ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
PreK-3 Alignment in California's Education System: Obstacles and Opportunities
Author: Valentino, Rachel
Date: 2016-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Alignment (Education),Preschool Education,Primary Education,Early Childhood Education,Educational Policy,Educational Practices,Barriers,Best Practices,State Policy,Board of Education Policy,Preservice Teacher Education,School Districts,Interviews,Educational Change,Kindergarten,Transitional Programs,School District Autonomy,Educational Benefits,Case Studies

Empirical evidence that horizontal alignment of policies and practices from preschool through the early elementary grades sustains the effects of quality preschool and contributes to children's learning is scarce, as discussed above, but there are nevertheless good reasons to expect benefits to such alignment. Moreover, many districts and schools in California and throughout the country are working to strengthen preK-3 alignment. The purpose of this report is to document: (1) how key district and policy leaders in California conceptualize preK-3 alignment; (2) what kinds of policies and practices districts have implemented to achieve alignment; (3) what kinds of efforts and practices have been successful and the critical ingredients of their success; and (4) the main barriers districts and schools have encountered when attempting to achieve horizontal alignment between preschool and the elementary grades. To achieve this goal, researchers conducted interviews with individuals who play key roles in early childhood education (ECE) in California, including foundation representatives and state-, county-, and district-level personnel. This report presents a qualitative analysis of the interviews identifying trends in responses, along with two district case-studies. The interview questions were designed to address six topics: (1) definition and key components; (2) value; (3) practices; (4) best practices, barriers, and need for change; (5) transitional kindergarten (TK); and (6) local control. Participants defined PreK-3 alignment as a &quot;continuum&quot; with &quot;shared goals and expectations&quot; across grades. The case studies of Fresno Unified School District (FUSD) and Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) are included in this report because of their noteworthy practices to support early childhood education and PreK-3 alignment. Four best practices implemented by districts contributed to their success: (1) continuous parent involvement; (2) joint professional development between Pre-K, Head Start, Child Care, TK, and K-3 teachers; (3) strong leadership commitment and training for principals; and (4) efforts to create a uniform and continuous district assessments and longitudinal data system. PreK-3 Alignment Interview Questions are appended. [For the summary of the report, &quot;Opportunities to Align California's PreK-3 Education System,&quot; see ED574786.]
Opportunities to Align California's PreK-3 Education System
Author: Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE)
Date: 2016-05-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Alignment (Education),Preschool Education,Primary Education,Early Childhood Education,Educational Policy,Educational Practices,Barriers,Best Practices,State Policy,Board of Education Policy,Preservice Teacher Education,School Districts,Interviews,Case Studies

&quot;PreK-3 Alignment in California's Education System: Obstacles and Opportunities&quot; by Rachel Valentino and Deborah J. Stipek reviews the opportunities and challenges that must be addressed to better align PreK-3 education in California. The report describes policies and practices that districts have implemented to strengthen alignment, and identifies the main barriers that districts and schools encounter when attempting to align preschool and the elementary grades. The report is based on interviews with individuals who play key roles in early childhood education (ECE) in California, including foundation representatives and state-, county-, and district-level personnel. Participants defined PreK-3 alignment as a &quot;continuum&quot; with &quot;shared goals and expectations&quot; across grades. This brief summarizes the study in the full report, and discusses the following: (1) best practices across districts; (2) state and district policy implications; and (3) implications for teacher preparation. [For the full report, &quot;PreK-3 Alignment in California's Education System: Obstacles and Opportunities,&quot; see ED574785.]
At the Forefront of the New Accountability Era: Early Implementation Findings from the CORE Waiver Districts
Author: Marsh, Julie A.
Date: 2016-11-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Accountability,Educational Change,School Districts,Program Implementation,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation,Educational Policy,Educational Indicators,Academic Standards,Educational Opportunities,Outcomes of Education,Academic Achievement,Case Studies,Educational Improvement,Semi Structured Interviews,Principals,Measurement Techniques,Measurement,Elementary Secondary Education,Capacity Building,State Policy,Low Achievement,Policy Formation,Administrators,Leadership Effectiveness,Rewards,School District Autonomy,Holistic Approach,Observation

