ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Improving Family Engagement: The Organizational Context and Its Influence on Partnering with Parents in Formal Child Care Settings
Author: Douglass, Anne
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Parent School Relationship,Child Care,Partnerships in Education,Family Involvement,Organizational Climate,Organizational Culture,Organizational Change,Educational Practices,Context Effect,Institutional Characteristics,Group Dynamics,Improvement Programs,Change Strategies,Organizational Theories,Administrative Organization,Interviews,Observation,Content Analysis,Early Childhood Education,Performance Factors,Barriers

Family engagement is widely considered a key component of high-quality early care and education (ECE). While most efforts to improve the quality of family engagement focus on teacher training, strong evidence from health care research suggests that the organizational context is a critical determinant of the quality of client-professional relationships. The importance of the organizational context for effective programs and quality improvement in child care has been largely neglected in both research and policy. This study examined the influence of the organizational context on the quality of family partnerships in four ECE programs involved in the Strengthening Families initiative in one state and tested the theory of a "relational bureaucratic" organizational system as a determinant of high-quality family partnerships in formal child care settings. Results showed that (1) a "relational bureaucratic" organizational context was associated with high-quality family partnership practices and (2) a "conventional bureaucratic" context was associated with low-quality family partnership practices. The "relational bureaucratic" organizations shared several key characteristics, including administrators who model and support caring and responsive staff relationships within the organization and the use of specific structures and processes to promote a caring and responsive professionalism. Results point to the importance of a relationship-centered organizational system as a key ingredient for effective partnerships with families, with implications for policy and practice. (Contains 3 tables.)
Effects of Relationship/Marriage Education on Co-Parenting and Children's Social Skills: Examining Rural Minority Parents' Experiences
Author: Kirkland, Cassandra L.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Community Education,Disadvantaged Youth,Child Rearing,Preschool Children,Marriage,Interpersonal Competence,Academic Ability,Interpersonal Relationship,Parenting Styles,Social Development,Rural Areas,Minority Groups,Parent Education,Early Intervention,African Americans,Program Effectiveness,Parents,Teachers,Observation,Pretests Posttests,Educational Attainment,Marital Status,Family Income,Parent Influence

Research indicates that the quality of co-parenting and couple relationships has an impact on parenting and on children's development, including their social skills and academic abilities. However, few applied studies have tested whether efforts to enhance the couple and co-parenting relationship result in benefits to the children, and no research exists that tests these assumptions with underrepresented populations. This article provides information on an ongoing novel study of Head Start parents and their children. An initial cohort of 80 primarily African American, low-income parents participated in a quasi-experimental study as either participants in a relationship education program or as participant controls. Relationship education participants completed a 6-week community education program focusing on couple and co-parenting dynamics and relationship quality. Relationship education participants demonstrated better outcomes than the control participants in the area of co-parenting disagreements and reported positive effects on preschool children's social competence. Participants' scores on both measures show significant improvement at one-year follow-up, while control parents and their children demonstrate more co-parenting disagreements and decreases in children's social competence. This promising early finding, if validated through final results of the study, may lead to enhanced family programming that includes marriage and relationship education as a means to promote more prosocial behaviors in children. (Contains 3 tables and 3 figures.)
Hispanic Families' Perspectives on Using a Bilingual Vocabulary Kit to Enhance Their Prekindergarten Children's Vocabulary Development
Author: Query, Rebecca Robinson
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preschool Education,Emergent Literacy,Vocabulary Development,Bilingualism,Hispanic Americans,Vocabulary,Preschool Children,Interviews,Young Children,Family Literacy,Family (Sociological Unit),Oral Language,Language Acquisition,Family School Relationship,Reading Achievement,Parents,Early Childhood Education

The purpose of this study was to examine Hispanic families' perspectives on using a prepared kit to enhance their preschoolers' vocabulary development at home. Families enrolled in a public prekindergarten program were provided with a bilingual (English/Spanish) home literacy kit that included ways in which to engage their children in activities related to environmental print and conversations. Three Hispanic families participated in two interviews about home literacy activities--one before they received the home literacy kit and the other 2 weeks after the families received the kit. Results from the interviews indicated that (1) parents felt that their use of the activities in the kit promoted their young children's vocabulary development and (2) providing bilingual literacy kits positively affected families' home literacy experiences. These findings may inform future research on early home literacy practices, primarily those focused on vocabulary development, for Hispanic families.
Professional Development Needs and Interests of Early Childhood Education Trainers
Author: Byington, Teresa A.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,Adult Learning,Professional Development,Teaching Methods,Educational Needs,Teacher Educator Education,Teacher Educators,Mail Surveys,Teacher Attitudes,Instructional Design,Instructional Effectiveness,Educational Principles,Research Utilization,Preferences,Interest Inventories,Educational Resources,Educational Practices

