ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
How Learning English Facilitates Integration for Adult Migrants: The Jarrah Language Centre Experience. Occasional Paper
Author: Leith, Meaghan
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Employment,Second Language Programs,Doctoral Degrees,Scholarships,Vocational Education,Immigrants,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Social Integration,Adults,Foreign Countries,Surveys,Second Language Instruction,Student Attitudes,Educational Attainment,Employment Potential,Masters Degrees,Interviews,Outcomes of Education,Profiles

Building the research capacity of the vocational education and training (VET) sector is a key concern for the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). To assist with this objective, NCVER supported an academic scholarship program, whereby VET practitioners are sponsored to undertake university study at honours, master's, or doctorate level. NCVER then published a snapshot of their research. The author received an academic scholarship in 2009 to assist with her doctoral studies at the University of Melbourne. The author is an English as a second language teacher of adult migrants and international students at Holmesglen in Melbourne. Her research explores how studying English as a second language can help adult migrants to integrate into Australian society. A survey was distributed to migrants at the commencement of their English studies at the Jarrah Language Centre to gather demographic data. Fourteen were selected from this group to be interviewed four times over a period of approximately two years to garner a sense of their post-course experiences, their level of integration and any changes to their circumstances during that time. Findings include: (1) Not being competent and confident in using English was seen by migrants and language centre teachers and staff as the biggest barrier to integration; (2) Most migrants undertook English as a second language classes to improve their spoken English and valued the speaking opportunities provided in their classes, but they would like more opportunities to speak everyday English in class; (3) Migrants found undertaking English language classes valuable in helping them to move into mainstream study and employment. By the time of the last interview, most migrants were either in full- or part-time work or were continuing with mainstream study; and (4) English as a second language programs, on their own, are not enough to ensure gaining permanent employment. Instead, they are a pathway to further study or low-level jobs. Having a language centre located in a TAFE institute also encourages movement into further study. Appended are: (1) Surveyed migrants' countries of birth; (2) Surveyed migrants' highest completed level of schooling; (3) Interviewed migrant profile, July 2007; and (4) Interviewed migrants' post-2007 English as a second language course goals and outcomes, mid-2008 and January 2010. (Contains 8 tables and 15 footnotes.)
Attrition in the Trades. NCVER Monograph Series 07/2011
Author: Karmel, Tom
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Labor Turnover,Skilled Occupations,Professional Occupations,Occupational Mobility,Comparative Analysis,Males,Labor Market,Economic Climate,Employment Potential,Foreign Countries

Shortages in the trades are again becoming a prominent issue as Australia emerges from the Global Financial Crisis. The existence of shortages puts the immediate focus on the apparent inability of the training system to supply sufficient skilled tradespersons, but shortages in an occupation are as much related to the rate at which individuals leave the occupation as the rate at which the occupation attracts new entrants. Hence, this paper which focuses on attrition in the trades, using professional occupations as comparators. The analysis is restricted to males in order to abstract from the impact that family responsibilities have on women's labour mobility, noting that the trades are dominated by men, apart from hairdressing and, to a lesser extent, the food trades. While attrition has a negative connotation, it may be positive for the individuals leaving a trade if they are moving to something better. Thus, by looking at the occupations ex-tradespersons move to, the paper also examines whether a trade offers a good start to a career. Findings include: (1) Job and occupational mobility in the trades is not particularly different from that experienced in the professions, although there is considerable variation across the trades (and across the professions); (2) The rate of attrition in the trades is remarkably similar in good times and in bad times, although the balance between job losers and job leavers is affected by economic conditions. However, job churn within a trade is higher in good times, and this gives the impression to employers that attrition is higher; and (3) The one trade occupation that stands out as good foundation for a future career is electrotechnology and communications. Appended are: (1) Model parameters for logistic regression (1 = exit job within 12 months), males; (2) Distributions of ages for those who exit &quot;their jobs&quot; for ANZSCO sub-major group professional and trade occupations; (3) Summary of logistic regressions used to determine gross attrition; (4) ANZSCO occupation by average cash weekly earnings, 2008 and AUSEI06 prestige measures; and (5) Destinations of occupational movers in the trades, 2008. (Contains 3 figures, 23 tables and 10 footnotes.) [For &quot;Attrition in the Trades. Research Overview. Monograph Series 07/2011,&quot; see ED528498.]
Attrition in the Trades. Research Overview. Monograph Series 07/2011
Author: Wilson, Sara
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Labor Turnover,Skilled Occupations,Professional Occupations,Occupational Mobility,Comparative Analysis,Foreign Countries

