ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
An Exploration of the Underlying Reasons of Preschool Children&apos;s Biophilic Tendencies
Author: Yilmaz-Uysal, Simge
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preschool Children,Preschool Education,Natural Resources,Cultural Influences,Parent Influence,Student Characteristics,Play,Safety,Psychological Patterns,Personality Traits,Experience,Foreign Countries,Student Attitudes

This current study explores 48-60-month-old preschool children's biophilic tendencies by explaining their reasons. The sample of the study consisted of 116 preschool children selected from four public preschools located in Mersin, Turkey. Children's Biophilia Measure exploring young children's levels of affinity toward nature was used as a data collecting material. The findings revealed that the frequencies of young children's biophilic tendencies were much more than their non-biophilic tendencies. The effect of culture, including parental allowance and restriction, was the most striking factor influencing children's biophilic or non-biophilic tendencies. The other factors affecting children's tendencies were affordances of the natural outdoor settings for children's play, safety hazards outdoors, having fun/feeling enjoyment during nature play, attractiveness/unattractiveness of a natural stimuli, curiosity, and previous experiences in natural environment. The finding of this research suggested that there is a need for accessible natural settings to ensure young children's regular and direct interactions with nature; which in turn, strengthen their affinity toward nature.
Who Are They and What Do They Need: Characterizing and Supporting the Early Childhood Assistant Teacher Workforce in a Large Urban District
Author: Cramer, Travis
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Teacher Aides,Coaching (Performance),Collegiality,On the Job Training,Job Satisfaction,Social Networks,Labor Turnover,Inservice Education,Stress Variables,Individual Characteristics,Qualifications,Young Children,Child Caregivers,Early Childhood Education,Work Experience,African Americans,Hispanic Americans,Staff Development,Public Education,Urban Areas,School District Size

Scholarship and policy emphasize strengthening the early childhood education (ECE) workforce, but this work neglects a large segment of the workforce: assistant teachers. The present study responds to gaps in knowledge by examining the demographic characteristics, qualifications, professional supports, and workplace experiences of assistant teachers (N = 120) in a representative sample of ECE centers (n = 35) in a large urban district. In addition to studying assistant teachers' receipt of in-service training and coaching, we draw from social network theory to investigate the professional support assistant teachers provide and receive via their collegial networks. We use a variance decomposition approach to explore how on-the-job supports, such as training, coaching, and networks, contribute to assistant teachers' work-related stress and job satisfaction--two key predictors of ECE teacher attrition. Results indicate that few ECE staff members seek assistant teachers for work-related advice. Coaching is found to be an important contributor to assistant teachers' job satisfaction; professional advice via collegial networks is a meaningful but under-examined source of support for stress and job satisfaction. We consider implications for supporting and retaining assistant teachers and propose next steps for research on this understudied segment of the teaching workforce. [This paper was published in &quot;American Journal of Community Psychology&quot; v63 p312-323 2019.]
Elementary Schools Mathematics and Science Teachers&apos; Perspectives on Using English as a Medium of Instruction
Author: Jarrah, Adeeb M.
Date: 2020-08-17
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary School Teachers,Mathematics Teachers,Science Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Language of Instruction,English (Second Language),Mathematics Achievement,Science Achievement,Semitic Languages,Native Language,Language Proficiency,Barriers

Purpose of the study: The purpose of the study is to investigate Mathematics and Science elementary school teachers' perceptions of using English as a medium of instruction in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) primary schools. Methodology: This research utilized an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. The first phase of the research featured self-reporting by means of a questionnaire for elementary teachers (n=117), and the second phase used qualitative data by means of focus-group interviews (n=15). Main Findings: The results revealed that there is consensus among Mathematics and Science teachers that students' performance and achievements will benefit from the students' native language (Arabic) when used. Additionally, the teachers expressed that the students' low English proficiency embedded their understanding of Mathematics and Science concepts. Moreover, teachers indicated that they spend considerable class time teaching English instead of Mathematics and Science concepts. Applications of this study: This study is intended to portray teachers' perspectives on using English as a medium of instruction in the UAE elementary schools. It is hoped that the findings of the study may have implications for teachers, curriculum designers, and policymakers. Novelty/Originality of this study: In the context of the UAE, studies involving the investigation of using English as a medium of instruction were focused mainly on higher education. Thus, this study has the potential to fill an important gap by extending the research to include teachers an d students in elementary school and beyond.
The State Education Agency&apos;s Role in Supporting Equitable Student-Centered Learning
Author: Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)
Date: 2019-11-10
Type: Guides - General
Subjects: State Departments of Education,Government Role,Student Centered Learning,Equal Education,Educational Policy,Educational Change,Difficulty Level,Academic Achievement,Student Empowerment,Daily Living Skills,Relevance (Education),Educational Environment

