ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Survey of Music Programs at State Residential Schools for Blind Students
Author: Kahler, Edward P.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Music Education,Residential Schools,State Schools,Blindness,Visual Impairments,Online Surveys,Music Teachers,Learning Strategies

Currently, students with visual impairments are the least represented disability group in the music education literature (Brown &amp; Jellison, 2012). The purpose of the descriptive investigation presented here was to identify the types of music programs and instructional music strategies utilized by students in state schools. All three of the researchers of this article have past or present experience in teaching music to children with visual impairments, and two of them were music educators at state schools. By examining the music programs at state schools, the researchers sought to identify current trends and future areas of research for the field of visual impairment and for the field of music education.
Beyond Stalemate: Seeking Solutions to Challenges in Online and Blended Learning Programs
Author: Charbonneau-Gowdy, Paula
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Blended Learning,Online Courses,Higher Education,Barriers,Interaction,Case Studies,Longitudinal Studies,Student Participation,Teacher Influence,Learner Engagement,Distance Education,Student Experience,Questionnaires,Surveys,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Foreign Countries,Teacher Attitudes,Employees,School Personnel

Concerned calls for more empirical research in the area of fully or blended online learning approaches have yet to be heeded. The concern is not unwarranted given that most higher learning institutions worldwide are moving increasingly to partial or complete online course offerings. Our own work in this area has been directed at uncovering challenges in Virtual Learning Environments (VLE's), particularly those related to participatory issues that are being recognized in educational scholarship from a sociocultural perspective as the essence of successful learning, regardless of the field. The high stakes involved in learners´ proactive and critical participation in knowledge building through social interaction online, as opposed to passive assimilation, are closely connected to effective programs and their desired outcomes. We have argued that understanding the barriers that prevent these participatory practices involves a multifaceted perspective, including the voices of learners, and importantly, teaching practitioners. The significant quantitative and qualitative data we have generated in the different phases of our longitudinal inquiry using case study methodology have revealed disturbing challenges in the programs. These issues are primarily rooted in the degree of active participation on the part of many learners, especially in essential social interactive practices and this despite the commitment, enthusiasm and support of instructors for the VLE modality. Yet without significant student engagement and responsive participation not only are learning goals jeopardized, but so too is the underlying cost structure that often is assumed to support such programs. We are left with seeking a way forward. To do so, in this paper, we apply the investigative work we have done to emerging frameworks for evaluating these online programs. Our aim is to uncover a clear and evidenced-based argument for solutions to offer to key stakeholders and concrete steps they can take for improving their blended modality program offerings. The results of this exercise we believe provide an accessible roadmap for action for the large-scale online program in our investigation and new insight for online learning more broadly.
Perceived Collective Teacher Efficacy in Low Performing Schools
Author: Madimetsa, Joseph Mosoge
Date: 2018-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Low Achievement,School Effectiveness,Self Efficacy,Collegiality,Statistical Analysis,Questionnaires,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Surveys,Teacher Competencies,Task Analysis,Interprofessional Relationship,Leadership Effectiveness,Performance Factors,Elementary Secondary Education,Foreign Countries

The challenge of low performing schools continues to rear its ugly head in many countries, including South Africa. The responses to low performance differ from country to country, but none of these have included the enhancement of collective teacher efficacy in their repertoire. Research shows that collective teacher efficacy is positively related to improved academic performance of learners. Schools with a higher sense of collective efficacy outperform schools with a lower sense of collective efficacy. Schools with high efficacy are characterised by strong work ethic, and teachers who persist in the face of difficulty. Moreover, teachers in these schools are more persistent in their efforts, plan more, and view failure as a temporary set-back that does not discourage them. Therefore, if principals and their management teams could find a way to enhance collective teacher efficacy, the challenge of low-performing schools may be overcome. In view of this, quantitative research was conducted with the aim of determining the strength of collective teacher efficacy in low performing schools. Ten randomly selected schools in the Kenneth Kaunda Education District were involved in the research and in each selected school all the teachers were involved (N = 217). Data was collected using a questionnaire (The Collective Teacher Efficacy Scale: short version). The questionnaires were delivered and collected in schools by the researchers. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, frequencies, percentages and mean scores. The results show that collective teacher efficacy in these schools is medium to high pertaining to group competence, but lower in task analysis.
The Factors Influencing Mathematics Students to Choose Teaching as a Career
Author: du Preez, Michelle
Date: 2018-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Instruction,Teaching (Occupation),Career Choice,Occupational Aspiration,Majors (Students),Performance Factors,Questionnaires,Graduate Students,Mixed Methods Research,Likert Scales,Beliefs,Gender Differences,Native Language,Prior Learning,Comparative Analysis,Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries

Prompted by the poor state of mathematics education in South Africa and the shortage of competent mathematics teachers, this study sought to identify what factors influenced 40 Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students at three universities in the Western Cape Province, with Mathematics as a major subject, to choose teaching as a career. The respondents were asked to articulate reasons for their career choice by answering an open-ended question and completing an internationally validated FIT-choice questionnaire. The motivations presented in the questionnaire are based on the concepts of Self-efficacy, Self-determination Theory (SDT) and Expectancy Value Theory (EVT). The research has shown that student responses regarding their motivations were remarkably consistent, regardless of the respondents' home language or social class. Student rating choices were based mainly on intrinsic motivations. The study concludes, therefore, that understanding student choices with respect to Mathematics teaching as a career will assist in the planning and management of the recruitment and retention of quality Mathematics teachers. It is clear from this research that when student teachers with intrinsic motivation are identified and recruited, they will be more likely to perceive teaching as a lifelong career choice.
Teacher Education Students Engaging with Digital Identity Narratives
Author: Kajee, Leila
Date: 2018-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Personal Narratives,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Electronic Learning,Social Change,Identification (Psychology),Literacy,Social Media,Methods Courses,Foreign Countries

Teaching English with digital technology has exacerbated the process of teaching and learning. In youth leisure, computers are more than information devices: they convey stories, images, identities, and fantasies through providing imaginative opportunities for play, and as cultural and ideological forms. In this paper, I report on a project conducted with teacher education students at a university in Johannesburg, South Africa. The focus of the project is to examine how students construct their identities digitally through the multimodal narratives they create in the English classroom. To do this I report on two narratives, as well as a recurring theme, decolonisation. The latter theme is significant because it was during the time of this project that South African universities found themselves in the grip of decolonisation and free education protests. I use New Literacy Studies as a framework to theorise literacy practices, and the work of Hall and others to theorise identity. The paper presents further possible implications of digital identity construction for teaching and learning.
South African Public School Teachers&apos; Views on Right to Discipline Learners
Author: Segalo, Letlhoyo
Date: 2018-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Public School Teachers,Discipline Policy,Focus Groups,Interviews,Teacher Rights,Teacher Surveys,Teacher Attitudes,Punishment,Student Behavior,Moral Values,School Safety,Teacher Empowerment,Classroom Techniques,Teaching Methods,Parent Participation,Elementary Secondary Education,Qualitative Research

In South Africa, the common law principle of &quot;in loco parentis&quot; entitles teachers, as the guardians in the school environment, to discipline learners. However, in view of new legislation advancing children's rights, it is unclear as to the extent to which teachers can or do enact the &quot;loco parentis&quot; role. This study employed a qualitative research approach to explore public school teachers' views related to disciplining learners. A convenience sample of eight teachers (four females and four males) was interviewed using a focus group strategy. A thematic data analysis was applied to identify strands emerging from the discussions. Findings suggest diminished teachers' rights to discipline learners as characterised by learners' lack of respect, morals and values, teacher safety and personal protection, teacher sense of disempowerment, poor classroom management and teaching strategies, and ineffective parental involvement.
Quality Management in Schools: Analysis of Mediating Factors
Author: Díez, Fernando
Date: 2018-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Quality,Models,Quality Assurance,Teacher Attitudes,Administrator Attitudes,Educational Practices,Hypothesis Testing,Performance Factors,Correlation,Management Systems,Program Effectiveness,Preferences,Elementary Secondary Education,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis

The objective of this study is to contribute to Quality Management Systems (QMS) and their impact on schools in the Basque Country, Spain. Specifically, it analyses two models: the EFQM Excellence Model, which originated in the business world, and the Integrated Quality Project (IQP) Model, which has a humanistic focus and arose from an educational research perspective. To do so, 14 schools were analysed by means of a sample of 315 subjects (42 managers and 273 teachers) who utilise one of these two QMS. The results show that the longer the period of time for which schools had had quality certification, the greater the perception of quality among the teaching staff, regardless of the model used. This leads to the conclusion that having in place a quality model in a school makes the teaching staff more aware of the existence and importance of quality management systems and models and leads them to aspire to higher educational quality.
The Influence of Catholic Culture Type on the Spiritual Lives of College Students
Author: Ackerson, Betsy V.
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Catholic Schools,Colleges,Institutional Mission,Religion,Spiritual Development,Philosophy,Correlation,College Students,Student Surveys,Cultural Influences,Program Effectiveness,Identification (Psychology),College Freshmen,College Seniors,National Surveys,Learner Engagement,Statistical Analysis