&quot;Attrition in the trades,&quot; by Tom Karmel, Patrick Lim and Josie Misko, analyses whether attrition--the gradual reduction or weakening of a workforce--occurs more amongst tradespeople than professionals, and if this is to the detriment of the supply of tradespeople. The authors use data from the Australian Labour Mobility Survey in 2008 and 1994. This provides a useful comparison because in 2008 the labour market was in a good state--but the economic crisis was on the horizon--but in 1994 times were much tougher. To gauge the level of attrition in the trades and professions, Karmel, Lim and Misko look at movement within occupations (job mobility) and between occupations (occupational mobility). Obviously for industry planning and policy, occupational mobility is more significant, because it goes to the heart of occupational labour supply. The authors' analysis of the Australian Labour Mobility Survey reveals some interesting points: for example, when workers leave a job, it may be for positive reasons; they have got a better or more highly paid job within the same occupation. This is an example of what is known as job &quot;churn&quot; and tends to happen when the economy is going through a good patch and so was more prevalent in 2008. It may be a problem for employers, but is not really one for the occupation as a whole. When the economic climate is tough, workers are more likely to lose their jobs than leave them; here, tradespeople are revealed to be more vulnerable than their professional counterparts. Karmel and colleagues were surprised by some of their findings: they expected attrition among tradespeople to be more of an issue than it is. This is not to say the attrition rate couldn't be improved, but the comparison with attrition among professionals didn't provide the obvious disparity they expected. It is possible that the perception of skills shortages might be influenced by the amount of job churn that occurs within the occupation, rather than individuals dropping out of the trades altogether. The authors conclude that the focus on commencement and completion rates for apprenticeships is warranted--that the problem of attrition in the trades is more one of perception than reality. [For &quot;Attrition in the Trades. NCVER Monograph Series 07/2011,&quot; see ED528497.]
Designing Dynamic and Interactive Assessments for English Learners That Directly  Measure Targeted Science Constructs
Author: Kopriva, Rebecca
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Middle School Students,Speech Communication,Test Format,Reading,Learning Disabilities,Economically Disadvantaged,Second Language Learning,Methods,English (Second Language),Elementary School Students,Mathematics Achievement

This presentation explains and illustrates how computer-based innovative test tasks are designed in a multi-semiotic environment to effectively and comprehensibly convey meaning to students, especially English language learners (ELLs), students with learning disabilities (LDs), selected other students with disabilities, and non-identified native English speaking poor readers, and give them the tools they need to express complex thinking in mathematics and science. Research was conducted in elementary and middle school students. Research was conducted for math and science ONPAR projects with elementary and middle school students. Results from the randomized experimental study in science indicate that, when academic ability was controlled, low English proficient ELLs and non-ELLs in both grades 4 and 8 performed similarly on tasks which utilized ONPAR techniques, while there were significant differences in how the low ELL students performed on more traditional approaches. On the other hand, there were no significant differences between how non-ELL students performed on either form. Viewing these results as a whole, these findings argue that the ability of low ELL students can be measured by this method at a level that is on par with their non-ELL peers. Further, it argues that there might be flexibility in the ways ELs can be tested without advantaging them relative to scores obtained from traditional test formats used by non-ELLs. A large number of cognitive labs contributed substantively to the continued refinement of the ONPAR techniques. The experimental study in mathematics was completed in winter 2010. Preliminary results show that when adjusted for student math ability, the interaction between test type (ONPAR versus traditional) and reading level (poor vs. good) is significant with a combination of LDs and poor readers but not for native English speaking good readers, and that when controlling for math ability the LD/poor readers and good readers performed similarly on the ONPAR tasks. Correlations from the experimental study and several cognitive labs have also suggested that several of the ONPAR techniques are actually better at capturing data about complex skills and concepts than traditional methods for all students.
A Regression Discontinuity Analysis of the Impact of &quot;Building Blocks&quot; in an Urban Public Prekindergarten Program and Associations between Fidelity-to-Curriculum and Child Outcomes
Author: Weiland, Christina
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Curriculum Implementation,Mathematics Curriculum,Public Schools,School Readiness,Teacher Characteristics,Preschool Education,Program Effectiveness,Urban Schools,Correlation,Outcomes of Education,Mathematics Skills,Language Acquisition,Emergent Literacy,Cognitive Development,Emotional Development,Effect Size,Educational Attainment,Predictor Variables