California and the nation are at the crossroads of a major shift in school accountability policy. At the state level, California's Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) encourages the use of multiple measures of school performance used locally to support continuous improvement and strategic resource allocation. Similarly, the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) reinforces this local control, requiring more comprehensive assessment of school performance and a less prescriptive, local approach to school support. These changes represent a major cultural shift for California schools and districts. Ahead of the curve, six California districts, known as the California Office to Reform Education (CORE) waiver districts, have implemented an innovative measurement system and supports for school and district improvement under an NCLB waiver, and thus provide a unique opportunity to examine and learn from the enactment of a system supported by accountability policy in this new era. This report examines the early implementation and effects of the CORE reform and seeks to inform the ongoing efforts within CORE as well as the development and implementation of future accountability policy in other states and districts. Additional details about the research methods are appended. [For the accompanying policy brief, &quot;Local Control in Action: Learning from the CORE Districts' Focus on Measurement, Capacity Building, and Shared Accountability. CORE-PACE Research Partnership. Policy Brief 16-4,&quot; see ED574788.]
Local Control in Action: Learning from the CORE Districts' Focus on Measurement, Capacity Building, and Shared Accountability. Policy Brief 16-4
Author: Marsh, Julie
Date: 2016-10-14
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Capacity Building,Accountability,School Districts,Measurement,Holistic Approach,School District Autonomy,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation,Administrators,Educational Improvement,Academic Achievement,Semi Structured Interviews,Educational Cooperation,Administrator Attitudes

California and the nation are at the crossroads of a major shift in school accountability policy. At the state level, California's Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) encourages the use of multiple measures of school performance used locally to support continuous improvement and strategic resource allocation. Similarly, the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) reinforces this local control, requiring more comprehensive assessment of school performance and a less prescriptive, local approach to school support. These changes represent a major cultural shift for California schools and districts. As California supports districts statewide to embark on this improvement journey, there are important lessons to be learned from the California Office to Reform Education (CORE) districts, six of which developed an innovative accountability system under a waiver from No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The CORE districts are early adopters of the new accountability paradigm: local leaders using multiple measures of school performance and working together to figure out collectively what works best for struggling schools. This study examines how the CORE districts understood, implemented, and responded to the new accountability system implemented under the waiver. The research indicates that a shift to greater flexibility and locally-determined capacity building efforts brings its own set of challenges, but substantial benefits as well. The CORE districts present an opportunity to learn how to effectively utilize multiple measures of school quality, develop shared accountability, and build capacity for schools and districts to improve. In summary, the authors found that: (1) district and school administrators greatly appreciated the shift toward a more holistic approach to measurement and an emphasis on support over sanctions; (2) most waiver districts adapted CORE's accountability system to their local needs, revealing a tension between shared accountability and local variation; and (3) CORE's measurement system and district-level collaboration hold promise for improving local systems, while efforts to improve schools through collaboration and capacity building remain a work in progress. [For the accompanying report, &quot;At the Forefront of the New Accountability Era: Early Implementation Findings from the CORE Waiver Districts,&quot; see ED574787.]
Authentic Teaching Opportunities of English for Primary Students as a Community of Practice: &quot;A Case of Pre-Service Teacher Education at a Japanese University&quot;
Author: Okumura, Shinji
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Case Studies,Communities of Practice,Preservice Teachers,Interviews,School Culture,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Elementary School Teachers,Elementary School Students,Educational Planning,Teaching Methods,Student Attitudes,Reflection,Qualitative Research,Writing (Composition),Foreign Countries

This case study explored what pre-service teachers learned through authentic experiences of English teaching for primary students, drawing upon the concept of a Community of Practice. A total of 21 pre-service teachers engaged in the training project--including planning, preparing, and teaching lessons--and wrote reflection papers after thinking about their activities. The focal data was the pre-service teachers' written work, which was analyzed with a qualitative approach. Follow-up interviews were conducted for selected pre-service teachers. The findings indicated that the project contributed to allowing the pre-service teachers to develop knowledge and skills for primary English education. The study also confirmed that the training project promoted solidarity, especially between the old-timers and the newcomers. On the other hand, the typical Japanese school culture seemed to function as an obstacle to allowing the old-timers and the newcomers to become acquainted enough.
Classifying STEM Programs in Community Colleges to Develop a State-Level Middle-Skill STEM Workforce Strategy. A CAPSEE Working Paper
Author: Lundy-Wagner, Valeria
Date: 2016-06-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: STEM Education,Community Colleges,Skill Development,Labor Force Development,Job Skills,Classification,Wages,Graduation,Undergraduate Study,Outcomes of Education,Majors (Students),Student Characteristics,College Transfer Students,Longitudinal Studies,Certification,Associate Degrees,Statistical Analysis