States across the country have begun to take strides to implement policies that support a new, student-centered vision for learning, several of which are highlighted in this resource. However, we recognize that many states still need additional supports and resources to enable all communities to realize the promise of student-centered learning. This guide was developed to support state education leaders as they empower their local districts to structure student-centered learning systems that work for all young people.
Mathematics in Early Childhood: Teacher Educators&apos; Accounts of Their Work
Author: Whyte, Kristin Lyn
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,Accountability,Teacher Educators,Mathematics Education,Needs Assessment,Semi Structured Interviews,Qualitative Research,Numbers,Student Centered Curriculum,Educational Practices,Teaching Methods,Teacher Education Programs,Teacher Background,Institutional Characteristics,Educational Policy,Faculty Development

While early childhood practitioners have long been asked to have complex understandings of child development and provide rich, meaningful educational experiences for children, focusing on mathematics marks new terrain. Consequently, teacher educators are now tasked with figuring out how to communicate new ideas about early mathematics education to early childhood practitioners, yet we know little about their work. This paper examines what early childhood teacher educators have to say about their work. We found that there were only small differences in how they described: (1) what they teach; (2) how to teach it; (3) resources they draw from; and (4) what informs their work. When there were differences in their approaches, these often were reflective of whether the teacher educators had more of an early childhood or mathematics background. The teacher educators' descriptions show there is a need to have clear understandings of what early childhood math looks like in action and for increased collaboration between early childhood and mathematics experts. [This article was published in &quot;Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education&quot; (EJ1185264).]
States Partnering with Educational Service Agencies to Increase Capacity, Coherence, and Equity
Author: Gordon, Dan
Date: 2020-04-00
Type: Guides - General
Subjects: State Departments of Education,Equal Education,Capacity Building,Resource Allocation,Partnerships in Education,School Districts,Educational Finance,Educational Strategies,Educational Legislation,Elementary Secondary Education,Federal Legislation,Educational Improvement

State education agencies (SEAs) are working to deliver equitable education opportunities to every student, and that can require a hard look at how the agency is managing capacity, coherence, and equity in pursuit of this work. To build capacity, SEAs are taking stock not only of how they are allocating existing resources but also examining how well they are leveraging partnerships. This guide outlines examples and avenues for utilizing Educational Service Agencies (ESAs) to build SEA capacity and provide local education agencies (LEAs), districts, and schools with the services they need.
A 2017 Follow-Up: A Look at 2011-12 First-Time Postsecondary Students Six Years Later. Web Tables NCES 2020-236
Author: Pretlow, Joshua
Date: 2020-08-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: College Students,Student Characteristics,Academic Persistence,Educational Attainment,Withdrawal (Education),Stopouts,College Transfer Students,Educational Certificates,Associate Degrees,Bachelors Degrees,Institutional Characteristics,Family Characteristics,Student Attitudes,Knowledge Level,High School Students,Enrollment,Student Experience,College Freshmen,Grade Point Average,College Entrance Examinations,Tuition,Student Financial Aid,Grants,State Aid,Fees,Costs

This set of Web Tables is the first in a series of four that together provide key information about 2011-12 first-time postsecondary students' characteristics and their 6-year retention, persistence, attainment, withdrawal, stopout, and transfer rates. The series draws on data collected for the 2012/17 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:12/17)--a nationally representative longitudinal sample survey conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)--which followed first-time students for 6 years after they began their postsecondary education. There are two sections of tables. Section 1 provides percentage distributions of first-time postsecondary students' personal, precollege academic, and beginning enrollment characteristics and postsecondary experiences by control and level of the institution they first attended (tables 1.1-A through 1.1-D) and by the degree programs they first pursued (tables 1.2-A through 1.2-D). Section 2 focuses on 2011-12 tuition, price of attendance, and financial aid receipt, by personal, precollege academic, and beginning enrollment characteristics and postsecondary experiences. It provides estimates for all first-time postsecondary students (tables 2.1-A through 2.1-D and 2.2-A through 2.2-D) as well as the 58 percent of all first-time postsecondary students who attended full-time, full-year only (tables 2.3-A through 2.3-D and 2.4-A through 2.4-D). For each of these populations of students, the first of the two tables includes information on their average tuition and fees; their average total price of attendance; the percentage who received financial aid, grants, and loans; and the average amounts received in these forms of aid. The second of the two tables spotlights grant receipt, displaying the percentage who received Pell, state, institution, and merit-only grants and the average amounts received for each of these types of grants. Amounts are averaged only among aid recipients (e.g., students who did not receive any grant aid are not included when computing average grant amounts).
Understanding School Medicaid: A Primer for Chief State School Officers. Healthy Schools Campaign
Author: Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)
Date: 2019-11-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: School Health Services,Health Insurance,Federal Programs,Low Income Students,Program Descriptions,Educational Finance,Access to Health Care,Federal State Relationship,State Federal Aid,State Policy