An online survey of early childhood education (ECE) trainers was conducted to assess their professional development needs and determine any differences between new and experienced trainers. Trainers identified teaching techniques and resources commonly used. The survey information is guiding the development of ECE trainer criteria in a southwestern state. The majority of survey respondents were female, Caucasian, and held a bachelor's degree or higher. ECE trainers were interested in receiving professional development on adult learning principles, teaching techniques, utilizing the latest research in ECE, and designing and presenting effective training. Participants indicated a preference for receiving training through online training modules and 2- to 3-hour training sessions. Trainers most frequently used handouts, lecture, and small and large group activities in training. ECE trainers expressed interest in participating in round table discussions and receiving monthly email messages containing trainer tips. The results of this study indicate that the ECE profession would benefit from strengthening the quality and quantity of professional development offered to trainers. (Contains 4 tables.)
Introducing the Cycle of Inquiry System: A Reflective Inquiry Practice for Early Childhood Teacher Development
Author: Broderick, Jane Tingle
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teacher Education,Curriculum Development,Preservice Teachers,Young Children,Reggio Emilia Approach,Inquiry,Early Childhood Education,Professional Development,Teacher Education,Case Studies,Constructivism (Learning),College Faculty

The Cycle of Inquiry (COI) is a tool for emergent curriculum planning and for professional development of early childhood teachers and teacher education students. The COI includes a sequence of five organizational forms connecting analysis of documentation data with intentional planning for long-term emergent inquiry inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach. The authors discuss and analyze the COI System through examination and analysis of the work of a student in a university early childhood teacher preparation program. Through this case study, the authors explore (1) whether a preservice teacher can learn to use the COI form-driven process to plan and facilitate emergent curriculum and (2) whether a mentor can scaffold and assess the development of an inservice or preservice teacher using the teacher's COI documentation. The authors also describe ongoing research into use of the COI System and outline potential directions for future research. (Contains 8 figures.)
Teaching Emotional Self-Awareness through Inquiry-Based Education
Author: Perez, Linda M.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Graduate Students,Young Children,Inquiry,Active Learning,Case Studies,Psychological Patterns,Emotional Development,Coping,Early Childhood Education,Caregivers,Masters Programs

This exploratory case study examined how graduate students' understanding about their own emotions and regulatory patterns influenced their ability to co-regulate young children's emotions. The study also explored the effectiveness of creating a learning context in which the students could learn the value of self-reflection and thoughtful inquiry into their own professional practices. Preliminary findings suggested that inquiry-based education and self-reflection enabled the students to recognize their own emotions and become better at regulating their emotions and co-regulating the children's emotions. (Contains 1 table.)
Learning to Document in Reggio-Inspired Education
Author: Wien, Carol Anne
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Literacy,Reggio Emilia Approach,Educational Practices,Learning Theories,Achievement Gains,Intellectual Development,Teaching Methods,Change Strategies,Educational Change,Classroom Techniques,Teacher Researchers,Educational Strategies,Elementary Schools,Early Childhood Education

This article discusses how teachers in child care and elementary schools learn to work with Reggio-inspired pedagogical documentation. While teachers grasp the value of such documentation theoretically, it is most challenging but exciting to use in practical settings. Documentation illuminates teacher theories about children's understanding: watching such theories change through study of documentation and further teacher research profoundly influences professional development. This article outlines five aspects in a progression in learning to document: (1) developing the habits of documenting, (2) &quot;going public&quot; with recountings of activities, (3) exploring the visual literacy of graphic displays, (4) making children's theories visible, and (5) sharing visible theories with others for the purpose of further interpretation and curriculum decision making. Two stories of teachers learning to document are shared--one showing a teacher's attempt to make one child's theory visible and one showing a teacher's &quot;documentation strips&quot; developed for revisiting theories with children. [&quot;Learning to Document in Reggio-Inspired Education&quot; was written with Victoria Guyevsky and Noula Berdoussis.] (Contains 3 figures.)
Teacher Collaboration Experiences: Finding the Extraordinary in the Everyday Moments
Author: Parnell, Will
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Collaboration,Reggio Emilia Approach,Professional Development,Faculty Development,Phenomenology,Classroom Techniques,Family Involvement,Personal Narratives,Learning Activities,School Activities,Cooperative Planning,Cooperative Programs,Improvement Programs,Educational Improvement,Teacher Improvement,Documentation,Participant Observation,Change Strategies,Educational Change,Teacher Administrator Relationship,Educational Practices

