ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
An Insight into Teacher Self-Efficacy Belief of PGDT (Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching) Trainees: Implications for Ethiopian Secondary School Teacher Education Program
Author: Alemayehu, Melkamu Habte
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Self Efficacy,Teacher Effectiveness,Educational Environment,Secondary Schools,Teacher Collaboration,Inservice Teacher Education,Gender Differences,Secondary School Teachers,Academic Achievement,Teacher Influence,Student Behavior,Foreign Countries,Graduate Students,Student Attitudes,Classroom Techniques,Learner Engagement,Teaching Skills,Teaching Methods,Graduate Study

The purpose of this study is to examine the state of PGDT (Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching) trainees' self-efficacy beliefs and the factors that contributed to its development with particular emphasis to PGDT trainees of Dilla University. The participants included 112 PGDT trainees who were selected using stratified random sampling. Quantitative data was collected through questionnaire which was eventually analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics such as independent sample t-test, one sample t-test, one way ANOVA and Multiple Linear Regression. The finding indicated that trainees have marginally average level of efficacy. It was also found that attitude to teaching (ß= 0.573, t=10.129, p&lt;0.05) was the biggest contributor to self-efficacy belief followed by school climate in secondary schools measured in terms of teachers' professional collaboration (ß= 0.198, t= 5.276, p&lt;0.05) and in-campus training practice (ß= 0.146, t=3.201, p&lt;0.05) respectively. Compared to males, females had low self-efficacy beliefs. In contrast to popular expectations, the study additionally revealed that there was no significant mean difference in trainees' efficacy scores in terms of their CGPA. Interestingly, teaching experience before PGDT training negatively contributed to self-efficacy belief (ß= -0.070, t=-1.995, p&lt; 0.05). Based on these major findings, it was concluded that trainees' efficacy with regard to bringing desired impact on secondary school students' achievement and behavior was not adequate and requires immediate attention.Finally, it was recommended that graduates should be given on-job training and teachers' professional collaboration in Ethiopian secondary schools should be further strengthened.
A Case Study on the Perceptions of Professional Development Unit Members at an EFL Program
Author: Peker, Hilal
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Faculty Development,English Teachers,English (Second Language),Teacher Attitudes,College Faculty,Foreign Countries,Teacher Motivation,Professional Continuing Education,Educational Quality,Females,Teacher Collaboration,Teacher Student Relationship,Private Colleges

Prior research focusing on teacher training indicated that professional development is considered as a continuous process, and trainings are essential for teacher development. In this qualitative case study, researchers examined the perceptions of professional development unit (PDU) members regarding the training sessions they offered at a foundation university in Turkey. After ethical committee permissions were obtained, the data were collected through semi-structured interview questions besides note taking during the interviews. There were five PDU members as participants. Content analysis was utilized after all the notes and transcriptions were brought together. To carry out the content analysis, the researchers employed a modified van Kaam method as defined by Moustakas (1994). Thematically analyzed data indicated three main findings: continuous professional development, good rapport, and motivation. These themes are discussed as reflected by the participants and implications are provided for future professional development series.
Developing and Validating a Comprehensive Scale to Measure Perceived Barriers to Technology Integration
Author: Basarmak, Ugur
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Barriers,Technology Integration,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Preservice Teachers,Test Construction,Test Validity,Test Reliability,Foreign Countries

The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive and a generic scale to measure perceived barriers to technology integration. To this end, 511 preservice teachers for the factor structure of the scale were performed. Findings showed that the scale has 51 items and 14 factors explained 63.17% of total variance. CFA results confirmed the structure of the scale. Furthermore, convergent and divergent validity were examined, and results show that the scale has construct validity. The reliability of the scale was calculated by Cronbach's alpha co-efficiency and composite coefficient of fourteen factors show that the scale is reliable. It is thought that this instrument will be a practical guide for all pre-service teachers, teachers, teacher educators, instructors in &quot;Supporting Technology Integration&quot; from the field of instruction, learning, teaching, curriculum development, learning environments, teacher education, educational technology, educational developments, measurement and evaluation, and educational statistics which are appropriate to the scope of the journal, and may help to get a contribution and high quality studies.
A Tour of Open Universities through Literature: A Bibliometric Analysis
Author: Hinojo-Lucena, Francisco-Javier
Date: 2019-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Open Universities,Higher Education,Bibliometrics,Foreign Countries,Journal Articles,Educational Research,Periodicals,Scientific Research