This article considers the Catholic culture of American Catholic colleges and universities in light of their Catholic mission and purpose--that of fostering and drawing students to a deeper knowledge and understanding of truth and themselves in relation to Truth, who is God. Drawing on Catholic theology, philosophy, magisterial teachings, and scholarship on culture and human development, the study explores the relationship between Catholic culture and students' spiritual development at Catholic colleges and universities. It applies the Morey-Piderit Catholic culture framework and analyzes survey responses from more than 10,000 college students to identify the relationship between Catholic culture type and spiritual development of students during college. The findings indicate that the predominant culture type found at the majority of Catholic colleges is proving ineffective in supporting the spiritual development of their students.
The Role of Leadership Practices in Establishing a Curriculum Policy Platform at Working-Class Schools
Author: Terhoven, René
Date: 2018-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Working Class,Curriculum Development,Educational Policy,Leadership Role,Educational Practices,Qualitative Research,School Administration,Administrative Principles,Leadership Styles,Participative Decision Making,Focus Groups,Semi Structured Interviews,Administrator Attitudes,Elementary Secondary Education,Foreign Countries

This article focuses on the way in which the school management teams (SMTs) of three selected working-class schools have developed and implemented a range of leadership practices within their schools in order to provide a platform for optimal teaching and learning. The article is based on qualitative research conducted in schools on the outskirts of Cape Town. Employing the policy enactment theory advanced by Ball, Maguire and Braun (2012), the article illustrates the way in which the context of these working-class schools impacts on the type of leadership practices that are employed; these practices, in turn, have an impact on the type of curriculum policy platform established in these schools. The article elucidates how governmental curriculum policy reform is 'received' by the SMTs, which are the schools' formal leadership structures, and implemented in the 'messy' reality of the selected schools. We present the argument that the leadership practices of the selected schools' SMTs are determined by the schools' 'materiality,' in reference to the impact of the schools' contextual circumstances on their curriculum processes and leadership practices. The findings show that the schools' leadership practices are based on a narrow and one-dimensional enactment of the curriculum policy, which has negative consequences for teaching and learning in the schools. This article contributes to an understanding of the challenges of leadership practices in working-class schools and the enactment of curriculum policy reform in them.
High School Options and Post-Secondary Student Success: The Catholic School Advantage
Author: Fleming, David J.
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Catholic Schools,High School Graduates,Public Schools,Grade Point Average,College Outcomes Assessment,Academic Persistence,Graduation Rate,School Effectiveness,School Choice,Longitudinal Studies,Minority Group Students,Low Income Students,Urban Education,Cohort Analysis,College Freshmen,Institutional Characteristics,Advantaged

Recognizing that post-secondary student attainment and achievement is of increasing import for economic success, this study compares the post-secondary performance of students who attended public and private high schools. The results generally indicate that students who attended Catholic high schools had higher college grade-point averages (GPAs), were more likely to graduate, and were more likely to graduate with a STEM degree. This Catholic school advantage was wide-ranging, benefiting many subgroups of students, including non-white, low income, urban, and low-achieving students. We controlled for a rich set of factors and conducted sensitivity analyses to establish the strength of these results.
A National Study of Regional Catholic School Systems
Author: Wolsonovich, Nicholas
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Catholic Schools,Regional Schools,Educational Benefits,Questionnaires,Stakeholders,Administrator Surveys,Feasibility Studies,Educational Improvement,School Based Management,Governance,Strategic Planning,Instructional Leadership,Educational Finance,Facilities,Fund Raising,Morale,Enrollment,Qualitative Research