For more than 30 years, Medicaid has played a key role in paying for school health services. As the source of health insurance for 40 percent of children across the country, Medicaid helps ensure low-income children receive healthcare they need to be healthy and ready to learn. Today, new opportunities exist to enhance the role that Medicaid plays in school, creating a sustainable source of revenue to support school-based health services, including mental health services. Examples of services Medicaid might pay in states include but are not limited to: nursing services; mental health services; occupational, physical, and speech therapy; physician services; optometry services; respiratory therapy; dental services; diagnostic, screening, preventive, and rehabilitative services; and nutritional services. Chief state school officers can play an important role in leveraging these opportunities in their state to ensure all students have the supports they need to achieve academically. This primer explores what Medicaid is, what it covers--in and out of school, --and new opportunities for expanding school Medicaid programs statewide.
Evaluation of the Center for Exploratory Studies at the University of Cincinnati
Author: Gray, Robert J.
Date: 2020-06-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Subjects: Program Evaluation,Academic Advising,Student Personnel Services,Undergraduate Students,Majors (Students),Decision Making,School Holding Power,Grade Point Average,Career Development,Career Counseling

The Center for Exploratory Studies (CES) at the University of Cincinnati (UC) provides specialized advising that helps undecided students find their best-fit major and career pathways. Students in the exploratory studies major fall into either the undecided or decided category. Existing literature suggests that undecided students are considered at risk for multiple factors associated with their lack of being in a degree-granting major at the university. This at-risk categorization means undecided students would be retained at lower rates and grade point averages (GPA) of their decided counterparts. Undecided students at UC take a class named Discovering UC that focused on major exploration and a decision-making model. Descriptive statistics analyzed regarding Discovering UC prove the course is beneficial in assisting students through the decision-making process and the selection of a major. Quantitative data analyzed regarding student retention rates and GPAs determine that CES is an effective advising program at the university.
A Top-Down/Bottom-Up Approach to Statewide Change: Mathematics Pathways to Completion. Report
Author: Bickerstaff, Susan
Date: 2020-02-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Higher Education,Educational Change,Community Colleges,Institutional Cooperation,Public Colleges,Mathematics Instruction,Stakeholders,Barriers,Change Strategies,College Mathematics,Governance,At Risk Students,Professional Development,Remedial Mathematics,Capacity Building,Statewide Planning

This study examines the efforts of higher education systems in six states to implement large-scale changes to improve student outcomes in mathematics in community colleges and four-year colleges and universities as part of the Mathematics Pathways to Completion (MPC) project. The three-year project was launched in 2015 to help Arkansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Washington adopt the Dana Center Mathematics Pathways model, largely by facilitating cross-sector and cross-institutional collaboration. The goal was for these states to implement mathematics pathways as a &quot;normative, sustained, and institutionalized practice&quot; for all students in all public postsecondary institutions. This final report of the MPC project describes how the Dana Center's project design supported participating states in navigating challenges related to implementing mathematics pathways statewide and offers examples of how states made progress toward their goals. In this report, the authors describe the Dana Center's theory of scale, which combines &quot;top-down&quot; policy changes that enable reform implementation with &quot;bottom-up&quot; flexibility that allows individual institutions to adapt and develop approaches to fit their context. Drawing on institutional surveys, self-assessments by state leaders, stakeholder interviews, and project documents, this report explores two overarching questions: (1) How did states engage diverse stakeholders across higher education sectors using a top-down/bottom-up approach to implementing mathematics pathways at scale statewide?; and (2) What challenges did states encounter in implementing mathematics pathways statewide, and what successes resulted from their work? The report's findings are organized across three phases of state-level work. [This research was conducted in association with the Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin.]
Big Claims, Little Evidence, Lots of Money: The Reality behind the Summit Learning Program and the Push to Adopt Digital Personalized Learning Programs
Author: Boninger, Faith
Date: 2020-06-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Individualized Instruction,Electronic Learning,Charter Schools,Instructional Effectiveness,Academic Achievement,Career Readiness,College Readiness,Marketing,Educational Finance,Private Financial Support,Educational Change,Privacy