Since open universities can adapt to students' work schedules, personal preferences, age, and so on, they have facilitated access to education for a large group of people. The open university phenomenon, which arose in the 1960s, fostered countries' cultural growth; higher education was now longer exclusively for a privileged few. This paper presents a bibliometric study on the existing scientific output on open universities throughout the last 40 years. A bespoke methodology of bibliometric studies has been used, by setting key descriptors to be consulted in the most prestigious scientific database Web of Science. The sample was composed of 809 papers in total, indexed in prestigious journals and published during the period 1969 to 2018. The output, scattering, and impact bibliometric indicators were analysed in those papers. Among the results obtained, it was found that scientific output on open universities is in a phase of exponential growth, in which 2015 was the most productive year. Furthermore, the UK, where the phenomenon of open universities started, is the country with the most scientific output. Finally, the bibliometric study of the output indexed in the Web of Science shows a panoramic vision of the past, present, and future of open universities, emphasising the idea that this phenomenon is continuing to grow.
Characterizing UNAM&apos;s Open Education System Using the OOFAT Model
Author: Cervantes-Perez, Francisco
Date: 2019-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Open Universities,Open Education,Distance Education,Educational History,Educational Development,Models,Nontraditional Education,Educational Strategies,Delivery Systems

Mexico's national university (UNAM) is a public mega university with a 46-year history in open education. This article presents an analysis based on the open, online, flexible provision of technology-enhanced higher education (OOFAT) model, developed by Orr and his colleagues (2018). The aim of this analysis was to characterize UNAM's open and distance education system in terms of openness, flexibility, and its business model, in three distinct time periods. According to this analysis, the system has evolved in all areas, and at present has a content-focused approach in terms of flexibility and openness, which differs from the OOFAT at the center approach that is desired. The study also characterized the UNAM system's business model as a prospector-like approach, which highlights the possibilities for instilling innovation through the schools that comprise this system. The analysis allowed for mapping the current situation and thus sheds light on defining the steps necessary for creating an integrally open system.
Distance Education and the Open University of Brazil: History, Structure, and Challenges
Author: da Silva, Welinton Baxto
Date: 2019-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Distance Education,Open Universities,Educational History,Consortia,Resource Centers,Instructional Design,Web Based Instruction,Tutoring,Courseware,Instructional Materials

Correspondence courses have been offered in Brazil since the late 19th century; in the 20th century, instructional media such as radio and television were successfully used long before the introduction of the Internet. However, distance education (DE) was officially established in Brazil only in 1996 by the National Educational Law of Policies and Bases. Several censuses conducted by the Brazilian Ministry of Education and the Brazilian Association of Distance Education (ABED) collected statistics on the number of institutions and students involved in DE in Brazil. Although higher education DE has developed in the country since then, several attempts to create an Open University failed. The institution that is now The Open University of Brazil (UAB), created in 2005, focused mainly on teacher education. However, it is not a new institution (but rather a system of older institutions). It is neither a university (but rather a consortium of public federal, state, and municipal face-to-face educational institutions), nor open (candidates should have at least finished high school and are required to pass a rigorous entrance exam). Although UAB certainly contributed to the progress of DE in Brazil, it faces many challenges and problems, such as the continuously questioned quality of its learning support centers, labor relations, issues related to hiring face-to-face and online tutors, and the structure and organization of producing content for courses. This article presents a brief history and the main characteristics of DE in Brazil, details UAB's structure, and discusses the challenges it faces.
Practitioner Auto-Ethnography: Developing an Evidence-Based Tertiary Teaching Portfolio
Author: Martin, Andrew J.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Portfolios (Background Materials),Ethnography,College Faculty,College Instruction,Evidence Based Practice,Work Experience Programs,Reflective Teaching,Autobiographies