In this report of a phenomenological study, the co-director of a U.S. early childhood program describes and reflects on the interrelationship of his collaborative work with teachers, staff members' documentation of children's work and school events, and his own professional development activities. The author presents and discusses three events that took place over the course of a year. In the first narrative episode, his recent professional development experience at a program inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach enables him to support a teacher who is feeling discouraged about challenging situations in her classroom. Together they plan an after-school event that engages families in reorganizing parts of the classroom. The second narrative episode centers on the author's documentation of a complex construction made by two children in a new space that was created by the reorganization efforts. The final narrative episode consists primarily of a reflective conversation among the author, the teacher, and two colleagues, during which documentation panels created by the author and the teacher are the basis for collaborative discussion about the events of the preceding two narratives. Each narrative is followed by a discussion and brief analysis. The paper concludes with reflections on resulting insights about collaboration, documentation, and professional development. (Contains 4 figures.)
Linear Equations: Equivalence = Success
Author: Baratta, Wendy
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Equations (Mathematics),Algebra,Problem Solving,Mathematics Education,Thinking Skills,Learning Strategies,Models,Educational Technology,Foreign Countries,Mathematics Achievement,Literature,Classroom Environment,Middle School Students

The ability to solve linear equations sets students up for success in many areas of mathematics and other disciplines requiring formula manipulations. There are many reasons why solving linear equations is a challenging skill for students to master. One major barrier for students is the inability to interpret the equals sign as anything other than a &quot;do something signal&quot;. To succeed in algebra, students must transition from this operational view of the equals sign to an equivalence, or relational, view. In this article, the author looks at two possible approaches for assisting students to overcome this barrier. She first considers manual strategies and a related concrete model, and then discusses suitable uses of technology. (Contains 2 tables and 4 figures.)
Secondary Students' Descriptions of &quot;Good&quot; Mathematics Teachers
Author: Murray, Sara
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Expertise,Teacher Effectiveness,Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries,Mathematics Teachers,Teaching Methods,Mathematics Instruction,Secondary Schools,Instructional Effectiveness,Public Schools,Learning Processes

There are many recent studies which have explored the notion of high quality or effective mathematics teaching but relatively few have sought the views of students. Student perspectives regarding effective teaching are important for many reasons, and are arguably particularly significant in mathematics given the international trends of declining engagement and participation in this curriculum area. Studies that have asked students to identify reasons for their disengagement from mathematics have found a lack of confidence with mathematics, a lack of understanding of mathematics, a lack of enjoyment of mathematics, and/or dissatisfaction with mathematics teaching to be major factors. Research that has directly considered students' perspectives about effective mathematics teaching has yielded valuable insights. This study explores the concept of a &quot;good&quot; mathematics teacher from an important perspective: that of the learner. A total of 90 students from Years 10 and 11 participated in the study. They were from two comprehensive public secondary schools in regional towns in New South Wales. Participants indicated the centrality of teachers to their learning of mathematics. Further, they appeared to place responsibility with teachers to a large extent: they considered that good teachers should have the skills to explain concepts well and ensure that students understand them, and to provide expert individualised help. However, most participants did not expect to be passive recipients of teacher expertise. They expressed the view that good mathematics teachers create classroom environments wherein students feel comfortable to actively seek help and enhance their own learning. Further research exploring how students see teachers and their own roles and responsibilities in the learning process in mathematics would be of value. (Contains 2 tables.)
Think of a Number: Adapting the Birthday Problem for the Classroom
Author: Guan, Tay Eng
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Probability,Class Activities,Computation,Problem Solving,Mathematics Education,Computer Software,Foreign Countries,Mathematical Applications,Mathematics Instruction,Teaching Methods

The famous Birthday Problem is a staple in introductory probability texts and can be stated as follows: What is the probability that at least two persons from &quot;n&quot; randomly chosen persons have the same birthday? In this article, the author suggests an adaptation of the birthday problem which can be repeated in class until the full effect is obtained and which can be adjusted to suit varying group sizes. (Contains 2 figures.)
Numeracy in Household Safety: How Do You Measure a Slope of 10[degrees]?
Author: Duncan, Bruce
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Safety,Numeracy,Mathematics Instruction,Foreign Countries,Secondary Education,Geometry,Adolescents,Mathematics Education,Measurement,Problem Solving,Experiments,Experiential Learning