Calls to increase the number of undergraduate STEM credential recipients have largely failed to differentiate between sub-baccalaureate and four-year credentials at the undergraduate level, which is problematic for workforce development. In this paper, the authors develop a classification system for sub-baccalaureate STEM credentials that is incorporated into an analysis of administrative data from the Virginia Community College System. The authors first describe sub-baccalaureate STEM students and then examine the relationships between STEM matriculation and short-term outcomes for six cohorts. The authors use Mincerian regressions to estimate the earnings associated with completing a STEM credential four years after initial enrollment. In addition to confirming that students with career-oriented credentials drive short-term STEM earnings benefits, and that full-time students are more likely to complete credentials than their part-time peers, this study also finds relative homogeneity between STEM and non-STEM community college students, suggesting that ability may not be the primary factor inhibiting middle-skill STEM workforce preparation. The authors conclude by discussing the findings and suggesting how these data could be useful in better aligning Virginia's economic development plans and postsecondary educational offerings. A table on VCCS STEM Majors by Program Category and Credential Orientation is appended.
Performance Standards in Need-Based Student Aid. A CAPSEE Working Paper
Author: Scott-Clayton, Judith
Date: 2016-12-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Student Financial Aid,College Students,Academic Achievement,Academic Standards,Regression (Statistics),Academic Persistence,Academic Failure,College Credits,Efficiency,Equal Education,Low Income Students,Federal Aid,Grade Point Average,Models

College attendance is a risky investment. But students may not recognize when they are at risk for failure, and financial aid introduces the possibility for moral hazard. Academic performance standards can serve three roles in this context: signaling expectations for success, providing incentives for increased student effort, and limiting financial losses. Such standards have existed in federal need-based aid programs for nearly 40 years in the form of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements, yet have received virtually no academic attention. In this paper, we sketch a simple model to illustrate not only student responses to standards but also the tradeoffs faced by a social planner weighing whether to set performance standards in the context of need-based aid. We then use regression discontinuity and difference-in-difference designs to examine the consequences of SAP failure. In line with theoretical predictions, we find heterogeneous effects in the short term, with negative impacts on persistence but positive effects on grades for students who remain enrolled. After three years, the negative effects appear to dominate. Effects on credits attempted are 2-3 times as large as effects on credits earned, suggesting that standards increase the efficiency of aid expenditures. But it also appears to exacerbate inequality in higher education by pushing out low-performing low-income students faster than their equally low-performing, but higher-income peers. A table on DID Estimated Effects of Failing GPA Performance Standard At End of Year 1, No Covariates is appended.
Does the Federal Work-Study Program Really Work--And for Whom? Research Brief
Author: Scott-Clayton, Judith
Date: 2017-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Work Study Programs,Federal Programs,Program Effectiveness,Outcomes of Education,Educational Equity (Finance),Resource Allocation,Educational Attainment,Low Income Students,Higher Education,Grade Point Average,Academic Persistence,Employment Potential,Education Work Relationship,Funding Formulas,Educational Policy

The Federal Work-Study (FWS) program is one of the oldest federal programs intended to promote college access and persistence for low-income students. Since 1964, the program has provided approximately $1 billion annually to cover up to 75 percent of the wages of student employees, who typically work on campus for 10 to 15 hours per week. The FWS program has an extensive reach, serving nearly 700,000 students per year, including one out of every 10 full-time first-year undergraduates (and three out of 10 at private nonprofit four-year colleges). Among recipients, the average annual award size is $2,270 (representing about 66 percent of published tuition and fees at a public two-year college or 24 percent at a public four-year college, but only 5 percent of published tuition and fees at a private nonprofit four-year college). Despite this longstanding reach, federal funding for the FWS program has been stagnant for more than a decade, and in inflation-adjusted terms it has actually declined by nearly 25 percent since 2000 (to $982 million in 2015-16, from $1.3 billion in 2000-01), even as student enrollment and student need have both grown (College Board, n.d.). This decline in support may reflect two persistent concerns: first, the lack of adequate evidence regarding the program's impact on student outcomes, and second, discomfort with its &quot;campus-based&quot; funding mechanism, which provides funds to institutions rather than students and disproportionately benefits selective private institutions. While some small private institutions are able to provide FWS to all eligible students, public institutions typically can provide FWS to only a fraction of students that qualify, and at some community colleges, FWS funds are effectively nonexistent. In this brief, the authors discuss current research regarding both the effectiveness of the program and its equity in terms of the distribution of funds. The authors begin by highlighting findings from recent research by the Center for Analysis of Postsecondary Education and Employment (CAPSEE) which suggests that the program does positively influence students' college attainment and post-college outcomes. The evidence also suggests that these impacts may be greatest for low-income students and students at public institutions. The authors then discuss how the current process for allocating FWS funds to institutions leaves these very students--those who are most likely to benefit--with the least access to the program. They conclude with implications for policy, including potential channels that might be used to maximize the effectiveness of the program.
Internationalization of Higher Education and the Use of MOOCs to Improve Second Language Proficiency: The MOVE-ME Project
Author: Troncarelli, Donatella
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Higher Education,Online Courses,Second Language Learning,Language Proficiency,Educational Resources,Global Approach,Foreign Students,English (Second Language),Italian,English for Academic Purposes,Informal Education,Student Needs,Teaching Methods,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries

Over the last few decades the international dimension of higher education has grown significantly as internationalization has become a strategic goal for many governments. Students on the move worldwide reached five million in 2015 and their number is increasing at a rate of 10% each year. Many of these students need to develop proficiency in the language of the host country rapidly, in order to carry out their studies successfully and benefit from their experience abroad, on both personal and academic levels. Technology has the potential to accommodate these needs since it can enhance the process of learning offering flexible and self-paced paths, that can complement conventional language courses and extending ways of learning and teaching second languages. This paper presents the premises and the main choices of the MOVE-ME project--Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for university students on the move in Europe--,funded under the Key Action 2 of the Erasmus+ program and based on the use of MOOCs to widen access to education resources for learning English and Italian for academic purposes. [For the complete volume, &quot;Beyond the Language Classroom: Researching MOOCs and Other Innovations,&quot; see ED574781.]
The Move-Me Project: Reflecting on xMOOC and cMOOC Structure and Pedagogical Implementation
Author: McLoughlin, Laura
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Mass Instruction,Online Courses,Metacognition,Student Mobility,Program Descriptions,Criticism,Educational Objectives,Foreign Countries,Open Education,Educational Resources,Outcomes of Education,Blended Learning,Guidelines,Educational Cooperation,International Cooperation,Academic Discourse,English (Second Language),Higher Education

This paper discusses the rationale and structure of two Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) created as part of the EU-funded Move-Me project, which aims to develop two MOOCs and open educational resources for university learners participating in mobility programmes in Europe. The MOOCs are designed to help learners develop the skills necessary to understand, critique and deploy academic discourse in selected disciplines. The article will first briefly present the Move-Me project, its objectives, and outcomes. It will then explain the methodological framework of reference for the two MOOCs, reflect on &quot;x,&quot; &quot;c,&quot; and hybrid MOOC structures and discuss how metacognitive skills and strategies are employed to achieve the stated learning objectives. [For the complete volume, &quot;Beyond the Language Classroom: Researching MOOCs and Other Innovations,&quot; see ED574781.]
The MOOC-CLIL Project: Using MOOCs to Increase Language, and Social and Online Learning Skills for 5th Grade K-12 Students
Author: de Waard, Inge
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Online Courses,Large Group Instruction,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Language Skills,Social Development,Learning Strategies,Foreign Countries,Secondary School Students,Teaching Methods,Lifelong Learning,Peer Teaching,Critical Thinking,Independent Study,Questionnaires,Focus Groups,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),French

This study comprises the outcomes and methods of a one year project using Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) embedded in K-12 classes. The Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) of 42 students enrolled in three 5th grade classes were monitored. The students took the MOOCCLIL class for one year (2015-2016) at the Guldensporencollege (GUSCO), a Belgian secondary school in Kortrijk. In this weekly, two-hour class, the 16-17 year old students were increasingly guided towards autonomously choosing and learning from MOOCs in a nonnative language. At the last phase of the project, the students were asked to autonomously choose and engage in a MOOC. The study used a three step approach to increase autonomous, online learning. Students could choose from French and English MOOCs, while their mother tongue is Flemish (Belgian Dutch). The project consisted of a practical teaching/learning approach rolled out by the teachers, and a research approach enabling a step-by-step evaluation of self-regulated learning. Findings include an increase of practical language use, confidence in planning autonomous learning, and increased social learning skills. [For the complete volume, &quot;Beyond the Language Classroom: Researching MOOCs and Other Innovations,&quot; see ED574781.]
Dualism-Based Design of the Introductory Chinese MOOC &quot;Kit de contact en langue chinoise&quot;
Author: Wang-Szilas, Jue
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Introductory Courses,Chinese,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Online Courses,Mass Instruction,Peer Relationship,Cultural Awareness,Instructional Design,Orthographic Symbols,Course Evaluation,Questionnaires,Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries

This article reviews the existing Chinese language Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and points out three problems in their design: the monism-based teaching method, the non-integration of cultural elements, and the lack of learner-learner interactions. It then presents the design principles of the Introductory Chinese MOOC in an attempt to tackle these problems. [For the complete volume, &quot;Beyond the Language Classroom: Researching MOOCs and Other Innovations,&quot; see ED574781.]