Portfolios are widely used to document and assess professional development in tertiary teaching. This paper examines a self-reflective approach to critically evaluating practice and developing an evidence-based teaching portfolio through an emergent, evolving continuum of initial, life-story biography, evocative auto-ethnography and, finally, analytical auto-ethnography. This learning journey of a work-integrated-learning (WIL) academic supervisor highlights the development of an effective 'reflective practitioner' through a cyclical experiential learning process of 'learning through reflection on doing'. An holistic flexible approach to teaching and supervision is presented, that advocates student centered course design and facilitates strategies to engage and enhance students' learning. Effective leadership and mentoring utilizing coaching strategies and the development of intuitive good practice through peer feedback aim to improve the quality of tertiary teaching practice in WIL, and result in better scaffolding of student learning outcomes, enhanced self-efficacy and employability and a breadth and depth of graduate attributes.
A Neo-Institutionalist Approach to Understanding Drivers of Quality Assurance in ODL: The Case of the Open University of Mauritius
Author: Kanwar, Asha
Date: 2019-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Quality Assurance,Educational Quality,Open Education,Distance Education,Higher Education,Open Universities,Foreign Countries,Program Implementation,Educational Change,Organizational Change

In recent years, quality assurance (QA) in higher education has received increasing attention by academics, learners, institutions, and governments alike. Many open universities (OUs) have taken steps to re-define or re-orient their systems and practices to integrate quality. While there is a growing body of literature on QA best practices, there has been little investigation into the factors that influence institutions to improve or adopt QA and how these factors impact on the specific manifestations of institutional QA. This paper examines the challenges of QA implementation in OUs and, using a neo-institutionalist lens, it advances a framework for understanding drivers of institutional QA implementation. The framework is applied to the case of the Open University of Mauritius (OUM). Existing literature, institutional records, interviews and reports are analysed to assess how exogenous and endogenous factors have influenced QA implementation at OUM, with a focus on addressing the specificities of open and distance learning (ODL). A better understanding of the drivers of change for QA can help OUs plan the implementation of QA mechanisms in a more comprehensive way and to systematically develop a culture of quality that responds to the ideological and practical context of ODL.
An Assessment of the Quality of a Work-Integrated Learning Internship Program in Kenya
Author: Kiriri, Peter N.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Internship Programs,Work Experience Programs,College Graduates,Educational Quality,Learning Activities,Authentic Learning,Alignment (Education),Integrated Activities,Supervisor Supervisee Relationship,Orientation,Academic Support Services

The concept of work-integrated learning (WIL) is significant as it has a considerable influence on a student's fitness for the workplace upon graduation. This paper aims to determine the perception of graduates of the United States International University -- Africa (USIU-A) towards the quality of the internship program and especially the effects of the learning activities of a work-integrated learning course. The study was conducted using an adjusted framework for evaluating the quality of WIL curricula based on six dimensions of WIL including: authenticity; integrated learning supports; alignment of teaching and learning activities and assessments with integrative learning outcomes; supervisor access; and, induction / preparation processes. From the findings, supervisor access and authenticity received high ratings while integrated learning support and alignment of both teaching and learning activities received the lowest rating. The findings will inform the developers and implementers of internship programs by identifying key areas of focus.
Factors Related to Student Persistence in Open Universities: Changes over the Years
Author: Li, Kam Cheong
Date: 2019-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Persistence,Open Universities,Student Attrition,Educational Trends,Student Characteristics,Institutional Characteristics,Environmental Influences,Psychological Characteristics,College Students,Family Influence,Distance Education,School Holding Power,Journal Articles,Foreign Countries,Prior Learning,Educational Experience,Planning,Employment,Academic Achievement

Student persistence has long been a major challenge for open universities. Despite the evolution of open education, an overall high student attrition rate remains. This paper examines the changes and trends in factors related to student persistence in open universities. It reviews the empirical studies from the 1970s to the 2010s which reported factors influencing student persistence. The relevant studies were searched from databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Among the 108 studies collected, a total of 284 factors influencing student persistence were identified. The factors were categorised into student factors, institutional factors, and environmental factors. Their changes and trends over the years were examined. The results show that student factors were the most frequently studied over the years examined, with the major categories being students' psychological attributes and outcomes. Institutional factors have been increasingly studied in recent decades, with the design and delivery of programmes and courses being the strongest category. Finally, environmental factors have been decreasingly examined, with factors related to students' family and work being the two main categories. Based on the results, the implications for developing intervention and retention strategies for student persistence in open universities are discussed.
Creating Inclusive Co-Op Workplaces: Insights from LGBTQ+ Students
Author: Mallozzi, Rebecca
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: LGBTQ People,Inclusion,Cooperative Education,Student Employment,Foreign Countries,Recruitment,Work Environment,Interpersonal Relationship,Administrator Role,College Students