Using data from an urban public pre-k program, the authors add to and extend the emerging evidence base of the effects of public prekindergarten programs on child school readiness. They also use data collected in treatment classrooms to examine associations between teacher characteristics, fidelity-to-curricula, dosage and child outcomes. Their primary research questions are: (1) What is the causal impact of attending a prekindergarten program that implemented the &quot;Building Blocks&quot; mathematics curriculum at scale across an urban public school district on children's mathematics, language, literacy, executive function and emotional development?; (2) Within the treatment group, are teacher characteristics predictive of fidelity-to-curriculum and dosage?; and (3) Is higher &quot;Building Blocks&quot; fidelity-to-curricula and dosage associated with higher student outcomes, controlling for student- and teacher-level characteristics? Research took place in a large urban public school district in the Northeast. All prekindergarten programs were located in public elementary schools. The results add to the growing literature on the causal effects of large-scale state-funded prekindergarten programs. The authors find that a universal publicly funded prekindergarten program had positive impacts on child early numeracy, language, literacy, executive function, and emotional development. The authors' effect sizes are larger than those achieved in any RD prekindergarten study to date, which is particularly notable given that theirs is the only RD prekindergarten context in which there were uniform curricula in place. Due to the RD design of their study, they are unable to fit causal mediation models that would help them to definitively identify the causal mechanisms underlying their results. The path model they presented here using fidelity-to-curricula and dosage data on the treatment children in their treatment year found no significant associations between fidelity-to-curricula and dosage and child outcomes. Further analysis will allow them to better examine whether stronger effects in their study compared to previous prekindergarten RD studies thus could at least partially be a function of the chosen math and literacy curricula and the level of curriculum implementation in the district. (Contains 4 tables, 3 figures and 3 footnotes.)
Preschool Teachers' Attitudes and Beliefs toward Science: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire
Author: Maier, Michelle F.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Disadvantaged Youth,Young Children,Questionnaires,Preschool Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Teaching Methods,Reliability,Validity,Intervention,Measures (Individuals),Program Effectiveness,Instructional Effectiveness,Scientific Attitudes

The goal of the current study was to develop and validate a self-report questionnaire of preschool teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward science. In preparation for the current study, the research team developed the Preschool Teachers' Attitudes and Beliefs toward Science Questionnaire (P-TABS). The sample consists of 507 teachers: 98% female, 34% White or Caucasian, 34% Black or African-American, 26% Hispanic or Latino, 5% other, and 1% did not respond. This study provides evidence that the P-TABS is a reliable and valid measure of early childhood teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward science for a diverse set of Head Start programs in Florida. However, the authors' findings are limited to this population of early childhood educators. Further work should be conducted with a broader range of early childhood teachers, as well as with early childhood teachers implementing science curricula, to see if the P-TABS is valid for these populations of educators. Further evidence of concurrent and predictive validity of the P-TABS is also needed. There has been an increased focus on science teaching in the preschool classroom in recent years. However, the current lack of valid and reliable instruments for science in early childhood has challenged the authors' ability to assess the effectiveness of these efforts. To address this need, the present study expands the availability of valid and reliable measures of preschool teacher attitudes and beliefs toward science. Current findings indicate that positive teacher attitudes and beliefs toward science are associated with implementing science-related instructional practices in the classroom. Further, results support the idea that teacher attitudes and beliefs should be addressed in order for professional development training focused on science to be effective. Further knowledge of these teacher-related factors may help researchers and educators to determine how teacher attitudes and beliefs toward science affect teaching practices, curriculum fidelity and, ultimately, student outcomes. (Contains 1 table.)
Using Machine-Learned Detectors to Assess and Predict Students' Inquiry Performance
Author: Gobert, Janice D.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Physics,Middle School Students,Multiple Choice Tests,Data Collection,Grade 8,Learner Engagement,Data Analysis,Inquiry,Models,Evaluation Methods

The authors present work towards automatically assessing data collection behaviors as middle school students engage in inquiry within a physics microworld. In this study, the authors used machine learned models that can detect when students test their articulated hypotheses, design controlled experiments, and engage in planning behaviors using their inquiry support tools. They compared two approaches, an averaging-based method that assumes static skill level and Bayesian Knowledge Tracing, on their efficacy at predicting skill before a student engages in an inquiry activity and on predicting performance on a paper-style multiple choice test of inquiry and a transfer task requiring data collection skills. Their data were collected in a rural town in Central Massachusetts. Participants were 134 eighth grade students, ranging in age from 12-14 years, from a public middle school in Central Massachusetts. Their findings provide some evidence that the skills for successfully engaging in authentic inquiry and answering equivalent paper test-style questions are related (Black, 1999; Pellegrino, 2001). Furthermore, their findings support the notion that authentic skill learned in one context can be applied to other domains, as shown by the significant correlation between performance in designing controlled experiments in two domains. As such, these models have considerable potential to enable future &quot;discovery with models&quot; analyses (cf. Baker, 2010) that can shed light on the relationship between a student's mastery of systematic experimentation strategies and their domain learning. Additional research will be needed to determine if these findings are robust over different student populations and if the feature set and associated detectors are general enough (cf. Ghazarian &amp; Noorhosseini, 2010) to be applicable to microworlds in other scientific domains. It will also be important to determine if these relationships will hold after incorporating scaffolding, thus giving students a better opportunity to both perform well despite incomplete knowledge, and to acquire these skills while using the microworld. (Contains 2 tables.)
Exploring the Utility of a Virtual Performance Assessment
Author: Clarke-Midura, Jody
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Evidence,Performance Based Assessment,Performance Tests,Construct Validity,Validity,Academic Standards,Program Effectiveness,Test Construction,Reliability,Grade 8,Likert Scales,Educational Research