Virtual learning and personalized learning have been at the forefront of education reform discussions for over a decade. Backed by almost $200 million philanthropic dollars from the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, the Gates Foundation, and others, Summit Public Schools has aggressively marketed its Summit Learning Platform to schools across the United States since 2015. As a result, the Summit Learning Program is now one of the most prominent digital personalized learning programs in the United States. Its rapid spread--despite a lack of transparency and the absence of convincing evidence that it can deliver on its promises--provides a powerful example of how policymakers are challenged when faced with a well-financed and self-interested push for schools to adopt digital personalized learning programs. There is now an urgent need for policymakers to move quickly to protect the public interest by establishing oversight and accountability mechanisms related to digital platforms and personalized learning programs. [Seven appendixes as well as the authors' reply to T.L.P. Education's blog response to this research brief are available on the publisher's web site.]
Helping Parents Navigate the Early Childhood Education Enrollment Process: Experimental Evidence from New Orleans
Author: Weixler, Lindsay
Date: 2020-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Enrollment,Information Dissemination,Parents,Telecommunications,Communication Strategies,Administrators,Barriers,Educational Policy,Low Income Groups,At Risk Students,Eligibility,Audits (Verification),School Registration,Program Effectiveness,Access to Information,Knowledge Level,Early Intervention,Preschool Education

Enrolling in publicly funded early childhood education involves searching for programs, applying, verifying eligibility, and registering with the program. Many families do not complete this process, despite demonstrated interest. In this study, we assessed support for families as they verify eligibility as a means for increasing enrollment completion rates. Working with district administrators, we randomly assigned families to receive either (a) the district's usual, modest communications; (b) the usual communications plus weekly text message reminders with a formal tone; or (c) the usual communications plus weekly personalized, friendly text message reminders. Text message reminders increased verification rates by seven percentage points (regardless of tone), and personalized messages increased enrollment rates for some groups. Exchanges between parents and administrators revealed the obstacles parents confronted. [This article was published in &quot;Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis&quot; (EJ1262521).]
Running, Running the Show: Supporting the Leadership Development of Black Girls in Middle School
Author: Mims, Lauren C.
Date: 2020-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle School Students,African American Students,Females,African American Leadership,Student Attitudes

Black girls have been at the forefront of educational change as leaders who &quot;run the show&quot; throughout history yet their unique contributions are missing from books and classroom materials, and their perspectives excluded from definitions of leadership. To address these deficits, we interviewed 21 Black girls enrolled in a summer program in a mid-sized Southern city individually and in focus groups about their knowledge of Black women leaders and definitions of leadership. Using narrative analysis, we analyzed the individual and focus group interviews. Knowledge of Black female leaders ranged from 0 to 4 with the majority (11; 52%) listing 1. Definitions of leadership aligned with identity developmental questions of &quot;Who am I?&quot; and &quot;How do I fit in?&quot; Being a leader involved making positive life choices for staying on the right path, even if that path differed from their peers, and emphasized that leaders support other Black girls. Suggestions as well as a list of ten guiding questions to help researchers, policymakers and practitioners continue to support developing Black girl leaders in middle school are provided. [This article was published in &quot;Middle School Journal&quot; (EJ1242680).]
An Evaluation of a Program for Analysing Instructional Materials: A Case Study on EdReports.org
Author: Watt, Michael G.
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Program Evaluation,Instructional Materials,Instructional Material Evaluation,Media Selection,Decision Making,Language Arts,Mathematics,Sciences,Academic Standards,Alignment (Education),State Standards

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the program initiated by EdReports.org for analysing instructional materials, improving local decision making for selecting materials, and providing professional learning to support implementation of high-quality materials in schools. The Context Input Process Product model was used to evaluate decision-making by policy groups during the stage of context evaluation, and operation managers in EdReports.org during the stages of input, process and product evaluation. The results show that EdReports.org reviews materials in English language arts, mathematics and science, and supports efforts to improve local selection and implementation of high-quality materials in schools. Activities include publishing research findings, increasing outreach within the education community, collaborating with education organisations and professional associations to strengthen professional learning for implementing high-quality materials, and partnering with state education agencies on projects to assist districts ensure that teachers use high-quality materials. The findings of the study show that EdReports.org has planned, structured and implemented a program during the first five years of operation that meets the needs of educators for guidance and advice about the selection and implementation of high-quality, standards-aligned materials.