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explore the notion of inclusion from the perspective of LGBTQ+ co-op students in the context of their work term experiences, including searching for work and during the work term. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight LGBTQ+ students who had at least one previous work term experience at a Canadian university. Analyses of transcripts revealed several themes pertaining to how students navigate the recruitment process, feelings about inclusion at work, contributions of interpersonal dynamics (with supervisors and co-workers) to those feelings, and the role of co-op administrators in enhancing inclusion. The study identifies directions for future research in this area and suggests some strategies for creating inclusive co-op workplaces.
Maturity Levels of Student Support E-Services within an Open Distance E-Learning University
Author: Nsamba, Asteria
Date: 2019-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Open Universities,Distance Education,College Students,Foreign Countries,Electronic Learning,College Faculty,Technology Integration,Educational Improvement,Integrated Learning Systems,Online Courses,Discussion Groups,Social Media,Tutors,Adoption (Ideas),Sustainability,Academic Support Services

The University of South Africa (UNISA) is one of the distance education universities that is shifting from open distance learning (ODL) to open distance e-learning (ODeL). UNISA started as a correspondence institution in the 1950s and it has since evolved into an ODeL university. The aim of this research was to assess and determine the maturity levels of UNISA lecturers' and tutors' explorations of various forms of e-learning technologies to support students in an ODeL environment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 academic staff members. A hybrid approach involving inductive and deductive reasoning was used to guide the whole research process. The online course design maturity model (OCDMM) was modified and adapted in order to guide data collection, data analysis, and the interpretation of results. The results of the study indicate that the maturity levels of UNISA's student support e-learning technologies are at the basic levels of the maturity assessment framework for open distance e-learning. It is hoped that the results of this research will serve as a starting point that the University can use to constantly measure improvements made in advancing e-learning activities.
Open Universities and Open Educational Practices: A Content Analysis of Open University Websites
Author: DeVries, Irwin
Date: 2019-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Practices,Open Universities,Web Sites,Nontraditional Students,Conventional Instruction,Access to Education,Distance Education,Electronic Learning,Prior Learning,Access to Information,College Admission,Open Educational Resources,Foreign Countries

The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of how open universities depict their current institutional engagement in open educational practices. In view of the growth of programming for nontraditional students by conventional universities, particularly through online learning and increasing interest in open educational practices, the intention is to gain a better understanding of the unique contributions currently made, or potentially to be made, by open universities in comparison to conventional universities. The study is conducted through a content analysis of open university websites, exploring key themes related to access-oriented open educational practices derived from terms and related concepts in relevant literature. With the growth of distance education, online learning, and other emerging access-oriented open educational practices in traditional higher education, open universities should be uniquely situated to provide visible leadership in these domains. The open university website content analysis explores the extent to which this is the case.
Open Universities: Old Concepts and Contemporary Challenges
Author: Daniel, John S.
Date: 2019-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Open Universities,Distance Education,Higher Education,Access to Education,Educational Quality,Technology Uses in Education,Governance,Educational Administration,Independent Study,Role of Education,Democracy,Costs,Instructional Effectiveness

We begin by summarising Prasad's (2018) work on the disconnect between the social purposes of open universities and their achievement. Next, we will revisit the concept of the iron triangle from the 1990s, which explores the three topics access, cost, and quality. How does it apply to distance education conducted with today's technologies? A distinction made in the 1970s between independent and interactive learning activities helps us pursue this question further. A discussion among open university executive heads from around the world in 2017 sets the stage for the final section, which reflects on the current challenges facing open universities. How should they address the competition from the rapidly expanding online offerings of campus institutions? We review economic models, the use of technology, governance and management arrangements, and teaching. The successful systems conceived by the UK Open University in the late 1960s stimulated the creation of many other open universities. How should they be updated today?