With funding from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the Virtual Performance Assessment project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education is developing and studying the feasibility of immersive virtual performance assessments (VPAs) to assess scientific inquiry of middle school students as a standardized component of an accountability program (see http://vpa.gse.harvard.edu). The purpose is to provide states with reliable and valid technology-based performance assessments linked to state and NSES academic standards around science content and inquiry practices. In order to ensure construct validity, the authors are using the Evidence Centered Design framework (ECD; Mislevy, Steinberg, &amp; Almond, 2003) to design their assessments. ECD formalizes the procedures generally done by expert assessment developers (Shute, Hansen, &amp; Almond, 2007). Using the ECD approach, an evidentiary assessment argument is formed that connects claims, evidence, and supporting rationales. ECD &quot;provides a framework for developing assessment tasks that elicit evidence (scores) that bears directly on the claims that one wants to make about what a student knows and can do&quot; (Shute, et al., 2007, p. 6). The authors are conducting a series of studies around reliability, validity, and usability of their VPAs. Due to limited space, this paper presents research findings on usability and utility. However, the authors will also present results of their validity and reliability studies whose methods are reported in other papers (e.g Clarke-Midura, Code, Zap, Dede, in press). (Contains 3 tables.)
A Qualitative Test of Ogbu's Theory of Cultural Ecology: Does the Theory Hold for All Voluntary Immigrants?
Author: Gassama, Sorie
Date: 2012-01-13
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Immigrants,Refugees,War,Minority Groups,Academic Achievement,Educational Experience,Naturalistic Observation,Interviews,Social Theories,Foreign Countries

The main objectives of the study: 1. To investigate the academic success rate of recent voluntary minorities from Liberia living in Houston, and to examine the reasons why Voluntary Liberian Minorities are being successful or unsuccessful in school. Liberia, which means &quot;land of the free,&quot; was founded by freed slaves from the United States in 1820. These freed slaves, called Americo-Liberians, first arrived in Liberia and established a settlement in Christopolis, now Monrovia (named after U.S. President James Monroe) on February 6, 1820. This group of 86 immigrants formed the nucleus of the settler population of what became known as the Republic of Liberia (Wikipedia, retrieved, June 5, 2010). The Liberian civil war began in 1986 and ended in 1996. The war, which was waged by Charles Taylor, a former Samuel Doe ally, saw a lot of Liberians leaving the country as refugees to neighboring Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast (Carl, 1996.). Most of these refugees were later resettled in western countries, particularly the United States of America. The many that settled in the Houston metropolitan area formed the subject of my study.
A National Perspective on Concurrent Enrollment. Report
Author: Connecticut Department of Higher Education
Date: 2006-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Credits,Dual Enrollment,Higher Education,Secondary Education,College Credits,Educational Legislation,State Legislation,Educational Policy,Partnerships in Education,Community Colleges

According to the U. S. Department of Education, "[d]ual enrollment allows high school students to simultaneously earn credit toward a high school diploma and a postsecondary degree or certificate." Dual enrollment, which is also referred to as concurrent enrollment, generally targets a broader range of students, not just the top academic performers. The Education Commission of the States also suggests in one of its P-16 policy briefs that "dual enrollment credits help students progress faster through their college education, saving the state and themselves money, while freeing up opportunities for other students." Recently, some educators have also argued that "middle and even low-achieving students can benefit from dual enrollment programs." The U. S. Department of Education has listed thirty-eight states which have adopted policies that encourage some type of dual enrollment approach. These programs include "competency-based applied learning which contributes to an individual's academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning, problem solving skills, and the occupational-specific skills necessary for economic independence as a productive and contributing member of society." The Education Commission of the States compiled a comprehensive list of state policies on concurrent/dual enrollment (see Appendix). This paper takes a close look at these states. Postsecondary Options: Dual/Concurrent Enrollment are appended. (Contains 12 footnotes.)