This article describes a unit of work that was designed for a Year 9 class of mixed ability and which involved the definition and measurement of angles, as well as the practical application of angle properties--such as complimentary angles and the relationships in a transversal. The unit considered the numeracy skills required to interpret a safety warning on a ride-on lawnmower--an application which would make even the most cynical and disaffected teenager reluctant to ask, &quot;Why are we doing this?&quot; Such a practical application of mathematical understanding can provide an important illustration for students of how they might use such knowledge in daily life. (Contains 6 figures.)
Assessing Numeracy and NAPLAN
Author: Perso, Thelma
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Test Results,Mathematical Models,Numeracy,Program Effectiveness,Mathematics Skills,Mathematics Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematics Education,Teaching Methods,Educational Strategies,Thinking Skills,Tests,Foreign Countries

In this article, the author clarifies the distinction between numeracy and mathematics and the implications of this distinction for teachers of mathematics. In doing so she has, of necessity, focused on one--albeit significant--high stakes assessment genre used on Australian students that purports to measure numeracy. It is essential that teachers understand the genre used in the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) numeracy test in order for their students to be prepared for it. There does, of course, need to be some balance in how to do this: spending inordinate amounts of time &quot;preparing for the test&quot; creates another set of problems. However, if the preparation is embedded in the mathematics program of the school, where students are taught and required to clarify contexts and situations, make choices about the mathematical models, tools and strategies needed, and to critique their own mathematics choices as well as those of others, teachers will not only be improving students' numeracy capability but also their mathematics skills and understandings. The NAPLAN numeracy test is not perfect. However, the author believes that the way in which the results are used is more problematic than the test itself. Teachers can learn a lot from the test results if they analyse the data generated to inform their teaching and learning programs; i.e., if they were to use the information provided by the test data as assessment &quot;for&quot; learning, rather than as assessment &quot;of&quot; learning. Finally, teachers must ensure that they are teaching their students for numeracy attainment: mathematics skills and procedures alone are insufficient for students to have the capabilities needed to be numerate at school, home, at work, in the community and in civic life, let alone to be successful on an assessment genre designed to assess numeracy in a pen and paper test.
Faculty Perceptions of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Definition, Activity Level and Merit Considerations at One University
Author: Secret, Mary
Date: 2011-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Scholarship,College Instruction,Educational Research,College Faculty,Teacher Attitudes,Faculty Evaluation,Nontenured Faculty,Faculty Promotion,Tenure,Faculty Publishing

This study investigated the status of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), the amount and types of pedagogical scholarship, and the merit accorded SoTL within academic units for purposes of faculty assessment (i.e. hiring, promotion, and tenure decisions) at a research/doctoral granting institution. Responding to an electronic survey were 159 tenured and tenure track faculty (30% assistant professor, 31% associate, 31% full professors; 6% collateral/clinical/administrative) from all colleges and schools. The data analyzed showed a disconnect between the perceptions of tenured and non-tenured faculty on what qualifies as SoTL and the place of scholarly works within promotion and tenure. More specially, non-tenured faculty tended to judge teaching activities as SoTL regardless of their likelihood for publication, whereas tenured faculty more often recognized only published works as SoTL. Results also indicated that a limited number of faculty were engaged in SoTL; possible reasons could include lack of external funding and nebulous promotion and tenure guidelines as they concern SoTL. (Contains 1 table, 3 figures, and 6 footnotes.)
Listening to the Voices of Today's Undergraduates: Implications for Teaching and Learning
Author: Bowen, Glenn
Date: 2011-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Focus Groups,Undergraduate Students,Higher Education,Qualitative Research,Learning Experience,Student Motivation,Athletes,College Athletics,Fraternities,Sororities,Honors Curriculum,Academic Achievement

The landscape of higher education has changed with the presence of a new generation of college students. Current studies do not carry the voices of the new generation known as the Millennials. This article presents the findings of a qualitative study that explored the learning experiences of Millennial-generation undergraduates at a public comprehensive university. The researchers organized a series of focus groups designed primarily to determine how the undergraduates characterize their learning experiences. Five thematic categories of data emerged from the study, providing insights into students' perceptions and motivations. The implications of the findings for teaching and learning are highlighted. (Contains 2 tables.)