This article presents the results of an inquiry into the advantages and disadvantages of regional Catholic school systems, executed by practitioners in the field of Catholic Education. The findings support the idea that the regional Catholic school system is a valuable strategy for providing Catholic education in areas where traditional parish-based schools are no longer viable and suggest that the six major school functions--management, educational programming, school community, Catholic identity, finances, and enrollment--are strengthened as a result of the regional Catholic school system approach. The findings indicate that implementation of the regional system will be most successful when it is supported by all the stakeholders, especially the clergy involved with the schools.
A Vision for Catholic Higher Education in the 21st Century: Reflecting on the Boston College Roundtable
Author: McQuillan, Patrick
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Catholic Schools,Higher Education,College Planning,Strategic Planning,Institutional Mission,Educational Change,Organizational Change,Focus Groups,Church Related Colleges,Transcripts (Written Records),Traditionalism,Liberal Arts,Curriculum Enrichment,Experiential Learning,Consortia,Change Strategies

The nucleus of any university is the intellectual life that unfolds among faculty and students. Inevitably, that intellectual life is shaped by the broader university context. Examining that process--in particular, its connection to a Catholic understanding of university mission--offers insight into pressing issues. For instance, what shifting social and academic conditions--both opportunities and challenges--set a context for campus conversations? How might Catholic institutions respond to these conditions? Can Catholic institutions provide a hospitable place for integrating faith and reason at the institutional and personal levels? Can the Catholic intellectual tradition serve as a constructive and creative lens for transforming Catholic higher education? And drawing on ideas that emerged during the Boston College Roundtable seminars, how might change occur?
Disintegrating Worldviews and the Future of Catholic Education: Addressing the Deep Roots of Catholic Disaffiliation
Author: Manning, Patrick R.
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Catholic Schools,Catholics,Catholic Educators,World Views,Declining Enrollment,Beliefs,Spiritual Development,Christianity,Social Change,Sociocultural Patterns,Social History,Ideology,School Culture,Instruction,Curriculum Development,Leadership Training,Educational Practices,Educational Change,Institutional Mission

Catholic schools in the United States continue to struggle with declining enrollment just as the wider American Church continues to struggle with rampant disaffiliation. While some Catholic educators have generated creative solutions to keep their schools afloat, the long-term viability of U.S. Catholic education will require understanding the deep roots of current disaffiliation trends in the gradual fading of the Christian worldview from Westerners' imaginations. This article addresses this issue by interpreting sociological data about the faith lives of Catholics and Americans in general through the lens of contemporary research on secularization. Working from these interpretive insights, the author suggests concrete implications for how an understanding of the subtle forces precipitating this momentous historical change might guide the work of Catholic educators.
Incorporating a Class-Wide Behavioral System to Decrease Disruptive Behaviors in the Inclusive Classroom
Author: Aspiranti, Kathleen B.
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Behavior,Behavior Problems,Autism,Inclusion,Elementary School Students,Catholic Schools,Program Effectiveness,Student Attitudes,Intervention,Visual Stimuli,Standards,Grade 2,Grade 3,Observation,Positive Behavior Supports

The Color Wheel System is a class-wide behavioral intervention that provides clear rules and expectations to decrease inappropriate behaviors. We implemented the Color Wheel in two classrooms that included students with autism to explore the effectiveness of the Color Wheel in inclusive classrooms within a Catholic elementary school setting. During implementation, there were large and immediate decreases in inappropriate vocalizations in both classrooms. The majority of the students liked the intervention, and the teachers saw positive changes in student behavior and wanted to use the Color Wheel with future classes.
The Characteristics of Catholic Schools: Comparative Perspectives from the USA and Queensland, Australia
Author: Gleeson, Jim
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Institutional Characteristics,Catholic Schools,Comparative Education,Foreign Countries,Teaching Conditions,Teacher Characteristics,Religious Factors,Catholic Educators,Teacher Attitudes,Statistical Significance,Role of Education,Religious Education,Administrator Attitudes,Statistical Analysis

The faith-based identity of Catholic schools is increasingly problematic in a secularised society where the numbers of teachers belonging to religious orders are diminishing rapidly. Teachers' views regarding the characteristics of Catholic schools are an important aspect of the identity of such schools. The authors locate Catholic schools in the USA and Queensland, Australia, in their respective contexts and compare teachers' ratings of the importance of eleven given characteristics of Catholic schools as seen by 3,389 teachers in USA Catholic schools and 2,287 teachers in Queensland Catholic schools. When the mean ratings for each jurisdiction were statistically correlated, USA teachers were much more likely to rate these given characteristics as essential and the resulting ?[superscript 2] and associated Odds Ratio values indicated very statistically significant jurisdictional differences. Some tentative explanations are suggested including the differing political contexts, the conditions of teachers' employment and the support structures for the spiritual and faith formation of teachers in the respective jurisdictions.