a state alternative teacher preparation program. Characteristics of the state-wide program are discussed including: (1) collaborative partnerships, (2) grant funding for candidates in multiple institutions, (3) cohorts of candidates, (4) consortium of institutions, and (5) online delivery model. Selection and support are identified as the key elements of success.
Alternative Certification and Retention of Secondary Math and Science Teachers: A Study Based on &quot;SASS/TFS&quot;
Author: Tai, Robert H.
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Alternative Teacher Certification,Mathematics Teachers,Science Teachers,Teacher Shortage,Teacher Characteristics,Data Analysis,Comparative Analysis,Faculty Mobility,Teacher Persistence,Gender Differences,Ethnicity,Urban Areas,Status,Maximum Likelihood Statistics,Predictor Variables,Prediction,Elementary Secondary Education

In light of shortages of mathematics and science teachers, alternative certification was introduced in the mid-1980s. This study examined the effect of alternative certification among math and science teachers who moved to a different school or left the profession. This was accomplished using the national &quot;SASS&quot; and &quot;TFS&quot; databases. The results indicated that alternatively certified teachers were comparable in their commitment to their current school and the teaching profession when compared with their traditionally certified colleagues. Findings are discussed with respect to their relevance for education policy makers and school administrators.
Transition to Teaching in Nebraska: Findings from the First Decade
Author: McCarty, Wendy L.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Alternative Teacher Certification,Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation,Needs Assessment,Student Needs,Audits (Verification),Transitional Programs,Online Courses,Student Teaching,Employment Statistics,Likert Scales,Administrator Attitudes,Teacher Education Programs,College Programs,Surveys

Nebraska's alternative teacher certification program, Transition to Teaching, is housed at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. After 10 years in operation, program evaluation was deemed necessary to assess responsiveness to the needs of teacher candidates and the school districts within the state and effectiveness in meeting those needs. Results of this study showed both strengths and challenges and provide clear direction for the future of alternative teacher certification in Nebraska.
Life Satisfaction of Former-Military, Second-Career Changers
Author: Robertson, Heather
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Career Change,Veterans,Life Satisfaction,Beginning Teachers,Quality of Life,Teacher Surveys,Likert Scales,Counseling Services,Mentors,Teacher Attitudes,Career Development,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis

One-hundred thirty-six former-military members with average age of 51 transitioning to a second-career in teaching were surveyed regarding life satisfaction and were found to be satisfied with their lives. The research compliments earlier studies of second-career teachers as effective teachers, yet provides additional insight on former-military teachers, and their life satisfaction with their new career. Guidelines for counselors, mentors, or administrators working with former-military, second-career teachers are included, as well as implications for future research.